01 Apr
Blog

Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 Review: Within Radar Range

Doorbell video doorbell guide

Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2

"Ring best rang the doorbell and added a bump to the key specs. Then there was radar! "

  • High resolution

  • High quality video day and night

  • User-friendly installation

  • Radar detection

Ring's latest video doorbell builds on previous successes and adds a new dimension to its bag of tricks: radar, which currently seems to be all the rage in the smart home industry. Ring hopes that with the addition of radar, motion tracking will be even more accurate and gaming more fun. It's a nice demonstration for sure, but how useful is it? I wanted to find out.

When you compare the Ring Video Doorbell Pro to the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2, there are few physical differences. They basically look the same. While the horizontal field of view is slightly limited on this newer generation (150 degrees out of 160 degrees), you get a much wider vertical field of view (150 degrees out of 90 degrees). You also get what Ring calls "3D motion detection," which I'll get into in a moment. Ring also increased the resolution of his camera to 1536p HD video. In short, Ring has selected an already outstanding performer and improved it with a new technology. So let's look at how "amplified" it is.

Minor upgrades

But first we should look at the doorbell as a whole. At first glance, most of the upgrades you'll get from the previous generation Ring Video Doorbell Pro are minor. You get more resolution and more field of view, but there isn't much beyond that. That's just because the Ring Doorbell Pro already sets a very high bar. It's not surprising that Ring built radar into this generation as anything else would be hard to top.

Ring video doorbell guide image

The Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 still gives you an immersive installation experience with voice prompts as opposed to cryptic beeps or messages displayed on your phone. You get the great experience with the Ring software including the Neighbors app, the cameras provide great clarity during the day and night, and the reduced horizontal field of view is not that much reduced so you can still see everything outside your door.

The video quality is still pretty clear. This generation increased the resolution to 1536p, which is the highest ever. During the day, the videos are crisp and hardly have a fish-eye effect at the edges. Color rendering is good if a touch on the cool side. The picture is very balanced even in bright sunshine. At night, the camera is able to generate colors in poor lighting conditions that switch to IR if necessary. In short, the camera is very good.

Alexa as a concierge

One feature that isn't new to the Ring Video Doorbell Pro range (but was new to me) was using Alexa to open the door. When someone rings your doorbell, Alexa can enter after a set time and greet your visitor for you. Alexa is quite limited in this capacity; You can choose from a number of pre-selected messages. For example, Alexa can instruct a parcel handler where to leave the delivery, or she can ask your neighbor to leave a message.

I would have liked a little more artificial intelligence (A.I.) to be involved here. Stir in facial recognition and parcel recognition and you can get yourself a nice virtual butler on your doorstep. As much as Amazon wants to bring Alexa to any device under the sun, I would expect Alexa to be a little smarter here.

You don't even need Alexa to say, "Please leave the package at the door." It's just a recorded message. In fact, I'd argue that recording a message that says, "I can't get to the door, but can you leave the package in the garage" is more secure than a generic Alexa message. I think after all this time I just want Alexa to be a lot smarter.

Your front door in 3D

One of the highlights of the latest generation of doorbells from Amazon is the so-called "3D motion detection". It uses radar built into the doorbell to let you know where the action you see on your video feed is actually taking place. If you watch the live feed or a replay of a previous event, you will see a bird's eye view of your home (read: satellite view) with dots on the map showing where the action took place. Amazon claims it can detect movement up to 30 feet. I clocked it closer to 20, but that's still pretty impressive. In some cases, the radar detected my dog ​​before she jumped onto the quarterdeck and could be seen clearly. Rings radar knew something was back there.

It works like this: While your subject is moving in the frame, a trace of dots is displayed on the small map in the corner of the image. The map can be moved, but its size cannot be changed. This does not necessarily have to be the case, since the card only serves to provide the context for the image moving on the screen. The dots disappear as your subject moves, giving you a sense of movement and direction. It is really very chic.

The key value here is frankly lost to me as I have a pretty good sense of direction and depth. If I watch a video of someone walking around my front yard, I can tell exactly where they are. This is not the case with all. Not everyone is wired to look at a 2D image and find out exactly where something is going on. The bird's eye view and a series of points showing where movement is taking place give the viewer much more context as to where the action is taking place.

This is one of the top three doorbells you can buy right now.

How useful this is ultimately depends on the user. It sure is a nice addition. But is it worth an extra $ 100? I'm not sure. I know exactly what Ring is doing here, and it can be interesting. However, I don't consider it a flagship nor a reason to upgrade from an earlier generation doorbell.

Our opinion

Overall, this is the best video doorbell Ring has made. It's a bit pricey at $ 250, and as I said in my review on the Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell, video doorbell prices have been going down lately. That doorbell flies in the face of that. The main reason for purchasing this doorbell over the original Ring Video Doorbell Pro is its radar capability. While this does add some feature and context to your video, it's hard to say that it definitely adds value to the doorbell, let alone worth more than $ 100.

Fortunately, that's not all the new doorbell adds. You also get degradation in video resolution and field of view. When you put all of this together, it will be easier to see where your money is going. Ring already had one of the best video doorbells out there, and adding it makes everything even better. It's not enough to upgrade from the original Pro to the new one. However, if you are looking for a new video doorbell in the market, this is one you should consider.

Is there a better alternative?

There is no better doorbell that uses radar technology because there is no other doorbell. The Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro gives you a better field of view and the last generation Ring Video Doorbell Pro gives you better value for money when the radar isn't exciting for you. The Arlo Essential doorbell gives you a similar software experience, but it lacks the Neighbors app. Put it all together and this is one of the top three doorbells you can buy right now in terms of the total package.

How long it will take?

The construction of the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 is very robust. It is similar to previous generations and has the same operating temperature range and limited warranty. I wouldn't worry how that doorbell is going to hold. It will surely take you a while.

Should I buy it?

Yes. This is one of the best video doorbells you can buy today. They are expensive but cheaper alternatives that you may or may not be okay with. If you already have a bell, you probably don't need to upgrade to this one. If you want to save a few dollars, use the original Ring Video Doorbell Pro. Otherwise, this should be at the top of your list.

Editor's recommendations




03 Oct
Blog

The most effective range of Lat workouts to try out right away

Lat workouts are an excellent medium to promote flexibility, good posture and stability in the body. They're also helpful for building strength and improving muscle growth. Because training the lats opens doors to so many benefits, it will help you improve your fitness game.

If you want to improve your health and fitness game, these exercises can be your ultimate savior today. Let's take a look at the first-class range of Lat workouts this will help you get fit right away!

Why the best lat workout is the need of the hour?

Lats are the widest muscles in the human body responsible for useful weight lifting. Strong lats help prevent injuries in the body and promote good physique. Because they're connected to the ribs, spine, and shoulder blade, lats require enough grooming to maintain upper body fitness.

The lats are also a pulling muscle. All pulling movements of the upper body that occur are due to this muscle. Therefore, it is important to properly train the lats so that they can perform all of these functions freely. Lat workouts at home are also encouraged to this end.

Start your fitness game with the best lat workouts

Lat workouts increase the performance of the lats and make them stronger. This allows the lats to function faster and avoid injuries that are harmful to health. That's how we organized some incredible ones Lat workouts at home that you can perform without any problems.

1. Squats

Squats are undoubtedly exercises that improve the function of lats. Since the lats are also responsible for stabilizing the squats, performing the workout is vital. Lats also help in maintaining a strong spine. To find out, squats are very useful. Since squats require minimal equipment, such as Lat workouts at home are ideal for you. We recommend that you squat from the beginning to avoid complications. Once you've done this, you can move on to a more developed level of squats.

How To Do It – For starters, contract your abs like someone is punching you. This will help you do the workout correctly. Look into the horizon and stand up straight. When you start to squat, sit back and don't bend your knees. Move your bum back as you descend. At this point, feel the weight shift away from your heels. Try to press your heels slightly outward as you descend. Your kneecap should be pointing in the same direction as your toes. Do not bend your back as this can lead to a back injury. Keep your spine neutral while exercising. Now open your chest and relax your shoulders. Put your hands straight out. Keep your heels on the floor. Push off your heels as you crouch down. Do such best lat workouts regularly to improve your lat performance.

2. Pull-ups

Pull-ups are a great exercise for building better lats. Because pull-ups also strengthen the spine and help maintain good posture, they are critical to fitness. One helpful pull-up session is enough to build a solid back. It is ideal to do the pull-ups 2 to 3 times a week. Such Lat workouts for the crowd should be practiced according to the prescribed instructions. How To Do It – Hold the bar properly with both hands. Make sure you hold it shoulder width apart. Your palms should be facing you. Hang with your arms and elbows fully locked. Pull yourself up and chin over the bar. At this point, keep your body taut, your spine straight, and your shoulders away from your ears. No idea. Slowly lower yourself and pull yourself up again. Practice such Lat workouts at home regularly.

3rd row of seats, single arm

Single row arm in seated row has always worked wonders for people who wanted strong lats. This exercise is similar to a row of dumbbells, but is only performed in a sitting position. At least four sets and 8 to 10 repetitions of this exercise can help you improve your lats dramatically. All you have to do is follow the directions and do what they say. Don't forget to get your hands on a cord for this one. How to do it – First, sit on the bench and bend your knees slightly. Your back should be straight and your shoulders pulled back. Now, straighten your shoulders to pull the cable near your armpit. Do this gradually to avoid injury. Once that's done, bring your arm back to the starting position by sliding the cable back where it was. Do not round your shoulders. Repeat such Lat workouts for the crowd regularly.

4. Deadlift

Deadlifts are the holy grail of all high-intensity workouts and the best way to get your lats right. Such Lat workouts at home can help exercise the glutes properly and improve your lifting skills. However, we only recommend trying the deadlift if you have the experience of working out thoroughly. If you are a beginner do not try this as it could result in serious injury. How To Do It – Stand with your metatarsus under a barbell. Bend over and hold it tightly in your hands. Bend your knees until your shins make contact with the bar. Lift your chest and straighten your lower back. Inhale and hold it. Stand up with the weight for a second, then gradually return to your starting position.

FAQ

1. Is the bench press a helpful form of Lat workouts for the crowd?

Yes. You can perform bench press for Lat workouts for the crowd.

2. Are these exercises helpful?

Yes. All of the exercises we have listed for you above are useful for working out the lats.

3. Which lines are best for lat workouts? An arm row, barbell, and dumbbell row are some of the best rows for lat workouts.

Take that away

To run these lat workouts to gain the desired body of your dreams. We wish you the best of luck with it!

01 Sep
Blog

Is There a Magical Rep Range for Hypertrophy?

Most people are familiar with the relationship between rep ranges and the targeted effects they have on the body during strength training. The heaviest load that can be lifted at a given weight correlates with the maximum forceWhile anything you can do over 20 times or more clearly means muscle endurance.

However, somewhere between these two ends of the spectrum lies muscle hypertrophy. Some coaches and coaches claim that ten reps is the magic number, while others believe a range of 8-12 is more accurate. So what is it Will I grow a huge biceps if I do 4 sets of 8 or 3 sets of 12?

In all honesty, it doesn't matter, there is no magic window and the answer is more complicated than you think.

How do you gain muscle?

While you may be scratching your head and wondering why rep ranges aren't as important to building muscle as you previously thought, it's important to understand how muscle hypertrophy occurs in the first place.

There are three ways in which one can improve muscle protein synthesis via the mTOR pathway, which results in increased muscle cross-sectional area

  1. The first path is through increased muscle tension created by using a heavy load while performing an exercise over the entire range of motion. As a muscle spends more time under a certain weight, and then the load increases, the time under tension (TUT) increases. 2 By using slower paces, rest periods, and increased weight, the TUT can be increased dramatically for a given exercise.
  2. The second method of increasing muscle hypertrophy is through muscle damage, most of which is associated with severe pain or delayed muscle soreness (DOMS) that is felt several days after a hard workout
    This pain occurs due to small microcracks in the muscle fibers themselves, especially with eccentric and concentric muscle contractions. If enough time is given for recovery and proper nutrition, The muscle fibers repair themselves and allow one to handle a slightly more significant stimulus next time.
  3. The third method by which muscle hypertrophy occurs is through metabolic stress. This strain is often associated with the use of lighter weights for a higher range of reps, and is associated with the burning sensation felt when lifting.2
    As the muscles contract and relax continuously, blood buildup and muscle cell swelling occurs.1 This metabolic stress restricts blood flow and ultimately induces muscle hypoxia, which in turn enables metabolites such as lactate and hydrogen ions to build up. These metabolites induce an anabolic effect that leads to molecular cell signals for increased hormonal responses in the body.

Each of these three methods play against each other and should be used in a complementary manner in order to achieve the best possible training results.

What matters

Understanding what drives muscle hypertrophy from a physiological perspective easily explains why subscribing to any rep range is not optimal for exercise.

By manipulating the three aforementioned variables, the volume load you exercise with can be controlled. This is possibly one of the most important considerations when looking for muscle hypertrophy.

Volume load is a simple formula that you can calculate as:

Sets x repetitions x loading = volume loading

Increasing the volume exposure through a properly periodized program will ensure that the body is stimulated more and ultimately it adapts.

For example, take the aforementioned number of reps / sets of 4 x 8 or 3 x 12. If I were to lift 4 sets x 8 reps x 100 lbs, that would be 3,200 lbs versus 3 sets x 12 reps x 100 lbs 3,600 lbs .

My 3×12 would probably give more significant results if all things were the same like Tempo and TUT because it's a bigger stimulus.

Now imagine if I did 4 sets x 8 reps x 150 lbs = 4,800 lbs, versus 3 sets x 12 reps x 120 lbs = 4,320 lbs. In theory, my 4 x 8 would be better for muscle hypertrophy.

You can see that the rep range is just one factor in the equationThis means that increased volume load can be achieved in a number of ways without actually having a magical repetition area.

What is interesting, however, is that anywhere in the range of 8 to 12 reps still seems optimal for inducing muscle hypertrophy because it finds a balance between moderate weight and a reasonably high rep range

Trying to do 50 reps with 10 lbs will only result in a volume load of 500 lbs, while 5 reps with 100 lbs can get the same result in less time.

Conversely, it would take 10 sets of 1 repetition at 300 pounds to reach 3,000 pounds.

In contrast, 3 sets of 10 reps at 100 lbs would equate to the same volume load, although a much longer rest period between sets would be required for each set of 300 lbs.

However, keep in mind that this is related to muscle hypertrophy. Volume loading is required for muscle strength, but it doesn't play nearly the same role as it does for muscle building.

Plus, there's only so much volume that you can process before insufficient recovery. That's another article for another day.

All in all, I hope you have a better understanding of how muscle hypertrophy occurs and how to manipulate your workouts. You can't get stuck in a dogmatic routine after doing an arbitrary number of repetitions just because you always thought it was best.

Doing a little research and looking for deeper answers is essential if you really want to understand how training works. Thanks for reading, as always.

References

1. J. Jones E., Bishop P, K. Woods A., and Green J. "Cross-sectional area and muscle strength: a brief review." Sports Medicine (Auckland, NZ) 38: 987-8. 994, 2008.

2. Hornsby WG, Gentles JA, Haff GG, Stone MH, Buckner SL, Dankel SJ, Bell ZW, Abe T and Loenneke JP. "How does muscle hypertrophy affect strength and athletic performance?" Strength & Conditioning Journal 40: 99-111, 2018.

3. Loenneke J. P., S. Dankel, Z. Bell, S. Buckner, K. Mattocks, M. Jessee, and T. Abe. "Is Muscle Growth a Mechanism for Increasing Strength?" Medical Hypotheses 125, 2019.

31 Aug
Blog

Is There a Magical Rep Range for Hypertrophy?

Most people are familiar with the relationship between rep ranges and the targeted effects they have on the body during strength training. The heaviest load that can be lifted at a given weight correlates with the maximum forceWhile anything you can do over 20 times or more clearly means muscle endurance.

However, somewhere between these two ends of the spectrum lies muscle hypertrophy. Some coaches and coaches claim that ten reps is the magic number, while others believe a range of 8-12 is more accurate. So what is it Will I grow a huge biceps if I do 4 sets of 8 or 3 sets of 12?

In all honesty, it doesn't matter, there is no magic window and the answer is more complicated than you think.

How do you gain muscle?

While you may be scratching your head and wondering why rep ranges aren't as important to building muscle as you previously thought, it's important to understand how muscle hypertrophy occurs in the first place.

There are three ways in which one can improve muscle protein synthesis via the mTOR pathway, which results in increased muscle cross-sectional area

  1. The first path is through increased muscle tension created by using a heavy load while performing an exercise over the entire range of motion. As a muscle spends more time under a certain weight, and then the load increases, the time under tension (TUT) increases. 2 By using slower paces, rest periods, and increased weight, the TUT can be increased dramatically for a given exercise.
  2. The second method of increasing muscle hypertrophy is through muscle damage, most often associated with severe pain or delayed muscle soreness (DOMS) that is felt several days after a tough workout.2 This pain is due to small microcracks in the muscle itself, particularly on the fibers for eccentric and concentric muscle contractions. If enough time is given for recovery and proper nutrition, The muscle fibers repair themselves and allow one to handle a slightly more significant stimulus next time.
  3. The third method by which muscle hypertrophy occurs is through metabolic stress. This strain is often associated with the use of lighter weights for a higher range of reps, and is associated with the burning sensation felt when lifting.2 As the muscles contract and relax continuously, blood build-up and swelling of the muscle cells occur. 1 This metabolic stress restricts blood flow and ultimately induces muscle hypoxia, which in turn enables metabolites such as lactate and hydrogen ions to be built up. These metabolites induce an anabolic effect that leads to molecular cell signals for increased hormonal responses in the body.

Each of these three methods play against each other and should be used in a complementary manner in order to achieve the best possible training results.

What matters

Understanding what drives muscle hypertrophy from a physiological perspective easily explains why subscribing to any rep range is not optimal for exercise.

By manipulating the three aforementioned variables, the volume load you exercise with can be controlled. This is possibly one of the most important considerations when looking for muscle hypertrophy.

Volume load is a simple formula that you can calculate as:

Sets x repetitions x loading = volume loading

Increasing the volume exposure through a properly periodized program will ensure that the body is stimulated more and ultimately it adapts.

For example, take the aforementioned number of reps / sets of 4 x 8 or 3 x 12. If I were to lift 4 sets x 8 reps x 100 lbs, that would be 3,200 lbs versus 3 sets x 12 reps x 100 lbs 3,600 lbs .

My 3×12 would probably give more significant results if all things were the same like Tempo and TUT because it's a bigger stimulus.

Now imagine if I did 4 sets x 8 reps x 150 lbs = 4,800 lbs, versus 3 sets x 12 reps x 120 lbs = 4,320 lbs. In theory, my 4 x 8 would be better for muscle hypertrophy.

You can see that the rep range is just one factor in the equationThis means that increased volume load can be achieved in a number of ways without actually having a magical repetition area.

What is interesting, however, is that anywhere in the range of 8 to 12 reps still seems optimal for inducing muscle hypertrophy because it finds a balance between moderate weight and a reasonably high rep range

Trying to do 50 reps at 10 lbs will only result in a volume load of 500 lbs, while 5 reps at 100 lbs can get the same result in less time.

Conversely, it would take 10 sets of 1 repetition at 300 pounds to reach 3,000 pounds.

In contrast, 3 sets of 10 reps at 100 lbs would equate to the same volume load, although a much longer rest period between sets would be required for each set of 300 lbs.

However, keep in mind that this is related to muscle hypertrophy. Volume loading is required for muscle strength, but it doesn't play nearly the same role as it does for muscle building.

Plus, there's only so much volume that you can process before insufficient recovery. That's another article for another day.

All in all, I hope you have a better understanding of how muscle hypertrophy occurs and how to manipulate your workouts. You can't get stuck in a dogmatic routine after doing an arbitrary number of repetitions just because you always thought it was best.

Doing a little research and looking for deeper answers is essential if you really want to understand how training works. Thanks for reading, as always.

References

1. J. Jones E., Bishop P, K. Woods A., and Green J. "Cross-sectional area and muscle strength: a brief review." Sports Medicine (Auckland, NZ) 38: 987-8. 994, 2008.

2. Hornsby WG, Gentles JA, Haff GG, Stone MH, Buckner SL, Dankel SJ, Bell ZW, Abe T and Loenneke JP. "How does muscle hypertrophy affect strength and athletic performance?" Strength & Conditioning Journal 40: 99- 111, 2018.

3. Loenneke J. P., S. Dankel, Z. Bell, S. Buckner, K. Mattocks, M. Jessee, and T. Abe. "Is Muscle Growth a Mechanism for Increasing Strength?" Medical Hypotheses 125, 2019.

26 Jun
Blog

2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar Review: V8 Muscle

2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar SV autobiography dynamic edition

2020 Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition Test: V8 performance

"A supercharged V8 engine gives the Range Rover Velar a performance that matches its looks."

  • V8 muscle

  • Impressive handling

  • Well equipped cabin

  • Comfortable ride

  • Tech needs to be refined

  • Sunglasses are required for the interior

Land Rover started making glorified agricultural equipment, but today the British company is synonymous with luxury. Like their ancestors, today's Land Rovers have impressive off-road capabilities, but are also good for suburbs. The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition embodies this transformation.

This name requires a lot of unpacking. The Velar was introduced for the 2018 model year and is part of Land Rover's efforts to transform the legendary Range Rover into a model family. The Velar is slimmer and more car-like than the original Range Rover, which remains the brand's flagship. And the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition is a one-year special edition that contains a turbocharged V8 instead of the usual V6 engine.

The Velar was already the most technically heavy Land Rover SUV, but the V8 gives his CV more power. However, this additional ability comes at a price. The SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition costs from $ 91,775 – a whopping $ 34,550 more than a basic Velar.

Design and interior

The Velar (the name refers to the first Range Rover prototypes from 1969) reaches the limits of Land Rover design. It dispenses with traditional SUV boxiness and ensures a slimmer appearance. The steeply sloping windshield and the low roof give the Velar a completely different silhouette than the original Range Rover and the smaller Range Rover Sport. Short overhangs ensure a sporty appearance and ensure that the body does not get caught on obstacles in the field.

Stephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

The differences between the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition and the standard Velar are subtle. The Dynamic Edition gets another front bumper with larger cooling outlets that supply air to the V8 engine and brakes, as well as a new rear bumper with four exhaust tips. A shelf under the transmission tunnel helps to improve aerodynamic efficiency.

The interior feels more like the cockpit of a sports car than an SUV. You sit fairly high above the floor, but the dashboard, center console, and door sills rise to wrap you around. While this makes it easier to reach the cup holder or touchscreen, it also creates the worst of both worlds. A big, big vehicle that you can't see anything from.

The interior feels more like the cockpit of a sports car than an SUV.

The quality of the interior material is high, as you would expect from a vehicle that costs so much. The Land Rover contained lots of real metal trimmings, and the quilt pattern stitching on the seats is a nice touch. However, Land Rover also used a lot of piano-black plastic, which easily smeared and scratched and also produced glare in direct sunlight. When the sun is at certain angles, the black and metal cladding of the piano along with the huge screens can blind a driver like paparazzi lightbulbs on the red carpet.

Stephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

The Velar is an intermediary when it comes to size. Land Rover regards the Porsche Macan Turbo as the competition of the Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition. The Velar is much larger than the Macan, but smaller than a Porsche Cayenne – the next size up. The Velar is also larger than a Mercedes-AMG GLC63, but smaller than the SUV's big brother, the GLE.

The Velar has more cargo space than the GLC or Macan, but the Mercedes has more leg room at the front and rear (Porsche does not publish internal dimensions for the Macan). The BMW X3 M has more cargo space than the Land Rover, but only with the rear seats folded down. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio is smaller overall, but offers more headroom than the Velar, just like the X3 M. Subjectively, the back seats of the Velar felt comfortable and spacious, but the front seats felt tight, with limited legroom.

Technology, infotainment and driver assistance

The Velar features the InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment system from Land Rover, which, as the name suggests, has two 10.0-inch touchscreens. The top screen manages phone, navigation and media functions and can be tilted up to 30 degrees for better positioning. (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is a Wi-Fi hotspot that can handle up to eight devices.)

The bottom screen deals with vehicle settings and climate control. It has additional buttons that allow you to change the cabin temperature or switch between different driving modes. The on-screen menus are logically arranged and contain high quality graphics. However, the loading times for both screens were slow, especially immediately after starting the vehicle.

The driver also receives a digital 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a head-up display and capacitive steering wheel controls. These controls work well, but their glossy black plastic surface adds to the glare in the cockpit – something Lincoln could avoid with its reconfigurable steering wheel controls.

A screen has additional buttons with which you can change the cabin temperature or switch between different driving modes.

The 2020 Velar is equipped as standard with autonomous emergency braking, a lane departure warning system and parking aids at the front and rear. Our test car also had an optional adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and a 360-degree camera system. These functions are part of an option package that also increases the speed threshold for autonomous emergency braking.

As with most other luxury cars, it's surprising to see adaptive cruise control as an option when it is standard on some mainstream brand cars like Honda and Toyota. Land Rover also offers nothing more demanding than the simple lane keeping assistant. Other luxury brands (and even some mainstream brands) offer technologies that can actively steer the car to keep it in the lane.

2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar SV autobiography dynamic editionStephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

With the exception of the 360-degree camera system, the driver aids performed well. Poorly chosen camera angles and a confusing user interface didn't make it helpful. The 360-degree view is also not displayed automatically and cannot be activated in certain situations. Such a system can be very helpful in an SUV like the Velar. So it was frustrating that Land Rover's efforts were neglected.

Experience driving

The V8 engine of the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition transforms the Velar. While the Standard Velar is a relaxed and luxurious cruiser, the Dynamic Edition is exciting and dynamic.

The 5.0-liter V8 with compressor is used in numerous Land Rover and sibling Jaguar models. In the Velar, it produces 550 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque. For comparison: the most powerful V6 Velar can only produce 380 hp and 332 lb-ft. Power is transmitted to all four wheels via the same eight-speed automatic transmission that is used in other Velar variants.

Land Rover estimates that it can go from zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, with a top speed of 177 mph. That's good for such a heavy vehicle, but unfortunately for Land Rover there are many high-performance SUVs on offer today. The Velar has much more power than a BMW X3 M Competition, a Mercedes-AMG GLC63 or a Porsche Macan Turbo, but cannot improve its times from zero to 60 mph. After unpacking, the Macan Turbo corresponds to the time of the Velar and, according to Porsche, can reach 4.1 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono Package. BMW cites 4.0 seconds for the X3 M competition, while Mercedes claims that the GLC63 can reach 60 miles an hour in just 3.8 seconds.

The Velar breathed like an angry bear as its engine breathed through a quad exhaust system.

In addition to the V8 swap, Land Rover gave the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition larger brakes, improved all-wheel hardware for additional performance and new tuning for both the all-wheel system and the adaptive air suspension. Despite the relatively limited changes, the Dynamic Edition felt pretty sporty on winding roads. The steering was precise, the body swaying was well controlled, and the larger brakes had a lot of confidence that stimulated the braking force.

The Velar breathed like an angry bear, whose engine breathed through a model-specific quad exhaust system. And like a bear, this Land Rover was surprisingly nimble, even though it was still an animal. If carving in bends is a priority, you're better off with a sports sedan or a sports car, but the Velar copes with bends better than the average SUV.

Stephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

While the focus is on driving on the road, the Velar is also equipped for off-roading. It has a limited slip differential at the rear and Land Rover's Terrain Response system, which can be used to adjust different vehicle settings for different surfaces. The Velar also has an all-terrain progress control that acts like a low-speed cruise control on slippery surfaces.

However, the Velar all-wheel drive system only has a single-speed transfer case and not the two-speed units used in most serious off-roaders. Together with the 21-inch wheels and the low-profile tires of our test car, this means that this SUV is not our first choice when we hit the trails.

Fuel consumption and security

The disadvantage of a V8 is the poor mileage. The SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition is rated 17 mpg (15 mpg city, 20 mpg highway) compared to 20 mpg (18 mpg city, 24 mpg highway) for the most powerful V6 Velar. According to the car's on-board computer, we managed an average of 14.5 mpg over a week's drive.

Crash test assessments by the Road Safety Insurance Institute (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are not available. While the Velar has been on the market for a few years, high-end vehicles like this usually have a low priority for testing because they are sold in small quantities.

Land Rover does not have a reputation for reliability, but the automaker offers a four-year 50,000-mile warranty comparable to other luxury brands, as well as a six-year warranty on corrosion / perforation with unlimited mileage.

How DT would configure this car

Is it better to choose SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition or the Standard Velar? The Dynamic Edition comes with a substantial price premium, but the right one. If you can afford it, the V8 drivetrain adds a sporty character that other Velar models lack.

2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar SV autobiography dynamic editionStephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

This version also offers all driver aids and other functions, some of which are chargeable in other equipment variants. The Dynamic Edition also has a good picture of collectability: Land Rover has no fixed production cap, but a spokesman told Digital Trends that the company expects only 500 of these special editions.

Our opinion

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition proves that the devil is in the details. It's a stylish SUV that combines luxury, performance and technology like no other vehicle. However, a closer look reveals some problems.

Land Rover's InControl TouchPro Duo infotainment system lives up to the promise of a smartphone-like interface, but slow screens dampen the experience. The interior is luxurious, but a lack of front legroom and glare-free trim parts show that it could have used a different pass through customer clinics. The Velar generates impressive performance data, but the BMW X3 M Competition, the Mercedes-AMG GLC63 and the Porsche Macan Turbo are faster. Other Land Rover models are better suited for off-road driving.

However, these shortcomings don't ruin experience. The standard Velar is a solid but luxurious SUV that doesn't really stand out from the many alternatives available. However, the V8 engine of this model turns the SVAutobiogrpahy Dynamic Edition into something very special.

Should you get one?

Yes. Long live the V8.

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