17 Sep
Blog

The Pelvis When You Run, Viewed From a Whole-Body Perspective

What position should the pelvis be in when running? It's a question that you probably haven't thought about much, unless you're a runner with a performance goal or an injury.

There are many popular blogs and youtube videos on the subject that argue that the basin should be in a neutral position. I even found a popular post that says that to maintain pelvic position, the glutes should be lightly tensed while a person is running.

Before making any blanket statements about what the pelvis should and shouldn't do while you run, it can be helpful to understand the basic anatomy of the area.

The basic anatomy of the pelvic area

Your pelvis is a bowl-shaped structure that consists of two halves. Each half of the pelvis is made up of three bones: the ilium, the ischium, and the pubic bone.

  • The ilium is the wing-shaped structure on the side, the crest of which you can feel in the front – it is commonly referred to as the hip bone, although it is a pelvic bone.
  • The ischium is the base of the pelvis, and the sciatic tuberosity, a part of the ischium that protrudes and serves as the attachment point for several muscles, is commonly known as sedentary bone.
  • The shame is the bone at the front of your torso under your belly button. The point at which these three bones meet is the acetabulum, also known as the hip joint. The femur (thigh bone) is inserted into the acetabulum. 1 Many muscles cross the hip joint and control movement on both the femur and the pelvis.

The sacrum attaches to the pelvis at the sacroiliac joint, and the tailbone or tail bone encompasses the posterior pelvis.

Do you remember how the basin is in two halves? There are also two sacroiliac joints, one on each side because you have two ilias. The SI joint is stable and dislocations of the SI joint are extremely rare. 2

The two halves of the pelvis meet at the pubic symphysis, an interesting joint that is separated by a fibro-cartilaginous disk between the two bones. It is designed to allow low levels of translation and rotation. Since the pelvis is shaped like a closed ring, movement in the pubic hair means movement in the SI joint.

The pelvis when running from a full-body perspective - fitness, fitness, pelvis, running, biomechanics, hip extension, functional movement, mind-body connection, pelvic floor, step, internal rotation, gluteal muscles, motor skills, lumbar spine, femur, Si joint

The position of the pelvis when running

The position of the pelvis is determined by several factors, including the position of the legs and trunk. The body's joints do not work in isolation. They work in an integrated way.

When you run, many things happen that allow you to transfer force to your body as you move forward. The rotation occurs in the pelvis, which is counterbalanced by the rotation in the thorax (the part of the trunk where the ribs are located) .3 This movement helps you keep your center of gravity above your support base when moving from one leg to another who travels forward in space.

Think about it for a second. The pelvis rotates as you run, which means it has to move multidimensionally. If it stayed quiet while running, it would change the way you ran the run.

Try this::

  • Get into a standing position. Walk down your hallway Feel your knees naturally bend and straighten as you walk.
  • Now keep your knees straight as you move forward. Does it feel different? What has changed?
  • Now bend your knees a little and keep them bent When you go forward, never straighten it. How does it feel differently?

When you change the way the knee joint is integrated with movement, you change the distribution of the load on the leg. Each situation led to different stress patterns and different movements in the pelvis.

The same would happen if you tried to keep the pool still as you walked down your hallway. Your gait would change to accommodate the stiffness through the center of your body.

The pelvis when running from a full-body perspective - fitness, fitness, pelvis, running, biomechanics, hip extension, functional movement, mind-body connection, pelvic floor, step, internal rotation, gluteal muscles, motor skills, lumbar spine, femur, Si joint

How much should the pelvis move when you run?

Now that you understand that the pelvis moves when you run, the next logical question is, how much should the pelvis move when you run? And what does the incline of the anterior pelvis have to do with it?

Think back to the bowl shape of the pool. When the pelvis tilts forward, this is known as anterior pelvic tilt. It turns out; The pelvis makes an interesting oscillating motion as you run that creates a spring-like mechanism throughout the leg.It also turns out that the pelvis moves naturally during the walk through both the anterior and posterior pelvic slopes, coordinated with the hip movement. 3

"But wait," you may be thinking, "I've learned that if I don't have a good hip extension, I have more anterior pelvic tilt."

Maybe. But maybe not. Static hip extension tests (think you're on your side with someone moving your leg to see how much it is moving) don't correlate with the ability of the pelvis and hip to coordinate efficiently while running

A more important indicator of how well the pelvis and hips can coordinate is the ability of the ribs and pelvis to work synergistically together. This ability is not related to the inclination of the anterior pelvis, but to both motor skills and basic strength.

A note on lumbar lengthening

When running, the lumbar spine moves naturally and coordinates the movement of the pelvis. As you run downhill, the movement of the lumbar spine increases, possibly to dissipate the additional ground reaction forces that occur when walking downhill. 6

In addition, there are differences in the degree of natural lumbar curvature between individuals and between the sexes. (Women tend to have a more significant lumbar curve than men, possibly to aid in the shift in center of mass that occurs during pregnancy.) 7

This curvature means that visually, when you look at someone and see their back arching, they may not have a weak core or may have problems with anterior pelvic tilt. It could just be their structure, and that structure could help them run well if they can let the upper and lower body work together.

The synergy between ribs and pelvis

I mentioned this a few paragraphs ago, but perhaps the precise determination of efficient pelvic and spinal mechanics while walking is the relationship between the ribs and the pelvis. When the ribs become separated from the torso because they are flared up and forward, it is almost as if the force that is being distributed from the legs to the spine has stopped. If the ribs are not anchored to anything, it will change the movement of the pelvis as it propels you forward.

This means that if you feel that your running mechanics are inefficient or if you have to work harder than you think you should, the problem may not be having to activate your glutes or abs while running move forward in space.

Perhaps the problem is that you need to create a stronger connection between the top and bottom of the torso to find vertical compression and maintain vertical compression as you move forward in space. Perhaps this would make you more efficient, make your gait smoother and result in less wasted energy.

On the next run, imagine the ribs and pelvis connected to each other at the front and back. Check if you can keep this connection while it is running. If you can't find the connection at first, that's fine. Try tapping the bottom of the ribs in front and the top of the pelvis. Imagine these points gently moving closer together.

Now tap the lower ribs at the back and back of the top of the pelvis. Imagine these points gently coming together. Occasionally think about the dots you typed while running. As the connections become clearer, you will feel your ability to shift the connection between these areas increase.

The pelvis is supposed to transfer the force from the lower body to the upper body– If you hold on to it, your ability to do it well is still limited. Finding ease in your running stride is multifaceted and should be viewed from a full body perspective. This ease also enables you to run for many years to come.

References

1. Lewis C.L., Laudicina N.M., Khuu A. & Loverro K.L., "The Human Pelvis: Variation in Structure and Function During Walking". The anatomical record. 300 (4), 633- 642. Pub. 15th March 2017.

2. Wong M., Sinkler M.A. & Keil J., "Anatomy, abdomen and pelvis, sacroiliac joint". StatPearls Publishing (Internet) January 2020. Treasure Island (FL).

3. Preece S.J., Mason D. & Bramah C.A., “Coordinated Movement of the Spine and Pelvis While Running,” University of Salford Manchester, Online, Nov. 20, 2015. Elsevier. Human Movement Science. Vol 45, Feb 2016, pp. 110-118.

4. Otani T., Hashimoto K., Yahara M., Miyamae S., Isomichi T., Hanawa S., Sakaguchi M., Kawakami Y., Lim Ho. And Takanishi A., “Use of human pelvic rotation for the running robot. “Limits in Robotics and AI. July 8, 2015.

5. Anthony Schache, Peter D. Blanch, and Anna T. Murphy. "Ratio of the incline of the anterior pelvis while running to clinical and kinematic measurements of hip extension." British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2000: 34: 4: 279-283.

6. Levine D., Colston M.A., Whittle M.W., Pharo E.C., and Marcellin-Little D.J., "Sagittal lumbar spine position when standing, walking, and running at various inclines." Journal of Athletic Training, 2007: 42 (1): 29-34.

7. Hay O., Dar G., Abbas J., Stein D., May H., Masharawi Y., Peled N. and Hershkovitz I., "The lordosis of the lumbar spine in men and women, revised." PLoS One, 10 (8), e0133685. August 24, 2015.

17 Sep
Blog

GoPro Hero9 Black Review: Two Steps Forward, One Back

"The Hero9 Black is as good as it gets, but its major improvements over the Hero8 have hardly any practical advantages."

  • Windshield

  • Larger rear window

  • Higher capacity battery

  • Supports Max Lens Mod

  • 24MP still images

  • More bulky compared to Hero8

  • 5K video feels pointless

  • Incompatible with Hero8 Media Mod

The GoPro Hero9 Black is here and in some ways it's a bigger leap forward than I expected. It brings the first new sensor in several generations and adds a front LCD screen. There is also a new Max Lens Mod accessory that gives the camera a near hemispherical field of view.

But I have to ask myself. Will anyone really care?

On my last GoPro test for the Hero8 Black, a viewer commented something like, "You still do these things? I thought they stop around the Hero4." It's a feeling that not just casual gamers on YouTube Even my editor was shocked when I told him I was reviewing the Hero9, he'd just been talking about the Hero5 and suddenly realized that it was referencing a camera that was four generations out of date.

After spending some time with the $ 450 Hero9 Black, I'm still not sure where I stand. It's hands down the most powerful action camera yet, but some of the changes are controversial – even frustrating.

Function over form

The Hero8 Black was a big deal. It introduced the first physical redesign of GoPro's popular line of action cameras in several generations, making it smaller, slimmer and integrating the mount directly into the camera.

The Hero9 Black undoes a large part of it.

It is heavier than the Hero8 and larger in every dimension, although it retains the built-in bracket and also comes out a bit smaller than an older Hero7 in its required mounting frame. The detachable lens cover that was removed from the Hero8 to keep the camera slim returns. This enables the support of the Max Lens Mod mentioned above, but also makes the Hero9 look more like a Hero7. The result is a camera that looks out of date when seen next to the Hero8.

GoPro has at least made the most of the Hero9's extra space by adding a higher capacity battery, enlarging the rear LCD screen and of course adding a front LCD screen. Overall, it involves more hardware changes than I would have expected for a camera line that was completely redesigned a year ago.

However, some features have been compromised by the Hero9's bulkier body, and it's not just the tighter fit in your pocket. The GoPro Media Mod, one of the most important upgrade accessories for the Hero8, does not fit the Hero9. Instead, you'll have to buy a new, Hero9-specific version of it, which is disappointing.

More power, more pixels

GoPro's slogan for the Hero9 Black is "more of everything" and it sure sounds right. The new sensor sensor enables 20 megapixel photos and 5K videos at 30 frames per second, and the new battery extends the operating time by 30% compared to the Hero8. But more doesn't always mean better and I'm not buying the hype about increased resolution. On paper, 5K sounds like a noticeable jump, around 15 MP in each frame compared to 8 K in 4K.

But in practice I couldn't really tell you the difference.

Video compression and lens softness were already limiting resolution factors in previous GoPros. The ease with which an action camera is used – usually with a lot of movement in the shot – also means that extra resolution isn't always an advantage. And with the focus on editing and sharing content via GoPro's (admittedly very good) mobile app, higher resolution slows the process down.

GoPro seems to be at least a little open on this and touts the 5K video function to extract still images with higher resolution. It may be a more practical use of the feature than 5K video recording for 5K video. Essentially, you can capture 15 megapixel still images at 30 frames per second.

With the Hero9, I would not expect a significant jump in image quality, even with an additional resolution of a thousand lines.

I would like to believe that GoPro takes into account the desires of professional filmmakers alongside those of the average customer when it comes to putting 5K into a camera, but I wouldn't expect the image quality to increase noticeably with the Hero9, even with an additional thousand lines of resolution . It's not that the sensor is physically larger, so noise outside of bright light is still an issue. Video data rates are still around 100 megabits per second, whether in 4K or 5K, so compression remains a limiting factor. And perhaps most importantly, the lens isn't sharp enough to take full advantage of 4K, let alone 5K. Plus, with the electronic stabilization, you're sacrificing some sharpness to eliminate shake – a worthy compromise to be safe, but another blow to 5K. Or even 4K.

In my tests, both 4K and 5K footage looked soft – the 5K footage only allowed me to further zoom in on softness, which is pointless. When normalized to 2K resolution, there was an almost imperceptible difference in pixel peeping one frame at a time, which seemed to have a bit of an advantage when rendering text, but that was about it. So I have to conclude that 5K just doesn't seem worth it for video or extracting still images.

gopro hero9 black review hero8GoPro Hero8

gopro hero9 black reviewGoPro Hero9

As for the actual still mode, I noticed a much bigger difference between the 20MP output from the Hero9 and the 12MP output from the Hero8. But it's nothing earth shaking and the benefit disappears once you're in less than ideal lighting as the Hero9's noise reduction seems to be even harder than the Hero8's. For this reason, when comparing the cameras indoors, I preferred the Hero8 photos to the Hero9 photos.

Let's make the time jump again

Of all the updated features in Hero9 Black, TimeWarp 3.0 is my favorite. TimeWarp is the Hyperlapse video function built into GoPro that records stabilized time-lapse footage. Version 2.0 in Hero8 was already a favorite of mine. Two major enhancements have been introduced: the ability to automatically set the time-lapse speed based on camera movement and the option to slow down the video in real time at any point during the recording with the push of a button.

TimeWarp 3.0 goes one step further. Not only can you slow down to real time, you can also slow down to half speed for slow motion. The ability to mix time-lapse, real-time, and slow-motion videos into a single clip without editing, makes this GoPro a GoPro.

In addition, you can now record audio during the real-time sections of a TimeWarp. This makes the function much more flexible. I hike a lot – the closest to extreme sports – and TimeWarp is a great way to capture a hike, which otherwise leads to pretty boring footage. The ability to record audio during the real-time segments means I'll never miss my astonished reaction to a double rainbow or the sound of a rushing waterfall where I previously had to fully rely on a song.

The ability to mix time-lapse, real-time, and slow-motion videos into a single clip without editing makes this GoPro a GoPro.

TimeWarp 3.0 is by no means the only new software feature. The HyperSmooth stabilization is also available in version 3.0 and now offers a horizon adjustment in the camera. More new features fall under the new PowerTools category, where you'll find features previously limited to GoPro Labs' experimental preview program. This includes Scheduled Capture and Continuous Capture, which work together to fully automate a Hero9.

With the scheduled recording, you can schedule a time for the camera to turn on and start recording. This is great for capturing everything from an early sunrise to a rocket launch. With continuous recording you can set a recording time between 15 seconds and 3 hours. After this time the camera switches off automatically.

The other new PowerTool feature is called HindSight. This is a buffered video mode that saves up to 30 seconds of footage before the record button is pressed. This mode is most useful when you're trying to capture a crucial moment, such as E.g. a skateboard trick but not sure when it will take place. HindSight allows you to pause the press until just after the moment sets in, which drastically reduces the amount of junk footage.

Maximum mods

It's hard not to apologize when someone who's lost $ 160 on a Media Mod and a Display Mod adds a front-facing screen to their Hero8 Black. The built-in front screen of the Hero9 not only makes the LCD mod superfluous, but also doesn't work at all with the media mod of the Hero8.

But it's not all bad news. The $ 99 Max Lens Mod coming out in October is something really new and unique to the Hero9. The Max Lens Mod was named after the GoPro Max 360 camera and gives the Hero9 Black a touch of spherical video. It can't be converted into a full 360 degree camera like we saw with the modular Insta360 One R, but it offers a super wide field of view of 155 degrees. It enables Max HyperSmooth even at resolutions of up to 2.7 KB for even greater stability and horizon alignment that works even when the camera is rolling a run.

gopro hero9 black rating standard lensGoPro Hero9, standard lens

gopro hero9 black rating with max lens modGoPro Hero9 with Max Lens Mod

A Max Lens Mod was made available to me for this test, which ensures a much wider and more stable image. However, I'm not sure if this is a necessary investment as the Hero9 is wide and stable on its own, but there will likely be some niche apps that can benefit from it.

A new way to shop

GoPro offers customers two different ways to purchase the Hero9 Black. You can pick it up yourself for $ 450. However, when you add an annual GoPro subscription, that price drops to just $ 350 – including the subscription price. To be clear, it is cheaper to buy a Hero9 and GoPro subscription than to buy a Hero9 yourself.

On the surface, this sounds like an incredibly valuable proposition. The subscription, typically $ 5 monthly or $ 50 annually, grants access to unlimited cloud storage, inexpensive replacement for defective cameras, and significant discounts on accessories.

For anyone considering a Hero9 Black, it pays off immediately.

Plus is GoPro's attempt to move to a product-as-service model, which is growing in popularity across all types of tech hardware, from smartphones to game consoles. This increases friction for a customer who may want to switch to a different brand. If you sign up for a GoPro subscription and later want to cancel, you need to be willing to move all of those cloud files to another location.

So don't make the decision to sign up lightly, but for the right type of customer, a GoPro subscription (formerly GoPro Plus) has always paid for itself over time. And for anyone considering a Hero9 Black, it pays off right away. The Hero8 Black and Hero7 Black have also been added to this promotion.

Our opinion

My opinion on the GoPro Hero9 Black may be overwhelming, but that's just because the Hero8 Black was already such a solid camera. Glad to see that GoPro has put an emphasis on quality of life improvements such as: B. a higher battery capacity and the return to a replaceable lens cover, but I miss the Hero8's slimmer profile.

The other updates mainly concern limited use cases. The front screen is a welcome addition for vloggers, but not a requirement for most customers. The Max Lens Mod is cool, but not a must and certainly not a replacement for the actual GoPro Max. After all, the additional resolution is not that important for still images or videos.

The software improvements are certainly nice, but not every feature will appeal to every customer, and none are things that technically couldn't be added to the Hero8 through the firmware (and some already existed under the GoPro Labs umbrella).

I was a big fan of TimeWarp 2.0 in the Hero8 and I love the TimeWarp 3.0 in the Hero9 even more. But for me a Hero8 Black with TimeWarp 3.0 would be all I need. If the Hero9 has a feature that you can't get anywhere else, it might be worth it for you, but I'm not sure I should pay $ 450 (or $ 350) to access the updated version of the one feature that I really want to pay.

Is there a better alternative?

No. And that's the thing – even if I personally don't find it that exciting, the Hero9 Black is as good as it gets. It's just that last year's model was already better than what most people needed.

How long it will take?

Like any action camera, the Hero9 Black can take knocks, but the rubberized exterior is easy to scratch. Expect a replacement in 12 months, but there's no reason the Hero9 won't be useful for several years.

Should you buy it?

Only if you don't have a current GoPro. The Hero9 Black is easy to recommend for new GoPro customers or customers upgrading from much older cameras. However, owners of a current GoPro camera shouldn't feel the need to upgrade.

Editor's recommendations




17 Sep
Blog

Beats EP Review: Good Sound Trapped By Wired Limitations

Beats EP headphones

Beats EP on-ear headphones

"Although they sound great, the Beats EPs are wire-bounded and poorly finalized at their price."

  • Extraordinary sound

  • Adequate comfort

  • Good noise reduction

  • Questions about shelf life

  • Cable connection only

For the sake of transparency, I've had trouble writing on the Beats EP headphones for a while. They are wired headphones and deserve to be treated as such. At the same time, they come with a price tag that ties them tightly to budget wireless headphones, most of which have features and capabilities not possible with the Beats EP.

Perhaps this is the best way to write about the $ 130 Beats EP. They're not the audio juggernaut high-end cable options often come with, and they're not the first wireless cans that seem to surround them. You're somewhere in between, awkwardly in the middle of two different parts of the genre.

Out of the box

In all fairness I could summarize this section of the review in two words: Not a lot. In addition to the headphones themselves, the contents of the Beats packaging include a foldable carrying case, a quick start guide and a warranty card.

Beats EP headphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Objectively speaking, the minimalist style of EP packaging isn't a huge issue. After all, wired headphones are pretty self-sufficient, there is no battery to be charged and the only cable that has to be connected. In a modern day when 3.5mm audio jacks are a rarity on phones, it would have been nice to include a smartphone adapter. Because if you're like me and you've lost that USB-C adapter that came with your phone years ago, the Beats EP become desktop cans only.

It literally comes down to just joining in and pressing the play button and then it's off to the races with your favorite podcast or album.

I usually deal with connectivity in this section as well, and one of the great things about the Beats EP is how classically easy they are to get up and running. It literally comes down to just joining in and pressing the play button and then it's off to the races with your favorite podcast or album.

design

There are several elements associated with the design of the Beats EP. Some of them are good. Some of them are head scratches.

Beats EP headphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

First, the good thing: The Beats EP are relatively light, although you can't find exact numbers on the Beats website. They come in a variety of colors including white, blue, black, and red, giving them a more diverse aesthetic that should suit most consumers' tastes. And they're pretty comfy – I like the fuller coziness of over-ear headphones like the Razer Opus, but when it comes to on-ear headphones, the Beats EP felt good hugging my ears for longer listening times.

With the on-ear headphones, the Beats EP felt good pressed against my ears for longer listening times.

Now for the scratching of your head: on its website, Beats says the EP has a “durable frame” that is “reinforced with stainless steel and adjustable vertical sliders”. This is not wrong, but it can be misleading. The EP, while light, doesn't feel like an incredibly rugged pair of headphones, and that worry grows as you read the various Amazon customer reviews complaining that these headphones were owned for less than a year. Some had problems with the headband locking into place, others mentioned a deterioration in the ear cups. Now I haven't tested the Beats EP long enough to say firmly that it is unsustainable. But with the somewhat flimsy feel of those light doses, I could understand why so many people were having problems.

My other problem with the Beats EP, unfair as it may be, is the overall concept of inexpensive wired headphones. I think there is still an important place for wired sockets, especially when it comes to high-end options like the Grado Labs hemp headphones, the V-MODA M-200 studio sockets or gaming headsets like the HyperX Cloud Revolver S. price goes, the Beats EP and their hard cable don't offer the flexibility I think most people interested in buying them want. For $ 30 less, the Avantree Aria Pro lets you choose between wired or wireless, although the audio quality may be compromised. The point is, as much as wired connections are necessary in some situations, I believe the Beats EP's wired-only setup hurts them when compared to similar budget headphones with multiple connectivity options.

properties

This is not a joke – the only specs available on the Beats EP page is the fact that they are on-ear headphones. Please excuse me if this segment is on the short side.

Beats EP headphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The Beats EP has inline call and music controls as well as inline volume controls. They are effective and easy to use, so I can pause YouTube clips or podcasts episodes without having to manually return to these pages. They also have a built-in microphone that has come in very handy on Zoom calls, at least after I got my desktop to collaborate.

In addition, the Beats EP in the feature department are rare. It's such a dire situation that Beats is marketing these headphones as "unlimited playback" because they don't have a battery. Which, okay, that's true. But it's not exactly anything special as this is the main difference between most wired and wireless headphones. Tech-wise, you can get "unlimited playback" with these $ 10 Sony headphones. If this is the most notable feature of the Beats EP, it speaks volumes about what value these cans actually have.

Audio quality

In my view, the sound of the Beats EP is the biggest reason to buy these headphones over a wireless alternative. For $ 130, you can get high quality audio from the Beats EP, even if you are physically tied to the device it came from.

Beats EP headphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The vocals are remarkably clear and shine through on busy tracks like Maroon 5's Sunday Morning. Higher frequencies are crisp but not harsh, which can be a tough proposition for headphones at this price point. They're a bit of bass-forward, which might seem like a turn off for people hoping for a completely neutral sound from their headphones, but is a brand for the Beats Sound signature. Thankfully, if you're not a big bass head, I don't think it's prominent enough to be considered a problem. Overall, they are mostly well balanced headphones with great sound quality that would satisfy most of the people looking to spend money in this stadium.

One more note about the sound of the Beats EP: They are impressively good at reducing ambient noise and creating a quiet room in which to listen to your content. These headphones don't have active noise cancellation features by nature, but I would argue they shouldn't be overlooked as the Beats EP does a commendable job of passively blocking out excess noise.

Our opinion

For $ 130 worth of wired headphones to compete with wireless alternatives, they must have great sound. The Beats EP have that, and even if they don't have much else, it might be enough for certain buyers.

Are there any better alternatives?

For a wireless alternative, the $ 100 Avantree Aria Pro offers decent active noise cancellation and improved flexibility over the Beats EP, though they likely don't sound that good. If you can afford to spend significantly more, it might be wise to consider the $ 250 1More Triple Driver over-ear headphones. They're an improvement over the Beats EP in many ways, but cost more than twice as much.

How long will they last?

They didn't fall apart on me so I can't say they will fall apart on you. However, if your build and the experiences of others are any indications, I would be extra careful with how you handle the Beats EP.

Should you buy it?

Just if you're looking for sound quality, wireless headphones can't compete in this price range. Otherwise, enjoy the versatility of a wireless option or spend more to get a better pair of wired sockets. The Beats EP makes sense to some, just not most.

Editor's recommendations




17 Sep
Blog

Nvidia RTX 3080 Review: A New Standard For PC Gaming

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 review: a bright future for PC games

"The Nvidia RTX 3080 sets a new standard for high-end PC games."

  • Fast and smooth 4K gaming

  • Attractive new design

  • HDMI 2.1 support

  • Improved ray tracing and DLSS performance

  • Requires cumbersome adapter

  • Needs more power

The gaming world's attention is focused entirely on the upcoming console launches. I get it. Players can finally get PC-level games in the living room. Between the price and the updated internals, these new consoles are a big deal.

Nvidia won't let the consoles powered by AMD hardware steal the limelight, however.

The Nvidia RTX 3080, available starting today with the rest of the RTX 3000 series, represents the future of PC gaming. With the most significant generation leap in the history of Nvidia, the RTX 3080 wants to prove that real high-end gaming always belongs on the PC. Is this the next leap forward in PC gaming? Or have consoles finally caught up?

design

The RTX 3080 is a classy looking graphics card.

The previous generation of Nvidia GPUs, from the RTX 2060 to the RTX 2080 Ti, wanted you to know how top notch your experience was. The case and back plate were made of aluminum, and the “Nvidia GeForce” logo glowed green when switched on. The super models even added a highly reflective glass-like texture to the surface.

The RTX 3080 takes a more subtle approach. A matte, dark gray material is used. It even has a white backlight instead of green. None of this is flashy, but it is in line with the simpler direction of modern gaming equipment. It won't be noticed when sitting next to a stark white NZXT H510i case or a Razer Blade 15. Straight lines and muted colors are all the rage, and the RTX 3080 reflects that.

For something with a bit more edge, third-party cards from Asus or MSI will likely work just fine. To me, Nvidia's reference model looks great.

In addition to its looks, the RTX 3080 also has a redesigned cooling system. A fan flanks each side of the cover using a unique "push-pull" system for thermal management. One side sucks in air and another sucks it out at the back. According to Nvidia, this results in better airflow, but the RTX 3080 runs a little hotter than the RTX 2080 Ti. In the same run of 3DMark Time Spy, the RTX 3080 hit a maximum of 76 degrees Celsius, four degrees hotter than the RTX 2080 Ti. Both Still stayed away from the 80-degree mark during all of my tests.

The RTX 3080 is almost identical to the RTX 2080 Ti and the 2080 Super. In contrast to the massive RTX 3090, the 3080 only has a standard design with two slots. It could be easily pushed into a 28-liter housing that previously housed an RTX 2070 Super. It's still a great graphics card, of course, but it will fit in your rig as well as the previous generation.

Power supply and connections

While it probably fits your case, the RTX 3080 is power hungry. It requires 320 watts of dedicated power. To keep this in mind, Nvidia recommends at least a 750 watt power supply to support your entire system. That alone can mean buying a new power supply for your system. So far, 650 watts have been the standard to support cards like the RTX 2080 Super or the 2080 Ti.

And yes, the rumors are true – the RTX 3080 has a new 12-pin power connector that requires an adapter to work with your old cables. Nvidia includes the adapter in the box, but in your case it still leaves an awkward dangling dongle.

For ports, the Nvidia RTX 3080 includes three DisplayPort 1.4a, which support up to 144 Hz at 4K, as well as an HDMI 2.1 port. These are the first graphics cards to support this new HDMI standard that can display 144 Hz at 4K resolution. It is noteworthy that the next generation of televisions also includes HDMI 2.1, which for the first time enables a high refresh rate in the living room.

The USB-C port is gone. This was a feature of the RTX 20 series to support NVLink, a way to run two GPUs over SLI. Connecting multiple cards to increase the frame rate is now an exclusive feature of the RTX 3090. Support for multiple GPUs is already dwindling, and removing NVLink on the RTX 3080 is the nail in the coffin.

Architecture

The Nvidia RTX 3080, along with the 3070 and 3090, uses Nvidia's new Ampere micro-architecture. It is based on Samsung's 8nm node and downsizes the chip compared to the 12nm node used in the Turing architecture. This means more transistors and theoretically higher efficiency.

Ampere offers a massive 50% jump in CUDA cores, now up to 8,704. Nvidia's GPUs are made up of streaming multiprocessors (SM), the individual units of processing power that make up the CUDA cores.

There is one important caveat here. The Ampere micro-architecture has changed the way every CUDA core works so that each one is a little less powerful. So a 50% increase in CUDA cores does not directly increase frame rates by 50%, even though you get the 29.7 teraflops of theoretical performance. However, this is a significant increase in core count and – spoiler alert – will have an impact when we get to our performance tests.

Cuda kernels memory Storage interface Boost clock Graphics card performance
RTX 3090 10,496 24 GB GDDR6X 384-bit 1.70 GHz 350w
RTX 3080 8.704 10 GB GDDR6X 320-bit 1.71 GHz 320w
RTX 3070 5,888 8 GB GDDR6 256-bit 1.73 GHz 220w
RTX 2080 Ti 4,352 11 GB GDDR6 352-bit 1.54 GHz 250w
RTX 2080 Super 3.072 8 GB GDDR6 256-bit 1.82 GHz 250w
RTX 2070 Super 2.560 8 GB DRR6 256-bit 1.77 GHz 215w

Ampere also brings more ray tracing and tensor cores to the table, expanding the forward tilt capabilities of the RTX 3080. Later more.

Finally, the RTX 3080 has 10GB of 320-bit GDDR6X memory. That's two more GB of faster video memory, almost up to 11 GB, which is offered in the RTX 2080 Ti. This is an important specification that is beneficial for games that use large textures and large amounts of screen data. It also shows how Nvidia has moved its entire GPU line up one notch.

performance

Let's get down to business, shall we?

The performance of the RTX 3080 is impressive in almost all cases. By the time the RTX 3090 launches in a few weeks, it is sure to be the most powerful graphics card you can buy. That's not too surprising, however, as there is no real competitor to AMD.

I assumed it would beat its predecessor, the RTX 2080 Super. But the real fun was discovering how much faster it really is. The comparison with the much more expensive RTX 2080 Ti was the icing on the cake.

My test system included a CML B460 MATX motherboard, 16 GB DDR4 2933 MHz RAM, and an Intel Core i7-10700 processor. These specs are not exhausted, but they are able to support the tests I ran and generally represent what we would recommend putting together a well-balanced gaming rig today.

Until the launch of the RTX 3090, the RTX 3080 is by far the most powerful graphics card you can buy.

I started with 3DMark Time Spy, the DirectX12 benchmark, which is a level playing field for testing graphics of all kinds. Here the RTX 3080 outperformed the RTX 2080 Ti by 15%. Not a huge head start, but let's not forget the $ 500 difference in price between these two cards. This is a bigger price gap than between other cards in the deck. The performance gap between the RTX 2080 Ti and the RTX 2080 Super is also larger.

In the meantime, the RTX 3080 beats the 2080 Super by 28% with no price hike.

That lead continued when I tried a number of games, both in 1440p and 4K. The RTX 3080 doesn't force gamers to choose between high resolution and high frame rate – it's a smooth gaming experience no matter which monitor you're using.

Let's start with the most challenging title first. Assassin's Creed Odyssey is a game that no system I have tested can play with native 4K values ​​at 60 frames per second (fps) and extremely high settings. However, the RTX 3080 sets a new standard with an average of 61 fps (frames per second). The RTX 2080 Ti only reaches 47 fps, while the RTX 2080 Super reaches 43 fps. I can't exaggerate how impressed I was with the RTX 3080's 23% lead over the RTX 2080 Ti (and 30% over the RTX 2080 Super).

Next, I started Battlefield V. Historically, it's one of the few games where Nvidia GPUs lagged behind AMD. But not this time. The RTX 3080 has made its biggest leap in the games I tested and now averages up to 97 fps in 4K on Ultra. Entire 4K monitors with a refresh rate of 144 Hz are still uncommon. You need one to get the most out of the RTX 3080 in this game. Here the RTX 3080 is 22% ahead of the RTX 2080 Ti (with 76 fps) and 33% ahead of the RTX 2080 Super (with 65 fps).

As expected, the RTX 3080 has the highest lead at 4K, where the GPU takes a higher load. It's still a great card for 1440p gaming, of course. Assassin's Creed Odyssey averaged 78 fps and Battlefield V 147 fps, both 17% faster than the RTX 2080 Ti.

At Fortnite, the winnings weren't quite as high, mostly because the RTX 2080 Ti was already playing well. It was the only game where the RTX 2080 Ti actually outperformed the RTX 3080 in lower resolutions (like 1080p). In 4K, the RTX 3080 averaged 78 fps at epic settings, 17% more than the RTX 2080 Ti, and 29% better than the RTX 2080 Super.

Finally, let's look at a lighter tariff. Civilization VI is a game ideally suited for 4K, offering a wider view of the map and more detail for your expanding empire. Civilization VI averaged 168 fps for Ultra, compared to 141 fps for the RTX 2080 Ti and 117 fps for the RTX 2080 Super.

With all of these games, you won't see that much gain at 1080p or lower settings. In Battlefield V with 1080p Ultra settings, for example, the RTX 3080 was only a few fps ahead of the RTX 2080 Ti. This also applies to Fortnite and Civilization VI, where you are gradually losing some of the RTX 3080's value. Unless you plan on upgrading your monitor for a higher resolution or refresh rate, the RTX 3080 is not worth your time. You'd better save some money and wait for the RTX 3070 or the inevitable RTX 3060.

Content creation

Outside of gaming, a powerful GPU like the RTX 3080 can greatly speed up content creation like video rendering or 3D modeling. Although much of the heavy lifting of these tasks is done by the CPU, a powerful GPU can improve render times.

I started with Adobe Premiere Pro where I loaded a project with a two minute 4K video clip. With the RTX 3080, exporting the clip to ProRes 422 took 2 minutes and 27 seconds. This is 11% faster than the RTX 2080 Super in the same video export and only 5% faster than the RTX 2080 Ti.

Ray tracing and DLSS

The RTX 2080 Ti, launched with almost zero titles, supports ray tracing or DLSS. That was extremely disappointing. However, developer support for real-time ray tracing has grown slowly but steadily, and two years later, many new AAA games are supporting Nvidia's RTX capabilities in one form or another. Implementing a la carte is still frustrating as many games opt for more limited (and less strenuous) RTX features.

Still, RTX is much stronger today than it used to be. It's a good time to launch some new high-performance GPUs that take both ray tracing and DLSS to the next level.

I tested one of the first games to incorporate RTX functionality: Battlefield V. Fortunately, I've found that the RTX 3080's ray tracing capabilities have improved over the RTX 2080 Ti.

In the Tirailleur mission, the RTX 2080 Ti allows for some brilliant reflections in the puddles of water near the start of the level, which can slow the frame rate down to an average of 33 fps. Once DLSS was turned on, this was increased to 45 fps. This was in 4K with settings on Ultra.

The real implementation of real-time ray tracing is still a challenge for even the most powerful graphics cards.

With the RTX 3080, those numbers look a little more promising. This new card processes the same scene with the same settings at 55 fps and jumps up to 69 fps with DLSS. There's room to grow, but at least in Battlefield V, ray tracing isn't entirely useless.

I also tested the new ray tracing features in Fortnite. The shadows, reflections, and global lighting are beautiful. Reflections on the water are flawless and even the shadows on the back of your character look incredibly realistic.

But even with the RTX 3080, these RTX functions are still a performance bottleneck. It averaged 53 fps in 1440p in Ultra, with all RTX functions maxed. But in 4K? The game was only played at 23 fps.

Of course, the game also offers a number of DLSS settings (quality, balance, or performance) that increase the frame rate through upsampling. The Performance setting adds noticeable blurring to distant textures, while the Quality setting only brings back up to 27 fps. In the end, the combination of DLSS and ray tracing is still enough for a performance hit that most people will prefer to leave out. That's a shame because the ray tracing is great.

Our opinion

The RTX 20 series has been criticized for being ray tracing and A.I. as raw achievement. The RTX 3080 shows how seriously Nvidia took this criticism. The performance levels open up new possibilities for gamers and no longer force them to choose between high resolutions and high frame rates. Nvidia achieved this raw performance boost without sacrificing its heavy investments in features like ray tracing and DLSS, as it was determined to keep the PC at the forefront of the conversation in next-gen games.

The RTX 3080 will never be Nvidia's most popular card at $ 699, but as an industry leader and flagship model, it's the best PC gaming can offer.

Are there alternatives?

The next alternatives are also offered by Nvidia: RTX 3090 and RTX 3070. The 3090 is the most expensive (and most powerful) graphics card Nvidia has ever made, and it probably doesn't fit into your average PC case. At $ 499, the RTX 3070 is cheaper and, according to Nvidia, also more powerful than the RTX 2080 Ti. The RTX 3090 will be available on September 24, while the RTX 3070 will be available in October.

Rumor has it that AMD's upcoming RX 6000 graphics will include a high-end GPU that could definitely challenge Nvidia's top-notch graphics cards. As of now, however, AMD's offerings are limited to the RX 5700XT.

How long it will take?

The Nvidia RTX 3080 should last at least five years. The graphics cards most used by Steam gamers are still cards from the Nvidia 10 series, which were first launched in 2016. Nvidia grants a generous three-year warranty on its Founders Edition GPUs that covers hardware defects and errors.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Nvidia RTX 3080 sets a new standard for first-class, incredibly fast PC games.

Editor's recommendations




17 Sep
Blog

JLab Epic Air ANC Review: Exceptional True Wireless Value

JLab Epic Air ANC

"The ANC won't wow you, but these buds are still insane value at just $ 99."

  • Amazing price

  • Customizable controls and EQ

  • Huge battery life

  • Wireless charging

  • Excellent ambient sound mode

  • So-so ANC

  • Bad call quality

JLab has made wireless headphones and true wireless earbuds in the past that offer a great mix of performance and features at shockingly low prices. The $ 29 Go Air and $ 149 Epic Air Sport are both good examples.

But both were clearly just warm-up exercises for what JLab has now brought out: the $ 99 Epic Air ANC, a set of noise-canceling true wireless earbuds with a feature set that seems to go on forever.

Has JLab finally promised too much and delivered too little, or is the Epic Air ANC setting a new benchmark for value? Note: you are amazing.

Let's see what all the fuss is about.

What's in the box?

JLab Epic Air ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

JLabs crates have always been incredibly flimsy, cheap looking affairs. And while this may not score corporate points with shoppers looking at a range of competitive products on a retail shelf, I think it's great.

I love it because it's made entirely from easily recyclable paper and cardboard. The only plastic you'll find are two tiny removable stickers over the earbuds charging contacts. The rest is as guilt free as it gets.

In this box you will find the Epic Air ANC earbuds in the charging case, an easy-to-read and very well illustrated quick start guide and the included five additional earbuds (the earbuds come with the medium size installed).

design

JLab's true wireless earbuds come in three general shapes: the simple earbud-only design of the Go Air, the sport-oriented earhook design of the Epic Air Sport, and the AirPod-like earbud-plus-stem design of the Air Executive.

Workout addicts are insured: With an IP55 rating, these earphones can survive very little.

The Epic Air ANC uses the same design as the Air Executive. They are so similar that you may not even be able to tell them apart by looking closely.

The Epic Air ANC are a bit bulkier than Apple's AirPods or AirPods Pro, for example, but they're still remarkably light and don't look as massive as many of the top earbuds we tested like Sony's WF-SP800N or Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless .

With the touch controls on the outside you have full access to all the most frequently used functions. With a wear sensor on the inside, you can automatically pause your music when you remove an earbud – if you want.

Workout addicts are insured: With an IP55 rating, these earphones can survive very little.

The charging case is bulkier and less pluggable than many others on the market, but it makes up for its extra bulk by offering a built-in USB charging cable – a brilliant feature for those who often forget to bring cables when traveling. Better still, if the cable is ever damaged, the case can also be charged wirelessly.

Synthetic leather has a double function both as the outer surface of the housing and as a hinge for the lid. It's unusual and clever, but it does mean the lid moves a little even when it's closed, which reduces the overall feeling of quality.

Even so, the lid magnet and earbud docking magnets are strong enough to keep everything in place, which is really all that matters.

A three-LED display on the top shows the charging status of the case and the charging status of the earphones.

The Epic Air ANC may not win beauty pageants, but functionally they are very well designed.

Convenience, control and connections

JLab Epic Air ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

If you've ever worn earphones in your ear and found them comfortable, you will likely like the fit of the Epic Air ANC.

If you don't, JLab should add five different sizes and styles of silicone earbuds, plus an additional pair of Cloud Foam earbuds to get them just right no matter your ear shape.

The quality of the seal is always important with in-ear earphones as it determines how good they sound. However, this is especially important with ANC earphones. Having a variety of earplugs to choose from definitely makes it easier to get a good seal.

Personally, I recommend the cloud foams. Memory foam earplugs don't last as long as silicone and not everyone likes the squishy feel they create in your ear, but they are super comfortable and make for a great, no-pressure seal.

Once you've found the best size and type of earbuds, the Epic Air ANC should fit just right and feel just the same. I found them to be more comfortable than some earbuds that cost more than double, which just goes to show that money can't always give you a good fit.

I don't like touch controls on earbuds because they tend to trigger when you don't want them to do something, or more often not respond properly (or not at all) when you need to.

JLab Epic Air ANC AppThe Epic Air ANC's touch controls largely avoided this trap, but there were still instances where I had problems. Some taps were not recognized and a double tap was sometimes only registered as a single tap. I would still prefer a really good set of physical buttons, like those on the Jabra Elite 75t, but as far as touch controls go, the Epic Air ANCs are perfectly serviceable.

While I'm not a fan of Touch Control, I'm really impressed that JLab's free Air ANC app for iOS and Android lets you customize the functionality of each earbud for each tap combination. With three tap combinations per earphone, this can cover almost anything you could want. The commands available are: play / pause (answer / end), skip tracks forward / backward, volume up / down, access to voice assistant, EQ mode and ANC mode (on, off, be aware).

The only thing to keep in mind is that if you are only using one earbud, then you need to make sure that the earbud controls have the following features – a great option for phone calls or when you need to be more aware of your surroundings and settings, that they need. There's no point in increasing the volume with a single tap on the left earbud when you need the right earbud to turn it down again.

The wear sensors worked like a charm and quickly paused and resumed music when you removed or inserted the earbuds. The app allows you to turn the feature off if you don't find it helpful.

Bluetooth pairing is easy and quick – just remove the earbuds from the case and select them from your Bluetooth system menu. The connection quality was very reliable, but in some cases – especially after a long pause with no music playing – the left earbud stopped responding. Quickly plugging both buds into the charging case and pulling them out again was a reliable way to get things back to normal.

The simultaneous pairing of devices (a.k.a. Bluetooth Multipoint) would be nice, but an unusual function even with more expensive earphones.

Battery life

True wireless earbuds have seen their battery life improve massively over the past 12 months, and the Epic Air ANC is near the top of that range.

With up to 48 hours without ANC, they'll be ashamed of all other true wireless earbuds.

JLab claims to be 8 hours with the ANC on and 12 hours off – just an hour less than the reigning champion, Sony's WF-SP800N.

Even more impressive is the charging case, which offers space for three full charges. This means at least 32 hours total time, but up to 48 hours with the ANC switched off. That puts all other true wireless earbuds to shame. Even the Sony WF-SP800N only offers a single charge for a maximum time of 26 hours.

Get an extra hour of gaming time with a 15 minute quick charge.

In reality, JLab's numbers are pretty much spot on. I left them on continuously with the ANC off and after 12 hours they were still on the go.

Sound quality

JLab Epic Air ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

For its price, I think the Epic Air ANC sounds very good. You don't get the pristine sound quality of the Sony WF-1000XM3 or the Sennheiser CX 400BT, but these earbuds cost more than double what you pay for the Epic Air ANC.

When it comes to deep bass and crisp highs – the two areas that people notice the most – these earbuds don't disappoint.

I'm willing to bet that unless you already own a much more expensive earbud, you'll be amazed by the sound of the Epic Air ANC.

They offer very good frequency separation and when it comes to deep bass and crisp highs – the two areas that people notice the most – these earbuds don't disappoint. The bass response is full, but not overwhelming, and the highs, while not crystalline, are well defined. The midrange drivers are neither shiny nor lackluster and manage to make themselves heard even if they aren't quite the stars of the show.

And while they may not have perfect levels of detail or an extremely wide soundstage, they are surprisingly balanced for listening to a wide variety of genres.

As with virtually all of the earbuds and headphones I have tested, you will need a decent source to get the most out of these earbuds. I found a huge difference between listening to my personal collection of AAC format tracks on Apple Music and CD quality lossless offerings from Tidal or Qobuz.

More importantly, the JLab Air ANC app lets you tweak the EQ as you like. The equalizer has discrete levels for 10 frequency bands and you can save four presets with your favorite mixes.

JLab includes a "movie mode" which is designed to reduce the audio delay compared to the usual "music mode" so that the on-screen dialog matches what you are hearing. My iPhone 11's Bluetooth connection may already have very little latency, but I saw practically no difference whether or not the movie mode was activated. Both modes provided great synchronization when streaming Netflix and Disney + movies.

Noise cancellation

It is difficult to get a feel for the effectiveness of the Epic Air ANC's noise cancellation.

Whether you use the standard silicone earbuds or the cloud foams, the seal they offer is pretty good. This means that very little outside noise can get into your ear.

But even with strong passive noise isolation, ANC should show a noticeable decrease in some external noises. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

Switching between ANC off and on resulted in only the slightest decrease in lower frequencies. Even then, I could only tell when no music was playing.

JLab's Air ANC app lets you adjust the level of noise cancellation – a welcome feature – but maximizing the setting didn't do much to improve performance. They're certainly not AirPods Pro killers in terms of noise cancellation.

On the upside, the Be Aware mode that lets in sounds is excellent and the app-based customization gives you good control over how much sound is let in.

Call quality

The Epic Air ANC call quality is not an area of ​​strength. It's not a feature that true wireless earbuds are great at even on some very expensive models, but these earbuds are particularly weak.

External noises such as cars, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and even a light breeze created strong aural competition for my voice and sometimes drowned it out completely.

It looks a lot better indoors, but even then your voice will suffer from shake.

On the other hand, the Be Aware mode makes making phone calls very convenient from the wearer's point of view, allowing you to hear your own voice with absolute clarity.

Our opinion

No matter how you look at them, the JLab Epic Air ANC are epic value at just $ 99. The ANC may not be spectacular, but with great sound isolation thanks to a variety of earplugs, it just doesn't matter. What can you not love with very good sound quality, enormous battery life and countless practical additional functions?

Is there a better alternative?

For $ 99 you might find true wireless earbuds with ANC and decent sound, but I'm not sure if there are earbuds at this price point that also have 12 hours of battery life, IP55 protection, wireless charging, fully customizable controls, and EQ offer a wear sensor.

You can spend less and get fewer features, like the extremely affordable Truengine SE Soundpeats for $ 40, or you can spend more and get slightly better sound quality with the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro for $ 150, but nothing beats that Epic Air ANC for total value.

How long will they last?

The build quality of the Epic Air ANC seems to be on par for earphones in their price range. With an IP55 degree of protection and a very generous two-year guarantee from JLab, however, they should have a very long service life. The beauty of starting with batteries that last 12 hours is that even if they eventually drop to 50% capacity, they outperform a lot of brand new earbuds.

Should you buy it?

Yes. In the Epic Air ANC, JLab has developed a feature-rich and comfortable set of earbuds that offer an incredible price-performance ratio.

Editor's recommendations




16 Sep
Blog

Train for Explosive Power With This Simple Dumbbell Exercise

When you start building explosiveness with weights there is always someone chirping about Olympic lifting moves. However, learning to ride Olympic lifts is a slower and more arduous process than anyone who has never tried it would think. There are more setbacks than breakthroughs. I should know that I've dedicated a decade of my life to Olympic weightlifting.

When you have the time and energy to devote yourself to it, it can be rewarding and spiritually engaging. If you want to train explosive skills now, there are better options. The dumbbell power shrug is one of your best options.

To train explosiveness, stick to basic movements and learn to train them remarkably well.

If you want to learn more about the principles that form the basis of any movement, check out my two-week, in-depth online course that teaches the immutable principles of all barbell lifts. How to restore your body's resilience and control is about to begin.

You don't need a lot of equipment or coaching for an exercise like a dumbbell power shrugand you can customize it to suit your needs and make it harder over time.

You can create a foundation of athleticism, coordination, and explosive potential in the gym for any other physical hobbies you enjoy, but you need to understand how first.

The benefits of the dumbbell shrug

The dumbbell power shrug builds athletic strength.

There aren't many exercises that will work out these traits in the gym except when throwing or hit heavy med balls.

The benefits of training for explosive force

Unless you're doing a sport that requires explosive movements, you may not be interested in an exercise that develops that skill.

The ability to move quickly, move, or catch when you trip, or change direction is an explosive move. It's a physical ability that we often overlook. However, this is not only important for younger people trying to participate in physical exercise.

With age, the ability to explode decreases before other physical traits such as strength, flexibility, and even muscle mass. Unless you're very explosive at first, that drop will be an even bigger problem.

One of the greatest risks of injury in old age is the loss of this explosive reflex.

If we trip and you cannot move your feet fast enough to catch yourself or reach out your hands, you will be injured. Knee, hip, and back injuries from falls can be reduced as you age by adding explosive workout to the mix.

If you are younger and want to be more capable, this is a great tool that doesn't involve learning new or complicated skills. If you want to train that hard, all you have to do is crouch properly and remember how to jump.

The best part about this exercise is that almost every muscle that starts in the lower body and moves up the chain has forceful contact.

The sequence of movement teaches coordination, which in strength training can generally only be learned by engaging in Olympic weightlifting.

A group of trainers close to me call this coordination the chain of command.

Work out for explosive strength with this simple dumbbell exercise - fitness, kettlebell, flexibility, dumbbell, explosive strength, eccentric workout, quads, upper traps, hip mobility, repetitive pace, resilience, overhead medicine ball slam, shrug

Work out for explosive strength with this simple dumbbell exercise - fitness, kettlebell, flexibility, dumbbell, explosive strength, eccentric workout, quads, upper traps, hip mobility, repetitive pace, resilience, overhead medicine ball slam, shrug

The idea is that large muscles should fire before smaller ones during complex explosive movements. For the power shrug, the largest and strongest muscles in the lower body fire when you crouch and stretch up.

Work out for explosive strength with this simple dumbbell exercise - fitness, kettlebell, flexibility, dumbbell, explosive strength, eccentric workout, quads, upper traps, hip mobility, repetitive pace, resilience, overhead medicine ball slam, shrug

When you reach the top of the movement and deploy, the traps should twitch at the same time as your ankles deploy. However, these smaller muscles only work after the larger muscles initiate the movement.

How to do the dumbell power shrug

You need a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand.

  • Grab it and get up. Then fold over and crouch down so that the dumbbells are somewhere between your kneecaps and ankles.
  • Press firmly against the floor as if trying to drive your ankles through the floor. (This will keep you in contact with the ground longer and prevent you from getting on your toes prematurely as many do when they think of a jump action.)
  • Keep pushing through your feet firmly as you extend, remembering to stretch your body for as long as you want to jump and hold your head against the ceiling.
  • Keep your arms long and your elbows relaxed.
  • Push even harder through the top of your knuckles, remembering to shrug your shoulders to your ears. If you focus on pushing hard through your knuckles, You will hit the balls of your feet, but your toes will not lose contact with the ground.
  • Time your shrug with the exact moment the heels lift off the floor.
  • Once you are fully extended, immediately drop your heels again and crouch again.
  • Try to do this as a continuous, fluid motion with no rest for the set number of repetitions.

variation

When you're comfortable, change it up by starting from the floor. Touch the dumbbells to the floor on each rep.

This deeper squat is harder than you think. It would be helpful if you had enough hip mobility to squat so low with good posture and so you can train the hip muscles differently.

Mistakes to Avoid

A big mistake is to let your entire foot off the ground and bounce. Use light weights and it's no big deal, but start grabbing heavier bells and it could hurt you.

When you ride hard like you should, your heels will leave the ground, but always keep part of your foot in contact with the ground.

One off-balance landing after an actual jump and you see a foot or ankle injury.

A more advanced dumbbell power shrug

Once you have trained the movement and gradually gained weight, you can challenge yourself at various tempos.

You can eccentric (lower) the weight into your squat position before extending it as quickly as possible. Or you could do something like a 3 count eccentric, with a break down below for another 3 counts.

A basic move like the power shrug makes it easy to modify and more challenging so you can keep training hard.

16 Sep
Blog

Super Mario 3D All-Stars Review: A Tour of Gaming History

Super mario 3d all stars rating switch supermario3dallstars smg screen 10

"3D All-Stars preserves gaming classics like in a complete package."

  • Super Mario Galaxy is superb

  • Feels authentic to the original releases

  • A ton of Mario gameplay for $ 60

  • More accessible than original hardware

  • Super Mario 64 feels its age

  • Some cumbersome control changes

As someone who had never played Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine or Super Mario Galaxy, I couldn't have been more excited when Nintendo announced Super Mario 3D All-Stars, a collection of the three titles for Nintendo Switch. When I finally played them, I understood how someone could revere a game like Super Mario 64 as something revolutionary in 1996.

Unfortunately, Nintendo decided to keep 64 and Sunshine as they were at the time, to the detriment of experiencing them today, where both titles would have been improved with better controls in more modern 3D Mario games. That being said, you could have told me that Super Mario Galaxy is a brand new game and I would have believed you what it is ultimately worth to acquire this collection.

A product of its time

One of the biggest questions after the Super Mario 3D All-Stars announcement was, "Where's Super Mario Galaxy 2?" For me, playing the collection answers that question; It's not so much about the games themselves, but how they are developed. The progress and differences between the three titles are dramatic. With the release of this game for the Italian plumber's 35th anniversary, 3D All-Stars feels like an intentional showcase of these improvements. Galaxy 2 would have watered down that intention as it is more of a fine-tuning of its direct predecessor's gameplay than a galactic leap forward for the series.

Super mario 64Provided by Nintendo

When I booted up to Super Mario 64, I was impressed by what the game did for a 24 year old title and how much DNA the latest 3D entry, Super Mario Odyssey, had kept. It's no wonder that Super Mario 64, with its hidden layers and non-linear structure, blew players away as I went back to childhood and thought of the content-based experiences that made up the bulk of gaming back then.

My amazement at the game was hampered by the outdated controls. His archaic camera, combined with the fact that Mario plays like a luscious slab of butter floating around the world, made for a sometimes insane experience. Lately the only games that made me want to slam my controller on the table in frustration have been the Dark Souls variety. I did not expect this impulse to be awakened in this game.

No wonder Super Mario 64 blew people away with its hidden layers and nonlinear structure.

Switching from 64 to Sunshine was like a shipwreck, but I found a buoyant and spacious piece of wood that carried me towards land on a distant horizon. What this game does with its mechanics over its predecessor is largely an improvement, in shocking places for a game that wasn't released until six years later. The camera is easier to maneuver and Mario feels like he is working on his shoes with more grip.

The focused tropical theme, which many gamers have mocked for repetitive level design over the years, has a mostly positive impact on the game, although there is occasional over-design that feels a bit aimless and is more of an example: " Look how complex we can level up now! “I found delight in the divisive FLUDD, which is at the center of gameplay, as it has enough of a unique hook and multitude of uses to warrant its implementation.

Super Mario sunshineProvided by Nintendo

Super Mario Galaxy is the land on the far horizon where I washed ashore, and to my amazement, it's a lush and lush island that makes me in vain. While this may not be news to some, it has exceeded my already high expectations to find Galaxy not just my favorite 3D Mario to date, but one of my favorite games of all time.

The flaws of 64 and Sunshine are simply absent here, with razor-sharp level design, pinpoint gameplay, and amazingly unique gravity mechanics that effectively evolve as the game progresses. Where I meandered through portions of the first two titles, I moved through Galaxy as if I were orbiting the sun, gracefully tossed over the game and unable to break free from gravity. To me the inclusion alone is worth the $ 60 price tag, with 64 and Sunshine as a bonus, and I would easily spend another $ 60 on a Galaxy 2 port, and it seems the exclusion is a calculated step from Nintendo was.

Some things change, most stay the same

My love for Galaxy is easily marred by my chaotic feelings towards Sunshine and 64. While I was playing the 64 and GameCube titles, my partner said something about the effect, "They were the only games I had, so I learned to love them." Speaking to other gamers who grew up with these games in their life, it seems that the feeling is for the most part a common one.

Fans who repeat these games and have seen them front to back over and over again will comfortably nestle into their nostalgia and make up for their shortcomings by knowing exactly how to effectively move through them. As mentioned above, the intent of the package is to keep the games unchanged. It doesn't remove the feeling that ruling out reworked mechanics was an incredibly missed opportunity to turn these games into something someone actually wants to play today.

I found Galaxy not only to be my favorite 3D Mario to date, but one of my all-time favorite games that exceeded my already high expectations.

64 is just the original game with a high definition gloss. The lack of widescreen that is offered to Port of Sunshine exacerbates the camera problems as what is not visible outside of the player's field of view is the cause of the most deaths. To make matters worse, textures sometimes appear right in front of the character, creating confusion about where to go or what to do until you're just inches away. Also, the game is missing some of the additions, including additional levels and collectibles that came with the Nintendo DS remake. It's as easy as remastering.

Super Mario 64 comparisonLeft 3D All-Stars, right original

The 16: 9 aspect ratio in Sunshine works wonders for the game, and its HD makeover brings it visually much closer to Galaxy than 64. Unfortunately, one of the things that gave the FLUDD mechanic a bit of charm on the GameCube was the analog triggers on this one Systems. So the player can determine the water pressure of the device. Such functionality is not available on either Joy-Cons or the Switch Pro controller, which means that the FLUDD is set to either zero or 100% functionality.

The game bypasses this missing feature, as certain levels relied on this mechanic in GameCube, in that the ZR trigger allowed Mario to move while splashing even though he couldn't aim. The R-bumper then forces Mario to stand in place, but allows him to aim the FLUDD. As someone who has never played the game before, I'm not sure how drastically this is changing, although given the online reading of fans' interest in how the port handles this mechanic, it could be a disappointment to them .

Galaxy is the title that has required the least refresher. Its visual bump made it almost identical in quality to the 2017 Super Mario Odyssey. As a Wii title, motion controls were an integral part of that experience, and nothing about that port has changed. The Switch Pro controller's accelerometer and gyroscope provide the functionality of the Wiimote's IR blaster. However, while I was playing it was obvious that it would have been optimal to actually have a device pointed at the screen. Tapping the R-bumper re-centers the star pointer, but it still feels less intuitive.

Super Mario GalaxyProvided by Nintendo

How is this motion functionality handled in handheld mode? Touch controls, which is by far the worst way to play the game. For those who don't know, the motion controls are designed to collect stars as you make your way through the level and shoot at enemies and interactive objects. Trying to do all of this with touch controls frequently while moving Mario with the thumb stick is not optimal and makes the TV experience of the game by far the preferred style of play.

The changes to 64 and Sunshine seem like the bare minimum of what could be done to bring them into the modern age. It is clear that these small changes were an attempt to petrify them in their original form, but that only makes their shortcomings more apparent. However, Galaxy is a near-perfect game, the age of which cannot be felt, as it was already ahead of its time and outperforms most new 3D platformer to this day.

Our opinion

For those whose favorite playlist includes the three titles in this collection, you will likely be over the moon to find you can play them all anytime on your TV or on the go. Those who missed these entries in game history will likely have a hard time adapting to their controls, but will find the wonder and joy of playing Super Mario Galaxy.

Is there a better alternative?

Super Mario Odyssey is another great 3D Mario with modern controls specially designed for the Switch. A port of Super Mario 3D World, originally released on Wii U to get rave reviews, will also hit the hybrid console in February 2021.

How long it will take?

A straightforward run of each game takes around a dozen hours of gameplay, but 100% completion, showing each secret level and collecting all of the hidden items, will likely double that, resulting in a package with easily over 60 hours of gameplay.

Should you buy it?

Yes. Super Mario 3D All-Stars are almost as must-have as Breath of the Wild and Mario Kart 8, if only for the strength of Super Mario Galaxy. On top of that, the game will only be available until March 31, 2021, and its value as a collector's item is quite high.

Editor's recommendations




15 Sep
Blog

What Causes Acne? | Eminence Organic Skin Care

Acne isn't one size fits all. Depending on the cause of your acne, this can manifest as a strange pimple or a more chronic, lifelong condition. The truth is that up to 80% of us will get acne at some point in our lives. One of the best ways to kick acne to the roadside? Go to the source. Here are five causes of acne and our tips on getting rid of breakouts for good.

Causes of acne

These are some of the factors that can contribute to breakouts, blemishes, and chronic acne.

Clogged pores

Every pimple starts the same way: with a clogged pore. Each of our pores is made up of a hair follicle that contains a sebum (oil) that plays a key role in skin health. Sebum glands release sebum, a waxy, oily secretion that helps lubricate and soften the surface of the skin. When sebum travels along the follicle to the surface of the skin, it can become trapped in dead skin cells that block its path. Acne occurs when oil, dirt, and bacteria combine to cause the infection and inflammation that we call an outbreak.

Excess oil production

Is your skin particularly oily? Oily skin is linked to a genetic predisposition to overproduce the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which causes the skin's sebum glands to produce more sebum. When the skin produces too much oil, its pores enlarge and stretch to contain the excess. When excess oil becomes trapped, it can bond with the dead skin and bacteria that have settled in the pore, causing breakouts. The severity of your acne breakouts can depend on your body's response to excessive oil production. According to WebMD: "Levels of sebum, which can cause a pimple or two in one person, can lead to widespread breakouts – or even acute cystic acne – in another."

bacteria

Everyone has acne bacteria on their skin, however Not all acne bacteria cause pimples. According to Medical News Today, "Research suggests that the severity and frequency of acne depends on the strain of bacteria." The strain of bacteria that contributes to acne is called Propionibacterium acnes or P. acnes. This bacterium is generally harmless, but under certain conditions (e.g., in a clogged pore, surrounded by oil and without air), it can trigger an immune response that causes inflammation in surrounding tissues.

Hormones

Fluctuations in the body's androgen levels, especially during puberty and pregnancy, can also trigger acne. Indeed that Journal of Women's Health claims that up to 26% of women in their 30s have fighting breakouts. Whitney Bowe, MD tells health: "When a woman's androgen receptors are particularly sensitive, these hormones can trigger excessive oil production and cause skin cells to become sticky, leading to clogged pores and breakouts." Typically, hormonal acne occurs on the lower half of the face along the jawline and occurs during your monthly cycle.

genetics

Unfortunately, your own inevitable genetic makeup often comes into play. Mona Gohara, MD tells Marie Claire: "Some people are genetically more susceptible to their sebum glands becoming inflamed from hormones, oils and bacteria." Chances are, one of your parents is likely to have moderate to severe acne symptoms too.

Acne treatment

One of the best ways to combat the root causes of acne is through Your skin care routine. To keep your skin clear and flawless, we recommend using our Acne Advanced 3-Step Treatment System and, in conjunction with your preferred Eminence Organics spa partner, a virtual consultation or an acne facial.

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Acne Advanced 3-Step Treatment System

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The products in this innovative collection are designed to treat acne and prevent future breakouts. Results range from just 28 days. Here's why Senior skin care trainer Natalie Pergar recommends using this organic solution to cleanse your complexion:

(embed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjnGlxZIQno (/ embed)

Do you suffer from acne? How has it affected you and what helped you find relief? We'd love to hear your story. Share comments with us and join the conversation on social media.

This post was originally published in October 2018 and has been updated for accuracy and completeness.

15 Sep
Blog

Train for Explosive Power With This Simple Dumbbell Exercise

When you start building explosiveness with weights there is always someone chirping about Olympic lifting moves. However, learning to ride Olympic lifts is a slower and more arduous process than anyone who has never tried it would think. There are more setbacks than breakthroughs. I should know that I've dedicated a decade of my life to Olympic weightlifting.

When you have the time and energy to devote yourself to it, it can be rewarding and spiritually engaging. Now, if you want to train explosive skills, there are better options. The dumbbell power shrug is one of your best options.

To train explosiveness, stick to basic movements and learn to train them remarkably well.

If you're interested in learning more about the principles that form the basis of any movement, check out my two-week, in-depth online course that teaches the immutable principles behind all barbell lifts. How to restore your body's resilience and control is about to begin.

You don't need a lot of equipment or coaching for an exercise like a dumbbell power shrugand you can customize it to suit your needs and make it harder over time.

You can create a foundation of athleticism, coordination, and explosive potential in the gym for any other physical hobbies you enjoy, but you need to understand how first.

The benefits of the dumbbell shrug

The dumbbell power shrug builds athletic strength.

There aren't many exercises that work out these traits in the gym, except when throwing or hitting heavy med balls.

The benefits of training for explosive force

Unless you're doing a sport that requires explosive movements, you may not be interested in an exercise that develops that skill.

The ability to move quickly, move, or catch when you trip, or change direction is an explosive move. It's a physical ability that we often overlook. However, this is not only important for younger people trying to participate in physical exercise.

With age, the ability to explode decreases before other physical traits such as strength, flexibility, and even muscle mass. Unless you're very explosive at first, that drop will be an even bigger problem.

One of the greatest risks of injury in old age is the loss of this explosive reflex.

If we trip and you cannot move your feet fast enough to catch yourself or reach out your hands, you will be injured. Knee, hip, and back injuries from falls can be reduced as you age by adding explosive workout to the mix.

If you are younger and want to be more powerful, this is a great tool that doesn't involve learning new or complicated skills. If you want to train that hard, all you have to do is crouch properly and remember how to jump.

The best part about this exercise is that almost every muscle that starts in the lower body and moves up the chain has forceful contact.

The sequence of movement teaches coordination, which in strength training can generally only be learned by engaging in Olympic weightlifting.

A group of trainers close to me call this coordination the chain of command.

Work out for explosive strength with this simple dumbbell exercise - fitness, kettlebell, flexibility, dumbbell, explosive strength, eccentric workout, quads, upper traps, hip mobility, repetitive pace, resilience, overhead medicine ball slam, shrug

Work out for explosive strength with this simple dumbbell exercise - fitness, kettlebell, flexibility, dumbbell, explosive strength, eccentric workout, quads, upper traps, hip mobility, repetitive pace, resilience, overhead medicine ball slam, shrug

The idea is that large muscles should fire before smaller ones during complex explosive movements. For the power shrug, the strongest muscles of the lower body fire when you crouch and stretch up.

Work out for explosive strength with this simple dumbbell exercise - fitness, kettlebell, flexibility, dumbbell, explosive strength, eccentric workout, quads, upper traps, hip mobility, repetitive pace, resilience, overhead medicine ball slam, shrug

When you reach the top of the movement and deploy, the traps should twitch at the same time as your ankles deploy. However, these smaller muscles only work after the larger muscles initiate the movement.

How to do the dumbell power shrug

You need a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand.

  • Grab it and get up. Then, fold over and crouch down so the dumbbells are somewhere between your kneecaps and ankles.
  • Press firmly against the floor as if trying to drive your ankles through the floor. (This will keep you in contact with the ground longer and prevent you from getting on your toes prematurely, as many do when they think of a jump action.)
  • Keep pushing firmly through your feet as you extend, remembering to stretch your body for as long as you want to jump and hold your head against the ceiling.
  • Keep your arms long and your elbows relaxed.
  • Push even harder through your knuckles at the very top and remember to shrug your shoulders to your ears. If you focus on pushing hard through your knuckles, You will hit the balls of your feet, but your toes will not lose contact with the ground.
  • Time your shrug with the exact moment the heels lift off the floor.
  • Once you are fully extended, immediately drop your heels again and crouch again.
  • Try to do this as a continuous, fluid motion with no rest for the set number of repetitions.

variation

When you're comfortable, change it up by starting from the floor. Touch the dumbbells to the floor on each rep.

This deeper squat is harder than you think. It would be helpful if you had enough hip mobility to squat so low with good posture and so you trained the hip muscles differently.

Mistakes to Avoid

A big mistake is to let your entire foot off the ground and bounce. Use light weights and it's no big deal, but start grabbing heavier bells and it could hurt you.

When you ride hard like you should, your heels will leave the ground but always keep part of your foot in contact with the ground.

One off-balance landing after an actual jump and you see a foot or ankle injury.

A more advanced dumbbell power shrug

Once you have trained the movement and gradually gained weight, you can challenge yourself at various tempos.

You can eccentrically (lower) the weight into your squat position with 6 counts before extending it as quickly as possible. Or you could do something like a 3 count eccentric, with a break down below for another 3 counts.

A basic move like the power shrug makes it easy to modify and more challenging so you can keep training hard.

14 Sep
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G Review: Fully Functional Foldable

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G

"The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is the best foldable device you can buy right now."

  • The foldable screen opens up new possibilities

  • Excellent hardware quality

  • Soothing hinge and screen durability

  • Very good triple camera

  • Top-end specs and core features

  • Difficult and awkward to operate with one hand

  • Many apps are not optimized for leaflets

  • Much more expensive than most phones

Foldable devices will play a role in the future of smartphones. Even if they seem expensive, fragile, and compromised right now, they won't be forever. Just the evolution of quality from the first Galaxy Fold, which got off to a terrible start, to the quality of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 shows that the industry is on the right track.

However, you are not buying a foldable phone, especially a $ 2,000 phone, as it is part of an advancement of new technology. You buy it based on what it does for you and what it offers beyond what you get from a regular smartphone. Here's everything the Galaxy Z Fold 2 brings to the table to justify its sky-high price tag.

Hardware, design and ads

The new Galaxy Z Fold 2 follows the same concept as its predecessor: a device the size of a mini tablet that is halved by a large hinge, with a folding screen on the inside and an additional "cover display" on the outside. However, it is no exaggeration to say that Samsung has touched the implementation of this concept for this generation in every way. And it's all for the better.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

Samsung knows how to make high-end phones that look and feel like they're worth the money, and that carries over to this huge device. The two-tone matte glass and shiny metal pieces add some flair to the Z Fold 2, and while I like it (you'll never be able to hide this phone anyway), black is an option too. The execution is flawless. Every angle is perfect, every gap is consistent, and all the details are spot on.

The redesigned hinge is most responsible for the Z Fold 2's rugged feel. It is no longer loose or thin at any point in its operation, as it sticks at every angle, e.g. B. a laptop screen or a Microsoft Surface stand. You can adjust the screen angle to whatever you want and it just stays there – but it retains a satisfactory lock when opened flat. With the screen open, you can hold the phone in one hand, shake it around, hold it vertically or upside down and it will not move.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

It's also relatively easy to return it to a folded position with one hand – as long as you comfortably press your thumb on the screen. It closes with a solid, satisfying "click" while the bezels snap together with magnets. Regardless of whether you open or close, hardly a sound can be heard. Of course, if you hold your ear to the screen, you'll notice the various layers unfold and the little dusty bristles in the hinge, but this is an almost silent operation.

Samsung has revised the hardware design and brought both displays to a new level.

Even if Samsung had kept the exterior design identical to that of its predecessor, I would still welcome the improved display. The cover display used to be weirdly small, but like any other smartphone, it is now 6.2 inches and has small frames. Major changes have been made inside. The 7.6-inch foldable panel is now surrounded by 25% smaller bezels and a simple pinhole camera instead of the huge notch with multiple cameras before. The edges of the bezel aren't raised nearly as much, and you hardly notice them even if you're using the Android 10's gesture navigation system.

The display looks great. Of course, it's a Samsung display. The colors are saturated, the brightness is excellent even outdoors and there are no deviations when viewed at an angle. It even runs at a refresh rate of 120Hz, just like the S20 series, so the movement is buttery smooth. With the flexible display levels, the clarity is not on par with the glass covers of the iPhone 11 Pro Max or the Samsung Note 20 Ultra. That slight visual change aside, this display is indistinguishable from the best in the business – it's only twice that size and randomly folds in half. No compromise here.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

Let's talk about the crease. It is there and yes you will notice. Sometimes. This is most noticeable on a screen with low brightness and on a white or light background. Even so, after a few days I noticed that my eyes were ignoring it. And since you mostly use the phone in portrait orientation – the display has a very wide aspect ratio anyway – rarely touch or swipe the crease.

However, most people are more concerned about the shelf life. I only used the Z Fold 2 for this test for two weeks. So I can't say how well it will hold up over time. But I'm pretty confident, especially since we've now seen people use the original crease (well, the revised original crease) for a year with little deterioration. This new model has the Samsung display "UTG" or Ultra Thin Glass for the display and is much more resistant to scratches and bumps. There's also a pre-installed screen protector made from the typical thin flexible plastic that I'm not a huge fan of, but it's another layer of protection.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

The crease will definitely change its shape a little, and over months of folding it will absorb some aberrations. And yes, if you dig your fingernail into the screen or drop it while it's open, it will look worse for wear and tear. However, most of the phones get damaged in the latter scenario. The biggest advantage of the Z Fold 2 is that the foldable screen is closed and cannot be compromised when you are not using it. With a large foldable phone like this one, there are user-friendliness concerns, but for me they don't relate to the durability of the screen and the hinge.

With a big foldable phone

Samsung has made strides to make this hardware as slim and compact as current technology allows. However, it is still a giant compared to single non-collapsible screens. That starts with a weight of 282 grams, which is about 25% heavier than an iPhone 11 Pro Max and 35% heavier than a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. It's nearly 17mm thick, roughly twice that of a typical phone (as expected).

It adds up to a cumbersome device. It's big and heavy, and you never forget that – neither in your hand nor in your pocket. The phone is nowhere near so small that I can use it as a music source for my headphones in any kind of bag or holder. It's not waterproof either, so I wouldn't take the risk anyway.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G

The weight is most noticeable when it is closed. This is how you will use it a lot. Fortunately, the new, larger cover display is big enough to get most of your chores done, and gives you full access to a typical lock screen, notifications, a home screen, and all of your apps. The screen is a bit narrow which can make typing awkward (this can be fixed with a swipe keyboard), but the main problem is getting to the top of this very tall screen while balancing out a beefy and thick phone.

The other problem you will encounter is app compatibility. Some apps just don't scale to full screen because they're so big. This is more annoying than a real usability problem, but it's there. Most of these buggy apps are the same ones that will inevitably have to be restarted if you open the phone while it is running. This is an odd odd thing about resizing Android apps (or not).

You don't use the outside display more than necessary, however, as you can open up the Z Fold 2 and get the gorgeous control panel instead. The use cases are all easy to understand. It starts with just getting more of everything. More map area, more webpage before scrolling, more photos in larger size, more of each message in a list, more book before turning the page, and so on. This is great because you never feel cramped on the Z Fold 2 – there is always enough space to do what you want.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G

However, that again requires the apps that you play ball with. Many apps, including all apps from Google and Microsoft, make good use of this additional real estate when run in full screen mode. You get an additional appropriately sized panel or user interface controls, which gives you more content and less chrome. Other apps are just bad. Twitter, Seamless, Venmo, Strava, Telegram, Lyft, American Express, the list goes on. All of them just stretch out the UI and no longer offer you any content or viewing space as they were not designed for large screens. Instagram is notoriously bad at filling the screen, and now Samsung has just packed it with pillars to make it at least reasonably usable. (It's still bad.)

Samsung also uses the stiff hinge to prop the phone at an angle in "flex mode," which triggers a different user interface in a handful of apps – YouTube, Google Duo, Camera, and a few others. it's not very useful. Why cut the screen in half? I only used it for video calls when I didn't want to hold the phone or for photos where I used it as a de facto tripod.

Most of the time, you're running a single app on the Z Fold 2 and it feels clunky and like a waste of space. You really need to find and stick to the handful of apps that make good use of that space. Of course, you can also run apps side by side, which greatly improves the experience. It's instantly intuitive and extremely useful. Run Twitter while messaging, check the status of an order while viewing your credit card charge, and do a Wikipedia search while watching a YouTube video. Check your calendar while reading an email.

It is this dual app that makes the Z Fold 2 shine and really justifies its size. You can set up pairs of apps (or groups of three if you really want to) to start automatically together with the press of a button. If you already have a full screen app open, you can always drag a second, third, or floating app with a small handle on the side of the screen. About 90% of my apps ran side by side – not perfect, but close.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G

If you don't open the Z Fold 2 regularly and use multiple apps at the same time, then you really are missing the point of this phone. You don't pay that much and bother with this great device just to use the cover display or a single app inside. You need to use its features.

Samsung offers the Z Fold 2 more than enough power to run three apps at the same time. You don't have to think for a moment that the phone has a Snapdragon 865+, 12GB of RAM, or 5GB – it all works like any high-end phone should and will do for years to come. However, you will appreciate the 256GB of storage as well as the useful features like stereo speakers, fast charging, fast wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging. There are no compromises in terms of technical data and functions compared to non-foldable telephones, which is currently not a matter of course for foldable telephones.

Unless you regularly use multiple apps at the same time, then you really lack the point of this phone.

Battery life is almost the same as leading single monitors, but how long it lasts depends a lot on how you use them. With a lot of main screen use and multitasking, you can chew through the 4,500mAh battery (like the Note 20 Ultra) before you know it. It's not surprising that allowing yourself to watch videos more often and keep two apps running all the time will drain your resources. In my typical use, where I put what I normally do on the bigger screen, I lasted a full day on 10 to 20% battery life.

Cameras

In contrast to the Microsoft Surface Duo, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 fortunately does not have any major compromises when it comes to the camera. You get a triumvirate of cameras loosely based on the Galaxy S20: the same 12 megapixel main camera with OIS (optical image stabilization) is combined with two smaller 12MP sensors for zoom and ultrawide applications.

It's a little disappointing that this $ 2,000 phone doesn't include a copy of the Galaxy S20 + (or Note 20 Ultra) camera setup. But where things matter most, the main camera, you get an identical experience. These photos speak for themselves folks: this is a really good camera.

Just like Samsung's 2020 flagships, the Z Fold 2 takes expressive, colorful, and engaging photos. I've never taken a really bad shot, and the camera is completely reliable and consistent every time I hit the power button twice to start it. There tends to be too much saturation and sometimes the sky can be blown out or strong halos around objects, but these are minor issues.

The zoom camera is a bit of a let down as it is a smaller sensor and there is no OIS in the main camera (and in the zoom camera on the Galaxy S20). You can easily see that zoom shots are softer than the main camera even if the resolution is only 2x, and in low light conditions the software switches back completely to the main sensor. This zoom camera dates back to the Galaxy S10 series and today's midrange phones, and that's not a good thing to see at this price point. The ultrawide camera absolutely does the job, even if it's not exactly the same as that of the S20 and Note 20 series.

Regardless of the camera chosen, shooting with a huge viewfinder with the screen open is even better than a typical phone.

Perhaps the biggest camera win of all is for selfies. You can flip the Z-fold 2 over and use the rear camera as a selfie shooter with the cover display as the viewfinder. Whether you want a high quality main camera shot or an ultrawide shot for a group of friends (or a backdrop for yourself), that typical front camera will blow away – especially in low light.

Our opinion

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is a huge evolution of the original. The hardware is perfectly made and exudes quality, while the functionality of the screens and the hinge has been dramatically improved. All of this without compromising the core smartphone experience – you get good cameras and most of the nice-to-have features of a regular phone.

The downsides are ease of use, size, and price. The Z Fold 2 is huge, which makes it difficult to operate with one hand at times – and if you don't use that large display all the time, it's a chore to carry this massive device around with you. At the same time, many of the software experiences when you have this screen open leave much to be desired. And then there is the price. At $ 2,000, you need a lot of cash to spend twice as much money as a typical high-end phone, but not twice as many functions or features.

This is an amazing technological feat, but it still requires understanding that you are buying a collapsible smartphone that is on the cutting edge of innovation. That means there is compromise, and that's not what most people want (or need).

Is there a better alternative?

There really isn't a direct alternative to the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Some will say the Microsoft Surface Duo is a loose competitor, but really offers a different experience with its separate displays – and ultimately the Surface Duo falls far short of the mark in terms of smartphone functionality and usability.

Elsewhere in the foldable space you have a choice Samsung's own Galaxy Z Flip or the upcoming Motorola Razr, both of which offer completely different experiences. Realistically, your choice is: Are you doing this? Buy a Galaxy Z Fold 2or spend top dollars on a "traditional" high-end phone like this Galaxy Note 20 Ultra or upcoming iPhone 12 Pro Max? It's a personal choice.

How long it will take?

I'm not particularly concerned about the long-term durability of the Z Fold 2's hinge and display. Samsung clearly put a lot of work into fixing early hardware bugs, and even last year's Fold has proven to be quite durable over time. Samsung also offers good warranty protection and screen replacement if necessary. The Z Fold 2 also receives at least two major software upgrades and regular security patches that keep it going for about as long as someone actually uses the phone.

Should you buy it?

Yes. People will make fun of the $ 2,000 price tag for the Z Fold 2, and rightly so. However, if you are ready to part with that huge sum of money on the latest technology, then you are probably also interested in being an early adopter of foldable phones. The Z Fold 2 is currently the best foldable one on the (small) market.

However, if you do buy it, please do not fund the phone for more than four years as Samsung suggests on its website.

Editor's recommendations




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