13 Oct
Blog

The 10 Commandments of Health

Now God has not set them in stone and sent them through the clouds, nor have I performed miracles like parting the Red Sea. In this respect, they are up for debate.

But after being in the fitness industry for a while, reading, studying, completing hours on advanced training credits and teaching group exercise classes in addition to training clients, I got a pretty good overview of how to get fit.

However, there are many ways for you to lose weight, gain muscle, and be your best self. A quick Google search for health and fitness generates over 2,670,000,000 hits, so you have a wide choice.

However, this is a classic case of information overload. Hence the need to take the view from 10,000 feet and not zoom in on the minors. It is easy to do when you are supporting or improving your health and fitness.

Think of these commandments as a guide for optimal control of the world of health and fitness on the interwebs and mainstream media.

Hopefully you and the man above will agree.

1. You need to do strength training

The 10 commandments of health - fitness, fitness, health, sleep, meditation, cardio, immune system, hydration, weight training, proteins, heart disease, weight loss, hypertrophy, energy, posture, metabolism, fiber, healthy eating, commandments, obesity crisis

It doesn't matter what type of strength training you do because the body can't tell the difference between a dumbbell, a rock, or your own body weight.

A decent amount of muscle mass and strength will serve as armor for whatever the world throws at you, and you will look better naked.

It also helps keep bones strong, increase energy levels, support good posture, and increase metabolism to aid in weight loss.

2. You should eat fruits and vegetables

The 10 commandments of health - fitness, fitness, health, sleep, meditation, cardio, immune system, hydration, weight training, proteins, heart disease, weight loss, hypertrophy, energy, posture, metabolism, fiber, healthy eating, commandments, obesity crisis

Personally, I have never seen anyone get overweight from eating too much fruits and vegetables. It is hard to overeat as they require a lot of chewing and they have a lot of water.

Both fruits and vegetables provide the body with the energy to exercise in and outside the gym.

Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals because they get the nutrients for growth from Mother Earth.

If that wasn't enough to convince you, offering both fibers to help you feel longer and more regular in the bathroom. But I'll stop there.

3. You need to eat enough protein

In order to build and support muscle, you need to eat protein. Protein contains amino acids that help repair and rebuild muscle, and protein helps you stay full longer, which helps you lose fat.

Protein is also an important building block for bones, cartilage, skin, and blood.

There are all types of protein and some are better than others, but that's not the most important thing. Whether you are a vegan, meat eater, or vegetarian, you should make an effort to get enough protein to repair and rebuild muscle.

4. You will participate in cardiovascular activities

Heart disease is one of the greatest causes of death for mankind. This likely touched you or someone you know. I have friends and clients who have had heart attacks and coming back from them is no joke.

Good aerobic fitness doesn't completely reduce the likelihood of heart disease, but it certainly helps. Good aerobic fitness will help reduce the risk factors associated with this terrible disease, such as:

All you have to do is find a movement that you enjoy, do it consistently, and break a sweat every now and then.

As simple as that.

5. You should drink water

Our body consists of 60% water. And when you lose more than 2% of it through sweat, bad things happen like:

  • Dry skin
  • Feel dizzy
  • Fast heartbeat
  • Rapid breathing
  • Sunken eyes
  • Drowsiness, lack of energy, confusion, or irritability
  • Faint

Your body needs water to functionand drinking (or eating fruits and vegetables that contain water) enough for your body weight and activity level is a breeze.

6. You take time for yourself

There is a lot going on between work, life, family and friends. Maybe you're in a hurry, trying to get things done, and being pulled in a million different directions.

However, gaining time for yourself should be a priority as your sanity depends on it.

Whether you are lying in bed for a few minutes, contemplating all the blessings in your life, meditating, or engaging in some movement meditation-like exercise, you need to focus on yourself and drown out the noise of the world before you run yourself shaggy.

Because you are not useful to anyone when you are out of your mind.

7. You have to be consistent

Consistency is the most important requirement as none of this will work if you don't. Consistency is a skill.

It's about figuring out what works best for you, your schedule, and your lifestyle.

Does that mean doing it every day?? No.

It means most days. And if you fall off the horse for a few days, dust yourself off and jump back in the saddle.

The only way you can fail this health and fitness thing is to stop.

And you are not a quitter.

8. You make sleep a priority

Sleep plays a big role in your health and wellbeing. Getting enough sleep can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.

How you feel when you are awake depends (in part) on the quality of your sleep. And when you're not sleeping well, there is always coffee, but caffeine only lasts that long.

During sleep, the body works hard to support healthy brain function and to repair and recover your body. And if sleep quality is an issue, it will eventually catch up with you.

Because you're too tired to run.

9. You should eat like an adult

It's great when you are a kid. You can eat McDonald & # 39; s Happy Meals, anything you can eat, candy, a variety of fried yellow foods, and barely put on a pound because you have a metabolism that runs like a Ferrari.

However, if you are an adult (some just aged) with a slower metabolism and more stressful and responsible, you will be staring at your waistline in disbelief like a child as you eat.

You should obey commandments 2, 3, and 5 and eat like an adult and leave your childhood behind.

10. You should not shame others

There's a reason The Biggest Loser is no longer popular. The screaming, screaming, and bootcamp mentality that tore down these overweight people in order to rebuild them are now out of tune with today's society.

Obesity is a crisis that cannot be resolved by shaming it into eating less and exercising more.

People like this need encouragement rather than staring, ridicule, judgment and pointing. This is the easy way out.

Are these good enough to be set in stone? Maybe not, but if you follow these ten commandments you will get a better quality of life and longer life.

And we all want that.

13 Oct
Blog

Surface Laptop Go Review: Surface Meets Chromebook

Microsoft Surface Laptop go review featured image

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go

"Surface Laptop Go is an affordable way to stay productive and enjoy world-class Surface design without breaking the bank."

  • Thin and light

  • Comfortable keyboard and trackpad

  • Good choice of ports

  • Good performance

  • No backlit keyboard

  • The display's pixel density is low

  • No Surface Pen support

Nowadays there is a surface device for everything. You can create and play one, travel with one, or just enjoy daily productivity in a tablet form factor. However, what most Surface devices have in common is that there is often a steep price to buying a device. Microsoft has started fixing this with the Surface Go first. Now there's a device for people who want a traditional clamshell laptop too.

The Surface Laptop Go is a gorgeous 12.4-inch laptop from Microsoft that starts at $ 550 and rivals the best Chromebooks and even some of the best budget Windows laptops.

Conceptually, the newest entry to the Surface family takes all of the lessons Microsoft learned from the larger Surface Laptop 3 into a smaller, cheaper package. It's also specially designed for those looking for a Surface device with a balance between performance and premium design.

Does that mean Microsoft has to make too many cuts? Or does the Surface Laptop Go have everything you need to be your new productivity laptop?

Surface meets Chromebook

The new $ 550 Surface Laptop Go may look like a smaller version of the 13-inch Surface laptop, but once I took it out of the box, it felt very different.

The top lid and keyboard of the Surface Laptop Go glow brightly with a familiar aluminum finish, but the rest of the laptop doesn't. The lower part of the Surface Laptop Go is made of a polycarbonate composite resin made from fiberglass and 30% post-consumer recycled content.

Although Microsoft says this is a durable material that won't scratch, the Surface Laptop Go feels more like an HP Chromebook 14 or a Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 made of plastic here.

Arif Bacchus / Digital Trends

Still, Microsoft paid attention to the most important parts of the Surface Laptop Go. This includes both the keyboard deck and the screen. There is no bend when typing, and when I tried to bend the screen it didn't bend either. Each of them is made of aluminum.

I think Microsoft was smart at keeping the top half out of aluminum. Surface fans would have been annoyed if Microsoft released an all-plastic Surface laptop.

Microsoft had to make changes to the Surface Laptop Go design to match the price. One of them is the choice of case material.

The partially plastic construction has an advantage. The Surface Laptop Go is a featherweight at 2.45 pounds and just 0.62 inches thick. I can hold the laptop over my desk between two fingers and let it dangle almost like a sheet of paper. I can also open the lid with one hand. Its weight is under the 2.84 pounds of the standard Surface 3 laptop and close to the 2.3 pounds of the Pixelbook Go.

Arif Bacchus / Digital Trends

The Surface Laptop Go has what some other premium laptops these days lack in a USB-A port. Just like the larger 13-inch sibling, the main ports are on the left side of the device. In addition to USB-A, there is a USB-C port, which is not Thunderbolt compatible for security reasons. There is also a headphone jack.

Elsewhere on the right is the proprietary Surface Connect. It is only for charging and does not contain any data. According to Microsoft, you can charge the device to 80% in just an hour using the included charger, but the device is also charged via USB-C. A great thing to boot up with power banks on the go.

Those who care about speed should be pleased that the Surface Laptop Go has the latest in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections. The mix includes Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, giving this affordable laptop the latest in wireless technology.

Type in a storm, but don't type in a storm

Arif Bacchus / Digital Trends

The Surface Laptop Go has a full-size keyboard similar to the Surface Laptop 3. We already found it comfortable when we reviewed the original and our minds haven't changed. This is thanks to the keycaps with soft touch and the 1.3 mm key travel. Simply put, the typing is accurate – as long as you're in the light.

The Surface Laptop Go has no keyboard backlight. That's not too unusual for the $ 550 price tag. Similar budget Windows laptops like the Acer Spire 5 don't have backlights, but a $ 650 Chromebook like the Pixelbook Go does.

Still, I wish Microsoft hadn't turned off the lights. This is a very useful feature for students who have to deal with nightly study sessions.

If you can see it, the keyboard should hold your typing correctly. I hit 73 words per minute in Bing's writing test. That's the same thing I get when I type on my go-to device, which is a 15-inch Surface Laptop 3.

Microsoft also has a fingerprint reader on the power button. However, you can only find it on select models. It is not included in the base model but is offered on our midrange devices and top tier models. I would recommend it as it makes logging in to the laptop very quick. Windows Hello facial recognition login is not supported.

Unlike the Surface Laptop 3, the trackpad is not made of glass. It's Mylar, supports Microsoft's five-finger multitouch gestures, and is a nice size of 115mm x 76.66mm. Usually laptop manufacturers shrink the touchpad when they shrink the screen size, but Microsoft knows better. The laptop Go's trackpad is buttery soft and has a nice slippery surface. Scrolling through web pages was pretty fun.

The input is accurate and the trackpad is fluid.

I would also like to mention the speakers and microphones. Just like the Surface Laptop 3, the Laptop Go has Omnisonic speakers with Dolby Audio. There are even two far-field microphones that sit on top of the screens.

The speakers are still in the device on the keyboard deck, but they are very loud. I enjoyed jamming to Clean Bandi & # 39; s Rather Be. Even when the volume was set to 70%, the lyrics were clear and a distinct bass was heard in the introductory sequence with the violins.

With the microphones and 720p webcam, my colleagues were happy with my voice and video quality when I used the Surface Laptop Go during a team video call. This is especially important in our current environment where we spend more time sticking to our displays in web conferencing.

Not enough pixels

Arif Bacchus / Digital Trends

Speaking of displays, if you're looking for a budget laptop these days, you will likely see all kinds of display options. The most common is a 1080p or 1920 x 1080 resolution, but that's not what you'll find on the Surface Laptop Go.

While the 13-inch Surface Laptop 3 has an impressive display with a resolution of 2256 x 1504 (201 PPI), the Surface Laptop Go is the opposite. Instead, Microsoft opts for a 12.4-inch display with a resolution of 1536 x 1024 (148 PPI). This control panel has 10-point multi-touch support, but no Surface Pen support. It even has Microsoft's 3: 2 aspect ratio.

But don't let that fool you. You can find the 1080p panel on a competing $ 550 or $ 650 laptop like the Pixelbook Go, as well as an Asus Vivobook 15, but not the Laptop Go. Even Microsoft's Surface Go 2 has a higher definition 1080p display and is also quite cheap if you don't consider the keyboard cover.

While the 3: 2 aspect ratio offers more vertical space for scrolling and a touchscreen is appreciated for this low price, the bottom of the Surface Laptop Go is flanked by ugly frames. Microsoft downsized the side bezels on the Surface Laptop Go to 7mm (and bent the screen edges for the first time), but this isn't exactly an XPS 13.

While the 13-inch Surface laptop has a pixel-punching display, the Surface Laptop Go is exactly the opposite.

However, this is not all a loss to Microsoft. Microsoft intends to use this laptop for productivity and I was able to do so despite the low resolution panel. I stacked two Edge windows side by side and enjoyed my usual workflow like on my 15-inch Surface Laptop 3, but with limited screen space. This is the advantage of the unusual aspect ratio of 3: 2.

Arif Bacchus / Digital Trends

The panel itself is just as good as the Surface Laptop 3. According to our colorimeter, it achieves a brightness of around 383 nits and an average color error of only 2.3. This roughly corresponds to the laptop 3 (372 nits, 2.4 color errors). However, we can't directly compare this to a Chromebook because our colorimeter doesn't work on ChromeOS. However, Microsoft does not visually sacrifice display or image quality.

The pixels may not be there, but the display quality is. I've seen episodes of Netflix's Designated Survivor and scenes with the exterior and rose garden of the White House were alive and well as expected in real life. And when I looked at the cosmos of National Geographic, I was sunk pretty deep into space thanks to the impressive contrast levels of the display.

Ice Lake is good for the price, just not for playing

Arif Bacchus / Digital Trends

Like the Surface Laptop 3, Ice Lake is back on the Surface Laptop Go this year. While they're not the latest Tiger Lake chips from Intel, they do make a performance difference.

Our device was configured with the Intel Core i5-1035G1 processor, 8 GB RAM and a 256 GB NVMe SSD. This is the midrange model, but the cheaper $ 550 version has the same processor but 4GB of RAM and slower eMMC storage. This slower storage can prove to be a more serious disadvantage if you choose the entry-level model.

You probably won't experience the faster read and write speeds of the SSD on our device. We achieved a read speed of 590 and a write speed of 674. It is about standard for a surface. The Surface Laptop 2 saw similar speeds on the 950 and 617.

Regardless of which model you choose, there is only one processor choice, namely the Intel Core i5-1035G1. It is a quad-core processor running at 1.00 GHz. This processor is great for multitasking and general productivity. It can be found on a similar budget or business laptop like the Acer Swift 3 or the Dell Inspiron 14.5000.

There is no doubt that this chipset is great for both internet surfing and everyday tasks. You can tell by the single-core and multi-core Geekbench 4 scores of 1,176 and 3,459. These results are below most laptops, but are certainly more than adequate for everyday use.

I didn't have any issues with multiple Microsoft Edge tabs. Over 10 tabs didn't slow down the Surface Laptop Go. Multiple instances of YouTube weren't opened either. Given most budget Chromebooks as the Pixelbook Go comes with outdated dual-core Core i3 or Core m3 processors, this is very much appreciated. It almost feels like a ThinkPad-class performance. Even the entry-level version of Apple's MacBook Air has a slower dual-core processor, and that's over $ 1,000.

The Surface Laptop Go is a further development of the Surface Go 2 with slower Intel Pentium Gold or Core m3 processors. This time around, Microsoft got the right performance for its budget PC, although it would have been nice if Microsoft had tried AMD's Ryzen 5 chips. This was previously the case in the larger 15-inch versions of the Surface Laptop 3. These new processors are found in laptops like the Asus Vivobook 15.

Note, however, that the Surface Laptop Go is not suitable for gaming as it has Intel HD graphics and not the newer Iris Plus that you might find on a premium laptop.

Only 1,508 points were achieved in the 3DMark Fire Strike test. That is far behind the 3,947 of the Asus Zenbook Flip S, which has the new Iris Xe graphics from Intel. Fortnite was basically not playable on the Laptop Go, with frames around 15 at low settings. You have to stick to simple 2D games and very old 3D titles.

Battery life that lasts all day

Battery life is crucial as you don't want to be plugged into an electrical outlet all day. Microsoft claims that their Surface Laptop Go has what it takes, as it can last up to 13 hours on a single charge – but is that true?

The answer is yes. While this manufacturer's information is usually doubtful, the Surface Laptop Go gets great battery life. With a screen around 60% brightness, the Surface Laptop Go lasted around 585 minutes in our iMacro web browser test in Microsoft Edge, which runs a continuous loop of web pages.

That is better than the Dell Inspiron 14 (282 minutes) and the Acer Aspire 5 (258 minutes). It even outperforms the MacBook Air (576 minutes). The 783 minutes set by the Pixelbook Go are still a long way off.

When we streamed a loop of video, the Laptop Go pulled out and lasted well over 11 hours and 3 minutes. That's almost the same level as the Pixelbook Go's 13 hours.

All in all, don't worry. The battery in the Surface Laptop Go is indeed designed to last.

Our opinion

Starting at $ 550, the Surface Laptop Go is a great Surface version of the Chromebook. However, there are many price cuts on a Surface device, including screen resolution and the lack of a keyboard backlight. Under the hood, the Surface Laptop Go with its 10th generation Intel Core i5 quad-core processor offers a lot of value and performance. This type of processor is rarely found in a budget laptop, even when paired with entry-level models with only 4GB of RAM and slower eMMC storage. There is a difference that you will feel as you try to get your job done.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes, there are many alternatives. If you are a student on a budget, consider buying the Pixelbook Go. If Windows is a must, there is the bulkier and more powerful Asus Vivobook 15, Acer Swift 3 or even the Dell Inspiron 14.5000. If a budget Surface is a must, the Surface Go 2 might also be a better choice because of its higher resolution display and support for Surface Pen.

How long it will take?

The Surface Laptop Go lasts a while. The internals meet specifications and the design and build quality are robust. You get a 60-day right of return via the Microsoft Store, a one-year hardware guarantee and 90 days of technical support.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Surface Laptop Go makes sacrifices to get a low price, but its 3: 2 aspect ratio, solid processor, and good battery life make it stand out from the crowd.

Editor's recommendations




13 Oct
Blog

Best back and bicep workout to perform every day to stay fit

No matter what work we do, our back and biceps are affected almost everywhere. Whether you're lifting a bag, moving an object, or bringing an object near you, these muscles are always at work. Because these two muscles play such an important role in our daily lives, it is important to exercise them regularly to avoid complications.

Here we walk you through some of the best Back and biceps workouts so that you perform every day to stay fit!

Best back and biceps workouts to keep you fit

1. Inverted lines

Among the few exercises that allow weight training, Inverted Rows is the best. This Back and biceps workout women works well in building lats, upper body muscles, and biceps. Women who exercise every day can benefit massively from this workout. Let's see how to do it:

Here's how it works: Place a broomstick on two chairs and leave some space between them. Lie on the floor with your body between the two chairs. Now grasp both broomsticks with a handle wider than shoulder width. Make sure both knees are bent. Now try to pull yourself up again until your chest makes contact with the broomstick. Once it happens, lower your body until your arms are straight. Then pull up again. You can do that Back and biceps workout women regularly for desired results.

2. Planks with arm raises

A pleasant one Back and biceps workout womenArm lift planks help tone the upper back muscles and strengthen the core. Women who do this exercise regularly will notice improvements in their back muscles. If you have back pain, it is gone too. Let's see how to do it:

Here's how it works: First, stand in a plank position. Make sure your neck is neutral. Pull your core tight, then lift one of your arms off the floor. Raise your arm sideways until it's parallel to the floor. Lower it to the floor and now raise the opposite arm. Do the same with this arm too. Switch both hands. Do this exercise regularly to get the results you want.

3. Lunge twist pull

If you're looking to work out your lats and top traps, the Lung Twist Pull is the perfect choice. This exercise is also possible for Back and biceps training for the masses how it hits muscles in the lower body. For those who do this exercise on a daily basis, extraordinary benefits can be seen in no time. Let's see how to do it.

How to do it: Stand with feet wider than shoulder width. Hold a medium-weight dumbbell in your right hand. Swing the footballs to the left. Bend both knees in a lunge and slap your left foot on the floor with your other hand. As you gradually return to the starting position, place your left hand on the barbell and force your right hand to come back towards you. Make sure your torso is rotated to the right. Repeat this Back and biceps training for the masses regularly.

4. Bicep curl

Another excellent one Back and biceps training for the masses is the bicep lock. You can work with the heaviest weights in this exercise. However, you need to make sure that you can hold that much weight off before taking it on. Otherwise, holding a heavy weight can cause multiple injuries.

How to do it: Stand up straight and hold two dumbbells on both hands. Make sure your thighs and palms are facing the horizon. Now lock your elbows, keep your back straight, and slowly roll the weights as close to your shoulder as possible. Return to the starting position and repeat the workout.

5. Seated cable row neutral grip

One of the best Back and biceps workouts is the neutral handle of the seated row of cables. If you have the machine at home, you can practice from home too. However, such workouts are best done in the gym under the guidance of a potential trainer.

Here's how: keep your chest pushed out while you pull back on the cable. Don't forget to hold the cable. Your body should be straight when you pull the cord. Do this exercise gradually to avoid injury. Use your elbows to pull the cable back, making sure it touches your abdominal muscles. Don't let them flare up. Do this best back and biceps training regular.

6. Lat pulldown

This Killer back and biceps workouts also offers benefits for the lats. Do this exercise at home regularly to get the benefits in no time. Over the years, many people have successfully achieved the results they want by performing this exercise on time. So can you do it too.

How to do it: Sit in front of a pulldown station on your bench. Secure your knees under the pads on the device. Hold the bar with your hands beyond shoulder width. Make sure your palms are facing out. Drive your shoulder blades down and pull the bar back up as you pull it toward your collarbone. Do this Killer back and biceps workouts regularly for instant results.

frequently asked Questions

1. Can you say anything else? Killer back and biceps workouts to me?

Preacher curl, dumbbell hammer curl, and single arm dumbbell row are other exercises that you can try.

2. How many sets and reps of lat pulldown should I do?

Twenty sets and twenty repetitions are enough for lats pulldown exercises.

3. Are these workouts for beginners only?

No. Anyone looking to get killer biceps and back can go for these workouts.

Back and biceps workouts are very important to everyone. Don't forget to do these exercises daily for the most benefit. Good luck!

Related articles

Upper Back Workouts – Fantastic workouts to get rid of back fat
12 Oct
Blog

The 10 Commandments of Health

Now God has not set them in stone and sent them through the clouds, nor have I performed miracles like parting the Red Sea. In this respect, they are up for debate.

But after being in the fitness industry for a while, reading, studying, completing hours on advanced training credits and teaching group exercise classes in addition to training clients, I got a pretty good overview of how to get fit.

However, there are many ways for you to lose weight, gain muscle, and be your best self. A quick Google search for health and fitness generates over 2,670,000,000 hits, so you have a wide choice.

However, this is a classic case of information overload. Hence the need to take the view from 10,000 feet and not zoom in on the minors. It is easy to do when you are supporting or improving your health and fitness.

Think of these commandments as a guide for optimal control of the world of health and fitness on the interwebs and mainstream media.

Hopefully you and the man above will agree.

1. You need to do strength training

The 10 commandments of health - fitness, fitness, health, sleep, meditation, cardio, immune system, hydration, weight training, proteins, heart disease, weight loss, hypertrophy, energy, posture, metabolism, fiber, healthy eating, commandments, obesity crisis

It doesn't matter what type of strength training you do because the body can't tell the difference between a dumbbell, a rock, or your own body weight.

A decent amount of muscle mass and strength will serve as armor for whatever the world throws at you, and you will look better naked.

It also helps keep bones strong, increase energy levels, support good posture, and increase metabolism to aid in weight loss.

2. You should eat fruits and vegetables

The 10 commandments of health - fitness, fitness, health, sleep, meditation, cardio, immune system, hydration, weight training, proteins, heart disease, weight loss, hypertrophy, energy, posture, metabolism, fiber, healthy eating, commandments, obesity crisis

Personally, I have never seen anyone get overweight from eating too much fruits and vegetables. It is hard to overeat as they require a lot of chewing and they have a lot of water.

Both fruits and vegetables provide the body with the energy to exercise in and outside the gym.

Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals because they get the nutrients for growth from Mother Earth.

If that wasn't enough to convince you, offering both fibers to help you feel longer and more regular in the bathroom. But I'll stop there.

3. You need to eat enough protein

In order to build and support muscle, you need to eat protein. Protein contains amino acids that help repair and rebuild muscle, and protein helps you stay full longer, which helps you lose fat.

Protein is also an important building block for bones, cartilage, skin, and blood.

There are all types of protein and some are better than others, but that's not the most important thing. Whether you are a vegan, meat eater, or vegetarian, you should make an effort to get enough protein to repair and rebuild muscle.

4. You will participate in cardiovascular activities

Heart disease is one of the greatest causes of death for mankind. This likely touched you or someone you know. I have friends and clients who have had heart attacks and coming back from them is no joke.

Good aerobic fitness doesn't completely reduce the likelihood of heart disease, but it certainly helps. Good aerobic fitness will help reduce the risk factors associated with this terrible disease, such as:

All you have to do is find a movement that you enjoy, do it consistently, and break a sweat every now and then.

As simple as that.

5. You should drink water

Our body consists of 60% water. And when you lose more than 2% of it through sweat, bad things happen like:

  • Dry skin
  • Feel dizzy
  • Fast heartbeat
  • Rapid breathing
  • Sunken eyes
  • Drowsiness, lack of energy, confusion, or irritability
  • Faint

Your body needs water to functionand drinking (or eating fruits and vegetables that contain water) enough for your body weight and activity level is a breeze.

6. You take time for yourself

There is a lot going on between work, life, family and friends. Maybe you're in a hurry, trying to get things done, and being pulled in a million different directions.

However, gaining time for yourself should be a priority as your sanity depends on it.

Whether you are lying in bed for a few minutes, contemplating all the blessings in your life, meditating, or engaging in some movement meditation-like exercise, you need to focus on yourself and drown out the noise of the world before you run yourself shaggy.

Because you are not useful to anyone when you are out of your mind.

7. You have to be consistent

Consistency is the most important requirement as none of this will work if you don't. Consistency is a skill.

It's about figuring out what works best for you, your schedule, and your lifestyle.

Does that mean doing it every day?? No.

It means most days. And if you fall off the horse for a few days, dust yourself off and jump back in the saddle.

The only way you can fail this health and fitness thing is to stop.

And you are not a quitter.

8. You make sleep a priority

Sleep plays a big role in your health and wellbeing. Getting enough sleep can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.

How you feel when you are awake depends (in part) on the quality of your sleep. And when you're not sleeping well, there is always coffee, but caffeine only lasts that long.

During sleep, the body works hard to support healthy brain function and to repair and recover your body. And if sleep quality is an issue, it will eventually catch up with you.

Because you're too tired to run.

9. You should eat like an adult

It's great when you are a kid. You can eat McDonald & # 39; s Happy Meals, anything you can eat, candy, a variety of fried yellow foods, and barely put on a pound because you have a metabolism that runs like a Ferrari.

However, if you are an adult (some just aged) with a slower metabolism and more stressful and responsible, you will be staring at your waistline in disbelief like a child as you eat.

You should obey commandments 2, 3, and 5 and eat like an adult and leave your childhood behind.

10. You should not shame others

There's a reason The Biggest Loser is no longer popular. The screaming, screaming, and bootcamp mentality that tore down these overweight people in order to rebuild them are now out of tune with today's society.

Obesity is a crisis that cannot be resolved by shaming it into eating less and exercising more.

People like this need encouragement rather than staring, ridicule, judgment and pointing. This is the easy way out.

Are these good enough to be set in stone? Maybe not, but if you follow these ten commandments you will get a better quality of life and longer life.

And we all want that.

12 Oct
Blog

Here’s the ultimate traps workout to beats the fitness blues

The trap muscles are an important part of the body. As they support the stability and movement of the shoulder blade, their function is an essential part of the human body. Unfortunately, due to the minimal movement of the trap muscles, they can become stiff and reduce the intensity of their functions. This is why it is important to exercise these muscles every now and then. If you're wondering how to beat the fitness blues, here's the ultimate Fall training try now!

Try the trap training for the crowd

No matter how massive your muscles are, if the trap muscles are not trained, it is all for free. Every fitness freak realizes the importance of strengthening your internal muscles. Once these muscles are working properly, you will be on your way to defeating all the blues. Today I'm going to show you four helpful exercises you can use to properly train your trap muscles.

1. Upright lines

If you are looking for the perfect exercise to add to yours Trap muscles workout for mass Routine, upright rows will do wonders for you. They are an excellent way to increase strength, improve stability, and prevent shoulder pain in the body. Since they work directly with the shoulder muscles, they are also indirectly beneficial for the trap muscles. Many athletes and weight lifters practice this exercise daily to strengthen their muscles.

How To Do It – Hold a barbell or dumbbell and let it hang in front of your body. Make sure your arms are facing your body. Stand upright and hold the device correctly. Make sure it is shoulder width apart for maximum safety. As you inhale, contract your abdominal muscles and keep your back neutral. Your eyes should be on the horizon and your chest. Raise the barbell to your chin and guide it with your elbows. Make sure the bar is in close contact with the body. Exhale as you do it. When you get to the top, rest a second. Return the device to its starting position and inhale as you do it. Repeat that Dumbbell trap workout a couple of times for the desired effect.

2. Shrug

When looking for upper body stability, shrugs are helpful. These exercises will help properly train the upper and middle traps so that they are activated immediately. As a result, they are the first preference for anyone trying to build strong traps. Muscle endurance is another major benefit of the shrug. This Fall training for crowd can be your ultimate savior if you are looking for extra strength in the body. You can also use dumbbells or barbells for extra resistance.

How to do it – Stand on the floor with your body straight. Your feet should be shoulder width apart. With your arms pinned to the sides of your body, rotate your palms and let them face each other. If you are using weights, this is the time to bend down and hold them. Now bend your knees slightly so that they are in line with your toes. Keep your chin and neck straight with your eyes pointing towards the horizon. During the exercise, inhale and bring your shoulders as high as your ears. Do this gradually to avoid injury. Once you've done that, lower your shoulders back into position and exhale before completing one rep. Repeat this Back and Fall Training enough time to get immediate results.

3. Reverse the dumbbell fly

The dumbbell backward fly is another intense workout that targets the shoulders and upper back. When added to your trap workout routine, they can bring you numerous benefits. All you need is a dumbbell to perform this task and look like a show stopper once the effects show. Remember to keep a form while exercising. Above all, follow the instructions carefully to avoid serious personal injury. Overall this is Dumbbells catch workout will be to your rescue. How To Do It – Hold a pair of dumbbells in both hands. Bend forward at your hips until your torso is almost parallel to the floor. Stand shoulder width apart. While the dumbbells are hanging from your shoulders, your palms must be facing each other. The arms must be slightly bent. Now, while keeping your back flat and your torso still, raise your arms straight up. Do this until it lines up with the body. Stop and return to the starting position. Do this Back and Fall Training daily for additional benefits.

4. Electricity cleans

This is an explosive full body workout that is mainly done by athletes and Olympic champions. Since it includes intense exercises, we only recommend experts to perform this task to avoid complications. This powerful workout is important for the muscles in many ways. The more you do this workout, the better your muscle growth will be. Follow the directions carefully to avoid injury while performing this exercise. This Fall training for crowd is sure to bring instant results.

How To Do It – Start with the pole on the floor. Your body should be in the center of the bar so you can keep it straight. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Now sit down and straighten your chest. Pull your shoulder blades back and pull your core tight. Make sure your elbows are rotating straight. Look into the horizon.

Now lift the bar off the ground by standing straight. Your back should be flat at this point. Once the bar is above your knees, move your torso to a vertical position. Bend your knees tightly again. Now do a second pull-up. To do this, jump up violently while removing the bar from your shoulders. Keep the bar in close contact with your body. Now, quickly drop into a quarter crouch and bend your hips. Drive your elbow forward to rotate it around the bar and catch it in a stacked position. Now get up. Now let the bar fall on the floor in front of you. Do this Fall training for crowd gently when necessary. We recommend doing this under the guidance of a trainer to avoid complications.

FAQ

1. For which supplements should I take? Fall training for crowd?

Creatine is an excellent supplement for Fall training for crowd. Three to five grams of this supplement daily can help show results immediately.

2. Are Dumbbell trap workout helpful?

Yes. The workouts are helpful when needed. You can try these exercises whenever you want.

Related articles

Triceps workouts for men and women

12 Oct
Blog

Freshly Reviews – AnytimeStrength

The Freshly Meal Reviews I am talking about are healthy ready-made meals that have nutritional value. They are gluten-free and ready to serve in three minutes. They were one of the best food products with a Customer Choice Winner Award.

Have you always wanted to cook food yourself that tastes like you have a private chef to prepare the food? It's a wonderful thing to have to eat, and it's as fresh as a microwave dinner on TV, only it is fresh. The Freshly reviews will describe it below.

Pricing of packaged meals
Select your own menu
The packaging in which the product is delivered
You can cook out of the box
The food tastes good

What is fresh

That's a good question everyone has been happy to answer for the packaged meals they eat. They are specially cooked by a private chef and are packaged and fully cooked. All you have to do is warm up the meals and eat them. You can also freeze them until you are ready for lunch or dinner. The thing about buying this product is that you don't have to worry about cutting and chopping the food. If you are on a special diet it is wonderful to follow because there is a nutritional table on the package and in the table, nor is it high in sugar.
So if you ever want a wonderful meal, choose Fresh. You won't go wrong with the packaged meals.

How fresh to work

Choose your meal plan. Choose the number of meals you can eat per week. You can change the meals with each order. The food is delivered freshly packed. They are shipped to you in a cool box and when you receive them they will be ready for you.

The meals are easy to fix. Just heat up and eat. There's no mess to tidy up after, and it's easy to microwave in three minutes. Freshly prepared meals contain more nutrients and are much healthier to eat than store-bought meals. So if you ever want a healthy meal, Freshly is the best meal you can buy from this company. I highly recommend it.

And is gluten free
I have wonderful nutrition

You can set your preferences for how to eat if you are gluten intolerant or unable to have milk or meat.

What does fresh cost

Fresh is a meal plan that you can buy weekly. There are meal plan options for every type of meal you want to buy. They go at different prices. Each of them can be quite expensive, but to be honest, it's a wonderful product and besides that, it comes with free shipping, which isn't a bad idea.
The shipment will be delivered to your home by FedEx. They don't mess around when they deliver it to your home. They're also packaged with three ice packs to keep it cool while it delivers.

Four meals a week: $ 49.99 or $ 12.50 per meal.
Six meals a week: $ 59.99 or $ 9.99 per meal. Nine meals a week: $ 89.99 or $ 9.99 per meal.
Twelve meals per week: $ 107.99 or $ 8.99 per week.

What types of meals makes you fresh

Fresh meals can be a helpful meal for people trying to lose weight. It has wonderful ingredients, and as a starting point, it will help you lose weight and get healthy again. You will appreciate what meals do to your body. They have no artificial ingredients and there is nothing that can harm a person from sugar spikes in diabetics. They let you know the types of foods you are going to eat and you can choose a meal for what you eat each day of the week. Learn more about Freshly here.

Fresh meals have nutrition tables that tell you how many carbohydrates you are eating and the calories and proteins you are consuming. It is healthy for cholesterol and there is a lot of calcium and iron and vitamins and other things that are good for you in this product.

Final thoughts

If you don't have to cook and are looking for a healthy solution that has great pre-cooked meals, you've come to the right place. It is one of the most popular companies and is highly recommended by anyone who has tried it. It's affordable, good food, and easy to reheat.

11 Oct
Blog

Getting Schooled on Building Muscle

Chris Barakat, MS, ATC, CISSN, is the founder of the School of Gainz and Competitive Breed. He's also a competitive natural bodybuilder, researcher, and educator who really guides the conversation.

In this episode we will discuss all things muscle building, including:

  • Whether DOMs are a useful indicator of effective training
  • What Makes a Good Muscle Building Exercise?
  • How much variety do you need in your training?
  • Is Periodization a Useful Tool for Building Muscle?

In addition to discussing Chris' exciting research and insight into the latest scientific findings on hypertrophy.

If you enjoyed this podcast and cared about it, rate and rate it so we can get the word out and motivate and inspire others to take their performance to the next level.

You can find more podcasts like this on the Breaking Muscle Six Pack of Knowledge page. Here you can find all podcasts for most of the available streaming services including iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, YouTube, Stitcher, PlayerFM and PodBean.

I am the host, Tom MacCormick, and I am a personal trainer and online coach whose goal is to be the curator of the greatest hypertrophy experts in the world. If you're interested in working with me or learning more about me, follow him on Instagram @tommaccormick.

10 Oct
Blog

1More True Wireless ANC Review: A Work In Progress

1More True Wireless ANC

"Their extremely cool design and great sound quality don't justify their price."

  • Smooth design

  • Excellent sound quality

  • Wireless charging

  • Average ANC

  • No custom controls or EQ

  • No water or dust resistance

  • So-so battery life

1More has a reputation for building affordable, high quality wired and true wireless earbuds that have features and sound quality that match products that cost much more. We like 1More products so much that they are regularly featured on our best-of lists.

When the company introduced its first true wireless active noise cancellation (ANC) earbuds – the $ 180 true wireless ANC, valued at $ 180 – we really wanted to try them out.

If history is a guide, these buds should turn out to be the AirPods Pro alternative we've been waiting for.

Has 1More delivered the goods? Let's look at them.

What's in the box?

1More True Wireless ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

1More apparently expects you to keep the True Wireless ANC box for as long as you own it. That's the only explanation we can think of for the massive, thick-walled, coated cardboard container that the buds come in. Don't get me wrong, it's beautiful, with a magnetically closing hinged lid (something we see all too often) and colorful printing on every surface.

However, this jewelry box design and the heavy use of plastics and foam on the inside make it nearly impossible to recycle the packaging. I would like 1More to use less material.

This treasure chest contains the charging case, the earphones, a USB-C charging cable, a storage bag and a generous supply of earplugs and "O-hooks" (1More's name for the ear fins).

design

1More True Wireless ANC "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/1more-true-wireless-anc-00011-640x640.jpg " srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

1More True Wireless ANC "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/1more-true-wireless-anc-00005-640x640.jpg " srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

1More True Wireless ANC "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/1more-true-wireless-anc-00004-640x640.jpg " srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

1More True Wireless ANC "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn5.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/1more-true-wireless-anc-00010-640x640.jpg " srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Like the 1More Stylish they are very similar to, the True Wireless ANC isn't the smallest earbud you can find, but they do balance their slightly bulbous bulk with a cool, carbon fiber-like pattern beneath a clear shiny surface.

The charging case appears to contain a stealthy James Bond weapon, not wireless buds.

In combination with bright red hits in the microphone recesses and the earplugs, this looks like a Formula 1 racing car.

This high-end atmosphere is repeated in the wireless charging case with an ultra-smooth, satined aluminum cover. It looks like it is harboring a stealthy James Bond weapon, not wireless buds. Like a luxury coupe, the seams line up perfectly and the lid opens and closes with a satisfying click.

It's bigger than the AirPods Pro ($ 249) or the Jabra Elite 75t ($ 180), but thanks to its flowing, curved corners, it's still relatively convenient to tuck it in your pocket.

The earbuds can be easily pulled out of the charging corners and just as easily exchanged, regardless of the size of the O-hook you have installed.

Convenience, control and connections

1More True Wireless ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

When it comes to getting the best sound out of a set of true wireless earbuds, a secure fit is key. That's why it's fantastic to see how 1More packages the True Wireless ANC with so many earbuds (seven sizes and two styles) and O-hooks (three sizes and one hookless option).

Unfortunately, after trying every single combination of earbuds and o-hooks, I couldn't get the buds to stay firmly in my ear canal. This came as a surprise, not only because of the many options I had to play with, but also because that rarely happens to me. Out of 30+ models I've tried in the past 24 months, I've only had two that just didn't fit no matter what I did.

Twisting them was easy enough – and very convenient – but not long after that they would work their way up. They use an oval-shaped earbud, which may be part of the problem, but the AirPods Pro and I also find them perfectly safe.

I suspect the real reason is that my ear canals are set quite deep relative to the outer parts of my ear. The tower of the True Wireless ANC (the part where the earbud attaches) is short, and the asymmetrical shape of the body means you can only rotate it until it is blocked by your ear.

As with any thing related to fit, your experience will likely be different from mine. However, if you've been having trouble finding a good fit for other earbuds, this is something you should consider.

The controls on the True Wireless ANC are a mix of pushbuttons that sit on top (or back, depending on how you sit them in your ears) and touch controls. The touch control is only used to manage the ANC mode. A double tap on the earbud takes you from ANC to ANC level 1, to ANC level 2, to ambient mode (passthrough) and then back to ANC.

This combination of touch and physical controls gives you everything you need including volume up / down, play / pause, call answer / end, track forward / backward skip and access to voice assistants. However, you cannot customize which key presses they trigger. This would be especially helpful with ANC: I'd like to quickly get in and out of ambient mode instead of flipping through all four modes.

Once you memorize the patterns, the controls are responsive and easy to use.

The wear sensors that allow you to automatically pause and play music when the buds are removed or inserted work very well, but there is no way to turn the feature off. In the 1More Music app, you can choose between "Auto-pause" or "Auto-pause and play".

Once connected, the True Wireless ANC maintained a very strong and stable radio signal, although that signal could only extend about 30 feet before it stalled. Unlike some other wireless earbuds, the True Wireless ANC tries to connect as soon as you open the charging case. I found that if I pulled them out before both earbuds indicated they were paired (the LED changes from blue to red), my phone will not always be paired again.

Battery life

I'm a little disappointed with the battery life of the True Wireless ANC. They are designed for an operating time of six hours with the ANC switched off and only five hours with the ANC switched on. Granted, that's still better than what Apple is promising for its AirPods Pro (4.5 hours with the ANC on, five hours with the ANC off), but when you look at the total playtime with the charging case included, the 1More top is at 22 hours versus 24 for the AirPods Pro.

On the one hand, that's enough juice to last you a full day without a charger, and the True Wireless ANC's quick 15-minute charge for two hours of play time definitely helps.

On the flip side, we see many inexpensive true wireless earbuds like the JLab Epic Air ANC that can work between eight and 12 hours before going back to their charging case and have total times of up to 48 hours.

Sound quality

1More True Wireless ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The 1More True Wireless ANC is the first true wireless earbud to be THX certified. This means that THX rated the earbuds against some of its tech standards for things like left-right stereo sync and distortion. However, THX certification is not a guarantee of any particular sound quality. Think of this as sort of insurance: this means that THX has independently tested the transmission and determined that it had a base level of performance.

They have an incredibly balanced sound signature that doesn't favor highs or lows.

In the real world, there is no way of knowing what the True Wireless ANC would have sounded like before THX got involved, so I'm not going to attribute any part of the sound to THX that I heard.

THX or no, the 1More True Wireless ANC sounds excellent.

They have an incredibly balanced sound signature that doesn't favor highs or lows. Instead, you get clear and detailed performance across all frequencies. This clarity and precision exceeds what many products with comparable price can do, like the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro, the Jabra Elite 75t and even the AirPods Pro from Apple.

On tracks like Fleetwood Mac's Little Lies, this precision lets background vocals inhabit the ethereal space a little above and a little outside the main soundstage – things that reliably give goose bumps.

My only complaint is the lack of an adjustable EQ. As nicely balanced as they are, I'd prefer to play a bit more bass to warm up the sound a bit, but there's no way to do that. If you're a bass player, you're probably better off with the Jabras.

However, for much better sound quality than the True Wireless ANC, take a look at the $ 200 Sennheiser CX 400BT or the $ 230 Sony WF-1000XM3.

Noise cancellation

1More True Wireless ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

If there's one thing I've learned from reviewing real wireless earbuds with ANC, there is a huge spectrum of quality. Some earbuds that offer this feature, like the JLab Epic Air ANC, do almost no significant improvement, while others, like the Apple AirPods Pro, create an incredible cone that has to be heard to be silenced.

The ANC function produces an audible hiss when no music is playing.

I was hoping the 1More True Wireless ANC would be closer to the AirPods Pro end of the spectrum, but they're actually in the middle.

With two stages of ANC, they can cut down some external sounds quite a bit, with a noticeable sweet spot in the lower frequencies, but it's nowhere near as consistent as the Sony WF-1000XM3 or AirPods Pro. What is unfortunate, however, is that the ANC feature produces an audible hiss when no music is playing. This prevents the True Wireless ANC from being a good tool to simply drown out the hustle and bustle of an office or coffee shop.

Another area of ​​tradeoff is the environmental or pass-through mode of the ANC. The goal of an ambient mode is for you to hear the outside world to speak to someone or to become more aware of your surroundings. Equally important, however, is the ability to hear your own voice clearly so that you don't accidentally raise it too loud. Plus, phone calls sound a lot more natural. Ambient mode definitely lets in outside noise, but your voice remains noticeably muffled.

Call quality

Call quality is a bright spot for the True Wireless ANC. Callers said my voice remained clear even if there was a lot of background noise to deal with like passing traffic. Every now and then my voice got louder, but I couldn't tell what was causing it.

Even so, the lack of an ambient mode that could effectively make me hear proved annoying.

Our opinion

I really wanted to love the 1More True Wireless ANC and its sleek design and sound quality are sure to set high standards. However, the average battery life, lack of custom EQ or button functions, and the disappointing ANC prevent those buds from breaking free from a very crowded backpack.

Is there a better alternative?

While they don't have wireless charging, Jabra's Elite 75t costs the same, has bigger bass-forward sound, great comfort and fit, generous battery life, and soon even ANC. When you add in the insane amount of customization the Jabra Sound + allows, and its IP55 dust and water rating, most people will happily trade a bit of sound clarity and precision for the Jabra's many strengths.

How long will they last?

1More includes a one-year warranty on the True Wireless ANC. The earbuds and charging case look very nice and I assume they will be used for many years. Without an official IP rating for water resistance, however, you need to be extra careful not to expose them to water or sweat.

Should you buy it?

No. As good as the sound quality is, 1More is asking for a lot of money for a feature set that just isn't as good as other companies'.

Editor's recommendations




10 Oct
Blog

HP Spectre x360 15 2020 Review: Less Size, More Power

HP Specter x360 15 2020 review p1012378

"The Specter x360 15 offers a lot of performance and a nice display in a smaller case."

  • Tiny for a 15-inch 2-in-1

  • Spectacular appearance

  • Excellent keyboard

  • Solid productivity performance

  • Excellent OLED display

  • Modest performance in creative apps

  • Bad battery life

The 2020 HP Specter x360 15 is a 360-degree convertible 2-in-1 that is considerably smaller than its predecessor, but still offers the option for reasonably powerful components and a beautiful OLED display.

I have the high-end model with a sixth generation Intel Core i7-10750H CPU with six cores, 16 GB RAM, a 1 TB solid-state drive (SSD), an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max Q and a 4K OLED tested display. This configuration is priced at $ 1,850 at HP.com and is intended for creatives who want the power of a 15-inch laptop with the flexibility of a 2-in-1. Let's dive in.

design

HP put the Specter x360 13 under a scalpel in 2019 to shed the fat and get a really small 2-in-1 ratio with a screen-to-body ratio of 90% thanks to tiny bezels. Earlier this year, HP did the same with the 2019 Specter x360 15, resulting in a much less unwieldy 15-inch 2-in-1. It also has a screen-to-body ratio of 90% and is significantly smaller than its predecessor. It looks a lot more modern and retains the gem aesthetic that makes the Specter line one of the best looking and most distinctive you will find.

I will find that the size difference is not as noticeable as it is on the 13-inch model. While this laptop feels tiny when in use, the 15-inch Specter x360 only feels smaller. HP says they built a 15-inch 2-in-1 into the chassis of a 14-inch model, but that seems a bit difficult to me – especially since 14-inch laptops are falling off too. I like the size of the Specter x360 15, but it still feels like I'm using a bigger laptop.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Part of it has to do with thickness. It's 0.79 inches thick, more than the 0.75 inches of the 2019 model, and it doesn't match the 0.71 inches of the Dell XPS 15, which feels a bit thinner. The HP, however, weighs 4.24 pounds, which is less than the XPS 15's 4.5 pounds and much less than last year's 4.81 pounds. Of course, any laptop over four pounds will come across as a large laptop. I emphasize this point to make sure no one thinks they are getting a thin and light 2-in-1 device that is convenient to use as a tablet – unless it rests on a surface.

One thing that hasn't changed is the build quality of the Specter x360 15. It's made from machined aluminum, as before, and HP makes sure that it exudes quality. The Specter x360 15 has no bend, bend, or twist in the lid, keyboard deck, or case. It's as solid as a laptop. The hinge is a bit stiff, which means you open it with two hands, but it stays in place in whatever mode you choose – clamshell, tent, medium, or tablet.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Connectivity also remains a strength. The Specter x360 15 has a competent mix of old and modern connections, so dongles are reduced to a minimum. On the left is a full-size HDMI 2.0 port and a 3.5mm audio jack. On the right side are two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3, a USB-A 3.1 port, and a microSD card reader (though a full-size reader would have been preferable for the creative types). As with previous designs, one of the Thunderbolt 3 ports is in a corner notch on the case so you can connect it without a cable in the way. It remains a nice gesture. The wireless connection is via Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0.

performance

The Specter x360 15 is another laptop targeting creatives. Still, it doesn't emphasize creative power as much as some other 15-inch laptops. The Dell XPS 15 and HP Envy 15 offer faster CPUs (and GPUs in the case of the Envy 15), more RAM, and more storage. In essence, the Specter x360 15 is a fast 2-in-1 device, but it's not in the same class as today's fastest 15-inch clamshell laptops.

I'd like to directly compare the Specter x360 15 to the XPS 15, but we tested the Dell with a Core i7-10875H, which means it benefits from two additional cores and four additional threads. The XPS 15 had the same Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti, although the HP uses the Max-Q version. The Envy 15 is a more direct comparison in terms of its CPU, which is identical to the Specter, but our review unit was equipped with an Nvidia RTX 2060 Max-Q.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Looking at Geekbench 5, the Specter x360 15 scored 1,237 in single-core tests and 5,013 points in multi-core tests. That's well behind the Envy 15's 1,274 and 5,542 points, and in fact, most of the laptops we tested with the same CPU are faster than this HP.

The same applies to our handbrake test, in which a 420 MB video is converted to H.265. Here the Specter x360 15 took a little over 2.5 minutes. The Envy 15 finished the test 21 seconds faster and 40 seconds less in performance mode with the HP Command Center utility. Note that this utility had virtually no effect on the Specter x360 15's performance as I saw in the previous version. The Specter x360 15 didn't perform badly here, but it doesn't quite match the standard of other laptops with similar equipment.

The Specter x360 15 achieved 469 points in the single-core test and 2523 points in the multi-core test in Cinebench 20. Here, the Specter was almost the same as the Envy 15, which scored 436 and 2593 (487 and 2830 in performance mode). That was a surprising result and could have something to do with the extensive work HP has done to improve the thermal design of the Specter x360 15.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Finally, I also ran our Premiere Pro test, which rendered a two-minute 4K video. In this test, which uses the GPU to speed up the process, the Dell XPS 15 took five minutes to complete compared to the Specter x360 15's nearly 7.5 minutes – those extra cores are important. The Envy 15 was done in under four minutes in performance mode and showed the performance of the RTX 2060.

Overall, the Specter x360 15 is a fast productivity laptop that can do creative work on the side. It is not as fast as its 15-inch competitors for demanding creative tasks like editing photos and videos. However, it's still a capable machine if you're not looking for the absolute best performance for creative applications.

Play

Of course, with a GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q on board, you'll be tempted to play with the Specter x360 15. I've gone through our series of gaming tests, and in general, it's a step or two behind other laptops with the same GPU.

For example, the Specter x360 15 achieved 2,963 points in the 3DMark Time Spy test. Compared to the Dell XPS 15 at 3860 (although the Dell may have the standard GPU, this is not always clear). The Microsoft Surface Book 3 13 achieved 3,214 points in the test with the GTX 1650 Max-Q from Nvidia.

When playing real world games, the Specter x360 15 managed 89 frames per second (FPS) in Civilization VI at 1080p and medium graphics, compared to the XPS 15 at 114 FPS and the Surface Book 3 13 at 68 FPS. The Specter kept 60 fps in Ultra graphics compared to the XPS 15 at 64 and the Surface Book 3 at 41. In 4K, the Specter x360 15 reached a high 55 fps in medium graphics and 30 fps in Ultra, with the XPS 15 at 51 fps and the Surface Book 3 reached 30 fps.

Ultimately, the Specter x360 can play 15 modern titles with 1080p and medium to high graphic details at reasonable frame rates.

In Assassin's Creed Odyssey, the Specter x360 reached 15 playable 40 fps at 1080p and high graphics, but dropped to 25 fps at ultra high. The XPS 15 was at 47 fps and 26 fps. None of the laptops in this title are fast enough for 4K.

When switching to Fortnite, the Specter x360 15 ran at 67 fps with 1080p and high graphics and 47 fps with the epic graphics preset. This is comparable to the XPS 15 with 74 fps and 60 fps and the Surface Book 3 with 55 fps and 43 fps. Here, too, the laptops fell significantly at 4K.

In Battlefield V, the Specter x360 15 finally managed 55 fps in 1080p and medium graphics and 44 fps in Ultra. The XPS 15 hit 60 fps and 50 fps, and the Surface Book 3 hit 41 fps and 32 fps. As before, 4K was out of reach.

Ultimately, the Specter x360 can play 15 modern titles at 1080p and medium to high graphic detail at reasonable frame rates, which is not bad for a 2-in-1 device. Overall performance on the Dell XPS 15 is poor, but the Specter x360 15 generally outperforms the Surface Book 3 in real world games.

display

HP offers the Specter x360 15 with three display options, all 4K. The entry-level model is the same 340 nit display that they have been providing on the 2-in-1 device for a few cycles. The middle option is a new 400 nit panel with low power consumption (2 watts). The premium option is a 400 nit OLED display. I checked the latter, and like all of the OLED displays we tested, it was largely excellent.

First, according to my colorimeter, it was very bright at 426 nits and exceeded HP's specifications. That's not as bright as the Dell XPS 15's excellent IPS display, which shipped at 442 nits. However, HP uses anti-reflective glass, so the Specter x360 15 makes optimal use of its brightness. Next, as always with OLED, the contrast of 426.180: 1 compared to the XPS 15 (excellent for an LCD screen) 1480: 1 was unfamiliar. The difference isn't as dramatic as it seems on paper, but the OLED display offers significantly better black tones and punchy contrast.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The color gamut of the Specter x360 15 was very wide with 98% of AdobeRGB and 100% of sRGB and was close to 100% of both color gamuts of the XPS 15. However, the HP fell slightly behind in color accuracy and achieved DeltaE 1.21 (the human eye can see in the Generally not perceive an error below DeltaE 1.0), while the XPS 15 achieved a value of 0.65. Both laptops are great for creatives who crave broad and accurate colors, but the Dell is a bit better.

In real use, the OLED display is a dream. Colors pop, but they're not unnatural. Black text on a white background is crystal clear, and movies are a great experience. However, I will find that it does not support Netflix HDR as well as the Dolby Vision enabled Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2, which also has an OLED display. This laptop is the king of Netflix HDR.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Audio was incredibly loud and undistorted at full volume. The mids and highs were excellent and there was even a hint of bass. The Specter x360 15 benefits from its two upward and two downward facing speakers as well as the Bang & Olufsen tuning. You don't have to use headphones or external speakers to binge Netflix, although, as with all but the MacBooks' superior speakers, you'll want to plug something in for the best music performance.

Keyboard and touchpad

If you've read any of my other reviews, it should come as no surprise that the Specter x360 has one of my favorite keyboards. I love the spring travel, the size and the distance between the keycaps and the light mechanism, which still ensures a precise floor effect. It's the same keyboard on all Specter models, and HP has apparently started adding it to the Envy lineup too. The only keyboard that I like better is Apple's new Magic keyboard on the latest MacBooks.

The touchpad isn't that great, mostly because of its small size. Dell managed to fit a bigger touchpad onto the latest XPS 15, and I'd love to see HP do the same. Dell benefited from the extra keyboard deck space thanks to its 3: 2 aspect ratio, but I still think HP could manage to fit into a larger version. The Specter x360's touchpad works well, however, as after so many years of using Synaptic drivers, it's a Microsoft Precision touchpad and supports Windows 10 multitouch gestures with aplomb.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The touch display is precise as always. Windows 10 laptop manufacturers have this one slap. The 2020 Specter x360 15 also benefits from a welcome anti-fingerprint coating. I've found it stays cleaner than most other touch displays. The display supports HP's active pens, which provide 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and tilt assistance. However, on this model, this is an option and I haven't received one to test.

Finally, Windows 10 Hello is provided by both an infrared camera for facial recognition and a fingerprint scanner. I prefer the latter, but both worked quickly and accurately during my tests. Further security is provided by a physical switch that electronically removes the webcam from the system, making it invisible to hackers, and a special keyboard key to turn off the microphone.

Battery life

One stat that has suffered from the downsizing of the Specter x360 15 is the battery capacity, which has dropped from 82 watt hours to 73 watt hours. Throw in some powerful components and a very power hungry OLED display, and battery life expectations should be tempered from the get-go.

First, the Specter X360 15 lasted little more than two and a half hours in our demanding Basemark web benchmark test, which was 42 minutes less than the XPS 15, and one of the worse results we've seen from a productivity laptop. If you plan to do CPU-intensive or GPU-intensive work with this 2-in-1, you should carry your power supply with you.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

In our web browser test, the Specter x360 15 shut down after just six hours. That's an hour less than the XPS 15 and again a bad score for a productivity laptop. This test gives an idea of ​​how long the laptop will run for less demanding tasks, and it is unlikely to last a day even just browsing the web and running Office apps.

After all, the Specter x360 15 lasted just under six and a half hours in our video test, which grinds a Full HD Avengers trailer until the battery is empty. The XPS 15 lasted an hour longer, and that score is again lower than what we're used to from productivity machines.

If you want the form factor of the Specter x360 15 with better battery life, go for the version with a quad-core Intel Core i7-10510U 10th generation CPU and a 4K display with low power consumption. Each of these tests get you hours longer, but of course you give up on the power and great OLED. As it is, our test device is not a good choice for street fighters.

Our opinion

The HP Specter x360 15 is smaller and more powerful. It's the most powerful 2-in-1 you can buy, and while it can't quite compete with the fastest 15-inch laptops for creative professionals, it can meet the needs of everyone but the most demanding of users. HP has succeeded in developing a 2-in-1 system that is characterized by productivity tasks and also offers some creative possibilities.

The laptop is well built, beautiful, and has one of the best displays you can buy today. It's also cheaper than some other laptops like the Dell XPS 15, so the HP is a good choice.

Are there alternatives?

The Dell XPS 15 is the most straightforward alternative to the Specter x360 15 as there has been no other 15-inch 2-in-1 that matches HP's pace for speed recently. The Dell can be configured as a much faster laptop and has its own great display. It is an excellent choice for the more discerning creative type. It's also more expensive, costing over $ 2,000 for similar specs, and only going up in price from there.

Another option is HP's own Envy 15, which is cheaper than the Specter but much more powerful. In fact, it's difficult to choose the XPS 15 over the Envy 15. So if a clamshell suits your needs and you're a creative power user, the Envy 15 is a great choice.

How long it will take?

The Specter x360 15 is durable and has relatively modern components. It should be productive for years. However, we would like the guarantee to be longer than a year.

Should you buy it?

Yes. If you want a powerful laptop with the flexibility of a 2-in-1 device, the Specter x360 15 is your best bet.

Editor's recommendations




10 Oct
Blog

Level Touch Review: Tap-to-Go Convenience

Level touch the lock

Level touch review: convenience to take with you

"The best looking smart lock is enhanced by touch access and NFC key cards."

  • Minimalistic design

  • easy installation

  • Comfortable touch of touch

  • Programmable NFC key cards used as a backup

  • Expensive costs

  • Touch Unlock only works when you leave your home border

Without a doubt, Level has redefined our perception of what a smart lock should look like. Instead of a clunky keyboard that was visible to all, Level wanted something far more graceful – and one that didn't distract or detract from the existing look of a door. The Bolt Lock level was an engineering marvel, but now the company intends to take the next step.

The Level Touch is the continuation of the company's approach of integrating seamlessly into the smart home. With the same discreet design as before, combined with the power of the touch, it's supposed to be a complete all-in-one system that makes accessing your Smart Lock even more convenient.

A contemporary design that blends in

Similar to its previous Smart Lock, the Level Touch is not far away with its ingenious design that stows all components. So the end result is a smart lock that looks horribly like an ordinary lock. It is available in four finishes: satin nickel, satin chrome, polished brass and matt black, so it goes with almost any door finish.

Level Touch the outer button housingJohn Velasco / Digital Trends

Installation is still child's play and takes no more than 10 minutes. In contrast to the bolt, when you touch you have to replace your original lock with a new one. This is important because the bolt was set up as a system that could turn any lock into a smart one. However, this is not the same situation here as with the Level Touch. So you will have to use a new set of physical buttons after setting it up. I really prefer the other implementation, but I understand that this is supposed to be an all-in-one out of the box solution.

Even more ways to unlock

As the name suggests, the Level Touch can be operated with touch power – in addition to the usual method of using the Level app on a smartphone or via GPS proximity. Now you can set it up so that you can lock and unlock it by touching the outer key housing. Initially this was a tricky experience as the unlocking mechanism could not be initiated. Luckily it was short lived and after a few changes to the settings it started to work like a charm. You can rest assured that no one can simply touch and unlock the lock. That's because you still need your smartphone in close proximity for this to work.

In addition to being touched, Level introduces these NFC key cards, which serve as another way to access the lock – a useful option if you want to give access to a caregiver, family member, or other person. It comes with two NFC key cards that can be programmed via the app. It definitely reminds me of a hotel key as it works the same way by placing it flush with the keyhole and slightly above it. My only minor complaint is that it takes more than five seconds for the card to be recognized instead of being instantaneous.

You can set the app to automatically lock itself after a preset interval. This is useful when you're just rushing out the door to get somewhere. There is also the option to automatically unlock. This comes in handy when you are busy with food. This function is of course based on GPS and is only activated when you cross and enter your home limit for the first time. In my situation, the app shows the home border in such a way that it covers almost a block. So I would call it a radius of 150 feet. This is a bit alarming considering that this is still a considerable distance that could give someone plenty of time to get into your home before you get there. In reality, however, the Level Touch will automatically unlock when I'm about 3 meters from the lock. So there is nothing to be concerned about.

The only mistake

While I enjoy simply tapping the lock to operate the mechanism, there is one particular situation where it won't work – and it's an issue that I hope will fix. Unfortunately, the touch unlock feature won't start until you step outside the house and rent it again. So if you forget something at home after you have touched it, you won't be able to use Touch Unlock right away.

A smart lock that looks terrible like an ordinary lock

This is due to the fact that everything is monitored by GPS coordinates. You'll need to venture out of the zone and re-enter the area before it detects you've left and re-enables touch unlock. I was outside the door when I forgot something inside so I can't touch the lock to unlock it. Instead, I had to open the app and unlock it there.

Fortunately, there are several other methods to unlock it. As I mentioned earlier, you can always have an NFC key card on hand, but you can access the Level app and HomeKit controls by asking Siri to open the door or, as a last resort, the physical keys. While there is an Android app for using Level Touch, Apple users get more controls thanks to HomeKit support, so they can be linked to other automations via the Home app for iOS. However, Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant are not yet supported.

Level Touch with the NFC key cardJohn Velasco / Digital Trends

Battery power comes in the form of a single CR2 battery that fits snugly into the screw. It is designed to provide more than a year of battery life with normal use, but that will of course vary.

Our opinion

The Level Touch costs $ 329, which is an increase of $ 100 over the Level Bolt. It's not cheap, but the high cost is the price to be paid for all of the technical challenges of such a minimalist-looking smart lock – as well as introducing some new lock / unlock methods.

How long it will take?

All components are carefully made from metal and have a robust build quality. I am therefore confident that they will hold up very well. In the event that a malfunction occurs due to a defect, there is a two-year guarantee that covers defects in material and workmanship.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes and no. There are few who can compete with the minimalist design, as many of them are bulky and imposing figures on doors. The Smart Lock from SimpliSafe corresponds exactly to Level's philosophy of not being a disruptive element on a door.

In terms of functions, the Lockly Vision continues to be the Swiss Army Knife for smart locks with a keyboard, fingerprint sensor and integrated video camera that effectively turns it into a doorbell camera too. If you're looking for something that doesn't cost a huge amount and is easy to install, consider the Wyze Lock and August Wi-Fi Smart Lock.

Should you buy it?

If you really want to keep the look of your door so that it stays that natural, the Level Touch is the logical choice. Not only does it look like a traditional lock, but I also appreciate the new ways to unlock it.

Editor's recommendations




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