18 Jan
Blog

Nuvyyo Tablo Dual HDMI OTA DVR review: Staying home

Tablo Dual HDMI DVR above

"A simple, straightforward OTA DVR solution."

  • HDMI for TV connection

  • New remote control

  • Easy adjustment

  • Simple interface

  • Local streaming to televisions and boxes

  • No remote access

  • No streaming to mobile apps and browsers

  • No internal memory

For Nuvyyo, the tablo devices have always been an alternative to expensive cable packages, and the concept has always been an easy sale. Take advantage of free wireless TV channels and either watch them live or record them to watch later. Just stream it to compatible devices and you'll get loads of content that doesn't have a fat monthly bill.

The new Tablo Dual HDMI OTA-DVR sticks to the plan, but differs in execution, mostly due to the limitation of where you can actually place it. In contrast to other tablo devices, this box must be connected to a television. Anyone can appreciate a straightforward approach, but is it right for your cable television freedom?

Out of the box

There isn't much to see when you unpack the Tablo Dual HDMI OTA DVR. What stands out is the new remote control – a first for Nuvyyo. There is also the set-top box as well as a power supply unit, an HDMI cable, an Ethernet cable and a quick start guide.

Ted Kritsonis

Set up

The size and weight of the Tablo Dual HDMI are similar to other Nuvyyo products, but there are two major functional differences that we will discuss later. There is an IR receiver on the front and an HDMI port on the back. For those familiar with Nuvyyo products, the setup of the Tablo Dual HDMI isn't all that different. After you've made all the connections on the back, all you need to do is go to the appropriate HDMI input on your TV and follow the instructions instead of accessing an app on a mobile device.

You will still need to connect the Dual HDMI to your home internet connection via Ethernet or Wi-Fi in order for the latest firmware to be downloaded and installed.

Once that's done just search for channels and let the main screen populate with the shows that you want to be broadcast on the TV Guide shows. Since the device itself has no built-in memory, it needs an external drive to store all recorded shows. Any drive will work except Tablo will format it to work with the box, which will completely erase everything on the box. Just do not use USB sticks as they are not officially supported.

These details aren't new, except that we noticed a few other nuances that are pretty important when considering a possible setup. For starters, the direct HDMI connection means that your TV is already near the optimal location for the antenna to feed in channels. We already had an antenna attached to the TV so it was easy to remove and connect to the dual HDMI.

That made us notice something else. Assuming the antenna has a signal booster that is powered by USB, you may encounter an issue with insufficient backlash. For example, the USB port of the Dual HDMI is only used for external storage and is not a power source. So we had to use it on the TV ourselves. The cable for our Mohu antenna feeds into the coaxial and USB extensions, but each needs to be connected to separate devices – coaxial to the tablo unit, USB to the TV. For a wall-mounted television, this was a cumbersome setup due to the short cable length. We tried using a USB extension cable to make up the difference only to lose the booster performance.

Ted Kritsonis

There's one more potential problem: if you already have a Chromecast, Roku, or Fire Stick that takes up the TV's USB port for power, you'll need a hub to share it and accommodate the antenna booster. If your antenna doesn't have a booster or isn't plugged into a power outlet, you're good. In this case, you may need to bypass this type of connectivity congestion.

Support and features

Despite the connectivity differences, Nuvyyo's support is very intact apart from one major gap. The apps for Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV, Roku, Chromecast and Nvidia Shield are still available. The user interface and layout have changed over time, but we've found that the navigation is pretty much the same.

The main difference at first was running through the TV's interface with a dedicated remote control. It's not particularly fancy but does the job of playing / pausing recorded shows, muting or adjusting the volume, and even switching channels up and down. For anyone who is used to watching TV with a clicker, this is pretty familiar.

There is no remote access.

Given that this is a new opportunity for Nuvyyo, there are casualties along the way, such as the inability to stream on Nuvyyo's mobile or web apps. While it works with the TV and streaming device apps mentioned earlier, we sorely missed the ability to stream to mobile devices. There is also no remote access. You can't stream anything you've recorded when you're not home. This is because this is considered to be a "Tablo DVR with TV Connection" which is not compatible with Tablo Connect, the remote access feature.

Ted Kritsonis

All of this results in streaming to the home, which Nuvyyo says is the intent of the dual HDMI. The direct TV connection, however, limited the openness of the platform.

This leads us to the subscriptions involved here. Nuvyyo offers 30-day trials of its TV Guide and Tablo Premium services and treats them separately once you need to start paying for them. The TV Guide portion starts at $ 5 per month, $ 50 per year, or $ 150 per life, and offers you graphics, metadata, show filtering, a more varied menu, and 14 day guide data. It lets you view movies, shows, and sports that are arranged separately for smoother searching. Without it, everything is a mess and you can only see 24 hours of master data.

Premium refers to the Automatic Commercial Skip feature for recorded shows. As the title suggests, the Tablo Dual HDMI cuts out all the ads during a recorded broadcast and offers you an ad-free viewing experience that is comparable to any other paid streaming app. For that you will see an additional $ 2 per month or $ 20 per year.

performance

The devil is in the details, as we pointed out, but when it comes to actually watching and recording shows on the Dual HDMI, we have little to complain about. With two ATSC tuners we can watch one show while recording another, watch two shows on two devices, or record two at the same time. This has been an important feature on tablo devices for years, and there are quad tuner models that can do this with four programs at the same time.

Of the two subscriptions, the TV guide is more effective. Seeing guidance dates for two weeks makes a big difference so you can get early recordings for shows or movies. The cover also gives the layout a typical appearance of a streaming media platform, which makes navigation easier. Nuvyyo almost makes you submit to how sterile the software looks when the pieces of information are reduced to a dime without a subscription. That way, you can still watch and record shows. It's just a lot less fun.

Skipping commercials is great too, but at least you'll have recourse if you're patient enough. For example, suppose you chose not to subscribe to this feature and a recorded show includes all of the ads: you can use the remote control to manually fast-forward ads if you tend to. Cumulatively, the ads will pile up on your hard drive (keep in mind that for an hour-long drama or reality show there is around 12-16 minutes of that), but we'll assume you won't want to spend the extra money if you can can handle noise.

The video quality is good, but limited to 1080p. You also get passthrough for 5.1 surround sound, but Dolby Atmos is not included. Even so, the encoding was seamless and we had no problems watching TV on a TV with a Sonos Surround setup.

The irony of this device is that it adds a lot of familiarity to previous tablo owners, even if the mobile and remote streaming features we claim don't make the others stand out. Forget about relaxing in bed with a tablet to catch up on a show. Outside of the home, this device is essentially inaccessible, so we realized early on that it is aimed at users who are more comfortable parking on the couch at home (not that this has been an issue lately) and their shows within these devices consume walls.

Warranty information

Nuvyyo offers a one-year manufacturer's warranty for the repair or replacement of the Tablo Dual HDMI OTA DVR. Buy it directly from the Nuvyyo website and you have 30 days to return it after purchase, although you will have to pay the shipping costs. Buy it through a retailer and return policy takes precedence.

Our opinion

At $ 150, the Tablo Dual HDMI is comparable to the other Nuvyyo devices, but it's not the upfront price that matters, it's the additional features that determine what the experience will be like. It is very clear who this device is made for and what type of setup is required. The company eventually fixed a lack of direct-to-TV connectivity, but pulled back some other flagship features to make it happen.

Is there a better alternative?

For streaming absolutely. With the Tablo Dual 128 GB you can put it wherever the signal is optimal and it includes a good internal memory to begin with. It's also the same price or sometimes cheaper than the Dual HDMI. If you have four tuners and want to provide storage, the Tablo Quad 1TB over-the-air device costs $ 240 and doesn't even connect directly to the TV. Both give you mobile streaming and remote access.

There are other excellent OTA receivers worth a look, starting with the TiVo Edge for antenna for direct TV connections with a remote control or the SiliconDust HDHomeRun Connect 4K for preparing ATSC 3.0 OTA broadcasts. The latter is more technically set up and may not work for you if you want to keep things simple.

How long it will take?

As long as networks continue to send wireless channels, nothing will stop the Tablo Dual HDMI from doing its job. Since there is no internal storage, you may need to replace or overwrite your attached drive. However, this is only basic maintenance. Nuvyyo is built on solid foundations and has solid support so you can solve problems at least relatively quickly.

In the future the box will no longer support ATSC 3.0. So if at any point you are looking for 4K shows, they will no longer be available once they are generally available. You can find more information about the rollout in our ATSC 3.0 explainer.

Should you buy it?

Yes, but only if you don't mind mobile streaming and remote access not being available. If you don't want to stream to anything other than your TV and you want a DVR that is easy to use, the Tablo Dual HDMI is for you. If it's more important, remotely or otherwise, consider one of the other Tablo models instead.

Editor's recommendations




17 Jan
Blog

Apple Mac Mini M1 Review: Mini Footprint, Max Performance

Apple Mac Mini M1 Rating2 04

"The Mac Mini M1 resets expectations of how fast a small, affordable desktop can be."

  • Bubble CPU performance

  • Incredibly fast SSDs

  • Excellent value

  • Compact, robust design

  • MacOS Big Sur is great

  • Below average gaming performance

The Mac Mini has often been viewed as the ugly duckling in Apple's Mac family. Without the sleek sophistication of the iMac or the portable beauty of the MacBook, it is often overlooked, categorized as a "niche", and viewed as a developer and data center only.

But now that it comes with Apple's M1 chip, the last thing you want to do is ignore it. Although it looks like the previous generation Mac Mini from the outside, from the inside it is nothing short of a revolution.

The Mac Mini is far from a serious competitor for your money – assuming you want a desktop computer and you already have all of the peripherals you need. It's still a niche, but it hits hard against the walls of this descriptor and is ready to break out.

design

The Mac Mini is by far the most compact desktop Mac from Apple. With a width of 7.7 inches and a height of 1.4 inches from top to bottom, this device can easily fit on your desk or slide under a monitor. The footprint is the same as the previous Intel Mini-based Mac Mini.

It's also one of Apple's most minimalist devices. Almost the entire surface of the device is covered in matte aluminum with just a large Apple logo on it to break up the evenness. There is no other branding or labeling, just a tiny white light on the front that comes on when the device is turned on. It's a Jony Ive fever dream, perhaps the ultimate expression of Apple's obsessive design mores.

As we are used to from Apple hardware, the build quality is excellent. The whole device is heavy and solid with no bends or bends to be found. It feels like a device that could take a few hits and still smile – not that you want that to happen.

However, there are some differences between the M1 and Intel models. Most obvious is the paintwork: the M1 model is available in silver and the Intel version in darker gray. The Intel Mac Mini is also a bit heavier, weighing 2.9 pounds compared to the M1 Mac Mini's 2.6 pounds.

A more significant difference is on the back. Apple long ago removed USB-A ports on its MacBooks, but its desktop Macs – including the Mac Mini – have caught on. While the Intel Mac Mini has four USB-A ports, the M1 version only has two (both with 5 Gbit / s). This is more of a limitation on the M1 than a plan by Apple to phase out the Mac Mini's USB-A ports, and I wouldn't be surprised if four ports were available again when more powerful Apple silicon chips come out. However, it's worth noting if you still rely on USB-A for your daily chores. An adapter or dongle may be required.

The M1 Mac Mini has an Ethernet jack, two Thunderbolt 3 / USB 4 ports with 40 Gbit / s, an HDMI 2.0 slot and a 3.5 mm headphone jack as well as a power switch and a slot for the power cord. This is all identical to the Intel Mac Mini.

What you don't get is a keyboard, mouse, trackpad, or other peripheral device. You'll need to provide all of these devices yourself, and a monitor to connect the Mac Mini to. If you already have these, the $ 699 starting price is all the more attractive. If you don't then you need to take them into account when purchasing.

performance

This is the first time the Mac Mini has come with an Apple-owned M1 processor. The basic version of the previous model was equipped with an Intel Core i3-8100H with four cores and 3.0 GHz and ran pretty well. Even on paper, the Apple M1 seems like a significant step up: Not only does it have twice the number of CPU cores than the old entry-level Intel Mini-based Mac Mini, but it also includes an eight-core and one GPU 16-core neural engine on the same system on a chip (SoC).

In addition, Apple uses a so-called "Unified Memory Architecture" (UMA), with which the CPU and GPU can draw from a single memory pool, which reduces the overhead for both. All of this jargon means that in theory everything should run a lot faster – something third-party developers have already told us.

We've already seen how well Apple's M1 chip performs in the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. So we already have an idea of ​​what to expect: this is an incredibly powerful processor. The question, however, is whether the extra space in the Mac Mini compared to these portable laptops can keep the chip cooler and provide it with additional headroom. Does the Mac Mini outperform these devices too?

The answer is yes, and in some cases unequivocally. In GeekBench 5, the Mac Mini scored a single-core score of 1744 and a multi-core score of 7659 ahead of the 1707 and 7337 on the M1 MacBook Pro. These numbers may not mean much to you. Let me put that way: The Mac Mini's single-core score is the highest we've seen in GeekBench 5. The multi-core score is the eighth highest we have measured. This thing flies.

It's the same elsewhere. The SSDs are lightning fast with an average of 2,144.1 Mbit / s write speed and 2,775.1 Mbit / s read speed. In Cinebench R23, the Mac Mini was only beaten by the Falcon NW Talon, which packaged a Ryzen 9 5950X, a machine that will cost you at least $ 4,000. The Mac Mini we tested costs $ 699. This is just a yardstick of course, and this Falcon NW machine is far more capable of doing heavy duty tasks like gaming or video editing. Still, it is amazing value for money.

The starting price of $ 699 for the Mac Mini is an almost absurd feat.

Synthetic benchmarks can only tell you so much, however. How does the Mac Mini work in real life situations? In HandBrake 1.4 (an app optimized for the M1), the Mac Mini encoded a two-minute 4K video in two minutes and 36 seconds – the same length as the M1 MacBook Pro. In Adobe Premiere Pro, the Mini outperformed both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro in the PugetBench benchmark. The Intel version of the Adobe app is used, which was translated with the Apple wizard for working on the M1.

If the Apple Silicon version of Adobe's video app comes out sometime this year, the performance will get even better. If this is your type of workload, the Mac Mini is going to make a world of difference, especially if you're currently using older Intel-based hardware.

The difference in performance between the MacBook Pro and the Mac Mini isn't that big. It's only 8% faster in Premiere. This should be considered when trying to decide between the two.

The Mac Mini is a workhorse and is great for CPU-intensive workloads. He's ahead of machines that cost twice (or more) as much. Oh, and it did it all without the fans turning. Not even. I had to put my head against the machine to hear something, and even then it was almost silent. Apple wasn't kidding when it said the M1 performed better in a more efficient way than anything Intel had to offer.

In fact, the $ 699 starting price of the Mac Mini feels almost absurd given the performance of the M1 chip. Sure, you don't get a screen, mouse, or keyboard and if you have to buy these the price goes up. However, if you already have a lot of peripherals on your desk, the Mac Mini is the cheapest way to get M1 performance.

Gaming performance

Despite all of this, the Mac Mini is not a slot machine. The M1 may have an integrated 8-core GPU, but it is still smoked by a computer with a discrete graphics card. That's not to say the gaming performance was terrible – it was respectable for a machine this size and price tag – but if you're looking for high frame rates, especially at higher resolutions, you have to look further.

The performance varied depending on the game. In games like Civilization VI that didn't put too much stress on the GPU, performance was acceptable with the right settings. At 1080p and medium quality, the Mac Mini averaged 48 frames per second (fps). At 1440p ultra, however, this value sank to 26 fps.

Gaming is an obvious weakness.

The tactical stealth game Desperados III ran smoothly on high settings, but the more demanding Deus Ex: Mankind Divided only managed 27 fps on 1080p medium. at 1440p ultra it barely cracked 12 fps.

So gaming is an obvious weakness, but I don't think there are many hardcore gamers out there who will buy a Mac Mini as their main device. If all you want to do is make a few easy games you should be fine, but don't expect too much more in this area.

App support

When Apple announced the M1 chip, it was clear that it had learned from the mistakes of its competitors as well as from its own past actions. When Microsoft introduced its own specially designed ARM chip in the Surface Pro X, it was in an app compatibility nightmare that it is still trying to break away from. Apple probably looked at it once and knew it had to be better.

The good news is that Apple has largely achieved this. If you buy a Mac Mini today, your favorite Mac apps will likely work fine, whether or not they are optimized for the M1. Many developers have already released M1-specific versions of their apps (e.g. Microsoft Office), but those who don't benefit from something Apple developed is called Rosetta 2.

This goes back to the last time Apple switched processor platforms and is translating Intel apps to work on the ARM-based M1. It's preinstalled on the Mac Mini and you won't even see it boot up – your Intel apps will just load with no issues. It's an exceptionally smooth process.

With apps optimized for the M1, the performance is likely to be much better than anything translated with Rosetta 2. For example, when I ran our HandBrake benchmark on version 1.0.7 of the app (which was developed for Intel systems), it encoded our 4K test video in 4 minutes and 44 seconds.

With an M1-optimized version of the app, this was possible in almost half the time. If you stick to Apple's own apps for most of your work, the performance is probably even better. Not everyone likes Apple's similar impact on their ecosystem, but hardware and software performance is one area where it really works.

There may be some apps that just don't work for some reason. When I first got the Mac Mini, Google Backup and Sync, which allows me to move work documents between my different devices, refused to load. It didn't end up being too bothersome – I switched to Dropbox, and a few weeks later, Google updated its app to fix the problem – but it's worth keeping in mind that you might have some app compatibility issues.

For the most part, however, I didn't have any problems with it. Google Backup and Sync was the only app I tried that didn't work right away.

Our opinion

The M1 Mac Mini is one of the most affordable desktop PCs money can buy right now. The performance is mind-boggling for a computer this small and affordable, and while it's not a gaming rig, it's nearly perfect for everything else.

Are there alternatives?

Some other companies offer miniature desktop PCs. There is the Intel NUC 10 with processor options from Intel i3 to i7. If you're looking for games, other companies like HP and Asus also have small PCs that might suit your needs.

Note, however, that all alternatives will run Windows. If you've got your heart on a tiny desktop computer running macOS, the Mac Mini is your only option.

How long it will take?

We're at the beginning of the Apple Silicon roadmap, so support for this Mac Mini will last for many years to come. Given the good performance compared to other items in the mount (and compared to devices way above the mount), it will be a long time before you notice that it is slowing down.

Apple doesn't update the Mac Mini as often as its MacBooks, but only one Apple Silicon Mac Mini model is currently available. So, Apple may bring out another option this year. That doesn't mean you will be disappointed if you buy this M1 Mac Mini, just that an even better model may be in the works.

Should you buy it?

Yes absolutely. The price-performance ratio is breathtaking. If you are looking for a desktop rather than a laptop in the market, the Mac Mini should be at the top of your list.

Editor's recommendations




15 Jan
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro Review: Sound, Battery, Features

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra with Galaxy Buds Pro

“Galaxy Buds Pro offers excellent convenience, solid audio quality and good ANC. But they're not a complete package with tricky touch controls and just average call quality. "

  • Automatic audio passthrough is awesome

  • Simple and small charging case

  • Comfortable design

  • Great bluetooth connection

  • Touch controls can be tricky

  • Touch controls still cannot be customized

  • The call quality is not "Pro" at all

Samsung's accessory strategy seems pretty consistent: switch to a category and repeat the process. The smartwatches and fitness trackers appear to be updated randomly and without a set schedule. The same applies to smartphone accessories. More recently, it has jumped into true wireless earbuds in large measure. The first Galaxy Buds were released less than two years ago in March 2019. Since then, we've released the Galaxy Buds + and Galaxy Buds Live, which only launched a few months ago, in August last year.

Now we are here with the new Galaxy Buds Pro. It's not immediately obvious what is so "pro" about them, other than having a few extra features over Buds Live and being more expensive. But I'm here to find out.

Sound quality and battery life

True wireless earbuds will never impress audiophiles. Fortunately for Samsung, I'm not an audiophile. As someone who is perfectly satisfied with the audio quality of mine Bose QC35 bluetooth headphonesWith my car's standard stereo system and my last half-dozen pairs of true wireless earbuds, I can't complain about the sound quality of the Buds Pro significantly.

A basic equalizer with presets for normal, bass boost, soft, dynamic, clear and treble boost is available in the app. The earbuds sound rather flat in "normal" and the other modes feel … overly processed, but luckily I was happy with "dynamic" for all of my listening. I spend most of my day playing podcasts or YouTube music, and the Buds Pro play swimming.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra with Galaxy Buds Pro

When you have active noise cancellation (ANC) activated, everything sounds “better” immediately because you can hear everything more clearly. This will never challenge the ANC offered through over-ear headphones and really shut out the world around you, but it does a decent job of softening ambient noise and keeping you focused on your own audio. Samsung says you can "fine tune" the noise cancellation you want, but … you can't. It's either high, low, or off.

Get your sound quality expectations right and remember, these are true wireless earbuds.

You can tell my standards are too low, but I agree with the majority of Buds Pro potential buyers. As long as the quality is above average for the segment, we will be happy. What matters more is how good the rest of the experience is.

Samsung Galaxy Buds ProAndrew Martonik / Digital Trends

Samsung nails it with its battery life estimates. The Buds Pro is quoted after eight hours of playback or after five hours with ANC enabled and that was right for me. I turned on ANC almost exclusively and I never received a low battery alarm. I won't be wearing wireless earbuds for more than five hours in a row – they'll come out to give my ears a break or because I just can't hear anything.

Five to eight hours of battery is just right, and the case charges the buds quickly.

Like all real wireless earbuds, they charge very quickly in this case. Just 10 minutes will bring back a significant amount of charge, and the case is designed to hold one and a half charges for the earphones. Not bad for a tiny case that includes wireless charging itself. The thick "circle" shape is still not as pocket-friendly as the elongated Google Pixel Buds case, but small enough not to be a problem.

One thing that could affect battery life more severely is answering phone calls during the day, which I rarely do but test because Samsung has put so much emphasis on call quality. Calls frankly were not clear or of any high quality. When used with my Galaxy S21, the inbound quality was flawless – my outbound quality was poor. Callers said I sounded "blurry" and it echoed when I spoke inside. If I do a quick test and listen to someone else talking on the Buds Pro, I understand what it means – the Buds Pro delivers outbound audio just like any random phone on the speakerphone. Her voice is flat and mixed with a lot of room noise.

Features, design and comfort

Samsung made a bold decision with the Galaxy Buds Live, introducing a new design that rests on the outside of your ear instead of using earbuds that fit in your ear. It had little to no passive noise isolation to make her more comfortable, and instead tried to rely heavily on ANC. It was uncomfortable and they never really fit my ears – in addition to providing noise isolation which was terrible on the city streets.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra with Galaxy Buds Pro

The Buds Pro revert to a "normal" design, with rubber earbuds that go into your ear and provide passive suppression, in addition to ANC. Even with these earplugs, I found the Buds Pro more comfortable than the Buds Live. I immediately adjusted to the larger tips like I usually do and they naturally found their place in my ears and didn't require much adjustment.

The Buds Pro are much more comfortable than Buds Live – with better noise isolation.

Even with hours of carrying around the house, running around running errands around town, and running, I never had problems with the readjustment or feeling like they were going to fall out. They are so small and so light that I've never had ear problems. My only problem with running was the ANC, which was causing annoying sound clips at almost every step. I had to turn it off, which honestly isn't a problem – it's best to have a feel for your surroundings while so out and about.

But that's a little bit opposite to the way the Buds Pro were set up. From Samsung's point of view, you should never have to manually turn off ANC or take out your earbuds as they have advanced intelligent audio pass-through capabilities. By default, a long press on one of the earbuds will activate audio pass-through and decrease the volume of your media so you can hear the world around you. More interestingly, the same thing can happen when the earbuds sense that you are speaking – it works seriously every time and wasn't accidentally triggered every time you walked down the street, shopping in stores, and on the subway with people nearby to lead.

Audio passthrough works, but you can't get around the awkwardness of speaking to other people.

The audio passthrough works! The problem is, no matter how good the speech recognition and audio passthrough are, it's still the hell of a lot of awkwardness to use in an actual conversation. I still have rubber earbuds in my ears, which affects my speaking volume. And the person you are talking to can see that you have earbuds, which only adds to the awkwardness.

Worse, for some reason if audio pass-through automatically turns on while speaking, your music just turns down the volume. So you know you are trying to talk to someone but you don't turn off your music or podcast? It is confusing. It's not a win-win situation, however, as it's always annoying to quickly pull out a tiny earbud or two when someone unexpectedly talks to you. So I assume that passthrough is better in a pinch – but I'd never plan to speak to anyone while wearing the Buds Pro.

Samsung Galaxy Buds ProAndrew Martonik / Digital Trends

The only problem with the Buds Pro design is the touch controls – quite a big problem. Going back to the original Galaxy Buds, I could never use them consistently. There's a single tap to pause / play, a double tap to search forward, and a triple tap to search back – but if I try either, there's no guarantee it will work. It usually fails when a tip is less registered than intended – a search becomes a pause, and a pause or game is simply overlooked. That could be my problem, although I've never had a problem with that Pixel Buds‘Touch controls.

It is imperative that Samsung start with the ability to customize touch controls. That's ridiculous.

A universal problem is that the controls are not customizable. You can just change the long press action – between ambient noise triggering, Bixby, volume down, and Spotify – and choose one action per earbud. Otherwise it's set in stone, and now I have to decide whether to trigger ambient noise or adjust the volume. Why? With other earbuds, you can customize and use separate Activities for each earbud. That's not very "pro".

Our opinion

The Galaxy Buds Pro are a great pair of everyday wearable true wireless earbuds. They're neither suitable nor would they ever be for audiophiles, but the sound quality on offer is okay for the segment – and with a good ANC, they more than get the job done. Comfort is excellent so you can wear them for hours and maximize their battery life from five to eight hours. The body is compact – it is the same size as the Buds Live but smaller than the Buds Live Jabra Elite 75T – and the basics of the earphone experience, like a strong bluetooth connection and easy device switching, are very much appreciated.

They don't have anything “pro” other than the fact that they are Samsung's most expensive earbuds. In a vacuum of Samsung's own line of earbuds, it's strange that you have to pay $ 200 for Buds Pro, which in most cases isn't much better than the $ 140 Buds Live – but when compared to over the competition They look pretty good at $ 200.

Are there any better alternatives?

Even at this high price, there are multiple competitors. Of course, if you have an iPhone, this is something you should consider the AirPods Pro – They don't look that great, but the audio quality, ease of use, and noise cancellation are just as good. Alternatively there is the Jabra Elite 85twho are all around fantastic earbuds.

It's also easy to find a great pair of earphones that are cheaper. Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have already been reduced to $ 140. If they fit your ears properly, they are a great alternative. It is Galaxy Buds +that don't have an ANC but are otherwise comparable cost only $ 110.

How long will they last?

The nature of wireless earbuds is that as long as you take care of them, they will last for several years with no problem. They are water and sweat resistant and have no moving parts. Just keep them in their case and they will look forward to years.

Should you buy it?

Yes. This is a great pair of true wireless earbuds for everyday use. They have solid audio quality, good noise cancellation, and audio passthrough that is the icing on the cake. They are expensive, but competitively priced with the other market leaders.

Editor's recommendations




13 Jan
Blog

Moto G Power (2021) Review: Bigger, Cheaper, and Little More

moto g power 2021 rating Motorola 3

  • Excellent battery life

  • Retired Software

  • Solid design

  • Huge ad

  • Below average camera

  • 720p display

  • Missing NFC

The Moto G series has long been great value for money, adorned recommendation guides for the best budget phones, and offers a reliable experience for those who don't want or need a flagship phone. In recent years, however, competition has intensified. Phones like the iPhone SE, Google Pixel 4a, and others offer flagship-level features for only about $ 100 or more.

For 2021, Motorola has updated the Moto G series, with the main phone, the Moto G Power, getting one impressive price of only $ 200or $ 250 for the top of the line. That's $ 100 less than the Pixel 4a, $ 150 less than the iPhone SE, and significantly undercuts other phones of similar quality.

Is the Moto G Power the way to go for phones under $ 250, or should you keep saving? We put the 2021 Moto G Power to the test to find out.

Design and display

The 2021 Moto G Power looks and feels like a natural evolution of the previous year's model. It has a similar design on the front, with a cutout hole for the front-facing camera on the top-left of the phone and a slightly larger, edge-to-edge, 6.6-inch display with a small chin at the bottom. It looks great for a phone under $ 300, especially considering that edge-to-edge displays came at a high premium just a few years ago.

On the back of the phone is the camera module that has been moved to the center in a square camera pile. I don't mind that the module is centered, and although it was placed in the top left, it might look better than more expensive phones, but it still looks good where it is. The back is of course made of plastic. The slimy sheen looks cool but feels cheaper than it looks – obviously not as top notch as a glass appliance.

On the edges of the phone is a USB-C port at the bottom and luckily a headphone jack at the top. On the right side there is a volume rocker and an on / off switch with an integrated fingerprint sensor. The sensor worked very well in my tests. It was quick and accurate, which is very nice to see. You need to get used to using the power button to get inside your phone if you haven't already. However, this is a minor change.

As already mentioned, the display has a size of 6.6 inches and a resolution of 720p, which is well below the 1,080p display of the previous year. You might argue that it's difficult to tell the difference between a 1080p and a 1440p display, but the difference between a 720p and a 1080p display is definitely noticeable, and it's frustrating to see how Motorola resigns. The display does the job, but to a minimum.

I wish Motorola had better water resistance here. The so-called "water-repellent coating" weighs little more than a marketing message, and those who buy a $ 250 phone probably don't want to have to replace it if it accidentally gets wet. This is a feature that all phones should offer.

Technical data and performance

Under the hood, the Moto G Power has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor that is paired with either 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage in the base model or 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage for an additional $ 50. In both cases there is also a microSD card slot for expanded storage. Oddly enough, compared to last year's Moto G Power, which came with a Snapdragon 665 processor and 4GB of RAM, the base model of the phone includes components with lower power consumption – although I think that makes sense given the new lower starting price.

Now the impact is pretty small, and in fact the phone performed pretty much the same on benchmarks (the 720p display probably helps there). The Snapdragon 662 and 665 are based on the same architecture and eventually use the same GPU – the notable shortcomings are some lack of audio components and a lower-priced modem. But it's still a bit strange to see Motorola take such a step back. At least you expect the same chipset year after year.

Oddly enough, there are cuts from last year's Moto G Power.

In daily use, the Moto G Power did well with a few jumps and jumps every now and then, as you'd expect for $ 200. In general, the device responded quickly and quickly, even with simple mobile games and multitasking. Playing a game like Call of Duty: Mobile worked well, and while games like Asphalt 9 had a drop out frame and stutter, it still worked well enough for most.

Unfortunately, Motorola hasn't added NFC to the Moto G range yet, so you still won't be able to use features like Google Pay. This was a minor complaint a few years ago. At this point in time, this is an important loophole.

Battery life

The Moto G Power comes with a massive 5,000 mAh battery. This is the same as last year, but this is one situation where we don't mind that it isn't an upgrade – and you might get even better battery life thanks to the lower resolution display.

Most modern flagship phones offer much smaller batteries. The iPhone 12 Pro has a 2,815 mAh battery, while the Pixel 4a has a 3,140 mAh battery. And when you consider that these phones are more sophisticated and have higher resolution displays, they last significantly less.

Battery life is one of the main reasons to buy a Moto G Power.

I haven't had too long to test the phone, but based on my initial tests, I am sure you can use the device for two days and even a third day for lighter users. Really, this phone's battery life is so good and one of the top reasons to buy it.

The Moto G Power supports fast charging up to 15W, but unfortunately there is no wireless charging here.

Cameras

Like the 2020 Moto G Power, the 2021 model also has a three-lens camera. However, Motorola has swapped the ultrawide camera for a depth sensor, and the result is a less versatile experience.

You get a 48-megapixel main camera with a f / 1.7 aperture, but it has an effective output of 12 megapixels due to the quad-pixel technology used by Motorola (and most other companies). There is also a 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth camera.

Photos from this phone are pretty boring. The colors are muted and despite the quad-pixel technology, the photos are a bit noisy than I would like. The macro lens is fun to use for five seconds before you leave the gimmick behind and realize that in everyday life you will probably never actually use it. Unfortunately, this is a reality of any cheap macro camera.

All is not bad now. The phone is capable, but not much more. I see – this is a $ 200-250 phone. However, when you have phones like the Pixel 4a with a standout camera for just $ 100 more, it's hard not to complain.

software

One of the best things about Motorola phones is the software experience, and that is true here too. The Moto G Power has a pared-down software experience that should appeal to anyone looking to cut out the lint. It's almost standard Android, and as such, it's responsive and easy to navigate.

One of the best things about Motorola phones is their software experience.

There are some improvements to the system, however. The Moto G Power runs software called "My UX" by Motorola, which includes gestures such as the ability to take a screenshot by touching the screen with three fingers, silence the phone by picking it up when it rings, or turn the phone to launch the camera. The Moto app also makes it easy to change wallpapers and the layout of the home screen, as well as enabling Gametime mode, which allows you to optimize the way notifications and power supply work when gaming on the go.

It's all relatively helpful, and it's really nice that Motorola put all of these tweaks and settings into the Moto app instead of breaking into the UI and cluttering everything – something other manufacturers have done.

Price, availability and guarantee

The new Motorola Moto G Power starts at $ 200which is impressively cheap. That gives you the base model with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, or you can up to $ 250 for 4GB and 64GB – which I would recommend. The base model is available in silver (shown in this review) and the taller model in dark gray.

After a short pre-order period, the phones will be available direct from the Motorola website, Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and others starting January 14th. Motorola’s proliferation is extraordinary.

The device comes with a 12-month standard warranty, which practically only covers manufacturer defects. You should be careful with your device, especially given its water resistance.

Our opinion

The Moto G Power won't break records or blow people away with features. But it offers a solid experience with a huge display and great battery life for a low price. It will find a place on our list of the best cheap phones available today. Sure, if you can afford to pay more you should, but if $ 250 is your budget, this phone should be bought.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes, if you can pay more. If you can expand your budget to $ 350, then the Google Pixel 4a The phone is easy to find thanks to the better processor, software updates on day one, and great camera. It isn't the size or battery life of the Moto G Power, but those are simple compromises.

If you can stretch up to $ 400, the iPhone SE is also worth considering, but I know this is a bit tricky when your original budget was $ 250. In Android land, the Pixel 4a is the phone to beat.

Alternatively, if you only buy last year's Moto G Power, there is something to be said for it. It is still available and now reduced to $ 220. As mentioned earlier, it has practically the same performance as well as a higher resolution screen and amazing battery life. This could be the biggest problem facing the 2021 G Power.

How long it will take?

The Moto G Power doesn't have any real water resistance to lean on, but the plastic body should withstand most drops and stains. With caution, the phone should run a normal two year cycle, although by the end of those two years it will likely slow down seriously.

Is there a better alternative?

Not in this price range. The Moto G Power is far from perfect, but at $ 250, it's about as close as possible.

Editor's recommendations




13 Jan
Blog

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World – Complete Edition Review

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game - Complete Edition

Scott Pilgrim versus the World: The Game – Complete Edition Review: Double Nostalgia

"Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a fun trip back in time for fans of the original, though its flaws are evident over a decade later."

  • Received faithfully

  • Charming nostalgia

  • Easy to learn and play

  • Outdated fight

  • Short story

  • Weak bonus modes

Scott Pilgrim versus the World: The Game – Complete Edition consists of two layers of nostalgia. On the one hand, the game itself is a throwback to the old rackets filled with retro gaming Easter eggs. On top of that, the Scott Pilgrim franchise even now exudes its own nostalgia, making it as much a blast of bygone novelty as the games it references.

Fans of the game have dreamed of this moment for years. Ubisoft was originally released in 2010 and abruptly removed the game from online marketplaces in 2014 due to licensing issues. In over a decade, no one has been able to buy it, which sparked talks about the proper preservation of the game while adding an air of mystique that kept the game dear in players' hearts. With the game's return in 2021, players will no longer have to rely on their fond memories to keep it alive, good or bad.

While it has been surpassed by similarly crafted games over the past decade, Scott Pilgrim Against the World: The Game – Complete Edition is a fun but easy journey back in time for fans of the franchise. Although the signs of aging are difficult to avoid like the starting material in 2021.

Perfect couple

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The game is easy to explain: It's a beat-em-up style side-scroller that deliberately draws on retro titles like Streets of Rage. The source material is particularly suitable for this genre. In the comic series, the title Scott Pilgrim has to win the affection of his friend Ramona Flowers by fighting her seven "bad exes". The game follows the same basic storyline with seven levels, each culminating in a fall against an ex (and another self-reflective showdown with Scott's own doppelganger).

The original game's strength has always been its clever connection to the franchise story. The structure of the comic fits the genre, of course, so the old-school brawler format feels more purposeful and less like simple nostalgia. The fact that the comic itself is full of little nods to the era just makes the pairing a breeze.

It remains a perfect companion for fans of comics or films. The art, tone and story are a perfect match for the work of author Bryan Lee O’Malley. Even if I return over five years since I last looked at the series, nothing feels in my memory. In some ways, the game is even better at avoiding some of the less flattering elements of the comic and film.

Public opinion about Scott Pilgrim has changed over the past decade. While many fans fell in love with the nerdy coming-of-age story in the late 2000s, it has been under scrutiny in recent years. Plot points that once flew under the radar of readers, like the 23-year-old hero's awkward relationship with a high schooler, have a different weight in a modern, socially conscious context (developer Ubisoft has found itself in a similar situation following a wave of abuse allegations in the studio last summer). Given that the re-release will bring fans back a decade, this type of re-examination of a formative medium is not only inevitable but healthy too.

It remains a perfect companion for fans of comics or films.

Fortunately, video game customization passes the smell test better than other arms in the franchise. Simplified storytelling leaves out the fine details a decade later, to its accidental benefit. In some ways, this package is the best way to get in touch with the property in 2021, for fans who are nervous about how it is holding up.

Throw down

When it comes to fighting, nothing makes the game too complicated. There is a light attack, a heavy attack, a block, and some special abilities. Anyone who has ever played this style of play will likely have no problem figuring it out. This is important as the game is best enjoyed as the casual co-op multiplayer experience that players can quickly immerse themselves in.

Scott Pilgrim The game

As a throwback bat, the game is deliberately reduced. The attacks are simple and there isn't a lot of character-to-character variety other than changed animations. Any added complexity comes from the lightweight RPG system that allows players to increase their stats by purchasing items and adding 16 new moves through a level-up system. Once each ability is unlocked, the battle feels a little more varied, although the four hour main story is almost over if players naturally reach that point.

For those who have never played before or have oversized memories of the original release, some context goes a long way here. The game was originally released with the film as a $ 10 digital title. It was essentially a title that gave fans the opportunity to continue their love for the estate for a few extra hours. It's also important to note that it was released at a time when throwback bats weren't particularly common, so it could build on the success of indies like Castle Crashers. For 2010, the retro fight was an exciting sale in itself and remains charming here.

The fact that Scott Pilgrim now feels just as retro and out of date as the games he is referring to is just a bit inevitably ironic.

Even so, it is difficult not to place the game in a modern critical context, as the source material is being re-examined today. Retro thugs are a dozen these days, and Scott Pilgrim feels like a step back, even a step backwards. Last year's standout Streets of Rage 4 demonstrated how a brand new beat-em-up can feel like a modern game, fast and fluid, without sacrificing nostalgia. In comparison, some of Scott Pilgrim's mechanical parts have not aged well, such as poor air control or tricky hit areas.

This is not a remake, so gamers shouldn't expect any gameplay updates here. However, the fact that Scott Pilgrim now feels just as retro and outdated as the games he is referring to is just a bit inevitably ironic.

Complete, but still sparse

The release will be billed as a full edition as it includes all of the DLC from the previous game. This includes two additional characters, some modes, and online multiplayer support. The final track is the most important recording as its absence in the original release was a scratch back in 2010. Given that local co-op isn't an option for most players right now, playing online offers yet another fun game night option for friends cooped up inside.

Make no mistake: the spectacle is the real product here.

That being said, the "full" nickname doesn't matter much. The bonus characters play more or less the same as the others, and the modes that have been added are little more than fluff. It's hard to imagine that even the die-hard fan could get out of mere competitive modes like Dodge Ball for more than half an hour. Aside from a Boss Rush option and online leaderboards, there isn't much to come back to after the brief story, which makes it an even shorter makeover than I originally thought.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game - Complete Edition

For many fans, the additional content is hardly important. The fact that the game exists again is a win for those who feared that there would never be a way to play it again. It's a solemn excuse for die-hard people to put some cash into consuming physical expenses to make sure it is never wasted in time again. Make no mistake: the spectacle is the real product here.

The existence of the Complete Edition is more of a symbolic victory than anything, and that may not mean much to people who have never played the original. In terms of face value, it's an average beat em up that is good for a few hours of casual multiplayer play with friends. But for those who have long wondered about the one who escaped, a fairytale ending will come true.

Our opinion

Scott Pilgrim versus the World: The Game – Complete Edition is a much-needed re-release that faithfully preserves the long-lost original. The outdated beat-em-up combat and light features may not do justice to the fans' almost mythological memory, but only figuring out this is a win in itself.

Is there a better alternative out there?

Streets of Rage 4 is the current king of the hill when it comes to retro co-op brawlers.

How long it will take?

The story will be over in about four hours, and the additional modes likely won't add more than an hour or two to the experience.

Should you buy it?

Yes. It's exactly what it needs to be for fans of the original targeting here, though newbies probably won't get what all the fuss is about

Editor's recommendations




08 Jan
Blog

Keurig Drinkworks Review: Your Favorite Bartender at Home

Drinkworks Home Bar Keurig Black Friday Deal from Press Shots 3 of 5

Drinkworks Home Bar by Keurig

"The drinks aren't particularly expensive, but they aren't that good either."

  • Makes drinks fast

  • Pods are recyclable

  • The mini CO2 canister is a nice touch

  • Long time to cool the water

  • Makes a buzz when switched on

Every now and then a product comes onto the market that makes us curious. Case in point: The Drinkworks Home Bar, which uses pre-mixed drinks in Keurig-style bowls for making classic cocktails. Fascinating, no? It's the kind of fancy machine you might see at a party that gets the host to mix it up instead of standing at the bar preparing drinks for guests. Just who is having a party these days? Not us. Still, could this be the answer for those of us looking to supplement our beer and wine consumption while locked down with cocktails at home?

Full bar service design

Keurig's black Drinkworks Home Bar looks stylish enough and has a black body, a shiny silver pod dispenser with a start button surrounded by a blue or red light (depending on what is happening). It's the type of appliance that would fit nicely on a Carrara marble countertop that's just above the wine cooler in a chic new kitchen.

At 13 inches tall, 3.5 inches wide and 13.5 inches deep, and weighing in at a whopping 27.9 pounds, the Drinkworks machine looks more like a Porsche Cayenne than a 911, so expect it to be takes up quite a bit of space on your counter. Remember, it shouldn't be placed too close to a stove or oven. If you don't have a lot of counter space, you may have to make room by sacrificing another device (heaven forbids, not your coffee maker). You cannot use Keurig coffee pods in this machine. So just forget about the two-for-one idea that may be brewing up in your head.

The bar in stock

Once you've found a home for the Drinkworks, it's pretty easy to set up. There are three parts: the machine, the water tank and the drip tray. In the box you will also find two mini CO2 cartridges (they are really pretty cute), two water filters, cleaning tabs and a set of cardboard coasters with the name of a classic cocktail, a description and a little story.

In total, it took us about an hour to assemble the machine and get it running. Setting up is more time consuming than difficult. For example, you need to run a water tank through the machine, immerse the filter in water and rinse it (change every two months) and insert the CO2 cartridge. You know, standard stuff. Make sure the CO2 cartridge is firmly in place. Otherwise, you will hear a hissing sound. There isn't a ton of CO2 so you don't want to waste it on a bad installation.

Preparing cocktails hardly took any time – some call it a neat party trick.

Of course, like so many devices these days, there is a Drinkworks app. The app syncs with the device via Bluetooth, but there's not much you can do with it at this point. With the app you can register the device, watch videos, read tips, send recommendation codes and of course order more pods.

Once you have everything the way you want it, it's time to make a cocktail … right? Before using the machine, you must fill the tank with ice water and then wait 18 minutes for it to be ready for use. Don't worry, the countdown clock on the LED panel will keep you informed of the progress. When the device is switched on, it emits a low humming sound of 53 dB (similar to the sound of an electric fan).

Is there a bartender in the house?

At this point in time, there are 27 beverage offers and a Stella Artois cider pod (I personally would like a bottle of this bowl, not a pod). Most cocktails only contain one to three ingredients and are admittedly quite easy to make at home. Think: Belarusian, Moscow Mule, Gin & Tonic, Vodka Soda with Lime. There are also some that are a little more complex, contain more ingredients, and are time-consuming to make: Cosmopolitan, Mojito, Long Island Iced Tea, and a Margarita.

The pods come separately, and you can recycle used ones through the company's mail-back program. We received our canister of pods as a delivery, and since there is really alcohol in the pod, you must be of legal age to sign for it. Once you have the pods and the machine is set up, you can start making drinks. Simply pour into the pod, place a glass under the stout, follow the instructions on the display and watch a cocktail pour into the glass. It really is that simple. The drinks came out pretty quickly and we were able to make six cocktails on a full tank.

As with a Keurig coffee maker, getting the pod into use isn't always easy. Admittedly, it took us a few tries to see how the sleeves must be inserted so that the machine can dispense its liquid into a glass. There was some confusion after reading the instructions on how to align the pod. Once we figured it out, cocktails barely took time to make. Some might even say it's a neat party trick.

Taste test

Our test model contained three cocktails: Moscow Mule, Old Fashioned and Margarita. There are four pods in each container. Of the three drinks, we preferred the margarita because it tasted best like something a bartender would make. The Moscow mule was too cute and the Old Fashioned had a strong orange flavor. Typically this orange flavor is more subtle or only comes in the form of a side dish.

If you haven't tried a drink from the Top Shelf collection, you may not know the brand of alcohol in the pod. If I have an Old Fashioned or Manhattan, I definitely want to know what kind of whiskey I'm drinking.

Our opinion

We spent hours thinking about why you'd want a Keurig-powered cocktail maker and pony for up to $ 300 for it. Here's what we came up with: For those with disposable income, the machine is a novelty that would be fun at parties. Some people who like cocktails but may not have the confidence or know-how to make them at home might find the machine useful.

The pods aren't particularly expensive at $ 17 for four pods (a little over $ 4 per drink), but ordering a few different mixes can get expensive very quickly. It's not the best cocktails we've had so the price is ok but we wouldn't call it a deal. In general, the cocktails aren't all that exciting for those who really know how their drinks taste, but others will appreciate the convenience they offer when making a drink. If you have to wait that long for the machine to prepare a drink from a hard stop to the end, the whole experience becomes a breeze. On the other hand, a drink can be dispensed quickly in about a minute if it is kept switched on and the water tank is full.

Is there a better alternative?

As this is a first of its kind, there is no other machine that we would call a better alternative. For those with a more refined taste, it's better to stock up on your own drinks and make some of the simpler drinks the old-fashioned way … or, as you know, go to a bar.

How long it will take?

There is no information about how long the machine should last. The pods have a best drink date which is around nine months. The Keurig Drinkworks Home Bar comes with a one-year guarantee.

Should you buy it?

At $ 299, the short answer is no. Unless money is not an issue. At $ 16 for four pods, the drinks aren't particularly expensive, but they don't taste the best either. It is certainly expensive for a small countertop device that can create a distress if you need to drink frequently.

The convenience of making drinks at the touch of a button is sure to appeal to some people – even more to those who want a quick quick treat at home. The beverage portfolio continues to grow and includes more complicated cocktails, wines, and even beer.

Editor's recommendations




05 Jan
Blog

Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch Review: Beautiful Bassy Brit

Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch review open case hand

Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch rating: throbbing bass, delicate appearance

"Cambridge Audio's true Melomania Touch wireless headphones provide wonderfully balanced sound for a strong emotional response, as well as long battery life that will keep you listening for days."

  • Strong, bassy, ​​balanced sound

  • Long battery life

  • Comfortable for long periods of time

  • No active noise cancellation

Cambridge Audio has updated its true Melomania 1 wireless headphones with the new Melomania Touch earbuds with a revamped, delicate design and soft charging case, without drastically increasing the price so as not to exceed the $ 150 mark.

The original Melomania 1 earbuds might not have the looks, but they definitely delivered Cambridge Audio's much-lauded “British sound”. Has Cambridge Audio changed this for the Touch models, and if so, is it for the better? Let's find out.

design

If you place the Melomania Touch next to the original Melomania 1, the two seem barely related. Cambridge Audio has replaced the cheap-looking plastic case with a larger, pill-shaped case covered in an appealing soft-touch material made of microfiber leather in black or white. There are five LED charging indicators on the front and a USB type C charging port on the back.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The case hinges, which are opened from the back and inside in the earphones, are held in separate charging docks by strong magnets. The teardrop-shaped buds are very light and modest at just under six grams – larger than the spherical Melomania 1, but smaller than the WF-1000XM3 from Sony. The outside is glossy, while the body has a matte finish and the buds are held in your ear by a silicone tip and wing.

The floating, rather delicate appearance is a world that differs from the useful package of the first Melomania 1 and in terms of presentation and the experience of the “first opening” is probably closer to the real wireless E8 headphones from Bang & Olufsen. The Melomania Touch comes with a selection of different silicone tips and wings to help you get the right fit. For me, I had problems with the tips as the media was a little too small and the big ones a little too big, which made an earbud feel less secure than I like and loosened up when I moved my face.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

None ever failed or even felt like a possibility, and it's not the first time I've come across this with real wireless earbuds. But I felt the need to put a bud back in regularly as it was slowly working its way out of my ear. The wings are small but nice. The outer control panel contains the touch sensor, which can be personalized with the associated app.

The earbuds are comfortable to wear and have not hurt my ears even after wearing them for several hours at a time. Overall, with the design, materials and presentation of the Melomania Touch, Cambridge Audio has successfully increased the appeal of its true wireless headphones without compromising portability or hitting us with a massive price hike.

sound

I used the earbuds connected to an iPhone 12 Pro and a pre-release version of the app and firmware that have been updated at least once since using Melomania Touch. However, the overall sound has remained constant throughout. The earbuds include a 7mm driver that uses graphs for strength and stiffness, Qualcomm's Clear Voice Capture technology for clear calls, a pair of microphones, and AptX and AAC codec support.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Cambridge Audio prides itself on delivering the "British Sound," commonly defined as a guitar-forward audio experience that doesn't exaggerate the bass or treble. In my experience, Cambridge Audio's British sound has an unmistakable purity that goes a step beyond the deliciously flat vocal-forward curve heard by Japanese brands like Audio Technica.

The Melomania Touch is not quite as pure as the original Melomania 1 due to its much stronger and harder bass reproduction, but it is still wonderfully balanced. When listening to The Police's Roxanne's DubXanne remix, the heavier sub-bass is extremely prominent, but it doesn't overwhelm the beautifully judged mid-bass throughout the track. Boris Blanks Electrified shows a wide soundstage, and the warm midrange is skilfully mixed with the hard bass kick. The guitars in Moses Mayfield's Fall Behind have a lot of emotional presence but never interfere with Mayfield's vocals.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

How about songs that prioritize the vocals? The synchronicity of Nogizaka46 doesn't sparkle the way it should, and Sakurazaka46's Nobody & # 39; s Fault stumbles and the background becomes confused as the bass overwhelms the vocals and mids. For example, the sequence of Iz * one sounds great with its bright vocals mixed with a complex bass line and little else. Really, really, get up and dance great.

The soaring orchestra and the emotional vocal power that define Aled Jones' interpretation of Handel's Did you Not Hear My Lady? Tell us everything you need to know about the Melomania Touch – it's a top notch act that perfectly balances a lot of power, strong and controlled bass, and a profound soundstage. How about the "British Sound" from Cambridge Audio? To my ears, it's there in spades, just with the bass amplified for greater impact.

App and touch controls

The Melomania Touch connection via Bluetooth 5.0 is complemented by an app for your phone with which you can provide firmware updates, adjust the equalizer, activate the transparency mode and adjust other functions. The earphones are controlled via touch panels and the functionality can be configured in the app.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I usually don't like touch controls on headphones because they are difficult to locate and rarely respond very quickly. Functionality is kept to a minimum here, with one tap to play or pause and a double tap to go forward or backward. I've found the controls to be reliable. You can take calls and also choose your voice assistant. These additional functions can be deactivated in the app for the sake of simplicity. It's one of the better touch control systems I've used, aided by the relatively large and flat earphones.

The app is simple and easy to use. The battery level for each bud is shown, but not for the case. There's a graphic equalizer and some presets for changing the sound (I left the equalizer on the flat “Balanced” setting for checking) and the option to toggle between a low power and a high performance mode. Listening time is nine hours in energy-saving mode and seven hours in high-performance mode.

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Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch Review App Equalizer "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn5.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/melomania-touch-app-equaliser-640x640. jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I was unable to get this feature to work which may be due to my pre-release app. It seems like a five minute process to switch to low power, almost like a software update, but every time I tried it failed. This will likely be fixed on release. The transparency mode is good and lets in just enough ambient noise to be safe without creating an uncomfortable artificial feeling.

The Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch does not have active noise cancellation, but it seals well in your ears to block out ambient noise. The lack of ANC affects its appeal, as many other true wireless headphones offer this feature for little more money.

battery

In the high-performance mode set by default, the earbuds return seven hours of listening time and 33 hours from the case, which corresponds to a total of 40 hours. When the power consumption is low, the earbuds go up to nine hours on a single charge and the drop to 41 hours for a total of 50 hours.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I have no reason to doubt these numbers. I used the earbuds for several hours every day and the case hit its last battery light on day 9 (there are five on the front of the case) and the app said the earbuds were still fully charged. I just don't worry about battery life at all. However, it takes more than three hours to fully charge the case itself.

Price and availability

The Melomania Touch is priced at $ 150 or $ 130 and will be available from January 1 through Amazon, Cambridge Audio itself, or from the retailer Richer Sounds if you are in the UK.

Our opinion

The lack of active noise cancellation is actually just a spec list issue, and I don't consider it essential at this price point. Also, the Melomania Touch naturally isolates very well, and the bassy, ​​emotional sound means you're turning up the volume regularly enough to drown out most of the annoyance anyway. The long battery life also makes up for this omission. I didn't want to switch to my usual real wireless earbuds during the entire test and really enjoyed the often bombastic sound of the Melomania Touch while listening to my favorite music.

Is there a better alternative?

The real world of wireless headphones is very busy. We recommend the Jabra Elite 85t headphones, which sometimes retail for less than $ 230, and active noise cancellation that comes with the great sound quality. However, the Jabra Elite 75t costs about the same as the Melomania Touch and is now equipped with active noise cancellation thanks to a software update, making it an excellent alternative.

The list goes on. I like the Panasonic RZ-S500W for $ 199, although it can't match the Melomania Touch's long battery life, but it has noise-canceling and a nice neutral sound. Spend more and the $ 299 Master & Dynamic MW07 Plus is wonderful, as is the consistently hard-to-beat Sony WF-1000XM3.

How long it will take?

Expect three or more years of useful life before considering upgrading. The case is solidly made and well protected. The earphones are made of strong plastic and are IPX4 waterproof for use in the rain and during training. Therefore, they should be durable. The long battery life also makes a difference because even as your usage increases over time, the Melomania Touch still has the power to keep up.

Should you buy it?

Yes, the Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch are affordable, good looking, comfortable to wear and deliver a great audio experience.

Editor's recommendations




05 Jan
Blog

Mirror Review: Connected Fitness for Any Experience Level

Mirror Fitness Home Gym Display

"Mirror's beautiful design offers exciting workouts for all skill levels."

  • Stunning looking design

  • Diverse training options

  • Provides 1-to-1 personal training

  • easy installation

  • The heart rate monitor is disconnected

  • You need to provide your own exercise accessories

It's been a minute since I took on a real fitness challenge. Having had foot issues for the past few years and being quarantined this year, I am far from the peak of my super-fit days. Despite all the setbacks, adjustment is key to overcoming the adversity we all face when trying to stay fit and active.

This is exactly what fascinates me about Mirror, a $ 1,500 home fitness solution that offers a wide range of on-demand and live workout classes. As the name suggests, it looks just like an ordinary full length mirror. It is one of the many connected fitness displays for the age that want to revolutionize the fitness experience. But is it enough to convince people that it is standard fitness membership?

Absolutely beautiful design

Mirror looks amazing! That's partly because it looks like a mirror you might already have. The reflective plate measures 52.6 x 21.1 x 1.7 inches, which is a little misleading on paper as it weighs a whopping 70 pounds. It's pretty heavy in any case, so I would recommend getting help if, like me, you choose to do it yourself – but every Mirror purchase comes with a white glove delivery service.

Mirror Fitness Home Gym DisplayJohn Velasco / Digital Trends

Installation was actually a breeze than I originally thought. The entire process took about 45 minutes from start to finish. I installed the mirror with the "wall anchor and stand" option because straight wall mounting requires a lot more drilling. Instead, all you have to do is drill two holes in the wall, insert the anchors and secure the mirror with a hook.

Back to the design, it is hard to believe that it is a technical device if you stand idly against the wall. I placed it in my living room right next to the front door – so it's the perfect thing to check myself out before leaving. It is interesting that this reflective plate has a 40-inch 1080p display with a viewing angle of 178 degrees, a 5-megapixel camera, two 10-watt speakers, a quad-core processor, Bluetooth and dual band 802.11 A / B / G / N has Wi-Fi. All of this is crammed into a seamless chalkboard with hard lines that blends beautifully with any decor.

Mirror Fitness Home Gym DisplayJohn Velasco / Digital Trends

The two speakers are a delight as they provide clear directions from the trainers – while producing some suitable melodies at the same time. You can use the Spiegel app to adjust the volume of the music and the teacher to suit your needs. And finally, with a 5 megapixel camera embedded in the top of the mirror, trainers can see you during the live class (if you log in). The mirror comes with a cover that extends over the camera if you have privacy concerns.

Diverse training variety

It's difficult to get into a solid workout routine. Ask an expert about the best training exercise. The answers can be very different. However, I know that what matters is what results you want to get. Living in quarantine has added a few extra pounds since the beginning, but I focused on micro-workouts. Despite my weight gain, constant strength training resulted in more muscle mass.

I thought I was in some shape before I used Mirror, but boy was I wrong – it kept kicking my butt! That's an understatement because now I see the benefit of doing these group classes at home: I'm just ashamed instead of people seeing me buzzing around while I struggle with some workouts. But that's understandable for anyone starting a new exercise routine.

Mirror offers a wide range of workouts, from full-body strength training that covers broad muscle groups to more specific classes like yoga and pilates. There is something for everyone, and I appreciate how you can customize workouts the way you want through the Mirror app. Don't have much time? You can filter classes by 15-, 30-, 45-, and 60-minute sessions. The lessons are entertaining and informative, which is only complemented by the helpful, motivating instructors.

It's convenient to watch them do exercises, but I wish there was a way to look at them side by side (front and profile) to better distinguish which shape is the right one. Though some instructors switch to a profile view to give me a better picture of the exercise. While some classes require equipment, like free weights, a chair, or yoga blocks, you can filter to leave them out.

If you are not shy, you can keep your camera active during live training. This gives the trainers a brief insight into you. Conversely, you can leave the camera switched off and even cover it with the supplied attachment to ensure that nobody can see you.

A couple of nuances

Long before I did more research on Mirror, I always thought it was a giant touchscreen – it isn't. A smartphone is required to interact with Mirror. You need it to start classes, send notes or emojis in real time during training, take selfies after training and rate classes. Luckily, it's minimal interaction during training, which I like because it is more important for me to focus on training, but instructors occasionally ask to hit that 100% or fire emoji in the app when you do that Feel the burning.

Mirror Fitness Home Gym DisplayJohn Velasco / Digital Trends

I ran into a few minor nuisances with Mirror. First, you need to be connected to the same wireless network in order to start Mirror. In one case, I didn't realize I was connected to my secondary wireless network and couldn't connect. It's strange in my opinion, but something to remember when you find yourself in this dire straits.

Second, I noticed Mirror randomly stop showing my heart rate on the screen while I was exercising. I later found that this was related to my smartphone's timeout, which is strange as you think the bluetooth connection will stay intact when my phone's display is turned off – but it is not. Finally, I set my Android smartphone to timeout after 30 minutes to prevent the heart rate monitor from disconnecting.

These are two problems that I would like to see solved. Because the last thing you want to do before jumping into a live class is messing around with the mirror.

Who is Mirror for?

I think this is the most basic question to ask yourself while looking for the best solution for your needs with in-home workouts. Mirror does a fantastic job appealing to a wide audience thanks in part to its diverse classes and the ability to tailor classes to suit your needs.

Since most of the classes are mostly about strength and cardio exercises, it's the type of workout that will make you sweat, burn yourself off, and burn off some calories. For most of the 45 minute classes I've taken, I generally burn around 550 calories. This is because the workout involves a mix of routines done in three to four sets that focus on different muscle groups. Full body training is a prime example of this. Of course, if you've never tried this type of workout, regardless of how physically fit you feel, they'll be challenging. I know this firsthand from a yoga session as I must have broken muscles and joints that I rarely test with my usual workouts.

Mirror Fitness Home Gym DisplayJohn Velasco / Digital Trends

While Mirror's workout can be supplemented with additional equipment like dumbbells, a skipping rope, kettlebells, and more, I love that without them you can still get a solid workout and make improvements. Sure, it would be nice if Mirror could somehow track the progress with these accessories, e.g. For example, if you know you will improve every week by adding more weight to your bench press exercises, but I hope this is a prospect to be considered in the future.

The best thing about Mirror is that it doesn't take much to get started, have fun, and feel comfortable while exercising.

Our opinion

Mirror has the foundation to offer a well-rounded training experience for every level of experience. You don't have to be a fitness junkie to enjoy this at home. The combination of beautiful design, various training courses and a proactive community make it one of the connected home gyms that should be on your radar.

I thought I was in a bit of shape, but Mirror's workouts kept kicking my butt!

It's priced at $ 1,495, which seems like a lot on paper, but the gear itself is on the lower end of the spectrum when compared to the alternatives – like the $ 3,000 tonal or the $ 2,300 carbon Trainer. The other cost involved in owning ownership is the $ 39 monthly membership cost, impressively enough to cover up to six household members in total. All in all, it's one of the cheaper options out there right now.

How long it will take?

Mirror's design deserves recognition; it looks beautiful and is pretty well done. Since it is stationary and doesn't necessarily contain moving components, it should hold up as it is wall mounted or anchored.

If something goes wrong internally, there is a one-year limited warranty that covers the mirror for defects and labor costs related to repairs.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes and no. There are other networked home fitness solutions that are similar to Mirror and can target a specific person. For example, if you are looking to gain muscle mass, you should try Tonal or Tempo, which is focused on lifting weights to increase muscle mass. Mirror does include weight training to some extent with some of its workouts, but it doesn't do it on the same level and focus as the alternatives above.

Should you buy it?

Yes, especially if you enjoy group classes in a traditional gym.

Editor's recommendations




05 Jan
Blog

Savant X2 Remote Control Review: Easy to Use, Great Looks

Savant x2 Remote Review Pro screen on

"There is no better remote control for the Savant Smart Home control."

  • Nice aluminum design

  • Big touch screen

  • Solid keys with a satisfactory click / feel

  • Faster response time

  • Two programmable buttons

  • Requires frequent charging

  • No DVR button

Smart home tech is everywhere. Once a thriving tech sector, there are now more brands, ecosystems. and A.I. Integrations than you can shake a stick. This is great news for home improvement, but bad news for large smart home integrators who now need to act quickly to ensure their systems are compatible with all of these new brands and devices while remaining relevant to consumers.

When you have decided on a professional, integrated smart home system, there are only three big brands to consider: Control4, which has the most third party partners in the field; Crestron, the old installer favorite that has proven very reliable but has less innovative third-party partners; and the new favorite, Savant, which is rapidly gaining popularity with installers as the focus is on beautiful interface and hardware design, as well as a growing list of third-party providers in the field.

A couple of years ago we decided to test two of these systems in some of Digital Trends' “test houses”, which included my personal home (as convenient as I know). I chose Savant because I loved the beauty and simplicity of the user interface and the sleek design of the hardware. With Savant you have the option of using your own tablet or phone to operate the Savant software or one of several Savant devices such as Savant Touch, wall keyboards or remote controls. You can even use the Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa to control basic scenes.

Savant x2 remote control review per page of 2

Savant x2 remote control review Savan Pro profile

Of all of these options, I personally prefer using a remote control to access the system. Unlike my phone, remote controls have dedicated buttons and are easier to use.

Compared to the larger remote controls from Control4 or Crestron, it was clear that I would forego the interface functionality for a more minimalist hardware design. I would have to use my tablet or phone to access more detailed settings and functions of the system. This is something to think about when choosing Savant. The system is easy to use, but if you want custom, detailed settings and access, it may not be for you.

In order to use Savant Pro Remote X2, I had to update my host software to Savant 9.3.2. If you have an older Savant operating system, you can spend even more money upgrading your system to take advantage of the latest hardware and software features.

Here is a list of the devices associated with this setup:

  • TiVo Bolt DVR with Comcast cable card access (I wouldn't recommend a TiVo setup as I wasn't happy with it)
  • Two TiVo Mini are connected to the primary screw
  • Apple TV
  • Roku TV
  • Sony PlayStation 4
  • Microsoft Xbox One X.
  • Two Sony Blu-ray players
  • Three Savant music servers
  • Two Savant door stations
  • Amazon Alexa Dots / Echo
  • Luma camera system with SNAP NVR servers

Welcome improvements

Savant made a decision to simplify its system interface as much as possible – that is its value proposition and why you might choose it over its competitors. The entire system is controlled by the beautiful hardware. The Savant Pro Remote X2 is the flagship user interface. From a design perspective, I find that both old and new remote controls are equally attractive to look at – both have large, beautiful color displays, and I like the way they stand in their “cradle” docking stations. I don't think one design is particularly attractive than the other, but they are vastly different.

What I like about the older, first generation remote control is its matte black rubber finish and unconventional design – it's wide at the base and narrower at the top – which gives it a more artistic feel that sets it apart from any other remote on the market. I also like the big screen size and that it works like a TV remote first and then like a smart home remote.

Ian Bell / Digital Trends

Unfortunately there is a laundry list with things that are not important to me with the old remote control. The squishy buttons don't have a tactile click and sometimes force you to press the buttons multiple times before the system registers the action. The rubber cover on the remote started peeling off twice, forcing me to use the warranty twice to have it replaced. The old flagship remote also felt very slow and often showed a delay in the devices you wanted to control (as I understand the base of the old remote is connected to the system and the remote needed to communicate with the base). which then communicates with the host – not at all efficiently). The remote control battery life was also poor. I was lucky enough to work for two days before I had to put it back in the charging cradle. Eventually, the remote would occasionally lose connection with the host and wait a long time before trying to reconnect.

Better design

The new remote feels a bit heavier because of its aluminum body, and that's a good thing. You can also get the new remote in three different colors to match your home decor: rose gold ($ 1,200, jet black ($ 1,200), or space gray ($ 850). The X2 base station is great heavy and solid and uses a magnetic docking station to hold the remote in place while standing, this gives the remote and dock a very impressive presence with a beautiful design that calls for visibility.

Features of the Savant X2 remote control

Savant set out to fix the issues with the previous remote with its new Savant Pro Remote X2 and as far as I can tell it has accomplished that mission. The X2 is longer and slimmer, has an aluminum design and still retains the same large display. The buttons now have a solid click / feel and the button layout now includes new PG + and PG- buttons for your device manuals. There are also two buttons that can be custom programmed, or you can use one of the buttons to quickly activate an already set up scene. What is missing, however, is the DVR button, which I used a lot on the old remote control. You'll need to program one of the unnamed buttons to have direct access to your DVR guide if that's as important to you as it is to me.

To keep up with other remotes on the market, the X2 has built-in Siri voice control with Apple TV. It works when you know how to use Siri, but it's a nuisance if you don't take the time to learn Siri. The same applies to Alexa or any other hardware or software controlled by A.I. Do yourself a favor and take the time to learn how to use this feature.

Setup and use

In my testing, I found that the new Savant Pro Remote X2 is significantly faster in accessing my TV and other devices. The delay I experienced earlier seems to have completely disappeared. I found that when setting up the new remote and inserting it into the system, I didn't need to connect the charging cradle to the system, but rather that the remote connected directly to the system via Wi-Fi setup is much easier – this probably explains too the lack of delay. The Savant REM-1000 (BLE) remote control that came with my host, for example, still has to be connected via the docking station and is noticeably slower.

Ian Bell / Digital Trends

Switching between different functions like controlling a camera system and accessing a music server is intuitive – I only got lost occasionally, usually when jumping back and forth between too many screens. I found the remote to really stand out from the previous remote by controlling devices with an IR repeater. With the previous generation remote control, the delay here was unbearable for me. Controlling my Apple TV or Roku TV is now very easy and intuitive, as buttons such as "Menu", "Info" and "Instructions" are perfectly assigned.

Some things to watch out for

Not everything is perfect with the Savant X2 remote. I'm using a TiVo DVR setup for my home and wish I had either stayed with Comcast or investigated other options. Sometimes it takes a while for my TiVo device to go out of sleep mode, which causes my Savant system to time out and for example the TV to go blank. The workaround is to restart the scene activation. The good news is that this only happens after I have stopped using TiVo for a while. Is it the remote's fault? Or the savant system? Or TiVo? I'm not sure, and every technician I ask answers this question differently. Update 12/30/2020: Savants representative said that I should be able to go into the Tivo settings and adjust the time of sleep so that this doesn't happen. You can also let your integrator set a user-defined “trigger” that triggers a number of menu commands to activate the device. Problem solved.

The battery life is still not fantastic. I'd say you're lucky enough to be able to use it for 2.5 days before you have to dock the remote to charge. If you're like me and have moved from a regular consumer system on two AA batteries that lasted six months to a fancy remote control like this one with a color screen, set your expectations accordingly. This remote control is basically a small PC with a display that draws battery juice. If you combine this with a battery icon that is not on the main display but on a sub screen and you quickly forget to check the X2's battery life, have your phone ready as a backup control unit. Among other things, you can adjust the settings for the alarm sensitivity and the time at which the display is switched off. Both of these settings should help you extend the battery life, although I still found the X2 to be too sensitive on the lowest setting. When the remote control sits on a sofa cushion and a dog jumps on the sofa, the screen comes back to life!

One remote control to control them all and anyone can control them

I'm a huge car fanatic and one of the things I've always found funny is how some people complain that a luxury car doesn't have memory presets saved for the passenger seats – but even if they're saved there, hardly anyone uses them. The same applies to remote controls such as the Savant Pro Remote X2. It supports several user profiles in which you can save your channels and favorite scenes and thus control several rooms. I've spent a lot of time creating profiles, scenes, etc. for the family, but the truth is, they hardly remember changing profiles. And if you don't have a family of engineers who will appreciate those extra features, I recommend making the primary profile (yours?) As compatible as possible with everyone else in your family. For example, when you add your partner and children's favorite channels to the remote control, you are probably good to go.

Ian Bell / Digital Trends

While controlling multiple rooms with a single remote is a cool idea, I would recommend either installing Lutron custom scene light switches or using a tablet or your phone for rooms that aren't being used much. Otherwise you will be walking around with a remote control in your pocket, which will frustrate the other users in your household. Savant recently released its own lighting solution that competes with Lutron. It offers a range of cool options like WRGB full color, adjustable LED and even a special daylight mode that syncs with your daily rhythm. I would recommend considering the Savant lighting product when planning your smart home design so that you can compare it to others on the market.

Our opinion

If you are purchasing a new Savant system for your home and are considering adding the Pro Remote X2 or using your phone / tablet for control, do yourself a favor and buy the remote control. It's not cheap, but it's easy to use and looks amazing.

On the other hand, if you have a previous generation Savant remote, you probably don't need to upgrade unless you have money to burn and are fed up with the slow lag – something I can't stand. Keep in mind that you will need to update your host software in order for the X2 to work and this will add even more to the cost.

Is there a better alternative?

For a Savant system, there really is no other option outside of your own phone and other Savant remotes.

How long it will take?

Given that it has been in use for a few months, I'd say the aluminum design is tough enough to ensure a long life. The buttons on the X2 remote are so general that they can be used universally for any new device you add to the system. At the same time, the remote doesn't have any super-specific buttons for Savant OS 9 – which means the developers intended to use this remote for a long time. Savant grants a two-year warranty on the Pro Remote X2, which is above the industry average for a product of this type.

Should you buy it?

You have already spent a lot of money on a savant system. If you don't, you are buying a Porsche without a real steering wheel – you need it to get top performance.

Editor's recommendations




04 Jan
Blog

MSI Prestige 14 Evo Review: Tiger Lake Stretches Its Legs

msi prestige 14 evo review 01

"The MSI Prestige 14 Evo is a thin and light ultrabook with impressive performance."

  • Impressive performance

  • Solid build quality

  • Good battery life

  • Attractive design

  • The keyboard and touchpad are not precise enough

  • Dim the display

MSI is best known for its gaming equipment, but the company has repeatedly tried to go beyond its specialty. Like brands like Razer, MSI wants to use its gaming reputation to expand to more mainstream laptops.

The Prestige 14 Evo is the latest – and perhaps most ambitious – attempt at doing this. MSI worked closely with Intel on the 11th generation of Tiger Lake processors and the new Evo certification (hence the name).

My test device has an 11th generation Intel Core i7-1185G7, the fastest Tiger Lake CPU, as well as 16 GB of RAM and a 1 TB solid-state drive (SSD). The 14-inch laptop is priced at $ 1,199, a low price for such a high-end configuration. Some retailers even sell it for just $ 950. But is it enough to convince myself that MSI has a future beyond gaming?

design

Let's get "cheap" questions out of the way. The Prestige 14 Evo is made of aluminum and feels solid all around. That is, with the exception of the display, which has a certain flex when pressure is applied. Both the keyboard deck and the bottom of the case feel robust and leave an overall impression of solid workmanship. It's still half a step behind Lenovo and Asus in the 14-inch class and Dell and HP if you're looking for 13-inch alternatives. The Prestige 14 Evo doesn't feel "cheap", but it could certainly benefit from a firmer lid.

It's also an attractive device with three color options: Carbon Gray, Rose Pink, and Pure White. I received the Carbon Gray version which has a darker silhouette. Despite the beveled edges, it is a conservatively designed laptop without any gloss. Even the MSI logo is a dark shade on the lid and it's easy to miss if you're not looking at exactly the right angle. The lines are clean and elegant, with a sharp taper on the bottom from back to front.

There is no bling at all.

I will notice that the Carbon Gray surface is a fingerprint magnet and it's not that easy to remove stains.

The display hinge lifts the back of the case off the desk nicely and offers plenty of space underneath to allow air to move and noises to come out of the two-floor speakers. The Asus ZenBook UX425EA is similar, although Asus adds some flair with concentric rings engraved in the lid.

The Prestige 14 Evo is thin and light for a 14-inch, 0.63-inch, 2.85-pound laptop, though it's neither the thinnest nor the lightest you can get in this class of machine. The ZenBook 14 is 0.54 inches and weighs 2.58 pounds, while the Acer Swift 5 is another 14-inch notebook from Tiger Lake that is even lighter at 2.31 pounds. The thickness of 0.59 inches is between the MSI and the Asus.

Each of these machines has small bezels with a screen-to-body ratio of around 90% and therefore has a modern appearance when the lid is open. Speaking of the lid, the Prestige 14 Evo's hinge is well constructed and only needs one hand to open while it resists the wobbling.

Connectivity is a bit of light for the class. There are two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the left and a single USB-A 2.0 port (oddly enough) for a microSD card reader and a 3.5mm audio jack on the right.

As with the Acer Swift 5, you often get an HDMI 2.0 port, which is missing here. However, the wireless connectivity is cutting edge with both Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.

performance

The MSI Prestige 14 Evo is one of the fastest laptops in its class that I have tested. That sounds impressive on the surface, but it's also the first laptop I've tested with the Core i7-1185G7. I'm still learning what to expect from the latest generation of processors from Intel, but one thing is certain: the MSI Prestige 14 Evo impressed me.

The first test I ran was PCMark 10, which I ran on a handful of newer laptops with Intel 10th and 11th generation CPUs. The Prestige 14 Evo achieved the second highest value in this group with 4866 and only lost to the Lenovo Yoga 9i with the 45 watt Core i7-10750H CPU with six cores and 5173.

The MSI Prestige 14 Evo is one of the fastest laptops in its class.

The Prestige 14 Evo was faster than any other Tiger Lake notebook we tested by a good margin. Interestingly, the Porsche Design Acer Book RS with its surprisingly fast Core i5-1135G7 was Tiger Lake's closest competitor. Looking at each element of the PCMark 10 Complete test, the Prestige 14 Evo was particularly productive (spreadsheet and word processing) and creation (photo editing, video playback and playback, and video editing), while lagging behind some other laptops in the Only category Essentials (starting the app, video conferencing, surfing the Internet).

These results make the MSI a relatively faster laptop for more demanding tasks than basic computing. So if your main focus is to browse the web and spend time zooming, you don't need the power of the MSI.

In our handbrake test, which encodes a 420 MB video at H.265, the Prestige 14 Evo took just under two and 45 minutes, a fast score that surpasses any other U-series CPU. You need to look at laptops like the Lenovo Yoga 9i for faster results on Intel laptops (AMD Ryzen 4000 series laptops are a bit faster too). However, if you're looking for a laptop with a Tiger Lake CPU, the Prestige 14 Evo is the fastest you can find right now.

The same was true for Cinebench R23, where the Prestige 14 Evo achieved a strong 1,513 points in the single core score (after the Apple Mac Mini with the new Apple M1 chipset) and 5,789 points in the multi-core test. I'll repeat myself here: the Prestige 14 Evo is the fastest U-series CPU we've tested, and it's not really close. MSI did an excellent job of setting the CPU and managing the thermals so that the Prestige 14 Evo is the best example of Tiger Lake's potential.

Given the Intel Iris Xe graphics provided by the Tiger Lake platform, we should also briefly touch on gaming. These integrated graphics have so far offered an almost discrete low-end graphics performance and are well above the previous integrated graphics from Intel.

The Prestige 14 Evo even masters Fortnite surprisingly well. (/

Given MSI's experience with gaming laptops, the Prestige 14 Evo didn't seem as strong in graphics performance as its processor at first glance. In the synthetic 3DMark Time Spy benchmark, it achieved a rather low value of 1,465 behind the Porsche Design Acer Book RS with 1,504 and the Acer Swift 5 with 1,686. It managed to beat the anemic value of the Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA of 1,281.

However, I also ran Fortnite to test a real world game that would fit in with the capabilities of the Intel Iris Xe graphics performance. It handles it surprisingly well. The Prestige 14 Evo managed 42 frames per second (fps) at 1080p and high graphics, which in turn outperforms any other Tiger Lake laptop. The fastest so far, the Intel reference laptop, ran at 34 fps. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 with an Nvidia GeForce MX350 achieved 37 fps. At Epic Graphics, the Prestige 14 Evo was 28 fps, the reference laptop 29 fps and the Lenovo 24 fps.

At least in a game like Fortnite, the MSI doesn't do justice to its low 3DMark score. And a game like Fortnite is definitely on the verge of what you'd want to play on a Tiger Lake laptop.

display

MSI was smart enough to equip the Prestige 14 Evo with a 1 watt IPS display with low power consumption and 1080p. This selection should help balance the fast CPU in terms of battery life, as we'll discuss later in the review.

It comes in a 16: 9 aspect ratio, which feels a bit dated at this point. Dell, HP, and Lenovo have started turning to higher displays in their premium laptops that offer either 16:10 or 3: 2. In comparison, 16: 9 feels stocky, especially with the large lower bezel.

According to my colorimeter, this is an average display for a premium laptop with only one obvious weakness. In fact, "glare" is the wrong word because while the display does well on other metrics, its brightness is only 228 nits. This is well below the 300-nit threshold we love to see on premium displays, and it may be too dark for many brightly-lit offices.

The color range of the display is 97% of sRGB and 73% of AdobeRGB. Most other premium laptops can be found here. Some brands like Dell and Lenovo offer 4K displays with much larger gamuts (up to 100% of sRGB and AdobeRGB). Creative users who need lots of color will want to check out these brands.

The display of the Prestige 14 Evo scored quite well in terms of color accuracy with 1.3, whereby 1.0 and less are indistinguishable to the human eye and are the standard for excellent displays. Finally, the contrast ratio was 940: 1, just below the 1000: 1 we like to see on premium laptops.

Compare this display to the very good ones on the Acer Swift 5 and Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA and you will find that brightness is the only differentiator – albeit an important one. Note that the Lenovo Yoga 7i, in contrast, was an outlier, only scoring 690: 1 and making for a muted panel.

Overall, if you're not in an overly bright environment, you'll love this display for productivity work and Netflix. However, if you turn up the ambient lighting, you will be disappointed. If you work in bright environments, the MSI can be a problem for you.

Keyboard and touchpad

The keyboard of the Prestige 14 Evo is in the typical island style with spacious key caps, comfortable key spacing and a lot of spring travel. My only complaint is that the switches were a little soft which made them feel light but without a precise floor effect. This reduced my accuracy and speed as I wasn't quite so sure that I had registered the correct keystroke.

I found the keyboard just one step behind my favorites, the HP Specter line of keyboards, Dell's latest XPS 13, and the best of them, Apple's Magic Keyboard on the latest MacBooks. But it's not so blatant that the average person would disapprove of the typing experience.

The problems with the touchpad are a bit more noticeable. It's pretty wide, although not as big as I'd like it to be. I also found it too deep in terms of key movement. You really need to learn to register a click. While that click is one of the quieter ones you'll experience, the touchpad could be streamlined for me.

However, the touchpad is a Microsoft Precision version, which means that it responds well to Windows 10's multi-touch gestures. My device was not equipped with a touch display and a touch version is not offered. I regularly use Touch for scrolling long web pages and the like, and I missed it here.

MSI chose to place the fingerprint reader, which supports passwordless Windows 10 Hello login, in the upper left corner of the touchpad. This is my least favorite place for a fingerprint reader and worse than placing it directly on the power button (like on the Dell XPS 13) or at least a separate area on the keyboard deck. Still, it worked well and signed me up quickly and without a lot of fuss.

Battery life

MSI equipped the Prestige 14 Evo with just 52 watt hours of battery life, which is a bit sparse for a 14-inch laptop with such a powerful CPU. Part of Intel's Evo certification is the ability to achieve nine or more hours of battery life for typical tasks. From my testing, the Prestige 14 Evo will likely do this – hardly.

First, I ran our web browsing test, which iterated over a number of popular websites. It gives a fair estimate of light productivity consumption, and the Prestige 14 Evo lasted about 7.25 hours. This is a below average duration for the class. The ZenBook 14 UX425EA lasts 10 hours and the Acer Swift 5 a less impressive eight hours.

Switch to the PCMark 10 Applications score, which provides a more direct comparison with productivity longevity, and the Prestige 14 Eve did a significantly better job at almost 10.5 hours. This is a new test for us so we don't have that many computers to compare it to. However, this value is only 22 minutes behind the Dell XPS 13 9310, the longest-lasting we tested and the laptop outperforms the older XPS 13 7390 with a 10th generation Core i7. Combine these two and the MSI can take the nine hours required for Evo certification.

I also ran the PCMark 10 gaming battery test which put a strain on the CPU and GPU. It replaces the Basemark web benchmark test that we ran in the past and that cannot be completed on Tiger Lake laptops. The Prestige 14 Evo took a little over 1.5 hours on the lower end of our limited database. The Acer Swift 5 lasted just under two hours, while the XPS 13 9310 was strong with almost four hours in this test.

Finally, I used our video test grinding a Full HD Avengers trailer and the Prestige 14 Evo took a little over 16 hours to complete. This is a strong score that surpasses the XPS 13 9310, Acer Swift 5, and ZenBook 14 UX425EA – largely thanks to the low-power display that MSI selected for the machine.

Ultimately, the Prestige 14 Evo gives you a full day of work unless you hit the CPU and GPU. And it will likely meet the Evo certification requirements of nine hours of typical use.

Our opinion

The MSI Prestige 14 Evo is the fastest Intel U-Series notebook we tested and outperforms any other example by a lot. It competes more strongly with the latest offerings from AMD than the rest of the class while offering decent battery life.

You won't indulge the build quality of the Prestige 14 Evo either, because for $ 1,199 you get a very well configured laptop with just one slightly flexible display that you can complain about. The laptop's biggest weakness is its display brightness, but it's a competitor everywhere else.

Are there alternatives?

The Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA is a viable alternative to the MSI. Keep it in Performance mode and it'll stay in close proximity to the much faster Prestige 14 Eve, but you have to deal with louder fans. It's a bit more solid than the MSI, with an HDMI port and a better display. You spend about $ 100 more on the Asus and get the slightly slower Core i7-1165G7.

The Acer Swift 5 is another solid alternative to the Prestige 14 Evo. It's the next fastest Tiger Lake laptop, and it's about $ 100 more expensive too, while also sporting the slower Core i7. The Swift 5 is also lighter than the MSI and the display is brighter.

If you like the idea of ​​a 2-in-1 then the HP Specter x360 13 is a great choice. It can also be outfitted with Tiger Lake, although we haven't had a chance to test the latest version yet, and features a stunning OLED display that will blow the Prestige 14 Evo's display away. You'll spend a little more on the same configuration, but you'll get a wonder that's a little smaller than the MSI.

Finally, the Dell XPS 13 remains one of the best laptops out there and should always be considered. The Tiger Lake update shows what may already be the perfect laptop. As you spend more on the XPS 13 and give up some of the MSI's performance, you get a great design to go with it.

How long it will take?

The Prestige 14 Evo is so well built you don't have to worry about years of downtime, and it's built with components designed to keep Windows 10 running for just as long. You only get a one year warranty, but this is industry standard.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The MSI Prestige 14 Evo is the fastest ultrabook you can buy, and it's a great choice in the 14-inch laptop class.

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