03 Aug
Blog

Asus ROG Strix G15 Review: A Gaming Laptop That Glows

Asus Rog Strix G15 review 01

Asus ROG Strix G15 review: the gaming laptop that lights up

"The Asus ROG Strix G15 offers just enough power to justify its 144 Hz refresh rate."

  • Solid gaming performance

  • RGB lighting is unmistakable

  • High refresh rate

  • Good thermals

  • Thick and chunky

  • No webcam or secure registration

Higher refresh rates have become the main theme for gaming laptops in recent years. Thanks to the performance increase, even gaming laptops at the budget level receive refresh rates of more than 60 Hz.

Asus' eye-catching new gaming laptop, the ROG Strix G15 for $ 1,000, is one of the cheapest laptops you can get with a 144 Hz screen. My test device was only equipped with an Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti, the entry-level option for serious mobile games.

Is that enough to properly power a 144 Hz display? Let's find out.

design

Asus designed the ROG Strix G15 in collaboration with BMW, which at first sounds interesting. Unfortunately, the car-inspired aesthetic is nothing new – it has been in the DNA of gaming equipment for many years.

The design collaboration leads to a plastic gaming laptop with many ribs, lines and structured materials. This is fake brushed metal that you can feel at your fingertips. Nevertheless, I prefer the look over something gaudier like the Acer Predator Helios 300.

The ROG Strix G15 is made entirely of plastic, although the structural integrity of the ROG Strix G15 is rather tank-like. The lid is the only weak point. It is easy to bend or bend and the hinge slams the lid unless it is at least 50% open.

The all-round light bar brightens your desk with a dash of RGB color.

My device came completely in black and Asus says it is a "professional person". Frankly, nobody will confuse it with anything other than a gaming laptop. Laptops like the Razer Blade or MSI GS66 Stealth are better suited for a meeting (if you still have them).

What the ROG Strix G15 has are lights. A lot of lights. The keyboard has a backlight for each key. This is just the beginning. The ROG Strix G15 has an “all-round light bar” that brightens your desk with a dash of RGB color. The LEDs themselves are not directly visible and leave a diffuse glow underneath. It's a nice effect that sets the Strix G15 apart from the sea of ​​other black gaming laptops.

The ROG Strix G15 is not thin or light. It weighs 5.7 pounds and is just under an inch thick. Even the Dell G3 gaming laptop, which is chunky in itself, outperforms the Strix G15 in portability. The Strix G15 also has a large footprint thanks to the placement of the connections on the back. To compensate, the laptop has a solid chin bezel. There is a significant gap between the display and the rest of the case. This means that the screen sits higher than some 17-inch laptops when open.

The ROG Strix G15 has a typical keyboard layout, although there are some eccentricities. I like the colorful WASD buttons and the additional function buttons on the side. Asus has also pulled some important keys from the function bar, e.g. B. the volume control. Unfortunately, the buttons used are mushy and feel imprecise.

The touchpad works well for a gaming laptop in this price range. It has a smooth surface and traces well enough, although Asus has opted for old-school, left and right physical buttons that feel dated and cut into the usable touchpad area. As with many Asus laptops, you can turn on a digital number pad on the touchpad because the keyboard lacks one. It works pretty well, but the accountants won't be happy.

Ports

The ROG Strix G15 follows the trend to move many less used ports into the background. Here are your video output options, whether via HDMI 2.0 or USB-C. The USB-C connector is not a Thunderbolt 3 and does not support a power supply. To charge, you have to stick to the proprietary barrel connector, which is also on the back next to an RJ45 Ethernet socket.

The only ports on the sides of the device are three USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports and a headphone jack. The right side is completely port free.

The Strix G15 does not include a webcam like most Asus gaming laptops sold today. This decision makes sense in a vacuum, as Asus knows that gamers who stream need a better external webcam. However, this decision is timed poorly due to the sudden popularity of work from home.

Finally, the Strix G15 does not include an IR camera or fingerprint reader for secure Windows Hello logins. It includes the latest Wi-Fi 6 for connectivity and Bluetooth 5.0.

display

The display makes the ROG Strix G15 an interesting gaming laptop. But not because the picture quality of the panel is so impressive. It's sub-par in almost every way, and the colors are the biggest downside.

It only affects 65% of the sRGB color space, which is poor compared to 98% of a laptop like the Razer Blade or MSI GS66 Stealth. Even the affordable Dell G5 SE reaches 98%, as do midrange laptops like the Lenovo Yoga C640. It has a light green hue, which makes my skin look almost sick in a YouTube video we recorded. However, this is less noticeable in games.

It's not a bright panel with a maximum of 278 nits, but the matte finish helps avoid sharp reflections. Let's face it, you'll likely be playing games in dimly lit rooms anyway.

The refresh rate is the outstanding feature of the display. A year or two ago, 144 Hz was the standard for high-end gaming laptops like the Razer Blade. Nowadays 300 Hz screens have raised the standard, while the ROG Strix G15 can be configured up to 240 Hz. At this price, it is still rare on gaming laptops, which makes the screen of the ROG Strix G15 a highlight of its gaming experience.

Game performance

The ROG Strix G15 may only have a poor Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti for graphics on board, but don't underestimate it. Modern 3D titles can be played back without any problems even at maximum settings. It can reach 64 fps (frames per second) in Fortnite, 56 in Battlefield V and 63 in Civilization VI. These are high enough, although they don't use the 144 Hz refresh rate much. If you only play with maximum settings, you won't notice the difference between this and a standard 60 Hz screen.

But it really seems if you reduce the graphics settings a bit. Frame rates increase significantly, and you feel the true power of a higher refresh rate. At medium settings, Civilization VI plays at 108 fps, while Fortnite reaches 86 fps at high settings (less than Epic). Interestingly, it matches the performance of the equally equipped Dell XPS 15 in almost every game for $ 600 less.

The problem? Not all games are as good as these easier titles. Battlefield V is a good example that still only achieves an average of 60 fps at medium settings. Of course you can set it to low if you really want to break 60 fps, but it's not fun. Assassin's Creed Odyssey is an even better example. In the middle setting "high", the game on the ROG Strix G15 only achieves an average of 42 fps. With Ultra High it is only 23 fps.

The system keeps the surface temperatures surprisingly cool even while gaming.

That is why Asus classifies this laptop as "E-Sport". If you're trying to play something more sophisticated – or just want to see more graphic details in your games – the ROG Strix G15 isn't for you.

Here the AMD-based Dell G5 SE is a convincing argument in itself. The AMD Radeon RX 5600M of the Dell G5 SE far outperforms the Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti – in some cases even 48%. On the other hand, Dell sells the G5 SE without 144 Hz in lower configurations. The high refresh rate of the ROG Strix G15 is more suitable for a certain type of player.

Of course, Asus also offers more powerful configurations of this laptop. For example, an attractive option might be the $ 1,500 model, which is equipped with an RTX 2070, a refresh rate of 240 Hz, 16 GB RAM and 1 TB solid-state memory. Razer offers a very similar blade configuration for a whopping $ 500 more.

In addition, the ROG Strix G15 has a cooling advantage over smaller gaming laptops. The system keeps the surface temperatures surprisingly cool even while gaming. This comes at the expense of fan noise (and case thickness), but you'll appreciate the cooling temperatures on the palm rests after long gaming sessions.

Performance in content creation

When it comes to non-gaming performance, the Dell G5 SE is again a problem in comparison. It has an eight-core processor compared to the six-core option in the ROG Strix G15. This means significantly better performance in high threading applications. With a focus on gaming, this may not be a deal breaker for the ROG Strix G15.

My test device came with the Intel Core i7-10750H, 8 GB RAM and a 512 GB SSD. The performance in Cinebench R20 worried me a little. The single-core value even lagged behind measly 15-watt laptops like the Microsoft Surface Book 3. Thanks to the two additional cores, the Dell G5 SE was 26% faster in the multi-core test from Cinebench.

This directly led to how quickly the ROG Strix G15 also ran when encoding video. The Dell G5 SE was 27% faster encoding a 4K film trailer to H.265 in Handbrake. Of course, the ROG Strix G15 was not designed for this type of workload, but if you want to create content on the side (which doesn't depend on the quality of the screen), the ROG Strix G15 can do the job.

The ROG Strix G15 also has an empty M.2 slot for future expansion. You can also upgrade the RAM up to 32 GB.

Battery life

The ROG Strix G15 is not suitable for long sessions outside the wall.

Three hours and 50 minutes in our light web browser test are not good even for a gaming laptop. The Dell G5 SE lasted more than six hours in the same test.

The Strix G15 has proven itself in the video playback test, in which a local 1080p video clip is repeated until the battery is empty. The Strix G15 lasted eight hours and even beat the Dell G5 SE by an hour and a half. Unfortunately, this doesn't match the battery life of a typical workload.

In my daily workload, which consisted of a dozen browser tabs and some applications, it took about four hours on a single charge. There are far better gaming laptops for battery life.

Our opinion

The Asus ROG Strix G15 is a good choice for a certain type of player. It is the cheapest 144 Hz gaming notebook you can buy and offers just enough power to use it in some games. The image quality of the display is disappointing and there are a lot of frills missing from more expensive gaming laptops. Most gamers will be happier upgrading to a laptop with at least one Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti, but the ROG Strix G15 is a good place to start if you need cash.

Are there alternatives?

The Dell G5 SE is a problem for the ROG Strix G15. It is more powerful in almost every way. If you can raise the price to $ 1,050, it even comes with a 144 Hz screen. However, the ROG Strix G15 offers a higher refresh rate with cheaper configurations and has a more polished housing.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i for $ 920 is one of the few cheap gaming laptops with a high refresh rate. It's 120 Hz instead of 144 Hz, but you probably won't notice the difference. It comes with a slower Core i5 processor, but it's also a little cheaper than the ROG Strix G15.

How long it will take?

The ROG Strix G15 is a well-built laptop, but its graphics card isn't the fastest. In a few years, you may find that newer games find it difficult to play smoothly. However, the ability to update RAM and memory is a plus for the durability of the ROG Strix G15.

Asus offers a standard one-year warranty on its laptops. After that you are alone.

Should you buy it

Yes. If you're an e-sports player who cares more about frame rates than graphic details, the ROG Strix G15 gives you just enough power.

Editor's recommendations




03 Aug
Blog

JBL/Under Armour True Wireless Flash X review:

JBL Flash X earphones

JBL / Under Armor True Wireless Flash X.

"A few key upgrades keep the Flash X in the wireless workout mix."

  • Comfortable fit

  • Good passive noise cancellation

  • 10 hours of battery life

  • No volume controls

  • Ineffective ambient noise mode

JBL and Under Armor have teamed up again to launch the new True Wireless Flash X, a $ 170 version of the original second generation True Wireless Flash. Instead of making extensive changes to the workout earphones that are already perceived as good, the Flash X has been updated in some target areas. A few more would have been nice, but let's examine what they put in the newest pair and see if it makes them a more convincing purchase.

Out of the box

JBL / Under Armor has given the packaging of the Flash X some pomp and circumstance. To find the way to these buds, you need to take a shiny envelope out of the box and then lift the lid to reveal the buds. Charging case in a T-shaped foam layer. Additional earplugs and ear fins are located in their own housing on one side of the foam, on the other side there is a USB-C charging cable. Not to forget, all of the documentation you'll ever need for these buds is right under the buds and accessories.

JBL Flash X earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

When you plug in an increasing number of earbuds to perform this function – Apple AirPods, Google Pixel Buds 2 and LG ToneFree – Flash X has a fast pairing function for compatible Android 6.0 devices or higher. If you have one of them, an easy task is now even easier. The buds do the introduction to your phone for you, and all you have to do is keep the conversation going to connect. If you miss this, don't fret. The traditional Bluetooth setup route takes you to the same destination with less excitement.

The Bluetooth 5 technology in the Flash X is great for maintaining connection and providing a solid range.

As with most recently tested real wireless earbuds, the Bluetooth 5 technology in the Flash X works remarkably well to maintain the connection and ensure a solid range. There is of course a limit; I was almost to the end of my side street to take out my trash cans before the buds were finally cut out, well over 50 feet from where I left my phone in my house.

design

In terms of design, the Flash X hasn't changed much from generation to generation. The buds themselves have the same understated aesthetic as the originals, with the Under Armor logo on the end cap and the JBL logo on the side of these otherwise black earbuds. The charging case is incredibly similar, too, and slides open to show the earbuds in the same way that your old filing cabinet was opened in your office cubicle (remember?).

JBL FLash X earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

After finding the best combination of earplug and ear fin, the Flash X showed the same comfortable but tight fit as its predecessors. This style is great for training as these buds do not move while walking and running during transportation and this airtight seal provides effective passive noise cancellation. But after prolonged periods of my body, I submitted to a certain amount of fatigue just because they were implanted in my ears. I would honestly do that about the alternative – buds that stubbornly refuse to stay in your ear – but the Flash X doesn't compete with the Jabra Elite Active 75t, currently the best-fitting real wireless earbuds, so the collective heads of Digital trends.

It's absurd to offer real wireless earphones for $ 180 without a function as simple as volume control.

One thing about the now nostalgic design of the charging case for the Flash X: it's big. Like 117 grams. In comparison, the case for the Apple AirPods is a lively 40 grams. As a training-oriented earphone, I don't know how often you will lug the case around in your pocket. But if so, there is certainly something to explain.

I enjoyed using the controls for Flash X with one exception. There is a single button in each bud that is integrated into the Under Armor logos. You need to remember how many presses on which bud correspond to which command. But the system worked well after a short acclimatization period and was free from the annoying accidental commands associated with budding with touchpads. However, there is no control to increase or decrease the volume unless you go to your preferred language support and ask them to do it for you. I've criticized a lot of earbuds for this in the past, and I'm perfectly fine with the fact that this is the hill I'm dying on. It's absurd to offer real wireless earphones for $ 180 without a function as simple as volume control.

properties

JBL / Under Armor has redesigned some key features of the Flash X, and luckily for those buds, it kept them talking about the top options in the real wireless training class. For example, if the Flash X had maintained the original battery life of five hours (a positive hint for these buds at that time), they would have been blown away by options like the Sony WF-SP800N or the JLab Epic Air Sport.

JBL Flash X earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Instead, the Flash X has a battery life of up to 10 hours (an exact specification, according to my tests), with four additional charges for a total of 50 hours of playback. This is not the case with the Sony models, which can play inactive noise cancellation for 13 hours, but with the Epic Air Sport it is just right and significantly better than with the Jabra Elite Active 75t, which occurs at 7.5 hours and 28 in total for $ 30 more.

The Flash X has first generation IPX7 weather resistance and protects the buds from immersion in up to three feet of water. This is undoubtedly solid for workout earphones. However, the Elite Active 75t has the protection class IP57 for protection against dust and water. The Epic Air Sport offers IP66 protection. Perhaps this would have affected the pricing of these new earbuds, but adding dust protection to the Flash X would have been a significant advance for buds designed for harsh use.

The Flash X has a bionic hearing function, which is essentially an umbrella term for two similar functions: TalkThru and Ambient Aware. According to these companies, TalkThru lowers the music volume and amplifies the language to simplify the conversation with these earbuds. In my experience, this worked well and allowed me to exchange courtesies with people I passed on the way without pulling out a bud. Ambient Aware is designed to amplify ambient noise in order to draw your attention to your surroundings. Perhaps the passive cancellation is just as good, but I found that Ambient Aware mode was largely ineffective to the point where it was difficult to determine whether this feature was enabled or disabled. Fortunately, TalkThru has abated somewhat here, but a lackluster ambient noise feature is a seriously bad combination with great passive noise cancellation.

Audio quality

The Flash X has what is called "JBL Charged Sound" or "bold sound for sports with rich bass to improve your workout" on its datasheet. You should largely ignore all the marketing talk. To go, the 5.8mm drivers in these earphones are full of sound.

JBL Flash X earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

I didn't have the original True Wireless Flash on hand to test the sound alongside the Flash X, but when I compare everything we said about these first generation buds to the Flash X, I don't think the sound The quality has changed a lot here. The bass is big and bold and makes tracks like Drake & # 39; s Gods Plan really unique. You don't have to worry too much about getting pumped up for your workout – with the right music, these buds take care of it themselves.

You don't have to worry too much about getting pumped up for your workout – with the right music, these buds take care of it themselves.

Thanks to melodies such as an acoustic reproduction of Stand By Me by Tom Speight, I also found good details in the upper register. However, as much as the good things about these buds have not changed, a problem of the first generation has raised its head again: I have also noticed a persistent problem when I use it in connection with video. The first generations were noticeably out of sync with YouTube and Netflix videos, and this issue was obviously not addressed in Flash X. I have to guess that watching and working out of videos doesn't overlap often, however, if you are thinking of using them on a treadmill while watching Netflix or live sports on your phone or tablet, we advise you not to . The delay is seriously noticeable.

The Flash X chose dual microphones to improve call quality, effectively. I wouldn't say that these earbuds are something to write home about when it comes to skillfully handling calls. They do the job enough not to be annoyed with them, nor enough to be impressed by their call quality.

Our opinion

The True Wireless Flash X from JBL / Under Armor has some important improvements that will keep you talking alongside the best training buds you can buy. They stay in your ears and sound great about what we expect from music to keep your blood pumping during exercise. However, they do have a handful of unaddressed issues that are difficult to ignore at their price, so they cannot make much progress if they stand up to the competition overall.

Are there any better alternatives?

For some, it might be worth spending the additional $ 30 on the buds with better protection (Jabra Elite Active 75t) or the buds with better batteries (Sony WF-SP800N). Or, it might make sense to save $ 20 and opt for a less slim design in the JLab Epic Air Sport, but with similar features.

How long will they last?

I would prefer dust protection, but I am satisfied with the Flash X with IPX7 weather resistance, lasting build quality and a one-year guarantee. You should get these through many workouts.

Should you buy them

Yes. I wasn't originally sold for $ 170 for second generation True Wireless Flash X, especially because the buds had few major improvements, namely battery life and Bluetooth technology. But they were high-quality earphones the first time, and they still go well with their more expensive counterparts.

Editor's recommendations




02 Aug
Blog

Canyon Grail:ON Review: The Best Gravel E-Bike Available?

Canyon Grail on Rating 3

"The Canyon Gravel: ON is not for the faint of heart, but its premium components and crazy range are worth your attention."

  • Construction quality & design

  • Quality components

  • Powerful engine

  • Enjoyable on the go or on the go

In recent years, the gravel community has consolidated a bicycle culture that cannot be burdened with the unwritten rules of road cycling. This means hairy legs, fat tires, and the emphasis on enjoying the ride, not how fast you can finish it. Although e-bikes grow with their own community, which is somewhat less pronounced, they are accepted more generally than before, simply because they get more people on bikes. Although I know that there is a contingent of elcists dressed in lycra that could question these two statements, e-bikes and gravel bikes are here to stay. I greet the company.

So it makes sense that Canyon introduced it Grail: ON, his first entry into the US e-bike market. If you are not familiar with Canyon, you should be. It makes amazing bikes that are often the best high-end bang for your buck because the company works on a direct-to-consumer model. This means that you won't see any new canyons in your local bike shop, but don't worry. An incredible six-year warranty, 30-day return policy, and easy set up with all the tools included ensure a smooth shopping experience.

The Grail: ON: What is it and what is different?

The Grail: ON was born out of Canyon’s long-standing gravel favorite, the Grail, and makes more changes than just putting on an engine and battery and calling them good. And although the geometry of a bike with the Grail: ON is certainly not the sexiest topic, it is worth mentioning. Canyon considered what it would mean to throw a few extra weights and forces on a bike, and modified it accordingly.

This means that they thickened the side walls of this full carbon frame to cope with the additional abuse while at the same time lengthening the wheelbase and shortening the stem. These changes result in an e-bike that is far more maneuverable than others I've ridden. In fact, the smooth and responsive ride sometimes made me forget that I was riding an e-bike at all.

Outside of the frame and the engine, the Grail: ON's double-decker handlebar is the most important visual difference to other motorcycles. This multi-level drop bar looks partly from hammerhead shark and partly from medieval weapons. It may look crazy, but the result is an increase in comfort that you will soon learn to love.

For the Grail: ONThe integrated stem has been shortened, which brings the floating upper rod closer to the driver. That means a more relaxed and comfortable driving position. The top bar is doubly resilient and also dampens road vibrations when it gets bumpy. I can testify that I was quite skeptical of these claims, but spent more and more time at the top because it took the edge off uneven back streets.

Fat tires? No problem

The Grail: ONs tires also help to relieve bumpy roads. From 40 mm on the grail to 50 mm on the grail: ON, the Schwalbe G-One Bites are gigantic. When I pulled the Grail: ON out of its box, my first thought was that these things were way too big. With a tread pattern just below what I'm considering for a mountain bike, the G-One bites are large, aggressive, and can ride at just 30 psi. This means a lot of traction and additional suspension to absorb bumps, as well as more rolling resistance.

If you only drive loose gravel, this is not a problem. However, if you are like me and drive 80% paved roads with small pieces of gravel, rolling resistance becomes a bigger problem. To my great surprise, on my first outing, I pumped the front and back to 55 psi and was shocked when I was traveling at 21 mph. As the power for the Grail: ON stops at 32 km / h, the tires and the additional weight balanced quite well.

Where I noticed the grail: The weight of ON, which is just over 35 pounds for a medium, was on gravel descents. While I could still throw the Grail: ON around, I definitely drove the 160mm hydraulic disc brakes a bit harder than usual, and this is where the extra size of the tires really came into play. The same tires that I made fun of in my living room have worked well in the real world – I was thrilled to have the extra rubber I could work with.

Battery and motor

The culprit behind the weight of Grail: ON is of course the Bosch Performance Line CX motor and the replaceable 500 watt-hour battery. Canyon chose the Bosch unit because it can achieve a torque of up to 85 Nm, which is just under 63 pound-feet or roughly what an 800 cc motorcycle has.

In contrast to motorcycles, the Grail: ON has no gas – it is a pedelec or a pedal assistant. This means that the motor turns on when you pedal and supports you based on your cadence, the force exerted and the overall speed. The engine output is available in four versions. Eco mode is the least powerful, followed by touring, sports and the undisputed king of the hills, turbo.

All modes are limited to 32 km / h in the US and are selected via the simple but effective Bosch screen, which gives you information about your current speed, range, performance mode and battery life. Of course, you can step over this top speed of 32 km / h on your own and switch off the support if you want to treat yourself to a little more training.

I was not a big fan of Bosch motors in the past because I found them jerky and louder than I expected. The unity in the Grail: ON changed my mind. The smooth delivery never surprised me and at the same time impressed me with the sheer force. My only criticism of the Bosch system is the display. It shows everything that is needed in terms of the engine, but I'm definitely looking forward to the day when I don't have my special bike computer for GPS on board and have to follow my training.

When it comes to the range of the Grail: ON, Canyon estimates that a 210-pound driver will reach a range of just under 70 miles. The range of e-bikes is difficult to quantify due to all the variables in the game, but I was surprised to see that I blew their estimate out of the water and approached 110 miles in eco mode. Admittedly, I'm 170 pounds and mostly drive on paved country roads with a mixture of hilly and flat terrain. However, if you have a battery that lasts that long, the eight-hour charge will be a bit more bearable.

Have a nice trip

How well that helps also with downtimes when charging Grail: ON only sees sitting there. It shouts: "I am different!" much more than it does "I'm an e-bike!" and that will surely be appreciated. No matter whether it is the super clean internal cable routing or the Starship Enterprise frontend, the Grail: ON is an eye-catcher and offers more than just a reasonable share of second looks and inquiries. But it's really the combination of outstanding parts and parts that brings the whole package together.

I talked a lot about the tires, but the DT Swiss bikes are also worth mentioning. With hubs that are padded to absorb the extra torque from the engine, the HGRC 1400 wheelset gives your ride aerodynamics and power. The fact that aerodynamic gains are likely to be wiped out by these monster truck tires is irrelevant. You look great!

The seat post is another Canyon specialty worth mentioning. The leaf spring design smoothes the ride even more than the frame already. When you add the Fizik Argo Tempo saddle, you have a true two-wheeled throne that uses some of the most intelligent design technologies available to the cycling community today.

Speaking of technology, I used the top-class Sram eTap version of the Grail: ON. This means wireless shifting for the 12-speed 10-36 cassette, which is driven by a 44-tooth FSA chainring at the front. While the eTap drivetrain worked flawlessly, there is one strange thing: it uses batteries. The wireless derailleur uses its own battery, so it is not connected to the entire bike.

This means that theoretically I am running out of batteries in the derailleur and I cannot shift while the engine is still fully charged. The Sram batteries last two to three weeks. As long as you charge them with bike lights and headunits, you should be fine. But I wonder if this system would have been better served with a Shimano Di2 setup that still has a hardwired connection and could be integrated into the bike battery.

Warranty information

The bike has a six-year warranty on all Canyon parts and components, and a two-year warranty on all e-bike parts, including the Bosch motor and battery.

Our opinion

The Grail: ON is a first-class gravel bike with an e-bike motor. The Grail: ON offers drivers multiple performance modes while using premium components combined with a frame that has been expertly optimized to meet the highest demands. It is everything I would expect from a world-class manufacturer like Canyon. And with the Grail: After winning a Red Dot Award for bicycle design in 2020, I'm clearly not the only one who believes this.

Is there a better alternative?

The closest competitor is Specialized Turbo Creo SL Comp Carbon at $ 6,750. But with the Specialized, you'll miss out on electronic shifting, improved wheels and tires, and buy a much less dramatic aesthetic. If these things don't inspire you, you might consider them Giant uprising for $ 4,200 as a cheaper option.

How long it will take?

The durability of the Grail: ON definitely depends on your use. While carbon fiber is not known as the most durable material in the world, the built-up thickness that the Grail: ON uses should keep problems at bay. Bosch is now known for building nail-hard electric motors with batteries that are officially designed for 500 charging cycles and allow you to use them for years before you have to replace them. Firmware updates are offered annually by Bosch dealers to keep drivers up to date with the latest improvements to the Kies software.

Should you buy it

Yes. If the price of the $ 6,999 eTap model is a bit too high, you should definitely check out the standard Grail: ON CF8 model. The CF8 has a mechanical gearshift and slightly cheaper DT Swiss wheels, but otherwise has the same benefits as big tires and frame designs for $ 5,799.

Editor's recommendations




02 Aug
Blog

Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro Review: Your Guardian Awaits

Photo of the Vivint outdoor camera.

The Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro

“The Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro uses A.I. to monitor your property and proactively protect it. "

  • Integration with basically everything

  • Smart sentry mode

  • Low profile, inconspicuous

  • Two-way speakers

  • No floodlights

  • No smart screen integration

  • iPad app locked on portrait

Given that there are more home security solutions in the game these days, it's important to know that there are still home security professionals you can call. When these professionals work hand in hand with smart home technology and artificial intelligence, it gets really cool, and that's exactly what we're working with here with the Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro. But first let's talk briefly about the entire "Vivint experience".

As we described in our test last year, Vivint is a smart home / security solution for the whole house that is professionally installed and monitored. All of Vivint's technology is deeply rooted in the entire security system, making it difficult to assess a single component of it. You cannot just buy a Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro and connect it to the house. It's part of the whole. In this case, the Outdoor Camera Pro works most directly with your Vivint Home Security Panel to display videos. It also works with other components in your home, such as: B. your smart locks, lights, etc.

Keep out of the way

One thing I really like about the Camera Pro is how small and humble it is. After checking the Netatmo outdoor camera with siren, the hardware design is day and night. This camera is designed to sit firmly on a corner and go unnoticed unless it sees someone playing around with your things. Then it becomes visible what I will talk about in a moment.

The Vivint outdoor camera is small and inconspicuous.

The camera must be firmly connected to your home, but this is done via the power supply via Ethernet. Basically, a Cat 5 cable leads from the camera to a connected hybrid WLAN adapter, which supplies the camera with power and at the same time transmits the video signal via WLAN. If this sounds intimidating, it may be so, but that's why the camera is installed professionally.

Overall, the picture quality is quite good and sharp. The 140-degree field of view isn't the best, but it does meet the arbitrary minimum standard. A camera like the Arlo Pro 3 gives you a generous 160 degree field of view, which is great. In my garden 140 degrees do the job. You can also use the app to adjust the image quality and bandwidth. I set mine to medium, which was more than sufficient for my needs. The camera also has a full night mode.

Loud and proud

Screenshot of the Vivint app.

As for the rest of the hardware, the camera is equipped with a speaker and a ring light. Through the speaker, you can use the app to speak to anyone who is outside, whether it is an intruder, or your trampoline kids who refuse to come in for dinner. The speaker is loud and clear, so both the intruder and your children know they are bad. Whether one of them cares or not is another conversation. The speaker can also be used as an extension of your alarm so that your neighbors can be notified if something is wrong. The camera can also be a doorbell extender, which is very convenient if you work in the garden or have a socially distant party in the garden. The speaker offers a lot of functions.

At 85 decibels, the speaker is not the loudest, especially when compared to the 108 dB output of the Netatmo outdoor camera. In our tests, however, 85 dB is great for talking to people about the camera, and the Vivint camera also offers protection from professional surveillance. Given the extra layers of protection Vivint offers, it's a little easier to forgive a quiet siren.

Software strengths

Ironically, this camera's software is both its greatest strength and weakness. One really cool, unique thing that this camera does is the wake mode. Sentry mode keeps an eye on your lawn and searches for people. If someone stays in the camera's eye for a period of time (between 1 and 90 seconds), the camera can play a sound and make the ring glow red to indicate that it is a recording. My favorite sound it can play sounds like a human whistle. In theory, the whistling causes an intruder to look into the camera so that a perfect picture of his face is achieved. The wake mode can be activated automatically when your alarm system is activated, on a schedule or manually.

When you switch to the app, use the Vivint app (available for Android and iOS) to display the cameras, view recorded events and unlock the doors directly from the camera view via the app interface. You can also take a photo from the app or view all recorded events. The settings for multiple cameras can also be adjusted in the app so that you can activate the wake mode in the front yard and deactivate it in the background. However, the camera and app have some limitations.

Software challenges

To get footage captured around the clock, you first need a Smart Drive, a physical hard drive module in your home. The Smart Drive is attractive, but costs an additional $ 250. With the hard drive, you can “rewind” for up to 30 days and search through the footage. Without the smart drive, you are limited to events that are recorded when people enter the frame, which leads to our second weakness.

The smart camera only records events when it sees people. It will ignore animals and other movements. It is not ideal. Most cameras can identify people, but they can also record events for cars, animals, or other movements. You can see these things as you scrub through the footage (if you have the smart drive), but it can be easy to miss some of these other movements, which is a real disappointment. As an example, my wife found that an animal ate our vegetable garden, which the camera says is the case. Without recorded events, it is difficult to browse and see what actually arrives there and how.

I have two other minor camera problems. The Vivint app on the iPad is locked in portrait mode. This is an obvious sign that the iPad app is just an enlarged version of the iPhone app. In addition, neither Vivint controls nor cameras are compatible with Alexa or Google Assistant smart screens. The former is a disappointing find for a veteran company like Vivint that does so many other things right. The latter just feels like a total swing and miss. With the increasing spread of smart screens, it should be a matter of course to be able to monitor your garden camera in your Nest Hub in the kitchen. When I asked Vivint about it, I was told the company would look into the possibility of adding both.

Our opinion

Overall, the Vivint Outdoor Pro camera is a solid upgrade to an already solid security system. The safety factor is one thing, but the wake mode surpasses it. Surveillance cameras are usually passive protective devices. But taking care of people and warning them is another level of defense.

I would like to see a floodlight here as another layer of protection – whistle, red light, and then hit them with the flood when they are not running. But at that point, I had already been notified, as had Vivint, so things were done one way or another.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes and No – $ 399 is expensive, and other options offer as much (or more) functionality for a lot less. The Nest Cam IQ Outdoor can be integrated into your smart displays with assistants. The Arlo Pro 3 floodlight camera gives you a floodlight together with the camera. If you want to drive super cheap, check out the Wyze Cam Outdoor.

Will it take?

The camera has a solid plastic construction and feels durable. The warranty is 120 days after installation, which is less than any other competitor. Call us cautiously optimistic anyway.

Should you buy it

Yes. This camera fits seamlessly into the Vivint security system and has frills that surpass the few shortcomings. However, this is only a qualified yes if you invest in the entire Vivint system. If you just want a surveillance camera and nothing more, look elsewhere.

Editor's recommendations




01 Aug
Blog

Vanmoof S3 Review: Premium Style At An Affordable Price

vanmoof s3 rating rear profile 1

"The Vanmoof S3 is equipped with excellent technology at a medium price and absolutely great as a bonus."

  • Eye-catching design

  • Useful app

  • Integrated lights and fenders

  • Smooth automatic transmission

  • Excellent brakes

  • Lower power assist levels are not helpful

  • Feels bulky when driving

  • The battery cannot be removed for charging

Vanmoof was way ahead of the curve when its Dutch founders, the Carlier brothers, founded the company in 2009. Maybe ahead of the curve. Electric bicycles were treated as a novelty in 2009. However, their popularity has skyrocketed in recent years. I regularly ate the dust of a Vanmoof enthusiast on my evening walk out of the office – back when it was still that way.

Now Vanmoof has a couple of news bikes at his disposal, just like everyone is looking for a way to explore our new, socially distant, outdoor lifestyle. I tried the more conventional Vanmoof S3, which sells just under $ 2,000 for just one hair. It has a sibling, the Vanmoof X3, with smaller tires and a frame that is easier to step over, but most of the other components are identical between the two.

The start time of the S3 could hardly be better, but it has a lot of competition. Every major bicycle manufacturer is now represented in the e-bike arena, and some offer over a dozen models. Can Vanmoof keep his lead?

design

One thing is certain, a Vanmoof is unmistakable. The company's design revolves around a thick, straight center tube that extends across the wheels at each end of the frame. It is a look that is classic and modern at the same time.

This is a classic bike for modern life.

Vanmoof keeps an eye on this important property by minimizing all other distractions. Like the company's other motorcycles, the Vanmoof S3 is painted in either matt black or blue and has almost no branding. It's a snappy, sleek design that fits the purpose of the S3 directly. This is a classic bike for modern life.

That doesn't mean that the Vanmoof S3 is without peer. The Gazelle Ultimate T10 is a personal favorite thanks to its combination of ultra-modern sensitivity and easy passage practicality. The new Vado SL from Specialized is also very attractive. Nevertheless, Vanmoof absolutely has the Trek and Giant bicycles that look more like improved bicycles than like specially built e-bikes.

The S3 is equipped as standard with front and rear fenders as well as front and rear lights. It's a big deal, especially for an e-bike that sells for $ 2,000. It's not uncommon for e-bikes in the S3 price range to throw one or both fenders overboard. Although the lighting is usually standard, it is often not as attractive or bright as that of the Vanmoof. If you buy the Vanmoof X3, which has smaller wheels and a less conventional frame, you will also get a built-in luggage rack for carrying small items.

Assembly and initial setup

While Vanmoof has a few dealers, its network is tiny. You will probably order online. Bicycles are large, heavy objects and can be difficult to assemble.

The company does everything it can to alleviate this anger. Open the box and you will immediately find detailed assembly instructions next to a toolbox that contains everything you need to assemble the bike. There's even a handy pull cord that allows you to slide the bike out horizontally instead of lifting it out vertically.

This does not mean that assembly is child's play. I cut myself when my hand slipped as I tightened an uncomfortable plastic clip that holds the front motor cable securely to the frame. However, the overall difficulty is no greater than assembling an Ikea chest of drawers. If you can handle it, you can handle it.

After assembly, setting up the app is easy. Simply download it to your phone, create an account and the bike will automatically connect. It worked seamlessly and I never had a problem with the app connecting to the bike.

technology

The app is probably the actual heading function of Vanmoof. While many competitors technically have apps, they are often simple and buggy. Vanmoof's app, on the other hand, is great. It provides ride summaries, allows you to adjust bike settings, shows the current location of the bike, and provides access to support topics, among other things.

I found that the bike's Bluetooth range is not particularly good. If the app is kept in my garage, it will lose connection to the bike as soon as I leave the room. Other Bluetooth devices I own have no problem communicating across multiple walls. I think Vanmoof could do better.

The bike doesn't have an LCD display, and instead uses a sophisticated LED grid to show speed, battery life, and other information on the center tube. Vanmoof calls this a matrix display. It is a unique touch that makes the design of the bike more coherent. The matrix display is bright and always easy to read, even on a sunny summer afternoon at noon. Oh, and if you want a laptop to go with the bike, check out the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14.

It is the combination of the app with this matrix display that distinguishes this bike in everyday use. Most e-bikes have a small black and white LCD screen and are controlled via buttons or twist grips. This is effective, but simple. Instead, Vanmoof only uses the matrix display for important information and transfers the most control over the bike to the app.

This speaks for the focus of the bike on errands and the way to work. It is built so that you can drive with everything you normally carry and to places that you would otherwise reach by car or transit. Using the app is great in this regard, as your phone is always in your pocket and you stop frequently. Your phone's display is much brighter and easier to use than any LCD you find on an e-bike.

Anti-theft device

Vanmoof bicycles have built-in anti-theft technology. This includes a lock for the rear hub, an alarm, and an optional paid service that promises to track down and replace the stolen bike if it can't be found.

The lock is activated by aligning a mark on the hub with the same mark on the rear chain guard and then pressing a button near the dropout of the rear frame. After locking, an alarm sounds when the rear wheel of the bike moves.

It works as advertised, although I wouldn't trust it. The alarm could be louder and a thief could pick up and pull the bike away (although its sensitivity would make it difficult to do without triggering the alarm). You should always use a strong lock to secure your bike to a fixed attachment. Still, Vanmoof's alarm is reasonable support that could give opportunistic thieves a break.

Driving impressions

If the Vanmoof S3's commuter-friendly design isn't already obvious, you will surely feel it when you get on your bike for the first time. The relaxed frame and the retracted handlebars of the bike offer an upright feeling and excellent visibility. As is so often the case with an upright driving position, this comfort comes at the expense of agility. It's an easy bike to turn on a narrow road at low speeds, but it doesn't feel eager or nimble.

The S3 weighs 42 pounds. This is heavier than most conventional bikes, but light for an e-bike. The Specialized Como is 45 pounds, while the Gazelle T10 Ultimate is 51 pounds. The S3 doesn't feel light on the pedals, but your back will love the lightweight frame as you pull the bike up stairs or over a large curb.

Fat tires help the S3 deal with small bumps and potholes without any problems. It's a smooth ride over manicured sidewalks or tightly packed gravel. However, if you encounter large potholes, the rigid frame and lack of suspension on the bike can cause large bumps from the handlebars.

The electric motor of the S3 is attached to the front wheel and delivers power in four stages or can be switched off completely. The lowest power level is worthless, but higher settings are strong. I usually drove around at level three or maximized the performance on paved bike paths. The bike's engine switches off at 32 km / h. This is the maximum speed allowed for a class 1 e-bike like the S3. There are settings that comply with European and Japanese regulations, but as expected, this will make the top speed even lower.

Adrenaline junkies should, however, look elsewhere. The performance is tentative compared to racing options such as the Specialized Vado or the Giant ToughRoad GX E +. While the S3 has a "turbo" button, hitting is only a modest gear and is most useful when you need a little more juice on a steep hill.

While the S3 lacks the thrill, it's supple. The front hub motor pulls with a steady stance. Don't take that for granted. Many e-bikes in the Vanmoof price range, such as the Pedego City Commuter Lite, use a rear wheel hub motor. A rear hub can dramatically shift the balance of a bike backwards, making wheelies a little too easy. The balanced, sophisticated power transmission of the S3 is good for every e-bike and excellent for an e-bike with a price of $ 2,000.

The S3 brakes are activated with a soft, precise feel that creates trust.

The power is transmitted via a chic four-speed automatic transmission. That's right, you don't even have to switch for yourself. Four speeds are not many, and I felt that on steep hills. Nevertheless, I will bring this automatic transmission over the bargain six, seven or eight-speed transmission that can be found in most e-bikes in this price range.

The S3's deceleration is more impressive than its acceleration. The bike has hydraulic disc brakes at the front and rear. While almost all e-bikes have disc brakes, some mid-range bikes have mechanical disc brakes, a setup that can feel chunky or wooden. The S3 brakes are activated with a soft, precise feel that builds trust and prevents too much brake from being accidentally pressed.

Battery life and range

There is a 504 watt-hour battery in the large top tube of the Vanmoof S3. The range is indicated at 37 to 93 miles. In most situations, you are closer to 37 miles than 93 miles.

My most demanding trip was a 23-mile trip with maximum performance on a paved, flat bike path. As a result, almost half of the battery was used up, suggesting that in the mid-1940s I would see the total mileage if I kept going until the battery was empty. I have also made numerous short trips, approximately 10 miles each, at level three. .

These results are typical of a modern e-bike. Most commuters cover short distances (less than 16 km), so the range of the S3 should last for several days, if not a whole week.

You can't just remove the S3's battery (Vanmoof says it can only be removed for maintenance) and charge it away from the bike. This can be impractical if you have a small apartment and want to keep the S3 in a common room.

Our opinion

Vanmoof's S3 is a feature-rich commuter bike that sacrifices little despite a mid-range price of $ 2,000. This bike is an excellent choice if you need a bike for city errands or for daily commuting up to 32 km round trip.

Is there a better alternative?

While the price of $ 2,000 for the Vanmoof S3 appears very high next to the $ 600 you can buy on Amazon, I generally recommend avoiding them. They do their job, but use components that are as inexpensive as possible, which affects longevity. They also tend to have small batteries.

The Propella e-bike is the best affordable alternative. Starting at $ 1,100 for a single gear or $ 1,300 for a seven-gear, this is a less complicated option with a smaller battery and inferior brakes. Still, it's a nice entry-level bike with decent components, and works well for commuting 10 miles or less.

RadPower is another good choice. The brand manufactures a variety of electric bikes that offer excellent value for money, such as the affordable RadRover and its sturdy RadWagon. RadPower is all about function. So you prefer Vanmoof when design and technology are important to you.

The Vanmoof S3 has only a few strong rivals that come very close to its $ 2,000 price tag. Pedego's City Commuter Lite is nowhere near as sophisticated. Trek, Specialized, and Giant tend to go into a higher price range, so their motorcycles, which sell for around $ 2,000, can't usually compete with the Vanmoof.

Don't forget the sibling of the Vanmoof S3, the X3. The motorcycles are similar, but the X3 has smaller wheels, a lower top tube, and an integrated front rack. I would expect the X3 to be even better for short distances and errands in the city, while the S3 would be better for long distances and errands.

How long it will take?

A bike can last a very long time, although e-bikes are limited by the longevity of the battery and the durability of other electronic devices. You should also know that e-bikes require more maintenance than a standard bike. Still, I would expect at least five to ten years of operation, and that could be extended as long as replacement batteries are available.

The bike comes with a three-year warranty against defects, which is not particularly long for an electric bike. Vanmoof has a smaller dealer network than its larger competitors such as Specialized, Trek or Giant. This could make it difficult to find service if you are not near a dealer.

Should you buy it

Yes. The Vanmoof S3 is a mid-range commuter e-bike with an outstanding design and great technical features.

Editor's recommendations




31 Jul
Blog

Dell 27 USB-C Monitor (P2720DC) Review: A Goldilocks Display

Dell 27 USB C Monitor p2720dc review dsc01060

"The Dell P2720DC offers a superbly balanced monitor that is perfect for docking laptops via USB-C."

  • Excellent balanced range of functions

  • Good picture quality

  • Power supply is supported via USB-C

  • Attractive design

As a monitor shopper you can sometimes feel like goldilocks in front of three bowls of porridge. 1080p is boring and 4K is too expensive. A 21-inch is too small to be worth it, and 32-inches is too big for your desk.

The Dell 27 USB-C monitor (model number P2720DC) tries to be the happy medium. It is a 1440p, 27-inch IPS display that wants to impress you with its balance more than with its data sheet. Professional photographers or gamers are not blown away. Instead, it wants to be the monitor that most people like.

At $ 360 (compared to the original price of $ 480), however, it has to prove something. Fortunately, it has a trick up its sleeve that keeps it competitive: USB-C docking with power and chaining. Is that enough to make this monitor the monitor most people should buy?

design

After unpacking, you'll be greeted with one of Dell's superb stands that screw into the rectangular base from below. Then lower the monitor and tilt it forward to snap onto the stand. From there, you have a monitor with a range of settings ranging from height, tilt, pan, and rotate to portrait, so it can be set exactly as you see fit.

I can't imagine an office where the Dell P2720DC would be out of place.

This extensive range of customizations is particularly useful for people who work from home to ensure that their ergonomic requirements are met, to work at their desks for hours, and for companies that adhere to strict ergonomic guidelines for their work areas have to.

Most displays have a kind of tilt function, and it is expected that height adjustments will also be made in this price range. However, Dell always goes the full mile and also adds a twist to the portrait, unless the display is of such a wide format that it won't be able to.

But it's the design that Dell often catches the eye. The display looks very professional, looks incredibly clean and all around and I can't imagine an office where it would look out of place.

Care has also been taken in the details. While in older monitors the cable management cutout in the neck was too low, which led to visible cables, the hole is higher in the latest displays from Dell, so that the cables are only visible when the display is in the highest position – a position that You will rarely use it in.

However, if you don't find the P2720DC fashionable enough, the Dell Ultrathin D2719DC may be just the thing for you. He has a slimmer profile.

Connections and controls

When it comes to connectivity, Dell has gone the extra mile with its P2720DC. As mentioned earlier, this display has USB-C docking, which is helpful in a number of situations.

The most notable thing is connecting laptops. The connector supports 65 watts of power, so it can send the video data from your laptop to the monitor while charging your laptop. This cable also handles data transfer between your laptop and the monitor's internal USB hub.

Here, however, I came across a blatant gap. When you look at the frame, you think the P2720DC has built-in speakers – but that's not the case. Dell reuses the frame from other displays for the P2720DC, but has no speakers built into it. Most competitors like Lenovo ThinkVision P27h-20 have speakers.

You can't get away with loudspeaker music in a large office, of course, but they can be helpful for quickly showing a video to a colleague without fumbling with earplugs, or worse, finding external speakers. Office managers may like it, but the lack of built-in speakers seems an inappropriate place to cut costs.

For the rare situation where you need it, you can use the built-in speakers of a connected laptop with the P2720DC.

When it comes to other connectivity, the display has an HDMI connector and two DisplayPort connectors. One of these two DisplayPorts is an input and the other is an output for connecting a second monitor using the DisplayPort daisy chain function, which also works with the USB-C connector.

The Dell P2720DC is best suited for modern laptops.

I found another gap: a USB-B port for upstream data. To use the display's internal USB hub, you must use the USB-C connection. This makes the display somewhat unsuitable for use with desktops, since USB-C ports are not yet widely used on desktops. Often, even if your desktop has one, you won't be able to view it, which will result in another cable.

If you want to use the hub with an older PC, you will also need to find the correct USB-A to USB-C cable as it is not included.

The buttons for the OSD (screen display) are located in the lower right corner of the monitor. This position makes them a little less ergonomically accessible than from the side, but it helps to place multiple displays side by side, which many buyers may do with the daisy chain function.

The OSD itself is easy to navigate and provides the basics for configuring the display, including brightness, contrast, and color options. It also has a handful of display modes, including Standard, Movie, Games, Comfort, and more.

picture quality

Although the P2720DC may not offer the longest color range or fancy factory calibrations, eyes won't be missing. According to Dell, the IPS panel offers 1.07 billion colors as well as extremely large viewing angles, a contrast ratio of 1000: 1 and a maximum brightness of 350 nits.

The resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels is also the sweet spot at 27 inches and offers a lot of screen space and sharpness. It is possible to jump to 4K at this price, but may need to affect the image quality of the IPS panel as well as some of the peculiarities of this monitor.

If you want to keep these features, you need to easily check if you have to invest an additional $ 200 in your budget for the 2020 27-inch 4K UltraSharp monitor from Dell, the Dell U2720Q.

Dell has also coated the display with an excellent anti-glare layer, which is vital in an office environment. I used the monitor in a room with a window glowing directly on it and lights from everywhere, but the picture still looked vivid and I didn't need the highest brightness setting. Of course, I wouldn't recommend editing photos in such an environment, but the display was more than for office work, which is exactly the goal.

Subjectively, Dell built a wonderful monitor, but how does it work when I throw our Datacolor Spyder X Elite on it?

Long story short, surprisingly good. I measured a peak brightness of 395 nits, which is even higher than what the data sheet promises, and the best contrast ratio also occurs at peak brightness with a maximum of 1,090: 1. The color space coverage corresponds to the data sheet with 100% of the sRGB space, but decreases in AdobeRGB with 78%. The color accuracy was achieved with an average Delta-E (difference to real) of 2.08, which is not bad for a non-calibrated monitor. It's not as accurate as the Acer ConceptD CM2, but it's not a problem.

Professional editors may want to jump to a 4K display with a larger color space.

Against this background, the calibration of the monitor itself has brought no major changes. The brightness, contrast and color gamut remained the same, except that I pushed an additional percent more AdobeRGB color gamut out of the display. I managed to improve the color accuracy to an average Delta-E of 1.3.

To put this into context, a professionally calibrated monitor has a Delta-E of less than 2, so that after calibration, the P2720DC is technically accurate enough for professional machining work. However, professional editors probably want to switch to a 4K display with a wider screen color space for the AdobeRGB area.

However, for those who are not ready to invest in a colorimeter, the pre-calibration results of the Dell P2720DC are good enough for small daily changes of a non-professional caliber.

Our opinion

The P2720DC from Dell is a monitor that promises too little and delivers too much. If you're a laptop user who needs one or more displays, the P2720DC offers the flexibility in connectivity you could want, and the USB-C docking function for a cable makes switching between home and child's play child's play.

The lack of built-in speakers can put some people off, and the lack of a non-Type-C upstream USB port for the internal USB hub makes the display somewhat inconvenient for use with desktops. The P2720DC makes up for this with a professional appearance and an IPS panel that provides a pleasant and uniform picture. The excellent anti-glare coating is just a cherry on the top and is ideal for use in well-lit office environments.

Are there alternatives?

Dell competes in a crowded room with the P2720DC, so there are certainly alternatives. A small handful are the ViewSonic VX2785-2K, the Lenovo ThinkVision P27h-20 and, if you don't need a USB-C, last year's UltraSharp 27-inch QHD monitor from Dell, the U2719D, which costs about the same but smaller is steady rests and a factory calibration.

HP also has a competitor with almost identical specifications and prices, the HP Z27n, which only supports a power of 15 watts.

How long it will take?

Dell grants a 3-year warranty on the P2720DC for the exchange service. This means that a new one will be delivered to your office or home before the old one is picked up – and in my experience, this can be done very quickly.

Outside of the warranty period, you shouldn't have to worry either. The P2720DC has LED backlighting that is usually not prone to failure, and there is no complexity that increases the likelihood of failure. Therefore, the P2720DC should last at least as long as a monitor: five years.

Should I buy it?

Yes. If you are looking for a home office monitor with excellent image quality and excellent laptop connectivity, the Dell P2720DC is the one for you.

Editor's recommendations




31 Jul
Blog

Canon EOS R5 Review: The New Full-Frame Champ

Canon EOS R5

"Canon has not held back from delivering the full-screen camera that fans craved."

  • Excellent 45MP photos

  • Impressive 4K / 8K video modes

  • Responsive subject tracking AF

  • Good 5-axis image stabilization

  • Outstanding workmanship

  • The control layout could be improved

  • Can overheat in video mode

  • Banding at high ISO

It's not often that we see a new camera that is as promising and exciting as the Canon EOS R5. After the relatively modest reception of the original EOS R, the R5 was Canon's chance to prove that it can make a full-frame mirrorless camera that not only competes but also leads. The data sheet reads like a gourmet menu, a meal that is guaranteed to satisfy the appetite of anyone who can afford it – at $ 3,899 for the body or $ 4,999 with the RF 24-105mm 1: 4L lens (tested) a lot of people.

However, the exclusivity of the EOS R5 is not a problem. This is a high-end camera with a high price tag, and while it's easy to argue that it only appeals to professional customers, I don't think that's the whole story. This is a branded camera; it is desirable. It may not care about the direct sales enthusiast or amateur, but it still serves to answer the question that such customers often ask: "Who makes the best mirrorless camera?" For the first time, “Canon” is an acceptable answer.

Canon EOS R5 product photoDaven Mathies / Digital Trends

Even if the EOS R5 is outside your price range, its status as one of the most powerful and powerful mirrorless cameras can help you choose a Canon in the lower price range (possibly the EOS R6) instead of choosing a competitive brand. In this regard, it's hard not to see the R5 as a total success.

But for the customers who will actually buy it, is the Canon EOS R5 worth the hype? Everyone in the field of photo technology – including myself – made fun of this camera long before we got our hands on it. Now that it's in the wild, you may want to manage your expectations – if only slightly. It may not be exactly what we sold, but this is still an excellent camera.

First a still camera

Canon focused its early marketing on the EOS R5's video chops and described the crazy 8K RAW and 4K / 120p features months before we knew much about still image features. This has changed people's expectations of the R5, and I can't help but think that this was the wrong way to overdo it.

Daven Mathies / Digital Trends

Like the vast majority of mirrorless hybrid cameras, photography is the top priority for the R5. Yes, it happens to have an epic video mode associated with it, but I think photographers still find more to love than videographers. The R5 is probably the best still camera Canon ever made, mirrorless or DSLR.

The goal of the R5 was obviously to keep up with the Sony A7R IV, Nikon Z 7 and Panasonic Lumix S1R. These are all high-resolution mirrorless full-frame cameras, which have powerful video modes, but are clearly aimed at still photographers.

The R5 is probably the best still camera Canon ever made, mirrorless or DSLR.

If the R5 had originally been marketed as a still camera, the many complaints we now hear about overheating in video mode would not have been so loud in my opinion. Since Canon emphasized the video so strongly in advance, the reviewers feel a little underwhelmed that the reality does not live up to the promise.

Daven Mathies / Digital Trends

I'll have my own experience testing video mode later, but now you only know that the R5 is a still camera at first and therefore has similar limitations to other hybrid cameras in terms of video. You can still use it for many video applications, but remember to consider it a replacement for your movie camera, and things get bad here.

Design and handling

The R5 will feel right at home for anyone who comes from a Canon DSLR. I found it a little more comfortable to hold than a 5D Mark IV – although it's only a fraction of a pound lighter. It has a very familiar handle, the same placement of the trigger and most controls are exactly where you expect them to be.

Canon EOS R5 product photoDaven Mathies / Digital Trends

An important change is the changeover to a three-wheel setup, which enables direct control of ISO, shutter speed and aperture. This applies in addition to the multifunction lens ring for HF lenses.

There's also an autofocus joystick, and although this is usually a must for me, I don't like the R5. The surface is too sharp, which makes it uncomfortable, and there is no good tactile feedback. It is also less needed because the AF is good for subject tracking, and the R5's touchpad AF on the LCD screen works better for single-point focusing anyway.

Canon EOS R5 product photoDaven Mathies / Digital Trends

What Canon DSLR shooters miss is the AF / Drive button. The auto focus and driving modes are accessed in two steps, and the quick menu must be called up. Fortunately, you can program one of these functions on the lens ring or other buttons, but you will sacrifice the standard functionality of a button. I set AF mode to the lens ring and drive mode to the depth of field preview button (because who uses that anyway?) And found this to be a pretty good setup. Still, the R5 is a camera case for $ 3,900, so it is a disappointment for Canon to forego direct access control.

Otherwise there is little to complain about in the design department. The body is weatherproof and solidly built, albeit heavy for a mirrorless camera at 1.62 pounds.

Canon EOS R5 product photoDaven Mathies / Digital Trends

The new electronic viewfinder (EVF) has 5.76 million pixels, just like the Panasonic S series and the Sony A7R IV. It is a beautiful EVF, although the glass distorts the screen a bit, so that the edges curve outwards. It's not a big problem, but I definitely found it a little distracting at times.

Finally, Canon also introduced a modern media format by offering both SD UHS-II and CFexpress Type B card slots, the latter of which is required for 8K video (and some 4K modes). For all Nikon shooters who are interested in the EOS R5, note that, unlike the Nikon Z series, the Canon does not support XQD cards in its CFexpress slot, so anyone with older XQD cards will need them before switching to the R5 must put down.

Photography experience

Except for the lens mount, the Canon EOS R5 is basically new compared to the original EOS R. It is also the first R-series camera that feels like it has been built from scratch with bespoke components, starting with a 45 megapixel frame sensor, which, unlike all previous R-series cameras, has not previously been used in a Canon DSLR has been. Even the battery has been updated to offer greater capacity in the same form factor as the long-time LP-E6 (though battery life isn't a highlight with a CIPA rating of just 320 exposures).

Canon EOS R5 Lifestyle product photoDaven Mathies / Digital Trends

But what it sells is autofocus. The EOS R5 uses the Dual Pixel Autofocus II, Canon's latest on-chip phase detection technology, with which 1,053 focus points are distributed across the entire frame. It includes updated face and eye tracking for humans and animals and, in my experience, works exceptionally well.

I could even say that Canon’s face tracking is even better than Sony’s – and it’s huge.

In practice, I was overwhelmed by how quickly the R5 would find the subject in the frame and how strongly it stuck to it. When it came to taking pictures of people, this meant that I could only focus on framing without having to worry about choosing my focus point. After taking portraits with the Sony A7R IV recently, I can even say that Canon’s face tracking is even better than Sony’s – and it’s huge.

But what really impressed me was the animal AF. When shooting birds in flight, the focus box immediately jumped onto the bird's head – not just the bird, but also its head. When photographing a dog, the AF continued to follow his body, even if his head and shoulders dipped under a tree trunk. A wild rabbit made me crawl a few feet while eating, and the R5 had no problem finding its eye.

Daven Mathies / Digital Trends

If I have something to complain about, eye detection is only activated when the subject is relatively large within the frame. Since face recognition is, of course, sufficient for distant people, this is probably not a big deal. The face recognition itself seems to work at a greater distance than the Canon EOS RP, but there is still room for improvement here. Fortunately, if the camera lost sight of a face and returned to standard AF, the camera would usually still find the correct subject, but this depends on the complexity of the scene and whether there are any objects near the camera, that could confuse it.

There is another problem with the AF. As far as I know, DPAF focus points are not crosswise, meaning they are only sensitive to lines in one direction. The R5 doesn't seem to be sensitive to horizontal lines at all, and Flat-out refused to focus when I happened to point it at a slatted door. Confused, I tried again, but no matter how many times I pressed the shutter, the R5 didn't focus. As soon as I rotated the camera in portrait mode – which means that the slats were now aligned vertically from the perspective of the camera – it was immediately focused. Other similar subjects – like closed blinds – delivered the same results.

The absence of cross-type AF points is self-evident in on-chip phase detection systems (with Olympus being a notable exception), but contrast detection usually takes control of other cameras when phase detection is not possible. When I did the same test with my personal Fujifilm X-T2, I found that it was concentrating, but only after a short hunt – in portrait mode, it concentrated without a hunt. This indicates that the phase detection of the X-T2, like the EOS R5, has difficulty recognizing horizontal lines, but can rely on slower contrast detection in such a situation, which the R5 apparently cannot.

I don't know how big the problem could be in the real world – I had no problems outside of my office. My general experience with DPAF on the EOS R5 has been very positive. Still, it's a little worrying that everything it took to completely cancel AF was a subject with no vertical lines. I have asked Canon for a comment and will update this rating when I hear something.

Daven Mathies / Digital Trends

The other brand new feature the R5 introduces is 5-axis image stabilization in the body (IBIS). Alongside the EOS R6, this is Canon's first attempt to stabilize the sensor shift, a feature that was painfully lacking on the EOS R and RP. It works with both stabilized and non-stabilized lenses and, according to Canon, can offer up to 8 levels of blur reduction.

This is a difficult assertion that definitely needs to be tested because "stops" are a relative unit. In my tests, which were carried out with the stabilized RF 24-105 mm 1: 4 lens, I was able to record up to 1/8 second with a sharpness at the pixel level, which corresponds approximately to that of 1/60 second. With a reduced resolution, however, I felt comfortable moving it to half a second. Different lenses, as well as their technique and stability, can lead to different results, but it's hard for me to believe Canon's claim of 8 stops.

The thing is, I don't really care. Having only IBIS is the key here. Most photographers are not interested in holding a 2 second exposure, as Canon has shown. The key is to get sharp results at more convenient shutter speeds, and that's exactly what the R5 does.

Video experience

The most obvious question about the Canon EOS R5's video mode is simply: For whom? RAW 8K videos that consume 2,600 megabits per second (that's 325 megabytes per second) are well above average customer requirements. Beyond the hype and endless play of one-upmanship, 8K is simply the result of the demand for a 45-megapixel sensor and RAW video.

Canon EOS R5 product photoDaven Mathies / Digital Trends

The sensor had to align the R5 with other high-resolution mirrorless cameras, but such a high number of pixels is a problem for videos. Normally, 4K videos only require about 8 MP, with 12 megapixels feeling like a solid sweet spot. Sony, Nikon and Panasonic have resolved this problem by making their lower resolution cameras the more video-focused models. However, Canon clearly wanted its flagship camera to be the flagship for both still and video.

Then there is the topic of RAW. RAW is by definition unprocessed – so the camera must either output every single pixel or do something like cropping or skipping lines, which deactivates pixels and drastically reduces the field of view or detail. The sensor of the R5 is intelligent 8,192 pixels wide, exactly the resolution for DCI 8K (a slightly wider aspect ratio than usual of 17: 9). With one-to-one pixel output, the R5 can take full advantage of its sensor range for RAW 8K video – however, RAW cannot be performed at other resolutions. This also means that in Ultra HD mode (16: 9) only a very small crop occurs. (For reference only, Blackmagic Design circumvented this limitation in its Ursa Mini Pro 12K cinema camera by using a novel sensor design that was specifically designed for RAW scaling, but other cameras don't have this luxury.)

We have not yet answered the question of who needs this function. I wrote earlier that 8K cameras are pretty much unnecessary, and shooting the R5 didn't change my mind. I don't have a 4K display, let alone an 8K display. The ability to crop and reformulate is good, but I never needed the extreme range that 8K offers. Then it's about saving and editing the gigantic files.

So it can be said with certainty that 8K, especially in RAW, is unlikely to be used by ordinary people. Professional filmmakers are the only ones who want it, and Canon even suggests using the R5 as a “B” camera alongside high-end cinema cameras.

But the R5 is not ready for this type of production. I can repeat the complaints of others on the internet when it comes to overheating. You can take advantage of all the great quality and features, but a camera that can be shut down even on set is simply not acceptable in a professional setting.

Canon EOS R5 product photoDaven Mathies / Digital Trends

I haven't even tested the 8K modes because I'm still waiting for a CFexpress card, but overheating is already a problem in some 4K modes. When recording at 60 fps (the highest frame rate available with an SD card), the camera reached the soft limit of 29 minutes and 59 seconds. However, the heat warning indicator started to flash before the clip ended. It stayed on for almost 10 minutes after the recording stopped. Even if it was turned off, my next clip was limited to only 4 minutes before the camera shutdown due to overheating.

Canon has been open about this – at least since the official announcement. The camera itself also shows how many minutes you can record at the current heating level. This number increases slowly the longer you let the camera cool down.

The very good news, however, is that the camera doesn't seem to be heat limited at 4K / 30 or 24 frames per second. Even if it prevented me from recording a new 4K / 60 clip, switching to 30 fps immediately removed the heat warning indicator and allowed me to record a full 29:59 clip.

For those of us who record every project in 4K / 24p and only need higher frame rates for slow motion for a short time, the EOS R5 is fantastic. Finally, some of its competition – like the Nikon Z 7 – can't shoot 4K / 60 at all, let alone 4K / 120 like the R5, and none of its competitors can shoot 8K.

However, this shouldn't completely let Canon off the hook. When they announced an 8K RAW camera, we were all expecting a camera built for people who could use 8K RAW footage – namely, professional filmmakers. The EOS R5 falls short of these expectations, but I have a bigger problem with how the camera was originally marketed to raise these expectations than if the camera doesn't meet them.

picture quality

Canon has made a higher resolution sensor in the past, the 50 megapixel chip of the EOS 5DS series. However, the 45 megapixel chip of the EOS R5 is a significant improvement, especially if you increase the ISO sensitivity. The ISO range is an impressive 100-51,200 and can be expanded by one level to 102,400. While these few top stops are of questionable usability, the noise performance is otherwise very good for the class.

ISO 12.800 "Banding" in a dark scene Daven Mathies / Digital Trends

But there was a problem: When photographing the night sky, I noticed visible streak artifacts at ISOs above 3,200, which became a big distraction around 12,800. I haven't noticed any stripes in any other scene, even in my indoor ISO test shots. It only seems to be visible against a dark and uniform background.

As with the DPAF focus error, I don't know how often this affects real-life images. The astrophotographers I know generally prefer larger apertures and slower shutter speeds to maximize ISO, but it's something you should be aware of.

Otherwise, the R5 delivered nice results. The RAW files are very flexible, and I even moved an underexposed ISO 1600 picture by 3 steps without noticeably increasing the noise. It's hard to say without comparing the cameras side by side, but this may be Canon's best sensor yet. I think the RF 24-105mm 1: 4 lens held something back that just wasn't sharp enough to resolve all those pixels, but I would love to see what it does with one of Canon's excellent RF prime numbers can do .

I've never been a Canon fan, but the EOS R5 made me a believer.

The video quality is also very good. Again, I haven't tested 8K nor the oversampled 4K high quality mode, but standard 10-bit 4K in Canon Log is stunning and has very good grades. I'm honestly not sure why I would ever need high quality mode. At 470 megabits per second (approx. 60 megabytes per second), all-intra-frame compression (ALL-I) contains a lot of data in order to achieve outstanding colors and details.

Canon EOS R5 protocol video frame not graded "class =" m-carousel - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn5.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/canon-eos-r5-review-sample- dm -26-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAABACanon EOS R5 Log Video Frame not graded Daven Mathies / Digital Trends

Canon EOS R5 protocol video frame rated "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn6.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/canon-eos-r5-review-sample- dm-25-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAACanon EOS R5 Log Video Frame rated Daven Mathies / Digital Trends

Canon EOS R5 protocol video frame not graded "class =" m-carousel - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn7.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/canon-eos-r5-review-sample- dm -27-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAABACanon EOS R5 Log Video Frame not graded Daven Mathies / Digital Trends

canon eos r5 evaluation example dm 28 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn8.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/canon-eos-r5-review-sample- dm- 28-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAABACanon EOS R5 Log Video Frame rated Daven Mathies / Digital Trends

Overall, the EOS R5 is by far the best hybrid camera from Canon in terms of image quality, and currently nothing is comparable to the combination of high-resolution still images and high-quality videos.

Our opinion

I have to admit, I've never been a Canon fan, but the EOS R5 made me a believer. Canon has implemented everything it learned from the original EOS R into the R5. The level of improvement is amazing, even if the highest quality video modes are of limited practicality.

The high ISO banding, strange AF behavior on horizontal lines and overheating problems can be for some problems, but these problems do not affect most users in most circumstances. The placement and design of some controls have taken me in the wrong direction (literally), but I'm sure I'll adjust over time, and I definitely appreciate the three-dial's ease of use Setups.

Entry costs are high, but for those who can afford it, the EOS R5 offers an incredibly rewarding photographic experience and firmly establishes Canon as the leader in mirrorless cameras. It may have taken a few years for the recipe to be correct, but Canon has served a dish worth waiting for.

Is there a better alternative?

If you look at other options, they only exist in the sense that there are much cheaper alternatives, like the Nikon Z 7 for just $ 2,850 at the time of writing. The R5 has better autofocus, higher quality video, a higher resolution EVF and two memory card slots. With a difference of over $ 1,000, however, anyone who is not yet firmly in Canon's warehouse should consider the Z 7.

The Sony A7R IV is the other obvious comparison. At $ 3,200 at the time of writing, it doesn't offer the savings of the Z 7, but its auto focus is on par with the R5 and it has an equally high-resolution EVF, two SD card slots, and significantly better battery life with a rating of 520 Recordings. However, the R5 has the edge in video and series recordings.

How long it will take?

This is a professional camera that meets the needs of professional photographers and should last for years. As a flagship model, I would not expect a full replacement for the R5 for at least 2 years, and its range of functions is the most future-proof of all cameras on the market.

Should you buy it

Yes, if you want the best technology currently shown in photography – and you don't mind paying for it. This is the camera I always knew Canon could build.

Editor's recommendations




31 Jul
Blog

EufyCam 2 Pro Review: Long Battery Life, And Not Much More

"Long battery life means you can place the EufyCam 2 Pro without having to worry about cables."

  • 365 days of battery life

  • Loud siren

  • Anti-theft device

  • The faces are not clear at night

  • Camera could be better

The eufyCam 2 Pro The wireless home security camera system had the potential to shake up the flood of intelligent surveillance cameras on the market. It asserts itself, but is not noticeable.

eufyCam 2 Pro outsideAlina Bradford / Digital Trends

installation

The EufyCam 2 Pro is supplied as a single camera ($ 150) or as a double pack with two cameras and the Eufy HomeBase 2 ($ 350). I would recommend accessing the package with HomeBase 2 if you don't already have one. You cannot use the EufyCam 2 Pro without HomeBase, so you still need it. HomeBase 2 is a hub that connects cameras, stores footage, and acts as a Wi-Fi repeater to improve your Wi-Fi so your cameras get a strong signal.

This is very helpful if your signal is not the best or you have a large distance between your router and your cameras. On the other hand, the HomeBase occupies an additional Ethernet connection on your router and an additional socket that you probably cannot save.

HomeBase 2 on the shelfAlina Bradford / Digital Trends

The installation of this camera is super easy. The EufyCam 2 Pro is magnetic so you can stick it to a veranda railing or almost any other metal surface. If you don't have anything to stick on, you can attach a mounting bracket with a few screws and then rotate the camera onto the bracket. All in all, it took about 10 minutes to mount the camera and another five minutes to set it up with the app and Eufy HomeBase 2. However, direct sunlight can blind the camera. Take this into account when thinking about a place to put it.

Video

The video from the EufyCam 2 Pro is comparable to most other high-end surveillance cameras such as the Arlo Pro 3. It can be switched between HD 1080p or 2K HD with a large field of view of 140 degrees. If you place the camera 7 to 10 feet high, it can see a range of up to 30 feet, so a camera can cover a large area of ​​your garden. The video clarity is pretty good, with realistic colors, very little distortion and good contrast. I wish Eufy had climbed up to 4K resolution like the Arlo Ultra Smart Cam.

Eufy tackled the problem by adding Smart Image Enhancement.

A problem with some cameras is that the further a person is away, the more grainy the image of the person. The faces are clear and rich in contrast within a few meters. At about 10 feet, faces are much more difficult to see; You can get the general shape, but it is difficult for you to recognize the characteristics of a stranger. Eufy tackled the problem by adding Smart Image Enhancement. When a face is recognized by A.I., pixels in the image are lightened and deleted to make the faces clearer.

Night vision is in black and white, but the lack of color doesn't bother me. The video is clear in very poor lighting conditions. Despite the smart image enhancement, the camera has problems with faces at night. The camera washed out almost all the facial features of my fair-skinned test subjects, even if they were only a few meters away.

eufyCam 2 Pro video at night

Other cameras, such as those from Ring and Arlo, charge a subscription fee for video storage packages. I hate that. I have enough subscriptions in my life. One of my favorite features of the EufyCam 2 Pro is that you don't have to pay to save videos. Video material is stored locally in HomeBase 2 instead of in the cloud. It has 16 GB of storage, which doesn't seem like a lot, but it does the job as long as you delete unnecessary videos. Old videos are automatically deleted, but it's probably better to remove and sort them out yourself so that what you want to keep is not deleted.

Additional functions

In addition to the clarity and storage of the video, the EufyCam 2 Pro offers some notable features that are useful. A surprising option is the ability to put any camera and HomeBase 2 in anti-theft mode. This means that when someone moves the camera or HomeBase, an alarm sounds. It would be nice if Eufy also offered to replace stolen cameras like Ring does, but I still find the alarm function cool.

Many newer surveillance cameras have a microphone and a speaker, so you can use the app on your phone to talk to anyone who is near the camera. The EufyCam 2 Pro also offers this option. The two-way audio is fine and you can adjust the volume in the app. I wish it had noise cancellation to make voices clearer like the Ring Stick Up Cam. You can also mute the microphone and speaker independently.

It is difficult to say how true the claim of a one-year battery life is in everyday household life.

The company says the EufyCam 2 Pro can last 365 days on a single charge if the camera records about 300 seconds of footage a day. If that were true, it would certainly make it stand out from other cameras. Six months are usually the max. Unfortunately, after just one day with the cameras, the battery indicator found that the performance had dropped by 1%. It is therefore difficult to say how true the claim of a one-year battery life is in everyday household use.

The app has a power manager option for each camera that can extend the life of the battery. You can set the camera to the optimal battery life mode, which limits video clips to 20 seconds to prevent the battery from draining. In an optimal surveillance mode, clips can be up to 60 seconds long, and in a custom capture mode you can choose how long clips should last.

eufyCam 2 Pro and HomeBase 2 part 2Alina Bradford / Digital Trends

To save even more battery life (and reduce the number of notifications), you can choose when your camera records by adding it to a schedule or choosing a specific mode. You can also control how many warnings you get by turning off motion detection, adjusting motion sensitivity, selecting detection areas, or recording only when the camera detects someone.

Like any good smart surveillance camera, it can connect to your home assistant. The EufyCam 2 Pro connects to the three big ones: Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

The EufyCam 2 Pro also has a 100 dB siren that is loud enough to scare someone. If you really want to make an explanation, you should opt for the Ring Floodlight Cam, which has a 110 dB siren. This extra 10 dB makes a big difference.

Our opinion

Overall, I was simply not enthusiastic about this intelligent surveillance camera. It's a good choice, but if you void the claim that the battery lasts for a year, there are better cameras on the market. Check out our summary of the best outdoor security cameras for 2020 to find some alternative options.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. If you are looking for excellent video quality, the Arlo Ultra Smart Cam is hard to beat. It has 4K resolution and an incredible 180 degree field of view. However, my personal favorite is the Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight. Not only does it have excellent resolution, it also has a 160-degree field of view and floodlights that illuminate most of your garden. In this scorecard you can see how surveillance cameras fit head to head outdoors.

Will it take?

The cameras are made of thick hard plastic and are weatherproof according to IP67, so they are designed for a long service life. There is also a one-year limited warranty. You would think sticking the cameras to things would affect their longevity, but the magnets are super strong and once the cameras are stuck you need to use some force to remove them.

Should you buy it

No. There are simply too many other cameras on the market that offer better functions.

Editor's recommendations




31 Jul
Blog

Canon EOS R6 Review: Enough to Sway Even Stubborn DSLR Fans

canon eos r6 review 0651

"With the ergonomics of a DSLR but the advantages of a mirrorless one, the EOS R6 is a convincing hybrid."

  • Sharp photos and videos

  • Smooth auto focus

  • Fast recording speed

  • Excellent stabilization

  • Good performance in low light conditions

  • Comfortable grip

  • A bit bulky

  • Puffer struggles with long outbreaks

  • Animal Eye AF under-fulfilled

  • Short 4K recording due to overheating

Canon had a certain identity crisis, which made it possible to switch to a mirrorless full screen with the throttled budget RP and the good but not very competitive EOS R. However, the company's second set of mirrorless full-frame cameras seems to promise more of what Canon DSLRs were known for, and a few more, with image stabilization in the body, 12 fps bursts, and the next generation of dual-pixel autofocus in the Canon EOS R6 and R5.

Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

The R6 is the cheaper of the two newly announced cameras. It costs about $ 2,500 for the body only, and features a lower-resolution 20.1-megapixel sensor, a plastic body instead of a magnesium alloy, and some of the biggest features of the R5 8K video. Although the feature list is shorter, the R6 still manages to offer the same stabilization in the body, the same burst speed and a similar autofocus system.

Recording with the R6 feels like recording with a DSLR – with the exception of the electronic viewfinder – down to the handle, control scheme and uniform size. This could be enough for the DSLR holdouts to make the switch without sacrificing ergonomics, image quality, or performance. But is the R6 enough for Canon to survive in an increasingly crowded mirrorless full-screen market?

A mirrorless camera in a DSLR-like housing

Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

Recording with the EOS R6 feels like working with a DSLR – until you hold the camera to your eye and the electronic viewfinder eliminates the lack of a mirror. The case is closer to an APS-C DSLR than a mirrorless full-frame camera. Nevertheless, the width of the camera, including the handle, is almost an inch larger than that of the Sony A7 III and more than half an inch larger than that of the Nikon Z 5. The R6 is even slightly deeper than the Canon EOS 7D Mark II (one such APS-C DSLR), albeit a little shorter and narrower.

It is important that the R6 is comfortable to hold.

That means the R6 won't give you a big size advantage if that was your main reason for switching to mirrorless. Canon may be aimed at photographers who prefer the ergonomics of a DSLR over a mirrorless camera. It is important that the R6 is comfortable to hold. And while you're about the size of a DSLR, using the R6 saves you having to carry an additional 5 ounces over a DSLR similar to the 7D Mark II.

Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

The control scheme also channels Canon DSLRs through to the auto focus joystick, which is annoyingly disabled until you browse the menus to find the option to turn it on (a startling decision). Despite the additional real estate and non-entry title, Canon was unable to install a second LCD screen at the top. The switch to change the LCD screen from still images to video is also missing, although the record button continues to start a movie from any mode. To switch focus mode or change the burst speed, you need to dig in the quick menu or reassign part of the area of ​​the camera using the custom button options. However, the rest of the controls should be familiar to Canon DSLR users right down to the depth of field preview button.

The familiar controls – and the menu system – create a mirrorless camera to which Canon DSLR holdouts can be easily adapted. Users who switch from another system have to get used to some special features, e.g. B. Navigating the menus with the three steering wheels instead of an arrow keyboard. In fairness, you can always use the touchscreen.

Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

The R6 is equipped with an EVF with 3.69 million points – it's not the highest quality we've seen and not as detailed as the EOS R5, but it is sufficient and comparable to other cameras for a similar price. The viewfinder turns black while recording, but the burst speed is fast enough so it is not particularly difficult to track what is happening in the viewfinder once a burst begins. The rear touchscreen with a resolution of 1.62 million points can be folded to the side for viewing from any angle, also for selfies and vlogs, while the camera is on a tripod.

The R6, which is missing from several mirrorless models, gratefully offers two SD card slots. The battery life is 510 pictures with the monitor and 380 with the viewfinder. But like most cameras, the CIPA rating is a gross underestimation – I took 2,500 photos with a mixture of LCD screen and viewfinder, including many long series, before the battery warning started to flash.

Stabilization in the body

Composed in Photoshop from a series of RAW bursts recorded on the Canon EOS R6 in 1/10 second, 1: 1.8, ISO 2000. Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

Canon disappointed many when it released the original EOS R with no body stabilization, and the EOS R6 offsets it with a 5-axis stabilization system designed on paper for up to 8 stops in combination with a specific lens set . The sensor stabilization is a reason for Canon shooters with a DSLR medium level to switch to the medium level R6.

The stabilization system is ideal for wide-angle shots in poor lighting conditions and to reduce the shutter speed for longer lenses. I shot fireflies with the 35mm f / 1.8 lens on a tenth of a second handheld at dusk, and most of my shots were still sharp.

The stabilization system is ideal for wide-angle shots in poor lighting conditions and to reduce the shutter speed for longer lenses.

The R6 has a stabilization system that is great for a full-frame camera, but it doesn't necessarily outperform the competition. While the Nikon and Sony systems are only designed for five f-stops, the Z 6 handheld allowed me to shoot at a similar shutter speed – 1/8 second that supports my elbows on a table and 1/20 second without support. The R6 was only slightly better at 1/10 of a second without support.

Although Olympus listed a maximum of 7.5 stabilization stops and Canon claimed 8 stops, it was still more stable than the R6 to compare apples to oranges by contrasting a full-frame Micro Four Thirds camera. After I pushed the R6 under a tenth of a second and reached the exposure times of seconds, the pictures were no longer sharp. With the OM-D E-M1 Mark III, which still came out sharply, I took hand exposures longer than six seconds. Canon's stabilization is excellent, but it doesn't offer the great advantage over other stabilized cases that it seems to offer if you just look at the specs.

Fast autofocus and bursts

Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

The autofocus of the R6 was able to focus impressively even at dusk, provided the autofocus point was placed in an area with a slight contrast. The autofocus system even managed to tie itself to a glass – albeit slowly – at dusk, a subject and lighting conditions that have traditionally been a challenge for most cameras.

The continuous autofocus kept up well at maximum speed and only occasionally dropped the focus. The autofocus seemed to keep up well with the subjects that were moving in one direction parallel to the camera, as well as the subjects that were approaching me.

Eye AF is included and keeps up quickly. The R6 has managed to keep its eyes sharp for almost every shot of an energetic 7-year-old running towards the camera. While the Eye AF does an excellent job, it is not quite as clever on some systems where I have tried to focus on partially obscured eyes – the R6 has had a tougher time with faces turned to the side and some systems will impressively focus on eyelashes and closed eyes, the R6 does not.

Although the eye AF is good here (though not quite the best), we cannot say the same for the animal face and eye tracking. Unlike our experience with the EOS R5, Eye AF didn't work at all on the R6 in my chocolate lab and instead wanted to focus on her nose. I only had animal eye AF work once on my cat, which has more contrast on the face than a brown dog with brown eyes. Note that the animal tracking feature is impressed on the R5, which offers more pixels for the dual-pixel autofocus system. This may have something to do with the significantly different results that we have achieved between the two systems.

The auto focus system struggled the most with black and shadow. The R6 struggled when the AF point was placed on a darker part of the picture, although the camera snapped into place with identical lighting seconds later, as soon as the exposure correction lifted these shadows out of the black tones. This is not a problem for most images with a properly illuminated subject, but the camera has problems with scenarios such as silhouettes and focusing on black objects.

Excellent stabilization and mostly great autofocus are combined with a fast burst mode with 12 frames per second and a burst mode with 20 frames per second using the electronic shutter. The buffer is sufficient for a mid-level camera with 63 pictures that take RAW + JPEG, regardless of the set burst speed before the speed is slowed down. Once some of these images are deleted, you can continue recording. Annoyingly, the quick menu is locked while processing these images, making it difficult to adjust settings quickly (a problem that has been a problem with other Sony mirrorless cameras in the past, for example). It takes a good 30 seconds for a full burst to be completely cleared before you can access the menu. Only set to JPEG, the buffer is cleared almost immediately.

picture quality

The EOS R6 contains the same sensor as Canon's flagship DSLR, the 1DX Mark III: a 20.1 megapixel full-frame sensor. This is not as detailed or robust as the R5's 45 megapixels or competitor models like the 24 megapixel Nikon Z 6 or the Sony A7 III, but the compromise for fewer megapixels is often less noise when shooting in low light conditions.

The blend of ISO performance and stabilization makes the R6 an excellent option for shooting in low light.

This theory holds water with the R6, with its excellent handling of noise at high ISO. The noise starts to reach more noticeable values ​​at ISO 3,200 together with some color noise, but only becomes disturbing when cropping or printing at full size at ISO 8,000. If I reduced the noise of the RAW files until just before the start of sharpness, I would even call ISO 12,800, which is still good enough to share on Instagram or make small prints, and even up to ISO 32,000 if necessary push. Some streaking will occur if the ISO value is increased further, but the noise will still result in poor image quality. Of course, this is possible under ideal conditions, including shooting with a tripod and without exposure corrections in the post. Nevertheless, these results are particularly impressive.

The blend of ISO performance and stabilization makes the R6 an excellent option for shooting in low light. With high contrast lighting, the R6's RAW files were able to restore a considerable amount of detail from the shadows and even an easy recovery of lights and whites. On the other hand, the RAW files can also be easily edited for additional contrast. Check out how backlit golden hour images look in raw JPEG from the R6 compared to a RAW file that was edited to restore shadows and the same RAW file that was edited for drama and contrast:

canon eos r6 review 1i6a1636 original "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn7.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/1i6a1636_original-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: / /www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Original JPEG Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

edit canon eos r6 review contrast 1636 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn8.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/canon-eos-r6-review-contrast- edit -1636-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAABARAW edited for contrast Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

canon eos r6 review shadow recovery 1636 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn9.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/canon-eos-r6-review-shadow- recovery -1636-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAABAEdited RAW for shadow restoration Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

The R6 was also impressively sharp across the entire ISO range. While the lens plays a bigger role in image sharpness, the images from both 35mm and 24-105mm HF lenses were excellent. The sharpness around the eyes in portraits was particularly impressive when shooting with both eye AF and single point AF.

The colors of the R6 were exactly what I expected from a Canon. I think the Canon colors are a bit cool – but that's both completely subjective and easy to adjust afterwards.

While the R6 isn't as detailed as a sensor with more megapixels, it does offer excellent image quality for a mirrorless mid-frame full-screen mode. The sharpness is solid, the noise reduction is excellent, and the colors were the level I expected from Canon DSLRs.

Video quality

The R6 took up less space in the headlines than the R5's 8K, but the video is still impressive as it comes from the R5's cheaper sibling. The R5 with its 8K, oversampled 4K, slow motion 4K and RAW videos is ideal for serious videographers than the R6. However, the R6 offers several solid video functions.

Videos can be recorded at 60 fps in 4K in 10-bit. While the R6 is not the 8K value of the R5, the R6 oversamples the video, which means that data from across the width of the 5K sensor is used to create the 4K video. The result is that videos are wonderfully detailed, and stabilization provides a big boost for shooting handhelds. The autofocus has a smooth transition, but the camera often searches for the focus, a remnant of the previously mentioned problems with the autofocus.

The video length of the R6 is limited to approx. 30 seconds, but the recording in 4K 30p can immediately continue for another 10 minutes. 4K 60p requires a cool-down period after recording a 30-minute video, and recording at temperatures above 73 degrees leads to shorter recording times. This is due to the lack of a fan. According to Canon, this is a decision to keep the camera body smaller.

Our opinion

Hillary K. Grigonis / Digital Trends

The Canon EOS R6 is the mirrorless camera that owners of the company's medium-sized DSLRs have chosen. The camera feels like working with a DSLR, but it provides body stabilization and the electronic viewfinder of a mirrorless camera without sacrificing performance or image quality. And of course it works with Canon lenses (with adapter). It's a little bulky, the buffer locks the quick menu a little too long, the eye AF isn't quite as good as the competition, and the animal AF didn't work at all, and videos have to be short to prevent overheating – but it there is still much to love.

The R6 is an excellent camera – and the best option for using Canon lenses on a mirrorless camera without damaging the R5 – and eventually competes with other brands. Although the R6 is now competing well, Canon is more equal than other mirrorless competitors. Sony and Nikon's options are significantly smaller and offer more megapixels. While Canon has more physical properties, it lacks some controls that we really wanted. The image stabilization of the R6 only looks much better on paper and in real tests did not offer a great advantage over 5-stop systems.

Is there a better alternative?

If you want to keep your Canon lenses, the Canon EOS R5 is the only better alternative with similar features, but a higher resolution and a tier AF that is actually quite impressive. For photographers who have not yet invested in a lens system, the R6 may not offer enough incentives to switch. The Sony A7 III is a few megapixels cheaper, but the ergonomics and menu can be frustrating for photographers who are used to DSLRs. The now replaced A7R III has 42.2 megapixels for an identical price and offers larger images, but has the same problems as the A7 III. The Nikon Z 6 costs $ 500 less, has a slightly higher resolution, a smaller housing and a secondary LCD screen, but does not have two card slots and the autofocus in poor light conditions is inferior to that of the R6.

How long it will take?

In contrast to the R5, the R6 has a polycarbonate housing – the type of plastic that is usually used when getting into mid-range DSLRs. While not as sturdy, it feels firm in your hands and is weatherproof. Aside from catastrophic slumps, the R6 should last a few years. Since Canon is a newbie to mirrorless full-screen mode, we wouldn't be surprised if new features in two more years will cause you to upgrade before you have to.

Should you buy it

If you are a Canon DSLR shooter ready to flip the mirrorless switch and can't afford to opt for the high-end R5, then buy the R6. Pictures and performance are excellent, and the R6 feels like a Canon DSLR. If you want a mirrorless camera that is significantly smaller than a DSLR, or looking for features like exceptional animal AF, or if you need a fast buffer to shoot, the best thing to do is look elsewhere.

Editor's recommendations




30 Jul
Blog

The Sims 4 Nifty Knitting Review: A Well-Crafted DLC

The screenshot of the Sims 4 Nifty Knitting Stuff Pack

The Sims 4 Nifty Knitting Stuff Pack Review: A smart DLC

"With Nifty Knitting, The Sims 4's expansion package strategy hits a sweet spot."

  • Versatile item list

  • Knitting feels relevant to gameplay

  • Extras like Plopsy are fun

With Nifty Knitting, The Sims 4 delivers what players want by asking players what they want.

The latest stuff pack is a product of people's choice. Electronic Arts opened the latest topic, style, and articles online for voting before the final Nifty Knitting Stuff Pack was released. It clearly paid off.

This DLC fits at its $ 10 price tag, offering new Create-a-Sim and Build items, and a new ability to grow. There is also a new knitting wish for Sims. The Sims 4 are a bit lacking in this area and they don't often pursue hobbies. A claim for Sims newbies is a goal in life. Trying to fulfill a Sim's wish is one way to play. If you succeed, your Sim will get a new trait.

The screenshot of the Sims 4 Nifty Knitting Stuff PackPhoto courtesy of Electronic Arts

My Sim was a teacher during the day and a knitter at night. I focused on achieving my goals instead of climbing the career ladder as quickly as possible. It felt realistic and fun and I found that the game didn't offer many similar options. Comparable hobbies such as woodworking and flower arrangement enable growth and the opportunity to unlock new crafting items that you can sell. However, there is no effort to build on it, so success is not rewarded so richly.

Stuff pack stuff

Like many fans, I often have concerns about how the components (furniture, decorations or architectural details) feel excessively crazy. The Sims 4 love to incorporate colorful items instead of simple basics.

Nifty knitting doesn't go too crazy, however. There are simple desk and seating options with enough color fields to match multiple color schemes. It's easy to compare the Nifty Knitting items with other DLC or basic game options, but they also feel coherent. Objects such as desks and breadboards seem to fit easily in any office or studio. There are some garments that are separate from those unlocked by the knitting skill. These felt useful and realistic.

The screenshot of the Sims 4 Nifty Knitting Stuff PackPhoto courtesy of Electronic Arts

There are also a few short hairstyles. These androgynous looks can complement a number of Sims styles, and I guess one contains gray roots. There's also a 50's-style feathered bob. With the exception of the gray appearance, all can be worn by children. I was wondering why more hairstyles aren't available at every age.

The knitting skill slowly unlocks craft items such as hats, sweaters, socks, hanging planters, decorations, carpets and stools. The decorations and stools give the game a unique flair, and I was happy to be able to make my own carpet or planter instead of buying one in the game. You can also knit baby and toddler rompers, which I found particularly enjoyable as there are very few options for these age groups. Babies have extremely limited clothing options, so I was happy to see the addition here.

Still, my Sim made far more items than I could ever use. I sold the extras on Plopsy, a fictional variant of Etsy. You can put your item up for sale, but there is no guarantee of how much you will get or if they will even get a buyer. The listing costs 10 Simoleons and another 10 if you need to re-list if you don't find a buyer before the listing expires. The game also gives buyers and sellers their own usernames based on Sims lore.

Our opinion

This extension is a good value. The Sims 4 struggled to get the upgrade price right with some previous offerings. However, Nifty Knitting and the former Stuff Pack, Tiny Living, have hit a sweet spot. They offer meaningful additions to the game at an affordable price of $ 10.

Is there a better alternative?

Every DLC package that the Sims bring out in one generation should be unique. However, if you're looking for other options with a similar flair, Laundry Day (another pack developed by fan voting) or Tiny Living are good options. Parenting is probably the most free game pack, especially for those who enjoy family games. Cats and dogs or seasons would be great options for expansion packs with an appropriate style.

How long it will take?

Sims DLC should last as long as the game, that is, as long as you play it. However, some options like Get Famous or Vampires seem to work best for a particular run before the issues become obsolete.

Nifty Knitting can be easily integrated into all games and is therefore much longer lasting.

Should you buy it

Yes. Nifty Knitting is a simple addition to the list of Sims DLC must-haves.

Editor's recommendations




«‹6263646566›»