Save – Appliances catalogue

12 Mar

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Review: Great Hardware Can’t Save Android

March 12, 2021
Posted by Samson

lenovo tab p11 pro review 5

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Tablet

"It's probably the best Android tablet in its price range, but the Tab P11 Pro seriously disappoints with a sub-par software experience."

Breathtaking design
Excellent accessories
Solid performance
Excellent battery

Below average software experience
Android apps on tablets are terrible
Medium camera

It's difficult to decide on Android tablets these days, especially when they cost more than a few hundred dollars. Sure, some companies make stylish tablets with beautiful displays and top-notch performance, but Android is still holding them back – which is fantastic on phones but not so great on tablets. However, Lenovo believes it cracked the code with the new Lenovo Tab P11 Pro.

It cannot be denied: The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is madness. It's thin, has a gorgeous edge-to-edge display, and offers solid performance thanks to the Snapdragon 730G. At first glance, it's a slightly cheaper alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, which is our first choice for Android tablets.

Ultimately, however, the Android experience is best for the smartphone, and Lenovo cannot change that. Here are our thoughts on the device.

Design and display

Lenovo seems to have gotten to the heart of the design aspect of its tablets. The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is elegant and elegant, looks modern thanks to its borderless display and is made of high-quality materials. It reminds me a lot of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, which is a good thing – I liked the general design and feel of the Tab S7, and while the Tab P11 Pro can reasonably be called a design copy, it still looks great.

As is the trend these days, the tablet has nicely rounded corners with a metal unibody structure. There is a slate gray color scheme on the back, reminiscent of Apple's Space Gray, with an antenna line at the top and a dual-sensor camera. The camera module sticks out quite a bit from the back of the tablet, but with the included back cover, it's no big deal. We'll go into the included accessories a little later.

When you hold the tablet in portrait orientation, the on / off switch (with integrated fingerprint sensor) is on the top right and the volume rocker right next to it on the right. There is a USB-C port at the bottom. There is no headphone jack on the Tab P11 Pro.

On the right there are also a number of sensors and cameras that can be used for face recognition. Unfortunately, in my experience, facial recognition doesn't work that well, and you should opt for the fingerprint sensor instead. The face recognition worked exactly. It only took a few seconds for the device to actually unlock. The fingerprint sensor worked quickly and accurately most of the time.

With a thickness of only 6.9 mm, the Tab P11 Pro fits comfortably in the hand. At just over a pound, it's not overly heavy and the bezels are the perfect size – they leave just enough room to hold the device without accidentally touching the screen. You don't want them to get tighter.

Speaking of the screen, it's a sucker. The Tab P11 Pro has an 11.5-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1,600 x 2,560 and a brightness of up to 500 nits. It is wonderful. The text is nice and sharp, the colors are vivid and bright, and the tablet is perfect for watching movies and games. But it's not perfect. As someone who regularly uses an iPad Pro, I would have liked a high refresh rate here, but it's hard to reckon that the tablet won't have a high refresh rate due to its price range.

Our first Tab P11 Pro immediately had a screen burn-in issue, and Lenovo quickly replaced the review unit. If you experience a similar problem, it should be under the manufacturer's limited warranty.

Power, battery and camera

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is slightly cheaper than the Galaxy Tab S7, and one way to cut costs is with a slightly cheaper processor. However, this does not mean that the tablet does not have enough power. Still, thanks to the Snapdragon 730G processor, which comes with 4GB or 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, it can do most of the tasks that you can.

In all honesty, it's more than powerful enough. No, the Snapdragon 730G isn't as powerful as the Snapdragon 865, but it can handle multitasking, gaming, and more. Playing Call of Duty: Mobile was a good experience with few jumps and good load times. The tablet generally handled multitasking well, including surfing the web, sending emails, using Microsoft Word, and so on.

That doesn't mean it's a performance beast. It still has its limits. If you want to use it as a replacement for a laptop, for example, you will reach these limits. We recommend the 6GB RAM model if you can afford it and if you don't want to use your tablet just for media consumption. It's only $ 50 more and makes for a smoother experience.

In all honesty, it's more than powerful enough. No, the Snapdragon 730G isn't as powerful as the Snapdragon 865, but it can still handle solid multitasking, gaming, and more.

The battery life of the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is excellent. The tablet comes with a massive 8,600 mAh battery that is more than enough to last for days of use. If you charge it and don't use it for a few days, you can expect over 90% of the battery remaining. If you use your tablet frequently, it should be a few days before you need to charge it.

Unlike a smartphone, the tablet's rear-facing camera isn't as important as the front-facing camera, as you will likely use your tablet more for video chatting than for taking photos. Unfortunately, none of the P11 Pro's cameras work great.

On the back of the device is a dual camera setup with a 13-megapixel main camera and a 5-megapixel ultrawide. There are two 8-megapixel cameras on the front, one for photos and one for face recognition. Both of them do their job in adequate lighting, but they add complexity to your photo or video and you are likely to run into problems.

software

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro has a stunning design, display and battery life. Ultimately, however, it doesn't matter how good the hardware is if the software isn't up to the task. Unfortunately, this is not the case in this case.

It's not all Lenovo's fault. Android is a great operating system, but it's not really tablet-friendly, and even the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7's software experience isn't the best. It really is a shame and frustrating that, despite its mature operating system, Android still isn't the productivity powerhouse it could be.

Not to mention the fact that Android apps aren't really optimized for use with tablets. Twitter on the tablet is basically just an expanded version of the smartphone app, and it looks terrible. In comparison, the iPad app is divided into columns that really take advantage of the large screen's footprint. That's Twitter's fault, of course, but it underscores the fact that Android tablets have really been forgotten – and Android tablet makers look bad because of it.

As you'd expect, Lenovo is building its own features into the Tab P11 Pro's software. The tablet can be used in two different modes – a normal Android tablet mode and a so-called “productivity mode”. Productivity mode is activated by default when you connect the device to the supplied keyboard. However, you can also turn it on without a keyboard.

Productivity mode is similar to Lenovo's in terms of Samsung DeX, but without years of refinement. Apps are displayed with windows instead of the full screen. A number of the latest multitasking apps are displayed at the bottom of the screen. It's a good approach, but it feels very unfinished. For example, apps don't snap to the edge of the screen and load in a tiny window the first time they are opened. It's really not very well implemented, and you might be more productive in normal mode.

But I wouldn't turn to the Tab P11 Pro primarily for productivity gains, or at least not for its primary purpose. The device works well for casual jobs and, given the solid keyboard, can also be useful for things like replying to emails or writing in a word processor without the need for multitasking. However, don't expect to be more productive and still keep your sanity.

All of this is made worse by the fact that the tablet ships with Android 10, which is now over a year old. Given Lenovo's track record with Android updates, it's entirely possible that the tablet will never get Android 11 or even Android 12. However, I would be happy if I turned out to be wrong.

Keyboard and pen

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro comes with a number of accessories that support different uses, and these accessories are really beautiful. That said, it's a shame the tablet's software wasn't really designed with productivity in mind.

To protect the tablet, there is a back cover and a keyboard that can be used separately. In the end, I just kept the back cover of the tablet the whole time. It has a nice textile appearance and the stand makes it easy to put a tablet on the table when needed. The stand is infinitely adjustable so you can adjust it to the angle you want. The only frustration I have with the back cover is that the hinge creates a bump in the middle, which means it can't lie flat on its back.

The keyboard corresponds to the design of the back cover and is magnetically attached to the underside of the tablet. Once attached, it works pretty well. It's not the keyboard with the best feel, but it's not bad for a free, included accessory. Keys could use a little more travel to see them, but that's a minor complaint and I still generally enjoyed typing on it … but only on a table. The kickstand design means this isn't the best device for your lap.

The tablet also comes with a pen. While it's not bad, I haven't used it much. In contrast to the Galaxy Tab S7, the pen is not magnetically attached to the tablet itself. Instead, a sleeve is supplied that you can attach to the device with an adhesive. However, this is a pretty permanent approach. Alternatively, you can attach the sleeve to a keychain. Neither is a good solution.

Price and availability

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro starts at $ 500. However, as mentioned earlier, if you want to use the tablet for any kind of productivity or multitasking, I recommend upgrading to the $ 550 6GB RAM model. It is available directly from the Lenovo website.

Our opinion

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is a tough sell. It's probably the best Android tablet in its price range thanks to its great hardware and the fact that there isn't a lot of competition – unless the Galaxy Tab S7 goes on sale. In this case, it's a better option. Unfortunately, the Tab P11 Pro is seriously disappointed with a sub-par software experience, making it difficult to recommend to anyone who wants to achieve more than just basic media usage and very basic productivity.

Is there a better alternative?

If you want to stay in the Android ecosystem, there are a few alternatives you should consider. Perhaps the most notable is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, which was available for $ 550 at the time of this writing. The Tab S7 software experience is still not perfect, but it is better than the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro and offers improved performance thanks to the Snapdragon 865+.

If you're not keen on Android, the iPad Air is our top pick for the best tablet out there – and for good reason. It also has a stunning modern design and great performance, as well as a premium software experience for work or leisure. It's a far better product in almost every way except you have to pay extra for accessories like a keyboard and pen. Even the entry-level iPad is worth considering, and while it doesn't look as premium, it still offers a better overall experience than the Tab P11 Pro.

How long it will take?

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is made of metal and should be able to be used for at least two years without physical damage or major slowdowns. If you take good care of it, you might be able to use it for three or four years. Be aware, however, that the software slows down and the software feels pretty out of date.

Should you buy it?

Get an iPad Air or Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 instead.

Editor's recommendations

26 Jan

Blog

The Push Press To Save Your Shoulders

January 26, 2021
Posted by Samson

There aren't many quick and dynamic exercises that I would recommend for everyone to learn and practice. But the Landmine Push Press is something I would recommend to almost anyone.

Once I have taught someone what I call basic movements, which teach skills and body control related to any type of movement and exercise, I will select movements that are most suitable for them based on their skills, background and focus on physical fitness are.

If you firmly anchor these basic movements from the start, learning more complex athletic movements and exercises will become more intuitive.

If you want to understand these movements and the principles behind learning them using this particular strategy, I offer a comprehensive course that teaches the why and how. If you live in or around New York City, you can join my JDI Barbell gym and study in person or go through the entire program online.

As soon as I help my clients build a bedrock with no holes, I choose exercises that are easy to work through and progress quickly. It's different for everyone, but I like everyone doing a few exercises.

One of them is the printing press. I raised a few eyebrows by saying that.

What is the printing press?

The push press is considered a secondary lift for Olympic weightlifting. In my opinion, I wasn't entirely sure that Olympic lifting movements are best left alone unless you specifically want to devote time to the exercise.

I have some clients who do a traditional barbell press, but with others I prefer that they use kettlebells or dumbbells to build more stability or mobility.

The best version for field athletes, beginners in strength training or those with restrictions is the Landmine Push Press.

Why is the landmine pushing?

As you learn to use the printing press, you will learn how you can and should move in a coordinated athletic effort to move something heavy.

To get this right:

It helps in creating stiffness throughout your torso to transfer the force created by your lower body as it pushes into the ground to your upper body, and then the load that is on your shoulders through your head to lift.
You need to maintain balance and pressure through your feet to perform this quick jump action with enough force and accuracy to push the bar over your head in the correct direction.

But pushing weights right over your head can sometimes do more harm than good.

Some athletes can't put weight on their shoulders in this position if they want to stay healthy and strong for their sport, and some of the others are just trying to be strong and fit and need to work out the limitations on flexibility first.

The Landmine Push Press works around all of this.

By pressing at an angle, the shoulder and elbow are brought into a position in which a more vertical pressure pattern can be trained without the same load and flexibility requirements on the shoulder.

Who Should Do the Printing Press?

If you have had shoulder pain while pressing overhead from an old injury or just from inactivity, the Landmine Press is the perfect tool.

While you should continue to work to restore full dexterity to the shoulder complex, exercise for physical balance means building up athletic strength in pushing movements in addition to the bench press.

If you put the weight back up and push directly above your head, indicating that you have regained your full natural range of motion and stability in every direction of motion, you will still improve strength and skill with this exercise.

Do both until you are ready for the traditional printing press, and continue as a variation to further build shoulder health and strength.

What does the printing press do for you?

Only a strict landmine press makes a lot of power with total stability.

The upper back muscles, which control the movement of the shoulder blade, and the stabilizing muscles of the shoulder are designed to keep the barbell path straight.

This is especially true because you are only holding the end of the barbell in this exercise.

You can move freely in all directions as you press, and it is not easy to stay in place. So these stabilizing muscles really have to do their job. You also need to create just as much stability from your core so that the shoulder maintains the integrity of the movement and pushes the weight.

When you add the dynamic leg drive of the printing press, you learn to create stability and strength faster and more efficiently because the movement is quick and explosive.

When you turn a rigorous, upper-body-focused press into a full-body press, you can also put heavier overhead loads on yourself.

The weight, which may be too heavy to just be pushed off your shoulders, can be lifted above your head, extending and quickly locking in the momentum emanating from your legs.

All of the upper back and shoulder muscles can then learn new static stability, strength levels, and improved coordination.

How to make the landmine press

If you can find a land mine press holder this is great. If you can't, it doesn't matter. You can wedge it in any corner it won't cause damage or set it up like this:

The Printing Press to Save Your Shoulders - Fitness, Fitness, Olympic Weightlifting, Printing Press, Flexibility, Functional Movement, Shoulder Injury, Online Training, Shoulder Flexibility, Trunk Flexion, Printing Press, Upper Back, Shoulder Health, Core Stability, Landmine Press

Load the bar, take the bar by the head (the end of the sleeve where you load the weight) and take both hands in one hand.
Place the head of the bar almost directly in your sternum.
Place your feet somewhere between your hips and shoulder width apart and stroke your toes.
Tense your knees and dip them into a position similar to trying to jump as high as you can. Just make sure that your knees are pointing toward your toes and that your hips come back slightly without your chest falling forward.
Keeping your balance on your metatarsus and chest up, fight any urges to shift your weight towards your heels, or to let your chest sag or around your upper back.
While holding the head of the bar in your chest, drive hard through your legs and press both feet into the ground.
Extend your knees like a jump, making sure that you push the entire foot of both legs through.
If you bump into the balls of your feet from this explosive drive, shrug your shoulders. The barbell should fly a little from your chest.
Without hesitation, shrugging your shoulders, quickly straighten your elbows by pushing the bar at a 45-degree angle (almost at the crown of your head).
Try timing the end-locking of your elbows so that your heels are back on the ground.

What are your options?

I prefer the two arm landmine printing press because you can overload yourself with it, but one arm variations may be better for some people.

When you really need to restore balance in the body or work on unilateral strength and stability to improve a nagging injury or reduce glaring asymmetry, the one-armed landmine push is one of the best and safest ways to do it.

Simply place the head of the bar directly on the head of your shoulder with one hand and do the exercise just as you would with two hands.

Both the single and double arm versions of this exercise are great for building strength with less risk.

The shoulder blade moves in a position along the rib cage that holds it in an anatomically stronger and more stable position when you press with a neutral grip (thumb up).

The angle at which you squeeze the bar locks you in a position where you can't deform your body to grind through a rep that you really shouldn't.

They either lock smoothly or not at all.

You should do this over a matted area, however, so if you fail one rep, don't hesitate to drop the bar in front of you rather than lowering it in a poor position.

If anyone injured themselves while doing this exercise, most likely they did so when they lowered the bar back to the ground.

You can stay tense and crouch to lower it and drop it at waist level with mats underneath.

When you are ready for the challenge

Learning the timing for the printing press is challenging and develops athletic skills. The transition to a push-jerk can test you further.

The printing press and printing pressure are similar with one difference.

With the push-jerk you lock your arms out and get the bar with your legs bent in a quarter squat.

The timing of the dip and ride is the same, but instead of ending up with your legs straight and standing fully like you do in the printing press, use the weight to push you back into a quarter crouch, and then stand from there out already got the weight propped up with locked elbows.

Not only will this challenge your speed of movement and coordination, but it will also allow you to handle heavier weights and build even greater levels of overall body strength.

It may not be easy to learn if you've never practiced it before, but if you understand the basic principles of stability and balance, all it takes is a little practice.

25 Jan

Blog

The Push Press To Save Your Shoulders

January 25, 2021
Posted by Samson

There aren't many quick and dynamic exercises that I would recommend for everyone to learn and practice. But the Landmine Push Press is something I would recommend to almost anyone.

If you firmly anchor these basic movements from the start, learning more complex athletic movements and exercises will become more intuitive.

One of them is the printing press. I raised a few eyebrows by saying that.

What is the printing press?

I have some clients who do a traditional barbell press, but with others I prefer that they use kettlebells or dumbbells to build more stability or mobility.

The best version for field athletes, beginners in strength training or those with restrictions is the Landmine Push Press.

Why is the landmine pushing?

As you learn to use the printing press, you will learn how you can and should move in a coordinated athletic effort to move something heavy.

To get this right:

It helps in creating stiffness throughout your torso to transfer the force created by your lower body as it pushes into the ground to your upper body, and then the load that is on your shoulders through your head to lift.
You need to maintain balance and pressure through your feet to perform this quick jump action with enough force and accuracy to push the bar over your head in the correct direction.

But pushing weights right over your head can sometimes do more harm than good.

The Landmine Push Press works around all of this.

Who Should Do the Printing Press?

If you have had shoulder pain while pressing overhead from an old injury or just from inactivity, the Landmine Press is the perfect tool.

Do both until you are ready for the traditional printing press, and continue as a variation to further build shoulder health and strength.

What does the printing press do for you?

Only a strict landmine press makes a lot of power with total stability.

The upper back muscles, which control the movement of the shoulder blade, and the stabilizing muscles of the shoulder are designed to keep the barbell path straight.

This is especially true because you are only holding the end of the barbell in this exercise.

When you add the dynamic leg drive of the printing press, you learn to create stability and strength faster and more efficiently because the movement is quick and explosive.

When you turn a rigorous, upper-body-focused press into a full-body press, you can also put heavier overhead loads on yourself.

The weight, which may be too heavy to just be pushed off your shoulders, can be lifted above your head, extending and quickly locking in the momentum emanating from your legs.

All of the upper back and shoulder muscles can then learn new static stability, strength levels, and improved coordination.

How to make the landmine press

If you can find a land mine press holder this is great. If you can't, it doesn't matter. You can wedge it in any corner it won't cause damage or set it up like this:

Load the bar, take the bar by the head (the end of the sleeve where you load the weight) and take both hands in one hand.
Place the head of the bar almost directly in your sternum.
Place your feet somewhere between your hips and shoulder width apart and stroke your toes.
Tense your knees and dip them into a position similar to trying to jump as high as you can. Just make sure that your knees are pointing toward your toes and that your hips come back slightly without your chest falling forward.
Keeping your balance on your metatarsus and chest up, fight any urges to shift your weight towards your heels, or to let your chest sag or around your upper back.
While holding the head of the bar in your chest, drive hard through your legs and press both feet into the ground.
Extend your knees like a jump, making sure that you push the entire foot of both legs through.
If you bump into the balls of your feet from this explosive drive, shrug your shoulders. The barbell should fly a little from your chest.
Without hesitation, shrugging your shoulders, quickly straighten your elbows by pushing the bar at a 45-degree angle (almost at the crown of your head).
Try timing the end-locking of your elbows so that your heels are back on the ground.

What are your options?

I prefer the two arm landmine printing press because you can overload yourself with it, but one arm variations may be better for some people.

Simply place the head of the bar directly on the head of your shoulder with one hand and do the exercise just as you would with two hands.

Both the single and double arm versions of this exercise are great for building strength with less risk.

The shoulder blade moves in a position along the rib cage that holds it in an anatomically stronger and more stable position when you press with a neutral grip (thumb up).

The angle at which you squeeze the bar locks you in a position where you can't deform your body to grind through a rep that you really shouldn't.

They either lock smoothly or not at all.

You should do this over a matted area, however, so if you fail one rep, don't hesitate to drop the bar in front of you rather than lowering it in a poor position.

If anyone injured themselves while doing this exercise, most likely they did so when they lowered the bar back to the ground.

You can stay tense and crouch to lower it and drop it at waist level with mats underneath.

When you are ready for the challenge

Learning the timing for the printing press is challenging and develops athletic skills. The transition to a push-jerk can test you further.

The printing press and printing pressure are similar with one difference.

With the push-jerk you lock your arms out and get the bar with your legs bent in a quarter squat.

Not only will this challenge your speed of movement and coordination, but it will also allow you to handle heavier weights and build even greater levels of overall body strength.

It may not be easy to learn if you've never practiced it before, but if you understand the basic principles of stability and balance, all it takes is a little practice.

04 Oct

Blog

Save $400 on This 65-inch Sony 4K TV With This Early Prime Day Deal

October 4, 2020
Posted by Samson

Digital Trends can earn a commission when you buy from links on our website.

Sony X900H 65 inch TV

Amazon Prime Day doesn't officially kick off for a couple of weeks, but even now these are some early Prime Day deals that have some great 4K TV deals to take advantage of if you're thinking of upgrading your current home theater setup . Sony's 65-inch 4K TV X900H is currently priced at $ 400, which brings the cost down from the original $ 1,399 price for evaluating a smidge under $ 1,000. This is the cheapest model ever on Amazon. So if you've been looking for a new 4K model, now is the time to do it.

This 4K TV is part of Sony's main mid-range offering, popular with movie fans and home theater enthusiasts, offering exceptional picture quality at a reasonable price. It has new features to keep up with the latest models such as the variable refresh rate. This also makes it a great choice for games that want to play fast-paced games with precise accuracy. The overall look of the TV is sleek and modern, with no annoying flashy elements or excessively large bezels. So there is nothing to distract you from the great picture that should be the focus of your attention.

If you are looking for a TV with smart features, the X900H is the one for you. With Smart Android TV and Google Assistant, you can control the TV with your voice. If you prefer, the TV can also work with Alexa. So you can ask Alexa devices in your home to play music, start apps or adjust the volume. Other features include a game mode for those who want to switch between movies and games without sacrificing image quality. This mode adjusts the settings so that you get a smoother picture while playing.

However, the real selling point of the Sony X900H is how good the picture quality is. This model can go head to toe with much more expensive high-end 4K sets with great black levels, algorithmic local dimming and impressive color accuracy. In our test of the Sony X900H, we described it as very affordable, even at a non-reduced price. Given the Prime Day savings that cut the price by $ 400 to under $ 1,000, this is an absolute steal.

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we carefully and independently choose what we cover. The prices, details and availability of the products and offers in this post are subject to change at any time. Make sure they are still valid before making a purchase.

Digital Trends can earn commissions on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

Editor's recommendations

10 Aug

Blog

PuroPro Review: Save Your Hearing While Savoring The Sound

August 10, 2020
Posted by Samson

PuroPro headphones

"Crank & # 39; em to 11. With the built-in volume limiter, your ears will thank you."

Very convenient
Very good sound quality
Healthy volume limitation
Good battery life

Mediocre ANC
No multi-device pairing
No fast charging

What do you look for when buying new wireless headphones?

Good sound? Obviously. Long battery life? Yes, please. Active noise cancellation (ANC)? Yes of course. I mean it's 2020 isn't it? What about hearing protection?

Say what?

Exactly.

Puro Sound Labs has focused on one idea since its inception: Preventing Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) by developing headphones that automatically limit their maximum volume to safe levels.

The company rightly received props for its kid-friendly Puro headphones, but now it's targeting an entirely different market: those looking for a high-performance set of ANC wireless headphones.

Can his $ 200 PuroPro deliver all the bells and whistles we're used to while taking care of our overworked ears? Let's find out.

What's in the box?

PuroPro headphones "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/puropro-00008-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: // www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

PuroPro headphones "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/puropro-00010-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: // www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

PuroPro headphones "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/puropro-00011-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: // www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

PuroPro headphones "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn5.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/puropro-00021-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https: // www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Before we discuss what is in the box, let's take a moment and appreciate the box itself. I am going to assume that it is balsa wood, that it is incredibly light, and that it easily deals with the question of what with What to do with the packaging of the headphones is: just use it as you wish.

It looks pretty good, and while it obviously doesn't require much abuse, it could be a handy place to store charging cables, pen drives, or any number of other digital accessories that have taken over our lives.

In this box you will find the PuroPro in its hard-shell carrying case as well as a micro-USB charging cable and an analogue cable for volume limitation. Apart from the cardboard sleeve with which the wooden box is wrapped, the PuroPro does not contain any materials that have to be disposed of or recycled.

design

One look at the PuroPro and you will know exactly what inspired its design. They are a real eye-catcher for the wireless headphones WH-1000XM4 from Sony. That's not a bad thing. If you want to copy someone, you can copy the best too.

The resemblance goes deeper than the looks, although they are clad in matte black plastic, they really look very similar. The sleek, pivoting ear cups are held in place with forks that blend seamlessly with the headband. These can be rotated a full 45 degrees so that the ear cups lie flat around the neck and can be folded up on the integrated hinges for easier storage.

The ear pads are very plush and super comfortable. But because they're so well padded, there's a fair bit of leeway. Move too fast and you can feel the PuroPro shifting on your head. Those with larger heads may not notice this as much, but my noggin was already on the smallest headband setting so people with smaller heads might find it problematic.

As long as you don't plan on using them for jogging, I wouldn't worry about that. I certainly wouldn't forego an ounce of their impressive comfort for more stability.

The fork vertebrae move with virtually no resistance, and while that sounds good, it reminds me of mechanisms on cheaper models – it's the only thing that detracts from an otherwise high-quality design.

Battery life

PuroPro headphones Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

After 32 hours of claimed battery life with the ANC turned off and 28 hours with the ANC turned on, the PuroPro are spot on with some of the best wireless ANC headphones. It's roughly the same as the Sony WH-1000XM3 or XM4 and much better than the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700, which only lasted 20 hours.

There is no quick charge option that virtually all headphones have these days.

It takes a long time to fully charge, but strangely enough, there is no quick charge option that virtually all headphones have these days.

The charging process takes place via a micro USB connection. Depending on your smartphone, you may need to carry two cables with you when you travel.

Control and ease of use

PuroPro headphones Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

You will not find any fancy touch controls on the PuroPro. Instead, you get a simple and easy-to-use set of physical buttons on the bottom of the right ear cup.

It's a pretty typical arrangement: a rocker button is used to change the volume and track skipping functions, while the power button acts as a multifunctional control for power, play / pause, answer / end calls, access to voice assistants and Putting on the headphones is used in the Bluetooth pairing mode.

With a third button you can switch through the three ANC modes (two ANC levels plus one off mode).

Once you remember the keystroke sequences, using the controls becomes effortless.

At just $ 200, the PuroPro can't be expected to have all of the features that more expensive headphones have, but I wish it had two: a wear sensor that some wireless headphones use to automatically pause music when you remove them from your ear and Bluetooth Multipoint, which means you can pair the headphones with two devices such as a phone and a computer at the same time.

Sound quality

PuroPro headphones Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Although these are headphones that intentionally limit the volume, the PuroPro makes an admirable contribution to maintaining sound quality.

Their EQ is remarkably neutral and mostly avoids playing favorites with low, medium or high frequencies. The bass is clear but never overwhelming, and both vocals and instruments have a chance to shine.

There's both warmth and definition, and although the PuroPro doesn't place individual sounds around you with great precision, the soundstage itself is still comfortably wide.

Their EQ is remarkably neutral and mostly avoids playing favorites with low, medium or high frequencies.

In order to hear the PuroPro at its best, you must activate the ANC function at least on level 1. Without the ANC switched on, low-end sounds suddenly lose their power and the mids and highs turn up uncomfortably. This has the effect of overemphasizing the singing, most noticeable in male tenor singers. On The Doors & # 39; deeply haunted Riders On The Storm, Jim Morrison's voice is more sharp than smoky.

Fortunately, this bizarre ANC requirement doesn't affect the PuroPro's analog wired performance – you get all of the sound quality even when these are turned off.

Volume limit

Not only are the PuroPro really decent wireless headphones, but their main attraction is the volume limiter too.

If you're using the headphones wirelessly, you can choose between the default 85dB maximum volume or switch to the more liberal 95dB by pressing and holding the volume buttons for three seconds. If you use the supplied analog cable for wired listening, the volume is limited to 85 dB.

Overall, the ANC function does not do justice to the term "noise suppression" – it is more similar to noise reduction.

You can always work around these limitations by using your own headphone cable. However, I strongly recommend adhering to them. If you are used to being free to rule your volume, there is a good chance you will exceed 85 dB. I don't see myself as someone who routinely turn up the volume, but I was still surprised when I hit the 85dB max – it's quieter than I expected.

I think that's a good thing – it means the PuroPro gives me the opportunity to revert my listening habits to healthier levels. According to Puro Sound Labs, 85 dB is the maximum safe sound level recommended by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) and allows for up to 8 hours of safe hearing.

Noise cancellation

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

As I said before, turning on the ANC on the PuroPro while wirelessly listening is a must if you want decent sound. Overall, however, the ANC function does not do justice to the term "noise suppression" – it is more similar to noise reduction.

According to Puro Sound Labs, level 1 of the ANC offers 32dB of deep noise reduction, while level 2 offers more general 15dB of noise reduction.

Level 1 was able to reduce the noise of a nearby bathroom fan, but not by an amount that made it fade into the background. Level 2 sounded identical to me.

And while ANC performance is mediocre, neither Level 1 nor Level 2 introduce unwanted noise – a characteristic of poorly executed ANC – so at least your music quality won't be affected, even if you can't eliminate as much external sounds as possible you would like .

In contrast to some headphones with ANC, the PuroPro does not have an ambient mode for introducing external sounds.

Call quality

Call quality on the PuroPro tended to vary widely and it was difficult to get a consistent result. Walking on a street with the occasional car passing turned out to be easy for the headphones, and my caller sometimes didn't even notice the vehicles passing by. Then, as I sat in a very quiet room in a garden, my caller noticed a decrease in call quality, with the microphones apparently picking up noises that I wasn't aware of.

I wouldn't rate this performance as abnormally poor, but like many wireless headphones, call quality isn't one of PuroPro's strong points.

Our opinion

While not spectacular for noise cancellation, the PuroPro are comfortable wireless headphones with good sound quality and a unique volume limiting feature that is designed to protect your hearing from the long-term damage that can be caused by exposure to loud music.

Is there a better alternative?

The volume limit can be found on several models of children's headphones, including those made by Puro Sound Labs. However, the PuroPro are the only model I've seen that is aimed at adults. As such, they are in a class of their own. But if this feature isn't strictly necessary, check out our list of the best wireless headphones for some great alternatives.

How long will they last?

The PuroPro comes with a one-year warranty from Puro Sound Labs. Their overall build quality is good, as are the materials. You can expect them to last as long as most products in this category if you take care of them.

Should you buy it?

Yes, but only if volume limiting is a must.

Editor's recommendations

23 Apr

Blog

Flo by Moen Review | Money You’ll Save Is No Drop In The Bucket

April 23, 2020
Posted by Samson

Flo from Moen's review

"Moen's intuitive Flo helps you save water and protect yourself from costly leaks."

Protects against catastrophic water damage
Learn your water usage habits
Provides valuable information on water consumption
Great information dashboard
Integrates with Amazon Alexa

Requires a subscription for important benefits
Leakage location cannot be recognized
Cannot be connected to other home security systems

My first product review was the Current Cost ENVI Home Energy Monitor. That was nine years ago, and I've been studying television reviews intensively since then – but I've never got over having data on energy and resource consumption at hand. I'm still excited about it. When the people behind the Flo by Moen smart home water monitor (and also the leak detector!) Offered to install the device for this test, I took the chance.

It's a few months later now and I often wonder how I've ever lived without this clever device. Sure, it will detect a water leak, tell you about it, and even shut down your water pipe, but its capabilities go far beyond these basic functions. It's not perfect, but between the practical daily use and the security it offers, I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Mother Earth will surely appreciate this because there is not only an incentive to save money by using Flo by Moen, but also the more profound gesture to help the planet by saving water.

Why do i need that thing?

In the past two months, three of my homeowner friends have had installation problems that resulted in flooded land. Those who had good insurance were faced with a nasty deductible that didn't get a nasty bill, and in all cases the total cost of cleanup, repairs, and restoration exceeded $ 4,000.

Flo from Moen's review

In all three cases, Moen's $ 500 flo could have done practically none of these floods and damage. Reason enough to invest in Flo by Moen. It also monitors for leaks and, for a small monthly fee, identifies the water-consuming devices and fittings in your home. This way you get an insight – shower for shower, rinsing for rinsing and even washing machine load for washing machine load – into your home's water consumption. In any case, real money must be saved and not just a drop in the bucket. Over the course of his life, the Moen Flo could potentially save you thousands of dollars.

There is also the environmental good of water protection, which should not be underestimated.

installation

Flo by Moen is a small, weatherproof box with a valve button and incoming and outgoing connections that are connected to the main water pipe of your house. Practical people can install it themselves, but I would recommend hiring a plumber, especially if your water pipe is difficult to access. While contacting your plumber, you can also check if they are selling Flo by Moen as they may offer a discount on the purchase of the product and installation together.

There will come a time when you have to help the Flo to help you better.

Flo by Moen is not battery operated, so you need access to an electrical outlet. You should also make sure that your WiFi router's signal is strong enough to get to where the device is installed because there is no Ethernet port (not that an Ethernet cable is likely to be routed to the water pipe).

Once connected, Flo by Moen connects to Wi-Fi using the Flo by Moen app, available for iOS and Android. Once you're online, the app will ask you a number of questions to get you started. The app wants to know where your home is, how many people live in the house, the price per unit of water – all the data it can use to give you meaningful and informative dashboards.

From there, Flo by Moen will take water consumption at home into account and send this data to the cloud for processing via Flo by Moens Analytics.

What Flo does

In the first few days of operation, the Flo collects some basic data: how much water is consumed per day, when the consumption is highest and lowest, what the flow rate is for typical water consumption and how the water in the household is pressure and temperature measurement on average. The Flo also begins nightly tests for minor leaks by briefly turning off the water supply and monitoring for pressure changes. If the pressure drops, there is a leak somewhere. The Flo no longer recognizes where the leak is – it is intelligent, but does not have sensors in the entire sanitary system. So you have to go hunting yourself or call a plumber and have him sniff out.

Flo from Moen's review

With a feel for what is normal in your home, the Flo is equipped to understand what is not normal. If it sees that it is consuming too much water, a notification will be sent via SMS, email and / or phone call (you can choose one or all three notification options) to alert you. If notifications are not responded to, Flo will turn the water off, provided that it prevents potentially catastrophic damage or water loss. If you prefer, you can have Flo ignore the warning for two hours – something I had to do many, many times. More on that later.

The Moen Flo also looks for low pressure, indicating that there may be a problem with the water entering your home. water temperatures too low, which can be a warning that pipes can freeze; or too high pressure, which can be a sign of several problems (including already frozen pipes).

For those traveling on vacation or another long absence, an absence mode is available, which causes the Flo to react faster to warning signals.

But how does it really work?

Everything I've described so far is essentially automated, but there will come a time (probably actually many times) when you need to help the Flo do better to help you. Yes, as smart as the Flo is, it still needs an insight into what's actually happening in your home.

For example, watering my garden and / or lawn was a confusing event for the Flo. I have to admit that I was shocked that some drinking hoses let through up to 5 gallons of water per minute. But more importantly, Flo had never seen so much water in my home before – at least not for very long. While half of my vegetable garden was soaked with the much-needed hydration, Flo was busy letting me know that some nefarious things were coming down and warned of an impending water shutdown.

Flo not only protects my house from possible damage, but also prevents me from having to spend too much.

This scenario repeated itself several times, but I didn't know that every time I told the Flo app not to worry and keep pouring, Flo raised the ceiling for a shutdown event. This initially gave me cause for concern because what if the ceiling were raised so high that the Flo would be ineffective in the event of a real problem? It turned out that I didn't have to worry about it.

In addition to learning real-time usage habits, the Flo system allows users to assign usage events to certain types of usage, but only with a $ 5 FloProtect subscription. With the subscription it can be determined that the water consumption is at 1:10 p.m. On Thursday was the washing machine from which the Flo will likely learn to correctly allocate water consumption. This was practical for me as I was essentially able to tell the Flo device what applications were used for irrigation.

Today I have to blow up a good 57 gallons within 11 minutes before Flo warns me that I'm basically over-watering my garden. In this case, the Flo not only protects my house from possible damage, but also prevents me from over-watering and therefore paying too much when the water bill comes.

I have a huge bag of anecdotes praising the value of the Flo by Moen device, including stories of insanely long teenage showers that broke down after 25 minutes and overflowing bathtubs were barely averted, but I think you can imagine all kinds of cases In which a water monitor could be useful. Now we come to an even more convincing topic.

Get ready to save $$$

It may take a while to buy a used car with the money I saved with the Moen Flo, but I'm pretty sure this day could come. There are some real savings here.

Like any dashboard, the Flo by Moen app can be a real motivator. By setting water use goals and viewing reports of whether you have achieved or missed your goal, you tend to change your behavior (and that of others). In addition, it is instructive – and shocking in some cases – to see how much water is used to wash clothes or shower, for example, in a way that is difficult to describe.

"There's no way we're throwing so many gallons in our sinks," I cried in horror after checking my first monthly report. Unfortunately, our taps were our main consumers. They are still, but to a much lesser extent, since I installed water-saving aerators on every tap in the house. To be honest, I thought the existing aerators were highly efficient, and I wouldn't have known anything else without a detailed insight into my water consumption.

Flo from Moen's review

As convincing as saving may be, I think it may be more important to consider the positive effects of water conservation on our planet. Without realizing it, my kids had become a bit lazy turning off the faucet when brushing their teeth, and frankly it turned out that I was wasting a terrible amount of water washing up.

Treat the Flo by Moen app as a game, and conservation becomes a competition to find out who can save the most water. Given the high potential to save a valuable and sometimes scarce resource, I decided to give the Flo by Moen the Tech for Change Award from Digital Trends.

What's the catch?

The downside to many advantages of the Flo is that they live behind a FloProtect subscription paywall that costs $ 5 a month or $ 60 a year. With the subscription, you will also receive an insurance refund of up to $ 2,500 if water damage occurs under Flo's watch. This seems like a nice addition, but I'd rather see Moen bring that kind of support into the device for the $ 500 purchase price.

As long as I'm groaning, it would be great to see how Moen's Flo integrates with larger security systems to add an extra layer of protection. I personally have a Vivint home security system in operation that has flood sensors that can possibly detect water accumulations that the Flo cannot detect itself based on usage data. As it looks, the Flo is alone in its operation.

Our opinion

I love having the Moen Flo as part of my increasingly intelligent home. Not only do I feel like I have an extra layer of protection, I'm still moved by all the data I can get through well-designed dashboards. A little bit of manual work is required at the beginning, but the end result is an intuitive intelligent water monitoring system that more or less takes care of itself.

Is there a better alternative?

There are cheaper options, like Stream Labs' Smart Home Water Monitor for $ 200, which doesn't require pipe cutting like Flo by Moen, but we can't guarantee the accuracy of that. There are also more expensive options, like the Phyn Plus for $ 700, but it's unclear what valuable benefits the higher sticker price will bring. We also prefer the appearance of the Flo by Moen user interface.

How long it will take?

The Flo from Moen seems to be very robust and weatherproof, so the signs of a long life are good. However, since this is a new product category, it remains to be seen how realistic life expectancy will be. Given that most of the data processing and analysis is done in the cloud, there is a good chance that the technology will not be out of date in the short term.

Should you buy it

Yes. It performs well and offers a wealth of accurate data and solid protection.