28 Aug
Blog

Perfect Exercise For Better Hamstrings

Reverse hyperextension is known as a great powerlifting and bodybuilding exercise that also involves promoting strength and conditioning. This workout, also known as the reverse hyper, is considered a great alternative to the classic Romanian deadlift. It is primarily responsible for the work of your rear chain, which includes your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back muscles. This training involves the use of a suitable reverse hyper machine, with each device having completely different functions. Your choice of an ideal reverse hyper machine will depend entirely on your trainer's recommendations.

It's a great alternative to the deadlift because these exercises completely lack support for your lower back and put a lot of strain on your spine. However, with reverse hyperextension, your lower back remains in a neutral position, which causes minor injury or wear and tear. In addition, reverse hyperfunction is responsible for improved squat and deadlift performance. In addition, this exercise is considered safe as it completely prevents the lower back from curving, thus avoiding any risk of injury or strain. These reverse hyperextension benefits set it apart from any other exercise and should therefore be added to your exercise routine.

The Reverse Hyperextensions Guide below has all of the relevant information needed to complete this exercise in no time.

How to Perform Reverse Hyperextension Efficiently:

The information on Reverse Hyper, which ranges from step-by-step instructions to variations, would be perfect to walk you all the way. So don't forget to read this article to the end and implement the information provided to get the maximum benefit.

Step by step instructions:

1. To begin, you need to lie down on the bench on the hyper-reverse machine with your stomach and torso and not your hips.

2. Let your legs hang straight down toward the floor while holding the handles in the device to hold your upper body in place.

3. Now, while contracting your lower back muscles, hamstrings, and buttocks, raise your legs until they are parallel to the floor.

4. Now lower your legs back down to the starting position.

Repeat.

Storage tips In Understanding:

1. Always make sure you have a quick but efficient warm-up session before performing the reverse hyperextensions. This should be done to avoid the risk of injury or strain, and to tone the target muscles.

2. With your legs hanging straight to the floor, remember to contract your abs to keep your spine neutral and support.

3. Always keep the movement of lifting your legs smooth and controllable.

4. Avoid stretching your legs up, as the firm swing would do the work for the targeted muscle groups. This can also lead to lower back injuries.

Variations of Reverse Hyperextensions:

If you are incredibly familiar with the performance of classic reverse hyperextensions, then you can try the given variations for a little twist:

#1. Reverse hypers with a stability ball

If you can't pick up a hyper reverse machine, feel free to grab an exercise ball for this exercise. This is considered to be one of the most convenient ways to perform reverse hyperextension because you can easily do this workout at home. An additional tip is that the larger the stability ball, the more effective the exercise is.

Step by step instructions:

1. First, lie down on an exercise ball and, at the same time, place your hands on the floor or reach for solid, immovable equipment. Make sure to keep the ball under your hips and stomach.

2. While keeping your torso in a neutral position, lift your legs off the floor so they are in line with your body.

3. Lower your feet back down to return to the starting position.

Repeat.

# 2. Reverse hypers with an exercise bench

If you don't have access to a hyper reverse machine, this exercise will come in handy for you.

Step by step instructions:

1. First you need to lie down on a gymnastics bench with your torso actually lying on the bench; your feet were resting on the floor and your legs were upright. Your stomach and chest should be resting on the bench, while your hips and pelvis should be at the end.

2. Now lift your legs until they are parallel to the floor.

3. Then lower your legs back down to return to the starting position.

Repeat.

21 Aug
Blog

The Perfect Exercise For Attaining Well-Built Quads

The quadriceps are a great and efficient exercise whose main purpose is to work your quadriceps. This strength-building workout is aimed primarily at your quadriceps femoris and at the same time uses your core, lower leg, buttocks and hip muscles. A leg extension is used in this workout. It's an isolation exercise that primarily works your quadriceps and is responsible for their strength and tone. It is also beneficial in giving you the ability to perform high level cardio and athletic activities with ease and comfort.

Building your quadriceps is essential to promoting better cardio, endurance, and balance to accomplish daily and athletic activities. You will find this exercise useful. Because of its numerous benefits to your body, it is considered appropriate to add this exercise to your regular exercise program.

The ultimate guide to the leg extension exercise listed below is sure to provide you with all of the information you need to surpass this exercise. So, keep reading this article for a detailed understanding of how to train with leg extensions to get the maximum benefits and provide significant benefits to your body.

How to master the art of the leg extension:

Below is everything you need to know about leg extensions, from step-by-step guides and tips, to common mistakes and variations. So if you follow the contents of this article, you will get all the information you need.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. First, you need to set up the leg extension machine. To do this, adjust the device pad so that it is at the top of the lower legs at the ankles. Your knees should be at right angles to each other.

2. Then take a deep breath as you place your hands on the handrails and lift the weight until your legs are erect.

3. Then slowly lower the weights back to the starting position while exhaling.

Repeat.

Tips to keep in mind:

1. Always make sure you have a quick but efficient warm-up session before doing the leg extensions. This should be done to avoid the risk of serious injury or strain and to target all of your muscles.

2. Remember to keep your back straight and upright by pressing it against the backrest. Always avoid arching and bending your back for maximum benefit.

3. Never block your knees when lifting weights as this could result in injury.

4. Always make sure that you choose appropriate weights and that you are comfortable. Choose weights that will not cause you discomfort.

Common mistakes that are usually made:

1. The first and most important thing to keep in mind is never to choose weights that may cause your body any discomfort or problems. It is therefore always recommended to choose weights that you are comfortable with to avoid the risk of straining the knee ligament.

2. Never repeat more than your capacity or ability as it can be harmful to you and your body.

3. Do not rush through this exercise by lifting and lowering weights quickly. Instead, try to reduce your swing and do this exercise in a gentle and controllable manner.

4. Never twist your knees during this exercise, which will put strain on the knee joints.

Variations of leg extension:

Once you are completely familiar with the performance of the classic leg extension exercise, there are a few variations of it that you can try to add a momentum:

1. Leg extension with resistance bands

This version of the traditional leg extension involves the use of a resistance band. This is perfect for those who can't get an expensive leg extension machine. Make sure to warm up briefly before doing this exercise. All it takes is to be patient and focus solely on performing this exercise. It is also responsible for maintaining mobility and can be done anywhere, anytime.

2. Leg extension with dumbbell

This variation involves the use of dumbbells as well as a real bench. It can also be called a seated dumbbell leg extensor and is considered to be very beneficial in promoting physical strength and endurance. Remember to keep your body in a stationary position and your back straight during this exercise.

Frequently asked Questions:

1. How many leg extensions should I do?

You need to do almost three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of leg extensions.

2. What do leg extensions use the muscles?

Leg extensions mainly work your quadriceps femoris while working your core, lower leg, buttock and hip muscles at the same time.

3. Can I use resistance bands to do leg extensions?

Of course, you can also use resistance bands for the leg extensions.

05 Aug
Blog

The Perfect Exercise For Entire Body Muscles

The high pull is known as an effective plyometric exercise that uses dumbbells. This compound workout primarily targets your upper body and rear muscles. But the high pull is considered to be one of the best strength building exercises ever invented. This is because your entire body is known to work out! It works the quadriceps, hamstrings, triceps, biceps, trapeziuses, deltoids, calves, glutes, hip flexors, and many more muscles. This workout also has numerous health benefits. It helps build core and hip strength as well as stability. The main motive of this workout is to create a lot of strength and power in your body.

Below is the ultimate guide on how to do the high pull exercise easily with no obstacles.

To do the high pull exercise like a pro:

The high pull exercise is known to effectively work almost all major muscle groups in your body. Below is everything you need to know about this exercise in order to surpass its performance.

Directions:

1. Your feet should initially be shoulder width apart and hold a dumbbell in an overhand grip in each hand, with the palms facing you. Your hips should be pushed back a little and your torso should bend slightly forward. Your arms should be straight out and the dumbbells should be in front of your knees. Remember to keep your back straight and your chest raised. This is your starting position.

2. Get on the balls of your feet and dynamically straighten your legs to generate more strength.

3. Then bring your hips forward while straightening your back at the same time.

4. Now bend your arms and pull the dumbbells close to your body. Make sure your feet are in full contact with the ground.

5. Now return to the starting position.

Repeat.

Main advantages of the high pull:

1. The high pull is considered a compound exercise as it works almost all major muscle groups in your body. It mainly targets your upper body as well as the lower body muscles. These include the triceps, biceps, calves, buttocks, quadriceps, hamstrings, and many more important muscles.

2. It is known to be a strength building exercise, as its main motive is to build strength and strength in people in order to be able to do daily and sporting activities in a relaxed manner. The significant energy boost enables you to do a lot of work with minimal effort and generate power more quickly.

3. Because of the involvement of an explosive movement, this exercise trains your body to perform other advanced explosive movements with minimal effort.

Variations:

If you feel completely comfortable performing the traditional high pull, here are some variations you can try:

1. Single Arm Dumbbell High Pull – This version of the classic high pull involves one dumbbell instead of two. During this exercise, your hips and shoulders should always point forward. You should also avoid twisting your body for maximum benefit.

2. Squat To Dumbbell High Pull – This exercise is an advanced version of the high pull. This is because a squat is added before the weights are exploded as high as possible.

Things to be aware of:

1. The most important thing to do before doing the high pull is a short workout. This should be done to reduce the risk of injury and to increase your body's range of motion.

2. Always remember to start with light weight dumbbells to avoid injury, stress, or strain.

Frequently asked Questions:

1. How many high pulls should I do?

Should you do at least 2-5 sets of 2-6 reps high pulls?

2. Does the high pull affect the whole body?

Yes, the high pull is a compound exercise that works your entire body.

3. Is the high pull effective?

Yes, the high pull exercise is considered to be one of the most effective and beneficial exercises ever.

02 Aug
Blog

Perfect Hourglass Figure: The Ultimate Guide

An hourglass figure is known to be the ultimate dream of most women. We all crave a smaller waistline, curvy hips, and a bigger chest, lust like some well-known celebrities. Having a perfect hourglass figure doesn't always symbolize better health, however. Reaching this number without interrupting your daily food intake is no easy task. In order to have a striking and curvy figure, you need to be aware of strict diet, various exercises to promote weight loss, and lifestyle fluctuations. However, this is not an inaccessible job and can be obtained if you put all your will and strength into it.

We have prepared an efficient guide that will give you all the information you need to achieve the desired hourglass figure you crave.

How to get a perfect hourglass figure in no time:

To achieve an hourglass figure, one needs to target the key areas to work on – the torso, waist, hips, buttocks, and thigh muscles. Since it is quite difficult to burn fat in any one part of your body, it is important to emphasize whole body weight loss. This should be done to reduce inches from your waistline and make it smaller.

Below are some exercises and diet plans that you should follow if you want your hourglass figure dream come true.

Run planks to Reduce waist size:

Planks are known to be the ultimate option when considering cutting your waistline. Since this exercise is primarily aimed at burning your calories and strengthening your core, it's perfect for shedding inches around your waist. In addition, they also help promote proper posture and improve your endurance. So you can carry out your daily and sporting activities relaxed and unhindered. By activating the inner core muscles, you can easily trim your waist during this exercise.

Pushups will help you In Tighten your shoulder and chest:

Pushups are considered to be the most beneficial exercise for toning your shoulder muscles without massaging yourself. Since it intensifies the activation of your chest muscles, it is perfect for making you stronger. The fact that it works your chest muscles is all it needs to tone your chest and get one step closer to an hourglass figure. It's responsible for strengthening your core, as well as keeping your triceps and deltoids working.

Practice squats to Tone your hips:

Squats are known to be the ideal exercise for toning and strengthening your hips. It also helps keep your thighs and glutes in proper shape. This workout is in large part responsible for building your lower body. Since it works your hamstrings, calves, glutes, and quads, it is perfectly capable of toning your lower body muscles.

Eating a healthy diet takes you one step closer to Achieve the perfect hourglass figure:

Below are some tips regarding your food intake to ensure that you achieve an hourglass figure by being healthy.

1. Avoid processed foods as they are filled with preservatives and added sugars, which will take you one step back from your goal. Instead, eat fresh fruits, whole grains, lean meats, and vegetables.

2. A; Remember to consume foods that are filled with healthy fats like nuts, seeds, and avocados. This will give you the energy you need to exercise your waistline and reduce its size.

3. Replace your favorite drinks like lemonade and other sugary drinks with water or herbal tea.

Frequently asked Questions:

1. How long does it take to reach an hourglass figure?

It takes at least three months to achieve the perfect hourglass figure if you are strictly dedicated and follow all directions.

2. Which exercises will help me to reduce my waist size?

In addition to planks, try yoga and high-intensity interval training to achieve a smaller waist size.

3. How can I tone my shoulders and chest?

You can tone your chest by doing exercises such as wall presses, front dumbbell raises, and upright row deadlifts.

28 Jun
Blog

The Perfect Warm-Up Exercise For Your Upper Body

Arm cross is known as a cardio booster exercise whose main motive is to improve body flexibility. This workout primarily targets the rotator cuff muscles, thus promoting flexibility in the upper body. It also works out your shoulder muscles, hamstrings, core, glutes, and quads. It is effortless to perform and does not require the use of equipment. This exercise is considered a warm up exercise that allows your triceps and back shoulders to work. The arm cross exercise prepares your muscles and joints for an intense workout and warms them up. They are considered a great stretching exercise that uses the muscles of the upper body.

Below is the perfect guide on the best way to do arm crosses.

How To Do Arm Cross Exercises Efficiently:

Below is the perfect guide for the arm-cross exercise, which consists of instructions, some things to keep in mind, and intensified variations of this exercise:

Directions:

1. First stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your knees slightly bent and your arms outstretched to your side. This is your starting position.

2. Then cross your arms forward and immediately bring them back as far as you can.

Repeat this movement until one set is complete.

Things to be aware of:

1. Always remember to keep your back straight and your abs tight.

2. You should cross your arms in a steady and flowing motion.

3. Inhale slowly, always looking ahead during this exercise.

Variations:

Once you've mastered the art of performing arm-cross exercises without disabilities, there are some of the intensified variations you can try out below:

1. Side lunge with arms crossed

The side lunge with the arms targets the hamstrings, glutes, shoulders, quadriceps, and the inner thighs. This exercise stretches your arms, chest, shoulders, and upper back muscles. It is responsible for improving your body balance, increasing flexibility, and increasing your cardio performance.

Directions:

1. First stand upright with your arms stretched out horizontally to your sides and your feet shoulder width apart. This is your starting position.

2. The next step is to move your right leg to the side, bend your right knee and at the same time push your buttocks backwards. All of these movements should be performed while crossing your arms in front at the same time.

3. Then return to the starting position.

Repeat with your left leg.

Things to keep in the Understanding:

1. Always remember to keep your abs tight and your back upright throughout the exercise.

2. Continue facing forward and slowly inhale as you step to your side and cross your arms.

3. Exhale as you return to the starting position.

2. Crunches with arms crossed

This variant of the spider exercise does not require any special equipment and is therefore barrier-free. It mainly targets your obliques and hip muscles and is responsible for providing strength.

Direction:

1. First lie flat on your back and cross both arms over your chest. Then bend your knees while touching your feet on the floor. This is your starting position.

2. Now, while supporting your core, lift your shoulders and upper back off the floor.

3. Pause for a second, then return to the starting position.

Frequently asked Questions:

1. How many crosses of arms should I do?

It would help if you made spiders the way you want. If you want to do this exercise as an upper body warm-up workout, you can do it for at least 30 seconds.

2. Are cross arms safe?

Crossing your arms is of course very safe to perform and can be performed as a warm-up exercise for the upper body.

3. Which muscles do arm crosses work?

Arm cross exercises primarily work your glutes, hamstrings, shoulder muscles, core, and quads.

Conclusion:

Arm cross is an effective exercise that trains various upper body muscles. It helps in increasing body flexibility and increasing your cardio performance. In addition, it doubles as a great warm-up exercise to do before a mild upper body workout.

13 May
Blog

Lunges : The Perfect Guide to Perform Like a Pro

A lunge is a one-legged or one-sided workout that mainly focuses on building your physical strength and increasing your muscle mass. This exercise mainly works your hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, abs, glutes, and back muscles.

They help to a great extent in toning your body, mainly your core, legs, and buttocks. They also help maintain body stability, posture and freedom of movement. Lunge steps are also a great exercise now for reducing your body fat, burning calories, and increasing your resting body's metabolism. Additionally, performing lunges will help increase your core strength and reduce the risk of injury during daily and athletic activities.

Below is the perfect guide on how to perform lunges efficiently and efficiently.

How to do lunges like a pro:

Directions:

1. First, always stand straight with your feet hip-width apart and your core locked into place. This is your starting position.

2. Then step forward with your right leg and try to bring all of your body weight forward so that your heel touches the floor first and your leg is perpendicular to the floor.

3. Now lower your body further until your right shin is vertical and your right thigh is parallel to the floor.

4. Then lift your right leg to return to the starting position.

Repeat with your left leg.

Common mistakes when making lunges:

1. You always have a tendency to align your front leg with your back leg, which ultimately reduces stability and you can fall.

2. You often bend your chest forward as you bend your knees, causing a loss of body balance.

3. You often have a tendency to take a very shallow step, which can put strain on your knee.

Variations of lunges:

Once you've become more familiar with the classic lunges, there are always some of the following variations that you can try:

1. Walking lunges

This variation of lunges is great when you are ready to encourage more balance and coordination in your body. It works primarily on your hips, core and glutes and is very useful for increasing your range of motion and making it easier for you to carry out daily activities. In addition, they are really great for increasing your hip flexibility and body functionality.

2. Knicks lunges

This version of the lunges is known to be the best of all because it helps promote total body strength. It works primarily on your glutes, hamstrings, calves and quads, as well as your inner thigh muscles, and is great at improving the stability and balance of your body. Curtsy Lunges attack your gluteal muscles, back muscles and calves efficiently and contribute to a large extent to reducing your body weight. This workout is also beneficial in reducing the risk of injury and stabilizing your ankles.

3. Reverse lunges

This version of Lunges targets the crucial muscle groups in your lower body – glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves. They are an excellent exercise for burning your calories and thereby reducing body weight. Since this workout trains both legs individually, it helps your body achieve the right balance and stability. Reverse lunges also tend to strengthen your body core, which automatically reduces the risk of injury.

Frequently asked Questions:

1. Do lunges help burn body fat?

Yes, regular lunges really help in burning your body fat along with many other functions.

2. What are lunges for?

Lunge steps are perfect for maintaining body balance and improving body stability and posture. They are great for increasing your muscle mass, which will help increase your physical strength. They're also great for increasing your range of motion so that you can get on with your daily activities quickly.

3. How many repetitions of lunges should I do?

You should do at least 3-4 sets of 15-20 repetitions per leg, while beginners should start off with 2-3 repetitions of 10-12 repetitions per leg.

4. Do lunges make your butt bigger?

Yes, lunges are known to be one of the most beneficial exercises when looking to build your butt.

27 Apr
Blog

Barbell Row : The Perfect Guide to Follow

Barbell Row is a full body exercise that primarily targets the work of the lower back, upper back, arms, and hips. They also help develop the traction muscles of the posterior posterior deltoids, trapeziuses, rhomboids, and other small muscles that play an essential role in the shoulder joint and shoulder blades. Their other main functions are to build a more muscular back, bigger biceps, and to widen the shoulders. They are also considered very effective as they can improve our efficiency in performing other exercises such as the bench press, squat, and deadlift.

The right way to perform barbell rows

In order to perform barbell rows efficiently and adequately, you need to do the following steps:

1. The setup The first step is to position your body so that the barbell is lifted off the floor.

Directions

1. Place the barbell on the floor. Please go to the barbell and place your feet so that they are a little narrower than shoulder width apart. Your toes should be sticking out a little, and you should move the barbell so that it is more or less directly under your shoulders.

2. Then stand up straight with your chest straight, inhale air into your stomach, and properly support your abdominal muscles so that it looks like someone is punching you in the stomach.

3. Now move your knees back slightly and push your hips back towards the barbell.

4. Then grasp the barbell with your palms facing down and press it firmly together. Make sure the bar is resting on your fingers, your head is out of alignment, your shoulder is flat, and your eyes are focused on a spot that is at least 3 feet in front of you.

2. The Ascension The second step is to pull the barbell up from the floor towards your torso.

Directions

1. First, pull the bar by stretching out your legs. To do this, lift your hips and pull your elbow up. Make sure your back is flat as you try to raise the bar and that your shoulders escalate with your hips.

2. Keep pulling the barbell until it comes into contact with the base of your chest.

3. You should move the barbell until it is level with your knees. Your legs should be straight so they can easily exceed the size of your knees.

Note: Your head should be aligned with your spine, your core should be tight, and your lower back should be slightly arched.

3. The descent The final step is to lower the bar back down to the starting position.

Directions

First, quickly lower the weight toward the floor until both arms are straight and bend your hips so that the weight quickly drops to the floor.

NOTE-

Your core should stay tight throughout the exercise, and your back should be in the same neutral position. It would be helpful if you lowered the bar permanently, rather than slowly, permanently.

Variations of barbell rows

1. Pendlay Line- It's considered a stricter twist on the barbell rows because your legs need to remain motionless as you attempt to lift the weight.

2. Yates Row- This variation on the barbell row requires a more upright posture.

3rd row of dumbbells This version of the barbell row involves the use of dumbbells instead of barbells.

4th row of seat cables This is practiced with a cable machine.

5. T-Bar Row- It does not require greater strength and can therefore be practiced after all training sessions have been completed.

6th row of seals In this exercise, you need to lie down on a flat surface and pull the weights up from a hanging position.

frequently asked Questions

1. How many rows of barbells should I do?

You should include at least 8-20 reps per set in your exercise routine.

2. Are Barbell Rows Really Useful?

Yes. Barbell rows are said to be excellent for building your upper body muscles and promoting back strength.

3. What muscle does a barbell row have?

The barbell row mainly acts on the back muscles. They make a significant contribution to improving your back posture.

10 Feb
Blog

Razer Book 13 Review: This is Almost a Perfect Laptop

Razor Book 13 Review 01

"Razer's debut nongaming laptop does almost anything right if the price tag can be put up with."

  • Perfect port selection

  • Fantastic design and build quality

  • The performance is impressive

  • Nice 16:10 display

  • Limited configurations

  • The battery life is not good

Razer products have never been so colorful. Take away the RGB lights and snake logo and you may not know that there is a gaming muscle under the hood.

That's why the Razer Book 13 felt so inevitable. With the exception of the Razer logo, this 13-inch laptop finally leaves the gimmicks behind. It can't play games, but it does Contain everything you'd expect in a modern laptop. The Razer Book 13 offers a 16:10 aspect ratio with super-thin bezels and the latest 11th generation Intel Tiger Lake processors.

Can Razer really compete with industry veterans like Dell, Apple, and HP in this category, or has the company bitten more than it can chew?

design

The Razer Book 13 is the company's first true nongaming notebook, although it has already tried its hand in this category. The Razer Blade Stealth was the brand's first 13-inch laptop, and the Razer Book looks almost identical. What's the same They're both made of solid unibody aluminum and have very similar dimensions. They're both 0.6 inches thick, use the same keyboard and touchpad, and have identical port choices.

The Razer Book 13, however, is a bit lighter at 2.95 pounds. That's both thinner and lighter than the 13-inch MacBook Pro, albeit a bit more powerful than options like the Dell XPS 13 or Surface Laptop 3 13.

The Razer Book 13 is absolutely great to look at.

However, the Razer Book 13 has a few new tricks up its sleeve. The standout feature is the 16:10 aspect ratio with ultra-thin bezels. The chin is based on the Dell XPS 13 and hides part of the lower bezel using a dropped hinge.

In 2021, this design will become more common – but that doesn't make the Razer Book 13 any less beautiful to look at. I also like the silver and white color combination.

The white keys, illuminated by the RGB backlighting per key, make the design stand out – and are a feature you would never find on a Dell or Apple laptop. Not only can the colors be adjusted via Razer Synapse, but they also have an incredible 15-level brightness control. That even affects the control Apple offers.

It's not a big deal, but when the competition is this tight, every additional feature counts.

Another highlight for the Razer Book 13 is the port selection. Unlike the XPS 13 or MacBook Pro 13-inch, the Razer Book 13 includes some handy legacy ports that most people prefer. HDMI and USB-A are included along with two Thunderbolt 4 ports – one on each side. This means you can connect displays and power cables on both sides, unlike the MacBook Pro M1, which has both USB-C ports on the same side.

If you need a laptop to dock a monitor and some peripherals, the Razer Book 13 can handle it without the need for a USB hub or docking station.

Keyboard, touchpad and speakers

If you've seen or used the Razer Blade Stealth, there aren't any surprises with the keyboard. I've talked about the RGB backlighting before, and the layout itself is close to perfect. The path in the keys is a bit short, but I didn't have any usability issues after familiarizing myself with the feel of the keystrokes.

The same goes for the Windows Precision touchpad, which is large and responsive. Every millimeter of space has been maximized for the benefit of the user.

The speaker grilles are located directly on the keyboard deck and flank both sides. Although they lack any bass (as with almost all laptop speakers), they have a nice stereo spread thanks to the placement. They work in the blink of an eye, but aren't good enough for long hours of music or film.

display

Razer has really stepped up its game with this laptop's screen. Not only is it in the brilliant 16:10 aspect ratio with stripped-down bezels, the image quality is also fantastic. For a $ 1,200 laptop, you get an extremely bright 514-nit screen that is always crystal clear no matter how bright your surroundings are. This additional brightness also brings out the contrast in the colors, which is as high as that of a laptop at this price.

The color saturation and calibration are nothing special (98% sRGB, 77% AdobeRGB), but they go well with the non-4K panels you get in other laptops.

It is not a laptop primarily designed for professional color grading. However, this doesn't mean you can't get creative on the side. This also applies to performance.

performance

The Razer Book 13 has a base configuration for $ 1,200 that comes with a Core i5-1135G7, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage, and is sold exclusively through Razer's online storefront.

My configuration was the souped-up $ 1,600 model that was upgraded to a Core i7-1185G7, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. You can upgrade to 512GB of storage, but most premium laptops offer configurations of at least 1TB. Unfortunately, you have to pay $ 2,000 to get a model with more storage. Razer actually charges the Wazoo for these more expensive configurations.

However, if you do choose the Core i7 model, you will be impressed with the performance. The best single-core performance that we tested in a 13-inch laptop (1,508) was demonstrated in Cinebench R23. And yes, that includes the M1 MacBook Pro (1,487).

what does that mean to you? Given its excellent scores in PCMark 10, the Razer Book 13 should be a fantastic productivity and office tool. Like many Razer laptops, this one competes with larger 14-inch and 15-inch options like the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 or the Acer Swift 3X.

When I say this really isn't a gaming laptop, I mean it.

The Razer Book 13 is a little less impressive in terms of creative application performance. It did not do quite as well in the Cinebench R23 multi-core test (4519) and in the PCMark 10 creation test. I confirmed this in a real test in Handbrake where I encoded a 4K movie trailer for H.265. The Razer Book did the job in three and a half minutes, which is not as fast as some of its competitors. It's just 3% behind the XPS 13, but 14% behind the ThinkPad X1 Nano and 26% behind the MacBook Pro.

Photo editing, graphic design, or even light video editing shouldn't be a problem. Just don't expect the Razer Book 13 to encode 4K video as fast as larger laptops.

Intel's built-in Iris Xe graphics are also included, which can run some light games in 1080p, provided you turn the graphics settings down a bit. I tested Civilization VI at 1080p with settings on Medium and the Razer Book 13 averaged just 37 frames per second. When I say this really isn't a gaming laptop, I mean it.

For more gaming capabilities, consider upgrading to the Razer Blade Stealth, which packs a discrete GTX 1650 into a similarly sized laptop.

Battery life

The Razer Book 13 really only has one major flaw: battery life. This is a step behind the leading battery life providers like the Asus ZenBook 14 UX425 or Lenovo Yoga 9i 41. Barely worth mentioning, the M1 MacBooks blow all of these laptops out of the water in terms of battery life.

The Razer Book 13 only lasted a little over eight hours with light web browsing. Again, this is not a terrible result, but it is far from being a leader as it is in many other aspects.

The video playback score was also a little worrying and lasted just over 10½ hours. Battery life has always been an issue with the Razer Blade Stealth, and while Book 13 does better, it's still not quite what I'd like to see.

You can make it through most of the working day without having to plug it in. However, with the M1 MacBooks reducing battery life, Windows laptops are struggling more than ever.

Our opinion

The Razer Book 13 gets almost everything right. Among first-class laptops like the Dell XPS 13 and the HP Specter x360 13, the Razer Book 13 is well suited due to its quality and performance. The limited (and expensive) configurations are really the only weakness.

Are there alternatives?

The clearest competitor is the Dell XPS 13. The XPS 13 is $ 400 cheaper, although it has a more colorful screen. The HP Specter x360 13 is available even cheaper.

And let's not forget, the more powerful MacBook Pro M1 is just $ 100 more expensive, with a higher resolution screen, more power, and longer battery life.

How long it will take?

The Razer Book 13 should last at least four or five years. It is equipped with the latest components and has the right port technology. Razer laptops come with a standard one-year warranty.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Dell XPS 13 and MacBook Pro 13-inch are slightly stronger options, but the Razer's unique aesthetics and well-rounded port selection are enough to make it stand out.

Editor's recommendations




09 Feb
Blog

How To Get Soft Lips: The Key To A Perfect Pout

Have you ever wondered how to get soft lips? One of the hallmarks of effortless beauty is a plump, kissable pout. However, aside from a pop of color or a touch of shine, we often forget to give our lips the proper care they deserve before we run out the door. Dermatologist Bruce Bart, M.D., tells SHAPE Magazine that our lips are sensitive to moisture: “When exposed to moisture, they absorb water and fill up. When they're dehydrated, they dry up and shrink. "

If you flinch at the thought of cracked and shriveled lips, you are not alone. Looking for tips for soft lips? Here's how to remove chapped lips once and for all, from exfoliating to lip moisturizing products.

How to make your lips soft and supple

Whether you're on a romantic date or just determined to mend those dry, cracked lips, we'll show you how to gift them with luxurious ingredients for a smooth texture.

Remove excess dead skin on the lips

Exfoliating your lips is an effective way to get rid of dead skin cells and dry skin, which can make your lips look dull. Our Citrus Enzyme Lip Exfoliator is the first step in the Lip Trio Kit designed to fill and nourish your lips. It contains citrus and pineapple extracts to improve the appearance of dryness and the appearance of fine lip lines. Potent pulp contains bioflavonoids and vitamins to help improve the appearance of parched lips so they're smooth and ready for the next step in your lip care routine.

Lip care is important: hydrate with a lip mask

Try the deeply moisturizing skin after removing the dry skin Lip Comfort Plumping Masque with rich shea butter and avocado oil. This beaten dream merges with lips and lip contour areas for maximum softness while natural peptides add fullness.

Woman checking her skin in the mirror

Moisten your lips

Unlike the rest of the body, the skin on your lips lacks oil glands, making them more prone to dryness and peeling. While healthy, well-hydrated lips look moist and pink, dermatologist Dr. Jessie Cheung tells Hustle and bustle These unhealthy lips are "dry, cracked, and the surrounding skin is often wrinkled, red, or irritated."

To perfectly moisturize your lips, we recommend moisturizing with ours Rose Hip & Lemongrass Lip Balm SPF 15 all day. However, proper lip care doesn't end when it's time for bed. To avoid transepidermal water loss during sleep, we recommend applying our Citrus Lip Balm before your head hits the pillow. This Harper & # 39; s Bazaar favorite uses cooling peppermint, shea butter, and sunflower oil to smooth out the roughness and add maximum moisture to your lips.

Lip care throughout the day

It's easy to neglect your lips during your busy day, but if your first instinct is to reach for your trusted chapstick, you may want to think twice. The petroleum found in most chapsticks does not moisturize the skin and instead creates a barrier that prevents valuable moisture from reaching our lips.

Like your favorite chapstick Rose hip and lemongrass lip balm SPF 15 is a handy stick. Unlike traditional balms, however, natural, organic ingredients like moisturizing rosehip oil and extra virgin olive oil are used to keep your lips perfectly hydrated throughout the day. For an easy transition from day to night or to prepare your lips for a special event, slip Eminence Organics Citrus Lip Balm in your purse to give your lips a sexy, satin sheen.

How do I get soft lips? Keep the skin protected from the sun

Sun protection is the best prevention for Wrinkles and fine lines around the mouth and help maintain the health of our skin anywhere on our body. Sun exposure and air pollution can destroy our complexion, especially the delicate skin around the lips. Our lips are lacking melanin, making them more prone to sunburn, and they're often exposed to the elements, making them quickly take on the visible signs of aging caused by dryness.

Protect your lips from that Sunbeams with Rose Hip and Lemongrass Lip Balm SPF 15. The zinc oxide in this moisturizing lip balm stick protects against the damaging effects of UVA and UVB exposure, keeping your lips moist and protected. If you're already fighting the aging caused by sun exposure, apply our Citrus Lip Balm to minimize the visible signs. The natural peptides in this luxurious balm remove the look of fine lines and plump, drained lips for a luscious and youthful look.

Complete the routine with a lip care product like this Cinnamon Lip Plumper promotes the immediate appearance of fuller lips. It is a natural replenishment that moisturizes the lips and makes them appear visibly full. What is not to love

Invest in a humidifier

Finally, make sure your lips stay hydrated by keeping your surroundings moist. Having a humidifier in your bedroom while you sleep is an easy way to keep your skin hydrated overnight. If you suffer from dry skin in general, this little invention can make a big difference.

Which Eminence Organics lip care product is your favorite? Tell us about it in the comments below! And passed out on ours curated selection of Valentine's Day favorites, perfect for smooth and glowing skin.

Product selection

Rose Ship & Lemongrass Lip Balm SPF 15

Rose Hip & Lemongrass Lip Balm SPF 15

VIEW PRODUCT

Citrus Lip Balm

Citrus Lip Balm

VIEW PRODUCT

This post was originally published in April 2017 and has been updated for accuracy and completeness.

04 Jan
Blog

LG 27GN850 Review: The Perfect 4K Gaming Monitor?

LG 27gn950 Monitor Review dsc02946

"The LG 27GN950 is a 4K gaming monitor designed for the next generation of PC graphics."

  • Extremely good image quality

  • Excellent fast gaming performance

  • Intuitive, sharp and responsive OSD

  • Classy appearance

  • Easy access to I / O

  • No HDMI 2.1

  • Inconspicuous stand

If you're one of the lucky few who managed to get your hands on one of the latest graphics cards, you need a 4K gaming monitor to go with it too.

But even the best monitors have a hard time delivering both great image quality and a high refresh rate. LG's new 4K gaming monitor the 27GN950 claims to do just that. With nano IPS screen technology, it may be as close to perfection as possible without jumping all the way to an OLED TV.

design

As a 27-inch monitor, the first thing you notice about the 27GN950 is that it is not very large. Among the massive ultrawide monitors and 32-inch 4K giants, this 27-inch panel is a breath of fresh air as the focus is exclusively on a razor-sharp image.

The bezels around the panel are hair thin, with the lower one being slightly thicker than the others. There is no LG logo on the front of the panel. Without a curve, it looks surprisingly elegant – if you leave out the somewhat garish stand.

Looking at the back of the monitor, you'll find that the display case isn't made out of the fancyest materials. It's just cheap, scratchy plastics. Fortunately, it's in the back so it won't hit you too often.

Around the bracket and the entry / exit island there is a large RGB ring that lights up with the monitor and can adapt its colors to the colors displayed. This is a good party trick to add immersion despite the modest panel size.

Then there's the stand of the display, which I'm not a fan of. The adjustment mechanism has all the necessary settings for height, tilt and rotation. But with a panel that looks so elegant, I find that the stand itself is designed a little too aggressively. It's like a throwback to an older generation of gaming equipment, but I'm not nostalgic.

The front feet are strangely connected to the main pillar, and I wish LG had turned off the logo for a cleaner aesthetic. However, if you're a minimalist like me I would drop the stand and use a monitor arm. There are VESA 100 mounting holes to aid in this.

Connections and controls

If you're a pure PC gamer, the 27GN950's rear input / output panel is a good choice. It comes with a DisplayPort 1.4a connector that supports DSC (Display Stream Compression) to provide full 4K, 160Hz, 4: 4: 4 RGB support when using an RTX 20 GPU or later.

If you're someone who has a console in addition to your PC to get access to Sony's exclusive products, you may feel a little disappointed for one simple reason: the lack of HDMI 2.1. In fact, given the promising 4K gameplay from the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X over HDMI 2.1, it seems a little strange that LG chose to only install an HDMI 2.0 controller, even though most of its latest TVs support HDMI 2.1 . This means that the maximum refresh rate supported by the 27GN950 through the HDMI ports is only 60 Hz. There are at least two HDMI ports here, so you can hook up two consoles if you're okay with the refresh rate being compromised.

There is also a USB hub with two ports and a headphone jack. The monitor is powered by an external 110 watt power supply module that is thin and easy to hide under your desk.

Having instant access to brightness controls is extremely valuable.

The OSD (On-Screen Display) control panel from LG is in a league of its own. The user interface is controlled by a single directional switch at the bottom of the display and is extremely clear, responsive and easy to navigate. To control the brightness of the display, simply press the switch forwards or backwards to jump directly into the brightness controls. To adjust the volume of the headphones, simply switch left or right to decrease or increase the volume.

The OSD is also easy to navigate. It has five main sub-menus including Game Mode with some presets and Game Customization with advanced options like Adaptive-Sync, a black stabilizer to improve detail in the dark, and a deceptive crosshair. The Image Adjustment menu provides options for adjusting the settings for brightness, contrast, sharpness, and color. Finally, there is a submenu for inputs and a submenu called General System.

The only complaint I have about the OSD is that it doesn't seem to render in high resolution. The 4K panel can display extremely sharp and razor-sharp images. So it's a little weird that the OSD is rendering a bit fuzzy even though you don't spend much time here anyway and it's still better than most of the others.

picture quality

LG's Nano IPS-based gaming monitors are characterized by high image quality, and the 27GN950 is no exception. The company promises that the 27GN950 will cover 98% of the DCI-P3 space, and while our device didn't quite hit that number, it wasn't far off with a tested value of 96%. Our sample included 100% of the sRGB space and 88% of the AdobeRGB.

We also tested the monitor's color accuracy, which resulted in an average Delta-E (difference from real) of just 0.69. Keep in mind that anything below a Delta-E of 2 is generally considered good enough for professional work, and you'll probably agree that the 27GN950 is great for creative graphics work, which we don't often see on gaming monitors see.

However, where the display gets stuck is the contrast performance. The fast Nano IPS panel is ideal for fast reactions, high frame rates, a wide range of colors and precise colors. However, one of the weaknesses of IPS is its poor contrast performance. Our sample achieved a value of 980: 1 at full brightness, which is pretty much the promised 1000: 1 ratio on the data sheet. If you like to play games at night and don't need the wide color gamut and color accuracy, you might opt ​​for a cheaper VA panel.

The 27GN950 is great for graphic work – something we don't see often on gaming monitors.

The maximum brightness we achieved with the 27GN950 was 462 nits, which is more than adequate for most use cases including brightly lit rooms and is more than promised on the spec sheet. Gamma performance was perfect right away too, and the 6900K white point is pretty close to the 6500K target, although this can be easily corrected with OSD settings or calibration.

After calibrating the monitor, I was able to pull out 1% more DCI-P3 cover, correct the white point and increase the color accuracy from 0.69 to just 0.63. While these are improvements, it's safe to say that calibrating the 27GN950 is of little use and that most users won't have to worry about it.

Gaming performance

When it comes to gaming on the LG 27GN950, there is one thing you need to consider before you take the plunge: this display requires a ton of GPU power if you're running modern titles at the full 4K resolution and want to take advantage of the high refresh rate.

This isn't that big of an issue with older games, but today's AAA titles, especially those with ray tracing, will be tough to push. You need at least a GeForce RTX 3070 or Radeon RX 6800 XT if you want smooth performance. Even with these cards, you won't get near the high end of the panel's 144Hz refresh rate when you run the games at maximum settings.

However, this is not a fault of the monitor. When it comes to panel performance, the 27GN950 puts on an impressive show. The Nano IPS control panel reacts extremely quickly and can easily be overclocked to 160 Hz after updating the firmware of the display with just one push of a button. The stuttering and tearing is dealt with by the compatibility of FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync, and the display has low frame rate compensation for the inevitable drops in modern titles.

In contrast to VA panels, the Nano IPS panel does not smear here.

The smaller 27-inch form factor is also good for competitive gameplay because you can keep an eye on the entire game. It's also a great monitor for those who want to get up close and personal during intense gaming thanks to the sharp image.

In contrast to VA panels, the Nano IPS panel does not smear here either. High refresh rate budget monitors often come with VA panels. Although they offer better contrast ratios, they can lead to noticeable color smudging, especially in dark scenes. The 27GN950 has no such error.

What is special about the 27GN950, however, is the combination of this outstanding gaming performance with the sharpness of 4K and the extremely wide range of colors offered by the 96% DCI-P3 coverage.

I've played a fair amount of Horizon Zero Dawn on this panel, and this game makes great use of its wide range. The way it portrays the colors of the sun, the intense red sunsets, the vibrant green for the foliage and the deep blue for the water, along with the sharp image … it was something to see.

The downside is that it's not as impressive as the LG 34GN850 Curved Ultrawide with the same nano-IPS technology, but not everyone wants a huge ultrawide monitor on their desk.

What to Expect from the HDR600

The 27GN950 is also supported by HDR600, which means it can produce a peak brightness of up to 600 nits with just one of the HDR zones. It comes with 16 edge-lit dimming zones, which is fine but not great. It is certainly not an OLED panel, and VA panels are usually better able to produce deep black levels.

Of course, if you want a true HDR experience on a gaming monitor, you'll have to find one with FALD (Full Array Local Dimming) lighting, but this LED arrangement behind the panel instead of edge lighting costs a lot of money. Think two big amounts of money.

Personally, I prefer to play with HDR turned off. It's nice to play around with what the 27GN950 can offer, but the cleanest picture is produced with the picture off. Also, Windows looks very hidden with HDR turned on, and you need to enable it in Windows in order to enable it in your game settings.

Our opinion

If you are looking for a 4K monitor for gaming and creative work in the market, the LG 27GN950 is as good as your only option right now. If it offers a responsive panel with a refresh rate of up to 160 Hz, while maintaining a large color gamut and extremely good color accuracy that we don't see often. It is also one of the first 4K gaming monitors to use DSC.

The main drawbacks are the contrast performance, a nondescript booth, and the distinct lack of HDMI 2.1, which is an odd omission considering that LG has been using it on its OLED TVs since 2019, and next-gen consoles don't have enough bandwidth to run high To achieve frame rates.

Are there alternatives?

Currently the only two alternatives are the Asus XG27UQ and the Acer Nitro XV273K, both of which are a bit cheaper. They're not overclockable to 160Hz, but limited to 144Hz, and their overall look is a little stickier. Aside from the stand, the LG 27GN950 looks simple, clean, and refined.

How long it will take?

Although the low contrast ratio of IPS technology is showing its age, the 4K 160 Hz panel means this monitor should last a while as it will be a few more years before GPUs can reach their refresh rate.

The monitor should last as long as most monitors: at least 5 years. However, LG only offers a 1 year guarantee.

Should I buy it?

Yes, if you need a monitor for work and play and it has to be 4K, the LG 27GN950 is a great option.

Editor's recommendations




123