25 Sep
Blog

Apple iPad 2020 (10.2-inch, 8th Gen) Review: Great for $329

Apple iPad 8th generation 2020 rating space gray 11

"When you need a tablet at a reasonable price, the iPad should be your first choice."

  • Exceptional software with long support

  • Great battery life

  • Colorful and clear display

  • Connects to a robust Apple ecosystem

  • 32 GB of basic memory is not enough

  • Single tinny speaker

  • Still flash, not USB-C

In the technology world, “iPad” is just as general a word as “Kleenex”. As Apple's iPad product range was expanded to include the Air and Pro models, a basic iPad was retained to anchor the group. It's just the iPad. No year, no generation, no name. It's for people who go online or go to a store and say, "I want to buy an iPad today." You can have one for just $ 329.

This is Apple's 2020 iPad – the 8th generation for those who count. It's the perfect tablet for people who just want a computing device.

Hardware, display and design

Apple introduced a brand new design with the iPad Pro line and brought this design along with a beautiful new color palette to the new iPad Air. It hasn't yet achieved the economies of scale that are supposed to be included in Apple's cheap iPad – this looks and feels the same as the last few iPads. What is there to say that hasn't been repeated in years? Apple has perfected this design.

The aluminum plate has a perfectly flat back, pleasantly curved sides and a small bevel that fits perfectly on the front glass. There is no such thing as thriving. It's simply a portal to iPadOS 14. It's an appliance no different from your toaster or Keurig.

The 10.2-inch display is a step down from the iPad Air, but not in its 2160 x 1620 resolution, which produces the same density as the Air. However, you will find that this is not a laminated display. There is a visible gap between the screen and the glass cover that is different from the iPad Air, iPad Pro and any modern smartphone.

Despite this shortcoming, the screen's colors and clarity are superb, and you will only see the gap at certain viewing angles. The maximum brightness is stated as 500 nits, which is sufficient – although I have always set the brightness to 100% outdoors. The lack of lamination can cause problems outdoors, which are more reflective in daylight than most tablets.

If you don't spend a lot of time outdoors, you'll love this display.

I don't really have anything against the old-school iPad's circular Touch ID sensor for functionality, but it feels dated compared to other alternatives like a built-in fingerprint sensor or the sensor built into the side of the iPad Air on the power button. I bet this will be the last iPad with the Touch ID button.

And I hope when the switch is made the screen bezels will shrink too because they look weird. Bezels are useful for holding the tablet without touching the screen, but they don't have to be that big.

The iPad sits comfortably at 1.08 pounds and the weight is well distributed. However, you will be reminded of the age of this design again as it is heavier than the iPad Air and iPad Pro, both of which offer dramatically more features and larger displays. Regardless, it's easy to hold up the tablet with one hand in portrait mode or with two hands while watching a long video.

However, when it comes to audio, video falls short. There is only one speaker on one side, which can be easily covered by your hand and is quite thin. The back is also slippery. If you'd like to help them for an expanded display or input, you'll need Apple's tri-fold Smart Cover – that will bring you back a cool $ 50.

Software, features and battery life

iOS 14 is the biggest change to iPhone software in years, but the same can't be said for iPadOS 14. The iPad benefits the most from moving to iOS 14, as notifications and warnings don't cover the entire screen and there's a new Spotlight -Search interface. That being said, it's effectively iPadOS 13.

Perhaps the biggest new feature is Scribble, which lets you use Apple Pencil to recognize handwriting to text through the user interface. This of course requires a $ 99 accessory and is a whole different discussion.

Unfortunately, iOS 14's app library isn't here, so you can no longer manually manage the pages of apps and folders, which now seems archaic. You also have nowhere to move widgets anywhere on the home screen, which I consider a massive oversight. However, you can pin the widget area to the left third of the main home screen in landscape orientation.

Multitasking remains complicated – there's a lot of power here, but it's hard to spot and seemingly impossible to master. There's an awkward dance of gestures to bring up apps, use the split screen, and trigger floating windows with no hints of detectability – all you have to do is try things out.

iPadOS 14 seems simple, but it hides a steep learning curve for multitasking.

Apple probably knows that the typical basic iPad customer will multitask far less than those who buy an Air or Pro. However, don't let that stop you from making the most of it.

With the A12 Bionic processor and plenty of screen, there is a lot you can do when you dig into the depths of gesture controls for multitasking. And the iPad never skips a beat – with two or three apps at the same time, even with other apps in the background, it never misses a step. The iPad is clearly packed with specs to handle the high features and capabilities of an upcoming iPadOS 17, not 14.

The only place not ready for the future is storage. The base of 32 GB is simply not enough. After a few days, I had already used 23 GB – but luckily I ordered a 128 GB model. I suggest everyone do the same. It's just a shame Apple is hollowing you out for another $ 100 or 30% more to get it.

As expected, the battery life is fantastic. The 32 watt hour cell offers a long service life. Apple advertises its usual "10 hours of surfing the Internet or watching videos", which of course is by no means representative of the use of iPads. I used it a few hours a day for a full work week, keeping up with a mix of any kind of light load from social media apps, email, and messaging, and YouTube and podcasts – and I didn't have to charge anything Once. The iPad is especially good at sitting idle for hours (or days) without using a noticeable amount of power. If you're not actively using it, the iPad won't go blank.

Unfortunately, along with the relics of design and the Touch ID sensor, the iPad continues to use Lightning for charging. Let's hope this is the last iPad to use the old port and that it will connect to every other iPad (and MacBook as well as Android phone) on USB-C. It's just so much better. At least the charger in the box is now USB-C on the wall side.

The iPad has a rear camera, but it might as well not. The 8 megapixel sensor is useful for taking photos of receipts or sending an explanatory message to a friend, but that's about it. The 1.2 megapixel front camera handles video calling tasks in the app of your choice (up to 720p). The quality is roughly equivalent to that of a laptop, but lags behind a modern telephone. The ease with which you can make a FaceTime call with loved ones is more important in many ways than the quality of the camera itself.

Our opinion

The 8th generation iPad isn't exciting, but it's an exceptional tablet for $ 329. Easy to learn and use, iPadOS 14 can be extremely powerful for multitasking and light productivity work if you spend time learning. The battery life is exceptional and the display is great for the money. The hardware looks and feels old, but it's incredibly effective – and most importantly, it's built to last a long time, both physically and in terms of internal specs.

To say that the iPad costs $ 329 is a misnomer, however. For that money, you only get 32GB of storage, which is not enough. You have to spend $ 429 to get 128GB. Ouch. Basically, you need a smart cover that every iPad needs. That's $ 50 more. So it's really a total package of $ 479.

But even at $ 429, it's impossible to find a better tablet experience. Yes, if you need a keyboard to turn an iPad into a work device, consider buying a Chromebook instead of a keyboard accessory for $ 159. If you are on a budget as a tablet, nothing better than the iPad can be done.

Are there any better alternatives?

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 is cheaper and of a similar size. But iPadOS is completely superior to Android on tablets, and the app selection is so far ahead that it deserves no comparison. The Tab A 10.1 is only a better choice if you are on a very tight budget and don't need the tablet other than just to surf and watch media.

If you need your iPad for work or school, there is a good argument why you shouldn't buy an iPad. Once you get the higher storage option and the Apple keyboard, you are well within the realm of buying a laptop. A Lenovo Chromebook Duet or an Asus Chromebook Flip are better choices, but then you have to miss out on the iPad app ecosystem.

How long it will take?

Apple has an exceptional track record of updating the software on its tablets. For example, iPadOS 14 will be available from 2017 through the 5th generation iPad. You are expected to receive at least three annual software updates for this iPad, and it is clear that there is enough internal hardware to run it.

The Lightning charging port and Touch ID sensor with a physical home button are areas that feel old faster. However, these are only a minimal part of the experience compared to being able to keep using the latest software and apps for years to come.

Should you buy it?

Yes. If you don't have the budget for an iPad Air and just need a basic tablet as a secondary device for casual use, there is no better choice than the iPad. Just be aware of the potential budget scare when looking to buy the 128GB model and a smart cover for it.

Editor's recommendations




25 Sep
Blog

Blink Outdoor Review: A Whole Bunch of Nothing New

Blink outdoor

Blink outdoor surveillance camera

"The follow up disappoints with few new features to differentiate it."

  • Loud internal speaker

  • Battery life for two years

  • Narrow field of view

  • Soft video footage

  • Muted color rendering

  • Missing specifications compared to its predecessor

The Blink XT has been a fan favorite for many reasons and has also made many of our top security camera lists. This security camera is simple, durable and works great outdoors. It is therefore an ideal camera if you want to take a look at it outside of your home.

Now we have a new Blink outdoor camera that has many of the same features as its siblings – including 1080p video, two-year battery life, and weatherproof construction. With so many similarities, is it really worth upgrading?

Specifications so similar that it's hard to tell apart

Usually there is a noticeable difference between old and new, but that's hard to see with the Blink outdoor camera. It looks the same, albeit a little thinner, than its predecessor, but the same square design remains a distinctive design language for Blink. The camera lens is now right in the center of the camera compared to the offset placement configuration found on the previous Blink XT2. After all, it has the same weatherproof design as before – complete with a mounting attachment for walls.

Flashing outside of the cameraJohn Velasco / Digital Trends

Aside from the design and specs, there is very little to separate the two models. In fact, the Blink Outdoor has the same camera specs as before. It offers 1080p video recording at up to 30 FPS, infrared night vision and a 110-degree field of view. With an outdoor camera, the field of view is narrow, as most cameras hover 130 degrees on average. Covering an isolated room shouldn't be a problem, but clearly covering the entire front yard with one device is not something you want to try.

In all honesty, it's frustrating that there isn't even the slightest difference between this one and its predecessor. Given that the Blink XT2 was announced in 2019, you'd think the new model would offer a heading feature.

Cloud and local storage options

What made Blink's previous outdoor cameras appealing was their free cloud storage. For new owners, however, this is off the table. Existing users will still get this with any devices they add. However, new accounts created after April 15th will not have an option for free cloud storage. Instead, they have to subscribe to a Blink subscription that starts at $ 3 per month per device or $ 10 per month for unlimited cameras in a single location.

Flashing outdoor cameraJohn Velasco / Digital Trends

Fortunately, there is a local storage option that allows you to save your clips to a USB flash drive using the new Blink Sync Module 2. The beauty of this is that the recorded footage will continue to be saved until it is full, and then erasing the old one can make room for new clips. This is a wonderful option to minimize your monthly out of pocket expenses.

Not innovative enough

Setting up the Blink outdoor camera is a breeze. Therefore it must be connected to the blink synchronization module 2. Once set up, you can adjust some settings in the Blink mobile app. It's a pure matter, in all honesty, without the glitz and depth of other cameras. There are options for adjusting motion detection sensitivity, clip length, retrigger time and setting up motion zones. However, it lacks some of the advanced features of similarly priced cameras.

For starters, I would have loved to see an offline mode or the ability to set up time-lapse photography, similar to the Wyze Cam Outdoor.

The quality of the camera is passable, but has some noticeable artifacts that sometimes detract from the quality, although it tends to resolve shortly afterwards. While I can still see most of the things in the picture, it lacks the sharpness and fine detail quality of its contemporaries – with colors that appear a bit dumb.

In the dark, night vision is activated to illuminate a range of about 25 feet in front of the camera in pitch black light. It's a little softer here too, but I can still spot the occasional deer running through my back yard.

There is bi-directional audio support if you need to interact with someone or something. However, the internal speaker is surprisingly loud and powerful – so it can be used for more than just talking.

Blink's new camera is just too similar to the previous one.

Finally, there is the two-year battery life it is designed for with its two lithium batteries, just like the Blink XT2. So far, it's hard to say what the battery life is like, mainly because you don't get a percentage display in the app. Instead, everything I see so far from its use is an "OK" that is as vague as it comes. I just wish it was more than that. However, there is a micro-USB port hidden behind a plastic cover on the back that provides power to the camera.

Our opinion

The Blink outdoor camera costs $ 100 for a kit that includes the camera and sync module, while each additional camera costs $ 90. Blink's new camera is just too similar to the previous one, which makes it a memorable option when you have so many others that can afford a lot more for roughly the same price.

Is there a better alternative?

To be honest, you can save yourself the cash and still get the Blink XT2 for $ 65. This is a decent savings when you know the similarities. If you're looking for something affordable, the Wyze Cam Outdoor continues to deliver impressive performance, extensive features, and offline recording capabilities. Alternatively, the Arlo Pro 3 is a champion with its wide field of view, crisp video quality, and sharp night vision.

How long it will take?

The all-plastic construction makes it light, but still feels solid to withstand small drops. It's also rated with an operating range of minus 4 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit, so it can withstand the great outdoors year round in most locations.

In the event of a defect, there is a one-year limited warranty to cover it.

Should you buy it?

No, there aren't enough changes and improvements to warrant a purchase over the previous Blink XT2.

Editor's recommendations




25 Sep
Blog

Fauna Audio Glasses Review: Don’t Sound Great, Hard to Hate

Fauna Audio glasses rating 1

"Even though the audio quality is not up to standard, it is difficult for fauna to suppress the fauna if you look at design and aesthetics."

  • Excellent workmanship

  • Light, comfortable

  • Excellent call quality

  • Lenses can easily be replaced by an optician

  • Thin, deep audio

  • Confusing controls

  • Below average battery life

Optical wearable technology is in a strange place that I think comes from consumers who aren't sure what they are or should be. Google Glass, probably the most famous smart glasses, has failed. In a more focused branch of this type of wearable, Bose – the next biggest name in the segment – is said to have left the audio eyewear market unceremoniously in early 2020, but recently announced several new pairs. The prices and availability of these products have not yet been announced, however, and right now Fauna is one of the few players currently active in the audio glasses game.

The company's product, also known as Fauna, is simple enough: glasses that look good and act as listening devices. However, the biggest hurdle for someone could be asking why Fauna has any number of headphone or earphone options. In addition, at 200 euros at the introductory price (20% less than the full 250 euros) they are not a small investment that can be easily picked up and tried out. People understand the need for earbuds, but are they going to get audio glasses?

Let's take a look at the fauna they want to be and answer whether they are good at it or not.

More than a feeling

From the box to the feeling they have on your head, the fauna is absolutely aesthetic. The orange / pink branding on their website carries over onto the packaging and looks really chic. The same orange / pink is a nice accent on the charging case and the included USB-C cable. The outside of the case is mostly dark green, which looks nice and doesn't attract too much attention.

The glasses fit in nicely, although they are not magnetically attached to the charging pins as expected, as this feature is common on earphones. However, you wouldn't expect your normal reading glasses or sunglasses to be magnetically attached to your suitcase. So why should they be here? From this perspective, Fauna did an excellent job with the design.

From the box to the feeling they have on your head, the fauna is absolutely aesthetic.

Back to packaging: I think the importance of good packaging for electronic devices is often underestimated. The Fauna box experience was spot on with Apple's premium packaging, and I can't think of any higher praise for it.

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Fauna Audio glasses rating 9 "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/fauna-audio-glasses-review-9-640x640. jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

It should also be mentioned that the packaging was made almost entirely of cardboard and paper, with the exception of small plastic sheets that covered the charging contacts. I like packaging that doesn't contain too much plastic and ends up in a landfill. So it's nice to know that almost all fauna ships can be easily recycled or composted.

To look good

The idea that an everyday object could also cross over and be a listening device sounds fascinating. I like the idea of ​​not needing headphones to enjoy media, and the Fauna really delivers it by packing headphone technology into glasses that are just a little heavier than my prescription glasses.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

With that in mind, it's quite remarkable how light the fauna is. They clearly crammed a lot more into glasses than typical glasses, but when I wear them I don't feel the extra weight. I loved to wear the fauna for a whole day at work and often forgot that I was wearing it at all.

Maybe this is an opinion exclusive to me, but I think the Fauna goggles look great. I would always wear these well. I can see some people thinking that the sides of the glasses look too thick, but I don't particularly mind. I'm a fan of thicker-rimmed glasses initially, and I think the sides don't look obtrusive or bulky. This thickness is also guaranteed because the drivers are housed there together with the touch controls. More on that later.

The fauna really delivers … by packing headphone technology into glasses that are just a little heavier than my prescription glasses.

The Fauna offers four different styles of glasses that cover almost the entire scope of the thick-framed style. I generally like a more angular frame than any other fauna, but I was pleasantly surprised by how I thought they were looking at me. I think their Memor Havana or Levia Black designs do the best job of not making the thick sides of the glasses seem too obvious. The company's Spiro Transparent Brown and Fabula Crystal Brown both have transparent pieces, making the huge opaque blocks on the sides more prominent.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

One of the pairs I rated has a Zeiss blue light filter lens, and this filter makes it easier for my eyes to look at television or computer screens for long periods of time. A second set had the sunglass lens that protects against 99% UVA and UVB light. The quality of the glass is very good in both cases, but if I want I could take it to my optician and have the lenses changed on my prescription.

But how do they sound?

I wish I could keep praising them, but fauna falls short on this one key area – these don't sound very good.

While the Fauna has two MEMs speakers and a dedicated subwoofer over each ear, this implementation of the technology just doesn't result in high quality audio. Despite having six drivers, the quality doesn't match most earbuds with two.

Fauna Audio glasses rating 7 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn5.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/fauna-audio-glasses-review-7-640x640. jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Fauna Audio glasses rating 6 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn6.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/fauna-audio-glasses-review-6-640x640. jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

They don't sound bad at all, but they lack a lot of depth in the presentation of music, with the bass feeling being particularly underrepresented. The mids are also weaker than I would like, but the lower registers are the main weakness despite the bass support from Fauna via these special subwoofers. The best way to compare the sound would be to see what 2009 laptop speakers sounded like. If, like me, you were listening to music on your standard speakers back then, you will understand what I mean when I say that music is perceived as "thin". There is no robustness for music from the fauna, and I miss that when I hear almost every track.

These don't sound very good.

I will say that the only type of music that will work with this type of audio quality is the very popular “Lofi Hip Hop Music to Relax / Learn” playlist curated by ChilledCow on both YouTube and Spotify . Because these tracks already have low fidelity, they don't ask the fauna to do too much, and that's why I enjoyed this style of music played by the fauna.

You know what it sounds like to sit in a hotel lobby playing soothing, voiceless tracks? This is what my whole life has sounded like wearing the fauna and I have to say it's pretty beautiful. Chill, sure.

Just as you can't hear lobby music as well because it exists in the background of conversations, the fauna doesn't get particularly loud and makes music you play on them almost background noise. I've been running it at maximum volume the whole time and it always feels just a few decibels quieter than I'd like. If they have to compete with other sounds around you, they will drown very easily.

Strangely enough, while they can't make me feel loud, they really do a good job of stopping me from hearing someone trying to speak to me from more than a meter away. Something about how the speakers project sound specifically blocks human vowel sounds and volume. So, if you're planning on working in a coffee shop (someday, right?), Let the pleasant clatter of that hustle and bustle pass through without distracting you from certain conversations.

Basically, wearing Fauna is like using headphones with ambient noise all the time, but at a lower volume and music quality with lower fidelity, with the advantage that glasses are put on at the same time.

When I switch from Fauna to my Jabra Elite 75t or my Sony WF-1000XM3, the difference in quality is painfully obvious. I don't think the fauna ever intended their audio goggles to go head-to-toe with special earbuds, but the sharp difference in quality due to the distinct lack of support for lower registers in the fauna makes it impossible to recommend these as primary Hearing aids through earphones or headphones.

It should also be noted that these are expected to have pretty terrible noise isolation. If someone is sitting next to you, they can hear what you are hearing pretty clearly, especially since the volume is most likely being maximized.

Battery, connectivity and control

Fauna rates the audio glasses for about four hours of non-stop gaming per charge, which isn't great and feels like what we expected from headphones a few years ago. Nowadays, some companies are increasing battery life to eight or even ten hours. Given that fauna has significantly more room to work than earbuds, it's a little surprising to see estimates this low.

In addition, you can only get four full charges out of the case, which means your maximum usage time is only 16 hours per wall charge. Given that glasses are the kind of item you put on in the morning and wear until you go to bed, the low battery power makes it hard to imagine these glasses taking the place of your earbuds or low vision glasses.

After the initial pairing, these audio glasses establish a solid connection to my iPhone (a process that is identical to all other Bluetooth earbuds, where the glasses switch to pairing mode after being removed from the case and via Bluetooth -Menu can be added in your phone settings). I had no issues with cutouts or drips and even walked my entire yard while my phone was still in my kitchen.

The Fauna supports 20 hours per charge of passive connection time, that is, without playing music.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Do not add further to the complaints, but control with the fauna is not great. First, let me explain how the controls work: Any stretch of the sides about three inches long along your temple line has a touch sensitivity with a variety of functions.

Overall, these controls are not intuitive.

Double tap on the left temple answers a call, ends a call, plays music, or pauses music. Tap and hold to reject a call or skip to the next track. Pushing forward decreases the volume and pushing back increases the volume.

Tapping the right temple twice activates the voice assistant on your phone. Tap and hold to put the glasses into pairing mode.

Overall, these controls are not intuitive and in many cases contrast with years of training that other equipment performed prior to them gave me. Making the pause / play action by tapping twice and skipping rather than tap and hold was an odd decision.

Remembering these controls was a challenging learning curve that only applies to the fauna and no other equipment I have tested. Additionally, sliding forward to lower the volume is an extremely confusing decision. Moving a little forward in my head means increasing the volume and moving backward means decreasing the volume. Why the fauna chose to reverse this hard-wired propensity is astounding.

Other properties

The fauna is successful in one audio area: phone calls. Both you and everyone you speak to will have a wonderful experience, provided you don't maximize the volume. You will hear that the other end is not a problem. If you keep the volume at 70% or less, this will also be the case with whom you are speaking. When you set the volume to maximum, the glasses record their own audio signal and give your listener annoying feedback on their own voice.

I mentioned that these weren't particularly loud at first, so turning the volume down may not sound intuitive. However, it works for phone calls. Even walking down a busy street I could have a great phone call with my friend who reported the same thing to me.

The Fauna app adds a function to the audio glasses that goes beyond audio. The fauna has special warning messages called "whistles" to help remind you to do things like drink water or improve your posture. I like the idea, but the implementation is … strange.

Although referred to as a whistle, the actual warning isn't a whistle, but a robotic male voice that can be programmed to say what's in a text box in the app.

For the whistle, the app sends a notification that says "Hey Jaron, it's time to get up and stretch your body." It's a bit unsettling and I wish I could just have a comfortable chime sent to me instead of a robotic voice. You can record a different voice, but hearing myself may be even stranger than the robot.

There aren't a lot of options in the whistles either, but Fauna has a direct link to their developers on the app if you have an idea you'd like to see which is lovely.

I ended up not using this feature because I personally didn't find it helpful, but others may disagree. Still, it's a good idea.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Our opinion

Fauna placed more emphasis on style than audio quality, but maybe that's not all that bad. While they won't blow you away with their sound, they do their job and provide an overall experience that will keep you coming back time and time again. I complained to my wife about one thing or another and asked her, "Then why do you keep wearing them?"

She's right, I wore her for a week. Despite all of its shortcomings, I still like it.

Are there any better alternatives?

As previously mentioned, Bose recently announced a number of new frames options, but there was no indication of pricing or availability. Hence, it is difficult to say whether it is worth doing without it. In addition, Flows makes glasses with similar aesthetics to Fauna at a lower price, so it may be worth considering.

How long will they last?

Fauna grants a two-year guarantee on its audio glasses, which is exceptional for portable audio products. Plus they feel very well built so I don't expect them to just stop working. But don't let them fall. They are still glasses and will definitely act as such.

Should you buy it?

Maybe. I know this isn't a solid answer, but this is the type of product that needs to be the right buyer for it. If audio quality is most important to you, give them a pass. But if you like the idea of ​​having background music in your everyday life in an unobtrusive way, then fauna is a good argument in its own right.

Editor's recommendations




24 Sep
Blog

Diesel On Fadelite Review: The Smartwatch Your Heart Desires

Diesel on Fadelite Mad Dog Jones Smartwatch Review MDJ Wrist

Diesel On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones Review: The Smartwatch Your Heart Desires

"The Diesel On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones limited edition Diesel watch has a unique, eye-catching design, but the technology inside falls short of the space age look."

  • Eye-catching work of art

  • Second strap in the box

  • Limited edition packaging is attractive

  • Slim and light

  • Inferior

  • Ambient light sensor is bad

  • A stiff belt can be uncomfortable

People I speak of added shine to the Diesel On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones Smartwatch. I was told that this is exactly the type of watch they would wear and that it really catches the eye. This type of compliment about a smartwatch is unusual, as most of the examples come in black and look quite technical with no significant visual flair to attract admiring glances.

The question is, what is my answer at this point? Unfortunately, it's not that easy to make a warm recommendation to buy one. Buying a WearOS smartwatch takes some thought. While the On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones has the right look, there are other aspects that can't compete. However, this is still not the full story as these drawbacks haven't stopped me from wearing them.

Confused? Do not be so. This may just be the first smartwatch to buy with your heart, not your head.

design

I don't usually wear a watch to show the time. It's actually not uncommon for me to wear a watch that shows the time from a different time zone or that is not set for daylight saving time simply because I make a habit of checking my phone for the time. I wear watches that I think look brilliant as an accessory rather than a strict watch. Design and style are practical, and I'm willing to bet there are others who feel the same way.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Diesel On Fadelite offers the right design, regardless of the model chosen. In the standard form, the transparent straps and strong colors look fantastic, correspond to the Diesel brand and draw on summer trends. The Mad Dog Jones version swaps the summery-cool atmosphere for custom cyberpunk-style art, a transparent case and eye-catching rainbow-ionized aluminum metalwork. It's unlike any other smartwatch I've seen.

Mad Dog Jones (hereafter known as MDJ) is an artist who shares his work on Instagram and has worked closely with Diesel on the design of this special edition. The bracelet is decorated with custom art, he designed two special dials and the special packaging comes complete with a cloth that depicts a larger piece of his art. Inside there is also a second, fully transparent 22mm bracelet. MDJ's artwork is “under” the strap to give it a 3D look, and it also has a subtly embossed Diesel logo. It's brightly colored and eye-catching, and it's highly unlikely to lose its luster over time due to its manufacture.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The On Fadelite's lightweight 44mm nylon body is just 12mm thick and, along with the modest 1.2-inch screen measuring 390 x 390 pixels, fits most wrists. I've been wearing the watch for more than a week and I was hoping the bracelet would adjust to my wrist more, but it remains exceptionally stiff and if it is made too tight it becomes uncomfortable and hot. The material also grabs your wrist and the holder of the strap and is difficult to loosen.

This smartwatch is the pair of shoes that you really love that will pinch your toes. The Diesel On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones is a bit uncomfortable, but it looks so damn good that I just didn't care. I wear it loosely, which helps and would never consider wearing it to exercise or sleep with a lot. Does this defeat the goal? I do not believe that. The Diesel On Fadelite is a fashion smartwatch that is designed so that it cannot be worn 24/7 in all situations.

Software and performance

The On Fadelite was announced at CES 2020. Delays meant the MDJ version is only now getting on the wrists, with the Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor inside. This is unfortunate as the Snapdragon Wear 4100 has since replaced it and promises a significant increase in performance that this watch will never see. Worse, the On Fadelite has 512MB of RAM rather than 1GB, which is usually considered a minimum for the old Wear operating system to work at an acceptable pace.

Exclusive MDJ dial named "Hungry". Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

In reality, the On Fadelite can handle those poor specs better than expected on paper, but it's not a rocket ship. Activating data-intensive features like Google Maps or Google Fit takes a few beats longer than desired and is often slow to respond when you wake up, especially if you're then prompted to show notifications. Sighs of frustration as the smartwatch ponders what to do before actually doing it are common.

Once it starts, the On Fadelite keeps a decent pace and handles the animated dials better than I expected as this was a serious problem with the Diesel On Full Guard 2.5. In terms of dials, the Vision Room dial designed by MDJ fits in perfectly with the imagery of the bracelet, but I still can't quickly figure out when to say. So add "List can't read the time on the preferred watch face" to the list of things that should keep me from wearing it.

What do I want? Google's Wear OS is controlled by swiping motions and the oversized rotating crown – a Diesel design feature – on the side of the watch, which is just the right size to scroll through the long lists that dominate the Wear OS design. What do i dislike Setup on an Android or iOS phone is irritatingly cumbersome and the ambient light sensor is poor. In the end, I just left the screen brightness at level 4 or 5, which obviously had an impact on the battery life.

Diesel on Fadelite Mad Dog Jones Smartwatch Review MDJ Weather "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn7.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/diesel-on-fadelite-mdj - weather-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAABAOn Fadelite's weather app Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Diesel on Fadelite Mad Dog Jones Smartwatch Review MDJ steps "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn8.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/diesel-on-fadelite-mdj - steps-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAABAAt Fadelite's Google Fit step count Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Diesel on Fadelite Mad Dog Jones Smartwatch Review MDJ notification "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn9.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/diesel-on-fadelite-mdj - notification-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAABAIn the event of a Fadelite notification Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Diesel on Fadelite Mad Dog Jones Smartwatch Review MDJ Apps "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn1.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/diesel-on-fadelite-mdj - apps-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAABAIn the Fadelite app menu Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Notification notifications have their own thoughts. Typically, alerts will appear multiple times, and often an old notification will appear on the screen when a new one comes in. Oddly enough, the notifications work far better connected to an iPhone than they do to an Android phone. However, many other features don't work on iOS, including Apple's own messages and associated Memoji. There's also an inability to respond to notifications on your wrist, and the Wear OS weather app doesn't work either.

All of this makes the On Fadelite sound a lot worse than it actually is, but many of the issues affect all Wear OS smartwatches. My expectations were low due to the processor and RAM configuration, but the On Fadelite turned out to be better than I feared and is a decent performer for casual, everyday use.

Fitness tracking and battery

Google Fit is still one of the easiest fitness trackers to use, yet it still provides plenty of data to ensure the satisfaction of hardcore users. I find it motivating to collect heart points during the day and appreciate the range of activities it can pursue. Everything is displayed in the attractive app on your phone, and everything works in the background, with limited interaction from me until I want to follow a workout. There's a heart rate sensor on the back, but it doesn't offer features like SpO2 monitoring or an electrocardiogram (EKG), which are quickly becoming common smartwatch functions.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The On Fadelite is not a watch that you want to wear to the gym or during particularly sweaty activities. Not because it's not capable enough, but because it's a lifestyle smartwatch, not a sports smartwatch. For example, the belt is not very flexible and does not wick away moisture like others that are specifically designed for exercise, making it uncomfortable. I don't want to knock or damage the pretty suitcase either. It's fine for general fitness tracking, and I've worn it for normal activities at home and outside. However, if you are looking for a smartwatch to wear to a marathon or on the ski slopes, there is a better choice.

You get one day from the On Fadelite's battery and nothing more. This also applies to the brightness set to level 4, which is a bit surprising, and to the actively switched on display. The charging process takes place with the standard plastic base that you get with all Wear OS smartwatches manufactured by Fossil. It takes an hour and 20 minutes to fully charge the battery. The On Fadelite has its own GPS, NFC for Google Pay, 4 GB of storage, and some pre-installed apps, including Spotify.

Price and availability

The Diesel On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones is waiting in the wings and the price is still unknown, although the standard On Fadelite is already available for purchase. If you want an On Fadelite smartwatch and don't want to worry about the MDJ edition, the standard red, black, blue, and clear watch is available for $ 275 or £ 249 and is technically identical to the MDJ Model. All are available from Diesel's own online shop.

Our opinion

The Diesel On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones is a beautifully presented, desirable, and highly unusual special edition smartwatch. I feel good wearing it, it attracts compliments, and it gives an essential identity to what is often a rather characterless technology on our wrists. However, the delays in release have not been kind as the underlying technology is out of date and performance suffers, which in turn affects longevity. Your head will tell you it's not a good buy, but once you see it your heart will tell you otherwise.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes, the Apple Watch Series 5 or Series 6 are better alternatives if you have an iPhone. They work better, work more coherently with your iPhone, and have great health monitoring and a wealth of powerful apps. They are also highly customizable for that unique look. However, at $ 399, it's also more expensive.

If you own an Android phone, the $ 279 Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 and the $ 429 Galaxy Watch 3 have better software than the On Fadelite, and in the case of the Watch Active 2, the price is similar. You pay more for the 3 watch, but the method of control is excellent, it comes in two sizes and it looks nice too.

Can't find the Mad Dog Jones version of On Fadelite? The transparent body with ionized metal housing is available with the clear strap in the standard range, only without Mad Dog Jones' artwork on the strap, fabric or box. Would you like more health-oriented features and a stylish design? The $ 299 Withings ScanWatch is excellent.

How long it will take?

The unusual design of the On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones ensures that it will look fresh for several years. It's swim-proof and water-resistant to 30 meters, and the nylon sheath should also be relatively durable. Google sends software updates to Wear OS regularly, but doesn't expect them to contain new features often. With regular use, the battery may deteriorate and give back less standby time. However, this shouldn't be a problem for at least two years.

Should you buy one?

At least that's what your head will tell you because there are far better smartwatches out there. However, the On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones looks so darn awesome that it might not matter. I love that it exists, appreciate the synergy between Mad Dog Jones and Diesel, and still have it on my wrist even if it's not a brilliant smartwatch. This could be the first smartwatch that is more of a heart-to-heart purchase than a head.

Editor's recommendations




24 Sep
Blog

Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel Review: Unique Laptop Only For Creators

acer conceptd 7 ezel review 01 2

"The ConceptD 7 Ezel is fast and furious and can morph into any form factor a creative professional needs."

  • Innovative and extremely useful design

  • Class-leading performance

  • Solid build quality despite the complexity

  • Great input options

  • Very good advertisement

  • Very big and heavy

  • Expensive

OK creatives, get ready to feel warm and fuzzy: Acer made a laptop just for you. And when I say that, I'm not exaggerating – the Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel is not all made up of fast components, so editing large photos and 4K videos takes less time, and it isn't just equipped with a display that is wide and promises accurate colors. No, the ConceptD 7 Ezel literally bends backwards to transform itself into exactly the laptop you need.

It's also a hell of a investment, costing $ 4,000 for my review unit, which features an eight-generation Intel Core i7-10875H CPU with eight cores, 32GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage over two 1TB solid-state -Drive in RAID 0 is equipped with a Pantone-certified 4K IPS display and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 2080 Super Max-Q GPU.

That's a lot of computers for a lot of money – is it worth the price?

design

Where should I start? After reviewing nearly 100 laptops for digital trends, I can't remember reviewing one with so many distinctive design elements. Even the Acer ConceptD 9, another laptop I tested with a focus on developers, doesn't quite fit the ConceptD 7 Ezel due to its complexity.

Let's start with the form factor. We use the term “2-in-1” to describe 360-degree convertibles like the HP Specter x360 13, and that could be a misnomer. Such laptops don't just convert from clamshells to tablets. In between there are two other modes – tent and media. If we were completely accurate, we would call them 4-in-1.

According to this logic, the ConceptD 7 Ezel is a 6-in-1 device with six different modes that its hinge combination can apply. There's the usual clamshell mode, a float mode that allows the display to be positioned closer or farther away from the user, a stand mode that allows easy writing and drawing at a comfortable angle, a sharing mode that allows collaboration , a display mode for viewing media or inverting content and showing it to others, and a pad mode that serves as a (very bulky) tablet.

Aside from the tablet mode, these are all interesting and potentially comfortable positions for using the device. This is especially true if you are an artist who has always dreamed of getting your work done right on the screen with a pen in hand.

The ConceptD 7 Ezel has six different modes that its hinge combination can apply.

These modes are activated by a hinge in the center of the display that allows it to pivot along the lid and extend halfway up the back of the display. Opening the display takes getting used to – you have to reach down on it, otherwise the display can turn awkwardly. The hinges all work well together to keep the panel exactly where you want it. Overall, it's a fine piece of tech that creates really useful modes for different creative and collaborative needs.

The chassis is made of a magnesium-aluminum alloy and is available in one color – white. But it's not just painted on. Rather, Acer developed a ceramic coating using a micro-arc oxidation process (MAO) which, according to the expert's guideline, creates “an ultra-hard crystalline ceramic structure with a unique tactile feel”. It's not just about looking pretty, however. The ceramic coating also promises to resist corrosion and oxidation. Overall, it is a robust construction.

Speaking of aesthetics, the simple white color works for me. And apart from the uniqueness of the folding assembly, there isn't a lot of decoration or ornament around it. It's a very understated design. You could say it's a classic case of function over form. It's by no means an unattractive laptop – call it "utilitarian" instead. It looks like it's there to do a job and not to get noticed.

However, I wouldn't call it elegant as this is a large laptop. The bezels are thin on the side of the display, but relatively large at the top, and below is a massive chin. Acer hasn't even tried to match the modern trend for tiny bezels. Hence, the ConceptD 7 Ezel is larger in width and depth than a laptop like the Dell XPS 15 (although it may not be as much as you might suspect) which shouldn't come as a surprise. The Acer is also very thick, at 0.89 inches at its thinnest point and 1.13 inches at its thickest point. Compare that to the XPS 15's 0.71-inch.

Finally, the ConceptD 7 Ezel weighs 5.6 pounds compared to the Dell at 4.5 pounds. This is not a machine that you will toss in your backpack and casually carry to the local coffee shop. Instead, move them from workspace to workspace and keep them there for a while.

Extra weight is inevitable with this type of design. When you buy it, you are compromising portability in exchanging for a unique hinge and form factor. So better plan not to use it just as a clamshell laptop.

Connectivity is another strength. On the left you will find a USB-A 3.1 port, two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3, and a 3.5 mm audio jack. On the right you will find a Gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI 2.0 port with HDCP support and a DisplayPort 1.4 connection. Finally, there is a full-size SD card reader on the leading edge. The wireless connection is provided via Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0.

performance

Acer sent me the top-end version of the ConceptD 7 Ezel (outside of the Pro models with Xeon CPUs and Quadro GPUs, which are also available through reseller channels). It has an eight-core Core i7-10875H CPU and a Super Max-Q GeForce GTX 2080 GPU. And as you can imagine, it's fast enough.

Looking at Geekbench 5, the Concept 7 Ezel achieved 1,301 points in the single-core test and 7,949 points in the multi-core test. That matched the Dell XPS 17 almost exactly and narrowly knocked out the XPS 15, which both use the same CPU. This puts the ConceptD 7 Ezel at the top of this CPU class.

Next, let's look at our handbrake test, which converts a 420MB video to H.265. The ConceptD 7 Ezel finished the test in just under two minutes, lost just under five seconds against the XPS 17 and beat the XPS 15 by eight seconds. This is a CPU-intensive test. Hence, it is not surprising that these laptops are so close together.

In Cinebench 20, the story was a little different. The ConceptD 7 Ezel achieved 463 points in the single-core test and 3,845 points in the multi-core test. This is the third fastest score we've seen on a laptop. Only the Dell G5 SE with an AMD Ryzen 7 4800H and the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 with a Core i9-10980HK beat it – and not by much.

I then ran our test, which best mimics real-world conditions, and used Premiere Pro to render a two-minute 4K video. The ConceptD 7 Ezel finished the project in two minutes and 57 seconds, the fastest we've ever seen. The XPS 17 was done in three minutes and 38 seconds and the XPS 15 in four minutes and 50 seconds. The GTX 2080 Super Max-Q clearly makes a huge difference in demanding tasks where the GPU is used. At least with this configuration, the ConceptD 7 Ezel is one of the fastest creative workstations that is not a workstation.

The chassis gets very, very warm. In fact, it gets really hot sometimes.

Next we should talk about the thermal design. These types of components require adequate cooling if they are to perform well, especially if the laptop does not melt in the process. Acer has developed a bespoke solution with two 4th generation AeroBlade 3D fans (the fan edges are serrated to maximize airflow) and three heat pipes.

Of course, the unique design of the ConceptD 7 Ezel should also support this performance through better cooling. The main hinge provides some support to the floor for better airflow. The idea is that the ConceptD 7 Ezel doesn't get too loud when it's working at top speed – Acer advertises 40 decibels. Even when I work hard, the laptop never gets particularly loud – I wouldn't use it in a library as Acer suggests, but I wouldn't be embarrassed to use it in a typical office space.

However, the chassis gets very, very warm. In fact, it gets really hot sometimes. I measured over 125 degrees Fahrenheit directly above the keyboard and over 140 degrees Fahrenheit on the bottom of the case below the display. The heat above doesn't detract from the ease of use – the keyboard and deck stay cool enough – but you don't want to put this laptop on your lap while squeezing the CPU and GPU. Acer has managed to make it relatively quiet, but that seems to come at the expense of generating some serious heat.

Gaming performance

I'll mention gaming as the ConceptD 7 Ezel is of course quite well equipped to run today's demanding titles with high resolutions and graphical detail. And if you buy one, chances are you'll be tempted to play some games between work sessions. However, I can't imagine a lot of people will buy this laptop with games on their mind – mostly because the screen refresh rate is set to 60Hz.

If you make a game, you will be pretty happy with the results. According to 3DMark, the ConceptD 7 Ezel competes well with gaming laptops with the same GPU, scoring 7,273 points in Time Spy, compared to the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 with 7,605 and the MSI GS66 Stealth with 7,493. Note that the ConceptD 7 Ezel uses Nvidia's studio drivers, which are aimed at creative uses, rather than the Game Ready drivers that come with most laptops. Therefore, it aims more at stability in creative applications than at pure game speed.

In real word gaming, the ConceptD 7 Ezel achieved 60 frames per second (fps) at 1080p and ultra-high graphics in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, compared to the Asus at 55 fps (frames per second) and the MSI at 56 fps. In 4K, the ConceptD 7 Ezel only managed 29 fps compared to the Asus with 31 fps. In Civilization VI, the ConceptD 7 Ezel achieved 133 fps at 1080p and ultra graphics and 73 fps at 4K. The Asus was at 121 fps and 70 fps, respectively.

In Fortnite, the ConceptD 7 Ezel ran at 119 fps in 1080p and Epic graphics and 45 fps in 4K, compared to the Asus at 91 fps in 1080p (we didn't run the game in 4K on this computer).

display

Aside from performance, little is more important for creative people than display quality. You need a wide color gamut and high accuracy to achieve the usual high brightness and contrast that are important to all laptop users. Acer equipped the ConceptD 7 Ezel with a 15-inch 4K display. It is an IPS panel with an anti-glare structure that promises 100% AdobeRGB coverage and Pantone verification. How has it developed according to my colorimeter?

The first Acer device that was sent to me had a very poor factory calibration and the results were not nice. However, Acer immediately sent me another unit and the results were much better. The ConceptD 7 Ezel's display isn't the best we've seen on creative laptops, but it's damn close.

The color gamut is only slightly limited compared to the XPS 15, which achieved 100% for both AdobeRGB and sRGB. In comparison, the ConceptD 7 Ezel managed 95% of AdobeRGB and 99% of sRGB. Again, these aren't the best results we've seen, but they are in a reasonable range for a creative laptop. The color accuracy was very good at 0.87 compared to the XPS 15 at 0.65 – anything below 1.0 cannot be seen by the human eye and is considered excellent.

The brightness was good at 356 nits above our 300 NIT threshold and benefited from the anti-glare plate, while the contrast barely missed our preferred 1000: 1 ratio at 960: 1. Here, too, the XPS 15 was better with 442 nits and a contrast of 1480: 1. Finally, gamma at 2.2 was perfect.

Subjectively, the display was a pleasure during my tests. The pictures looked natural and the video was spot on – I had no complaints. The ConceptD 7 Ezel's display is good enough not to spoil the rest of the experience, even if I wish the color gamut was a bit wider.

Keyboard and touchpad

The ConceptD 7 Ezel's keyboard is a pretty normal island keyboard with well-spaced keys that are a bit small. The mechanism is almost sharp enough, with just a little bit of looseness that compromises precision a little. Travel is reasonable and overall I enjoyed typing on this keyboard. It doesn't match Apple's Magic Keyboard or HP's Specter version, but it's better than most. I'm not a fan of the amber backlight turned on and off, however – the color makes reading difficult for my eyes.

The touchpad is small thanks to a large opening above the keyboard that crushes everything. It's a Microsoft Precision touchpad with precise multitouch gestures that work well. Acer added some padding to make the buttons click comfortably and quietly, but I wish they were bigger.

The display is of course touch-sensitive and very precise. A Wacom EMR pen with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity is located in a dock on the lower right edge of the display. The matte glass display is etched to make writing feel more natural, and the EMR pen doesn't require a power supply to function.

I'd say it's an excellent solution – I'm sure artists will love the performance – but it's pretty small. I understand the desire to use a dock to make sure the stylus isn't lost, but Acer should have found a way to make a full version. I am not an artist so I cannot testify whether the size is a disadvantage, but I suspect that it might be the case for some.

Windows 10 Hello support is provided by a fingerprint reader integrated into the power button on the left side of the laptop. It worked well, signed me up quickly and accurately, and won't make a fuss.

Battery life

You don't expect long battery life from this beast, do you? No? That's good because you don't understand. And that despite the 84 watt-hour battery that is hidden inside.

At the same time, I'll find that this isn't the worst battery life in our database. It's certainly better than most gaming laptops, for example, and roughly on par with the other Creator-oriented laptops we tested. It took three hours on our most demanding Basemark web benchmark test, and that's not terrible. The Dell XPS 15 only lasted 11 minutes and the XPS 17 11 minutes less in this test.

In practice this means that you can expect the ConceptD 7 Ezel to be used for around three hours if you are doing demanding work. Perhaps this is enough for a short stay in a coffee house. However, the Power Brick is quite large, so it is not comfortable to carry around.

In terms of productivity work, our best test is our web browser test, which goes through a number of relatively busy websites. Here, the ConceptD 7 Ezel only managed six hours, an hour less than the XPS 15 and 20 minutes less than the XPS 17. So it's unlikely that you'll be working a full day, even if you're just using Office and surfing the net. In our video test, which ran through a 1080p trailer, the ConceptD 7 Ezel took a little over 10 hours. That's not a bad score for a machine like this, and it promises hours of Netflix bingeing.

Our opinion

The ConceptD 7 Ezel is in a class of its own. There is no other consumer laptop designed and built specifically for one type of user – creative professionals. Even professional workstations, which are also designed for such users, are not as tailor-made for developers. The ConceptD 7 Ezel's design is just as good for its obvious purpose, and Acer deserves praise for getting so much right.

Usually such specific machines tend to compromise in other areas. Apart from its size, which is forgivable in view of its flexibility and performance, the ConceptD 7 Ezel does not require any sensible compromises. Yes, it's expensive in my test configuration, but you can also go for $ 2,500 for a version with a Core i7-10750H, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, the same great 4K display, and a GeForce RTX 2060 GPU output. This is on par with the general price range of the Dell XPS 15, XPS 17, and MacBook Pro 16, and none of them work anywhere near as well for developers.

Are there any better alternatives?

I just said you can get a Dell XPS 15, XPS 17, or Razer Blade Pro 17 for about the same money (at the same stadium, at least) or a MacBook Pro 16-inch for a little more. These will be fast too, and the XPS 17 in particular will likely match the performance of the ConceptD 7 Ezel in its entry-level version.

However, none of these laptops have a hinge like the ConceptD 7 Ezel. Nobody scales to the same level of performance as the ConceptD 7 Ezel.

You can also take a look at the Acer ConceptD 9. It's bigger and a little less flexible, but also quite powerful. It also has a display that can transform into different form factors and supports a high quality active pen.

How long it will take?

The ConceptD 7 Ezel is well built and it appears that the various hinges will withstand considerable use for years. The components are sure to keep your workflow buzzing. However, the one-year warranty seems too short for such a complex design.

Should you buy it?

Yes. If you are a creative professional and you are serious about your job, this is a laptop that you must seriously consider. The substantial investment pays off more flexibly than you know how to do.

Editor's recommendations




23 Sep
Blog

JLab Epic Air Sport ANC Review: Most Valuable Workout Buds

JLab Audio Epic Air Sport ANC

JLab Audio Epic Air Sport ANC

"The Epic Air Sport ANC is a game changer for workout earphones."

  • Easy setup

  • Stable, comfortable form of training

  • Excellent battery life

  • IP66 weather resistance

  • Good, customizable sound

  • Average call quality

  • Mediocre ANC

Okay JLab, now you just show.

A few days ago, we released our red-hot review of the JLab Audio Epic Air ANC, which is possibly the best value for true wireless earbuds available today. At least they were because JLab's fitness alternative to its stellar new lifestyle buds is here, and the $ 100 Epic Air Sport ANC may have set an already sky-high bar even higher.

What's in the box

Like most of the products I've tested from the JLab family, the Epic Air Sport ANC is incredibly easy to package. In addition to the charging case, in which the earphones themselves are kept, there are five additional pairs of earplugs and a quick guide, which is neatly stowed in an integrated case in the box. In particular, no charging cable is included as it is already included in the charging case itself.

JLab Audio Epic Air Sport ANCNick Woodard / Digital Trends

It was easy to set up as most modern day wireless earbuds have proven. There are plastic stickers on each earbud that must be removed before use. From there, all you have to do is hold down the touchpad on each bud for three seconds to go into Bluetooth pairing mode. Then you need to find them through your mobile device settings and connect. Granted, it's a step or two more than the simplest earbud, but it's still a quick process to start listening with your new buds.

With Bluetooth 5 technology, I experienced exceptional connectivity and range with the Epic Air Sport ANC. I routinely left my phone in part of my house and roamed my living space freely to do chores without a single slip or breakdown.

design

It's hard to find a design that just works. And the Epic Air Sport ANC's ear hook style works. It is widely considered to be the less popular design compared to the simple eartip style of traditional real radio buds like the Epic Air ANC, and it adds weight (10 grams per bud compared to the Epic Air's 8). But once you put these hooks around your ears, they'll stay in place. More than a week of extensive cardio workouts and workouts in the gym showed this. They may be less attractive, but they are of the superior design when keeping the buds in place is of the utmost importance, as is the case with training.

JLab Audio Epic Air Sport ANCNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The included earplugs create a solid seal in your ear. Like colleague at Digital Trends, Simon Cohen, I recommend the Cloud Foam tips because they feel soft and comfortable in my ears. They're not for everyone, of course, which is why there are five more pairs to choose from, but the Cloud Foam works best for me and does an excellent job of passively blocking out the sound.

The touch controls on each earbud are based on a multitouch system, and I've certainly had a lot of complaints in the past with poorly executed touch controls. While there have been a small handful of instances where the Epic Air Sport ANC didn't detect the correct number of taps, for the most part they responded impressively. These controls allow you to manage everything including volume, lane change, smart assistant activation, equalizer settings, active noise cancellation levels, and phone call controls. For $ 100, that's pretty much a pair of earbud controls – and they're all effective.

By the way, there isn't much to write about the charging case. It is larger than, for example, the cases for the Apple AirPods or Google Pixel Buds 2, which are generally regarded as perfectly insertable earphone cases. The Epic Air Sport ANC fits well in my pocket, but leaves significantly less space for a wallet or keys. These aren't usually things that you carry around to the gym or while running, so I wouldn't really call that a problem.

properties

The value of the Epic Air Sport ANC is firmly anchored in its functions. Almost everything these buds offer exceeds the limits of what we have previously thought possible in this price range. In all honesty, if we are judging things by trait alone, it's not fair that other buds have to try to assert themselves when the Epic Air Sport ANC are so good for this cheap one.

JLab Audio Epic Air Sport ANCNick Woodard / Digital Trends

First: Battery life: The Epic Air Sport ANC is designed for a battery life of 15 hours per charge without ANC and an additional life of 55 hours (!) In the charging case. When the ANC is activated, the playback time is reduced to 11 hours. They also have a quick charge feature that gives you an hour of playback after 15 minutes. In comparison, the Epic Air ANC has eight hours with the ANC on and twelve hours with the ANC off. The $ 200 Sony WF-SP800N is the only other bud that can compete in this category, but even those buds not only offer nine hours of ANC playback and 13 hours of regular listening – and double the price.

It's not fair for other pals to have to try and compete when the Epic Air Sport ANC are so good for so cheap.

The Epic Air Sport ANC has an IP66 weather resistance rating that gives you complete protection from dust and strong water jets. There are workout buds with better ratings, like the IP67 rating from Urbanista Athens for $ 120 or the IP68 rating from Anker Soundcore Spirit X2 for $ 80. But none of those buds can match the Epic Air Sport ANC's epic combination of battery life and weather resistance.

A far less miraculous, but still valued, feature is the Epic Air Sport ANC's wear detection sensor, which automatically pauses a trace when a bud is removed from your ear and resumes that trace the moment you put the bud back in. I deeply despise completely losing minutes of podcasts to earbuds that lack this feature. So believe me when I say I am personally delighted, these come with such a practical benefit.

Audio quality

I'm in the minority here, but I'm more excited about the way the Epic Air Sport ANC's sound can be customized than its initial audio quality. Don't get me wrong, the Epic Air Sport ANC sounds great right away and most people don't have to mess around with sound adjustments at all to get something that works well for them. But for those of us who can't help but craft, JLab has given us all the tools we could possibly need.

JLab Audio Epic Air Sport ANCNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The Buds touch controls allow you to switch between three preset EQs: Balanced, Bass Boost and JLab Signature Sound. Their tastes may vary, but I tended to use Bass Boost on my weightlifting playlists to get the most out of saturated low-end songs like Childish Gambinos 3005 or Kris Kross & # 39; Jump. Whenever I went for a walk with the dogs or ran in the afternoons, I chose the signature sound as it offered a less dynamic but more balanced profile that suited music outside the iron pumping genre.

Even if you don't like the standard sound of the Epic Air Sport ANC, if you play around with the settings long enough, you can likely get a cheap sound.

JLab goes a few steps further with the JLab Air ANC app, giving you the ability to dig straight into the frequency domain and fine-tune things to your liking. That, plus a movie mode option that allows dialog to be synchronized while watching clips on your mobile device, make these buds suitable for a wide variety of listening situations. Even if you don't like the standard sound of the Epic Air Sport ANC, if you play around with the settings long enough, you can likely get a cheap sound.

Disappointingly, the call quality is average on these fitness buds. The Epic Air Sport ANC has one microphone to remove ambient noise and another to pick up your own voice clearly. It's hard to tell which is the bottleneck, but my voice was blocked when making phone calls in louder environments. They were good for evenings at the emotional gym or quiet morning walks in the park, but on a sidewalk near a busy street it was an entirely different experience.

Noise cancellation

Something tells me that the glitch I dealt with during a call may have something to do with the active noise cancellation in the Epic Air Sport ANC, or frankly, poor execution. If there's an Achilles' heel hiding in the Epic Air Sport ANC, this is it. While we didn't expect a good ANC at all in this price range – at least not until the Edifier TWS NB2 hit the market – we still expect a better one when a company advertises it as a feature.

JLab Audio Epic Air Sport ANCNick Woodard / Digital Trends

As I mentioned earlier, the Epic Air Sport ANC creates a tight seal in your ear, resulting in high quality passive noise cancellation. However, if you do choose to enable active noise cancellation, it is truthfully difficult to tell a significant difference. In fact, listening to a podcast at low volume one morning, I could still clearly hear my cat chewing on her breakfast across the room, even after turning on ANC.

You can use the app to adjust the noise cancellation levels. I recommend turning ANC to the maximum setting to get the most out of what is an average best but mostly mediocre feature. On the flip side, the Epic Air Sport ANC's environmentally conscious setting has some powerful features that almost terrified me when I first turned it on while on an exercise bike at the gym. In contrast to the ANC levels, I would recommend reducing the ambient noise level just a little.

The Epic Air Sport ANC's industry-leading battery life at an affordable price should be enough for most athletes.

Our opinion

Average call quality and noise cancellation won't stop what is otherwise a game changer, not just for workout earbuds but for the true wireless earbud genre in general. Earhooks might not be the "in" look, but the Epic Air Sport ANC's industry-leading battery life at an affordable price should be enough to delight most athletes.

Are there any better alternatives?

The $ 120 Urbanista Athens was one of my new favorite workout pairs, but the Epic Air Sport ANC has a better battery and similar weather protection for $ 20 less. The Anker Soundcore Spirit X2 is probably the best new comparison to the Epic Air Sport ANC, as it also offers impressive features for just $ 80. But the latest from JLab surpasses the Spirit X2 in many ways for not much more.

How long will they last?

The Epic Air Sport ANC has a two year warranty and excellent protection against the irreconcilable elements of nature. I would try to avoid deep sea diving with these, but other than that, I don't think you should have any major concerns that the Epic Air Sport ANC is going to be out of service anytime soon.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The earhooks, mediocre call quality, and average noise cancellation will put some off, but don't let what an overall standout audio product distract you. The Epic Air Sport ANC is next to the Epic Air ANC a revolutionary earphone from JLab. Trust me when you say this, you don't want to miss out on the latest and greatest from one of the emerging brands in the real wireless world.

Editor's recommendations




23 Sep
Blog

Garmin Venu Sq Review: Great Health Tracking, Simple Styling

garmin venu sq rating in hand

"This is an excellent health and fitness watch at an affordable price."

  • Reliable and accurate activity tracking

  • Incoming data collection and analysis

  • Simple and lightweight design

  • Support for dozens of workout types

  • Almost a week of battery life

  • $ 50 for music features

  • Touchscreen can be fussy during exercise

  • Limited "intelligent" functions and notifications

You will have a hard time finding someone who doesn't know Garmin, and most of the time you will know the company's extensive range of fitness smartwatches. It has a well-earned reputation for making the highest quality, most accurate watches for runners, bikers, triathletes and every other possible outdoor sport.

But Garmin doesn't just want to play in the "pro" room. There's reason to believe that the Garmin name could lead to affordable sales that rival entry-level smartwatches and high-end fitness bands. This is where the Garmin Venu Sq comes into play.

Hardware and functions

You can't see it any other way. The Venu Sq looks like an Apple Watch. I know there are only so many ways to make a smartwatch with rounded rectangles, but it's hard to miss. Just a few days after getting the Venu Sq, I was in soccer practice and a teammate asked how I liked my Apple Watch.

However, that's not a bad thing. Unlike any other Garmin fitness watch, this isn't a polarizing design. It's simple, straightforward, and decidedly not looking robust. You can wear something other than workout clothes and keep wearing the Venu Sq without explicitly shouting to everyone around you, "You're damn right, I'm running!" Not everyone wants this recognition.

The plastic body is effective, albeit lightweight and cheap (remember, it's only $ 200). The brushed aluminum piece that surrounds the curved glass display cover, however, is a nice contrast and on the back, where the sensor array is located, neither thick nor bulky.

The display is just 1.3 inches diagonal and 240 x 240 resolution, but it definitely gets the job done. It has an ambient brightness setting and was easily visible in sunlight while it also got much darker at night. There is a large bezel on the screen that doesn't look too good, but honestly it doesn't affect how well you can use the watch considering how simple the software is.

This is a fitness-first smartwatch, not a generic "little phone on the wrist," so its smart functionality is fundamental. You can customize watch faces with some basic designs and data layouts, but it's nowhere near as extensive as Apple's. Notifications come to your wrist and you can act on them when paired with an Android phone. Otherwise, there is not much you can do outside of health and fitness. There are no news, apps, or advanced features here. And the vibration motor is very loud.

Even with a color touchscreen, the Venu Sq offers excellent battery life according to general smartwatch standards. Even with a constant Bluetooth connection that brought in notifications from my phone, overnight sleep tracking, and 4-5 hours of GPS workout tracking, I was able to get 5 days of battery life without any problems. This is without the "always on" display which would certainly put a few days off, but I found that a long delay in the display timeout is a good compromise.

Health, activity and training tracking

For a $ 200 fitness watch, the Venu Sq delivers where it matters. Sensors and tracking functions. You get the same core tracking and analysis as a $ 600 Garmin Fenix ​​6 running the same great Garmin Connect app on your phone. Here you will find constant, precise heart rate monitoring as well as the usual number of steps and the active minute value. Garmin's reputation for having accurate GPS tracking for running and cycling has also proven itself in my tests and perfectly tracked my activities.

Garmin uses the idea of ​​a "body battery" to measure your overall physical condition, which can be fun to track every day. But you also get a display for physical stress, calorie consumption, sleep analysis, training load analysis and training suggestions – again identical to much more expensive Garmin watches.

Every popular activity has a pre-built mode that you can jump into with a few taps and start tracking, from running and biking to stand up paddle boarding, cross country skiing, rowing, stretching, yoga, elliptical training, golf and More. The list is long.

The Venu Sq, like many of its other watches, also offers SpO2 tracking (aka Pulse Ox), something you otherwise only get on the latest Apple Watch Series 6. You shouldn't be putting a lot of weight into an SpO2 reading from a consumer smartwatch, but if it's something you focus on as part of your overall health picture, then it is here.

The only thing you are missing out on is a barometer so you won't get any altitude related tracking. No daily tracking of climbing stairs and, above all, no altitude information for hiking or running / cycling on paths. This isn't that important to most people, but anyone who takes their running or biking seriously will really miss getting accurate elevation data and an altitude-adjusted speed analysis.

While the touchscreen is good for everyday use and navigation, it is not the best interface for using the watch while exercising. Touchscreens work poorly with sweaty fingers and are accidentally triggered by sleeves and rain. After accidentally ending a run once, I turned on the screen lock, which unfortunately also disabled the side buttons – an annoying compromise, but a general improvement. It may seem gaudy to have a watch with 5 physical buttons like the other models from Garmin, but it really is the option to interface with a watch while exercising or while wearing gloves.

Like most of its watches, Garmin has an upsell fee to add music features to the Venu Sq. You pay an additional $ 50 for local storage on the watch, which can be used to sync music to Spotify, Amazon Music, or Deezer and play it right on your headphones. This isn't a big deal for me running or biking as it doesn't support YouTube Music (come on!) And I always have my phone with me, but I know a lot of people want to go off the phone and still have their Spotify playlists. For all-purpose smartwatches with integrated music functionality, a price premium of 25% for the Venu Sq is difficult.

Our opinion

The Venu Sq is well positioned to stand out from basic fitness bands like the Fitbit Inspire 3. It has a watch shape and a large screen, but without the big price hike when switching to a fully featured smartwatch from Apple or a high-end fitness watch from Polar or Garmin.

You get accurate tracking of activity, health, and training backed by the summary and analysis of Garmin's smartphone app, which gives you the same features you would expect from a much more expensive watch. It doesn't look like a hardcore fitness watch, however, which is likely a bonus for people who are only looking to spend $ 200 on this type of wearable.

There are definite shortcomings here if you take your fitness very seriously and need more accurate tracking, more sensors or hardware buttons. But think of the price here too. The Venu Sq is a great fitness-focused smartwatch that divides the difference between casual and professional users while also looking more like an all-purpose smartwatch.

Is there a better alternative?

Garmin's biggest competitor is hands down the Apple Watch Series 3, which is relatively old but still fully supported and is being sold brand new by Apple for $ 199. The Watch Series 3 is clearly unable to track workouts and provide detailed fitness data. However, if you own an iPhone, it offers a more holistic lifestyle smartwatch experience with better apps, notifications, and a better user interface. And the draw for services like Apple Fitness + shouldn't be underestimated.

If you want to specifically focus on tracking your runs, bike rides, and serious workouts, a more specialized fitness smartwatch like the Garmin Forerunner 245 makes more sense. It's more expensive at $ 275, but it has more buttons, a touchless screen, and a clear, always-on, low-reflectivity display in daylight.

How long it will take?

As an inexpensive fitness watch, the Venu Sq is not designed to last a decade. But it's well designed and built to be knocked around, and that's a good sign of its longevity. You may need to replace a belt a few years later, but it's an inexpensive proposition. Garmin also supports the Connect app and platform well. As far as data retention and analysis is concerned, you will continue to be able to use these functions for years to come.

Should you buy it?

The Garmin Venu Sq is a good fitness-focused smartwatch that is north of a fitness band's budget. Some people really don't want to spend more than $ 200 on a fitness tracker but want to get something that looks like a watch – the Venu Sq fits that market. Garmin's activity tracking and app are great, and that brings exceptional value here. Don't expect too much from the other “smart” functions outside of healthcare.

Editor's recommendations




22 Sep
Blog

Nokia 8.3 Review: A PureView Camera in all but Name

Nokia 8 3 rating 83 back

"A wonderful camera and long-lasting battery make the Nokia 8.3 desirable, and the Android One software updates and 5G make it a safe future purchase."

  • Excellent main and ultra-wide cameras

  • Big, attractive screen

  • Android One software

  • Long battery life

  • No water resistance

  • Screen with a refresh rate of 60 Hz

  • Weak zoom and macro photos

There was a time when Nokia ruled the phone camera world, but Huawei, Apple, and Samsung have all come along and have been better known for amazing cameras ever since. However, with the Nokia 8.3, it has made some significant strides with the help of longtime partner Zeiss, to the point where I think the phone has earned the famous PureView name traditionally used for its top performing camera-centric phones.

What's even better is that the phone is less than $ 1,000 and still comes with the technology you'll need for the future, as well as guaranteed software updates for a few years to come. The Nokia 8.3 is one of the best competitively priced phones in 2020.

design

You know what you're doing with the latest Nokia designs, as they tend to follow a similar trend: a top-center-mounted camera module, a chin bezel under the screen, and colors inspired by Nordic roots. The Nokia 8.3 doesn't scream for its looks, doesn't surprise you with eye-catching folding screens, and doesn't put much emphasis on keeping the weight or thickness of the hardware down. The 8.3 is therefore a modern Nokia phone through and through.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It weighs 220 grams, is 8.9 mm thick and 78.5 mm wide, making it a hefty piece of a phone in the hand at least when compared to the OnePlus 8 and iPhone 11. The side-mounted fingerprint sensor is ergonomically a good choice, prevents you from juggling a heavy phone while locating a sensor in the display, and it's accurate and responsive. The color Polar Night is deep blue, almost black in places, until you bring it into the light when azure stripes catch your eye. It's classy and stylish and prevents the otherwise normal phone from getting boring.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Bad parts? I really don't like the Nokia logo on the lower bezel. I don't like the Google Assistant hardware button because I accidentally hit the stupid thing. Thanks to the flat screen and glossy back, the phone glides over most surfaces as if on wheels. Even so, it feels a little pointless in the design of the Nokia 8.3 if it is definitely not ugly and the workmanship and materials used are excellent.

camera

Here's what you need to know: The Nokia 8.3's camera is brilliant. No restriction is required either. It would be a brilliant smartphone camera if it were on the back of a phone that also costs a lot more. It bears the name PureView on the spec sheet, but it really deserves to have it in the official name as its talents are readily available and it consistently takes great photos in most conditions, unlike the often disappointing Nokia 9 PureView from Early last year.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It has a 64-megapixel main sensor, a 12-megapixel sensor with an ultra-wide-angle lens, and a pair of 2-megapixel sensors for depth and macro tasks. It's not that impressive on paper, but the results are breathtaking. Photos are saturated with rich colors and filled with razor-sharp details. They cause an emotional blow. By that I mean, nothing gets too saturated or over enhanced, which allows the photo to speak for itself without, however, losing the visual pop necessary to make images instantly shareable.

HMD Global's ongoing partnership with Zeiss is undoubtedly having an impact on performance, and the success here reminds me of how Huawei and Leica really came together to produce the superb Huawei P10. It is also easy to use. You have a wide angle and a standard view as well as a night mode and that's all you should be bothered with. Selfies are great especially when you use the Zeiss fine-tuned filter modes that give your photos a really cool look. Although they are software controlled, the bokeh mode offers good edge detection.

Is it perfect? ​​No, but the disadvantages don't outweigh the positives. There's no zoom, the 2MP macro mode is junk, and the camera often struggles with focus when taking close-ups. Annoyingly, the app stays in portrait mode if you return to the app after closing instead of going back to the default photo mode by default, and sometimes there was unattractive halo and lens flare.

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Dig deeper and night mode will be very effective provided it's not very dark. It shows a lot more texture and detail, just like the night mode used to do on Huawei phones like the P20 Pro. The portrait mode improved with Zeiss creates a very strong bokeh effect. However, this can be adjusted after you take the photo. There is also a manual pro video mode editing suite that can add anamorphic lens effects to your videos. When you record your video and expect it to happen later, it can look effective. If you don't, it just looks artificial.

The Nokia 8.3 has the ease of use of the Google Pixel 4a for shooting and recording, and takes photos that will make you want to get creative and experiment with it more.

screen

It is a 6.81 inch IPS LCD screen with a 20: 9 aspect ratio and Nokia PureDisplay technology on the front of the phone. PureDisplay enables HDR always on, adaptive brightness, and improved color accuracy and sharpness. I found the adaptive brightness to be poor though, especially when the brightness was turned down in bright sunlight so I couldn't see the screen at all.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Watching videos is wonderful, with some enhanced colors and contrasts with the PureDisplay on or a more natural palette that is closer to how the iPhone 11 Pro looks when the device is off. The individual loudspeaker is acceptable, but not enthusiastic about its sound. If you want, there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack on the case for wired headphones.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

While the screen is colorful and pretty, it lacks a refresh rate of 90 Hz or higher, which is highly expected at this price point. I notice this immediately after coming from a device with a higher refresh rate – scrolling just isn't that smooth on the Nokia – but obviously if you haven't had the feature before, the switch obviously won't be that annoying. However, it's a feature that's available on several competing phones and almost all of the flagship phones. It improves the display and reduces fatigue so that it is overlooked here.

Performance and software

The Snapdragon 765G processor from Qualcomm controls the Nokia 8.3 with 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM and 64 GB or 128 GB of internal memory, depending on the model. There's also a MicroSD card slot to add to that number.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Nokia 5.3 has 5G, although I don't live in an area with coverage so I couldn't test this feature. To get a little more technical, the Nokia 8.3 supports more 5G bands than any other 5G phone currently available, and supports 5G systems from NSA (not standalone) and SA (standalone). So, with 5G becoming more widespread, the phone can easily connect to the network. The 4G reception is strong and the call quality is really excellent. Oddly enough, on video calls, you can't turn the volume below a certain point, making it impossible to mute the sound completely.

Here are the benchmark results:

3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 3.006 (volcano)

Geekbench 5: 1,523 multi-core / 559 single core

Compared to the LG Velvet, the OnePlus Nord and the Motorola Edge, which have the same processor, the Nokia improves the 3DMark value, but it cannot keep up with the Geekbench 5 value either. It cannot match the results obtained by the OnePlus 8, which has a Snapdragon 856 processor and more RAM. However, it's fun to play and I didn't experience any performance issues or excessive heat while playing Asphalt 9: Legends.

Another triumph with the Nokia 8.3 is the use of Google's Android One software. It's essentially the same experience as on a Pixel phone, with a clean, crisp, logical, and consistent design, and solid reliability when it comes to running apps and getting your daily chores done. It takes some tweaking to make it better, from the adaptive brightness to the oddly inconsistent volume control, but otherwise it allows for a comfortable, stress-free mobile life.

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Yes, I said life, because a big plus here is that Android One will have major system updates for the next two years and security updates for the next three years, all of which will arrive on time. You shouldn't have to think about software updates when choosing a phone, but these are very important. HMD Global's decision to use Android One means you don't have to worry.

Battery and security

A fingerprint sensor is built into the power button on the side of the phone. For me as a right-hander it is ergonomically comfortable and has also proven to be accurate and largely reliable. The phone is powered by a massive 4,500 mAh battery, and over the course of my first few days it easily turned out to have the guts to last two full days of moderate to heavy use. There is an 18W charging block in the box, but the phone does not support wireless charging.

Price and availability

The Nokia 8.3 pre-order date is September 22nd in the UK and Europe. It will ship from October 8th. It will be shipped to the US in the near future. It costs £ 499 in the UK and € 599 in Europe. There are no official US pricing at the time of writing, but the UK price is converted to $ 640. The phone is available on the Nokia website.

Our opinion

Thanks to its great camera, the Nokia 8.3 stands alongside several budget smartphone hits at competitive prices like the Pixel 4a (or most importantly the upcoming Pixel 4a 5G), while the long battery life and clean software make life easier now and in the future. With the addition of 5G, something continued to grow. This is what we expect from Nokia: A durable smartphone with a great camera that is not characterized by its design, but emphasizes value, workmanship and general suitability for everyday use.

Is there a better alternative?

The midrange smartphone market is one of the most diverse and competitive, so there are many alternatives that need to be considered. The $ 599 LG Velvet is more attractive, but the camera is inconsistent, while the $ 500 Motorola Edge also looks good, but the software doesn't update anywhere near as long as the 8.3. The OnePlus Nord is an option for anyone in the UK, where it costs just £ 379 and delivers much of what makes the Nokia 8.3 successful, including the great screen and performance.

The better alternatives are the $ 349 Google Pixel 4a, which has the same perks as the Nokia 8.3 at a cheaper price point and just misses out on 5G – although the larger Pixel 4a 5G, announced on Sept. 30, will fix the problem will that. Or spend $ 699 on the OnePlus 8 with its prettier design, good software, 5G, and more powerful processor.

How long it will take?

It will take 3 years or more depending on your requirements. The software updates are crucial for longevity, as is the broad 5G support. However, the phone is not waterproof or rugged so you need to be careful with it. This is unfortunate as LG manages to give the Velvet both IP68 and military toughness for a similar price.

Should you buy one?

Yes. The competition is fierce, but if a solid camera, good software, and minimalist hardware are more important than a high refresh rate screen, the Nokia 8.3 is a good buy.

Editor's recommendations




21 Sep
Blog

Audeze LCD-1 Headphones Review: Studio-Grade Comfort

audeze lcd 1 review studio monitors headphones 5

"The Audeze LCD-1 has a beautifully wide soundstage and excellent clarity in a comfortable design."

  • Excellent clarity and attention to detail

  • Broad soundstage

  • Very convenient

  • Expensive

  • Questionable structure

There is a special place in my heart for open studio headphones. I come from a production background, so when editing, I always look for the purest sound reproduction to make sure my finished product is buttoned up.

So headphones like the $ 400 Audeze LCD 1 reference monitors really hit the right emotional notes for me. I know open-backs have some drawbacks, but I can't help but focus on them: I like the sound signature they generally offer.

So let's answer this important question: how does the Audeze LCD-1 stack up compared to others on the market?

What's in the box

Audeze provided the LCD-1 with simple packaging. It's not full of pomp and circumstance like Apple products. Although the box is very nice and wrapped in a simple Audeze case, the headphones themselves come folded in the hard carrying case provided.

This is very useful from a security point of view. If I want to use this case to secure the headphones when I travel, it should be of good quality to adequately protect them when shipping to me.

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Because of this, I'd expect them to require minimal molded cardboard insert so they don't roll around, but Audeze uses foam instead. While you can probably recycle the rest of the packaging, that foam needs to be removed and discarded first. It's not the most sustainable solution.

Aside from the carrying case, the headphones come with a 2-meter, 3.5-mm to 3.5-mm double cable wrapped in nylon and a 6.35-mm-3.5 mm converter. The only indication on the cable is that it is very long which can be uncomfortable for some people.

design

The Audeze LCD-1 look good despite their plastic construction. I'm more of a fan of how V-Moda constructed the M-200 monitors with lots of metal parts, but if you go for plastic, Audeze picked one that at least feels good to the touch.

Open ear headphones are more fragile than other headphones because they have many open and exposed parts. So it's no wonder that the LCD-1 is at the more fragile end of the spectrum. They don't feel like they are falling apart in my hands, but I will be very gentle with them. I wouldn't want to drop it.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

The LCD-1 feels good on your head. They're snug, without too much pressure, and light, but not to the extent that they feel cheap. The headband is especially nice as it rests very gently on the crown of my head so that I don't feel it when I wear it.

Audeze said they designed the memory foam cups to be extremely comfortable so they could hold long listening sessions, and they manage to do that to a certain extent. After a few hours I felt them squeeze a little near my temple, to the point where I had to take a short break.

But the focus is on short because this tiredness passed quickly and I was soon able to put it on again and listen for a few more hours. They aren't the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn – that goes to the Montblanc MB01s – but they're still great.

The Audeze LCD-1 looks pretty good despite the mostly plastic construction.

I found that I could increase my listening time by turning the cups slightly to shift the pressure if I didn't want to take them off completely, which was lovely. Each cup can rotate a little inward, towards the back of the head, and completely sideways as you rotate it outward. That said, if you want to take them off and place them on your collarbone, that's where the hard plastic backs of the headphones rest instead of the cups. I would prefer it the other way around, but I really only wear these in my studio so I only wear them around my neck for a very limited time when my wife has something to say to me.

properties

Open, wired studio monitors do one thing and only one thing: they play music. Good guys do it exceptionally well.

The Audeze LCD-1 fits that description perfectly, but there are a few small advantages to be aware of.

The headphones are smart enough to tell which end of the double 3.5mm cable is plugged into which headphones on the left or right.

The detachable 3.5mm to 3.5mm twin cable can be detached if you want to store it away. The headphones are intelligent enough to automatically recognize which end of the 3.5 mm double cable is connected to which headphones on the left or right. If you can't get something like this wrong, this is an added bonus. It's even nicer when you only have one cord to worry about, like the V-Moda M-200, but it's nice that the cord can even be removed unlike the Grado Hemp headphones.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

The headphones can be folded up for on the go. This is useful when you don't want to keep these where you listen to music. For recording artists or sound engineers, this may mean in a different studio depending on the week. They are packed quite small and fit nicely in the supplied carrying case. There is even a small sleeve in the top lid of the case to hold the cable.

The LCD-1 is compatible with balanced audio, but it is not easy. Audeze does not manufacture the required cable and no cable is commercially available. However, Audeze offers the pinout specification so that it can be made to measure by third parties. That's a lot of trouble.

Sound quality

Let's get one right out of the gate. Studio monitors are tuned for a balanced EQ, which means you shouldn't expect crystalline highs or chattering lows. The idea here is that what you hear is flat, neutral, and produced straight out of the studio. Studio monitors are intended for audio engineers and video editors who want to hear exactly how something sounds without additional sound profiles.

The thing is, as listeners on headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM4s, we have a good mix of sound profiles, usually with more juice to the bass and an overall warmer, more accessible sound. For most casual listeners, you probably don't want studio monitors like the Audeze LCD-1.

However, if you like the general sound of neutral audio, you will love these cans.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

I'm not going to go so far as to say that I think the LCD-1 is perfectly neutral – I think they have a bit more lows than monitors usually do – but they are close and great for picking out critical details.

The main advantage of the open-back design is that these headphones have incredible sound reproduction – music sounds like it came from a large, perfectly designed studio.

When tracks are vocal focused like in Photographs by Professor Green, Rag & # 39; n & # 39; Bone Man, it sounds like you're being directed straight to the soundboard in the recording studio. In Brenden James & # 39; The Sun Will Rise, it's like I'm right there in the room. I can see every detail in his voice and the piano is beautifully rendered which supports him.

That added emphasis on the lows means that I'm presented with a slightly warmer rendition of Mumford and Sons' If I Say, which I have to admit I really loved. The singing in Didos Hurricanes also benefits from these beautiful lows.

These headphones have incredible sound reproduction – music sounds like it was coming from a large, perfectly designed studio.

The sound produced by the LCD-1 is more accessible to the average ear than other studio monitors without sacrificing the details audiophiles look for. They do all of this while being more restrained in the highs than the Grado hemp headphones (no almost sore highs), but more robust in the lows than the M-200 (more strictly neutral).

Although the design means the soundstage is open compared to closed designs, these don't isolate the sound well for you or anyone around you. This music in particular bursts the pages with a considerable volume. So if you want to use these in a shared room, all you need to know is that everyone around you can hear what you are hearing as clearly as possible. My wife works in the next room and can clearly hear the words to the songs that I hear from this distance.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

For the same reason, these headphones degrade the perceived quality in louder environments because they cannot block out noise.

That's the price you pay for the outstanding soundstage of open-backs. For one thing, I am ready to make this sacrifice.

Our opinion

The Audeze LCD-1s are very good studio monitors, but they are expensive considering the construction – they're made mostly of plastic, which can raise concerns about durability – and the ability to get some balanced audio support.

But if you plan on leaving these in your home studio and aren't worried about them, they are really excellent monitors that just have a bit more juice in the lows to make music more enjoyable without losing detail. They also have a wonderfully wide soundstage, a hallmark of high quality open-back cans.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Are there any better alternatives?

I would say if having that superb surgical detail and real neutral profile is more important to you, the cheaper V-MODA M-200s are a better choice, with a more rugged construction and out-of-the-box support for balanced audio. However, if you like a little more lows and want to enjoy a wider soundstage, the LCD-1 is a better choice.

Also great are the open-design Sennheiser HD600s, regularly available for just $ 350.

How long will they last?

If you don't handle these too roughly, they will last until the plastic crumbles. The last time I checked it wasn't for at least several human lives. Audeze covers the drivers for three years and the rest of the parts for one year from the date of purchase, which is way above average support.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Audeze LCD-1 studio monitors offer a wide soundstage, beautiful details and just a pinch more low pressure than other monitors, which makes listening a pleasure. They are not for everyone, but they might be for you.

Editor's recommendations




21 Sep
Blog

Skullcandy Sesh Evo Review: No More Lost Wireless Earbuds

Skullcandy Sesh Evo

"With convenient tile tracking, these sporty earbuds can justify their $ 60 price tag."

  • Inexpensive

  • Handy tile tracking

  • Multiple colors

  • Bad call quality

  • Mediocre battery life

Skullcandy has done an admirable job of providing affordable and stylish true wireless earbuds for those who refuse to pay the Apple premium – or just want something different from those ubiquitous white earbuds.

The latest offering is the $ 60 Sesh Evo – one step from his $ 50 Sesh – a no-nonsense set of true wireless earbuds aimed at the tricky middle ground where people want just the right combination of features and price.

Thanks to an ongoing partnership with Tile, they have a feature that no other brand of true radio buds can claim: the ability to track and find them in case you misplace them.

Is it enough to tell the Sesh Evo apart from an Amazon-sized tsunami with $ 60 earbuds?

Let's look at them.

What's in the box?

Skullcandy Sesh EvoSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Skullcandy's packaging needs to be improved from a sustainability perspective. In the outer cardboard box there is a black plastic shell with black foam padding. Even if the plastic on the roadside were easy to recycle, the foam would have to be removed and discarded first.

When you sit in the shelf, you'll find the Sesh Evo buds (equipped with the middle earbuds) and their charging case. A resealable polybag contains a 9-inch USB-C charging cable, two additional sizes for earbuds and a small printed quick guide.

design

Skullcandy Sesh Evo "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/skullcandy-sesh-evo-00012-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Skullcandy Sesh Evo "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/skullcandy-sesh-evo-00008-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Skullcandy Sesh Evo "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/skullcandy-sesh-evo-00011-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Sesh Evo is available in four colors: black, red, light blue and light green. This is a refreshing change from the usual white or black options most companies offer.

A satin-like plastic is used for both the earbuds and the charging case – it's practically the same finish you find on all true non-Apple-made wireless earbuds.

Several seams are visible on the earphone cups. Even so, they have an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance, which is more than enough to cope with the most strenuous training sessions – and far more protection than Apple's AirPods. or Samsung Galaxy Buds.

The earbuds have an asymmetrical oval shape with a discreet skull logo on a rubber membrane outer surface that you press to trigger physical button controls.

An LED on the sides of the earbuds will glow red when they are in the charging case to let you know they are properly seated and charging. You will also be informed when the buds are in pairing mode.

The charging case isn't the largest I've seen, but its wide, box-like shape makes it awkward to plug in. If you have a handbag, backpack, or other bag, at least it will be easy to find.

The hinged lid is easy to open and can be closed tightly thanks to a strong magnet. The charging sockets themselves also have very good magnetic contacts. However, you need to make sure that the red charge indicator is on. Especially when using the larger earplugs, the Sesh Evo does not always fit perfectly without help.

You can find the USB-C charging port on the back, while a small button on the front can briefly trigger the four-LED charge indicator to see how much juice is left in the case.

Overall, the Sesh Evo are well designed and functional true wireless earbuds.

Convenience, control and connections

Skullcandy Sesh EvoSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

I found the Sesh Evo to be average for a set of true wireless in-ear headphones in terms of fit and comfort. If you've used in-ear earphones before and found them to be comfortable to wear for a few hours, the Sesh Evo doesn't present any suitable challenges.

Activating the buttons requires adequate pressure, which is not ideal.

The three sizes of earbuds are below average, and while this will likely give most people the range they need for a good seal, it can feel like the worst place to cut costs for the particularly sensitive or small ear canals. We would like to see at least four earplug options available from each manufacturer in the future.

As with most in-ear designs, some amount of twist is required. You are supposed to sit in your ear with the skull logo upright – if the models on the Skullcandy website indicate it.

For me, the most comfortable position was a slightly sloping angle.

As soon as they were wedged in my ear canal, they sat very securely – I didn't need any additional ear fins or other supports at all.

Using the controls on the earbuds was a little less satisfactory, however. Regular readers of Digital Trends know that I prefer physical buttons over touch-based controls on real wireless earbuds, and the Sesh Evo are physical. It's good. However, they do require adequate pressure to activate, which is not so ideal.

The button mechanism sits under a membrane that protects it from dust and water, but also makes it difficult to press. After some trial and error, I found that the easiest way to use them was to press a finger against the diaphragm and then press a little harder until the mechanism triggered. It is similar to the system where the camera is pressed halfway to focus.

It still has all of the benefits of physical buttons (no accidental triggering and a noticeable click for feedback). However, if you do a lot of these printing operations, you are likely to get sore over time.

On the positive side, the control scheme is very intuitive and covers all important aspects: increase / decrease volume, play / pause, skip tracks forwards / backwards, answer / end a call and access to voice assistants (Siri / Google Assistant).

You can also use the buds to turn the buds on or off regardless of their charging case.

The Sesh Evo use Bluetooth 5.0, which has proven very reliable for both pairing and overall connection quality. You can pair the Buds with multiple devices, but only one device can be paired at a time.

The quick charge function is excellent: 10 minutes of socket time gives back two hours of gaming time.

It is also possible to use the earphones individually. Note, however, that some controls like volume up / down and track skipping forward / back depend on using two earbuds.

Battery life

Skullcandy Sesh EvoSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The battery life of the Sesh Evo is a bit disappointing by today's standards. They have five hours of play time between trips back to the charging case, which is on the lower end of the spectrum. In the meantime, three full charges are carried out in the charging case for a total of 20 hours – some hours less than expected.

The good news is that the quick charge feature is great. 10 minutes of socket time returns two hours of gaming time.

So while you can find plenty of other models that offer longer battery life, the Sesh Evo will still last you a full day unless you use it for more than five hours at a time.

Sound quality

Skullcandy Sesh EvoSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Within its price range, the Sesh Evo offers an acceptable sound performance. They won't blow you away, but they won't let you down either, especially if you're not expecting audiophile quality.

The most important thing is to get a good seal with the earplugs available. Without this, the earbuds sound downright terrible – both hollow and thin.

It's harder than it seems. I found that what initially felt very good wasn't enough when I started playing music. A bit of extra twisting and turning until you find the right angle is likely to be required.

You'll know you've got it right when you hear bass that feels full rather than hollow. Keep trying until you get there.

The overall frequency response is decent – you get the lows, mids, and highs at a sufficient level that it feels like nothing is missing. However, the separation between these frequencies is not as clearly defined as it is with some of the best performers at this price point.

They also lack a bit of liveliness, especially when it comes to the vocals. If your taste is towards hard rock, punk or metal, these genres can overcome this limitation by sheer force alone. But music that requires a skilful touch like jazz, folk, or classical is not going to reach its full potential.

Accessing the Sesh Evo's built-in three-mode EQ (music, movie, podcast) can help liven up the highs – especially in podcast mode – but only at the cost of losing some of the low-end bass .

Are you looking for a training companion or something that makes commuting a little less painful? The Sesh Evo are more than suitable. But for a more loyal music partner, I would check out the $ 79 Earfun Air, which you can usually find for around $ 50.

Tile tracking

Skullcandy Sesh Evo tiles appSkullcandy has started rolling out tile-based object tracking for several of its wireless headphones, including the Crusher Evo and now the Sesh Evo.

While I'm not that convinced that a large number of cans like the Crushers will benefit from this feature, true wireless earbuds like the Sesh Evo are perfect candidates.

Even when stowed in their charging case, they're small enough to get lost between sofa cushions or accidentally sit on a restaurant table. Just trying to remember where you last set them up in your own house could prove to be challenging.

The tile functionality works fine. As soon as you have registered the Sesh Evo with the Tile app – a quick and painless process – you can use the "Search" button on the app to trigger a high-pitched whistle from the earphones, which gets louder the longer it runs.

Better still, as long as the left earbud still has some battery power (it keeps the tile connection), you can trigger the position sound, regardless of whether the earbuds are on or off, are in their charging case or lying around alone.

The tile functionality works fine.

As long as you're not in a particularly noisy environment, you should be able to hear the distinctive whistle from up to 20 feet away – possibly more if the buds aren't in their case.

The tiling feature can't guarantee that your lost earbuds will always come back to you, but it does significantly increase the chances.

Call quality

Call quality on the Sesh Evo is all about what you can expect from a set of inexpensive earbuds. You can certainly use them to make and receive calls, but you need to speak very clearly and perhaps a little louder than you would like to make sure your voice is heard.

Skullcandy Sesh EvoSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

You'll likely speak louder anyway as there is no transparency / ambient mode that lets you route your voice into the earbuds to break the eardrum seal on the silicone tips.

Even then, you regularly drown out nearby noises like traffic – especially heavy traffic or noisy commercial vehicles – making it difficult for your callers to hear you.

Indoor calls are reasonable, but overall, I wouldn't rely on these earbuds for mission critical business calls.

Our opinion

The Sesh Evo offer a good true wireless experience for the price, but their unique and convenient tile tracking feature helps them (literally) stand out from the crowd.

Is there a better alternative?

Skullcandy found a sweet spot in terms of the price of the Sesh Evo – there aren't a lot of true wireless earbuds out there at this exact price, and those close to each other certainly don't have the Sesh Evo's tile chase.

If you like the design of the Sesh Evo and don't mind foregoing tile tracking and battery life, this is the normal one Skullcandy Sesh are now $ 50 or less.

The Earfun Free are also $ 50 or less and offer slightly better sound and wireless charging.

For a much better sound and only a few dollars more, the Earfun Air are an excellent alternative.

How long will they last?

Skullcandy products are generally quite durable and the Sesh Evo looks great. The protection class IP55 and a healthy two-year guarantee from Skullcandy ensure safety in any case.

It's also worth noting that Skullcandy's Fearless Use Promise allows you to purchase replacement earbuds at a discounted price in case you should ever lose or damage one or both.

Should you buy it?

Yes. For $ 60, the Sesh Evo offers a good mix of features and performance.

Editor's recommendations




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