17 Sep
Blog

GoPro Hero 10 Black Review: An Excellent Evolution

GoPro Hero 10 robust.

GoPro Hero 10 Black Review: An Excellent Development

RRP $ 499.00

"Don't judge a camera by its housing, this new hero is full of hidden talents."

advantages

  • 5.3K 60 fps video recording

  • Improved stabilization

  • Automatic cloud storage integration

  • 2.7k 240 fps slow motion

  • The touchscreen interface is remarkably useful when it is wet

disadvantage

  • Image quality and stabilization deteriorate significantly in low light

  • Short battery life

Often challenged but never conquered, GoPro has dominated the action camera scene since it existed. The GoPro Hero 10 Black shows why this product line is so successful. I'll get right out of it and say that this is certainly the best action camera out there right now, as well as the best action camera ever.

If you're looking to buy a new action camera, this is almost certainly the one you should get. So the question here is really whether existing GoPro owners of the Hero 9 or even the Hero 8 will find the tenth generation or not a convincing upgrade.

draft

If you put the Hero 9 Black and Hero 10 Black side by side, the only notable design change you will notice is that the logo is now blue. Otherwise, it has the same selfie screen on the front and the same touchscreen that spans almost the entire back of the camera. It has the same premium weather resistance and ruggedness, the same fold-out bracket, the same placement of the power and mode buttons, and the battery / microSD card slot.

However, this is actually a good thing as I don't see how it could be improved and it allows the Hero 10 Black to be compatible with all the accessories that worked with its predecessor. This includes things like the GoPro Media Mod and the Max Lens Mod, though compatibility with the latter will have to wait for the firmware update scheduled for November 16, 2021.

GoPro Hero 10 front view.Andy Zahn / Digital Trends

Despite its similar appearance, the Hero 10's lens cap actually received some pretty significant upgrades that I really appreciated. The glass now has a hydrophobic, water-repellent coating that made for much clearer shots when swimming with the camera, and it's more scratch-resistant and less prone to ghosting.

I have to praise GoPro for the packaging, which is plastic-free and has a pretty nice travel case. It is clear that a lot of emphasis has been placed on reducing waste, which is both good for the environment and saves the disposal of a mountain of unnecessary waste.

GoPro Hero 10 case.Andy Zahn / Digital Trends

power

With any camera, the most important factor is the quality of its pictures and / or videos. For the most part, the Hero 10 knocks out of the park in this regard. The Hero 10's improved image quality comes from its new GP2 processor, which allows it to take full advantage of its 23 MP sensor. In the Hero 9, the resolution of still images was limited to 20 MP and video to 5K with 30 frames per second (fps). The Hero 10 can take full 23MP still photos and record 5.3K videos at up to 60 fps.

The Hero 10 beats it out of the park in terms of image / video quality.

Although the increase in resolution is not noticeable in practice, video recording at 60 fps is a big upgrade. This means that it is now possible to do slow motion with resolutions greater than 4K. It might well be debated whether 5.3K is useful at all for most videographers, but an important factor is that if you shoot at 5.3K, you can pull 15.8MP stills out of the video (19.6MP stills with 5K ). I was very happy with these stills and found them to be a huge step up over stills from 4K video.

Of course, 5.3K is just the tip of the iceberg of the Hero 10's video capabilities. For me, the most exciting aspect of this camera is the leap forward it makes for slow motion video at lower resolutions.

GoPro Hero 10 sample treesAndy Zahn / Digital Trends

The frame rate compared to the Hero 9 has not only doubled at 5K, but also at 4K and 2.7K. That is 120fps 4K video and Super-Duper-Slow-Mo 240fps at 2.7K. With the right subject, some really stunning footage can be captured, and with a lot more detail than the 1080p slow motion I'm used to from other cameras. The disadvantage is that at super high frame rates, especially at 240fps, artifacts definitely occur.

It's by far the best digital image stabilization I've ever used.

Another major upgrade that solidifies my love for the Hero 10 is the new Hypersmooth 4.0 video stabilization. It's by far the best digital image stabilization I've ever used, and it really gave results comparable to a mechanical gimbal in many situations. As I rode my bike down a gravel road with the camera in hand, I was able to capture usable footage from the rough ground without noticeable tremors.

Walking on the Hero 10 also gave stable results, although running on a bumpy path through the forest turned out to be a little too much. The tilt limiter has been increased from 27 degrees to 45 degrees, which means that the camera can hold the horizon better when activated.

GoPro Hero 10 tripod.Andy Zahn / Digital Trends

Although the new, more powerful processor improves performance in poor lighting conditions, there is no getting around the laws of physics. Image quality degrades a lot in low light, although I have to say the results were better than some other cameras I've used that have similarly small image sensors.

I was very impressed with the audio. Even on a windy bike ride on a busy road, the Hero 10 delivered usable recordings. It's good enough that I want to have it fully incorporated into the production of my own videos.

I was very impressed with the audio.

I also have to emphasize the time lapse functions of the Hero 10. In addition to the more traditional standard time laps, they also include Hyperlapse and Nightlapse. This is one of the things I use action cameras for the most. The small size and durable, waterproof properties of the Hero 10 make it the perfect device for leaving the weather outside to capture long time-lapses in changing weather or traffic on a city street.

software

The onboard software of the Hero 10 is quick and easy to use via the touchscreen and the mode selection button. The new processor makes everything from booting to menu navigation faster, and the rear screen runs at higher frame rates so the live view better matches the footage being captured.

The Hero 10 can also be controlled remotely via the Quik app, which also includes some very handy editing functions. I honestly said that I preferred some aspects of editing footage with this app on my phone over using Adobe Premiere on my PC.

Connectivity

I am very impressed with the seamless connection between my phone and the Hero 10. Just open the app and turn on the camera and the two will automatically connect with no fuss once you've enabled all permissions in your phone setup. This ease of use has made me much more likely to use the app with the Hero 10. Most other camera companion apps are so cumbersome to connect devices that the effort is usually not worth it.

The Hero 10 goes one step further because with a GoPro subscription you get free, unlimited cloud storage for photos and videos taken with the device, and the Hero 10 can do this automatically when it is charged. Simply connect the camera to your home WiFi via the app and you no longer have to worry about transferring recordings from your camera to your computer via USB (although you can instead if you prefer or if you have a weak internet have connection). Once in the cloud and again with a strong internet connection, your footage can be quickly downloaded to any device.

I was very impressed with the seamless connection between my phone and the Hero 10.

For me, this ability was more of a tempting vision of the future than reality, as my internet connection at home runs at around 10 Mbit / s on good days. For those who have decent, modern broadband internet, the automatic cloud storage is a very valuable feature.

Another feature worth mentioning is that the Hero 10 now enables live streaming in 1080p with Hypersmooth enabled. The front display can be used for framing, making the Hero 10 a compelling option for various live streaming applications.

GoPro Hero 10 LCD screen.Andy Zahn / Digital Trends

battery

When I first started using the Hero 10, I was a bit shocked at how quickly the battery drained. Just a short session with it will burn off most of the juice, but it's important to put this in the context of the device. I use action cameras to capture short clips, typically less than a minute long, and while the battery pack has a remarkably short lifespan, I never really felt limited by it. That said, you'll want to use a few extra batteries, especially if you want to record in 5.3K or high frame rates.

Price and availability

With an MSRP of $ 499, the GoPro Hero 10 Black seems quite expensive at first, especially when you consider that this is $ 50 more than the Hero 9, which was launched a year ago however, it helps reduce this significantly if you choose to subscribe to GoPro. With the subscription, the total cost is only $ 399, which is much easier to swallow, and you can enjoy all the benefits of the GoPro subscription for a year.

After your first year, this subscription will cost you $ 5 a month or $ 50 a year, and for that price, I would personally consider it a bargain, especially if you have an internet connection that allows high-resolution footage to be automatically uploaded. The subscription offers other benefits such as discounts and the replacement of damaged cameras.

An accessory pack is also available with the Hero 10 for $ 50 and includes a shorty tripod, magnetic rotating clip, additional battery, and a 32GB microSD card.

GoPro Hero 10 top down view.Andy Zahn / Digital Trends

Our opinion

the GoPro Hero 10 Black may on the surface look like a clone of its predecessor, but once you get under the hood, you'll find that almost everything about this camera has undergone a drastic upgrade. At a time when everyone carries a powerful camera in the form of a smartphone, it is difficult to develop a compelling dedicated camera. The Hero 10 does this by being tough where your phone is fragile and by offering an amazing level of versatility, making it suitable for a wide variety of different uses. Action may be where it shines, but the truth is that if you are creating videos of any kind, this is a tool that should be in your kit.

Is there a better alternative?

No, there is no camera like the Hero 10 that outperforms it. However, if you need something that fits into a smaller budget, the Hero 9 Black is available for $ 349 and the Hero 8 Black is available for just $ 279. Both are still great options, though I'd recommend the DJI Osmo Action for $ 200 on the Hero 8. Alternatively, you can opt for a 360-degree camera such as the GoPro Max or the Insta360 One X2.

How long it will take?

A new GoPro Hero is as much a fall season staple as pumpkin spice, but each new iteration remains a relevant and powerful tool for years to come. Of course, that depends on how roughly you handle these sturdy little cameras. However, if you choose the GoPro subscription, you can get a replacement camera (two per year) for a fraction of the cost of a new camera. This is a great advantage with cameras that are designed to be at risk.

Should you buy it?

If you are looking for a new action camera this is the clear and obvious choice. For owners of existing Hero cameras, the enormous increase in slow-motion functions alone can make the upgrade worthwhile.

Editor's recommendations



01 Apr
Blog

8 Excellent Forearm Exercises to Practice at Home

Forearm exercises are one of the most important workouts that we can incorporate into our daily fitness routine. This helps and properly stretches our muscles to keep our fitness going forever.

While many people know that forearm workouts are important, not everyone knows which forearm workouts are best to do.

Let us help you do the best now for the most incredible experience of a lifetime.

Eight Best Forearm Exercises For You

Cable reels behind the back

Attach a D-handle to the low pulley of a cable machine. Now hold the handle in your left hand and step forward. Do this until the tension on the cord and arm is slightly pulled behind your body. Offset your feet so that your right leg is in front. Rotate the handle. However, don't let your elbow point forward.

Towel cord row

The first thing you need to do is hook a towel on the pulley and stand in front of it. Set up a row and hold one end of the towel in each hand. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and row the towel towards your rib cage.

Towel kettlebell curl

Thread the towel through the handle of a kettlebell and wrap two towels around the dumbbells. Now fold it in half. Hold the ends in both hands and curl them. Keep your upper arm still.

Grip crush

Sit on a bench, box, or chair. You can take anything you can comfortably sit on with a dumbbell on your left. Extend your arm towards the floor and prop the back against the inside of your left thigh. Let your hand open and the barbell roll to your fingertips. Now close your hand and make a wrist curl. Try to compress the weight as much as possible. Make sure you choose a weight that you can easily perform.

Hang bar

Place your hand shoulder width apart and use an overhand grip. Try to squeeze the bar as hard as you can and pull your shoulder blades across your back. Then hang on to the bar. Work for at least 2 minutes, then progress by changing your grip. You can also do the 30- to 60-second single-arm slopes to add extra exhaustion to your forearms.

Wrist roll

Hold a wrist roll with both hands and stretch your arms out in front of you. Attach a 2 to 5 pound weight plate to the bottom of the cable. Now, with your palms facing down, rotate your wrist towards your body. Also, roll the device between your hands to add weight until the cord is wrapped around the wrist roll. Now gradually lower the plate, making sure that your arms remain neutral during the workout.

Single arm bottom up kettlebell press

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a light kettlebell in one hand and make sure you are writing straight. Activate your core while pressing the kettlebell over you. Make sure you straighten your elbow. At this point, hold the handle and prevent the weight from wobbling. Bend your elbow and lower the kettlebell to the starting position. Repeat the workout for maximum convenience.

Crab walk

All you need to do for this workout is sit on the floor and bridge your hips. This needs to make you look like a tabletop in order for you to do the activity properly. Now try to walk forward on your hands and feet as quickly as possible. While this workout sounds fun to you, it works like magic.

frequently asked Questions

1. Can you name some other great forearm exercises?

Place pinch hold and rope climbing are other forearm exercises to try at home.

2. How do forearm exercises help?

Forearm exercises can help you build flawless strength and improve your overall grip strength. It also stimulates abundant physical activity during the day.

3. Is it effective?

Yes, without a doubt!

13 Feb
Blog

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Review: Small, Light, and Excellent

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano

"The ThinkPad X1 Nano is an extraordinary addition for small laptops."

  • Solid productivity performance

  • Extremely light

  • Good keyboard and touchpad

  • Excellent battery life

  • Very nice 16:10 display

Lenovo has been working on its legendary ThinkPad line for several years and is breaking away from the tried and tested. With the great ThinkPad X1 Extreme and a 2-in-1 tablet form factor with the detachable ThinkPad X12, it got big and powerful. Let's not start with the craziness of the ThinkPad X1 Fold.

Now Lenovo has made the ThinkPad X1 Nano the smallest and lightest ThinkPad of all time. Don't think that this means it's cheaper as the configuration of the ThinkPad X1 Nano review unit that Lenovo sent me costs a cool $ 1,847. This gives you an 11th generation Intel Tiger Lake Core i7-1060G7, 16 GB RAM, a 512 GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD) and a 13.0-inch 2K IPS display (2,160 x 1,350 ) in the increasingly popular 16:10 aspect ratio.

The ThinkPad X1 Nano has jumped into a very competitive area (Hello, Dell XPS 13). Does the ThinkPad X1 Nano live up to its potential?

design

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano

Lenovo may have made the ThinkPad X1 Nano smaller than any other ThinkPad, but it didn't detract from the aesthetics. The ThinkPad X1 Nano is just as black as most ThinkPads – no visible carbon fiber like the ThinkPad X1 Extreme or a titanium cover like the one in the new ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga.

You'll find the same subtle red cues as the “i” LED on the ThinkPad Yoga and the red TrackPoint nubbin and red key accents. It's a super conservative look that can only be found in the ThinkPad. The simple design neither corresponds to the slim lines of the Dell XPS 13 nor the elegant elegance of the HP Specter x360 13.

The X1 Nano is built like other ThinkPads, with a mix of materials resulting in a robust chassis. In this case, it is a carbon fiber hybrid material that makes up the lid with a magnesium-aluminum alloy in the bottom of the case. These materials contribute to the ThinkPad X1 Nano's low weight of just 1.99 pounds compared to the XPS 13 and Specter x360 13, both at 2.8 pounds. And the ThinkPad X1 Nano feels just as rugged as the two, which are some of the toughest we've tested.

For a device in its class, the X1 Nano is the lightest laptop you can buy.

Note that 1.99 pounds is really, really light. For a laptop of this type, the X1 Nano is the lightest laptop you can buy – even lighter than the LG Gram 13, whose entire purpose is to be as light as possible. It's almost as light as the Acer Swift 7 (1.96 pounds) and lighter than the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook (2.3 pounds), neither of which are in this CPU class.

Is such a lightweight laptop such a big deal? They are certainly a joy to use and carry around. When you add the materials of the ThinkPad X1 Nano that are cool to the touch, you get an extremely attractive and comfortable laptop.

If – like some lightweight laptops – it felt weak to the touch, it would diminish the benefit of being so light. However, the ThinkPad X1 Nano feels just as solid as any ThinkPad. The lid, the keyboard deck or the housing must not be bent, twisted or bent. The XPS 13, however, has the ThinkPad X1 Nano-Beat when it comes to the hinge – the latter is a bit stiffer and requires both hands to open.

The ThinkPad X1 Nano is not quite as thin as it is light and has a taper of 0.55 to 0.66 inches. The XPS 13 is only 0.58 inches, while the Specter x360 13 is slightly thicker at 0.67 inches. Since the ThinkPad X1 Nano's top and bottom bezels are slightly larger than those of the XPS 13, it's a bit deeper, but not by much, even with the smaller display (13 "versus 13.4").

Thanks to the larger 16:10 display (just like the XPS 13), the ThinkPad X1 Nano offers more space for the palm rest than the Specter x360 13, which is still 16: 9.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano

Connectivity is one area where the ThinkPad X1 Nano is affected by its size. There are only two USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 ports on the left, mating with a 3.5mm audio jack. The Specter x360 13 can insert both a USB-A port and a microSD card reader, which the ThinkPad X1 Nano lacks.

However, with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, the Lenovo is at the cutting edge of wireless connectivity. Support for 4G or 5G WWAN is optional via a SIM slot on the back.

security

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano

I'm adding a special section to this review to take into account some pretty cool technologies that Lenovo has built into the ThinkPad X1 Nano. None of this is new, but the software in particular has been perfected – at least compared to the last time I tried it.

The ThinkPad X1 Nano has the usual ThinkShutter physical slider that covers the webcam. So this is nothing special when it comes to ThinkPads. What is special, however, is the HPD (Human Presence Detection) technology and software that uses radar to detect when a user is in front of the laptop and when this user leaves. As long as the user is in front of the ThinkPad X1 Nano, it will stay awake and function normally.

However, move outside of a 60-degree arc and the laptop will turn off the display, lock it, and go into modern standby mode to save battery life. As soon as the user returns within that 60-degree arc, the ThinkPad X1 Nano is activated and automatically logs in again if Windows Hello is set up for facial recognition.

It works very well and is a real convenience – when you're not doing a task, that is. I noticed that my lengthy benchmarks were interrupted when the software put the ThinkPad X1 Nano to sleep. Therefore, the utility must be turned off if the computer is to continue running. I couldn't find a setting to turn off the step of switching to Modern Standby which is a bit of a stupid thing to do.

Overall, however, I found Lenovo's solution to be faster and more reliable than the similar utility found on Dell's Latitude 7400 2-in-1.

performance

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano

The ThinkPad X1 Nano uses a previously unusual version of the latest 11th generation Tiger Lake CPU from Intel, the Core i7-1160G7. In contrast to the more popular Core i7-1165G7 with an output of up to 4.7 GHz and a TDP (Thermal Design Power) range of 12 to 28 watts, the Core i7-1160G7 achieves a maximum output of 4.4 GHz and a lower TDP range from seven to seven watts 15 watts. That makes it less power hungry and cooler – a good fit for the tiny X1 Nano.

Although the CPU is theoretically slower, it didn't do particularly well in our benchmark tests. The ThinkPad X1 Nano didn't show up in Geekbench 5, where it could only manage 5,139 in multi-core mode and 1,466 in single-core mode. Other Tiger Lake laptops typically exceed 5,400 and 1,500. In Handbrake, where we encode a 420 MB video as H.265, the ThinkPad X1 Nano did surprisingly well and finished in exactly three minutes. That outperforms some laptops with faster Tiger Lake chips, like the Dell XPS 13 with a Core i7-1185G7, which takes about 20 seconds longer. The HP Specter x360 14 with a Core i7-1165G7 took 10 seconds longer.

The ThinkPad X1 Nano also did relatively well in Cinebench R23, where it achieved 4,550 points in multi-core mode and 1,377 points in single-core mode. This beats the XPS 13 (4,267 and 1,449) again, but fell behind the Specter x360 14 in performance mode (4,847 and 1,404). The ThinkPad X1 Nano is not the fastest Tiger Lake laptop in this test, but it is not as far behind as the CPU specs suggest.

Finally, I ran the PCMark 10 Complete test, where the ThinkPad X1 Nano got a total of 4,684 and then 9,295 in the Essentials, 6,413 in Productivity, and 4,678 in the Creation subtests. These values ​​are a little further behind the faster CPUs, in which the Specter x360 14 scored 4,796, 9,760, 6,340 and 4,837 points in the various tests. This is the only test in which the lower CPU of the ThinkPad X1 Nano couldn't quite keep up.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano

In general, however, the ThinkPad X1 Nano was fast enough for productivity tasks. I've never seen slowdowns happen, and I've used it just as hard as any other laptop I've checked. Lenovo did a great job of packing just the right amount of performance into the small and lightweight chassis.

In terms of gaming, the ThinkPad X1 Nano, which came with the usual Intel Iris Xe that you'll find in Tiger Lake machines, was also competitive. In the 3DMark Time Spy test, which is located in the middle of the field, 1,549 points were achieved. The XPS 13 managed 1,589 while the MSI Prestige 14 Evo (otherwise a very fast laptop) only managed 1,465. The Specter x360 14 scored a glowing 1,709 in performance mode.

I also ran Fortnite which was running on the ThinkPad X1 Nano at 1920 x 1200 and I saw 31 frames per second (fps) in 1080p and high graphics and 23 fps in epic graphics. This is comparable to the XPS 13 with 29 fps and 22 fps and the Specter x360 14 with 36 fps and 23 fps. Some Tiger Lake laptops are faster and some are slower, but in general they approach the discrete Nvidia MX350 performance of a very small and light laptop.

display

The ThinkPad X1 Nano has a brand new display with an aspect ratio of 16:10 (13.0 inches). It has a 2K (2,160 x 1,350) resolution which is very sharp, although I've noticed that the color temperature is a little warm (yellowish).

According to my colorimeter, this is a good display for a premium laptop, but not a great one. The color gamut was of average width at 74% of AdobeRGB and 98% of sRGB, and color accuracy was good at DeltaE 1.31, with 1.0 or less being considered excellent. The XPS 13 Full HD + display was similar at 75% AdobeRGB and 98% sRGB and a color accuracy of 1.36. The Specter x369 13 I tested used an OLED display with much wider and more accurate colors, so this isn't the best comparison.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano

The ThinkPad X1 Nano's display was very bright at 414 nits, which was nice to see (no pun intended). That made it bright enough to overwhelm a lot of ambient light. The contrast was 980: 1 and thus just below our preferred threshold of 1000: 1 for premium laptops. The XPS 13 was brighter at 458 nits and had a much better contrast at 1350: 1. Here, too, the OLED panel of the Specter x360 13 was superior in its almost infinite contrast, although it was not as bright at 405 nits.

I enjoyed the display, especially the 16:10 aspect ratio. After getting used to the color temperature being a little warm, I made myself comfortable and enjoyed the panel for all the work I threw on it. Creative guys in need of large bezels of color will want to look elsewhere, but for most people this is a very good indicator.

Audio was very good, with tons of volume for such a small laptop, and no distortion. This is possible thanks to quad speakers, two downward-facing woofers and two upward-facing tweeters. You get great highs and mids and just a little bit of bass. It's enough for Netflix and the occasional music, though it can't lose sight of the best laptop speakers out there, the MacBook Pro's. I also find that the speakers are a little less pleasant than the HP Specter x360 14's quad speakers, which are just a little more powerful.

Keyboard and touchpad

According to Lenovo, the keyboard of the ThinkPad X1 Nano is the same as that of other ThinkPads, with "similar" travel. This certainly seems to be the case – they're the same shaped buttons with plenty of spacing, and the mechanism is almost identical to other ThinkPads. I think the trip is a little less, which I think is a good thing – I find the "normal" ThinkPad keyboard a little too much effort.

I like the lighter keyboards on the Dell XPS 13, the HP Specter range, and Apple's Magic Keyboard on the latest MacBooks. Ultimately, the ThinkPad X1 Nano's keyboard feel is the best I've seen on a ThinkPad, unless it's my imagination.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano

The touchpad is a Microsoft Precision version that enables a precise tracking experience and functional multi-touch gestures under Windows 10. You lose some space on the buttons for the TrackPoint nubbin in the middle of the keyboard, which has always bothered me about ThinkPads. Really, the touchpad is too small where the extra space could make for a larger wipe surface thanks to the larger display.

Speaking of the display: Touch is not supported, which is also negative. I find touchless laptops annoying after I get used to scrolling long web pages with my thumb and tapping fast on-screen buttons with my finger.

Finally, Windows 10 Hello support is provided by both a fingerprint reader directly to the right of the touchpad and an infrared camera above for facial recognition. With the human presence detection function, the face recognition method is particularly useful and works perfectly.

Battery life

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano

When I saw that the ThinkPad X1 Nano only had 48 watt hours of battery, I expected it to compete with other ThinkPads in a mediocre battery life. I suppose the smaller display and lower power consumption CPU made a real difference, as the ThinkPad X1 Nano definitely outperforms the ThinkPad trend.

First, I ran our web browser test, which gave a passable indication of the productivity of the battery life. Here, the ThinkPad X1 Nano managed 10.25 hours, which is a very good score, which probably means the laptop meets or exceeds Intel Evo certification of nine hours of typical use.

It also outperformed the XPS 13 Full HD + and the 4K OLED-equipped Specter x360 13 (with a 60 watt hour battery) by almost two hours. In our video test, which ran through a Full HD Avengers trailer, the ThinkPad X1 Nano lasted 18 hours – an extraordinary result. That's six hours longer than the XPS 13 and eight hours longer than the Specter x360 13.

I also ran the PCMark 10 gaming battery test which was draining the CPU and the ThinkPad X1 Nano lasted almost four hours. This is the second longest score we've ever seen, just a second behind the XPS 13 Full HD +. I tried running the PCMark 10 Application battery test which is the best indicator of productivity longevity. Unfortunately the test failed several times. However, I imagine that the ThinkPad X1 Nano would have done well in the test and, overall, should have offered the typical productivity user more than a full day of battery life.

Our opinion

The ThinkPad X1 Nano is a highly competent player in the market for small laptops. It offers solid productivity performance, great battery life, and a solid build with a good keyboard and usable human presence detection technology. Thanks to the 16:10 panel, it's up to date with the move to a higher display.

The ThinkPad X1 Nano doesn't have much to like. It doesn't quite have the glitz of the XPS 13, and it doesn't have the standout looks or flexibility of the Specter x360 13, but as far as 13-inch laptops go, this is a good one.

Are there alternatives?

The HP Specter x360 14 is a solid alternative and offers its own taller display with a 13.5-inch 3: 2 OLED panel that is miles ahead of the ThinkPad's display. Depending on the configuration, the price roughly corresponds to that of the ThinkPad X1 Nano, but is characterized by its 2-in-1 flexibility.

The Dell XPS 13 9310 is perhaps the most logical competitor with a slightly larger 16:10 display and an optimized design. Performance is similar between the two, but the ThinkPad has better battery life. The XPS 13 is just as well built, has a superior display, and can handle more storage and RAM than what Lenovo is offering.

When you're ready to switch operating systems, Apple's MacBook Pro 13 M1 is another great option. It's extremely fast, maybe better built, has a better display, and has the best keyboard and audio quality on any laptop. It's also several hundred dollars cheaper than the ThinkPad X1 Nano.

How long it will take?

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano is well built and should have useful productivity for years. The components are state-of-the-art. It is covered by the one-year guarantee that is customary in the industry and that is too short.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The ThinkPad X1 Nano is a very well built, very light and very durable laptop with some additional security features and a modern display.

Editor's recommendations




22 Jan
Blog

Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Review: An excellent 14-inch convertible

Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 review featured picture

Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 "2-in-1 laptop

"The Yoga 9i 14 is a fast and efficient 2-in-1 convertible that only suffers from a too short 16: 9 display."

  • Very solid build quality

  • Competitive productivity performance

  • Excellent battery life

  • Superior audio quality

  • Pen is included in the scope of delivery and docks comfortably

  • The keyboard remains a bit flat

  • 16: 9 display is yesterday's technology

  • The colors are a bit muted and inaccurate

Lenovo's Yoga 9i 14 – the replacement for the Yoga C940 – is an incredibly innovative 2-in-1 convertible that comes in two different flavors that stand out for much more than just color.

The Shadow Black Leather Edition contains a continuous glass palm rest, a haptic touchpad and an ultrasonic fingerprint reader, which is combined with a leather cover on the lid. The mica-colored model has a traditional palm rest and touchpad, as well as a simple metal lid. And they cost the same. A more direct replacement for the Yoga C940, the Mica version offers a more traditional 2-in-1 experience that begs the question: should you consider the Mica version without the added innovations?

We tried a well-configured Mica device with a top-notch 11th generation Intel Tiger Lake Core i7-1185G7 CPU, 16 GB of RAM, a 512 GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD), and a Full HD (1,920) x 1,080) IPS display. This configuration is $ 1,380 at Best buy, Pricing next to the best 2-in-1 laptops, but competitive with similar machines.

design

Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 designMark Coppock / Digital Trends

As with most mid-range and better Lenovo laptops, the Yoga 9i 14 feels solidly built. I couldn't get anything bend or bend, including the lid, keyboard deck, and case bottom. Seriously, this laptop is rock hard and in the same class as the HP Specter x360 14, Dell XPS 13, and Apple MacBook Pro 13. The Yoga’s stiff hinge requires two hands, but does a great job of holding the 2-in. 1 in the desired mode, be it clamshell, medium, tent or tablet.

Aesthetically, the Yoga 9i 14 follows Lenovo's recent preference for simple, clear designs without any gloss. The aluminum housing in the color "Mica" (light gray-silver) looks banal apart from two outstanding features: the notch on top of the display for the webcam and the Dolby Atmos soundbar integrated in the hinge (more on this later). Compared to the Specter x360 14 and the XPS 13, the Yoga 9i 14 is not noticeable. However, that's fine as it still looks attractive and I'm sure there are many users out there who prefer a simpler design. Let's call it "reserved elegance" and leave it at that.

The Yoga 9i 14 has small bezels at the top and on each side, but the chin is a bit big – as is often the case with 2-in-1 models that require more complicated hinges. That makes it a smaller 14-inch laptop, but certainly not the smallest you will find. The MSI Prestige 14 Evo, for example, is only slightly smaller in depth and width (although this is a fraction of an inch), but it's also thicker than the Yoga 9i 14 at 0.63 inches versus 0.57-0.61 Inch. The yoga is slightly heavier at 3.02 pounds than it is at 2.84 pounds. Compare that to the HP Specter x360 14, which is available at 0.67 inches and 2.95 pounds.

Connectivity is quite poor for a 14-inch laptop. You get two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB 3.2 port, and a 3.5mm audio jack, all of which are on the left side of the laptop. Many 14-inch laptops have multiple USB-A ports, a full-size HDMI port, and a microSD card reader, but not here. You get Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 so your wireless connection is up to date.

performance

Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 performanceMark Coppock / Digital Trends

My test device was equipped with the fastest Tiger Lake CPU, the quad-core Core i7-1185G7, and ran accordingly. All along the line, the Yoga was competitive with our current Tiger Lake laptop database, which also puts it at the top of the list of Intel U-series processors.

In Geekbench 5, the Yoga 9i 14 achieved 1,532 points in the single-core test and 5,415 points in the multi-core test. The Dell XPS 13 9310 and the MSI Prestige 14 Evo with the same CPU scored 1,549 and 5,431 and 1,593 and 5,904 points, respectively. Note that each of these machines is faster than Intel 10th generation laptops, but far behind the AMD Ryzen 4000 series and Apple Silicon M1.

The Yoga 9i 14 performed better in our handbrake test, which encodes a 420MB video as H.265. I've used the Yoga's performance utility, which has battery saving, smart cooling (default), and extreme performance modes, to see how much tuning is available, and switching from smart cooling to performance has made a significant difference. In Standard mode, the Yoga took 3.45 minutes to complete the test compared to 2.85 minutes in Performance mode. That's faster than the Dell XPS 13 in performance mode (the Dell was a few seconds faster in standard mode) but slower than the MSI Prestige 14 Evo, which took 2.7 minutes. These values ​​are also much faster than 10th generation Intel laptops, but slower than AMD Ryzen and Apple M1 when a version of Handbrake optimized for this processor is used.

The Yoga 9i 14 managed 1,441 in single-core mode and 4,988 in multi-core mode in Cinebench R23, both with the performance activated. It again outperformed the XPS 13, but couldn't compete with the MSI Prestige 14 Evo. 10th generation Intel CPUs lagged, while the Apple M1 was significantly faster. We did not test the AMD Ryzen chips with this version of Cinebench.

I ended up running the PCMark 10 Complete benchmark suite and the Yoga 9i 14 got 4,836 points in performance mode (4,800 in smart cooling mode, so not a huge difference). The Dell XPS 13 9310 with Tiger Lake CPUs wouldn't complete the test, and the MSI Prestige 14 Evo came in at just under 4866. The Essentials (web browsing, video conferencing, app launch), productivity (spreadsheet and word processing), and creation (photo editing, video rendering and playback, and video editing) parts of the test were similar, with the Yoga 9i 14 outperforming Intel 10-laptops a fair head start and keeping up with the rest of the Tiger Lake class.

Overall, the Yoga 9i 14 performed solidly in our tests and will meet any productivity requirement. It won't be able to compete with either AMD Ryzen or the Apple M1, especially on content creation tasks, but the performance was above average for everything else.

The gaming was the same: The Yoga 9i 14 scored 1,774 points in the 3DMark Time Spy test in performance mode, compared to the Dell XPS 13 9310 with 1,657 points and the MSI Prestige 14 Evo with a surprisingly low 1,465 points. In Fortnite, both Yoga and MSI hit 40 frames per second (fps) or faster at 1080p and high graphics, with the XPS 13 only managing 29 fps. None of the laptops could exceed 30 fps with Epic Graphics enabled. As with other Tiger Lake laptops with Intel Iris Xe, you can expect performance on par with an entry-level discrete GPU like the Nvidia GeForce MX350, allowing casual gaming at reasonable frame rates, as long as you meet your expectations for resolution and graphical detail.

display

Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 displayMark Coppock / Digital Trends

Lenovo equipped the Yoga 9i 14 with a Full HD IPS display (1,920 x 1,080) with an increasingly archaic aspect ratio of 16: 9. Many, if not most, of the new machines unveiled today have taller screens (16:10 or 3: 2). The HP Specter x360 14 is an example with its impressive 3: 2 OLED display that is a joy to use. Directly behind the gate is the yoga behind the market.

According to my colorimeter, this is mostly just an average display for a premium laptop. It was pretty bright at 341 nits, above our 300 NIT threshold, but below 458 nits the Dell XPS 13 with its own Full HD display could manage. The MSI Prestige 14 Evo suffered from an exceptionally low brightness of just 228 nits, which made the Yoga 9i 14 significantly better. The contrast exceeded our threshold of 1,000: 1 at 1060: 1. This is a good thing that blew black text on a white background. The XPS 13 Full HD managed 1350: 1, while the MSI fell below our threshold with 940: 1. By these standards, the display of yoga was excellent.

This is probably the best audio system on a Windows 10 laptop.

However, when it came to colors, yoga fell behind. It managed only 71% of AdobeRGB and 95% of sRGB, which is below the averages of 73% and 96%, respectively. The XPS 13 was stronger with 75% by AdobeRGB and 98% by sRGB, while the Prestige Evo 14 scored 73% and 97%. Worst of all, however, was the Yoga’s color accuracy, which was a poor DeltaE of 3.74 compared to 1.36 on the XPS 13 (less than 1.0 is considered excellent) and 1.3 on the MSI.

I found the Yoga display good for productivity work where brightness and contrast were most important, but I wouldn't recommend it for creatives looking for wider gamuts and more accurate colors.

However, the Yoga 9i 14 featured a Dolby Atmos soundbar integrated into the hinge. The two tweeters are located in the soundbar, while the system also uses two subwoofers in the housing for deeper bass. Volume was significant with no distortion, and mids and highs were great with an above average bass touch. This is probably the best audio system on a Windows 10 laptop and is only surpassed by the superior sound on Apple's MacBook Pro computers. You can use the laptop for Netflix bingeing and listening to music without unplugging your headphones – unless you want to keep your audio to yourself.

Keyboard and touchpad

Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 keyboard and touchpadMark Coppock / Digital Trends

Lenovo's yoga keyboards traditionally suffer from shallow depth and a squishy feel. The Yoga 9i 14, on the other hand, uses the company's new TrueStrike keyboard, which is as slim as it was before, but slightly faster. It's a much better experience, though it's still not as good as the HP Specter x360 14, Dell XPS 13, and best of all, the Magic Keyboard on the latest MacBooks. The keyboard offers two levels of backlighting that I found consistent and effective under different lighting conditions.

The touchpad is a decent size and has a smooth surface that is easy to slide over. It's a Microsoft Precision touchpad, so Windows 10 multi-touch gestures work as expected. The touch display responds equally and supports the included active pen from Lenovo, which parks and charges in its built-in silo on the back of the case. My only complaint about the pen is its size – it's quite small and doesn't mimic the feel of an ink pen.

A fingerprint reader in the upper right corner of the palm rest provides support for logging in without a Windows 10 Hello password. It worked well and logged me in quickly and efficiently without a lot of errors. The ThinkShutter privacy webcam cover remains a manual affair – you physically slide it over when you want to keep your video to yourself. Compare this to the competing Specter x360 14, whose keyboard has a button that instructs the device to electronically close the shutter.

Battery life

Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 battery lifeMark Coppock / Digital Trends

The Yoga 9i 14 has a battery capacity of 60 watt hours, which is not much for a 14-inch laptop. And as far as I can tell, there is no specific technology like a low-power display that will keep it running for a long time with such limited battery power. How did it take so long during my tests?

First, I ran our web browsing test, which iterated over a number of popular (and complex) websites until the battery ran out. In this test, the Yoga 9i 14 lasted just over 10 hours, which leads the Tiger Lake class. The closest competitor is the Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA with a Core i7-1165G7 that lasted almost 10 hours. The rest of the field averaged nine hours or less, which gave the Yoga 9i an impressive performance.

This is a 2-in-1 convertible that you can work with for a full day.

Next, I ran our video test going through a Full HD Avengers trailer. Here the Yoga 9i 14 lasted 18.25 hours, which is incredibly impressive for a laptop without a power-saving display. That's hours longer than the other Tiger Lake laptops I tested. The closest is the MSI Prestige 14 Evo with the same CPU (and a low-power display) that managed it to last 16.25 hours.

Finally, I ran two PCMark 10 tests. The first, the Gaming Battery Benchmark, emphasizes that the CPU and GPU must mimic demanding tasks while using the battery. The Yoga 9i 14 lasted a little over two hours, which is roughly the average of all the laptops we tested. The XPS 13 9310 Full HD lasted almost four hours and was much more efficient at balancing CPU and GPU usage against battery life, while the MSI Prestige 14 Evo lasted about 30 minutes less than the Yoga. In the PCMark 10 Applications battery test, which mimics a typical productivity load, the Yoga 9i 14 lasted the longest of all the machines we tested at 14.45 hours. The closest machine was the XPS 13, which took just under 11 hours.

The Yoga 9i 14 makes the most of its 60 watt-hour battery life and exceeds the Evo certification requirements of nine hours of typical use. This is a 2-in-1 convertible that you can work with for a full day.

Our opinion

The Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Mica version is an excellent 2-in-1 convertible with solid productivity performance, great build quality, and great battery life. The keyboard has been improved over previous iterations, and a hand-held pen is parked in the case.

The only weakness is the 16: 9 display which is suddenly old school compared to the newest machines hitting the market today. Most of these are 16:10 or 3: 2 and have more vertical information, less scrolling, and better productivity. Many people are not (yet) interested in the difference, and so the Yoga 9i 14 still has its place. But his time window is closing.

Are there alternatives?

The HP Specter x360 14 is a great alternative with a 13.5-inch 3: 2 OLED display that significantly improves its suitability for productivity work. It's a little more expensive than the Yoga, depending on the configuration, but it's worth it.

The Dell XPS 13 9310 is also a solid competitor, albeit with a smaller display in the productivity-friendly 16:10 aspect ratio. The XPS 13 is equally well built, offers a superior display, and can be configured with more RAM and storage.

How long it will take?

The Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 is built like a tank and should last just as long. It comes with the latest components and should meet your computing needs for several years. It is subject to industry standards and a one-year warranty that is too short.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Yoga 9i 14 offers great performance and battery life in a solid and attractive design. However, the 16: 9 display holds it down from its size, and you should seriously consider whether a taller display is better for you before buying it.

Editor's recommendations




06 Jun
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Buds Review: Surprisingly Excellent True Wireless Buds

Samsung Galaxy Buds review full performance

"The Galaxy Buds are a valuable pair of real wireless earphones."

  • Six hours of battery life

  • Sweatproof

  • Light, comfortable fit

  • Wireless charging case

  • Only 7 hours of battery in the case

This review was last updated by Nick Woodard, employee of Digital Trends A / V, on June 5, 2020.

It's an exciting time for real wireless earbuds. With new chips that promise more compact designs and better battery life and finally make it real products, there are more reasons than ever to shorten the cable for your listening time.

Samsung Galaxy Buds is one of the first true next generation wireless headphones to hit the market and features the latest technology. With a battery life of six hours, a wireless charging case and a lightweight, nimble design, there's a lot to love about the company's newest buds.

Most impressive is that the Galaxy Buds feature set is available at an affordable price of $ 129. The buds were even bundled with pre-orders for the S10, S10 + or Fold phones. The combination of technology and value made the Galaxy Buds one of the best wireless earbuds you can currently buy, at least until the Galaxy Buds + came on the market.

Out of the box

The Galaxy Buds come in a small box with a charging case, a long USB Type-C cable, three sets of silicone earplugs and sports fins, and a small instruction manual. When you open the case, it immediately becomes clear that Samsung's successor to the 2018 Gear IconX is significantly smaller and lighter than its predecessor, so that it can sit more comfortably in your ears.

An ergonomic triangular design integrates the comfortable rubber ear fins and the soft rubber ear plugs and offers a very solid fit and an excellent seal. This is easily one of the most convenient real wireless earbuds we've tested. While Apple's ear-tip-free AirPods can be a bit rough during longer listening sessions, the Galaxy Buds are almost unnoticed after insertion.

properties

First of all, the headphones from Samsung offer a solid battery life of six hours per charge – one hour more than comparable Apple and Jabra models. It was impressive at the time of his debut, although the bar has now been raised. The Galaxy Buds + offers 11 hours of playback, while the Edifier TWS NB offers five hours of noise reduction and 11 hours without this feature.

Unfortunately, the impressive playback time is not answered with a lot of juice in the case itself, which is our only real criticism of the Galaxy Buds. The Galaxy Buds case offers only seven hours of extra battery life, while competitors offer 20 to 30 hours or more.

The most convenient real wireless earbuds we've ever tested.

This is less of a concern for Galaxy phone owners, as the case includes the ability to wirelessly charge from the back of new Galaxy phones (or a standard wireless charging pad). However, this means that you won't be able to spend days at a time without finding a charging station or outlet. However, plugging in your headphones after 13 hours of play isn't a big deal for most of us, and it's a low price for all the other properties of the buds.

In addition to good battery life and a wireless charging case, the Galaxy buds offer a number of cool functions. Changing songs or adjusting the volume is done, for example, using intuitive touch controls that can be adjusted in the Samsung Wear app. With the app, you can also choose between five different equalizer settings to adjust the sound of the headphones to your ears and your taste in music.

Perhaps the most useful feature of the app is "Find my earbuds", which does exactly what you think it does and prevents you from digging through the sofa cushions or jeans pockets when the buds disappear.

The Galaxy Buds are particularly impressive due to the use of the two on-board microphones integrated in each headphone. During a call, the headphones can analyze how loud the sounds are around you. To do this, use the microphone on the outside of each headphone when the ambient noise is quieter, and the microphone near the inside of the headphone when it is louder. You can also use the microphones to whistle the sound of the outside world while listening to Samsung's ambient noise mode, which even includes a function that uses filtering to emphasize the sound of human voices.

Both ambient noise mode and call mode worked well during testing, allowing employees to be heard over music without removing the earbuds, and to call both quiet and noisy rooms without missing a beat. Call quality isn't as good as Apple's AirPods, but it does the job.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

Ambient sound mode is great for situations like running or cycling where you want to jam but don't want to miss a scream or car horn when you need to hear it. And that's not the only way Samsung has targeted its latest earbuds to those who like to sweat: The Galaxy Buds have IPX2 protection, which means they're protected from dripping water (or sweat). It's not as good as the IP56 rating of Jabra models like the Elite Active 65t, but given the fact that Apple's more expensive AirPods don't offer any water resistance, this feature is welcome. You'll have to pay $ 250 for the AirPods Pro to get Apple's water resistance.

I took the headphones on a 5 mile run on a treadmill and found them great for training. Their lightweight and compact design keeps them in place, and thanks to the IPX2 rating, you don't have to worry about them breaking a sweat.

Audio performance

The ergonomic design of the Galaxy Buds and the soft silicone earplugs enable them to seal very well in your ears, to achieve a warm bass and a low mid-range and to avoid hard, thin sounds.

There are no real wireless earphones that we have tested and that feel so liberating.

During my time with the headphones, I heard a variety of pieces of music and played everything from the Beatles to Kendrick Lamar. Overall, the headphones performed well on all pieces of music and offered a relatively flat response despite the playback, even with large differences between the genres.

My preferred equalizer mode was the "Dynamic" setting, which allows the sound to be adjusted to best suit what you are listening to. The "Soft" mode and the "Clear" mode were also interesting. The former allowed you to hear things with a rounder, less harsh sound signature, and the latter only brought out a hint of the glow from acoustic guitars and cymbals.

Although I preferred Dynamic most often, it was nice to have a choice when it came to adapting the sound to the music. One option I wanted was standard on all wireless headphones.

The Galaxy Buds don't offer the vivid clarity that we've experienced from real wireless headphones like the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 or the Master and Dynamic MW07 and MW07 Plus, but they deliver a pleasant and customizable sound for well below half the price could easily be enjoyed every day. In fact, their sound is just as good or better than that of the more expensive Apple and Jabra models.

The stable Bluetooth 5.0 connection also made it great when cleaning my living room and kitchen, so I could just put your phone on a table or counter and forget it.

To listen to your favorite music in all styles on the go, the Galaxy Buds absolutely serve their purpose, and the lightweight design underlines the luxury of not having cords. Honestly, there are still very few real wireless earphones that we have tested that feel so liberating.

Warranty information

Samsung offers a one-year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.

Our opinion

With a host of great features, six-hour battery life, and a fantastic list price of $ 129, the Galaxy Buds are currently the most compelling true wireless earbuds on the market.

Is there a better alternative?

The Galaxy Buds + are the obvious option here, with improved battery life and other features for an additional $ 20. The aforementioned Edifier TWS NB may fit even better because it offers good active noise cancellation for $ 10 less.

You should also consider Amazon's Echo Buds. They are a great alternative if you are already deep in Amazon's Alexa ecosystem.

Other close competitors to the Galaxy Buds – Apple's AirPods and Elite Active 65t and Jabra Elite 75t from Jabra – offer steeper sticker prices, although you may find the earlier Jabra model at a discount once the 75t arrives.

How long will they last?

Samsung has made durable products in the past, and we don't expect the buds to be different. With replaceable earplugs and ear fins, we expect a long lifespan.

Should you buy them

Yes. If you are looking for comfortable, real wireless earbuds with excellent battery life, good sound and an affordable price, you have come to the right place.

Editor's recommendations




28 Mar
Blog

Good Mornings Are an Excellent Auxiliary Movement

Strict good morning hours with feet wide, knees locked, and straight back are excellent moves that solve a number of problems for beginners. They also offer additional strengthening for experienced lifters.

The lift should hold the barbell on the shoulders behind the neck, move away from the racks, and maintain a position of at least 90 degrees between the thighs. The knees should be locked and the head should look forward throughout the movement. The athlete should then bend forward from the hip and keep the back straight until the torso is parallel or nearly parallel to the floor before returning to an upright posture.

This movement is great for athletes with tight hamstrings that force the buttocks to hide at the bottom of the squat. It can also be helpful for people with ankle movement problems. It is also an excellent developer of hamstring strength for pulling and straightening the hips. Repetitions should be done in the range of 5 to 8 per set and for four or more sets at the end of the training session. The first time you use it, you should experience significant pain in the Achilles tendon.

27 Mar
Blog

Good Mornings Are an Excellent Auxiliary Movement

Strict good morning hours with feet wide, knees locked, and straight back are excellent moves that solve a number of problems for beginners. They also offer additional strengthening for experienced lifters.

The lift should hold the barbell on the shoulders behind the neck, move away from the racks, and maintain a position of at least 90 degrees between the thighs. The knees should be locked and the head should look forward throughout the movement. The athlete should then bend forward from the hip and keep the back straight until the torso is parallel or nearly parallel to the floor before returning to an upright posture.

This movement is great for athletes with tight hamstrings that force the buttocks to hide at the bottom of the squat. It can also be helpful for people with ankle movement problems. It is also an excellent developer of hamstring strength for pulling and straightening the hips. Repetitions should be done in the range of 5 to 8 per set and for four or more sets at the end of the training session. The first time you use it, you should experience significant pain in the Achilles tendon.