According to my followers, cleaning is easy; doing a snap is okay but they hate the jerk, just like me, but with preparation and training you can get great results.
Hello, this is Oleksiy Torokhtiy. You may recognize me by having been in weightlifting sports for over twenty years. Ten years of that time I was an active member of the national team of Ukraine.
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No More Heroes 3 Review: Less Heroes, More Fun!
RRP $ 60.00
"No More Heroes 3 is a jewel for the Nintendo Switch that no action fan should be without in his collection."
advantages
Unique and fun writing
Lots of fan service
Great music
Fulfilling struggle
Good performance
disadvantage
Repeating sections
Some empty hub locations
Goichi "SUDA51" Suda is one of the most unique and creative video game designers, directors and writers on the market. His best-known works include Killer7, The Silver Case, Fire Pro Wrestling and the No More Heroes series. His newest game, No More Heroes 3, is another Suda homerun that shows off his talent for a thought-provoking, high-octane adventure.
No More Heroes 3 is a sequel to two earlier games in the series, No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle and Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes. After playing 2019 Travis Strikes Again and being very impressed, my expectations for the next numbered entry in the series were sky high. With hopes so high, I'm stunned that No More Heroes 3 is actually delivering them – and more so – on every imaginable front.
No More Heroes 3 is an action-packed good time with strong writing and loads of fan service as the icing on the cake. Fans of No More Heroes, Suda51, and Hack-and-Slashes wouldn't do themselves any favors by missing out on this Nintendo Switch gem.
The game begins in classic No More Heroes fashion, with Travis immediately thrown into a new war and with the chance to climb the killer rankings. This time his enemies are not killers from Earth, but aliens from different planets that the alien prince and self-proclaimed "Goddamn Superhero" FU has gathered.
They find out that FU was once an adorable little creature who made a connection with a human boy, Damon, whom Travis Strikes Again players can instantly recognize. Upon returning to Earth to meet his friend again, he not only wears a new humanoid look, but also his own private army of alien fighters and a new goal to conquer the planet. It's a shame he didn't expect a tough otaku assassin to have the power to defeat them all one by one.
As in previous No More Heroes entries, Travis faces these fighters as he climbs the killer rankings and encounters some surprises in the process. Of course, it's not cut and dried as it may seem; Suda's writing makes the adventure a lot more unique than the gameplay premise seems to allow.
As a fan of the series, I felt a variety of emotions as I went through the story – from joyful joy to sadness. We see Travis go through more than ever, and for the first time we see him accept the fact that he is the hero of a world where (wait for it) there are no heroes left. Players will really want to play through Travis Strikes Again to get the full impact of this character growth. That makes the story of this game even more impressive.
Travis isn't the only character in the spotlight in No More Heroes 3. Sudaverse characters pop up in abundance throughout the game, with tons of surprising faces left and right. Each of these characters offers something new, and I couldn't get enough of any of them. It really feels like a wonderland for fans of each of Suda's past games. And yes, that includes games like Fire Pro Wrestling.
No More Heroes is not just defined by its writing; The action here really takes the series to the next level. The hack-and-slash battles are a mix of the classic battle from the numbered titles on the Wii and the series’s Switch spinoff. Ripped right off Travis Strikes Again, Travis can now perform light and heavy attacks instead of just having access to a beam katana button and punch / kick melee attacks. This already offers players a wider variety of fighting options than in previous titles, but there is a lot more on the agenda.
Holding the joystick forward, backward, or neutral will allow players to perform different attack strings with their respective light and heavy attack buttons. For the first time in a numbered entry, Travis can also jump. This gives players access to a forward moving, airy blow and an airborne attack that drops Travis like a stone.
Offense isn't everything in this game; Players can block and dodge to go around the enemy. The Dark Step mechanic, which acts as a parade, also returns with a new twist. If Travis dodges before an enemy hits him, he will immediately move behind them and become invincible to attack for a short time. He can either unleash a barrage of beam katana attacks or grapple with enemies and instantly recharge his katana (you can also shake the Joy-Con as you walk to recharge it for the first time in the series).
As if that wasn't enough, there's the Death Glove attacks returning from Travis Strikes Again. Players begin with a harmful "death blow" that can put a great distance between them and their enemy. As players progress, they will unlock more death attacks, including Death Force, a power surge that pushes enemies farther away and damages everyone they come in contact with. There is also "Death Slow", a field that slows down anyone who comes in contact with it, and "Death Shower," another field that dousers everyone in the vicinity with harmful one-bit pellets.
Although the fight may be clunky at first for anyone unfamiliar with No More Heroes, I found it to be best implemented on the series. Players can get creative and use their Death Glove attacks to tackle challenging enemies in a unique way that suits their play style.
Do you want to play super lame and keep your enemies away? Use Death Kick or Death Force to push them away and attack if you want. Do you want to pile the damage and get rid of a pesky enemy quickly? Knock them down, use Death Slow and Death Shower in conjunction with your heavy attacks to end them faster than ever. The possibilities are endless and make for a game that never ceases to be fun even with later playthroughs.
Trust me, I played three times before writing this review.
After fans demanded their return in every game since No More Heroes, Suda has finally delivered by recreating the GTA-esque hub world everyone remembers the original. Players ride their very different Kaneda-von-Akiras motorcycle through Santa Destroy and neighboring towns to advance in the game, collect missions, and earn money doing odd jobs.
While some of these areas can be a little bare, it seems like a deliberate design choice – especially in the Call of Battle section, which is a cheeky joke about the Call of Duty series. Even then, I enjoyed traveling through these areas looking for kittens, trading cards, new t-shirts, sushi stands, and toilets for diving. Yes, all of the side quest quality returns from No More Heroes 1 and 2. But for the first time, these missions are not needed to earn progress money.
No More Heroes 3 allows players to progress at will once they have completed three required battles to earn their chance to fight the next alien boss. Players can completely ignore the more mundane odd jobs like mowing the lawn and shooting kaiju alligators for the usual combat missions. Or they run around collecting scorpions for the sushi guy.
As in the past, these missions can seem a bit intrusive and repetitive. In the combat missions, you are trapped in an area with a number of enemies that you must defeat, the only difference between them being the enemies and locations. This is doubly true for the shooter missions where you have to defeat a huge alien boss.
However, if you like the Combat and Shooter sections (like me) you will find that these sections are just another chance to test your skills against new enemies.
No More Heroes 3 is one of the best action games of the year and offers well-rounded fun. The writing, gameplay, performance, music, and virtually everything else come together to create a must-play game for the Nintendo Switch, just like the 2007 original on the Nintendo Wii. Fans of Suda51, No More Heroes, action games, and having a hilariously good time must try this game out. If you weren't a fan of developers Grasshopper Manufacture and Suda before, this is what you're looking for.
My first playthrough on normal / easy difficulty took about 11 hours, but that was without me getting through all of the unlockable and side quests. When I returned to tackle the sharp / hard setting for New Game + and get it 100% complete, I hit about the 17 hour mark.
There's no shortage of good hack-and-slash and character action games in the world, but No More Heroes is one of a kind. There is no comparable title in both the writing and action departments. The only alternatives out there would be past No More Heroes entries, which I recommend playing through before trying your hand at No More Heroes 3.
Yes sir. If you want a one-of-a-kind action experience like you've never had before, I recommend No More Heroes 3. Combat can be a little shaky at times and its methods of progression are not for everyone, but the game offers an adventure switch owners shouldn't get that miss.
Editor's recommendations
The windmill is known as a full body exercise that uses kettlebells. This demanding training places particular emphasis on improving the stability and strength of your body in your glutes, shoulders and inclines. It's also responsible for improving the strength of your core muscles so they can attack efficiently. It is also beneficial to improve flexibility in your hips and hamstrings. This exercise is ideal for you if you want to improve your body's strength, stability, and flexibility. If you practice this exercise regularly, you can perform daily and sports activities with ease and comfort.
You can also increase your cardio by doing the windmill exercise, and it will also help increase your body's glucose endurance. The experts also suggest the performance of kettlebell training rather than any other weightlifting exercise. So this exercise is perfect for you. Additionally, because of the never-ending benefits of Windmill training, you should add it to your regular exercise regimen.
The windmill exercise guide below is perfect for you as it will provide you with all of the information needed to complete this exercise.
Below is everything you need to know, from step-by-step instructions and common mistakes, to tips and variations to really excel at performing this exercise.
Step by step instructions:
1. First stand with feet hip-width apart and toes slightly stretched to allow better freedom of movement.
2. Now grab a kettlebell with your right hand and then stretch it just above your head. Also, make sure that your right palm is facing forward.
3. Then extend your left arm in front of your left thigh. Your left palm should also be facing forward. In this position, your arms appear like those of a windmill.
4. Now, while lowering your torso down and then to the left, hang in your hips. With your right hand fully extended over your head, your left arm continues to point forward as it slides closer to the front part of your left leg.
5. With your left hand near your left foot, tilt your upper body to the left while still twisting it slightly to the right. If done correctly, you will feel a weight shift into your right hip.
6. Return to the starting position by reversing the movement.
Storage tips In Understanding:
1. Always do a quick but efficient warm-up before lifting the kettlebell or other weight. This should be done to avoid the risk of injury or strain and to strengthen your target muscles.
2. Make sure your back is perfectly straight and upright as you perform this exercise.
Common mistakes that are usually made:
1. People often tend to bend their knees during this exercise to bring their weightless hands closer to the floor. This should be avoided at all costs.
2. In addition, most people who practice this exercise often hyperextend their shoulders, causing their upper arm to float back and behind the shoulder. Avoid this at all costs and instead try to keep a flat, straight line between your shoulders and chest.
3. Turning your torso too much can increase the risk of serious injury or strain, as only your torso is rotated instead of the entire torso.
4. Too little torsion of your torso will also prevent you from getting the maximum benefit from this exercise.
When you are completely familiar with the performance of the classic windmill exercise, there are a few variations that you can try:
1. Dumbbell windmill
As the name suggests, this version of the traditional windmill exercise involves dumbbells instead of a kettlebell. It is considered to be more demanding for your anterior and posterior teeth than the classic version. It can also come in handy when you can't grab a kettlebell.
2. Double kettlebell windmill
This exercise involves using two kettlebells instead of just one. Aside from the kettlebell that you hold above your head, you have another one in your arms that you lower to touch the floor. This ensures the promotion of additional resistance in your body.
Acer Swift X review: content creation cheap?
RRP $ 1,100.00
"The Acer Swift X is a powerful laptop that many students and creatives appreciate."
advantages
Outstanding performance
Very good battery life
Excellent keyboard and touchpad
Solid entry-level gaming
Thin and light frame given the strength inside
disadvantage
Build quality could be better
Display is not sufficient for the target market
Creative professionals need more than anything in a great laptop. First, they need power, and lots of it – preferably both a fast CPU and a fast GPU. Second, they need a display with wide and accurate colors and lots of contrast and brightness. Acer's Swift X is aimed at these developers, though it does offer configurations starting at $ 1,100. Is that possible at this price?
The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U, the RTX 3050 Ti and the 14-inch display of the Acer Swift X certainly seem up to the task. After putting it through its paces, the Swift X is far from a perfect machine – but its fantastic performance and value for money set it apart from its competitors.
The Acer Swift X has an all-aluminum chassis that was a bit flexible in the lid and suffered from a slight flexing of the keyboard. It's nothing monstrous. but Asus, Dell, and HP laptops tend to have stiffer builds. The MSI Prestige 14 Evo, Dell XPS 13, and HP Specter x360 14 are three laptops that feel more solid in the hand. The Swift X's hinge is capable of almost one-handed opening and holds the display firmly in place while you work. If the Swift X were more expensive, I'd have more of a build quality issue. However, we are only just on the edge of the premium class for a well configured machine, so I like to overlook a bit of flexibility.
Aesthetically, the Swift X is a conservative laptop that only encompasses a few angles, including along the back of the case to make some difference. It's available in three creatively titled colors, Safari Gold (my test device), Steam Blue, and Prodigy Pink. The XPS 13 and Specter x360 13 are more outstanding laptops in terms of looks, with the Dell leaning towards business-like elegance and the HP offering a bold, gem-cut design. But there's plenty of room for a more traditional design that doesn't attract too much attention, and that is the Swift X.
I'll be faulting it for its plastic display bezels that spoil the overall look. They're not particularly small either, with a screen-to-body ratio of 85.73% – to be considered truly modern, that number should exceed 90% and the display should be made entirely of glass. The display's 16: 9 aspect ratio is also old-fashioned, with competing laptops using higher ratios like 16:10 and 3: 2.
Compared to some other 14-inch laptops, the Swift X is a reasonable size. For example, it's a bit wider than the HP Envy 14, while it's thinner due to the HP's tall 16:10 display. The Swift X is 0.70 inches thick compared to the Envy 14's 0.71 inches and weighs 3.06 pounds, while the Envy 14 is slightly heavier at 3.3 pounds. The MSI Prestige 14 Evo is closer in width and depth, while it's thinner at 0.63 inches and lighter at 2.85 pounds. The Specter x360 14 is even narrower, but slightly deeper, with its 13.5-inch 3: 2 display, and it's just 0.67 inches thick and 2.95 pounds. It might not be the thinnest or lightest laptop, but the Swift X is still comfortable enough to carry around – especially considering how much power you're packing in.
The Swift X offers ample connectivity with a proprietary power connector, a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, a full-size HDMI 1.0 port, and a USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port on the left to connect to another USB A 3.2. go to Gen 1 port and 3.5mm audio adapter on the right. Unfortunately there is no SD card reader or, given the AMD chipset, Thunderbolt support. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 offer wireless connectivity.
As mentioned earlier, the Ryzen 7 5800U is a fast, thin, and light laptop processor that by far beats the Intel equivalent for CPU-intensive tasks. If we just compare the processors, we should expect AMD's offering to be much faster for things like encoding videos and processing large images. Throw in a separate GPU, even the entry-level Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, and you get additional support for applications that can use the GPU to speed up certain tasks, such as: B. Adobe's suite of creative applications. The Acer therefore promises to be a powerhouse in a thin and light package.
You probably won't find a faster, thin, and light laptop in this price range.
According to our benchmarks, Acer did just that – for the most part. In our Handbrake test, which encodes a 420MB video in H.265, the Swift X led our comparison group, including several other laptops with Ryzen chips. It even (barely) beat the Asus ROG Flow X13 with the faster Ryzen 9 5900HS processor. In fact, the Swift X is one of the fastest laptops we tested in Handbrake, and even outperforms some machines with Intel 45-watt CPUs. The Swift X also did exceptionally well in the Cinebench R23 benchmark and even took the lead by a clear margin with the Ryzen 9 in the mix. Both benchmark results show that the Swift X delivers when you have to perform tedious tasks like encoding video that are CPU draining.
The Swift X wasn't that dominant in Geekbench 5, but I'd like to note here that Acer includes a utility to change performance modes. The utility didn't make much of a difference when I switched to performance mode in most tests, and the results in the table reflect standard mode. However, Geekbench 5 was a test where the performance mode made a difference – the Swift X scored 1,406 single-core and 8,030 multi-core in that mode, taking first place in the multi-core test. The Swift X also took first place in the PCMark 10 Complete Score (the performance mode made hardly any difference here) and did well in the Essentials, Productivity and Content Creation scores.
I also ran the PugetBench benchmark, which uses Adobe Premiere Pro to perform various viewing and encoding tasks. The benchmark shows the effect of a discrete GPU, as the Swift X scores 333 points in the benchmark. Interestingly, this is not as high as I expected and ended up behind the HP Envy 14, for example, which uses an Intel Core i5-1135G7 and an Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q and scored 432 points. The Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 with an Intel Core i7-1165G7 and integrated Iris-Xe graphics scored 241 points, while the Asus ZenBook 13 OLED with a Ryzen 7 5800U and integrated Radeon graphics scored 180 points. These results show that Intel has built in some optimizations that give its chips a better result here in the benchmark. The benchmark is broken down into several sections including Export, Playback, and GPU, and the Intel machines did worse on Export and GPU, but much better on playback, which likely bloated their results.
Despite the confusing PugetBench results, the Swift X is a great machine for anyone who needs a lot of CPU power and a GPU that can speed up intensive tasks. It's also extremely fast as a productivity laptop and tears up everything I threw on it during the review process. You are unlikely to find another thin and light laptop that is faster in this price range.
| Geekbench (single / multiple) | Handbrake (Seconds) |
Cinebench R23 (single / multiple) | PCMark 10 | 3DMark time spy | |
| Acer Swift X (Ryzen7 5800U) | 1287/6663 | 99 | 1437/10135 | 6247 | 4073 |
| HP Pavilion Aero 13 (Ryzen7 5800U) |
1373/6430 | 112 | 1381/8304 | 5756 | 1212 |
| Asus ZenBook 13 OLED (Ryzen7 5800U) |
1423/6758 | 124 | 1171/7824 | 6034 | 1342 |
| Asus ROG Flow X13 (Ryzen9 5900HS) |
1415/7592 | 102 | 1420/9701 | 5756 | 4503 |
| Dell XPS 13 (Core i7-1185G7) | 1549/5431 | 204 | 1399/4585 | n / A | 1380 |
| HP Specter x360 14 (Core i7-1165G7) | 1214/4117 | 236 | 1389/3941 | 4728 | 1457 |
| Razer Book 13 (Core i7-1165G7) | 1548/5374 | 210 | 1508/4519 | 4878 | 1776 |
| MacBook Pro 13 (M1) | 1707/7337 | n / A | 1487/7547 | n / A | n / A |
Gaming was good for a laptop that wasn't specifically designed for gaming, with the Swift X doing well in the 3DMark Time Spy test (but behind the game-centric Asus ROG Flow X13). It reached 116 frames per second (fps) in Civilization VI at 1080p and medium graphics and 66 fps with ultra graphics switched on. That's actually a few fps faster than the ROG Flow X13, which surprised me. In Fortnite, the Swift X achieved 64 fps at 1080p and high graphics performance compared to the ROG Flow X13 at 67 fps and 43 fps with epic graphics compared to 47 fps with the ROG. The Swift X is a good entry-level gaming device that can handle modern titles with the right resolutions and graphical details.
From a performance perspective, the Swift X is designed for creative professionals. As we've seen, it has the speed that a very portable workstation can handle for editing videos and photos on the go. However, an important part of that equation is the display – does it offer wide and accurate colors, lots of brightness, and high contrast for creative work? In short, the answer is unfortunately no for the 14-inch IPS Full HD display (1,920 x 1,080) of the Swift X in 16: 9 format. The subjective viewing experience during my tests was a mixed picture, with colors that seemed accurate and pleasant, and with just enough brightness to accommodate the lighting in my house. Blacks on white backgrounds didn't show up, however, which made copy-writing a less pleasant experience than I'd like.
So I turned to my familiar colorimeter for a more objective perspective. The results didn't surprise me at all. Initially, the color width was 72% of AdobeRGB and 96% of sRGB, which is the average of premium laptops, but falls far short of the displays required for creative work. Color accuracy was good with a DeltaE of 1.63 (1.0 or less is considered excellent), so that's a plus.
The brightness was a bit low at 283 nits, below our 300-nit threshold, and the contrast was 730: 1, well below our preferred 1,000: 1 ratio for premium laptops. On another recently tested 14-inch laptop, the Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon X1 Gen 9 (certainly a more expensive device), we see similar colors at 76% AdobeRGB and 96% sRGB, better color accuracy at 0.99, and higher brightness at 306 nits. The contrast of the ThinkPad was still below our threshold at 970: 1, which you could see from the black text. The Dell XPS 13 Full HD + display achieved 75% AdobeRGB and 98% sRGB with a color accuracy of 1,21,458 nits of brightness and a contrast ratio of 1,350: 1.
That's a lot of numbers, but the conclusion is simple. The Swift X allows creatives to get their work done on the go at some speed, but they don't want to use the laptop for final production. Productivity workers will be more satisfied with the display, but even then the low contrast ratio will be disappointing and the old school 16: 9 contrast ratio cannot be compared to today's higher panels. It's a shame that Acer doesn't offer a higher quality display with wider colors and better contrast for the Swift X. That would really make the laptop a highly portable creative production machine.
In terms of audio technology, the two downward-facing speakers weren't exactly great. The maximum volume was on the low side, enough for system sounds and a YouTube video, but not nearly enough for music or Netflix bingeing. The mids and highs were clear, but there was no bass (not surprising for a laptop) and there was no distortion when turned all the way up. You need headphones or a bluetooth speaker.
The Swift X has a keyboard with nice-sized silver keycaps and full-size spacing. The key switches are light and clicky, with a comfortable floor motion that provides a precise feel. I still prefer the HP Specter keyboard, which offers a touch more feedback, but the Swift X keyboard comes with the best that Windows 10 has to offer. It's backlit, of course, but I found that the light shining through the gay letters was distorted and difficult to read. However, this is a minor matter. Most touch typists will love this keyboard.
The touchpad takes up most of the available palm rest space, but the top of the keyboard deck is pushed back by an extension that houses the hinge and rear ventilation. That means the touchpad is a bit smaller than it could be. However, it has a comfortable interface and Microsoft Precision touchpad drivers, so using Windows 10 multi-touch gestures is efficient and precise. There is no touch display option, which is disappointing.
A fingerprint reader in the upper right corner of the palm rest offers Windows 10 Hello password-free support. It worked quickly and responsively during my tests, which has become the norm with modern laptops.
Acer packed 59 watt hours of battery into the Swift X, a decent – but not great – amount for a 14-inch laptop with such powerful components. The Full HD display would help, I expected, but I wasn't expecting great battery life.
I was surprised. In our web browser test, the Swift X lasted for almost 12 hours, which is a strong score. The MSI Prestige 14 Evo achieved a little more than seven hours in this test, while the HP Envy 14 was better than both with just over 12.5 hours. In our video test, which repeats a local Full HD Avengers trailer, the Swift X reached 12.75 hours, well below the 16.3 hours of the Prestige 14 Evo and 14.5 hours of the HP Envy. I've noticed that Ryzen laptops don't have the same increase from the web browsing test to the video test, which shows that Intel machines are more efficient at playing videos.
In the battery benchmark PCMark 10 Applications, the best indicator for the longevity of productivity, the Swift X does well with just over 12 hours. The Prestige 14 Evo did not quite manage 10.5 hours in this test, while the HP Envy 14 would not complete the benchmark. In the PCMark 10 gaming battery test, the Swift X shut down after just under 1.5 hours, which is the lowest result we have ever seen. The Prestige 14 Evo lasted just 10 minutes longer, while the HP Envy 14 is the other laptop to score the Swift X's. This test seems to show how much a laptop is throttled on battery power, which means that the Swift X works hard when turned off and therefore burns its battery up pretty quickly.
Overall, these results suggest that the Swift X will last you a full day of work with a few hours to spare. If you drive the CPU and GPU hard enough, you will get a lot less battery life, but that's to be expected. If you encode video on the go, take your power adapter with you.
The Acer Swift X does what it promises to pack a lot of power into a thin and light frame. It's one of the fastest 14-inch laptops we've tested, and it's a great choice for creative professionals who need power on the go. Battery life was also a strength, which makes this notebook a great productivity laptop for on the go.
The biggest downside to the Swift X is the display. Getting rid of it entirely by creative professionals isn't bad enough, but they should have a better external display in the office to complete their work. Acer would have been smart about offering a higher quality display for those who want it the most.
There aren't many laptops that combine a fast Ryzen CPU with a discrete GPU. One that has recently become available is the Asus ROG Flow 13, which is a smaller machine but almost as fast. Aside from the Asus' gaming aesthetic, it's a great alternative for anyone who needs portable performance.
The HP Envy 14 is an option for someone who can live with an Intel Core CPU to work with separate graphics, and it has performed well in Adobe applications. It also suffers from a smaller display, but offers good performance and better build quality.
The Swift X is so well built you can expect it to hold up on high-performance computing for years. The components are modern and should keep up with the times, demanding users should get their money's worth. As always, the industry standard one-year warranty is disappointing.
Yes, for performance and battery life. Just make sure you can live with the display before pulling out your credit card.
Editor's recommendations
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 in the test: The foldable future is now ready for everyone
RRP $ 1,000.00
“The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is the first foldable smartphone that most people should buy. It's compact, powerful, and durable, and costs about the same as its competitors. It's also really fun to use. "
advantages
Really compact
Water resistance increases durability
Nice screen
Innovative, eye-catching design
disadvantage
One day battery life
Features are missing from the cover screen
Foldable smartphones have a reputation of fragility, compromise, and cost that many people dismiss as expensive toys for the most avid early adopters. the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 banishes this reputation thanks to a more robust case, a smaller design and above all a lower price.
Samsung considers both the Z Flip 3 and its bigger sister phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 3, to be mainstream devices. But is that really true? Yes it really is.
Take your regular mainstream smartphone, like the Galaxy S21 + or OnePlus 9 Pro, and imagine folding it in half when you're done. This is the Galaxy Z Flip 3. It is not the first phone of its kind, but it is the first to win and deserve mainstream attention due to various improvements over the previous models. It is therefore important to understand the benefits it brings to everyday life and the difference between using it and the Z Fold 3.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
They may both fold up, but Samsung's two new foldable smartphones are very different from each other. The Z Fold 3 is about having a bigger screen in a full-size phone, while the Z Flip 3 is about having a full-size screen in a smaller than ordinary phone. Unlike the Z Fold 3, it is not designed to be used when closed and is based more on portability and comfort than on increased productivity.
Living with the Z Flip 3 isn't really that different from life with any other smartphone with a 6.7-inch screen until you finish it and put it in your pocket. Folding the phone up, somewhat reminiscent of a flip phone from the 1990s or a makeup compact, is satisfying, different, and actually fun. The action is not old. You do it without thinking about it, such as clicking the tip of a pen, and sometimes you just pick up the phone and open it when you don't really need it. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a tactile, friendly, and interactive piece of mobile technology.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
When closed, the 4.2-inch Z Flip 3 is a little more than half as long as it is open, but at 17.1 mm, more than twice as thick. However, at 183 grams it is light. Due to the reduced footprint, it takes up less space in a bag or pocket, but is still noticeable due to the thick housing. When folded, it sits comfortably and naturally in your hand, especially if you have small hands. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is really all about comfort and it makes it possible to live much more comfortably than other large, modern smartphones.
However, I've often left the Z Flip 3 open at home, which feels strangely wrong. Why? You can't do anything useful with the phone when it is closed because the cover screen isn't as useful as it should be. This underscores that the Z Flip 3's folding design is about portability, not ease of use. But not closing the flip is a bit like telling Placido Domingo not to sing.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Many people probably envision the larger Z Fold 3 – a regular phone that turns into a tablet when they think of folding smartphones. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is not like that at all. It's a 6.7-inch smartphone that folds into a less awkward one than other similarly sized, non-foldable models. If you've ever thought that “modern phones are just too big” but never want to miss out on the big screen experience, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is the phone for you.
Samsung highlights the increased durability as one of the main reasons the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is ready for the mainstream audience, and that's right, but another reason is the emphasis on fashion, style, design and fun. The Z Fold 3 introduces tech before design, but the Z Flip 3 turns this on its head with an equally fun folding movement, a choice of colors, eye-catching accessories, and a delicate and stylish minimalist design. It reminds me of electric cars like the Honda E, which carefully blends modern tech with cool retro design elements to create broad appeal.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
My test model is cream with a silver frame and it is one of a total of seven combinations. Each phone is two-tone, with the colored glass panels coordinated with a black glass camera module and a contrasting housing color. There are a number of fun silicone cases available with straps or rings to attach the phone to a bag or lanyard. This depth of personalization really suits the fun nature of the Z Flip 3.
Samsung used a tougher new aluminum called Armor Aluminum for the construction, along with stronger flexible glass over the screen, and gave it an IPX8 rating for water resistance. It makes the Z Flip 3 more durable than previous versions. It feels that way too. There's no flex where it shouldn't be, solid construction, and no obvious gaps around the hinge either. The sleek glass case makes the phone quite slippery and it slides out of loose pockets or over some surfaces. However, the chassis offers enough support so that it does not slip out of your hand.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Magnets keep the phone securely closed, the unfolding movement is gentle and almost noiseless, and it clicks into place when fully opened. The opening and closing of the Z Flip 3 is satisfactory and tactile, and the action feels solid and high quality. Opening the Z Flip 3 initially took more force than expected, but after about a week the hinge loosened. However, it will always be two-handed as the hinge has enough resistance to hold the phone open at any angle.
The Z Flip 3 is cuter than any smartphone can really be, it feels extremely solid and well made, and it's a phone that will make you smile when you see it lying around. It's also been expertly crafted with some wonderful little touches like the domed glass around the camera module, the logo stamped into the hinge that disappears when the phone is opened so it doesn't have branding, and the built-in fingerprint sensor, and the small, sleek power key. With the Galaxy Z Flip 3, fashion meets technology and that's just right.
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 has two screens. On the front of the closed phone is the cover screen, a small 1.9-inch Super AMOLED panel with 260 x 512 pixels. When open, you will see a 6.7-inch screen with 2640 x 1080 pixels and 120 Hz Dynamic AMOLED with an aspect ratio of 22: 9.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Yes, there is a crease on the open screen, but it is imperceptible when the screen is active and viewing and is barely noticeable when you slide your finger up and down the screen. Having the phone and apps in dark mode helps when you can still see the crease and it bothers you. Dust and lint are more of a nuisance as it seems to collect a lot more than other screens, especially when the phone is closed and in your pocket. Particularly noteworthy is the redesigned screen protector, which has a much more glass-like texture than older versions.
The main screen is bright and detailed, the 120Hz refresh rate is wonderfully smooth and effectively reduces eye strain, and the video performance is up to usual Samsung standards. The vibrant and colorful door music video by Kwon Eun Bi shows the high contrast and bold colors but looks less natural than the iPhone 12 Pro's screen. Compare it to the Galaxy S21 + and there is almost nothing separating them other than a little more glare and reflection from the S21 + glass.
The screen of the Z Flip 3 is excellent when open. Closed, it's not that good. The cover screen is one of two downsides to the phone, and it's all because the software doesn't take full advantage of its capabilities. The title screen is interactive, and you can swipe left to see music controls, weather, voice recorder, and a selection of other customizable widgets. Swipe right and you'll get a vertical list of notifications that show a lot of details when you tap them and have the option to interact with them too.
However, the notifications are not visible like a normal always-on screen. The cover screen clock also doesn't have the option to show icons for notification. So if you miss them when they show up on the screen for a split second, you need to wake up and swipe the screen. Keep the Z Flip 3 open and you will see a normal Samsung Always-On screen with notification icons.
It gets worse because the deck screen isn't very responsive. It requires you to physically press the power button to wake it up, it doesn't always respond when you wake it up and then takes a few swipes too long to respond to a swipe, adding to the time it takes for notifications to appear . You can't activate the camera from the cover screen either, so you'll have to open the phone. It's disappointingly simple, and it also drives me to keep the phone open when I expect to do things on a regular basis.
The Galaxy Z Flip isn't a camera superstar like the Galaxy S21 Ultra, but its capabilities are similar to the Galaxy S21. There are two 12-megapixel cameras on the back, one of which is a wide-angle camera, and both have optical image stabilization (OIS). There is dual-pixel autofocus on the main camera, HDR10 + and video recording with up to 4K resolution at 60 frames per second, but no telephoto camera or 8K video recording. At the top center of the screen is a 10 MP camera for selfies.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
It's a good camera for everyday photos and, if the situation is right, it can get some outstanding shots. There is some evidence of overhaul, however, and the software-controlled portrait mode isn't as good as it should be. On the positive side, I took several insect photos on flowers (don't ask, it's just a coincidence that I took so many) and they turned out really very well, all without much intervention from me, which is exactly what I want . The autofocus system is smart and is exactly what really helped.
On sunny days the colors are too saturated for some, but I like the pop that Samsung has built into the camera and the white balance is good too. In most situations, the balance and dynamic range remain constant when switching between the main and wide-angle cameras. Photos are not as good when the light is poor and it is difficult to show details in shaded areas.
The autofocus system is intelligent and accurate.
Samsung's image processing can sometimes be seen at work. For example, look at the scene with a wire stretched across a pond and you can see tons of edge enhancements around it that really spoil the photo. Portrait mode, front or back, is also not very accurate and gets confused by even the simplest of shapes.
The hinge of the Z Flip 3 supports the screen at every angle between open and closed and serves as a mini tripod for the camera. Angle the hinge in the camera app and the viewfinder slides to the top half of the screen, where you can use Samsung's gesture controls to take a photo without tapping a button or setting the timer with an open hand to the camera. There's a button to switch to the lower half of the screen if that works better, or if you're using the rear camera, the cover screen can also be activated to preview.
However, due to its shape, the preview only provides part of the image so it can only be used as a basic guide. The picture stays in portrait orientation unless you turn the phone over to the side that is less stable and the cover screen shows even less. It's most useful when paired with Google Duo as the video call display automatically switches to the top half of the screen so you don't have to prop the phone against anything else. However, it doesn't work with other messaging apps like WhatsApp.
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G processor (whether you are in the US or the UK as there is no Exynos powered model this time around) with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. Android 11 with One UI 3.1.1 is installed. This makes it identical to the Galaxy S21 range and one of the highest quality smartphones you can buy today.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The performance is excellent, all apps run smoothly, and there are no compatibility or formatting issues that sometimes occur with large-format folding smartphones. The Z Flip 3 is also a great gaming phone, although it can get quite warm. When playing Asphalt 9: Legends, the wide display really comes into its own and the stereo speakers ensure a lot of volume and punch. However, the area on the back around the camera module is where heat is generated. It's never too hot to touch, but it's definitely noticeable.
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is not designed to increase productivity enormously, but it has Samsung's usual multitasking mode which is easy to use. Just slide the sidebar and drag the apps you want to the main screen where they will be stacked vertically and you can use two at the same time. The title screen gets its own Z Flip 3-specific settings menu, where you can choose between different wallpapers and change the widgets that appear when you slide across the screen.
Now we come to the other major disadvantage of the Z Flip 3 – the battery. It's a 3,300 mAh cell and just doesn't have the power to compete with its peers. Even if you stay at home and the phone is connected to Wi-Fi, the battery won't last much longer than a full day, especially if you play a few games or watch videos. Go out into the world with a 4G or 5G connection, use the phone normally, take a few pictures and you may have a hard time getting to the end of the night. I used the phone connected to a Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, but even on the days I didn't, the battery was still around 25% after a normal day.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
If you consider yourself a heavy user, the Z Flip 3's battery will be an issue. The phone supports wired charging at 15 watts and wireless charging at 10 watts, so there is no super-fast OnePlus-like fast charging system to fall back on. After the Z Flip 3 didn't actually have to carry a battery around with it for years or suffered from battery fear on a day, the Z Flip 3 unfortunately brings some of that back and is at odds with its futuristic design.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 costs $ 1,000 for the 128GB model and comes in cream, phantom black, green, or lavender colors. However, if you order directly from the Samsung online shop, there are three other exclusive colors: gray, white or pink. In the US, a 256GB Z Flip 3 costs $ 1,050. In the UK, the 128GB Galaxy Z Flip 3 costs £ 949 or £ 999 for the 256GB model.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is the first foldable smartphone with real mainstream appeal, largely due to a price point that keeps it competitive against other high-end non-foldable models. It has the power you need today, a good camera, and a nice minimalist design with the best party trick in mobile tech to top it off. It hits the spot in terms of durability too, and while it's not dustproof, the water resistance will really help overcome fears that it's too fragile for everyday use.
Durability is then no longer a serious compromise, but a new one has raised its head and that is battery life. Two days of moderate use are really achievable with most smartphones today, and most are equipped with 4,000 mAh plus cells. The battery life of the Z Flip 3 is almost from another time. The cover screen isn't as helpful as it could be either, but Samsung may address this in a future software update.
What are the thoughts on the Galaxy Z Flip 3? Samsung has taken a Galaxy S21 + in a practical way and designed it with a hinge, making it more portable and convenient to carry. If you are looking to buy the S21 + or a similar phone, then you should also pay attention to the Z Flip 3. To recommend a folding smartphone in this way consolidates the place of the Z Flip 3 in the mainstream.
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 stands on its own if you're specifically looking for a phone that folds in half to shrink. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 does something similar, but fulfills a different need. If you want a phone that is bigger than a "normal" phone when you open it, you should look in its direction.
His competition comes from the usual suspects. For $ 1,000, check out the OnePlus 9 Pro, the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, or with the right deal, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. All of them offer not only exceptional performance and beautiful screens, but also better and more versatile cameras and much longer battery life. But they don't fold away when you're done with them.
The Armor Aluminum increases durability by 20% over other aluminum, according to Samsung, and the IPX8 rating means the phone was tested at a depth of 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. The X means the phone is not dustproof, and since the water resistance is freshwater, not seawater, the phone may not be able to enjoy the beach very much. Time will tell how the screen and flexible glass will react to prolonged use, but Samsung has used a new material for the screen protector that is more resistant to fingerprints and scratches.
The foldable design of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 makes it as modern as phones can get.
Samsung is offering a free year of Samsung Care + with the Z Flip 3, which kicks in after the main one-year warranty and covers accidental damage from drops and offers a cracked screen repair for $ 249. After the first year, it costs $ 13 per month and can be canceled at any time. In terms of technology and software, it is now state-of-the-art, and Samsung delivers three years of Android software updates and four years of security updates.
The foldable design of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 makes it as modern as phones can get, and with the durability improvement and extended warranty, plus 5G and an eSIM option alongside the standard SIM, the phone will easily serve you for three years or more.
Yes sir. It's the foldable smartphone that ordinary people can feel safe and confident about buying because they know that not only are they not compromising by opting not to buy a non-foldable phone, but they are embracing the future of phone design today.
Editor's recommendations
Google Nest doorbell (battery)
RRP $ 180.00
"The Google Nest Doorbell (battery) is intelligent and elegantly designed and offers the complete package."
advantages
Beautiful minimalist design
Smart alerts
Doesn't require a subscription to video history
Useful quick answers
disadvantage
Fine video details are on the soft side
Inconsistent capture rates
It's been a long time since I last checked a video doorbell – six years to be precise. Since that 2015 review of the Ring Video Doorbell, we've seen countless video doorbells spanning the full spectrum with premium features like radar technology and intelligent detection. While I've never seen Nest Hello, it's one of the most popular video doorbells around – and gives Ring competition in the field.
Three years after its publication, we finally have a real successor with the Google Nest Doorbell, which is mainly characterized by the fact that it is battery-operated – in contrast to its predecessor. There's a lot more to like about this one, but with Google in charge this time around it will be interesting to see how its experience differs from its predecessor and if it improves on the competition.
It's obvious that simplicity is at the heart of the Google Nest Doorbell. While you have the option of wiring it to your existing doorbell port, which takes a few steps and may require a professional if you're unsure of how to do it yourself, setting it up as a wireless, battery-powered doorbell is a breeze. All you have to do is screw the mounting plate to a surface, then slide the doorbell into position – it's that simple.
John Velasco / Digital Trends
I attached the mounting plate to a wooden panel on the outside of my front door, which is a bit easier than installing it on a brick surface, for example. If you are concerned about it being stolen, know that it will take quite a bit of force to get it out of position. I tried to pull it out with my own hands and it didn't move. To remove it when it needs to be charged, you will need to use the unlocking tool that came with it. The only problem here is that I can absolutely imagine losing the release tool, so you should keep it in a safe place.
Note that you won't be using the original Nest app to complete setup. Instead, everything is done through the Google Home app. After scanning a QR code and going through a few menus, the Google Nest Doorbell was up and running in less than 10 minutes.
If you liked the original Nest Hello design, you'll be amazed what Google did with the new design. The Nest Doorbell is made from 46% recycled plastic and has a minimalist design that looks absolutely beautiful. Don't be fooled by the plastic, because the matte surface ensures that it stays clean and smudge-proof.
John Velasco / Digital Trends
Best of all, it doesn't have the purposeful design of other doorbells. The Nest Doorbell is simply one of Google's best designs of all time – and that says a lot!
Google has proven that specifications shouldn't have that much weight in the overall system. For example, just look at the Pixel 4a and 5a, two smartphones that do a lot but don't have big specs. Yes, there's no denying that the Nest Doorbell's specs don't come close to the original Nest Hello, but it doesn't have to be because it's smarter.
The Nest Doorbell is one of Google's best designs of all time.
Let's get the specs out of the way. There is a 1.3 megapixel – inch sensor with a diagonal field of view of 145 degrees that records video with a resolution of 960 x 1280 pixels. It's an odd aspect ratio for sure, but the Nest Doorbell's camera can see the floor below it about a few feet away. This is important because it can recognize when parcels are being dropped off right on the doorstep.
In terms of performance, the Nest Doorbell delivers decent-looking clips that use HDR video to compensate for the exposure of the scene. Highlights are dimmed while shadows are increased to bring out details that would otherwise be lost. There are some artifact elements that showed up the first time you accessed a livestream, but they quickly disappeared after 10 seconds.
Fine details are on the softer side, but I can still see most of the things in the landscape. Oddly enough, the recording rate varies widely from a choppy 9.11 frames per second (fps) all the way up to 31.77 fps. In one case it recorded at 9 fps when it was sunny and clear outside – so who knows why this is happening. Fortunately, night vision is sharp and clear.
Doorbells have two main purposes: to keep an eye on who / what is on the doorstep and to keep an eye on what is happening. In my experience so far, the Nest Doorbell excels in both. It was almost perfect at recognizing people, packages and movement and sending notifications on my smartphone. Small details like the LED ring around the doorbell, which lights up when someone approaches, shows how intelligently they perceive their surroundings.
If you're a die-hard Google Assistant user, you'll love how much they're involved with the Google ecosystem. For example, when someone rings the doorbell, not only do I get a notification on my phone, but I also see a live stream on my Google Nest Hub Max smart display showing me who is there.
There are also the Quick Responses to choose from, which come in handy when I'm in a meeting or otherwise busy and can't open the door. While there are only three to choose from at the moment, I appreciate the usefulness of this feature. And when you end up answering a ringtone, the internal microphone ensures that voices can be heard, while the internal speaker emits enough volume and clarity for people to hear my voice.
John Velasco / Digital Trends
Another major selling point about the Nest Doorbell is that it comes with three hours of free event video. This is noteworthy because normally you would have to subscribe to a service to receive any type of video storage – so there is great immediate value to this offering. Subscribing to Nest Aware extends your video history to 30 days and offers additional security features such as access to emergency services.
Initially, I had the Google Nest Doorbell set to detect any movement, which can obviously drain the battery faster. However, I disabled it and just set it to monitor people and packages. After almost a week of use, the battery life remains constant at 70%. If you're doing the math, it has to be recharged sometime long before the month is up. Changing the detection settings will hopefully produce better results in the coming weeks.
With a sticker price of $ 180, the Google Nest Doorbell (battery) competes in a crowded room. No, it's not the most feature-rich or spec-rich video doorbell, but it works just fine as a smart doorbell. Google designed a beautiful doorbell with the intelligence to keep me updated on what's happening at the front door.
Alexa users will want to look elsewhere as the Google Nest Doorbell is only compatible with the Google Assistant ecosystem. The Ring Video Doorbell (2nd generation) is an excellent solution for Alexa users and undercuts the Nest Doorbell in the price department.
For those looking for a more advanced video doorbell, the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 with radar technology with 3D motion detection technology can show you where someone is on your property.
The Google Nest Doorbell (battery) has a sturdy construction that feels like it can withstand the elements. Its IP54 rating ensures it can withstand extreme temperatures from -4 degrees Fahrenheit to 104 F. There's a one-year limited warranty that's included to cover any defects.
Yes sir. It combines beauty and practicality in one package, giving you the peace of mind that it will work whether you are there or not.
Editor's recommendations
It is time for someone else to lead breaking muscle through the next decade.
It's been 10 years since Breaking Muscle started. When I started I wrote about what interested me at the time because I couldn't find the information anywhere else. I got into yoga, CrossFit, Russian kettlebell training, MMA, and that led me to weight lifting and gymnastics, but the trade press was mostly about bodybuilding and physique, with very little else. What interested me and Breaking Muscle was niche and hard to find and definitely not mainstream.
Continue reading
It's been a while since you went to the gym. Maybe it's because you're busy, or maybe because you just hate to go. The fact is: Nobody has time to go to the gym. But we all have to train! Whether you're sleeping, working, or just wanting to be with family and friends, there never seems to be enough hours in the day to get it all done. But it doesn't have to stay that way! The key is learning how to maximize your time in the gym so that you can accomplish two goals at the same time – get fit and feel successful without sacrificing anything else. In this post, you will find three tips to help you do that!
3. Enter and exit the gym ASAP: “Rush hour” and peak times are always the busiest. To avoid waiting for others in the gym, be there early in the morning before work or later in the evening after work when people are not so busy. When you can't avoid rush hour and are suitable for more people to motivate each other! Try booking your fitness regimen in the morning when you are most awake or in the evening when you are not busy. That way, you can focus more on your workout rather than looking at your phone or dreaming about what's next.
4. Wear comfortable clothing for your workout: It doesn't matter what you're wearing if you don't move in it! People who exercise regularly know that good workout clothes can completely change the way you think about your workout. Wear training clothes in which you feel confident in your skills. Invest in good clothing so you can get started right away when an idea for a workout comes to mind!
5. Do not eat before or after exercise; drink water instead: You could jeopardize your results if you eat before a workout. Your body will break down nutrients instead of burning them for energy as quickly and efficiently. So you don't have to eat anything before training; drink water or other low-calorie liquids instead!
6. Find a routine that works for you: Whether it's cardio, weight lifting, yoga, or something else, you can find an exercise program that suits you. For example, some people enjoy yoga because it is calm and gives them time to relax; others enjoy weight lifting or cardio because it helps them relieve their daily stress. If you hate going to the gym, the first thing to focus on is finding a routine that you love so much that you will look forward to it. This may sound easy, but it can be harder than you think – but if you stick with the routine no matter how difficult it gets (and it gets hard), at some point you'll look forward to getting back to what you are makes you feel great.
7. Get your gear: Once you have found an exercise program that is right for you, it is time to get all of the equipment you will need. Many gyms offer a sports package (from socks to water bottles) at a discounted rate, or if your gym has a membership program they may also be able to help with providing certain equipment such as yoga mats and exercise balls.
8. Do what is good for you: If the gym is making you skid, don't go. Or, if it's cold outside, find a gym with a pool or hot tub to warm you up. If you don't like the music, bring your headphones and listen to what you want. If you see someone being rude or intimidating, go elsewhere (there are plenty of gyms where people are nice and respectful). You can also use various online platforms to work out at home or in the gym. Visit modernfit.com to find out which is the best workout for you.
9. Make use of free weights, machines: Know which equipment is best for certain exercises: The workout stations in the gym are not always being used properly, which wastes your time and energy. Here's a little exercise equipment cheat sheet to keep you posted:
Diploma:
Stay motivated by having a goal for what you want to achieve every time you hit the gym. Please track your workouts with an app or fitness tracker so that you can more easily see how much progress you are making over time. And remember, the key to any successful workout is persistence. Even if you are not in top shape, it is important to get your body used to the daily exercise routine. You will only see results if you do this!
Asus ROG Flow X13 Review: The King of Small Gaming Laptops?
RRP $ 1,500.00
"The ROG Flow X13 is an ultra-compact and surprisingly powerful gaming laptop."
advantages
Amazing portability
Good performance for its size
Comfortable keyboard and touchpad
XG Mobile is a great option
120 Hz refresh rate
disadvantage
Mediocre battery life
Screen could be brighter
Cumbersome port configuration
The Razer Blade Stealth 13 has long been the smallest gaming laptop you could buy. The Asus ROG Flow X13 has a lot to say about this.
It's the second 13-inch gaming laptop you can buy right now, but in some ways it goes further. With up to an RTX 3050 Ti GPU and Ryzen 9 5900HS processor, you can be sure that these are the most powerful components you can cram into a laptop this size.
Most configurations come with the interesting XG Mobile external graphics case. But my review unit is a standalone model that sells for $ 1,500 exclusively at Best Buy. That's not a bad price for a premium gaming laptop. Despite a few minor issues I've had, the ROG Flow X13 keeps the promise of playing in the smallest possible package on the go.
Judging by its size, the ROG Flow X13 is what was formerly known as an “ultrabook”. Thanks to the 360 hinge and touchscreen, it is also a convertible 2-in-1.
But with its design and performance, it's unabashedly a gaming laptop. A small gaming laptop. The sleek, all-black exterior is similar to the rest of the ROG line of gaming laptops, including the Zephyrus G15 or some of the older M-series laptops. The lid features structured diagonal lines on the front and a small name tag in the lower corner for the logo. A more subtle version of this texture can be found on the palm rests. It's a pretty minimal design as long as you can overlook the typical gamer font used on the keycaps.
Asus claims that the textured lines add extra strength to the structure as well. Whether it's true or not, the Flow X13 feels very sturdy. The lid doesn't bend too much, especially at the top. The weakest point of the laptop is on the lid along the hinge. This is a common weak point, especially on laptops with a 360-degree hinge – another unique aspect of this laptop. The keyboard gives very slightly, but overall it's a laptop with a rigid feel.
Of course, the size of the Flow X13 is its calling card. I cannot stress enough how impressively small this thing is. A laptop this size just shouldn't be able to handle an 8-core CPU and discrete RTX graphics card – and yet it is here.
The ROG Flow X13 is not alone, however. The dimensions of the Razer Blade Stealth 13 are almost identical. Razer's 13-inch gaming laptop is 0.2 inches thinner than the Flow X13 and has a different shape due to the screen view. The higher 16:10 shape of the Flow X13 makes it a bit longer on the table, while the 16: 9 Razer Blade Stealth 13 is wider. The ROG Flow X13 is lighter at just 2.87 pounds. In terms of portability, I can happily call it a tie, which makes the Flow X13 one of the smallest gaming laptops you can buy.
There are also some 14-inch gaming laptops that are only marginally larger than the ROG Flow X13. It certainly has a smaller overall pressure than laptops like the Razer Blade 14, ROG Zephyrus G14, or Predator Triton 300 SE – but not as much as you might suspect. Each is about an inch taller in either direction, depending on the laptop, and most are heavier. Still, they are a solid alternative to the ROG Flow X13.
In terms of connections, the ROG Flow X13 offers the essentials for a gaming laptop. On the right side there is a USB-C port for charging and USB-A. On the left is a headphone jack and HDMI. That's pretty limited, especially on the USB side.
Then there is the most original thing about the ROG Flow X13: its proprietary PCIe interface is located on the left side of the laptop under a flap.
Laying the USB-C cable is particularly annoying for right-handed people. Due to the need for ventilation openings, the ports are located further down the side. This is common with gaming laptops, but since the system is powered by USB-C (and because there is only one USB-C port) there is only one place to plug it in – and right-handed people will be with the cord have to fight space with your mouse. Annoying that a second USB-C port on the left could have solved. Unfortunately, this space is reserved for Asus' proprietary port for connection to the external XG Mobile graphics card housing. However, if you don't want to use it, it's just a waste of space.
Another little annoyance? The position of the power switch. Like many convertible 2-in-1s, it is on the side of the device, right next to a USB port. However, this button is extremely sensitive, resulting in a lot of accidental presses while looking for a port or even just readjusting the laptop on my desk.
I may not like the aesthetics of the ROG keyboard used here, but I can't deny its typing enjoyment. It's a big, luxurious layout – the same size you'd find on a 15-inch laptop. In addition, the keys have a chunky 1.7mm travel, which is practically unknown these days. The long stroke ensures fast, precise typing, which I immediately enjoyed. No learning curve.
Interestingly, the ROG Flow X13 doesn't include an RGB backlight. There isn't a rainbow of colors anywhere on this laptop. Some may find the refreshing, albeit individually illuminated, keypad to be a cost-saving measure. There are three levels of backlight control which is the minimum I would expect from a laptop.
The touchpad is also good. I wouldn't have minded if it was a bit wider, but it has a smooth finish and the tracking feels accurate.
The ROG Flow X13 does not contain a Windows Hello IR camera for facial recognition, but the fingerprint reader is integrated into the power button.
The ROG Flow X13 uses a 13.4-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200. That strange resolution comes from the 16:10 aspect ratio, which is increasingly becoming the new standard and is what you see on the MacBook Pro, Find the Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo Legion 5 Pro. Taller screens aren't great for watching movies, but for everyday work and general use, the 16:10 aspect ratio gives a bigger screen for almost anything you do.
The ROG Flow X13 has a glossy, touch-enabled display that is unique compared to the Razer Blade Stealth 13. It makes for a brighter and clearer screen, although reflections can be an issue. The screen achieves a maximum output of around 300 nits, which is good enough for everyday use as long as you're not sitting in a bright room or next to a window. In the dark lighting of a horror movie or game with lots of shadows, you might find yourself staring at yourself. That is not optimal.
However, the screen has other strengths. First, it has a refresh rate of 120 Hz. That's perfect for this performance. Most games won't hit this threshold, which means there's plenty of bandwidth to tweak settings in games and maximize frame rates.
The color saturation is good with 98% in sRGB and 76% in AdobeRGB color spaces. More expensive laptops like the Razer Blade 14 are better in this regard as well as color accuracy. Asus did a good job of keeping the colors natural and not too warm. They are "Pantone-validated", which means that they correspond exactly to the common colors within the Pantone matching system.
All in all, this is a solid screen for both work and play.
Asus has paired it with a decent set of speakers too. They're on the bottom of the laptop, which is fine if you have the laptop on a desk.
The good news, however, is that they sound great. Although facing down, they provide clearer and fuller sound than many laptops, whether it's audio for a video or sound effects in a game. Thanks to the solid separation, it's not bad to listen to some music either. There's not a lot of bass here – and they still don't hit the speakers in MacBooks.
You are right if you are skeptical about the performance of the ROG Flow X13. I was also special because of its size. My configuration includes an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS, RTX 3050 Ti, 16GB of dual-channel RAM, and a 1TB SSD for $ 1,500. The RTX 3050 Ti is a newer graphics card that we haven't seen in many laptops, but it is a replacement for both the older GTX 1660 Ti and GTX 1650 Ti. These were common in budget-range gaming laptops, and the GTX 1650 Ti is currently included in the Razer Blade Stealth 13. Razer's 13-inch laptop hasn't been upgraded to the RTX 30 series yet, which means the ROG Flow X13 is really the only option in that regard.
So while the ROG Flow X13 is one of the first to hit the market, you can expect the RTX 3050 to show up in a number of budget gaming laptops under $ 1,000. That means the ROG Flow X13 will likely be one of the more expensive laptops with this GPU. Of course, you can also buy a version with an RTX 3050 bundled with an XG Mobile that includes an RTX 3080. That gets you much better frame rates, but it also costs you $ 2,800.
The ROG Flow X13 alone was able to hold its own in terms of performance.
| Laptop | 3DMark time spy | Cinebench R23 | Underdog bench 5 | PCMark 10 | Fortnite (1080p Epic) | Civilization VI (1080p Ultra) |
| Asus ROG Flow X13 (RTX 3050 Ti) | 4503 | 1420/9701 | 1415/7592 | 6429 | 47 fps | 65 fps |
| Acer Swift X (RTX 3050 Ti) | 4073 | 1437/10135 | 1287/6663 | 6247 | 43 fps | 66 fps |
| Acer Predator Triton 300 SE (RTX 3060) | 6038 | 1412/5855 | 1503/4606 | 5776 | 78 fps | 84 fps |
| HP Envy 14 (GTX 1650 Ti) | 3147 | 1343/5028 | 1398/4741 | 5178 | 39 fps | n / A |
There's only one other laptop we've tested with the RTX 3050 Ti and that is the Acer Swift X. The ROG Flow X13 does well with this, with a slight head start in graphics performance. That's what you would expect from a gaming laptop.
The RTX 3050 Ti is a significant improvement over the GTX 1650 Ti, with an increase in 3DMark Time Spy scores of up to 30%. We don't have any GTX 1660 Ti laptop scores to compare, but that's a promising generational leap.
In games, however, you might get a little disappointed. Civilization VI was the only game I could play with maximum settings that stayed above 60 frames per second (fps). Fortnite and Battlefield V had to reduce the settings to get over 60 fps. The difference between the ROG Flow X13 and 14-inch gaming laptops with the RTX 3060 is clear.
The amount of VRAM makes a huge difference. The 4 GB in the RTX 3050 Ti (compared to the 6 GB in the RTX 3060) represent a hurdle for games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla. The game is almost unplayable on the ROG Flow X13 with an average of only 20 fps in 1080p at high settings.
So if you are interested in the ROG Flow X13 it is important that you know what you are buying. Don't expect to play modern games at maximum settings, at least not without putting up with some choppy frame rates.
However, the processor performance is quite impressive. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS is a 35-watt processor with eight cores and 16 threads. Intel's Core i7-11370H is the direct competitor of this chip and comes in the Predator Triton 300 SE. But like many of the Intel vs AMD matches, AMD's additional cores offer improved multithreaded performance. The ROG Flow X13 achieved a whopping 40% better results than the Triton 300 SE in the multi-core test of the Cinebench R23 and was even able to beat it easily in the single core. I've never seen the Flow X13 go up to the promised 4.6GHz, but it did step up to 4.5GHz on occasion. That's not bad.
All of this plays out well in day-to-day tasks and productivity. The ROG Flow X13 scores great across the entire PCMark 10 suite, which ensures that it is a system that works just as well for web surfing, video conferencing, and word processing as it does in games.
The battery life of the ROG Flow X13 is a disappointment. Given the 120 Hz screen and RTX graphics card, I'm not particularly surprised.
A 62 watt hour battery is big for a 13 inch laptop, but it turned out to be not quite enough to make the Flow X13 the battery life champion.
The system lasted just five hours and 25 minutes in our web browsing test, which ran through a series of difficult websites until the battery was drained. That's not great even when compared to other larger gaming laptops. The ROG Flow X13 did better in our lightest video playback test, which repeated a local 1080p video until the battery was drained. It took over nine hours in this test.
The Razer Blade 14 is still the most durable gaming laptop, even with the RTX 3070 that I tested in my test device. Despite a larger, higher resolution screen, it lasted a few hours longer than the ROG Flow X13.
The ROG Flow X13 is a one-of-a-kind gaming laptop thanks to its unique eGPU and incredible portability. Despite some strange design choices and mediocre battery life, it's hard not to be impressed with how much power Asus has put into this compact laptop.
The Razer Blade Stealth 13 is the primary alternative. It's more expensive, however, and is currently still related to older graphics card and processor options.
The various 14-inch options are all good options, although they are a bit larger. The Razer Blade 14, Acer Predator Triton 300, and ROG Zephyrus G14 are all great 14-inch laptops that are more powerful than the ROG Flow X13 for a similar price.
The ROG Flow X13 should last four or five years, assuming you don't want to keep abreast of the latest games and technology. Even if you do, the ability to add the XG Mobile is a nice addition that could extend the life of this laptop.
Yes, as long as you know what you're getting yourself into. This is nowhere near the most powerful gaming laptop in the world, but if portability is an attractive proposition, you've found an incredibly unique laptop that will fit your life.
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