29 Apr
Blog

Returnal Review: The PS5’s First Must-Play Exclusive is Here

return

"Returnal takes full advantage of the capabilities of the PS5 to give players a fast-paced and furious sci-fi spectacle."

  • Quick fight

  • Great risk-reward systems

  • Fascinating story

  • Immersive DualSense functions

  • Demanding difficulty

  • Limited build options

Returnal is finally bridging the gap between AAA and indie video games. While these worlds have often felt separate from each other, the new third-person shooter is proof that they can naturally merge. Its DNA is as ingrained in indie gems like Dead Cells as it is in big budget sci-fi shooters like Mass Effect.

The exclusive PS5 comes from Housemarque, a Finnish studio known for niche titles like Super Stardust and Nex Machina, which draw the influence of arcade shooters. The studio announced it would change direction in response to weak sales and famously declared that "Arcade is dead". Fans feared the pivot might crush the studio, but it turns out that Housemarque's take on an AAA game only reinforces his indie spirit.

Returnal is a brave science fiction shooter that successfully breaks down the gaming industry's longstanding genre barriers. While its punishing roguelite elements can detract from its narrative strengths, fast-paced combat and a gripping atmosphere make it one of the more exciting, high-end PlayStation exclusives to appear in quite a while.

Live, die, repeat

Describing how Returnal works is no easy task. It might look like a regular third-person shooter, but that barely scratches the surface. It's also a roguelite, bullet hell game, and Metroidvania adventure all rolled into one (that's a lot to deal with, I know). This jumble of influences may sound like an “too many chefs” situation, but Housemarque is a master chef when it comes to genre fusion. Every taste is perfectly balanced.

The basic requirement is that players control an astronaut named Selene, who is in a science fiction version of Groundhog Day after their ship crashed on the planet Atropos. She must shoot and work her way through six different biomes as she collects new perks, weapons, and upgrades along the way. When she dies, she will be sent straight back to her ship with most of her equipment removed.

Fortunately, players don't start exactly from scratch. Clever progression hooks are branded in. If you defeat the massive boss of a biome, the path to the next area remains unlocked for the next round. There are permanent skills that can also be collected, such as: B. a grappling hook or metal legs with which the players can walk on lava. This little piece of Metroid-style gear gating is constantly revealing secrets around the world, and fun to explore every time the randomly compiled map.

It's an aggressive action game that is always fun to just do the basics.

Everything is glued together by fast-paced action. The movement itself is satisfactorily quick and enables evasive ballet as giant space squids throw balls in all directions. The weapons are a blast thanks to the perks that unlock permanently over time and give each weapon type a different feel. Weapons use a short cooldown system instead of limited ammo, so players are encouraged to go wild on encounters. There's also a powerful melee sword blow that provides a solid incentive to rush headlong into battle. It's an aggressive action game that is always fun to just do the basics.

There's a lot more complexity to talk about, like an adrenaline system that gives stat boosts every time players get three kills in a row without getting hit. All these small systems together form an experience that is always on the gas. This is where it's easy to see where Housemarque's arcade roots come into play. Returnal feels like a top-down shoot-em-up reimagined as a big budget 3D action game. The studio may claim that "Arcade is dead," but it's alive and well in these high octane battles.

Hollywood Sci-Fi

In terms of sound, Returnal's closest comparison to director Ridley Scott's films. The game has Scott's signature brand for threatening science fiction, much like Alien or Prometheus. Selene's story is both otherworldly and deeply personal. Sinister narrative sequences in Selene's house that mysteriously appear on Atropos slowly build up her troubled story before it leads to a gripping emotional conclusion.

Returnal gameplay PS5 game

Without giving too much away, it's a terrifying story that justifies the game's cyclical roguelite setup. There is something inevitable that consumes Selene and makes her relive her past over and over again. The journey is not so much about shooting every enemy in sight as it is about uncovering a deeply repressed memory.

Much of the game's haunting tone is achieved through Atropos itself, an ominous planet full of danger. From a sprawling desert full of mechanical octopuses to an icy tundra where there is almost no organic life, Selene is truly cut off from society. It's a lonely experience that creates the awkward isolation of games like Metroid Prime.

Returnal is the most compelling argument for PS5 technology we've seen so far.

Housemarque went to great lengths to immerse players in this environment. As an exclusive PS5 product, Returnal takes full advantage of the DualSense controller to make Atropos feel more tactile. The haptic feedback simulates soft raindrops and slimy parasitic winds. The controller's built-in speaker also gives some helpful hints, such as: B. a sharp squelch, which indicates that the old fire of a weapon has been charged.

Returnal is the most compelling argument for PS5 technology we've seen so far. While exclusives like Destruction AllStars made the Dualsense a gimmick, Returnal shows how well thought-out details can help create a comprehensive interactive experience so that a fictional planet feels real.

The difficulty debate

Returnal's difficulty will surely be a point of discussion. Like many roguelites, it is a merciless and sometimes unforgiving video game. There are no additional levels of difficulty or accessibility options to make the gaming experience easier for players. That can be extremely frustrating given the compelling story it tells. Anyone who is only there for the narrative but cannot keep up with the demanding action is simply out of luck.

The problem here isn't so much that the game is "too difficult", although that is certainly the broad criticism that is likely surrounding it. Instead, Returnal doesn't offer enough versatility when it comes to what constitutes a winning strategy.

return

As with other roguelites, every run is about creating a successful build by making constant micro-decisions. The game offers players a consistent range of risk-reward decisions, whether through malicious objects that can cause the suit to temporarily malfunction or parasites that, in addition to a debuff, provide a huge advantage. These do an especially good job at changing the feel of each run and encouraging players to experiment with potentially risky side effects in order to earn a high reward.

Unfortunately, there don't seem to be many recipes for success. Every single “good” run I've had came with a defense buff and some sort of suit repair that would heal me if I had poor integrity. The runs I had this on could last for hours and take me through multiple areas with ease. Those I haven't been with were often inevitably doomed. Since items like artifacts appear randomly, I have often saved my currency until I found the right one. It also doesn't help that players can only hold one weapon at a time, which reduces the potential for creating a toolset that can handle different situations.

Returnal doesn't offer enough versatility when it comes to what constitutes a winning strategy.

Part of the problem is that failed runs are not necessarily worth the effort. Hardly anything useful carries over from run to run, and it can take hours to search one area to get the strength it takes to tackle the next. Entering a new biome after a long flushing process that is only crushed in the first encounter is an emptying experience. This makes the runs that lead to progress feel much sweeter, but there is an imbalance between success and failure.

It doesn't feel like players are trading notes with each other about their eclectic win builds. They are more likely to share their misery and relief, as they would in a Dark Souls game. These conversations can create a barrier to entry that transcends Retunal's complex plot and engaging story that deserves to be the center of attention.

Our opinion

Returnal is a winning combination of big budget production value and creative, cross-genre gameplay usually reserved for cult indie hits. It tells a haunting science fiction story that thematically justifies the cyclical roguelite setup. Demanding action combined with a lack of workable build options make too many runs frustrating non-starters, but a compelling puzzle and fast-paced action always provides a strong reason to die and try again.

Is there a better alternative?

Hades is still the best roguelite out there, and there's no shortage of great budget space shooters, but Returnal is for the most part the best of both worlds.

How long it will take?

Because of its roguelite nature, that depends on skill. Some players could finish the game in 15 hours. Others could take 40. Expect to end up somewhere in between, with some daily challenges and post-game exploration to extend its lifespan.

Should you buy it?

Yes. For PS5 owners, it is the best exclusive product since the console launched and can remain unchallenged on this front until Horizon Forbidden West.

Editor's recommendations




29 Apr
Blog

Uses, Advantages, Effects & Dosage Information

In the 1960s, an American pharmaceutical company called G.D Searle & Co. brought along the anabolic steroid pill known as Oxandrolone. It is also known as Anavar or Var. Anavar (Oxandrolone) is popular for Cut and fill cycle Bodybuilding has been winning since its development.

Men use these steroids, but it is one of the few steroids recommended for women as it is not a very toxic steroid. It is slightly androgenic and anabolic. Both male and female bodybuilders run the Anavar cycle before competitive bodybuilding events. Bodybuilders use Anavar to build lean muscle while athletes want to shed excess body fat.

These anabolic steroids were banned from use in 1989 as it was a non-prescription drug. This made it difficult for bodybuilders to get Anavar without a prescription. They brought it off the black market and took these steroids. In the 1990s, it was easier for athletes and bodybuilders to shop for Anavar online.

This article will cover the basic details of Anavar such as: B. Anavar, its uses, Anavar dosage and its side effects. So let's get started!

1. What is Anavar?

Anavar is also known as Oxandrolone or Var. It is the most popular oral steroid. Athletes and bodybuilders prefer Anavar to reduce fat mass and promote muscle building. Anavar is available for medical use to help patients recover from chronic infections, trauma, or surgery. Anavar is an oral, alpha-alkylated steroid and its toxic effects are very moderate.

Anavar is available in the US market. However, you can also buy Anavar online from some reputable European or Asian pharmaceutical companies. You can also find Anavar for sale available on the internet.

Anavar is prescribed to people with osteoporosis or who have been using corticosteroids (prednisone or hydrocortisone) for a long time. If you consume these steroids properly, the side effects of Anavar are very minor. Misuse of this drug can lead to several liver health problems.

2. Anavar Uses and Benefits

When buying Anavar online, make sure that the product purity is 100% as the genuine products can deliver the possible results. Anavar gives you various advantages. Mentioned here below:

  • Increase muscle mass
  • Reduce fat
  • Increase strength
  • Reduction in vascularity and fluid retention
  • Increase the number of red blood cells
  • Increase your metabolism
  • Safe for women
  • Adds muscle mass
  • No water retention
  • No estrogenic activity
  • Prevents catabolism and preserves muscles

Anavar use is very useful for bodybuilders and athletes, but you are not taking it properly. If you abuse this drug, it can cause various side effects.

3. Side effects of Anavar

Anavar side effects are mild when using pure products, but the high dosage of these steroids can affect various health problems as follows:

  • Liver toxic
  • Imbalance testosterone levels
  • Increase your blood pressure
  • Increase your cholesterol level
  • Baldness
  • a headache
  • acne
  • Swelling in the legs and arms

4. Anavar dosage information

Both men and women use Anavar for both cutting and bulking. Anavar is meek. When men need these steroids, they need large amounts. It binds well to AR as high doses are necessary. You can use 20 mg / day. If you are AIDS patient, it is necessary to take 20-80 mg to curb weight loss and burn victims to gain weight.

For men, you can start with 100 mg / day and see how your body reacts. If you take a dose below 20 mg you will not get any results. For women, it is enough to take 2.5-10 mg / day. This drug does not cause virilization problems or water retention due to mild androgenic effects.

These compounds create resistance to liver metabolism and anabolic activity. When you take Anavar, it does not cause serious hepatotoxic effects such as jaundice, hepatitis, hyperplasia, cholestatic hepatitis and tumors.

Anavar is successfully used to treat flesh wounds and improve a patient's respiratory function. Both of these properties make Anavar a great choice for bodybuilders and athletes alike. This is the general Anavar dosage. Now let's look at some basic information about the bulk and slicing cycle of Anavar.

→ Anavar cycle for bulking

Anavar filling cycles are different for men and women. Men need to take a high dose for better results. Here is an example of a high dose for men:

Bulking Cycle For Women:

You can also add another two weeks to this cycle. However, always remember that a longer cycle carries a higher risk of side effects.

→ Anavar cycle to the To cut

Anavar helps maintain muscle mass and strength that are often lost when dieting. For the cutting cycles, the cans are lower than the filling quantity. Here are the cutting cycle cans for men:

The Anavar cutting cycle for women is as follows:

→ How to Stack Anavar

Anavar has fewer androgenic and estrogenic side effects. It's best to use in a batch. Anavar is mainly stacked with testosterone. You can also stack Anavar with some other steroids like Winstrol, Primobolan, and Masteron.

Here is the dosage of Anavar and Testosterone Enanthate:

This cycle should be best for puffing and adding lean mass. Before making a stack of other steroids, always define your goal and then use the right steroids along with Anavar for the best results.

For women, stacking Anavar with other steroids can be beneficial for both bulk and cutting cycles. Generally, women do not stack cycles for the first time using Anavar. However, advanced users stack Anavar with other steroids such as Clenbuterol, Winstrol, and Primobolan. Here is the cut pile cycle with Anavar and Clenbuterol:

→ Anavar PCT

Anavar is one of the safest anabolic steroids available today. Still, it does cause some problems in your body. If you are on the Anavar cycle at a low dose for less than 4 weeks, you will not need to do PCT. PCT should be needed when using anabolic steroids. When it comes to Var, it all comes down to the Anavar cycle or some other steroids that you stack it with.

Clomid and Nolvadex are the two most commonly used PCT products for Anavar cycles. You can use them at lower doses for 4 weeks. Women don't need to use PCT because they have very low testosterone levels.

Most women do not experience any side effects while using Var. However, when they consume Anavar for a longer cycle, mostly 8-12 weeks, some side effects occur because Anavar is a hormone. Any fluctuation in hormones can cause undesirable problems in the female body.

Whenever you consume Anavar, make sure you are using liver supplements and the correct dosage, and that you do a PCT after the cycle is complete. This will help you avoid several side effects.

5. Conclusion

You can avoid most of the side effects by using the correct dosage and doing a bicycle form. A lower dosage of Anavar for at least 2-3 weeks will not produce any results. For the best results with Anavar, you need to take this steroid as described above. With the right dosage, you can achieve desirable results.

Both men and women use Anavar for their cutting and filling programs. You cannot buy Anavar without a prescription from a pharmacy. You can Buy Anavar online However, make sure the products are genuine.

29 Apr
Blog

LG C1 OLED 4K HDR TV Review (OLED65C1PUB)

LG C1 OLED 4K OLED TV

LG C1 Series 65 "4K OLED TV

“The LG C1 remains the preferred OLED television. It just makes sense. "

  • Excellent contrast

  • Perfect black levels

  • Improved processing

  • Ideal for games

  • Impressive sound

  • Sluggish user menus

  • Confusing picture settings

If you are in the market for an OLED TV, then you should check out the LG C1. LG's C-Series OLEDs have been among my top picks (if not one of the top picks) for our list of the best TVs since the C6 was launched about 5 years ago. LG's C-Series has changed, for the most part, incrementally from year to year, and this year is no different. However, the upgrades the C1 OLED received over last year's CX OLED are mostly significant in terms of processing, sound (yes, sound) and games.

Since I've already told you to seriously consider this TV, I would like to take this opportunity to explain why.

Historical, LG C Series OLED TVss have the same panel and the same processor as the more expensive Gallery Series or G-Series OLEDs from LG and better workmanship than the B-Series OLEDs. This year, with the introduction of the new, cheaper A-series, the C1 still justifies its slightly more expensive price. Compared to the new G1 OLED, the C1 is now considerably cheaper because the G1 has received an improved, brighter panel known as the OLED evo. All this to say: the C1 has always hit a sweet spot in LG's OLED range – this sweet spot is now a little sweeter. Now let's examine some details.

Video review

Jump to: Design | Details | User interface | Under the hood | Sound | Measurements | Image quality | Problems | Play | Our opinion

design

The LG C1 OLED looks exactly like its predecessor, the CX: Striking. I'm still amazed at how thin the panel is. When mounted on the wall, the C1 looks very elegant and modern. On its stand, the TV looks equally chic with a brushed metal shovel and offers both aesthetic and functional benefits. There are practically no bezels, which gives the C1 an "all-picture-no-nonsense" appearance.

LG C1 OLED 4K TV standDan Baker / Digital Trends

LG C1 OLED 4K TV remote controlDan Baker / Digital Trends

LG C1 OLED 4K TV side viewDan Baker / Digital Trends

LG C1 OLED 4K TVDan Baker / Digital Trends

This year, the TV remote control has undergone a design change. The new Magic Motion remote control is now a little shorter and has a flattened back. It now sits better in the hand and no longer wobbles when placed on a flat surface. The buttons are few, but far more than on the Samsung remotes or the included Roku TVs.

Another major improvement to the remote control is that it is less likely to click the center scroll wheel and accidentally unintentionally dive into an app or menu.

LG C1 OLED 4K HDR details

While we tested the 65-inch model OLED65C1PUB, our test also applies to the other screen sizes available in the series.

Screen size Model no RRP
48 inches

OLED48C1PUB

 $ 1,500
55 inches OLED55C1PUB $ 1,800
65 inches OLED65C1PUB $ 2,500
77 in OLED77C1PUB $ 3,800

user interface

As with all 2021 OLED televisions from LG, the C1 benefits from a newly designed WebOS Smart TV interface. Rather than relying on a bunch of apps at the bottom of the screen as it did in previous years, LG's custom smart TV platform is now much more like Google TV than Samsung's Tizen interface. It has big tiles for apps, lots of recommended content (possibly too much), and it's easier to read thanks to its dark theme.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

On the menu page, where users select picture presets, adjust picture settings, sound settings, etc., WebOs provides explanations of what each setting does and how it affects the experience. That's what we like about Sony televisions, too.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

While the TV's Settings menu is easier to understand, it is now a little sluggish. I'm not used to seeing a circle graphic about loading as the TV shows different options or the next branch of the menu tree. To be fair, this is mostly only tolerated during the initial setup of the TV. Often times, those who do not surf the menu will not find this repulsive.

Under the hood

The first of three key improvements to the 2021 LG C1 OLED is its processor: The Alpha 9 Gen 4. As in previous years, the visible improvements in this next iteration are minor, but not insignificant. I noticed smoother gradients (fewer streaks of color) and possibly a slightly better preservation of bright highlight details, although admittedly the last part is difficult to measure – this is a purely subjective observation.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

Most of the benefits of the new processor are related to what LG calls AI picture and sound processing – AI Picture Pro, AI brightness settings, automatic genre detection, and AI Sound Pro. The first three have different effects on picture quality, while the fourth is designed to improve sound.

To be honest, I didn't find any of them necessary to get a great picture. I'm also not sure how much A.I. is really involved here. I understand that processing detects different picture elements and tries to optimize the picture based on those elements. A dark scene in a Batman movie can benefit from increasing the black levels for better shadow detail in dark scenes, while suddenly retaining the bright highlight details in a bright scene, for example. But in general, I think the C1 did a great job producing a beautiful image without the extra layers of processing and other wizardry. Ultimately, I left all four settings disabled and, as I'll show soon, got great results.

A sound upgrade

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

I don't know what LG did for the C1 OLED, but it sounds fantastic – a bit better than last year's CX OLED. Most of the discussion about sound at a briefing with LG was about AI Sound Pro, which I ultimately turned off (it works fine for adding virtual surround to movies, but I didn't like what it did to music and soundtracks) . Regardless of what improvements were made to gain, driver placement, or overall sound tuning, these were very effective. This TV sounds great! I would still recommend at least one soundbar with a sub for an upgrade.

Through the measurements

If you're not into measurements and data, feel free to jump forward, but I think my nerds out there (and I use the term affectionately) will appreciate this.

A sucker, for those of you who join us right now, is a term used to describe a measure of brightness, and since there's a bit of a sucker war going on – everyone wants a big sucker number to point out their superior HDR capabilities – I thought I would tell you what results I got when measuring the LG C1 OLED.

I started with the TV's ISF Bright picture preset, calibrated the two point white balance where I pulled out a little red, and in the standard dynamic range (SDR) the TV clocked out in 195 nits with the OLED pixel brightness to the default of 80 and peak brightness . When I increased the OLED pixel brightness to 100 I measured 233 nits, and then when I turned the peak brightness setting to High I got 335 nits.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

Depending on how bright you want your TV to be for daily viewing of content in SDR, the C1 should be able to compete with a moderate amount of ambient light in the room.

In HDR, I had to fix the white balance a little more, but when that was done I got 750 nits in a window of up to 25% which is solid. Not as bright as the new and improved LG G1 or Sony A90J OLED TVs, but what I was expecting based on what I got from last year's CX OLED – no changes.

The color measurements were also very good, as always, and that shows in the image quality which, to put it right, is superb.

General image quality

LG C1 OLED 4K OLED TVDan Baker / Digital Trends

LG C1 OLED 4K OLED TVDan Baker / Digital Trends

I kind of forget how much I like this OLED range from LG. It gets me every time. If you want to see how good the C1 can look – well, I have a wide list of recommended 4K Blu-rays that I would recommend – but available to just about anyone: check out Our Planet on Netflix in 4K Dolby Vision at (required) premium subscription level). It's great recorded and mastered and looks excellent in Dolby Vision. It's a feast of beauty for your eyes.

From top to bottom, the pictures look just amazing.

This TV does almost everything right. It's bright enough to do HDR justice, it's got perfect blacks – which, as I cannot emphasize enough, has a huge impact on the overall look – and the color is deep and rich and vibrant. It doesn't matter what you see, the C1 OLED makes you look at its best, and can and does for a cheaper price than most other OLED TVs.

LG C1 OLED 4K OLED TVDan Baker / Digital Trends

LG C1 OLED Review screen close-upDan Baker / Digital Trends

The upscaling is good – although not a miracle worker as we discussed earlier – the HDR tone mapping is also excellent. From top to bottom, the pictures look just amazing.

Now we need to talk about some issues that can arise with movement and shadow detail.

Inherent problems

While OLED TVs are an incredible technology, they have some inherent problems and they are incredibly tied to areas where the TV excels.

For example, OLED televisions have an instant response time of less than a millisecond. That is less than a millisecond until an OLED pixel is switched on or off or the color is changed. This is ideal in most cases for reducing motion blur and a real boon for gamers. Unfortunately, when you pair this instant response time with content with a low frame rate (such as 24 frames per second or 30 fps), you run into a problem called "stuttering".

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

This is stuttering, not jerking – this TV does a good job of playing content at 24 frames per second from a cadence point of view. Stuttering is related to how long a television needs to hold a picture before showing the next picture. Another view is what the gap is between the response time of the television and the next picture that emerges from the content.

The effect is shown as a kind of blinking that draws your attention to it and away from the focus object. You definitely have a tendency to notice. This is where a compromise comes into play: you can either endure the stutter or use motion smoothing to reverse it, creating a "soap opera effect". As far as I know, many of you reading this soap opera effect don't mind. Whether this is a disadvantage for you depends on your personal preferences. If you don't mind the soap opera effect, turn on motion smoothing and you're golden. If you're a movie purist, turn it off and put up with the stuttering – otherwise your C1 OLED is awesome.

The next topic to discuss is shadow details. Another way of referring to it might be the term "crushed blacks" which I don't normally use because it feels misleading as it is actually very dark gray that is being crushed and even then it is not being crushed, it is just not showing up. But I digress.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

The problem is that parts of the image that should be darker gray tend to appear black on an OLED because OLED materials don't like to light up at extremely low voltages. Fortunately, LG has compensation for what you can manipulate so you can get better shadow detail at the expense of increased blacks, or better black levels at the expense of shadow detail. This can be an issue with extremely dark films – Prometheus and the opening sequences in Captain Marvel come to mind – but it probably affects the players the most. More on that in a moment.

The final issue to address is the potential for screen burn-in. As I've written countless times (sorry, some things take a while to get old, but I know this is very important), OLED screens are based on organic materials that get darker as they age. If you overuse a particular color or pattern for an extended period of time, that area of ​​the screen may become disproportionately dark and appear to "hang up" on the screen. A good example of this would be a station identification error in the lower right corner of a sports / news network or the ticker at the bottom of the screen showing stock prices or updates to game results.

The fact is, screen burn-in isn't a problem for most viewers. However, if you're the type of person who watches the same channel, say, six or more hours a day, five or more days a week, I would recommend you consider a non-OLED TV – maybe the excellent Samsung QN90A Neo QLED, maybe?

Play

Games on the LG C1 OLEDDan Baker / Digital Trends

Game modes on the LG C1 OLEDDan Baker / Digital Trends

LG C1 OLED - game optimizationDan Baker / Digital Trends

Games on the LG C1 OLEDDan Baker / Digital Trends

I think I can be pretty concise here. The C1 is fantastic for most game scenarios. Only LG equips a good number of its televisions with four HDMI 2.1 inputs. For this reason alone, it's one of the most versatile TVs for gaming. You also get FreeSync and G-Sync compatibility – I don't think any other brand supports both yet. The HDR images are fantastic and the input lag is very low.

Since LG's Game Optimizer dashboard "amplifies" the reduction in input delay, the input delay is less than 10 ms. The Game Optimizer dashboard is also a great place to adjust the black levels for better shadow detail, and there are even presets for different game genres that work quite well. This is just a really comprehensive suite of player-friendly features, so it's impossible for me not to call this TV one of the best for gaming.

Our opinion

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

With its beautiful design, great picture quality, gaming capabilities, and minor improvements over the previous year's model, the LG C1 OLED is the best OLED TV choice on the market.

Is there a better alternative?

For a brighter OLED TV, the LG G1 is a good choice. I also expect the Sony A80J to be a solid competitor in roughly the same price range (though more expensive). For a non-OLED option, the aforementioned Samsung QN90A is also an excellent alternative.

How long it will take?

Due to its extended functions, the LG C1 OLED should continue to exist in the future. It's unclear now if LG's brighter and slightly more accurate OLED Evo panel is slipping down to the C-series, so I wouldn't wait for that to happen. This is a good year to buy.

warranty

LG provides a one-year limited warranty on the C1-Series OLED when purchased from an authorized LG dealer.

Should you buy it?

Yes, if an OLED TV is right for you and it doesn't require intense brightness to display in bright rooms, the LG C1 OLED is currently the best value for money OLED TV.

Editor's recommendations




28 Apr
Blog

Reolink Argus 3 Pro Review: Flexible Indoor and Outdoor Use

Reolink Argus 3 Pro on the table

"Ultrasharp 2K footage ensures that you know exactly what you are watching."

  • Crisp looking 2K video footage

  • Excellent night vision performance

  • Solar panel add-on doesn't cost much

  • Can easily be converted into an indoor camera

  • Weak dynamic range

  • Antiquated looking app

Reolink has been in the surveillance camera business for a long time, back in 2009 when it launched its first camera. Since then, countless indoor and outdoor cameras have been manufactured serving a wide range of people. Despite its commitment to offering a wide range of equipment, none of Reolink's products has gained the recognition that some of its competitors' offerings have.

If you've seen great outdoor surveillance cameras like the Arlo Pro 4, the Reolink Argus 3 Pro is sure to make the decision a little more difficult. It's packed with 2K video footage, color night vision, local storage, and even power from a solar panel. It's full of goodies that can tempt you with their cost under $ 150.

Razor-sharp 2K video recording

If you're used to getting 1080p footage from security cameras, switching to something with higher resolution is quite a shock. That's exactly how I looked at the 2K video material of the Reolink Argus 3 Pro, which delivers razor-sharp results with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels that exceeded my expectations. I'm seldom moved by the specs of the security cameras, especially when it comes to resolution, but upon checking out the footage, the difference was immediately apparent.

Fine details are well represented throughout the scene and still retain good clarity when you use a digital zoom to get a closer look. I was genuinely surprised at how good the footage looks even with a digital zoom. The only complaint is that the colors are rather muted and the highlights seem a bit blown out. Otherwise, the quality is really good despite the slower frame rate of 15 frames per second (fps) – but this doesn't affect video performance when the lighting conditions are ideal.

Reolink Argus 3 Pro on the wallJohn Velasco / Digital Trends

The night vision performance of the 4 megapixel 1/3 inch CMOS sensor is just as outstanding. The black and white footage is extremely detailed and illuminates well over 25 feet from where it is. There is an option for color night vision, which highlights colors for even better clarity. However, ambient light is required to work. There's a bright spotlight in the Argus 3 Pro that can be activated when motion is detected, but I honestly don't mind the black and white footage because it's so sharp. The only complaint I have is that it has a tighter 122 degree field of view, which is less than some of its competitors.

Antiquated app interface

Launching the Reolink app for Android is a step back in time as it looks so old-fashioned, from the design of the user interface to the general-looking screen icons. At the very least, when you access the live stream, you get a good overview of what the camera is seeing – with the appropriate buttons for manually taking a photo or video. Most of the camera's settings can be accessed by tapping the settings icon in the top right corner of the app.

In the playback section of the user interface, the camera organizes all of the footage that was recorded due to the motion detection. It's organized in a timeline view so you can see all of the clips for a given day. However, it takes a long time to load many thumbnails in this timeline view. Therefore, it will take some time before they are filled out. Fortunately, you can filter the clips based on the items detected to include people, vehicles, and a general "Others" category.

While the UI is functional, I would like a cleaner, more modern application. This is just too big a retro return to the style of 1990s Windows PCs.

Flexibility indoors and outdoors

Although positioned as an outdoor camera, I really like how the Reolink Argus 3 Pro can be instantly converted to an indoor camera – an important point I want to highlight as other outdoor cameras don't offer this flexibility. This is because it comes with a stand mount that supports it on a shelf, table, or other flat surface for indoor use.

I was genuinely surprised at how good the footage looks even with a digital zoom.

At first glance it looks like an Arlo camera, but the Argus Pro 3 is a bit shorter. The IP65 weatherproof construction can withstand whatever the items have in store, while a hidden microSD slot on the bottom gives users the beauty of local storage. I'm really happy that footage is stored locally, but just know that there is a basic free plan you can subscribe to that covers seven days of cloud video history for one camera – with a cap of 1GB of cloud storage. For even more storage, upgrade to the standard $ 3.49 plan, which includes 30 days of video history and support for up to five cameras.

Reolink Argus 3 Pro on the tableJohn Velasco / Digital Trends

The last thing to mention is the battery life. After a full day, the battery level was 85%, which means it would be completely depleted before the seventh day. (In my experience, it was almost empty by the fifth day.) You can purchase the solar panel as an add-on for $ 25, which will extend the battery life for a longer period of time.

Our opinion

The Reolink Argus Pro 3, while not perfect in every way, offers a tempting package that rivals top-notch cameras like the one Arlo Pro 4. It offers excellent clarity and detail while delivering the convenience of any modern camera in a package that doesn't exceed $ 150. For that amount, it is very difficult to find a camera with 2K video resolution, color night vision and a solar panel that will make you charge less often.

How long it will take?

As I mentioned earlier, its IP65 rating makes it perfect for outdoor weather. Unlike its competitors, Reolink offers a generous two-year limited warranty that covers it against defects.

Is there a better alternative?

For the cost, it is difficult to find an outdoor camera with these specifications and the flexibility to be used both inside and outside the home. Despite the higher cost, the Arlo Pro 4 still has an advantage due to its superior dynamic range. It is better suited for high contrast scenes that are problematic with the Reolink camera.

Should you buy it?

You should definitely buy it as it will give you great video quality and save you money in the process.

Editor's recommendations




28 Apr
Blog

How To Do Burpee : Benefits & Variations

Burpee is a full body training exercise, but you should make sure you're doing burpee properly before looking for results. The total should be less relevant than the perfection of each step, as every step counts. We're going to focus on the little things like the muscle's focus area and some precautions to make each burpee more effective and safer.

Here is a guide on how to make a perfect burpee.

H.ow Making Burpee – T.The right way

Position: Stand with your legs open to shoulder width.

THE MOVEMENT:

  1. Bend your knees to the level of a squat and place your hands on the floor with your elbows between your knees. We better call it a frog pose.

2. Push your legs back with your feet parallel to your ankles and take a plank position with your ankles straight.

Tip: Squeeze the core and contract the glutes, which remains the most important point in getting the burpee right.

Attention: Avoid arching your back while doing planks to avoid lower back injuries.

3. Bring your legs forward by jumping and swinging your feet until your knees are back between your elbows and you are back in the frog position.

4. Now swing your whole body in the air by stretching your hands straight up.

Tip: Jump with full body intervention to make each burpee you do much more effective.

With this we complete a burpee.

Go ahead and decide how many reps and sets you think you can do as a beginner.

Benefits of burpees

  • You must have wondered how each part of your body hurts when you start doing burpees.
  • Burpees burn your arms, shoulders, chest, core, buttocks, and any part you name. In fact, it's a full body exercise.
  • Burpees are a well-known muscle building exercise, but they also prove to be very effective for burning fat.
  • It affects your strength and mobility in the routine. Any part that is busy will be strengthened over time; All you need is consistency.
  • It also tests body balance while maintaining stability and regularly improves stability over time.

In short, the burpee would be a tough choice to keep you in ideal shape.

How to add burpees to your workout

Beginners are advised to perform burpees with slow but perfect movements for a minute after a rational full body warm up. Later, you can increase the number or the time according to the efficiency of the body.

Warming up before burpee is highly recommended to avoid muscle injury as burpees affect the entire body.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU CAN'T DO BURPEES?

It's okay if you can't do burpee exercises effectively or at all. It is time for you to lay the groundwork for performing this high-intensity exercise.

Start exercises like planks, squats, high jumps, and arm training individually, as burpee is nothing more than combining all of these exercises with a quick transition between them.

BURPEE VARIATIONS

SIMPLE VARIATION OF BURPEE

This tip makes the burpee less strenuous and easier for beginners.

When you get to the plank position, instead of taking both and bringing them together, take one leg and then another.

Follow these instructions as you return to the front posture.

HARD VARIATIONS OF BURPEE

  • Add a push-up after the plank. This will surely make the burpee harder and more effective on the core and arms.
  • Step up the burpees by replacing higher and more difficult jumps in your burpee reps.
  • A tough but powerful version is a one-legged burpee. Perform the same movements with one leg in action and the other in the air. It will challenge and improve the one-sided balance of the body.
28 Apr
Blog

Marshall Monitor II ANC Review: Stylish, Comfy Cans

Marshall Monitor II ANC

"These headphones offer high-energy sound and tremendous battery life, Marshall-style."

  • Signature Marshall style

  • Very convenient

  • Good ANC and transparency

  • Very intuitive controls

  • Excellent battery life

  • Expensive for what you get

  • No wear sensor or multiple device pairing

  • Narrow sound stage

Are you thinking of buying active noise canceling (ANC) headphones? In addition to the many great models you'll find on our list of the best noise-canceling headphones, we now also recommend the Marshall Monitor II ANC for $ 320.

These ANC cans capture the iconic Marshall design language and add some cool features to create a stylish alternative to the headphones made by Sony, Bose, Apple, and others.

But the competition is tough – does the Marshall Monitor II ANC have what it takes to justify its high price? Let's take a look.

What's in the box?

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Props go to Marshall to make packaging that at least tries to be sustainable. Most of it is recyclable cardboard, with the exception of a few pieces of foam that may need to be disposed of in a landfill. Inside, you'll find the Monitor II ANC, a USB-C charging cable, a 3.5mm coil-style analog cable, a quick start guide, and a soft fabric carrying case.

design

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Whether you love Marshall's guitar amp-inspired design language or not (I think it looks awesome), you have to admit, the Monitor II is ANC Peak Marshall.

From the textured black plastic on the ear cups to the coil of the supplied analog cable and of course the distinctive Marshall logo, these headphones exude a rock music atmosphere that you won't find in any other can.

And Marshall's dedication to this look didn't detract from some extremely practical features. By combining the three sets of hinge and pivot pins, the Monitor II ANC can deform into an incredibly compact shape. I find it hard to think of full size headphones that are more travel-friendly.

While most headphones at this price point (and many that are considerably cheaper) come with a zippered hard shell, the way the Monitor II articulates them makes them beg to be thrown in a pocket. Speaking of the included tote bag, it's hard not to notice how Marshall channeled the Herschel backpack look for his black denim bag. Very cool.

The ear cups are super flat, even with the generous padding of the ear pads, which gives the Monitor II a clean, head-hugging look. And when you peel them off your head and hang around your neck, they fold slightly flat against your collarbones.

The construction is mostly plastic, but Marshall used metal for the auricle forks and headband sliders, which helps make these cans feel sturdy and durable.

Convenience, control and connections

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

At 11.29 ounces, the Monitor II ANC can't be considered light when compared to other over-ear headphones, especially the feather-light Sony WH-1000XM4 (8.8 ounces), but they don't feel particularly heavy to wear . I appreciate the combination of clamping force, ear pad fit, and balance for how well they fit.

I'm a huge fan of the Monitor II controls. They're simple and effective.

Given my Dumbo-like ears, I'd prefer slightly deeper cavities in the ear cups, but overall these headphones are more than comfortable enough for hours of continuous use.

I'm a huge fan of the Monitor II controls. They're simple and effective. The gold colored button protruding from the bottom of the right ear cup is actually a tiny joystick that you can click to activate power, bluetooth pairing, answer / end calls, and play / pause. You move it up, down, front, or back to perform actions like volume and track controls.

There are two other controls that you would totally miss if you didn't look carefully. Each is inserted into the hinge point of the auricle forks where they blend seamlessly with the design and are easy to access. The left button is used to switch between ANC and transparency mode, which happens very quickly. The right "M" button, which is user configurable and allows you to choose between EQ mode, activates Siri (iPhone only) or Google Assistant.

You make these and other selections in the Marshall Bluetooth app.

Instead of spreading out and creating a warm thrum that you can feel, the bass stays a little two-dimensional.

The Monitor II's Bluetooth range is approximately 20 to 30 feet, which should be sufficient for most situations.

Unfortunately, unlike many Bluetooth headphones, you can't pair these sockets with more than one device at a time, making them less suitable for people who want to switch between their phones and laptops on a regular basis.

There's also no wear sensor, so removing the headphones from your ears won't automatically pause your music.

Sound quality

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Overall, the Monitor II ANC sounds very good. In the factory EQ setting (known as a “Marshall” sound), the sound shifts to higher frequencies. However, the Marshall app lets you choose from six more EQ presets and create your own custom balance.

These adjustments help the Monitor II deliver more bass when you want it, and I've been able to find settings that work with a variety of genres from rock to classical.

Throw in a track like Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz 'On To The Next One, and the intensity hits you like an electric shock.

The soundstage isn't as wide or as detailed as the Sony WH-1000XM4, but what the Monitor II lacks in openness it makes up for in energy.

The acoustics are precise, bright and powerful, with a sharp focus on snare drums, cymbals, vocals and higher-frequency woodwinds such as the clarinet.

Throw in a track like Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz 'On To The Next One, and the intensity hits you like an electric shock.

Deeper, more resonant sounds like jazz bass that rely on the mid-to-low frequencies don't do quite as well. Instead of spreading out and creating a warm thrum that you can feel, they stay a little two-dimensional.

All of this results in headphones that are clearly tuned for energetic rock, pop, and hip-hop music.

Noise cancellation and transparency

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Some headphones with active noise cancellation try to block out as much background noise as possible. The Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 are the flagship for this approach. Marshall's Monitor II ANC isn't as aggressive – you don't quite get that silent cone effect – but they do reduce the low to mid frequencies significantly when ANC is on.

I found it worked best when listening to podcasts, which were very effective in muting sounds that would otherwise make it difficult to hear spoken words. As an aid to silencing a noisy environment, they were not that helpful due to a small noticeable hiss that I found annoying after a while.

The transparency mode, on the other hand, is excellent. One press of the special ANC button and the world was suddenly very audible.

You can tweak both ANC and transparency modes in the Marshall app, but I found that the 100% levels are best in both modes.

Battery life

The Monitor II ANC's battery life is among the best for premium ANC headphones. Marshall claims 30 hours with bluetooth and ANC on and up to 45 hours with bluetooth only. That beats the $ 400 Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 (up to 20 hours), Apple's $ 549 AirPods Max (up to 20 hours), and even the $ 280 Sony WH-1000XM4 ( 30 hours with the ANC switched on, 38 hours with the device switched off).

They also have a respectable quick charge feature that gives you five hours of playtime after 15 minutes of charging.

As far as I can tell, these numbers are correct. Unlike some wireless sockets, you can also use the Monitor II ANC while charging with the analog cable, so you can never go without music.

Call quality

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Calls on Monitor II ANC are generally good. You can block out most of the background noise when talking on the phone outdoors while keeping your voice reasonably clear. It's not the high fidelity you get from the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700, but it's perfectly fine for most calls and they work very well indoors.

For some reason, you can't choose how much sidetone you get during a call (this is equivalent to calling transparency mode). The headphones switch to about 50% transparency – enough to hear your own voice a little more clearly, but not quite as clearly as if the transparency were at 100%.

Our opinion

As with most Marshall products, the Monitor II ANC offers a price premium that is difficult to justify based on performance alone. But if you like the retro-cool guitar amp style only Marshall can offer, then these cans make a fun set of full-featured wireless companions.

Is there a better alternative?

If you don't mind the relatively conservative appearance, that's $ 280 Sony WH-1000XM4 are an excellent alternative. They're cheaper (around $ 40), lighter, more comfortable, have better sound quality and ANC, and have more features like wear sensors and Bluetooth multipoint.

But there's no denying that the Marshalls really are in a class of their own when it comes to style.

How long will they last?

The Marshall Monitor II ANC appears to be very well built from high quality materials. The ear pads are easy to remove and replace when worn. Marshall grants a one-year guarantee on these headphones. I suspect that if properly cared for, they will last for many years, although the lack of a hard case means you should be careful about how they are packaged.

Should you buy it?

Yes. If you want a set of high quality ANC wireless headphones with a unique style and sound signature that favors high energy music, this is the Monitor II ANC will make you very happy.

Editor's recommendations




28 Apr
Blog

Primer, Build, Solidify (PBS): A System That Unlocks Long-Term Muscle Growth

If you've reached a plateau in your muscle building journey and aren't sure what changes to make to get your progress started, then I think the P.B.S. Approach can be the solution for you.

Most people can put together a killer workout, but very few can design a proper program. Even fewer know how to adjust a program month-to-month to keep making optimal progress.

Continue reading

28 Apr
Blog

Xiaomi Mi Band 6 Review: Still a Winner

xiaomi mi band 6 review

Xiaomi Mi Band 6 activity tracker

“The Xiaomi Mi Band 6 is equipped with sensors that allow you to track your activities, simple software that makes it easy to use, and a comfortable fit for 24-hour portability. It's not for the serious athlete, but it's great for everyone else. "

  • Convenient and easy

  • Easy to use with a reliable app

  • Comprehensive sensor array

  • Heart rate monitor accuracy concerns

The Xiaomi Mi Band, or Mi Smart Band as it is often called, has always been one of the best low-cost fitness bands out there. Since the first was available in 2015, Xiaomi has updated it annually to keep up with new technological developments and it has only gotten better. The latest version is the Mi Band 6, which I've been wearing for over a week and the formula hasn't changed much.

It filled the space that the Honor Band 6, another inexpensive fitness tracker that surprised me with its capabilities and style, meant that while there is a lot of goodwill towards the Mi Band 6, it still has a tough job ahead of it had. Will Xiaomi's tried and tested wearable still work if others prefer a smartwatch-like design? That's how it went

design

Xiaomi didn't dare to look different from the look of the Mi Band 6, so it is very similar to the Mi Band 5 – a generous screen on a core module attached to a silicone band with a pin-and-hole connector to to hold it on your wrist. At 13 grams, it hardly weighs anything, is a little more than 12 mm thick and in the black color it is an almost completely incognito piece of technology. The module can pop out of the band so you can swap it out for lighter versions if you want the Mi Band 6 to stand out a little more.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The screen is a 1.56-inch AMOLED panel, versus the 1.1-inch AMOLED on the Mi Band 5, and it's sharp, colorful, and bright. I could see and see it in all lighting conditions, despite it there is no automatic brightness function. So I just set it to the maximum. Unfortunately, the screen isn't always on, but you can choose how long the screen stays on (up to 10 seconds). The wake up gesture is accurate and does not require excessive movement to be activated.

There are hundreds of different watch faces to choose from through the app, but don't think that this means you are spoiled for choice. There isn't much of a difference between them, and many of them are pretty unattractive. I tried to find even a handful that I liked. I chose one and didn't want to change it for another.

Xiaomi Mi Band 6 review claspAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

xiaomi mi band 6 review pageAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

Xiaomi Mi Band 6 review wristwatchAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

I found it very comfortable and had no problem wearing it 24 hours a day. The pin-and-hole adjustment can be a hassle at times, but it's easy up here, and there are a variety of adjustments available so that it fits regardless of the thickness of your wrist. It doesn't get too sweaty, isn't annoying at night and the band itself hasn't collected any fluff either, so it looks neat and new for longer.

No, the Mi Band 6 isn't a style icon, but there's a reason Xiaomi hasn't strayed far from the established look of the Mi Band – because it works. Smartwatch-like fitness bands are fine, but there's still room for a more compact, less intrusive fitness band to wear next to a traditional watch. If you're looking for a fitness tracker that fits well, can be worn day and night, has a pretty screen, but isn't trying to be a smartwatch, this is it. It also looks a lot better than the many cheap smartwatches infiltrating Amazon's wearable space, and is a much better option overall.

Activity tracking

Before we get into the details, let's talk about the app. I used the Mi Band 6 with an iPhone 12 Pro. The Xiaomi app called Xiaomi Wear is available in the App Store. However, the band also works with the Mi Fit app developed by Huami, the company behind the Amazfit range of wearables, and maker of Xiaomi's wearables. Both integrate with Apple Health, but it's the Mi Fit app that I would recommend.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Confusing right? Yes, especially because Mi Fit – the app not developed by Xiaomi – is the better option as Xiaomi Wear has not been fully localized for use outside of China and there are still some options and menus in Chinese. Mi Fit might not be as attractive to look at, but it has all the information you need, stays connected with no hassle, and won't scare off newbies.

Let's move on to activity tracking. The band has 30 different training modes, six of which can be recognized automatically or activated quickly in the menu. The usual options like walking, running, and swimming are available, as well as a range of more unusual activities like street dancing, zumba, and boxing. I found the auto detection a bit arbitrary and started the workout myself.

The data collected in the app are well visualized. The graphs show heart rate, pace and heart rate zones as well as GPS routing when you grant access to the app. The simplicity is repeated throughout, with everything from sleep to stress data presented in a logical and clear manner. However, sometimes menus can be very dense and historical data can be difficult to find. The main screen in the Mi Fit app shows statistics about the band, including the remaining battery.

It requires some learning and does not look as modern graphically as the Xiaomi Wear app, but it offers all the information you need in one place and is also reliably synchronized. It also provides a PAI value, and the usefulness of this statistic increases the longer you wear the band. You need to read something about what this actually means though, as the in-app explanations are pretty bad.

How about the accuracy? During daily activity, the steps and calories burned were consistent with my Apple Watch, as were the SpO2 blood oxygen readings. However, the accuracy of the heart rate is less certain. A higher value tends to be displayed during exercise and when monitoring in the background. This may be a result of the strap being attached as it is not easy or convenient to get the pin-and-hole system really tight on your wrist. If you force a heart rate measurement, the results will be consistent with the Apple Watch at rest. This shows that there are some problems with the measurement.

For sleeping, I compared it to the Withings Sleep Analyzer under the mattress. It measured very similar total sleep time and REM sleep, but underestimated my deep sleep stage and overestimated my light sleep stage by about an hour each compared to the Withings. It shows a sleep value and also evaluates breathing during sleep. The discrepancy in the sleep stage is not a problem as it is not certain that the Withings sleep is 100% accurate. However, the breath measurements did not match the Withings, which in turn could have something to do with the fact that the band is worn loosely at night. Otherwise, the Mi Band 6 is a good sleep tracking partner for general use by someone without specific sleep problems.

The Mi Band 6's activity tracking is superb – comprehensive, easy to use, and presented logically for easy understanding

Other features include bike tracking for women, breathing exercises, alerts to remind you to move, and automatic stroke detection while swimming. I was struggling with the auto-pause feature, which seemed to pause my workout when I was still in the middle, forcing myself to dig into the settings and turn the feature off.

A software update can remove the heart rate monitor's slight overestimation and a few other accuracy concerns, but the rest of the Mi Band 6's activity tracking is excellent – comprehensive enough for the casual fitness fan, simple to use, and presented logically easy to understand.

Software and battery life

The Mi Band 6 is easy to use. Swipe up on the screen to see a vertical list of options that includes exercise modes and notifications, as well as features like alarms and a world clock, as well as access to the heart rate monitor, stress monitor, and SpO2 blood oxygen test. The order of the list can be changed in the app, as can features that can be accessed with a swipe to personalize the Mi Band 6. It's all relatively smooth, and once the features are placed in an order appropriate for your own use, it's very convenient to live.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The band displays notifications from your phone with moderate frequency, with most, but not all, of the warnings displayed on your wrist. For example, there appeared to be an issue with viewing Gmail notifications, but not with Twitter or Outlook. It may be due to the settings in iOS but I couldn't seem to solve it. It's a nice addition, but don't expect alerts to be that helpful as long messages don't display in full and there's no way to interact with them.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Xiaomi claims that the battery will last two weeks before it needs to be charged. However, it depends on your own use. If you want to take advantage of the continuous heart and stress monitoring features, track sleep, and record an exercise every day, it will take half that time. When used with all of these active features, the battery was 8% on the seventh day. Charging is quick but it is done using a short proprietary cable that is small and easy to lose.

Price and availability

The Mi Band 6 costs £ 40, which is roughly $ 55. It is available through Xiaomi's online shop in the UK. Everyone in the US has to import one, although the Mi Band 6 just like the Mi Band 5 finds its way on Amazon. One thing to watch out for is backing up the UK or "global" version, otherwise it will contain some China-specific features that will not work.

Our opinion

The Mi Band 6 is an excellent fitness band for people who are interested in their general health and want to track their daily movements and make improvements. I put it this way because the Mi Band 6 is not a serious fitness tracker for sports addicts. For example, GPS is not built in, and the accuracy concerns mean anyone seriously looking to improve their performance may find it inadequate.

All of this is reflected in the price. High-end fitness tracking products like the Suunto 7 or Garmin Forerunner 745 cost at least $ 500 and are far better suited for people who train for a marathon or are serious about a particular activity. If you aren't, there is a bit of pointless spending that much, and the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 is great value when you consider what it can do and what sensors it contains.

Xiaomi has not broken its proven formula with the Mi Band 6, it remains a cheap, comfortable fitness band with a list of focused activity features and all the important sensors a modern tracker needs to keep most people happy.

Is there a better alternative?

The Samsung Galaxy Fit 2, priced at $ 60, has a similar design and is more readily available, but doesn't have an SpO2 sensor for improved sleep tracking or GPS. The Honor Band 6 is a great alternative if you prefer a bigger screen and a more traditional, clasp-style band. If you choose Fitbit, Fitbit Charge 4 is our recommended version, but it's much more expensive at $ 150. Sometimes there are decent deals out there to bring that price down a bit.

How long it will take?

The Mi Band 6 should be durable due to its simple plastic construction and be enclosed in the protective belt, which can be replaced inexpensively if it breaks. The entire tape has a water resistance of 5 ATM (50 meters), so it is suitable for swimming but not for diving. Provided Xiaomi has app support (both versions were updated in the last two weeks when this review was written), the Mi Band 6 will last for several years without any problems.

Should you buy one?

Yes. It may take some effort or patience to get one in the US, but it's a good fitness tracker at a very reasonable price.

Editor's recommendations




28 Apr
Blog

Get Your Best Beauty Sleep With These Night Creams

Wondering how to get your best skin overnight? The term "beauty sleep" is true. When your head hits the pillow and you slip into a deep sleep, your skin goes into overdrive, repairing itself and repairing the daily damage caused by environmental stressors. Sleep is the best time to fight free radicals and troublesome skin conditions – without lifting a finger. Here's how you can maximize your beauty sleep with night creams from Eminence Organic Skin Care.

What happens to your skin when you sleep?

Did you know that sleep gives the body time to repair damage accumulated during the day from stressors as it does some vital maintenance? Yes, skin repair is another reason to get eight hours of beauty sleep every night.

1. Your skin goes into repair mode

What Really Happens When You Sleep Soundly? Your skin gets to work, repairs and regenerates. Melatonin kicks in and helps counter the negative effects of sun damage from UV rays and pores clogged with pollution. Human growth hormone peaks and accelerates your skin's ability to repair and regenerate. And your body's stem cells multiply and enable higher cell turnover as aging skin cells are replaced with new ones. While this work occurs at all stages of your sleep cycle, most of the skin repair and regeneration occurs during REM sleep. Hence, getting the right amount of eyes closed is important to keep your skin in its best shape.

2. Skin care products become more effective

At night, your body temperature rises and your skin becomes more permeable, making it easier for it to soak up the active ingredients in the night creams that are part of your skin care routine. Since your body no longer has to focus on fighting the harmful environmental stressors it is exposed to during the day, it can focus its attention on the task of repairing itself. StyleCraze says, "Any product you use at night is far more effective at moisturizing the skin, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and brightening your skin tone."

3. Your skin loses moisture overnight

If ingredients that are good for you can get into your epidermis, essential moisture can also escape. The measurement of this water loss (known as transepidermal water loss or TWL) is greatest during sleep and often leaves dry, dehydrated skin in the morning. Because your skin loses more water when you sleep, it's important to keep your skin's moisture barrier intact with a deeply moisturizing, replenishing night cream.

Product selection

Lotus Detoxifying Overnight Treatment

VIEW PRODUCT

Light skin overnight correction cream

VIEW PRODUCT

How to improve your beauty sleep with Eminence Organics

Now that you know the importance of closing an eye, it's time to learn how to achieve youthful looking skin (using Eminence Organics overnight treatments).

1. Fight the effects of pollution overnight

The best time to tackle the aging effects of environmental stressors like harmful UV rays and pollution is when your skin is in repair mode. When you sleep, your metabolism drops and your body doesn't produce as many free radicals as it does when you are awake, so your skin can focus on rest.

Improve the hard work your skin does with the Eminence Organic Lotus Overnight Detoxifying Treatment. This lightweight treatment contains moisturizing lotus, strong microgreens, and moisturizing jojoba oil balls to melt down. In combination, these ingredients seal in moisture, prevent transepidermal water loss and protect your skin from drying out from environmental stressors overnight.

Lotus specifically refines the appearance of pores and provides antioxidants that improve the visible signs of aging. This unique ingredient makes the skin look stronger and more elastic. The Lotus Overnight Detoxifying Treatment is formulated with Detoxifying microgreens complex, another great combination for your skin, consisting of broccoli, radishes, clover sprouts and Detoxophan made from Swiss cress sprouts. This blend contains Vitamin C, Beta Carotene, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K to help combat the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Finally, jojoba oil balls add extra moisture to your skin and help lock in moisture by creating a protective barrier against external elements.

To use the Lotus Overnight Detoxifying Treatment, use your fingertips to apply a thin layer of the treatment to cleansed skin over the entire face and neck area. You can leave this on to go to sleep. Apply a thicker layer for extra hydration.

2. Aim for dark spots on your face while you sleep

Overnight is also the best time to target certain skin conditions. Whether you're struggling with fine lines and wrinkles, or those pesky dark spots on your complexion, you can get faster results with targeted nightly treatments.

Our Bright Skin Overnight Correcting Cream works overtime to remove the appearance of dark spots while you sleep. This ultra-rich night cream from our award-winning VitaSkin ™ Bright Skin collection is our most powerful skin-lightening botanical blend to date. With main ingredients such as Punarnava root, Swiss alpine plant extracts and Natural hydroquinone alternative Made from African potatoes and the tare tree, Bright Skin Overnight Correcting Cream visibly – and naturally – reduces the appearance of uneven skin tone.

Which Eminence Organics products are part of your beauty sleep skin care regimen? Let us know in the comments below and join the conversation on social media.

This post was originally published in June 2017 and has been updated for accuracy and completeness.

27 Apr
Blog

Primer, Build, Solidify (PBS): A System That Unlocks Long-Term Muscle Growth

If you've reached a plateau in your muscle building journey and aren't sure what changes to make to get your progress started, then I think the P.B.S. Approach can be the solution for you.

Most people can put together a killer workout, but very few can design a proper program. Even fewer know how to adjust a program month-to-month to keep making optimal progress.

This deficiency is especially true for those whose main goal is to build muscle. While there are some multi-phased templates for strength and strength athletes, there are almost no coherent long-term plans for building muscle.

Continue reading

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