06 May
Blog

Sony WF-XB700 Earbuds Review: Affordable, Quirky Fun

Sony WF-XB700 earphones

"The Sony WF-XB700 is a fun, quirky earphone that offers tremendous value."

  • Great battery life

  • IPX4 water resistance

  • Solid low-end sound

  • Pushy design

  • Limited codec support

There are any number of words you can use to describe Sony's latest earphones, the WF-XB700. A few – like fun, bulky, powerful, or affordable – come to mind immediately.

However, one word resonates the most. Value.

You may not look like much, but for $ 130, the WF-XB700 offers a range of features that far exceed its cost. If you can accept that these buds are not a substitute for their bigger sibling, the WF-1000XM3, and learn to tolerate a few quirks, you will be pleasantly surprised with Sony's latest real wireless offering.

Out of the box

The packaging of the WF-XB700 is as standard as possible and the contents of the box correspond to what we expect from earphones. There is a charging case with the buds themselves, a USB-C charging cable, additional earplugs and documentation that contains a user manual and warranty information.

Sony WF-XB700 earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

If you were previously connected to a pair of wireless earbuds, you may not need to read the manual before trying the WF-XB700. However, you may need to replace the earbuds for one of the three pairs of replacement options. Conveniently, the tips supplied with the earphones fit my ears well from the start.

Like most earphones these days, the WF-XB700 supports Bluetooth 5 technology. After more than a week, I have found no connection problems. For the reasons you might expect, I couldn't quite exceed the limits of the Bluetooth connection, but I didn't have to worry about any noticeable problems when I was moving around my house or garden.

design

I came into conflict over the design of the WF-XB700. To put it bluntly, it's a functional construction, even if at first glance they don't seem to be capable of such an achievement. Once I found the right fit in my ears, the buds stayed secure thanks to what Sony called a “tri-hold structure” based on contact with three different points on the ear. They created a good seal around my ear canals, which is good for the sound quality.

Sony WF-XB700 earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

At the same time, the structure of these buds is problematic. It's a strange word for this type of product, but the WF-XB700 is what I can only call "layered" with a pronounced footprint that extends well beyond your ear. In other words, be careful with these hoodies. These massive buds have to get caught, a quirk that gets annoying every time.

Two buttons are built into the buds, one on each side, and they have proven to be reasonably appealing. Similar to the buds themselves, which are black with a blue border, the charging case is not noticeable. Compared to other cases, it has a considerable depth to accommodate the size of the buds.

Function over shape in earbuds is not a bad thing. I would have liked a slimmer profile overall, but for most people, given the capabilities of these buds, it's a worthwhile compromise.

properties

IPX4 water resistance. Integration of the language assistant. Nine hours of playback on a single charge, with a quick charge feature that gives you an extra hour of audio after just 10 minutes in the case.

Sony WF-XB700 earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

A year ago, these functions could easily have been reserved for equipment in a much higher tax bracket. Since then, they have quickly dropped to a budget level for earphones that is much more palatable to the masses, i.e. H. The WF-XB700.

In the time I spent with these bulky buds, each of these features worked remarkably well. The buds would easily take me through a whole working day before I had to recharge. The earphone case only has an additional charge, which is less than ideal. However, if you can hear them all day and charge them at night, I don't see this as a major problem for most.

A couple of sweaty runs have proven that the IPX4 rating is correct. While the voice assistant isn't as easy as wake-word enabled products like Amazon Echo Buds or Google Pixel Buds 2, it still worked well when I called it up with the right earbud button.

The function I wanted for these buds, as simple as it is, would be the ability to automatically pause the sound when you take an earphone out of your ear. It's something I've gotten so used to with other earbuds, and that's why I've repeatedly missed parts of podcasts and music when I pulled out a bud to have a conversation.

Audio quality

If you think these buds are what they are, a pair of real $ 130 wireless earbuds that are supposed to be more fun than sophisticated, you will enjoy the new Sony product. If instead you're looking for excellent sound that matches Sony's flagship WF-1000XM3, the WF-XB700 may not be for you.

Sony WF-XB700 earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Sony has hit its Extra Bass brand on the WF-XB700, and for me that's "fun". The bottom end has a lot of punch, but doesn't sound bloated. If you regularly stream top hit playlists on Spotify, the WF-XB700 is an excellent addition to this listening experience.

The big bass has some drawbacks, however. The rest of the frequency range takes a back seat. If you take into account the lack of support for audio codecs like aptX, more experienced listeners will likely look for definitions that are not fully available. However, if you're looking for reference level audio, these are simply not the buds you're looking for.

The WF-XB700 has no noise cancellation technology that is not expected outside of Amazon's earbuds at this price (though I suspect this will change soon). The call quality is solid and contributes to what I think is above-average sound for the cost of these buds.

Our opinion

For the money, the WF-XB700 from Sony are fun, quirky earphones that are a lot more fun than quirky ones. Despite their shortcomings, including the size boss, the new earphones from Sony are just as valuable as they have positioned themselves on paper.

Are there any better alternatives?

The Amazon Echo Buds, valued at $ 130, have active noise reduction, but sacrifice battery life. If you're heavily invested in the Apple or Android ecosystem, the Apple AirPods or Google Pixel Buds 2 may be better, if more expensive.

How long will they last?

In addition to Sony's general reputation as a company that manufactures durable products, the WF-XB700 comes with a one-year warranty. You shouldn't have to worry about getting your money's worth with these earphones.

Should you buy them

Yes. I'm still not convinced of their design, but given the affordable price, the pleasant sound and the wealth of functions, the WF-XB700 is a bargain.

Editor's recommendations




06 May
Blog

HP Elite Dragonfly Review: The Out of Office Business Laptop

HP Elite Dragonfly Rating 6

"The HP Elite Dragonfly is light and sleek, and almost too sleek to be a pure business laptop."

  • Perfect size for on the go

  • Many security functions

  • Incredible battery life

  • Great port selection

  • Older processors

  • The keyboard feels tight

This review was updated on May 6, 2020 by digital trends author Mark Coppock with the new functions Tile and Sure View Reflect.

You get on your six-hour flight with the ambitious goal of getting some work done. You are prepared. You have a laptop A charger. They are even ready to pay for the expensive in-flight WiFi. It's time to get it. Job. Done.

Six hours later, you barely managed to open your laptop.

It's not easy to mess around with the charger under your seat, fight for freedom of movement with your fellow travelers, and try to stuff a laptop on an airplane shelf. And if you pack a chunky "business laptop" it's almost impossible.

HP finds it new Elite Dragonfly is the solution. The company claims it has the security features business people need without the stereotypical design issues. Is this $ 2,079 business laptop worth a first-class trip?

A suitable travel partner

The dragonfly was developed from the ground up for your work on the go. At 2.2 pounds, it's significantly lighter than laptops like the XPS 13, HP Specter x360, and MacBook Air. HP says it relieves every element of the laptop to make it so light without losing structural integrity. Even a super-light business laptop like the ThinkPad X1 Yoga is 0.8 pounds heavier.

This effort was really worth it. Put it in your backpack or briefcase and you will barely notice the extra weight as you run through the airport trying to find your gate. It is a tiny laptop. However, the strong navy color, the golden decorations and the sharp edges go perfectly with your suit and your wristwatch. It is downright decadent.

Holding with one hand as a tablet is still out of the question due to its size.

If you take a seat and whip the dragonfly out to work, it fits well on your tray table. The total space requirement is quite small, so it may even work in economy class. This is another area that the dragonfly has over its rivals. It corresponds to the size of the XPS 13, but is three quarters of an inch smaller in height and width than the X1 Yoga. When you are in a confined space like an airplane, every millimeter counts.

For a better view, you can flip the keyboard over to record or watch movies. The use of tablets is possible, but uncomfortable like other 2-in-1 devices of this size. It's just a little big and a little too heavy.

The dragonfly's screen is next to the XPS 13 2-in-1 and looks a bit dated. The bezels are not massive, but a little bulky in addition to the larger 16:10 screen of the XPS 13 2-in-1. The new Specter x360 also has smaller bezels, and I wish they had found their way to the dragonfly. The 1080p screen isn't as impressive as the high-contrast, insanely bright XPS 13 2-in-1. A 4K version is available for better image quality, but is currently not available.

We also tested HP's latest privacy screen, Sure View Reflect. It is the 4th generation of the company's technology that makes the screen invisible from a certain angle. This means that no one but you can see your display unless they are right behind you. In release mode, ie when Sure View Reflect is deactivated, the display is very bright and offers a lot of contrast as well as an accurate color width and accuracy. It is a good ad for productivity users. When you're in privacy mode and Sure View Reflect is turned on, brightness, contrast, and colors drop, but it works as intended. The display is provided with a copper coating, which makes it illegible from the sides.

A small laptop means a small keyboard

The size of the frames (and the size of the keyboard deck) enables a sufficiently large touchpad for tracking and gestures. The glass is smooth and the click mechanism is quiet.

However, the small footprint has a compromise on the keyboard width. It's a little tight, especially in the function line, which is about small buttons that can be easily accidentally pressed. HP went one step further and tried to place a pair of upward-facing speakers directly on the keyboard deck.

I would normally welcome such a choice, but in this case I would have preferred a larger keyboard like the X1 Yoga. This is especially true since the speakers still don't sound good here.

Fortunately, typing is fun. The key presses have enough travel (especially compared to the XPS 13 2-in-1 or MacBook Pro) and are quiet enough not to wake up the person sleeping next to you on the plane.

The included pen is a lightweight pen that feels good in your hand and can be charged via USB-C. With 4,096 sensitivity levels, it is perfect for notation and illustration. The only problem is that there is no case or way to attach it to the laptop. You have to rely on your own devices to have the pen with you. When you're on the go, this can be problematic.

Portable, all-day work and integrated tile support

When you arrive at your destination, the dragonfly has many tricks to meet your computer needs. Port selection is a good place to start. Despite its thickness of just 0.63 inches, HP has both a full-size USB-A and HDMI connector. Neither is so common with laptops as thin as laptops like the XPS 13 go all-in on USB-C.

The Dragonfly has a USB-C 3.1 and a Thunderbolt 3 port for your modern accessories and ports, but offers you options for the older ports that are still useful. They are the key to those moments when you show up at a meeting, are confused by a day of travel and need to be connected to a TV or monitor via HDMI. It also means that you can leave most of your dongles at home.

However, the HP Elite Dragonfly is slightly behind Lenovo X1 Yoga. This laptop offers two USB-C 3.1 / Thunderbolt 3 and two USB-A 3.1 and HDMI 1.4.

If it's a short trip (or you're feeling brave), dare to leave your charger at home too. The dragonfly's battery life is so good. It took just under 10½ hours to surf the Internet, which means that you do well over an entire working day. Your coast to coast flight is covered whether you are working or catching up with The Mandalorian. The Sure View Reflect display does not affect battery life either.

I was a little annoyed by the power switch, which is right next to the connectors on the left. There are many accidental presses when the laptop is picked up or simply moved. While it makes sense to use the 2-in-1 device as a tablet, as mentioned earlier, the size of the dragonfly means that the use of tablets is not ideal.

In 2020, HP added built-in Tile support so users can now find their laptop using the Tile app. The tile circuit is integrated and is specially slid into the M.2 slot, which is normally used for the optional LTE support. This means that it is Tile or LTE, but not both. Tile works well even when the laptop is turned off. You can at least see where you were last connected to the laptop via Bluetooth. If you're lucky, someone is within range with the Tile app and you can see the location of the laptop in real time. It's a great feature for anyone who is worried about leaving their laptop behind.

When business functions are a problem

HP is proud of the security features built into the level. It features a fingerprint scanner, Windows Hello face recognition, a physical camera cover, suppressed noise cancellation for Skype calls, an extended Wi-Fi range and three microphones (two facing, one "world" face). These are all touches that business users will appreciate.

However, it goes deeper. HP Sure Start is also included for secure boot and BIOS protection. HP even sells a separate model with its darkened Sure View screen for more privacy when traveling.

This is not just software. The HP Endpoint Security Controller is on the board. According to HP, it is isolated and cryptographically secure. There's more to it than just a business-first laptop like the ThinkPad X1.

We all want our computers to be secure, but that's probably more than what the average person needs. In some cases, the security suite feels like bloatware, especially if you want to use third-party software to protect against malware. HP security will make IT managers happy, and that's what the company is counting on.

Performance is … ok. The use of 8th generation Intel processors is unfortunate. It's not HP's fault, of course. Intel does not yet support vPro in its latest processor generations. This is (among other things) an important tool for IT departments and remote management.

It's the same problem you find in other business laptops like the Latitude series from Dell or the ThinkPad T series. Note that the cheaper Intel Core i5 Dragonfly does not have a vPro for $ 1,629, so you will lose the performance boost of newer processors without the benefits.

HP has decided to play it safe with the dragonfly. You probably won't notice a drop in performance compared to the XPS 13 2-in-1 or Specter x360, especially not with Dragonfly's 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD and 32 GB Intel Optane Memory H10. However, it damages the longevity of the laptop and lets you question the high price.

Our opinion

The dragonfly is ideal for business people who value security, portability and build quality. The dragonfly will make this person happy, especially if their employer pays the bill.

If you're someone else, you'll wonder why the laptop is so small, won't turn on quickly, or doesn't have the latest generation processors. Despite trying to impress a wider audience, the level of functionality of the dragonfly means that it is still best for a very specific user.

Are there alternatives?

The closest alternative is the ThinkPad X1 Yoga, which is a few hundred dollars cheaper. The Yoga also includes options for a wider range of configurations, including 4K panels and 10th generation processors. However, it is not as portable as the dragonfly.

The Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1 is also a great alternative with its ultra-thin bezels and numerous security features. For a similar configuration, the Latitude is $ 100 more expensive and not quite as small as the Dragonfly.

Non-business options like HP Specter x360 or XPS 13 2-in-1 are fantastic, although you lack many of the security features you may need.

How long it will take?

The dragonfly comes with an excellent three-year warranty that will be attractive to businesses. Aside from accidents, the laptop should last as long due to its hardware and excellent build quality. You can even add an additional HP CarePack for advanced repair and replacement services.

Should you buy it

Yes. Those outside the business world shouldn't cross, but for the right person, the dragonfly is the perfect travel companion.

Editor's recommendations




06 May
Blog

Google Pixel 4 XL Review: Remarkable Phone. Small Battery.

Pixel 4 xl protrudes behind

Google Pixel 4 XL Black only (unlocked) – 64 GB

"Google's latest pixel has a successful camera again and is fluctuating in battery life again."

  • Outstanding cameras

  • Good performance

  • Bright, sharp and smooth 6.3-inch screen

  • Face unlock is quick

  • Really helpful, intelligent software

  • The battery life is not good

  • Hardly any app supports Face Unlock

  • Only 64 GB of storage space

The Google Pixel 4 XL was released over six months ago – some lives in smartphone years. Since then, the Galaxy S20, the OnePlus 8 Pro, has blinded us and distracted us from conversations about Pixel 4a and 5G phones. Does the Pixel 4 XL still hold? Should you consider yourself a 5G model? Let's find out.

Do you want a smaller phone? Check out our Google Pixel 4 test, which takes a closer look at the 5.7-inch model.

A minimalist and eye-catching design

I've been reviewing Google's Pixel phones since they were launched in 2016. There were two constants: a killer camera and an insufficient battery. This topic continues with the latest version of the company, Google Pixel 4 XL. It's fantastic in almost every department, from an excellent screen to brilliant software, but the battery is still behind the competition. It's not bad enough to stop me from fully using the phone, but power users are careful. This phone will have trouble keeping you going all day. However, there is a lot to enjoy before the last battery percentage disappears. Let’s take a closer look.

I like contrasts, bright colors and minimalist design, which means that the Pixel 4 XL is just right for me. I spoke to the designers about the process of redesigning the phone – this is the first major redesign of the Pixel line – and I'm happy with the changes that have been made.

Pixel 4 xl hero shotJulian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

Gone is the line on the back of the phone that separated two different textures. This also means that there are no longer two textures on the back. Instead, this two-tone design is achieved through the sides of the phone. There is a black band on the edges, which can be used to cover some components such as the USB-C connector, the speaker grille and the SIM slot. The back is also framed to highlight it. I also like the texture of this black band because it feels like you are touching a stable eggshell.

Gorilla Glass 5 is on the back, which is why we ask ourselves: Why aren't more phone manufacturers using Gorilla Glass 6? Is it too expensive to afford? Regardless, it is cleaner than ever, especially since there is no longer a fingerprint sensor, but now a "pixel square", as the designers call the camera module. In contrast to the iPhone 11 Pro, in which the triple camera system clearly stands out, Google has masked the lenses with a black filter, which makes the square module itself bolder and more pronounced. Paired with the black band on the edges, this phone is easy to spot, and the accented color of the power switch adds a bit more visual flair.

I can't stop staring at Pixel 4. It is beautiful and the design makes me show it off.

I've heard that others call the design boring – sometimes ugly. I clearly disagree, but you cannot deny that it is distinctive. I took pictures in a dog park in Manhattan and three people came up to me at different times and asked if I would use a Pixel 4.

If you want to buy one, choose the colors "Clear White" or "Oh So Orange" (the latter is a limited edition), because the colors "Just Black" are simply too simple. Even worse, the black is the only one with a glossy glass structure on the back, while the other two colors opt for a matt glass. The matte texture feels smooth and has the added benefit of hiding stains and fingerprints. The same does not apply to the glossy black option, which is also a dust magnet.

I can't stop staring at Pixel 4. It is beautiful, feels fantastic in the hand and the design makes me show it.

A 90Hz screen

Google has put more emphasis on the appearance of the screen on the Pixel 4 XL than on the Pixel 3 XL last year, which has a terrible notch that looks hideous. This time there is a large bezel at the top and a slimmer one at the bottom, which is not particularly modern, but acceptable. It is easy to forget as soon as you use the phone.

Pixel 4 xl screenJulian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

The other problem that Google has solved is the brightness of the screen. I'm having trouble reading the Pixel 3 XL's screen in sunny conditions, but that's no longer the case with the Pixel 4 XL. Is it brighter or more bezel-less than the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus? No, but I still had no major problems here.

The resolution of 3,040 × 1,440 is sharp and black is beautifully deep, although the colors are not as saturated as on Samsung phones. The 6.3-inch screen size doesn't feel too big either, although I have big hands.

The large screen is ideal for watching movies and shows, especially thanks to the HDR10 support. Shows like Disenchanted and Peaky Blinders look crisp with vibrant colors that pop, though admittedly ultra-dark scenes aren't as easy to see as on the Galaxy Note 10 or iPhone 11 Pro.

The screen's spotlight feature is the 90 Hz refresh rate we saw on the OnePlus 7T, and it's fantastic. This means that you see 90 frames per second (FPS), which is more than the conventional 60 frames per second on most smartphones. However, the pixel is not always updated at 90 Hz. It is sometimes updated with the typical refresh rate of 60 Hz when the screen brightness is low. This strange fact undermines one of the outstanding features of the phone.

Since the smaller bezel is slimmer than its predecessor, the front-facing speaker has been moved to the bottom edge. It's a shame, but luckily audio still sounds good and can fill a small space without sounding too distorted at high volume. There is no headphone jack. So if you're in the wireless earbud market, you should consider Google's Pixel Buds 2.

Face unlock is great

It took me a day or two to get used to the loss of the fingerprint sensor on the back of the Pixel 4 XL. I used it not only to unlock the phone, but also to swipe to pull down the notification drawer. Although I miss this feature, I also appreciate Google's addition of Face Unlock. This is one of the reasons why the bezel at the top of the screen is so big: there are a variety of sensors, including Google's Soli technology, that the company has been working on for several years.

Unlock Pixel 4 XL Face GirlsJulian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

Soli uses radar to identify 3D objects, and the Pixel 4 detects when your hand is approaching the phone, so the Face Unlock camera can be activated to quickly unlock the phone or the volume of calls and alarms decrease when you have your hand approaching the phone. Practically! You can also use it for gestures to control some functions of the phone. However, we will come back soon.

Face Unlock is snappy and precise, and I think it's great that it goes straight to the home screen instead of swiping up. There are times when I have to tap the screen to make sure the camera is looking for my face. Otherwise, I had no problem accessing the phone.

Android has a new BiometricPrompt API that allows apps to support fingerprint sensors and facial recognition systems for Android 9 and Android 10 devices. It took developers some time to add support. At the start I complained that there are hardly any apps that support this. Nowadays most major apps do this, including banks like Citibank and American Express, Passwork Keeper like LastPass and 1Password, shopping apps like Dashlane and Venmo, and more. If you're curious, Android Central has a fairly extensive list.

Another problem with Face Unlock has been fixed recently: At launch, Face Unlock could be unlocked even when your eyes were closed. This is a security risk as someone can easily take your phone and point it at your face to unlock it even if you close your eyes to stop it. The April 2020 security update provides the option that the eyes must be open. With Face Unlocked, however, there is one peculiarity that still exists: there is no way to add an alternative face or look. You can do this on Apple's iPhone using Face ID. I know a colleague who uses Pixel 4 and it is difficult for her to identify her face after applying makeup.

Helpful gestures

I mentioned soli technology earlier – well, it's a sleeper hit. It's great to turn down the volume when I approach the ringing phone, be it during an alarm or a phone call, but I'm an even bigger fan of Motion Sense. With this new feature, you can move your hand left or right over the phone to turn off an alarm, mute a call, or even switch tracks while listening to music.

Pixel 4 xl sense of movementJulian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

At launch, Motion Sense was incredibly limited on the Pixel 4XL, although Google looked at other types of gestures it could integrate to add value. When I speak to other reviewers, I feel like a minority, but I find Motion Sense works well for me, and I used it to clear morning alarms by just waving my hand. I also love changing tracks with it while working and listening to music. I can do all of this without lifting the handset, and that's pretty good.

In March, Google added the ability to pause and resume music. What Motion Sense needed – and still urgently needs – at this time is more gestures and actions. Can you use it to scroll photos after you've transferred them to a Chromecast-enabled TV, for example? Nah. There are many potential use cases for this, and I hope that Google will continue to improve functionality instead of simply abandoning it like many of its other projects. There is a game called "Headed South" that supports this feature. It would be cool if it were adopted in other apps when Google opened the API.

A story of two cameras

Google has long believed that only one camera was required to deliver great photos, building on its expertise in computer photography as other manufacturers continue to add multiple cameras for versatility. This is beginning to change as the 12.2-megapixel main lens of the Pixel 4 with an aperture of 1: 1.7 is now paired with a 16-megapixel telephoto lens (1: 2.4), which is a 2x offers optical zoom. Still, Google continues to show us that you don't need 48-megapixel cameras to take stunning photos. This is the goal of most Android manufacturers.

Nevertheless, Google should have followed Apple's path and added a triple camera system here, as I never had the feeling that the zoom functions on pixel phones are missing. Google introduced a feature called Super Res Zoom on the Pixel 3 that uses artificial intelligence to clean up digitally zoomed photos and deliver a quality that is surprisingly comparable to telephoto shots from other phones. It would have been really nice to combine this with an ultra wide angle camera for more varied shots. Ah great. I have to hope that the Pixel 5 comes with this type of setup. Rumor has it that it will.

The image sensor for the main lens is the same as that for last year's pixel, except that the aperture is a little wider, so better photos should be taken in low light and the dynamic range improved. The camera app also feels much faster than ever.

The telephoto lens ensures optimal quality for enlarged pictures, but we have seen telephoto lenses on cell phones for a long time – Google couldn't have at least opted for a 3 × optical zoom lens like the Huawei P30 Pro? As the smartphone market develops, this stands out as a sore point: the Huawei P40 Pro has a 5x optical zoom, which leaves the Pixel 4 XL in the dust. It's a shame.

Regardless, the quality looks good. Unlike some cell phones, Google's excellent night vision mode works with the telephoto lens. So you get good quality photos regardless of the time of day. As you can see below, it towers above the iPhone 11 Pro and the Samsung Note 10 Plus with 5x digital zoom, with slightly stronger details and more depth.

Pixel 4 xl 5x digital zoom "class =" m-carousel - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/pixel-4-xl-5x-digital-zoom -640x640 .jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAPixel 4 XL. Julian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

iphone 11 pro 5x digital zoom "class =" m carousel - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/iphone-11-pro-5x-digital-zoom - 640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAiPhone 11 Pro. Julian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

Samsung Note 10 plus 5x digital zoom "class =" m carousel - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/samsung-note-10-plus-5x- digital- zoom-2-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAGalaxy Note 10 Plus. Julian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

There's a certain type of look that Google's pixel phones capture – a lot of contrast, as well as cooler and darker tones. It's a style I've always enjoyed, but not for everyone. For example, you might prefer the brighter and warmer photos from iPhone 11 Pro. Still, I think the latest iPhone outperforms the Pixel 4 in general in terms of image quality and versatility (which helps extra ultra-wide angle lens), though that's not always the case. There are times when the Pixel 4 takes a much more appealing photo with better details, making it a fairly close competition.

However, there are some improvements that improve the camera experience. The first is Live HDR +, which allows you to see what the photo will look like after processing – before you even tap the shutter button. This is handy because I don't have to wait a few seconds to see the result and can frame the photo if necessary.

The new double exposure mode also offers more creative controls that let you adjust shadows and brightness before taking a photo. There's also a learning-based white balance that tries to identify the scene you're in and uses lifelike colors in all photo modes. However, dark scenes are still best in night vision mode.

Speaking of which, night vision mode has some of the most notable improvements. Night Sight takes multiple pictures at different exposures and stacks them for a more detailed and brighter photo in low light. The colors are still somewhat saturated, but they continue to impress and deliver stunning photos from the darkest scenes. Even crazier, if you have a tripod, point the phone at the sky and night vision mode triggers “astrophotography mode”, which sets an exposure time that can take up to four and a half minutes.

You can take some stunning photos like the following taken by my colleague in Scotland. You can see my attempt in the gallery above that I took in New York City with its heavy light pollution, but it's still an amazing photo considering that the normal camera gives a spotty mess with no details.

Pixel_4_astrophotography_1Simon Hill / Digital Trends

Portrait mode is also a little better now, and although the blur application for a subject has been improved over the performance of Pixel 3, there is still plenty of room to grow. You can notice some sections of hair around my dog ​​and other people can look a little confused in some photos. So you should be aware of the background when taking portraits. The less happens in the background, the better.

These results are still among the best you can get with a smartphone and can compete with those captured on Apple's iPhone and Huawei phones.

Google's Pixel 4 XL has an 8 megapixel front camera with an aperture of 1: 2.0 and takes some excellent selfies, especially in portrait and night vision mode. Unlike the Pixel 3 with two cameras on the front that allow you to switch between a wide-angle lens and a normal lens, the Pixel 4 XL's only lens is a wide-angle lens, so you can still shoot a lot in the scene behind you. or take group selfies without trying to fit everyone.

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Pixel 4 XL Portrait Selfie "aria-descriptionby =" gallery-15-2405864

Pixel 4 XL Selfie "aria-descriptionby =" gallery-15-2405865

  • 1.
    Pixel 4 XL night selfie
  • 2nd
    Pixel 4 XL Portrait Selfie
  • 3rd
    Pixel 4 XL selfie

The Pixel 4's camera has improved, perhaps not significantly compared to its predecessor, but in the right areas that make it one of the best camera phones currently available to buy. Note that Google can no longer save Google Photos in full resolution for free and indefinitely. You can still upload your photos in high resolution for free, but not in the original resolution.

The latest software: machine learning FTW

The next best part of owning a Pixel phone is software. Of course, the latest version of Android 10 runs on the phone with current security. This is a huge advantage as Pixel phones are among the first to get updates when developing Android from Google. This means new functions and improved security. Google promises this type of support on the phone for three years, which is more the case than almost all Android phones.

If you're the way beta software installs, one advantage of a Google-made gadget is the ability to install the latest Android developer build – currently it's the first beta of Android 11. No, it's not going to be fun make names like Jellybean or Gingerbread, but it will bring new features. We'll find out more at Google I / O shortly. At the moment the existing operating system is fine.

Android 10 offers great features like a system-wide dark theme, an improved gesture navigation system and more transparency about which apps access your location data and other sensors on the phone. You can check out the best features of Android 10 by looking for more details.

Pixel 4 xl recorder appJulian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

What makes me come back to pixel phones outside of the camera are some of the helpful features supported by machine learning. Now the playback is still available so that the phone can show you the name of the tracks played in your area (even without an internet connection). Then there is a call screen that checks potential robocalls so you don't have to speak to a telemarketer. The motion sense gestures also fall into this category of helpful functions that have only a minor impact on my daily use of the phone.

A new app called Personal Safety gives you security and allows the phone to alert your preset emergency contacts in an emergency, and the Pixel 4 can even detect car accidents using sensors on the phone. It can then make calls to emergency services and send your location if you are unable to work. Helpful indeed, although I can't test it closely to see how well it all works.

My favorite new addition is the recorder app, which can be used to transcribe interviews in real time. It uses machine learning on the device so no data is sent to Google and you don't need an internet connection for this to work. The transcription is not perfect, but it is pretty good and excellent for people like me who do a lot of interviews and hate the manual transcription process afterwards. This app found its way to the Pixel 3, Pixel 3a and Pixel 2 cell phones in December.

Live Caption is another one of those additions that I never thought would be necessary. Subtitles are automatically generated for each video with audio, and all of this happens on the device. I used it when I was on the subway and didn't want to put on my earphones but wanted to understand what was going on in a video. Live Caption's mostly accurate subtitles saved the day.

In a "Pixel Feature Drop" in December, Google improved some of the Pixel 4 XL's best features, including the call screen with A.I. support, background blur in photos, and duo video calls. It's nice to see these features continue to improve.

Google Assistant continues to hide

Also impressive is the new Google Assistant, which used to be run with algorithms that required more than 100 GB of storage space and have now shrunk to less than 500 MB. That means it's faster, works more often on the device, and some tasks like opening an app or setting a timer don't require an internet connection.

The user interface not only looks much better and takes up less screen space, but the best addition is the continued conversation. This feature is available on Google Nest devices and allows you to continue speaking to the wizard without having to constantly trigger it. After running a query, the bottom of the phone lights up with the colors of the wizard. This indicates that the phone is still listening if you want to ask something else. It's excellent and makes me use the wizard more often, especially with Active Edge, the "press the phone to trigger the wizard" feature, which is still available on Pixel 4.

Next generation Pixel 4 xl assistantJulian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

The wizard has improved in many other ways. For example, if you're in an app like Google Maps, you can just press the phone and ask the assistant to search for nearby restaurants. The query is carried out automatically via Maps instead of Assistant. Do you see a photo you like? You can ask the assistant to send it to someone in your contacts, and you can even reply to incoming text by triggering the assistant and saying "Reply to John" before dictating your answer.

I'm using Google Assistant a lot more now. I am sure that Google will be happy if more data about me is retrieved. However, there are more robust options that allow you to control how much of your data is stored. But in the end, I use Assistant because it's really helpful, and that's more than I can say about most other language assistants.

Snappy performance

The Pixel 4 XL has 6 GB of RAM and is powered by the same chip in most 2019 Android flagship phones: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855. In December, Qualcomm introduced the next generation 865 chip that you can find in the OnePlus 8, the Galaxy S20 series and some Chinese phones from Xiaomi and Oppo. If you're looking for the latest and greatest, this isn't the case right now – but it doesn't matter. The phone had no problems handling the apps I normally use and opened them quickly. Switching between apps and even multitasking is a biting affair.

Here are some benchmark results:

  • AnTuTu 3DBench: 362.158
  • Geekbench 5 CPU: 606 single core; 2,056 multi-core
  • 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 4,007 (volcano); 4,564 (OpenGL)

For comparison, here are some numbers from the Galaxy S20:

  • Geekbench 5: 905 single core; 2,753 multi-core
  • 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 5,198 (volcano)

The Pixel 4 XL's results don't differ much from those of other phones that use the same processor as the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus, and it remains at the top level of the powerful smartphones. However, the more modern chip is significantly faster (and of course much more expensive). Oh, and the iPhone 11 Pro still has a considerable head start.

Games like PUBG: Mobile, Altos Odyssey, Pako: Forever everyone without problems. You have no problems with the performance of this phone.

I am not a fan of the storage capacity that you get for the basic pixel 4 XL: 64 GB. That's far too little for a $ 900 phone, especially if $ 350 phones like the Nokia 7.2 offer the same amount. Google, you need to expand storage options and make 128 GB the default.

A missing battery

All of the amazing features of this phone are overshadowed by the battery that Google packed into the phone. At a time when most Android manufacturers use batteries with more than 4,000 mAh, Google's use of a 3,700 mAh cell is a joke. It can get you through a medium to heavy duty workday, but I often hit 30% around 5:30 p.m., sometimes even less. It's not bad for light to medium users, but not as good for power users.

Pixel 4 xl USB-C portJulian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

If I wanted to extend my night and go to a restaurant or bar, my phone would die around 9:30 p.m. or 10:00 p.m. if I didn't have a portable battery with me. I'm not sure why Google can't determine the battery life of its Pixel phones, as this is a problem for every single Pixel phone I've ever checked. Throw in a bigger battery, Google! Do what Apple did this year and make your phone fatter. It is not difficult. Thanks to the amazing battery life, I reached 20% on the iPhone 11 Pro Max around midnight, and I wish the Google phone could do the same.

Fortunately, using a Qi charger on your desk while at work or a portable battery can fix the problem. However, it's not great that you have to stick to these lengths.

In our standard video playback test, in which we play a 1080p YouTube video with maximum brightness via WiFi, the Pixel 4 XL lasted 9 hours and 31 minutes. This is respectable, but falls behind competitors like the iPhone 11 Pro with 12 hours and 30 minutes and the OnePlus 7T Pro with 12 hours and 19 minutes.

On the iPhone 11 Pro Max, I reached 20% of the battery around midnight. I wish the Google phone could do the same.

It's a shame that Google didn't choose to upgrade its fast-charging technology either. The Power Delivery 2.0 standard continues to be used instead of the newer PD 3.0. You can fully charge the Pixel 4 XL from zero to 100% in about an hour and a half, but you won't get the juice burst when you first connect it to the Galaxy Note 10 Plus, which is helpful in an emergency.

Price, availability and warranty information

The MSRP for the Pixel 4 XL is $ 900, but if you want the smaller Pixel 4, it costs $ 800 less. Both phones have been available from all major U.S. providers and several retailers since October 24, 2019.

However, the phones are currently on sale. The Pixel 4XL costs $ 600 and the Pixel 4 $ 500. This doesn't necessarily make them a better deal than when they were released, as their hardware is a bit dated compared to other phones. Nevertheless, the price cut lowers these phones in the mid-range market.

Google offers a standard limited warranty that protects the phone from manufacturing defects one year from the date of purchase.

Our opinion

Do you want the hottest, the fastest, the newest? There's always something better, and today the Pixel 4 XL isn't one of those things. That said, it could still be the phone for you. Als das Pixel 4 XL herauskam, gab es kein Android-Handy, das ich lieber verwenden würde als das Pixel 4 XL, da es eine hilfreiche, intelligente Software und eine Killer-Kamera bietet. Auch der 90-Hz-Bildschirm hilft. Dies bedeutet jedoch, die ganztägige Akkulaufzeit der Wettbewerber zu opfern – und an einen tragbaren Akku gebunden zu sein.

Das heißt, die schnellsten, neuesten und heißesten sind oft auch die teuersten. Die Galaxy-Linie startet bei 1.000 US-Dollar und steigt beispielsweise von dort aus an. Das Pixel war ursprünglich bei 899 US-Dollar gelistet, aber Google hat den Preis auf 799 US-Dollar gesenkt. Dank einer Vielzahl von Pixel-Smartphone-Angeboten können Sie es heute für rund 500 US-Dollar finden – ein hervorragender Wert für ein immer noch sehr beeindruckendes Gerät.

Gibt es eine bessere Alternative?

Ja. Sie sollten auf jeden Fall das OnePlus 8 in Betracht ziehen, das dem OnePlus 7T in jeder Hinsicht überlegen ist. Es hat einen Rockstar-Akku mit 4.510 mAh, eine Warp-Geschwindigkeit, wird schnell aktualisiert und verfügt über eine anpassbarere Software. Und bei 700 US-Dollar ist es ein echtes Schnäppchen – obwohl es einen kleineren Bildschirm hat.

Darüber hinaus hat das iPhone 11 Pro Max bedeutende Vorteile, wie eine noch bessere Leistung, eine vielseitige Kamera und eine beeindruckende Akkulaufzeit, aber es kostet wesentlich mehr. Wenn Sie sich nicht besonders für die Kamera eines Telefons interessieren, werden die Samsung Galaxy Note 10 und Note 10 Plus in jeder Hinsicht zufriedenstellen und dennoch solide, abwechslungsreiche Aufnahmen liefern – wenn Sie eine zu einem Schnäppchenpreis finden. Weitere Informationen finden Sie in unserem Leitfaden zu den besten Smartphones.

How long it will take?

Der Pixel 4 XL hält zwei bis drei Jahre, wenn nicht sogar ein wenig länger, bevor der Akku abnimmt. Es hat eine IP68-Wasserdichtigkeit, sodass Sie sich keine Gedanken über Einbrüche im Pool machen müssen, aber es ist in Glas eingewickelt, sodass Sie immer noch einen Koffer schnappen möchten.

Should you buy it

Ja. Das Pixel 4 XL ist vielleicht nicht das beste Android-Handy des Jahres 2020, es fühlt sich etwas veraltet an und wird durch seine unterdurchschnittliche Akkulaufzeit behindert. Es ist eine gute Wahl für Android-Fans, die ein großartiges Handy ohne Flaggschiff-Preisschild suchen.

Empfehlungen der Redaktion




05 May
Blog

2020 Toyota 86 Hakone Edition Review: Defining Cheap Thrills

2020 Toyota 86 Hakone Edition

2020 Toyota 86 Hakone Edition review: Favorable thrill

"With a lightweight, agile chassis, Toyota's small sports car is more fun for your money."

  • Stronger than the competition

  • Nimble handling

  • Comfortable cockpit

  • Decently practical

  • Lack of driver assistant technology

  • Unpleasant exhaust note

The term "sports car" has become synonymous with "expensive". What was once a source of cheap thrills in the 1940s and 1950s is now a status symbol. A Porsche 911 can hit six-digit numbers with options, and a Chevrolet Corvette is considered a bargain at nearly $ 60,000.

It doesn't have to be that way.

Affordable sports cars still exist if you know where to look. On paper, the 2020 Toyota 86 (pronounced "eight-six") offers everything you need for driving pleasure: an agile chassis, an eager engine, an available manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive. The small Toyota (and its sibling Subaru BRZ) offers the Mazda MX-5 Miata, which has dominated this space for over two decades, the much-needed competition.

Is the 86 as tasty as the ingredients suggest? To find out, we grabbed the leather-covered keychain for a Toyota 86 Hakone Edition 2020. Named after a famous Japanese street, it is characterized by green color, bronze wheels and light brown seats. The Hakone Edition costs $ 30,825, compared to $ 28,015 for the Base 86.

Design and interior

The Toyota 86 is a car with many names. It was developed together with Subaru, which, as already mentioned, sells its own version called BRZ. The Toyota version was launched in the United States for the 2013 model year as the Scion FR-S under the now-defunct youth brand of the Japanese car manufacturer. When Scion was canceled, the FR-S turned 86. However, the car has not changed significantly over the years. The new Hakone Edition for 2020 only receives cosmetic changes.

2020 Toyota 86 Hakone EditionStephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

The name "86" refers to the 1986 AE86-Toyota Corolla, but the two cars are very different. The AE86 was a tuner-friendly version of the ubiquitous small car from Toyota that later became famous in the manga and anime "Initial D". The 86, however, is a pure sports car. However, the two Toyotas have one thing in common: the rear-wheel drive, which offers superior handling. The 86 also uses a Subaru boxer engine, which lowers the car's center of gravity and further improves cornering ability.

The view to the outside is excellent, so you can easily place the car on the road and don't have to grit your teeth when parking in parallel.

In size and price, the 86 most closely matches the Mazda MX-5 Miata and its sibling, the Fiat 124 Spider. While the Mazda and Fiat are two-seater convertibles, the Toyota is a coupe with a fixed roof and two tiny rear seats. These seats aren't really suitable for people, but they do offer a useful amount of cargo space.

Toyota doesn't leave any trunk space for the 86, but Subaru quotes 6.9 cubic feet for the identical BRZ – more if you fold down the rear seats. That's not a lot, but it's more than in a Miata or 124 Spider. The Mazda and Fiat offer slightly more headroom and a few inches more legroom. However, if you're not as compact as you are, all of these cars fit closely.

2020 Toyota 86 Hakone EditionStephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

The interior 86 is simple but functional. The seats have thick cushions, but are still comfortable enough for everyday use. The steering wheel has the perfect diameter and thickness, and the upright dashboard makes the cockpit look a little more spacious. The view to the outside is excellent, so you can easily place the car on the road and don't have to grit your teeth when parking in parallel. Materials are nothing special, but you can expect that at this price.

Technology, infotainment and driver assistance

The simplicity of the 86 is reminiscent of classic sports cars, but also the lack of technology. The car comes standard with a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – but that's about it. The center console offers just enough space for a smartphone. To connect, however, a USB cable must be looped around the shift lever.

Stephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

Even the rear view camera prescribed by the federal government has a low-tech version. Images appear on a tiny section of the rearview mirror, not on the main screen or over the entire length of the mirror, as some automakers have done.

With the Subaru BRZ from Toyota you get a little bit more. To justify a slightly higher purchase price, Subaru offers built-in navigation and some other audio options, including Pandora and SiriusXM.

This is a car that you can have fun in without risking jail time.

The 86 also does not receive the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 package with driver aids, which is standard on most of the automaker's models. That means buyers miss features like adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking.

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is also not available with adaptive cruise control, but autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring and traffic sign recognition are available. The Fiat 124 Spider receives blind spot monitoring and a rear traffic alarm as part of an optional package, but none of the other drivers help their Mazda siblings.

Experience behind the wheel

The 86 was not designed as a technology leader. It's designed to provide the best possible driving experience for the price, and it delivers.

Like a well-made cheeseburger, Toyota (and its partner Subaru) didn't try to make the 86er chic – they focused on making a handful of basic ingredients as good as possible. The 86 is powered by a Subaru 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that uses Toyota's D-4S fuel injection system, which switches between direct injection and port injection to maximize efficiency. The engine features Subaru's signature boxer configuration, which allows it to sit deeper in the chassis. This lowers the overall center of gravity of the vehicle and improves handling.

The Boxer-Four delivers 205 horsepower and 156 pound-feet of torque in cars with the six-speed manual and 200 horsepower and 151 pound-feet. with the six-speed automatic. That's more than the Mazda MX-5 Miata or Fiat 124 Spider, although the 86 can't keep up with the Fiat's melodious exhaust note. The engine is also well suited for sports cars and has an eager, easy-going character.

Stephen Edelstein / Digital Trends

The trim proportions of the 86, the relatively low curb weight (Toyota specified a weight of 2,799 pounds for our Hakone Edition test car) and the rear-wheel drive make the most of this engine. Many performance cars try to mask the poundage with an extra dash of power, which means that most of the fun takes place at extra-fast speeds. The agile and communicative chassis of the 86 turns every curve into an event – regardless of speed. This is a car that you can have fun in without risking jail time.

The 86 isn't perfect – it's easy to accidentally shift to fifth gear if you want third, and a Miata is a bit sharper overall – but it's pretty close. You also pay for this epic handling with driving quality that makes commuting on the highway painful. The suspension doesn't help reduce the effects of bumps, and the cabin is noisy. If you want more sophistication, you have to switch to a Toyota Supra.

Fuel consumption and security

Another advantage of a light car with a small engine is the good mileage. The 86 is combined with 24 mpg (21 mpg city, 28 mpg highway) with the manual gearbox and 27 mpg combined (24 mpg city, 32 mpg highway) with the automatic. Over a week's drive, we achieved an average value of 24.2 mpg (according to the car's on-board computer) even with a fairly heavy gas pedal.

Real results that match government ratings are always encouraging, but the 86 can't compete with a 29 MPG Miata (26 MPG City, 34 MPG Highway) or a 30 MPG (26 MPG City, 35 MPG Highway) manual 124 Spider keep up). The Mazda has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine like the Toyota, while the Fiat has a smaller 1.4-liter four-cylinder with a turbocharger.

An advantage of a light car with a small engine is good mileage.

The 86 received the top rating of “good” in four out of five crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and was rated as “acceptable” in the front test on the driver side with “small overlap”. The Toyota has not received an overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Toyota offers a three-year basic warranty of 36,000 miles and a five-year warranty of 60,000 miles for the powertrain. The automaker has a pretty good reputation for reliability. Subaru engines also have a good reputation, although head seals with high mileage are known to fail. Replacement should be considered later in the life of the car.

How DT would configure this car

Hakone Edition models like our test car have a unique style and are probably a good choice for future collectibles. Our ideal 86er would, however, be a basic model that is equipped with the optional TRD handling package, which is not available in the Hakone Edition.

TRD stands for Toyota Racing Development, the performance department of the Japanese automaker. If you choose this option, you will have to do without the chic green color of the Hakone Edition and the 17-inch bronze wheels. However, they are equipped with Sachs dampers, Brembo brakes and 18-inch wheels with stickier Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. The package costs $ 2,320. In addition to the base price of $ 28,015, it would still be a little cheaper than a Hakone Edition – but with even better handling.

The 86 also has great support for the aftermarket. If you don't like something about this car, there is likely to be a spare part to change it. We would start with a new exhaust system. The storage system makes a lot of noise, but most of this noise is not good.

Our opinion

Few cars perform their intended function as well as the Toyota 86. A Mazda MX-5 Miata is a bit better to drive, but the average driver won't notice. The 86 makes up for that with a pinch of practicality – and how often will you really take off the top of the Mazda? The Fiat 124 Spider has a nice sound, a retro design and a more comfortable driving experience, but is not as sharp as the Toyota.

However, Toyota paid a price for its unique focus. For similar money, you can buy cars that aren't as pure as the 86, but have a wider range of talents. The Nissan 370Z has a 3.7-liter V6 with 332 hp, while compact sports cars like the Honda Civic Si and the Volkswagen Golf GTI are suitable for everyday use. A Ford Mustang EcoBoost offers more space, performance and technology, but also feels more like an ordinary car than a real sports car.

Should you get one?

Yes. The 86 defines cheap thrills.

Editor's recommendations




04 May
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Book Flex Review: QLED For the Big Win

"The Samsung Galaxy Book Flex offers incredible battery life and a vibrant QLED display."

  • Light, thin design

  • Good performance

  • Excellent battery life

  • The QLED display has great colors

  • Built-in S-pin

  • Cumbersome keyboard placement

  • Huge lower bezel

Samsung operates a tech empire. From phones and televisions to air purifiers and vacuum cleaners, Samsung has expanded everything down to the individual components that drive these products.

However, laptops have always been the only small domain outside their limits. Sure, there have been a lot of Samsung laptops over the years, but none that were really worth putting up Samsung's proud banner.

But 2020 is the year of conquering Samsung's laptops, and the Galaxy Book Flex is its war horse. It starts at $ 1,349, though my more expensive configuration comes with 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of storage, and a Core i7 processor. No question, this is the best laptop Samsung has ever made. But is that one you should buy?

QLED display and battery life

The Galaxy Book Flex has some outstanding features that come from other areas of the Samsung empire. The most notable feature is the QLED display. This comes from Samsung's hugely successful TV business. As an alternative to the standard LED, the Galaxy Book Flex is the first laptop to use QLED that uses quantum dots. The results are groundbreaking.

It's bright (428 nits) and has a high contrast (1,080: 1), but QLED really makes a difference in color gamut and accuracy. It hits 92 percent of Adobe RGB, a color space that most laptop screens struggle with. This colorful, accurate screen is important for photographers. Perhaps it is one of the best photo laptops you can get at this price.

There is even an "outdoor mode" that increases the brightness to 600 nits. This can be useful if you work outdoors. This is Samsung that flexes its muscles.

The Galaxy Book Flex offers the best battery life you can get with a laptop.

However, Samsung has two competitors. The 13-inch MacBook Pro still has a brighter, more colorful screen and a higher-resolution display. OLED screens also offer better contrast and better colors, but are rare on 13-inch laptops. There is only one option for the HP Specter x360 13 and only available in 4K. It looks good, but it's expensive. The Specter is a $ 300 display upgrade, while the Galaxy Book Flex QLED is standard.

In addition, 4K OLED screens are expensive in terms of performance. The Galaxy Book Flex's QLED 1080p is far better in terms of battery life. In fact, the Galaxy Book Flex has some of the best battery life you can get in a laptop.

It delivers almost 14 hours of battery with low power consumption and a whopping 17.5 hours when playing local videos (no streaming). Many laptops promise such numbers, but none deliver as much as the Galaxy Book Flex. It overtook the Dell XPS 13 battery life champion by an hour and lasted more than twice as long as the 4K Specter x360.

Sticking to 1080p helps here, but Samsung also jammed a 69.7-watt-hour battery. It's a huge battery for a laptop of this size that pays off.

S pen and keyboard

The S Pen was also borrowed from another Samsung product – in this case the Galaxy Note. Earlier Samsung laptops also used the S Pen, such as the Notebook 9 Pen and the Galaxy Book 2 from 2018. The pen itself has not changed, but is now in a slot above the keyboard. Clicking on the pin in the slot ejects it, making it quick and easy to access (and you won't lose it). This accessibility has always been special about the S Pen: it is part of the device and not an additional peripheral.

The S Pen is suitable for all common pen functions such as notes, sketching and selecting. A button on the S Pen opens a familiar options menu that allows you to dive straight into the drawing on the screen. These simple apps are fairly simple, but provide a good entry point to try the S Pen for the first time.

A larger pen like the Surface Pen or the Apple Pencil fits better in the hand for illustrations and detailed work. The S-pen is just long enough to fit in my hand and doesn't mimic the feel of a real pencil as well. However, that was never the point. As with the Galaxy Note, the greatest strength of the S Pen is its convenience. It's always there and it's easy to take out and start writing.

The Galaxy Book Flex is a 2-in-1 device, meaning you can fold the screen flat with its 360-degree hinge. Unfortunately, the screen is pretty shaky and the hinge is a bit loose, so using it in a position other than completely flat makes it difficult to take notes.

The S Pen's convenient location also has a disadvantage. To make room in the case, Samsung had to impair the typing experience. The keyboard sits closer to you and leaves less space for the palm rests. They are one centimeter narrower than a MacBook Air and about half a centimeter narrower than the Dell XPS 13. The lack of support is just enough to make typing on the Galaxy Book Flex uncomfortable, as the edges of the aluminum case dig into your palms . The keyboard layout also feels tight, although the keycaps are no smaller than most laptops.

To make matters worse, the Galaxy Book Flex uses a keyboard with low travel. It's not as flat as the old MacBook keyboards, but the keystrokes could take a little more depth.

The touchpad is quiet, easy to track and can even be used as a wireless charger. Now there is something I have never seen in a laptop. A Qi-enabled phone or a pair of earphones will charge wirelessly, which is a nice addition. You can't use the laptop often when a phone is in the way, but I could imagine that this is a convenient option in a confined space.

design

In the past, Samsung made some of the lightest laptops. They were also some of the most flimsy. The Galaxy Book Flex manages to balance these two things by providing aluminum for stability and keeping the weight at just 2.5 pounds. It's lighter than the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 and the MacBook Air, but built just as well as the Galaxy smartphones with which it shares its brand.

The Galaxy Book Flex is pretty too. The silver-colored, diamond-cut edges subtly reflect the light, and of course the dark blue color is unforgettable. If you want something different, but even bolder, check out the red on the Galaxy Chromebook, the Chrome alternative to Flex.

Both are a little too brave for my preference. The flex resembles the HP Elite Dragonfly in tone, but is even brighter and more pronounced. Compared to the Flex's two main competitors, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 and the HP Specter x360, the Galaxy Book Flex is the aesthetic that I least prefer.

It's more than just a color preference. The steady rests are my real touch. The top and bottom edges are narrow, and to make up for this, the Galaxy Book Flex has an unusually large lower chin. It is a real eyesore. When you sit next to the XPS 13, it's strange how high the screen starts. In addition to the MacBook Air, it even looks strange, which I often criticize for its large bezels.

These bezels spoil the otherwise attractive design.

On the silver sides you will find a selection of USB-C ports, but no full-size USB-A. Two Thunderbolt 3 ports flank the right side next to the power switch and S-pin. The headphone jack, the microSD card slot and a USB-C 3.1 port are on the left.

Next to these connections is a pair of speaker grilles. The audio output is branded by AKG and the result is impressive sound quality. The MacBook Air is in another league, but the Galaxy Book Flex has a fuller-bodied audio profile than some of its competitors and even offers a hint of bass in the mix. It blows the XPS 13 2-in-1 out of the water with thin, downward-facing speakers.

performance

The Galaxy Book Flex is powered by a standard mix of high-end components. On the processor side, the latest 10th generation Ice Lake processors from Intel are used, which provide the laptop with four cores, eight threads and a base clock speed of 1.3 GHz. My test device was the Core i7 variant with 16 GB RAM, although the only 13-inch model sold in the USA only has 8 GB RAM. It also comes with 512 GB SSD storage.

I would like to see more configurations in the future, but the one offered is a fairly fast computer. My daily routine consists of dozens of Chrome tabs, Spotify, Slack, Office and some light photo editing. The Galaxy Book Flex never flinched. It'll crank up its fans and seem to get a little warm by chance, but it was never loud or hot enough to distract.

There are faster laptops like the XPS 13 in this class. The Galaxy Book Flex was only 5 percent behind in Geekbench 5, but 24 percent slower in Handbrake video coding. You may not be planning much video encoding with the Galaxy Book Flex, but the ability to create content may be somewhat limited compared to the powerful XPS 13. Still, it's one of the more powerful laptops with these processors.

The Galaxy Book Flex also has Iris Plus graphics. This is the greatly improved integrated graphics from Intel, which promises twice the performance of the old Intel UHD graphics. The Core i7 model has the best of these Iris Plus graphics, which allow for improved content creation and even easy gaming.

It was still struggling with a game like Fortnite, which is unfortunate. You need to reduce the resolution to playable frame rates. But the Galaxy Book Flex can handle lighter games like Rocket League without too much trouble.

Our opinion

The Galaxy Book Flex is everything you could want in a modern laptop. It's slim, portable, and powerful – and outperforms some of the best laptops in key areas like display and battery life. Adding the S-pin to the case is just the icing on the cake.

Some minor user experience issues such as keyboard placement and front panel size prevent them from getting really great, but it is without a doubt the best laptop Samsung has ever made.

Are there alternatives?

There are tons of laptop options out there, but the Flex's closest rivals are the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 and the HP Specter x360 13. The Galaxy Book Flex gains battery life and display, even though I match the keyboard and frame size of the other options prefer. The Specter x360 is also a battery life champion and the cheapest of the three. I prefer the design and look of the XPS 13 2-in-1, although the Galaxy Book Flex's colorful QLED screen is ideal for photographers. I wish there was a 4K option as well as a cheaper Core i5 model.

When you're ready to go without the 2-in-1 element, the Dell XPS 13 remains the best laptop you can buy as it can be configured with a touchscreen.

How long it will take?

The Galaxy Book Flex should last for at least four or five years. The components are up to date and the build quality is excellent. Samsung offers a one-year limited warranty at the time of purchase.

Should you buy it

Yes. The first-class battery life and the display make it an outstanding 2-in-1 laptop.

Editor's recommendations




03 May
Blog

Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro Review: Transform Your Tablet

Apple Magic Keyboard Review iPad Pro

Apple Magic Keyboard (11-inch iPad Pro 2020)

"For many users, the Magic Keyboard turns the iPad Pro into a real laptop alternative."

  • Tactile, precise typing experience

  • Responsive trackpad

  • Perfectly weighted for desk or lap

  • Productivity increases significantly on the iPad Pro

  • An expensive accessory

  • The screen angle setting is limited

These words are written on a magic keyboard that is connected to an iPad Pro. It is the third full product review I wrote using Apple's new keyboard accessories for the iPad Pro (2020). It has comprised at least 7,000 words since it arrived about a week ago. At the moment I am also typing with the iPad Pro and the magic keyboard on my lap and not at my desk.

Does this all mean that the iPad Pro has found the accessories that can really make it a laptop alternative? That may still be a stretch, but it was certainly never closer. I have been living with the iPad Pro with and without Magic Keyboard for a few weeks now and can say with certainty that this keyboard stands out from all previous competitors.

This is what it looks like. If you haven't decided to buy a new iPad Pro yet, check out our iPad Pro (2020) review.

design

You notice the weight of the Magic keyboard for the iPad Pro the second it arrives. Even in the box, it's a tough thing, and once it's unpacked, it's actually heavier than the iPad Pro itself. I used the 11-inch version with the 11-inch iPad Pro and together they weigh 2, 34 pounds, which is just a hair lighter than the 13-inch MacBook Air 2020. Don't buy this combination if you want to save weight in your pocket, as that's not really the case.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

This weight gives you security. It doesn't feel weak in any way, which makes it well suited for the round. There's no annoying flex that slows typing, and the heavily cushioned hinge holds the tablet securely in the position you choose. With the weight comes the air of quality, and while this would not be desirable in the iPad Pro itself, it is in the keyboard. When closed, the package is approximately 19 mm thick, while the 2020 MacBook Air is 21 mm thick.

Due to the current restrictions, I wasn't able to carry the iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard around in my pocket, so I can't judge their suitability as a pendulum tool, but I have no reason to doubt a convenient companion. What I know is the material from which the keyboard case is made – a pleasantly tactile plastic with a soft handle – that picks up all the fluff, dust and crumbs on the bottom of your bag. It already takes up enough dirt and fingerprints when sitting at home, and inevitably gets dirty when dragged around.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The Magic keyboard is covered with magnets. A set in the top half holds the iPad Pro in place, and while it doesn't cover the entire back of the tablet, it does so with flaky enthusiasm. There is absolutely no risk of it slipping or falling, even with excessive shaking. Opening the case is easy and the top cover snaps into place quickly. Then set the viewing angle up to 130 degrees.

Once set, it doesn't go anywhere again, but I've found that I wanted it to go a little further back than it can take for a more dramatic viewing angle. There is also no way to use the iPad Pro "alone" with the Magic Keyboard case attached. It cannot be folded to become a 2-in-1 device. If you want to perform tablet tasks, you must first remove them from the case. The Magic Keyboard is designed to bring the iPad Pro as close as possible to a laptop, and it doesn't differ at all.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The floating design of the Magic keyboard looks cool. Everything holds together as if it were a coherent product and not a hybrid of two. The solid body is also perfectly weighted and balanced for use in all seating situations. It is an excellent product, and to consider it a minor accessory is bad service for the work that has done all of this just right.

keyboard

Whether on your lap or on your desk, the Magic Keyboard is a pleasure to type. The keys have a spring travel of 1 mm. If that doesn't mean a lot to you, you just need to know that they feel great. I've managed to miss Apple's yearlong keyboard wilderness, and the Magic Keyboard types are similar to an evolution of the keyboard of my beloved 11-inch MacBook Air from 2014. It didn't take any customization time, I just sat down and typed right away at full speed.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

This is an essential part of the iPad Pro equipped with Magic Keyboard, which fits into your working life. I'm a "heavy guy" and found the keyboard to be quite loud, but not more than my MacBook Air. My wrists rest on the edge of the case, which is shaped so that it doesn't dig in or cause fatigue. The overall size is well judged, the keys are solid and responsive, and everything falls neatly on your fingers.

My entire Galaxy S20 test was written using the Magic keyboard on the iPad Pro. I had a deadline, so it was a risk to lock on a new device. I met the deadline and don't think I would have worked faster on my MacBook Air or desktop computer. I only wanted to switch once, and that was to edit and upload photos just because I was forced to learn a new workflow on the iPad Pro. However, I didn't give in and the iPad Pro worked just fine.

There were only a few minor irritations when typing on the Magic keyboard. The first is the placement of the alternate language button in the lower left corner. I lost the number of times I switched to a Japanese keyboard configuration instead of pressing the Shift key with my little finger. The little finger on my right hand also caused me some problems. Sometimes it extends as I type, and sometimes I accidentally tap the third suggested word in Pages on the screen, especially when it was set at its most extreme angle.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

After all, the arrow keys are quite small and cumbersome to press quickly, and there is no row of function keys. The way we type is often very individual, so the irritations I've had may not affect anyone and are relatively minor. The lack of volume or brightness function keys didn't bother me, as both are accessible via iPadOS or on the tablet body itself, but traditionalists may find this annoying. Eventually I had some keyboard issues that did not work after switching apps and forced myself to close the app to make it work again. This is not always the case and will likely be fixed in a future software update.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The keys on the Magic keyboard are backlit and an ambient light sensor detects when they should be on or off. It is quite sensitive. On a cloudy day, they were lit in my living room when I don't think they're needed. The backlight was deactivated on brighter days to avoid additional stress on the battery. The last keyboard I used with an iPad was the Apple keyboard case for the first-generation iPad Pro, and the Magic keyboard is way ahead in terms of feel, ease of use, precision, convenience, and technology. Most of all, I didn't miss typing on my MacBook Air and didn't feel the need to come back to it.

Trackpad

The Magic Keyboard's trackpad is a headline builder, but has it changed the way you interact with the iPad Pro? No, and that's really intentional. Apple wanted the trackpad to expand the iPad Pro's touch-first operation, and that's exactly what it does. The 100mm x 50mm pad may not sound very large, but is well positioned and has the correct sensitivity for quick use. I haven't used it that often, but when I do, it speeds up my workflow a lot.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

Example? I'm having trouble positioning the cursor and selecting text quickly and correctly on iOS, and this issue is repeated on iPadOS. When I write and edit long pieces of text, it can slow me down a lot. The trackpad eliminates the need to touch the screen, and selecting, copying, pasting, and deleting text in Pages takes no longer than on my laptop. The keyboard shortcuts are also available so that my usual laptop workflow is repeated on the Magic keyboard.

It takes one click to position the cursor instead of typing, and the action is consistent across the surface of the pad. The screen cursor is an easy-to-spot blob, and everything that can be interacted with is clearly highlighted. I mostly use pages and the trackpad integrates very well, but some functions are missing in other apps like Google Docs. For example, you can't quickly click, select, and highlight text, just activate the usual iPadOS copy / paste menu. Oddly enough, however, you can do this in the Twitter app. The Magic keyboard is still new, so additional functions may become available in third-party apps over time.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

I never just relied on the trackpad and switched between use and the touchscreen to navigate and perform certain functions, just like a touchscreen laptop. However, because the screen is so close to your hands and the keyboard's space requirement is relatively small, the range is often minimal and therefore feels faster than a large laptop. Although the trackpad initially aroused the greatest interest in the Magic keyboard, it is only a small, albeit an integral part of what makes the product so good overall.

Connectivity

The Magic keyboard is powered by the iPad Pro and does not need to be charged separately. At the end of the main hinge is a single USB Type-C port that serves as a continuity for charging. This leaves the USB Type C of the iPad Pro free so that you can connect a USB hub or an external drive. However, you cannot do this at the connection of the Magic keyboard. Shame.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

I used a USB hub to extract all the photos from an SD memory card for my Samsung Galaxy S20 test and transfer them to the iPad Pro for editing and uploading. I used different apps during the process and it was seamless and fast. I had no problems with the USB Type-C hub at the time, but due to the short cable and the fact that it needed to be connected to the tablet, it wasn't lying flat on the table. I would also worry that it knocks because of the way it protrudes. I would not worry if it could be connected to the keyboard's USB port.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

It would also have been nice if Apple had included an extra long USB charging cable with the Magic Keyboard. Instead, it was decided not to include any cables at all. The tablet that came with the tablet is short and is not suitable for situations where a plug may not be near your work place. Yes, the battery life is long, but not infinite. Given the cost of the keyboard, this is pretty tight even by Apple's standards.

Price and availability

The Magic keyboard costs $ 300 for the 11-inch model and $ 350 for the 12.9-inch version. You can also buy it from the Apple Store and from various retailers. It is compatible with both the current iPad Pro Tablet 2020 and the iPad Pro 2018. If you have an iPad Pro 2018, there is no reason to update your tablet yet. This is great news for those who have just bought the previous model.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

You need an iPad Pro for your Magic keyboard. As a package, you pay at least $ 1,100 for the 11-inch iPad Pro and Magic keyboard and at least $ 1,350 for the 12.9-inch model. For comparison, a new 2020 MacBook Air starts at $ 1,000.

Our opinion

The hardware combination of the iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard makes it an effective laptop alternative, but the software will still be an obstacle for those who have more complex work requirements. It comes closer to real, complete business than ever before. If your work requirements like mine are relatively simple, you don't have to grab your laptop often, if at all.

However, the slight lack of versatility of the keyboard case and the initially high price can make a laptop the most preferred device for you personally. Think carefully about how you use the iPad Pro every day, because at this price, a laptop can better meet your needs for less money.

Is there a better alternative?

The most logical alternative is a new MacBook Air for $ 1,000. A laptop offers everything the iPad Pro / Magic Keyboard can do, and much more. It also avoids some of the versatility problems, as there are often more ports, a longer charging cable and compatibility with almost all file types. Even the price isn't much different, and if you're only able to buy either, the MacBook Air may be the better long-term purchase depending on your work schedules.

Another alternative would be to find a 2018 iPad Pro and buy one for the Magic keyboard. You save a little money and work the same way. Outsider alternatives that may better suit your needs include Microsoft Surface Go for more than $ 400, or Surface Pro 7 for more than $ 750, or even Chromebooks like the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook for $ 1,000 2-in-1 design and Google for $ 650 Pixelbook Go.

However, the laptop is the only alternative that meets all the criteria, and the other alternatives often have to make the same or greater compromises than the iPad Pro and the Magic Keyboard combination.

How long it will take?

The iPad Pro easily lasts three to five years or even longer, depending on what you use it for. Adding the Magic keyboard only increases the lifespan. However, the keyboard has no water resistance or special durability. You should therefore make sure that nothing is spilled or dropped on it. If you are careless, a big bill may be waiting for you.

Should you buy one?

Yes. With the Magic keyboard, the iPad Pro comes closer than ever to its promise as a laptop alternative.

Editor's recommendations




02 May
Blog

Xbox One S Review 2020: Affordable 4K Entertainment

best cheap xbox one games 2017 s rating 9

"The Xbox One S is more than a console – it's a great Ultra HD Blu-Ray player."

  • Chic new look

  • Strong input / output selection

  • Ultra HD Blu-ray support

  • Improved compatibility with Windows 10

  • Attractive pricing

  • Not as small as expected

  • Hardware still slower than PlayStation 4

  • Cortana is disappointing

Xbox One S is Microsoft's cheaper update to Xbox One during the cycle. It offers both 4K media support and a better name for Xbox. On the hardware side, the miniaturization is said to overtake the PlayStation 4, which is still smaller and more subtle than the original Xbox One. On the software side, Xbox One S is the standard Microsoft carrier for Windows 10. While older Xbox One consoles can upgrade to the same software, there is still a lot of confusion about how Windows 10 and Xbox work together. The updated console ensures clarity.

There is a heavy load on the shoulders of this console that is too heavy for an incremental upgrade. Sony has not only launched a "slim" PlayStation 4, but also a much improved version of its console, the PlayStation 4 Pro. Microsoft also has its own powerful Xbox One X, which is currently the most powerful console, but Xbox One S is the much cheaper alternative.

Despite its low price, with exciting new features like Game Pass that complement Microsoft's vision for Xbox One, the One S doesn't have the improvements you'd expect from a console upgrade, nor is it the beginning of a new generation .

Smaller, but not that small

We liked the look of the original Xbox One and found it to look better than the PlayStation 4, which never looks right with its awkward angles. In practice, however, the Xbox One had a big problem. It was big – the biggest thing most people put in a home entertainment cabinet next to an A / V receiver.

Microsoft fixed this by reducing the Xbox One S by 40 percent. Sounds great, doesn't it? Nevertheless, the number is deceptive. The box is only a few centimeters narrower and about one centimeter shorter than the original. The power supply is now also internal.

The less-than-expected miniaturization means that the new Xbox is just catching up with the slim PlayStation 4. The Xbox One S is wider and a hair bigger, but not quite as deep.

The new Xbox isn't as small as the numbers suggest, but it is undeniably attractive. It's minimalist, uniform, and simple, with clean, sharp lines. The two-sided design of the original returns here – half of the Xbox One S is flat, while the other half is littered with exhaust ports.

In contrast to the original, the ventilated half uses a pit grille instead of diagonal slats. This is reminiscent of pixels and feels like home on a game console. A large cutout for the fan pointing upwards slightly affects the appearance from above, but is hardly noticeable due to its position in an A / V housing. Most people will only look at the Xbox One S from the front, and from that point of view, it's definitely the best looking console of this generation.

Fun and functional

The original Xbox One can be difficult to use due to its touch-sensitive power button. Other buttons, such as the controller sync button, were physically but unfavorably arranged.

The new Xbox isn't as small as the numbers suggest, but it is undeniably attractive.

Fortunately, the Xbox One S solves these problems. On the front are a physical power switch, a controller sync button and a disc eject button. All are easy to find and use, even in a dark media room. There's also a USB 3.0 port in advance – a little disappointing. However, the PlayStation 4 has two. Finally, the lower right corner hides the IR blaster, which allows you to control other IR devices through your Xbox One S by repeating the IR signal detected by those devices.

On the back of the Xbox One S there are two HDMI ports (one on, one off), two additional USB 3.0 ports (one for Kinect), S / PDIF and Ethernet.

Overall, with a notable exception, the connectivity is almost identical to the original. The Xbox One S deletes the dedicated Kinect port. You will need a USB adapter to connect an earlier Kinect to the new console. Aside from the hassle of having to purchase an adapter (Microsoft distributes it for free, at least if you contact Xbox support), this change means that Kinect users are effectively one less USB than before.

Xbox One S.Bill Roberson / Digital Trends

Bill Roberson / Digital Trends

Still, Xbox One offers more connectivity than PlayStation 4. Microsoft has selected Xbox One as a one-stop solution for everything from games to television. While it's questionable whether its mainstream features have prevailed, they remain something that the PlayStation 4 doesn't even try to emulate.

Once again, a console undercuts Blu-ray players

While previous Xbox One consoles were limited to 1080p video output for both games and videos, the Xbox One S offers support for 4K video and a 4K Blu-ray player that is not found in either PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 4 is professional to find.

Of course, 4K resolution support doesn't affect games. They are rendered with the same frame buffer as before. Unlike the original system, the Xbox One S can do native 4K output for the user interface and media. You can play 4K and HDR Blu-rays on the new UltraHD TV you bought, or you can download Netflix for 4K streaming.

HDR, short for "High Dynamic Range", works against it and improves the picture quality if your TV supports HDR. Still, strangely, HDR mixes with this console's 1080p target, as TVS with HDR usually also offer 4K resolution. In this case, the Xbox One X would make more sense.

Support for 4K remains largely unnoticed after switching on – and that's a good thing. You can set the Xbox One S to 4K and leave it there without having to worry about your source content. 4K movies look as detailed as you'd expect, but games rendered in the resolution they were originally designed for look just as good as on a 1080p display. Even Hyper Light Drifter's pixel art style looked pin sharp.

Xbox One S.Bill Roberson / Digital Trends

Bill Roberson / Digital Trends

This makes the Xbox One incredibly attractive to anyone with a 4K display. There are few standalone Ultra HD Blu-ray players, and the ones available are expensive. Ultra 4K Blu-ray players can be sold for the cheapest models for $ 200 to $ 249. This suddenly makes the Xbox One S, which is regularly available for $ 200, an economical purchase.

Oddly enough, a full-fledged console has managed to undercut dedicated home media players, but that has happened before. Some players may remember that the PlayStation 3, the first console with a Blu-ray player, undercut most dedicated players at the time of its release. The Xbox One S does the same trick and should draw the attention of every home theater enthusiast for this reason alone.

It is still an Xbox One

The Xbox One S is a new design, but not a completely new console. Apart from what is above, everything else remains the same.

That's a problem. The Xbox One sold poorly compared to the PlayStation 4 for a simple reason. Most games are played on both consoles, but Sony's is more powerful and the games look a little better. Sony also has some premium exclusive products that the Xbox will never see.

The Xbox One S does nothing to fix that. It is slightly faster due to higher clock speeds on the GPU and the associated ESRAM. This is enough to get a few extra frames in titles that run at an unlocked frame rate, and it can make up for the tearing in some games, but the difference isn't usually noticeable in gameplay. We only know everything thanks to the Digital Foundry from Eurogamer, one of the few publications that are equipped for frame-by-frame analysis of a console. Microsoft said nothing about improved in-game performance in its official Xbox One S press release.

Xbox One S.Dan Baker / Digital Trends

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

Microsoft has lost this generation of so-called "console wars". The Xbox One S hasn't changed a thing.

Our opinion

Most players are unlikely to find the Xbox One S more attractive than before. It remains less powerful than its Sony rival. Aside from the smaller footprint, which, as mentioned earlier, is less impressive than suggested when it was released, there is nothing on the Xbox One S that could draw an enthusiast's attention.

Although Xbox One S isn't the best game console today, it's a great home theater appliance. The Xbox One S has a 4K-enabled Blu-ray player – a feature not available on the PS4 or PS4 Pro – that alone may be worth the price of admission, provided you have a 4K TV.

Is there a better alternative?

The Xbox One S achieves parity with the standard PlayStation 4 in almost every respect. However, the omnipresence of this console among gamers can cause the PlayStation 4 versions of multiplatform games to get more attention from their developers.

How long it will take?

It depends on how often you want to update your console. The more powerful version of Microsoft's Xbox One, the "Xbox One X", is already available at relatively low prices. And the next generation will appear later this year with the release of the Xbox X series. While most games like Halo Infinite will stay compatible with the Xbox One S for at least a year, time is ticking for this generation.

Should you buy it

No. The Xbox One S is an aging console that doesn't make sense for most players with a new generation along the way.

This article was last updated on April 27, 2020 by Cody Perez, a Digital Trends employee.

Editor's recommendations




02 May
Blog

Xbox One X Review 2020: The Most Powerful Console Around

Xbox One X test controller in front

"The hideous Xbox One X is the best way to play console games."

  • Improves performance for all games

  • Xbox One X Enhanced games look and run great

  • 4K UHD Blu-Ray player

  • Sleek design

  • Very easy to use

  • 4K recording options are limited

  • The timeliness of the Xbox One Enhanced Patches is unclear

  • Performance improvements can be unpredictable in non-expanded games

When Microsoft introduced Xbox One X, an updated version of Xbox One at an intimidating price of $ 500, the company claimed the new hardware was "the most powerful console ever made". Years later, with the console in hand, we can confirm that the Xbox One X is delivering on that promise. Well, at least until the Xbox Series X comes out later this year. However, performance does not always lead to improvements. Both loyal Xbox fans and potential PS4 owners want to know if the new Xbox really improves new and old games.

Short answer? It does.

Every game we played, regardless of whether it received an "Xbox One X Enhanced" patch or not, has seen a noticeable increase in performance over Xbox One and Xbox One S. This happens regardless of your setup – although the gain is most noticeable if you have a 4K HDR10 TV.

Even though games look better and run better, the differences aren't so big that you can't live without them. Like its PlayStation counterpart, the PS4 Pro, it is aimed at players who simply cannot tolerate a second best experience. Still, the Xbox One X is the best console for most multi-platform games until the next generation.

In the black box

The Xbox One X is a further development of the Xbox One design. It is, as Microsoft has often said, 40 percent smaller than the original Xbox One. It's about the size of the Xbox One S, though a little denser at 8.4 pounds. However, don't be fooled by the number "40 percent smaller". The PlayStation 4 Pro from Sony is about the same size and the PS4 Slim is even smaller.

We prefer the matte black finish of the Xbox One X over the white Xbox One S, which tends to show more wear over time. We also prefer the placement of the fans. The sides of the device are covered with small, subtle air holes, unlike the One S, which had numerous large fan holes over half of its case. This should make it easier to stack Xbox One X with other devices without restricting airflow.

Xbox One X verification controller on the system
Xbox One X test complete
Xbox One X verification ports
Xbox One X test logo "aria-descriptionby =" gallery-3-1267965

  • 4th
    The Xbox One X is the most power-hungry console of this generation.

Les Shu / Digital trends

However, you won't buy the Xbox One X because it looks like this. As previously reported, the Xbox One X has the most impressive console hardware to date. It has an 8 core 2.3 GHz x86 CPU, a custom AMD GPU that can produce 6 teraflops, and 12 GB DDR5 RAM. Even compared to the PS4 Pro, that's a lot of graphics processing power. The Pro, which is far more powerful than the standard PS4, has a GPU that calculates 4.2 TFLOPS and “only” 8 GB RAM.

The only disappointing hardware in the Xbox One X is the terabyte hard drive. Twice the storage space of the standard Xbox One model is an improvement, but it's still not enough to find storage space for anyone who frequently buys games online. Even if you only download the Xbox Live Gold games that the publisher provides every month, most players will fill this hard drive in no time. Even worse, 4K assets and uncompressed audio files can increase the file size of games. We recently saw several games slightly exceed the 100 GB mark. So it's fair to say that some big games take up this space pretty quickly.

Still a solid home theater device

The One X maintains all connections of the Xbox One S and for players who prefer to buy games in the store, it has a 4K UHD Blu-Ray player. The console has HDMI input and output if you want to filter your TV service via Xbox and want to switch channels with Cortana instead of your remote control. This function works just like the One S – and we still prefer a remote control. You will also find three USB 3.0 ports – two in the back and one in the front – which can be useful if you want to use the console's recently added mouse and keyboard support or if you want to connect an external hard drive to store more games. Finally, there are IR-Out and S / PDIF connections for advanced surround sound setups and of course a good, old-fashioned Ethernet connection.

Every game runs at least a little bit better on an Xbox One X.

Many of the above features don't directly contribute to games, but can be useful for your home theater setup. We liked how the Xbox One S can simultaneously serve as a 4K UHD Blu-Ray player, game console and TV streaming box. The Xbox One X can do the same. 4K Blu-Ray and HDMI pass-through are features you won't find on any PS4.

The console also supports advanced surround sound options like Dolby Atmos. Atmos, which reflects sound from walls and ceilings to simulate the effect of sound movements, can be spectacular, but an Atmos surround sound system is extremely expensive. There are headphones, including gaming headsets, that simulate the experience, but they are rare.

Like the Xbox One S, the One X does not have a dedicated Kinect port. Players upgrading from an original Xbox One will still be able to use it, but you'll need to purchase a Kinect USB port. It's a small but noticeable inconvenience to upgrade Xbox One players. Microsoft has already stopped producing the Kinect, so the lack of a port is not surprising.

Xbox One improved, but some games more than others

What does all the power do to make your video games better?

The important things first; The games that show the most improvements are the ones where developers spend extra time and are optimized for the hardware. These games, which Microsoft calls Xbox One Enhanced, show the maximum potential of the console. First and foremost, this means that you are working with 4K resolution in the high dynamic range without affecting the frame rate of the game. All Xbox One Enhanced Games we played showed great visual fidelity improvements and a smoother frame rate. At a time when it feels like bugs and performance issues are pulling games down, it's good to see games run better than before.

Xbox One X checks bothLes Shu / Digital trends

Les Shu / Digital trends

Microsoft has announced over 100 current and upcoming games that have or will have Xbox One X Enhanced Patches. While we have a handy list of enhanced games that are already available, you can use Microsoft to filter your game list to display only your Xbox One X Enhanced games. It may not help you decide what to play, but it's a nice touch, especially for new owners who want to put the console through its paces.

While playing Gears of War 4, one of the few games that we had access to and that received an Xbox One Enhanced patch before launching the console, we found that the game looked much sharper on the One X, even in the Compared to Xbox One S 4K upscaling. We found that non-essential details in the area, including brick walls and trees, retained their sharpness even when we weren't around. The face of JD Fenix, which usually has tremendous detail in cutscenes and is viewed from close up, retained its definition in combat sequences where the game's camera was further away.

The new console's increased fidelity can change the way you experience games in unexpected ways.

Super Lucky’s Tale, an Xbox One console-exclusive adaptation of the 3D platform by Oculus Rift, which is launched next to the One X, does not offer a high level of detail, but simply runs sharply with an incredibly high and uniform frame rate. It runs the way all games should run with no problems, stuttering or quirks. To be fair, it simply means that the game is well done. It's not like there have been significant issues with other Xbox One models – rather, the One X maximizes the game's colorful cartoon aesthetic.

The new console's increased fidelity can change the way you experience games in unexpected ways. In a section of Gears 4, we looked up at the moonlit sky and found that not only was the moon brighter and more detailed than on the Xbox One S, but we could also see streaks of light and energy around it. The Gears of War franchise takes place on a fictional, earth-like planet called Sera. When we first played the game, we ignored this fact – but with the increased fidelity of the Xbox One X, the game felt more like a fully realized world.

X will give it to you

Every game runs at least a little bit better on an Xbox One X. Even games that weren't optimized for Xbox One X and ran on a non-UHD monitor at 1080p ran a little better on the One X than on the One S. I think that's obvious, but it's anything but Of course. Even with the general "boost" mode added months after launch, the PS4 Pro's benefit is largely limited to platform-optimized games, and these benefits are often most noticeable only on a 4K screen. The Xbox One X does what most players expect from a more powerful device. This power is automatically used to make games run better.

Xbox One X Review Controller HandLes Shu / Digital trends

Les Shu / Digital trends

However, there is a catch. The way a game's performance improves, especially when playing on a 1080p television, varies from title to title. For example, DOOM showed slightly improved graphics and almost imperceptibly shorter loading times. But even on a monitor without HDR, the colors and lighting in Destiny 2 became brighter and the details on my ship were more clearly highlighted. Destiny 2 also showed a smoother frame rate on a 4K TV compared to the Xbox One S 4K upscaled graphics. Most games we tried showed one or two of the following – sharper graphics, improved frame rate, or slightly improved Loading time.

Would you rather buy the console with the best games or the console that great games can do their best with?

Simplicity is both a blessing and a curse. If you have a 4K HDR10 TV with a refresh rate of 60 Hz, the console automatically detects and adjusts your settings. At the system level, however, there are no options to customize or optimize how the console uses its additional performance. Especially for non-4K players, the option to choose between improving fidelity, smoothing a frame rate or minimizing loading times would be an advantage.

Since the PS4 Pro launched in 2016, some games have added additional options like this. None of the over 10 games we played on the console showed such options, although not all of them had received "Xbox One X Enhanced" patches that would likely add these features.

4K video recordings are possible and not easy to share

With Xbox One X, you can not only play games, but also take screenshots and record 30-second video clips in 4K. Although it's a nice touch, the functionality feels extremely limited. Video clips recorded in 4K will appear at a lower resolution when you publish them to Xbox Live. You can set your screenshots and videos to be recorded directly on an external hard drive. However, the hard drive must be NTFS formatted. This means that you cannot save your clips and videos on the same external hard drive that you would save additional Xbox One games on.

In other words, recording gameplay in 4K is primarily a feature for tech-savvy owners who are willing to take the extra steps required to bring their high-definition gameplay online.

Our opinion

Xbox One X is the best console for playing popular multi-platform games. Though the $ 500 price tag is hard to accept, the hardware is impressive enough to feel like it is money well spent, and it's regularly on sale for much, much less than that today, as the Xbox Series X is coming soon.

However, when we look at the players who are most likely to buy it – players who already have a game console – it becomes more difficult to sell. There are no exclusive Xbox One X games, and the console's greatest strength is an expensive peripheral: a 4K TV.

While we can absolutely recommend the Xbox One X at the hardware level over the $ 400 PS4 Pro, the PlayStation 4 platform offers a much larger number of exclusive games, including some of our favorite games of the year. In contrast, Microsoft software release from first-party vendors appears to have decreased in recent years.

Ultimately, the Xbox One X offers an interesting fold for serious gamers. Would you rather buy the console with the best games or the console that great games can do their best with? It's a decision console players have never had to make.

Is there a better alternative?

Not right now because we're still waiting for Xbox Series X and PS5 to be released. If all things are the same, Xbox One X offers the best technical experience of all game consoles. If you're ready to invest in a high-end gaming PC, this has its advantages, but it's also more complicated.

How long it will take?

The original Xbox One remains relevant even after the Xbox One X is introduced. The Xbox Series X will be released later this year. Fortunately, almost all games are expected to be compatible with the Xbox Series X at least in the first year the new generation comes out. However, it is getting faster and faster when the Xbox One X is not worth it, how backwards compatible the upcoming consoles are.

Should you buy it

Yes, if you don't have a console in this generation. The Xbox One X is regularly on sale. The price is easily justified by incredible performance, a wide range of functions and a huge library. However, the Xbox Series X will be available later this year and will be compatible with most if not all Xbox One games. So better wait for it or for the PS5.

This article was last updated on April 27, 2020 by Cody Perez, a Digital Trends employee.

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02 May
Blog

Sony PlayStation 4 Pro Review 2020: 4K at a Price

PlayStation 4 bundle

PlayStation 4 Pro 1 TB console

"PlayStation 4 Pro is the first console to take 4K UHD gaming seriously."

  • 4K games for less than $ 500

  • Improves the display of selected PlayStation VR titles

  • All games run a little better than the standard PS4

  • Also looks good on 1080p TVs

  • Supports all PS4 games

  • HDR can be very difficult to set up

  • Few titles offer 4K support at launch

  • No 4K Blu-ray player

Sony's PlayStation4 Pro was the first of its kind for game consoles when it launched in November 2016. Thanks to a better graphics card and other hardware improvements, she was able to process the gameplay with 4K UHD resolution and high dynamic range (HDR).

Unlike previous hardware leaps for game consoles, however, the Pro is still a PlayStation 4 at its core. Games or game modes that cannot be found on a standard start console cannot be played. Instead, the Pro gives players who care about graphics and resolution the privilege of knowing that their games are doing as well as they can.

The console doesn't offer everything you need to make it the heart of a high-end media system.

PlayStation 4 Pro has been largely successful in this regard. When played on a 4K TV, the PS4 Pro looks sharper and more detailed. The games also run more smoothly on a standard Full HD set. It's the best PS4 you can buy right now.

On the other hand, Sony's decision to give players the opportunity to maximize the performance of their consoles has opened Pandora's box. Outputting the console with 4K HDR is a complicated and expensive process that most people just won't do, at least not until 4K UHD TVs become cheaper and HDR becomes a widespread standard.

Nothing prevents you from buying a PlayStation 4 Pro and taking advantage of the performance advantages that it naturally offers. However, these improvements are minor: you may see more pixels and save a few seconds less load time, but the cost is an additional $ 100 to $ 150 that is missing in your pocket. More importantly, the complexity of setting up the PS4 Pro (which is not always easy) means that you are giving up the greatest strength that video game consoles have over PCs: the ability to plug and play.

We need a bigger box!

Physically speaking, the PS4 Pro does not differ significantly from its new counterpart, the PS4 "Slim". It has the same sharp, sloping design, but with three "slates" instead of two. The pro is not as big as you can imagine. At 295 x 327 x 55 mm, it's two inches wider and two inches lower than the original PS4. At 7.3 pounds, it's also a pound heavier than the original PS4 and almost three pounds more than the Slim. On the other hand, it's a console that just sits under your TV most of the time. Who cares?

It also has some additional ports: the optical drive and two USB 3.1 ports on the front are standard PS4, but the Pro has an additional USB 3.1 port on the back, which is useful if you have a PSVR headset . To record the 4K signal, the HDMI port of the Pro is HDMI 2.0. The Pro also has an optical port that was included in the original PS4 but was removed from the "Slim".

Interestingly, the PS4 Pro's optical drive is the same as the PS4's, which means that unlike the more powerful Xbox Series X, it doesn't support 4K Blu-ray. The console can stream 4K HDR content from apps like Netflix and Hulu, but lack of support means the console doesn't do everything you need to make it the heart of a high-end media system.

When played on a 4K UHD TV, the PS4 Pro looks sharper and more detailed.

The real changes are inside. The PS4 Pro has an AMD Radeon graphics card with 4.20 teraflop (TFLOP), which is a serious improvement. Like the standard PS4, it has an 8-core AMD x86-64 Jaguar processor, but the clock speed has been increased to 2.1 GHz. Like the original PS4, it has 8 GB of DDR5 RAM, but also has an additional gigabyte of DDR3 RAM to manage temporary memory states for open games and apps. The Pro comes with a 1TB hard drive that, like the PS4, can be replaced with any 2.5-inch SATA hard drive.

The bottom line is that the technical upgrade of the Pro is more than just cosmetic. Even without software support from individual developers, games and apps run more smoothly and loading times can be shortened. Some games that push the game hardware to its limits (or have been poorly optimized) stutter less or see less frame rate losses. At the same time, this isn't the kind of leap that a new generation of games like the PS5 will allow later this year with far more powerful specs than the PS4. Even if Sony allowed PS4 Pro exclusively, these games would not be much bigger or more content than what we are now playing with the next generation on the way to release. The improved graphics card could lead to sharper, more detailed games over time, but that's it.

Radiant happy people

The main advantage of the PS4 Pro is the ability to play games with 4K UHD resolution. Games look better in 4K UHD than standard 1080p Full HD games. The 4K advantage increases the details of every wall, every face, every weapon, every vehicle – everything looks sharper. Even older games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, one of the few 4K-compatible games before Pro launched, look much better. This detail mostly comes into play when you see objects up close – you can stare at a close-up of a person's face and see every pore – but you will still see less detailed textures if you are vigilant.

As long as you have a 4K UHD television, playing a game in 4K is very easy: the console automatically scales your resolution to 4K when connected, as does your resolution on the standard PS4.

Each game also requires a patch that enables 4K support. Before the console launched, there were minimal 4K-capable games, less than 10. This number has increased significantly in the years since the Pro launched, but the changes are not consistent at all levels.

PlayStation 4 Pro test "data-image-id =" 1076712Julian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

Julian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

When it comes to 4K support, every game is different. Although many suggested 4K patches just seem to activate high-resolution mode, some games offer new setting options. With The Witness, for example, you can choose to run the frame rate at 4K at a frame rate of 30 frames per second (fps) or 1440p at a scaling of 4K and a frame rate of 60 frames per second.

Xbox One S can also scale up games to 4K. However, there are currently no 4K native games, and most games continue to render at or below 1080p, just like the original Xbox One. Skyrim: Special Edition is rendered at 4K on the PS4 Pro, and other games like Titanfall 2 and The Last Of Us get a resolution boost.

In many cases, the increase in resolution increases the image quality to a certain extent in 4K and 1080p devices. When using a 4K set, the increased render resolution means less likelihood of softness or upscaled artifacts. And if you have a 1080p TV, the game can “Super Sample”, which means that it will be rendered at a higher resolution and then scaled down to 1080p. The result is a sharper and cleaner picture.

Of course, this is all a bit confusing. While many games “just look better” when you connect the PS4 Pro, you may have to tweak the settings to make the games “work properly”. This is not a problem – more choice is generally a good thing – but like adding patches and other PC-style system functions to consoles, the function transfers more decisions to you and you need to do more research on the technical aspects of games . After launch, Sony also added a “boost mode” to the Pro that supports games with no special support for the Pro with higher frame rates. Unfortunately, the function is far from perfect: the results of “boosting” vary from game to game, and Sony has recognized that there may be unforeseen errors that add more trial and error to your console. This is a blessing on the PC, where you can use these distinctions to customize your hardware, but on a console it feels more like a burden.

Shinier, sadder people

Both the PlayStation 4 and PS4 Pro support a high dynamic range, so this is not just an advantage of the PS4 Pro. However, since HDR is only available in a subset of 4K televisions and the PS4 Pro was originally shown with 4K and HDR to improve the picture consistency of the console, this is an important and very questionable aspect of the possibilities of the console.

With HDR support, Sony has led players into the complicated world of competing, unregulated software standards. HDR is a separate feature from 4K, which is largely unpublished and is difficult to identify when buying a TV. There are also different forms of HDR: The PS4 Pro requires HDR 10, which differs from "HDR Premium". There's also a competing standard, Dolby Vision, that is similar, but doesn't work with a PS4 Pro.

Even if you buy a compatible TV, there is a good chance that there will be frustrating technical issues that can affect or prevent your ability to play games with HDR. Although it varies from model to model and from brand to brand, it seems that models can have compatibility problems. Some of them seem to be related to the firmware. In November 2016, LG released a firmware patch for some of its TVs that specifically addressed issues with the PS4 Pro.

For this test, we tested the PS4 Pro with a set of Samsung 8 that meets the specifications of the console. The TV was able to register 4K and HDR in other devices. With the PS4 Pro, however, the device recognized the HDR connection, but was unable to maintain it properly. The problem was partially fixed when Samsung technicians replaced the TV's motherboard, but HDR was still not compatible with every setting.

All of these roadblocks render HDR practically unusable, which is a shame.

While it would be easy to attribute this to a defective TV, it should be noted that the problem would not have occurred without the PS4 Pro's technical eccentricities. While TV manufacturers have been working to make their HDR devices PS4 Pro compatible, it can be rightly said that each person has their own problems pairing the console with a television.

In addition, the PS4 Pro must be connected directly to your TV to support HDR. HDR content cannot be viewed through a switcher, receiver, or pass-through. This limitation, which I believe is rare, if not unprecedented, will be a serious barrier to entry for anyone using surround sound or other high quality home theater equipment. Given the specialization of technology, it's not crazy to think that many people who can use HDR want to use it in conjunction with a speaker system.

Even in ideal circumstances, enabling HDR can be more complicated than setting up 4K. Although the PS4 Pro makes it as easy as possible, enabling the feature on your TV may require a deep dive into the settings and a lot of trial and error. TV manufacturers seem to combine 4K UHD (Ultra HD) and HDR. This varies from sentence to sentence, but is complicated and there is no intuitive roadmap to get it going.

All of these roadblocks render HDR practically unusable, which is a shame. Based on what we saw at the PS4 Pro reveal event, where we saw the PS4 Pro along with 4K and HDR, and our review unit, where we only played in 4K, HDR is certainly the more impressive of the two upgrades. The more dynamic lighting allows you to see over long distances and see subtle details in light and dark places that would be hidden in standard HD.

Become "Pro" in VR

The PlayStation 4 Pro can also improve the way PSVR games work, regardless of what TV you have. According to Sony's Mark Cerny, the PS4 Pro does not automatically lead to technical improvements without special support that is integrated into individual games. Based on our testing, we have generally found that this is the case. Although games may try to use PS4 Pro to improve PSVR in different ways, the additional graphical performance seems to allow the headset to display more detailed renderings at a higher resolution.

Warranty information

The PlayStation 4 Pro comes with a one-year limited manufacturer warranty.

Our opinion

Before you buy a PS4 Pro, you have to ask and answer a lot of questions if you want to get the most out of the console. Do you have a 4K HDR 10 TV? Does this TV have an HDMI port on the physical device? Are you using a receiver or switcher for audio? Are you interested in 4K Blu-Rays? Do you own or plan to buy PSVR? Is it better to just wait for the PS5 to be released later this year?

If you don't answer all of these questions correctly, the improvements you'll see on the PlayStation 4 Pro can be costly. The PS4 Pro is undoubtedly the best version of the PlayStation 4, but it's not that much better that you should feel compelled to upgrade when a better new console is on its way soon.

Is there a better alternative?

It depends on your situation. The standard PS4 can play all games, so you won't miss any titles with the cheaper price. In this case, the Pro is only intended for those who want to get the most out of their 4K TV. Otherwise, the only alternatives at the moment are the Xbox One X or a gaming PC, but you'll miss out on amazing exclusive products like Persona 5 Royal and Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

How long it will take?

Not at all for very long. The release of the PS5 is planned for this holiday, provided there are no problems with the production or the start. Therefore, the clock on the PS4 Pro and this generation generally runs out. There will probably be some intergenerational games at the beginning of the next generation, but it will only take that long.

Should you buy it

Maybe if you don't have a PS4 yet and want to experience the huge library of excellent games. Otherwise, just wait for the PS5, which is backward compatible with many PS4 games and has its own set of exclusive games.

This article was last updated on April 28, 2020 by Cody Perez, a Digital Trends employee.

Editor's recommendations




02 May
Blog

Monoprice Maker Select Mini V2 Review

Monopice Choose Mini V2

Monoprice Maker Choose Mini V2

"It's more evolutionary than revolutionary, but Monoprices Maker Select V2 still offers a lot for your money."

  • Affordable

  • Robust construction

  • Reliable printing

  • Good print quality

A few years ago, Monoprice took the 3D printing world by storm with the original Maker Select Mini: a 3D printer that was only $ 200 and had all the bells and whistles we could ever want. Now it's back with version two of this revolutionary printer – so of course we took a jaunt to see how it stacks up to the original.

Excellent functions and specifications

Monoprices V2 builds on the solid specifications and features of the first generation and adds some minor (but important!) Upgrades.

These improvements include a hot metal end that improves warming and prevents clogging, and a heated / insulated print bed that increases pressure adhesion and prevents warping.

Monopice Choose Mini V2

Monopice Choose Mini V2

Monopice Choose Mini V2

Monopice Choose Mini V2
Riley Young / Digital Trends

In addition to this improved heated bed, the V2 surface has a special pad material (similar to BuildTak) that promotes adhesion during the printing process and makes it easier to remove parts after completion. Finally, MP has also equipped the V2 with an internal fan that prevents overheating.

There are also some things that have not changed. Just like the first generation, the V2's maximum resolution is 100 microns (0.1 millimeters), which is fairly average, but acceptable for the price. Like the first generation, the building shell is a perfect 4.7-inch cube. This specification is also somewhat average, but still not bad.

The setup of this V2 is probably the easiest we have ever seen.

The all-metal hot end maintains the same maximum temperature of 230, which allows you to print with a fairly wide range of filament types, but keeps you away from some of the more exotic, higher temperature materials. At the inputs and outputs, you can load your models onto the Mini V2 using a micro SD card, a direct USB connection or even via WLAN using the new mobile app from Monoprice.

All in all, the V2 is certainly more of an evolution than a revolution, but Monoprice's enhancements are smart enhancements that make a huge contribution to the reliability and overall performance of the printer – and they only cost an additional $ 20.

Setup and configuration

The setup of the V2 is probably the easiest we have ever seen. It is completely assembled and delivered calibrated at the factory. All you have to do is unpack it and supply some electricity. There's not even an on switch – just plug it in and you're good to go.

Monopice Choose Mini V2Riley Young / Digital Trends

From there, the super simple user interface of Monoprice makes the remaining setup steps almost child's play. Things like loading filaments and fine-tuning the print bed are extremely easy to do.

To make a comparison, setting up the V2 is about as complicated as setting up a brand new toaster. It's hellishly simple, but it can take a little while to find the ideal settings that will result in this perfect golden brown toast slice.

Design and build quality

Lifting this printer out of the box surprised us – it is surprisingly heavy for its size. This is mainly due to the all-metal construction of the Mini V2, which makes it an incredibly robust machine that doesn't wobble too much when printing.

Monoprice has redesigned everything aesthetically.

It is also quite easy on the eyes. Most of the mechanisms of the V2 are hidden behind its metal exterior and not visible, so the machine does not look as rudimentary and functional as some of its competitors. Even better, despite the slim design of the printer and the hidden components, the interior is still easily accessible.

To be fair, we never had to tinker with the V2 during our test process, but accessible design and easily replaceable parts are something we like to see on a printer. Ten points on Gryffindor Mono price.

User interface and software

Monoprice achieved good grades in this category. Both the onboard software and the desktop-based slicer programs are wonderfully easy to use – although the latter is not necessarily thanks to Monoprice.

Monopice Choose Mini V2Riley Young / Digital Trends

As with all printers, the Select Mini V2 from Monoprice works with the desired slicer program (the software that translates your 3D design into instructions that a printer can follow). We used Cura: one of the most powerful and customizable slicers in the world, which now includes pre-configured profiles for many of the most popular MP printers. This makes the whole process extremely convenient since you no longer have to manually configure your computer.

The integrated user interface is similarly simple and has not changed too much since the first generation. The V2 has the same button-based navigation scheme and intuitive menu trees – but Monoprice has aesthetically redesigned everything.

Suffice it to say that you have no problems with this device.

Printing performance

Don't be fooled by the price tag – the Select Mini V2 prints like a dream.

Our first print with the Mini was the infamous “Lucky Cat Model” that Monoprice pre-installed on the printer's SD card. Not surprisingly, it's gotten great since most models like this one have been fine-tuned by the manufacturer. To get a better idea of ​​the performance of the V2, we went through our standard benchmark suite.

Monopice Choose Mini V2Riley Young / Digital Trends

As always, the first of these was the 3DBenchy: a torturous torture test designed to highlight the strengths, weaknesses and quirks of a printer. To our great joy, the Mini V2 did a fantastic job. No matter what parameters we set, the tractor was always clean, precise and very consistent from shift to shift. Some of the boat's superfine details didn't come through as clearly as we'd like, but it's worth noting that almost all FDM printers have problems in this area, and the Select Mini V2 works just as well (if not better than). like most printers, which cost ten times as much. Other tricky elements such as steep overhangs and unsupported spans were also reproduced without significant errors.

After printing random (usually Star Wars-related) objects that we found on Thingiverse for a few weeks, we found that the Mini V2 is also quite reliable. While you are concerned about some 3D printers and unsure whether they will complete the job, we were very confident with this device.

The only real disadvantage here is the relatively small shell of the V2.

Thanks to the heated bed and the solid construction of the printer, it doesn't fail often during the printing process – unless you make a cut error and do not prepare the model properly. This printer is still subject to the laws of physics. We definitely recommend printing with support unless you are sure you don't need it.

Overall, the new and improved Select Mini from Monoprice receives good grades for its performance. We've seen a few bugs, dropouts, and funky-looking prints, but this was the exception, not the norm. The V2 prints just as well (and in some ways even better) than printers with much higher prices. The only real downside to this is the V2's relatively small build envelope, which limits the range of objects you can create with it.

Our opinion

The Maker Select V2 is definitely more of an evolution than a revolution – but in this case that's a good thing. Monoprice did not have to reinvent the wheel with this machine and luckily did not try it. Instead, a new profile was used and an absolutely solid product made that was better than the original – and the original was already pretty good. The V2 may not be the best 3D printer in the world, but it will be difficult for you to find a better mix of price and performance.

Is there a better alternative?

If your main concern is to get the best for your money, look no further. You will only find so many features in Monoprice that are included in such an affordable package.

If $ 220 is too expensive for you, we also recommend the MP Mini Delta, which is about $ 60 to $ 70 cheaper but has a slightly smaller shell.

If construction is your main concern, we recommend you check out the Monoprice Maker Select Plus – probably one of the best printers we've ever tested. In terms of printing performance, it's almost identical to the Maker Select Mini V2, but has a much larger footprint that allows you to print much larger objects. It also has a touch screen, which is nice.

How long it will take?

In return, if you treat this little guy well, you are likely to get a long life. Due to its all-metal construction, durable components, extensive spare parts and the continued software support of Monoprice, the Select Mini V2 seems to be well suited for a long life on your desktop.

Should you buy it

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! This printer offers an almost perfect mix of price and performance. So if you've been patiently waiting for an affordable printer that isn't shit, your time has come.

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