19 Aug
Blog

Is Sun Good For Acne? Let’s Ask A Dermatologist

Does the sun help with acne? Many people think that sunbathing and tanning can reduce acne. But is that true or just a myth? It turned out that all the time in the sun just gives the illusion of improved acne. In fact, on some skin types, exposure to the sun makes the scar worse or makes your acne flare up due to sun damage from UV light. Don't take it for us – we spoke to a dermatologist to find out if it's really true to cure acne with the sun.

Does the sun help with acne?

As an acne sufferer, you have probably tried a variety of home remedies, such as sunbathing all day to "clean up" your acne. But does the sun really help? The short answer is “no”, says Dr. Hooman Khorasani. Dr. Khorasani is a triple certified, scholarship trained cosmetic and skin cancer surgeon based in New York.

"Many patients with acne and psoriasis report that their acne and psoriasis improve during the summer vacation, including sun exposure," says Dr. Khorasani. Because UV light suppresses our immune system and has the ability to reduce inflammation. The catch? UV radiation also suppresses the ability of our immune system to do the usual monitoring of cancer cells – and this contributes to the formation of skin cancer!

Skin can sometimes appear healthier because the sun stimulates melanin production in the skin, which gives you a tan. Sun exposure can also temporarily dry out pimples. A tan can make the skin look more even by hiding blemishes or uneven texture, giving the impression of improved acne. However, the sun does more harm than good.

Amazingly, until the late 1970s, severe acne patients were treated with UV radiation or radiation therapy, explains Dr. Khorasani. “Decades later, many of these patients developed recurrent skin cancer,” he says. “When I was a surgical intern, one of the plastic surgeons I oversaw had an elderly patient who had UV treatment as a teenager and developed over 50 skin cancers all over her scalp in her 70s. Unfortunately, she never survived the operation and was one of the first losses I had to experience during my surgical internship. "

Today Dr. Khorasani had at least three patients with a history of UV light treatments for acne who were being treated for skin cancer. Obviously, UV overexposure can give us the illusion of temporary benefits, but it can have long-term negative effects that may not appear years later.

Can the Sun Get Rid of Acne Scars and Redness?

It's fair to say that a tan can give the illusion of reduced scarring. But the reason people report a reduction in redness is because UV light suppresses our immune system and reduces an inflammatory response. This will reduce the redness for a short time.

The problem is, people forget or fail to realize the long-term consequences that sun exposure damages the delicate scar pigment. "Collagen is the" stone and mortar "of our skin and has a wicker architecture in healthy skin," explains Dr. Khorasani. "But in the scar tissue, in contrast to the basket pattern, the collagen fibers are layered in parallel."

If you ever see a change in a sunburned scar, it is important to seek medical advice. "Since scars do not contain as many melanocytes, they are also more prone to sunburn and thus to the development of skin cancer," explains Dr. Khorasani.

Are you already grappling with the effects of sun damage? We have some treatment options from Dr. Khorasani and our in-house skin care experts.

Woman face close up

Post-Sun Treatments for Acne Sufferers

As Forbes points out, "Sun avoidance and protection are important in making these pigment changes fade faster." If you want acne scars to fade faster, the following skin care products can be used as post-sun treatments.

Toners & Serums

Our Lime Refresh Tonique tones and balances the skin with a formula that removes excess oil and minimizes pores. Citrus fruit oils refresh the skin, while lime juice, as an astringent, is responsible for minimizing pore size. Citrus oils tighten and refresh the skin, while lime juice acts as an astringent, responsible for minimizing pore size.

That Eminence Organics Stone Crop Serum is designed to moisturize and minimize the appearance of uneven skin tone and dark spots thanks to a combination of stone harvest, green tea and bearberry extract.

Masks

If you enjoy a relaxing mask, the Citrus & Kale Potent C + E Masque offers a blend of avocado oil, citrus fruits and leafy vegetables. This formula contains properties to remove excess oil on the skin. It even protects the skin from the visible signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles.

Our Clear Skin Probiotic Masque is a cooling and invigorating mask that removes the appearance of blemishes. It contains cucumber to tighten problem areas and keep the skin feeling well-groomed. Finally, the Eight Greens Phyto Masque – Not Hot improves the appearance of problem skin and oily complexions.

Eminence Organics Product Support Representative Nadira Kavanagh suggests cooling the treatment mask before applying the product: "The additional cooling effect ensures a refreshing feeling during the treatment."

Dermatological treatment options for acne scars

If you want to combine your skin care products with something special, you can ask your dermatologist about treatments that are designed to reduce acne scars. Professional options use fractional treatments of the scar (i.e., only "part" of the skin is treated in each session). These options include radio frequency (RF) microneedling, mechanical microneedling, and fractional CO2 lasers, explains Dr. Khorasani. These treatments help in the appearance of acne scars, which are caused by a change in the architecture of the collagen fibers in our skin:

  • Radio frequency (RF) microneedling: RF microneedling is a nonsurgical aesthetic procedure that targets acne scars and stimulates the production of new collagen. It is also used to tighten the appearance of the skin.
  • Mechanical microneedling: Tiny needles are inserted into the skin to break up scar tissue and stimulate the replacement of that lost tissue with healthy, normal collagen.
  • Fractional Co2 laser: Fractional laser facial resurfacing can be one of the most effective skin care treatment options for facial scars.

Acne can be annoying at any age and severely affect your confidence, but there are options (but don't lie in the sun!). Are you currently struggling with acne? Let us know in the comments below or on social media!

19 Aug
Blog

Lose 250 Calories Because Exercise Alone is Not Enough

Reducing caloric intake by about 250 calories per day can result in significant weight loss and improve vascular health in older adults with obesity.

The aorta is our healthy blood highway that effectively carries our blood supply to our peripheral tissues. When we are young, most of our large arteries are said to be elastic, but they stiffen as we age.

Continue reading

19 Aug
Blog

12 Minutes Review: Watching the Same Show Over And Over

12 minute gameplay review

12 Minute Review: Watching the same show over and over again

RRP $ 24.99

"Experimental and unique, 12 Minutes does away with some classic gaming standards in favor of a stylized, cinematic approach."

advantages

  • Excellent speech output

  • Exciting, mysterious story

  • Sufficiently difficult puzzles

disadvantage

  • Just get stuck

  • Top-down perspective is a pain

12 minutes are a rarity in gaming. It's not like a lot of other things out there, with its unique take on the now ever popular time warp cliché and an all-star cast of voice actors. While there isn't a single cutscene, 12 Minutes is actually one of the most cinematic games I've played in a while. It's overly stylized and practically written like a movie. Luis Antonio, the creator of 12 Minutes, shapes the game like a director does his debut film.

While 12 Minutes looks like a movie, it's not – and it's its characteristics as a game that let it down in the end. That's not to say it's a bad experience. It's experimental and quickly draws you into its mystery. I was over the moon to hear the performances of James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley and Willem Dafoe (especially Willem Dafoe) but because of the 12 Minutes core loop mechanics they stopped being a source of immersion and became an irritation. To be clear, 12 minutes doesn't perfectly do everything a video game should have. However, it is a departure from the norm, and while it fails in some cases, it excels in others.

A night in the cinema

12 minutes is not difficult at first. You are a man, a nameless fool who seems to lead an enchanted life. You have a woman who loves you and she surprises you with the news that she is pregnant. However, an officer shows up, puts both of you handcuffs and kills you. Then you'll be back in your apartment minutes before the cop shows up. The object of the game, apparently, is to escape this loop.

But the 12 Minutes style is not like most games. It's a point-and-click game with an almost exclusively top-down camera angle. It is the first instance in which the style of the game collides with its function. The top-down perspective is harrowing and makes the feeling of being trapped in a time warp even more limiting. Your apartment is not that big, but if you look at it from an eagle's eye you will see how small it is, which creates a feeling of claustrophobia.

The husband will be kneeling on the floor in 12 minutes.

And while this is an impressive use of a top-down perspective, it makes the game a little more difficult in practice. There are times when you are looking for something without knowing that it is hidden under another object or that you need to look at another object to see something else. This is the case with one of the key items in 12 Minutes, a central piece of jewelry that can change the course of the game. I found it out of luck, but anyone else can look for it much longer.

Since the game will repeat itself if you miss your window or take wrong action, you will have to restart.

That doesn't sound bad, but keep in mind that for the whole 12 minutes it took me about five and a half hours to hit. That counts the few times I got stuck looking for the next clue in the puzzle. The downside is that if you get stuck, you don't have to search in just one area. It is a point in time that you must reach. Since the game will repeat itself if you miss a window or take the wrong action, it's time to restart. Fortunately, getting back to the beginning of the loop is as easy as leaving the apartment.

Again from above

The hard part comes after when you have to listen to the same voices over and over to get to the right moment on the loop. The first time I was impressed by the way McAvoy and Ridley played against each other as a married couple – half of whom were in a seemingly impossible situation. Dafoe is the star here, however, showing off the wide range he's developed in films over his decades. His gruff, angry character becomes vulnerable and then paternal with ease, showing off one of the best voice overs I've heard in games.

Dafoe is the star here, however, showing off the wide range he's developed in films over his decades.

But at some point I stopped caring about those carefully written, exquisitely played lines. When I got stuck, all I could think of was getting where I needed to be to solve the puzzle. Fortunately, you can skip the dialogue at 12 minutes, but even getting to where I needed to be just took too long. It went so far that I looked at my phone while clicking the mouse and waited for everyone to finish.

Two people are talking in bed in 12 minutes.

That doesn't even affect the repetitive actions players sometimes have to go through. If you get stuck or if you are trying to find out if you have missed something, you will have to perform the same actions over and over again. Pick up the same items, combine them again and place them in the right places. After doing it for the third time, it becomes clear why someone can easily lose their marbles in a time warp. You keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting something different. I think a certain antagonist once had a word about doing just that.

Role credits

By the time I finished at 12 minutes, I felt bittersweet. The story of the game was not wrapped in a bow; it made me wonder more. I didn't know if my choice eliminated the main conflict of the story, a twist that really left me gasping for breath. The story of 12 Minutes, neatly presented, is a gripping work. But with the whole game, with all of its contradicting parts, I felt like I'd rather read 12 minutes than play it through again.

Three people in the room. Woman dead on the floor in 12 minutes.

12 Minutes is definitely an extremely cinematic title. It's inherently slow, and that will eventually wear down players. There were nights when I had to turn the game off because I faced another run through the loop after not finding anything. However, the first time you walk through some of the game's unique permutations, you will be mesmerized. Its story is compelling and makes you question everything, but it takes a pain to move it forward.

The story of 12 Minutes, neatly presented, is a gripping work.

Our opinion

12 minutes is something unique and experimental, and as with any experiment, there will be some hiccups. As it turned out, the main flaw of this game was that it naturally drains its players of time. But between those moments it tells a brilliant story where you can return to each chapter and choose to rewrite it. 12 minutes is certainly not for everyone, but if you are looking for a change the game is highly recommended.

Is there a better alternative?

If you're looking for some point-and-click and cinema, The Walking Dead by Telltale is unparalleled.

How long it will take?

My run through 12 minutes took me about five and a half hours, but it could easily take more than seven if you're trying to get every success in the game.

Should you buy it?

Yes. 12 Minutes is a game unlike many others out there, and while it may not always respect your time, you'll at least be kept entertained by excellence from recognizable actors.

A clock is ticking in 12 minutes.

Editor's recommendations



18 Aug
Blog

Govee Lyra Smart Floor Lamp Review: A Futuristic Light Show

govee lyra smart floor lamp Rating 3 of 11

Govee Lyra Smart Floor Lamp Review: A fascinating, futuristic light show

RRP $ 150.00

"If there is a bare corner in your home, the Govee Lyra Smart Floor Lamp will illuminate it with light."

advantages

  • Tons of preset light modes to choose from

  • Strong brightness

  • Vibrant colours

Govee is a brand I've talked about a lot over the past few months, in part because their smart lights are affordable compared to alternatives from established brands like Philips Hue and Lifx. Conventional lightbulbs and light strips are widely used in the smart lighting field, saturating the market with products that have very similar purposes and functions – so Govee decides to expand their portfolio with their next device.

At first glance, the Govee Lyra Smart floor lamp with its round base and narrow protruding column looks like something out of a futuristic science fiction film. But once it turns on, there is something intriguing that catches your attention. It's certainly fascinating, but the $ 150 price tag makes it the most expensive model in its ever-expanding range of smart lighting.

Setup and installation

Building the Govee Lyra Smart Floor Lamp is a fairly simple process that consists of four components: a base, a narrow tube, a strip of light and a power connector. The narrow tube is fastened together and then connected to the base, which allows it to have a clearance of 57 inches when fully assembled.

Govee has taken the best features of a smart light strip and transplanted them into a potent floor lamp.

The hardest part of the whole setup is to snake the flexible strip of light along the thin cutout along the tube. It reminds me of your ordinary strip of light that you can hang on a wall or around furniture, but it's encased in a sturdy and flexible rubber-like housing that fits into the narrow channel of the tubes. From start to finish, the entire process takes a maximum of 15 minutes.

design

As I said before, the Govee Lyra Smart Floor Lamp looks very different – so much so that it may not blend well with traditional decor. If you are looking for the minimalist look, you can surely appreciate what Govee is up to here. Compared to the Wyze floor lamp I tested, which looks very much what I expect from a floor lamp, Govee's interpretation is undeniably as minimalistic as it gets.

Two people sing next to Govee Lyra Lamp.

This is not a bad quality in and of itself, especially if it doesn't take up a lot of floor space. I ended up putting it in a corner of my office so the light could bounce off the wall more effectively. And sure, you can position it so that the streak of light is facing away from the wall, but I did the opposite because the intensity of the light can be harsh on the eyes due to its high brightness.

features

Light shows are expected with these types of smart lights, but Govee goes a step further when compared to some other table or floor lamps. Although I really enjoy the ambience that table lamps like the Philips Hue Iris have, they cannot produce different colors at the same time. That is the special thing about the Govee Lyra, because as a light band it can produce many different colors at the same time. This is achieved thanks to Govee's RGBIC (red, green, blue independent control) technology.

A selection of dazzling light patterns is available via the Govee Home app, which is available for Android and iOS. What makes it better is that the light patterns are dynamic rather than just emitting one color – which is fine if you prefer a more static setting, but I enjoy the pattern changes that the Lyra offers. From breathing effects to mimicking the look of candlelight, it's nice to know that there is a pattern to choose from for every mood.

Its versatility underscores the lyra's ability to customize patterns. The app has options for choosing colors and which areas of the lightstrip to turn on so you can customize a light show. There is a mode that allows the lyre to light up when the microphone detects music or sounds. If you want to throw a dance party, the lyre glows beautifully to the beat of the music.

Use the Govee Home app for Android to turn on Govee Lyra.

Finally, it's compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant. I managed to set it up with the latter so that I can turn it on and off instantly with voice actions.

perfomance

When it comes to being a main source of light, the brightness of the Govee Lyra easily makes it a perfect reading lamp. It also works well as an accent or ambient light with my particular setup as the light coming from the strip is harsh when looking at it directly.

Govee Lyra Smart floor lamp lighting corner.

Meanwhile, the colors it can produce are saturated in tone – especially when different colors are emitted at the same time. The colors clashing along the wall have something fascinating to say – they make for an impressive light show. Seeing its color explosion through a picture is one thing, but seeing it in action in person or on video is another thing.

Our opinion

The $ 150 cost of the Govee Lyra Smart Floor Lamp is without question the biggest hurdle for most people. It's still expensive, but it's justified when you look at what the competition has to offer.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes and no. There aren't many smart floor lamps out there that offer this level of customization, especially for their price. The only other alternative worth checking out is the Philips Hue Signe, which stands out for its ability to work as ambient light with your home theater experience, but you'll want to pay $ 250 for it.

If you're looking for a smart floor lamp with more emphasis on being a primary light source, you can't beat the Wyze floor lamp. Although it only emits white light, you'll want to pay less than $ 50 for it.

How long it will take?

Fortunately, the base is weighted down enough to prevent the lyre from tipping over, but the thin metal column could be damaged if it accidentally falls over. Otherwise, you can count on long-term use of this lamp as it is based on LED technology. Govee offers a one-year limited warranty that covers defects.

Should you buy it?

Yes. It is a floor lamp that emits strong light and is perfect as a primary light source. And its colored light show will dazzle your eyes.

Editor's recommendations



18 Aug
Blog

Frailty Is the Disease, Physical Exercise Is the Cure

Frailty is a measure of the downside of aging; exercise is the remedy.

An interesting study review article in Nature, The Degree of Frailty as a Translational Measure of Health in Aging, looks at the effects of different degrees of frailty and how they affect aging, particularly with regard to diseases of later life.

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18 Aug
Blog

Google Pixel 5a 5G Review: A Slight but Worthwhile Upgrade

Google Pixel 5a functional picture with the screen on.

Google Pixel 5a 5G

RRP $ 449.00

"The Pixel 5a continues to live up to its camera expectations and offers smooth performance, expressive photos and lowlight functions at an affordable price."

advantages

  • Excellent camera performance

  • Smooth, clean software

  • IP67 water and dust resistance

  • Affordable price for its skills

disadvantage

  • Standard, a bit boring design

  • No high refresh display

Google's Pixel 5a 5G was the subject of so many leaks at the time that there are no surprises here – but it never had to be. The Pixel A series has always been cheaper, scaled-down versions of Google's main phones while offering the same high quality camera hardware and software performance. This has not changed with the Google Pixel 5a either.

In terms of hardware, it's a step up from the Google Pixel 4a 5G, with a larger battery and IP67 water and dust resistance. Conversely, it leaves out some of the premium features you get on the Pixel 5, such as the increased RAM and high-resolution 90Hz display. Overall, it continues to deliver exactly what users of the Google Pixel A series want: clean software, a strong camera and no major disadvantages.

Google Pixel 5a from the back.Ajay Kumar / Digital Trends

Design and display

The design of the Pixel 5a 5G is largely unchanged from its predecessor, the 4a 5G, and borders on boredom. It's a standard candy bar design with sleek black plastic, rounded sides, and a screen with narrow bezels. The hole punch selfie camera is located at the top right, and a fast-reacting fingerprint sensor is located on the back. There is a 3.5mm audio jack on top, just like the 4a 5G.

The big change compared to the previous model is not visible, but a significant one. They now have IP67 water and dust resistance, which means the Pixel 5a can withstand full immersion in water, splashes, and rain, as well as a day at the beach. That was missing from previous generations and it is unusual to find even mid-range phones these days that are not waterproof. So it's nice to see that this durability issue has been fixed.

The screen is largely unchanged. It's a 6.34-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 2400 x 1080. That's a slight change from the 6.2-inch screen on the 4a 5G, which gives you an aspect ratio of 20: 9 while the resolution and pixel density remain the same at 413 pixels per inch (ppi). The viewing angles are great both indoors and outdoors, with high maximum brightness. Videos, games, and text look crisp and I didn't notice any pixelation while using it.

The only thing I missed was the Pixel 5's high-resolution 90Hz screen, which allows for smoother scrolling, animations, and transitions. After you get used to the high-resolution 90Hz screen on the Pixel 5 and 120Hz Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, it is difficult to go back to a normal 60Hz refresh rate.

Google Pixel 5a shows apps.Ajay Kumar / Digital Trends

Performance and battery

The Pixel 5a 5G is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. This is the same configuration as the Pixel 4a 5G and the same chipset as the Google Pixel 5, so I won't go into too much detail on performance. Everything is smooth enough for everyday use with no noticeable app slowdowns.

It also handles demanding games like Asphalt 9 and Genshin Impact without chugging, although the lack of the high-refresh panel is noticeable. Even so, it will get the job done with no major problems. There's nothing more to say about that.

Battery life is a big step up from the Pixel 4a 5G. With a 4,680 mAh cell, it's one of the more powerful batteries I've seen on a mid-range phone, and significantly more durable than the 3885 mAh cell on the Pixel 4a 5G. I used an average of one and a half to two days of regular use before charging, with normal daily use consisting of surfing, tweeting, gaming, and photography. There's no wireless charging, but the included adapter gives you 18 watts of fast wired charging.

It will get the job done with no major problems.

Over time, the phone's adaptive battery feature also learns your app usage and habits. That means it finds out which apps you use the most and what times you use them (for me it's Twitter and Reddit 24/7), and it makes sure that apps you don't use often aren't Waste of energy in the background. Over time, this feature should be able to learn your habits and optimize performance better to get more juice out.

A powerful camera

Camera features are why you're here for the Pixel 5a 5G and the phone doesn't disappoint in that regard. On paper, the hardware is identical to the Pixel 4a 5G. The main sensor is a 12.2 megapixel (MP) camera with a 16 MP ultrawide camera with a 117 degree field of view. The 8MP front camera works perfectly well for selfies and videos. But it's Google's software chops that really make the sensors glow.

In good lighting, the main sensor takes excellent pictures with lots of detail, without noise or blurring. Despite a brutally bright and sunny day that can often hide the automatic exposure of smaller phones, all the shots I took while walking in the park turned out to be beautiful. The colors were accurate, vivid without being oversaturated, and the greens stood out particularly well in the contrast between sunlight and shadow.

Taking pictures with the ultra-wide 16MP camera gives you a much larger field of view of 117 degrees. It's marked 0.6x in your camera app and allows you to capture a lot more of your surroundings and background. It's useful for landscape photography, and I enjoyed using it to capture the entire perimeter of the fountain and pond in the park.

But it's Google's software chops that really make the sensors glow.

There are some tradeoffs with the ultrawide camera. While the barrel distortion is not significant, some of the finer details in the recording are lost. Zooming in on leaves and branches reveals more artifacts and debris than if you were just shooting with the standard 12.2 MP sensor. And it is also worth noting that there is no telesensor. There is a 2x zoom option in the camera app, but it is a digital zoom, not an optical one, so there is a corresponding loss of quality there as well.

Pixel 5a night vision example.

Google Pixel 5a 5g Review Portrait mode example 1500x1000

Unsurprisingly, lowlight photography is another of the Pixel 5a's strengths. On a cloudy day in my kitchen, the phone automatically activated Night Sight to capture the colors of the slowly ripening banana and the pattern of the granite tabletop behind it. You can also enable night vision in portrait mode, which gives you access to a variety of powerful onboard editing options to control things like background blur and color pop, as well as enable black and white shooting.

Among the other features included, you also get astrophotography, which, like the Pixel 5, lets you take vivid shots of the night sky. For video recording, the phone can process 1080p and 4K at 60 frames per second. The capture of people kayaking in the lake was smooth, with minimal jerking or autofocus panning issues. I was even able to track an airplane flying overhead and take several clear shots.

Pixel 5a camera app.

Pixel 5a portrait mode.

Software and connectivity

The Pixel 5a is running the latest version of Android 11. It's Google's clean version of Android that most people are probably familiar with. The 5a is guaranteed to receive operating system and security updates for three years, so you are sure to receive the upcoming Android 12.

In terms of unique features, there are various smarts and integrations from the Google Assistant. You can identify songs, you can put the Google Assistant on hold for a call using the "Hold for me" feature in your phone app, view calls and identify songs. It also has a built-in recorder that can automatically create transcripts, which I found particularly useful for recording interviews and referencing quotes.

In terms of connectivity, the Pixel 5a 5G supports Sub-6 5G, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC. I've tested mine on T-Mobile, but it's compatible with all the major US carriers, Japanese operator SoftBank, and Google's Project Fi.

Price and availability

The Google Pixel 5a 5G will only be available in the US and Japan. In the US, it will be available from the Google Store and Google Fi for $ 449 or through a subscription program for $ 15 per month. In Japan, it will also be available from the Google Store for 51,700 yen.

Our opinion

The Google Pixel 5a doesn't make promises it can't deliver. It's not a generational leap from the Pixel 4a 5G – the differences are pretty minor at best – but it does improve in key areas like waterproofness and battery life. Camera performance continues to be as expected, software is clean, and performance is smooth, so you get a great mid-range phone at a reasonable price.

Is there a better alternative?

If you already own the Google Pixel 4a 5G, the differences are in the IP67 sealing and improved battery life, which isn't worth the upgrade. On the other hand, if you have an older Pixel 4a, you'll also benefit from the faster processor, 5G connectivity, bigger screen, and two rear cameras, making the investment a much more worthwhile investment.

On the high end, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE costs around $ 100 to $ 150 more on average, but it gives you a crisp 120Hz screen, triple rear camera array, wireless charging, and much more powerful processors and specs. There is currently a shortage of other compelling mid-range phone options in the US alongside the non-5G iPhone SE, but there is no shortage of competitive options like the OnePlus Nord 2 5G in the international market.

One last thing to keep in mind is that Google has already announced the existence of the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro that use the new Tensor processor. So if you're willing to wait another year, we expect a future unconfirmed Pixel 6a to have a version of the same new chipset.

How long it will take?

The Google Pixel 5a 5G comes with a one-year warranty as standard, but you can expect it to last a lot longer. Although it shares the same Snapdragon 765G processor, it is guaranteed to receive operating system and security updates for three years to keep it feeling new. It also has IP67 water and dust resistance, which gives it more durability than previous generations.

Should you buy one?

Yes. As a mid-range phone with a great camera, clean software, long-lasting battery, and water resistance, the Pixel 5a doesn't have many comparable competitors. However, if you already own a Pixel 4a 5G, the difference isn't big enough to be worth the upgrade.

Editor's recommendations



18 Aug
Blog

VZR Model One Review: Get the Most Out of 3D Audio

A man with the VZR Model One headphones.

VZR Model One Review: Get the Most Out of 3D Audio

RRP $ 349.00

"The VZR Model One offers excellent audio quality that is perfect for next-generation gaming."

advantages

  • Excellent sound quality

  • Strong spatial audio

  • Comfortable ear pads

  • Robust design

  • Two microphones in one

disadvantage

  • Very expensive

  • No volume control

The VZR Model One is not your average gaming headset. You won't find any flashing RGB lights on it. It doesn't have a well-known gaming brand like Razer or HyperX attached. And you probably won't see your favorite streamers prominently (and suspiciously) as they play. Here the audio quality is in the foreground, not the fashion.

The self-proclaimed "audiophile headset" comes from an impressive pedigree. It was designed by Apple's former senior acoustic engineer Vic Tiscarareno, along with video game audio veterans. The great innovation of the Model One is its patented CrossWave technology, which optimizes it for 3D audio. With consoles like the PlayStation 5 that use sound as a selling point, the Model One is poised to be the perfect next-gen headset.

The VZR Model One is a great gaming-focused headset that offers superior audio quality and surprising comfort. Its high price tag might put it out of many gamblers' budgets, but this is a major example of "you get what you pay for" on the move.

Do the CrossWave

The Model One's main selling point is its audio quality. It's a closed headset with 40mm drivers. For those looking for a gaming headset that is geared towards spatial audio, VZR has a strong selling point.

The basic sound quality lives up to the label "audiophil". When I switched between the Model One and the Roccat ELO that I had on hand (my go-to gaming headset), the difference was immediately clear. It offers a wider audio landscape that better balances booming bass and sharp highs. When listening to music, the bass is powerful, but never drowns out the higher frequencies. It's always a difficult balance to strike, but the VZR has done an admirable job here.

I can't deny that while wearing the Model One I got the most out of the next generation sound.

The main attraction here is VZR's patented CrossWave technology. To put it for the layman, the Model One uses an acoustic lens that was built to better shape the directionality. VZR notes that technology enables the headset to direct sound so that it better reflects how we hear it in real life.

The VZR Model One headphones sit on a desk.

This is immediately apparent when you play a PS5 game. As part of my testing, I jumped into Returnal which offers a detailed alien soundscape. Even after playing for 20 hours before, I was overwhelmed by what I heard. The rain was spreading in all directions and I heard drops, near and far, hitting the ground in all directions. As I trampled on someone else's eggs, I could hear them squeezing under my feet as if the sound were coming from right below me. I had similar results in the Resident Evil Village Maiden demo (which is a 3D audio tour de force), as detailed sound actively made for a more terrifying, immersive experience.

Sony notes that the 3D audio effect works the same on any headset that supports it, but I was skeptical of this claim after using the Model One. While the CrossWave technology was a bit of the marketing glitz of "Blast Processing" (and I don't think so), I can't deny that wearing the Model One I got the most out of the next generation sound. The high audio quality makes every sound pop, no matter how small, and I felt a full spatial listening experience.

Quality and comfort

When I first looked at Model One, I was expecting an uncomfortable experience. You weigh 430 grams with a hard metal skeleton around the headband and ears. This design certainly signaled that these are probably built to last, but I was skeptical of what it would feel like to wear them for hours.

I was expecting a compromise between comfort and quality here, but I'm impressed that the Model One can do both.

To my surprise, the Model One offers a surprising level of comfort. This is in large part thanks to the headset's memory foam ear cushions. With their thickness, my ears barely touch the hard plastic underneath. The ear cushions are soft compared to gaming headsets I've used before, so they can be worn for hours without any problems.

A man with the VZR Model One headphones.

The headband also increases wearing comfort. Thanks to a depression in the middle, it's not stiff, so it can bend. The headband appears to be padded with the same memory foam that is used in the ear cushions so it sits lightly on the scalp.

I was expecting a compromise between comfort and quality here, but I'm impressed that the Model One can do both. The only downside is that the size can make it a pain to lug around. They come in a solid square case that is bigger than a childhood lunch box. They might not be the most portable option, but that shouldn't be a huge problem if you're looking to grab a bunch of cans that home consoles make better use of.

Microphone test

The last part of the package is the Model One's detachable microphone. While it doesn't try to reinvent anything in the way the drivers are, it's still a bit unique. It has a patent-pending design that is geared towards passive noise cancellation.

It's harder to say how much effect this design tweak has, but the mic definitely does the job. When testing on PS5, I found that my voice came through clearly without interrupting. As I was recording some tests with my iPhone, I realized that I needed to have the microphone closer to my mouth than I would like. It picked up my mid-range voice well enough, but I could hear the distance. Discord friends noticed the same thing after playing a few rounds of Pokemon Unite.

The boom microphone that comes with the VZR Model One.

When the temple attachment is not in use, the headset defaults to an in-line microphone, which is a nice touch. Of course, the quality suffers here, but there is a great deal of flexibility. The headset also has a mute switch, but no volume control. It's a surprising omission considering how sturdy the package is – and the price.

For the casual gamer, the price of the Model One will certainly be hard to swallow.

The last part is important. The VZR Model One costs $ 349, which is certainly an investment. For comparison: Sony's own Pulse 3D headset, which is "optimized" for the PS5, costs 100 US dollars. For the casual gamer, the price of the Model One will certainly be hard to swallow. But for those who want the best possible sound, it certainly does justice to the audiophile label.

Our opinion

The Model One offers tremendous sound quality that really brings out the best in the spatial sound of the next generation. VZR has entered the headset scene with an impressive socket set that combines convenience and quality. The $ 349 price tag is remarkably high for the gaming arena and admittedly that will be a block for many gamers. Fortunately, Model One justifies the price for those willing to take the plunge.

Is there a better alternative?

If you're just looking for a headset better optimized for next-gen consoles, the Pulse 3D is a cheaper PS5 companion.

How long it will take?

With a metal frame and a sturdy design, the VZR Model One is certainly built to last. Don't expect them to fall apart in a year.

Should you buy it?

Yes. If you have the money to burn and really care about sound quality, they are sure to meet your audiophile needs.

Editor's recommendations



18 Aug
Blog

Do Genetics Make for Better Strength and Power Athletes?

There are many genetic markers associated with elite fitness and athletic traits.

Whether you are an athlete, be the king of your gym, or demonstrate natural ability in certain types of physical fitness activities, it has been suggested that genetics play a role in performance.

Continue reading

18 Aug
Blog

HP Pavilion Aero 13 Review: Ultra-Light, Ultra-Powerful?

HP Pavilion Aero 13 sits on a table.

HP Pavilion Aero 13 Review: Ultra-light, ultra-powerful?

RRP $ 1,000.00

"The HP Pavilion Aero 13 is as powerful as it is light."

advantages

  • Mostly solid build quality

  • Excellent performance

  • Very good battery life

  • Extremely light

  • Minimalistic good looks

disadvantage

  • Keyboard is a bit rough

  • Lid is too flexible

Light laptops usually come with compromises. Chunky performance and flimsy build quality are common.

The new Pavilion Aero 13 from HP tries to resolve these misunderstandings. Although the HP Pavilion Aero 13 weighs just 2.18 pounds (and is technically categorized as a budget laptop), it's a fast, well-built, and surprisingly high-quality small laptop.

I tested a mid-range configuration of the Pavilion Aero 13 for $ 1,000 that comes with an eight-core AMD Ryzen 7 5800U CPU and a modern 16:10 Full HD + (1,920 x 1,200) IPS display. Most buyers will be interested in the $ 750 base configuration with a Ryzen 5 5600U and half the RAM and storage.

But no matter what you choose, this isn't your dad's budget pavilion.

design

The Pavilion Aero 13 is the first in its product line in which the entire chassis is made of a magnesium-aluminum alloy. That makes it extremely light at just 2.18 pounds – in fact, it's the lightest consumer laptop HP has ever made. The HP Envy 13 is slightly wider and slightly flatter and is the same thickness at 0.67 inches but weighs 2.88 pounds.

The previous generation Pavilion 13 was larger in all dimensions, 0.70 inches thick, and weighed 2.71 pounds – without an all-metal design. The Pavilion Aero 13 clearly stands out among the thin and light 13-inch laptops from HP.

HP Pavilion Aero 13 sits on a table.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

It also beats the best 13-inch laptop on the market, the clearly high-quality Dell XPS 13, at least in terms of weight. This laptop is 0.58 inches thick, weighs 2.8 pounds, and is a bit thinner even with its own 16:10 display. The reason: HP has raised the hinge a bit, which tilts the keyboard for better typing and improved airflow, and so the chin of the Pavilion Aero 13 is larger than it appears when the lid is open. A closer competitor is the Asus ZenBook 13 OLED ($ 1,000 with 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and an OLED display), which is slightly larger in width and depth and heavier at 2.5 pounds, but only 0.55 inches is thick.

This light metal alloy has its price. While the lower chassis of the Pavilion Aero 13 only yields slightly under good pressure, the lid is quite flexible. Because the metal is not only more flexible, it is also quite thin. Build quality is one area where the Pavilion Aero 13 proves its budget pedigree – although it's by no means bad. Nevertheless, a higher-quality notebook like the XPS 13 or the HP Specter x360 13 gives the impression of rock-solid rigidity that the Pavilion cannot achieve.

The ZenBook 13 OLED has a lot going for it too, but it's hard to say which one is more solidly built without comparing them side by side. I have to note that the hinge on the Pavilion Aero 13 is excellent – you can open the lid with one hand and there is only a tiny wiggle when you type.

Aesthetically, the Pavilion Aero 13 has a modern look that is reminiscent of the Envy line. It's a minimalist design with clean lines and angles that comes in four colors – the natural silver of my review unit, pale rose gold, warm gold, and ceramic white. Whichever color scheme you choose, you get a simple and attractive look without being overbearing. It's also modern thanks to the small bezels of the display that give it a screen-to-body ratio of 90%. The XPS 13 and Specter x360 13 are more standout machines, but there's plenty of room for a laptop that looks this good without attracting attention.

Left side view of the HP Pavilion Aero 13. Connections shown: HDMI, USB, micro-USB and headphones.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

HP Pavilion Aero 13 right side view, charging port.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

HP Pavilion Aero 13 right side view, charging port.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Connectivity is mixed up, with a full-sized HDMI 2.0 port, a USB-A port and a USB-C port on the left, and a second USB-A port on the right. This is great legacy support, but there is no Thunderbolt support due to the AMD chipset. There is also no SD card reader, which is disappointing. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 offer wireless connectivity.

perfomance

HP Pavilion Aero 13 fingerprint scanner.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Equipped with an 8-core / 16-thread AMD Ryzen 7 5800U CPU, together with 16 GB RAM and a 512 GB PCIe Solid State Drive (SSD), the Pavilion Aero 13 promises to be quite powerful. AMD's chip is faster than Intel's 4-core / 8-thread Core i7-1185G7 of the 11th generation for CPU-intensive tasks.

These additional cores are most important to anyone using applications such as creative software that are CPU demanding. Video editing stands out here, and according to our benchmarks, the Pavilion Aero 13 offers a surprising amount of performance in such a light package.

The Pavilion Aero 13 is the fastest notebook in our comparison group and is on par with other notebooks equipped with the Ryzen 7 5800U, such as the Asus ZenBook 13 OLED. These two swapped places from benchmark to benchmark, with HP leading the way in Handbrake with an excellent score of less than two minutes to encode our 420 MB test video in H.265 and in Cinebench R23. These benchmarks show how well a laptop performs not only on creative tasks such as video rendering and display, but also on most tasks that place stress on the CPU for an extended period of time. They not only show the processor performance, but also how well the thermal design of a laptop keeps the CPU running at full speed.

The performance of the HP Pavilion Aero 13 was impressive across the board.

At the same time, the ZenBook 13 OLED came out on top in Geekbench 5 and the PCMark 10 Complete Score, tests that show how well a laptop performs at a mix of productivity tasks such as web browsing, video conferencing and office applications, as well as multitasking. The difference wasn't that big, and so it would be fair to call the two laptops equivalent. And as you can see in the table below, both laptops outperformed the Intel competition with quick results that are well above the price of about $ 1,000 for each laptop. Apart from single-core scores in Cinebench R23, the Intel chips couldn't keep up. The division of the PCMark 10 benchmarks into the points Essentials, Productivity and Content Creation resulted in the same inequality.

Simply put, the Pavilion Aero 13 was impressive across the board. If you run the CPU-intensive apps above, you will find few thin and light laptops that can keep up. The Pavilion Aero 13 was pretty quick during my tests and handled everything I threw at it without hesitation. I highly recommend this incredibly light laptop for its performance alone.

Geekbench (single / multiple) Handbrake
(Seconds)		 Cinebench R23 (single / multiple) PCMark 10 3DMark time spy
HP Pavilion Aero 13
(Ryzen7 5800U)		 1373/6430 112 1381/8304 5756 1212
Asus ZenBook 13 OLED
(Ryzen7 5800U)		 1423/6758 124 1171/7824 6034 1342
Dell XPS 13 (Core i7-1185G7) 1549/5431 204 1399/4585 n / A 1380
HP Specter x360 14 (Core i7-1165G7) 1214/4117 236 1389/3941 4728 1457
Razer Book 13 (Core i7-1165G7) 1548/5374 210 1508/4519 4878 1776
MacBook Pro 13 (M1) 1707/7337 n / A 1487/7547 n / A n / A

When it comes to gaming performance, however, the Ryzen chips do not dominate. The Pavilion Aero 13 achieved the lowest 3DMark Time Spy test in our comparison group and could not convince in our test game Fortnite.

It reached 29 frames per second (fps) at 1080p and high graphics and 15 fps with epic graphics turned on. That's about the same as what you get from the built-in Intel Iris Xe graphics, and not enough for older titles or newer titles with reduced resolution and graphics detail.

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HP Pavilion Aero 13 sits on a table.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

For the Pavilion brand, HP has moved the larger 16:10 aspect ratio downwards and has equipped the Pavilion Aero 13 with a 13.3-inch 16:10 IPS panel in one of two resolutions. You can choose from Full HD + (1,920 x 1,200), which my test device has, or QHD + (2,560 x 1,600) displays.

I was impressed with the display, which was so much better than you usually find on a Pavilion or other supposedly budget laptop. Again, it's a $ 1,000 machine, so it's reasonable to expect a good display – and HP delivered. My subjective experience matched my objective results, which I'll outline in a moment, with colors showing up without oversaturation and appearing accurate enough for all but the most discerning creative professionals. While the contrast was lower in absolute terms than I would like, black text on a white background still stood out – important for anyone who works with words or numbers on the screen.

The ultra-bright display of the HP Pavilion Aero 13 holds up particularly well in direct sunlight.

According to my colorimeter, the Pavilion Aero 13's display was primarily a high quality premium display. It was very bright at 437 nits, well above our 300 nit threshold and close to the 458 nits of the Dell XPS 13 Full HD + display. In comparison, the Asus ZenBook 13's OLED panel delivers 397 nits of brightness. Each of these displays may even be useful in direct sunlight, but the Pavilion Aero 13 holds up particularly well. The only disappointment with the Pavilion Aero 13 was the contrast ratio, which was only 830: 1 – below our 1,000: 1 threshold for the best displays. The XPS 13 was much better at 1350: 1, while the ZenBook 13 OLED enjoyed the extreme contrast of this display technology at 396,690: 1.

The color saturation of the Pavilion Aero 13 was average of 77% AdobeRGB and 99% sRGB, a little better than the premium average. The XPS 13 achieved 75 and 98% respectively, while the ZenBook 13 OLED again benefited from the display technology with an excellent 100% of both color spaces. The HP's colors were reasonably accurate with a DeltaE of 1.8 (less than 1.0 is considered excellent), the XPS 13 with 1.36 and the ZenBook 13 OLED with a phenomenal 0.49.

The tone was not quite the same standard. The volume was too low, even though there was no distortion when fully turned up. The mids and highs were clear, but there was no bass which made the sound a bit lifeless. It's fine for system sounds and the occasional YouTube video, but you'll need headphones or bluetooth speakers to enjoy Netflix or listen to music.

Keyboard and touchpad

HP Pavilion Aero 13 keyboard and trackpad.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The Pavilion Aero 13 has a keyboard that looks like that of the Specter and the latest Envy laptops. It's well spaced with nice sized keycaps and the same row of position keys along the right side. But it doesn't use the same mechanism that I've gotten used to. There are good trips out there, but without the precise ground motion and click feel you get with the high-end devices from HP.

The Specter keyboard is my favorite among Windows 10 laptops, and the Pavilion Aero 13 isn't stackable. It's better than many budget laptops, but this is a $ 1,000 device – the keyboard is a budget holdover that doesn't belong. The Asus ZenBook 13 OLED has a better keyboard for the same price. I should mention that the Pavilion Aero 13's keyboard is also a bit noisy, and not backlit, without paying a $ 20 premium – a disappointment given the $ 1,000 price tag.

The touchpad is better – it's 23% larger than the previous version and takes up most of the available space on the keyboard deck. It's bigger than the touchpad on the Specter x360 13, but not as big as the version of the Specter x360 14. It has a smooth finish and supports Microsoft's Precision touchpad drivers, so it supports Windows 10 multi-touch gestures well. There's no touch display option, and that's a disappointment because I don't really like non-touch displays – but not everyone feels the same, and that might not be a deal-breaker for most buyers.

Windows 10 Hello support is provided by a fingerprint reader on the keyboard deck, and it worked fine. I was able to log in straight away without my password, that's all you want the feature to do.

Battery life

The Pavilion Aero 13 is equipped with a 43-watt-hour battery, which is a bit small for a 13-inch laptop. I've seen mixed results with Ryzen battery life, so I wasn't expecting great longevity even with the Full HD + display.

I got the most encouragement in my benchmark tests. The Pavilion Aero 13 lasted 10.5 hours in our web browsing test, which is a solid result. The Dell XPS 13 Full HD + managed 8.5 hours, while the Asus ZenBook 13 OLED achieved a staggering 15.7 hours even with an OLED display. In our video test, which ran through a local 1080p trailer, the Pavilion Aero 13 again achieved just over 10.5 hours, the XPS 13 with 12 hours and the ZenBook 13 OLED with 15.5 hours. It struck me that, unlike Intel laptops, Ryzen computers do not always show such a large increase from web browsing to video testing.

The Pavilion Aero 13 managed almost 11.5 hours in the PCMark 10 Applications battery test, a strong score that is right at the top of our database. The XPS 13 lasted almost 10 hours; we didn't test the ZenBook 13 OLED with this benchmark. The Pavilion Aero 13 only lasted 94 minutes in the PCMark 10 gaming battery test, which is at the lower end of our database, while the XPS 13 lasted almost four hours. However, this PCMark battery test is highly dependent on how aggressively a laptop runs on battery power, and so it is likely that the HP maintained full speed while the Dell throttled during the test.

Overall, the Pavilion Aero 13 achieves an all-day battery life and a few more. You can take up some work in the evening without joining, or enjoy Netflix for a few hours. In view of the low weight of the laptop, this is a commendable result, also thanks to the lower battery capacity.

Our opinion

With the Pavilion Aero 13, HP has added a few premium features to the Pavilion line and at the same time increased the price. The all-metal chassis and 16:10 display aspect ratio are welcome additions and give the Pavilion Aero 13 a justification for its $ 1,000 price tag. The performance and battery life were also good enough to make the price seem reasonable, even if it's more than we'd expect from a machine that's supposed to be a budget option.

Add in the extremely light nature of the Pavilion Aero 13 and you have a very compelling option in the 13 inch space. If you are looking for a notebook of this class, you will be happy with the Pavilion Aero 13, even considering midrange and premium alternatives.

Any alternatives?

I'm not mentioning the HP Envy 13 because it's a great alternative, but because for the same $ 1,000 you can get a less-performing laptop with an old-school 16: 9 display. It shows how aggressively HP positions the superior Pavilion Aero 13 against the rest of its product lineup.

The Asus ZenBook 13 OLED is a more competitive alternative that also costs $ 1,000. It runs the same CPU but includes a larger 1TB SSD and an OLED display.

Finally, you could go for the Dell XPS 13, which is more expensive but also of higher quality. You get better build quality, a slightly better display, and a sleeker look and feel.

How long it will take?

The Pavilion Aero 13 has a slightly flexible lid, but otherwise it's a well-built and well-equipped laptop that should last for years with typical use. The one-year warranty is standard, but disappointing as usual.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Pavilion Aero 13 is not only – or even primarily – intended for budget-conscious laptop buyers. It's a great machine for anyone looking at a 13-inch laptop.

Editor's recommendations



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