24 Sep
Blog

Gigabyte M32U Monitor Review: 4K Gaming Without the Fluff

The back of the Gigabyte M32U gaming monitor.

Gigabyte M32U monitor in the test: 4K gaming without fluff

RRP $ 800.00

"The Gigabyte M32U doesn't have much competition, but it still feels hard to beat for $ 800."

advantages

  • One of the few 32-inch 4K monitors with a high refresh rate

  • Excellent color accuracy after calibration

  • Two HDMI 2.1 ports

  • Built-in KVM switch

  • Inexpensive

disadvantage

  • Bad HDR performance

  • Below average status

  • Poor color accuracy before calibration

If you are looking for a 32-inch 4K monitor with a high refresh rate in Newegg, you will find three options: two listings for the Gigabyte Aorus FI32U and one for the Gigabyte M32U. Large 4K monitors with a high refresh rate are still a largely untapped space, with the world's LGs and Asus sticking to the tried and tested 27-inch format.

However, Gigabyte is quickly capitalizing on the as-yet unclaimed ground with these two new gaming monitors that have some unique features.

It's hard to separate the Gigabyte M32U from the Auros FI32U even if you ignore the identical specifications. They both use the same panel and offer largely the same features, but the M32U costs $ 200 less. It has the comfortable price of around $ 800 that many 4K 27-inch displays like the Acer Nitro XV273K or LG 27GN950 have settled on.

The case for the purchase of the M32U then looks tidy – it offers a high refresh rate at 4K for the same price as its 27-inch counterparts, but with a little more screen space. However, the story has a little more to offer. So if you're not using a 32-inch display over a 27-inch display, don't add the M32U to your cart just yet.

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Gigabyte M32U on the Digital Trends website.

Gigabyte monitors aren't known for their innovative design, and the M32U doesn't change that either. It's basically a stretched version of Gigabyte's budget 1440p monitors like the M27Q, with an identical stand but without the gamer flair normally associated with high-refresh rate 4K displays like the Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX.

Basically there is no RGB or branding associated with games. For that, you'll have to spend $ 200 more on the FI32U, which is exactly the same panel but from Gigabyte's Aorus line of products. It has a more angular look suitable for gaming, with some RGB accents on the back. In the case of the panel, however, it is identical to the M32U.

Panel and performance aside, the M32U doesn't feel like a well-spent $ 800. There's just a bit of metal in the base to break up the plastic monotony. The top of the back is a bit glossy, but otherwise it's a matte plastic finish all around that feels like function over form. And given the cost savings compared to the FI32U, that is what the M32U's focus is on.

The stand offers a few adjustments, including 130mm height adjustment, 25 degrees tilt, and 60 degrees swivel, but I was never able to adjust the monitor the way I wanted. The stand just doesn't allow enough height adjustment for my setup, as only the top third of the screen occupies my field of view at its highest point.

The size of a 32-inch panel makes up for it, but I wanted to throw the stand away almost as quickly as I set it up. Using the VESA 100 mounting holes on the back with a monitor arm transforms the M32U from a cheap-feeling monitor with a bad stand into a subtle display that's all about performance.

Connections and controls

Controller on Gigabyte M32U.

The port selection of the M32U is excellent, especially a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports. Even newer high-end monitors like the LG 34GN850-B have stayed with HDMI 2.0 and limit the 4K output to 60 Hz. With HDMI 2.1 you have access to 4K at 120Hz or 8K at 60Hz.

DisplayPort is still better for PC gamers – and I'll get into why in a moment – but HDMI 2.1 was a delight during my time with the M32U. I used the HDMI ports on my PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and switched between them and my PC via the DisplayPort connection without the refresh rate loss in mind.

In addition to the two HDMI ports, you have access to a single DisplayPort 1.4 port, which offers a slight increase to a refresh rate of 144 Hz at 4K. Honestly, this is the dream port setup right now. DisplayPort 2.0 is a better option, but it's still not there after suffering some long delays.

Otherwise you can use USB-C as an input, as well as the three USB 3.0 ports on the back of the display. The M32U even has one more USB 3.0 port than the FI32U.

This is the dream port setup right now.

You can make good use of all of these ports too. Like its more expensive Aorus brother, the M32U has an integrated KVM switch. In short, you can control multiple computers with a single keyboard and mouse connected through the monitor. The switch was a lifesaver for switching between my main machine and the test bench, and it saved me space and time on my desk when hopping between two machines.

Unfortunately, you have to use the on-screen display (OSD) to configure the KVM switch and that's not great. The OSD runs with a significantly lower resolution, which makes it look smeared on the otherwise sharp 4K panel. Navigating through the menu isn't bad, although the rotary wheel takes a bit of getting used to.

It's high up on the back of the monitor, and even after weeks of using the M32U, I'd have to search blindly to find it. It's a four-way toggle with a middle click, and I would push it in one direction many times while trying to use the middle click. You shouldn't spend too much time using the OSD, but I wanted a better controller.

picture quality

The M32U doesn't look great out of the box, but it's hard to expect much from a $ 800 32-inch 4K monitor with a high refresh rate. Typical of IPS panels, the contrast ratio isn't high and the display doesn't get too bright, which makes the panel feel like the budget option it compares to some of the higher quality 4K displays.

Still, Gigabyte is promoting 123% coverage of sRGB and 90% coverage of DCI-P3. Testing with my SpyderX Elite clorimeter found a slightly lower 87% coverage of DCI-P3, although that's not too far from what Gigabyte claims. I also measured a contrast ratio of 950: 1, which is only slightly different from the 1000: 1 ratio typical for IPS panels, as well as a peak brightness of 366.5 nits (Gigabyte lists 350 nits).

SpyderX on Gigabyte M32U.

Everything checked, but the bigger problem is color accuracy. Out of the box I measured a Delta-E (difference from real) of 2.32, which is outside the typical range for color work and reflects the poor out-of-the-box performance of the Eve Spectrum 4K. You are looking for a Delta-E value of less than 2 for a color-accurate representation. Calibrating the display with the SpyderX, however, cleaned up a lot and lowered the Delta-E value to 0.5.

This is an exceptional achievement for the price and more than acceptable for photo or video work. The color performance after calibration outperforms the LG 27GN950, a monitor for the same price as the Gigabyte M32U but five inches smaller.

The brightness uniformity wasn't great right away either, with up to 10% difference in the lower left corner which was 83% brightness. A quick glance at a black screen showed why, with the lower right corner showing just a hair of the backlight. Still, consistency was never a problem for me, and with the most sensitive work happening in the center of the screen, the M32U is still set up for creative work after calibration.

In terms of specs, the M32U is on par with competing 27-inch 4K displays like the Asus ROG Strix XG27UQR, only with a larger screen size. However, the Eve Spectrum 4K and LG 27GN950 show what can be gained by foregoing the screen size. Although smaller, both displays are the same price and have higher peak brightness.

With HDR enabled, the monitor looks like it is trying to cram too much dynamic range into too little space.

This is important for HDR. The M32U carries DisplayHDR 400 certification from VESA, not the DisplayHDR 600 certification of the Eve Spectrum and LG 27GN950. With HDR enabled, the monitor looks like it is trying to cram too much dynamic into a space that is too small, which is typical for DisplayHDR 400 monitors.

Worse, using HDR enables the M32U's local dimming function. There aren't too many dimming zones and they are slow to respond to changes. I shot a dimming test video that produced some notable stuttering as a white dot moves to different parts of the screen, showing that the dimming zones are slowly keeping up.

I ended up leaving out HDR when using the M32U with my consoles. It's not a bad picture, but I've never looked at the dimming zones or the eye-burning contrast that comes from a mediocre HDR implementation. IPS panels just aren't good for HDR, and the M32U doesn't break that shape.

Still, the M32U looks good with HDR turned off. Although 4K stands out a little more on a smaller screen size, at 32 inches, the pixel density is still high enough to produce crisp images and clean lines in text. Even when I held my face inches from the screen, I couldn't see pixels of black text on a white background.

Gaming performance

Control on Gigabyte M32U.

Pixel peeping is one thing, but when you take the M32U into games, it shows where it really shines. It just expanded my Destiny 2 habit and offers super sharp images at high frame rates. The 144Hz panel isn't as fast as the 360Hz Asus ROG Swift PG259QNR, but this monitor is limited to 1080p. Plus, I don't need an even higher refresh rate to know how bad I am at Valorant.

And 144 Hz is the gold standard for gaming monitors for good reason. Like jumping from 30 frames per second (fps) on an Xbox One to 60 fps on an Xbox Series X, you can't go back to 60 Hz after trying 144 Hz. It's particularly smooth. Even games on my PS5 felt choppy after a few hours playing at 144Hz on my PC.

Defeating champions in Destiny 2 looked great in 4K, especially with the ultra-smooth refresh rate.

Just because the M32U offers 144 Hz doesn't mean you can enjoy it in games. Native 4K is still a killer for most PC hardware. Even with an RTX 3090 and an Intel Core i9-10900K, I couldn't achieve more than 60 fps in Control or Assassin's Creed Valhalla when all the sliders were turned up.

The high refresh rate is more relevant in games like Destiny 2, which are less demanding. Defeating champions and melting down Gambit bosses looked great in 4K, especially with the ultra-smooth refresh rate.

Still, you need powerful hardware to use a display like the M32U. You should have at least an RTX 3070 or RX 6800 XT if you want to play the latest AAA games in native 4K. Or you can always cheat the resolution a bit with a feature like Nvidia Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), which lets the high refresh rate shine through in a game like Control.

Our opinion

Unless you're spending $ 3,000 on something like the Asus ROG Swift PG32UQ, you won't find another high-refresh rate 32-inch 4K gaming monitor. It's in a class of its own, but that doesn't make it the best by default. There's a far larger selection of 27-inch displays for the same price, many with better HDR and higher peak brightness.

However, if you have chosen 32 inches, there is no other option. The Aorus branded model is aesthetically better, but that's hard to justify with an extra $ 200 on the table. Gigabyte created a monitor that ticks the boxes in an area where there are very few monitors, and at an affordable price.

Just make sure to attach a Spyder to it before using the M32U for any serious work.

Are there alternatives?

No, outside of the Aorus FI32U, that's $ 200 more expensive. Many high refresh rate 4K gaming displays are fixed at 27 inches, including the Eve Spectrum 4K and the LG 27GN950. However, you can get higher brightness and better HDR performance if you sacrifice screen size.

How long it will take?

Given how demanding 4K still is for modern PC hardware, the M32U will last for years. The M32U will keep up until 8K becomes the norm or midrange GPUs can achieve high frame rates at 4K. HDR throws the bill, however, so you may need to upgrade in a few years if you want to use HDR in games.

Should I buy it?

If you need a 32-inch 4K gaming monitor, yes. The Gigabyte M32U is in a class of its own by default. However, you can get a better 27-inch 4K monitor for the same price, which is what I would recommend to most people.

Editor's recommendations



23 Sep
Blog

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 Review: Fast, But Flawed

Opened Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 sitting on the floor.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4

RRP $ 2,095.00

"The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 is not a perfect performer, but there is a lot to like."

advantages

  • Excellent workmanship

  • Superior entry-level display

  • Solid performance

  • Good keyboard and touchpad

  • Very powerful configuration options

disadvantage

  • Performance was inconsistent

  • Battery life was average

Lenovo's most powerful non-workstation ThinkPad is the ThinkPad X1 Extreme, an earlier 15-inch laptop that served as a strong competitor to the Dell XPS 15 and other high-performance laptops in its class. The fastest components and the most aggressive thermal designs can be found in the ThinkPad X1 Extreme, something Lenovo took to extremes with the fourth generation.

Not only has the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 increased performance, but it has also joined the movement of the larger displays and features a slightly larger 16-inch 16:10 display, while at the same time being roughly the same size as the previous generation fits.

I tested a ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 with an Intel Core i7-11800H and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060, which costs $ 2,095. You can also choose up to a Core i9-11950H with vPro and an RTX 3080, which further improves the laptop's theoretical performance and even outperforms the impressive Dell XPS 17 in terms of pure performance. As I found out in this review, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 is a fast premium notebook – but according to my tests it has some performance weaknesses that take away some of its clout.

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View of the lid of an opened Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 was 14.24 "x 9.67" x 0.72 "and weighed 3.75 pounds. The new Gen 4 model is 14.13 inches by 9.99 inches by 0.70 inches and weighs 3.99 pounds. Aside from adding a tiny bit of depth thanks to the taller display and a quarter pound of weight, Lenovo did what it set out to do: a 16:10 16-inch display the same size as the previous 15.6 – Pack inch display. Inch generation.

The thing is, it's still a lot bigger than the Dell XPS 15, which comes in at 13.57 "x 9.06" x 0.71 "and a slightly heavier 4.22 pounds. If you put the two next to each other, the ThinkPad looks huge in comparison. This is mainly due to the larger bezels of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4, which also give it an old-school look with the modern, higher display. A new competitor, the MSI Creator Z16, also has a 16:10 16-inch display and measures 14.13 inches by 10.08 inches by 0.64 inches and weighs 5.07 pounds. Its bezels are a bit smaller than the ThinkPad's, but it's still deeper – just imagine.

All in all, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 looks like a large laptop, but it doesn't feel like it thanks to its light weight. It's made of an aluminum alloy on the lower chassis (with some plastic parts) and contains four layers of reinforced carbon fiber in the lid. I'm not sure how Lenovo kept the weight down without using a magnesium alloy, but they succeeded and the laptop sits comfortably in the hand. It has the usual soft-touch coating on the ThinkPad and is extremely comfortable to hold.

The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 looks like a ThinkPad.

It's also pretty stiff, with just the slightest flexing of the lid if you try hard enough, and without giving way to the keyboard deck or the bottom of the case. The Dell XPS 15 is all around stiff, which makes it feel more solid, but there is no significant difference. The Gen 4 model is at least as robust as the Gen 3, making it one of the class leaders in terms of build quality – and it offers the usual MIL-STD 810g certification for robustness.

Aesthetically, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 looks like a ThinkPad. It is completely black with just a few red accents in the X1 logo on the lid, the red LED dot on the "i" in the ThinkPad logo, the red TrackPoint stud in the middle of the keyboard and accents on the edges of the TrackPoint buttons. My test device came with a display with WQXGA resolution (2,560 x 1,600), so the lid was simply black.

Choose one of the 4K + WQUXGA (3840 x 2400) displays and you get a carbon fiber fabric to add some pizzazz to the lid. Overall, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 has an attractive and bold look, and if you like the ThinkPad aesthetics, this is your one for sure. The XPS 15 looks more modern and slimmer overall, and overall more attractive, especially with the white fiberglass keyboard deck, but the ThinkPad aims at and achieves its own appearance.

The MSI Creator Z16 has a more straightforward aesthetic in the case. Nevertheless, it integrates RGB lighting into the keyboard, making it the exact opposite of the conservative ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4, at least when you open the lid and switch on the keyboard lighting.

Charging connector, 2 micro USB ports, HDMI port and headphone jack on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Hinges on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 Aptop.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 ports: SD card slot and 2 USB ports.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Connectivity remains a strength, with a proprietary power port (that supports a 230 watt power adapter), two USB-Cs with Thunderbolt 4 ports, a full-size HDMI 2.0 or 2.1 port (depending on the model), and a 3, 5mm audio jack on the left and two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports and a full-size SD card reader on the right. Wireless connectivity is provided by the latest and fastest Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, and you can configure WWAN support through an optional nano-SIM slot.

power

Lenovo didn't mess around when developing the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4's performance profile. You can configure up to a Core i9-11950H with vPro in the CPU department and up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Max-Q in the GPU department. There is no other 15- or 16-inch laptop that I know of that is as powerful outside of slot machines.

My test device was equipped with a Core i7-11800H and an RTX 3060 and thus more powerful than the Dell XPS 15 and identical to the MSI Creator Z16. Unfortunately, Lenovo sent me a machine with only one 16 GB RAM stick installed, which limits the memory to single-channel performance. As we shall see, this had effects that were not immediately apparent.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

In Geekbench 5, the ThinkPad does well enough, just behind the MSI Creator Z16 and the Dell XPS 15. It beats the MSI and Dell by a few in our Handbrake test, which encodes a 420 MB video as H.265 Seconds. And it was also clearly ahead of the XPS 15 and the Z16 in Cinebench R23. So far, so good. Only the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro with its Ryzen 7 5800H – a fast processor for compute-intensive tasks – stood out in our comparison group.

The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 was in the midfield in PCMark 10, faster than the XPS 15, but slower than the Z16. It was able to keep up in the areas of essentials and productivity of the test, but lagged behind the MSI Creator Z16 in content creation (but before the Dell XPS 15). Again, according to the benchmarks reported so far, there were no red flags in terms of performance.

If you buy this laptop, make sure you tick Dual Channel RAM in the configurator.

However, when I switched to the Pugetbench benchmark running in Adobe Premiere Pro, things got a little strange. The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 achieved an extremely low value of 432 in this test, which uses both CPU and GPU. The Dell XPS 15 with Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti achieved 509 in standard mode (and 590 in performance mode), the MSI Creator Z16 was faster at 732, only reaching 54.5 compared to the 119.1 from MSI and 74.8 from Dell.

It turned out that the single-channel RAM caused such a low score in this benchmark. Lenovo tested an identical device with two 16 GB RAM sticks and dual-channel storage and gave it 642 points. To be honest, that's still low for the CPU and GPU, especially with 32 GB of RAM, well below the MSI Creator Z16 (also with 32 GB) and only a bit better than the XPS 15 in performance mode. But it's better than my test device. If you buy this laptop, make sure you tick Dual Channel RAM in the configurator.

I was happy with the performance of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 until I hit the Pugetbench results. This laptop is intended for developers running CPU and GPU intensive applications like Premiere Pro, and the ThinkPad didn't do as well as I expected even when configured with faster RAM performance. I have no idea how well the Core i9 version might do, and you can increase the overall performance in these apps by opting for an RTX 3070 or 3080. The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 will likely be the fastest laptop in this comparison group when it is at full capacity. Note, however, that if configured similarly, it won't be the fastest laptop when compared to the competition. Note that if you choose to mirror, you can add a second solid-state drive (SSD) to the machine for additional storage or redundancy.

Laptop 3DMark time spy Cinebench R23 Underdog Bench 5 Handbrake
(Seconds)		 PCMark 10 Fourteen days
(1080p epic)		 Civilization VI (1080p Ultra)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 (Core i7-11800H) 6691 1519/10497 1520/7353 99 6251 85 fps (1920 x 1200) Wouldn't run
Dell XPS 15 OLED 2021 (Core i7-11800H) 4540 1513/9979 1544/7692 101 6024 50 fps 73 fps
MSI Creator Z16 (Core i7-11800H) 6322 1444/9615 1540/7625 103 6486 59 fps (1920 x 1200) 92 fps
Dell XPS 17 (Core i7-11800H) 7039 1525/10145 1568/8801 n / A 6209 78 fps 104 fps
LG gram 16 (Core i7-1165G7) 1390 1394/4137 1573/5454 213 4827 13 fps n / A
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (Ryzen7 5800H) 9175 1430/11195 1460/7227 99 n / A 101 fps 114 fps

Considering the RTX 3060 and the fast CPU, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 should be a good entry-level gaming device. That's how my tests went for the most part. Unfortunately, the ThinkPad Civilization VI would not run without a crash, so I am unable to report any results for this game. In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 hit 53 frames per second (fps) in 1080p and high graphics, much slower than the MSI Creator Z16's 82 fps, but that gap narrowed as I went up in resolution and graphics. At 1600p and ultra-high graphics, the ThinkPad managed 39 fps compared to 45 fps on the Z16.

I saw similar results with Battlefield V, where the ThinkPad achieved 69 fps at 1080p and medium graphics compared to the MSI at 81 fps. Then the ThinkPad was faster at 1600p and ultra graphics at 56 fps versus 43 fps. Finally, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 massacred the MSI Creator Z16 in Fortnite, reaching 85 fps at 1200p and epic graphics versus 59 fps. The same discrepancy was shown for the rest of the tested resolutions and graphics settings.

You will find that the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 is a competent, but not class-leading gaming laptop for modern titles at reasonable resolutions and graphics settings. You can probably play most games at 1600p with medium to high graphics, as long as you are willing to accept lower frame rates or turn things down a bit, and you get very playable performance. You may find some inconsistencies like I did, but overall you will be able to play along with your work.

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The display of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 laptop.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Lenovo offers several 16:10 16-inch displays for the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4, WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600) IPS, WQUXGA (3,840 x 2,400) with Dolby Vision and WQUXGA touch display with Dolby Vision. My test device equipped the entry-level WQXGA display, which is better for battery life, but not as sharp. When I used the laptop during the test, I found the display a delight, with lots of brightness and contrast, and colors that pop but didn't seem inaccurate. It's not an OLED, but it was excellent for an IPS display.

My colorimeter agreed. It's incredibly bright at 468 nits, well above our 300 nit threshold, which is better than the 385 nits of the MSI Creator Z16's IPS WQUXGA panel and the 381 nits of the Dell XPS 15's 3.5K OLED display The contrast of the ThinkPad was very good for an IPS display at 1,240: 1 (above our preferred contrast ratio of 1000: 1), whereas the MSI was disappointing at 800: 1 and the Dell was spectacular at 381,130: 1 (typically OLED) .

The ThinkPad also stood out among the entry-level IPS displays with a color width of 82% AdobeRGB and 100% sRGB. You probably get better colors with the WQUXGA options, but those numbers are good enough that developers could use this display. The MSI was better with 91% AdobeRGB and 100% sRGB, and thanks to its OLED technology, the Dell again did excellent with 99% AdobeRGB and 100% sRGB. The colors of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 were also very accurate with a DeltaE of 0.81 (less than 1.0 is excellent), with MSI achieving 0.76 and Dell 0.46.

Loudspeaker on the right of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The ThinkPad's two upward-facing speakers on either side of the keyboard produce a lot of volume when turned all the way up, and there was no distortion. The mids and highs were clear and there was a hint of bass. The Dell XPS 15's quad speakers are better, but the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4's audio system is sufficient for Netflix on its own. However, you will need headphones for the best quality music.

Keyboard and touchpad

Open the lid and you will find the typical ThinkPad keyboard. It has a lot of travel at 1.8mm, molded keys with large keycaps and good key spacing, and switches that are snappy and precise. It feels like most ThinkPad keyboards, and my only complaint is that the keys take more pressure than I want to press. I find it more tiring during long typing sessions than the lighter keyboard on the Specter range from HP or the Dell XPS 15, and I found that the keyboard on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 also has a lighter stroke than I preferred. If you don't mind, or maybe even prefer, a stiffer mechanism, then this keyboard will appeal to you.

The keyboard of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The TrackPoint knob in the middle of the keyboard works well as usual, but the keys take up the same space on the touchpad. You'll be happy if you like this cursor control method, but I'd rather skip it and have a bigger touchpad. Speaking of which, the touchpad is a decent size, but nowhere near the massive version of the Dell XPS 15. It was sleek and responsive, with Microsoft Precision touchpad support, but I wish it was bigger given all the palm rest space.

Windows 10 Hello passwordless login is provided by a fingerprint reader built into the power button that works quickly and logs you in immediately when you turn on the device. There is an optional infrared camera for facial recognition that my test device did not have. There's also the Lenovo ThinkShutter physical webcam privacy slider, which is old-fashioned compared to some electronic versions you'll find on some other laptops like the HP Specter, but it works.

Close-up on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 webcam.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Battery life

The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 has a 90 watt hour battery, which is a lot. The 16-inch WQXGA display should have better battery life than the UHD + version, but the components aren't particularly energy efficient. In addition, except for the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9, the battery life of the ThinkPad was disappointing and I wasn't expecting too much.

The ThinkPad managed just under 7.5 hours in our web browser test, well below the 10 hours we like to see. Nevertheless, the MSI Creator Z16 (also with a WQXGA display and 90 watt hour battery) only lasts 5.3 hours. The Dell XPS 15 with its 3.5K OLED display and 84 watt hours was more powerful with nine hours. In our video looping test, which played a local Full HD movie trailer, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 lasted just over nine hours, again better than the eight hours of the MSI, but behind the 11 hours of the XPS 15.

If you keep your workload low, you might make it by evening, but I wouldn't count on that.

I also ran the PCMark 10 Applications battery test, which is the best indicator of productivity battery life. The ThinkPad lasted 8.75 hours, a low score compared to the average laptop that lasted 10 hours or more in this test. The XPS 15 was worse at eight hours, and we didn't run the MSI through this test. In the PCMark 10 gaming battery test, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 managed just under 90 minutes, compared to the XPS 15 with three minutes less (again we did not run this test on the MSI Creator Z16). In my experience, this test shows how hard a laptop works on battery rather than absolute longevity, and the ThinkPad is one of those laptops that seem to maintain speed even when switched off.

Overall, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 was not a bad battery performance in view of the 16-inch WQXGA display and the high-end components. It's unlikely to get you through a full day of work on a single charge, and the Power Brick is pretty big to take with you, but that's the price you pay for so much power. If you keep your workload low, you might make it by evening, but I wouldn't count on that.

Our opinion

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 lives up to its title. It's the most powerful ThinkPad you can buy, and in a completely different class from most ThinkPads designed for standard productivity performance. Since you can configure it with a Core i9 and an RTX 3080 Max-Q, there is no other non-gaming laptop in the same class that can compete with bare specs.

At the same time, the performance is less than it should be, at least in the one benchmark that provides the best example of the laptop's performance in creative apps from practice. And its gaming performance is inconsistent. If you can live with these limitations, you'll love the look and feel and build quality, probably love the keyboard and touchpad, and even the entry-level display is excellent. You will just be a little unsure how the laptop will work in your given workflow.

Are there alternatives?

A solid alternative in terms of its aesthetics and build quality, the Dell XPS 15 offers good performance and a stunning 3.5K OLED display option. It's about the same price as configured, so you're sacrificing some performance for the XPS 15's superb design.

The MSI Creator Z16 is another option that has better performance in most tests (except for some games), but not as good battery life. With a similar configuration, it's more expensive at $ 2,549, but you get better Premiere Pro performance that creators will like.

After all, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 is a solid choice in the 16-inch class, but the Intel version won't keep up with the ThinkPad, especially if you configure the Lenovo to the maximum. The rumored M1X MacBook Pro might be worth considering, however.

How long it will take?

The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 is well built and should be in use for years. The components are up to date and should keep Windows 10 (and 11) running. However, the 1 year warranty is very disappointing for this class of notebooks.

The one-year warranty is disappointing for such an expensive notebook, but it still offers on-site service.

Should you buy it?

Yes sir. If you're a ThinkPad fanatic and looking for the fastest model you can buy, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 won't disappoint. If you're not a ThinkPad fan, your decision will be a little tougher – but in the end, this is a viable option compared to the competition.

Editor's recommendations



21 Sep
Blog

Fitbit Charge 5 Review: A Truly Advanced Fitness Tracker

Tap a Fibit Charge 5 awake.

Fitbit Charge 5: A Truly Advanced Fitness Tracker

RRP $ 180.00

"The new and improved Fitbit Charge 5 offers everything you could want from an advanced fitness tracker."

advantages

  • Stylish and comfortable design

  • Solid battery life

  • Loaded with advanced health metrics

  • Onboard GPS with multiple modes

  • Supports Fitbit Pay

disadvantage

  • Sometimes slow swiping of inputs

  • Some basic fitness / wellness tools are missing

  • Fitbit Premium is required for some functions

The last Fitbit Charge Tracker I used before the Charge 5 was the much less innovative Charge HR of the first generation. After wearing the Charge 5 non-stop for a week, I was impressed how drastic the experience is with Fitbit's most advanced tracker ever. Even when compared to the previous generation Charge 4, the Charge 5 takes the overall wearable fitness tracking experience up a few notches.

The new design makes this tracker more comfortable and appealing, but also offers an extensive list of functions that go with the brand's best-equipped smartwatches. Above all, the Charge 5 is the very first Fitbit fitness tracker that works with the Fitbit EKG app and thus joins the ranks of the Fitbit Sense smartwatch. For loyal Fitbit fans or first-time fitness tracker users, the redesigned Charge 5 has a lot going for it in a super portable and easy-to-use format.

Design and comfort

It's fair to say the Charge 5 has received a makeover. Unlike the box-shaped models in front of it, the Charge 5 takes up one side of the rounded angles of the Fitbit Versa 3 or the Apple Watch Series 7. These softer lines make the Charge 5 more current and desirable to wear day after day. The Charge 5 also increases the quality with higher quality materials than the synthetic resin and rubber of the previous model. You will find a more robust and better looking tracker made of aluminum, glass and resin with a silicone strap – and an aluminum buckle in the sports strap version.

The interchangeable straps are soft, flexible, and adapt to smaller wrists – as dainty as 5.1 inches – that I can't find firsthand on wearables. Both the standard and especially the sports band I tested felt like the first bands to fit my 5.5 inch wrist. I barely realized I was wearing the tracker because it was so light and fitted so well. I only took it off before taking a shower. It was also very comfortable to sleep due to the quick access sleep mode feature and the overall lightweight construction.

As for the display, Fitbit says the Charge 5 is twice as bright as the Charge 4 in daylight. While it suffers from the glare of the Corning Gorilla Glass case in direct sunlight, the screen quality is a significant step up from even at maximum brightness the grayscale touchscreens of past charge trackers.

I barely realized I was wearing the tracker because it was so light and fitted so well.

Despite the glare issue, the display is impressive. Although the screen is small with a 1.04 inch viewing area, it feels kind of spacious. It was easy to interact with and lacked major responsiveness issues. When wiping from left to right, I noticed very little inertia.

power

The Charge 5 is a dedicated fitness tracker, so expect support for some automatic workouts like running, walking, and biking that it offers. The Charge 5 supports a total of 20 training modes, seven of which have GPS tracking.

The Charge 5 proved to be a great motivator to schedule daily walks as my form of exercise while I dropped out of my almost daily running routine due to an injury. It automatically tracked several of my 30 minute to 1.5 hour hikes and walks with no issues. When I started running from the tracker, GPS tracking was slightly delayed, but it never took more than a minute or two to catch up.

Training days displayed on a Fitbit Charge 5.

Yoona Wagener / Digital Trends

Reminder to move on a Fitbit Charge 5.

Yoona Wagener / Digital Trends

Summary of the day view on a Fitbit Charge 5.

Yoona Wagener / Digital Trends

I compared the tracking accuracy of my walks with a Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2. The Active 2 is definitely more of a smartwatch, but it fits the fitness and wellness focus of the Charge 5. The Active 2 records GPS much faster than the Charge 5 and has a responsive start / stop function, which the Charge lacks, but the two were on track in terms of performance to record my daily walking workouts. The Charge 5 met the Active 2 step for step size, average heart rate and total time.

The Charge 5 has an ambitious list of wellness specs.

While trackers are much more wellness focused than smart features, I've found that the best fitness trackers combine the two in meaningful ways. The Charge 5 does this with features like Google Fast Pair with Android phones and contactless payments with Fitbit Pay. This tracker also offers notifications for calls, SMS and emails, as well as a quick reply feature for Android users. Notifications came instantly from my iPhone and were easy to see and clear with a few taps of the finger.

Advanced features

The Fitbit brand is arguably more about wellness than fitness alone, and the Charge 5 has an ambitious list of wellness specs. In addition to the usual 24/7 heart rate monitoring, sleep cycle tracking, and active minutes and zones that most Fitbits offer, this latest tracker also offers blood oxygen saturation (SPO2) monitoring and electrodermal activity (EDA) analysis of stress levels. While more basic features like climbing floors and manual heart rate tracking would have been nice too, the Charge 5 focuses on the latest wellness technology.

Charge 5 will soon have support for the Fitbit EKG app, which allows you to take heart rhythm measurements right from your wrist. It will also provide a new Daily Readiness Score for premium members. This score analyzes your sleep and heart rate variability and looks for signs of fatigue to let you know whether your body is ready to exercise or rest. The Daily Readiness Score seems to be similar to what I've seen on Garmin smartwatches targeting multisport and triathlon tracking, which I've found to be pretty accurate and helpful for training.

EDA scan runs on a Fitbit Charge 5.Yoona Wagener / Digital Trends

software

The Charge 5 provides a clear summary of the daily statistics that is easy to see. However, like other Fitbit wearables, it is very tied to the companion app for insights into how you've slept, exercised, or moved according to the tracker. The app is also key for customizations like setting up Fitbit Pay, changing the watch face, and participating in challenges. Fortunately, the Fitbit app is very clean and not intimidating, though you may need to dive into a few hidden features if you're not familiar with the layout.

You can examine each data tile and learn more, or remove (hide) it if you are not interested in keeping track of it. None of the data appears overloaded with information. Sleep data can be particularly detailed without feeling inaccessible, and provides an overall assessment and breakdown of sleep stages. The app also offers tools to help you change your habits, such as: B. Setting a smart alarm (to wake you gently 30 minutes before the alarm clock) or assessing how stressed you feel.

Tap a Fibit Charge 5 awake.Yoona Wagener / Digital Trends

The premium subscription unlocks the deeper health data you may want to keep an eye on, such as: B. Your heart rate variability, skin temperature fluctuations and saturation of blood oxygen content (SPO2). It also gives you access to Premium's one-stop-shop wellness features, with everything from guided exercise programs to tips on how to get rid of sugar for good. Regardless of whether you pass on a premium membership or continue with it, the app interface is easy to navigate and offers the opportunity to be more concerned with your data and habits.

Battery life

Like the Charge 4, the Charge 5 also promises a potential one-week battery life. Using the dynamic GPS mode, which is based on your phone's GPS unless you have it with you, and turning off the screen that is always on are some of the battery saving features I took advantage of during my week of testing.

I experienced a solid 5.5 days which seems like a fair result as I've used the built-in GPS multiple times. While a full week would have been ideal, this battery power surely outperforms some smartwatches that only last two days. It also took about 90 minutes to charge. This charging time is tracked with Fitbit's estimate of up to two hours to charge the battery.

Price and availability

the 5. charge Retails for approximately $ 180 and ships in late September. It is available in a standard model in three different color options (black / graphite, moon white / soft gold and steel blue / platinum) and small and large ribbons.

Our opinion

The Fitbit Charge 5 is a stand-out fitness tracker that improves everything Fitbit trackers are good at. Its compact and fashionable design makes it an ultra-portable 24/7 accessory. But in addition to the modern and sleek look, it's packed with wellness features and data that you can immerse yourself in with the easy-to-use Fitbit app.

Is there a better alternative?

You will have a hard time finding a match at all of the same levels as the Charge 5. If you like the look of a traditional watch better and you're tied to a specific smartphone operating system, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 or Apple Watch SE might be compelling. If you're on a budget, the Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 better mirrors the look of the Charge 5, with a modest but helpful range of exercise modes, sleep tracking, and a possible 15-day battery life depending on usage.

How long it will take?

The Charge 5 is more advanced than any previous batch. Thanks to material upgrades, advanced wellness support and waterproof protection (for swimming up to 50 meters), you should be in good shape for several years. If something unexpected happens, the Charge 5 comes with a one-year warranty.

Should you buy it?

Yes, this is one of the best fitness trackers from a brand specializing in fitness and wellness. The Charge 5 is attractive, easy to carry, and a great choice for anyone looking for a tracker with the latest Fitbit innovations.

Editor's recommendations



21 Sep
Blog

What Is Transepidermal Water Loss? How To Stop It

If you suffer from dehydrated or dry skin, one of the causes may be transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Translation? You lose water and moisture from your skin. TEWL can lead to a variety of dry skin conditions – including severe dehydration – but there are ways you can moisturize your skin or prevent dryness in the first place.

What is transepidermal water loss?

To understand TEWL, let's look again at the layers of our skin. Our skin is made up of three primary layers, the outermost being the epidermis (also known as what you are looking at in the mirror). The dermis is the middle layer and the hypodermis is the innermost layer. TEWL occurs when water from the dermis passes through the epidermis and evaporates through the skin barrier.

Dermatologist Anna Guanche told Allure: “The skin barrier consists of the epidermis and especially the hard, outermost layer of the stratum corneum. The epidermis is what we normally call the outer layer of the skin, but it is made up of five layers. The outermost layer of the epidermis is the stratum corneum. "

When the stratum corneum is compromised, moisture evaporates through the ineffective skin barrier, and you can expect very dry, dull, or dehydrated skin. Your skin is usually clever enough to regulate water loss and retain moisture, but sometimes certain factors damage the functioning of your skin barrier and make dryness worse. If you're wondering if TEWL has compromised your skin barrier, knowing what to look for helps. Symptoms of TEWL include flaking, itching, skin tension, and redness.

Transepidermal water loss infographic

Which factors trigger transepidermal water loss?

TEWL can be triggered by:

  • Skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis, or rosacea
  • Dry weather or excessive time with dry indoor air (e.g. from air conditioners and central heating)
  • Excessive washing, exfoliating, and scrubbing with harsh soaps
  • Allergies, diabetes, or kidney disease
  • Skin aging with decreasing sebum production
  • Sunburn or sores
  • chlorine

How to stop transepidermal water loss

The most important part of preventing TEWL is ensuring a healthy skin barrier. You may be thinking, "What is a skin barrier and how should we protect it?"

A healthy, functioning skin barrier blocks environmental stimuli and keeps all the good things, like natural oils and moisture, inside. A compromised skin barrier does a poor job of maintaining the health of your skin conditions like dermatitis or dryness due to ineffective water retention that can lead to skin damage. To keep your skin's ecosystem healthy and prevent TEWL, take a look at the lifestyle and skin care tips below.

1. Use moisturizing products

Moisturizing is an important strategy for maintaining skin health and treating impaired skin barrier function. Eminence Organics Director of Product Development Colette Liebermann Says, "Preventing TEWL will keep the skin barrier healthy and hydrated. Richer creams bind moisture and thus prevent water loss while sleeping. "

Woman with dry hands

Night creams, for example, are an essential part of skin care. At night, the skin is in recovery mode, which means that it is the ideal time to use ultra-rich creams with a higher concentration of active ingredients to increase moisture, restore the skin and improve the complexion. This is an especially important step for mature skin. Our Marine Peptide Collection is designed to reduce transepidermal water loss with rich anti-aging formulas that lock in moisture. Some products in this collection contain exopolysaccharide, an ingredient that helps limit TEWL and improve skin hydration.

TEWL can be further reduced through the use of skin care products that contain humectants, occlusive and emollient agents. These are important ingredients found in moisturizers. Humectants (like glycerin and hyaluronic acid) draw water from the environment into the skin. But that's not enough – you need something to prevent that moisture from evaporating. Because of this, you need occlusive agents like beeswax, which act as a lipid barrier for water retention. Emollients also minimize TEWL and are also used to make moisturizers more plump.

2. Use a humidifier on an impaired skin barrier

If you live in a dry climate or are prone to dry winter weather, try a humidifier in your home to see if your skin has time to heal. Studies have shown that humidifiers that produce "water particles in nano-size" "have a positive effect on skin moisture and skin barrier function".

3. Skin moisturizing techniques for bathing

If you already have dry, dehydrated skin, ScienceDirect recommends placing a damp washcloth or towel on the area while your hands or feet can be treated by soaking in a bowl. Soak in warm (not hot) water for about 10 minutes, then apply an occlusive moisturizer to lock in the moisture. When moisturizing the face or neck, ScienceDirect recommends placing a damp washcloth or towel on the area while your hands or feet (ex.

4. Avoid harsh detergents and excessive exfoliation

Excessive washing, excessive exfoliation, chemical skin care, and some acne treatments can all lead to a damaged skin barrier and trigger skin conditions. It's also always best to consult a dermatologist if you're not sure what exactly is triggering your symptoms. As a general rule, avoid over-cleaning or the use of foaming cleansers, which may strip your skin of oils. It is safer to opt for a gentle milk cleaner. Also choose your active ingredients wisely. Ingredients such as retinol and alpha hydroxy acids can worsen the effectiveness of TEWL.

Do you suffer from TEWL? Discover the Marine Peptide Collection, designed to reduce water loss and lock in moisture.

21 Sep
Blog

Kena: Bridge of Spirits Review: A Legendary Adventure

Kena faces a giant boss in Kena: Bridge of Spirits.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits Review: A Legendary Adventure

RRP $ 40.00

"Kena: Bridge of Spirits is as beautifully and elegantly designed as a big budget game, which makes it a statement debut for Ember Lab."

advantages

  • Satisfactory exploration

  • Adorable red mechanic

  • Hard but fair fights

  • Elegant complexity curve

  • Wonderful look

disadvantage

  • Frustrating attack patterns

  • Cutscenes stutter

At first glance, few would guess that Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a self-released debut project from a small studio. The adventure game is as good as it can be, with great graphics, cutscenes that rival (if not outperform) modern CG animated films, and rock-hard gameplay mechanics. If there was ever any doubt that the barrier between “Indie” and “AAA” had eroded over the years, here is a game that breaks all remaining walls.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits was developed by Ember Lab and comes through the Epic Games Store with the confidence of a first-party game from Sony on PS4, PS5 and PC. It pulls elements from Zelda, Uncharted, Dark Souls, and many more heavy hitters above its weight class to knock its genre a knockout blow. It's no surprise that it's in the spotlight during Sony's state-of-play streams and this year's Tribeca Festival. This is the kind of statement debut that needs attention.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is an exquisitely crafted adventure that blends classic and modern game design concepts with ease. Whether it comes to reefing Pikmin with its resourceful creature control mechanics or engaging in deceptively challenging battles, it excels in everything it does. The whole thing is rounded off by a poignant, Miyazaki-like story, which is told through profound world formation and cutscenes in cinema quality.

The legend of Kena

When it first debuted, Kena: Bridge of Spirits made some early comparisons with The Legend of Zelda series. These were certainly justified, but it doesn't paint a complete picture of the game. It is bursting with inspiration based on decades of video game history. The general framework feels timeless; Kena is a rod-wielding heroine who sets out to find a mountain shrine in a poisoned world that has been abandoned by all but monsters.

Kena looks at a poisoned lightbulb in Kena: Bridge of Spirits.

Many of its structural beats are familiar, but in a warm, calming way. Players tackle well-designed platform sections, hunt relics that lead them to every nook and cranny of a sprawling map, and find a slew of collectible secrets dotted around every nook and cranny. It's a classic video game premise that's kind of nostalgic for any era, but every bit of it is glowed until it twinkles.

Exploring in Kena: Bridge of Spirits always feels satisfying as each tool has a clear purpose that is easy to keep track of.

Take exploration, for example. Kena doesn't have as many tools as Link, but each is equally important for navigation. Her arrows allow her to jump flowers like a hookshot, she can climb Uncharted walls, and a ghost bomb in the middle of the game magically rebuilds broken structures to create the game's cleverest platform puzzles. Exploring in Kena: Bridge of Spirits always feels satisfying as each tool has a clear purpose that is easy to follow. there is no mechanical fluff to slow the pace.

The most adorable idea, however, comes from a surprising game: Pikmin. Kena can collect and control adorable black creatures called Red that swarm and squeak around her like the soot sprites from Spirited Away. The red permeates Kena's traditional adventure systems with its most imaginative ideas. You can lift items to reveal collectibles, lug around rocks that create new platforms, or form a water-like swarm that can break through thorny roadblocks. Every time I discovered a new interaction, I screamed with joy – both because I was amazed at how many creative possibilities the game can expand on a simple system, and because they are just so damn cute. You can even wear tiny cowboy hats!

Kena commands a Red Army in Kena: Bridge of Spirits.

Yeah, I'm serious about the last part. Another vintage piece of Kena's DNA is the Collect-a-Thon setup. There are many optional items around the world, but each one is worthwhile for a variety of reasons. The reds themselves serve as a clever but functional collectible as the swarm level up and gain new skills when Kena finds enough creatures. There are also quite a few small hats that can be found over chests and combat challenges, and each red can be outfitted with a different one. That doesn't affect gameplay, but it sure makes a fun change.

That speaks for the core strength of Kena: It's always playful. Every new tool, platform puzzle, or buried treasure brings another delightful surprise that rewards anyone willing to get lost in a digital adventure.

Don't be lazy

Don't be fooled by the cute creatures and cones, though: Kena will be deceptively tough. The fight is just as important here as the exploration and also well thought out. Initially, players only use a light and heavy staff attack to fight enemies in close combat. But the game does an excellent job of gradually increasing the possibilities for players. It's a graceful curve of complexity that naturally builds up with the difficulty of the game.

Kena soon gains the ability to shoot arrows from her staff, adding a ranged component to the mix. Bombs add another layer around halfway through the game and bring some puzzle mechanics into the fight. A stony boss can only be damaged if Kena uses bombs to expose the wooden skin underneath. Each item also has a few select upgrades, each of which feels useful and is not just a nice but useless perk.

Kena faces a giant boss in Kena: Bridge of Spirits.

The reds also play an excellent supporting role in battles. When Kena has built up enough determination, she can use the reds for various purposes. You can swarm around an enemy to briefly distract them, heal Kena through blooming flowers on the battlefield, or even penetrate them with weapons to create powerful special attacks. Every time I had enough energy, I had to make decisions about how I would command the reds. Should I heal myself while my health is low or fire a red arrow for additional damage? It's a strategic depth that makes red seem almost like an RPG magic system.

Shielding and evasion also play a big role in battles and give the battles a manageable advantage of Dark Souls. Kena has a ghost bubble that acts as a shield in battle. Block too often and it will break, but activate it at the right moment and it will parry enemies and leave them vulnerable for a few seconds. While my instincts initially insisted on avoiding it, it quickly became critical to my battle plan.

It's a graceful curve of complexity that naturally builds up with the difficulty of the game.

It is important to have a plan as the fights get serious in the back half of the game. The challenge, of course, increases with fights that feel tough but are achievable. While fights tend to feel fair, they offer some of the rare moments of frustration in the game. Certain enemy attacks can go surprisingly far, making them a little difficult to read or avoid. Some creatures also seem to have the ability to turn anything they throw into a homing missile. I constantly felt like I was dodging a rock cleanly, only to turn into a curve ball and beam on my head.

However, these moments are rare. Most of the time, I felt totally in control in combat because I had a good understanding of all of my tools. At the penultimate boss, I found myself pinning a bomb on an enemy, firing them with a rot-infused arrow to do additional ranged damage while detonating them, charging forward to close the range, and my shield activated at the right time to fend off an attack and swing my staff to quickly lower its health bar. Kena gets players to this point at a constant pace, making sure they have enough time to fully grasp the potential of a tool before introducing a new idea that adds more depth.

Eat your heart out, Hollywood

The developer Ember Lab started out as an animation studio and that is easy to see. One of the first things players will notice when Kena boots up is that it offers beautiful graphics that couldn't possibly seem like they came from a small, first-time game studio. Environments pop thanks to a rich color palette that contrasts the cool blues and greens of the natural world with neon-like splashes of red and burnt-out browns. Every little character is brought to life with animation details, including every single red.

The high production value is particularly evident in the game's cutscenes, which really look like they were taken from a high budget CG animated film. It feels like Ember Lab is pushing video game animation to the limit here – which can be seen as some of the game's busier sequences tend to experience noticeable frame rate stutters.

Kena stands in front of a waterfall in Kena: Bridge of Spirits.

All of these pretty pictures are well received because Kena's true strength is expressed in the form of his story. The game plays like a classic Hayao Miyazaki movie (think Princess Mononoke or Nausicaä of the Valley of the Winds), with Kena fighting to preserve the natural beauty. Ultimately, she is on the lookout for an environmental disaster that has caused an entire village to flee. On her way to the shrine, she interacts with the spirits of those who could not stop him. The ghosts hanging around here mourn a once beautiful place and highlight the personal pain that arises from our failure to protect the world around us.

The high production value is particularly evident in the game's cutscenes, which really look like they were taken from a high budget CG animated film.

But Kena is not a story of darkness and doom. It pauses to instill empathy for those overwhelmed with pain, but it still moves forward offering hope for the future. The game hangs on moments of environmental catharsis when Kena uses the rot to turn dead areas back into blooming, grassy plains. Watching gnarled wood and toxic gas return to lush hills (an effect that occurs seamlessly in the game thanks to next-gen technology) turns Kena: Bridge of Spirits into a true power fantasy. Not one in which a grizzled soldier with a massive weapon destroys everything in sight, but one in which even the smallest person has the power to rebuild the world around him.

It's not that easy in our own world, but Kena is a much-needed optimism for players young and old.

Our opinion

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is the best adventure game in years and a clear highlight of the latest console cycle. Both the exploration and combat components become increasingly complex with tools that always have a clear purpose. This sleek mechanical design focuses on the game's compelling storyline, which tells a painful but hopeful story of an environmental disaster. There are a lot of points of comparison when you break it all down, but Kena: Bridge of Spirits puts every little influence together into its own great mix.

Is there a better alternative?

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the adventure game to beat, but Kena is the best option for PS5 owners right now.

How long it will take?

The story takes about 10 hours to complete with a healthy collection. Finding everything will keep the game time extended, as will the Master Difficulty Mode, which will be unlocked upon completion.

Should you buy it?

Yes sir. Forget Deathloop and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart: This is the defining console exclusive to the PS5's debut year.

Editor's recommendations



20 Sep
Blog

Edifier NeoBuds Pro Review: Impressive, Affordable Audio

Edifier NeoBuds Pro.

Edifier NeoBuds Pro reviewed: A new standard for affordable audio

RRP $ 129.00

"You won't find better sound quality, ANC, or transparency for less than $ 250."

advantages

  • Great sound

  • Comfortable fit

  • Very effective noise cancellation

  • Excellent transparency mode

  • Good call quality

disadvantage

  • No wireless charging

  • No in-ear detection

  • Few phones offer LHDC support

The best true wireless earbuds have a lot in common: great sound, great noise cancellation, a comfortable fit, and lots of ways to customize your experience through a smartphone app. But they also usually cost between $ 200 and $ 350. So if a set of true wireless earbuds had all of these features but at a much lower price, say $ 129, they'd be a game changer, right? Edifier certainly hopes so – its $ 129 NeoBuds Pro has everything it needs on paper, at least, to challenge Apple, Sony, Bose, and Sennheiser. Deliver? Let's find out.

What's in the box?

Contents of the Edifier NeoBuds Pro pack.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Edifier went over the top when it comes to the presentation experience for the NeoBuds Pro. The box, with its large dimensions, magnetic closures, and tons of protective foam, screams high-end luxury, but that leads to a recycling nightmare. I'd love to see the company take a page out of Sony's playbook – the $ 280 WF-1000XM4 comes in a tiny, fully recyclable box.

In the box you will find the NeoBuds Pro, its charging case, a USB-A-to-USB-C charging cable, a nylon carrying case, some printed material and a huge selection of antibacterial silicone earbuds in seven sizes (one set is pre-installed ).

draft

Edifier NeoBuds Pro.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The NeoBuds Pro belong to the same family of earphones as the Edifier NB2, NB2 Pro and Earfun Air Pro (Edifier helped design it). They look a lot like these other earbuds, with the same AirPods Pro-style ergonomic shape and tiny silver stems. However, the NeoBuds are more compact than their older siblings and have rounded contours on the stems that give them a more sophisticated look and feel. You may not agree, but I think they look great.

Thanks to their flat position, getting in and out is a breeze, although the charging case is slightly larger than models like the AirPods Pro.

The combination of matte black plastic and a brushed aluminum accent panel on the top of the lid continues the high-end vibe of the charging case, and the lid flips open easily and stays open until you fold it shut.

A huge selection of earplugs should enable a comfortable and secure fit.

But the coolest part of the NeoBuds Pro is the red LED charge indicator strip that sits right in the front groove of the case. It pulsates and animates from side to side, like a Cylon from Battlestar Galactica or maybe Kitt from Knight Rider if you like your tech friendly rather than threatening.

The only thing missing is wireless charging. Edifier doesn't seem to like wireless charging as none of their true wireless earbuds offer it.

With an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance, the earbuds are cheap compared to most high-end alternatives.

Comfort, controls and connections

Edifier NeoBuds Pro.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Smooth, rounded contours and the huge selection of earplugs should make it easy to get a comfortable and secure fit with the NeoBuds. I found the standard tips ideal for my ears and was able to wear them for several hours without discomfort. Stem-style earbuds can sometimes feel a bit unsafe as the stems can prevent you from pushing the earbuds deep enough into your ear canals, but that wasn't a problem with the NeoBuds. While it's not quite as safe as models with ear hooks or ear fins, switching to one of the larger earbud sets should provide plenty of support while running or exercising at the gym.

The NeoBuds use touch-sensitive surfaces at the very top of the stems for control. They offer good sensitivity out of the box, but Edifier cleverly added the ability to adjust that sensitivity within the Edifier Connect app. You can also customize the function of the controls on each earbud, but there's a catch: despite supporting a wide range of functions, from volume to ANC mode, there are only two actions per earbud – double-tap and triple-tap. That means you can choose from a wide variety of commands, but only four of them can be accessed through the earbuds.

Do you want to turn your phone into a private cinema? Dynamic mode will do it like a boss.

Why Edifier chose not to support additional gestures like single-tap or tap-and-hold (which would give you a total of eight commands) is a mystery and hopefully will be changed with a future firmware update. The control options are also a bit bizarre – the volume control is available, but the volume is always reduced with the right earbud, while the volume must always be done with the left.

But perhaps the biggest oversight is the lack of an automatic pause when you remove the earbuds. In contrast to its sibling, the NB2 Pro, the NeoBuds Pro lack in-ear sensors.

Each earbud can be used independently, but you should make sure that the earbud you choose has the commands it needs. Thankfully, answering / ending calls is available on both headphones by default.

The NeoBuds Pro are very easy to pair – just open the lid and search for the device in your Bluetooth settings. The connection is rock solid and surprisingly strong. Edifier claims a working distance of only 32 feet, but I was able to move 50 feet from my iPhone 11, even through two walls.

Sound quality

Edifier NeoBuds Pro.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Edifier has positioned the NeoBuds as the first true wireless earbuds with "Hi-Res wireless audio" thanks to their ability to reproduce sounds between 20 Hz and 40 kHz and their support for the LHDC Bluetooth codec. But unless you happen to own one of the few smartphones that comes with LHDC, you probably won't experience these buds to the fullest. In fact, the only phone listed on the LHDC website is the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro, a model that is not sold in the US.

Hi-res chops aside, the NeoBuds Pro sound fantastic. They use a hybrid driver design that couples a dynamic low-frequency driver with a Knowles balanced armature driver that delivers the highs. It's an unusual setup for true wireless earbuds, and the result is big, bombastic sound that is also well-detailed. The sound is not quite as nuanced as with the Sennheiser or Master & Dynamic earphones, but it is still exciting and very haunting.

With very good stereo imaging, your soundstage is wide and detailed, so you can follow individual instruments and vocals as you enter and exit the mix.

The NeoBuds Pro's ANC is impressive – by far the best you'll find in a set of earbuds at this price point.

You can choose from two preset EQ modes in the Edifier app: Classic, which offers a relatively neutral signature, and Dynamic, which drives both the lows and highs for an almost overwhelming performance, with bass levels that make your fills rattle bring. Do you want to turn your phone into a private cinema? Dynamic mode will do it like a boss. You can also enable a special low latency gaming mode if you find there is a delay between your screen and the audio, but I found the regular mode perfectly adequate.

By default, the NeoBuds Pro seem best for bass- and beat-heavy genres like rap and hip-hop, but there's plenty of leeway to tweak the signature for other genres via the custom EQ mode that lets you create your own and can save presets. Unfortunately, it's a confusing user interface with items like “Q-Factor” and frequencies that can be adjusted in 1 Hz increments. However, it is possible to make various settings. If the bass is too strong or the mids are too weak for you, you can change them.

Noise cancellation and transparency

The NeoBuds Pro's ANC is impressive – by far the best you'll find in a set of earbuds at this price point. And frankly, they come very close to the performance you get from the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds or the Apple AirPods Pro. You get two ANC modes: Low and High. Low reduces background noise while high mode does its best to eliminate it completely. Strolling through a busy downtown neighborhood to listen to a podcast is a perfect test of ANC, as spoken word content tends to suffer much more than music when it has to compete with other sounds. With High mode enabled, I could hear my podcasts with ease. It also does a great job of booming noises like bathroom fans – a good barometer of how those buds deal with the constant white noise of a jet engine on board an airplane.

The transparency mode (which Edifier calls Ambient mode) is just as good, letting in a lot of external noise, including your own voice, which makes it feel like you're not wearing any earbuds at all. This is something that less transparent systems can hardly achieve. It's also adjustable in the app, so you can choose to let a little less noise enter your ears or just amplify those sounds a little.

The best part is that toggling between ANC and transparency with the tap controls is quick and doesn't force you to go through "standard" mode. The standard mode turns off ANC and transparency, which can save some battery life, and you can activate it from the app at any time if necessary.

Battery life

Edifier NeoBuds Pro charging case ..Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Edifier claims that you get five hours per charge in the earbuds and 20 hours of total listening time in the charging case when using ANC, and that those numbers increase to six and 24 hours, respectively, when you run without the ANC. After playing a music stream at 50% volume with the ANC on, I had exactly five hours of life before the earbuds were turned off.

A quick 10 minute charge gives you an extra hour of playtime, and both the earbuds and charging case can be fully charged in an hour.

Those stats aren't exactly the best – in fact, they're on the low end of what we can expect these days – but you should still use them for a full day without finding a charger.

Call quality

Get decent calls with the NeoBuds Pro. Background noises are kept in check, and I only noticed a little compression when those noises were particularly loud. Your voice won't always sound full and detailed, but it will remain clear and audible, which is the most important thing.

Unfortunately, Edifier does not support sidetone (the ability to hear your own voice clearly during a call). When you make or answer a call, the earbuds automatically turn off ANC and transparency, and there is no way to turn them back on via the tap controls or the app until the call is over. In fact, there is no way to use the app while on a call – it thinks the headphones are disconnected during the call.

Edifier Connect app

Speaking of the app, I think Edifier still has a lot to do. The home screen offers a great overview of the NeoBuds Pro's battery level – including the case the buds sit in – as well as quick access to ANC / transparency modes. And if you're an iOS user, you can add a widget to your Today home screen. However, access to features like EQ and customizing the controls is not intuitive as they are buried in secondary screens or menus.

But I really don't like the Mall and Discover tabs, which are simply windows into Edifier's website to buy more of the company's products. They have nothing to do with how the earbuds work and make it difficult to navigate an already confusing user interface.

Our opinion

The Edifier NeoBuds Pro set a new standard for sound quality, ANC and transparency at an affordable price. They're missing some features, and I wish they had more control options, but they're still a great set of true wireless earbuds.

Is there a better alternative?

I'm confident you won't find better sound quality, ANC, or transparency at this price point, but if other features are more important, consider these options:

  • Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro, $ 100: Great Sound, Wireless Charging, In-Ear Detection. They also have more control than the NeoBuds, but their ANC and transparency are not that good.
  • Amazon Echo Buds (Gen 2)$ 120 ($ 140 with wireless charging): Great sound, in-ear detection, and great call quality, plus the ability to use hands-free voice commands with Alexa. But the battery life is poor and their ANC isn't as good as the NeoBuds. If you want, you can charge wirelessly.

How long will they last?

The NeoBuds Pro seem to be very well made and offer good protection with their IP54 rating. I suspect they will last for many years if you take care of them. Edifier supports them with a one-year guarantee.

Should you buy it?

Yes sir. the NeoBuds Pro may not have all of the competition's features, but for sound, ANC, and transparency – arguably the most important features – they kill it.

Editor's recommendations



18 Sep
Blog

Peloton Bike Review: It’s All About the Experience

Peloton Bike Review Lifestyle 4 by

Peloton Bike Review: Big for the Experience, Bigger for the Personalities

RRP $ 1,895.00

"The Peloton Bike is only part of the larger Peloton experience that will help you achieve your goals."

advantages

  • Energetic instructors

  • Multiple courses for your needs

  • Great choice of music

  • Solid piece of hardware

disadvantage

  • Not much is possible without a subscription

  • Unusual ergonomics

You've watched the commercials, seen a pop-up ad while browsing the internet, or maybe even noticed that an actual store opened near you. Yes, the Peloton Bike is without a doubt the most popular training device of all. Everywhere you look it's on your face with instructors shouting fancy catchphrases and inspirational remarks to get you going. And you know what? There is no escape.

Well, I finally gave in and plunged into the world of Peloton to see what the hype is about. Even when my maximum fitness motivation is behind me, I still try to keep myself in shape as much as possible – and that means I invest seriously in using the Peloton bike for a period of three months. With so much time I've spent on the bike, I have a lot of thoughts about whether it really is the indispensable training device.

Serious cardio exercise

The first area I dive into with the Peloton Bike is whether or not it gets you in tip-top shape. In all honesty, it all depends on your commitment because in the three months I have been riding I haven't lost any weight. In fact, I gained a few pounds instead.

It goes without saying that you're doing some cardio workout on a bike, especially if you opt for a high-intensity class that requires you to peddle like crazy for short periods of time throughout the workout. Your quadriceps get the most attention on the Peloton Bike, especially when you are working with high resistance and a high cadence. More importantly, I ended up drenched in sweat, including the 20-minute classes that I prefer the most. At the end of three months, I found that my stamina was greatly improved compared to when I started.

I found that my stamina had improved a lot compared to my early days.

For someone who has struggled with chronic foot problems in the past few years, cycling has become my favorite activity for cardio workouts. Even when I had to "get out of the saddle," there was never a time I thought it would be too strenuous on my foot. However, I can't say that about my derriere.

Some strange ergonomics

The setup process will teach you how to best set up the Peloton Bike for a comfortable ride. Despite all the adjustments, I've found over time that there are some flaws in the design that are hard to miss. They're not deal-breakers, but if you talk to them it could make for a more ergonomic and comfortable bike.

Let me talk about the narrow seat first and foremost. If you ride in the saddle for more than five minutes it becomes (literally) painful, which is why I like workouts that involve biking out of the saddle. It will help prevent your butt from getting sore. However, these are some classes that will require you to sit throughout the class. Now I'd really like to think of a wider seat as an option, but it doesn't look like one is available.

Peloton bike against white background.

Second, I wish the 21.5-inch HD touchscreen was a little closer – as I often stretched my arms out when trying to interact with it while cycling. When you cycle vigorously, it is difficult to press the icon to give someone a high five. If it was placed a little higher and a little closer to me it would be much better, but the only articulation available is tilt.

Finally, there are the pedals, which allow me to have the correct foot position throughout my workout. While Peloton does have its own set of cycling shoes for $ 125 per pair, you can buy some from another manufacturer if the cost is too high. After the first week of cycling, I found that maintaining my cadence requires a combination of pushing and pulling with the legs. Once you master it you will be better at handling some of the grueling classes.

However, getting off the Peloton bike has always been tricky – I think it takes a lot of strength to get your feet off the pedals. Well, the firm grip is wonderful for keeping my feet on the pedals, but the process of turning my foot sideways to break the connection can sometimes feel impossible. I would have liked something simpler and simpler.

Come on you got this

The advertising doesn't lie. What makes the peloton ecosystem so enjoyable are the enthusiastic teachers who lead the courses. In fact, some of them get so excited about the music they're playing that they stop pedaling to dance – all of which add to the experience. You will quickly get a feel for the different personalities who run the courses.

I really like how you can filter the courses Peloton offers, which gives users a good variety based on musical preferences, teachers, and time. The latter is especially noteworthy because I wasn't expecting to find so many 20-minute classes to choose from, but there are a lot. The only gripe I have with filtering is that there is no way to choose a class based on the difficulty level.

Train with the peloton bike.

The user interface is pretty simple, with the majority of the display being dominated by the teacher. Screen details such as cadence, power and resistance are visible throughout the training, as are details about music tracks and a leaderboard with active participants. I love that there are few distractions so I can focus on my cadence. However, I've had several instances where the stream froze and then needed to be cached to continue.

While I struggled to maintain the intensity with every workout, and often found myself just above the lowest difficulty level, I must admit that over time I found it easier to do the full length of each workout. The high-intensity riding lessons certainly helped to increase my endurance. And of course I love hearing some of the stories the teachers tell during class, which breaks the monotony of just hearing routine instructions in the right form.

Not much is possible without a subscription

Well, not only is Peloton isolated, but one big problem I have with connected fitness equipment today is that if you don't keep up with the subscription, those machines become useless. You really can't get past the main login screen with the Peloton Bike unless you have two requirements – you have an internet connection and an active subscription.

Touchscreen on the Peloton Bike.

You're already spending a fortune on the hardware itself, but you still have to raise the $ 39 membership fee to get the most out of the bike. Yes, there is an option to just ride your back to track performance metrics and even stroll around some charming places led by Peloton instructors, but you still need to be connected and have an active membership. It's a touchy subject for me because you really can't do anything else without those two things.

The monthly costs are comparable to those of the competition, such as the workouts and classes offered by Mirror and Tempo Studio. In addition to the usual bike workouts, you will also find courses for yoga, meditation and bootcamp. It's an OK mix, but it doesn't have quite the variety of classes that Mirror offers.

Our opinion

There's nothing here that other bikes can't do. You sit in it, pedal and sweat your butt off as best you can. The biggest draw for the peloton bike, however, is the peloton experience with its charismatic instructors, governing bodies and music. Speaking of music, it offers a wide range of genres.

If biking rather than running as your cardio workout of choice, the Peloton Bike for $ 1,895 will immerse you in the Peloton world and give you exactly the workout you need. With so many customizations, courses, music, and instructors to choose from, you'll find just the right thing to motivate you to get back in the saddle.

Is there a better alternative?

It really depends on what type of workout you want to do at home. For those looking for the best for the money, Apple Fitness + offers a wide range of on-demand courses that you can take at a fraction of the cost. In the meantime, if you're looking for a tech-savvy piece of hardware for the home, this is the Mirror from Lululemon is a chic looking connected fitness mirror that offers one of the most diverse sets of instructor-led workouts for the home.

How long it will take?

The Peloton Bike looks and feels polished. From the sturdy metal frame to the sharp touchscreen display, it is high quality in every respect. There is a one-year limited warranty that covers the Peloton Bike against defects, and the frame is backed by a five-year warranty.

Should you buy it?

Absolutely. As long as you train consistently you will build stamina over time, but the lessons and energy of the instructors will never bore you.

Editor's recommendations



18 Sep
Blog

MSI Creator Z16 Review: Gamer Meets Creator

The MSI Creator Z16 open on a coffee table.

MSI Creator Z16 Laptop Review: Gamer Meets Creator

RRP $ 2,727.00

"The MSI Creator Z16 has its charms, but it can't quite beat its competitors when it matters."

advantages

  • High refresh rate screen

  • Excellent content creation performance

  • Clicky, comfortable keyboard

  • Thin, slim case

  • Not a bad slot machine

disadvantage

  • Small, thin touchpad

  • Very expensive

  • Mediocre battery life

Everyone wants to try the MacBook Pro. The Creator Z16 is MSI's attempt to take on the 16-inch model, and on paper it looks like a viable alternative.

It has the same high-resolution 16:10 screen and ultra-thin body. It's even priced similarly sky-high, with a launch configuration costing $ 2,549.

But the MSI Creator Z16 has to do whatever it takes to distract buyers from the MacBook Pro or even Windows competitors like the Dell XPS 17, Asus Vivobook Pro X16, or a host of others. The Creator Z16 has a unique set of features, but its appeal is likely to be limited to those with a unique interest in PC gaming and content creation.

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The closed lid of the MSI Creator Z16.

The MSI Creator Z16 is a strange bird. The inspiration from the MacBook Pro is of course in the foreground, be it the color "Space Gray", the rounded corners or even the 16-inch 16:10 display. But many of these features have become standard in a technology world that closely follows Apple's example.

What distinguishes the Creator Z16? Well, MSI is primarily known as a gaming company, and it shows. Despite its supposed target audience for the Creator Z16, MSI was unable to completely shake off these PC gaming trappings.

The most obvious element is the keyboard's RGB backlight, powered by SteelSeries. The per-key RGB backlight is an exclusive effect on gaming laptops and peripherals, and it's daunting to see it here. Sure, it isn't hard to turn it into static color, but it's weird to pay extra for something that most non-gamers don't want.

The other holdover from his gaming roots are the vents. I can appreciate good airflow in a system, but the Creator Z16's extra vents force other elements of the laptop into awkward places. The extensive row of vents above the keyboard pushes the touchpad down to be squat. Meanwhile, the ventilation openings on the side walls also push the ports further down in the device. That's not an inconvenience, but it makes for a cumbersome looking setup. Again, it's a common thing to see in a gaming laptop – just not a content creator laptop.

The MSI Creator Z16 opens in front of a window.

There are no doubt some who appreciate the light gaming influences of the Creator Z16. There are even advantages in terms of performance and display. But from an aesthetic point of view, MSI still needs to clean up a bit before the Creator Z16 is competitive.

However, MSI has managed to make the Creator Z16 impressively thin. It's only 0.64 inches thick, which is almost exactly the same as the 16-inch MacBook Pro. That makes it thinner than options like the Dell XPS 15 and ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4. It's also a bit heavier than all of those laptops at 5.07 pounds. There's enough extra weight to easily tell the difference when you're carrying it in a bag or just moving from room to room.

The side and top bezels are quite small, but the laptop has a sizeable lower chin, especially when compared to the Dell XPS 15. It's not all that extraordinary, but it certainly isn't the most cutting-edge laptop either.

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A close-up of the MSI Creator Z16's display.

The MSI Creator Z16 offers a 16-inch screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1600. This is a 16:10 format that corresponds exactly to the size and shape of the MacBook Pro 16-inch. This is no coincidence either.

However, the resolution is missing a bit. While the screen looks sharp enough for casual work for this screen size, you'll find that many of the Creator Z16's competitors use a higher resolution. The 16-inch MacBook Pro has a resolution of 3072 x 1920, while many Windows competitors offer a higher-resolution 4K display.

However, the MSI Creator Z16 has a few key features that give it the upper hand over the 16-inch MacBook Pro and a number of other laptops. First, it has a refresh rate of 120Hz. Yes, that's another holdover from MSI's gaming roots – and it helps give the Creator Z16 a more legitimate PC gaming experience.

But smoother animation is a boon for everything else you do as well. Whether it's moving the cursor or scrolling a web page, everything is improved with a higher refresh rate. We'll see this more in the future, especially with OLED panels, but so far it remains one of a kind that gives the Creator Z16 an interesting edge.

The second notable feature of this display is its touch capability. While it's pretty common in Windows laptops like the Dell XPS 15, the MacBook Pro 16-inch lacks it. I don't expect developers will rely on the touchscreen too much, but it's a nice addition for casual use.

In terms of image quality, the MSI Creator Z16 has a few different color modes that you can take advantage of. Content creators will be drawn to Display P3 mode. This produces the best color saturation and accuracy, which was impressive. With 100% sRGB, 91% AdobeRGB, and 93% P3, it's just as colorful as the MacBook Pro. The Delta-E of just 0.76 is a fantastically low average color error. All of this makes for the kind of display that professional color graders and photo editors will love.

The brightness and the contrast didn't tear me out of the water. The screen achieved 385 cd / m² and had a contrast ratio of 800: 1 at 100% brightness. OLED laptops such as the Samsung panels of the Asus Vivobook Pro 16X or Dell XPS 15 shine here.

Keyboard and touchpad

The keyboard and touchpad are mixed in the MSI Creator Z16. On the one hand, the keyboard offers a comfortable typing experience with large keycaps, clicking keys and a fairly standard layout. The full-size arrow keys are nice but can take a bit of getting used to.

A small curiosity in the layout is the lack of a function key on the left. Instead, MSI has opted for an enlarged control button. You still have a function key on the right side of the layout, but only as a half key shared with a second control key.

Keyboard and touchpad of the MSI Creator Z16.

As I mentioned in the design section, the keyboard has RGB backlighting per key, although the SteelSeries software isn't the most useful. For what it's worth, the indicator light on the Caps button on my test device didn't come on when I turned it on.

The touchpad is where my bigger problems are. It's both too small and poorly implemented. Due to the placement of the keyboard (see the Design section above for more information), the touchpad has been squeezed into a squat shape. This is one of the smaller touchpads you'd find on a laptop designed with the creative in mind. Most of the designs follow the MacBook Pro in that they feature an enlarged touchpad that leaves plenty of room.

However, the click of the touchpad is the most frustrating part. While tracking and gestures are fluid on the glass surface, the click mechanism is not well executed. It squeezes when you apply pressure and then requires a second squeeze to register a click, and I found the mechanism too loud and stiff. Although I got used to the faulty touchpad over weeks, going back to a MacBook Pro or XPS laptop felt heavenly.

If this were a gaming laptop, the importance of the touchpad is diminished. This is disappointing on a device where the touchpad is expected to be the primary input.

Ports

The side connections of the MSI Creator Z16.

The MSI Creator Z16 has a fairly limited number of ports. On the left you will find a USB-A 3.2 Gen2 port, Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, a headphone jack and an AC power adapter. On the right side you have access to another USB-A, USB-C and a micro SD card slot.

This is disappointing in several ways. There are two different approaches that competing laptops take. Laptops like the MacBook Pro 16-inch stick with only four Thunderbolt 4 ports, which provide the device with a lot of power, make a separate power supply unit superfluous and simplify set-up. The other option is to throw in the entire kitchen sink, including HDMI, USB-A, and SD card slots. The MSI Creator Z16 is somewhere in between. It doesn't include HDMI, requires an A / C adapter to provide full power to the device, and only has a micro SD card slot instead of a full size.

This will be an inconvenience for creatives who mainly work outside of the camera and are forced to use adapters and dongles when uploading raw content.

power

The MSI Creator Z16 has packed some powerful components in its thin case. MSI doesn't sell cheap configurations of the Creator Z16, which is not a bad thing. It's a high-end device for a professional audience. The starting configuration for $ 2,549 still gives you an Intel Core i7-11800H, an RTX 3060 (with up to 65 watts of graphics), 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD storage. This basic configuration even comes with the same 1440p 120Hz screen.

My test unit was a slightly revamped model that increased the storage to 32GB and storage to 1TB, bringing the price up to $ 2,727 (you can buy it on Amazon starting at $ 2,599). If you want to spend more than three grand, you get it with an additional terabyte of memory and a higher clocked Core i9 processor.

What you get with the Creator Z16 is a very powerful (and expensive) laptop regardless of the exact configuration. In most benchmarks, it is in the same range as the XPS 15 and 17 and the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4.

Cinebench R23 (single / multiple) Handbrake (seconds) PCMark 10 Pugetbench Premiere Pro
MSI Creator Z16 (Core i7-11800H) 1444/9615 102 6486 738
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 (Core i7-11800H) 1519/10497 106 6251 432
Dell XPS 15 (Core i7-11800H) 1513/9979 103 6024 509
Dell XPS 17 (Core i7-11800H) 1525/10145 109 6209 692
Asus Vivobook Pro 16X (Ryzen 9 5900HX) 1486/11478 90 6486 6287

The video editing was an outstanding benchmark for the MSI Creator Z16 in my tests. In Pugetbench Premiere Pro, which tests everything from applying effects to exporting timelines, the Creator Z16 took home the prize for the high score, backed up by an incredible score on the video playback. Yes, that means it even beat the Dell XPS 17.

What's the secret? Well, I mentioned earlier the numerous vents in the case that could allow the system to push the components harder without overheating. The processor was able to sustain around 4.5 GHz throughout PCMark 10, with occasional bursts above 5.0 GHz. The internal temperatures never rose above 95 degrees Celsius during the test. That's hot, but it's pretty much what you see in similar systems.

The fans can get really loud. If you dare to change the fan settings to "Performance" you will see what I mean. That'll get you even higher scores than I listed above, but the fan speed is pretty unbearable. In the meantime, the Creator Z16 does an excellent job of keeping surface temperatures down while you don't do anything intense. Thanks again to the thermal, which includes three fans and five heat pipes.

The MSI Creator Z16 with Fortnite plays on the screen.

When playing games or video editing, the surface around the WASD keys can of course get quite hot.

The MSI Creator Z16 is also a good choice for someone who wants to do PC gaming on the side. The RTX 3060 is a powerful graphics card, and the 120 Hz refresh rate allows these higher frame rates to be used.

3DMark time spy Battlefield V Assassin's Creed Valhalla Civilization VI Fourteen days
MSI Creator Z16 (RTX 3060) 6322 102 fps 50 fps 92 fps 56 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 (RTX 3060) 6691 106 fps 48 fps n / A 85 fps
Dell XPS 15 (RTX 3050 Ti) 4540 103 fps n / A 73 fps 50 fps
Dell XPS 17 (RTX 3060) 7039 109 fps n / A 104 fps 78 fps
Asus Vivobook Pro 16X (RTX 3050 Ti) 4601 90 fps n / A 68 fps 57 fps

The games listed above were tested at 1080p (or 1920 x 1200 for 16:10 laptops) at maximum graphics settings. The XPS 17 remains the fastest in the group for most games, aside from the great Fortnite performance of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4. There are dozen of factors that affect a game's frame rate on a laptop, and the Creator Z16 resides in the middle and swaps hits with other laptops in this category. Thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate, you'll likely prefer to play in 1920 x 1200, which offers a much smoother gaming experience.

The fact that it can even handle difficult games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla at 50 frames per second (fps) is impressive.

Battery life

Inside the MSI Creator Z16 is a 90 watt hour battery. That sounds great, but it wasn't enough to make this laptop a battery life champion. Among other laptops in this category, all of which have high-resolution screens and RTX graphics cards, the Creator Z16 is one of the worst in terms of battery life.

The Creator Z16 can last up to over eight hours just watching a local video. With light surfing on the Internet, it is five hours and 20 minutes. In my actual workload, which consists of more multitasking and web applications, that drops to less than five hours. The ThinkPad X1 Extreme gets you two extra hours, while a Ryzen-based laptop like the Asus Vivobook Pro 16X gets an astonishing 16 hours on the same test.

Part of the problem with the Creator Z16 could be the higher refresh rate screen, which you can switch down to 60Hz for a little more juice.

Cameras and sensors

The keyboard deck of the MSI Creator Z16.

The MSI Creator Z16 has the standard set of cameras and sensors. A 720p webcam is located above the display. These kinds of bad cameras are typical of laptops – and have been for years. You can occasionally find a 1080p webcam in 2021 laptops like the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 or even MSI's own GE76 Raider gaming laptop.

Unfortunately, the Creator Z16 sticks to 720p and the results aren't impressive. In bright light, your video calls will appear faded to match your skin tone. There are strong artifacts and strange colors in lower lighting. It's not ideal if your daily work involves a lot of video calls. On the other hand, a laptop like the Dell XPS 15 isn't going to do you any better.

MSI also includes an IR camera for Windows Hello facial authentication. You can also log on to Windows using the fingerprint reader, which is located directly below the arrow keys. The placement is a little strange, but fingerprints are registered well.

Our opinion

The MSI Creator Z16 is the right laptop for a very specific person. If you're looking for a laptop for content creation but don't want to miss out on the PC gaming experience, the MSI Creator Z16 manages that balance better than most. The 120 Hz screen and the excellent performance make it shine in both worlds.

But with its lower resolution display, mediocre battery life, defective touchpad, and high price, its flaws are a few too many.

Are there alternatives?

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme, now in its fourth generation, is a great alternative with better configuration options (up to an RTX 3080 and Core i9) and a cheaper price.

The Dell XPS 15 and 17 are also good competitors. The XPS 15 isn't quite as powerful, but it has a design that I prefer and options for a 4K OLED screen.

I wouldn't recommend buying the current Intel-powered MacBook Pro 16-inch, but the rumored update to the M1X MacBook Pro is waiting in the wings and looks pretty impressive.

How long it will take?

The MSI Creator Z16 is an expensive laptop, so you should expect a lifespan of at least four or five years. The performance and components are all high end and should keep you productive for many years. The solid build quality should meanwhile hold up well.

MSI offers one year of accidental damage protection with a limit of one damage per laptop. If you want an extended warranty, you have to rely on what online retailers have to offer.

Should you buy it?

For most people, the answer is no. There are laptops out there that are better at focusing on content creation. The exception is for someone who wants a 120Hz screen without sacrificing content creation performance.

Editor's recommendations



17 Sep
Blog

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ Review: Big Buds, Big Sound

With both earbuds removed, open the Beoplay EQ case.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ in the test: big buds, big sound – big price

RRP $ 399.00

“Bang & Olufsen's Beoplay EQ true wireless earbuds are $ 400, so is the price justified? Yes, if you value tradition, excellent workmanship and construction as well as a distinctive sound signature. "

advantages

  • Pronounced signature sound

  • Long range, reliable Bluetooth

  • Wireless charging

  • High quality metal components and housing

  • Effective adaptive ANC

disadvantage

  • Earphones don't always sit properly in the case

  • No adjustment for touch controls

  • No support for virtual assistants

There has been some talk at Digital Trends lately about not really having to spend hundreds of dollars to get a good pair of true wireless earbuds. I recently enjoyed the $ 99 Nothing Ear 1 earbuds while my colleague Simon Cohen tested a number of similar models and concluded that $ 100 is more than enough to get a great one, unless of course , You are a true audiophile pair of true wireless earbuds.

Where's the $ 400 Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ? It's all about heritage, audio appreciation, and the very big sound they deliver that opens your wallet a little bit more.

draft

It is immediately clear that the Beoplay EQ are not small earbuds. The case is considerably larger than an Apple AirPods Pro-Bud and even larger than the Beoplay E8-Bud. That means they stick out quite a bit from your ear and are definitely not subtle. Each weighs 8 grams, so you can feel them in your ear more than a lighter bud like the Apple AirPods Pro. But the metal case and glossy end caps with the eye-catching B&O logo look great. The box contains four silicone earbuds that offer a flexible size selection for even the smallest ears.

Beoplay EQ earbuds on an iPhone 12 Pro.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

However, I initially had problems holding the Beoplay EQs securely in my ears. The large silicone tips were too big and the middle ones a bit too small, so that you can quickly get started with activities. Fortunately, Bang & Olufsen includes a pair of Comply Sport 200 foam nibs in the package. They are really excellent and immediately resolved the fit issue. In addition, they also helped to minimize the effects of weight, and I found them extremely comfortable to wear for a long time, with slight fatigue not showing up until about four hours.

The earphones are housed in a stylish aluminum case in the colors Black Anthracite or Sand Gold. It's a discreetly designed piece with Bang & Olufsen branding on the top of the case and a non-slip base so it doesn't slip off the table. It looks really great. The buds are held at an angle on the inside and are very easy to remove, but putting them back in is tedious. They are held magnetically, but you need to be very precise when inserting them correctly or the buds will not sit or charge. It just needs to be slightly out of alignment too.

I often listen to podcasts to help me fall asleep and in my semi-awake state it was frustrating to play around with the case and earbuds and most of the time I would wake up in the morning to find that an earbud was not inserted properly and not charged. Once you know you need to check this out, it probably won't happen, but it's nothing like other true wireless earbuds that suggests the pretty case is all form over function.

Hold the Beoplay EQ cabinet.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

There's a tiny LED light on the outside that shows the charge level, but the top of the case doesn't seem to have a magnet to keep it securely closed, or if it does, it's pretty dim. However, it's compact and much more practical than the leather-covered case of the Beoplay E8, as the aluminum case should look better for longer.

You certainly pay a premium for the quality workmanship and materials, as well as the brand name, but there's nothing really wrong with that, especially when the product is as stylish, portable and classy as the Beoplay EQ.

Controls and functions

The earbuds connect via Bluetooth 5.2, which offers excellent range and rock-solid reliability, and use Qualcomm's AptX Adaptive Codec, so they deliver the same sound quality as AptX and AptX HD, but adapt to the best possible sound depending on the audio source and environment Quality play. The earbuds also support AAC and SBC codecs.

Beoplay EQ with app on the iPhone 12 Pro.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

You interact with the EQs via touch-sensitive controls that have to learn a plethora of gestures, differ for each bud and cannot be adjusted in the app. There are too many double-tap commands and the earbuds get confused. For example, you can double-tap the left bud to toggle between Active Noice Canceling (ANC) modes, but you can also double-tap and hold to decrease the volume. It's okay to sit still, but difficult to modulate when you're moving. Also, due to the sensitivity of the controls, it is far too easy to pause playback while temporarily adjusting the fit of an earbud.

The Beoplay EQ is Bang & Olufsen's first pair of true wireless earphones with Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (AANC). This clever technology uses the six omnidirectional microphones in the earphones to adapt the ANC in real time to the ambient noise in your environment. Think of it as a more personalized version of the normal ANC. I used the EQs indoors and outdoors and didn't really notice the adaptive part, and think that's a pretty good thing. Most of the time it kept ANC active and only slipped into transparency mode a few times. Since I was one of those times having a conversation outside, it seems to be working fine. A function that B&O calls "Own Voice" made me sound less echo in my ears even in transparency mode.

Beoplay EQ earbuds in the ear.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I found ANC mode's isolation very effective, minimizing all noise in my house and on the street, even if I only heard the spoken word. I didn't notice any added pressure in my ears, but there is a small hiss when the ANC is on and nothing is playing. The adaptive part can be deactivated in the app if you prefer manual control of the ANC. I also like that you can only use one earbud at a time which is handy for making calls.

The included app has an adjustable equalizer mode, a battery indicator for each earbud and the case, and a few other settings, including turning on an automatic standby mode where the earbuds turn off after 15 minutes of inactivity. What's unusual about Beoplay EQ is that there's no way to use a virtual assistant, a feature found on most competing earphones regardless of price.

sound

The Beoplay EQ is equipped with 6.8mm electrodynamic drivers and Bang & Olufsen has not held back when it comes to tuning. The earbuds are pretty big, but the sound is bigger. From the wide soundstage to the deep, powerful bass and breathtaking voice control, the Beoplay EQs sound fantastic. I've heard with an iPhone 12 Pro, an iPad Pro (2020), a OnePlus Nord 2, and an Asus Zenfone 8.

The old Beoplay H8 were the first headphones I really loved, and the Beoplay EQs remind me: they're full of depth, energy, warmth and detail. I far prefer the sound here from the Beoplay E8s, which for some reason never quite hits the sweet spot. What I mean? When everything comes together just right. It struck me especially when I was listening to Yasashii Dake Nara from Nogizaka46, where the sweet but powerful vocals shine, but are not quite as up front on the soundstage as, for example, headphones from Audio-Technica, which gives you the orchestra in this special way appreciate can pursue even more. The Beoplay EQs get it right.

The top of the Beoplay EQ cabinet.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The back of the Beoplay EQ cabinet.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Beoplay EQ earphones in a case.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Beoplay EQ earphones are pulled out of the case when viewed from the side.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

CloZees Inner Peace demonstrates both the wide soundstage and the details, along with the sheer power of the Beoplay EQ. There is nice, thick bass everywhere, with the entire synthesizer madness of the track remaining clear and defined. The complex bassline in Red Velvets Queendom remains controlled and never overwhelms the vocals while still delivering the required level of warm thump. In my ears I find the way B&O tunes the bass to be preferred over the Sennheiser, for example, with more authority and a harder punch.

You pay a lot for the Beoplay EQ, but that's why. You are not getting an off-the-shelf audio tune from a newbie, but rather all of Bang & Olufsen's 95 years of experience in beautifully designed and engineered earphones. Big and bold, but full of delicious detail, the EQs deliver all of this remarkable legacy straight to your ears. If you like this, you will be very happy with your purchase.

Battery and charging

B&O states that the battery provides approximately 6.5 hours of playback with ANC or 7.5 hours without ANC. The case stores enough energy for two more charges and takes an hour and 40 minutes to charge. In my experience, the EQs seem to come very close to the times stated by B&O and come in use after about six hours before they have to be charged with the ANC switched on.

The charging port on the Beoplay EQ case.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The case has a USB Type-C port on the back, or you can use a Qi wireless charging pad to charge it. I used the bottom plate on the Belkin Boost Charge 3-in-1 and it worked with no issues.

Price and availability

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ is available now through Bang & Olufsen online and in its retail stores for $ 399 in the US or £ 349 in the UK.

Our opinion

If your mission is to pay the least amount for a new pair of true wireless headphones, the Beoplay EQs are not for you. What do you get for four times the price of the Nothing Ear 1, for example? On up to 100 years of musical knowledge and high-quality product design. As much as I like the Nothing earphones, the quality is nowhere near the Beoplay EQs. The workmanship of the housing, the feel of the metal and the safety and comfort of the compliance tips provided make the EQs stand out as a quality product even before you hear them.

The sound is almost perfectly matched, ready for a bombastic or relaxing listening pleasure, depending on the mood and choice of music. The ANC kept the outside world away from my ears and the transparency mode isn't intrusive or too artificial. The 6 hour usage and two extra charges from the case mean it will last a couple of weeks (work) if you use it for a couple of hours or so per day.

With Beoplay EQ, you pay for quality, from design and construction to sound and battery life. Not all of these aspects are indispensable for everyone, but the Beoplay EQ brings them all together in one very desirable package for those who expect a little more from headphones.

Is there a better alternative?

The high price of the Beoplay EQ means you have to be really taken with the brand's style. Anyone looking for just a pair of true wireless earbuds would be well advised to check out the cheaper options, including the Nothing Ear 1, but if you're looking for higher quality sound, a distinctive audio signature and are looking to spend more money, then Beoplay EQs are good choices, but there are others to consider.

The $ 280 Sony WF-1000XM4 are our current top pick for true wireless earbuds and are notoriously hard to beat for sound quality, plus they feature adaptive active noise cancellation. Anyone who wants to spend that much on true wireless earbuds is likely to be heavily influenced by style and sound quality as well. The $ 299 Master & Dynamic MW08 looks and sounds great, and the boutique audio brand has a distinctive and always very enjoyable sound signature. his own, similar to B&O. That's before you consider Apple's AirPods Pro and a host of others.

How long will they last?

The earphones have a waterproof rating of IP54, so they are protected against sweat and dust and should also be used in the rain. The aluminum case has not yet been scratched and will certainly protect the earphones well. Bang & Olufsen has already delivered a software update since it was launched in mid-August, which is installed via the app. All of this, along with great sound, means you should be happy with Beoplay EQs for years after you buy them.

Should you buy it?

Yes, if you value brand heritage, quality and a distinctive signature sound, the Beoplay EQ is well worth the enjoyment.

Editor's recommendations



17 Sep
Blog

Razer Huntsman V2 TKL Review: A Fantastic Wired Keyboard

The palm rest of the Huntsman V2 TKL.

Razer Huntsman V2 Tenkeyless

RRP $ 150.00

"The Huntsman V2 TKL from Razer is a gaming keyboard that impresses with its smooth switches."

advantages

  • Oh-so smooth linear opto-mechanical switches

  • Great comfort and ergonomics of the palm rest

  • Quiet typing

  • Tidy design

  • Detachable USB-C cable

disadvantage

  • No media buttons

  • While the palm rest is comfortable, there are a handful of problems

  • No tactile switch option

Razer is releasing a new TKL gaming keyboard today, just a week after the launch of its new Basilisk V3 gaming mouse. This one is called the Huntsman V2 Tenkeyless, and we have a sample on hand to see if it's good and worthy of competing with the best gaming keyboards you can buy.

The Huntsman V2 TKL is part of the Huntsman line of ultra-performance wired gaming keyboards that are designed to excel in competitive gaming without costing as insane as the BlackWidow series.

As a result, they aren't the most feature-packed boards, but the Hunstman V2 TKL proves that its superb switches and form factor are still a fantastic PC gaming companion.

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Overview of the Huntsman V2 TKL.

When you look at the Huntsman TKL, the first thing you notice is the simple design – it's just a simple TKL keyboard with no fancy extras in the periphery. The media keys are built into the F keys instead of being dedicated, there is no volume control, and there aren't tons of RGB qualities in all sorts of disgusting nooks. There's some RGB there, but it's just under the main buttons.

Combine that simplicity with the all-black design and aluminum top plate, and you get a fairly slim keyboard that, oddly enough, doesn't attract much attention. Razer used to be a company that built eccentrically styled devices that were unmistakably "gamers," but these days it seems to be leaning towards slimmer, more sophisticated designs. Maybe it will grow up along with its core audience.

Also included with the Huntsman V2 TKL – and this is probably the biggest upgrade compared to the original – is a synthetic leather palm rest. I first got to know this soft, plush palm rest with the BlackWidow V3 Pro and I'm still just as in love with it. The height is perfect for comfort and because it's so soft it makes typing a real pleasure.

Oblique view of the Huntsman V2 TKL.

There are a couple of caveats: the softness won't last forever – I feel like the thin material wears out relatively quickly by peeling off relatively quickly, and on warm days it can just be a little too plushy for you to beg for something need to be more breathable.

Fortunately, Razer also sells its palm rests separately from the keyboards. So if you type enough to wear them out, replacing them shouldn't be a problem. Plus, the palm rest isn't actually attached to the keyboard – there's not even a magnet holding it in place.

The keyboard is connected to your PC with a detachable, braided USB-C cable.

The switches

The reason you want to buy a Razer Huntsman keyboard is because of the optical switches, or as Razer calls them, the optomechanical switches. These hit the market in 2018 and enjoyed rapid popularity for good reason.

Turns on the Huntsman V2 TKL.Niels Broekhuijsen / Digital Trends

Our sample of the Huntsman V2 TKL came with the red linear version of the switches, and these are by far my favorite. In general, I'm a tactile (brown) switch type, but on a keyboard as geared towards gaming as the Huntsman V2 TKL, I prefer a linear switch. Thanks Razer for that. The keyboard is also available with clickable optical switches, but there is no tactile option.

But what do I like so much about the optomechanical switches? It's the smoothness.

Razer markets the optical switches as faster and touts them in all sorts of wondrous terms like "the speed of light" and "the fastest performance you'll ever experience," but I don't care about those things. Sure, in a scientific test they could outperform classic electro-mechanical switches because they don't have to take debouncing into account, but if you can find me a person who can determine the speed difference in a blind test, I'll buy you a beer. Maybe two.

Buttons on the Huntsman V2 TKL.Niels Broekhuijsen / Digital Trends

But the suppleness. I can hardly describe it, as I have only come across a few switches that offer similar smoothness. With a switch like Cherry or Gateron Red you could lubricate them and mount damping O-rings on the stems – and only with all this effort could you achieve the same smooth suspension travel.

The way the switches move is so smooth that it exudes a sense of luxury that you don't get with many keyboards – at least not without stepping into expensive custom keyboard territory.

It is the ease of movement of the opto-mechanical switch that makes the Huntsman V2 TKL so appealing.

The switches are also almost noiseless. Thanks to a sound-absorbing foam layer inside the keyboard, this is one of the quieter mechanical keyboards you will find.

There's just one catch: because the switches are optical, they consume more power than traditional electro-mechanical keys, which means the keyboard cannot be wireless. So there is a cable. And the stabilizers aren't the same as those on Cherry-based boards. Most keys will fit, but the longer keys will not. However, the standard keycaps are double-shot PBT, so most people don't bother updating them.

Gaming performance

When starting out in gaming, the Huntsman V2 TKL is a happy companion. The keyboard's smaller layout isn't quite as game-friendly as something really small like the Razer Huntsman Mini or the BlackWidow V3 Mini or the Corsair K65 RGB Mini, but because of the additional mouse space, it's miles better than a full-size keyboard. This allows me to play at a lower DPI, which results in more accurate recordings.

Side profile of the Huntsman V2 TKL.Niels Broekhuijsen / Digital Trends

Combine that with the comfortable palm rest, height, and sleek switches and you'll largely forget about the keyboard while gaming – and that's the best compliment I can give a keyboard. It's all just smooth sailing.

While the keyboard polls at 8,000 Hz, 1,000 is enough, and Corsair's K70 RGB TKL Champion Edition has already shown that you don't need 8,000 Hz on a keyboard.

Our opinion

Razer's Huntsman V2 Tenkeyless is a simple but well-executed TKL keyboard for PC gamers. It's not wireless, which is not possible with optical switches (not without very limited battery life). It also doesn't have media buttons and I have a couple of issues with the included palm rest.

Despite these nitpicks, however, you will fall head over heels for it due to the excellent opto-mechanical switches and comfortable form factor.

Are there alternatives?

The next alternative from Logitech is the G Pro mechanical keyboard, which offers largely the same range of functions. But it doesn't come with the same great switches or the comfy palm rest, so I'd go for the Razer of the two.

Corsair now offers the K70 RGB TKL Champion Series, which has media keys and also carries out 8K polling, but, like the Logitech board, does not have the same convenient switches. The palm rest is also missing here.

How long it will take?

The Huntsman V2 TKL should last at least five years of normal use, although I expect the palm rest to need replacing early during that time – maybe twice. Razer covers the keyboard with a two-year warranty.

Should I buy it?

Yes sir. Priced at $ 150, the Huntsman V2 TKL is one of the best TKL keyboards available today.

Editor's recommendations



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