25 Nov
Blog

LG GP9 Review: The Best Gaming Speaker You Shouldn’t Buy

LG GP9 speakers in front of a monitor

LG UltraGear GP9 Review: The Best Gaming Speaker You Shouldn't Buy

RRP $ 499.00

"The LG GP9 is an incredible speaker that is only as good as its price allows."

advantages

  • Excellent sound quality for games

  • DTS: X and Hi-Res headphone support

  • Broad sound field

  • Excellent microphone echo cancellation

disadvantage

  • Way too expensive

  • Weak battery life

  • Below average music experience

LG's UltraGear brand is known for gaming monitors, but it's branching out. The GP9 gaming speaker is LG's first attempt at establishing UltraGear as a gaming brand beyond the field of monitors and hopefully getting LG into the conversation when it comes to the best gaming speakers. It's a solid attempt, but unfortunately it's tarnished by nagging oversights and an astronomical price tag of $ 500.

It seems that LG designed the GP9 in a vacuum, outperforming alternatives like the Razer Leviathan and Panasonic SoundSlayer by a few hundred dollars. On paper, the GP9's features justify the higher price tag – a built-in microphone for voice chat, support for high-resolution audio, and wireless operation from the built-in battery. In practice, however, these benefits do not match the price LG is asking.

Immediately after unboxing and setting up the GP9, I was overwhelmed with its gaming performance. This is one of the best gaming speakers, and it can't be denied, but it's hard for the GP9 to keep the conversation going when speakers that cost half the sound are almost as good.

Establish connection

Inputs on the LG GP9 speaker.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

The GP9 has three inputs and two outputs. For inputs, you can connect it using the USB-C port, an optical cable, or Bluetooth. That's a solid range of options, although I imagine most of them use USB by default, which I have been doing throughout my review.

Bluetooth is a nice addition, but I wouldn't want to use the GP9 as a bluetooth speaker. For one thing, it's big and bulky so it's not the best travel companion, and it doesn't have an IP or water resistance rating, so leaving it outside isn't a good idea. Even with these issues, battery life is the real killer.

The GP9 has a built-in battery that LG says can last five hours, but even that is generous. On a morning of sparse video calling and the occasional YouTube video, the speaker lasted just under four hours. Blink, and the GP9 is dead.

In addition to the inputs, the GP9 has a headphone output. This port supports DTS Headphone: X for 7.1 virtual surround sound, but this is less of a feature than more of a plus. The GP9 is a $ 500 gaming speaker, after all, so plugging in headphones just for virtual surround sound would be a shame.

Built for games

Using the GP9 for the first time is like putting on one of the best gaming headphones. The soundscape suddenly opened up, sound effects felt like they were having an impact, and music complemented the game sound instead of working against it. If you've used a good quality gaming headset, you already know the experience the GP9 delivers.

LG GP9 speakers on a desk.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

In Deep Rock Galactic, the synthesizer-driven soundtrack perfectly superimposed the sound of the drill through the stone, and the sound field seemed to stretch from one end of the room to the other. My desk is in the living room, but the GP9 still envelops the room.

The default sound profile sounds great. I tried it out in a couple of rounds of Call of Duty: Vanguard and Halo Infinite and could make out footsteps, bullet splatters, and explosions around me. LG's 3D gaming sound may seem like a gimmick, but it works.

In addition to the standard profile, the GP9 includes an FPS profile and an RTS profile. The names are irrelevant, even if these profiles sound great. The FPS profile has a more forward-looking presence, with much of the sound moving towards the center of the sound field, while the RTS profile pushes things to the sides as if the floor has fallen out of frequency range.

There's no denying that the GP9 sounds great in games.

The GP9 sounds great for games and skillfully places the smallest nuances around the sound field so that even separate 2.0 systems cannot cope. It's hard to ignore the cost, however. At $ 500 the tone is not enough. The Razer Leviathan sounds great too, is half the price, and includes a dedicated subwoofer.

Films and music take a back seat

The LG GP9 is a gaming speaker, and it shows in the sound quality of other media too. It is set up to play games, not listen to music or watch movies.

LG GP9 speakers on a desk.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Music was the biggest pain point for the GP9. I started with an emphasis on bass, uploading DNA from Kendrick Lamar and See You Again from Tyler, The Creator (which turned into a full listen to Flower Boy, as so often happens). For $ 500, I wasn't impressed. The GP9 sounded good, but no better than a $ 200 bluetooth speaker like the Sonos Roam.

With music, the main problem was having consistent bass. Songs with a consistent low end – like a metal track like Spiritbox's Circle With Me – worked fine, but any kind of dynamic low end fell apart. The GP9 undergoes the compression that often comes with smaller speakers, with the high-end getting out of the way for a moment while the bass booms.

And the bass is booming. The two passive bass radiators bring out impressive bass for such a small speaker, maybe even too much. In terms of sound, the bass is not too strong, but the speaker on my desk vibrated constantly when listening to music, even at about half the volume.

When watching movies or listening to music, it was like using a completely different speaker.

Problems still exist at the other end of the spectrum. The speaker is very bright and does not separate the higher frequencies when the volume is turned up. I couldn't counteract the problem with EQ, just blunt it. A couple of larger satellite speakers, like the Logitech G560s, can handle these higher frequencies with more grace.

If you want to listen to music, stick with headphones. The Quad-DAC shines with a flat pair of sockets like the BeyerDynamic DT 770 Pros. It supports high resolution, lossless audio, and I could immediately see the bright top end, warm bass, and massive sound field compared to my PC's sound card.

LG GP9 speakers with headphones attached.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Movies were better on the speaker. I saw Dune and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Dune sounded great. The transition from ambient to bombast in the score felt natural, and the soundscape, although narrow, still felt a lot wider than the speaker. Shang-Chi brought me back to earth, and the sound seemed to funnel into the hard upper mid-range.

Even with a bright spot in Dune, this isn't a speaker I would use outside of games. When watching movies or listening to music, it was like using a completely different speaker.

A functional built-in microphone

Microphone button on the LG GP9 loudspeaker.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

One advantage of the GP9 over gaming speakers like the Panasonic SoundSlayer is that it includes a microphone, but the quality isn't great. It's just slightly above a laptop's microphone, although it was able to pick up my voice cleanly from a few feet away.

What impressed me more was LG's noise cancellation. LG is calling it Clear Voice Chat technology, which sounds like a bullet point on a product page. Fortunately, it's more. Even at a comfortable volume, the microphone was able to separate my voice from the speaker's audio, and that's hard to achieve.

The microphone is a voice chat solution, just not a great one. Clear Voice Chat is an impressive addition, but I would prefer most of the other microphones to the one in the GP9. You get far better quality with a $ 150 boom mic headset like the Corsair HS80 Wireless.

The app: a compromise case

App screens for the LG GP9.

The LG GP9 was designed for gamers, not gamers, and you don't need to look further than LG's XBoom app to see this. The app isn't bad and it only took a few minutes to set up the GP9 the way I liked it. But it's absurd that a speaker designed for PC gaming doesn't have a desktop app.

XBoom feels like a half-baked solution.

To connect the speaker you need to connect it to bluetooth, download the app, pair it with your phone, and then go back to your original audio source. That took me about 30 seconds. Here's the problem: turn off bluetooth and you'll have to repeat the process all over again. It's not bad, but XBoom still feels like a half-baked solution.

In the app you can adjust the EQ curve, change the RGB sub-lights and update the firmware of the speaker, as well as access all functions that are available as buttons on the top of the speaker. It's not a bad app, but a desktop version would round out the GP9's list of features.

Our opinion

LG has launched an attractive kit with the GP9. It's a speaker that offers the gaming headset experience without the annoying hassle, with a wide sound field, a built-in microphone for communication, and a healthy dose of RGB flair. At $ 300, I'd sing the praises of the GP9. At $ 500, it's an excellent gaming speaker that shouldn't be bought.

It's one of the best gaming speakers in terms of sound, but the sound isn't enough for a speaker that costs as much as a new console.

Are there alternatives?

Dozens. The Razer Leviathan and Panasonic SoundSlayer are the most obvious alternatives, but there are several other options for gaming. These include the Audioengine A2 + speakers and the Logitech G560 kit, both of which are cheaper than the LG GP9.

How long it will take?

Without years of using the GP9, it's hard to tell how long the speaker will last. LG offers a one-year parts and labor warranty as standard.

Should you buy it?

No, unless you can have one on sale. The GP9 is too expensive for what it is, and its positives are outweighed by the price. However, if you can pick one up for around $ 300, this is an excellent option.

Editor's recommendations



24 Nov
Blog

JBL Reflect Flow Pro Review: Spectacular Sport Earbuds

JBL Reflect Flow Pro.

JBL Reflect Flow Pro in the test: Spectacular sports earphones

RRP $ 180.00

"Many functions and a powerful sound make them perfect training friends."

advantages

  • Firm, secure fit

  • Excellent noise cancellation

  • Choice of hands-free A.I.s.

  • Completely waterproof

  • Wireless charging

disadvantage

  • Limited control

  • No quick charging option

JBL isn't always the most enduring company when it comes to personal audio. Sometimes, like the Tour Pro + earphones and the Tour One ANC headphones, it absolutely pegs down. Other times it falls short, as I've felt with its flagship Club One cans. But they've been more hits than failures lately, and that certainly goes for JBL's newest true wireless earbuds, the $ 180 JBL Reflect Flow Pro, a product that mates with the $ 200 Beats Fit Pro , the $ 180, competes Jabra Elite 7 Active, and JBL's own Reflect Mini NC for $ 150. How good are the Reflect Flow Pro? Let's take a look at them.

Great fit without Frankenstein

JBL Reflect Flow Pro.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

In theory, the Reflect Flow Pro are the company's successors Reflect flow Model, a comfortable and waterproof set of sports earbuds that unfortunately had some drawbacks. They were huge – often sticking out of the ears and giving off what I consider a Frankenstein monster look. Their physical buttons were a little difficult to press, their sound quality was uneven, and their transparency mode (ambient mode) was limited.

But if you look at the design of the Reflect Flow Pro, it becomes clear that despite its name, it is actually the Pro model of the Reflect Mini NC and not the Reflect Flow. The Reflect Flow Pro are smaller and lighter and fix practically every bug we found with the original Reflect Flow.

The Reflect Flow Pro comes with three sizes of silicone earbuds and four sizes of wingtips ("power fins" in JBL parlance) that range from large to barely available, which means that more people are likely to find a suitable combination. This is in stark contrast to the Beats Fit Pro, which has a single, permanently installed set of wingtips.

Scope of delivery of JBL Reflect Flow Pro.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

According to JBL, the fit is secure enough to go surfing with the Reflect Flow Pro. I respectfully disagree. Yes, they are very secure, but no, I wouldn't risk finding out the hard way they couldn't be wiped upside down. Still, as long as they stay in place, they won't have a problem handling all that water – with an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, they're pretty much the toughest earbuds you can buy.

The charging case is neither waterproof nor dustproof, but well made and quite robust. The integrated carrying loop is just big enough to guide the bag through the loop and attach it to a bag strap or even a belt loop on the trousers.

From zero to hero

The Reflect Flow Pro not only improve the design of the Reflect Flow, they are also packed with features. Wireless charging, wear sensors, a choice of voice assistants, active noise cancellation (ANC), transparency mode, custom controls and EQ. It's like JBL defies us to find something that's missing, and frankly, it's hard to find bugs at all. And that's before we even dive into things like sound quality, call quality, and practical extras (but don't worry, we'll cover those too).

Hours of power

JBL Reflect Flow Pro charging case.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

One of the things the original JBL Reflect Flow got right was its impressive power capacity: 10 hours per charge and two full charges in the case's battery. The Reflect Flow Pro doubles these numbers when ANC and transparency are disabled. But even when you use these features, you still get up to eight hours on a single charge. That's better than both the Beats Fit Pro and Beats Powerbeats Pro.

The only thing missing here is a quick charging option. Ordinarily I would call JBL for this oversight, but if you can offer people up to 10 hours per charge, the need for fast charge is greatly reduced. In addition, the charging case of the Reflect Flow Pro supports wireless charging of Qi, something that Beats products have not yet been able to do.

Sound that moves you

Man with JBL Reflect Flow Pro.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Punchy and powerful bass can be fun no matter what you're doing while listening to music, but it's a great benefit for people who need exercise motivation. The Reflect Flow Pro won't disappoint: you sound great right out of the box, with lots of low-end boom and decently clear mids and highs. Throw up a track like Billy Idol's Rita Hayworth and the Reflect Flow Pro delivers a high-octane sound attack that is guaranteed to get you moving.

Subtlety isn't their forte – these aren't the earphones for finding lost details in your favorite jazz ensembles – but they're not a blunt instrument either. The headphone app from JBL offers a very powerful EQ tool that rewards patience and experimentation with many tuning variations. My only gripe is that the company doesn't come with a few more built-in presets – you only get three: bass, jazz, and vocal.

Quiet or talkative

JBL Reflect Flow Pro.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The noise cancellation of the JBL Reflect Mini NC impressed me quite a bit, but the Reflect Flow Pro are even better. So good that I saw almost no difference when I compared it to the Beats Fit Pro (which have a great ANC). Outside, traffic noise was kept well at bay so I could hear my podcasts clearly without turning up the volume. Inside, the bathroom fan, which sits six feet from my desk – but it sounds like it's next to my head – has been almost completely neutralized.

The transparency mode is really good too, with the option to choose between two versions: Ambient Aware (for general ambient noise) and TalkThru (for conversations). Both can be quickly triggered with a single or double tap on the earbuds, which makes them very convenient.

The illusion of control

Controls are the only area in which JBL still has a lot to do. The touch controls on the Reflect Flow Pro are excellent – they respond quickly and accurately to touch and a small tone confirms when a touch is made, which is an important form of feedback when a physical click is not available. The problem is that at JBL you can choose from four possible control “groups” and you can only have two of them active at the same time.

For example, you can choose between playback control, ambient noise / ANC / TalkThru, volume control or voice assistant. If you want playback and volume control, you cannot use Ambient Noise / ANC / TalkThru or Voice Assistant. If you want playback controls and voice assistant, you cannot use Ambient Sound / ANC / TalkThru or volume control.

If this is inherent in the true wireless earbuds, I wouldn't be complaining, but it's not: the Jabra series of elite earbuds give you complete control over every gesture without forcing you to choose between mutually exclusive options.

I also wish there was a way to turn off voice feedback. The quick toggling from ANC to Ambient mode is great, but it's a little less convenient if your earbuds keep saying "Ambient mode on" or "Noise canceling on".

Speak and be heard

The call quality with the Reflect Flow Pro is generally very good. You can struggle a little in very noisy situations, but few earbuds excel in these conditions. More importantly, they handle wind noise better than most of the earbuds I've tried, and that's helpful as they'll be great choices for runners or even cyclists. You will be perfectly heard in relatively quiet conditions.

However, with these earbuds you can also use your voice to summon various assistants – a rare feature that comes in very handy. iOS users can use Hey Siri in the same way as they can with Apple's H1-based products (AirPods, Beats Fit Pro, Powerbeats Pro, etc.). There is also the option of working with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant instead – both work with their respective hands-free wake-up words.

Extras

If you're the type of person who keeps misplacing items, the JBL Headphones app can force the Reflect Flow Pro to emit a loud beep. Each earbud can beep independently, but the feature will not work when docked in the charging case. There is also no map showing their last known location, which some other earbuds (AirPods, Jabra Elite, etc.) do.

The app can also help you find out if the size of the earbuds you choose seals you off from the outside world. If you're not getting the sound quality you expected – especially poor bass – this is the place to start.

Our opinion

With great protection from the elements, great sound and noise cancellation, and great battery life, the JBL Reflect Flow Pro are the perfect alternative to the Beats Powerbeats Pro and Fit Pro for people looking for a killer workout companion.

Is there a better alternative?

I think the best alternative to the Reflect Flow Pro is JBL's Reflect Mini NC. It's less expensive, has a smaller charging case that puts it in your pocket better, and has practically all the features of the Pro. You won't get the same caliber of sound quality, noise cancellation, or call quality, but for some people this is a perfectly acceptable tradeoff.

If you want a smaller earbud, Beats Fit Pro will work fine, and if you want a much more secure fit, consider the Powerbeats Pro.

How long will they last?

With an IP68 degree of protection and a very long starter battery life, you should get many years out of the JBL Reflect Flow Pro. They are solidly built, as is their charging case. JBL supports them with a one-year guarantee.

Should you buy it?

Yes sir. If you're looking for a sturdy set of training buds that can handle anything you throw at them – and that come with solid features and great sound – this is it JBL Reflect Flow Pro are an excellent choice.

Editor's recommendations



24 Nov
Blog

Gympact Review- The Benefits and Pitfalls of Getting Paid to Workout

This is my new gym. I recommend the dark roast coffee and the cheese dane:

Well I was hoping this would be my new gym considering the GymPact mobile app allows you to mark any building as a gym. From then on, you get paid if you "check-in" at the gym with your mobile phone and stay in that geo-monitored location for more than thirty minutes.

That's right, you get paid for the "training".

Unfortunately (or fortunately), GymPact didn't fall for my trick of turning my local diner into my gym. Just like I imagined in my article on habits:

Wouldn't it be cool if a gym would pay YOU to work out. We'd all be super-sculpted athletes and gyms would be bankrupt. Unfortunately, we are not and they are not.

Alright. So the thought experiment is reality. Why don't we hear more about this phenomenal startup that recently teamed up with my favorite running app, Runkeeper? Let's take a look at why the app works and why it doesn't.

This is how GymPact works

GymPact's registration process is pretty efficient. I chose to sign up online, as opposed to the mobile version, as I still find typing on a smartphone a hassle. GymPact, on the other hand, wants you to be REALLY mobile. So much so that they made their desktop login look like an iPhone interface.

Gympact, fitness studio, home gym, mobile app, fitness app

You start off by setting your pact, or how many days you will commit to going to the gym. The default 3 days per week setting will get you $ 2.10 per week if you meet your pact. The rewards range from $ 0.50 to $ 0.75 per workout.

Set up your mission on the next page. If you miss a workout, the default is $ 5. That's a lot more than $ .50, isn't it? Not fair you say Well, like my fifth grade teacher used to say, "Life is a slut and then you die." Public school is great, and so is this reward-punishment ratio. More on that later.

The steps below are to connect your Facebook account and enter your credit card information so that you can be rewarded or tolerated. If you're concerned about giving your credit card information to a startup, it's time to take a break. The service is PCI (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliant though, so I wouldn't sweat it out. You will be charged a dime to verify your credit card.

Gympact, fitness studio, home gym, mobile app, fitness app

The evidence is in the database

Your first task as a GymPact participant is to tag your gym. They claim that their gym database is made up of 40,000 gyms. My local diner was not in the database even though it was named "Mau's Crossfit". There's an idiot and a CrossFit gym every day, but GymPact isn't an idiot and a diner isn't a gym. At least not without a review. I really thought I found a crack in their system until I received this email about twenty minutes after checking in:

Hello Mauricio Balvanera,

We're sorry – we checked out your gym. Mau’s Crossfit has not yet been able to verify it.

Due to GPS verification, we cannot count home, apartment or office gyms. It is also difficult for us to review new establishments, smaller / niche establishments, and establishments with less web presence.

If you think there's a bug, just send your gym name, website, address, and phone number to corrects@gym-pact.com so we can look back! Until then, the workouts you've done here don't count towards your pact.

Thank you very much,

The GymPact team

My cheesecake wasn't that tasty anymore. I was not alone in my subversive approach. Your now removed Youtube demo video was full of commentators trying to play the system.

Why GymPact works

Game designers often examine the delicate balance of reward and punishment systems. As do economists. As do sports psychologists. There is a human nature incentive system that makes the concept of GymPact a breeze. But just as game designers and economists are constantly tweaking the system to rebalance the game, you may also have to rebalance a little yourself.

But don't twist it too much. Try this combo from $ 5 to $ 0.50. The one step forward, ten step back system will keep you struggling hard to take these small steps. I actually find it analogous to how our own body reacts to inconsistent or inefficient training.

GymPact claims to have a ninety percent effective rate. This may or may not be an exaggerated marketing marker, but the fact that the app forces you to at least be in the gym will most likely get you into a workout.

Gympact, fitness studio, home gym, mobile app, fitness app

Why GymPact doesn't work

After my incident with Cheese Danes, I found an alternative way to play the system in low places with the help of friends. There is no need to post the hack, but the point is that the system is bugged in a way that affects the entire system. The successful payout pool effectively comes from an unsuccessful pool with errors.

I'm not suggesting that people's first reaction will be to hack the system, but anyone who relies on monetary compensation as the primary reward for training will likely fall into this category. And that brings us to the most important flaw in the system.

Why are you exercising I immediately thought of Simon Sinek's Ted Talk, How Great Leaders Inspire. Check it out later because it's a rabbit hole from fantastic. But the basic premise is that great people succeed because the “why” of their goal overshadows the “what” and “how”. If you train because you look forward to the cash payout, you will fail. Maybe not. You will. If you are exercising because you want to be healthier and happier, now let's get to something.

Cash withdrawals can act as a secondary motivational tool but shouldn't be your primary drive and therefore GymPact needs to be more than a withdrawal machine to be successful.

So should I be using GymPact?

Yes sir. It's not a perfect system, but the social checkins help tremendously and the RunKeeper integration is a big update. All runs (as well as walks and bike rides) recorded by RunKeepers GPS count as workouts. This is as long as you:

  • At least 1/2 a mile away.
  • At least 30 minutes of activity where your pace is over two miles per hour (but slower than driving a car!). When in doubt, 5 extra minutes of walking, running or cycling never hurts.
  • For a maximum of 3 hours.

The app is currently only free for iOS, but there will be an Android version soon. The Danish cheese is sold separately.

24 Nov
Blog

MYX II Plus Fitness Bike Review: Watch Out Peloton

Stretching during an Openfit bike training session.

MYX II Plus

RRP $ 1,600.00

"The MYXfitness MYX II Plus fitness bike is a worthy competitor to other models on the market, and it's pretty good business too."

advantages

  • Solid construction

  • Two streaming workout service providers

  • Including additional equipment

As the saying goes, it's always a good time to get in shape. At least that's what the doctor says. With a wide variety of home fitness equipment and streaming services to choose from, it's just getting easier to do just that. A typical example is the MYX II bike. This sleek stationary bike is easy to adjust for height and resistance, and offers a variety of courses you can take on and off the bike for a full-body training experience.

First class bike delivery

Let's face it, exercise bikes aren't easy. Many new models of stationery have a display assembly, so it's not that easy to just pick up and put in a home studio. The MYX II has a 21.5-inch touchscreen that can be rotated 360 degrees. The monitor also has 20 watt speakers. The bike weighs a whopping 134 pounds and the flywheel weighs 41 pounds. The entire device measures 47 x 54 x 21 inches. Even though there are wheels in the front to lift the bike up and put it in place, we're still glad we didn't have to do it ourselves.

MYX II fitness bike and fitness accessories.

The bike comes with a free delivery service wearing white gloves. A third-party company (for us XPO Logistics) delivers the bike, sets it up and puts away the packaging. This whole experience was definitely top notch. The company contacted us to set a delivery day and delivery time and MYXfitness provided information on how to prepare the area. This was definitely handy and made the whole process a lot faster. The company recommends creating a space that can accommodate the bike mat, which is approximately 4 x 6 feet.

Our two suppliers, David and Henry, were professional and took the time to explain how to adjust the bike. You set up everything, including assembling the display and connecting the power supply. They also provided the yoga mat, set of weights (you can choose the size), kettlebell, foam roller, resistance bands, and a Polar heart rate monitor.

Lots of extras

The MYX II offers many extras and training options as well as all of the above fitness equipment. If you don't need these extras, save $ 200 and get the MYX II – that's the bike, heart monitor, and screen for all classes.

The courses last from 10 minutes to 60 minutes, so there is really something for every fitness level.

When setting up the bike for the first time, you can choose between Openfit and Beachbody's BODi streaming services. Both offer a variety of workouts, cycling classes, and nutritional content. In addition to rides (for all fitness areas), the course also includes barre, Pilates, cardio, strength training, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), walking, kickboxing, yoga, meditation and stretching. The courses last from 10 minutes to 60 minutes, so there is really something for every fitness level.

As mentioned above, the bike also comes with a Polar OH1 heart rate monitor that is synchronized with the training sessions. You place the monitor in the wristband and wear it during exercise. You can see your heart rate on the screen whether you are exercising or taking a ride. In our tests, it took about two weeks before we had to recharge the device.

Ride and train

We chose the Openfit service largely because it has a wider range of live and on-demand courses, including Xtend Barre with Andrea Rogers. The subscription costs $ 39 per month (nearly the cost of an average gym membership – depending on the gym). You can also set up multiple users in the Openfit app so everyone in the family can have a personalized experience.

Before properly starting your workout, do a zone ride so the bike can determine your fitness level. You are encouraged to take the ride first thing in the morning before you have a cup of coffee. The 20-inute ride is brutal, and for good reason – the goal is to set your heart zone rates so you should definitely be pushing your limits.

Track your stats while you train with Openfit.

Before starting this ride, you need to sync the Polar monitor with the bike. There are also options to sync with an Apple Watch. There really aren't any instructions on how to sync the monitor to the bike, so it took a little research (and a cup of coffee – yes, yes, that zone ride would just have to wait another day) to determine that you need to download the Polar app . You don't actually sync it with the Openfit app. As soon as you synchronize the monitor with the Polar app via Bluetooth, the device synchronizes with the bike immediately. The good news is that if the monitor doesn't sync during Openfit classes, you'll be notified on the screen – so you can touch an option on the screen to sync it. The classes indicate whether they work with the heart monitor.

The instructors are solid overall, they all seem to have their own style and are all approachable. The music for the classroom ranges from 90s hip hop to country to the top 40 and everything in between. You can adjust how loud you want the music to be compared to the teacher's voice.

Our opinion

We tested the bike and its accessories for about two months and really saw how it improves home gym play. We're not going to say the bike was comfortable to ride, but it was ergonomically correct. After all, that's what these special bike shorts are for. You can clip in your own cycling shoes if you wish.

Training on the bike is definitely a solid workout, but it is also a fantastic warm-up before taking any other classes. I found myself stronger than when I started and I'm almost ready to do this zone ride again to enjoy my overall improvement.

We ended up having to download two apps to our phone (Openfit and Polar) which is fine because it gives you the full experience. The Openfit app syncs with the streaming service on the bike so you can see all of your stats in one place which is a plus. There's a lot to do in the app like log weight, track your food, schedule workouts, see which workouts are live, and find some healthy recipes.

If you hate going to the gym but you love all classes and want a complete system at home, this could be the perfect solution for you.

Is there a better alternative?

There are many other exercise bikes on the market including models from Peloton, NordicTrack, and many other exercise bike manufacturers. One of the main features that make these models stand out is the classes and the instructors. It will be a personal choice. Or maybe you'd prefer to skip the bike and get a fitness mirror instead, or sign up for streaming exercise classes.

How long it will take?

Exercise bikes can last up to 20 years, but maintenance is important. A one-year guarantee is provided on the touchscreen, fitness accessories (purchased from MYXFitness), bike components and pedals, and labor. The structural framework has a five-year guarantee.

Should you buy it?

If you are looking for a stationary bike, this model will not disappoint. You can use your own cycling shoes, and there is so much control over the intensity levels that it works for those just starting out on an exercise program. as well as long-time fans of cycling courses.

It comes with a lot of solid extras that give you everything you need to take part in other Beachbody or Openfit courses. Let's not forget the Polar heart rate monitor that pairs with the bike. At the end of the day, it's pretty good business considering everything you can get for $ 1,599.

Editor's recommendations



23 Nov
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Book Review: Too Many Compromises

Oblique view of the Samsung Galaxy Book for Business.

Samsung Galaxy Book for Business

RRP $ 900.00

"The Samsung Galaxy Book for Business has good productivity performance and battery life, but its display is below average and it lacks great features."

advantages

  • Thin and light

  • Excellent keyboard and touchpad

  • Solid productivity performance

  • Battery life for good productivity

disadvantage

  • Disappointing display quality

  • Lid and chassis yield too much

  • No useful business features

More than ever, Samsung is committed to creating a laptop that lives up to the Galaxy brand's pedigree.

However, the Galaxy Book Pro came close with its ultra-thin case and vibrant OLED screen. But can a cheaper, simpler version of this laptop have the same effect?

The Samsung Galaxy Book I tested was technically the "for business" model, although its hardware is almost identical to the consumer model. The laptop has an Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor, a 15-inch 1080p screen, and is priced at $ 900.

That's in the middle of the package when you factor in the price, features, and design. Unfortunately, the price isn't low enough to warrant so many compromises, especially with so many other great options

draft

Angled view of the back and the cover of the Samsung Galaxy Book for Business.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The Galaxy Book is made of aluminum, which usually results in a solid build quality. However, Samsung must have used thin aluminum to save weight, because the lid bends more than I would like and there is a lot of keyboard flex. The Acer Aspire 5, a budget-conscious 15-inch device that you can buy in a similar configuration for less than $ 500, had slightly better keyboard deck and chassis rigidity, although the lid was also a bit pliable.

The HP Envy x360 15 is about the same price as the Galaxy Book and is much more solid. Of course, if you go up the price, you get much better build quality, but I think the Galaxy Book should feel more solid at its $ 900 retail price. An example of a much more expensive laptop that shares the same lack of rigidity as the Galaxy Book is the LG Gram 16, which is made of magnesium but also weighs just 2.62 pounds – in which case you're trading solidity for extremely light weight .

At 3.42 pounds, the Galaxy Book is also relatively light for a 15-inch device, while the Acer Aspire 5 comes close at 3.64 pounds. However, the Acer benefits from some plastic components. More rugged laptops like the Envy x360 15 and the Dell XPS 15 typically weigh four pounds or more. The Galaxy Book is 0.61 inches thick, slimmer than the Aspire 5 at 0.70 inches, the Envy x360 15 at 0.72 inches, and the XPS 15 at 0.71 inches.

Directly in view of the Samsung Galaxy Book for Business.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

All in all, one of the Galaxy Book's greatest strengths is its thin and light nature, which makes bending and bending the laptop a little more forgiving. However, the Galaxy Book's bezels around the old-school 16: 9 display aren't that tiny, especially the top and bottom, and it's still a full-sized 15-inch laptop.

Aesthetically, the Galaxy Book is a rather mundane silver color that is reminiscent of so many other laptops. It has simple lines and angles and black keycaps with white lettering. There's nothing wrong with minimalist designs – HP has perfected it on devices like the Envy x360 15 – but the design philosophy can go too far. I find the Galaxy Book is on the wrong side of that thin line.

A note about the software. Samsung offers a ton of additional applications in addition to the usual support utilities. This includes Samsung Flow, a pen app that cannot be used on the Galaxy Book, Samsung Gallery, Samsung Studio Plue, Samsung TV Plus, etc. Some of these apps can be useful, but for those who don't want to install additional apps on their laptops, the Galaxy Book gets annoying.

Two USB-C ports, a full-size HDMI port and a USB-A port line the left side of the Samsung Galaxy Book for Business.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Hinge on the back of the Samsung Galaxy Book for Business.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The right side of the Samsung Galaxy Book for Business is equipped with another USB-A port, a microSD card reader and a 3rd

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The connectivity is fine. Two USB-C ports, a full-size HDMI port, and a USB-A port line the left side, while the right side has another USB-A port, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm. is equipped with an audio jack. There's no Thunderbolt 4 support we've seen on laptops for the same price. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 take over wireless tasks.

power

Close the Samsung Galaxy Book for Business screen and keyboard.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

You can buy the Galaxy Book with either a Core i5-1135G7 or a Core i7-1165G7. My test device was equipped with the Core i5 and did well considering the CPU.

In all of our benchmarks, the Galaxy Book was at or near the top of a handful of other Core i5-1135G7-equipped laptops. Only the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s Gen 2 could match or exceed its values. The Galaxy Book was particularly strong in our most CPU-intensive benchmark, including our Handbrake test, which encodes a 420 MB video as H.265. Its 175 second result was much faster than any other except the ThinkBook 13s Gen 2, and it can rival many Core i7 laptops in our database. The Samsung was also strong in Cinebench and narrowly lost to the ThinkBook.

In the PCMark 10 Complete benchmark, the Galaxy Book again took the top spot with 4735. It also did well in the areas of essentials, productivity and content creation of the benchmark.

Overall, the Galaxy Book was a solid productivity performer that could keep up with heavy workflows. Its performance is another area in which the Galaxy Book earned its $ 900 price tag.

Geekbench (single / multiple) Handbrake
(Seconds)		 Cinebench R23 (single / multiple) PCMark 10 3DMark time spy
Samsung Galaxy Book (Core i5-1135G7) 1401/5221 175 1361/5391 4735 1584
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i 14
(Core i5-1135G7)		 1397/4301 213 1325/4411 4550 1026
Lenovo ThinkBook 13s Gen 2
(Core i5-1135G7)		 1406/5379 178 1357/5502 4668 1511
HP Envy 14 (Core i5-1135G7) 1549/5431 204 1399/4585 n / A 1380
Acer Aspire 5 2021 (Core i3-1115G4) 1215/2544 300 1274/3128 3752 652

In the 3DMark Time Spy test, the Galaxy Book does well with 1584 points and leads our comparison group. However, that's not a good score for a gaming laptop. We usually use Fortnite to test thin and light laptops with integrated graphics, in this case Intel's Iris Xe, but the game crashed with a video memory error every time I tried to run it. Either way, you can rely on this laptop for older games, esports titles or newer games with low resolutions and graphics settings.

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Close up on the display of the Samsung Galaxy Book for business.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

At $ 900, expect a decent display. Given that Samsung is known for making great displays, the Galaxy Book is twofold. Subjectively, I found the 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display bright enough for all the places I normally work, but I wasn't impressed by the apparent contrast or colors. In particular, I found black text on a white background a bit gray.

My colorimeter confirmed my suspicions. The Galaxy Book's brightness was okay at 326 nits, exceeding our 300 nit threshold. From then on, however, things went downhill. The display's colors were surprisingly narrow with only 48% AdobeRGB and 64% sRGB and not particularly accurate with a DeltaE of 2.41 (1.0 or less is considered excellent). That's a big disappointment, especially at the price.

Worse, the contrast was only 700: 1, well below our preferred 1,000: 1. It's not uncommon to see results like this on laptops that cost hundreds of dollars less, but I expect something better at this price point. The HP Envy x360 15, for example, was not as bright with 270 cd / m², but achieved 71% of AdobeRGB and 95% of sRGB with an accuracy of 1.06. The contrast was also significantly better at 900: 1.

This is a laptop designed for the casual business user and doesn't need the wide and accurate colors that developers demand. But they are expecting something closer to the industry average for the machine class, and this display just doesn't live up to that standard. I was surprised to see Samsung put such an inferior display in a laptop at this price point.

Keyboard and touchpad

The keyboard and trackpad of the Samsung Galaxy Book for Business.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The keyboard has a standard layout with a lot of space and large keycaps with continuous 3-level background lighting. There isn't a lot of travel, but the switches were crisp and snappy with a comfortable floor movement. They were calm too which is a plus. I would rate this as a very good keyboard that is only a step behind the best, such as those found in HP's Specter range and Dell's XPS.

The touchpad is larger than average and has a comfortable surface with Microsoft Precision touchpad drivers. It handled Windows 10's entire suite of multitouch gestures with consistent reliability and had a solid but quiet click. This is a great touchpad that is only surpassed by the much larger version of the Dell XPS 15 in 15-inch laptops. The display is non-touchable, which is always disappointing.

Windows 10 Hello support is provided by a fingerprint reader built into the power button. It was quick and accurate, and logged me in the instant I hit the laptop wake-up button.

Battery life

The Samsung Galaxy Book for business.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The Galaxy Book offers 56 watt hours of battery life, which is not much for a 15-inch laptop. I did not go into my battery test with great expectations.

The Galaxy Book only lasted 8.25 hours in our web browser test, which ran through a number of popular websites. That is well below the 10 hours we'd like to see in this test. The HP Envy x360 15 managed 11.25 hours, the Dell XPS 15 with its power-hungry OLED display lasted almost an hour longer. The Galaxy Book ran for 11.25 hours on our video test repeating a local 1080p movie trailer, which is a stronger score but still below average. The Envy x360 15 reached 13.65 hours and the XPS 15 was just minutes away from the Galaxy Book.

I switched to the PCMark 10 application test, which is the best indicator of productivity performance, and the Galaxy Book got 11 hours. That too is a stronger score and closer to the average. The Envy x360 15 outperformed the Galaxy Book again with 12.5 hours, the XPS 15 fell behind with just eight hours.

The Galaxy Book will likely last a full working day as long as your workflow isn't too CPU intensive. These aren't the best results for a 15-inch laptop at the price, but they aren't terrible either.

Our opinion

As I said at the beginning, the Samsung Galaxy Book is a strange laptop. The model I tested is aimed at business users, but does not offer anything that many consumer laptops do not offer. Its greatest strength is solid productivity performance and a thin and light chassis, and while these are welcome for business users, they are not exactly business-specific features.

Most disappointing is the display, which should offer a better experience for the price of the Galaxy Book. The battery life was a mixed picture, with the laptop doing well in the PCMark 10 test but not as good in our other benchmarks. And in terms of look and feel, the notebook is a bit boring and lacks rigidity. There's just not much to recommend this machine over its broad competition.

Are there alternatives?

The HP Envy x360 15 is a strong alternative to the Galaxy Book. It's less expensive, but offers better performance and battery life, and a great display. It's also a convertible 2-in-1 that adds flexibility.

We haven't reviewed many 15-inch laptops in this price range lately, but if you're ready to drop on a 14-inch unit, there are several good options. The HP Envy 14 is a good example with the same performance, superior battery life, and a better display for a similar price.

How long it will take?

The Samsung Galaxy Book isn't the toughest notebook we've tested in this price range, but it's still solid enough to last for several years. The components are also up to date, so it should keep up with Windows 10 and 11. The one-year warranty can be extended to Samsung's Care + for Business warranty extension.

Should you buy it?

No. There are just too many other good 15-inch laptops out there for about the same price, and the Galaxy Book doesn't offer much to entice its intended business destination. If you really like the design and performance of the laptop, then consider the consumer version of the Galaxy Book.

Editor's recommendations



22 Nov
Blog

SwannBuddy Video Doorbell Review: Room for Improvement

The SwannBuddy video doorbell can be hard-wired or battery operated.

SwannBuddy video doorbell

RRP $ 150.00

"It's not perfect, but a few software patches could make the SwannBuddy Video Doorbell a far better option."

advantages

  • High definition streaming with color night vision

  • Including doorbell with six melodies

  • Impressive sensors

  • Great for apartments

disadvantage

  • The app needs to be reloaded every time you open it

  • Live view loads too slowly to capture visitors

  • Requires a screwdriver to set up

The SwannBuddy Video Doorbell is an impressive piece of technology with high definition streams, a range of sensors, and a budget friendly price. It serves as a strong entry point into the world of smart home security, especially now at the beginning of the Christmas season.

It competes with other products that are similarly new to the market, such as the Blink Video Doorbell. The SwannBuddy is making a name for itself as a great option for people who live in apartments (or just those who are not that savvy with tools) as it doesn't have to be hard-wired. It can run on batteries alone while offering performance comparable to much higher quality video doorbells.

However, the SwannBuddy is not perfect. While I found it to be easy to set up and use, there are several places I think the video doorbell could be improved upon.

Installation and setup

The SwannBuddy Video Doorbell isn't difficult to set up, but the instructions that come with it are a bit confusing. If you can't hardwire the doorbell to anything, such as For example, if you live in an apartment or your doorbell doesn't have a C-cable, don't worry – you can attach it directly to your door with the adhesive provided.

You'll need to charge the battery first, a process that can take up to six hours. An included USB charger means all you have to do is plug in the SwannBuddy, and a light on the front of the camera tells you when it's fully charged. The battery life is pretty impressive; after a week of frequent use with almost hourly triggers, the SwannBuddy was still 75%.

The SwannBuddy lights up red while recording.

You can also use screws to attach the bracket to your door. However, regardless of how you mount the doorbell, you will need a screwdriver. A tamper-evident screw is inserted through the bottom of the bracket into the video doorbell itself.

Although the hardware to hardwire the doorbell is included, there are no instructions that show how to perform this particular task. Of course, a short YouTube video could solve this problem too.

The SwannBuddy gong plays six different melodies.

In addition to the SwannBuddy, you will find a carillon in the box. This device runs on two AA batteries and automatically connects to your doorbell. As soon as someone rings the doorbell, the gong sounds – quite loud the first time if you have not already adjusted the volume in the settings.

Pairing your new SwannBuddy doorbell with the app is as easy as scanning the QR code and following the on-screen instructions. There's nothing to it, especially if you've already set up a smart device.

Software and performance

If someone rings your doorbell and you're not home, check your phone to see who it is. To the right? The main problem I had with the SwannBuddy is the loading time. It takes up to 15 seconds or more to load the camera into the app.

In nine out of ten cases, I look at the history in the app to see who has come to the door. It doesn't load fast enough to catch them while they're still at the door, especially if it's a delivery driver or someone in a rush. The SwannBuddy only notifies you when movement is detected. It doesn't actually warn you if someone rings the doorbell unless you've already configured this setting, but it seems like it should be on by default.

Even in minimal light, the camera is powerful enough to see finer details.

These two issues baffled me during my doorbell use, but both feel that software updates could easily fix them. A couple of patches could all but resolve my main complaints about this device. With these issues aside, the rest of the Swann app is intuitive. There are three modes to choose from: Home, Night and Away. You can configure the modes to have different levels of motion detection and whether you want to receive push notifications or not.

The Activity tab shows an overview of all warnings for the day, divided into two categories: Movement and System. Motion alerts appear whenever something happens on the doorbell, but system alerts only appear when you change modes. As far as I could tell, the SwannBuddy doesn't use geofencing, so there are no automatic mode changes when you leave the house.

On the Live View tab, you can check any Swann camera you have activated, whether it's a security camera or just the doorbell. It's an easy way to see all of your video feeds in one place, but again, it can take a few seconds for the video to load.

The Device Settings menu is where you can select your doorbell and change its settings, but this is another area where I think the performance is not optimal. Every time I loaded SwannBuddy, I got the warning “Some of the device information is out of date”. This would go away after a few seconds, but during that time I couldn't access any of the settings. I could only wait for the app to finish loading.

This menu allows you to change the name of the device, its time zone, the connected Wi-Fi network, and view the Wi-Fi strength and battery level. You can also adjust things like the camera's date format, whether or not color night vision is used, and the speaker and microphone volume.

The Swann app gives you access to most of the essentials you need, but I wish there were more options – like the ability to change the gong. It is currently playing a Christmas jingle that lasts for twenty seconds. I would love to change it to a simple doorbell from the app. Instead, changing the melody requires pressing a physical button on the bell unit itself. Yes, there are six options to choose from, but most of them just feel redundant.

characteristics

One area in which the SwannBuddy excels is motion detection. The doorbell uses True Detect technology and can record movement and heat for more reliable alarms. It can also differentiate between humans and animals.

With two-way conversations, you can speak to visitors or leave instructions for delivery staff (provided the app loads fast enough to chat with them) while viewing both your door and the floor in front of you through a 180-degree perspective can see of it. At this time of year it means that you can keep an eye on all the packages that are being delivered to your home.

The SwannBuddy video doorbell can be hard-wired or battery operated.

The SwannBuddy contains a 32 GB SD card with which you can store footage locally on the device. Clips are also stored in the cloud for easy access. The SwannBuddy can also be integrated with the Google Assistant and Alexa. You can view the feed on any of these devices by asking the Smart Assistant to show you the screen.

If your veranda light is switched off at night, the SwannBuddy can see up to 5 meters with infrared vision. Even in minimal light, the camera is powerful enough to see finer details about anyone who passes by your door.

Finally, the SwannBuddy has an IP56 rating. It can withstand almost all weather conditions. You don't have to worry that direct sunlight or a rain shower will damage the device.

Our opinion

The SwannBuddy Video Doorbell is a great device that is tarnished by a few small but extremely annoying issues. At $ 150, it's cheap enough that I can easily overlook these issues in order to do anything that gets it right. The potential of the doorbell could easily be exploited with a few software patches. If I already had a full setup of Swann cameras, adding the SwannBuddy to the repertoire would be a breeze.

All in all, it's not a bad doorbell, but it's also not the best I've ever seen. Its ability to run on either batteries or hardwired and its impressive specifications save it from being just another video doorbell in the smart home blitzkrieg.

Are there alternatives?

If you're looking for the top-of-the-line, you can't go wrong with the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2. It's an expensive piece of hardware (priced at $ 250), but it gives you access to all of Ring's impressive technology, like bird's eye view and automatic, Alexa-powered responses.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Blink Video Doorbell costs just $ 35 but sacrifices features in the name of savings. It still streams and records in 1080p, but the connection to the device is a little less streamlined and requires the sync module 2 or membership with the Blink subscription.

How long it will take?

The SwannBuddy Video Doorbell is made of a fairly sturdy material. It feels good and heavy in the hand and is bulky enough to give the impression of quality. With proper care, it should last for years. If something happens, Swann offers a one-year guarantee from the date of purchase.

Should you buy it?

Yes sir. Despite its problems, the SwannBuddy Video Doorbell does well. I hope Swann releases updates that fix the issues I was having with it.

Editor's recommendations



21 Nov
Blog

Everyone’s Bike: The NordicTrack S22i Review

When I got the chance to review the NordicTrack S22i Studio Cycle, of course I said yes. I had recently been looking for a home biking option during the rainy winter months in Oregon so it was an exciting prospect to try this bike out. Indoor exercise machines have come a long way since I was in my early 20s, and there are plenty of affordable options for those who want to occasionally skip the gym or try their own exercise program.

When I got the chance to review the NordicTrack S22i Studio Cycle, of course I said yes. I had recently been looking for a home biking option during the rainy winter months in Oregon so it was an exciting prospect to try this bike out. Indoor exercise machines have come a long way since I was in my early 20s, and there are plenty of affordable options for those who want to occasionally skip the gym or try their own exercise program.

NordicTrack has been in business as a brand for a very long time. In fact, my 12 year old treadmill is a NordicTrack (and it still works perfectly). NordicTrack has a long tradition of developing durable, high quality products for gyms and home use. Of those I spoke to, NordicTrack is a household name and is widely recognized by the average Joes to the fitness enthusiast. Most agree that there is a place in the home for stationary devices.

About the NordicTrack S22i studio cycle

The S22i is a fully adjustable stationary bike. It has an adjustable 22-inch touchscreen with two digitally amplified speakers and an aux connection. There is also an HDMI option for use with a TV, but you may not need it as the monitor can be tilted and also rotated 360 degrees.

The bike uses WiFi to connect to NordicTrack's iFit programming, which houses all of the training sessions. Use the touchscreen to keep track of your stats, adjust the volume, and more. The monitor also includes an adjustable AutoBreeze fan so you can feel the wind on your face while driving in the hot mountains of Chile.

The flywheel is inertia enhanced and features SMR (Silent Magnetic Resistance) technology, so turning is very quiet. Leveling feet are attached to the base to keep the bike stable during exercise. The frame is made of standard steel and is designed for riders up to 350 lbs.

Every part of the bike is adjustable, from the saddle position to the handlebars, and the ergonomics are easy to adapt to different body types. The bike comes with normal bike pedals and straps, but can be replaced with pedals of your choice.

The S22i's multi-position handlebar starts near the seat of the bike for closer hand positioning and goes up near the screen where adjustable OneTouch controls on the handlebars for manual resistance (24 levels) and incline settings from -10% to 20. sit %. The handlebars also have a non-slip grip.

The saddle is vertically and horizontally adjustable to accommodate a range of interior seams and comfort levels.

The Studio Cycle comes with a one-year iFit membership that gives you access to hundreds of rides of all types – studio, beginner, mountain bike, road bike – and includes off-the-bike training options. Additionally, the S22i comes with two 3 pound dumbbells that are used in some of the workouts that are guaranteed to make you thirsty, so it's a good thing that there are two places for water bottles.

Workouts include bootcamp style workouts, high energy studio sessions, instructor-led global workouts, incline cycling, yoga, and full body options, among others. There are almost every type of ride and level of difficulty along with varying options for the length of the rides, some as short as 20 minutes, some longer.

The frame of the S22i is 56.9 inches high, 55 inches long and 21.9 inches wide, making it small enough for living or storage in an apartment when needed. The bike only needs a normal socket for the power supply and, if necessary, can be easily moved using small wheels attached to the frame. There is a 3-year parts guarantee and a 1-year labor guarantee in case something should happen.

S22i in the home screen view.

NordicTrack iFit programming

Once you are connected to the WiFi and logged into your account, the user has a variety of programs to choose from. New workouts are uploaded every day and there are a variety of trainers to choose from depending on your mood or goals.

The programs all offer interactive training so that the trainer adjusts the incline and resistance for the training units as the program progresses. You can override this feature at any time during your workout, but you will most likely meet your calorie and wattage goals if you are able to keep up with the cadence and let the bike adapt to you.

IFit programming uses Google Maps so you can see parts of the world that you might not otherwise see during your training rides. With your login, your stats are tracked and show weekly totals along with trips. The program is easy to use, so four profiles per membership can be created so the whole family can keep track of their stats.

NordicTrack S22i screen

Prices and delivery

The S22i is priced at $ 2999 (there is currently a $ 1000 discount on shopping cart) and includes a one-year membership to iFit. There are also funding options.

There is an option to ship and install the white glove for $ 249 – this includes shipping, assembly, and installation. If you choose not to use the delivery service, shipping is free and there is a general 30-day return policy.

So what did I think?

This is a great looking bike. The quality of the frame and the components are all very good. The engineering behind the design is well researched and planned. Everything you need is at your fingertips while spinning. So whenever you need to grab your weights, have a sip of water, or adjust the resistance, everything is readily available.

I think the workouts available on iFit are really fabulous – there really is something for everyone at every level. There are a wide variety of coaches, some of whom are former Olympic athletes. When you ride you feel like you are with them. All of the trainers are encouraging for the duration of any workout, and all of them are great at communicating cadence and positioning while riding so that you can get the most out of the workout.

The seat, as I expected, took some getting used to. It can easily be exchanged for a different type of seat if this does not meet your requirements. On the third ride, I didn't even notice the seat. My first rides were with the pedals and straps that came with it.

They are high quality components, but for my preference I swapped these out for clip-in pedals and while getting a lot out of the workouts initially, the clip-ins made a big difference in my ability to keep up with what it took to do some workouts Cadence. If you do decide to buy an S22i, I highly recommend installing clip-in pedals – they were quick to replace, only a few minutes.

The bike is stable while driving and does not feel thin or light when you get up and sit down quickly. The handlebar offers a comfortable grip and grip, regardless of whether you are standing or sitting. At first I couldn't move the handlebar up and down, but I found that the adjustment required more force as the monitor is part of the handlebar assembly. It's easy, but some pressure needs to be applied. The seat adjustment is much easier as there is no weight on the part that slides into the frame.

The fan works well and the screen responds very well to touch while driving. The background music can be set separately from the trainer's voice so that you can hear as little or as much of it as you want during your workout.

At the top of the screen, your stats are displayed as you drive so you know where you are while you are driving. At the end of the journey, your total values ​​are calculated and displayed. Before and after each training there is a separate warm-up and cool-down every few minutes. Some of the workouts also include warm-up and cool-down instructions.

One thing that I noticed is that the sound surprised me the first time I set the slope. It is not silent like spinning. It works very well and is part of the workout so after the first couple of listening sessions I got used to the sound. Also, I should be pedaling hard enough that I can only hear the instructor's instructions, right?

The bike can also be used manually. So if you decide against exercising, you can still use it as a normal ergometer. One cool thing is that the HDMI cable allows you to play the ride on your TV. I have a separate good old spinning wheel and my daughter sometimes jumps on it and rides next to me, and that makes it even more fun.

S22i in the Homebase view.

The bottom line

In my opinion, this bike is well worth the money. Together with the 30-day return policy, you really can't go wrong if you don't like it. It's great fun and I look forward to using it every time. This is an excellent buy and I don't see any downside to this bike. Everything works as it should and as advertised.

Two very enthusiastic thumbs up from me.

We don't get paid to leave reviews. We can receive affiliate payments for links to Amazon for purchases. You are not worth the price to sell your soul, so our integrity remains unsullied.

20 Nov
Blog

Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro+ Review: Quietly Loud and Smart

Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro + on hardwood floor.

Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro +

RRP $ 700.00

"With the Deebot N8 Pro + you spend less time babysitting and can concentrate more on other things than vacuuming."

advantages

  • Very low noise when vacuuming

  • Mop floors very well

  • Avoid most obstacles

disadvantage

  • Mopping plate is difficult to remove

If you haven't dealt with the robot vacuum cleaner for a long time, you may notice a special trend over the last year: self-emptying bots that do the job without any interaction from us humans. Sure, you still have to empty the bag at some point when it's full, but this iterative feature makes it more autonomous.

Most of the big brands offer some sort of self-draining robot hoover, including Ecovacs with its latest model, the Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro +. You may be wondering what's so special about this one that we've never seen before, but the convenience of a self-draining vacuum cleaner is only part of the bigger equation. Can he also clean intelligently without being hindered by obstacles? Here is what I found out.

draft

One look at the Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro + and there's no denying that it's built like every other robotic vacuum cleaner I've seen. Even if the aesthetics are so extraordinary, the only distinguishable aspect here is the bluish paintwork. It's worth noting, however, that it has two side sweeping brushes that help funnel debris into the underside brush and work at a slower speed to keep small bits of debris from being flung in all directions.

Top view of the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro +.John Velasco / Digital Trends

The Ozmo N8 Pro + also has a wipe function that makes it a double-duty model. The microfiber pad in particular is not like the skimpy pad other robotic vacuums use – it actually has substance to make contact with the floor! Unfortunately, removing the mopping plate from the water tank isn't as intuitive as I'd like it to be because you really need to use some force on it.

navigation

Lidar technology enables the Deebot N8 Pro + to clean efficiently, reducing time and maximizing its cleaning schedule. From the start of the first cleaning, he managed to map the different rooms in my apartment because he is actively vacuuming. On the second go-around, I could tell that it knew exactly what to do from the start, as it would move in a zigzag pattern in free space.

Close-up of the sensors of the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro +.John Velasco / Digital Trends

Corners are also handled very well, but it's worth noting that it's also fairly gentle when cleaning around furniture and other obstacles it encounters while vacuuming. Similar to other vacuums with lidar technology, there is the option to set up no-go zones or virtual walls to prevent the bot from entering certain rooms, which is handy when you have places that you don't want to disturb.

Obstacle avoidance

The Deebot N8 Pro + uses laser-based 3D technology, which Ecovacs calls TrueDetect, which gives it the vision of seeing what is in front of it and figuring out the best way to get around it. For the most part, it does the job, but it's still not without its flaws.

Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo N8 Pro + on hardwood floor.John Velasco / Digital Trends

For example, it intelligently sucked around a lonely sock that was lying on the floor – and it was good also to avoid water bowls that I left on the floor for my cats. However, it can still be tripped over by those pesky cable wires on the floor, especially the thinner ones I use for my smartphones. It seems to distinguish thicker cable wires better, like those found on power strips or other large devices, but the thinner ones are a hit-or-miss.

But I have to admit that the Deebot N8 Pro + is not as stuck as other vacuum robots. Sure, it can get under some furniture, like an entertainment center, but it does a good job of telling whether or not it has the required passage.

Cleaning performance

Thanks to its two side brushes, the Deebot N8 Pro + treats hard floors like a champion. Pet hair and other smaller particles of dirt will be eaten up with no problem, but the same deep cleaning that I get from traditional upright vacuums when it comes to carpets and rugs still cannot be achieved. Its suction power increases when it touches carpets, but only ensures superficial cleaning.

Since it is a 2-in-1 combination, adding a wiping function offers enormous added value here. Although it relies only on water to mop floors, my feet can tell how much cleaner my hardwood floors feel than if I just vacuumed them. I also like how you can use the app to set how much water the Deebot N8 Pro + emits during cleaning. More stubborn buildups, however, required several passes to be completely removed. But you are still unbeatable to have a bot that can mop and vacuum at the same time.

An often overlooked aspect of robotic vacuums is how loud they sound when vacuuming. I was surprised at how quietly the Deebot N8 Pro + runs, low enough that it never distracted me while I was working. Compared to other vacuum robots, such as the iRobot Roomba i7 +, it is significantly quieter in operation. Only when it empties its contents into the self-emptying charging station is it loud and distracting. It sounds like a jet engine, but that's what most of them sound like.

Our opinion

Ecovacs is undoubtedly up to something good with the $ 700 Deebot N8 Pro +. It's a reliable bot that cleans well, doubles as a mop and even empties itself. All of these factors definitely add incredible value – especially when it is able to tackle most obstacles without major intervention.

Is there a better alternative?

The Samsung Jet Bot AI + would be the only other superior vacuum robot to consider. It offers exceptional obstacle avoidance, has a self-draining bin and even has a neat security camera patrol mode that can monitor movement. For this, however, you pay significantly more.

The only other model that corresponds to the Deebot N8 Pro + in terms of price and performance is the iRobot Roomba j7 +, which is faster in cleaning performance and handles obstacles just as well.

How long it will take?

Proper maintenance will extend the life of the Deebot N8 Pro +, so it is important to keep the brushes free from tangles and to remove any dust that collects over the sensors. There is a one-year limited warranty that comes with the product and covers defects.

Should you buy it?

Yes sir. Why pay for two different robots when you can get a single one that can vacuum, mop, self-drain, and confidently navigate your home without tripping too many times.

Editor's recommendations



19 Nov
Blog

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 Review: An E-Ink Experiment

Lenovo Thinkbook Plus Gen 2 review

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2

RRP $ 1,696.00

"The Lenovo ThinkPad Plus Gen 2 is just fast enough for productive users and has reasonable battery life, but its e-ink display stands out as a unique and useful feature."

advantages

  • Innovative e-ink panel

  • Excellent IPS main display

  • Very good keyboard and touchpad

  • Good build quality

  • Thin and light

disadvantage

  • Expensive

  • There is a lack of performance

  • Insufficient connectivity

If you're an avid reader like me, e-ink is magical. You will likely appreciate the way e-ink makes reading more comfortable, while causing far less eye strain and putting a minimal drain on battery life.

But is there any application that goes beyond simple e-readers? Lenovo has been at the forefront of experimenting with e-ink, and its latest creation embeds a 12-inch e-ink display right on the lid of a laptop called the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2. The laptop is an upgraded version of the thin and light ThinkBook 13x, a device for small businesses.

I tested a high-end configuration of the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 with a Core i7-1160G7 and a 13.3-inch 16:10 WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600) display that came at a premium price of US $ 1,696 -Dollars is being sold. Like the ThinkBook 13x, it is a bit overpriced for a basic business laptop. However, the e-ink screen may be worth the premium for anyone looking to read e-books, write notes on a more comfortable display, or take lots of notes without running out of battery.

E Ink display

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 in e-ink mode.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

We'll start with the e-ink display, because that's what sets this laptop apart, of course. It's a 12-inch panel compared to the previous generation's 10.8-inch version – it takes up more space on the lid, with large bezels that would have looked normal on a standard display just a few years ago. The e-ink screen is 16:10 like the main display and sharp at the same WQXGA resolution.

It's also not backlit, so like all e-ink screens, it can only be used with direct lighting. There will be more to that shortly, but in general, it's a good thing. It's designed to protect your eyes from the blue light that standard displays emit and, in theory, make it less tiring to use for long reading sessions.

In order to be able to use the e-ink display comfortably, I needed a lot of ambient light.

The e-ink display works just like the one you find on the Amazon Kindle and other specialty e-book readers. Its image is made up of tiny black and white particles that electronically align themselves in the right direction to create a grayscale image. As such, the display will freeze until it is updated, which takes noticeably time and causes the typical warping effect you get with the technology. This makes the display suitable, for example, for showing documents and other information, for reading e-books and for taking notes. It doesn't work well for watching video or any other thing that requires a fast refresh rate.

When the laptop is idle or turned off, the static image offers some personalization – you can choose your own wallpaper that will become the aesthetic of the lid. When enabled, by default you will be presented with a number of panels of customization information, such as: B. Your Outlook calendar (if configured), the weather, a notebook, and customizable buttons to open supported applications.

I was able to add and run every application I had installed on the laptop, including the full suite of Office apps, Google Chrome, and the Kindle reader for PC, although not every application works well with e-ink technology. Gaming is certainly out of the question, and you should avoid apps that require immediate response to input.

If I bought the laptop, I would upgrade to Windows 11, join the Windows Insider Program, and install the Android version of the Kindle app. That would give me a huge e-book reader that is as good as a Kindle without lighting.

The e-ink display of the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 in tablet mode. Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

And for me there is the catch. In order to be able to use the e-ink display comfortably, I needed a lot of ambient light. My home office, which is normally lit by indirect sunlight, did not have enough light by default. I had to actively turn on a lamp just above the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2's e-ink display to get a clear view of the image. It's the same with my Kindle Paperwhite, where the lights are switched off and don't knock on the e-ink display itself. It's just that the technology requires good lighting, and that limits its usefulness.

If you want to take something to the beach at the same time (in a plastic bag or something to protect it from the sand) the display looks amazing in direct sunlight. In fact, that's one of the e-ink display's greatest strengths. It gives you something to use when outside or in an unusually bright setting. Standard laptop displays are rarely bright enough to beat the Southern California sun, and I can imagine using the e-ink display on such occasions for things like email triaging, web browsing, and of course, e-booking. To use reading.

draft

Close-up of the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 webcam.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 shares an almost identical case with the ThinkBook 13x, a thin and light brother of the ThinkBook 13s Gen 2. Chassis. The ThinkBook 13s is a bit more solid than the other two, which have a slight bend in the lid, while the keyboard deck and lower case are solid. This bending is a little more worrying about the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 given its e-ink display.

The Dell XPS 13 is an example of a more rugged 13-inch laptop, as is the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano. The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 benefits from the same military durability tests as all ThinkBook and ThinkPad laptops.

In terms of size, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 and ThinkBook 13x are equally wide and deep thanks to identical 16:10 13.3-inch displays with small bezels. The ThinkPad 13x is slightly thinner at 0.51-inches and lighter at 2.49 pounds than the 0.55-inch and 2.56-inch ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 – likely due to the e-ink display. The ThinkBook 13s is only slightly thicker at 0.59 inches and heavier at 2.78 pounds.

The XPS 13 is slightly smaller in width and depth, measuring 0.58 inches and 2.8 pounds, while the ThinkPad X1 Nano is slightly thicker at 0.68 inches and the lightest of them all at 2.14 pounds. If you're sticking an e-ink screen onto a clamshell laptop, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 is a relatively thin and light candidate.

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 has almost identical aesthetics to the ThinkBook 13x, with slightly tapered edges on the sides and a rounded back edge on the case. It's the darker Storm Gray color compared to the silver Cloudy Gray on our Thinkpad 13x test device, and it has a comfortable, soft coating on the keyboard deck that the ThinkPad 13x lacks. Overall, the design is tasteful and no-nonsense, following a current trend towards minimalist designs that I noticed.

Of course, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 does not share the two-tone lid of the ThinkBook 13x, but instead has the E-Ink display. The XPS 13 is slimmer and more elegant, but the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 stands out even more thanks to its unique lid.

Two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 and a 3.5 mm audio jack on the left side of the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2.

Power button on the right side of the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2.

Just like the ThinkBook 13x, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 is a challenge when it comes to connectivity. There are two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 and a 3.5mm audio jack, and that's it. It's the same unfortunate compromise in connectivity that is required to produce a thinner case. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 offer wireless connectivity. An interesting option that is available on certain models (and not on my test unit) is wireless charging. These versions come with pogo pins on the bottom of the case connected to a $ 200 wireless charging kit – just place the laptop on the pad and you can charge without plugging it in. That is a nice comfort.

power

Like the ThinkBook 13x, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 is equipped with an energy-saving 11th generation Intel Core CPU, in this case the Core i7-1160G7. It also runs with up to 15 watts compared to the 28-watt Core i7-1165G7, which is more popular in thin and light laptops. That promises longer battery life, but slower performance. I didn't notice any slowdowns during my tests, but my verification process isn't very demanding. The 16GB of RAM and swift 512GB SSD helped keep things moving, and that's how I found the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 fast enough for most productivity workers.

My benchmark results weren't impressive. The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 took third place in Geekbench 5, ahead of the ThinkBook 13x and the ThinkPad X12 Detachable. The Handbrake result, which reflects how long it takes to encode a 420MB video as H.265, was the last time, although the results improved from 303 seconds to 206 seconds when I used the Lenovo utility to switch from standard to performance mode – faster but still behind the pack.

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 took penultimate place in the Cinebench R23 test, beating only the ThinkPad X12 Detachable, and its multi-core test jumped from 3,949 to 4,254 when I enabled performance mode. In the PCMark 10 Complete Benchmark, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 was more competitive and took third place. The results were decent in both the essentials and productivity areas of the benchmarks and not as competitive in the content creation area.

Overall, the benchmarks confirmed my subjective experience: The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 is fine for a reasonable productivity workflow, but demanding users and particularly creative professionals will want to look for their primary laptop elsewhere. As with the ThinkBook 13x, Lenovo chose a low-power CPU to better fit into the thinner case, and it was a poor compromise.

Geekbench (single / multiple) Handbrake
(Seconds)		 Cinebench R23 (single / multiple) PCMark 10 3DMark time spy
Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 (Core i7-1160G7) 1396/5115 303 1377/3949 4861 1580
Lenovo ThinkBook 13x (Core i5-1130G7) 1337/4863 271 1282/4037 4590 1363
Lenovo ThinkBook 13s Gen 2 (Core i5-1135G7) 1406/5379 178 1357/5502 4668 1511
Lenovo ThinkPad X12 detachable (Core i5-1130G7) 1352/4796 185 1125/3663 4443 926
Dell XPS 13 (Core i7-1185G7) 1549/5431 204 1.449 / 4.267 3,859 1,589
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 (Core i7-1165G7) 1327/5201 170 1469/4945 5147 1776
Samsung Galaxy Book (Core i5-1135G7) 1401/5221 175 1361/5391 4735 1584
Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 (Ryzen7 5700U) 1184/6281 116 1287/8013 5411 1247

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 does surprisingly well in the 3DMark Time Spy test. However, that didn't carry over to our Fortnite test, which only managed 18 frames per second (fps) at 1200p and epic graphics. This is not a gaming laptop.

Main display

I mentioned that the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 and ThinkBook 13x are almost identical outside of the former's e-ink display, and I noticed this similarity when I started working with the main 16:10 IPS display. It looked the same to me, with the same high resolution, the same dynamic and natural colors and the same deep contrast (for an IPS display). I couldn't tell the two apart when I looked at them side by side.

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 has an excellent IPS display that creative types can operate in no time at all.

According to my colorimeter, these are actually the same panels. The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 was bright at 418 nits, had a slightly above average color width at 76% AdobeRGB and 100% sRGB, very accurate colors at a DeltaE of 1.03 (1.0 or less is excellent) and a strong contrast at 1,440 :1. The ThinkBook 13x achieved 417 cd / m², the same color width, a DeltaE of 1.04 and a contrast of 1,430: 1. Lenovo has opted for an excellent display for both devices. The 4K display of the Dell XPS 13 was equally good with 420 cd / m², 79% AdobeRGB and 100% sRGB, an accuracy of 1.3 and a contrast of 1,360: 1.

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 has an excellent IPS display.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 has an excellent IPS display that creative types can operate in no time at all. The colors aren't wide enough to be a full-time creative laptop, but the colors are accurate and the contrast is high enough for less demanding developers to get some work done. It's more than good enough for productive users, and Dolby Vision High Dynamic Range (HDR) support makes for great Netflix and Amazon Prime Video bingeing.

Two downward facing speakers handle audio, and I found them to be a bit louder on the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 than on the ThinkBook 13x – but not by much. The mids and highs were nice and clear with no distortion, but the bass was missing. Headphones would be preferred for enjoying Netflix and listening to music, but the sound quality was fine for the occasional YouTube video.

Keyboard and touchpad

Close-up of the keyboard and pen on the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Lenovo has two keyboards that it uses on most of its laptops, the iconic version of the ThinkPad range and the equally recognizable, but not quite as famous, version on laptops like the IdeaPad and ThinkBook. The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 has the latter keyboard, of course, and it has the same molded keycaps, wide key spacing, and snappy switches that make for a comfortable floor movement. There isn't much travel, however, which makes the keyboard a little less suitable for long typing sessions than the HP Specter and Dell XPS series keyboards.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro has an upgraded version of the same basic keyboard with even faster switches, and it's unfortunate that it didn't make it into the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2. The three-level backlight is bright and consistent, but it's the lowest setting, and the keyboard is splash-proof with call buttons for video conferencing – two small business nods to it.

The touchpad is just big enough to be comfortable, with a non-slip surface that enables sensitive and precise swiping. It's a Microsoft Precision touchpad, which means all Windows 10 multi-touch gestures are supported. The display was touch and pen capable and supported the Lenovo active pen that comes with the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 and docks in a slot on the right side of the case. The pen isn't as convenient to use on the main display, but it works well with the e-ink panel and allows for taking notes that look a lot more like ink on paper.

Use the pen to draw a line on the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Passwordless login under Windows 10 Hello is provided by a fingerprint reader integrated into the power button. It worked well during my tests and helps wake up the laptop and log in with the lid closed, which activates the e-ink display. Notice that a dialog box appears on the e-ink panel offering you to continue working or to put the laptop to sleep when you close the lid. It's a nice touch that makes it easy to switch to e-ink mode.

Battery life

The e-ink display of the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 offers 52 watt hours of battery life, a little less than the 56 watt hours of the ThinkBook 13s and another compromise in favor of a thinner case. Inside is a low-power processor but a high-resolution display so I wasn't sure what battery life to expect. My impressions were also influenced by the results I saw on the similarly configured ThinkBook 13x, which were downright mixed.

In our web browser test, which ran through a number of complex websites, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 lasted 7.75 hours, about 40 minutes less than the ThinkBook 13x. That's not a bad score, but we see more thin and light laptops exceed 10 hours on this test. The ThinkBook 13s lasted 9.3 hours, the Dell XPS 13 4K was worse with 6.3 hours.

In our video test replaying a local 1080p movie trailer, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 only achieved 12.75 hours, less than the 15.57 hours of the ThinkBook 13x and more than the 10.5 hours of the Dell XPS 13. Note that the ThinkBook 13x played very choppy videos during the test, suggesting that it may not have booted up enough to get a smooth video and thus wrongly increased its score. The ThinkBook 13s lasted 13.4 hours in the video test.

I also used the PCMark 10 Applications battery test to see how the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 fares as a productivity device. It reached 9.25 hours which is a good score close to the 10 hours we want to see in this test. The ThinkBook 13x lasted 8.5 hours, while the ThinkBook 13s reached 11.5 hours and the XPS 13 4K 8.7 hours. In the PCMark 10 gaming battery test, which shows how hard a laptop works when not connected, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 lasted 2.25 hours, less than the 2.75 hours of the ThinkBook 13x and about the same the ThinkBook 13s. The XPS 13 4K reached 3.5 hours, which suggests it throttles quite a bit during the test, but I didn't notice any chops in its video.

All in all, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 had decent battery life for a thin and light laptop. It should get you through a full day of work which is the standard we like to see. Obviously, using the e-ink display gives you significantly longer battery life, although our benchmark suite isn't designed to test this display technology.

Our opinion

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 is simply judged to be a thin and light notebook and doesn't offer any convincing features to recommend it. It's very similar to the ThinkBook 13x in that regard – yes, it's slightly thinner and lighter than its bigger brother, the ThinkBook 13s, but it's also slower, has less battery life, and lacks the connectivity of the larger device. Those are unfortunate compromises for just a tiny bit less thickness and weight.

Throw in the e-ink display, however, and that changes the dynamics. It's not for everyone, but if you are an e-ink lover and want to use your laptop in bright light environments while taking a break from your eyes, then this is a great feature. It offers just enough value to make the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 a standout laptop for those looking to take advantage of this unique feature.

Are there alternatives?

If you don't care about the e-ink display, the ThinkBook 13s is the better choice. It's less expensive and does the same small business features, it's faster with better battery life, and has better connectivity. There are two versions to choose from, with the Gen 2 running with either Intel or AMD or the slightly updated AMD Gen 3-only model.

Again, the Dell XPS 13 remains a better alternative if you aren't interested in the e-ink panel. The XPS 13 isn't more expensive but has a superior and better looking build, is faster and more durable depending on the display, and you get the option of an incredible 3.5K OLED display.

If a convertible 2-in-1 is more your thing – and you don't care about the e-ink display either – then the Specter x360 14 from HP is a good option. It looks even better, has an excellent 3K OLED display in the preferred aspect ratio of 3: 2, and is better built. You spend the same money but get more value.

How long it will take?

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 has enough build quality that you can be confident that it will last for years and its components are state-of-the-art. The one-year warranty is always disappointing and care should be taken with the e-ink display.

Should you buy it?

Yes, if you use the e-ink panel for longer reading and note-taking sessions. It's a competent thin and light laptop with some tradeoffs, but the e-ink display beats it.

Editor's recommendations



17 Nov
Blog

Pokémon BrilliantDiamond/Shining Pearl Review: Old Faithful

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Promotional pic shows trainers relaxing with their Pokémon in Amity Square.

Pokémon Shiny Pearl and Brilliant Diamond

RRP $ 60.00

"Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl play it safe and reinvent two classic DS games true to the original – sometimes with a mistake."

advantages

  • Great for kids

  • Grand Underground is an improvement

  • Strong endgame

  • Wonderful music

disadvantage

  • Formula adventure

  • Lack of challenge

  • New graphics are too faithful

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are exactly the games fans have been asking for – and they still won't be happy about them. The notoriously hard-to-please fan base has been begging for years for a remake of the Nintendo DS classics Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, but immediately went into nitpick mode when they were actually announced. While the Switch remakes stay true to the originals, the internet discourse is undoubtedly fused with anger over missing features or "cut corners".

However, the entertainment related to the game will sound very different when you have kids. Budding coaches who are venturing into the Sinnoh region for the first time will not know or care whether a popular feature has been tweaked. You will be too busy capturing an army of monsters and battling your way to the Elite Four. The magic is still there as long as you leave decades of luggage at the door.

Nintendo plays it safe with Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and serves two remakes that are almost flawless. A straightforward adventure makes them perfect for kids, but older players can get bored with a familiar structure and lack of challenge. Fortunately, the return to Sinnoh is worthwhile with a strong endgame and the cleverly redesigned Grand Underground.

For the kids

Although I played and enjoyed the original Diamond and Pearl when they first launched in 2006, I couldn't remember much about them going into the remakes. I immediately realized why: They were Pokémon for drawing by numbers.

In a matter of hours, I experience beats that I feel like I've played through a dozen times. In my first gym, I use water attacks to defeat Geodudes and Onixes. Inevitably, I have to fight a fisherman with a team of six Karpadores (Pokémon's favorite punch line). I later infiltrate the headquarters of a seedy company by stepping on teleportation pads. While every other mainline Pokémon game has a crucial characteristic (good or bad) that sets it apart, Diamond and Pearl were just consistent. They doubled what people loved about the original games and polished up the formula with the power of the Nintendo DS.

A trainer looks at a Dialga statue in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

Maybe that's why people remember the classics so fondly, but it's a little too familiar in 2021. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are careful not to change too much in the originals, which will be a relief for those who just want a nostalgic trip that keeps their childhood in Amber. But as someone with no real attachment, I often played on autopilot. A cave full of zubats and geodods? Check. A safari-zone-like area where I can bait and catch monsters? Check. It's as if the ICLA developer is following a strict set of rules.

It doesn't help that the remakes are ridiculously simple. The first time I passed out was in the Elite Four. My Pokémon were consistently 10 to 15 levels above my opponent's monsters, and I was able to take out most of them with one shot. That was without grinding. Anytime it looked like I might be in danger, the game's friendship mechanics saved me like a deus ex machina. Pokémon can dodge inevitable attacks, heal their own status ailments, or hold out with a point of health if their friendship is high enough. I couldn't lose most of the game if I wanted to.

The remakes are the best choice for kids who like Pokémon as cute cartoon to actually play the games.

It is clear who the target group is here: children. Any change in quality of life removes any friction a young player might have – and I don't think that's a bad decision. The remakes are the best choice for kids who like Pokémon as cute cartoon to actually play the games. The straightforward story and the lack of challenges serve as the perfect introduction to the series without completely dumbing down the mechanics as in Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee. Those longing for a more competitive adult experience may need to face the facts: the Mainline series won't grow up with them.

Big changes

While the core structure of the remakes is largely untouched, there are some important changes to the side activities. The biggest difference here is a completely reinterpreted version of the underground called the Grand Underground. In the original games, this was a place where players could dig for treasure and build secret bases in an adorable touchscreen mini-game. That's all mostly intact here (missing some collectibles ruffling some feathers) and as addicting as ever, even without a pen.

ICLA has made impactful changes where they matter most, especially in the Grand Underground.

More importantly, players can now trap creatures in the Great Underground. It has essentially been turned into a giant dungeon crawler full of type rooms and roaming Pokémon. Once I had access to the area, I could come down and add non-Sinnoh monsters like Absol to my team. Most of my last party came from hours spent exploring the underground, which makes up for the fact that Sinnoh's normal Pokémon list is pretty weak. You didn't start with Chimchar? Ponyta would be your only other fire option if it weren't for the Grand Underground.

A trainer exploring the grand underground in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

This updated feature is just one of many that give Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl an impressive endgame beyond the main story. I really enjoyed looking for fossils and statues (which can be used to decorate secret bases) as a different type of post-game collection. There are even more legends to catch after the Elite Four thanks to the new Ramanas Park area. Stickers are also cute collectibles that players can use to create small effects when freeing a creature from their Poké Ball.

Not every feature has been upgraded here. Super Pokémon Competitions are a weak point as they have been reduced to a boring one-button rhythm game. Other DS-centric functions don't translate very well here either. Pokétch returns, offering players a handful of cute apps like a clock, but they'll feel out of place without the DS's second screen. Players can also choose partner Pokémon to follow, but it's a low-cost implementation compared to the Pokémon Let's Go games, which include more playful interactions and a better sense of monster size.

Luxio uses an electric attack in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

There are likely a few other nuances missing that die-hard fans will complain about. Not every aspect of the original games got the same luster here. Even so, the ICLA has made impactful changes where they matter most, especially in the Grand Underground. There are many reasons for players to come back after the credits and I can't tell for a lot of the final installments.

True to a mistake

The remake's most polarizing design decision is its aesthetic approach. Instead of giving Diamond and Pearl the full sword and shield treatment, ICLA chose a "Chibi" art style here. The cute and colorful graphics won't be for everyone, but the choice makes sense. It modernizes the game graphics on the DS, but stays true to its top-down sprite work. It looks essentially the way fans envisioned it in 2006 – and that's exactly what makes a good remake.

But that is a blessing and a curse. The graphics maintain a sense of nostalgia and help avoid some of the “cornering” discourses that plagued the launch of Sword and Shield, but they have a few drawbacks. The world itself suffers particularly as it feels indebted to the original visuals. It feels like every place has been put together with a Super Mario Maker-like asset tool that allows developers to put trees and buildings on a grid. This makes the entire visual experience feel a little flat and devoid of personality.

A trainer explores a cave in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

The music does better, which is proof of how great the original soundtracks are. Classic themes are remixed with surprising rhythmic ticks that undermine my expectations far more than the gameplay. I imagine that this time the music will stay with me more than the cities or the gyms.

It feels like every place has been put together with a Super Mario Maker-like asset tool that allows developers to put trees and buildings on a grid.

It's so true to the original that I wondered if it had to exist at all. Couldn't Nintendo have simply ported the Nintendo DS games to Switch and sold them in the eShop for $ 20? In this particular case the answer is no. The DS's two-screen experience puts many classic games in an odd position. We'll likely never see the concept mirrored again unless Nintendo starts integrating smartphone controller support into its consoles. So the remakes are a necessity in a way.

Perhaps that is why Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are playing it safe. They're trying not to disturb the original template too much as they are essentially replacing it. This publication also serves as a conservation project, regardless of whether this is intended or not. I'd love to play a remake that completely reinvents Sinnoh and turns the formula upside down, but that wouldn't be Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. These games are more like my experience with these games in 2006, and that comes with all its ups and downs.

Our opinion

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are absolutely adorable remakes, even if they aren't the most memorable adventures. Smart tweaks to the Grand Underground help fix some of the bugs of the original games, though other features like Super Pokémon Competitions have been overly simplified. A lack of difficulty and a cute but polarizing art style suggest these remakes are geared more towards kids than adults, which doesn't go down well with some already irritable fans. But if you want to bring the magic of Pokémon to your kids, this is an easy entry point like any other.

Is there a better alternative?

Pokémon Sword and Shield take more creative turns on the formula, even if they don't always land.

How long it will take?

The main game can be completed in 20 to 30 hours thanks to quality of life changes, but there is a lot to do here. Above all, the Grand Underground will offer some playtime.

Should you buy it?

Yes, but keep an eye on your expectations. This is a cute, simple Pokémon game best for kids, not adults who want tough, competitive play.

Editor's recommendations



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