09 Nov
Blog

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Review: One of the Good Ones

Assassins Creed Valhalla Review Assassin s

Assassin's Creed Valhalla

"Valhalla combines the best fight on the show with a more organic world."

  • Breathtaking fight

  • Refined metasystems

  • A more thoughtful open world

  • Raiding never gets old

  • The expansion of your settlement is convincing

  • Familiar story

  • Buggy, especially on the PC

  • Stealth and modern content are missing

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is my personal favorite in this new, remastered trilogy of games in the franchise, but the reasons I enjoy it might be shutdowns for others. Improved combat and one-train raid is at the heart of the game, and while it's well executed, it ultimately throws aside the franchise's stealth roots.

This is a step the series needs to take. to break away from what defined these games nearly a decade ago to become the standard bearer for action RPG.

I want to get this out of the way too: if you were going to record this game on PC at startup, don't. Not to say that the console version can't be buggy at times, but the PC version was almost unplayable for me (a problem I also had with Watch Dogs: Legion) and I gave up trying to get it Constantly crashing after an hour Another writer on our team had a problem with a deceased NPC and to progress they had to speak to that NPC. You are now gently prevented from continuing in the game and that is with the patch from day one.

First known, the story goes to some interesting places

Many Assassin's Creed games are campaigned around family, betrayal, and political clash, and Valhalla is no different. Eivor is set in the 9th century and can be avenged at different points in history as a man or woman or as a gender at different points in history. He takes revenge for the death of his parents at the hands of a rival clan leader. In order to get what they want, they make certain decisions that ultimately lead them out of Norway with their brother Sigurd in order to found a new home in Anglo-Saxon England.

From there, the main focus of the game is for this small group of Danes to expand their reach through devastating raids or diplomatic alliances, expanding their Ravensthorpe base camp from a dilapidated village to a thriving community.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is my personal favorite in this new remastered trilogy of games in the franchise.

The family core of the game, Eivor and her brother Sigurd, is at times strikingly similar to the dynamic of Kassandra and Alexios in Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Over time, and as the history of the Raven clan grows across England, Valhalla makes some interesting deviations that set it apart from the newer entries in the series, but I really hope the next game in the franchise breaks off this one Establishment completely.

The narrative, which is directly related to the gameplay of the Raven clan's expansion across England, is the story that I found more compelling but which can get out of whack at times. Eivor and her people are not refugees who have no choice but to flee Norway. You specifically choose to go to reap the rewards of literally greener pastures.

While they initially arrive with the goal of being as peaceful as possible, they very quickly move on to the raid and loot part. The game then creates villains who are so vicious and power hungry that you have no choice but to choose Eivor. Valhalla sometimes tries to come up with a mutually exclusive argument, but it never really works as well as intended.

I ended up taking things at face value very quickly and ultimately enjoying the narrative for what it was. It has never been lost, however, that Ubisoft is a company going through its own internal problems regarding abuse of power. So I've never entirely given up questioning the game's narrative.

The gameplay is the best the series has ever had

There's one phrase people like to use when criticizing video games: Gameplay is king. While I never fully signed this idea, it's hard to argue that in the case of Assassin's Creed Valhalla it isn't true. Something that ultimately pushed me away from Origins and Odyssey is the feeling that the battle system rebuilt was only part of the way to get there. The two year gap in the titles has allowed the development team to refine it and I am so excited with the results.

Valhalla makes some interesting changes that set it apart from the newer entries in the series.

Eivor and her clan are a devastating and relentless force that completely captures the gameplay. Every swing of my ax felt snappy and satisfying, and even after hours of playing I continued to gush out incredulous exclamations about Eivor's ruthlessness.

Most of the time, Eivor is accompanied by a group of Viking warriors to extend the range of Ravensthorpe. It works better than any system implemented in previous Assassin's Creed games. It feels like the Brotherhood should have felt.

This idea of ​​working consistently with NPC allies means there are even fewer cases this time where stealth is required. The game at certain points tries to get you to use it, but it is rarely ever needed or the more desirable tool to help you achieve your goal. While one of the big selling points has been the return of the ability to blend in with the crowd, hacking and cutting through enemies is always the more satisfying and successful solution.

The fact that stealth plays second fiddle after confrontation is an improvement, but it can be a problem for some. Fans of the series who were hoping for a return to form for stealth on a grand scale will likely be disappointed with the increased emphasis on personal combat.

All metasystems also feel more refined than previous entries. Instead of getting tons of marginally better weapons and armor, I'm more likely to find improved upgrades, reducing the need to constantly manage my inventory. Likewise, the skill tree is slowly unfolding as you branch over it, rather than presenting you with the entirety of what it has to offer from the jump. This makes the game's RPG features, which many fans have turned off in recent years, a lot easier to swallow.

A more organic and varied world

Another big problem for me regarding Origins and Odyssey was the sheer size and infinity of the game's map and activities. That's not to say the world of Valhalla isn't huge or lacking in quests, but everything feels far more manageable and achieving goals is less like ticking things off a checklist and more about natural discovery .

England, the largest map in the game, but not the only one, is a single landmass that can be traversed on foot, on horseback, or by boat through the branching rivers that run across the country. At the center is Ravensthorpe, and the game of Eivor returning to his home base often provides more context for the world that just doesn't exist in the nomadic lives that Bayek and Kasandra / Alexios led in their games.

Every swing of my ax felt snappy and satisfying, and even after hours of playing I continued to gush out incredulous exclamations about Eivor's ruthlessness.

Rather than feeling compelled to hide every marker on an island and ultimately not do so, as I did in Odyssey, Valhalla leaves your desire to strengthen the Raven clan to be your guide to traversing, and side activities, on therefore, those you bump feel far more integral.

Gone is the need to rely on your avian partner to track down an area and mark every enemy and resource you see before systematically switching from marker to marker. While you have a raven partner to look for you, it is more about getting a first lay of the land than familiarizing yourself with every nook and cranny.

Odin's Sight, a vibrant ability that highlights POIs and enemies in your immediate area, is far more useful this time around as it allows players to stay more in the immediate action and engage with them organically.

This is, of course, Assassin's Creed, which means that there are also some modern parts with our contemporary protagonist Layla. The game tries to make it more relevant by bringing in characters tied into Desmond's story in the original trilogy and spin-offs, but it feels half-hearted again, both narrative and visually. As with stealth, the modern content is something the series is forced to do, but these games would be stronger without it, and at this point I wouldn't care if they dropped it completely.

Our opinion

Assassin's Creed Valhalla promised to return to the roots of the series after two big strides by them in Origins and Odyssey, but what it tries to rekindle is holding it back and what it does best makes it decidedly very unassassin & # 39; s Creed . Those willing to hug Valhalla for what it is will find a compelling and satisfying action RPG.

Is there a better alternative?

The only other great action RPG around the launch of the Xbox Series X | S and PlayStation 5 is Watch Dogs: Legion, but Assassin's Creed Valhalla is by far the better of the two games.

How long it will take?

Ten hours or more, hundreds of hours if you're a Completor.

Should you buy it?

Yes, especially if you choose a next-generation console that increases the frame rate significantly and eliminates load times.

Editor's recommendations




07 Oct
Blog

Adidas RPD-01 Review: Good Sound, Overmatched Features

adidas rpd 01 rating 5

"The RPD-01 fits and sounds good, but is superior in the feature department."

  • Workout-friendly design

  • Function control

  • Good sound quality

  • Missing functions compared to the competition

  • No storage case / bag

When I tested the Adidas RPT-01 a few months ago, I welcomed them as functional fitness-focused headphones in an on-ear class that frankly doesn't offer many other solid options.

With the RPD-01 – the wired in-ear version of the RPT-01 – Adidas succeeded in developing another powerful pair of workout wearables. However, unlike the relatively uncompetitive on-ear headphone genre, the $ 100 RPD-01 faces far tougher competitors, most of which are from the function-oriented JLab Audio brand.

In other words, the RPD-01 is facing an uphill battle.

What's in the box?

From the point of view of sustainability, Adidas is the packaging of the RPD-01. Almost everything is made of cardboard and has a fairly compact footprint. There are three additional pairs of earbuds and ear fins, a very short USB-C charging cable and your standard literature. But beyond that, this box is nothing more than cute, sustainable cardboard.

Adidas RPD-01 headphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The setup is standard on the RPD-01. If you've paired at least one Bluetooth enabled product with your mobile device in the past, you'll know everything you need to know. Hooking up to these wired buds is as easy as it should be, and you'll be ready to start working with these on your ears in no time.

The RPD-01 has built-in Bluetooth 5 technology, and Adidas rates the buds with a range of 10 meters. While these workout earbuds are rarely that far from your mobile device, extensive testing has shown this area to be accurate. This is the term I use liberally to place my phone in a far corner of my house and travel to the most opposite point of my belongings possible. The earphones had no noticeable dropouts.

design

I have not been silent about the general style of a pair of earbuds like the RPD-01 in the past. True wireless is just the far more popular design aesthetic than a setup where the buds are connected by a wire. Even if it's old news by now, I won't be afraid to repeat it.

Adidas RPD-01 headphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Aside from the disclaimer, I'm a huge fan of the design of the RPD-01. At 23 grams, the RPD-01 is significantly heavier than the JLab Audio Epic Sport2, which weighs only 14.8 grams. But they don't feel like a heavy burden as the buds sit comfortably in my ears and the flexible neck band rests around my neck. I swapped a bit with the various earbuds and ear fins that were available to me but ended up on the setup the buds came with to achieve my preferred balance of safety and comfort.

As evidence of this combination, I got on my bike over the weekend to see how the RPD-01 would handle a bumpy ride on some easy trails and gravel roads. To cut a long story short, an alleged weekend cruise resulted in a three hour hike of 27 miles that somehow spat me into the nearest town. Many things went wrong that afternoon, but the RPD-01 was one of the things that went right. I never had to adjust them and my ears were one of the few tireless parts of the body left after the gracious end of the ride. So I have to go home: The Adidas RPD-01 were both comfortable and safe for the duration of an extremely long, bumpy bike ride.

The RPD-01 is available in three colors including night gray, light gray and tint of green. It has a three-button control system for processing music, adjusting volume and answering or rejecting calls. On the other side of the neckband there is an action button that can be used to call up a voice assistant or a Spotify playlist via the Adidas headphones app. It's pretty simple, but it works well, which is more than I can say for some frustrating touch controls I've been looking at lately.

The Adidas RPD-01 were both comfortable and safe for the duration of an extremely long, bumpy bike ride.

One disadvantage of the RPD-01 is the significant lack of a suitcase, bag or even a pocket to keep them in. The JLab Audio Epic ANC has an included carrying case and the JLab Audio Epic2 has a sturdy case. I know Adidas has kept things to a minimum and there are probably people out there who would enjoy that approach, but the idea of ​​protecting these headphones when not in use appeals to me more.

characteristics

Of the many wired neckband earphones I tested this year, the RPD-01 had the worst characteristics. That doesn't mean the lack of these features is inherently bad since the RPD-01's are still quite useful training buds in my book, but it does mean that there are similarly designed options across the board that have better features in the same Own price range.

Adidas RPD-01 headphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The JLab Audio Epic Sport2 are the obvious comparison here, as they too are mostly intended as training buds. While the RPD-01 has 12 hours of playtime and an IPX4 weather resistance, the Epic Sport2 shatters those stats with 20 hours of playtime and an IP66 rating.

The JLab Audio Epic ANC is not designed for movement, but has a weatherproof protection class IP54 and a battery of 20 hours when active noise cancellation is switched off and 15 hours in total when the function is activated. Even the 1More Dual Driver ANC has better weather resistance with an IPX5 rating while reflecting the battery stats of the JLab Audio Epic ANC.

Of the many wired neckband earphones I tested this year, the RPD-01 had the worst characteristics.

If the RPD-01 were the cheapest buds at the party, I could understand this feature mismatch, but both JLab products cost less than the $ 100 RPD-01, which is a significant blow to the overall value of those buds. To be clear, 12 hours of battery life is still decent for cable buds, and an IPX4 rating should get you through the gym. But when real wireless options like the JLab Epic Air Sport ANC (15 hour lifespan, IP66 rating) beat the RPD-01 for the exact same price, I wonder who exactly these headphones could make sense for.

Audio quality

The only clear advantage that Adidas has over JLab Audio with the RPD-01 is the sound quality. While the audio quality of the Epic ANC is average and the call quality of the Epic Sport2 is mediocre, the RPD-01 does a particularly commendable and sometimes truly extraordinary job in both areas.

Adidas RPD-01Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

They do not match the audio quality of the 1More Dual Driver ANC, which remains the benchmark for sound in this form factor. However, the 6 mm neodymium drivers built into the RPD-01 effectively process the pair's frequency range from 20 to 20,000 kHz. When auditioning my playlist for these reviews, the RPD-01 moved through a number of tracks with no problem. On Lil Nas X's Old Town Road, the now legendary bass hook was intact just before Ed Sheeran's acoustic cover of Candle in The Wind shot into my ears with impressive clarity.

When it came to phone calls, several family members checked in during this brutal weekend bike ride, and while those earbuds didn't have enough passive noise cancellation to block out the noise on my end, I was pleased to report that the microphone picked up my voice was clear to hear large rigs fly by on my journey along a major highway.

The takeaway here is the RPD-01, which offers quality sound for $ 100. Is the sound so much better than both JLab products that I would give up objectively better functions for it? Probably not. However, if you hope to get close to 1More sound levels without paying the full $ 150, you are sure to get closer than JLab's alternatives.

Our opinion

The RPD-01 fits and sounds great, but unfortunately every pair of choker earbuds we tested this year outperforms them in terms of total number of features for the price. In particular, if two of these pairs are cheaper, then despite the functionality of these buds, Adidas won't be put in a favorable light.

Are there any better alternatives?

Both the $ 80 JLab Epic ANC and the $ 50 JLab Epic Sport2 offer better features across the board, although they have a noticeable difference in sound quality. The 1More Dual Driver ANC is closer to a full package of audio and features, but at $ 150, it is the more expensive option.

How long will they last?

The RPD-01 are a flexible pair of buds with reasonable weather resistance, but they don't include a storage case or pouch, which exposes those buds to the elements or even bite-sized pets. If my phone charger and Xbox controller were current readings, nothing is certain when a puppy is teething.

Should you buy it?

No, unless you really care about good sound quality rather than better features. If not, then both the JLab Epic ANC and the Epic Sport2 are better buys.

Editor's recommendations




18 Sep
Blog

Yamaha SR-B20A Review: Still Good, But Less Of A Value

Yamaha B20a soundbar

"With the older YAS-109, the SR-B20A is difficult to sell in this price range."

  • Easy setup

  • Slim design

  • Great sound for movies and TV

  • Missing functions of older models

  • Average sound quality for music

The new affordable soundbar SR-B20A from Yamaha is a special product offering. According to Yamaha, this is a bar that builds on the success of the low-cost YAS line – and in some ways does just that. The B20A has a refreshing, slim design and maintains the coveted entry-level price.

While the most similar to the older YAS-108, the price of the $ 200 SR-B20A is similar to that of the YAS-109. Is it worth investing in the latest model from Yamaha as the older model is still available, often at a cheaper price than the B20A? Or is the company not only fighting against its own product offerings, but also against the entire budget soundbar landscape?

design

The design of the B20A has not changed significantly from the YAS-108 or YAS-109, at least not in its shape. In fact, the dimensions are nearly identical between the three, the main difference being that the older YAS-109 weighs about half a pound more.

Yamaha B20a remote controlNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The B20A has softened the slightly sharper edges of the YAS models and is wrapped in a more durable, more noticeable fabric. I liked it very much. My significant other can vouch for my audible reaction to the unpacking of the B20A and the fact that I held the seemingly sparkling soundbar in my hand for a moment to admire it, just as the father proudly looked at his coveted lamp in A Christmas Story .

I held the seemingly sparkling soundbar in my hand for a moment to admire it, just as the father in A Christmas Story proudly looked at his precious lamp.

Yamaha has simplified the top control panel of the soundbar and added larger LEDs for better visibility. While I didn't have a YAS internal soundbar to compare the differences, I'll say it was easy to see the indicators on the bar in a darkened living room without the LEDs interfering with the viewing experience.

The SR-B20A is still an all-in-one setup, following the example of the YAS-108 and YAS-109 by excluding an external subwoofer. Yamaha said it improved the design of the bar's built-in woofers, of which there are two, but we'll cross that bridge when we talk about sound quality. In addition, the SR-B20A has an easy-to-use remote control – and offers a remote control app – that is largely unchanged from previous models.

configuration

Part of Yamaha's marketing pitch with the B20A (and the more compact C20A) focuses on the soundbar's ability to effortlessly go beyond the living room. The idea was to provide a soundbar that was easy to set up and use in a wide variety of applications, and I think it nailed the simplicity of initial setup. The bar only requires power and a connection to an audio source, and while I think any soundbar should come with an included HDMI cable at this point, the included optical audio cable will be fine for most situations.

Yamaha B20A soundbarNick Woodard / Digital Trends

After you've freed the plastic pull-tab protecting the battery from the remote, there's not much left to do to prepare for B20A playback. One of the few benefits of a bar without Wi-Fi connectivity is the ability to jump right into the experience without first connecting the soundbar to your internet and downloading a firmware update. The B20A illustrates this. It's not exactly a compromise I'd like to make, but for those who don't need a soundbar connected, it means extra work.

links

When it comes to connectivity options, the B20A falls short when compared to its YAS elders. Both the YAS-108 and YAS-109 have a corresponding HDMI input and output as well as a digital optical input and an analog audio option. Oddly enough, the B20A took away one of the HDMI ports and added a second digital optical input instead.

Yamaha B20A soundbarNick Woodard / Digital Trends

I know what the justification for that choice is, and frankly there is a part of me that understands it. The step corresponds to the mantra “Beyond the living room” as well as optimized simplicity. Yamaha wants to make the plug and play process easier no matter where you use the B20A in the house. In theory, most users only need that single HDMI-ARC port to seamlessly connect their TV and soundbar. I get that. I just can't think of a situation where two different optical inputs would be more useful to the average person than two HDMIs. I'm sure there is, but I suspect it is rare.

In addition, as already mentioned, the B20A lacks Wi-Fi capability. I don't think this is a must have in $ 200 soundbars (yet) so I can't face the B20A too hard. However, the YAS-109 has WiFi and is currently still available on the Yamaha website at a discounted price of $ 180. When you add that the YAS-109 has Amazon Alexa built in, you wonder what you gain by buying a newer product for roughly the same cost.

When you add that the YAS-109 has Amazon Alexa built in, you wonder what you gain by buying a newer product for roughly the same cost.

To be as fair as possible to the B20A, it supports Bluetooth Multipoint and supports Amazon Alexa via Bluetooth and a separate Echo speaker like a Dot (or in my case a Flex). While useful and intuitive for a Bluetooth connection, problems can still arise. If the input of the soundbar is changed to HDMI, the Bluetooth connection between the Echo device will be broken and the sound will reset to the point. As a result, with all of these features already on board, as is the case with the YAS-109, the overall experience can't be beat. After spending a long time with the Alexa-enabled Samsung HW-Q800T, I preferred this integrated connection by far.

Sound quality

When we tested the YAS-109, we hailed it as one of the "Most High-Performance, Affordable Soundbars for Overall Fidelity." We found the soft mid-range, the clear high-end and the effective bass reproduction for a soundbar without a separate subwoofer.

Yamaha B20A soundbarNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Based on the time I've spent with the SR-B20A, I think this bar is very similar to this performance, at least when it comes to watching movies and TV. I was particularly impressed with the low level this bar could produce without a real subwoofer. It won't shake picture frames or rattle windows, but it compliments the rest of the soundstage well. If you're looking for a more pronounced low end, the bar has a subwoofer output so an active woofer can be added to the mix.

The remote's four main listening modes all had different sound profiles, although I focused on the movie mode for most of my content as it sounded the most natural to my ears. More notable were the bar's Clear Voice and DTS Virtual: X technologies, both of which have dedicated buttons on the remote control. Clear Voice was especially helpful in amplifying lower decibel dialogues like Tom Segura's voice on the YMH podcast. Meanwhile, DTS Virtual: X expanded the soundstage, adding depth to some bone-breaking scenes when films like Brawl were shown in Cell Block 99. It's not the same experience as physical surround sound and height channels, but I thought the sound processing would have had an overall positive impact on the content I watched, and I kept it for most of the time.

Playing music was a different experience for me. I don't think it was bad per se, but I think the listening experience was a bit hollow. The standard mode sounded more authentic than stereo in my view, but didn't help erase a generally less impactful sound across multiple musical genres. It may be due to the lack of supported audio formats – the YAS-109 supports WAV, FLAC and AAC formats, among others. Anyway, I've enjoyed music significantly more with bars like the Polk Audio Signa S3 or the Vizio V-Series, although it's important to note that each costs around $ 50 more.

Our opinion

While the Yamaha SR-B20A has tweaked its design, it ultimately retained the affordability and overall sound quality that made the YAS-109 a success. With the older bar still available and offering better features at a similar price point, the B20A is becoming a tough best seller in this price range.

Are there any better alternatives?

It's no longer a secret that the YAS-109, which retails for $ 220 but is available for $ 180 on the Amazon or Yamaha websites, offers better value. If you're looking to spend a few dollars more, the $ 250 Polk Audio Signa S3 is a better option for music, and the $ 250 Vizio V-Series replaces the Yamaha virtual surround experience with physical drivers.

How long it will take?

All technology is out of date at some point, but I don't think basic connections like HDMI or optical audio will go anywhere anytime soon. For a budget option, the B20A should hold on to its relatively versatile compatibility for a while.

Should you buy it?

Only if you want to get the latest soundbar Yamaha has available. The SR-B20A sounds great for movies and TV, and it looks pretty good too. However, this is not the value of the older version, especially if that version is still available.

Editor's recommendations




17 Sep
Blog

Beats EP Review: Good Sound Trapped By Wired Limitations

Beats EP headphones

Beats EP on-ear headphones

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

  • Extraordinary sound

  • Adequate comfort

  • Good noise reduction

  • Questions about shelf life

  • Cable connection only

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

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

Out of the box

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

Beats EP headphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

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

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

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

design

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

Beats EP headphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

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

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

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

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

properties

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

Beats EP headphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

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

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

Audio quality

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

Beats EP headphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

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

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

Our opinion

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

Are there any better alternatives?

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

How long will they last?

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

Should you buy it?

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

Editor's recommendations




11 Sep
Blog

The Myth of Good Posture

Not many words make people switch their seats like the word posture does. You probably straightened up while reading. What have you done? How are you sitting now

When most people think of good posture, they think of sitting straight and standing up with shoulders pulled back. Trying to hold this position can be exhausting. Many people give up and fall into the bent position encouraged by gravity and our screens. Even those who manage to maintain good posture can experience tension and discomfort. So what's the point?

The downside of the urge to crouch or slouch

While trying to maintain good posture can cause discomfort, it is better than the alternative. Sitting or standing for long periods without actively activating our muscles for support puts additional strain on the joints and ligaments of the spine. These structures are not designed to be loaded for extended periods of time in a flexed position, and the extra load can cause stiffness and pain.

Our spine isn't the only thing that suffers when we contract. When the upper back stiffens, our rib cage and lung expansion are restricted. This restriction limits the supply of oxygen and increases the work of breathing, which can trigger our stress response and impair cognition.

When your upper back curves and your head protrudes forward above your body, tension can develop in the muscles clinging to your jaw and face. This tension can make the movement of your jaw painful or restricted, leading to a headache.

Many other hormonal and behavioral effects are associated with poor posture, some of which will be discussed in this popular TED talk by social psychologist Amy Cuddy. But maintaining good posture is easier said than done.

Avoid the pitfalls of maintaining good posture

Many people develop imbalances when trying to achieve and maintain good posture. Imbalances occur when parts of your body that generally work together become unable to work together due to a mismatch in strength or mobility.

Imbalances can lead to tension and discomfort and cause dysfunction in other parts of the body.

This danger stems from how most people think about good posture. A common misconception is having good posture; You need to get into a straight position and hold it there while sitting or standing.

When you ask your body to do a task like standing up or pulling your shoulders back without telling it how to do it, the body is using the muscles that you use the most.

This reliance on strong muscles leads to prolonged use of muscles that are already strong, while weaker groups are neglected. Over time, stronger muscles get stronger and tighter, while weaker muscles atrophy.

For exampleIf you have back pain while sitting upright, it may be because your stronger lower back muscles are working too hard trying to balance out your weaker lower abs and pelvic muscles.

The most common imbalance

Your lower back and pelvic muscles are the most common spots for imbalance. The muscles that arch your lower back are often overused in many activities, including prolonged sitting and standing, exercising, and carrying.

Conversely, the muscles in your lower abdomen and pelvis are usually not used enough. This neglect is due in part to the fact that many of us experience stiffness and curvature in the upper back, and our bodies make up for this by towering over the lower back when we ask it to sit or stand up straight. The result is an exaggeration of our natural spine curves.

When the lower back is arched over, the pelvis tilts forward, reducing activation of the lower abdominal and gluteus muscles. If this box is not checked, it can cause dysfunction throughout the body.

Rethink good posture

Instead of thinking of posture as a position, think of it as the balance of strength and flexibility across your body's muscles and joints. Use your body in a way that promotes musculoskeletal balance rather than trying to achieve good posture by sitting or standing upright.

A great way to improve posture is to get more exercise. Set reminders to move regularly by incorporating methods to incorporate more into your day, such as:

  • Vary your working position with an adjustable desk.
  • Use the toilet on another floor so you can go up the stairs.
  • Vary the type of manual work you do.

A variety of movements mixes up your body's stress pattern and reduces imbalances.

However, exercise without conscious effort is usually not enough to correct significant imbalances.

Unless we do a new type of movement or consciously activate weak muscles and relax strong onesThe body will still use the muscles it is most familiar with. There may still be discomfort or tension, even after taking a break to move.

Actively improve posture

Consciously challenging your weaker muscles and relaxing your overactive muscles is the best way to restore balance. However, this is easier said than done.

Overactive muscles are difficult to relax and underactive muscles are difficult to feel and use.

The rest of this post discusses techniques you can use to restore balance while:

  • meeting
  • Stand
  • Performing functional tasks such as manual labor and practice

Improve lower back posture

The first step in achieving balance between the muscles of your lower spine and abdomen is to move the area over its entire range of motion, rather than constraining it to an arched or hanging position. You can do this with an exercise called a pelvic tilt.

If you have limited control over your lumbar spine and pelvis, tilting your pelvis may be difficult at first.

If so, download the free Phyx app to access the introductory exercises that will prepare you for tilting the pool. These exercises are fundamental and we recommend them for people of all skill levels.

To do the pelvic tilt:

  • Sit in a comfortable position with your feet on the ground. Place your hands around your hips so you can use your index finger to feel the bony teeth on the front of your hips. Wrap your thumb around and feel the bone on the back of the pelvis. Imagine you have a large bowl of water in your hands.
  • Tilt the pelvis forward as far as you can, as if pouring water from the front of the bowl. Your lower back will arch and you will roll forward onto your crotch. Tilting forward activates the muscles of the lower back while reducing stress on the joints and ligaments. If held for a long time, the tilted forward position leads to overactivity of the muscles of the lower back and front of the hips. The muscles of the lower abdomen and pelvis are mechanically disadvantaged, which leads to an imbalance.
  • After pushing the bowl forward Roll back as far as you can (pour water from the back of the bowl) while preventing your chest and upper back from snagging. When your pelvis tilts back, you activate the lower abdominal muscles.
  • A useful tip Imagine using the area under your belly button to close your pants. When you tilt back and pull up, the lower back is stretched and the muscles of the lower abdomen and pelvic floor are activated.
  • Sit in this tilted back position relieves the muscles of the lower back, but can strain the joints of the spine if held for a long period of time.
  • Instead of arching or slouchingTry to keep your back and pelvis in the middle of the two positions. With a neutral pelvis, the load is distributed across the front and back of the torso. The spine, abdominal and back muscles all take some of the load.

Repeat the pelvic incline five times to activate and stretch both sides of the trunk and then finish in a neutral position. You can find the neutral conductor by placing your water bowl in a level position so that the pieces of bone on the front and back of the pelvis are evenly high.

Another way to tell is by looking at the waistband of your clothes. In a neutral position, the waistband is usually parallel to the floor rather than at an angle.

You can do the pelvic tilt while sitting, standing or exercising. It can serve as a preventative measure or as a technique to relieve back or hip pain. This is one of the best ways to assess and improve the most common area of ​​posture imbalance.

If you have an existing back injury, you may experience pain when tilting your pelvis. This pain is normal. Reduce the range of motion until the motion is no longer painful, then gradually build it up again.

Or imagine a string pulling the top of your head towards the ceiling and making you as tall as possible as you do the tilt. This lifting helps relieve pressure on the spine and relieve pain.

Another effect you may experience is the feeling of hunched over when you tilt your pelvis backwards. This feeling is also known and likely means that your upper back has stiffened into a rounded position. This stiffness may be the reason your lower back arched excessively in the first place: to keep your upper back upright.

Improve upper back posture

After you begin to improve your control over the Lumbopelvic region, You can move on to the second most common area of ​​imbalance: the upper back and neck.

These areas can now feel rounded because the lumbopelvic region is in a neutral position. They need to improve their ability to arch if we are to promote musculoskeletal balance.

You can stretch your upper back, also known as the thoracic spine, over the back of a low-back chair.

  • Pinch your fingers behind your head, squeeze your shoulder blades, and lean back so that the top of the backrest is pressing into your back.
  • To emphasize the extension of your upper back, limit the arching of your lower back by keeping your lower abs in motion.
  • Hold this extended position for about fifteen seconds and feel a stretch in your chest and upper back.

Stretching the muscles and joints of the upper trunk with the chest extension is an excellent way to reduce overactivity. But we still need to strengthen our underactive muscles.

The muscles between and below the shoulder blades are often underused, and activating them can help relieve pain in the upper back, neck, and shoulders.

  • With your pelvis in a neutral position, pull your chin back as if trying to get as big as possible.
  • Then squeeze your shoulder blades down and back together.
  • The body often compensates for the restricted movement of the shoulder blades by arching the lower back. So make sure to keep the pelvis neutral.
  • The upper shoulders also try to compensate for this during this movement. So remember to push your shoulders down and back, not up and back. Do the pressure ten times to activate the muscles of the upper back.

There may not be much movement in the beginning and it may be difficult to feel the muscles working. Alternatives to this exercise are available in the free Phyx app.

It's all about balance

Good posture is traditionally seen as standing upright and sitting with hunched shoulders. This is difficult to maintain for many people, and those who maintain it do it by overusing their strong muscles frequently.

To improve your strength, flexibility, and risk of injury, think of posture as a balance between different muscles and joints in the body.

Improve your posture by bringing more exercise into your everyday life and consciously developing a balance between overused and underused muscles.

When done regularly and deliberately, the pelvic tilt, chest lengthening, and shoulder retracting exercises will help you achieve and maintain balance without strain and discomfort, making good posture second nature.

Initially, these movements can be made difficult by stiffness in adjacent body parts. Exercises to fix this problem can be found in the free Phyx app.

10 Sep
Blog

The Myth of Good Posture

Not many words make people switch their seats like the word posture does. You probably straightened up while reading. What have you done? How are you sitting now

When most people think of good posture, they think of sitting straight and standing up with shoulders pulled back. Trying to hold this position can be exhausting. Many people give up and fall into the bent position encouraged by gravity and our screens. Even those who manage to maintain good posture can experience tension and discomfort. So what's the point?

The downside of the urge to crouch or slouch

While trying to maintain good posture can cause discomfort, it is better than the alternative. Sitting or standing for long periods without actively activating our muscles for support puts additional strain on the joints and ligaments of the spine. These structures are not designed to be loaded for extended periods of time in a flexed position, and the extra load can cause stiffness and pain.

Our spine isn't the only thing that suffers when we contract. When the upper back stiffens, our rib cage and lung expansion are restricted. This restriction limits the supply of oxygen and increases the work of breathing, which can trigger our stress response and impair cognition.

When your upper back curves and your head protrudes forward above your body, tension can develop in the muscles clinging to your jaw and face. This tension can make the movement of your jaw painful or restricted, leading to a headache.

Many other hormonal and behavioral effects are associated with poor posture, some of which will be discussed in this popular TED talk by social psychologist Amy Cuddy. But maintaining good posture is easier said than done.

Avoid the pitfalls of maintaining good posture

Many people develop imbalances when trying to achieve and maintain good posture. Imbalances occur when parts of your body that generally work together become unable to work together due to a mismatch in strength or mobility.

Imbalances can lead to tension and discomfort and cause dysfunction in other parts of the body.

This danger comes from how most people think about good posture. A common misconception is having good posture; You need to get into a straight position and hold it there while sitting or standing. When you ask your body to do a task like standing up or pulling your shoulders back without telling it how to do it, the body is using the muscles that you use the most.

This reliance on strong muscles leads to prolonged use of muscles that are already strong, while weaker groups are neglected. Over time, stronger muscles get stronger and tighter, while weaker muscles atrophy.

For exampleIf you have back pain while sitting upright, it may be because your stronger lower back muscles are working too hard trying to balance out your weaker lower abs and pelvic muscles.

The most common imbalance

Your lower back and pelvic muscles are the most common spots for imbalance. The muscles that arch your lower back are often overused in many activities, including prolonged sitting and standing, exercising, and carrying.

Conversely, the muscles in your lower abdomen and pelvis are usually not used enough. This neglect is due in part to the fact that many of us experience stiffness and curvature in the upper back, and our bodies make up for this by towering over the lower back when we ask it to sit or stand up straight. The result is an exaggeration of our natural spine curves.

When the lower back is arched over, the pelvis tilts forward, reducing activation of the lower abdominal and gluteus muscles. If this box is not checked, it can cause dysfunction throughout the body.

Rethink good posture

Instead of thinking of posture as a position, think of it as the balance of strength and flexibility across your body's muscles and joints. Use your body in a way that promotes musculoskeletal balance rather than trying to achieve good posture by sitting or standing upright.

A great way to improve posture is to get more exercise. Set reminders to move regularly by incorporating methods to incorporate more into your day, such as:

  • Vary your working position with an adjustable desk.
  • Use the toilet on another floor so you can go up the stairs.
  • Vary the type of manual work you do.

A variety of movements mixes up your body's stress pattern and reduces imbalances.

However, exercise without conscious effort is usually not enough to correct significant imbalances. Unless we do a new type of movement or consciously activate weak muscles and relax strong onesThe body will still use the muscles it is most familiar with. There may still be discomfort or tension, even after taking a break to move.

Actively improve posture

Consciously challenging your weaker muscles and relaxing your overactive muscles is the best way to restore balance. However, this is easier said than done.

Overactive muscles are difficult to relax and underactive muscles are difficult to feel and use.

The rest of this post discusses techniques you can use to restore balance while:

  • meeting
  • Stand
  • Performing functional tasks such as manual labor and practice

Improve lower back posture

The first step in achieving balance between the muscles of your lower spine and abdomen is to move the area over its entire range of motion, rather than constraining it to an arched or hanging position. You can do this with an exercise called a pelvic tilt.

If you have limited control over your lumbar spine and pelvis, tilting your pelvis may be difficult at first. If so, download the free Phyx app to access the introductory exercises that will prepare you for tilting the pool. These exercises are fundamental and we recommend them for people of all skill levels.

Implementation of the pelvic slope::

  • Sit in a comfortable position with your feet on the ground. Place your hands around your hips so you can use your index finger to feel the bony teeth on the front of your hips. Wrap your thumb around and feel the bone on the back of the pelvis. Imagine you have a large bowl of water in your hands.
  • Tilt the pelvis forward as far as you can, as if pouring water from the front of the bowl. Your lower back will arch and you will roll forward onto your crotch. Tilting forward activates the muscles of the lower back while reducing stress on the joints and ligaments. If held for a long time, the tilted forward position leads to overactivity of the muscles of the lower back and front of the hips. The muscles of the lower abdomen and pelvis are mechanically disadvantaged, which leads to an imbalance.
  • After pushing the bowl forward Roll back as far as you can (pour water from the back of the bowl) while preventing your chest and upper back from snagging. When your pelvis tilts back, you activate the lower abdominal muscles.
  • A useful tip Imagine using the area under your belly button to close your pants. When you tilt back and pull up, the lower back is stretched and the muscles of the lower abdomen and pelvic floor are activated.
  • Sit in this tilted back position relieves the muscles of the lower back, but can strain the joints of the spine if held for a long period of time.
  • Instead of arching or slouchingTry to keep your back and pelvis in the middle of the two positions. With a neutral pelvis, the load is distributed across the front and back of the torso. The spine, abdominal and back muscles all take some of the load.

Repeat the pelvic incline five times to activate and stretch both sides of the trunk and then finish in a neutral position. You can find the neutral conductor by placing your water bowl in a level position so that the pieces of bone on the front and back of the pelvis are evenly high.

Another way to tell is by looking at the waistband of your clothes. In a neutral position, the waistband is usually parallel to the floor rather than at an angle.

You can do the pelvic tilt while sitting, standing or exercising. It can serve as a preventative measure or as a technique to relieve back or hip pain. This is one of the best ways to assess and improve the most common area of ​​posture imbalance.

If you have an existing back injury, you may experience pain when tilting your pelvis. This pain is normal. Reduce the range of motion until the motion is no longer painful, then gradually build it up again. Or imagine a string pulling the top of your head towards the ceiling and making you as tall as possible as you do the tilt. This lifting helps relieve pressure on the spine and relieve pain.

Another effect you may experience is the feeling of hunched over when you tilt your pelvis backwards. This feeling is also known and likely means that your upper back has stiffened into a rounded position. This stiffness may be the reason your lower back arched excessively in the first place: to keep your upper back upright.

Improve upper back posture

After you begin to improve your control over the Lumbopelvic region, You can move on to the second most common area of ​​imbalance: the upper back and neck. These areas can now feel rounded because the lumbopelvic region is in a neutral position. They need to improve their ability to arch if we are to promote musculoskeletal balance.

You can stretch your upper back, also known as the thoracic spine, over the back of a low-back chair.

  • Pinch your fingers behind your head, squeeze your shoulder blades, and lean back so that the top of the backrest is pressing into your back.
  • To emphasize the extension of your upper back, limit the arching of your lower back by keeping your lower abs in motion.
  • Hold this extended position for about fifteen seconds and feel a stretch in your chest and upper back.

Stretching the muscles and joints of the upper trunk with the chest extension is an excellent way to reduce overactivity. But we still need to strengthen our underactive muscles. The muscles between and below the shoulder blades are often underused, and activating them can help relieve pain in the upper back, neck, and shoulders.

  • With your pelvis in a neutral position, pull your chin back as if trying to get as big as possible.
  • Then squeeze your shoulder blades down and back together.
  • The body often compensates for the restricted movement of the shoulder blades by arching the lower back. So make sure to keep the pelvis neutral.
  • The upper shoulders also try to compensate for this during this movement. So remember to push your shoulders down and back, not up and back. Do the pressure ten times to activate the muscles of the upper back.

There may not be much movement in the beginning and it may be difficult to feel the muscles working. Alternatives to this exercise are available in the free Phyx app.

It's all about balance

Good posture is traditionally seen as standing upright and sitting with hunched shoulders. This is difficult to maintain for many people, and those who maintain it do it by overusing their strong muscles frequently.

To improve your strength, flexibility, and risk of injury, think of posture as a balance between different muscles and joints in the body.

Improve your posture by bringing more exercise into your everyday life and consciously developing a balance between overused and underused muscles.

When done regularly and deliberately, the pelvic tilt, chest lengthening, and shoulder retracting exercises will help you achieve and maintain balance without strain and discomfort, making good posture second nature.

Initially, these movements can be made difficult by stiffness in adjacent body parts. Exercises to fix this problem can be found in the free Phyx app.

10 Sep
Blog

Anker Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 Review: Good, But Puzzling

Anker Spirit Dot 2 earbuds

Anker Soundcore Spirit Dot 2

"The Spirit Dot 2 offers the winning combination of good sound and affordability."

  • Secure fit

  • Excellent passive noise reduction

  • Solid bottom end

  • Average characteristics overall

  • Limited touch controls

One of my biggest and perhaps only complaints about the Anker Soundcore Spirit X2 was the design of the ear hook. It's not that putting these hooks over your ears is uncomfortable as they fit nicely. When compared to traditional true wireless earbuds, the ear hook style is a far less appealing option.

The $ 80 Anker Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 is the company's answer to people wanting the value of the Spirit X2 in a more compact package. Features may not be quite the same, but the Dot 2 has the preferred earbud design at the same price as the Spirit X2.

Is that enough? Time to find out.

Out of the box

There is nothing special about the packaging of the Spirit Dot 2 or any of the accessories inside other than the fact that the packaging they come in is very similar to the Spirit X2 so I had to double check and make sure I did grabbed the right buds. This should of course be coordinated with Anker's uniform color scheme.

Anker Spirit Dot 2 earbudsNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Aside from the buds and their charging case, the Spirit Dot 2's package includes four additional pairs of earplugs, two pairs of “Airwings” (or ear fins), a USB-C cable, and the standard documentation. For what it's worth, I stuck to the earplugs and ear fins that the Spirit Dot 2 came with. However, your mileage and ears may vary. So it's nice of Anker to offer different options at this price.

The Spirit Dot 2 connects to your mobile device like you are used to from most real wireless earbuds. When you pull them out of the charging case, the automatic pairing function is activated. All you have to do is find them in your phone settings and connect. In addition to the Bluetooth 5 technology supported by these buds, the Spirit Dot 2 has two transmitters that allow each earbud to be individually connected to your phone, according to Anker. The company says this can result in up to 30 percent lower latency. While I can't specifically prove this statistic, I can say that I didn't experience any significant latency issues when watching YouTube or TikTok clips on my phone.

design

I wouldn't call the Spirit Dot 2 the smallest buds I've ever put in my ears – at first glance, that honor might go to the 1More Colorbuds – but they're certainly small and significantly less vigorous than a pair like that Edifier TWS NB. It is a vague way of assessing the size of these buds, but without access to weight specifications, it is the best I can offer.

Anker Spirit Dot 2 earbudsNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Probably the most comparable buds to the Spirit Dot 2 are the Google Pixel Buds 2. Both use similar ergonomic shapes with ear fins to position them securely in your ear. The Spirit Dot 2 are a bit more voluminous and therefore put more pressure on my ears. However, the secure and comfortable seal of the Spirit Dot 2 exactly reflects my experience with Google Pixel Buds 2. The more expensive Google product offers more comfort when listening over a longer period of time.

Although Anker recommends these buds for various purposes such as training, sports, or travel, at the time of this review I was unable to test the Spirit Dot 2 due to the poor air quality in my area. I did take them for a few walks and a handful of home workouts, however, and they held up well during these activities.

The Spirit Dot 2 have no buttons, but opt ​​for touch controls only. This works, but in limited capacity. You can play, pause and skip tracks, answer and end calls, and activate your voice assistant with a series of taps and presses – and all of these controls work as advertised. However, the Spirit Dot 2 does not contain a volume control. Anker redirects you to the "connected device" to adjust the volume in the buds manual. That may be fine if I'm taking the train during a commute (before 2020, of course), but the last thing I want to do when I'm jogging is unzipping my belt pouch, pulling out my phone, and turning up the volume. For my taste, the controls on the Spirit Dot 2 are a command that isn't fully functional, and that's an issue at this price point too.

The charging case, by the way, is a medium-sized jar with Anker's logo embedded over a lid that slides out to reveal the buds. I didn't originally plan to mention it as it seemed mostly unspectacular. But after getting through a round of chewing from a curious pup, I felt compelled to vouch for the sheer robustness of the case.

properties

I've pointed out the discrepancy between the Spirit X2 and the Spirit Dot 2 before, and I'm here to tell you that those differences are actually very real. Again, the Spirit Dot 2 offers the preferred design, but they find it difficult to compete with their counterparts with earhooks overall.

Anker Spirit Dot 2 earbudsNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The Spirit X2 has a battery life of nine hours per charge and a total playback time of 36 hours if the charging case is taken into account. In comparison, the Spirit Dot 2 offers only 5.5 hours of play time per charge and a total of 16 hours. That's better than the Google Pixel Buds 2, and since I've given the similarly priced 1More Colorbuds and their six-hour battery a pass, I'm reluctant to do the same with the Spirit Dot 2. But with buds like the $ 40 SoundPeats Truengine SE, or with the $ 30 JLab Go Air offering six or five hours of playtime, the bar will soon change for that price.

The IP68 weather resistance of the Spirit X2 protects the ear hook buds from being completely submerged in up to 2 meters of water for no more than 30 minutes. With the Spirit Dot 2, they can be immersed up to a meter deep with an IPX7 rating. This is better than most of the other budget buds we checked out at Digital Trends. This means that the Spirit X2 have full dust protection, which the Spirit Dot 2 lacks.

Both the Spirit X2 and the Spirit Dot 2 have Anker's "SweatGuard technology", which is essentially a coating of the buds that is supposed to offer more protection against sweat. Again, I don't think I've tested these buds long enough to tell how well this feature works, but I think it's important to mention as it's clear that Anker is at least making the extra effort to make his Make products work up a sweat. friendly.

Audio quality

In terms of the sound quality of the Spirit Dot 2, I thought there was a lot to like here, but also plenty of room for improvement.

Anker Spirit Dot 2 earbudsNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The Spirit Dot 2 has smaller drivers than the Spirit X2, 8 mm versus 12 mm. However, both pairs feature Anker's BassUp technology which, according to Anker, uses an algorithm to analyze and amplify the bass. While they didn't quite produce the "wow" factor that I experienced with the Spirit X2, the Spirit Dot 2 are certainly powerful earbuds when it comes to the low end. My personal workout playlist contains everything from Big Sean and Eminem's No Favors to Granger Smith's Backroad Song. While I thought the Spirit Dot 2 was crowding the lower end of the latter, these buds generally have solid bass that will please most bass-loving fitness junkies.

With a solid bass foundation, the Spirit Dot 2 have decent clarity for their cost, even if the rest of a track is sometimes overshadowed by low notes. I think I prefer the sound signature of the 1More Colorbuds – which rely far less on the lower end for a more balanced, pleasant sound – but I don't think most folks with the Spirit will have much to complain about the audio quality of Dot 2 However, the Spirit X2 has aptX support, while the Dot 2 of the same price has no support. They support AAC and SBC codecs, but skipping aptX leaves a puzzling void on the Dot 2.

Perhaps the most underrated aspect of the Spirit Dot 2's sound is the passive noise reduction that the seal provides in your ear. It does a remarkable job of blocking your surroundings – my air purifier, blasting on a "turbo" about two meters away, went essentially inaudible – and serves as the basis for clear calls with the earbuds' built-in microphones. Anker seems to have the large insulation firmly under control, as the Liberty 2 Pro also has a very good seal. Sure, active noise cancellation is great when done well. However, for $ 80, it's hard to complain about how much sound these buds passively keep away from your ears.

Our opinion

These should have cost $ 60, or at least less than $ 80. Anker's pricing for these buds is puzzling as they lag significantly behind when compared to the Spirit X2 at the same price. While they sound great and come at an affordable price, which can prove to be a winning combination for many, it can be difficult to fully recommend them against the competition (including Anker's own line).

Are there any better alternatives?

The $ 100 1More Colorbuds sound better but aren't that well equipped for training. The Anker Soundcore Spirit X2 for $ 80 at the same price offers better features overall and comparable sound quality. but their ear hook design may be less desirable to some people. For half the price, the $ 40 SoundPeats Truengine SE offers a fascinating mix of convenience and sound quality, but it lacks bonus features like wireless (or fast) charging.

How long will they last?

The Spirit Dot 2 comes with an 18 month limited warranty, feels durable, and is solidly water resistant. In other words, they are well suited to persist for the foreseeable future.

Should you buy it?

If features you can forego to take advantage of the in-ear style of the Anker Soundcore Spirit Dot 2, they're a great option. But if ear hooks aren't a deal breaker, the Spirit X2 are better across the board.

Editor's recommendations




13 Aug
Blog

Samsung TU8000 Crystal UHD TV Review: Good Design, Good Enough Performance

Samsung Tu8000 Crystal Led UHD TV Rating 1

"The Samsung TU8000 is roughly on par, which is great for a budget-friendly set."

  • Attractive, slim bezel design

  • Excellent 1080p upscaling

  • Good color rendering

  • HDMI eARC support

  • Aggressive vignette

  • The contrast is clouded in complex scenes

  • Not particularly bright

It might not be QLED, but the Samsung TU8000 Crystal UHD HDR TV promises amazing colors, high contrast ratios, and great HDR playback for just $ 55 for a 55-inch device. That is promising for not a lot of money, especially since the design of this TV features a very attractive thin bezel.

Samsung promises a top-notch 4K upscaling system thanks to its 4K processing and an auto-game mode that is claimed to optimize the screen and minimize input lag. For a clearly budget-friendly television, Samsung met the TU8000 with many expectations. But does it deliver?

Out of the box

I always appreciate a TV that comes with minimal setup, and the TU8000 delivers on that. With just the remote control, batteries, two feet, two cable management locks and a power cable, this Samsung was thankfully easy to take out of the box and assemble. No screwdriver required, the feet simply slide into position and hold in place. These feet are plastic and don't feel particularly great, but from a distance they look nice and definitely get the job done. Once you are on your media stand, the TV feels safe and stable.

Samsung Tu8000 crystal led UHD TV rating 8 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/samsung-tu8000-crystal-uhd-tv -review-8-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAAThe feet are simple but effective. Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Samsung Tu8000 crystal led uhd TV rating 5 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/samsung-tu8000-crystal-uhd-tv -review-5-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAAThis removable plastic fastener isn't particularly attractive. Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Samsung Tu8000 crystal led UHD TV rating 4 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/samsung-tu8000-crystal-uhd-tv -review-4-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAAYou can stick the cable in these grooves too, but they don't stay particularly well. Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

However, I'm less enthusiastic about the cable management claps mentioned above. They're lightweight plastic clips that sit on the back of the TV's feet and aren't particularly sturdy to the touch. Plus, they're pretty unattractive. This is a bummer considering how good the rest of this TV looks from the front. You can hide the cable and fasteners pretty well, but it's certainly not perfect and I wanted a better solution here. There are also some grooves on the back of the TV for the cable to plug into, but it doesn't stay very well and the power cord is also quite short, which further limits your options here.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

The voice remote control supplied with the TU8000, like other modern Samsung remote controls, has a slim and curved profile that only houses the buttons that are absolutely necessary. I appreciate how small it is, yet still give me everything I need to enjoy content. It's a voice remote that works with apps like YouTube when you're in a search bar. It also acts as a smart assistant with Google Assistant, Bixby or Amazon Alexa (depending on what you choose during setup).

Features and design

It's not a top-of-the-range Samsung and definitely a plastic model, but the TU8000 manages to improve the looks of a Samsung for the most part. The back of the TV isn't particularly impressive, with a fully rounded plastic back that doesn't scream "high end," but luckily, you'll rarely look there. From the front, the sleek design of the TV on the left, right, and top is crisp and attractive. The base is a bit thicker, but lined with a silver plastic that blends in well and looks expensive, at least from a distance.

From the front, the sleek design of the TV on the left, right, and top is crisp and attractive.

Like other Samsung televisions, the TU8000 is powered by the Tizen smart TV system. Setup was easy and enjoyable and, thanks to the connection with the Samsung SmartThings app, extremely fast. Although you don't need the app, setup times are significantly reduced as you have access to a full keyboard (instead of having to type in your email address and WiFi password letter by letter with the remote control).

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

The TU8000 has three integrated HDMI inputs, only one of which has an eARC connection. Samsung has not taken into account the beautiful workmanship of its high-end models like the Q90T, so unfortunately you won't see any reduced artifacts or banding with content with a low bit rate. More on this and further information on image quality in a moment.

The largest bezel is on the bottom of the TV and is still relatively narrow, with a subtle logo placement. Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

user friendliness

The Tizen Smart TV experience is … okay. As we've said before, it's a perfect example of "good enough," though it doesn't always do its best on that particular TV. Oddly enough, navigating to different apps or content in the Tizen UI shows some lag and is therefore slow and fast, but the performance of the apps themselves is snappy and pleasant. While I didn't like turning on the TV and choosing the app I want to use, I liked the user interface when I got to know Netflix, Amazon Prime, or YouTube. The other downside to Tizen is that it isn't as robust as other streaming platforms like Roku or Android TV. For example, there is no Crunchyroll app. This probably won't bother the majority of people as it has a full breakdown of the most popular apps.

While Tizen does the job, it's generally also overflowing with lots of unnecessary and irrelevant suggestions to look at. You can largely avoid this, but due to the input delay in Tizen navigation, I sometimes accidentally hit "down" too many times and was inundated with a full screen of poorly suggested content. Part of what makes Tizen so beautiful is that it generally only takes up a quarter of your screen when switching between apps, changing your source, or adjusting your picture. If Tizen breaks off from it, it shows its mistakes.

And as we have already mentioned with other Samsung Smart TVs and as I mentioned above, while it supports intelligent assistants that are (thankfully) not only Bixby, the voice integration is not as good as, for example, with an Android TV. It's a bit clunky and disjointed here, but it works.

picture quality

It should come as no surprise that if we found screen uniformity issues on a high-end Samsung TV this year, they would also appear in the lower TU8000 range. There is some particularly aggressive vignetting on this TV that is very inconsistent around every corner. For example, the top left corner on my test unit showed some of the worst vignetting, with the bottom left being a little less aggressive. Nevertheless, all four corners clearly have problems here. The vignette was also clearly visible in the mailbox contents.

This television does not use local dimming zones, but is edge-lit. This is an older, cheaper technology that offers less control over brightness and black levels. As a result, there is considerable bloom, predominantly from the lower part of the television, when there is a light subject on a dark background. With particularly high-contrast images, the scenes can be washed out by this flower.

The halo effect also occurs on bright objects, but it's not as bad as I expected. With small sources like subtitles, you can see about half an inch of halo around the letters, while with larger sources it can grow to about an inch and a half. It's not particularly noticeable in most cases, but it's there.

Edge-lighting induced bloom can really wash out what the panel is trying to do and makes for a generally muddy view.

The contrast of the TU8000 is only okay overall. I think the panel is capable of good black levels, but in too many scenes the edge-lit blooming mentioned above really washes out what the panel is trying to do and makes for a generally muddy view. The Mandalorian, with whom I also tested strips with a low bit rate content thanks to the many wide shots in a clear sky, seemed less powerful than I'm used to, since black and white somehow merge into a medium gray. However, it by no means makes the content uncontrollable.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

In less challenging scenes where the area between highlights and shadows is more compact, the TU8000 performs much better. There's a 12K aerial video of a night flight over New York that we like to use as a base, and the slow panning of Times Square looked very good on this TV. Darks were well represented, and when the bright lights came in from the top of the screen, the TU8000 did a pretty good job of keeping the image where it should be.

In other challenging scenes, the TU8000 was able to smooth out shadows and bring out details pretty well. It may border washed-out borders again, but the detail has not been lost; At least the TU8000 doesn't crush black people. The quality is not what we expect from top-notch TVs, but for the price I was happy.

Samsung rightly touted 1080p upscaling: it's fantastic.

Out-of-the-box color accuracy is pretty good even in Standard (but stay away from Dynamic). The film mode reduces Samsung's sharpness to zero, which is very easy to see, and the contrast is better in this mode than in standard. In both Standard and Movie, skin tones could use some work as many of the nuances seem lost, but green and blue are pretty nice.

The TU8000 tends to be more yellow and more blue in film mode, while it is sharpened far too much in standard mode. In both cases the balance is thrown off a bit, but is bearable. This can likely be fixed with a special calibration, but since this TV is aimed at the more general consumer and not a pixel peeper, I say, I don't mind. Most will be perfectly happy with this TV in standard (the horror!) Or movie mode, and that's honestly a relief to report. This TV has to look great right away as the average customer doesn't touch a single setting, and I have to say that it works fine in that regard (although you really need to turn motion smoothing off).

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

The brightness is sufficient, but some of the particularly gritty content like Netflix 'Dark is a challenge during the day. Certainly doable, but I had to squint. However, shows like The Mentalist (via Amazon Prime Video) look fantastic no matter when I've watched them. Speaking of the mentalist: The TU8000 has wonderfully demonstrated its outstanding capabilities there, as this 1080p stream looks fantastic on the 55-inch set. Samsung rightly touted 1080p upscaling: it's fantastic.

Gaming performance

This is a good TV to play with, at least for now. According to Samsung, the TU8000 has gamer functions that reduce latency. However, this TV does not have a variable refresh rate, so it cannot remove the jerking. In addition, the display of content is limited to 60 Hz.

I can confirm that while the input delay is less than most TVs in game mode, it is not as fast as a gamer would want to see in a competition where you need split second response times. It's certainly good enough for the occasional single player game, but still a little slow for more intense, action-oriented online games like Apex Legends, top-tier Fortnite games, or Call of Duty.

The performance here is likely good enough for most current generation console games, but it won't be able to play at maximum specs with the next generation due fall 2020.

Sound quality

We don't usually talk too much about the sound quality of modern flat screen TVs, and I didn't want to consider that at all when I submitted this TV for review. However, I was very impressed with the TU8000. Not only can it get damn loud, but the sound quality is shockingly balanced. I strongly recommend buying a soundbar or sound system for any TV (my personal favorite is The Fives by Klipsch), but honestly, if you forego it, you honestly might not feel bad about this choice.

The sound works best in a smaller room. So if you plan to pick one up for a guest room or bedroom, you will be happy with the audio.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Our opinion

I used the TU8000 for about a week and became more interested in it than I thought. The thin bezel, mixed with great upscaling and surprisingly good sound quality, made for a really pleasant viewing experience. Sure, it has its downsides and the vignetting can be distracting at times, but overall, it does a very satisfactory job with its laundry list of promises. Samsung really had its job cut out for itself when it set such standards with its marketing, but the company is doing well enough in all of these categories for the most part. It isn't and shouldn't be an industry leader. For a fairly budget-friendly TV, many people will be perfectly happy with the Samsung TU8000, especially if you can find it on sale.

Is there a better alternative?

We're still waiting to test out the 2020 TCL 5 Series which seems to be a real head-turner, but despite being a year old, the 2019 5 Series is still a pretty comparable choice to the TU8000. You may also want to consider the new Vizio M or V series, as both sets offer a price close to or lower than the TU8000 for the same size or larger. We'll update this post when we've had the opportunity to rate the entire competition and provide clearer guidance.

How long it will take?

With three HDMI ports and one of them eARC, I'm confident this TV can get you a lot of work done. It's technologically built to last well into the future, and the quality feels solid.

warranty

Samsung offers a one-year parts and labor warranty for home use and a 90-day parts and labor warranty for commercial use.

Should you buy it?

I will reserve a judgment here. I think this is a good TV that is pretty good value at $ 500 for a 55-inch unit. If I didn't know that Vizio has two potential competitors soon, and if TCL doesn't look really promising with its 2020 5 Series, this could be an easy call. There is a lot of competition for the Samsung TU8000 this fall, however. So if you can wait a little to make your decision, this is probably your best bet right now. We will update this recommendation as soon as we have a chance to fully evaluate the field.

Editor's recommendations




04 Aug
Blog

Dell Inspiron 14 5000 Review: Too Cheap to Be Good?

Dell Inspiron 14 5000 review 06

Dell Inspiron 14 5000 review: Too cheap for your own good?

"The Dell Inspiron 14 5000 is a cheap laptop that feels and works like one."

  • Decent productivity performance

  • The touchpad works reliably

  • Affordable

  • Good expandability

  • Poor build quality

  • The battery life is terrible

  • Chunky design

Budget laptops are experiencing a renaissance. The latest models were slimmer, faster, and more durable than ever – in some cases, they competed with premium laptops.

If you need some examples, just check out laptops like the Lenovo Yoga C640, the Lenovo Flex 5 14, and the Acer Swift 3 with Ryzen. From performance to design, it's hard to overstate how good these laptops have gotten.

I looked at the Inspiron 14 5000 from Dell to see if it was in line with the trend. My test device was equipped with a 10th generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 CPU, 8 GB RAM, a 256 GB solid-state drive (SSD) and a 14-inch 1080p display. This configuration of the Inspiron 14 5000 costs $ 650, but is currently available for $ 580.

This is a very attractive price, but can the Inspiron 14 5000 exceed the bar set by other current inexpensive laptops?

design

Sometimes a laptop is made of plastic, but doesn't feel like it. It is very rigid and exudes a high quality feel – the Lenovo Flex 5 14 is a prime example (yes, I will mention this laptop in this review). Then there is the Inspiron 14 5000, a plastic laptop that looks and feels.

The cover, the keyboard cover and the case base are bent and bent far too much. A year ago I might have written it off because of the price. Today, the Inspiron just feels cheap. Even opening the hinge looked cheap – the hinge is quite stiff and you have to open it with two hands. And yet the screen wobbled during use.

The Inspiron 14 5000 is similar to many laptops in this price range.

The Inspiron 14 5000 is also quite chunky at 0.83 inches thick and 3.63 pounds. These dimensions are fairly close to the 0.82 inches and 3.3 pounds of the Flex 5 14. However, the Flex 5 14 always felt that it had the build quality to justify the extra bulk. The Inspiron 14 5000, on the other hand, simply feels like an old-school budget laptop that's too big just because the technical costs weren't spent on downsizing it.

The Ryzen-based Swift 3 from Acer, another 14-inch clamshell laptop, only costs 0.63 inches and 2.65 pounds and costs only $ 650. If there is really a new wave of high-quality budget laptops on the go, the Dell doesn't fit.

The Inspiron 14 5000 is similar to many laptops in this price range. It has a silver chassis with a few chrome accents here and there. The dark bezels don't add to the look, and even though they're thin enough on the sides, the massive chin is unsightly.

Once again, the Inspiron 14 5000 looks like an inexpensive old school laptop and not like one of the newer machines that should cost more in this case. The Lenovo Yoga C640 and Flex 5 14 are examples of better designed budget devices.

The expandability is an advantage of the Inspiron 14 5000 over its competitors.

The expandability is an advantage of the Inspiron 14 5000 over its competitors. You can configure two drives, up to a 2 TB hard disk drive (HDD) and up to an SSD with 512 GB at the same time. This is an advantage for anyone who has to carry around a lot of files.

Dell also used the larger case to equip some ports. There are two USB-A 3.1 Gen 1 ports, a USB-A 2.0 port, a full-size HDMI port, an Ethernet drop-jaw port, and a full-size SD card reader. If you choose to configure with a discrete GPU, you will also get a USB-C 3.1 port.

Overall, Thunderbolt 3 is missing, but it's an impressive collection of ports. The wireless connection is Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0.

performance

The Inspiron 14 5000 uses a 10th generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 CPU, a midrange processor from the core series that promises solid quad-core performance. The Inspiron delivered that – good performance that does justice to the CPU, but nothing special. The challenge for Dell is that two of the other competitors mentioned, the Flex 5 14 and the Swift 3, use AMD's Ryzen 4000 processors that make the Intel offering a mince at this price.

In Geekbench 5, the Inspiron scored 1,169 points in the single-core test and 3,197 points in the multi-core test. This is comparable to another laptop with the same CPU, the Acer Spin 3, which scored 1,215 and 3,615 points. However, this is not the real story as the Flex 5 14 reached 1,096 and 4,543 and the Swift 3 reached 1,120 and 4,831. It is clear that the AMD chips can use their additional cores for significantly better performance and at the same basic price.

The same goes for our more realistic handbrake test, which converts a 420MB file to H.265. Here, the Inspiron took just over 4.6 minutes to complete the test, compared to the Spin 3 with just over four minutes, which means that the Inspiron even lagged behind its most direct competitor. The Flex 5 14 took only 2.7 minutes and the Swift 3 in 2.5 minutes. This shows how much faster the AMD processors are for demanding tasks.

Don't get me wrong – the Inspiron 14 5000 does the work for productivity tasks, surfing the Internet, consuming media, and the like. Laptops like the Flex 5 14 and the Swift 3, which use the excellent new silicon from AMD, are however facing strong competition.

Display and speakers

Some inexpensive laptops make up for other shortcomings by outfitting a nice display, like the Yoga C640, which has a display that can keep up with laptops that cost more than twice as much. Unfortunately, this is not the Inspiron 14 5000 – its display lies far behind the curve and shows the kind of low quality that we once thought we would see with laptops in this price range.

First of all, it suffers from a very low brightness, namely 195 nits, which is significantly below our preferred 300 nits and has a real influence on working on the laptop, displaying images and watching videos. It's an anti-glare display, and that helps a little. But as you can see in the photos above, it is still a little difficult to read with any significant ambient lighting. The Yoga C640 and Flex 5 14 both achieved more reasonable 242 nits in comparison.

The display is another area in which the Inspiron 14 5000 cannot stand out from the competition.

The contrast is low at 720: 1, and we want to see 1,000: 1 or more. Admittedly, not many inexpensive laptops offer nearly this contrast. The Yoga C640 was an exception to 1040: 1. The Flex 5 14 was more like the Inspiron with 770: 1.

With only 64% of sRGB and 48% of AdobeRGB, the color depth was also missing. The Yoga C640 reached 96% of sRGB and 73% of AdobeRGB, a much stronger value, while the Flex 5 14 was also bad at 63% and 47%, respectively. However, the Inspiron's color accuracy was decent at 1.74 (below 1.0 is considered excellent).

The Inspiron 14 5000 display guides you easily through your productivity tasks, but you won't love the experience. Ultimately, it is another area where the Inspiron 14 5000 cannot stand out from some of its competitors.

The audio was mixed similarly. The speakers offer a lot of volume, but some distortion when things get louder. The bass was missing and mids and highs were not pleasant, which made this a disappointing sound system. You will undoubtedly want to connect headphones or use an external Bluetooth speaker if you do more than just watch YouTube videos occasionally.

Keyboard and touchpad

The Inspiron 14 5000 is not equipped with the excellent keyboard that you find in the more expensive XPS series, but instead uses a version with smaller keycaps and less distance, which gives a somewhat cramped feeling. The mechanism is fine, with good travel and a precise click that doesn't fall uncomfortably on the ground. If you are a typist with a quick touch, this keyboard may not reach your maximum speed, but you are not too far away.

The touchpad is equally sufficient. It is a Microsoft Precision touchpad that reliably supports the multi-touch gestures of Windows 10. The surface is comfortable and offers good tactile feedback. There is no touch display here, which may or may not be important to you. I prefer laptops with touch displays, but I may be a minority there.

Windows 10 Hello is provided by a fingerprint reader that is integrated into the unmarked power button. I was able to log in quickly and accurately without ever needing my PIN or password.

Battery life

Another measure of an inexpensive old school laptop is the battery life, which is rather poor because the battery capacity is sacrificed in the name of cost. The Inspiron 14 5000 suffers from a poor 42.5-watt-hour battery, which is significantly less than the 52.5-watt-hour in the Lenovo Flex 5 14. For a laptop with a core CPU and 14-inch battery, that's not much Juice display. My battery tests have only confirmed this.

First, the Inspiron 14 5000 only took an hour and a half in our demanding Basemark web benchmark test. This is a poor score that typically applies to gaming laptops that run fast CPUs at full throttle. The Flex 5 14, which we did not rate well for the battery life, lasted almost four hours and the Yoga C640 over 3.5 hours. Simply put, the Dell won't last long if you press the CPU.

The next step was our web browsing test, in which the Inspiron achieved 4.7 hours. This is also a bad result: the Flex 5 14 lasts eight hours, the Yoga C640 10.5 hours and the Acer Swift 3 with Ryzen almost eight hours. With the Inspiron 14 50oo, you are unlikely to spend more than half a day doing light productivity and web browsing tasks.

We ended up running our local Full HD movie trailer until the battery ran out and the Inspiron 14 5000 couldn't make it to six hours. The Flex 5 14 did 11 hours, the Yoga C640 23 hours (pretty bizarre) and the Swift 3 10 hours.

The bottom line is that the Inspiron 14 5000 has a poorer battery life, which is disappointing despite the price – and especially compared to some other current affordable laptops.

Our opinion

The Dell Inspiron 14 5000 is an affordable, old-school notebook that cuts corners everywhere, making it a little difficult to check it out so soon after checking out the Lenovo Flex 5 14 and Yoga C640. The Inspiron's display is boring, the performance is affected by Ryzen 4000 laptops, and the battery life is terrible.

Budget laptops are getting better and the Inspiron 14 5000 has been left behind.

Are there alternatives?

This test shows that there are better alternatives than the Inspiron 14 5000. The most important of these is the Lenovo Flex 5 14 for $ 600, which offers a similarly poor display, but which Dell outperforms in terms of performance, battery life, durability, and overall good performance. It's also a 2-in-1 game, which is a nice advantage.

You can also opt for the Acer Swift 3, another 14-inch clamshell that is faster and has better battery life. And it costs the same as Dell's retail price and is worth the $ 80 premium at the Inspiron's retail price.

How long it will take?

The Inspiron 14 5000 does not inspire as much confidence in its durability. It will probably make a few falls, but I don't want to abuse it. As usual, the one-year guarantee is standard and disappointing.

Should you buy it

No. The Inspiron 14 5000 might have been attractive at a price a few months ago, but there are many much cheaper laptops today.

Editor's recommendations




27 Jul
Blog

OnePlus Nord Review: Some Good Old-Fashioned Value

oneplus nord valuation shirt

"The OnePlus Nord has the right features and technologies to make the phone durable at a value-based price."

  • Acceptable price

  • Future-proof with 5G

  • Good battery life

  • Reliable, easy-to-use software

  • Camera needs to be improved

  • Some connectivity errors

OnePlus has always been incredibly valuable, but it got lost last year when prices for its most sought-after devices went up. Today's OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro are solid phones, but the price is equivalent to that of the competition.

The latest version of the company, OnePlus Nord, seems to be a return to the company's roots. It is a strong midrange phone that looks attractive and offers some high-end features. That's the value we want to see, but does it make the North a worthy purchase?

design

It's good that there is a large OnePlus logo on the back of the North, as the phone has a design similar to several other smartphones, from the Huawei P30 Pro to the Xiaomi Mi 9.

In other words, the north is not immediately recognizable. It's a proven look, but far from unique. The Gray Onyx version in the attached photos is reserved but attractive, while the Emerald Blue model is a real eye-catcher.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Gorilla Glass covers both the front and back with a plastic frame between the two. However, it doesn't look or feel like plastic, and its use adds to its light weight of 184 grams. You shouldn't worry about the plastic frame feeling cheap, but the phone's metal keys lack the OnePlus 8's positive premium promotion of metal and glass.

OnePlus has a brand notification slider that allows you to quickly change the mode from silent to ringing or vibrating. The edited texture makes it easy to use. All buttons are well positioned, provided you are using the phone with your right hand. The phone's 73mm width and 8.2mm thickness make it easy to grip and hold. It's about the size of a Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The phone doesn't have a "wow, that's a OnePlus Nord" design, but the ergonomics are just right and it looks and feels like phones that cost a lot more. Only when you pick up the Nord and a phone like the Galaxy S20 or OnePlus 8 do the differences become clear – mainly in terms of the additional weight and the feeling that a metal case is carved out of slate.

Screen and audio

Gorilla Glass 5 includes a 6.44-inch fluid AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 90 Hz, a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and a screen with an aspect ratio of 20: 9 and HRD10 + support. This is an excellent screen for a phone at this price. It is a flat screen that appeals to as many people as it bothers, but is less likely to slip out of the hand. Some will find it better for games too.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Regarding Carfection's McLaren 600LT Spider test video on YouTube, the north screen has trouble viewing details in some of the darker areas, but has a nice color palette by default for the vivid screen. If you want to deal with the settings, you can activate the sRGB and Display P3 options, although the differences are minimal.

The sound is reproduced through a single speaker facing downwards. It's loud without being distorted, and although the bass is obviously missing, it's well tuned and never gets hard. There is no 3.5mm headphone jack, but like other OnePlus phones, the Nord supports both AptX and AptX HD. Assuming you have compatible headphones, you can hear high-definition audio via the Bluetooth connection from Nord.

Bluetooth music played via Spotify with a Bowers & Wilkins PX headphone offers a lot of volume and depth. The entire multimedia experience of the north is excellent considering the price.

camera

The main camera is a Sony IMX586 with 48 megapixels and an aperture of 1: 1.75 as well as optical and electronic image stabilization. Next to it are an ultra-wide camera with 8 megapixels, a depth sensor with 5 megapixels and a macro sensor with 2 megapixels. This is what you'll find in the OnePlus 8. On the front is a selfie camera with two lenses, which consists of a 32-megapixel main sensor and an 8-megapixel wide-angle sensor.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Although the camera is similar to the OnePlus 8, it's not that good. It often underexposes pictures and cannot use HDR as effectively, which leads to loss of detail in difficult lighting conditions when both the wide-angle and standard lenses are used. The macro lens is of poor quality and rarely focuses well, which makes it largely unusable. Nightscape doesn't do it much better and often leads to noise or creates a monotonous photo.

I had to edit almost all of the photos I took with the North before I pass them on because they just didn't "burst" as I wanted them to. Overcast sky became oppressive and unnatural, and photos on sunny days had no dynamic range. However, I like the new filters by photographer Hannes Becker.

oneplus nord review sarek filter "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/nord-sarek-filter-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7OnePlus Nord Sarek filter Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

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Selfies in portrait mode have a strong, rather unnatural bokeh effect with only average edge detection. This problem still occurs when using portrait mode on the rear camera.

oneplus nord review wide angle "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn7.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/nord-wide-angle-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https : //www.digitaltrends.com/data: image / gif; base64, https: //www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7OnePlus Nord wide angle Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

oneplus nord review standard "class =" m-Karussell - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn8.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/nord-standard-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: / /www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7OnePlus Nord standard Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

oneplus nord review 2x digital "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn9.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/nord-2x-digital-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7OnePlus Nord 2x digital zoom Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

OnePlus has shown significant improvements with the OnePlus 8 Pro camera, but has taken a step back with the Nord camera. It's not terrible at all, but it's not as good as I expected. There are better cameras on other phones, even at this price.

Performance and software

The Snapdragon 765G processor from Qualcomm with 8 GB / 128 GB or 12 GB / 256 GB RAM and storage space is located in OnePlus Nord. I checked the 12 GB version. It also offers 5G support if you live in an area where the service is available. Here are some benchmark test results:

3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 2,985 (volcano)

Geekbench 5: 1,900 multi-core / 603 single core

It is the same chip as in the LG Velvet and Motorola Moto Edge. The North beats both in the game-oriented 3DMark test, but is largely similar in Geekbench 5. The performance is good. When switching between apps or from full-screen video to normal state, there is a slight hesitation, but not to the point where the phone feels slow. It is probably software related too and will be fixed in a future update. However, this makes me wonder if the 8GB / 128GB model might feel a little underwhelmed.

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While playing Real Racing 3, Sky Wings, and Dariusburst, no performance issues were found as you would expect from the game-oriented G version of the Snapdragon 765, and the phone didn't get hot even after long sessions. Onboard is the OnePlus Fnatic game mode, which minimizes distractions and optimizes the processor.

OnePlus & # 39; OxygenOS is one of the best Android versions available. It is fast, smooth and not filled with senseless functions or stylistic flourishes. It does the job it was made for and I have had no reliability issues.

I still like Zen mode, which gives you a 20-minute break by muting calls and notifications, and restricting app access. The Google News and Assistant popup window is helpful, there are some nice animated wallpapers, the gesture control works fine and it looks and feels silky smooth. OnePlus says it worked on the fluidity of OxygenOS and it shows.

Battery, connectivity and security

The 4,415mAh battery lasts approximately two days before needing to be charged, based on approximately three hours of daily screen time when primarily connected to Wi-Fi.

Behind the scenes of the north, an interesting technology works that helps protect the battery life by charging it intelligently and gradually over night. It will charge approximately 80% and then wait until you normally get up to add the final charge. This avoids problems keeping the battery fully charged for an extended period of time, which can reduce long-term capacity.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It comes with Warp Charge 30T, OnePlus' proprietary quick charger. It is wired only in the north and goes from zero to 70% in 30 minutes and then goes back to full in just over an hour. The phone is secured with a built-in fingerprint sensor that works very reliably. The speed was so high that I was happy to use it without having to resort to unlocking it.

I had some Wi-Fi problems with my OnePlus Nord. I noticed that the connection sometimes got stuck and did not switch to cellular. The problem was only solved by switching the WLAN on and off. The range also seems to be shorter than with many other cell phones. I have reported the problem to OnePlus and am sending bug reports when the problem occurs, which fortunately is rarely the case. Calls were fine. I don't have a 5G near me, so I couldn't test performance.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

A few days before the verification embargo expired, OnePlus provided the North with a software update to help resolve Wi-Fi connectivity issues and improve the camera. I will update this review if anything changes.

Price, guarantee and availability

The OnePlus Nord costs £ 379, which translates to around $ 480 when you buy the 8GB / 128GB model. The 12GB / 256GB version I've tested here costs £ 469 or about $ 593. The North is not officially available in the United States. It will be available in the OnePlus online store on August 4, in addition to the John Lewis retail stores, Amazon and the Three network.

OnePlus does not intend to sell the US North outside of a promised but very limited beta program, but says it will manufacture a US-focused phone at reasonable prices in the future.

Our opinion

OnePlus has increased the value of the North in an old-fashioned way, increased the life of the phone and focused on the essentials in everyday life instead of eye-catching gadgets. You get reliable software, a great screen, long battery life, fast charging, 5G and software updates for several years.

These are core features that cheap phones often shun in favor of sensational camera specs that can disappoint in the real world, and a fancy design. These aren't good reasons to buy a phone at this price, but the OnePlus Nord offers just the right value.

Is there a better alternative?

The space for smartphones under $ 500 or less than £ 500 is pretty full. The $ 400 Google Pixel 3a hasn't been replaced yet, but it's still a good buy if you find one, or you can buy the cute Apple iPhone SE 2020 for $ 400. It's cute because it's small, but the build and materials are superior to the Nords, and iOS is superbly designed and easy to use. It's also worth checking out the $ 500 Poco F2 Pro or the $ 400 Samsung Galaxy A51.

These phones are highly competitive, so it is difficult to generally recommend them to any buyer. The North is the best choice if you value performance and display quality and are not particularly interested in photography.

You pay a little more for the $ 600 LG Velvet and the $ 500 Moto Edge, but both are good phones with more attractive designs and better cameras. If you can expand the budget a bit, consider the OnePlus 8 for $ 700, which has a more classy design and better camera, or the iPhone 11 for $ 700 with its great software, camera, and performance .

How long it will take?

While the OnePlus 8 Pro has received an IP rating, you should not expect an IP rating in the north. The phone is not waterproof, but can be used in the rain. The body is made of glass and can break if you drop it. It is therefore best to use a suitcase. OnePlus offers a range of sleeves for the North, some with the signature sandpaper surface for extra grip.

OnePlus promises two years of Android updates and three years of security updates. This is an excellent engagement that increases the long-term prospects of the north, especially with 5G on board. Combine this with battery saving technology, and the North lasts for several years, and that's great for such a cheap phone.

Should you buy one?

Yes. The Nord is a budget phone that you can buy without worrying that it will need to be replaced next year.

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