Lucid Motors is gearing up for the release of its first electric vehicle, the Lucid Air sedan, and at SXSW, the company revealed a unique detail of the upcoming automobile: it’ll be the first car to offer Dolby Atmos sound, thanks to its 21 speaker “Surreal Sound” system.
In a four minute-plus video detailing the new sound setup, the company highlights its ability to not only merely adjust the placement of sound in the vehicle on a horizontal plane (i.e., shifting between left and right sides of the car or from the front to the back) but also vertically — allowing for music or ambient car signals to be targeted higher or lower inside the car.
“It was very obvious to us that Lucid was trying to do something different and trying to do something that was unique to the automotive experience,” said Tim Pryde, Dolby’s director of music.
And as odd as the idea of automotive Atmos sounds, a car is actually a pretty good environment for an Atmos setup, given the controlled, encapsulated space that’s relatively easy to ensure has full speaker coverage for Dolby’s spatial sound system. While its not always easy to mount speakers in your ceiling (or to get up-firing rear surrounds) setup in your living room, a car — especially one with 21 speakers — that’s been designed to integrate the system from the start is a natural fit.
In addition to music, Lucid is also using its Atmos setup for indicators and alert sounds — for example, if a passenger in the rear seat isn’t wearing their seatbelt, the seatbelt chime will target that passenger’s corner of the car specifically.
Lucid isn’t the only big car company to be looking at major audio partnerships, either. Audi recently announced that it would be partnering with Sonos on its upcoming Q4 E-Tron, with more details on that partnership set to be revealed in April.
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If you’ve used a ThinkPad before, you probably know 90 percent of what to expect from the ThinkPad X1 Nano. All of the staples are here. It’s got the black carbon fiber chassis, the discrete buttons on top of the touchpad, the mechanical privacy shutter, the ThinkPad logo on the palm rest, and (of course) the red pointer nub in the middle of the keyboard.
But one thing is unique about the X1 Nano: it’s the lightest ThinkPad Lenovo has ever made. Starting at just 1.99 pounds, the Nano isn’t technically the lightest laptop on the market. But it’s still one of the best combinations of portability, build quality, and performance that you can buy.
Lenovo has made a few other useful tweaks as well, though they’re not tweaks you’ll necessarily notice when you’re looking at the machine. There’s not much to overthink here: it’s a smaller, lighter ThinkPad. Lenovo didn’t reinvent the wheel, but the updates it made succeed in keeping the Nano current among its rapidly innovating peers.
The keyboard is “nearly full-sized.”
Here’s what’s new with the Nano, in addition to its lightweight build. It has a 16:10 screen, a feature that a number of this year’s ThinkPads are adopting for the first time. It has a new 11th Gen Intel processor, and it’s certified through Intel’s Evo program (which is the chipmaker’s way of verifying that a laptop includes its latest features like Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6, instant wake, and fast charging). And there are a few enhanced security features, including a match-on-chip fingerprint reader and a dTPM 2.0 chip, which will mostly be notable for business users.
What looms over that verdict, of course, is the Nano’s price. Technically, it starts at $2,499 and maxes out at $3,719. The good news is that Lenovo’s products are very often heavily discounted, and the current sale prices at the time of publish range from $1,149 to $2,231.
The Nano is highly customizable. It comes with a Core i5-1130G7, a Core i5-1140G7, a Core i7-1160G7, or a Core i7-1180G7, all of which support Intel’s vPro. You can also select 8GB or 16GB of RAM, 256GB through 1TB of SSD storage, and a touchscreen or non-touch screen (both with 2160 x 1350 resolution). There’s even a Linux option. My review model (which runs Windows 10 Pro) is in the middle, with a quad-core Core i7-1160G7, 16GB of memory, 512GB of storage, and the non-touch display. Folks interested in the touchscreen should note that those models are heavier (2.14 pounds) and a bit thicker as well.
You’re paying a premium for the Nano’s weight and the extra business features. A comparable Dell XPS 13 to my test model, for example, is $1,599.99 and 2.64 pounds (over half a pound heavier than this unit).
That said, the Nano’s weight is astounding. I feel like I’m carrying nothing while I’m holding it, even one-handed. I’d easily haul it in my purse or throw it into my backpack and forget that it’s there. For a few comparisons: it’s half a pound lighter than the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9. It’s close to a pound lighter than the ThinkPad X13, as well as the latest MacBook Air. These are already laptops known for their portability, and the Nano is noticeably slimmer.
The laptop achieves this without sacrificing durability, which is often a concern with ultra-light devices. The chassis feels sturdy — there’s just a tiny bit of flex in the keyboard and screen, and I’d be very comfortable jerking it around in a briefcase. Lenovo says the Nano has been “tested against 12 military-grade certification methods,” so there’s also that.
I’m also very happy with the 16:10 display, which is about the same height as a typical 14-inch 16:9 screen. In addition to the extra vertical space it provides, it’s sharper than a 1080p display, and it delivers a nice picture.
There’s also a Dolby Atmos speaker system, which includes two upward-firing and two downward-firing woofers. The laptop comes preloaded with Dolby Access, which is one of my favorite audio apps. You can swap between presets for Movies, Music, and other scenarios (as well as custom profiles), and the settings make an audible difference. You can also personalize the four-microphone array for different uses, including conference calls and voice recognition.
My one quip with the chassis is the keyboard. It’s a fine keyboard, and the little red nub is there if you want to use it. But the Fn and Ctrl keys are swapped from the locations where you’ll find them on other laptop keyboards — every time I meant to hit Ctrl, I hit Fn. After a week of use, I have not yet adjusted to this.
Now, I want to be very clear: I know this is the way ThinkPad keyboards have been laid out since the dawn of time. I also know you can swap the two keys in BIOS. Still, if you’re not currently a ThinkPad user, you should note that you’ll either need some time to get used to this keyboard layout or you’ll be using mislabeled keys.
The port selection is also limited, though that’s not unique among thin devices. You get two USB-C ports and an audio jack, and they’re all on the left side.
Performance-wise, the X1 Nano did an excellent job. It’s not what you’d want to buy for demanding tasks like heavy gaming or video editing, but it kept up with my gaggles of Chrome tabs, spreadsheets, and streaming apps without a stutter. I never heard any noise out of the machine or felt noticeable heat, even when I was running fairly taxing loads.
“Anti-fry circuitry” ensures that USB-C chargers send the correct voltage.
As mentioned earlier, the Nano has a number of new security features that are coming to 2021 ThinkPads across the line. The one I found most useful was the presence-sensing tool, which automatically locks the device when you’re not in front of it and unlocks it when you’re back. ThinkPads aren’t the only business laptops to adopt this technology, but it is convenient and worked well in my testing. You can also turn it off if it creeps you out. Elsewhere, there’s a match-on-sensor fingerprint sensor next to the touchpad (the qualifier means that fingerprint enrollment, pattern storage, and biometric matching all happens directly within the sensor). The sensor also uses AI to distinguish between real and fake fingers, in case that was a concern of yours.
The one feature that isn’t quite stellar here is the battery life. I averaged 6 hours and 38 minutes between charges with my daily workflow (around a dozen Chrome tabs with office stuff like emailing, Slack, Google Docs and Sheets, occasional Spotify and YouTube streaming, with brightness around 200 nits). That’s fine, and not unexpected since the Nano only has a 48Whr battery, but I often see over seven hours out of machines at this price. It means that if your workload is similar to mine, you may not make it through a full workday on a charge. The 65W charger took 43 minutes to juice the device up to 60 percent.
In the ThinkPad X1 Nano, Lenovo is playing to its strengths. You’re getting a comfortable keyboard and touchpad, a red nub, and a capable processor in a sturdy system that’s built to last. The Nano brings a new factor to the table — a chassis that’s (just) under two pounds. The target audience here is clear: business users who like the traditional ThinkPad look and feel and are willing to pay more for an ultralight machine.
The main compromises you’re making are the battery life and port selection. Neither of these is an absolute disaster for the Nano, but they mean that a chunk of users may find competing business laptops more practical. There are a number of ultraportable business laptops with superb battery life, more useful ports, and comparable weight (such as Asus’ ExpertBook B9450 and HP’s Elite Dragonfly). That said, for users who are attached to the ThinkPad brand and want the lightest of the light, the X1 Nano will deliver.
(Pocket-lint) – Despite being well known for invoking nostalgic memories of big wooden speaker cabinets and crackling vinyl, Klipsch is a brand that has adapted with the times. Its first pair of true wireless earbuds was such a great-sounding pair that it became one of our favourites for pure music enjoyment.
The second-generation – the aptly named Klipsch T5 II True Wireless – comes with lots of refinements in terms of design and performance, and also comes in two Sport models, one with exclusive McLaren F1 design. In this review, we’re focusing on the regular model.
Design and build
IP67 water- and dust-resistant
Colours: White / Gunmetal
Physical control button
6 pairs of oval tips
Charging case
It’s in the design department you’ll notice the biggest difference between the T5 and the T5 II. Starting with the first thing you get to: the case. Thankfully, the main ethos remains same, as it still looks friggin’ cool – almost like a chunky Zippo lighter. It’s smaller and thinner than the previous version, but there’s a solidity and durability to it. It feels like it might hurt you if you dropped it on a toe, and gives a reassuring clank when you open and shut the lid.
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As for the ‘buds, these almost keep to the same essence too. It’s a similar hard-to-describe shape, featuring a tapered oval design but, again, the second-gen is slimmer, smaller and lighter than the originals. That also means that in the non-Sport model, there’s nothing holding these ‘buds in your ears except for the redesigned oval silicone tip.
The tips extend out from underneath the main body in an unconventional design, but once stuck inside the entrance of our ear canal, we found the fit was secure and steady. These ‘buds never felt like they’d fall out – and didn’t gradually push their way out either. Since the silicon tips are soft and thin, they give just the right amount of pressure. In our ears, the pre-applied tips were the perfect fit, but the T5 II comes with six different sizes, so you should easily find a pair that works for you.
Another interesting change is that there’s one single button on the outside, which depresses really easily to ensure that when you press, it gives easily and doesn’t lead to that feeling that you’re just pushing an earbud deeper into your ear. The button gives in once it feels even the remotest bit of resistance, which makes good sense.
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Around the edge of that button is a metal collar, which makes up that outer surface. It’s more than just decoration though, it’s an external antenna to ensure there’s nothing getting in the way of that connection between the ‘buds and what you’re connecting them to.
The main takeaway here is that the T5 II is a lightweight and secure package. Not so secure that we’d recommend using these in-ear in the gym or when out running, but that’s what the Sport models are for instead.
Despite that, with an IP67 water- and dust-resistance rating, the ‘buds should survive pretty much anything anyway. Whether inside your ears, or inside their own metallic bunker/charging case.
Sound
5mm dynamic moving coil micro speaker
10Hz – 19kHz frequency response
EQ control
With frequency response as low as 10Hz, the 5mm drivers inside the Klipsch ‘buds produce sound you wouldn’t expect to hear from such small drivers. Of course, human hearing only really goes as low as 20Hz at a push – but it’s that control at the lower end of the sound spectrum where these earphones definitely excel.
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With the equaliser (EQ) set to its default flat mode, there’s still plenty of bass, without it being overwhelming, but – more importantly – you still get clean and bright notes at the top end.
We love how acoustic bass drum kicks retain that feel of air moving around the kick pedal or inside the drum every time the skin is struck by the pedal. Or in songs like Hey Ma by Bon Iver, you get the full airy feel of the bass and mid notes swelling near the beginning or, later on, the muted bass note plucking. What’s more, in that same track, the subtle percussive noises are clear without dominating the primary elements of the track.
The Klipsch T5 II is adept at tackling any genre of music, and will give you the right feel from those acoustic songs, but is sonically strong with more synthesised tracks too. Crank up Leon’s Better in the Dark and enjoy the way the bass sounds when the synth and bass drum strike at the same time, without crumbling.
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Of course, you can adjust the EQ, so if you need even more bass you can get it, but we found there was plenty from the default setting. In fact, we never felt the need to tweak the default sound profile. But it’s nice of Klipsch to give that option for those users who have preferences.
Features, performance and calls
8 hours playback + 24 more hours in the case (32 hours total)
Quad mic system for external noise cancelling during calls
Bluetooth 5.0 + signal boosting external antenna
Transparency mode
To get the first thing out of the way: there’s no active noise-cancelling (ANC). An increasing staple feature in the world of premium in-ears, but we’ve often argued that with a good set of well-fitted in-ears, it’s not as noticeable as it would be on over/on-ear cans. Passively, the T5 II does a good job of blocking out noise thanks to those soft tips.
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Although ANC isn’t a feature here, you do still get an audio transparency mode, which uses mics around the ‘buds’ casing to let in and amplify noise from around you. Using the Klipsch Connect app you can switch it on and select how much transparency you want – it works pretty well but isn’t always all that effective once you have music playing.
It’s also worth noting that the ‘buds don’t feature any automatic play/pause feature when you remove them from your ears. There’s no proximity sensor for this, which is a bit of a shame.
On the plus side, you do get to pair the T5 II with up to eight different devices – although only one can be connected at a time.
With those external antennae doing their job, we found the wireless connectivity to be very strong. Walking from room to room and leaving the music source where it was, we struggled to make these in-ears drop connection. It’s a similar story with voice calls: you get strong performance here as well, with calls coming through clearly.
The best Lightning headphones 2021 for your iPhone or iPad
By Dan Grabham
·
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As battery life goes, it’s very unlikely you’ll ever need to worry about it much. With a maximum of eight hours outside the case, thee T5 II will comfortably get you through your commute to work – well, when we all eventually return to work – and the case will keep recharging in the interim another four times over. That’s well over a full day of non-stop listening time.
Verdict
The first-generation Klipsch T5 was one of our favourite pairs of true wireless earbuds. The second generation takes what was great and refines it, making for a truly stunning pair of ‘buds.
Sure, a few advanced features might be absent – there’s no proximity sensors or active noise-cancelling – but in all the ways that matter, the T5 II performs really well. For music lovers, at this price, you’ll struggle to find anything that sounds better or packaged in as neat and stylish a product.
If you love music, we think you’ll love the sound produced by the Klipsch T5 II. There’s little to rival the quality on offer here.
Also consider
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Grado T220
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Grado has a similar approach to Klipsch – in that it’s all about the sound – and the T220 sounds fantastic. In fact our first listen left our jaw on the floor, it was that good. It has some downsides though, like a finicky design and sensitive touchpad.
Read the review
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Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
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If you want all the bells and whistles in a great sounding pair of buds, Bose has the ones for you. QC Buds have excellent noise-cancelling, great sound overall, plus a comfortable and secure fit.
Read the review
Writing by Cam Bunton. Editing by Adrian Willings.
(Pocket-lint) – If your TV audio isn’t up to snuff then there are a bevy of options on the market to help step things up a notch. Among these is Polk Audio’s React soundbar, which is available for less cash than many a rival.
But just because you’re paying less doesn’t mean you’ll get less in terms of raw sound capability. Especially if, as we have for this review, you opt for the bundled React soundbar and React Sub package.
That said, the Polk React doesn’t offer any fancy object-based sound decoding, it doesn’t even play pretend – as there’s no Dolby Atmos surround output here from the bar itself – instead sticking to Dolby Digital and DTS surround formats.
You can later invest in Polk’s RS2 surround speakers, which are simply paired at the touch of a button, to create a fully fledged 5.1 system (if you have the Sub) in smaller steps rather than forking our a massive chunk of change up front. That, we think, is a big part of this soundbar’s wider appeal.
Design & Setup
Ports: 1x HDMI (ARC) output; 1x optical input
Controls: Included remote / four-button top-of-‘bar panel
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Alexa voice control integrated
Dimensions (soundbar): 56mm (H) x 864mm (W) x 121mm (D)
Dimensions (sub): 348mm (H) x 218mm (W) x 419mm (D); 7.5kg
Having recently reviewed the JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam – which is an all-in-one box solution that can’t ever be connected to separates – it was interesting to dig into the Polk React for its points of difference. The Polk is a longer soundbar – at 864mm it’s 160mm longer by comparison – so even sat against a 55-inch telly, as pictured, it’s fairly good at covering the majority of the screen width, which is handy for a wide soundscape to help match the action on screen.
The Polk is simpler than the JBL in terms of core specification, though, as there’s no HDMI input, just the one HDMI input – the latter of which is ARC (audio return channel) capable. For us this meant a slight rejig of our TV’s four HDMI ports, as we couldn’t passthrough using the soundbar itself, ensuring the HDMI ARC cable provided was running from TV to React ‘bar.
Thing is, our ARC port is one of the two 4K resolution capable HDMI ports on the TV (every maker does this at present), so our BT TV box for telly had to be relegated to HDMI 4 (running Full HD maximum – which, in fairness, is how majority content from there is streamed) to save HDMI 1 for our PlayStation 5 (our source of Blu-ray and 4K streaming apps such as Netflix). ARC does its job though: once the TV is switched on the audio handshakes between device and soundbar.
Well, it didn’t at very first. For a brief period of time we were in a no man’s land of having both TV audio and soundbar audio outputting simultaneously. That’s because the setup is, to our mind, a little finicky. The soundbar needed an update out of the box, that much it told us (by voice alert), but having advised us to install the Polk Connect app – which we did on our Google Android phone – it then didn’t like it, forcing a handover to Amazon Alexa instead. But the Alexa app initially failed to get things talking successfully.
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Success did come after a few attempts, after which there’s been no issues, but it very much points to this Polk’s intentions: it’s an Alexa voice control soundbar through and through. There’s even an Alexa button pride of place on the included remote control. There’s not even a proper off button – as your main TV remote will take over for that duty anyway – and there’s always a glowing light of some colour to the front of the ‘bar, which we think is a design downside when watching movies in darkened rooms.
Oh, and Alexa shouts crazilyloud for some reason too – almost to the point of distorting – and there’s no simple way that we can find to turn this down, which is irksome.
The included remote isn’t the prettiest, but it’s well appointed, able to switch between TV and Bluetooth audio sources. There are adjustments for bass up/down on the left, volume up/down in the middle, voice up/down on the right, four quick-select movie presets below this, and surround sound volume/balance adjustment to the bottom of the controller.
That surround sound adjustment won’t do anything unless you’ve bought into the Polk’s expandable options though. As the React soundbar itself is a straight forward left, centre, right speaker arrangement. But if you buy the RS2 surround speakers – not on test here – then you can easily sync them at the touch of a button on the back of the soundbar and boost things to a 5-channel system.
Go with the subwoofer – paired in the same way, using the same button to quickly sync without extra wires – and that brings 5.1 channel potential into your living room. The sub is pretty beefy in terms of scale – and deeper than it is either wide or tall – but the addition of true bass at the lower end of the spectrum is transformative to the sound profile. We think it’s an essential addition to make the React ‘bar deliver its potential.
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Which brings us to the whole reason to buy a soundbar: to enhance audio quality, notching up TV audio to new heights. And the Polk React does a generally decent job, although given its positioning to the base of a screen (inevitable, of course) and lack of object-based sound control it lacks any distinct verticality – so on larger screens voice parts might not give the impression they’re coming from the person speaking with the greatest of precision.
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Otherwise there’s a lot of tweaking that can be done with ease, so it’s great to have all that control directly to hand. The presets are particularly useful, selecting Movie to enhance that extra bass – there’s always a good down-pitched “wommm” in an action flick – or Night to quieten such frequencies and allow your family/neighbours/whoever to get some shut-eye when you’re having a late night session.
The independent controls for bass and voice are handy too, the latter really adjusting the mid-to-high-end of the frequency range to give more curvature to vocal output. So if you’re finding the bass balance is a bit too high, then this can help voices to cut through the mix with greater clarity. We like that it’s a simple system, too, not over-complex in how many ways it can all be adjusted.
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However, bass-wise we’ve heard soundbars with chunkier capability. Which is why, once paired with the React Sub, you’ll really hear and feel the difference. With the React subwoofer linked up the sound has a much more rooted appeal, delivered with gusto. It’s got great musicality too, to the point we’ve ceased using our Marshall standalone speaker in the living room and instead just tuck into the Polk React and Sub on Music mode for the best possible listen.
Through the Alexa app it’s simple enough to get the soundbar to register as part of your home network. With Google Home open it’s easily identified (although not directly controllable here, as Alexa rules the way), so Spotify plays nice – and you can ask Alexa by voice to load your favourites.
We suspect that adding a pair of RS2 speakers would add to the expanse of the overall sound as, like we said up top, the Polk React doesn’t support object-based audio, so you’re not going to get any Dolby Atmos pseudo height and all-around sense from this soundbar. But, really, given how such systems can sometimes fly off the handle in weird (and not always wonderful) ways, we think Polk delivers here exactly what people will want – enhanced sound on a smaller budget.
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That will raise the question, however, as to whether you want something smaller and more technologically complete, such as the JBL Bar 5 MultiBeam that we mentioned at the beginning of this review. It can’t match the smacking bass of the subwoofer by any means, but if you don’t have the space then it might be a better fit to your needs – and the Atmos found there is impressive given the right source material.
Verdict
While the Polk React doesn’t have object-based sound decoding bells and whistles – that’s to say there’s no vertical channels for pseudo surround – as a standalone large ‘bar with decent output and control, for a very fair price, it’s got a lot going for it. Especially if you’re keen on Alexa integration for voice control.
But things really step up a notch when you add a React Sub as part of the package. That’s when the sound becomes extra full, deep and rich – to the point that it’s taken preference as our living room music speaker when the telly is out of use. Now if that’s not high praise, then what is? Keep your expectations in check in terms of technological prowess and Polk delivers strong at this end of the market.
Also consider
Pocket-lint
JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam
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It’s a different prospect, as it’s a single box solution – so you’ll never be able to add extras or a sub – but that might better suit your space restrictions. However, it permits passthrough (thanks to HDMI in and out ports with eARC) and offers Dolby Atmos decoding, which with the right source delivers a more complete sound. That said, the Polk’s React Sub, if you want to fork out the extra cash, takes impactful sound to the next step where the JBL simply cannot reach.
Read our review
Pocket-lint
Yamaha SR-C20A
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Looking for something smaller? If what you need is a bit of everything from your soundbar – ignoring that, at this price point, you can’t expect surround sound – you can’t go far wrong with this little Yamaha. It’s a one-box solution (so, like the JBL above, there there’s no subwoofer here) and can turn its hand to pretty much anything, without ever making itself the centre of attention. A different prospect, but a nice neat little package.
Focal has launched more domestic versions of its recently announced Focal Clear Mg Professional headphone.
Designed for home as opposed to pro use, the Focal Clear Mg sport the same 40mm drivers with ‘M’-shaped inverted magnesium domes (hence the elemental Mg moniker) as it’s professional counterpart. The French audio brand claims these drivers are lighter, more rigid and better at damping, delivering an improvement over its open-back predecessor, the Clear.
The domestic and pro models also share an impedance of 55 Ohms, frequency response of 5Hz–28kHz, and a new honeycomb grille inside the earcups that promises to extend higher frequencies and reduce distortion.
So what is the difference between the two Focal Clear Mg models? Whilst they both have many familiar Focal aesthetic traits, including 20mm memory foam, perforated fabric-coated earpads, matching microfibre and leather headband and an aluminium yoke, the home model comes in a luxury chestnut and mixed metal finish compared to the professional version’s stealthy but practical black.
The Focal Clear Mg ships with a colour matched carrying case and two cable options: a 3m 4-pin XLR cable intended for connecting to an amplifier and a 1.2m 3.5mm cable for mobile devices. They will be available this month, priced £1399 ($1490). Considering Focal’s success in the premium headphones space, best exemplified by its Stellia, we very much look forward to taking the Clear Mg for a spin.
MORE
Read our 5 Star Focal Stellia headphone review
Best audiophile headphones 2021: the ultimate high-end headphones
(Pocket-lint) – Despite being well known for invoking nostalgic memories of big wooden speaker cabinets and crackling vinyl, Klipsch is a brand that has adapted with the times. Its first pair of true wireless earbuds was such a great-sounding pair that it became one of our favourites for pure music enjoyment.
The second-generation – the aptly named Klipsch T5 II True Wireless – comes with lots of refinements in terms of design and performance, and also comes in two Sport models, one with exclusive McLaren F1 design. In this review, we’re focusing on the regular model.
Design and build
IP67 water- and dust-resistant
Colours: White / Gunmetal
Physical control button
6 pairs of oval tips
Charging case
It’s in the design department you’ll notice the biggest difference between the T5 and the T5 II. Starting with the first thing you get to: the case. Thankfully, the main ethos remains same, as it still looks friggin’ cool – almost like a chunky Zippo lighter. It’s smaller and thinner than the previous version, but there’s a solidity and durability to it. It feels like it might hurt you if you dropped it on a toe, and gives a reassuring clank when you open and shut the lid.
Pocket-lint
As for the ‘buds, these almost keep to the same essence too. It’s a similar hard-to-describe shape, featuring a tapered oval design but, again, the second-gen is slimmer, smaller and lighter than the originals. That also means that in the non-Sport model, there’s nothing holding these ‘buds in your ears except for the redesigned oval silicone tip.
The tips extend out from underneath the main body in an unconventional design, but once stuck inside the entrance of our ear canal, we found the fit was secure and steady. These ‘buds never felt like they’d fall out – and didn’t gradually push their way out either. Since the silicon tips are soft and thin, they give just the right amount of pressure. In our ears, the pre-applied tips were the perfect fit, but the T5 II comes with six different sizes, so you should easily find a pair that works for you.
Another interesting change is that there’s one single button on the outside, which depresses really easily to ensure that when you press, it gives easily and doesn’t lead to that feeling that you’re just pushing an earbud deeper into your ear. The button gives in once it feels even the remotest bit of resistance, which makes good sense.
Pocket-lint
Around the edge of that button is a metal collar, which makes up that outer surface. It’s more than just decoration though, it’s an external antenna to ensure there’s nothing getting in the way of that connection between the ‘buds and what you’re connecting them to.
The main takeaway here is that the T5 II is a lightweight and secure package. Not so secure that we’d recommend using these in-ear in the gym or when out running, but that’s what the Sport models are for instead.
Despite that, with an IP67 water- and dust-resistance rating, the ‘buds should survive pretty much anything anyway. Whether inside your ears, or inside their own metallic bunker/charging case.
Sound
5mm dynamic moving coil micro speaker
10Hz – 19kHz frequency response
EQ control
With frequency response as low as 10Hz, the 5mm drivers inside the Klipsch ‘buds produce sound you wouldn’t expect to hear from such small drivers. Of course, human hearing only really goes as low as 20Hz at a push – but it’s that control at the lower end of the sound spectrum where these earphones definitely excel.
Pocket-lint
With the equaliser (EQ) set to its default flat mode, there’s still plenty of bass, without it being overwhelming, but – more importantly – you still get clean and bright notes at the top end.
We love how acoustic bass drum kicks retain that feel of air moving around the kick pedal or inside the drum every time the skin is struck by the pedal. Or in songs like Hey Ma by Bon Iver, you get the full airy feel of the bass and mid notes swelling near the beginning or, later on, the muted bass note plucking. What’s more, in that same track, the subtle percussive noises are clear without dominating the primary elements of the track.
The Klipsch T5 II is adept at tackling any genre of music, and will give you the right feel from those acoustic songs, but is sonically strong with more synthesised tracks too. Crank up Leon’s Better in the Dark and enjoy the way the bass sounds when the synth and bass drum strike at the same time, without crumbling.
The best Lightning headphones 2021 for your iPhone or iPad
By Dan Grabham
·
Top headphones capable of handling lossless 48kHz digital audio from Apple devices.
Pocket-lint
Of course, you can adjust the EQ, so if you need even more bass you can get it, but we found there was plenty from the default setting. In fact, we never felt the need to tweak the default sound profile. But it’s nice of Klipsch to give that option for those users who have preferences.
Features, performance and calls
8 hours playback + 24 more hours in the case (32 hours total)
Quad mic system for external noise cancelling during calls
Bluetooth 5.0 + signal boosting external antenna
Transparency mode
To get the first thing out of the way: there’s no active noise-cancelling (ANC). An increasing staple feature in the world of premium in-ears, but we’ve often argued that with a good set of well-fitted in-ears, it’s not as noticeable as it would be on over/on-ear cans. Passively, the T5 II does a good job of blocking out noise thanks to those soft tips.
Pocket-lint
Although ANC isn’t a feature here, you do still get an audio transparency mode, which uses mics around the ‘buds’ casing to let in and amplify noise from around you. Using the Klipsch Connect app you can switch it on and select how much transparency you want – it works pretty well but isn’t always all that effective once you have music playing.
It’s also worth noting that the ‘buds don’t feature any automatic play/pause feature when you remove them from your ears. There’s no proximity sensor for this, which is a bit of a shame.
On the plus side, you do get to pair the T5 II with up to eight different devices – although only one can be connected at a time.
With those external antennae doing their job, we found the wireless connectivity to be very strong. Walking from room to room and leaving the music source where it was, we struggled to make these in-ears drop connection. It’s a similar story with voice calls: you get strong performance here as well, with calls coming through clearly.
Pocket-lint
As battery life goes, it’s very unlikely you’ll ever need to worry about it much. With a maximum of eight hours outside the case, thee T5 II will comfortably get you through your commute to work – well, when we all eventually return to work – and the case will keep recharging in the interim another four times over. That’s well over a full day of non-stop listening time.
Verdict
The first-generation Klipsch T5 was one of our favourite pairs of true wireless earbuds. The second generation takes what was great and refines it, making for a truly stunning pair of ‘buds.
Sure, a few advanced features might be absent – there’s no proximity sensors or active noise-cancelling – but in all the ways that matter, the T5 II performs really well. For music lovers, at this price, you’ll struggle to find anything that sounds better or packaged in as neat and stylish a product.
If you love music, we think you’ll love the sound produced by the Klipsch T5 II. There’s little to rival the quality on offer here.
Also consider
Pocket-lint
Grado T220
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Grado has a similar approach to Klipsch – in that it’s all about the sound – and the T220 sounds fantastic. In fact our first listen left our jaw on the floor, it was that good. It has some downsides though, like a finicky design and sensitive touchpad.
Read the review
Pocket-lint
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
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If you want all the bells and whistles in a great sounding pair of buds, Bose has the ones for you. QC Buds have excellent noise-cancelling, great sound overall, plus a comfortable and secure fit.
If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.
Like many people, I have spent much of the pandemic rekindling my love of bike riding. When I’m out, I usually want to be able to listen to something as I’m riding so I don’t get too bored. The problem, of course, is that blocking noise from the outside world is a very bad idea when you’re on a bike. It’s incredibly dangerous when you’re riding in a city — especially a city with little to no bike infrastructure to protect you from cars.
So I have gone on a short quest to solve this problem with open-ear headphones. Open-ear headphones do exactly what you expect: let you listen to music or podcasts while keeping your ears open for traffic or whatever else is around you.
It turns out that when you’re testing open-ear headphones for riding a bike, your feature priorities are nearly inverted. Sound quality is nice but suddenly way less important than getting a secure fit on (or near) your ear. Noise cancellation is right out — it’s literally the opposite of what we’re going for here. Volume also ends up mattering a lot.
Of the five or six different options I’ve tried, those different priorities drove my decision-making. My top pick doesn’t have great sound, but it’s the least hassle to use while pedaling around.
AfterShokz Aeropex
The best open-ear headphones on a bike: AfterShokz Aeropex
The best headphones to use when you’re biking are the $159.95 AfterShokz Aeropex bone conduction headphones. They work by pressing two fully enclosed “speakers” up against your head right in front of your ears. The audio then travels (conduces) through your literal skull into your eardrums, leaving your actual ears completely open to the world.
There are many reasons not to love bone conduction headphones. While generally comfortable, it does eventually get tiring to have vibrating pods pressed into your head. It’s the sort of feeling you’re not really conscious of until you are, if that makes sense. They have a big band that swoops behind your neck, too, which can get caught on a collar.
I also don’t like that they use a proprietary charger, which I am guaranteed to lose.
AfterShokz Aeropex
Then there’s sound quality, which I’d place somewhere just above the original pack-in Apple wired earbuds and below every decent pair of Bluetooth headphones. The Aeropex headphones sound okay, but mainly that’s relative to other open headphone options.
But again: those priorities are inverted. The Aeropex do look a little silly, but they never interfere with my helmet strap or my glasses (sometimes they’ll get caught up in a mask strap, though). It turns out that the most complicated part of open-ear headphones is the method they use for physically placing the sound next to your ear — and the Aeropex do a great job of it.
You can get loud-ish stereo sound out of them, letting you make sense of podcasts in moderate traffic. Bone conduction isn’t magic, though: when your environment gets truly loud, they’ll be drowned out just like anything else.
If you want to save a little money, AfterShokz makes a few less expensive models (which I haven’t tested). They come in multiple sizes as well, so you may need to try and return one to get a proper fit.
Galaxy Buds PlusPhoto by Chris Welch / The Verge
Use the buds you already have in just one ear: Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus
If you aren’t biking a ton or just don’t feel the need to spend the extra money, there’s a decent chance the wireless earbuds you already own could be a good option for you.
Correction: earbud. It’s really not that safe to wear both earbuds while biking in the city, especially when they either seal up your ear or have some sort of noise cancellation. I personally wouldn’t even recommend using two headphones with a passthrough mode — those features have gone wonky on me too many times.
Your state may even have a law against using two headphones (or headphones at all) while on your bike.
In any case, the move is to just put one earbud into the ear that faces away from where traffic will be — in the US, that’d be your right ear. It leaves your left ear open to hear (and react to) the world around you.
There are lots of pros to this method. You don’t have to spend more money. You can just keep using the buds you already have. And if it’s an ear-sealing style of bud, it should mean that you don’t need to turn the volume up super loud to be able to hear it.
The cons should be obvious: when it comes to sound quality, you’re getting half of stereo (or, if your phone is smart enough to realize it’s connected to only one bud, proper mono). That’s good enough for podcasts, but might be frustrating for music. There’s also the fact that you’re using one earbud much more than the other, which could mean it has a shorter overall life span.
If you’re wondering which earbud is best for this method, my advice is to go for the Galaxy Buds Plus. They secure into your ear with a solid seal and they have a long battery life. Most importantly, though: no stem. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had an AirPod go skittering across the pavement because I wasn’t careful enough with my helmet strap. The Buds Plus offer the best balance of price, sound quality, battery life, a secure fit, and most importantly: not sticking out of your ear, ready to be knocked out.
There are lots of other earbuds you could use, but again the most important thing here is that they fit securely to your ear even when there’s other stuff taking up space behind it: mask straps, helmet straps, or glasses.
Bose Sport Open Earbuds
Custom open-ear headphones: Bose Sport Open Earbuds
The headphones that actually inspired me to go find something I could use while riding were the recently announced $199.95 Bose Sport Open Earbuds. In theory, these would have been perfect. In practice, they were a big disappointment.
Good stuff first: the Bose Open Earbuds sound great. Bose, it turns out, appears to know a thing or two about acoustics. These work differently than bone conduction headsets or traditional earbuds. There’s a large ear hook that floats the speaker module directly above your ear hole, pointing sound waves right at it.
The combination of the speaker’s proximity and its relative size means that Bose can get great sound despite leaving your ears open to the world. They do a very good job of overcoming ambient traffic noise, too.
Unfortunately, they did an absolutely awful job of staying on my ear. I admit that everybody’s ears are different so they might work for you — but for me they were hard to fit on and went flying off all the time.
Bose Sport Open Earbuds
They also suffer from a problem I’ve mentioned before: we’ve got more stuff hitting our ears now than ever. Eyeglass or sunglass temples and these earbuds do not mix. Neither do mask straps or bike helmet straps.
Even so, I hung on to the Bose Open Earbuds with the idea that I might use them at home or in the office. I really do like wearing open earbuds around the house. It’s much less fatiguing that sticking an earbud into your ear canal or wearing a heavy set of cans. It’s also easier to just pause it and talk to people.
Alas, the Bose Open Earbuds are terrible for office or working from home because they utterly fail to support multiple devices. They do the thing where if they’re connected to your computer and you want to switch them to your phone, you have to manually disconnect them from the computer first.
There may be people who don’t care about any of those problems and who have the right ear shape for these headphones — and I will admit I am jealous of them. These sound better than they have any right to, but when I’m on a bike, sound quality simply isn’t at the top of the priority list.
Headphones in your glasses: Bose Frames Tempo
When I reviewed the Echo Frames from Amazon, I realized that simply having little always-available and unobtrusive Bluetooth headphones is great. It sounds dumb, but not having to put in or take out headphones changes your relationship to audio — it’s just always available, always there when you want it.
Unfortunately, I’ve yet to find a set of glasses with Bluetooth speakers that don’t have some kind of significant compromise. With the Echo Frames, it was battery life (and, well, looks).
With the Bose Frames, it’s a much simpler problem: I’d like to use headphones in situations where sunglasses don’t make sense.
I’m not against “single-tasker” tech solutions to problems, but the $249.95 Bose Frames take it too far. You can get different lenses for them, but they’re really not the sort of thing you’ll want to use outside of some specific contexts. Bose has other styles, but all of them are very much techie speaker eyeglasses instead of subtle.
Sena R1 Evo bike helmet
Speakers in your bike helmet: Sena R1 Evo
The $159 Sena R1 Evo smart helmet is one of the gadgetiest gadgets you can gadget on your bike. It’s a bike helmet that includes:
A local, nine-channel mesh intercom system
Bluetooth “headphones”
An FM Radio
A blinky tail light
A voice-driven interface (for some reason)
A companion smartphone app
I own and use the Sena R1 Evo as my bike helmet and I’m here to tell you that the first feature I mentioned, the mesh intercom, is great. The rest? Not so much.
The mesh intercom just uses local radio to keep an open channel with other, compatible Sena systems. When you’re riding along, you can simply talk and hear other people you’re riding with as long as you’re relatively close (I’d say less than a third of a mile with line of sight, less without line of sight). It’s so much more convenient than needing to get within talking or shouting distance to have a conversation.
The rest of the features are less impressive. The problem with the Sena system is that the speakers are simply too far away from your ears and too quiet to be audible when there’s ambient noise. Out on a quiet trail: awesome. In a city: nope.
The smartphone app doesn’t look very modern, but it does the job of configuring the helmet with your FM stations and preferred mesh intercom channels. The built-in smart assistant (“Hey Sena”) is sadly a mess. I triggered it accidentally more often than intentionally and when I did want it to work, it had a difficult time recognizing my voice commands.
I can’t speak to its safety specs, but it’s not MIPS if that matters to you. The taillight on the helmet is also fairly dim, I wouldn’t consider it a replacement for a proper taillight on your bike or back. I should also note that you can’t have music and the mesh intercom on at the same time, you have to switch modes manually.
Despite all that, I like this helmet and will keep using it — especially since my partner and I often go riding together.
Open-ear headphone options
Using a Bluetooth speaker strapped to your bike
I mean if you want to annoy everybody else around on you, it’s a choice.
“The serendipity of the time [Animal Crossing: New Horizons] came out is ridiculous,” says Lex Roberts, curator of the UK National Videogame Museum’s Animal Crossing Diaries. The project aims to capture “the cultural phenomenon that followed the release of Animal Crossing … in March 2020, just as the world was transformed by the pandemic.”
New Horizons has been inextricably associated with COVID-19, with early reviews making mention of how much we all needed an escape as lockdowns and quarantines suddenly became our lives. As it became apparent that social distancing would be around for a long time, the game became the location of weddings, memorials, protests, and political campaigning, to name just a few.
But it’s not possible to experience the same New Horizons as the one everyone was playing in the spring of 2020. “You can’t play the game and understand how people used it and what the experience of playing it in the [early days of the] pandemic was,” says Roberts.
Kelsey Lewin, co-director of the Video Game History Foundation, notes that the social experience has changed as people have moved on. “[Early on], a co-worker from six years ago just kind of randomly wandered into my town, because everyone was playing and my gates were open,” she says. “If you were to just randomly show up unannounced to someone’s island [now], it’s not going to be taken in the same way.”
“What’s important for the future is making sure that we have some kind of record of what the game was like in these moments of time,” she says. That’s what the National Videogame Museum is aiming for, and that requires more than just being able to access a Nintendo Switch and a game cartridge.
“It’s something that we’ve wanted to do at the Museum for a little while,” says its marketing and communications lead Conor Clarke. “A lot of video game history and preservation looks at the technological advancement of games and doesn’t really cast too much of an eye at the cultural history around games.”
The serendipity of New Horizons’ release date was their opportunity to try something new. The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, a grant-making charity, asked for cultural heritage organizations to “collect the history as it’s happening,” says Clarke, and the museum’s application to use the game for that purpose was successful.
“Playing a game is not necessarily the best way of understanding a game,” says Roberts. Instead, the open call asks for whatever kind of data volunteers might want to offer up. “We’ve had … audio recordings, we’ve had video recordings of people speaking to camera, we’ve had people writing diary entries of their experience, photo diaries of ‘this is the progression of my island over the last year.’ We’ve had some really interesting essays of people really reflecting on their experience and things that have happened.”
Lewin and Roberts both emphasize the value of paying attention to the ordinary within the turbulence of 2020. “It’s really important that we were able to capture the protests and all of the huge pandemic-related events … that have been expressed in AC, but also the everyday. We’re really keen to not miss out on those everyday experiences like the date nights and hanging out with friends,” says Roberts. They give an example of an entry where the person’s Joy-Con had broken, meaning they started playing on the television while in lockdown with their family. “It meant that their family started to see what they were doing … and the parents got really into it.”
“There’s so much more than what gets reported on happening that is still very meaningful,” says Lewin. “What’s going to be important is that we’ve documented what it was like to play … what was going on at the time, what was the context, what was the community interested in and talking about, and what were the social dynamics that were going on.”
This is something that in some ways is easier today than it used to be. “Because people weren’t interviewing children on playgrounds back then, if you’re talking about a game from the ‘80s or something, [magazines] are really all we have,” says Lewin. “But Twitter is the new playground discussion, right?”
This is, at least in part, what digital humanities aims to explore, though scholars Quinn Dombrowski and Liz Grumbach say a complete definition is evasive. “If we put it in our own words then as many people will disagree as agree,” laughs Dombrowski, who works in the department of literatures, cultures, and languages at Stanford.
Grumbach, who leads the Digital Humanities Initiative at Arizona State University, obligingly gives it her best shot. “What I usually say is that it is either using digital tools to explore something that humanists would research or it is using humanities methodologies to explore the digital… or it is both at the same time. And when it’s both at the same time is when it’s really, really cool.”
The two have been running a series of lightning talks where other scholars in the digital humanities have been invited to speak from within Dombrowski’s Animal Crossing island. Attendees can either visit in the game or watch on Twitch. Though the talks typically aren’t about Animal Crossing itself, they have some insight into why it might have become so popular especially during the early months of the pandemic.
“I think what Animal Crossing does so well is that it captures the feeling of travel in a time where we cannot travel to see the people that we care about,” says Grumbach. She and Dombrowski are old friends, and they discovered that playing Animal Crossing “feels like we’re hanging out,” in a way that’s more personable than a voice or video call, or even other virtual spaces that try to simulate physical ones, like Gather. The island setting helps; Grumbach calls it a “really joyful environment.”
“One of the things that I like about Animal Crossing compared to some of those other platforms is the fact that it’s personal,” adds Dombrowski. “When you go to someone’s island, this is something that they’ve spent a lot of time putting together just the way they like it … and you can water their plants for them, and their physical digital presence is something where they’ve customized the way they look.”
The idea of putting together a COVID archive was a popular one in the digital humanities last March. Though Grumbach and Dombrowski do caution that there are potential ethical considerations around asking people to process these events while simultaneously sharing them for analysis and consumption, the former highlighted Arizona State’s Journal of the Plague Year,and the latter has also written some of their own thoughts about playing New Horizons during the pandemic.
Coming up on the anniversary, museum researchers are beginning to think about what kind of exhibition they’ll put together with the data they’ve gathered. “We tried really, really hard when we opened this project up not to make assumptions about what people would submit, so we haven’t planned the exhibition,” says Roberts. “So that’s a really exciting next stage.”
They’ve been considering themes as submissions roll in, mentioning examples like a recent collection on love they put together for Valentine’s Day, people expressing creativity through filmmaking and comics, as well as how people have formed relationships with the non-playable villagers in the game. And, echoing Dombrowski and Grumbach, they note that many submissions appear to view New Horizons as a specific place in a way that other social games, like Mario Kart, wouldn’t be.
The museum hopes that this will be a springboard for more cultural history projects in the future. “We’re constantly looking at … different ways of exhibiting games history,” says Clarke. “We’re constantly trying to innovate and try new things there because it’s a really interesting topic. Video games are a really difficult topic to exhibit!”
“You just have to think about: what is going to be important to know about this game in 100 years? What is it that we want to keep? And not an easy question to answer,” Lewin says. “But if we want to do a good job of actually preserving video game history, those are the questions we need to be asking.”
“I think it’s imperative to be gathering and collecting all of this stuff now before we’re trying to scramble and find it and pick up the pieces later.”
(Pocket-lint) – Google offers the Nest Hub Max and second generation Nest Hub, as the two devices within its smart display portfolio. The second generation Nest Hub succeeds the older Nest Hub, formerly known as Google Home Hub, which you might find cheap now.
With a very similar design apart from physical size, how do Google’s two Nest Hub’s compare? Here are the similarities and differences. You can read how the old Nest Hub and new Nest Hub compare in our separate feature.
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What’s the same?
Design
Interface
Main features
The Google Nest Hub Max and the original and second generation Google Nest Hubs all feature the same design with a screen with white bezels that offers the appearance of floating on the speaker base. The second generation Nest Hub has an edgeless screen however, while the Nest Hub Max and Next Hub both have a lip at the edge of their displays.
A microphone on/off button is positioned at the top on the rear of the three devices – this button also turns the camera off on the Nest Hub Max – while volume controls are on the left on the rear.
The three devices feature the same interface and they offer many of the same features including smart home control, built-in Chromecast support, Google Assistant and its range of offerings, the ability to use them as a digital photo frame, as well as the ability to watch YouTube, Netflix and Disney+.
What’s different between the Nest Hub Max and the Nest Hub?
Despite offering a very similar design, interface and features, there are a few differences between the Google Nest Hub Max, the second generation Google Nest Hub and the original Nest Hub.
Display
Nest Hub Max: 10-inch, 16:10, HD, touchscreen
New Nest Hub/Nest Hub: 7-inch, LCD, touchscreen
The Google Nest Hub Max has a 10-inch touchscreen display, putting it in the same category as the Amazon Echo Show.
The Google Nest Hub and second generation Nest Hub meanwhile, have a smaller 7-inch touchscreen LCD display, falling into a similar category to the smaller Echo Show 8.
Size
Nest Hub Max: 250.1 x 182.55 x 101.23mm
New Nest Hub/Nest Hub: 178.5 x 118 x 67.3mm
As the Google Nest Hub Max has a larger display, it is unsurprisingly a larger device overall too.
The increase in size makes the Hub Max the better device for viewing content from across the room, while the second generation Nest Hub and original Nest Hub are better suited for a bedside table, for example.
Sound
Nest Hub Max: 2.1 speaker arrangement
New Nest Hub/Nest Hub: Full-range speaker
The larger footprint of the Google Nest Hub Max allows for a 2.1 speaker arrangement compared to the second generation Nest Hub and original Nest Hub’s full-range speaker.
It means you get bigger sound from the Nest Hub Max and while the sound of the Nest Hub Max doesn’t match that of speakers like the Sonos One, it is a big improvement on the Nest Hub. The second generation Nest Hub does offer 50 per cent more bass than the original Nest Hub though so its sound should be closer to the Hub Max.
Camera
Nest Hub Max: Built-in 6.5MP Nest camera
New Nest Hub/Nest Hub: No camera
The Google Nest Hub Max has a camera at the top of the display, which the second generation Nest Hub and original Nest Hub do not. In place of a camera, the second generation Nest Hub and original Nest Hub have an ambient sensor to adjust the display brightness according to its surroundings.
The camera on the Nest Hub Max is a Nest camera, which means it offers most of the same features as the Nest Cam IQ, including intruder alerts if you have a Nest Aware account. There are no familiar face alerts however, and no night vision, but the camera within the Nest Hub Max is still an excellent addition for those that want the advantage of a security camera too.
Without a Nest Aware account, you can still see what’s happening in the room you place the Nest Hub Max into, as well as use it for Google Duo video calls and Face Match for up to six people. It also allows for gestures like holding your hand up to pause or play audio, which is great in use.
Features
Nest Hub Max: Google Assistant, YouTube/Netflix/Disney+, Chromecast, smart home control, digital photo frame, music, Duo audio and video calls, gestures, Face Match, security camera
New Nest Hub: Google Assistant, YouTube/Netflix/Disney+, Chromecast, smart home control, digital photo frame, music, Duo audio calls, gestures, sleep tracking
Old Nest Hub: Google Assistant, YouTube/Netflix/Disney+, Chromecast, smart home control, digital photo frame, music, Duo audio calls
The Google Nest Hub Max, second generation Nest Hub and original Nest Hub offer many of the same features, including control of any compatible smart home devices, access to YouTube, Netflix and Disney+, displaying Google Photos, playing music, and the plethora of features offered by Google Assistant.
The Nest Hub Max has a couple of extra features thanks to that built-in Nest camera. You’ll not only be able to take part in Duo video calls but the Nest Hub Max doubles up as a security camera too, whilst also offering Face Match and gesture control, as we mentioned above.
The second generation Nest Hub also offers some additional features over the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max however. It doesn’t have a camera, but it features Google’s Soli chip inside, which not only allows for Quick Gestures like the Nest Hub Max, but it also offers sleep tracking when placed on a bedside table. You can read more about the sleep tracking feature in our separate feature.
Price
Nest Hub Max: £219
New Nest Hub: £89.99
The Google Nest Hub Max usually costs £219 in the UK, but you get quite a lot for the extra £130 over the cost of the second generation Nest Hub.
The original Nest Hub was priced at £139 when it first launched, but its price then dropped to £79.99 in the UK. You’ll likely find it cheaper now the second generation Nest Hub has launched.
The second generation Nest Hub goes on sale for £89.99 in the UK. It is available to pre-order now.
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Colours
Nest Hub Max: Chalk and Charcoal
Nest Hub: Chalk, Charcoal, Aqua and Sand
New Nest Hub: Chalk, Charcoal, Mist and Sand
The Google Nest Hub Max is available in Chalk and Charcoal colours.
The original Google Nest Hub is available in four colours, including Chalk and Charcoal, as well as Aqua and Sand.
The second generation Nest Hub is available in four colours, including Chalk, Charcoal and Sand like the original, as well as Mist.
Conclusion
The Google Nest Hub Max is pretty much a larger, more expensive version of the 7-inch Nest Hub, but it adds a few extra, useful features for the increase in price. The second generation Nest Hub has some extra, but different features compared to the Nest Hub Max however.
The Nest Hub Max’s built-in camera not only offers video calling through Google Duo, but it doubles up as a great security camera, whilst also offering gesture control and Face Match for up to six people, both of which are excellent features.
The second generation Nest Hub meanwhile, has the Soli radar chip on board to also offer gesture controls like the Nest Hub Max, as well as sleep tracking when on a bedside table.
The decision between these devices will therefore likely come down to where you want to put your Google-made smart display, as well as what you want to use it for. For the bedroom, the smaller Nest Hub is perfect for a bedside table with sleep tracking an added bonus, whereas the Nest Hub Max is an excellent addition to a kitchen or living room.
(Pocket-lint) – Google has launched a second generation Nest Hub, which succeeds the three-year old Nest Hub and sits alongside the Nest Hub Max. The name stays the same – Nest Hub – though you’ll find it called new Nest Hub, Nest Hub second generation and Nest Hub 2 in this feature to help differentiate it from the older model.
We’ve put the specifications of the new Nest Hub against the old Nest Hub to see what has changed and what are the differences are.
Design and display
Old Nest Hub: 7-inch floating display, fabric-covered base, three colours
New Nest Hub: 7-inch floating display, fabric-covered base, four colours
The Google Nest Hub features a 7-inch floating display that sits on a fabric-covered speaker base. It measures 178.5 x 118 x 67.3mm and it weighs 480g.
At the top of the LCD touchscreen display is an Ambient EQ Light Sensor and far field microphones, while the back of the display features volume controls and a toggle to turn the microphone on or off. There’s also a power port.
The new Google Nest Hub has a very similar design to the Nest Hub, though it makes some refinements. There’s a floating display with a fabric-covered base, an Ambient EQ Light Sensor and far field microphones, but there isn’t a lip around the display on the new Hub, making for a more seamless finish.
You’ll find the volume controls and switch to turn off the microphone on the back though so as with the Nest Mini and Google Mini, it’s mainly internals that have changed from the original Hub, aside from some small changes.
The Nest Hub comes in Chalk and Charcoal colour options in the UK, as well as a Sand option in the US. The second generation Nest Hub is available in four options, comprising Chalk, Charcoal, Sand and Mist.
Hardware and specs
Nest Hub: Full-range speaker, two-mic array, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
The Google Nest Hub comes with a full-range speaker, along with a two microphone array. It offers both Wi-Fi support and Bluetooth 5.0 and it has Chromecast built-in and support for multi-room audio.
The second generation Google Nest Hub offers an improvement in audio quality, with Google claiming it delivers 50 per cent more bass than the original Nest Hub. It’s also thought to have moved to a three-microphone array, which should make for a better experience when using Google Assistant and puts it in line with the Nest Mini and Nest Audio.
The new Nest Hub also features Google’s Soli chip, which will be used for sleep tracking and gesture controls, and it also has Thread on board – like the Nest Hub Max – which should make controlling some smart home devices easier.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on board again for the Nest Hub 2, as well as Chromecast support and multi-room audio.
Features
Old Nest Hub: Google Assistant, Translator mode, smart home control, music, YouTube, Netflix
New Nest Hub: Additional sleep tracking, gesture controls
The Google Nest Hub offers a number of features, including things like translator mode, the ability to watch Netlflix, control smart home devices, listen to music, watch YouTube, read news, and everything that comes with Google Assistant of course. It can also be used as a digital photo frame.
The Nest Hub 2 offers everything the current Nest Hub does but with a couple of additional features. The Nest Hub second generation is able to track your sleep thanks to the Soli chip when on a bedside table, which will then link to Google Fit. The feature is called Sleep Sensing and it uses Motion Sense enabled by Soli to detect movement and analyse movement and breathing.
Sleep Sensing can also help you detect sleep disturbances like coughing and snoring, as well as light and temperature changes in the room to better understand what could be impacting the way you sleep.
Additionally, the Nest Hub 2 has Quick Gestures, or gesture controls like the Nest Hub Max, allowing you to raise your hand to pause a track for example. Thread is also on board, meaning the Nest Hub 2 should make controlling compatible smart home devices easier.
Price and conclusion
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The Google Nest Hub 2 offers an identical design to its predecessor, but makes improvements on the hardware and feature side of things.
The audio quality is said to have improved and features like gesture controls and sleep tracking should make an already great device, even more useful.
In terms of price, the Nest Hub 2 costs £89.99 in the UK, which is less than what the original Nest Hub launched at. It means it continues to be a cheaper option to the Nest Hub Max and an option without a camera.
It’s worth noting that if you’re not interested in the extra features or improvements to audio that the Next Hub 2 offers, you might find the original Nest Hub at a great price now.
You can read all the details surrounding the Nest Hub 2 in our separate feature.
(Pocket-lint) – Google’s second generation Nest Hub features a similar design to its predecessor, along with a few improvements and extra features. Its size puts it in direct competition with Amazon’s Echo Show 8, but which should you buy?
We’ve compared the Google Nest Hub to the Amazon Echo Show 8 to help you work out how they differ in terms of design and features, and which might be the right one for you and your home.
Design and display
Nest Hub: 7-inch display, four colours
Echo Show 8: 200.4 x 135.9 x 99.1mm, 8-inch display, two colours
The Google Nest Hub has a very similar design to its predecessor, offering a 7-inch floating display on top of a fabric-covered speaker base. The display is edgeless, ditching the lip found on the original Nest Hub, but it still offers a white bezel surrounding the LCD screen on all colour options.
At the top of the display is the Ambient EQ Light Sensor and far-field microphones, while a volume toggle is positioned on the rear of the display, as well as a microphone mute physical toggle switch and power port. The Nest Hub comes in Chalk, Charcoal, Sand and Mist colour options.
The Amazon Echo Show 8 meanwhile, has an 8-inch display with a triangular-shaped, fabric-covered speaker on the rear. The display has a slight lip at the edge, but it’s a neat and compact design overall. Colour options are black and white, with the bezel surrounding the display respective to each colour.
There’s a front-facing camera in the top right of the display within the bezel, while the top of the device has a camera cover toggle, microphone on/off button, volume up and down buttons and microphones. There’s also a power port and 3.5mm audio output on the rear.
Echo Show 8: 2-inch speaker with passive bass radiator, 4 mics, 1MP front camera
The Google Nest Hub has a full-range speaker on board, which is said to offer 50 per cent more bass than the original Nest Hub. There are three far-field microphones – like the Nest Audio and Nest Mini – and there’s an Ambient EQ Light Sensor.
The Nest Hub also features Thread – allowing for easy control of compatible smarthome devices – and importantly, it comes with Google’s Soli radar chip, which allows for gesture control and sleep tracking.
The Amazon Echo Show 8 has 2-inch speakers with a passive bass radiator. It has four microphones on board, and it also has a 1-megapixel front camera with built-in cover as we mentioned.
The Echo Show 8 runs on the MediaTek MT8163 processor and there is a 3.5mm audio output.
Both the Nest Hub and the Echo Show 8 feature Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Features
Nest Hub: Google Assistant, digital photo frame, Netflix/Disney+/YouTube, Quick Gestures, sleep tracking
Echo Show 8: Amazon Alexa, digital photo frame, Netflix/Prime Video, video calling, Alexa calling
The Google Nest Hub runs Google Assistant so it offers all the features that brings with it, including setting timers, playing music, using the translator mode, checking the weather, finding out the news etc. You can also watch Netflix, Disney+ or YouTube on the Nest Hub, use it as a digital photo frame, control smart home devices and audio call through Google Duo.
Thanks to the Soli radar chip on board, the Nest Hub offers support for Quick Gestures – allowing you to raise a hand to pause music for example – and it also offers sleep tracking when placed on a bedside table for the person closest to the display. Sleep information will appear on the device in the morning, as well as through Google Fit.
The Amazon Echo Show 8 runs Amazon Alexa, and all the features that come with Alexa, which like Google Assistant include timers, music, weather, jokes, news and games. You can also watch Prime Video or Netflix on the Echo Show 8, use it as a digital photo frame and control smart home devices.
The camera on board the Echo Show 8 enables you to video call friends and family, but the Echo Show 8 also offers Alexa calling, allowing users to call any friends or family with an Echo device or the Alexa app.
Both the Google Nest Hub and Amazon Echo Show 8 support multi-room audio, though only the Nest Hub offers Chromecast built-in.
Price
The Google Nest Hub is available to pre-order now and costs £89.99. As mentioned, it comes in four colour options: Chalk, Charcoal, Sand and Mist.
The Amazon Echo Show 8 costs £79.99. It comes in two colour options: Black and White.
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Conclusion
The Google Nest Hub and Amazon Echo Show 8 are similar in terms of what they offer, with a couple of differences, but the main difference is the Nest Hub runs on Google Assistant and the Echo Show 8 runs on Alexa.
If you already have Google Assistant-enabled speakers, then you’ll likely want to stick with it and therefore the Nest Hub will be the one for you, while those with Alexa will likely want the Echo Show 8.
If you’re new to the smart display arena, then the Nest Hub offers some interesting features over the Echo Show 8 in terms of sleep tracking, gesture control, the ability to watch Disney+ and the Thread protocol for easier smarthome control. The Echo Show 8 has a larger display though, as well as Alexa calling and video calling thanks to the built-in camera.
Logitech’s latest earbuds, a $50 model called the G333, are unremarkable in terms of design, with a flat cable that houses an inline remote and mic, swappable silicone ear tips, and the ability to connect to gadgets via a 3.5mm jack. What makes them stand out is the included 3.5mm-to-USB-C adapter.
If your phone or other audio device lacks a headphone jack but has a USB-C port to spare, you’re all set to plug in with this model. With the adapter attached, I had no issues hooking up the G333 to my 3.5mm-less Pixel 3, my Nintendo Switch, or through a USB-C port on the MacBook Pro I use for work. Also included with these earbuds are two additional sizes of silicone ear tips and a small mesh carrying case.
The G333 looks almost identical to Logitech’s other two gaming earbuds: the $50 G333 VR headphones (which are certified for the Oculus Quest 2) and the $50 Astro A03 earbuds. The added value here is the USB-C adapter, which is included for the same price. So if you’re trying to decide between them, the new G333 are the most feature-packed for the price.
Each set of Logitech’s G333 includes a 3.5mm-to-USB-C adapter, swappable ear tips, and a small mesh carrying case.Image: Logitech
The G333 earbuds seem to have the same dual dynamic drivers as those aforementioned models, and their overall performance was similar in my testing. If you aren’t expecting much (considering the price), I think you’ll be impressed with their sound quality. There’s plenty of bass, but it doesn’t muddle the sound. My biggest nitpick against them is that the silicone ear tips don’t always want to stay in my ears.
Logitech’s new earbuds will be available in three colorways: black with blue details, dark purple with neon yellow detailing, and lastly, silver with light purple detailing.
(Pocket-lint) – For 2021 it seems like Asus is going after competitive gamers with the 2021 versions of the ROG Strix G15 and G17. The G15 is now not only more compact than the previous model, but also boasts Nvidia’s RTX 3000 series graphics cards. Something that’s notoriously hard to get hold of in the desktop world.
On paper, the ROG Strix G15 (G513) is a gaming beast with some great options, whether you favour fast screens or stunning visuals. That’s because not only is there a lot of power under the hood, it’s also specced with a choice of Full HD 300Hz or a WQHD 165Hz panel.
The aim to create either gaming powerhouses or the ultimate portable e-sport machines depending on your preference. Or maybe both? We’ve been living with, working with, and gaming with the Strix G15 for a couple of weeks to see how it all stacks up.
Power and prowess
Up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Max Q 8GB GDDR6 GPU
Up to AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU
Up to 32GB DDR4 3200MHz SDRAM
Up to 1TB M2 NVMe storage
Don’t be fooled by the compact-yet-snazzy frame of Asus ROG Strix G15 – this is still a powerhouse of a gaming machine. It needs to be as well, in order to reach the lofty goals Asus is aiming for and, of course, to make the most of the 300Hz refresh rate screen (as specified for this review).
On the outside, the Strix G15 retains the usual Asus ROG aesthetic. It boasts an aluminium chassis, a textured finish with ROG logo etching, and a backlit keyboard with RGB underlighting. It’s compact and stylish – but beauty is more than skin deep as the goodness continues when you open the lid and turn the device on.
As you’d expect, the G15 uses NVMe storage, so it boots to Windows in the blink of an eye when you press that power button. Your experience is going to vary depending on whether you go for the WQHD (1440p) model or the Full HD (1080p) one, but even at 1080p we were struck by just how easy-on-the-eye the panel is.
It’s rich and vivid. But more importantly, it’s fast and accurate. With Armoury Crate, you can also adjust the visuals and switch between several pre-programmed settings including Vivid, Cinema, RTS, FPS, and Eye Care. That last one is our favourite for working during the day as it reduces the blue light and makes the screen easier on the eye while you’re beavering away.
Gaming goodness
Display options: Full HD 1080p 300Hz IPS // WQHD 1440p 165Hz, 3ms response
62.5% sRGB, 47.34% Adobe RGB, Adaptive Sync
Benchmarks: PC Mark, TimeSpy, TimeSpy Extreme, Port Royale, FireStrike Ultra, FireStrike Extreme
The screen really shines when you get into a good gaming session of course. If you opt for the 300Hz panel, you can push competitive games to their limit and theoretically make the most of the display’s nifty fast refresh rate.
We played Rainbow Six Siege at around 200fps on Max settings. We managed 66fps average on Dirt 5, 80fps on Far Cry 5, 60-70fps on Assassin’s Creed Odyessy. Even outputting to a 32-inch Samsung Odyssey G7, the G15 still did the business with comparable frame rates.
Other games, including CS:Go and Apex Legends, are bound to make the most of this panel too.
Connection options and downfalls
3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (support Display Port & 100w PD Charger)
1x LAN RJ-45 Ethernet jack, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x audio combo jack
Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax (2×2), Bluetooth w/ support for Range Boost
One of our niggles with the Strix G15 is the connection options. While there are some highlights – there’s an Ethernet port, for example – it lacks a Display Port or Display Port Mini connection unless you have a DP to USB-C adapter.
It also doesn’t have a webcam as standard. We begrudge that in a world where everyone’s on Zoom calls or Microsoft Teams meetings. Yes, it could be countered by simply buying an external webcam but that’s more expense. It also means you’d be using up one of the precious few USB ports as well. Plug in a mouse (no right-minded gamer would use a trackpad), headset and external keyboard and you’ve barely got any ports left.
That said, a nice amount of thought has been put into the overall design. The USB ports are located on the left and rear, meaning if you do plug in a gaming mouse you won’t find cables getting in the way while you play.
Great sound and positional audio too
Up to Twin 4W Smart Amp speakers
Built-in array microphone
Dolby Atmos compatibility
AI microphone noise cancellation
Compact and thin gaming laptops usually run hot and loud in our experience. Sometimes painfully so. The Strix G15 is intelligently designed with excellent cooling vents that seem to keep it running cool under pressure.
It has various different fan modes too, all of which can be switched to from within the Armoury Crate software. Choose from Windows, Silent, Performance and Turbo modes. Under general use, the Strix G15 is pleasantly quiet and barely ramps up when watching video, surfing the web or working away.
Under gaming load it remains fairly quiet too. This is in part thanks to Nvidia’s Whisper Mode technology, which uses AI-powered analysis to adjust cooling to keep things quiet as well as cool. Of course, if you need power for the best performance then you can ramp things up with Turbo and Performance modes. These bring more frames per second potential – but also more fan noise.
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We’re happy to report that even under pressure the Strix G15 is not only quieter than other gaming laptops we’ve tried, but the speakers also do a great job of overpowering any noise from the fan sufficiently enough to not spoil your gaming fun.
Those speakers are also smashing in other ways. They’re great sounding and deliver satisfying audio whatever you’re doing. A two-way AI-noise cancellation mic also removes fan noise and background noise from your chat as well – whether you’re on a work call or gaming with friends.
Battery longevity
90WHr 4-cell li-ion battery
240W AC adapter, 100W PD Charger via USB-C
Despite its compact frame, the G15 packs in some neat battery charging tech that includes the ability to fast-charge for as much as 50 per cent power in just 30 minutes at the plug.
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But the highlight for us is under standard, everyday load – browsing and working – we managed to get between five to six hours out of it before it needed charging. That’s great capacity and pleasing if you’re away from a plug or just want to work wire-free around the home.
Unlike other models we’ve tried, the Strix G15 is also capable of playing games when not plugged in with semi-decent performance. We managed to play Rainbow Six Siege at between 30-60fps while unplugged and other casual or less taxing games like Valheim will run nicely too.
Verdict
The Asus ROG Strix G15 is a great bit of kit that’s solidly built and powerful enough to make light work of modern games.
It doesn’t annoy with excessive fan noise, instead delighting with visual pleasures and audible goodness. The battery life means you can happily work all day too. Indeed, about the only irks are the limited connections and lack of webcam.
All told, the ROG Strix G15 is a great gaming device with far more delights than downfalls. It’s one of the best gaming laptops we’ve seen to date.
Also consider
Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15
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If you want something even slimmer and with extra screens then look no further than Zephyrus Duo 15. It runs a bit hotter but it’s also a really pleasing laptop whether you’re working or trying to be gaming productive.
Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 (GX550) review: Too hot to handle?
Gigabyte Aorus 17X
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If you don’t mind your laptop being a bit fatter, then the Gigabyte Aorus 17X is an interesting choice as well. It’s designed as a desktop replacement with some serious power under the hood. It also has great highlights including a mechanical keyboard and AI designed to help tune performance.
(Pocket-lint) – Arlo is a big name in home security, with a wide range of cameras, so extending its offering to the front door makes a lot of sense.
Having originally launched an Audio Doorbell – which connected to an Arlo system – the obvious leap was to integrate video and audio to make it a complete doorbell viewing and answering solution, either as part of a wider Arlo system or as a standalone device to rival Ring.
Which is exactly what you get with the Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wire-Free. But is it good enough to stand up against the competiton?
Design and installation
Doorbell dimensions: 47 x 143 x 37mm
Includes flat & angled mounting plates
Weather-resistant design
Battery powered
We’ve all become familiar with video doorbells following the rise of Ring, which dominates this market. The Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wire-Free is larger than Ring’s equivalent device, so it’s a little less subtle on the door, standing out more. It’s both taller and thicker than Ring’s devices.
At the top of the Arlo sits the camera, while the large doorbell button is towards the bottom, encircled with LEDs which illuminate as someone approaches it.
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The Arlo doorbell comes with both flat and angled mounting plates in the box, along with screws and plugs if you are mounting to a wall. In reality you can use any screws, but mounting is a simple case of screwing the mounting plate in place and then clipping the body of the device into place.
The camera body itself detaches from the backing plate via a pin release mechanism, the sort of thing you’d use to open a SIM tray of a phone. That needs to be considered when mounting, as you’ll need access to this hole on the top. That also means that anyone who wants to steal it only needs a bent pin, but they’d be doing that while being captured on camera.
The device is weatherproofed, too, designed to withstand rain.
Unlike with Ring, you’ll have to remove the entire Arlo unit to get to the battery inside. In some ways that’s easier, because you don’t have to mess around with a tiny screw or face plate. You can buy spare batteries too, making a quick change possible.
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The battery version of the Arlo Doorbell can also be connected to existing doorbell wiring, with connectors on the rear – although we didn’t test this aspect of the device.
The Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wire-Free doesn’t come with a chime – i.e. the ability to sound a ringer elsewhere in your home – so that’s something else you might consider adding. That will mean it can audibly ring in any room of your house, so you’re not dependent on your phone, or hearing the sound from the device itself on the front door. But also consider you can have it alert you via an Amazon Echo if you create a simple Alexa Routine.
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Connectivity and the Arlo app
Hub or Wi-Fi connection
Setup via the Arlo app
No desktop app
Connecting to the Arlo Video Doorbell is much the same as connecting any other Arlo device. You’ll need to use the Arlo app on your phone or tablet and this will walk you through the process for both installing the doorbell and getting it connected.
The Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wire-Free can connect to either Wi-Fi or an Arlo hub. Supporting Wi-Fi means you don’t have to be an existing Arlo system user to get started. If you have a hub and want to connect to that you also have that choice. The advantage of connecting to an existing hub is that you’ll then have the option for local video storage on microSD – so you don’t have to then have an Arlo Smart subscription to store video.
The doorbell then appears within the Arlo app. If you’re an existing Arlo user, that means it will sit alongside your other Arlo devices; if you’re new to Arlo and only plan to use have the doorbell then that’s all you’ll see in the app.
The app then gives you all the controls you’ll need for the device. That includes the option to disable the LEDs on the button when motion is detected, manage what happens when someone pushes the doorbell, change the video settings, set activity zones, and adjust the audio.
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You also get control over the mode that you’ll use for the Video Doorbell. These will be familiar to Arlo users, but on the doorbell they only really define what happens when motion is detected. You might choose to remove motion alerts when you’re at home, in which case you can “disarm” the doorbell, keep them on all the time using “armed”, or have them turn on when you leave home using geofencing or according to a schedule – such as only at night.
You can create custom modes too, which will be more relevant to those with existing Arlo devices. It’s here that you can create a mode that, for example, turns on your Arlo Light when motion is detected on the Doorbell, or begins capture on another Arlo camera you might have.
This gives plenty of flexibility for what happens from Arlo’s end, but it’s worth noting that because you can link Arlo to other major smart home platforms – like Alexa, Google Home and SmartThings – you can also set up Routines on those platforms involving other devices. For example, turning on a Hue light when your Arlo doorbell detects motion.
One downside, however, is that there’s no desktop app. Yes, you can log-in through a browser, but when working at home, having a proper desktop app just for your doorbell makes everything easier. Ring has one and it’s something that’s currently missing from Arlo’s offering.
Do I need an Arlo Smart subscription?
Arlo’s original devices didn’t need a subscription. You got a week of cloud storage for free – and that was a major advantage over other systems. With the release of more advanced devices, Arlo has tied 30-day cloud storage and a range of advanced features to its Arlo Smart plans.
For a doorbell, you might question whether you need those extra features. You can run the Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wire-Free without a subscription, but you lose the cloud storage of motion captures if you don’t have an Arlo Smart plan.
As we said above, if you’ve connected the doorbell to an Arlo hub, you can use the local storage option to record to microSD – but there’s no way of monitoring those backups from your phone, you have to physically remove the card and view it on another device. That might work for some, but we suspect part of the appeal of a connected camera is being able to look back at what’s happened on your phone and download the videos you want to keep.
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Arlo Smart plans also drive other features – like AI detection of what’s been spotted, which can tell you if it’s a person, vehicle or animal. If you’re in a protracted argument about whether the neighbour’s cat is leaving deposits on your front lawn, this might be exactly the feature you need.
Arlo Smart also enables rich notifications, which will highlight what you’re looking at when those notifications appear on your phone.
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The Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wire-Free comes with 3-months Arlo Smart as a trial, so you can see how you get on and make your decision. We’ve generally found that Arlo products run smoother if you have a paid subscription, as you get access to all the features.
Without a subscription you can still live-view the video, get notification alerts, and will have the doorbell ring your phone when the button is pressed. And for some that’s all you’ll want – without ongoing costs.
Camera features and performance
180 degree view, 110 degree motion sensor
1536 x 1536 resolution, 1:1 aspect ratio
HDR, IR night vision
The big difference between Arlo’s doorbell and Ring’s is the camera. Arlo has gone for a 1:1 aspect, a square sensor behind that ultra-wide lens, rather than rectangular. The practical benefit is that you can see a lot more of the person at your door. Rather than just seeing a face, you’ll get a better head-to-toe view of that person.
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Depending on the arrangement of your door and the surrounding area, this might be a lot more useful than some rival cameras. For us, it means you can see a lot more of the area surrounding the door and porch, rather than the wider view that Ring offers.
The doorbell is effective at detecting motion, often alerting you to motion just before the doorbell is pressed, so you can get a double notification. The detection for us turned out to be a couple of meters, so will detect people coming up the path, although it’s more effective as people get closer.
We’ve not had the same long-distance alerts that we’ve sometimes had from Ring, which included vehicles on the road when the sun was reflecting off them. Such sensitivity can be adjusted, as well as having the option to specify detection zones (another Arlo Smart feature) if you need to obscure something.
The quality of video capture is good, with HDR (high dynamic range) allowing the camera to balance out scenes when lighting is uneven. There’s IR (infrared) extending the skills to low-light conditions too. While darkness reduces the effective range, IR does paint the subject nicely when approaching the doorbell, so it’s still easy to recognise who it is at night.
The camera is a good wide-angle too, as we mentioned above, although on a doorbell this is less important than it might be on a security camera covering a wider area of view.
The experience of using the Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wire-Free is excellent, with the video results generally better than some close rival products. Certainly, the 1:1 aspect offers a natural advantage giving a more useful view for objects closer to the camera, appropriate for a doorbell.
Calling your phone has an advantage
SIP calling
Rich notifications
One of the other advantages that Arlo offers is how the “ring” comes through to your phone. Rather than it being served up via a notification, it comes in as a SIP call. The technicalities don’t matter, but it means that when someone presses your doorbell, your phone rings like an incoming call.
You’ll see that someone has pressed the doorbell, leaving you to either accept that call – and talk to that person – or decline the call and just go and open the door.
When you accept the call, you’re shown the live feed from the door and you have the option to unmute the microphone to talk, or to use messages instead – with responses like “we’ll be right there” or “you can leave the package outside”, meaning you don’t actually have to talk to whoever is at the door. These options provide great versatility in how you answer the door – and you can use these whether you’re at home or not, the caller won’t be able to tell the difference. They’re also captured on the recorded video (as in the example above), so you’d have a record of the conversation.
If you’re already on a call on your phone, Arlo will burst in on that call too, so you’ll quickly have to multitask to either put your other call on hold or send a quick reply to whomever is at the door.
We’re also a fan of the notifications that Arlo sends through. These rich notifications are the same as you’ll get from Arlo’s other cameras (if you have an Arlo Smart subscription), telling you what type of occurrence has triggered the motion and giving you a preview thumbnail. That means you can glance at your phone and see whether you need to pay attention to it or not.
Battery life
The battery life on the Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wire-Free has seen us through a month of use and still has about 50 per cent remaining, so we’re on course to get the best part of two months from it – and this includes several weeks around the 0°C mark.
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Arlo says that you’ll get three to six months from it, so we’re not hitting that sort of figure – but it still compares favourably with other battery-powered doorbells. Warmer temperatures will undoubtedly extend the usage. And, of course, you can adjust various features to prolong the battery life.
Verdict
Arlo’s first venture into doorbells with the Audio Doorbell never really captured the spirit of what people wanted from a connected device. Fortunately, the Video Doorbell offers a lot more, rivalling and bettering competitors in a number of areas.
The downsides are few: the lack of chime in the box means you’ll have to fork out for one separately, while an Arlo Smart plan will see an ongoing cost to really get the best out if this model.
Yes, this doorbell is a little on the large side, but the calling mechanism and quick replies, quality of the video, and potential for integration into other systems – not to mention folding it into an existing Arlo system – make it rather easy to recommend.
Alternatives to consider
Pocket-lint
Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus
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The Plus version of Ring’s video doorbell adds a unique function: Pre-Roll video. This will capture 4 seconds of black-and-white video before the motion was triggered, so you get a wider window of capture for any given event. Wide support from Alexa and other platforms, as well as a complete package from Ring itself, makes this video doorbell rightly popular.
Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus review
Writing by Chris Hall. Editing by Adrian Willings.
Tightly curved monitors like the MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR can really enhance gameplay, especially in first-person environments. With class-leading contrast, accurate out-of-box color and superb HDR, the 343CQR should be on everyone’s curved screen short list.
For
High contrast
Accurate out-of-box color
Solid gaming performance
1000R curve
Against
Slightly light gamma
Blur reduction feature makes the screen too bright
Higher input lag than some 144 Hz screens
Features and Specifications
In the world of curved monitors, there are more things to consider than just screen size. Not only are there three different aspect ratios, 16:9, 21:9 and 32:9, they also come in a wide variety of curve radii. This number is expressed in millimeters like 1500R or 1800R. Larger numbers indicate less curvature. When you see 1000R, you know the curve is as extreme as it gets
MSI has jumped on the 1000R train with its MPG Artymis 343CQR. In addition to that tight curve, it sports a high-contrast VA panel running at 3440×1440 resolution with USB-C, HDR support, Adaptive-Sync and an impressive 165 Hz refresh rate worthy of competing with the best gaming monitors. Selling for a premium price ($900 as of writing), the 343CQR is a sharply focused display that is at its best when gaming — going even as far as to include an aim magnifier for shooters.
MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR Specs
Panel Type / Backlight
VA / W-LED, edge array
Screen Size, Aspect Ratio & Curve
34 inches / 21:9
Curve radius: 1000mm
Max Resolution & Refresh
3440×1440 @ 165 Hz
FreeSync: 48-165 Hz
Native Color Depth & Gamut
10-bit (8-bit+FRC) / DCI-P3
DisplayHDR 400, HDR10
Response Time (MPRT)
1ms
Brightness (mfr)
SDR: 350 nits
HDR: 550 nits
Contrast (mfr)
3,000:1
Speakers
None
Video Inputs
1x DisplayPort 1.4
2x HDMI 2.0
1x USB-C
Audio
3.5mm headphone output
USB 3.2
1x up, 2x down
Power Consumption
32.6w, brightness @ 200 nits
Panel Dimensions WxHxD w/base
31.3 x 16.5-20.5 x 12.4 inches (795 x 419-521 x 315mm)
Panel Thickness
6.5 inches (165mm)
Bezel Width
Top/sides: 0.4 inch (9mm)
Bottom: 0.9 inch (22mm)
Weight
20.2 pounds (9.2kg)
Warranty
3 years
The 343CQR is all about gaming with support for AMD FreeSync from 48-165 Hz. It’s not G-Sync Compatible-certified, but we still got Nvidia G-Sync to work (see our How to Run G-Sync on a FreeSync Monitor article for instructions).
MSI’s specs sheet includes nearly 85% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut. You’ll be using that gamut for all content, SDR and HDR alike, because there is no sRGB mode available.
MSI designed the 343CQR with consoles in mind too. It will accept 4K resolution signals and down-convert them to 3440 x 1440 resolution. The 343CQR is also the first monitor we’ve seen with HDMI CEC (Consumer Electronics Control). Originally developed to support universal remotes, the CEC implementation in this monitor is designed to sense whether the incoming signal is coming from a PC or a console and adjust its picture mode based on designated profiles. The feature supports both PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.
Assembly and Accessories of MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR
To assemble the MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR, the panel and upright are mated with four fasteners, so you’ll need to have a Phillip’s head screwdriver handy. Next, you attach the base with a captive bolt. The resulting package is rock-solid and shows impressive build quality. It certainly meets the standard one expects for the price.
Bundled cables include IEC for the internal power supply, DisplayPort, HDMI and USB. A small snap-on cover hides the panel’s mounting hardware. And if you’d rather use a monitor arm, the bolt holes are in a 100mm VESA pattern with large-head bolts included. In a nice touch, a small hook snaps onto the bottom of the panel to help manage your best gaming mouse’s cable.
MSI MPG Artymis Product 360
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(Image credit: MSI)
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From the front, the MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR is all business with a thin flush bezel around the top and sides and a molded strip across the bottom adorned only with a small MSI logo. A tiny LED appears red in standby mode and white when the power’s on. Around the back right is a joystick and two buttons. One activates the Gaming OSD (on-screen display) app, and the other toggles power.
The upright is very solid with a stiff-moving 4-inch height adjustment. You also get 30 degrees swivel to both sides and 5/20 degrees tilt. There isn’t even a hint of slop or wobble. A small hole helps tidy up cables. The base is solid metal with thin legs that go more than 1 foot deep. That, combined with the fact that the panel’s 6.5-inch thick means you’ll need a bit of extra desktop space to accommodate the 343CQR.
From the top, you can see the 1000R curvature clearly. That radius means that if you made a circle from 343CQRs, it would be just two meters in diameter. If you have the room for three of them, they’ll wrap around almost 180 degrees. They would make a great flight simulator or, perhaps, a solid solution for a Zwift (cycling virtual training app) setup.
The back of the MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR is styled nicely with a variety of different textures and an RGB effect that shows as a strip and MSI shield graphic with a dragon. The color breaths gently through different shades. You can turn it on and off in the OSD and control it ever further with the Gaming OSD app. You can also sync up the lighting effect with that of other MSI products that support the vendor’s Mystic Light-branded RGB. That way, you can create a custom light show with everything working in concert.
The input panel includes two HDMI 2.0 ports that support refresh rates up to 100 Hz with Adaptive-Sync and HDR. Meanwhile, the DisplayPort 1.4 and USB-C inputs accept 165 Hz signals, also with HDR and Adaptive-Sync. There are no built-in speakers, but you get a 3.5mm audio port for headphones.
OSD Features of MSI MPG Artymis
Pressing the joystick brings up the MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR’s OSD,which is divided into seven sub-menus. There are plenty of gaming features as well as most of what you’ll need for calibration.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Gaming menu offers five picture modes. Four are game genre-specific, and there’s also the default mode, User. User’s the mode to pick because it delivers solid accuracy with no need for calibration. There are a few minor flaws, but the 343CQR definitely makes our Calibration Not Required list.
The Night Vision option is a shadow detail enhancer. We didn’t need it because the monitor’s black levels are both deep and richly detailed. Response Time is a three-level overdrive. Fast, the middle setting, is best. Next, MPRT is a backlight strobe that reduces motion blur and cancels out Adaptive-Sync.
It also pegs the brightness at over 860 nits, which is unusual. You can reduce this with the contrast control, but that removes much of the picture’s depth and quality. We recommend sticking with Adaptive-Sync and leaving MPRT off. Finally, Zero Latency should always be turned on for the lowest possible input lag.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Additional features include a frame rate indicator, alarm clock, aiming points and an Optix Scope feature. This is geared at fans of first-person shooters and lets you magnify the area underneath your crosshair in multiple levels using hot keys. As this will take some finessing to execute smoothly and without slowing down your gameplay, it won’t be for everyone.
The OSD will always show you the MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR’s signal status at the top with resolution, refresh rate, HDR status, FreeSync status and the active video input.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Image menu offers three color temperature presets, plus a User mode. Normal is the default and best choice. We were unable to make a visual improvement to the color temp with calibration. The test numbers show a tiny gain but not one that can be seen with the naked eye. The only thing we wished for was a gamma control. The default luminance curve is a tad light, though that’s somewhat mitigated by the 343CQR’s extremely high contrast.
Calibration Settings of MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR
You can simply unpack the MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR, plug it in and enjoy. The image is very accurate by default — even the brightness is already set close to 200 nits in the User picture mode. We attempted a calibration and made no visible improvement.
Our settings are below if you want to try them. Note that in the User color temp, the RGB sliders start at 50%, which reduces brightness by roughly that amount. We turned them all up to 100%, then adjusted from there to achieve maximum dynamic range.
Picture Mode
User
Brightness 200 nits
49
Brightness 120 nits
6 (min. 109 nits)
Contrast
70
Color Temp User
Red 100, Green 93, Blue 93
HDR signals lock out all picture controls. You can still access the modes, but changing them does not affect the image. HDR grayscale runs a tad red, but the EOTF is spot-on, as is the color tracking. The 343CQR also uses dynamic contrast to achieve tremendous contrast for HDR content.
Gaming and Hands-on with MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR
At 1000R, the MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR is as curvy as a gaming monitor gets today. At first, we noticed a little image distortion when working in productivity apps, like word processors and spreadsheets. However, we got used to the look after a short time.
When browsing the web, that distortion became unnoticeable. The monitor’s image is sharp and contrast-y enough to overshadow any horizontal line curvature. It’s best to set the panel exactly vertical with no back or forward tilt. By adjusting the height so our eyes were centered, it made all parts of the screen equidistant from the body. The 343CQR is perfectly usable for workday tasks.
Color was nicely balanced with slightly more than sRGB saturation but not so much that it looked unnatural. MSI has tuned the gamut so it renders SDR content more accurately without the need to switch color spaces, a capability the MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR lacks. When HDR was on, color looked far more vibrant, as it should. This is one of the few monitors that you could leave in HDR mode all the time for Windows apps. Brightness is reasonable with the highest levels reserved only for small highlights.
The monitor also supports 10-bit color, though the panel uses Frame Rate Conversion to achieve this. Despite the internal upconversion, we didn’t see any banding artifacts.
Gaming tests started with our usual trip through Tomb Raider, which clipped along at a sprightly 165 fps on a Radeon RX 5700 XT and GeForce RTX 3090. Both FreeSync and G-Sync worked without a hitch. The MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR’s middle overdrive setting, Fast, struck the best balance between ghosting and blur reduction. The MPRT backlight strobe feature also worked well at reducing blur without artifacts but at the cost of a very bright and overly harsh image. Playing games at over 800 nits peak grew tiring after a short time.
Engaging HDR for a few hours of Call of Duty: WWII proved to be a singular experience. The MSI MPG Artymis 343CQR nears equalling a FALD display when it comes to HDR contrast and color. Every hue, down to the murkiest greens and browns, leapt from the screen. Black levels seemed almost OLED-like in their depth and detail, offset by perfectly balanced highlight areas. Color accuracy was also top-notch. Though we noted a slight red tint during the grayscale tests, it did not affect games or movies we played. This is one of the best HDR monitors we’ve seen in a while.
If you download MSI’s Dragon Center software, you can also use the 343CQR’s Sound Tune feature which uses “AI calculations” to block out background noise coming through a plugged in headset. Since it requires software and many of the best gaming headsets include similar tech on their own, its usefulness will vary depending on the gamer.
Another unique feature comes in what MSI calls Mobile Projector. It lets you display your phone’s screen in a 5:9 column on the side of the monitor. Although having your phone on your computer screen could generally be distracting, if you have a specific task that requires using both your smartphone and PC, this could come in handy.
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