23 Mar
Blog

Sharp Smart Countertop Microwave Review: Do You Need Alexa?

sharp smart countertop microwave alexa lifestyle

Sharp Smart Microwave SMC1139FS

"The voice command is only useful when you are doing the finishing touches."

  • Solid performer

  • Makes great popcorn

  • Slim design

  • Alexa connectivity a hit or miss

The Sharp Smart Microwave is elegant, works well and can take over 70 commands from Alexa. This makes us wonder if all devices need to jump on the voice command cart as our homes get smarter. This isn't the first time we've tested our cooking skills with an attached work tool, but it won't be the last.

A silver lining

As for the microwaves, this sharp model is sharp. The front of the microwave, model SMC1449FS, is dipped in stainless steel, and the black pressure field with white lettering and blue start button adds to its appeal. This model would definitely feel at home in an updated modern kitchen.

At 12 x 20.3 x 14.9 inches in size and weighing a whopping 29.8 pounds, the microwave isn't the largest we've come across. But it's not the smallest either. The 1.4 cubic foot model takes up quite a bit of counter space. So keep this in mind if you don't have a lot of space, but if you put it under cabinets, there should still be plenty of space between the top of the microwave and the bottom of a cabinet.

Alexa, make me popcorn

The intelligent microwave works with Alexa. This is different from a product that Alexa is in. You can tell your Alexa device to tell the microwave to do something. And sometimes it actually does. Sounds like a phone game, doesn't it?

We are ahead of ourselves. Let's start at the beginning. There are three options for pairing Alexa devices (such as the Echo Dot) with the microwave: Zero Touch (Wi-Fi does the job), Barcode (scanning with your phone) or user guidance (manually adding the Steps to follow). Regardless of how you connect, WiFi is essential, which makes sense. How else would Alexa and the microwave communicate?

The chicken wasn't rubbery, parts of it were cooked.

We tried all three options on multiple devices and found that Wi-Fi is easiest for anyone who already has an Alexa network of devices. If you're just starting out with Alexa, the barcode option works fine. A note about Wi-Fi: once you've connected the microwave to your Wi-Fi network, this information will be used to program the clock. For some reason our internet is on the east coast (it has to do with or internet provider) so the clock is ET. We tried to program the clock manually. As long as the WiFi is connected, the clock is by default ET.

You can give 70 commands to the microwave (it doesn't respond to improvisation). Before you can tell him to do something, you need to actually put the food in the microwave, close it, and then ask to carry out a command. The voice command is only useful when you need to add the finishing touches to a dish and heat some vegetables or something else in the microwave to keep everything warm when you serve it.

In our tests, the performance with Alexa was hit or miss and left us more frustrated than anything else. We could get it running maybe half the time, and where we were in the house didn't seem to make a difference. We tried standing right next to the microwave – sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

The main event

The good news is that the Sharp microwave does everything else really well. We have tested the 1,000 watt microwave for a few months and can see that it is a solid unit. We especially liked the Defrost, Potatoes, and Popcorn settings – three options we don't normally use because we fear they will ruin our food.

We put chicken breasts on the carousel in the microwave to thaw, put in the weight and let the microwave do the rest. When we took it out about nine minutes later, the chicken wasn't gummy, parts of it were cooked. After letting the chicken rest for a few minutes, we were able to cook it without any problems. We were equally pleased with the potato setting. In about eight minutes, a medium-sized spud came out with the perfect softness. We put it in the toaster for that crispy crust and had a delicious potato that took about 15 minutes from start to finish.

Sharp teamed up with Orville Redenbacher on the popcorn setting – and we managed to pop a perfect bag of popcorn. We bought a pack of Orville Redenbachers popcorn, put a bag in the microwave, and hit the popcorn button once. The time changed on the microwave's digital numeric keypad, it popped for about three minutes, and that was it. None of this was burned, and there was minimal grain at the bottom of the bag. The interesting thing is that the popcorn didn't sound like it was popping a lot.

Our opinion

The Sharp Smart Microwave is slightly better than the original Amazon Smart Oven with Alexa commands. However, the technology has not improved much. Don't let the claim “Work with Alexa” make you a reason to purchase this model.

Is there a better alternative?

There are some other microwaves that work with Alexa that are cheaper and smaller. If a microwave that works with Alexa is essential and you want a bigger, more powerful option, get this one. However, if Alexa connectivity isn't a must, there are plenty of microwaves available that don't cost that much.

How long it will take?

Microwaves should last between nine and 10 years. Read our guide to device longevity to learn more.

The Sharp Smart Microwave SMC1449FS comes with a one-year parts and labor warranty. The guarantee covers the magnetron tube for a further four years. As with all warranties, it is important to properly care for your microwave.

Should you buy it?

At around $ 170, the microwave costs more than the same model without the Alexa feature. If you want to buy it as a microwave, let's say do it (or save some batter and get the SMC1442CS version). If you buy it for the Alexa feature, it isn't quite there yet.

Editor's recommendations




20 Mar
Blog

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE Review: Gaming, Display, Battery

Acer Predator Triton 300 se review 01

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE Review: Small stature meets powerful gaming

"The Acer Predator Triton 300 SE is small, but powerful."

  • Small, portable design

  • Stay cool and quiet when you're not playing

  • Smooth gaming at 1080p and 144 Hz

  • Good battery life

  • Limited configurations available

  • Not as fast as the Zephyrus G14

The ROG Zephyrus G14 was a revolutionary gaming laptop. With a screen size of just 14 inches, an RTX-grade graphics card, and decent battery life, it was a breath of fresh air. and for almost a full year there was no challenger to what this laptop could do. The Acer Predator Triton 300 SE is finally a worthy rival. So on the surface.

It's also a 14-inch gaming laptop, has the same RTX 3060 GPU and a 144Hz refresh rate screen. All of that costs $ 1,400, along with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.

Because of its size and design, you may not even be able to identify the Triton 300 SE as a gaming laptop. But can a laptop this size really be powerful enough for modern gaming? You might be surprised.

design

Being the thinnest or lightest device rarely results in being the "best" device. The sacrifices made are often not worth the compromise. However, the Predator Triton 300 SE is less space-saving than ultra-thin or light.

Do not get me wrong. At 3.7 pounds and 0.70 inches thick, it's amply portable. But many gaming laptops have hit the 0.70-inch mark in the past few years, including the ROG Zephyrus G14. The 14-inch screen size is what makes the Predator Triton 300 SE so small. At just 12.7 x 8.9 inches, it doesn't feel much bigger than a 14-inch non-gaming laptop like the HP Specter x360 14.

Due to its smaller size, the Triton 300 SE can not only be used as a gaming laptop. It's easy to carry, easily fits in a backpack, and doesn't take up excessive table space. The Razer Blade Stealth 13 is the only gaming notebook that surpasses it, but the Razer's nowhere near as powerful.

The Triton 300 SE looks like this too. It's not overly game oriented or aggressive. The only freebies are a small Predator logo in the top right corner of the lid and some vents along the hinge. It's not as flashy as the ROG Zephyrus G14, but there are little bits of style if that's what you're looking for. It's a good balance, and I prefer the subdued aesthetic over the larger Predator Helios 300.

But that doesn't mean the design is totally modern. The fake brushed metal texture on the lid feels a bit dated, as does the bright silver color. Once opened, there are some features that are not keeping up with modern trends. First off, the lower bezel is quite large. A 16:10 screen would reduce this without having to shrink the overall size of the case. A black bezel on the sides may also have helped lessen the effect, even if it's still made of plastic.

I also don't like the location of the fingerprint scanner, which is in the top right corner of the touchpad. Most modern laptops incorporate this into the power button, although it is still rare in gaming laptops these days.

The location of the ports is a little awkward to make room for the side slots, but the variety will no doubt make you happy. On the left you will find a USB-A port, a Thunderbolt 4 port, and a barrel-shaped power plug. The Thunderbolt port can be connected to a display, used for ultra-fast data transfer or even charged the laptop. However, when gaming, you should use the proprietary charger.

On the right side, the Triton 300 SE has an additional USB-A port, HDMI 2.0 and a headphone jack. If you plan to use this laptop for photo or video editing, you will be missing an SD card slot, but the port selection is otherwise perfect.

display

I've talked about how important the size of the Triton 300 SE's screen is, but image quality is also important. It uses an IPS screen of 1,920 x 1,080 with a refresh rate of 144 Hz – ideal for smooth, responsive PC games. The matte layer on the screen means fewer reflections, but also less bright. I measured it at a maximum of 290 nits, which is just below the 300 nits I would like to see minimum on laptops.

Fortunately, the screen makes up for this with good color saturation and contrast. Achieving 99% of the sRGB and 77% of the AdobeRGB color spaces is quite good for a gaming laptop, as is the contrast ratio of 1,500: 1. The color accuracy is not that spectacular, although the Triton 300 SE does not rely on precise color corrections is designed. The ROG Zephyrus is better in this regard and also hits a maximum of 332 nits.

Of course, the refresh rate is the most important aspect of the display, which makes the performance under the hood of the RTX 3060 really flexible.

performance

Aside from its size, the Triton 300 SE's performance is the most intriguing proposition. It uses a unique 35-watt processor that sits right between a standard ultrabook (like the Dell XPS 13) and a traditional gaming laptop (like the Predator Helios 300). The ROG Zephyrus G14 also uses a 35-watt chip, although it's made by AMD instead of Intel.

The Triton 300 SE represents the attempt by Intel to develop such a processor type. The important thing is to use the latest 10nm SuperFin architecture, which is not yet available on the larger 45-watt gaming laptops. This is our first taste of what these chips will look like in a sense.

The special chip in my test device is the Intel Core i7-11375H, a quad-core processor with a base clock rate of 3.3 GHz. From now on the Triton 300 SE will only be offered in this single configuration, which also contains 16 GB DDR4 RAM and a 512 GB SSD. In addition, it is only sold through Best Buy, which means that availability is scarce. While it's a balanced configuration (especially at $ 1,400), I hope there will be more options available at some point.

In my runs in Geekbench 5 and Cinebench R23, this 35-watt processor consistently delivered stronger multi-core scores than ultrabooks (which also have four cores) and stronger single-core scores than 10th generation gaming laptops. Of course, 15-inch gaming laptops like the MSI GS66 Stealth or the Razer Blade 15 can support six- or eight-core chips, which achieve far better multi-core results. It is also far behind AMD's Ryzen CPUs with eight cores – even the 15-watt variants.

Cant say I am overly impressed by the raw performance of the Intel H35 chip.

Perhaps the most interesting comparison is between the Triton 300 SE and a 14-inch U-series laptop like the HP Specter x360 14 or Lenovo Yoga 9i 14. The multi-core values ​​of the Triton 300 SE are even 33% higher than those . That's what gives you 7-10 extra watts of power.

This improved multi-core performance should result in better results for content creation applications. I started with a CPU tied handbrake test encoding a 4K movie trailer for H.265. The results were good and took just under three minutes. That's about 17% faster than the Lenovo Yoga 7i 14. However, the eight-core Ryzen 9 4900HS in the ROG Zephyrus G14 stomped on the Triton 300 SE and did the job in just a minute and 40 seconds. Cant say I am overly impressed by the raw performance of the Intel H35 chip.

Fortunately, things get a lot better when you factor in the Triton 300 SE's discrete graphics card. In the PCMark 10 Creative test, for example, the Triton 300 SE is 12% ahead of the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14. Of course, you can make more money for video editing with a larger 15-inch laptop. If this type of performance is more important to you, the Triton 300 SE is not for you. The additional multi-core performance in the Zephyrus G14 is a better choice.

Gaming performance

The RTX 3060 in the Triton 300 SE naturally makes it a proven gaming laptop. Smaller gaming laptops like the Razer Blade Stealth with its GTX 1650 Ti are good for light gaming, but the Triton 300 SE is almost twice as powerful for gaming.

I haven't tested the updated version of the Zephyrus G14 yet, but as you'll see, this hasn't stopped even the older model from improving the Triton 300 SE's frame rates.

Laptop 3DMark Time Spy 3DMark Fire Strike Assassin's Creed Valhalla (1080p Ultra High) Battlefield V (1080p Ultra) Fortnite (1080p Epic) Civilization VI (1080p Ultra)
Predator Triton 300 SE (RTX 3060) 6038 13794 50 frames per second (fps) 68 fps 78 fps 84 fps
ROG Zephyrus G14 (RTX 2060) 5861 13876 n / A 70 fps 91 fps 91 fps
Razer Blade Stealth (GTX 1650 Ti) 3035 7186 n / A n / A n / A 49 fps
MSI GS66 Stealth (RTX 3080) 9097 19175 70 fps 117 fps 140 fps 149 fps

The Predator Triton 300 SE can almost keep up with the Zephyrus G14 in Battlefield V, but remains behind in other games. The frame rate is 14% lower in Fortnite and 8% lower in Civilization VI. You don't want to see that against the predecessor model of a direct competitor. I would expect the recently introduced RTX 3060 version of the G14 to move forward even further.

I didn't have a comparison rating for Assassin's Creed Valhalla for the Zephyrus G14, but I tested Assassin's Creed Odyssey on both systems. None of the laptops could play this game at 60 fps at extremely high settings, with the Triton 300 SE averaging 51 frames per second (fps). This was the only game in which the Triton 300 SE beat the G14, which only hit 42 fps.

Overall, however, the Zephyrus G14 is the faster gaming notebook in most cases. It seems that Asus has a more efficient cooling system and can push the graphics harder than the Triton 300 SE. Given that the two laptops are almost the same size, this is remarkable.

But I would be lying if I said that I didn't enjoy the gaming experience on the Triton 300 SE. If you set the settings to Medium or High in most games, the frame rates will jump over 100. This is the ideal place for silky smooth animation. The difference between the G14's 120 Hz and the Triton 300 SE's 144 Hz won't appear too often, but having extra leeway to play is never bad.

In addition, there is a clear trade-off in terms of fan noise. The Triton 300 SE is better able to stay quiet for simpler tasks, which was one of my main complaints with the Zephyrus G14. The vents on the top of the keyboard get warm during gaming, but the Triton 300 SE keeps the surface temperatures on the keyboard and palm rests extremely low. All of this helps the Triton 300 SE double as a standard work laptop better than the Zephyrus G14.

Battery life

I don't normally expect long battery life from gaming laptops, but the Triton 300 SE is different here, too. A lower power CPU is being used, which is designed to improve lifespan on a single charge. Acer claims that the Triton 300 SE can even last up to 10 hours under its specific conditions.

I tested this in two ways: a local 1080p playback test and an iMacros web browser test. The video loop lasted just under eight hours on a single charge, while the system lasted just under seven and a half hours in the more realistic web browsing test. You're far better with 25-watt laptops, but I was pretty impressed with how long the Triton 300 SE can last.

The system traded beats with the Zephyrus G14 in terms of battery life. The G14 lasted two more hours on the video loop and just under six hours on the internet. Other gaming laptops with decent battery life include the MSI GS66 Stealth and the Razer Blade 15, both of which are only 30 to 60 minutes shorter than the Triton 300 SE.

Keyboard and touchpad

The keyboard is not my favorite aspect of this laptop, but it is serviceable. Acer decided to move the standard Predator keyboard over to the Triton 300 SE, which feels like a missed opportunity. It's not a bad keyboard, but I would have preferred something with less feel, bigger keycaps, and more precise bottom-out action. The multimedia buttons on the right don't bother me, although I have to admit that they always put me off when screen brightness and volume control are not next to each other.

The keyboard has a three-zone RGB backlight with four levels of brightness for the backlight. Colors and patterns can all be customized in the PredatorSense application.

The touchpad does better. It's very big and the pursuit is smooth. It's a high quality touchpad, and even the click mechanism feels solid.

The Triton 300 SE has a 720p webcam above the screen. However, it lacks an IR camera, so Windows Hello hands-free logins are not possible.

Our opinion

The Predator Triton 300 SE represents a new generation of gaming laptops. Smaller, yes, but just as powerful. At $ 1,400, it's not overly expensive for a gaming laptop, either. For me, it's the future of gaming laptops.

The only problem? The Zephyrus G14 came here first and has better performance in both gaming and content creation. They are similar in price and end up in the same category depending on size. However, I prefer the way Acer optimized the Triton 300 SE for cooler and quieter operation, which makes it a better work laptop.

Are there alternatives?

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 can hardly be surpassed in this category. It is gaining performance across the board, which makes it a better option for most people. Asus also offers a lot more configurations, including options for cheaper graphics or higher resolution screens.

The Razer Blade Stealth is an even smaller gaming laptop, despite being more expensive and not as powerful.

When you're ready to move on to a bigger 15-inch laptop, you can find some more powerful options like the Razer Blade 15 and MSI GS66 Stealth.

How long it will take?

The Predator Triton 300 SE should last at least four or five years, especially if your main focus is on competitive esports games. The laptop comes with a standard one-year warranty.

Should you buy it?

Yes. It represents a new category of gaming laptop that many PC gamers will love. The category is still in its infancy, but the Triton 300 SE has confirmed to me that the highly portable 14-inch gaming laptop will become an extremely attractive option for PC gamers going forward.

Editor's recommendations




19 Mar
Blog

Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR Review: Nearly A Winning Combination

Skagen Jorn Hybrid hr review wrist up

Jorn Hybrid Smartwatch HR

“The Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR combines watch-like looks with more tech features, including a heart rate monitor, for a better connected experience. However, it's often too complex on its own and hasn't cracked some of the basics either. "

  • The screen adjustment is excellent

  • Two sizes and different color options available

  • Two weeks of battery life with moderate use

  • Unstable connectivity

  • Often too complex for your own good

The Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR is a new generation of hybrid smartwatches. When hybrid smartwatches first hit the market, they bridged the gap between a full touchscreen smartwatch and a traditional watch. They were smaller, thinner, and designed like a normal watch rather than a technology.

Smartwatches are now more compact, more powerful and better designed than ever before. Because of the outstanding importance of the Apple Watch, they are also more easily accepted as wristwatches. So where are hybrid smartwatches? The Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR is the answer. It uses Fossil's latest hybrid platform, which emphasizes the technical side more than ever, moving closer to a full smartwatch and moving further away from a traditional watch. I've been wearing it for a few weeks now to see if the increasing technology makes it worth buying.

design

The Fossil Q Crewmaster was launched in 2016 and remains a great looking hybrid smartwatch because of the flashy colors. It shares a design with an established and popular non-intelligent Fossil watch. It has character, weight, and welcome watch-like features, including a rotating chronograph bezel and raised indexes. The technical side was secondary, but functional, and I wore it a lot.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Now, five years later, the Skagen Jorn HR is a step further than the simplicity of the Q Crewmaster, but still a step further than Skagen's Falster 3 and other touchscreen smartwatches. In the center of the dial is a screen under two mechanical hands. However, it is a monochrome e-ink screen rather than a full-color touchscreen. It shows three complications (although the layout can be adjusted), but it doesn't sit flush against the bezel, which means you know it's a screen when you look at the face. The glass over the dial is flat and leads into an angled edge, then down to a metal case.

The Danish brand is known for its simple, minimalist design. My test model is black with a black strap and a yellow flash on the otherwise dark hands and dial. The case has a size of 42 mm and a modest size. However, if it's still too big for your liking, there is a 38mm version too. I have a 6.5 inch wrist and the 38mm Skagen Jorn is way too petite while the 42mm version is just right.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

On the side of the case there are three buttons that each control the watch's navigation system. They are easy to find and squeeze, but they don't have an elevated feel for movement. It's all attached to a really nice looking textured rubber strap which is one of the design highlights of the Jorn. It's not the longest strap out there, however, and there are only five holes left when it's on my wrist. The 38mm Jorn strap is tailored for much smaller wrists.

While the screen is minimalist, it ruins the illusion that this is not a smartwatch.

I struggled to really connect with the design of the Skagen Jorn. The minimalism borders on boredom, which is not supported by the completely black color scheme, but mainly by the screen. If not viewed directly, it will catch the light and ripples can be seen on the screen, ruining the illusion that this is a "watch" and not a smartwatch. The flat glass is also a let down and adds to the fundamental nature of watch design. Double tapping the glass activates a backlight. I would have liked to have it turned on when I lift my wrist too.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

If you compare it directly to the Q Crewmaster 2016, you really see the design differences. From the curved glass to the soft-touch buttons, it feels like a far higher quality product that leans towards a watch. The Skagen Jorn's screen means it's a piece of technology and didn't grab me in the same way. If I wanted a piece of wearable technology I'd buy a full touchscreen smartwatch, not a hybrid.

Screen adjustments

Does that mean I didn't warm up at all at Skagen Jorn HR? No, as the hybrid platform has a very interesting customization feature that allows you to completely change the look and layout of the e-ink screen. This really helped make the Jorn HR my own and reduced the overly technical feel a bit. The complications can be changed or eliminated entirely as needed. Skagen offers a selection of alternative background designs in black or white. You can also choose a photo from your gallery that you want to use.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I've used the Oppo Find X3 Pro with the Skagen Jorn, and some of its "microscope" macro shots worked very well in the background. A macro shot of some metal satisfied the watch freak in me as the monochrome screen gave it a very weathered, almost marble-like look. Removing the complications gave him a real visual boost. It's easy to customize the screen in the Skagen app.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

This personalization is obviously lacking in hybrid smartwatches without screens and is a key benefit for the new hybrid platform from Fossil. After days of experimenting to get just the right look, the watch took on a new identity when I found it. What is interesting, however, is that I preferred the simpler, cleaner, and less technical look I had chosen to a face with digital complications.

Features and activity tracking

Appreciation of the design will always be subjective, but what about the new functionality? Do you remember the Pebble Smartwatch? It's a bit like that because the e-ink screen isn't "instantaneous" like a touchscreen and there is a light tap or two before it reacts to your actions. Everything is only controlled via the three buttons on the side and is a bit too complicated for your own good.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Skagen Jorn HR can track a small selection of general workouts and even has a heart rate monitor on the back. There is automatic exercise tracking that wasn't very reliable. So how do you choose a workout in the app? It is good that you can configure the training mode for one of the buttons, otherwise it will be a multi-button operation, made even longer by the slight pauses caused by the screen refresh rate.

This is not a smartwatch for the fitness enthusiast.

Once it starts, I like the way the hands line up and count the first minute of activity, and the screens provide information about heart rate and calories burned. Hence, it's obviously much more comprehensive than a screenless hybrid smartwatch. Except that it's nowhere near as informative as Google Fit or Apple Health.

The number of steps was slightly overestimated compared to my Apple Watch, but the heart rate sensor stayed constant. I don't find the watch comfortable enough to wear overnight, but if you do it will track sleep. The watch is waterproof to 3ATM, but not suitable for swimming. The fitness data can be synchronized with Google Fit. The Skagen Jorn is a decent training and activity partner, but not for the very keen or dedicated athlete.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Notifications arrive on the watch, you can view daily calendar appointments and control your music from the watch. Notifications can be read to some extent, and hands move out of the way to make this easier. However, there is no option for interaction. It took a while to get used to the operating system in general, especially a touchscreen system, as many buttons have to be pressed to navigate the menus. It feels a little dated, but once you get the hang of it it's almost quick enough not to be irritating.

App and battery

The Skagen Jorn requires the Skagen hybrid app to connect to your phone. Don't make the mistake of using Fossil's Hybrid Smartwatch app as it won't work. Annoyingly, it doesn't always work with the Skagen app either. I found the connection to the watch unreliable. I tried to refuse a consistent connection on multiple phones.

I also found that the range of the connection was pretty short, and if I simply moved from one room to another the watch would be disconnected. Worse, it often required manual reconnection rather than doing it automatically. These issues are likely software-related issues and an update may fix them. However, this doesn't stop them from making the owner experience frustrating.

It's a shame, because the app is attractive and very easy to use. It's easy to customize the watch face and buttons, as large, easy-to-use screen settings are activated with just a tap. Step count, sleep time, active minutes and heart rate are clearly displayed. There is a challenge mode where you can work on fitness goals with friends. I also like the ease of choosing which apps to send notifications and the speed at which changes to the watch are synced.

With minimal use, it's realistic to get two weeks of battery life – but tracking sleep hits hard.

Skagen expects the battery to last for two weeks, but that depends on how you use it. If you don't track exercise or sleep, this is nearly achievable as the watch is barely losing 10% per day. Add a workout plus sleep tracking each day and usage can drop to around 10 days or less. During my mixed usage, I charged it on the 12th day. It's a quick charger and it takes a little over an hour to fully charge. However, the proprietary magnetic disk is different from the one that comes with other Skagen smartwatches.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

While the battery life is better than a touchscreen smartwatch with Wear OS software installed or the Apple Watch, it doesn't have the six months or more seen with mild hybrid watches from Casio or Alpina. Therefore, the Skagen Jorn HR has to keep up with feature-rich touchscreen smartwatches like the Huawei Watch GT2 Pro or the Amazfit GTR 2. This is a tough question because of the better usability with a touchscreen model.

Price and availability

The Skagen Hybrid Jorn HR is priced at $ 195 regardless of the size or combination of strap and case you choose. The black model shown here is complemented by a gray version with a steel mesh strap and a steel version with a brown leather strap, while the 38 mm models in gold come with a gold mesh strap or a black leather strap. They are available directly from Skagen's online store or from other retailers, including Amazon.

Our opinion

The Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR Fits between full hybrid smartwatches like the old Q Crewmaster and full touchscreen watches like the Falster 3. It eliminates the simplicity and real watch-like look of a full hybrid, but doesn't offer the convenience or speed of a touchscreen to get the added functionality activate.

The customizable screen is a highlight, but the connectivity issues are frustrating. While the battery life is reasonable, it doesn't go beyond what you get from some touchscreen watches. Wearing the Skagen Jorn HR has sometimes made me miss the days of a simple hybrid watch, and sometimes I've wondered why I didn't put on something like the Apple Watch instead, and it's unlikely to be very satisfying to own them.

Is there a better alternative?

If you're looking to spend less than $ 200 on a new smartwatch and don't need a touchscreen, the $ 179 Amazfit GTR 2 or the $ 139 GTR 2e can do it all for less. Buying a Wear OS smartwatch costs more, with the $ 300 Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 being our recommendation. If you own an iPhone, we recommend spending a little more and getting the $ 279 Apple Watch SE. It works perfectly with iOS, has more features and functions, and looks great too.

If you're looking for a connected watch that looks like a watch, the Withings Steel HR or Withings ScanWatch are great options. Although functionality varies, Casio's attached G-Shock range adds some related elements to a wide variety of designs.

How long it will take?

Time is on Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR's side. The lifespan of the watch is really only limited by the app support and the internal battery and shouldn't cause any problems for at least two or three years. The design is classic and is unlikely to go out of style. The splash resistance and metal case should also be secure.

Should you buy it?

No. If you're looking for a smartwatch that is more than just a simple hybrid, buy a full touchscreen model.

Editor's recommendations




17 Mar
Blog

LG G1 Gallery Series OLED TV Review (OLED65G1PUA)

LG G1 Gallery Series OLED TVs

LG G1 Gallery Series OLED TV Review: Bright, Beautiful, Smart

"The G1 Gallery series is the best OLED TV LG has ever made."

  • Increased brightness

  • Excellent contrast

  • Exact color

  • Player friendly

  • WebOS improvements

  • Confusing options for picture settings

Sure, LG has its mind-boggling wallpaper OLED, not to mention its drooling (and wallet-breaking) 8K OLED range, but according to specs, the new LG G1 Gallery range is the most advanced and promising OLED TV ever was a company that has pioneered OLED televisions since the launch of the first 55-inch model in 2012.

Equipped with the so-called OLED Evo panel from LG, advanced processing, a WebOS Smart TV makeover, HDMI 2.1 and a complete dashboard for gamers, the G1 combines the best of everything that LG has for its OLED product line this year Has. But how impressive is it really?

I took on the tedious task of testing a 65-inch version of the LG G1 Gallery series by taking measurements, looking at test clips I'd seen several times on dozen of TVs, and digging deep into those with the new Microsoft Xbox series Graphics performance immersed itself in next-generation X and Sony PlayStation 5 consoles. I found the following:

Jump to: Out of the box | Design | Features | The technology inside | Picture settings | Image quality | Play | Our opinion

Editor's Note: At the time of writing, the price and availability of this TV had not yet been announced. We will update this post as soon as it is published.

Out of the box

OLED TVs, known for their thin profiles and (sometimes) light weight, always required two people to set up. The G1 Gallery series is a bit cumbersome for an OLED and requires some TLC when wall mounted or with a stand.

OLED television of the LG G1 Gallery series "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://img.dtcn.com/image/digitaltrends/lg-g1-gallery-series -oled -tv-mount-kit-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5AAAAAEADan Baker / Digital Trends

OLED TV mount from the LG G1 Gallery series "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://img.dtcn.com/image/digitaltrends/lg-g1-gallery-series -oled- tv-mount-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAADan Baker / Digital Trends

LG G1 Gallery Series OLED TV "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://img.dtcn.com/image/digitaltrends/lg-g1-gallery-series-oled-tv -640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAADan Baker / Digital Trends

OLED TV mount from the LG G1 Gallery series "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://img.dtcn.com/image/digitaltrends/lg-g1-gallery-series -oled- tv-mount-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAADan Baker / Digital Trends

The most interesting thing about what's in the box is also what's not in the box: a stand. The G1 instead comes with a custom wall mount bracket that lets the TV sit flush against the wall thanks to a recessed section on the back of the TV. LG provides clear instructions for wall mounting. The hardware is robust and easy to configure.

The television was specially developed for wall mounting. However, if you are interested in stand mounting, you have two options. One option is to buy the simple two-legged desk display stand for $ 100. The legs – or feet if you prefer – will fit all three available screen sizes of 55, 65 and 77 inches. The legs are stable enough, but the TV still wobbles despite their support.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

The other option is to pick up the very sleek, lifestyle-friendly metal tripod-style stand that wasn't listed on LG's website at the time of writing. I'll say the three-legged floor stand looks attractive and can be handy for those who don't have the ideal wall space for a TV or need to put their TV in front of a window.

Other items in the box include a redesigned Magic Motion remote control, batteries for the remote control, a cable tie, IR repeater and some product literature.

design

I usually roll features and design into the same section, but there's so much going on in both departments that I'll be addressing them one by one.

As mentioned earlier, the G1 looks absolutely stunning on the wall (it's really something to see). I wrote about last year's GX-OLED: "If looks could kill, the GX-OLED would be a serial killer," and I stand by the G1 too. In terms of design, it's still one of the nicest TVs you can buy. With virtually nonexistent bezels and a ridiculously thin profile, the TV just seems to float on the wall.

OLED TV inputs of the LG G1 Gallery series "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://img.dtcn.com/image/digitaltrends/lg-g1-gallery-series -oled- tv-input-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAADan Baker / Digital Trends

LG G1 Gallery Series OLED TV "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://img.dtcn.com/image/digitaltrends/lg-g1-gallery-series-oled-tv -1-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAADan Baker / Digital Trends

LG G1 Gallery Series OLED TV "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://img.dtcn.com/image/digitaltrends/lg-g1-gallery-series-oled-tv -4-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEADan Baker / Digital Trends

Unfortunately, this means that considerations about conventional stand mounting with two legs have taken a back seat. During the design process, all of the cables will be routed to the center of the TV and then down over the bottom edge. If there is a few inches of space between the bottom of the TV and the stand, you can easily see cables falling from your seated position. This could easily be covered with a slim soundbar, of course, and LG would happily recommend the G1 soundbar for the job.

Get ready because LG has packed the G1 with a wealth of features.

On the plus side, LG offers a decorative cover to hide inputs and cable routing, and another one to hide the TV's recessed wall duct, so anyone looking at the TV from the side sees a very neat profile view.

characteristics

Get ready because LG has packed the G1 with a ton of features. When we're done here, we have yet to talk about some of the unique technologies in TV and all that goes with it. Stay with me though, because this is pretty meaningful stuff.

WebOS

I enjoyed WebOS in the wild west of the smart TV days when there was nothing like it on the market. But to be honest, I felt it needed a refresher over the past few years. In 2021 my wish will be granted and WebOS has the necessary makeover and it looks and works fantastic.

In the past, the WebOS interface was essentially a strip across the bottom of the TV that gave access to apps, inputs, and a few other widgets. Now WebOS takes over the screen and looks comfortable and dark.

LG G1 Gallery Series OLED TV Home DashboardDan Baker / Digital Trends

Some may object to LG's decision to follow others and put content promotions in big boxes at the top of the user interface, but I really don't mind. Sure, it feels like advertising, but there's more to this new "hero banner", including widgets for weather and other information. Under the hero banner, content from apps and live TV is suggested based on your viewing habits. This section is not meaningful if you do not allow LG to collect some display data. So keep that in mind as you go through privacy policies and accept or reject them.

With all of that behind, your apps are neatly organized on the third level, which still appears at the top of the home page without having to scroll through. If I had to scroll to get to apps we would have a problem. Under the apps banner there is a "Home Dashboard" banner that you can use to switch to exactly what you want without having to go through them.

Among all the things you really want to see, WebOS has a ton of categories of content to suggest. Most of it doesn't interest me, but I don't like Sports Alerts, which allow you to follow your favorite teams in any sport, set up notifications for the game, and even show score updates during subsequent games.

Game optimizer

OK, player. This section is for you. If you have no real interest in gaming, go ahead!

In addition to support of up to 4K 120 Hz with variable refresh rate (VRR) and Nvidea G-Sync support as well as AMD FreeSync support via all four HDMI 2.1 ports of the G1, LG has a new Game Optimizer on-screen display for in Attacked access to and adaptation of all game-related things.

A display area at the top shows whether the Game Optimizer is activated or deactivated and shows the most important settings at a glance. Below, the user interface allows users to select image settings to optimize different game genres. For example, choosing First Person Shooter will ensure good visibility in dark areas and the real-time strategy will balance the lighting throughout the game.

The Image / Motion Settings section provides extensive control over various types of motion smoothing, as well as delay adjustments and adjustments for light and dark areas. The final area of ​​the user interface provides direct access to VRR, G-Sync and FreeSync Premium toggle switches.

Evo offers higher brightness than we've seen from OLED TVs in the past.

A deep level of control to be sure, but how valuable these settings will be to individual players depends on how interested they are in delving into the UI and experimenting with it as they play.

The technology inside

OLED evo

LG did a big deal with OLED evo – essentially the next evolution in OLED display technology – but how does evo work and what are the benefits?

For one, evo offers higher brightness than OLED TVs in the past, which may fix one of the few issues that buyers may face. On the other hand, the color accuracy has been further refined.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

But how? As LG explains, evo is a combination of finely tuned OLED materials that create more precise wavelengths of red and blue, as well as a new green layer that brings the green wavelength of light closer to where it should be, and where it should be Wavelength peak sharpens. For laypeople, this means that the colors are purer and require fewer filters for purity, so less light is lost to the filtering process and more of it gets into your eyes. Boom, brighter picture.

However, LG also points out that image processing also has a lot to do with the brighter performance. Let's call it LG's secret sauce. I just want to know how much brighter it is. We'll find out together below.

AI Picture Pro

This is a feature I usually turn off when rating a TV as it gets in the way of my purist approach to TV rating. Given that LG had such high demands, I tried this newly improved bag with image processing tricks.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

AI Picture Pro claims to detect the types of content you're watching – a movie or a TV show, for example – and then automatically switch to the correct picture mode. It can also perform scene detection – for example, a dark scene versus a city scene – and apply deeper processing to optimize the image. Activating this feature promises to improve the shadow details in dark scenes and provide enhanced details in tight patterns to avoid the moiré effect, among other things. How much does it improve the picture?

In general, I appreciated the feature. It has increased the brightness in many of the YouTube clips I've watched and improved the picture quality a bit too. I found the feature pretty useful for more compressed YouTube content than for premium streaming titles from Disney + and HBO Max. In summary, the G1's processor is already doing an excellent job. How dramatic AI Picture Pro will be will likely depend on the quality of the content displayed.

AI Sound Pro

This feature promises to do the same for the sound as the A.I. This applies to the picture of the television set by virtue of the fact that audio signals are virtually mixed up to a 5.1.2 Atmos signal, not just for the television set, but for every connected device such as a soundbar or a receiver. I've always been in doubt about such claims, but I've tried.

First, the LG G1 sounds very good without any fancy processing or surround effects … for a TV. There are few TVs that can deliver more robust, dynamic sound. Clarity is never an issue, and the G1 offers more bass than you'd expect for such a thin panel.

I'm less of a fan of AI Sound Pro. I understand what the feature is trying to do, but I was distracted by the virtual surround effects that seemed to wash out some of the noises that should have been anchored on the screen. I suggest that users play around with this feature themselves and see if they like it.

One final acoustic hint: the G1 has an AI. The acoustic tuning feature did a good job in my opinion, adding a little more bass and shine to the TV's onboard sound. Users should definitely try this. An A / B comparison of the before and after shows the changes involved.

Picture settings

Before I dive into the image quality of the G1, I need to talk a little about the various image presets and settings available, what I used for my assessment, and why I chose what I did.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

I usually went straight to the TV's ISF Dark Room mode with an LG TV, but to grin I started with ISF Bright Room. After some measuring and fumbling around in the settings, I found that ISF Bright uses a cooler color temperature by default, which I think was chosen for better viewing in daylight. However, it is not suitable for testing as it does not allow for a level playing field. Ultimately, I decided to go to Cinema User Mode or ISF Dark Room and changed the settings for measuring.

For a brighter picture than standard SDR, users can set the G1's Peak Brightness setting to high and get an image bright enough for most daytime situations.

In HDR mode, I initially opted for Cinema User, as Cinema Home had a cooler color temperature by default. After playing around a bit, I finally changed the color temperature from Cinema Home to Warm 50 and switched between the two cinema modes. Cinema Home enabled the G1's AI brightness feature to be activated while Cinema didn't – curious. The differences between the two were only noticeable in certain dark scenes.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

Dolby Vision was a very different situation. ISF modes are not an option here, so I re-examined the differences between Cinema User and Cinema Home – which I found frustrating. In this case the color temperature was correctly set to warm 50 and the AI ​​brightness was activated by default. However, TruMotion (motion smoothing) has been set to Cinematic Movement – a new setting that aims to remove jerking without introducing a soap opera effect. and changing this setting has been blocked.

Without a doubt, the G1 Gallery series is an important advancement of the OLED for LG.

In many ways, Cinema Home's brighter setting is subjectively superior. However, I still see a soap opera effect from the smoothing and was frustrated that I couldn't have higher brightness without this option. Most of the time I've used Cinema User because I'm so picky.

picture quality

Without a doubt, the G1 Gallery series is an important advancement of the OLED for LG. Everything I've seen, from 720p cables to HD on Netflix and wireless broadcasts to 4K HDR movies, looked as good as I've never seen, if not downright extraordinary.

Cable / satellite television is low definition and fairly compressed. It takes some serious processing muscle to look even more decent on a 65-inch TV. The G1's processor is about as good as I've seen at smoothing gradients and minimizing macroblocks – those annoying noisy blocks you get with compressed content.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

As the quality of the content increased, the visual experience just got bigger. Meat Eater on Netflix is ​​in HD with no HDR, but the superior black levels, improved brightness, and resulting vivid contrast that the G1 itself creates in cinema mode made the show look as natural as the views it contained.

4K HDR content, especially on 4K Blu-ray but also on YouTube, looked better than I've ever seen it before. The colors are rich and bright, if you call them, HDR highlights are extremely poignant, blacks are perfectly tinted with solid shadow detail, and banding – or contouring as it's often called – was virtually nonexistent.

The bottom line is that the LG G1 Gallery series delivers the cleanest, most alluring images I've seen from a television to date. Finally a big leap forward for OLED after years of excellence.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

If I had to complain, I'd say that darker Dolby Vision content was sometimes just too dark for me, even in a well-darkened room. While WandaVision looked great overall on Disney +, I found that Captain Marvel often became a pool of blackness with little detail, especially in the movie's opening battle scene between Kree and Skrull, where the characters' details were difficult to see. I'm not sure what to make of this, but I'm in the early stages of my long-term assessment and will update this section as I learn more.

Overall, I am delighted with the image quality of the LG G1 Gallery Series. I have a lot of TVs to review this year, but I'm pretty sure this TV will be high on the list for picture quality and overall experience.

Play

There might be some surprises for me later this year, but I think LG's C and G series OLED TVs are going to be the best TVs for gaming this year. LG seems to be the only TV manufacturer to date to offer four HDMI 2.1 connections, support for G-Sync and FreeSync Premium as well as the kind of game-specific image adjustments – all in one place – that gamers need and want the best gaming experiences for the device . From now on, the OLEDs from LG offer everything that the new game consoles of the next generation have to offer in the best possible way.

Our opinion

The LG G1 series OLED is an important step forward for OLED televisions. With exceptional picture quality, a great form factor and industry leading gaming support, the G1 is a great high-end television that meets the needs of those who only want the best.

Is there a better alternative?

For most people, especially gamers, there is no better alternative. In terms of image quality and user experience, I suspect the Sony A90J is a competitive option for cinephiles. I will update this section when my Sony A90J review is complete.

How long it will take?

The G1 is equipped with the latest technology, bells and whistles. It should outlast most other TVs sold that year.

warranty

LG provides a one-year limited warranty on the G1 Galler Series OLED if purchased from an authorized LG dealer.

Should you buy it?

Ordinarily I would say, yes, if you have the money and want the fanciest OLED that anyone can reasonably afford, the G1 is the TV. And that's still true. This year's additional qualifier, however, is the premium image quality of the G1, which is now brighter and more accurate than ever, making it yet another reason to buy.

Editor's recommendations




16 Mar
Blog

LG Gram 16 Review: Very Light and Incredibly Long Lasting

LG Gram 16 laptop

LG Gram 16 review: The lightest and most durable in the class

"The Gram 16 offers a wide range of battery life in an incredibly light package."

  • Incredibly easy

  • Thin bezels, slim chassis

  • Spectacular battery life

  • 4:10 pm viewing is a boon to productivity

  • Well rounded ports

  • The display has a lower contrast

  • Lid and keyboard deck are too flexible

  • There are no performance improvements

The Guinness Book of Records officially recognizes the LG Gram 16 as the lightest 16-inch notebook. At £ 2.62, I'm not surprised it deserves the award.

LG's Gram laptops have always been designed to be as light as possible (hence the name). This applies to the 17-inch model as well as to the 13-inch model. Across the board, they're some of the lightest laptops you can buy. This year, LG added a new size, the Gram 16, to take over the MacBook Pro 16 and serve as a middle ground between 15- and 17-inch machines.

In the past, LG's larger laptops have suffered from lack of performance enhancement, which conflicts with laptops like the Dell XPS 17 and MacBook Pro 16. The LG Gram 16 still doesn't have discrete graphics, but it does have a $ 1,700 trial configuration.I still tested a lot of extras, including a Core i7-1165G7 processor, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and one 16:10 IPS screen. Does LG have a winner in hand?

design

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The Gram 16 feels incredibly light. Pick it up and you immediately think that it is empty inside. But that's not the case – even at just 2.62 pounds and fully equipped with state-of-the-art components, it still manages to pack a whopping 80-watt-hour battery.

We'll dive deeper into battery life later, but suffice it to say that the LG Gram 16 is a champion when it comes to battery life. The XPS 15, with a battery capacity of 86 watt hours, weighs 4.5 pounds – man, you can feel the difference. A bigger display and almost half the weight? I take it.

Note that the MacBook Pro 16 weighs 4.3 pounds with 100 watt hours of battery life (the best you can fit in a commercial airplane). Even the much smaller Dell XPS 13 weighs 2.8 pounds.

How did LG make the Gram 16 so easy? Mainly, it's the magnesium alloy chassis that cuts the pounds off. And it's not a thick magnesium alloy either, which you can tell if you bend the lid with minimal force and press down on the keyboard deck until you hit the components underneath.

Viscerally, the Gram 16 acts like bendable plastic.

The bottom of the case resists bending, but the rest of the case has a lot of yield. That's the price you have to pay for a machine this light – even though LG put the laptop through a MIL-STD-810G test, which meets military standards for durability and reliability.

Intellectually, I know this is a rugged laptop – maybe not as much as the XPS 15 or the MacBook Pro 16, but it won't break apart in a stiff breeze. Viscerally, however, it acts like flexible plastic. Kudos to LG for somehow succeeding in designing the hinge so that it stays in place and still opens with one hand. There isn't a lot of weight holding the bottom of the case in place.

Thanks to some very small bezels, the Gram 16 is 14.01 inches, only slightly wider than the XPS 15 compared to 13.57 inches, while the MacBook Pro 16 is 14.09 inches. At 9.58 inches, it's slightly lower than the 9.06-inch XPS 15 and 9.68-inch MacBook. With a thickness of 0.66 inches, the Gram 16 sits between 0.71 inches of the XPS 15 and 0.65 inches of the MacBook Pro 16. The Dell XPS 17 is also in the same stadium thanks to its tiny bezels and very slim design – 14.74 inches wide, 9.76 inches deep, 0.77 inches thick, and 5.53 pounds on a 97 watt hour battery.

LG gram 16 laptop "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://img.dtcn.com/image/digitaltrends/olympus-digital-camera-1031-640x640.jpg "srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

LG gram 16 laptop "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://img.dtcn.com/image/digitaltrends/olympus-digital-camera-1030-640x640.jpg "srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

In simpler terms, they are very similarly sized laptops that all look quite modern. However, with its simple silver chassis and complete lack of ornamentation, the Gram 16 is the simplest of the group. It's on purpose – LG describes it as a "minimalist, no-nonsense design" designed to "reduce distractions."

Both the XPS 15 and 17, with their slimmer lines, and the MacBook Pro 16, with its restrained elegance, are better looking machines. Note that the Gram 16 is also available in white and black.

Ports and Connectivity

Connectivity is a strength: two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support, two USB-A 3.2 ports, a full-size HDMI port, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack. That's better than the XPS 15 with two USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports, a single USB-C 3.1 port, and no HDMI port.

The MacBook Pro 16 has all-in ports for Thunderbolt 3, of which there are four.

The Gram 16 also has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 for an up-to-date wireless connection.

performance

The Gram 16 I tested used the Core i7-1165G7, a popular Tiger Lake processor that offers solid productivity performance and can dive into low-end content creation. Like most manufacturers lately, LG has a utility that can be used to toggle between quiet, optimal, and performance modes. Switching between them will adjust the performance against fan noise. With the Gram 16, you should use the utility.

Using a U-series CPU is important here – most larger laptops, like the Dell XPS 15 and 17 and the MacBook Pro 16, use 45-watt H-series CPUs, which are designed for creative professionals who normally go for Laptops decide, sizes are much faster. This is especially true for the GPU, where the Gram 16 is limited to Intel's Iris Xe graphics, which are nowhere near as fast as the discrete graphics available in the competition.

In the optimal mode, the Gram 16 is a less than convincing performer. As with most of these utilities, this didn't show up in Geekbench 5, where there wasn't much of a difference between modes. The Gram 16 is a solid performer in this benchmark, outperforming laptops like the Dell XPS 13 and the Razer Book 13 (which uses the faster Core i7-1185G7) by a few points. The XPS 15 and MacBook Pro 16 use 45-watt H-series 10th generation CPUs, so, as mentioned, are much faster.

In our handbrake test, which encodes a 420 MB video as H.265, the Gram 16 lasted over 3.5 minutes in optimal mode and just under three minutes in performance mode. Both results are within about 10 seconds of the Dell XPS 13 and are faster than most other laptops with the same CPU. The XPS 15 was ready in just over two minutes. We have not tested the MacBook Pro 16 with the same version of Handbrake and therefore cannot provide this comparison.

LG Gram 16 laptopMark Coppock / Digital Trends

In Cinebench R23, the Gram 16 was slow with 4,137 in multi-core mode and 1,394 in single-core mode in the optimal setting. That is far behind laptops like the XPS 13 and the Razer Book 13. In performance mode, however, the values ​​rose to 4,718 and 1,415. These aren't the fastest we've seen – the HP Specter x360 14, for example, scored 4,847 and 1,404 in performance mode – but it is on par with the rest of the field. We didn't test the XPS 15 or the MacBook Pro 16 in Cinebench R23, but we guarantee that both will be faster thanks to their more powerful CPUs.

Don't buy this laptop if you expect powerhouse performance.

Finally, I ran the full PCMark 10 benchmark and didn't see much of a difference between optimal and performance modes. The gram 16 achieved 4,887 points in the total number of points and 9,687, 6,886 and 4,749 points in the tests Essentials, Productivity and Content Creation. These values ​​are good for the CPU, with the Specter x360 14 scoring 4,796, 9760, 6340 and 4,837 points, respectively.

LG Gram 16 laptopMark Coppock / Digital Trends

Overall, the Gram 16 performed quickly during my tests. It's exactly what I expected from a laptop with its specs, and I've never seen anything that made me think about the laptop's performance even in optimal mode – with one exception.

This exception concerns the Intel Iris Xe, which should offer gaming performance close to an entry-level discrete GPU like the NVIDIA GeForce MX350. The optimal mode of the Gram 16 lagged far behind and only achieved 1,390 points in the Time Spy test by 3DMark. This is comparable to the 1,589 of the XPS 13 in the appropriate mode and is way behind most other Intel Iris Xe laptops. However, switch to performance mode and the score rose to 1,801, well ahead of most other Tiger Lake laptops that aren't running the Intel Iris Xe Max GPU.

In Fortnite, the Gram 16 only managed 13 frames per second (fps) in 1080p and high graphics – most Intel Iris Xe laptops reached 30 fps with the same settings. The Gram 16 achieved 33 fps in performance mode, which is only average for the class, but much better than in optimal mode.

I didn't test the Gram 16 against our creative content benchmarks due to the lack of discrete graphics and a lower-performing CPU. It just can't rival the XPS 15 and 17 and the MacBook Pro 16 for creative professionals, which is one of the main demographics of larger screen laptops. Don't buy this laptop if you expect powerhouse performance.

display

Laptops with larger displays – 16:10 or 3: 2 – are becoming more common, and it won't be long before the old school 16: 9 widescreen display is in the minority. The Gram 16 has a 16-inch, 16:10 display with WQXGA resolution (2,560 x 1,600). Thanks to small bezels, you are immediately in front of a large, luxurious area to do real work.

Unfortunately, the panel itself is a mixed bag compared to other premium laptops. On the one hand, it has a wide gamut of 88% AdobeRGB (75% is closer to average for all but the best displays) and 100% sRGB. However, these colors are not particularly accurate with a DeltaE of just 2.67 (1.0 or less is considered excellent). The XPS 15's 4K display reached 0.65 and the MacBook Pro 16 1.41.

LG Gram 16 laptopMark Coppock / Digital Trends

The brightness of the display was 313 nits and just hit our preferred threshold of 300 nits. The XPS 15 4K has 442 nits and the MacBook Pro 16 was a bit brighter than the Dell at 443 nits. Where the Gram 16's display really suffers is its contrast, which was only 830: 1. These days, good premium displays exceed a contrast ratio of 1,000: 1 – the XPS 15 4K is 1,480: 1 and the MacBook Pro 16 is 1,250: 1.

I enjoyed the display on the Gram 16 for its size and aspect ratio, and was fine with its colors and brightness – but then again, I'm not a creative professional, so wide and accurate colors aren't that important to me. I noticed the low contrast, however, as black text didn't look the way I like it against a white background. Even so, most people will find the display pleasant enough for their productivity work and their media consumption.

The audio quality was decent, with sufficient volume for YouTube and the occasional Netflix binge, and with no significant distortion. The mids and highs were clear, but the bass was missing. The XPS 15 and MacBook Pro 16 have better sound quality, especially the MacBook which has some of the best audio quality you can find on a laptop.

Keyboard and touchpad

The Gram 16 has a fairly typical island keyboard with well-even backlighting. The black keycaps are a good size and conveniently spaced. The switches are precise, offer a lot of spring travel and a comfortable floor effect. My only problem with the mechanism is the amount of pressure it takes to press a button. The keyboard felt stiff to me, unlike the crisp and snappy action on the HP Specter line and the MacBook's Magic keyboard. If you like a lighter touch, you might not prefer this keyboard.

LG Gram 16 laptopMark Coppock / Digital Trends

The touchpad is large due to the expansive keyboard deck – although there is room for an even larger touchpad. The surface is smooth and pleasant to wipe, and thanks to Microsoft's Precision touchpad drivers, it offers excellent support for Windows 10 multi-touch gestures. I really liked the touchpad and appreciated the relatively quiet buttonless clicks. What I didn't like was the non-touch display. I prefer touch displays for thumb scrolling, which is even more helpful with a larger display.

Windows 10 Hello support is provided by a fingerprint reader integrated into the power button. It logged me in quickly and painlessly, with no single mistake in recognizing my finger. I would have loved to have facial recognition too, but LG chose not to include that.

Battery life

As already mentioned, the Gram 16 manages to achieve a battery capacity of 80 watt hours despite its incredibly low weight. At the same time, it has a fast CPU and a high-resolution 16-inch display. I wasn't sure what battery life to expect.

What I certainly didn't expect is some of the best battery life we've seen. In all of our tests, the Gram 16 lasted an exceptionally long time and was used either as the most durable laptop or in the top tier.

Starting with the PCMark 10 gaming test, which stresses the CPU and GPU, the Gram 16 lasted five hours. The closest laptop is the XPS 13 Full HD +, which lasts a full hour less. In the PCMark 10 application test, which is the best measure of productivity longevity, the Gram 16 managed almost 18 hours, which is more than three hours longer than the next best, Lenovo's Yoga 9i 14. In third place is the XPS 13 with just under 11 hours

LG Gram 16 laptop

In our web browsing test, which ran through a number of popular websites, the Gram 16 got close to 14 hours. Among the Intel laptops, only the Samsung Galaxy Flex 13 came close (in fact, it lasted just as long). Only ARM-based laptops have a longer lifespan, including Apple's M1 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13. The XPS 15 we tested contained discrete graphics and lasted just seven hours, while the XPS 17 with discrete graphics lasted just over six hours. You can buy both laptops with built-in graphics and they will likely do a lot better.

Finally, the Gram 16 lasted around 24.5 hours in our video test going through a Full HD Avengers trailer. The Lenovo Yoga 640 with a 10th generation Core i3 is the closest competitor with 23 hours, and the Dell Latitude 7410 2-in-1 with its energy-saving display lasted just under 22 hours. Again, you'll need to switch to an ARM processor to get better battery life in this test. As with our web browsing test, the XPS 15 lasted a little over seven hours and the XPS 17 lasted over nine hours.

Put simply, the Gram 16 showed spectacular battery life. In fact, it was a real problem to check – I had to wait over 60 hours for all of the battery tests to complete. However, for the typical productivity user, you'll likely get through two full business days before plugging in.

Our opinion

The LG Gram 16 is almost unbelievably light to have such a spacious display and an unbelievably long battery life. I wasn't in love with the keyboard and the best performance required turning on performance mode and a bit of fan noise. But I could live with these flaws to have a laptop that I wouldn't have to worry about for days and that I would barely notice in my backpack.

However, my biggest problem with the laptop is how weak it feels. I don't want to overdo things – the laptop feels sturdy unless you intentionally rotate the display or press harder than usual on the keyboard deck. But we do these things in reviews, and that's how we notice them. Whether the typical user would notice – or care since the laptop meets the military specifications for ruggedness – is an open question.

Are there alternatives?

The Dell XPS 15 offers a display with an aspect ratio of 16:10 and offers a much better quality in its 4K version. It's also almost twice as heavy, despite the fact that the display is a bit smaller, and it can't nearly match the battery life of the Gram 16. You'll also pay about $ 300 more for a similarly equipped XPS 15.

Next up is the Apple MacBook Pro 16, which has a sleeker appearance as well as a much better display and spectacular sound. It's also much more expensive, and it doesn't even come close to rivaling the Gram 16's longevity.

Finally, with the XPS 17, you can get a slightly larger display and much faster performance in a package that is only slightly larger than the Gram 16. You will be spending more money, however, and battery life will suffer here too.

The XPS 15 and 17, as well as the MacBook Pro 16, are also much faster than the Gram 16 thanks to more powerful 45-watt CPUs and discrete GPUs. Keep this in mind when choosing between these two options and the lightest, most durable laptop in its class.

How long it will take?

I've said it before – the Gram 16 doesn't seem to be as rugged as many other premium laptops if you're looking for flaws. However, if you trust the MIL-STD-810G rating, you can be sure that it will stand up to some abuse. It is covered by the one-year guarantee, which is customary in the industry and which is too short.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The LG Gram 16 is a solid productivity performer with outstanding – truly unprecedented – battery life, and it's so damn light. Just make sure you pay attention to the performance differences with other similar sized laptops.

Editor's recommendations




13 Mar
Blog

iLife A10 Robot Vacuum Review: Still Needs Babysitting

ILIFE A10 robotic vacuum cleaner on the floor

"The iLife A10 is a robotic vacuum cleaner that needs to be monitored to get the job done."

  • Lidar enables effective cleaning

  • Affordable price

  • Comes with two side brushes

  • Will trip over obstacles

  • Problems deleting humps

The Wyze Robot Vacuum has certainly raised eyebrows lately, which shows us that a low-cost offering can deliver just as good cleaning as bots doubling their price. However, we can't forget to mention another company that has its roots in the entry-level robot vacuum, iLife. It has been making robotic vacuums for a while, but its newest model, the A10, may well be a direct rival of the Wyze Robot Vacuum due to its similar features and cost under $ 300.

Comfort thanks to lidar

For the money you make, it's good that the iLife A10 has smarter navigation thanks to the built-in lidar that maps rooms. Once reserved for high-end robotic vacuums, lidar technology will slowly be introduced into budget models – and we're excited to have it available here with the A10. This allows the bot to effectively clean rooms by moving in straight lines.

John Velasco / Digital Trends

You can even set up restricted zones through the iLife app, which is essentially a virtual wall to prevent the bot from passing by. Again, you get some extra features that we don't normally find in robots in this price range. It's compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, so you can start and stop cleaning using voice control.

Decent on hardwoods

One notable thing that stands out about the ILIFE A10 is that it has two side sweeping brushes, which is less the case in robotic vacuum cleaners these days as most of them only use a single brush. The two side brushes are useful for sweeping dirt and debris on hardwoods and tiles so that they can be swallowed up by the lower brush. Plus, it's nice that they spin at a decent speed – so they don't just throw debris all over the place.

John Velasco / Digital Trends

Lidar also helps navigate corners and makes sure the side brushes capture as much as possible. However, since these are standard bristle-style brushes, they can be easily frayed. Over time, this will make cleaning less effective. I prefer rubber brushes because in my experience they have been shown to be more durable.

When it comes to carpets, the iLife A10 with its 2000Pa suction takes care of superficial things by automatically switching to Boost mode. However, it does not achieve the same deep cleaning results as an ordinary handheld vacuum cleaner. All dirt is collected in its unique 600 ml cell waste bin, which protects the filter from clogging by dirt deposits. However, I'm not thrilled with the way the mechanism opens the trash can from above – which results in debris leaking out of the trash can when emptied.

It's not as fast as other robotic vacuums when it comes to cleaning my entire home, nor does it achieve the same level of cleanliness, but for what it's worth, the iLife A10 will keep your home clean and tidy. If you don't want to run the bot often, e.g. For example, at least once a day, you want to do it for a second run. The battery life of 100 minutes is sufficient for smaller rooms, but automatically charges when the battery is almost empty – and then continues where it left off.

Necessary for babysitting

It's not perfect for avoiding common household traps like tight spaces under furniture and the occasional cord. Therefore, expect to protect it from hardship often. In fact, it got stuck on a thicker surge arrester cable on the floor, which is strange as it is the thinner cables, like those on smartphones, that tend to trigger most of the bots.

Dividers also cause problems for the iLife A10. There's a thicker divider piece at the entrance to my bathroom, and the A10 doesn't try miserably to climb over that hump. His bikes seem ready for the job, but in this case he's just having problems.

John Velasco / Digital Trends

What I really notice about the iLife A10 is the frequency with which it has to be saved. Whether it's a sock brushing the bottom or tucked under my entertainment center in the living room, the A10 needs constant babysitting.

Our opinion

When time is money, it's no surprise why robotic vacuums continue to come in handy at home. The $ 280 cost of the iLife A10 will easily turn heads, but just know that it takes time and patience to make sure this bot completes its cleaning. If you're okay with this, it's worth considering.

Is there a better alternative?

In this price range, the Wyze Robot Vacuum is the only logical rival that is cheaper at $ 250.

How long it will take?

With a glossy top and a mostly plastic construction, the ILIFE A10 feels at least well put together. Frequent maintenance, however, is something I would recommend because the brushes can get tangled up quickly. There is a one year limited warranty against defects.

Should you buy it?

Yes. Even though babysitting is necessary to avoid getting into trouble, this is the only big tradeoff given the low cost.

Editor's recommendations




12 Mar
Blog

2021 Toyota Venza Review: A More Refined RAV4

2021 Toyota Venza rating front

2021 Toyota Venza Review: Stargazer

"The Toyota Venza returns as an upscale hybrid SUV with some unique features."

  • Efficient hybrid powertrain

  • Great trick roof

  • Surprisingly stylish

  • Upmarket for a Toyota

  • Frustrating touch-sensitive buttons

  • On the smaller side

In case you haven't noticed, comeback season is just around the corner. The Ford Bronco, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Chevrolet Blazer, Hummer, Toyota Supra, and Jeep Grand Cherokee have all been dusted and revived. Old names resort to nostalgia and help automakers introduce more modern machines. On the Toyota Venza 2021, the nameplate is given a completely new slate, exactly what the model needed after the failure of the first-generation model.

We doubt many people turned down Toyota's decision to cancel the Venza when it was discontinued in 2015, but the two-row midsize SUV landscape hasn't changed too much in six years. Most of the same competitors exist, and few have done anything to raise the bar. In this regard, the 2021 Venza is a curiosity. Its all-hybrid powertrain positions it as one of the few electrified options, while the stylish design and available Star Gaze roof are a clear indication of how Toyota positions it as a cut above its other SUVs. These characteristics also help the Venza stand out in the class of the Nissan Murano, Ford Edge, Chevrolet Blazer and Hyundai Santa Fe.

The Venza is slightly more expensive, starting at $ 33,645 for the base LE fairing, though every model comes standard with all-wheel drive. Our test car was first-class Limited equipment with a few optional extras like a head-up display, Toyota's Star Gaze panoramic roof, and rain-sensitive windshield wipers priced at $ 43,100.

Design and interior

It is more difficult to make a vehicle look good than it sounds. Typically, fewer design elements and sleek lines are preferred – two things Toyota designers have turned away from in order to get vehicles with a more dramatic style. Toyota used a bit of caution with the Venza and it really works. The EV-like grille, the chrome part in the front that connects the headlights, the tall rear fenders and the thin taillights that are connected to a horizontal light give the new Venza a design that dwarfs the old model.

Double-row midsize SUVs are all about styling. Without the third row, automakers have some leeway to create more stylish designs. Some options, like the Hyundai Santa Fe, go a little too far to be unique, while others like the Honda Passport play things a little too safely. Toyota managed to hit a sweet spot with the curved design, but the design comes at the expense of the interior.

The Venza can be classified as a mid-size SUV, but it offers less interior space than the smaller Toyota RAV4 Hybrid on which it is based. That's not to say the Venza's interior space is cramped, it's just smaller than almost any other option in the class. The most obvious disadvantage is the lack of loading capacity. With the rear seats, the Venza offers just 28.7 cubic feet of cargo space. That number opens up to 54.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. That's less than most other midsize SUVs, which total around 70 cubic feet, and less than the RAV4 (69.8 cubic feet of cargo space).

The electrochromic glass roof can switch from matt to transparent at the push of a button.

Another problem we've encountered with other Toyotas is how noisy the interior can get. The four-cylinder engine sounds lively, especially when starting, and transfers a lot of vibration into the cabin. There is a noticeable amount of wind noise on the freeway that seems inappropriate for an upscale vehicle.

While the Venza doesn't offer a Lexus-like experience, the higher the trim ladder you climb, the higher it gets. The transition to the XLE cladding opens the door to stylish two-tone interiors, although synthetic leather upholstery is the most beautiful seat material and wood grain style cladding available. The SUV's true glory is the available Star Gaze panoramic roof, which is only available as an option for the Limited fairing. The electrochromic glass roof can be changed from matt to transparent at the push of a button, so that you can enjoy the entire panorama roof to the full. It's also a feature to brag about as it was previously reserved for ultra-luxury cars.

Joel Patel / Digital Trends

The material quality in our test car with limited equipment was impressive for an SUV of this class. Instead of hard plastic throughout the cabin like you find on many other Toyotas, there are soft-touch materials on almost every part you interact with. The design of the center console, faux wood trim, and faux leather upholstery all look fantastic, while the color palette, which in our tester was a mix of shades of gray, looked tasteful.

Technology, infotainment and driver assistance

The SUV's infotainment system mirrors those found on other Toyota models, unless you opt for the longest-range Venza. The standard infotainment system includes an 8.0-inch touchscreen, four USB ports, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, an integrated WiFi hotspot, six audio speakers, a wireless smartphone charger and Bluetooth. A JBL audio system with nine speakers and a 12.3-inch touchscreen are the few options available.

Joel Patel / Digital Trends

The touch screen is a typical Toyota product with the latest Entune system. Both touchscreens have outdated graphics and a tricky layout. In addition to its size, the larger 12.3-inch touchscreen has physical buttons. Both the HVAC and infotainment systems can be controlled using capacitive touch buttons, which are frustrating at best. The larger touchscreen offers a split-screen feature with a nifty feature that lets you choose which side of the screen is split, either right or left. This makes it easier for the driver or front passenger to interact.

The standard safety functions come from the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 Suite. The package includes traffic sign recognition, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning and lane departure warning. The few optional safety functions include parking sensors, a head-up display and a parking camera with surround view.

Although the Venza is equipped with all sorts of safety features, we should point out that the quality of the cameras is not spectacular. The camera has a fisheye lens that distorts the image so much that the 360-degree view is no longer as helpful. Fortunately, the Venza is available with a video rearview mirror that allows the driver to see what's behind the vehicle unobstructed.

Experience at the wheel

Under the hood, the Venza uses the same hybrid powertrain as the RAV4 Hybrid, which consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and three electric motors. All-wheel drive and a continuously variable automatic transmission are also included. It is the only available powertrain that makes the Venza one of the few hybrid vehicles in the mid-range segment and one of the few hybrid-only vehicles on the market.

Toyota claims the Venza has a total power of 219 hp. That might not sound like a lot, especially since the Murano, Blazer, Passport, and Edge are all available with six-cylinder engines. Ultimately, however, the lack of power doesn't affect the Venza's appeal.

In the real world, the Venza offers a lot of performance for everyday use. The hybrid powertrain fills gaps in which a four-cylinder engine alone makes you want more, making the mid-size SUV feel a lot livelier than its performance allows. The transition from gasoline to electricity is smooth, and the spaceship-like sound of running the Venza on electricity makes you feel like you are in the future. If you plan to drive around town a lot, there is an “EV mode” which ensures that the Venza runs on electricity only to save fuel or to get around in the most environmentally friendly way possible.

The Venza moves away from its stylish exterior design and is designed more for comfort than agility. A soft chassis leads to more relaxed cornering than other medium-sized SUVs. However, this results in a comfortable ride over all road conditions. There is a "Sports" mode, but it doesn't make much sense in this application. Instead, we put it in "Eco" mode and left it there for most of the week.

If you need an SUV to tow cargo, you'd better look elsewhere as the Venza isn't towable at all.

Fuel economy and safety

The Venza's drivetrain may make some drivers want more power, but it makes up for it in terms of fuel economy. You get premium fuel economy values ​​of 39 mpg (40 mpg city, 37 mpg highway) with all-wheel drive. While that's not as good as the RAV4 Hybrid (40 mpg combined), it is far better than any other two-row midsize SUV, and better than any other midsize hybrid SUV. The all-new Kia Sorento Hybrid comes closest with a combined rating of 37 mpg.

The Road Safety Insurance Institute (IIHS) has named the Toyota Top Safety Pick in 2021. This is the organization's second highest rating. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rated the SUV with a total of five stars.

In the real world, the Venza offers a lot of performance for everyday use.

Toyota covers the Venza with a three-year base warranty of 36,000 miles and a five-year warranty of 60,000 miles on the powertrain. These are average for mainstream brands, though Kia and Hyundai lead the segment with a five-year base warranty of 60,000 miles and a ten-year warranty of 100,000 miles for the powertrain.

Like other Toyota hybrids, the Venza offers a 10-year warranty on 150,000 miles of battery and an eight-year warranty of 100,000 miles on components that make up the hybrid system.

How DT would configure this car

Priced at over $ 40,000, our Venza Limited test vehicle showed off all of the things that help the SUV stand out in the packed class. While it is possible to get into a cheaper Venza, you'll have to opt for the expensive Limited fairing to get the fantastic Star Gaze roof. We think it's one of the most sophisticated technologies out there and it's worth having.

So we're sticking with the Limited and spending the extra $ 1,400 on the Star Gaze roof. This gives you a stylish, well-equipped SUV with a feature that the entire neighborhood will be the envy of.

Our opinion

Few SUVs cause waves these days. While the 2021 Toyota Venza doesn't take the SUV class to a new level or rethink anything about booting vehicles, it has a unique feature and design to make it a distinctive choice.

The Chevrolet Blazer offers a sportier design borrowed from the Chevrolet Camaro sports car. It has a more spacious cabin, a more powerful V6 engine and sportier handling than the Venza. The Toyota Hybrid is far more efficient and has more technical features.

If you're off-road and want something that can haul up to 5,000 pounds, check out the Honda Passport. It has a ground clearance of 8.1 inches, an intelligent traction management system for different terrain and weather conditions and a powerful V6 engine. The pass cannot compete with the Venza in terms of fuel economy, interior design or technical features.

The new Hyundai Santa Fe is another two-row midsize SUV offered with a hybrid powertrain. While it may not be as efficient as the Venza or as well equipped in terms of safety features, it has a more spacious interior, even more technology, a more powerful drivetrain and a broader warranty.

Should you get one

Yes. A far better SUV than its predecessor, the Venza is enough to make you feel unique in a packed segment.

Editor's recommendations




12 Mar
Blog

Roborock H6 Adapt Review: Clean Air Meets Clean Home

Customize roborock h6 rating

Roborock H6 cordless vacuum cleaner

"The unbelievable suction power of the Roborock H6 Adapt soaks everything up and at the same time keeps the air clean."

  • Light, with strong suction

  • Quiet, except in the highest suction mode

  • Five-stage air filtration to improve air quality

  • Numerous accessories make cleaning easier everywhere

  • Shorter battery life in high-performance mode

  • It takes four hours to fully charge

Robotic vacuums offer a consistent level of clean and unmatched convenience, but there are certain tasks they just can't do – cleaning the stairs, for example. Robotic vacuums are also not particularly suitable for on-site cleaning.

When a robotic vacuum cleaner is struggling, a cordless stick vacuum cleaner can do the job. Thanks to a number of vacuum cleaners that have appeared on the market in recent years, users have a wide range of choices. Now Roborock has added another option with the H6 Adapt, a Red Dot 2020 winner for its design.

The Roborock H6 Adapt combines five-step air purification with powerful cleaning and a lightweight design to provide a product that is not only easy to use, but can also improve air quality while keeping the house clean.

Small, light and powerful

The Roborock H6 Adapt is possibly the lightest stick vacuum cleaner I've ever used. The main body is only three pounds and the attachments barely weigh anything. It easily clears up dirt and doubles as a duster to keep the tops of the closet clean or to suck cobwebs out of the corners.

Since no stand is required, the H6 Adapt is the perfect vacuum for small spaces. You can just plug it in for charging, although it includes a wall mount that can charge the vacuum while doubling as an accessory rack. This is also a necessary addition as the H6 Adapt comes with a number of different accessories.

The main accessory is the baton, a 30-inch extension that fits any other accessory. The Adjust H6 There's also a larger carpet brush for vacuuming the floor, a motorized mini brush that's perfect for stairs, and a dust brush.

It also comes with a splitting tool for vacuuming tight corners and a flexible tube for accessing hard-to-reach areas. With all of these accessories, the H6 Adapt can clean a wide variety of different areas. You can use it to vacuum at the kitchen table, vacuum up flour in the kitchen and tidy up the car after a long drive.

Max Mode feels like it's vacuuming the paint off a car.

The battery is rated for up to 90 minutes of continuous suction power, although this will vary in actual use. The type of accessory and the cleaning mode you choose can have a significant impact, especially if you choose Max mode. This mode increases the suction power to the maximum possible level, but shortens the battery life considerably. That said, when you need to thoroughly clean an area, Max Mode feels like he's vacuuming the paint off a car.

Powerful suction meets air purification

Many people find stick vacuums less hygienic, and this is sometimes the case. In many vacuum cleaners, dirt particles can escape from the container, resulting in poorer air quality than at the beginning. This is not the case with the Roborock H6 Adapt.

As someone who is very allergic to cats but still owns one, the furniture in my house is vacuumed regularly. A couch is less relaxing when you sit on it and break out into beehives. Some vacuum cleaners only cause an allergic reaction by vacuuming cat hair, but the H6 Adapt does not.

I sneezed less, especially when using the higher power modes.

It holds the hair in its dust container and can remove up to 99.99% of all allergens less than 3 microns in size when cleaned. Roborock lists cat dander, along with dust mites, mold, pollen, dog dander, and other pollutants, as one of the particles it removes.

While I'm usually skeptical of air purification claims until they can be proven, the H6 Adapt has shown how effective it is. I've sneezed less, especially when I've used the more powerful modes for cleaning cat hair from furniture.

An LED display provides all the information you need

The H6 Adapt has an LED display on the handle that gives you information at a glance. Three main points are displayed: whether the vacuum is locked or unlocked, the remaining battery life and the current suction mode.

Knowing how much battery life is left is fantastic. It is shown as both a percentage and a specific time. You can see up to the second how much longer the battery lasts before you have to stop and recharge. This amount varies greatly depending on the mode. With a remaining battery life of 49%, the Eco mode (the lowest suction mode) offers a lifetime of just over 41 minutes, while the standard suction mode offers just over 21 minutes and the maximum suction mode only offers a lifetime of just over 21 minutes five minutes.

There is a button at the end of the handle that allows you to switch between suction modes as needed, as well as a button on the side that locks the vacuum. That way you can let go of the trigger and it will keep working. Goodbye, aching fingers!

After a minute of inactivity, the screen will automatically turn off to save battery life. It takes approximately four hours to fully charge the battery after you wear it out. So if you have a large house and want to vacuum the entire area, it is a good idea to get a spare battery.

Simple dirt disposal

All stick vacuums work roughly the same way, with a release latch to open and empty the dust bin. Too often this latch is at the bottom of the dust bin – in other words, when you open it, dust and grime shower on your hand.

The Roborock H6 Adapt provides a simple solution for this. There is a switch just below the trigger that opens the dust container. Hold the vacuum over the trash can and press the switch to toss the contents of the trash can into the trash can. The top of the vacuum opens to allow access to the filter in case it ever needs to be replaced. The entire vacuum has a modular structure so that parts can be exchanged without any problems.

Our opinion

The Roborock H6 Adapt is a great option that allows for thorough cleaning while addressing household air quality issues. Its light weight makes it a great solution for those who may not be able to lift heavy weights. The $ 450 price tag is steep, but the H6 Adapt is cheaper than some of its competitors like the Samsung Jet 90 ($ 649) or the $ 600 Dyson V11.

How long it will take?

The Roborock H6 Adapt is made of hard plastic. This durable material makes it lighter than the competition, but that doesn't mean it's weak. The vacuum feels strong, so I expect it to last for years, especially with proper maintenance. Should something go wrong, Roborock offers a one-year guarantee from the date of purchase.

Is there a better alternative?

If you're looking for a comparable suction device at a cheaper price, consider the Tineco Pure ONE S11 for $ 300. A few bells and whistles are missing, but the job is done for less. On the other hand, the Dyson V11 Torque Drive is top notch when it comes to raw cleaning power. While you are paying more, your carpets are clean.

Should you buy it?

Yes. Air filtration improves the quality of the air in your home by ensuring that dirt and allergens stay tightly trapped in the vacuum.

Editor's recommendations




12 Mar
Blog

HP Omen 30L Gaming Desktop Review: A Gorgeous Glass House

HP Omen 30l Gaming Desktop Rating 6

HP Omen 30L Gaming Desktop

"The HP Omen 30L Gaming Desktop is the most beautiful gaming desktop you can buy."

  • Smooth 4K gaming

  • Beautiful design

  • Accessible internals

  • Ready to upgrade

  • Good value

  • Can get very loud and hot

Everyone wants to build their own PC these days. The problem? It is next to impossible to find affordable components these days. If it's your first rodeo, putting one together from scratch can be daunting.

HP has developed its new Omen 30L Gaming Desktop precisely for this target group. With all of the industry-standard upgrades and a DIY-friendly setup, it's unlike anything you'd find on an Alienware or ROG desktop.

Did I mention this thing is absolutely awesome? It is. With a starting price of $ 1,100, it's pretty affordable too. Obviously, this is not the configuration anyone should buy. You pay over $ 2,000 to get a model with the new RTX-30 series graphics.

If you can grab one, you're going to be pampered.

design

The aesthetics of the HP Omen 30L fit my tastes perfectly. The case is simple and nifty, similar to NZXT or Lian-Li. The edges are straight, the vents are small and even the lighting is tasteful. Don't even compare this to a desktop from ROG or Predator.

The branding is also minimalist. A simple diamond shape adorns the front and glows in bright white like a kind of alien obelisk. Let's call it mid-century modern gaming desktop design.

Let's call it mid-century modern gaming desktop design.

Still, HP added a few details that set this device apart from the standard PC case that you can buy off the shelf. The front is made of tempered glass and offers a glimpse of the RGB-lit fan inside, interrupted by the pattern of triangular vents on the side. It feels like you're in a museum looking at an ancient relic. HP charges extra for this, but I love the ultra-reflective look.

The vent design is also along the top plate, which is made entirely of machined aluminum. Like any other surface on the tower, it feels extremely stiff. At the top you'll also find a number of ports including a headphone / microphone combo jack and two SuperSpeed ​​USB-A ports. I'd love to see a USB-C port offered here, which includes options like the Asus ROG Strix GT35 and Falcon NW Talon.

HP Omen 30l Gaming Desktop Rating 7

HP Omen 30l Gaming Desktop Rating 3

For all the metal and glass, HP managed to keep the system pretty light. It weighs 28 pounds, making it lighter than the 30 pound Lenovo Legion Tower 5i and the 35 pound Falcon NW Talon. However, the Omen 30L is slightly larger thanks to the large rubber feet underneath. According to HP, that empty space significantly increased airflow from below.

The tempered glass is also used for the side panel, which gives you a clear view of your hardware. At the top there is a row of RGB lights that pour the fixtures into a beautiful bath of color. Again, it's a touch that is similar to what many custom PC makers go for.

Internals

The Omen 30L Gaming Desktop uses a custom micro-ATX motherboard that is typical for this tower size. The board is even matte black, which is a nice touch. The Falcon NW Talon uses a full-size ATX board, which offers a few additional features but makes the internal layout feel a bit cramped. The Omen 30L is beautiful and spacious.

The card enables an additional M.2 SSD and two SATA drives in the available storage bays.

Cable management is a bit sloppy.

I wouldn't call it clean, however. Cable management is a bit sloppy, especially if you're from a boutique PC maker like Origin or Falcon NW. They are crossing each other in all directions and it would be quite a mess to untangle and redirect them. This is part of the DIY aesthetic that is better avoided in a pre-built system.

Fortunately, the internals are completely tool-free. The textured button on the back opens in the side area. It's an extremely simple and easy-to-use design. I even prefer the door hinges that open like the Falcon NW Talon, which can be inconvenient if you leave your tower on your desk.

The other side wall can be removed with just one screw. This also applies to the graphics card, which is held in place by a plastic brace to prevent sagging and ensure safe delivery. The Omen 30L has plenty of room for cards, even if it's as big as the massive Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090.

My test unit was a water-cooled system, although the base model uses a standard air cooler. In both cases, HP has partnered with Cooler Master for all of the thermal, including the front intake and rear exhaust fans. There's not much room for additional fans, though HP mentioned that there may be room on top to install a larger cooler. The 750 watt power supply is also provided by Cooler Master. Unfortunately there is no manual off switch included.

After all, the RGB memory sticks in my test unit came from HyperX, a company that HP now fully owns. My system was 32GB of Fury DDR4, which is the maximum amount you can get.

Game performance

With options from Intel, AMD, and Nvidia, the performance you get will vary. As it turns out, your choice of these processors and GPUs is a crapshoot too. Third-party manufacturers also have inventory issues. HP says an RTX 3060 configuration will also be available at some point.

However, if you get a configuration similar to mine, you won't be disappointed with the performance. It came with an Intel Core i9-10900K, an Nvidia RTX 3080, and a 1 TB M.2 SSD.

In 3DMark Time Spy, the Omen 30L fell right between some of its closest competitors. With a score of 16,108, it lands 11% in front of the Lenovo Legion Tower 5i and 5% behind the Falcon NW Talon. Both systems were also equipped with the RTX 3080. The lead over the Legion Tower 5i was reduced to only 3% in the older DirectX 11 benchmark Fire Strike.

The RTX 3080 is meant to be a 4K capable card, so I plug it into my 4K 144Hz monitor to see what it can do. It could play any game I tested in 4K at well over 60 fps (frames per second) on maximum settings, with the exception of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. The in-game benchmark of this title spit out an average of 52 fps.

It's the only game I've preferred the 1440p experience where it was 70 fps faster on average. It was between 5% (1080p, High) and 15% (4K, Ultra High) behind the Falcon NW Talon in various graphics settings and resolutions, which was a performance difference from the other games I also tested.

With the highest fidelity, the Omen 30L often exchanged beats with the talon. But in 1080p it fell behind the talon. The clearest example was Civilization VI, which is already more CPU-dependent than the others. The Omen 30L averaged 158 fps in 4K on Ultra, but that's 11% behind the Falcon NW Talon. This lead was increased to 22% with 1080p Medium, which shows how much the CPU has bottlenecks compared to the Omen.

There have been cases when the fan noise was very loud. How scary loud.

This was also true for Fortnite, where the Omen was faster than the Talon and Legion in 4K (95 fps) but was 10% behind the Talon in 1080p. I suspect most gamers won't be too offended by the inequality, but it's worth a mention if you're trying to get the absolute fastest frame rates out of your system.

It's hard to blame the Omen 30L too much, especially since there have been games like Battlefield V where there was a much more even battle between the three systems, with no deviations of more than 5 fps. Regardless, playing in 4K at 100 fps feels awesome and shows just how groundbreaking the RTX 3080 really is.

The more serious problem with the Omen 30L was fan noise. It wasn't bad during most of the games – but there were times when it was very noisy. How scary loud. During my 3DMark Time Spy, I also saw occasional spikes in CPU temperatures as high as 97 degrees Celsius, which you don't want to see. The system has leveled itself to about 73 degrees for most of the load, but the thermals should have tinkered a little more between the temperature peaks and the fan noise.

Creative achievement

Gaming is a priority for the HP Omen 30L, but there's no reason you can't try it in creative applications like Adobe Premiere or Blender. CPU performance is good, although you obviously get more multi-core juice if you go for AMD's Ryzen platform.

The Ryzen 5950X, which I tested in the Falcon NW Talon, for example, drew circles around the Core i7-10900K in both the PugetBench Premiere Pro and the Blender benchmarks. PugetBench tests critical tasks like 4K playback and video encoding. That's why the multi-core capabilities of the Talon with Ryzen drive exceeded the omen by 18%.

That said, the HP Omen 30L is a capable creative workstation, especially if you can use that monster GPU.

Our opinion

The HP Omen 30L Gaming Desktop is the most beautiful gaming desktop you can buy – hands down. Boutique options like the Falcon NW offer slightly better performance and far more neat cable management. But for the price, the HP Omen 30L is my preferred pre-built gaming desktop in its category.

Are there alternatives?

The two obvious options are the Lenovo Legion Tower 5i and the Alienware Aurora R11. The Legion Tower 5i is a good option, although you can't currently configure it with RTX 30 series cards. So forget about him.

Both the Alienware Aurora R11 and the Asus ROG Strix GT35 are larger and more powerful than the Omen 30L, but also more expensive. And nowhere near as good-looking.

Finally, both the Falcon NW Talon and Origin Neuron are good choices, but they are far more expensive.

How long it will take?

The HP Omen 30L will last as long as you have it. That's the beauty of desktops that are easy to update. Everything can be exchanged even if you run into technical problems.

However, HP's protection plan isn't very good. There is only a one-year standard warranty.

Should you buy it?

Yes. If you can find one of the high-end configurations, you won't find a better pre-made gaming desktop.

Editor's recommendations




12 Mar
Blog

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Review: Great Hardware Can’t Save Android

lenovo tab p11 pro review 5

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Tablet

"It's probably the best Android tablet in its price range, but the Tab P11 Pro seriously disappoints with a sub-par software experience."

  • Breathtaking design

  • Excellent accessories

  • Solid performance

  • Excellent battery

  • Below average software experience

  • Android apps on tablets are terrible

  • Medium camera

It's difficult to decide on Android tablets these days, especially when they cost more than a few hundred dollars. Sure, some companies make stylish tablets with beautiful displays and top-notch performance, but Android is still holding them back – which is fantastic on phones but not so great on tablets. However, Lenovo believes it cracked the code with the new Lenovo Tab P11 Pro.

It cannot be denied: The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is madness. It's thin, has a gorgeous edge-to-edge display, and offers solid performance thanks to the Snapdragon 730G. At first glance, it's a slightly cheaper alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, which is our first choice for Android tablets.

Ultimately, however, the Android experience is best for the smartphone, and Lenovo cannot change that. Here are our thoughts on the device.

Design and display

Lenovo seems to have gotten to the heart of the design aspect of its tablets. The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is elegant and elegant, looks modern thanks to its borderless display and is made of high-quality materials. It reminds me a lot of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, which is a good thing – I liked the general design and feel of the Tab S7, and while the Tab P11 Pro can reasonably be called a design copy, it still looks great.

As is the trend these days, the tablet has nicely rounded corners with a metal unibody structure. There is a slate gray color scheme on the back, reminiscent of Apple's Space Gray, with an antenna line at the top and a dual-sensor camera. The camera module sticks out quite a bit from the back of the tablet, but with the included back cover, it's no big deal. We'll go into the included accessories a little later.

When you hold the tablet in portrait orientation, the on / off switch (with integrated fingerprint sensor) is on the top right and the volume rocker right next to it on the right. There is a USB-C port at the bottom. There is no headphone jack on the Tab P11 Pro.

On the right there are also a number of sensors and cameras that can be used for face recognition. Unfortunately, in my experience, facial recognition doesn't work that well, and you should opt for the fingerprint sensor instead. The face recognition worked exactly. It only took a few seconds for the device to actually unlock. The fingerprint sensor worked quickly and accurately most of the time.

With a thickness of only 6.9 mm, the Tab P11 Pro fits comfortably in the hand. At just over a pound, it's not overly heavy and the bezels are the perfect size – they leave just enough room to hold the device without accidentally touching the screen. You don't want them to get tighter.

Speaking of the screen, it's a sucker. The Tab P11 Pro has an 11.5-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1,600 x 2,560 and a brightness of up to 500 nits. It is wonderful. The text is nice and sharp, the colors are vivid and bright, and the tablet is perfect for watching movies and games. But it's not perfect. As someone who regularly uses an iPad Pro, I would have liked a high refresh rate here, but it's hard to reckon that the tablet won't have a high refresh rate due to its price range.

Our first Tab P11 Pro immediately had a screen burn-in issue, and Lenovo quickly replaced the review unit. If you experience a similar problem, it should be under the manufacturer's limited warranty.

Power, battery and camera

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is slightly cheaper than the Galaxy Tab S7, and one way to cut costs is with a slightly cheaper processor. However, this does not mean that the tablet does not have enough power. Still, thanks to the Snapdragon 730G processor, which comes with 4GB or 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, it can do most of the tasks that you can.

In all honesty, it's more than powerful enough. No, the Snapdragon 730G isn't as powerful as the Snapdragon 865, but it can handle multitasking, gaming, and more. Playing Call of Duty: Mobile was a good experience with few jumps and good load times. The tablet generally handled multitasking well, including surfing the web, sending emails, using Microsoft Word, and so on.

That doesn't mean it's a performance beast. It still has its limits. If you want to use it as a replacement for a laptop, for example, you will reach these limits. We recommend the 6GB RAM model if you can afford it and if you don't want to use your tablet just for media consumption. It's only $ 50 more and makes for a smoother experience.

In all honesty, it's more than powerful enough. No, the Snapdragon 730G isn't as powerful as the Snapdragon 865, but it can still handle solid multitasking, gaming, and more.

The battery life of the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is excellent. The tablet comes with a massive 8,600 mAh battery that is more than enough to last for days of use. If you charge it and don't use it for a few days, you can expect over 90% of the battery remaining. If you use your tablet frequently, it should be a few days before you need to charge it.

Unlike a smartphone, the tablet's rear-facing camera isn't as important as the front-facing camera, as you will likely use your tablet more for video chatting than for taking photos. Unfortunately, none of the P11 Pro's cameras work great.

On the back of the device is a dual camera setup with a 13-megapixel main camera and a 5-megapixel ultrawide. There are two 8-megapixel cameras on the front, one for photos and one for face recognition. Both of them do their job in adequate lighting, but they add complexity to your photo or video and you are likely to run into problems.

software

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro has a stunning design, display and battery life. Ultimately, however, it doesn't matter how good the hardware is if the software isn't up to the task. Unfortunately, this is not the case in this case.

It's not all Lenovo's fault. Android is a great operating system, but it's not really tablet-friendly, and even the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7's software experience isn't the best. It really is a shame and frustrating that, despite its mature operating system, Android still isn't the productivity powerhouse it could be.

Not to mention the fact that Android apps aren't really optimized for use with tablets. Twitter on the tablet is basically just an expanded version of the smartphone app, and it looks terrible. In comparison, the iPad app is divided into columns that really take advantage of the large screen's footprint. That's Twitter's fault, of course, but it underscores the fact that Android tablets have really been forgotten – and Android tablet makers look bad because of it.

As you'd expect, Lenovo is building its own features into the Tab P11 Pro's software. The tablet can be used in two different modes – a normal Android tablet mode and a so-called “productivity mode”. Productivity mode is activated by default when you connect the device to the supplied keyboard. However, you can also turn it on without a keyboard.

Productivity mode is similar to Lenovo's in terms of Samsung DeX, but without years of refinement. Apps are displayed with windows instead of the full screen. A number of the latest multitasking apps are displayed at the bottom of the screen. It's a good approach, but it feels very unfinished. For example, apps don't snap to the edge of the screen and load in a tiny window the first time they are opened. It's really not very well implemented, and you might be more productive in normal mode.

But I wouldn't turn to the Tab P11 Pro primarily for productivity gains, or at least not for its primary purpose. The device works well for casual jobs and, given the solid keyboard, can also be useful for things like replying to emails or writing in a word processor without the need for multitasking. However, don't expect to be more productive and still keep your sanity.

All of this is made worse by the fact that the tablet ships with Android 10, which is now over a year old. Given Lenovo's track record with Android updates, it's entirely possible that the tablet will never get Android 11 or even Android 12. However, I would be happy if I turned out to be wrong.

Keyboard and pen

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro comes with a number of accessories that support different uses, and these accessories are really beautiful. That said, it's a shame the tablet's software wasn't really designed with productivity in mind.

To protect the tablet, there is a back cover and a keyboard that can be used separately. In the end, I just kept the back cover of the tablet the whole time. It has a nice textile appearance and the stand makes it easy to put a tablet on the table when needed. The stand is infinitely adjustable so you can adjust it to the angle you want. The only frustration I have with the back cover is that the hinge creates a bump in the middle, which means it can't lie flat on its back.

The keyboard corresponds to the design of the back cover and is magnetically attached to the underside of the tablet. Once attached, it works pretty well. It's not the keyboard with the best feel, but it's not bad for a free, included accessory. Keys could use a little more travel to see them, but that's a minor complaint and I still generally enjoyed typing on it … but only on a table. The kickstand design means this isn't the best device for your lap.

The tablet also comes with a pen. While it's not bad, I haven't used it much. In contrast to the Galaxy Tab S7, the pen is not magnetically attached to the tablet itself. Instead, a sleeve is supplied that you can attach to the device with an adhesive. However, this is a pretty permanent approach. Alternatively, you can attach the sleeve to a keychain. Neither is a good solution.

Price and availability

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro starts at $ 500. However, as mentioned earlier, if you want to use the tablet for any kind of productivity or multitasking, I recommend upgrading to the $ 550 6GB RAM model. It is available directly from the Lenovo website.

Our opinion

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is a tough sell. It's probably the best Android tablet in its price range thanks to its great hardware and the fact that there isn't a lot of competition – unless the Galaxy Tab S7 goes on sale. In this case, it's a better option. Unfortunately, the Tab P11 Pro is seriously disappointed with a sub-par software experience, making it difficult to recommend to anyone who wants to achieve more than just basic media usage and very basic productivity.

Is there a better alternative?

If you want to stay in the Android ecosystem, there are a few alternatives you should consider. Perhaps the most notable is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, which was available for $ 550 at the time of this writing. The Tab S7 software experience is still not perfect, but it is better than the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro and offers improved performance thanks to the Snapdragon 865+.

If you're not keen on Android, the iPad Air is our top pick for the best tablet out there – and for good reason. It also has a stunning modern design and great performance, as well as a premium software experience for work or leisure. It's a far better product in almost every way except you have to pay extra for accessories like a keyboard and pen. Even the entry-level iPad is worth considering, and while it doesn't look as premium, it still offers a better overall experience than the Tab P11 Pro.

How long it will take?

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is made of metal and should be able to be used for at least two years without physical damage or major slowdowns. If you take good care of it, you might be able to use it for three or four years. Be aware, however, that the software slows down and the software feels pretty out of date.

Should you buy it?

Get an iPad Air or Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 instead.

Editor's recommendations




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