08 Sep
Blog

Tales of Arise Review: Another Step Forward for JRPGs

tales of rise review screenshot 3 04212021 1619049970996 160w

Tales of Arise Review: Another Step into the Future of JRPGs

RRP $ 60.00

"Tales of Arise is a big step towards the development of the JRPG and a must for fans of the genre."

advantages

  • Excellent fight

  • Funny characters

  • Strong topics

  • Nice look

  • Funny twists of the genre

2021 has been a great year for the Japanese RPG genre so far, and Tales of Arise only adds to a strong lineup. When I played a demo of it earlier this year, I wanted to learn more about the fight, the characters, and the story. The finished product keeps the promise of the game and a lot more.

Tales of Arise is the latest in Bandai Namco's long-running JRPG franchise known as the "Tales of" franchise. However, Arise is a unique turning point, adopting an entirely new style of fighting and seemingly benefiting from a bigger budget (when it comes to the graphics). This fresh feeling was palpable throughout my playthrough and reminded me of classic blockbuster JRPGs from earlier days. While the story isn't all that groundbreaking, the characters, gameplay, graphics, and themes of race and freedom have put me on a par with the game's standout characters throughout my adventure.

This is one of those JRPGs that entertains from start to finish, and a title no fan of the genre wants to skip.

Weighty issues

Tales of Arise puts players in control of the mysterious Iron Mask, later called Alphen, a member of the Dahnan race who wear an unusual mask on their head and lack pain receptors. He and the rest of his race are enslaved by the technologically advanced Renans, or "Bright Eyes," as the Dahnan lovingly call them. These Renans are ruled by five lords from five regions, each of whom participates in a long-term game to find out who will become the most powerful lord of the lords. Alphen, a group of Dahnan rebels, and Shionne, their enigmatic new ally Renan, team up to defeat these rulers.

Shionne and Alphen become a powerful duo and embark on an adventure that spans all five regions of the world to defeat the Lords one after the other. In usual JRPG fashion, the two encounter more party members, who grow in numbers as they comb the regions.

The party has always been one of the main draws of Tales of Games as the series features "sketches". These are little comic-style cutscenes in which the characters interact with each other in conversations that reveal their quirks. The Tales of Arise party members are so entertaining that I checked out every one of these chats I could.

The history of these races and the environments they share contribute to the spectacular world building in Tales of Arise.

As with other JRPGs, the game delves into political themes. Alphen questions what true freedom really is and wonders what his future will be when he accomplishes his mission to free his enslaved brothers and sisters. These issues, as well as the racial relations between the members of the Dahnan party and the only Renan in the group, really caught my eye because they are so well written. As a black player, the topics are very popular with me. I loved seeing Alphen's range of emotions expressed in the face of his oppressors. For example, he approaches a partner with some discomfort who shares the same blood with his oppressors, but is also ready to show them forgiveness. He's a protagonist that I can stand behind.

The history of these races and the world they share contributes to the spectacular world building in Tales of Arise. I enjoyed how much the history of this world is a driving force as the adventure progresses. Despite these great parts, I still found the game a bit generic in terms of the storyline. It follows the usual beats that a lot of JRPGs make and instead is carried by great characters and gameplay. The story is still fun, it just offers nothing too groundbreaking aside from its strong thematic undertones.

One step beyond Final Fantasy

The Tales of series has always been known for its struggles. Players are constantly looking for new combinations and techniques to use in the game, and I'm here to say that Tales of Arise won't disappoint, whether you're a casual gamer or a die-hard gamer like me.

The new Linear Motion Battle System is more or less what we got in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake with additional bells and whistles. Combos are even more important in this system as they give players a few more gimmicks to play around with. For example, there are healing points, or CP, which limit how many healing spells players can use before resting in an inn or campsite, or before using an item to refill them.

The battles are close to FF7R's hack-and-slash style, featuring launcher, juggling, and more classic stories of the staples fans will love to see again. Artes or spells and special attacks also reappear in Tales of Arise with an additional rule. The more often they are used in a combination, the less effective they are. That, along with their need to regenerate after spending Artes Gauge (AG) points to use them, adds an extra strategy to the fight, which is a welcome challenge.

There are some super attacks that will be unlocked as the game progresses. including team attacks that can be used to inflict a ton of damage on an enemy and everyone around them once players hit a certain combo threshold. Boost attacks, which players can use as soon as a character's boost meter fills up, can counter enemy shields and spells directly. You can also extend combos with additional damage and fill up the Artes gauge. And there are solo vengeance super attacks that can be unleashed once a character takes a certain amount of damage without being knocked out.

This fight is so addicting that the usual RPG grind is not an issue. During my grind sessions, I experimented with how deep the combo system could go. During combat, players can perform character switch combos and fierce laser cannon juggling, use the menu to switch their move list, or immediately launch an attack in the middle of the combo. I love the variety of options available. And yes, like the older Tales of games, players can get their allies to do nothing, giving them full control over the group's actions.

The visuals bring it all together

If the weighty story and complex battles don't attract casual gamers, Tales of Arise's graphics will. The game is absolutely great, to the point that it's one of the first games in a long time that makes me think it's totally worth playing on a next-gen console (should you afford one or find one). I've played on a PlayStation so I can definitely say that with both generations you will still get the most of it.

On my travels through this fantasy world, I got lost in the surroundings or even looked a little at the character models after changing their outfits. When you reach the water-filled caves and meadows in particular, you will see exactly what I mean. It's a game that looks like a beautiful painting at times.

All of these visuals are complemented by an amazingly orchestrated soundtrack that builds on every moment, whether the party is storming a castle to take on the next lord or taking a breather by the campfire.

Our opinion

Tales of Arise is a game I would recommend to anyone looking for the "future" of the JRPG genre. This game could easily be Bandai Namco's Final Fantasy 7. It feels like it was tailor-made for the era and pushes the boundaries of RPGs thanks to complex battles, weighty stories, and beautiful graphics.

How long it will take?

Tales of Arise lasts around 60 hours, depending on how much a completer and combat addict you are. I'm both so there is a good meaty game for you here.

Is there an alternative?

Scarlet Nexus and Final Fantasy 7 Remake are powerful action RPGs for anyone looking for alternatives. Both games feature similar solid battles, but stronger stories.

Should you buy it?

Yes sir. If you are looking for another JRPG to add to your collection or are curious about the series and need an entry point, it is highly recommended that you jump in.

Editor's recommendations



02 Jul
Blog

A 5 Step Progression to the Bar Muscle Up

You need these five basic movements to build your first bar muscle – and how to get there without injuring yourself.

As a trainer, I've seen so many variations of bar muscle upward progression. Many that I have seen are extremely dangerous and involve tapes, boxes, and a lack of adequate skills and strengths.

This article explains the right basic moves to build your first bar muscle – and how to build that first bar muscle without injuring yourself in the process.

Continue reading

30 Jun
Blog

A 5 Step Progression to the Bar Muscle Up

You need these five basic movements to build your first bar muscle – and how to get there without injuring yourself.

As a trainer, I've seen so many variations of bar muscle upward development. Many that I have seen are extremely dangerous and involve tapes, boxes, and a lack of adequate skills and strengths.

This article explains the right basic moves to build your first bar muscle – and how to build that first bar muscle without injuring yourself.

Continue reading

18 Apr
Blog

Acer Aspire 5 2021 Review: Budget laptop takes a step back

Acer Aspire 5

"The horrific display on the Acer Aspire 5 ruins a decent, inexpensive laptop."

  • Solid connectivity

  • Superior expandability

  • Good keyboard and touchpad

  • Cruel display

  • Chassis is too flexible

  • Mediocre battery life

  • Poor performance

The Acer Aspire 5 has been one of our favorite laptops for a few years now and has earned a spot on our list of the best budget laptops. Currently, the 2020 version of the Aspire 5 is listed as the best Windows 10 laptop under $ 500, a major segment that the computer dominates. Acer has introduced a slightly redesigned Aspire 5 for 2021 that features the latest 11th generation Intel Core CPUs and makes some significant changes to the case design.

I received an entry-level model with a Core i3-1115G4 CPU with Intel UHD graphics, 8 GB of RAM, a 256 GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD) and a 15.6-inch full HD display (1,920 x 1,080). This Aspire 5 configuration is priced at $ 480, which is in the sub-$ 500 segment that previous models owned. Can Acer keep its track record with the latest Aspire 5?

design

Acer has optimized the design of the Aspire 5 for 2021. The biggest change is a new hinge that angles the case back several degrees to allow better airflow and to support the keyboard. It's a welcome change from an otherwise mundane design.

As before, the lid is made of aluminum, while the rest of the housing is made of plastic and the rigidity is the same as before. The lid is curved quite a bit, while the keyboard deck and the bottom of the case are a bit stiffer, but still yield to light pressure. Some other budget laptops, like the Lenovo Yoga C640, Lenovo Flex 5 14, and Acer Swift 3, have solid build quality.

Acer Aspire 5Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Aesthetically, the Aspire 5 is pretty bland, with an all-black color scheme punctuated with some chrome-plated Acer logos. If you don't care about the looks of a laptop and are solely focused on the price, the Aspire 5 will satisfy your taste. But it is by no means noticeable. Other colors will be available, including a silver scheme, which is probably more attractive than my boring black review unit.

The Aspire 5 is not a small laptop as the bezels are still too big for modern machines. The side bezels aren't too thick, but the top and bottom bezels could be made smaller, resulting in a laptop that is wider and deeper than usual. The Aspire 5 weighs 3.64 pounds, down from 3.97 pounds in the previous version and is 0.70 inches thick, which is reasonable for a 15-inch laptop.

A particularly nice design feature that the Aspire 5 has in common is its expandability. Accessing the inside of the computer is relatively easy, allowing users to swap out RAM and SSD. Acer also includes a kit for adding a 2.5-inch drive to an empty bay, making it easy to expand storage with an SSD or rotating hard disk drive (HDD). This kind of expandability is rare and welcomed here.

Acer Aspire 5 side viewMark Coppock / Digital Trends

Acer Aspire 5 USB portsMark Coppock / Digital Trends

Acer Aspire 5 closed side viewMark Coppock / Digital Trends

As with many budget laptops that aren't as thin and light as some previous models, connectivity is mostly a strength. On the left, you get an Ethernet port, a full-size HDMI port, two USB-A 3.2 ports, and a USB-C 3.2 port (no Thunderbolt 4 support here). On the right side you will find a Kensington lock slot, a USB-A 2.0 port and a 3.5 mm audio jack. Wireless connectivity is cutting edge with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.

performance

Acer Aspire 5Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

My test device was equipped with a Core i3-1115G4, an 11th generation dual-core CPU that operates at a full TDP of 12 to 28 watts, but contains Intel UHD graphics instead of the newer Intel Iris Xe. According to our series of benchmarks, this is a slow laptop. Starting with Geekbench 5, only 1,215 points were achieved in single-core mode and 2,544 points in multi-core mode. This is well below the usual Tiger Lake value, which usually exceeds 1,500 in the single-core and 5,000 in the multi-core area. In fact, it is beaten by some newer Chromebooks running the Android version of Geekbench 5, which is usually on the slow side. Even the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 with an Intel Core i3-10110U got close to 1,003 and 2,179.

In our handbrake test, which encodes a 420MB video as H.265, the Aspire 5 took exactly five minutes, which is at best 50% slower than the slowest Tiger Lake laptops we tested. This is the first 11th generation Core i3 that we tested. Therefore, faster CPUs run on all of our comparison laptops. For example, the Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable, a Windows 10 tablet with a Core i5-1130G7 (a slower Core i5), took just over three minutes to complete the test. The same applies to Cinebench R23, another video rendering test in which the Aspire 5 only manages 1,247 in single-core mode and 3,128 in multi-core mode. The difference between the Aspire 5 and the detachable ThinkPad X12 (1,125 and 3,663) wasn't that big, but most other Tiger Lake laptops were again significantly faster.

The Aspire 5 only achieved 3752 points in the PCMark 10 Complete test, our lowest score ever. In the Essentials part of the test, only 8,220 were achieved, in productivity 5,975 and in content creation only 2,921. The detachable ThinkPad X12 scored 4,443, 9,999, 5,936 and 4,157, respectively. As in our other tests, the Aspire 5 is well behind the field.

I found the Aspire 5 to be fast enough for basic tasks like surfing the Internet and working with office documents in real-life use. For $ 480, these aren't terrible results. We didn't test the previous versions of the Aspire 5 using the same set of benchmarks, so we can't directly compare their performance.

display

Acer Aspire 5 screenMark Coppock / Digital Trends

I'm not going to crush words here: this is the worst ad I've ever reviewed. This fact was evident when I first started the Acer Aspire 5 and logged into Windows 10. The display has a noticeable bluish cast which I believe is the result of a cruel contrast and elements on the screen may be difficult to see.

My colorimeter agreed. The brightness was very low at 211, which means you'll struggle to see the screen in a bright office setting. The contrast was confirmed to be extraordinarily poor at just 60: 1 (our threshold for a great display is 1000: 1 and an average budget display is 600: 1). The colors were also poor at just 53% of sRGB and 40% of AdobeRGB – both of which are the lowest in our database, and the typical midrange and premium displays score 95% and 70% or more, respectively. To add insult to injury, the accuracy was also among the worst I've seen with a DeltaE of 10.7 (less than 1.0 is considered excellent and most laptops are below 3.0 in the worst case) ). Only the gamma of the display was where it should be at 2.2.

Nobody will like this display.

In actual use, the colors were washed out, the black text was rather gray, and the display was completely uncomfortable. It's my new standard for "terrible display" and it left a terrible taste in my mouth as a result. Nobody is going to like this display unless they've never used a laptop before and I would pity them for getting such a poor impression of the state of the art. Acer has to get another panel because this is just terrible. The 2019 and 2020 versions of the Aspire 5 were much better.

The audio wasn't much better than the display. The volume was inadequate for all but the occasional YouTube videos, although there was no distortion when turned all the way up. The mids and highs were clear enough, and as always, there was little to no bass. The two speakers aren't bad, mind you, they just don't offer much better than budget quality.

Keyboard and touchpad

The Aspire 5 has a fairly typical island-style keyboard with backlighting, black keycaps and white letters. The keys are a bit small, but also offer a comfortable spacing with the dedicated (but tiny) numeric keypad. The switches are very light weight, with a nice push button and a comfortable bottom effect. This is one area where the Aspire 5 shines and offers a typing experience that is better than many budget laptops.

Acer Aspire 5 keyboardMark Coppock / Digital Trends

Acer Aspire 5 close up of keyboard and screenMark Coppock / Digital Trends

Acer Aspire 5 trackpadMark Coppock / Digital Trends

The touchpad is surprisingly good too, as it's pretty big and responsive. It is a Microsoft Precision touchpad and therefore offers reliable support for the multitouch gestures of Windows 10. It also exceeds the household norm.

Unsurprisingly there is no touch display, and as always, I miss it. There is also no Windows 10 Hello support, neither face recognition nor a fingerprint scanner. This is something we've been seeing on budget laptops lately, and so its omission is noticeable here.

Battery life

Acer has equipped the Aspire 5 with a 48-watt-hour battery, which is not much for a 15-inch laptop. Even with the slower CPU, I was disappointed with the battery life on this version.

In our web browsing test, which ran through a number of popular websites, the Aspire 5 managed just under seven hours, two hours less than the 2019 version with a Core i3, but three hours longer than the 2020 version with a Core i5. In general, that's not a terrible score, but the Aspire 5 is still in the lower bracket of our database. In our video loop test, in which a Full HD Avengers trailer is played until the battery is empty, the Aspire 5 achieved 9.5 hours. That's about 3.5 hours less than the 2020 version and less than 10 hours that we would like to see in this test. Again not a terrible result, but not great either.

Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Finally, I ran some PCMark 10 battery tests. The first, the gaming test, evaluates how long a laptop will last when the CPU and GPU are under stress. The Aspire 5 came in after 2.25 hours, an average score. In the application test, which is the best measure of the longevity of productivity, the Aspire 5 shut down after almost eight hours at the lower end of our database. The detachable ThinkPad X12, for example, managed over 10 hours.

Overall, the battery life of the Aspire 5 was mediocre. If you're doing typical productivity work, you can get through a work day for a fee. The laptop uses a proprietary charger, but you can charge USB-C in a pinch if you happen to have an adapter handy.

Our opinion

I would love to say that the 2021 Acer Aspire 5 retains its spot as our best budget under $ 500 laptop. Unfortunately not, thanks to slow performance and a poor display. The 2020 model is still on sale, and you'd better stick with it.

Is there a better alternative?

As I just mentioned, the 2020 Aspire 5 is a better choice than the 2021 version. You get a much better display and similar build quality for roughly the same money, and you won't be giving up much on performance and battery life.

If I were looking for a cheaper machine in this price range, I would consider a powerful Chromebook option, and there are plenty of that.

The Lenovo Flex 5 14 with its AMD Ryzen CPU is another alternative. The display is smaller at 14 inches but has better battery life, is much faster, and the display won't embarrass you in public.

How long it will take?

It's not the most rugged laptop, but I suspect it can be solidly used for a few years – and that's about what you would expect for the money. They have up-to-date components, including Wi-Fi 6, though Thunderbolt 4 isn't a bummer. The one-year guarantee is also no cause for celebration.

Should you buy it?

No. The display is really terrible which ruins the experience with this laptop.

Editor's recommendations




16 Mar
Blog

Embrace A Long-term, 3 Step Approach To Pain-free Fitness

After more than 11 years of coaching, I've learned that pretty much every single person who shows up to train with me is in pain.

Pain is something we can all relate to. For some, it is an emotionally rooted pain, and for the vast majority of adults, there is some amount of physical pain to deal with every day.

As a trainer, it can be tempting to want to resolve this pain by writing the perfect exercise program. The OPEX Coaching Certificate Program (CCP) gave me another idea. The training program is only a small part of helping your clients live without pain.

Change your mindset

Most people are impatient and want results right now. This is why people try muscle ups when they can't even do a rigorous chest-to-bar pull-up (CTB). It is not your fault.

We have all been told we can::

Unfortunately, the road to greater fitness and less pain is slow.

The key is helping our clients change their mindset to take a long-term, patient approach to fitness and pain-free living.

Here are three steps that you may not have considered to change your mindset and stop feeling pain in the long run.

Step 1: Many people don't know where they are.

"Meet them where they are," says OPEX CEO Carl Hardwick, a man with nearly 20 years of coaching experience, often.

The basic idea is to learn as much as you can about your customers::

Then you can design an effective program for them that takes their entire life into account and ultimately "hits them where they are" in all areas of their life..

However, one of the problems with this is that many people don't know where they are. They don't even know what they are trying to achieve with training.

Somewhere along the way, they decided it sounded like a cool idea to snap a muscle and learn. However, some clients have ignored the fact that they can't put their hands over their head without straightening their spine (or maybe they don't even realize it is) and that they experience physical pain every time they snap to have.

This person keeps trying to slide a square pin into a round hole – talk about pain!

Others set arbitrary goals without really thinking about what it will take to achieve them. Have you ever had a client say she wants to lose 20 pounds and pull herself up, but her actions are inconsistent with her goal?

She never sticks to the homework you gave her and keeps admitting her Taco Bell addiction. As a coach, it is frustrating to see this person fail all the time, and it is even more frustrating to be the person who feels like a failure.

Much of the weeding out of this emotional and physical pain is based on awareness.

Helping clients find what they want – their intention or why – is the first step in uncovering, processing, and eliminating their emotional and physical pain, said Firass El Fateh, owner of OPEX Abbotsford, British Columbia.

You have to: "Dig really deep with your exact reason for this whole thing," said El Fateh. This starts on the first day. “It's about setting expectations from the start at the first consultation. Go over the assessment together and give the customer a clear picture of where they physically stand, ”he added.

Emotionally, if customers are honest about what they really want to sacrifice, it is more likely that they will B. Lose 50 pounds, shed emotional baggage, and work to fix your problem.

In practice, a thorough assessment can help your customers understand their limitations.

  • For exampleIf your client knows they haven't passed a shoulder flexion test, they're more likely to respect the fact that going over their head with a barbell is not yet a good idea. Maybe it's even why they're always in pain. From there, you can determine a path that will help them correct this weakness and avoid pain.

Changing mindset begins with being aware of what is causing the emotional pain and physical pain and understanding what they are trying to achieve.

Step 2: the beauty of simplicity

Remember the elementary school saying: keep it simple, stupid (KISS)?

As trainers, we always try to reinvent the wheel to get people interested and demonstrate our knowledge. Another lesson I learned from the OPEX CCP was the beauty of simplicity.

This leads, as Hardwick calls them, to the "Basic Lifestyle Guidelines (BLGs)".

Put simply, "Start with the lifestyle," Hardwick said.

The first thing to do is look at what the person did for fitness and whether they made "a series of inappropriate (for them) contractions and movements," Hardwick said.

Take a look at what they are doing during the other 23 hours of the day. How are your sleep hygiene, nutritional hygiene and stress levels? Teach them how this contributes to their pain, lack of recovery and fatigue, Hardwick added.

"If the client is not sleeping well, drinking enough water and getting enough sun, there is no point in delving into the part of the program design," added El Fateh.

In addition to sleep, stress, sunlight, diet, and other basic lifestyle guidelines, Hardwick asks trainers to consider how many steps the person is taking each day, how much water they are drinking, and what type of bowel movements they are having.

As OPEX founder James Fitzgerald put it, if you are not comfortable talking to your customers about their poop, you are missing out. "It's an undeniable barometer of health … you need to talk to your customers about it," he said.

"Identify the lowest hanging fruit living habits," Hardwick said, "and tackle them before you go to the trouble of writing a fancy exercise program that will promise the world to your client."

Step 3: teach them why.

Anyone can teach someone to squat, push, hinge, and pull. In order for people to be on board on a long-term path to better health and pain-free life, they need to understand why they are doing what they are doing. This encourages all-important buy-in, Hardwick explained.

"It has to start with the ability to train our customers," said Hardwick, not just through "principles and science," but also through your own and other customers' experiences.

El Fateh agrees. Once his clients have a clear understanding – based on the OPEX assessment he conducted – he can now “determine how their program will get them from their location to their desired location,” he explained.

He added, "It's important to explain why the program is behind … If people know why they're doing something, they're more likely to keep doing it."

The more self-sufficient and autonomous your customers become, the more likely they are to make decisions when you're not looking (which is mostly the case) that are smart for them and ultimately help them get out of the pain for a long time. Term.

15 Mar
Blog

Embrace A Long-term, 3 Step Approach To Pain-free Fitness

After more than 11 years of coaching, I've learned that pretty much every single person who shows up to train with me is in pain.

Pain is something we can all relate to. For some, it is an emotionally rooted pain, and for the vast majority of adults, there is some amount of physical pain to deal with every day.

As a trainer, it can be tempting to want to resolve this pain by writing the perfect exercise program. The OPEX Coaching Certificate Program (CCP) gave me another idea. The training program is only a small part of helping your clients live without pain.

Change your mindset

Most people are impatient and want results right now. This is why people try muscle ups when they can't even do a rigorous chest-to-bar pull-up (CTB). It is not your fault.

We have all been told we can::

Unfortunately, the road to greater fitness and less pain is slow.

The key is helping our clients change their mindset to take a long-term, patient approach to fitness and pain-free living.

Here are three steps that you may not have considered to change your mindset and stop feeling pain in the long run.

Step 1: Many people don't know where they are.

"Meet them where they are," says OPEX CEO Carl Hardwick, a man with nearly 20 years of coaching experience, often.

The basic idea is to learn as much as you can about your customers::

Then you can design an effective program for them that takes their entire life into account and ultimately "hits them where they are" in all areas of their life..

However, one of the problems with this is that many people don't know where they are. They don't even know what they are trying to achieve with training.

Somewhere along the way, they decided it sounded like a cool idea to snap a muscle and learn. However, some clients have ignored the fact that they can't put their hands over their head without straightening their spine (or maybe they don't even realize it is) and that they experience physical pain every time they snap to have.

This person keeps trying to slide a square pin into a round hole – talk about pain!

Others set arbitrary goals without really thinking about what it will take to achieve them. Have you ever had a client say she wants to lose 20 pounds and pull herself up, but her actions are inconsistent with her goal?

She never sticks to the homework you gave her and keeps admitting her Taco Bell addiction. As a coach, it is frustrating to see this person fail all the time, and it is even more frustrating to be the person who feels like a failure.

Much of the weeding out of this emotional and physical pain is based on awareness.

Helping clients find what they want – their intention or why – is the first step in uncovering, processing, and eliminating their emotional and physical pain, said Firass El Fateh, owner of OPEX Abbotsford, British Columbia.

You have to: "Dig really deep with your exact reason for this whole thing," said El Fateh. This starts on the first day. “It's about setting expectations from the start at the first consultation. Go over the assessment together and give the customer a clear picture of where they physically stand, ”he added.

Emotionally, if customers are honest about what they really want to sacrifice, it is more likely that they will B. Lose 50 pounds, shed emotional baggage, and work to fix your problem.

In practice, a thorough assessment can help your customers understand their limitations.

  • For exampleIf your client knows they haven't passed a shoulder flexion test, they're more likely to respect the fact that going over their head with a barbell is not yet a good idea. Maybe it's even why they're always in pain. From there, you can determine a path that will help them correct this weakness and avoid pain.

Changing mindset begins with being aware of what is causing the emotional pain and physical pain and understanding what they are trying to achieve.

Step 2: the beauty of simplicity

Remember the elementary school saying: keep it simple, stupid (KISS)?

As trainers, we always try to reinvent the wheel to get people interested and demonstrate our knowledge. Another lesson I learned from the OPEX CCP was the beauty of simplicity.

This leads, as Hardwick calls them, to the "Basic Lifestyle Guidelines (BLGs)".

Put simply, "Start with the lifestyle," Hardwick said.

The first thing to do is look at what the person did for fitness and whether they made "a series of inappropriate (for them) contractions and movements," Hardwick said.

Take a look at what they are doing during the other 23 hours of the day. How are your sleep hygiene, nutritional hygiene and stress levels? Teach them how this contributes to their pain, lack of recovery and fatigue, Hardwick added.

"If the client is not sleeping well, drinking enough water and getting enough sun, there is no point in delving into the part of the program design," added El Fateh.

In addition to sleep, stress, sunlight, diet, and other basic lifestyle guidelines, Hardwick asks trainers to consider how many steps the person is taking each day, how much water they are drinking, and what type of bowel movements they are having.

As OPEX founder James Fitzgerald put it, if you are not comfortable talking to your customers about their poop, you are missing out. "It's an undeniable barometer of health … you need to talk to your customers about it," he said.

"Identify the lowest hanging fruit living habits," Hardwick said, "and tackle them before you go to the trouble of writing a fancy exercise program that will promise the world to your client."

Step 3: teach them why.

Anyone can teach someone to squat, push, hinge, and pull. In order for people to be on board on a long-term path to better health and pain-free life, they need to understand why they are doing what they are doing. This encourages all-important buy-in, Hardwick explained.

"It has to start with the ability to train our customers," said Hardwick, not just through "principles and science," but also through your own and other customers' experiences.

El Fateh agrees. Once his clients have a clear understanding – based on the OPEX assessment he conducted – he can now “determine how their program will get them from their location to their desired location,” he explained.

He added, "It's important to explain why the program is behind … If people know why they're doing something, they're more likely to keep doing it."

The more self-sufficient and autonomous your customers become, the more likely they are to make decisions when you're not looking (which is mostly the case) that are smart for them and ultimately help them get out of the pain for a long time. Term.

01 Mar
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 Review: A Step Backward

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 review 1

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 review: one step forward, two steps back

  • QLED screen is gorgeous

  • Rock solid design

  • Responsive, quiet keyboard

  • Fast performance

  • Thick lower bezel

  • Sloppy touchpad

Every year we expect the technology to be faster and better than last year. Samsung did the opposite with the Galaxy Chromebook 2.

It has a lower resolution screen, is thicker and heavier, and doesn't have a built-in S-Pen slot. It even uses a slower processor. What kind of sequel is that?

Well, the Galaxy Chromebook 2's name might be a misnomer, but the device is a Chromebook sweet spot in terms of its $ 550 price point. It's a far more palatable price than the $ 999 original Galaxy Chromebook. But did Samsung sacrifice what made this laptop so special to bring the price down?

design

The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook had two distinctive features: the insane thinness of its profile and the bold red color of the case. The color remains, although there is now a more general silver option as well.

Unfortunately, its size has grown. The original was a staggering 0.39 inches thick – and only 2.29 pounds. It's still one of the lightest laptops you can buy. The continuation is much more conventionally 2.71 pounds and 0.55 inches thick. It's by no means too big, but now a bit thicker and heavier than the Pixelbook Go. This also corresponds to the Asus Chromebook Flip C436, another premium Chromebook.

That's not to say that this is the least bit bad-looking laptop. The Fiesta Red color is more fun than ever and the build quality is exceptional. I miss the CNC cut side panels, but it's still one of the nicest Chromebooks you can buy. That is, before I got my fingerprints on the lid. It's a bit like a fingerprint magnet.

Overall, however, I prefer the sharper angles and edges over the overly rounded style of the Pixelbook Go.

One feature of the design that hasn't changed is the lower bezel. However, over the past year we've seen a shift towards bigger screens with slimmer chins, whether that's 16:10 or 3-2. Even Chromebooks like this Acer Chromebook Spin 713 I switched to the boxy aspect ratio of 3: 2, which I preferred to the squat 16: 9.

Either way, the bottom bezel is a thorn in the side, although that's also an issue that the Pixelbook Go and Acer Chromebook Spin 713 have. Only the Asus Chromebook Flip C436 managed to remove enough grease from the lower bezel to meet modern laptop standards.

The port selection hasn't changed and is still limited to just two USB-C ports and a microSD card slot. You will also find an on / off switch and a volume rocker on the sides.

This is of course because the Galaxy Chromebook 2 has a 360-degree hinge. The larger size and lack of a built-in pen limit the usability of the device as a tablet. However, this is unlikely to be why you are buying a Chromebook.

Keyboard and touchpad

The color of the keycaps is the most notable change to the keyboard. They're black now, which is a little more conventional. And also a little more boring.

It's still a wonderful keyboard for typing, as long as you can familiarize yourself with the shallow travel. The buttons click while remaining quiet, and I was happily typing at my normal speed in just a few minutes.

The touchpad isn't such a nice experience. It's spacious, but the surface isn't as smooth as I'd like it to be, resulting in awkward clicks and pulls and finger jumps.

Display and speakers

The original Samsung Galaxy Chromebook had an OLED 4K screen. This is practically unknown for a Chromebook. As great as it was, the impact on battery life wasn't worth the extra pixels. The 1080p QLED screen Samsung worked with here is a much better choice. Samsung's patented QLED screen technology has shown excellent results on laptops such as the Galaxy Book Flex.

It's not as bright as a MacBook Pro or Surface Pro 7, but the Galaxy Chromebook 2's 13.3-inch screen makes up for it in colors. Pictures and videos are really colorful without ever looking oversaturated. You can thank quantum dot technology for this kind of color rendering that is rarely found outside of 4K panels.

All of this would result in a great multimedia experience – if these speakers sounded better. They point down at your face instead of up, with the grills resting flat against the bottom of the case. Most down-facing speakers are least built into the raised edges to bounce sound off tables and desks. But these are flat, which results in them being both muffled and too quiet. If you have them on a pillow or soft surface, they can become almost silent.

I'm assuming you want them to point at you in tent mode, but that's not a worthwhile compromise.

The sound from the speakers would be decent if they weren't where they are. Pity! The Pixelbook Go is still the undaunted winner in audio.

performance

Measuring performance on a Chromebook is difficult. Any Intel Core or AMD Ryzen processor will make a laptop like this fly. This applied to the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 with the Intel Core i3-10110U processor, 8 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD. This is the more expensive configuration that costs $ 699. The startup configuration operated by Celeron is not the desired one, especially since it only contains 64 GB of eMMC storage.

You can't configure the Pixelbook Go in exactly the same way, but memory aside, the Pixelbook Go is $ 50 cheaper. I call it an impairment.

Both use a dual-core processor – the Pixelbook Go with the 8th generation Core m3 and the Galaxy Chromebook 2 with the 10th generation Core i3. There are also not the latest chips that can be viewed in a Chromebook. At the CES, Intel announced 11th generation processors for Chromebooks that have an improved 10 nm architecture and integrated graphics from Intel Iris Xe.

By the time they make it into the first Chromebooks, you can expect a more significant leap in gaming performance and creative endeavors. The meager built-in Intel UHD graphics are barely enough to play some of the more intense 3D Android games like Asphalt 9: Legends.

Do you want to work with dozens of tabs open at the same time? No problem.

Despite only two cores and four threads, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 feels snappy and responsive. I tested this further with the Tachometer 2.0, which measures how quickly the system can reload a JavaScript application. With a score of 118 runs per minute, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 doesn't slow down any of the web apps or Android apps that you depend on.

Want to work with dozens of tabs open, including audio and video streams at the same time? No problem. This likely doesn't apply to the Intel Celeron model, which lacks the ability to multitask. I ran the Galaxy Chromebook 2 on the Android version of Geekbench 5, which rated the system at 1,003 in single-core and 2,179 in multi-core mode. The quad-core options on the Pixelbook Go or the Asus Chromebook Flip C436 will surpass it, but it does well against configurations with similarly priced items.

Battery life

Battery life is arguably the most important test for Chromebooks. This is often one of their greatest strengths over similarly priced Windows notebooks. This was a problem with the original Samsung Galaxy Chromebook and wasn't fully resolved in the second generation.

Samsung promises a battery life of 13 hours, which is not too ambitious at first. The M1 MacBook Pro promises 17 hours of Internet surfing and 20 hours of video playback.

The battery life is 45 watts, which is slightly longer than last year. But the results didn't blow me away. It took just under 9.5 hours of light web browsing and only 13 hours of local video playback. It was a couple of hours behind the Pixelbook Go. It was neck to neck with the Asus Chromebook Flip C436 in video loop, but surfing the Internet an hour later.

Even so, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 will last most of a work day, and ultimately this will be enough for most people.

Our opinion

The Galaxy Chromebook 2 is no better laptop than its predecessor. It's a better Chromebook, however. It fits exactly what people are looking for in a Chromebook and is finally affordable enough to recommend.

However, missing some of the special features of the original, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is less interesting than it used to be. However, the QLED screen is outstanding, the performance is great, and the design is undeniably attractive.

Are there alternatives?

Google's Pixelbook Go is the main alternative to the Galaxy Chromebook 2. It has longer battery life, a 1080p webcam, better speakers, and is more portable. This is the better option for most users and is even $ 50 less with a similar configuration.

The Asus Chromebook Flip C436 now starts at $ 523 and has a larger 14-inch screen, smaller bezels, and a better choice of ports.

How long it will take?

Nowadays, you can expect a Chromebook to last a few years longer than a Mac or Windows laptop. The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 comes with a standard one-year warranty.

Should you buy it?

Yes, especially if you love the design and color of this laptop. I could see someone pick up the $ 550 base configuration as a lightweight computer for browsing the web and the occasional Zoom call. The Pixelbook Go has better battery life and some high-end features, but the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is one of the better Chromebooks that hit the market last year.

Editor's recommendations




09 Feb
Blog

Step- by- Step Guide To Single Leg Deadlift

The back chain of our body, i.e. the back of our body, consisting of the calf muscles, hips, buttocks, lower back, hamstrings, glutes and back muscles, forms a very important part of the body. These parts allow us to do many activities, such as walking, running, lounging, etc. In addition, it helps maintain balance and posture.

And that's why we have to train these parts so that our body remains continuously flexible. So we're going to describe an exercise here that takes care of our rear chain throughout their one-leg deadlift. In addition, it also helps to include our core and inclines while exercising. So this exercise is worth trying.

What is a one leg deadlift?

Typically, it's an advanced deadlift that stretches and consequently strengthens the hips, lower back, legs, and hamstrings. In addition, it also helps to balance our posture as much of this exercise is focused on balancing all of your body weight on one leg.

Benefits of the one leg deadlift:

  1. It helps in strengthening the muscles in the front and back of the body.
  2. Establish the balance in our body.
  3. Increases the strength of the legs as we have to balance all of the body weight on one leg.
  4. Helps in strengthening the core loop system.
  5. Provides improved mobility and movement throughout the body.
  6. Improves coordination between hips, core muscles, shoulders and our nervous system.

How do I deadlift one leg?

Now that we have listed the benefits of the one leg deadlift, let's explain how exactly it is performed or performed. Here we give you step by step instructions:

  1. Stand in your side profile with your legs straight and hands by your side straight.
  2. Gradually transfer your body weight to your left leg as you lift your right leg.
  3. As a result, the upper body or the upper part of your body begins to bend down.
  4. Remember not to arch or hunch your back, and your back should stay parallel to the floor.
  5. Your shoulders, hips, and core should stay straight and stiff. This is important so that you do not experience pain after exercising.
  6. Your left leg should not be completely straight with a slight bend at the knee.
  7. Keep bending over and lifting your right leg until your body forms a T position and your right leg and the top of your body are almost parallel to the floor.
  8. You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings, glutes, and quad muscles.
  9. Stay there for four to five seconds, then return to your starting position.
  10. Repeat with your other leg.

Important / critical tips to keep in mind when deadlifting with one leg:

It is just as important for you to keep these important points in mind as you understand how this exercise is performed so that you can perform this one leg deadlift without pain and change the exercise to achieve your goals. Here are some of the basic points to keep in mind while doing this exercise:

  1. As mentioned above, never arch your spine. Your spine must be completely straight and protected from injury. Continuing to curve or round your spine will result in poor posture in the long run.
  2. The raised leg should be nearly parallel to the floor. It should be in line with your torso and should be straight.
  3. At first, you may find it difficult to balance your body weight on one leg. So try to use assistance, e.g. B. a wall, a chair, or a person's hand.
  4. After a while, remove this support and try to balance your weight on your leg independently.
  5. After balancing your weight, you can increase the intensity of this exercise by holding different weights in your hand during this exercise, such as: B. dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, etc.
  6. It is also advisable for pregnant women to only do this exercise in the first few months of their pregnancy, even without weights.
  7. You can increase the sets and reps in the future, but try to start with two sets of 5 reps each day.
  8. You can also do fewer sets if you are in pain.
  9. It is advisable to perform this exercise on a mat so it can be useful in preventing injury if you trip while balancing your posture.
  10. Be gentle with your body and skip exercise for a day or two if you experience excessive pain in your body.
  11. Take a 3-minute break between each set.
  12. If you feel like you can't do this exercise, start with the traditional deadlift and then switch to the one-leg deadlift.
  13. If you are having trouble balancing your position, try other balance exercises to help your body cope with balancing.
  14. Never over-exert yourself, and this can never be overstated. NEVER EXERCISE OVER.

And that brings us to the end of our article. Hope you understood the importance of the back chain and how the one-legged deadlift exercise can help you strengthen it. Exercising can be challenging at first, but if you practice it regularly and consistently, you will see dramatic changes in yourself. So I urge you to at least perform this exercise with the utmost discipline. Good luck!

26 Oct
Blog

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Review: A Step Above the Competition

iPhone 12 Pro

"The iPhone 12 Pro is the choice for those who want to take their phone experience beyond the ordinary."

  • Exceptional design and workmanship

  • Fantastic photo and video quality

  • High quality display

  • Universal 5G network

  • The MagSafe utility is questionable

  • Limited improvements over iPhone 12

The range of phones from Apple has grown steadily in size and thus in complexity. For the end of 2020 we also have four iPhone 12 models in three sizes and several hundred dollars the iPhone SE, iPhone XR, and iPhone 11 these are still on sale. Apple will sell you a new iPhone that will suit just about every possible need, regardless of size, features, and budget.

However, in the eyes of many people, there is only one choice: the latest Pro model. The iPhone 12 Pro differs less from the “standard” model than the Pro from last year and still has a premium of 200 US dollars. Is it still the one to get? Let's discuss.

Hardware, design and display

After three years of the same rounded design, we have something fresh to put our eyes and hands on. The iPhone 12 series has a wonderfully angular, plate-like appearance. For the 12 Pro, an upgraded stainless steel frame that's not excusingly heavier than the aluminum 12 is beautifully finished with an intense sheen and a flat glass back that maintains the 11 Pro's etched matte texture.

iPhone 12 Pro

The color "Pacific Blue" is not nearly as strong as the candy-like blue of the iPhone 12, but it does match the overall subtle atmosphere of the Pro line. The hyper-glossy sides are undoubtedly luxurious, but they do collect fingerprints at an incredible rate – on top they offer some support to counteract the slippery back. The 12 Pro may not be as ergonomic as the 11 Pro, but the glossy sides and sharp edges provide plenty of grip if you want to use it without a case.

It's refreshing to see a brand new iPhone design, and the Pro interfaces take it to a new level.

As a total object to keep your eyes on, it is as great as you would expect from an Apple product. Lines, tolerances and overall finish are perfect. However, this design suffers from a flaw: a "window" cut in the lower right to make room for a mmWave antenna – something exclusive to the US model that you can never really miss after you noticed it.

Apple kicked it out of the park again. A new OLED has now been increased diagonally to 6.1 inches (from 5.8 inches) and runs at a solid 460 pixels per inch. It's calibrated fantastically, balancing gorgeous colors with accuracy. The subtle True Tone adjustments made to match the ambient lighting conditions are the icing on the cake. The display also has smaller bezels on all sides, which appear even smaller thanks to the sharp vertical sides that have replaced the previous subtle curves. Although the 12 Pro is a bit bigger than the 11 Pro, it really doesn't feel like it. You still have a big notch at the top that my eyes never entirely forget, but Face ID is so amazing I can forgive it.

Apple threw it out of the park again with this new display.

It's noteworthy that the 12 Pro operates at a refresh rate of 60 Hz – every other phone over $ 700 is 90 Hz or 120 Hz. However, IOS is so fluid and well-managed that it's not a massive loss, but your eyes are Definitely notice the drop after using another phone. It's just a quality of life improvement that you know you could have elsewhere. We look at our screens for hours a day, so I think we deserve a high refresh rate.

The screen doesn't get as bright as the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, but the viewing angles and reflectivity are so great you'll never have trouble seeing the screen outdoors. It shows a brightness of "1,200 nits" for this display, but that's a misnomer. When viewing HDR photos or videos, 1,200 nits can be achieved. That's cool, but not regular. The important number is 800 nits, which corresponds to the typical full screen brightness. That's still very bright and a place where the display beats the cheaper iPhone 12, which beats 600 nits (but interestingly still 1,200 nits for HDR).

iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro

Aside from the significant changes you can see to the hardware, there is one big change you can't see: new "Ceramic Shield" glass over the display. It looks and feels the same as any other smartphone, but Apple claims it has four times the durability – which, of course, I didn't move out of the way to test it out. Given the number of phones we all use with broken screens and the number of pop-up screen repair shops, this is obviously a necessary improvement.

Notably, the back is still made of the more common ion exchange glass and is still likely to crack at about the same rate as any other glass-backed phone. Nor does Apple claim that Ceramic Shield is any less scratch sensitive than any other glass, which is only part of the deal – there is an inherent trade-off between scratch resistance and crack resistance. This is something we will all have to deal with over time – although there are screen protectors for the paranoid.

Features, software and performance

Apple has cultivated an extraordinary holistic experience of combining hardware and software, the core of which doesn't really change from generation to generation. This is especially true because iOS 14 is available again for the iPhone 6S, so almost anyone upgrading from an old iPhone won't expect any surprises on the 12 Pro. There's no need to go into a complete look at how iOS is a great operating system, especially since so few people are actually switching between Android and iOS right now.

The iPhone 12 Pro simply expands and enhances the iPhone experience you already know. With the A14 Bionic chip that runs the show, the 12 Pro does everything at a breakneck pace – there is nothing you can do to slow it down. Playing games, multitasking, taking photos and videos, and going through every app imaginable is easy and worry-free. It turns out that it also has 6GB of RAM, compared to 4GB in the iPhone 12, which improves performance and makes iOS updates even better for years to come.

iPhone 12 MagSafe accessories

A whole new iPhone experience is MagSafe – an old name with a new purpose. With a magnetic ring on the back of the phone, you can connect standardized accessories that come in almost any shape. Apple has a $ 39 MagSafe charger that delivers 15 watts of power (more than a standard wireless charger) and it's convenient because you know with 100% certainty that it will charge when you plug it in. It's also great for playing with the phone in landscape mode.

MagSafe has promises, but you shouldn't expect it to change your life on Day 1.

However, the true promise of the MagSafe experience has yet to be fulfilled. The first-party covers (read: expensive) from Apple all support MagSafe because they have magnets that are guaranteed to work with other attachments. However, no magnets are required for these cases. Using a thin case eliminates the need for magnets to work with the MagSafe charger. But you can bet the vast majority of iPhone 12 cases will have the magnets anyway.

Any accessory company can make MagSafe products, so there are some amazing ideas out there – from multi-device desktop chargers to vehicle mounts to modular bike and tripod mounting systems. And all of this is especially exciting if you don't normally use a suitcase, as you no longer need to put on a company's suitcase for that company's accessories to work – your phone is fully compatible on its own.

Welcome to the 5G future (and present)

iPhone 12 5G speed tests

It would be almost impossible to know the iPhone 12 and not know it has 5G. Apple and every carrier in the world have emphasized it. But is that really important? Similar to the discussion about MagSafe, 5G is full of potential for the future and unfulfilled promises in the present.

iPhone 12 and 5G: How It Will (Eventually) Make a Difference

First and foremost, your 5G experience depends on your network operator and where you live. (Attention: Nerdy Talk Ahead.) T-Mobile has the largest 5G network footprint as it is based on the far-reaching and easy-to-implement Sub-6 standard that is based on low-band spectrum. AT&T is in a tight second place as it is also mainly based on Sub-6.

Verizon, on the other hand, just turned on its Sub-6 network with a limited amount of spectrum after years of investing money into its high-band mmWave (millimeter wave) 5G network. While mmWave is incredibly fast and leads to absurd potential downloads in excess of 4 Gbps, it is also (currently) incredibly unreliable as it has an absurdly short range. We talk about losing a signal by taking a few steps, turning around, or letting a dense tree blow in the wind. T-Mobile and AT&T also have mmWave networks with a small footprint, but this is not the core of their 5G network.

There is no reason to buy a 5G phone for mmWave. It is only available in tiny parts of a handful of cities nationwide. It's just a bonus if you see it a couple of times.

Sub-6 5G, on the other hand, is basically like charged 4G: widespread coverage, faster speeds, no impact on battery life, and a seamless transition to 4G. With Sub-6 on T-Mobile in New York City, I routinely had download speeds in the 100Mbps to 300Mbps range and uploads in the 25Mbps to 75Mbps range. Not mind-blowing, especially when the ping times (30ms to 50ms) often match 4G, but it's just faster and works just like you're used to.

5G is not yet groundbreaking, but you can see a remarkable and consistent improvement in daily speed.

Knowing that 5G networks are not fully developed, Apple has a number of smart controls in place to reduce the impact of transitions between networks. By default, voice and data are set to “5G Auto”, which prioritizes the best overall network experience. You can set it to “5G On” to stick to 5G as much as possible. You can also set your data mode to “Allow more data on 5G” from “Standard”. This allows the phone to use full 5G cloth for all sorts of things, maximizing video quality when streaming or chatting.

Apple's default settings are the correct ones here, and most users shouldn't touch these settings. Network usage is handled pretty well between the phone and the carrier to give you the best combination of speed and battery usage. I stuck to the default settings and saw 5G almost 100% of the time, barring trips on the subway and some buildings.

Battery life

Whenever Apple introduces its phones, it always cites very ambiguous battery life like "17 hours of video playback over WiFi", which isn't the least bit useful. This time around, however, it was significant that Apple made no claims about longer battery life. And now we know why: the iPhone 12 Pro's battery is actually smaller than the 11 Pro's. However, capacity has never been a major concern for the iPhone as the chipset and operating system work together to get the most out of it.

That’s the case again. The A14 Bionic is clearly an exceptional piece of silicon and works perfectly hand in hand with iOS 14. With the 12 Pro, as I did with my 11 Pro months ago, battery life was generally great. In a full day of casual use with email, social apps, messages, photos, maps, maps, and numerous pocket casts, I would use 3 to 4 hours of screen time and still have 20% to 30% of my battery life at the end of the day leave.

The battery still dramatically outperforms its capacity, although it doesn't offer the same confidence as the 11 Pro.

The only limitation is that you hit the phone hard, especially when networking. It turns out that you use a 5G connection that is over 200Mbps a lot! When you stream videos, they are of the highest quality. If you can download and upload large files in a moment, do so now instead of waiting to get home. And when you're running your hot spot, you can use your laptop as if it had great WiFi at home – and that takes a lot of battery power.

With 20% to 30% leeway, those tough days put me in low power mode to get through the evening – but I made it anyway. I certainly feel that the 12 Pro's battery has less headroom than my 11 Pro's, but that doesn't matter.

The only limitation is that you are regularly using an mmWave 5G network, which is currently consuming more and more power as your phone is almost constantly switching to and from the network for data transfers, constantly looking for new towers. This is primarily an issue for Verizon customers and less so for AT&T and T-Mobile, but there is something to be aware of. It's also a problem that is a problem "right now" as mmWave is still struggling to build a sizeable footprint.

I also have to praise Apple for their battery-saving charger, which by default slows down the charge rate after 80% charge to minimize the time the phone spends at 100%. Spending a lot of time on 0% or 100% on a charger is bad for batteries, and tons of smartphones implement these protections to help extend battery life. The Apple version is seamless.

Cameras

The iPhone 12 Pro takes a well-known 12 megapixel sensor and combines it with a new lens with a larger f / 1.6 aperture, resulting in a 27% improvement in low-light performance. The physics is well known: a larger aperture lets more light into the sensor and requires faster shutter speeds and lower ISO values. That means sharper and smoother photos in all lighting conditions.

I'll focus on photos in low light for now as there's an improvement this year that is clearly visible. Low-light photos on the 12 Pro are consistently smoother, less grainy, and yet sharper than before. Apple's multi-frame and "Deep Fusion" processing, which relies on the A14 Bionic's "Neural Engine", superimposes frames to create incredible shots with good detail, correct colors and white balance. You can now also use the night mode for the ultrawide camera, which provides far weaker results compared to the main camera, but is dramatically better than last year without it.

Night photos show the greatest improvement and the results are incredible.

I'm not going to say outright that the 12 Pro's Night Mode shots are better than the Google Pixel 5's Night Vision, but it's neck to neck in most situations, and an extra point goes to Apple's camera app for a smooth transition between the modes. You don't have to switch to night mode like with Night Sight – it just happens automatically.

Photos with good lighting are more like the same. Apple takes an incredibly consistent, solid, and relatively neutral approach to camera processing. Colors pop, but not too much. The exposure is nailed to perfection throughout. Highlights and lowlights are rarely blown out, but you don't get an overworked faux HDR look. All in all, the iPhone 12 Pro is difficult to take a bad photo – and it's easy to take a great photo.

The 12 Pro's LiDAR camera, which is mainly used for auto focus in low light conditions, also allows for better depth imaging for effects in portrait orientation. Portrait mode continues to be a love-hate relationship to me because when the camera pegs it it's mind-blowing, but when it's missing it ruins a photo. There are still cases where Portrait Mode can make your subject look like a cardboard cutout against a background, and in many cases there are fun mix-ups where an ear, arm, or item of clothing is defocused. Portrait mode still works best for an actual portrait – also known as shoulder-on – where there are far fewer potential sources of error.

The lidar camera also allows recordings in night portrait mode, so the function is only available for 12 Pro and Pro Max. As long as you can bring your subject to a standstill, the results are surprisingly good. There are actually fewer ways to handle foul ups as the shot will be softer and smoother overall, although it is far less likely to come out sharp where it matters – that just comes with the territory.

Daylight shots are consistently great, and the portrait mode approaches perfection.

I'll save you from seeing a gallery of selfies, but Apple hasn't upgraded the 11 Pro's front camera hardware. There's better processing, including Deep Fusion and "Smart HDR 3", as well as night mode. I found the photos to be the same – aka very good – as before. Night mode added little to the experience as it was far too difficult to stay still and keep your arm still enough to get a sharp shot.

Aside from the improvements in the stills, Dolby Vision HDR video recording is Apple's other massive marketing push alongside 5G. Dolby Vision is really cool as it makes your video look just amazing – better highlights and lowlights, better peak brightness, everything. Unfortunately, you can only view Dolby Vision on a latest generation iPhone, MacBook, or Apple TV connected to a compatible TV. Otherwise, everywhere you export your video, you will get converted SDR video.

Dolby Vision can be displayed in many more locations in the future. For this reason, I would recommend just leaving it enabled in the settings. But otherwise, just expect the standard iPhone video experience: it's great looking video that is incredibly stable even on handhelds and while walking, and even if you stick to the standard 1080p resolution (see above). Increase the image size up to 4K 30 frames per second for even better results, although the file size triples in the process. Fortunately, the iPhone 12 Pro has a base of 128 GB of storage.

Dolby Vision is an amazing tech demo, but it has a lot of limitations. Thankfully, SDR video is still great.

The only real downside is knowing that despite the fact that it is a "Pro" model, it is not the best camera Apple makes. This is the case with the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which has a larger main sensor with a new optical image stabilization system (OIS) as well as a different telephoto lens with a longer focal length. The 12 Pro also has only minor advantages over the Base 12, with a (honestly weak) telephoto camera and a lidar sensor – the core camera experience is otherwise identical. Taken together, knowing it's not that different from the 12 Pro takes some shine from the "Pro" feel of the 12 Pro, and the 12 Pro Max has the real Pro camera.

Our opinion

The iPhone 12 Pro has a smaller addressable market this year as it is under pressure from multiple angles. It's a relatively small year-over-year upgrade of the 11 Pro, is only marginally more interesting than the base iPhone 12, which costs $ 200 less, and doesn't have the same “Pro” camera as the larger iPhone 12 Pro Max .

There's no need to talk about how much value 5G, MagSafe, Dolby Vision, and general camera improvements add to this experience as they can all be found on the base iPhone 12. For most people, the iPhone 12 Pro is over the top – it's more marginal utility money. But it's better, and sometimes that's all you need to know to go pro.

There's still reason to want the iPhone 12 Pro. The stainless steel frame gives you a reassuring weight and sense of quality, and the finish and colors are arguably nicer than the base 12's. The telephoto camera and lidar sensor are just the icing on the cake overall represents an extraordinary camera experience. The battery life is good, the screen is fantastic, and the A14 Bionic, coupled with plenty of storage and 128GB of base storage, gives you years of care to keep this phone for a long time to come.

I recommend most undecided iPhone buyers choose the iPhone 12 instead, as it is so similar and costs less. However, if you know from the start that you are a Pro user, there is no need to convince you: the iPhone 12 Pro is the phone for you.

Are there any better alternatives?

The clear alternative to the iPhone 12 Pro is the base iPhone 12. It costs $ 200 less and still offers a nearly identical everyday experience. They're exactly the same size, run the same software, have the same battery, and offer the same core functionality. The 12 Pro simply offers more memory, more basic memory as well as a telephoto camera and a lidar sensor and looks significantly different with new colors and a steel frame. Most users should start their iPhone searches with the 12 and only choose the 12 Pro if they know they need the advanced features.

On the Android side, there's a big argument in favor of saving money as well Get the Pixel 5 for just $ 700. It follows the simple "less is more" mood of the iPhone taking the best of any Android device and having a comparable camera. There is also the OnePlus 8Tthat offers a similar experience for the same price, but with a little more flair. At the upper end a Galaxy S20 + can be found for about the same price as the iPhone 12 Pro and judging by hardware quality and features. It also comes from the only brand that Apple is really asking for credit.

How long it will take?

IPhones are known to have an incredibly long lifespan thanks to support for software updates that lasts for several years. With the A14 Bionic chip, 5G network, and a top-end display, you'll have no problem getting three years out of the iPhone 12 Pro before you feel like you're a little behind the times. The only questions will be how the Ceramic Shield display glass will hold up and whether the battery will degrade properly over time.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The iPhone 12 Pro is the perfect embodiment of Apple's great smartphone experience that doesn't cut corners or skip specifications for cost savings.

Editor's recommendations




03 Sep
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Review: A Step Backward

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Rating 5

"Samsung took a risk with Buds Live, but not all risks pay off."

  • Unique, comfortable design

  • Good battery life

  • Good call quality

  • Overall poor audio quality

  • Ineffective noise cancellation

  • Lack of physical adjustment

  • No noise isolation

The most useful product review isn't necessarily the first, nor is it the longest. It's the most honest and thorough – and quality can take time, especially in the audio world. To review such products, we examine their sound quality with an experienced ear and reconsider the execution of the promised functions. It's easy to get lost in the hype surrounding the newest, shiniest product. But does it do what it says it does? And does it do well?

We went one step further with the Galaxy Buds Live and tested it with a group of editors. We talked together about expectations and performance and tormented each other over the details. We know these buds will polarize because they are so different. Samsung took some serious risks here, deviated from the very good Galaxy Buds +, and given us something completely new. The Galaxy Buds Live have a unique shape and the promise of a more comfortable fit. I went into my time with Buds Live openly and ready to switch to outer ear design.

With a long list of specs that offer formidable features for their $ 170 dollar price tag, the Galaxy Buds Live are a fascinating option in the highly competitive personal audio space. How are you? Let's get into that.

What's in the box?

Similar to the Apple AirPods Pro, the Galaxy Buds Live are packaged very simply. You will receive the buds, the charging case, a charging cable, a pair of earplugs and some literature. It is, and that feels especially weird in a segment that has more materials with earbuds, not less.

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As a result, no adjustment is offered for these buds, but it is purely by design. Rather than including a set of earbuds like all earbuds these days, the design of the buds is specifically designed to be used with each ear. We will go into this further below.

Aside from a few small strips of clear plastic, the box and its contents appear to be completely recyclable. I don't know the little plastic strips were necessary, but they seem to be in almost every high-end product these days. We want these to go away.

Design and fit

Let's talk about the design of these buds as it is very different from almost everything else on the market.

After some adjustment and time, I found them to be quite comfortable.

Instead of sitting in your ear canal, the Galaxy Buds Live rest outside of the canal and on the inside of your concha. For those who find it uncomfortable to have silicone earplugs in your ear canal, the Buds Live are a great alternative.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

The way the buds sit in your ear is strange at first and takes some getting used to. But after some adjustment and time, I found them to be quite comfortable.

It's hard to say whether this design choice is more or less comfortable overall than a traditional earbud shape. In some ways, it is certainly less stressful on your ear canal since it is not used at all. However, it still puts pressure on your ear, just in a different place. For me, I could wear these for about as long as I can wear the AirPods Pro before I feel some fatigue. It's not the same tiredness, but it's still there.

As mentioned earlier, the Buds Live cannot be customized for your particular ear as Samsung designed it to work with any ear. This was a risky move, and while they seem to work for everyone I know who have tried them so far, I have to think that there is no way they will work for everyone. Until then, this particular risk will probably pay off.

The touch-sensitive area is located directly around this small point. Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

The Buds Live have a touch sensitive area where you can play / pause / skip music, adjust the volume, call a voice assistant, and take and hang up calls. You can customize the functionality of the touch controls through the Galaxy Wear app on Samsung devices and the Galaxy Buds app on iOS. More on that in a moment.

Unfortunately, the tiny size of the buds makes it very easy to accidentally hit this touch-sensitive area as it takes up a large chunk of the outside surface. If you ever need to adjust them while listening to music, rest assured that you will accidentally pause the sound. If you put them in your ear, the chances are good that you will start the game while you are getting them into position. You can of course turn off the touch controls via the app. However, you won't have to turn them back on until later, when you want to use the earbuds to control what you are listening to (what you want to be, to be honest).

properties

What should be the Galaxy Buds Live's standout feature on paper is Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). The Buds Live's biggest competitor is the Apple AirPods Pro, and the ANC in those buds is our favorite on the market right now. If Samsung is looking to turn customers away from Apple, adding ANC was an absolute must. So it was extremely important that it be included in Live.

Unfortunately, the ANC on Galaxy Buds Live is a crushing disappointment. Since the buds don't isolate the sound very well – since the design doesn't seal in your ear canal – it means any ANC technician is in a losing battle with sounds simply going around the buds bypassing any work they would do. The result is ANC that in many situations will make you wonder if it's even working.

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Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Rating 3 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/samsung-galaxy-buds-live-review-3 -640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAJaron Schneider / Digital Trends

There are some cases where a soft sound is slightly reduced, but running water, the noise that a car makes on the highway, or a fan or air conditioner is not reduced at all. Compared to the worst noise cancellation we've tested in other earbuds, the Galaxy Buds Live offers even less performance: this is the new low.

On the positive side, Buds Live, as mentioned earlier, has app support for iOS and Android. You can use this app to make minor adjustments to the sound of the Buds Live project. There are six equalizer options: Normal, Bass Boost, Soft, Dynamic, Clear and Treble Boost. I've tried all six and Dynamic was my personal favorite.

You can also use the Find My Earbuds feature, which makes Buds Live chirp out loud and a breeze to see if you've misplaced them (which is simple: they're very small).

Audio quality

I'll just come out and say it: I'm unimpressed with the Galaxy Buds Live when it comes to sound quality. While they have a surprising amount of bass for buds that can't sit in your ear canal, that's about all they are reasonably good at. Although you can hear music and movies clearly, the sound reproduction lacks depth and warmth. The soundstage is narrow and flat, so you feel like something is definitely missing in the EQ mix.

I have bad news: the Galaxy Buds Live sounds very similar to the standard speakers on a laptop from 2009.

The buds work best when you are alone in a quiet room. In these cases, you may actually find the music comfortable, especially if your expectations are low. If you were okay with the sound of music coming from the original Apple earbuds or AirPods, then chances are you won't be shut off from what you're hearing from Buds Live.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

But if you're like me and you've never liked the flat and hollow music playback on these headphones, I have bad news: the Galaxy Buds Live sounds very similar to the standard speakers on a laptop from 2009.

I mentioned that I stayed with Dynamic EQ after going through all of the options and that's because the mix feels particularly empty without the added oomph of bass that you can find there or in Bass Boost. Treble Boost, for example, is almost painful to hear as the entire backbone of the audio is removed.

Aside from the fact that the audio doesn't sound great, it's not particularly loud either. You really need to turn up the volume to nearly block out outside noise, and when you do you run into another big problem: if you can hear what the Galaxy Buds Live is playing, so can everyone around you.

Another downside to poor isolation is that those buds sound worse than any other earbud I've ever come across. I have a tendency to listen to the same songs over and over again through the headphones I review, and that's why my wife is so fed up with the "circles" of Of Monsters and Men. Unfortunately, when evaluating Buds Live, if the buds were in my ears she could hear every word from the song as clearly as if she were carrying them herself. This has created tension in the “office”.

If you plan to use these in any work environment (home or office), be prepared to share whatever you hear with everyone around you.

Battery life

Battery life can be wild as it can change dramatically when you take advantage of all of the features available. If you go for Bixby Wake Word – and we have no idea why you'd want to – and for noise cancellation, you can expect around 5 hours of battery out of the buds and 19 hours including the charging case.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

If you turn both things off, you can get around 8 hours and almost 29 hours total of the case, but with only ANC on, you can listen for about 6 hours and 20 minutes or so, and with the case, it's only 21 hours.

Since the ANC, as mentioned, basically doesn't do anything and, to be honest, you won't be using Bixby, we recommend turning both features off to get the most miles out of Buds Live.

Call quality

Making calls with the Galaxy Buds Live is a good overall experience. Sound quality isn't as good as other earbuds like the Apple AirPods Pro, but for $ 80 less, they might not have to be. It is important that those listening on the other end of the line can hear your voice clearly. It may not sound great. One person I spoke to said that my voice sounds more echoing than other headphones I've used.

If you hear louder background noise than normal, e.g. For example, if you run a sink while doing the dishes, I can tell you that the person on the other end of the line won't hear anything. The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live does an exceptional job eliminating background noise when making calls.

In the end, everything is as clear as it should be. The inclination of the buds to higher registers actually helps make the vocals clearer. Even in noisy environments, you shouldn't have trouble hearing conversations.

Our opinion

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live will polarize. There are many people who refer to these as their favorite, or near-favorite, buds in the market. You probably like the look, the small size, the feel of the fit of the buds, and the battery life (especially with the Bixby wake-up word off). If these things are great, that's all you're looking for.

But here at Digital Trends, we mostly judge earbuds by audio quality as you will be listening to music. When Buds offer ANC, we expect it to work. Since the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live falls short on both points, I find it hard to love them.

Is there a better alternative?

If you really want solid Samsung integration, I recommend the Samsung Galaxy Buds +. Though they lack ANC, they are great earbuds that work just as well with your Galaxy device as they do with the Live, and with even better battery life. If you want the same sleek look as the Buds Live but want better sound quality, then the Jabra Elite 75t are great. We also recommend Google Pixel Buds 2.

How long will they last?

Samsung grants a standard one-year warranty on the Galaxy Buds Live. The build quality is solid though, so I'm not particularly concerned about these breaks.

Should you buy it?

If you ask me and senior editor Caleb Denison (who made an excellent video comparing Buds Live and AirPods Pro) the answer is no. We just can't justify the $ 170 price tag when the ANC is worthless and the sound quality lags well behind the cheaper buds. However, if all you're into is a slim profile, Samsung integration, and long battery life, then you will likely love the Galaxy Buds Live.

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