JBL Reflect Mini NC Review: Workout Earbuds With Big Bass

JBL Reflect Mini NC

"With a throbbing bass and a huge list of functions, the JBL Reflect Mini NC chooses every workout."

  • Big, powerful bass

  • Excellent call quality

  • Either Alexa or Google Assistant

  • Good noise cancellation

  • Cumbersome adjustment of the controls

  • No wireless charging

JBL sells a wide variety of true wireless earbuds aimed at fitness enthusiasts. Between the company's own JBL branded products and its partnerships with Under Armor and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, you can choose from eight different models, priced between $ 100 and $ 200. Announced at CES 2021, the latest in the range are the $ 150 Reflect Mini NC, JBL's first Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) training buds.

With an impressive list of features, excellent water resistance, and a surprisingly affordable price point, one wonders: what's the catch? Let's take a look.

What's in the box?

JBL Reflect Mini NCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Reflect Mini NC, like most JBL headphones, comes in a box that is beautifully designed but a nightmare to recycle, with lots of plastic, foam, and magnets embedded. Inside you will find the earphones, their charging case, a USB-C charging cable, a total of three sizes of silicone earplugs and wing tips, as well as paper documentation with a quick guide.

design

JBL Reflect Mini NCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Most of the other loading cases feel weak in comparison.

The Reflect Mini NC and its compact charging case are available in black, white, green or blue and radiate robustness. Despite its low weight, the charging case is very solid thanks to a robust plastic shell and an impressively robust hinge. The lid is easy to open and stays in the open position until you close it, which comes with a very satisfactory magnetic clasp. Most of the other loading cases, even JBL's own Reflect Flow, feel weak in comparison. A built-in lanyard loop is handy for taking the headphones with you when you don't have a pocket, or attaching them to a gym bag or backpack.

I'm also a bit obsessed with the charge indicator on the front of the case. In most cases there will be a small LED dot or a series of dots if you're lucky. With the Reflect Mini NC, however, you get a large, fat LED bar that shows the charging status of each earbud and the case itself. The only thing missing here is wireless charging.

The earphones are also solidly built and, as the name suggests, slightly smaller than the Reflect Flows – albeit not by much. As an advantage for night runners and hikers, reflective paint was applied to the JBL logos on the contact surfaces.

No workout buds would be complete without some sort of water resistance, and the Reflect Mini NC doesn't disappoint with an IPX7 rating, which means they're effectively waterproof. They won't work if you go swimming with them, but they won't be damaged either.

Convenience, control and connections

JBL Reflect Mini NCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

True workout wireless earbuds often use an ear hook design to ensure a secure fit. The Powerbeats Pro are the flagship for this function. But if you can achieve the same level of security without the earhook, that's a plus in my opinion, and the Reflect Mini NC definitely delivers. The tradeoff – if you consider it a compromise – is that these earbuds really make your ears feel full.

You have no concerns about an accidentally detached bud.

The silicone earbuds and wing tips are denser than the ones JBL uses for the Reflect Flow, presumably to improve stability, but that means they're not quite as comfortable. You have no concerns about an accidentally detached bud, but you'll never forget you're wearing it either. As a result, they are likely not the best choice for long periods of wear in an office or on an airplane.

The touch controls respond quickly as long as you touch the surface of the logo and not just the edges. Each earbud is factory-equipped with preset functions. With the left bud you can switch between the ANC modes or activate the talk-thru mode (more on this later). The right earbud controls play / pause and skip forward / backward. Both earbuds can access your phone's built-in assistant and both can be used to answer / end calls and mute / unmute the microphones. So far, so good. There is no volume control by default, but that's not uncommon – many true wireless earbuds lack this feature.

The problem occurs when you use the free JBL headphones app to customize the controls. Instead of letting you choose which features go with which gestures, you have to choose from the presets. For example, the left earbud can control noise cancellation or playback functions, but not a mix of these functions. If volume control is important to you, you can set either earbud to control it. But then you just have to choose another function to control with the other earbud. What will it be? And if you don't like the gesture assigned to a particular function (e.g. a single tap to toggle ANC mode), you can't change it.

You can configure the Reflect Mini NC to access the Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa instead of your phone's built-in assistant. However, if you use this very cool feature it will take a whole earbud. This leaves you with Alexa and volume (for example). Or Alexa and ANC. You get the picture. I asked JBL why the controls seem to be set up like a bunch of channels on cable TV, but I have never received a satisfactory answer.

Like more and more earbuds these days, the Reflect Mini NC has an auto play / pause function that pauses your music when you remove an earbud. It reacts very quickly and can be deactivated in the app if desired.

You can use the earbuds individually (both can answer / end calls) and their wireless range is excellent. Pairing is very quick and easy for both iPhone and Android phones.

There's a bass-forward sound signature that you can feel all over your body.

In the JBL app, you can choose from three different Smart Audio modes that supposedly change the parameters of the wireless connection: Normal for the most stable connection, audio for the best sound quality, and video for the lowest latency (also great for gaming). I didn't notice much of a difference between these modes, but I love that they are included if you need them.

JBL also includes a Find My Earbuds feature that makes each earbud emit a high-pitched beep. It's loud enough that you will hear it even if a bud gets wedged between sofa cushions.

Sound quality

JBL Reflect Mini NCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

When it comes to a set of workout earphones, the big, powerful bass is arguably one of the most important elements. After all, it's the beat that keeps most of us going, whether we're serious about taking a walk or trying to hit a new personal best at the gym. Thanks in part to its super-tight seal, the Reflect Mini NC fulfills this requirement with a bass-forward sound signature that you can feel through your whole body.

Turn up Post Malone's wow. or Ariana Grande's 7 rings and wait for those extremely deep basses to hit – it's powerful stuff. That same low-end rumble is perfect for action films too.

You can customize the EQ to your heart's content in the JBL app, with a few presets, but also your own collection of custom settings. These are well worth exploring – you can drastically change the signature of the Reflect Mini NC.

They aren't the most nuanced earbuds I've ever heard. The mids can be a bit overwhelmed by the heavy lows and highs, and their soundstage isn't as wide or open as on models like this Jabra Elite Active 75t. As a training companion, however, they couldn't be more precise in terms of sound.

Noise cancellation and transparency

JBL Reflect Mini NCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

After a lukewarm experience with JBL's ANC technology on the Club One wireless headphones, I was also prepared for an overwhelming performance from the Reflect Mini NC. Surprisingly, the opposite was true. Once again, their tight ear canal seal is key: these earbuds do such a good job of passive noise isolation that the ANC circuit doesn't have much to put out, and they do a very effective job.

It's so good, in fact, that even without music, family members could sneak up on me completely undetected while I had the earphones with me.

You can select the specific frequencies you want to cancel using a slider in the JBL app. It's not quite as convenient as the Sony, Jabra, or Soundcore presets, but it's very handy nonetheless. Customize ANC performance for your specific environment.

The Reflect Mini NC have excellent call quality.

Transparency mode is good too, but it has two minor drawbacks: unlike ANC, you can't adjust how much sound transparency mode is allowed, and there's no way to toggle between ANC and transparency mode without an ANC off Mode to cycle through. Two more adjustments that JBL should add.

Talk-thru mode, a handy way to temporarily turn on transparency while lowering the volume of your music, works very well too.

Battery life

JBL claims six hours of use between charges for the Reflect Mini NC when the ANC is on and seven hours when it is off. It's similar to the Jabra Elite 75t and Elite Active 75t, but not quite as impressive as the Powerbeats Pro's nine hours. The charging case contains two full charges that take an additional 12 or 14 hours. As far as I can tell, these numbers are pretty accurate.

A 10-minute quick charge gives you an extra hour of playback time, although that's on the low end for true wireless earbuds.

Call quality

JBL managed to surprise me once again – the Reflect Mini NC have excellent call quality. To put it in perspective, if you are using them outside or around traffic, you just can't tell I wasn't inside. There was an occasional jiggle when noise cancellation tackled car and wind noise, but overall these earbuds are impressively clear.

During a call you can still switch the ANC to ambient mode, which is perfect for hearing your own voice without the attenuation effects of the earbuds.

Our opinion

The JBL Reflect Mini NC with massive basses are also inexpensive and feature-rich, which makes them an ideal set of training companions. If JBL could fix the cumbersome and restrictive control schemes, they would be nearly perfect.

Is there a better alternative?

I think JBL found the sweet spot for workout earbuds with the price, sound, and features of the Reflect Mini NC, but here are three alternatives worth considering:

Sony's $ 200 WF-SP800N is one of our most popular workout earbuds. It offers better sound quality and a better ANC, as well as an enormous battery life of nine hours.

The $ 200 Jabra Elite Active 75t offers better sound quality (though not as much bass) and controls, plus longer battery life, while providing great water and dust resistance. I think they're more comfortable too, but without ear hooks or wing tips, they're not as safe.

The $ 150 JLab Epic Air Sport is one of our favorite Powerbeats Pro competitors. They don't have an ANC and their ear hook design makes them less versatile, but they have great sound and tremendous battery life.

How long will they last?

With a one-year guarantee from JBL, the Reflect Mini NC are very robustly built and I expect a long service life. The silicone earbuds and wing tips will likely need to be replaced after a year of continuous use, but this is normal for these parts.

Should you buy it?

Absolutely. As long as you're okay with a very custom-fit in-ear design and you don't mind spending some time figuring out which controls to use, this is it JBL Reflect Mini NC are great workout earbuds.

Editor's recommendations




Klipsch Cinema 600 Soundbar Review: Big, Bold Stereo Sound

Klipsch Cinema 600 soundbar

Klipsch Cinema 600 soundbar

"The powerful and precise Cinema 600 is a soundbar for everyone who likes it loud."

  • High quality materials and surfaces

  • Easy to set up and use

  • Effective dialogue modes

  • Powerful and precise sound

  • Subwoofer not challenged

  • Mediocre virtual surround mode

The soundbar market is huge, with models ranging from tiny TV speakers to monstrous, multi-device home theater replacements, priced anywhere from $ 100 to over $ 1,000. Somewhere in the middle you should be able to find a system that offers powerful, room-filling sound, easy setup and use, and a price that doesn't make you rethink your life choices. That void falls into the $ 500 Klipsch Cinema 600, a 3.1 soundbar system with one of the largest subwoofers we've seen.

Does the Cinema 600 satisfy? Let's try it out.

What's in the box?

Klipsch Cinema 600 soundbarSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Cinema 600's L-shaped box is an unwieldy animal you might want to recruit a friend for – the courier who delivered our test model nearly injured himself with a dolly while negotiating our front stairs. Inside you will find the soundbar, the subwoofer, two power cables, an HDMI cable, wall brackets with a template, a remote control with batteries and the operating instructions. A lot of styrofoam is used to protect the components, but the rest can likely be roadside recycled if you don't keep them.

The company designed its soundbars to attract your eyes just as they do your ears.

design

Klipsch Cinema 600 soundbarSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Klipsch is obsessed with making its speaker technology visible to everyone. The distinctive copper drivers are so diverse that many people never bother installing the included black fabric grilles that come with Klipsch products. So it's no wonder the company designed its soundbars to attract your eyes as well as your ears.

Black stained wooden end caps, accents made of brushed metal and a black fabric grill exude a restrained, high-quality atmosphere. The exposed tweeters at the ends, framed by Klipsch's signature Tractrix horns, may be more polarizing. Personally, I don't want visual distractions that take my eye off the screen while watching TV, so I prefer subtle sound bars. These silver plastic horns are hard to ignore if they catch even the slightest trace of room light. It makes the Cinema 600's design harder to sell for me, but I think Klipsch fans won't mind at all.

At 45 inches wide, the soundbar is in the long side category, but it's height that could be an issue. With a size of almost five centimeters, there is a possibility that part of the screen is covered on TVs with very short stands or feet. Measure your setup carefully, unless you plan on wall mounting the pole (which is easy thanks to the hardware included).

The control buttons for power supply, source and volume are located at the top right in the bar under a small display on which the status of the individual functions is shown. It's convenient to have them, but the play / pause and mute buttons feel like obvious omissions.

The wireless subwoofer is, I'll just say it: freaking enormous. It stands over 18 inches tall and is over a foot wide on each side. You probably shouldn't put objects on it or use it as a stool, but it's nice to know you could – it's ultra-solid, with the same furniture-grade black wood as the soundbar, with an uninterrupted frame on five sides.

Klipsch recommends placing it near the front of the viewing area – on a wall or in a corner – for a stronger bass effect. However, due to its size, this may not be possible in every situation.

Setup and connections

Klipsch Cinema 600 soundbar connectionsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Setting up the Cinema 600 is a breeze. Connect the soundbar to your TV using the HDMI cable provided or your own optical or analog cable, then plug the soundbar and subwoofer into the appropriate sockets. That's it, you're done. Note, however, that in the manual, the soundbar must be connected first and then the subwoofer. This makes the pairing sequence between the two components much smoother.

The included remote control is well designed and impressively lit so that it can be easily viewed in a darkened room.

Using the bar's HDMI ARC connection will allow your TV to control volume and mute. However, like many sound bars, some audio formats that require HDMI ARC are not supported (such as Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos). It also lacks an HDMI input to use as a passthrough. So if your TV has limited HDMI ports, you can use an optical cable instead. You'll lose volume and mute, but don't worry, there is a workaround – the soundbar can be set to respond to your TV or cable box remote control.

In addition to the optical and HDMI connections, you get an analog socket and Bluetooth for wireless streaming from a smartphone. Each input can be selected using the buttons above or the remote control. This means that you have up to four sound sources easily accessible.

The connection ports are located in a very small cavity. So if you want to run cables to each cable, you may have to play around with the order so they don't bump into each other.

The Cinema 600 also has a USB port behind the right end cap, which is mainly used for firmware updates, but can also be used to play audio files from a USB stick or hard drive. I haven't tested this feature.

user friendliness

Klipsch Cinema 600 Soundbar remote controlSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The included remote control is well designed and impressively lit so that it can be easily viewed in a darkened room. A motion sensor will light up as soon as you record it. Deeper functions such as bass level, surround mode, dialogue enhancement and night mode are easily accessible via special buttons.

Whether it's Hollywood blockbusters or the latest original TV series from HBO or Netflix, the sound is punchy, precise and energetic.

It's completely intuitive, but I'm not crazy about the bar with LED dots on the front of the soundbar as an indicator of what's happening. As a volume indicator it works perfectly, but once you switch to surround or dialog mode you need the manual to interpret point sequences. It's like morse code. Klipsch should consider shipping the Cinema 600 with a display-equipped remote control, as Vizio does with its mid-tier and flagship soundbars. The last thing you want to do while watching a movie is digging up a manual.

Sound quality

The Cinema 600 is a 3.1-channel system, ie you get three loudspeakers (left and right front channel and a center channel) and the subwoofer. This is a near-perfect setup for people who simply want a lot better sound than their televisions can produce. It gives you excellent stereo separation while providing crystal clear dialogue through the center channel.

Whether it's Hollywood blockbusters or the latest original TV series from HBO or Netflix, the sound is punchy, precise and energetic. And wow, this system gets loud when you want it – without a hint of distortion. After all, 600 watts is a lot of power.

The four dialogue modes successfully improve speech intelligibility, which I rely on for dialogue-intensive shows like The Crown.

Overall, it's an extremely fun TV sound system. But there are two areas that I found less than great.

First, you'd think that with a subwoofer this big, low-end bass rumble would go off the charts. But even when the bass level is at its maximum, low frequency effects are seriously attenuated. Some of this can be traced back to where I placed the subwoofer – in the middle of my viewing wall, not in a corner. But I don't think that should make that much difference. Don't get me wrong, there is still a lot of bass, but it feels like it is produced by less than half the size of the unit that comes with the Cinema 600.

Second, you can activate a virtual surround mode which theoretically expands the sound beams coming from the bar to achieve the equivalent of a full 5.1 surround system. Using this mode definitely increases the width of the soundstage, but at the same time it breaks the high frequencies and pulls back the midrange. The effect actually smooths the sound instead of making it more immersive.

If you want a true 5.1 system, you don't have to choose between great 3.1 and mediocre virtualized surround sound. The Cinema 600 can be expanded with Klipsch's wireless Surround 3 speakers ($ 250 per pair), or you can purchase them together as a bundle in early 2021.

The music in the Cinema 600 is also very dynamic (this surround mode should also be avoided here). Modern, studio-produced tracks like The Weeknds Blinding Lights or Beck's Uneventful Days sound particularly good, while older material is not quite as lively, but is still fun.

Our opinion

Klipsch delivers a lively and loud 3.1 home theater soundbar in the Cinema 600, which has good connections and a well-designed remote control.

Is there a better alternative?

There's no shortage of excellent soundbar options for the same $ 500 price as the Cinema 600. The LG SN7Y is a 3.1.2 system that delivers Dolby Atmos decently from a single bar, and the HT-G700 from Sony is possibly the best at Klipsch and LG when it comes to virtualized surround sound. Any of these sound bars will likely prove more satisfactory than the Cinema 600 from a multi-channel perspective. However, if you're looking for a clean, powerful sound, Klipsch is hard to beat.

How long it will take?

Klipsch is known for high quality equipment and the Cinema 600 is a well built system that should last for many years. Klipsch grants a one-year guarantee on the electronics and a three-year guarantee on the housing and woofer components.

Should you buy it?

Yes. While the Cinema 600 isn't as impressive as some soundbars, its performance and precision make it deserve a spot on your shortlist.

Editor's recommendations




Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro Review: Big in Size and Specs, Not Appeal

xiaomi me 10t per review mi

Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro Review: Big in size, specs and camera, but not attractive

"The Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro has a lot of power and capabilities, but the large, heavy housing and LCD screen mean that the outside doesn't feel as up-to-date as other phones."

  • Long battery life

  • Great camera

  • Good performance and audio for gaming

  • Big and heavy

  • No wireless charging

It's difficult to get massive phones right, as the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro proves. It's a whopper and fits the overall size of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, but the large Samsung phone is much more comfortable and natural to hold than the Mi 10T Pro. The reason for this lies in some ergonomic choices that make it more unwieldy than we'd like. However, there is no denying that the phone is capable or offers a competitive price. I've used it and so it is.

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Design and screen

How much do we talk here? The Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro weighs 218 grams, is 9.3 mm thick and 76.4 mm wide. Since it has a flat screen rather than a curved screen, it feels every bit that size and a bit more. The handling of the Galaxy S20 Ultra proves that the Xiaomi's dimensions are misleading as the Samsung phone is wider and a little heavier, but the curved screen and thinner frame hide these things more effectively. Don't buy the Mi 10T Pro if you have small hands.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The fingerprint sensor is hidden in the side of the power switch. While it's quick and accurate, the way you have to grab the phone to use it helps make it feel uncomfortable. The back of the phone – the model shown here is in the color Lunar Silver – is a matte finish made of Gorilla Glass 5 that gets quite smeared with use, but looks very pretty in the right light. The camera module adds a few millimeters to the phone's thickness, but at least the unusual design is eye-catching.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I like the modern look of the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro, and its firmness in your hand gives it a reassuringly powerful feel and highlights the great build quality, but I found it a strain to use. It's mainly the fault of the flat panel display and thick case, and I've often been delighted to pick up my iPhone 12 Pro and use it instead. If a phone the size of the Galaxy S20 Ultra appeals, but the price doesn't, the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro is worth considering.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Mi 10T Pro from Xiaomi can keep up with the S20 Ultra in size, but not in terms of screen technology. Xiaomi has chosen an LCD screen for the phone. While it has the right specs – 144 Hz refresh rate, HDR10 +, and 6.67-inch size – you'll miss the contrast, colors, and gloss of an OLED screen. Not only that, the lack of OLED means the phone doesn't have an always-on mode, which I always miss.

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About that 144Hz refresh rate – it just doesn't look as effective as I've seen other phones do. Scrolling through Twitter, for example, is smoother and less blurry on the 120 Hz Galaxy S20 Ultra and probably also on the 60 Hz iPhone 12 Pro. Flipping through the general operating system is easy on the eyes, but adding the high refresh rate to an LCD seems like half a step as the OnePlus Nord N10 5G made a similar impression.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Overall, the design and screen of the Mi 10T Pro are quite acceptable, but it feels a bit aged compared to other big screen phones that were available last year.

Performance and software

This is a top of the line smartphone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip and 8 GB of RAM. This is reflected in the phone's performance. It's really fast whether you're watching movies, playing games, or just browsing the software. Xiaomi's MIUI 12 is installed over Android 10.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The most annoying part of MIUI on the Mi 10T Pro is the decision to separate the swipe menu from the home screen. A swipe with the right hand brings up the quick access panel and a swipe with the left hand shows notifications. I would almost always cross the quick access controls down. Due to the size of the phone and a frustrating design choice in the software, it is difficult to get across the screen with one hand.

MIUI is endlessly customizable. So if you want to change the look of your phone's software, it has a lot of potential. You can select an app drawer or distribute app icons across multiple home screens. This feature is a good example of where MIUI frustrates even when its intentions are good. Applying the app drawer option will keep all of your app icons on multiple home screens so you get a cleanup job.

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I've played Asphalt 9 Legends for my reporting period and the game is immensely fast and fluid, but there is a bit of heat from behind for the phone when gaming. However, this is not uncommon for phones with the Snapdragon 865 inside. The size and weight of the phone help here as it is comfortable to hold in landscape orientation, although the large camera module can reach into your fingers. This makes gaming one of the Mi 10T Pro's greatest strengths, right down to the great audio from the two speakers.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Xiaomi's MIUI takes some getting used to, just like Huawei's EMUI, but once you've set it up it's manageable and usable on a daily basis. I didn't have any reliability issues. However, when deciding between Samsung OneUI, Google's Pixel software, or Apple's iOS, it comes down to the last time due to the confused design – for example, icons rarely have the same shape – and some usage issues.

camera

The camera module contains a 108-megapixel main camera, a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 5-megapixel macro camera. The 108MP camera is the Samsung HMX 1 / 1.33 inch sensor that was developed with Xiaomi and can record 8K videos. There's no optical or hybrid zoom, but it can zoom up to 30x digitally.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The camera app is a bit busy and not always very logical. There are plenty of features here to play with, including a long exposure mode, the ability to record video with the front and rear cameras at the same time, and a dedicated 108MP photo mode. However, it doesn't always make sense to find these features. For example, to enable macro mode, it's not under the "More" option, but rather in the drop-down menu at the top of the screen.

The large sensor doesn't work as well when getting close to subjects, but I didn't have any focus issues. The 5-megapixel macro lens is easier to use than the useless 2-megapixel cameras found on some cheaper phones, and even the digital zoom can produce some good photos, provided you're not too picky about it.

Selfies taken with the 20-megapixel front camera are sharp and detailed, although the various lighting modes aren't as effective as Apple's modes. Portrait mode is available front and back. The use of the rear camera's edge detection isn't great when compared to phones like the Pixel 5, but the app has plenty of customization and editing options. It's better if it can see a face, as can the selfie camera. Night mode is decent at dusk and adds atmosphere without making shots look like daylight.

The Mi 10T Pro's camera is fun and versatile. It delivers photos with a lot of atmosphere and captures wonderful colors with just the right contrast and a comfortable dynamic range, even in difficult, cloudy conditions. Some of the additional features can be fun, but there is a lot to try, and not all of them are successful.

Battery and connectivity

It's a massive 5,000 mAh battery in the Mi 10T Pro that lasted two days with average use. Squeeze the phone with games and big videos – streaming or calls – and you won't make it through day two. However, you have no single day concerns. There is 33W wired fast charging, but no wireless charging.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The phone has a 5G modem, but I don't have coverage in my area so couldn't try it. I got a decent 4G LTE signal, but the call quality isn't as clear and reliable as some other phones I've used recently, including the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra.

Price and availability

Where the Mi 10T Pro wins points is in the price. It costs £ 599 or about $ 800 via Xiaomi's own store and various UK networks. It is not officially available in the US but can be imported. Importers sell it for around $ 800. It is worth noting, however, that it is not an official US phone. Although it operates on GSM networks such as T-Mobile and AT&T, the phone may not always receive the best signal due to band compatibility.

Our opinion

The Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro is a competent, albeit unexciting smartphone that offers top-notch specs at a reasonable price. The overall size and weight haven't been managed as well as other larger phones, so it feels a bit awkward, but there's no question that it's very capable in terms of both performance and camera.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. The Google Pixel 5 ($ 699 / £ 599) costs the same, with better software, guaranteed updates, and a great camera – all in a smaller, more convenient package. The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (£ 699/599) and OnePlus 8T (£ 749/549) are also excellent buys if the design and small size of the pixel are not appealing. If you're not set to Android, the Apple iPhone 12 ($ 799/799 British Pounds) is also a better alternative.

How long it will take?

The Mi 10T Pro is not waterproof, but it has an attractive transparent silicone case in the box. The specs are great and it has 5G so on a technical level the phone will easily last for several years. Xiaomi updates its own software frequently, but there is no guarantee that an update to other major versions of Android will be available. There is no official release date for Android 11 with MIUI 12 on the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro.

Should you buy it?

No. The Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro has enough power and capabilities, but because of the large, heavy body and LCD screen, it doesn't feel as up-to-date on the outside as other phones that are available for the same price.

Editor's recommendations




LG 34GN850-B Review: The Best Ultrawide For Big Budgets

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"The LG 34GN850-B is an excellent ultrawide monitor for work and play."

  • Excellent picture quality

  • Excellent clarity of movement

  • Intuitive, sharp and responsive OSD

  • Classy look if you skip the booth

  • Smooth and smooth curve

  • Easy access to IO

  • The stand is large and inconspicuous

  • Bad contrast ratio

It is a good time to buy a monitor. While getting the perfect monitor is still not possible, LG ticked a lot of the right boxes on the spec sheet with its 34GN850-B including a 160Hz refresh rate on its ultrawide nano IPS panel with 98% DCI-P3 coverage, 1 ms response times, Adaptive-Sync, HDR400 and more.

These are impressive specs. It's not every day that a monitor lands those numbers for color performance coupled with gaming prestige. But there is a catch. The LG 34GN850 costs twice as much as budget ultrawides that use VA panels and is the same size, resolution, and almost the same refresh rate. Where is the money going?

design

When you unpack the LG 34GN850, you will find that most of your money is used for the panel and its performance. The back of the monitor is made of smooth, brittle plastic with a red ring around the brackets and I / O.

It's not overdeveloped as is the case with a lot of gaming hardware these days, but it's convenient and serves the purpose of enclosing the monitor, which is what matters. Our retail sample had the UltraGear logo on the back, although your device may have the standard, less garish LG badge on it.

Flip to the front of the display and we're excited to announce that LG is improving the finish where it matters. While cheap curved monitors often have unsightly gaps between the panel and the lower bezel due to manufacturing cost savings, LG glues the lower bezel flush across its width to the panel, which, along with the glossy casing on top, bottom, and sides is paired of the display makes the 34GN850 look clean and classy from the front.

The display's 1900R curve is also more consistent than cheaper displays, which often have a clear bend or two to match their curve. Instead, the LG 34GN850 has a very smooth and even curve across its width, which makes the monitor look more expensive and of higher quality.

If you put the 34GN850 on a simple monitor arm with table clamp, you get a classy looking ultrawide.

You can use the supplied stand with the monitor, but there are some issues. The stand itself is among the largest monitor stands I have come across to the point where it's awkward. This brings the monitor too far forward on a desk for comfortable use.

This makes the monitor look bigger and more impressive (which is probably why manufacturers do this). However, for productivity work, competitive gameplay, and eye comfort, you should have the display a little further back.

Combine that with the sticky look of the stand, the wobbly design, and the ineffective attempt at cable management and you'll find that spending an extra $ 60 on a simple desk clamp monitor arm isn't a crazy thought. This is disappointing given the price of this monitor.

If you choose to use the stand, you can expect the monitor to sit about 30 cm from the back of the stand. It comes with height and tilt adjustments, but does not pan or rotate to portrait orientation.

Ports & controls

Now that we've covered the drawbacks of the 34GN850, it's time to move on to the good things. It starts with the controls on the screen. As with previous LG monitors, the controls are impressive.

It's all controlled with a single direction switch at the bottom of the monitor and it's extremely easy to use. Push it forward or backward to jump directly into the brightness controls, or left and right for volume. Pressing it will trigger the menu selection tool which will take you to the main OSD of the display. This menu is crisp, crisp, and responsive, which is what we can't say about many monitors.

As someone who changes brightness a lot, I particularly appreciate the instant one-click access to brightness controls.

Inside, you'll find five sub-menus: Game Mode with a handful of image presets, Game Customization where you can choose the overclocking setting (On for 160 Hz, Off for 144 Hz), Adaptive Sync, Black Stabilizer, and a crosshair.

In the image adjustment submenu you will find controls for brightness, contrast, sharpness, gamma, color temperature and fine-tuning for the colors. Finally, the Input and General submenus give you general system settings.

You want to turn off the auto standby feature because it is set to 4 hours by default. I wasn't happy that the monitor tried to turn itself off three times a day.

Unlike most of its competitors, LG places the rear I / O horizontally rather than down. This is a good move if you ask me. I have never used a rear I / O monitor that was so easily accessible.

Granted, having the cables sticking straight out from the back isn't the most stylish look, but the vast majority of users still place the back of their monitors towards the walls.

You'll want to use the single DisplayPort 1.4a connector to unlock the 144 Hz refresh rate and 10-bit color depth, as using either of the two HDMI inputs limits your maximum refresh rate to 85 Hz for 10-bit colors.

You can overclock the display in the OSD to unlock the full 160 Hz. However, you have to either sacrifice 10-bit color for 8-bit or use YUV422 chroma subsampling while keeping 10-bit color. This results in visible margins around the text. Therefore, the 8-bit color option is preferable.

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If you do a lot of graphics and only play games occasionally, it is best to keep the display at 144 Hz with 10-bit color. However, if gaming performance is your preference, you won't lose much by switching to 8-bit color to get the 160Hz refresh rate. Games may be technically inferior, but they still look good on an 8-bit panel.

Finally, the 34GN850 has a USB 3.0 hub with two ports and a headphone jack. Power is supplied via a modest external component.

performance

If you are buying an ultrawide and are looking for image quality, you've come to the right place.

The LG 34GN850 has a nano IPS panel (LG's Spin on Quantum Dots) with a resolution of 3440 x 1440. LG promises a DCI-P3 color space coverage of 98%. The wide gamut of colors creates a rich image that is really satisfactory, but be warned. Your old displays will look pretty flat once you get used to this wide area.

The color rendering, paired with a 160 Hz refresh rate, shows how far IPS technology has advanced.

The static contrast ratio is limited to just 1000: 1 for IPS, as always, and our tests show some glow in the corners (see the blue glow in the image below). This is where IPS is gradually showing its age, especially when compared to modern technologies like OLED screens and VA panels, although these have their own drawbacks.

We tested the monitor with our Datacolor Spyder X Elite and found that our retail sample can cover 88% of AdobeRGB space and 94% of DCI-P3 space, with colors reproduced in a Delta-E (different from the original) . of 1.68. The peak brightness achieved was measured at 390 nits with a contrast ratio of 900: 1. The best possible contrast value of 920: 1 was achieved with 75% brightness.

Those numbers are a hair below the factory spec, so this panel is a little below average when compared to its performance, but the difference is small. The gamma output, on the other hand, was immediately ready for use.

In our test environment, the monitor's peak brightness of almost 400 nits was too high for normal use and we would expect this to be the case for most users. We would choose to use the monitor in a room with lots of ambient light with a brightness of 50 to 75 percent and at night 40 or less.

By calibrating the monitor, we were able to cover 2% more AdobeRGB color space, but lower the peak brightness by 5 nits and reduce the maximum contrast to 840: 1. The color accuracy was much better at 0.68 so it's safe to say that you can benefit from calibrating the monitor if your use calls for it. However, if you're just playing and don't need better color accuracy, you won't be missing the monitor running on the default settings.

Aside from the numbers, this is an excellent monitor that can be used immediately after calibration. The only weakness is the low contrast ratio, a problem that all IPS panels have in common. You will find this annoying when working or playing in a dark room. Otherwise, the LG 34GN850 delivers a sharp picture with beautiful, yet realistic colors. You can only get better picture quality with the best 4K and 5K monitors, which are often even more expensive.

Gaming performance

The ultra-wide resolution of 3440 x 1440 is nothing new, but it's great for gaming. Think of it like a 27-inch QHD (2560 x 1440) monitor that is wide-spread.

Combine this with the fact that this ultra-wide resolution is still nowhere near the pixel count of 4K displays and represents a good compromise between extreme sharpness and achievable performance. The new RTX 3080 from Nvidia can easily power this display. In most games, an older high-end GPU like the GTX 1080 Ti or the Radeon VII is sufficient. A mid-sized, last-generation GPU like the AMD Radeon 5700XT or the Nvidia GTX 2070 Super would also work.

We tested the monitor with an Nvidia RTX 2080 Super graphics card and the results were impressive. The in-game settings for Horizon Zero Dawn on Ultra were around 65 to 70 FPS, depending on whether the graphics card was overclocked or not, and while that doesn't come close to the high refresh rate of 160 Hz, it's Adaptive-Sync (this display is also G certified) sync compatible), the gameplay kept fluid.

This game makes optimal use of the monitor's wide range of colors. You know the moment shortly before sunset, which is often referred to as the golden hour, when the light turns into a beautifully diffuse shade of red? The 34GN850 handled these intense colors with ease in Horizon Zero Dawn. I've never seen anything like this from a PC.

It was amazing how fast, smooth and clear the picture was at 160 Hz.

Switch to a fast-paced title like Insurgency Sandstorm or the popular Destiny 2 and the fast refresh rate comes into play. For these games, I set the graphics settings to the lowest possible value in order to get the most out of the 160 Hz refresh rate. The clarity of movement was impressive, mostly removing the ghostly trail that often follows and obscuring a fast-moving object.

Samsung's G7 series is the only monitor I've tested that outperforms this LG. In general, you can expect better performance from 240 Hz or 360 Hz displays. However, most of these displays are 24-inch or 27-inch 16: 9 monitors.

Coupled with a 1000 Hz gaming mouse and a fast keyboard, I ended up shots that I normally never landed. I'm not a hardcore gamer – the real world often keeps me too busy to play – but I felt more adept playing on this ultrawide.

HDR performance

The 34GN850 is VESA DisplayHDR400 certified. This is the lowest level HDR monitor available. That already tells you that you shouldn't expect much.

This monitor does not have dimming zones but increases and decreases the backlighting of the entire monitor depending on what needs to be displayed on the screen. If one point needs to be very bright, the entire monitor becomes brighter. That is not optimal.

As a result, the visual difference is not big enough to warrant the frames you have to jump through to make it work. So apart from testing, I left it turned off.

Our opinion

The LG 34GN850 isn't perfect, but it's very good. The build quality is certainly a few notches above the more budget-friendly displays, the picture quality is superb, and the clarity of movement in fast-paced games with the overclocked refresh rate of 160 Hz or even the standard refresh rate of 144 Hz is superb.

The 34GN850 is great not only for competitive gaming, but also for productivity. It's large, has a wide gamut, accurate colors, and provides a consistent, even, and sharp image. If you can live with the IPS drawbacks like low contrast and visible glow in dark scenes, you will fall in love with the LG 34GN850.

Is there a better alternative?

If you are looking for a monitor that is only suitable for gaming and whose absolute (color) performance is not that important, the AOC CU34G2X with its VA panel offers you the greatest contribution to the LG experience. However, the build quality is lower, the color accuracy isn't that impressive right away, and the clarity of movement is significantly poorer.

LG's 34CB99 offers a nano IPS panel and format with excellent colors for editing at two-thirds the price, but it lacks the playing strength of the 34GN850 with a high refresh rate. It's a good choice if gaming isn't important to you or if you just play slow games (like Civilization VI or Microsoft Flight Simulator).

The only monitor with similar performance in terms of gaming and productivity is the Alienware AW3420DW, which has a nicer chassis and stand, but does not match the LG in terms of performance and is significantly higher in price.

How long it will take?

The monitor itself should last as long as any monitor: at least 5 years, although LG only covers it with a warranty for the first year.

It is possible that the monitor's IPS panel will be out of date soon as OLED is much better. On the other hand, OLED has been around for a while, and monitors still haven't adopted it due to issues with price, availability, and image storage. IPS technology may remain relevant in the years to come.

Should I buy it?

Yes. Right now there is no better alternative if you want an ultrawide that is suitable for both work and leisure. Just note that LG can't seem to keep up with demand. As such, getting your hands on the LG 34GN850 may be more challenging than you think and you may have to pay up to $ 100 above MSRP.

Editor's recommendations




Google Nest Audio Review: Big Muscles, Strong Results

google nest audio review 9 of 13

“Music has never sounded so good in something so charming. Plus, it doesn't cost a fortune! "

  • Excellent audio performance

  • Charming design for any decor

  • Adapts the audio quality to each room

  • Attractive $ 100 cost

  • Dense weight

  • Too complacent when adding functionality

It has been almost four years since Google Home launched. During that time, we've seen how smart speakers have fueled the growth of smart homes. Google's own portfolio grew tremendously as both large and small speakers were added. Additionally, we've seen a handful of other useful smart home devices made by the company.

The introduction of Google Nest Audio, which many consider to be the spiritual successor to Google Home, comes at an interesting time. While smart speaker sales continue to beat expectations, last year the Google Nest Mini wasn't the great upgrade we were hoping for – and Google Nest Audio will get the same test.

Those who took the plunge early and invested in Google Home got a new way of interacting with the smart home. The question now is whether the Nest Audio has enough extras to convince people to upgrade.

Deceptively tight

The first thing I noticed when I took the Google Nest Audio out of the box was its weight. I was surprised at how tight it is to tip the scales at a whopping 2.65 pounds. In contrast, the Google Home feels super light at 1.05 lbs.

However, there is a reason it is so hard. From the outside you can only see the fabric that covers the entire loudspeaker. It looks more neutral, especially when paired with its tic-tac shape. However, underneath the outside of the Google Nest Audio is a metal case made of aluminum and magnesium – which explains why it feels so tight for its size. With such a heavy weight, I am a little worried about what would happen if it fell.

Google's approach to a sustainable future is fully brought to bear again with Nest Audio (always a good thing) as the case is made from 70% recycled plastic. With its clean facade, I wonder how well the exterior holds up when placed in a more active location – for example on the kitchen countertop, where it is exposed to potential spills, splashes, and other hazards that can pollute it.

The LEDs are embedded in the mesh on the front and come to life whenever you start the Google Assistant or adjust its audio. Unfortunately, the Nest Mini lacks the ultrasonic sensors that detect when your hand approaches the speaker and the LEDs light up automatically. Adjusting the speaker volume is easy – just tap the appropriate touch-sensitive areas. The top left corner decreases the volume, the top right increases it and the middle area acts as a pause / play function. On the back you will find a mute switch to turn off the microphone and a proprietary power connector.

The natural look of the design goes well with almost any decor

The Google design of the Nest Audio is best described as the Google Home Max with its vertical, upright design. The natural look of the design goes well with almost any decor.

More muscles for music

The internal components make this speaker a superior speaker for music. According to Google, the Nest Audio with a 19mm tweeter and 75mm midrange is 76% louder and has a 50% increase in bass over Google Home. And you know what? The audio performance supports this claim.

Don't get me wrong, Google Home sounded awesome, but I've found bass performance crackling at higher volumes many times. There is none of that at all with Nest Audio, which produces ample bass without distortion. Google specifically tunes Nest Audio to have a more neutral tone, resulting in a sound that balances out the lows, mids, and highs. While this will calm some audiophiles, others may prefer a more bassier tone – which is why I appreciate bass and treble controls in the Google Home app.

Similar to the Google Home Max as well as the HomePod from Apple and the Echo Studio from Amazon, the Nest Audio takes advantage of some new features that allow it to adapt its audio quality to any room. With Media EQ, Nest Audio can adjust to whatever content you're listening to (music, podcast, or Google Assistant), while Ambient IQ can adjust the volume when sources of noise such as a hair dryer come near, for example. The volume will automatically increase as you get closer to Nest Audio – and then decrease as you move further away.

Ultimately, the Nest Audio is an excellent choice for any audiophile. Its room-filling sound creates a balance between clarity and bass that can be enhanced by either pairing it with another Nest Audio for stereo output or adding it to a speaker group. In the current lineup, it sits between the Nest Mini and the Home Max, making it an ideal choice for anyone who loves music but doesn't want to pay the higher price of the Home Max.

Too complacent

So far, I can't say enough positive things about Google Nest Audio. However, I do believe that with smart speakers we reach a point of complacency and Nest Audio is a great example of that. Every iterative smart speaker we've seen, whether from Amazon or Google, is usually better equipped for audio – and that's what we expect from every subsequent gadget.

If we look at the core features, they are no different from Google Home. They adorn us with the intelligence of the Google Assistant, give us the ability to control the smart home hands-free, and help drown out background noise with their extraordinary audio performances. This is where it all stops, which is why I think the Nest Audio is too complacent.

There is no denying that it is capable of many things. From making calls to ordering your favorite pizza, the Nest Audio has an extensive list of features. It's no different from previous Google Assistant-enabled smart speakers, however. I would have liked to have seen it more!

I find the Nest Audio too complacent.

Maybe be able to group several of them together for true surround sound to watch movies at home? Or integrate the capabilities of the new Chromecast so Nest Audio can connect to a TV and enable the Android TV experience. This is a fundamental problem that smart speakers will continue to face unless they branch out and become more multifunctional.

Our opinion

It's hard not to like Google Nest Audio. At an ideal price point of $ 100, it offers considerable audio breakdown over the Nest Mini of $ 50, and can even compete with the Google Home Max at $ 300. It's perfect for audiophiles who crave great sounding audio.

How long it will take?

Since it is meant to be stationary, the chances that there will be problems should be slim. However, the dense weight can cause damage if dropped. If you are concerned about defects, there is a 1 year limited parts and labor warranty.

Is there a better alternative?

The $ 100 cost of the Nest Audio makes it far more appealing than the $ 300 Google Home Max, for example. Therefore, it's difficult to recommend another Google Assistant-powered smart speaker for music. It's also a better buy than the Google Nest Mini. However, if you already have Google Home, the upgrade might be more difficult as the only real difference is in audio performance.

Not a fan of the Google Assistant? Then the recently announced Amazon Echo (4th generation) is the logical choice if you prefer Alexa instead.

Should you buy it?

You bet. Google's investment in a more comprehensive speaker makes it a solid $ 100 purchase price.

Editor's recommendations




2022 Geneva Motor Show: All the Cars, News, Concepts. and Big Reveals

The Detroit Auto Show may dominate North America, and NY and LA may be bubbly, but across the pond, Switzerland's Geneva International Auto Show (or GIMS as nobody calls it) is making headlines over Europe's automobile revelations. It's the largest public event in Switzerland … or was it earlier: the 2020 show was canceled due to COVID-19 and the foundation behind the event decided not to continue a show in 2021. Will 2022 see a comeback? Will March see a line of cars at the Palexpo Convention Center?

Other motor shows: New York Auto Show | Detroit Auto Show | LA Auto Show

RHA TrueConnect 2 Review: Comfortable, With A Big Battery

RHA TrueConnect 2

"The RHA TrueConnect 2 offers excellent battery life for comfortable radio buds."

  • IP55 weather resistance

  • 9.5 hours of playback

  • Comfortable design

  • Good sound quality

  • Limited codec support

  • The call quality needs to be improved

It is not easy to be RHA TrueConnect 2. Not only are you expected to outperform your own ancestor in the outstanding first generation TrueConnect, you must now achieve an impact in a class of real wireless earbuds that has become exponentially more competitive almost overnight.

Objectively speaking, RHA has improved its original earbuds with its new TrueConnect 2 for $ 150 by doubling the battery life of the buds and increasing water resistance. But are these unique real wireless champions so advanced that they can maintain their status in a packed field of great earphones? That is the question of the hour for RHA.

Out of the box

Especially with real wireless earbuds, it is standard to keep the packaging simple. True to this tradition, there are no surprises with the TrueConnect 2. The packaging contains the earphones and their charging case, a USB-C charging cable and several pairs of stainless steel earplugs.

RHA TrueConnect 2 caseNick Woodard / Digital Trends

With TrueConnect 2, no app can be downloaded. So you just have to get a mobile device with Bluetooth functionality up and running. These buds have a Bluetooth 5 connection. After over a week with these buds, I still didn't have a single connection problem. If you're looking for buds that work just like Apple's AirPods, these are the ones for you.

design

There's not much to say about the design of the TrueConnect 2 here, which hasn't been said about the first generation RHA buds yet. Both pairs are almost identical in design, probably because there was nothing broken on the original blueprint that was to be repaired.

RHA TrueConnect 2 caseNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Back in these second-generation TrueConnects is the golf tee structure popular with AirPods, as well as the same matte black finish that the originals were clad with (there is also a dark blue option). We said it in the first review and it is just too good not to repeat it. These are Darth Vader's AirPods, although I suspect that he already had all of the noise cancellation required in this helmet.

They're slightly heavier than the AirPods (6 grams compared to Apple's 4), and the case weighs an impressive 79 grams compared to the smaller 40-gram AirPods case. However, the TrueConnect 2 is as well built and unique as the original, mainly because there is really no physical difference between the two.

What is different are the controls in this pair. The first generation each had a button that required multiple presses to activate each command. With the second generation TrueConnect buds, RHA has integrated capacitive touch controls to make the use of the buds considerably easier. I will agree that it is better – to a certain extent. The touch controls are a bit too sensitive, which caused me to accidentally pause podcasts and music repeatedly when I tried to adjust them in my ear.

Speaking of adjustments, the TrueConnect 2 fit is reasonably secure for more intense activities, although full disclosure was fairly warm during my time testing these buds, so the runs I usually take with new earbuds were much shorter. They have held up well for these routes, but I cannot say how well they would stay in place for the world's long distance enthusiasts. No matter how long you have these buds, they are comfortable thanks to the soft foam tips included in the set.

properties

The RHA TrueConnect 2 has some new features as well as some remnants of the originals that still offer solid benefits. The problem, however, is that these functions are often insufficient to distinguish these buds from the multitude of new competitors that perform the same functions.

RHA TrueConnect 2Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

RHA has almost doubled the battery life compared to the first TrueConnect buds and equipped the new version with 9.5 hours of playback and 44 hours of total battery life with the supplied case. These numbers slightly outperformed the Apple AirPods and would have been considered groundbreaking statistics if, for example, these buds came out a few months earlier. The Samsung Galaxy Buds + and the Sony WF-SP800N both hit the RHA and have better playback times (11 and 13 hours respectively). Although I haven't even unpacked the USB-C charging cable because it took so long, 9.5 hours don't have the same shine as at the beginning of this year.

The water resistance has also been improved in the new TrueConnect 2 with a degree of protection IP55 compared to the IPX5 of the first generation. The new review offers the TrueConnect 2 protection against dust and is not only waterproof, so these earphones are more than suitable for training. Sony's WF-SP800N has the same resistance, but costs $ 50 more. The Jabra Elite Active 75t are fully waterproof with IP57 protection, but again cost $ 50 more than the TrueConnect 2.

The TrueConnect 2 is also compatible with voice assistants such as Google Assistant, Apple's Siri or Amazon Alexa. However, if you want buds specifically for this functionality, Google Pixel Buds 2, Apple AirPods or Amazon Echo Buds are better alternatives.

Apart from these three features, the TrueConnect 2 offers only a few functions. For example, you don't have active noise cancellation. Competitors like the AirPods or Pixel Buds don't do that either, but an increasing number of competitors are adding ANC on a budget (I can think of the Edifier TWS NB as well as the Panasonic RZ-S500Ws), and RHA could have taken a step up the apples and glasses of the world by working in an effective noise cancellation. It looks like his absence is hard to ignore here.

Audio quality

RHA says it "refined" the TrueConnect 2's sound signature, but the truth is that these buds probably don't sound much different than the originals of the average ear. But that's a good thing, because both pairs sound damn good.

RHA TrueConnect 2Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

The authoritative bass of the first generation made the transition to TrueConnect 2 well and showed controlled low-end in songs like One More Night by Maroon 5 or Lizzo & # 39; s Truth Hurts. Bass isn't everything, and thankfully, the dynamic 6mm drivers at the heart of these buds seem to be able to handle all the frequencies that get in their way. The Faces & # 39; Ooh La La has always been one of my favorite test tracks as I know exactly how these opening chords should sound, and I'm happy to report that TrueConnect 2 did them justice.

I am disappointed that RHA has discontinued aptX support, which is what we were looking for in the originals. The TrueConnect 2 offers SBC support, but is otherwise incredibly limited in terms of audio codec availability. Still, I would be confident that these buds can compete with most other competitors in their price range, from the AirPods to Google's Pixel Buds to the Samsung Galaxy Buds +, with the quality difference in this vicinity being almost entirely subjective. The TrueConnect 2 doesn't touch our benchmark buds in terms of audio quality, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2, but we didn't expect it for half the cost anyway.

The TrueConnect 2 has a dual microphone setup that, according to the RHA, is supposed to focus on your voice and remove background noise at the same time to improve call quality. In my experience, RHA has done it reasonably right. My voice was exceptionally clear on calls with these buds, but in several cases the other end of the call received all background feedback. Walking down a busy street with a wood chipper growling in the distance is not a pleasant experience for the person you are talking to.

Our opinion

The RHA TrueConnect 2 used a pair of very good real wireless earbuds as a base and improved them in some key areas. Although TrueConnect 2 has taken a solid step forward, it seems like all the other three have made it. Still, sound quality and features can be difficult to balance compared to price. While we were looking for more here, it is difficult to criticize RHA for the end product because the cost is relatively low.

Are there any better alternatives?

For an additional $ 50, the Sony WF-SP800N for $ 200 could be a very compelling option due to its better battery life, comparable weather resistance, and excellent active noise cancellation. If you're looking for buds that are friendlier to a particular operating system, you won't lose much quality if you look at the $ 199 Apple AirPods or $ 179 Google Pixel Buds 2, though the TrueConnect 2 both outperforms battery life.

How long will they last?

The TrueConnect 2 comes with a three-year warranty, which is by far one of the best guarantees I've seen for real wireless earbuds. RHA stands by their buds, which should give you some level of certainty as to how long they will last.

Should you buy them

Yes. Although many competing buds have gained ground on RHA, the TrueConnect 2 are a solid pair of buds just like their predecessors. You might fall into a sea of ​​similar earphones in the not too distant future, but at the moment these are some of the better buds you can find in this price range.

Editor's recommendations




2020 Subaru Outback Touring XT Review: Big Screen

2020 Subaru Outback

2020 Subaru Outback Touring XT review: tons of technology

"The 2020 Subaru Outback is a robust, practical car that doesn't save on technology."

  • Powerful turbo engine

  • A large screen that justifies its size

  • Comfortable ride

  • Well-executed driver assistant technician

  • The price rises quickly with options

The Subaru Outback was developed under the motto "If you can't beat them, join them". In the 1990s, Subaru took one of its four-wheel suits and added some SUV-like styling details to create the outback. The model is still popular, even though other SUV cars have been pushed out of the market.

The outback remains a convincing SUV alternative, also thanks to a spacious loading space and all-wheel traction. The outback was revised for model year 2020 and expands the mix by more technology. The car is available with an 11.6-inch touchscreen and Subaru's DriverFocus system, which uses a driver-related camera to detect distractions.

Outback 2020 prices start at $ 27,655, but our test car was a Touring XT model priced at $ 40,705. It had every bell and whistle, including the large touchscreen, DriverFocus and a more powerful turbo engine.

Design and interior

The Subaru Outback 2020 is still essentially a car version of the Subaru Legacy sedan (which was also redesigned for the 2020 model year). The outback not only has a tailgate instead of a trunk, but also has plastic trim for an SUV-like look. The outback drives up a lot for a car too, so it feels more like an SUV. Its 8.7 inch ground clearance is actually more than a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4.

The interior is typical Subaru, with a simple but reasonable layout.

Despite the redesign, it is difficult for you to distinguish the Outback 2020 from its predecessor. The new model is also quite large as the Outback 2019. It is a little wider and longer, but with the same wheelbase. The 2020 Outback runs under the skin on the Subaru Global Platform, on which most of the automaker's other models are based. Subaru claims that the 2020 Outback has 70% stiffer torsional stiffness than its predecessor, which helps improve handling and creates a more solid feel. According to Subaru, the new model can absorb more than 40% more energy even in front and side impacts.

2020 Subaru outback rearStephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

The interior is typical Subaru, with a simple but reasonable layout. Our touring test car was fully leather-cushioned, but the materials didn't feel worthy of the $ 40,000 price tag. Like many other car manufacturers, Subaru opted for a piano-black plastic panel that scratches and smears easily and, in our experience, creates a lot of glare on sunny days.

In terms of interior space, the outback is inexpensive compared to the compact crossovers that you can buy for similar money. It has more front legroom than a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4, and with rear seats folded down, more cargo space than a Ford Escape. However, the outback follows Subaru's own forester, thanks to its larger, more box-shaped body.

Technology, infotainment and driver assistance

The big technical news for 2020 is an available 11.6 inch touchscreen in portrait format. The screen is standard in all outback trim levels, with the exception of the base model (which has a 7.0-inch touchscreen), while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the board.

Many automakers have large screens installed, but most don't seem to know what to do with all of these properties. Subaru did something smart and straightforward – it just enlarged the menu icons. You don't have to blink to see anything on this screen, and the large icons are easier to find while driving. Subaru also placed icons for climate control at the bottom of the screen – roughly where analog controls are usually – and included an analog volume control, which is still the best tool for this job.

2020 Subaru Outback interiorStephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

The 2020 Outback also gets Subaru's EyeSight Driver Assistant technology, which uses forward-facing cameras near the rearview mirror instead of the radar equipment used by most other automakers. Adaptive cruise control with lane centering is standard, while blind spot monitoring, lane change assistant and rear cross traffic alarm are optional extras. The Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4 are equipped with adaptive cruise control as standard. The Ford Escape costs extra, but the Ford system has a stop-and-go function.

Subaru did something smart and straightforward – it just enlarged the menu icons.

On the highway, adaptive cruise control was characterized by a constant pace, but reacted slowly when cars drove abruptly. In a straight line, the lane centering function did its job with the smoothest steering inputs, but had problems with even the slightest turns. These are issues that we have seen with most of the competitor systems, and overall performance has been good for a vehicle in this price range that lacks the more sophisticated sensor suites of high-end models.

Subaru is one of a few automakers (along with BMW and Cadillac) that use a driver-side camera to ensure that people don't use these technical features irresponsibly. The DriverFocus system, which was introduced in the Forester, sends audio and video warnings when the driver takes his eyes off the road. As with the Forester, we found DriverFocus to be fairly inconspicuous, with no false alarms.

Experience driving

Another big change for 2020 is under the hood. For the first time since 2009, the Outback is available with a four-cylinder engine with a turbocharger. As with all Subaru engines, a “boxer” configuration allows this engine to sit lower in the chassis, which helps improve driveability. Together with the Ascent, the turbo engine delivers 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. You have to pay extra for this force. Base Outbacks receive from the Forester a 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder with naturally aspirated engine that delivers 182 hp and 176 lb-ft.

The base engine offers competitive numbers for this segment, but the optional turbo engine is the partback of the outback. Only the Jeep Cherokee, which is available with a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder with 270 hp, offers a similar combination of performance and utility in a vehicle of this size.

2020 Subaru Outback touchscreenStephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

Regardless of the engine, the outback receives a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and all-wheel drive. Like the Ascent and the Forester, the all-wheel drive system also has an “X-Mode”, which is designed for light off-roading. This doesn't turn the outback into a hardcore off-roader, but it comes in handy for unpaved roads and deep snow.

The optional turbo engine is the part of the outback.

On the road, the extra power of the turbo engine was a stroke of luck when other vehicles were overhauled. However, the engine and transmission did not always seem to be on the same side, which resulted in uneven power output, which we did not remember from the same combination when climbing higher. Although the outback was smaller and had a lower center of gravity, it did not have the cornering capabilities of the Ascent. The handling wasn't bad, but the outback's limits felt much lower than those of its big siblings.

Subaru also found a good balance between handling and driving quality. The outback felt almost luxurious and absorbed bumps without feeling floating and separate from the road. A comfortable ride is probably more important to the person buying this car than a few extra degrees of manageability. If you want a sporty Subaru, buy a WRX STI.

Fuel consumption and security

Our turbo test car has a combined output of 26 mpg (23 mpg city, 30 mpg highway). This is a significant improvement over the old six-cylinder outback, which could only produce 22 mpg together, and a little behind a turbocharged Honda CR-V (29 mpg combined) and a non-hybrid Toyota RAV4 (28 mpg combined). According to the car's on-board computer, we reached an average of 22 mpg over a week's drive.

The 2020 Outback received the highest Top Safety Pick + rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Subaru offers a three-year basic warranty of 36,000 miles and a five-year warranty of 60,000 miles for the powertrain. That's about the average of a mainstream brand, although Hyundai and Kia offer longer warranty periods. Subaru also has an excellent reputation for reliability.

How DT would configure this car

Our ideal outback would be equipped similarly to the car we tested. It may be a significant price increase, but if you want technology, the Touring equipment variant is the right one. The Touring is the only equipment variant that is equipped with the DriverFocus deflection function as standard. It also has an 11.6-inch touchscreen, leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats and an electric sunroof.

2020 Subaru Outback in frontStephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

We would shell out for the turbo engine too. Although we haven't had a chance to test the base machine, our experience in the Forester shows that this would be the wrong choice. The Forester felt sluggish with this engine and things are unlikely to change in the heavier outback.

Our opinion

The Subaru Outback is a familiar sight on roads in the northeast and northwest, but the latest version is aimed at a much broader appeal. The outback still offers great utility and all-wheel traction in a low-key package, but now with more technology and a better turbo engine.

For the last generation outback, buyers had chosen between an economical but underperforming four-cylinder engine and a powerful but thirsty six-cylinder. The Turbo Four of the 2020 Outback makes the difference and offers an urgently needed performance increase without destroying the mileage.

No one bought a 2019 outback for their infotainment system, but the 2020 model gets one of the largest screens in a mainstream car. Unlike its rivals Ford and Toyota, Subaru also used this large screen effectively. Subaru's EyeSight Driver Assistant technology is still among the best in this price range, and the DriverFocus feature ensures that it is not misused.

As the only car of a mainstream brand that is still on the market, the outback mainly competes against SUVs such as the Honda CR-V, the Toyota RAV4 and the Ford Escape. The Subaru is close to the competition in terms of interior space and fuel consumption, and shows how close they are to conventional cars. The outback also has a much stronger tech game thanks to its 11.6-inch touchscreen and EyeSight and DriverFocus driver aids. The 260-horsepower engine provides additional fun that most other small SUVs don't have.

Should you get one?

Yes. The outback offers an impressive combination of technology and utility.

Editor's recommendations




Samsung Galaxy Book Flex Review: QLED For the Big Win

"The Samsung Galaxy Book Flex offers incredible battery life and a vibrant QLED display."

  • Light, thin design

  • Good performance

  • Excellent battery life

  • The QLED display has great colors

  • Built-in S-pin

  • Cumbersome keyboard placement

  • Huge lower bezel

Samsung operates a tech empire. From phones and televisions to air purifiers and vacuum cleaners, Samsung has expanded everything down to the individual components that drive these products.

However, laptops have always been the only small domain outside their limits. Sure, there have been a lot of Samsung laptops over the years, but none that were really worth putting up Samsung's proud banner.

But 2020 is the year of conquering Samsung's laptops, and the Galaxy Book Flex is its war horse. It starts at $ 1,349, though my more expensive configuration comes with 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of storage, and a Core i7 processor. No question, this is the best laptop Samsung has ever made. But is that one you should buy?

QLED display and battery life

The Galaxy Book Flex has some outstanding features that come from other areas of the Samsung empire. The most notable feature is the QLED display. This comes from Samsung's hugely successful TV business. As an alternative to the standard LED, the Galaxy Book Flex is the first laptop to use QLED that uses quantum dots. The results are groundbreaking.

It's bright (428 nits) and has a high contrast (1,080: 1), but QLED really makes a difference in color gamut and accuracy. It hits 92 percent of Adobe RGB, a color space that most laptop screens struggle with. This colorful, accurate screen is important for photographers. Perhaps it is one of the best photo laptops you can get at this price.

There is even an "outdoor mode" that increases the brightness to 600 nits. This can be useful if you work outdoors. This is Samsung that flexes its muscles.

The Galaxy Book Flex offers the best battery life you can get with a laptop.

However, Samsung has two competitors. The 13-inch MacBook Pro still has a brighter, more colorful screen and a higher-resolution display. OLED screens also offer better contrast and better colors, but are rare on 13-inch laptops. There is only one option for the HP Specter x360 13 and only available in 4K. It looks good, but it's expensive. The Specter is a $ 300 display upgrade, while the Galaxy Book Flex QLED is standard.

In addition, 4K OLED screens are expensive in terms of performance. The Galaxy Book Flex's QLED 1080p is far better in terms of battery life. In fact, the Galaxy Book Flex has some of the best battery life you can get in a laptop.

It delivers almost 14 hours of battery with low power consumption and a whopping 17.5 hours when playing local videos (no streaming). Many laptops promise such numbers, but none deliver as much as the Galaxy Book Flex. It overtook the Dell XPS 13 battery life champion by an hour and lasted more than twice as long as the 4K Specter x360.

Sticking to 1080p helps here, but Samsung also jammed a 69.7-watt-hour battery. It's a huge battery for a laptop of this size that pays off.

S pen and keyboard

The S Pen was also borrowed from another Samsung product – in this case the Galaxy Note. Earlier Samsung laptops also used the S Pen, such as the Notebook 9 Pen and the Galaxy Book 2 from 2018. The pen itself has not changed, but is now in a slot above the keyboard. Clicking on the pin in the slot ejects it, making it quick and easy to access (and you won't lose it). This accessibility has always been special about the S Pen: it is part of the device and not an additional peripheral.

The S Pen is suitable for all common pen functions such as notes, sketching and selecting. A button on the S Pen opens a familiar options menu that allows you to dive straight into the drawing on the screen. These simple apps are fairly simple, but provide a good entry point to try the S Pen for the first time.

A larger pen like the Surface Pen or the Apple Pencil fits better in the hand for illustrations and detailed work. The S-pen is just long enough to fit in my hand and doesn't mimic the feel of a real pencil as well. However, that was never the point. As with the Galaxy Note, the greatest strength of the S Pen is its convenience. It's always there and it's easy to take out and start writing.

The Galaxy Book Flex is a 2-in-1 device, meaning you can fold the screen flat with its 360-degree hinge. Unfortunately, the screen is pretty shaky and the hinge is a bit loose, so using it in a position other than completely flat makes it difficult to take notes.

The S Pen's convenient location also has a disadvantage. To make room in the case, Samsung had to impair the typing experience. The keyboard sits closer to you and leaves less space for the palm rests. They are one centimeter narrower than a MacBook Air and about half a centimeter narrower than the Dell XPS 13. The lack of support is just enough to make typing on the Galaxy Book Flex uncomfortable, as the edges of the aluminum case dig into your palms . The keyboard layout also feels tight, although the keycaps are no smaller than most laptops.

To make matters worse, the Galaxy Book Flex uses a keyboard with low travel. It's not as flat as the old MacBook keyboards, but the keystrokes could take a little more depth.

The touchpad is quiet, easy to track and can even be used as a wireless charger. Now there is something I have never seen in a laptop. A Qi-enabled phone or a pair of earphones will charge wirelessly, which is a nice addition. You can't use the laptop often when a phone is in the way, but I could imagine that this is a convenient option in a confined space.

design

In the past, Samsung made some of the lightest laptops. They were also some of the most flimsy. The Galaxy Book Flex manages to balance these two things by providing aluminum for stability and keeping the weight at just 2.5 pounds. It's lighter than the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 and the MacBook Air, but built just as well as the Galaxy smartphones with which it shares its brand.

The Galaxy Book Flex is pretty too. The silver-colored, diamond-cut edges subtly reflect the light, and of course the dark blue color is unforgettable. If you want something different, but even bolder, check out the red on the Galaxy Chromebook, the Chrome alternative to Flex.

Both are a little too brave for my preference. The flex resembles the HP Elite Dragonfly in tone, but is even brighter and more pronounced. Compared to the Flex's two main competitors, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 and the HP Specter x360, the Galaxy Book Flex is the aesthetic that I least prefer.

It's more than just a color preference. The steady rests are my real touch. The top and bottom edges are narrow, and to make up for this, the Galaxy Book Flex has an unusually large lower chin. It is a real eyesore. When you sit next to the XPS 13, it's strange how high the screen starts. In addition to the MacBook Air, it even looks strange, which I often criticize for its large bezels.

These bezels spoil the otherwise attractive design.

On the silver sides you will find a selection of USB-C ports, but no full-size USB-A. Two Thunderbolt 3 ports flank the right side next to the power switch and S-pin. The headphone jack, the microSD card slot and a USB-C 3.1 port are on the left.

Next to these connections is a pair of speaker grilles. The audio output is branded by AKG and the result is impressive sound quality. The MacBook Air is in another league, but the Galaxy Book Flex has a fuller-bodied audio profile than some of its competitors and even offers a hint of bass in the mix. It blows the XPS 13 2-in-1 out of the water with thin, downward-facing speakers.

performance

The Galaxy Book Flex is powered by a standard mix of high-end components. On the processor side, the latest 10th generation Ice Lake processors from Intel are used, which provide the laptop with four cores, eight threads and a base clock speed of 1.3 GHz. My test device was the Core i7 variant with 16 GB RAM, although the only 13-inch model sold in the USA only has 8 GB RAM. It also comes with 512 GB SSD storage.

I would like to see more configurations in the future, but the one offered is a fairly fast computer. My daily routine consists of dozens of Chrome tabs, Spotify, Slack, Office and some light photo editing. The Galaxy Book Flex never flinched. It'll crank up its fans and seem to get a little warm by chance, but it was never loud or hot enough to distract.

There are faster laptops like the XPS 13 in this class. The Galaxy Book Flex was only 5 percent behind in Geekbench 5, but 24 percent slower in Handbrake video coding. You may not be planning much video encoding with the Galaxy Book Flex, but the ability to create content may be somewhat limited compared to the powerful XPS 13. Still, it's one of the more powerful laptops with these processors.

The Galaxy Book Flex also has Iris Plus graphics. This is the greatly improved integrated graphics from Intel, which promises twice the performance of the old Intel UHD graphics. The Core i7 model has the best of these Iris Plus graphics, which allow for improved content creation and even easy gaming.

It was still struggling with a game like Fortnite, which is unfortunate. You need to reduce the resolution to playable frame rates. But the Galaxy Book Flex can handle lighter games like Rocket League without too much trouble.

Our opinion

The Galaxy Book Flex is everything you could want in a modern laptop. It's slim, portable, and powerful – and outperforms some of the best laptops in key areas like display and battery life. Adding the S-pin to the case is just the icing on the cake.

Some minor user experience issues such as keyboard placement and front panel size prevent them from getting really great, but it is without a doubt the best laptop Samsung has ever made.

Are there alternatives?

There are tons of laptop options out there, but the Flex's closest rivals are the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 and the HP Specter x360 13. The Galaxy Book Flex gains battery life and display, even though I match the keyboard and frame size of the other options prefer. The Specter x360 is also a battery life champion and the cheapest of the three. I prefer the design and look of the XPS 13 2-in-1, although the Galaxy Book Flex's colorful QLED screen is ideal for photographers. I wish there was a 4K option as well as a cheaper Core i5 model.

When you're ready to go without the 2-in-1 element, the Dell XPS 13 remains the best laptop you can buy as it can be configured with a touchscreen.

How long it will take?

The Galaxy Book Flex should last for at least four or five years. The components are up to date and the build quality is excellent. Samsung offers a one-year limited warranty at the time of purchase.

Should you buy it

Yes. The first-class battery life and the display make it an outstanding 2-in-1 laptop.

Editor's recommendations




Motorola Moto G Power Review: Big Battery, Big Phone

Moto G Power Display

Motorola Moto G Power Review: Heavy battery life

"The durable Moto G Power offers long battery life, but is too heavy for most buyers."

  • Two to three days of battery life

  • Nice display for budget phone

  • Feels solid and durable

  • Using an Ultrawide camera is fun

  • Heavy and thick

  • No NFC for Google Pay

  • Main camera is just OK

Do you want a cheap Android phone? Motorola is probably your first stop. The experienced smartphone manufacturer has two new releases, the Moto G Stylus and the Moto G Power, each aimed at very specific users.

They do what they say. The G-pen has a pen and the G Power tested here has electricity. Battery power. I know your child may be looking over your shoulder. Let's just call it a metric fudge ton – 5,000 mAh, to be exact.

That is much! The iPhone 11 has a 3,110 mAh battery and the Google Pixel 4 XL has a 3,700 mAh battery. Some phones, like the Asus ZenFone 6, are the same size as the G Power battery, but most are not.

What makes the G Power so exceptional is the price you pay for this battery. Motorola is selling this unlocked phone for $ 250. This brings you the huge battery, 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage (MicroSD cards with up to 1 TB can improve this number). This is the only version available.

Is this durable budget phone worth finding a place in your pocket? Let's have a look.

Design and display

If you've ever hit a battery case on a phone, you know that the extra endurance comes with the price of extra weight and a thicker profile. The Motorola Moto G Power bundles the battery inside, but is not excluded from this problem.

The Moto G Power is 0.38 inches thick and weighs over 7 ounces when touched. The older Moto G7 Play is 0.31 inches thick and weighs only 5.3 ounces. The Samsung Galaxy A50 is only 0.3 inches thick and weighs about 5.9 ounces.

So, as Twitter could say, the G Power is THICC.

Moto G Power DesignMatthew Smith / Digital Trends

You will feel it. It is a powerful, extensive phone. On the plus side, this offers an aura of quality that is not often found in inexpensive phones. On the other hand, it is difficult. I noticed it most when I was holding the phone in bed or lying on my sofa. After a short while my arm felt tired.

Yes, I am a saggy wrist tech reviewer who couldn't put a big house cat on the bench. Still, the extra weight was annoying. I wouldn't buy the phone for that reason alone. This is not a problem I want to deal with in an everyday device.

As Twitter could say, the G Power is THICC.

The weight of the G Power does not only depend on its battery. It also includes a 6.4-inch display with an aspect ratio of 19.17: 9. It is a large display, although this is not uncommon for the category. The Samsung Galaxy A50 and Samsung M30 both have 6.4-inch displays.

It's an attractive screen that's vivid and bright enough to use on a sunny day. You will surely see a better contrast to the OLED panel, and here the cheapest devices from Samsung can achieve an undeniable victory. However, the Moto G Power's display is solid and I think most buyers will be impressed.

Turn it over and you will find the Moto G Power in the conservative new look from Motorola. Moto used to be synonymous with quirky design (I bought and loved a blue-and-orange Moto G3), but the company's newer phones are more elegant and frankly boring. Like many new phones, the G Power is shiny, subtle, and sophisticated. Moto hopes you will be mistaken for glass some distance away.

A fingerprint reader for secure login is included. It is quick and seldom possible to read a fingerprint like I am used to from similar readers on other devices.

Moto G Power camera

Ports? You will receive USB-C and a headphone jack. I have no complaints there. I wish Motorola made the phone waterproof. It is sold as "water repellent" but is not designed to be submerged for any length of time. Don't let it fall into the toilet.

The design of the Moto G Power is okay. The display even has somewhat slim bezels. It's a bit boring and a step back from Moto's more ambitious previous cell phones, but I understand. People want to buy cheap phones that look like expensive phones. From this point of view, the design of the Moto G Power is successful.

Battery life

The Moto G Power is all about battery life. It has 5,000 mAh of juice to be precise, and Motorola promises up to 72 hours of battery life.

That would have seemed a few years ago. Today it is still a lot, but not unusual. The Asus ZenFone 6, Samsung Galaxy M30 and Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra all have batteries of a similar size, although their endurance requirements are not that extreme.

It's an impressive battery for the price, to be sure. While the Galaxy M30 is available at low prices on Amazon, the ZenFone 6 costs $ 500 and the Galaxy S20 Ultra "How much do you have?" The large battery is an outstanding feature.

The battery lasted two full days and a few thirds.

I used the Moto G Power lightly in my first week on the phone when I turned my attention to the Moto G stylus. The battery lasted five days. After I switched mainly to the G Power, the battery lasted two full days and a few thirds. I admit that I am not the most demanding user. Nevertheless, this is an outstanding result.

In fact, it's over the top. I don't think charging a phone overnight is a problem. Therefore I think a battery is sufficient for a day with heavy use. Most modern phones can do this. The Moto G Power could take two, but I have to ask. What's the point Why should you put up with a heavier, thicker phone all day every day?

If your answer is "well, I need it because of …", then for sure. I understand that. The Moto G Power deserves recognition for bringing extreme endurance to a low price. But let's be real. This is a niche device. It was developed for people who want to talk a lot on the phone, but also don't want to spend a lot on it.

performance

The Moto G Power has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 octa-core processor and a Qualcomm Adreno 610 GPU. This is an option for a budget phone that will be sold in 2020.

Performance is usually not a problem. Most applications are started in no time and run well when active. While the phone's 4 GB of RAM on paper may be fine, there have never been any problems switching applications.

The Moto G Power has proven itself in benchmarks

  • Geekbench 5: 312 single-core, 1388 multi-core
  • 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme (volcano): 1.133

The Geekbench 5 score offers a modest improvement over last year's budget phones. A Moto G7 reaches 268 in single-core and 1,183 in multi-core. The result of Sling Shot Extreme is a huge upgrade over the older Moto G7, which only reached 543 when we tested it last year. Another one-year-old Samsung Galaxy A50 beats the Moto G Power with a score of 1,368 in the Sling Shot Extreme from 3DMark.

I only noticed the limits of the Moto G Power when scrolling quickly through long content lists such as news feeds or podcasts or when visiting websites that (frankly rather intrusive) elements such as pop-up video players or extensive animations put a lot of strain. In these situations there was an occasional jerk or a moment of pause. Even the fastest phones can have problems here, but I think the Motorola G Power feels a lot less fluid than, say, a Google Pixel 4 that shipped with a Snapdragon 855 late last year.

Still, it's a bit silly to be obsessed with the Moto G Power's performance. Modern smartphones, like laptops sold ten years ago, are fast enough for most people today. I had no problem using the Moto G Power every day. Is a Google Pixel 4 or iPhone 11 faster? Yes. With the G Power (or another phone with this SoC) you can get along easily.

Obsessed with being a bit silly about the performance of the Moto G Power.

Gaming is a mixed bag. Most cell phone games are designed to run on a variety of cell phones and not to press hard on a cell phone like the Moto G Power. Even Call of Duty: Mobile and SimCity Build went well enough that I didn't notice any hesitation. Demanding games like Injustice 2 and Asphalt 9 were a different story. These were playable on the Moto G Power, but occasionally stuttered and were rendered at a frame rate that was well below 30 frames per second.

It is important to know that G Power does not have an NFC. This means that Google Pay is not supported. This is almost certainly an unfortunate omission to keep the price down, but contactless payment is always helpful – and is even recommended in these days of social distancing – and is overlooked here.

Audio quality

Stereo speakers tuned by Dolby are on either side of the phone (when held horizontally). One speaker is above the display, the other on the bottom lip of the phone. This means that audio is stronger on one side than on the other. It stands out, but is not annoying.

The sound is loud and clear. There is not a lot of bass and the maximum volume is not what flagship phones can produce, but it is enough to keep you entertained in a room with little to no ambient noise. Audiophiles should bring headphones, earphones, or a Bluetooth speaker.

Camera quality

Despite its price, the Moto G Power does its best to emulate the camera functions of more expensive competitors. It comes with a 16MP main camera on the back, an 8MP Ultrawide with a 118 degree field of view and a 2MP macro camera. There is also a 16 megapixel front camera.

For me, the 8MP Ultrawide is the outstanding feature. This is unusual for low-cost phones and offers a lot of versatility. With this camera, you can take more convincing landscape shots or better capture a narrow space. The camera delivers subdued colors and extreme lighting issues, but a decent smartphone photographer could use it for some outstanding shots. It's also fun to play around with.

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The 16 megapixel main camera is what I would expect from an affordable smartphone in 2020. It takes neutral, balanced shots that often lack the vibrancy and sharpness that you find in the best phone cameras. Quality is best with excellent lighting and noticeably drops in dark situations, but excellent lighting can also affect color balance, so you can fumble with the rather delicate manual controls.

Although the main camera didn't set my hair on fire, I should note that this is a massive step over the inexpensive phones sold a few years ago. The main camera of the Moto G Power can be used for great photos if you have some skill.

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Moto G Power photo example "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn5.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motogpower_sample4-2-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: / /www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Matthew Smith / Digital Trends

Moto G Power photo example "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn6.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motogpower_sample5-2-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: / /www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Matthew Smith / Digital Trends

Moto G Power photo example "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn7.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motogpower_sample3-2-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: / /www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Matthew Smith / Digital Trends

With this option, the 2MP macro has the same difficulties as other smartphones. The ability to enlarge a subject is offset by reduced sharpness, poor performance in low light, and color balance issues. To be honest, I'm not sure if most macro shots look better with the 2MP macro camera enabled. Macro mode works when very, very close to very small objects, but how often do you take such photos? I'm not sure I will ever do that.

Moto G Power Macro Off "class =" m-Karussell - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motogpower_macro_off-2-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: //www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Moto G Power macro lens Matthew Smith / Digital Trends

Moto G Power "class =" m-Karussell - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/motogpower_macro_on-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: // https: // www. digitaltrends.com / data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Moto G Power macro lens Matthew Smith / Digital Trends

What about the 4MP (Quad Pixel) selfie camera? It works well enough. The quality depends on the lighting. However, if you have the right angle, your shots can look great. However, I am annoyed about the relocated camera location. It's in the top left corner of the phone, not the center, making finding the best angle less intuitive.

Video quality

The main camera of the Moto G Power can record 4K videos at up to 30 frames per second (fps) or 1080p videos at up to 60 fps. Slow motion videos can record up to 120 frames per second at 1080p or 240 fps at 720p.

This is solid for a budget phone, though you shouldn't plan to use anything other than 1080p frequently. 4K video can look sharp in ideal lighting, but quickly fall apart in more demanding situations. The same applies to slow motion.

If you stick to 1080p, you can expect a sharp picture with a generally neutral color balance that, like photos taken with the main camera, will struggle with very dark or excessively bright situations. Taking the budget into account, I think the video of the Moto G Power is solid.

software

The Moto G Power has a slightly skinned version of Android 10. My unlocked test device was delivered without any noteworthy bloatware, unless you count the slim and mostly unnecessary Moto and Moto audio apps. As with previous Motorola smartphones, the G Power greets you with a happy “Hello Moto” when you switch it on.

Moto Actions are back. They allow you to activate certain functions with certain gestures. For example, you can activate the camera by turning your wrist twice or turning on the flashlight with two quick cutting movements. Moto promotions are convenient and fun.

The camera app is Motorola’s only misfire. It looks fussy, with tiny control icons at the top of the app and a record button that looks like a camera shutter. Placed next to a Google Pixel 3a, the difference is day and night and not at all in favor of G Power.

Price, guarantee and availability

The Motorola G Power costs $ 250 and will be released in April. You can order one directly from the Motorola website. It is also sold through Verizon, Republic Wireless, US Cellular and Google Fi. If you live in Europe, Motorola has confusingly launched the G8 Power instead of the G Power. It's almost identical to the G Power in every way, but with an additional 8-megapixel telephoto camera on board. It costs £ 220 or about $ 270.

Motorola grants a one-year warranty on its phones in the United States. Buyers can also purchase an additional MotoCare plan to cover water and accidental damage. Prices vary between $ 23 and $ 64 a year, depending on coverage.

Our opinion

The Moto G Power is a good phone that sells at an affordable price but is a niche by nature. I don't think the transition between "power users who need a multi-day battery life" and "budget phone buyers" is wide.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes, but you have to pay more. If your budget isn't incredibly tight, it's worth spending more on a phone because it can be used longer regardless of whether your usage changes. If you can reach up to $ 400, Google Pixel 3a has a great camera and guaranteed software updates for several years. Spend $ 500, and the Asus Zenfone 6 is an excellent buy with its near-flagship specs and a fun flip camera.

If you only want to spend less than $ 300, have a look around and try to purchase the Samsung Galaxy A51 for this price. The international version, which is compatible with GSM networks, is often offered on Amazon for less than $ 300. Samsung also announced the new Galaxy A21, which will sell for $ 250. We don't have it in our hands yet.

If you choose Motorola, you can check out the Moto G stylus, which is only slightly lighter.

Finally, here is my professional tip. Wait to see what Google does with the rumored Pixel 4a that is expected in the coming weeks. It is certainly desirable, and even if your budget is not exhausted, the still excellent Pixel 3a can lead to significant price reductions. In addition, Apple is expected to show the iPhone SE 2 / iPhone 9 soon, which can be affordable for around $ 400. It's also worth seeing how long it takes for the Nokia 5.3 from HMD Global to reach the US in April. At this point, it will be launched in Europe for $ 205

How long it will take?

The G Power has no water-repellent housing, but is made of plastic and should therefore be slightly better off in the event of a fall than one made of glass. However, it is not a "hard" phone.

Budget Android phones also have a short lifespan because they don't get the latest Android updates quickly or at all. Motorola’s Android update schedules are confusing. It is promised that the Moto G Power will get through an operating system upgrade and frequent security updates. Better support would be excellent, but this is typical of an Android phone in this price range.

Should you buy one?

No. The Moto G Power fits into a certain niche of power users who are short of money, but is too heavy and too thick for most people.

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