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fitbit-inspire-2-review:-still-inspiring-for-fitness-goals?

Fitbit Inspire 2 review: Still inspiring for fitness goals?

(Pocket-lint) – The Inspire 2 is the cheapest member of the Fitbit family – and effectively replaces the Inspire HR that launched in 2019 – aimed at those wanting to keep to the tracking basics.

The Inspire 2 sticks largely to the same formula as the Inspire HR, making welcome improvements to the design, bolstering battery life to make it last longer than any other Fitbit device, and giving you a tracking experience that just feels very easy to get to grips with.

With the likes of Samsung, Huawei, Amazfit and Xiaomi also making the budget tracker space a more competitive place, does the Fitbit Inspire 2 do enough to pull away from its more affordable rivals?

Design

  • Large and small wristband options
  • Water resistant to 50 metres (5ATM)
  • Finishes: Black, Lunar White, Desert Rose

With the Inspire 2, Fitbit isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. Put one side-by-side with an Inspire HR and you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between the two. The colour silicone bands can be removed and come in small and large size options.



Best Fitbit fitness tracker 2021: Which Fitbit is right for you?


By Britta O’Boyle
·

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The greyscale touchscreen display – which has a slightly curvier edged look – is now 20 per cent brighter than the previous Inspire, which is definitely a positive move. There’s now a dim mode when you don’t need that extra hit of brightness, which can be disabled when you do. It certainly offers an improvement for visibility out in bright outdoor light, but it feels like it might be time to ditch the greyscale OLED screen and go colour like a lot its competitors have done – Xiaomi, Amazfit and Samsung each offer great colour display options for less money.

To give the Inspire 2 a much cleaner look than its predecessor, it’s also removed the physical button for a setup where you can squeeze the sides of the device to do things like turn on the display or get into the band’s settings. Overall, it works well and that button isn’t hugely missed.

Around the back is where you’ll find the PurePulse heart rate sensor, which means you have the ability to continuously monitor heart rate, exercise in personalised heart rate zones, and unlock new features like Active Zone Minutes.

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The big appeal of wearing the Inspire 2 is that it’s a slim, light and comfortable band to wear all the time. As it’s water resistant up to 50 metres, it’s safe to swim and shower with. 

Features

  • 24/7 tracking
  • Connected GPS
  • Guided breathing
  • 20+ exercise modes
  • Additional health insights in Fitbit Premium

Fitness tracking is what Fitbit does best – so it’s no surprise that’s where the Inspire 2’s key features lie. 

The sensors making that happen haven’t changed from the last Inspire models. There’s an accelerometer to track steps and enable automatic sleep monitoring. You also have that optical heart rate monitor, which unlocks a range of features and is still best suited to daily monitoring as opposed to putting it to work during exercise. You still don’t get an altimeter to track elevation like floor climbs, which you also get on the Fitbit’s flagship Charge 4.

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For daily tracking, you can monitor daily steps, distance covered, calories burned, and get reminders to keep moving during the day. Fitbit has also added additional reminders to wash your hands, get your heart pumping, or to stay hydrated.

When it’s time to go to bed, you’ll be able to capture the duration of sleep and get a breakdown of sleep stages. That includes the all-important REM sleep, which is a window into the type of sleep tied to memory and learning. You’ll also get a Sleep Score to give you a clear idea if you’ve had a good night’s sleep.

When you switch to exercise tracking, there are over 20 goal-based modes with core exercises like walking, running and pool swimming. There’s also Fitbit’s SmartTrack tech to automatically recognise when you start moving and working out.

There’s connected GPS support, which means you can lean on your phone’s GPS signal to more accurately track outdoor activities. That GPS support is also useful for the Workout Intensity Maps feature, which along with monitoring your heart rate can show you where you worked hardest during a session.

With that onboard heart rate monitor you’re getting to continuously monitor and capture resting heart rate – day and night. It’s also going to let you train in heart rate zones and generate a Cardio Fitness Score to give you a better sense of your current state of fitness based on your VO2 Max (blood oxygen). Fitbit is also introducing its new Active Zone Minutes feature, which will buzz you when you hit your personalised target heart rate zones. It’s a move to get users to think more about regularly raising heart rate as well as nailing those big daily step counts.

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For that time outside of getting sweaty, the Inspire 2 will perform some useful more smartwatch-like duties. There’s notification support for both Google Android and Apple iOS devices, letting you see native and third-party app notifications. There’s a dedicated notifications menu where you can find your latest incoming messages. In addition to notifications, there’s also a collection of different watch faces to choose from.

Beyond the basics, there’s also guided breathing exercises, menstrual health tracking, and app-based features like manually tracking your food intake. You also have access to Premium, Fitbit’s subscription service, which you’ll get a year to trial before deciding whether to continue at your own cost.

  • What is Fitbit Premium, what does it offer and how much does it cost?

Performance and battery life

  • Continuous heart rate monitoring
  • Up to 10 days battery life
  • Sleep tracking

Those core fitness tracking features is what the Inspire 2 does best. Step counts are largely in line with the fitness tracking features on a Garmin Fenix 6 Pro, also offering similar distance covered and calories data. While those inactivity alerts aren’t groundbreaking, it’s a small way to make sure you keep moving during the day.

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When you switch to sleep, the slim, light design of the Inspire 2 makes it a comfortable tracker to take to bed first and foremost. Fitbit offers some of the best sleep tracking features in the business. Compared to the Fitbit Sense and the Withings Sleep Analyzer, we were pretty satisfied with the kind of data Fitbit gave us.

For exercise tracking – as long as you’re not hoping to run for miles on a regular basis and up the intensity in general – the Inspire 2 should just about cut it. The heart rate monitor is better suited to continuous monitoring than it is for strenuous workout time based on our experience. For running, and cardio blasting HIIT sessions on the Fiit home workout app, average readings could be as much as 10bpm out (compared to a Garmin HRM Pro chest strap monitor).

The connected GPS support is also better suited to shorter runs, which brings useful features like those Workout Intensity Maps into the mix.

As for battery life, the Inspire 2 offers the best battery numbers Fitbit has ever offered. It’s promising up to 10 days, which is double that of the Inspire HR. It lives up to that claim, too, as long as you’re not going too bright with that screen and not tracking exercise every day with it. The good news is that things like all-day heart rate monitoring don’t seem to have a tremendous drain, which isn’t the case on all fitness trackers.

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When you do need to charge there’s one of Fitbit’s proprietary charging cables, which clips into the charging points on the back and the top and bottom of the rear case. That ensures it stays put and doesn’t budge when you stick the Inspire 2 onto charge.

Software

Fitbit’s companion app, which is available for Android, iOS and Windows 10 devices, remains one of its key strengths – and a strong reason you’d grab one of its trackers over cheaper alternatives. 

It’s easy to use and if you want some added motivation to keep you on top of your goals, that’s available too. The main Today screen will give you a snapshot of your daily data and can be edited to show the data you actually care about.

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Discover is where you’ll find guided programmes, challenges, virtual adventures and workouts to accompany daily and nightly tracking. If you’ve signed up to Fitbit Premium, you’ll have a dedicated tab for that too. You still have all your device settings hidden away whether you need to adjust step goals, heart rate zones or how you keep closer tabs on your nutrition and weight management.

The Inspire 2 experience is similar to owning a Fitbit Versa 3, a Charge 4, or a Sense. Which is key: that consistent feeling across all devices makes it a good place if you know other Fitbit-owning people. You can delve deeper into data if you want to, but for most, what’s there when you first download it and login will be more than enough to get a sense of your progress.

  • Best Fitbit fitness tracker: Which Fitbit is right for you?

Verdict

The Fitbit Inspire 2 sticks to a known formula, covering tracking basics, while wrapping it up in a design that’s comfortable to wear all of the time.

The screen changes for this model are welcomed – extra brightness, yay – and if you care about steps, sleep and monitoring heart rate during the day and night, it will serve you well.

All that’s supported by an app that’s one of the most user-friendly if you’re starting to think about monitoring your health and fitness for the first time.

The level of smartwatch features are dictated by the slenderness of the device and while you can get more in the way of these features elsewhere for less money, what the Inspire 2 offers should be good enough for most. It’s still not quite the ready-made sportswatch replacement though.

Cheaper fitness trackers are now offering more features, arguably better displays and battery life. But if you’re looking for a fitness tracker that puts your health and tracking front and centre, then Fitbit is still one of the best.

Also consider

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Fitbit Inspire HR

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If you can live without that brighter display and some of the software extras, the Inspire HR will still offer a solid tracking experience for less cash.

  • Read our review
Pocket-lint

Huawei Band 3 Pro

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Huawei’s fitness band offers one big feature you won’t find on the Inspire 2: built-in GPS. If you like the idea of a tracker a bit better built for sports, this is one worth looking at.

  • Read our review

Writing by Michael Sawh. Editing by Mike Lowe.

huawei-mate-x2-vs-samsung-galaxy-z-fold-2:-what’s-the-difference?

Huawei Mate X2 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2: What’s the difference?

(Pocket-lint) – Huawei’s second generation of its foldable smartphone comes in the form of the Mate X2.

The Chinese company changed the format of the folding device from its predecessor – the Mate X and Xs- moving from a foldable display on the outside, to an inward folding display, like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series. 

If you’re in the market for a vertically folding smartphone, here is how the Huawei Mate X2 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 compare.

Design

  • Mate X2: 161.8 x 145.8 x 4.4-8.2mm unfolded / 161.8 x 74.6 x 13.6-14.7mm / 295g
  • Z Fold 2: 159.2 x 128.2 x 6.9mm unfolded / 159.2 x 68 x 16.8mm folded / 282g

The Huawei Mate X2 features a vertical folding display, in a book-style design. It has a glass rear with a prominent rectangular camera housing in the top left corner, a metal frame and a full display with dual cut-out cameras on the front when folded. 

When unfolded, the premium device has a large 8-inch screen. The hinge is multi-dimensional according to Huawei, creating a water dropped-shaped cavity for the display when the phone is folded, allowing for no gap at all when shut. There’s also a wedge-like design that is just 4.4mm at the slimmest point. It comes in White, Black, Crystal Blue and Crystal Pink colours.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a similar form to the Mate X2 in that it offers a vertical fold in a book-style design. It too has a glass rear, with a rectangular camera housing in the top left corner, as well as a metal frame and a single, centralised punch hole camera on the front when folded.

When unfolded, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a slightly smaller 7.6-inch display. It’s hinge allows for multiple viewing angles but there is a slight gap at the fold of the device when folded. It comes in Mystic Bronze and Mystic Black colours.

Display

  • Mate X2: 8-inch unfolded, 6.45-inch folded, 8-inch unfolded, OLED, 90Hz refresh rate
  • Z Fold 2: 6.23-inch folded, 7.6-inch unfolded, OLED, 120Hz refresh rate

The Huawei Mate X2 has a 6.45-inch OLED display with resolution of 2700 x 1160 and a pixel density of 456ppi on the front when folded. It features a 21:9 aspect ratio and a 90Hz refresh rate.

As mentioned above, it has dual punch-hole front cameras in the top left of the display and there are very minimal bezels. When unfolded, the Mate X2 has an 8-inch OLED display with a 2480 x 2200 resolution, which results in a pixel density of 413ppi. The unfolded display has a ratio of 8:7.1. It too has a 90Hz refresh rate.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a 6.23-inch external display, making it only slightly smaller than the Mate X2. It too is an AMOLED panel and it offers a resolution of 2260 x 816 pixels and an aspect ratio of 25:9. 

When unfolded, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has an internal display of 7.6-inches. It’s Dynamic AMOLED and it has a 2208 x 1768 pixel resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 372ppi. It also has a 120Hz refresh rate and supports HDR10+.

Cameras

  • Mate X2: Quad rear camera (50MP+16MP+12MP+8MP), 16MP front
  • Z Fold 2: Triple rear (12MP+12MP+12MP), 10MP front

The Huawei Mate X2 has a quad camera on the rear, which features Leica technology, like Huawei’s other flagship smartphones. The camera setup includes a 50-megapixel main sensor, 16-megapixel ultra-wide angle sensor, 12-megapixel telephoto sensor, and an 8-megapixel SuperZoom sensor.

The main sensor has a f/1.9 aperture and OIS, the Ultra-wide sensor has a f/2.2 aperture, the telephoto sensor has a f/2.4 aperture and OIS with 3x optical zoom, while the SuperZoom sensor has a f/4.4 aperture, OIS and 10x optical zoom. The front camera is 16-megapixels wide angle with a f/2.2 aperture.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a triple rear camera, comprised of a 12-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel telephoto sensor and 12-megapixel Ultra-wide sensor.

The main camera has an f/1.6 aperture, dual pixel phase-detection autofocus and OIS, the telephoto lens has an aperture of f/2.4 and OIS and the ultra-wide sensor has an aperture of f/2.2. There is also a 10-megapixel front camera.

Hardware and specs

  • Mate X2: Kirin 9000, 5G, 8GB RAM, 256/512GB storage, 4500mAh
  • Z Fold 2: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+, 5G, 12GB RAM, 256/512GB storage, 4500mAh

The Huawei Mate X2 runs on Huawei’s own 5nm Kirin 9000 platform, making it a 5G device. It is supported by 8GB of RAM and it comes in 256GB and 512GB storage variants.

It has a 4500mAh battery under the hood that supports Huawei’s 25W SuperCharge. Huawei’s own Harmony OS can be installed over the company’s usual EMUI interface running on top of Android.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset, supported by 12GB of RAM and it comes in 256GB and 512GB storage options.

There’s a 4500mAh battery running the Fold 2, which supports 25W wired charging, 11W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. It runs Android with Samsung’s One UI over the top and there are some great multi-tasking features that make great use of the screen when unfolded. 

Price

  • Mate X2: Equivalent of £1985/$2785, China
  • Z Fold 2: £1799, $1999

The Huawei Mate X2 costs RMB 17,999 or 18,999, starting at the equivalent of $2785 or £1985. It is available in China only for now from 25 February. 

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 costs £1799 in the UK and $1999 in the US. 

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Conclusion

The Huawei Mate X2 is only available in the Chinese market at the moment, and it is a little more expensive than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. On a spec-by-spec comparison though, these two devices are very similar with both tipping the scales in certain areas.

The Mate X2 has slightly larger displays both interior and exterior, arguably a more streamlined design, an extra camera on the rear and a wide-angle front camera.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 has more RAM, a higher refresh rate on the internal display and it supports Google services. It has less cameras than Huawei but the triple rear camera does offer great results.

Both devices offer the same storage options and the same battery capacities. The Samsung is more widely available though so while the Mate X2 might win on some specification areas, you’ll need to live in China to get your hands on one for now. It’s also worth remembering the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is tipped for a July 2021 launch.

Writing by Britta O’Boyle.

the-best-streaming-device-to-buy-in-2021

The best streaming device to buy in 2021

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Looking for a new TV gadget to stream all of your favorite entertainment? Buying an excellent streaming device is easier in 2021 than ever before — and the prices only continue to drop and get more appealing: $50 is the sweet spot if you want a streaming stick or set-top box that can do crisp 4K resolution, Dolby Vision / HDR, and immersive Dolby Atmos surround sound. Each of the picks below has its own strengths, whether it’s a snazzier interface, better voice controls, or a more comprehensive universal search for digging through all of your services. Depending on your wants, there are several good contenders, but the Chromecast with Google TV stands out as the best streaming device for most people.

Pretty much any 4K TV you buy today will come with a batch of built-in streaming apps. But they won’t always have everything. (For example, my LG OLED doesn’t have HBO Max.) So a dedicated streaming device is the best way to guarantee you’ll be able to watch that show or movie everyone’s been talking about. You can spend less money on entry-level Roku or Amazon streaming players, but you’ll be better off with one of our recommendations if you want your purchase to last.

The features and fantastic price of the Chromecast with Google TV make it the best streaming stick for most people.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

1. Chromecast with Google TV

The best streaming stick for most people

Google has done the best job figuring out what the home screen on a streaming stick should look like. That’s really the long and short of why the Chromecast with Google TV has taken the crown of best streaming player. With its new Google TV software, the company has taken a content-first approach that feels more focused and refined than what Amazon and Apple have managed in their own attempts to aggregate popular shows and movies.

On a Roku or Fire TV, my instinct is always to head right for the app where I want to watch something. But with the Chromecast, I’m equally happy browsing through Google’s rows of recommendations. The Google TV software always clearly shows where content is coming from — you can pick which streaming apps get factored into these recs — and it also provides helpful information (like Rotten Tomatoes ratings) at the surface level when you’re hunting for that night’s entertainment.

When you actually hit play, you’re punted over to Netflix or Prime Video or HBO Max just like always, but there’s no avoiding that. In terms of app selection, Google’s got all of the main players covered. You can still cast content to the Chromecast from your phone or laptop, and Google Assistant voice searches consistently work well and showcase Google’s accurate voice recognition.

Everything about Google TV feels tasteful, from the fonts to the way the background color subtly shifts to match the artwork of whatever content is highlighted. And the universal Watchlist, which lets you put together a list of stuff you’re interested in from various streaming services, is super convenient — especially since you can add to it from the web or your phone.

But not everything about the Chromecast with Google TV is perfect. The software can slow down from time to time, and some customers have encountered significant bugs that Google has tried to iron out with software updates. More annoyingly, despite the hardware supporting both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, there are still very popular apps like Disney Plus — which delivers both on other platforms — that aren’t doing so on the Chromecast. HBO Max says it does Atmos, but that hasn’t been my experience. Why? Who knows, but these inconsistencies are a mark against Google. And as for the Watchlist, some services like Netflix have already started removing their shows from it. Again, that’s something Google has no control over, but it does lessen the feature’s usefulness.

With its easy-to-use software, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus is the best streaming device for people looking for a good, simple option.
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

2. Roku Streaming Stick Plus

The best streaming device for people who want to keep it simple

It’s hard to really complain about a Roku. The company’s streaming devices are about as simple and straightforward as they come. All of your apps are laid out in a big grid, which can make the experience feel a bit siloed — but there’s no beating that ease of use. And Roku has tried to touch up and modernize the home screen a bit with new sections like “Featured Free” to highlight content you can stream without any subscriptions.

Despite some occasional spats with content companies, Roku now has pretty much all of the entertainment you could want, including (most recently) HBO Max and Peacock. And the wonderfully neutral universal search remains one of the best aspects of the platform, favoring your existing subscriptions and free-to-stream options over making you pay money to rent or buy. And the company’s Roku Channel has grown into a legitimate streaming app of its own, offering a mix of ad-sponsored movies, TV shows, and live news for those days when you’re burned out on combing through Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.

The $50 Streaming Stick Plus remains the best overall pick among Roku’s hardware when you weigh price and performance. It gives you HDR, Dolby Atmos, and speedy performance. The main thing you’ll miss out on is Dolby Vision. If that’s a must, you should look at the $100 Roku Ultra set-top box instead, which also includes an Ethernet port for optional wired connectivity and a helpful remote finder feature. Plus, the Ultra’s remote has customizable shortcut buttons and a headphone jack so you can listen privately to whatever’s on-screen if you’re trying to keep quiet at night. (Other Rokus let you do the latter with the company’s mobile app.)

If there’s one area where Roku falls flat, it’s probably voice search. Your voice queries for specific shows or movies should work well enough, but Roku lags Amazon and Google when it comes to natural language interactions. (And forget about using your voice to control smart home gadgets or look up entertainment-related facts.) Still, the company is adding other perks to offset that weakness. Late last year, it added support for Apple’s AirPlay, letting you easily send content from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to the TV screen. Speaking of Apple…

It’s more pricey than the competition, but the Apple TV 4K offers a top-notch user experience.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

3. Apple TV 4K

The best streaming device overall experience (for a steep price)

The Apple TV 4K is laughably overpriced compared to its competitors, but Apple’s set-top box still has its own set of appealing qualities. The interface is fantastic. It supports Dolby Vision and Atmos across a wide variety of services, has all of the important apps checked off, and also gives you add-ons like Apple Arcade and Apple Fitness Plus (if you pay for them) that you won’t find on other streaming devices.

Apps sometimes have a higher level of polish on Apple TV and are generally better about taking advantage of everything it can do. Another benefit of the Apple TV is privacy — to some extent. Apple itself isn’t obsessed with tracking your viewing data in the same way that a company like Roku is, but the streaming apps can still see what you’re doing. I generally think consumers aren’t particularly averse to sharing their streaming habits, but Apple’s privacy practices might matter to you.

Even with AirPlay now on Roku, the Apple TV still wins out for people deeply invested in Apple’s ecosystem. You can use HomePods as its speakers or connect two sets of AirPods for private listening with audio sharing. You can view the feed from HomeKit security cameras or see who is at the door if you have a HomeKit video doorbell. The Apple TV still makes it easy to tap into content on a Mac in your home, and services like Apple Music and iCloud Photo Library are right there in easy reach on the TV screen.

But there’s no forgiving the infamous remote, which is cumbersome to use and too easy to lose. And it’s more difficult than ever to recommend that you spend $180 on hardware that’s now several years old. Doing so isn’t wrong; you’ve just got to know why the Apple TV 4K is right for you.

The Fire TV Stick 4K checks off all the boxes for HDR support and costs just $50, making it the best streaming stick for people in Amazon’s ecosystem.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

4. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

The best streaming stick if you’re in Amazon’s ecosystem

Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K is yet another popular pick in that $50 range of streaming gadgets. The latest model added support for Dolby Vision, which made it the only product to offer everything HDR (Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, HDR10+, HDR10) for such little money — until the new Chromecast came along.

The Fire TV Stick 4K’s software is similar to the Chromecast in that the home screen takes a content-focused approach instead of just throwing a grid of apps at you. Amazon tends to showcase its own Prime Video content more prominently than shows and movies from other services, but the newly revamped software goes a long way in improving the look and feel of the Fire TV. Alexa voice commands with the remote also work reliably, whether you’re saying “open Netflix” or asking to dim the smart lights in your living room.

Amazon offers most major streaming apps, but there are some frustrating omissions: Vudu — a good source of Dolby Vision movies — and Peacock are both still absent from the Fire TV platform.

There’s also the $120 Fire TV Cube to consider. It essentially doubles as a streaming device and small smart speaker. Rather than make you press and hold a button to speak to Alexa like with the Stick 4K, the Cube takes a hands-free approach and has beamforming mics that respond to “Alexa” prompts just like an Echo speaker would. It also features something Amazon calls Local Voice Control, which allows it to understand more spoken commands without needing help from the cloud. The Fire TV Cube has a more powerful processor than the Fire TV Stick 4K, making it the fastest of the Fire TV bunch, but the difference isn’t very noticeable.

When it comes to their streaming capabilities, the Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Cube are on equal footing. And you could always put the money you save by going with the Stick toward one of those new sphere-shaped Echo Dots, which will sound far better than the Cube’s tinny built-in speaker.

Nvidia’s Shield TV is a powerful Android TV streaming box that’s popular with home theater enthusiasts.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

5. Nvidia Shield TV

Best streaming device for home theater enthusiasts and gamers

Home theater enthusiasts, gamers, and people who like to tinker with their streaming devices have loyally stuck with Nvidia’s Shield TV and Shield TV Pro for a reason. They can serve as excellent players like any of our other picks, but you can also go more advanced and use them for cloud gaming or set up a Plex media library (in the case of the Pro). GeForce Now and Steam Link probably do more to sell gamers on the Shield lineup versus something like Apple Arcade on the Apple TV.

The Nvidia Shields currently run Android TV with Google Assistant built in, but it’s expected they’ll eventually get the same Google TV experience that’s on the Chromecast. Nvidia’s AI-powered upscaling can eke out some extra detail from the shows and movies you stream, and I’d rate the included remote control (with backlit buttons, even) as the most ergonomic of them all.

But like with the Apple TV, the main hurdle here is the price. The Nvidia Shield TV costs $150, so you’re looking at spending $100 more than devices that offer most of the same functionality. You get Ethernet and a very powerful streaming device for the added premium, and you can push the Shield TV farther and make it do more than just about any of its competitors.

huawei’s-mate-x2-foldable-adopts-samsung’s-dual-screen-design

Huawei’s Mate X2 foldable adopts Samsung’s dual-screen design

Huawei has announced the Mate X2, its first all-new foldable device since 2019’s Mate X. The new phone has received a radical redesign compared to the original device, with a large screen that unfolds from the inside of the device rather than around the outside. For using the phone while folded, the Huawei Mate X2 has a second screen on its outside, similar to Samsung’s approach with the Galaxy Fold series. Images of the phone were leaked minutes ahead of its official announcement by Evan Blass on Voice.

This being a Huawei device, the Mate X2 will launch without support for Google’s apps or services, which is likely to severely limit its appeal outside of China. According to Huawei’s site, the phone will run on EMUI 11.0 based on Android 10. However, during its livestream the company said it plans for the Mate X2 to be among the first phones to be updated to its own operating system, HarmonyOS, starting in April.

The internal screen on the Mate X2 measures 8-inches with a resolution of 2480 x 2200, while the exterior screen is 6.45-inches big with a 2700 x 1160 resolution. Both are OLED, and have refresh rates of up to 90Hz. They’re also both slightly bigger than the 7.6-inch internal display, and 6.2-inch external displays found on Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2. Internally, the phone is powered by the company’s flagship Kirin 9000 chip, the processor that debuted in its Mate 40 Pro last year. This is paired with 8GB of RAM, and a battery with a rated capacity of 4,400mAh that can be fast-charged at up to 55W.

The Mate X2 is available in four colors.
Image: Huawei

There are four cameras on the rear of the phone. A 50-megapixel wide-angle, a 16-megapixel ultra-wide, a 12-megapixel telephoto with a 3x optical zoom, and an 8-megapixel “SuperZoom” camera with a 10x optical zoom. The selfie camera on the outside of the phone has a 16-megapixel resolution, and there doesn’t appear to be a selfie camera in, or around, the foldable inner screen.

The Mate X2 is technically the third phone in Huawei’s foldable lineup. Last year it released the Mate XS, an updated version of the original Mate X which featured a more durable display and faster Kirin 990 processor.

Huawei says the Mate X2 will be available in China with 256GB of internal storage for ¥17,999 (around $2,785), or for ¥18,999 (around $2,940) with 512GB of storage. Available colors include blue, pink, black, and white. It’ll be available to buy in China from February 25th, but it’s unclear when the phone could be released outside the country.

jbl-bar-5.0-multibeam-review:-the-best-all-in-one-soundbar-solution?

JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam review: The best all-in-one soundbar solution?

(Pocket-lint) – If you’ve got a medium-to-large size telly and want some extra audio grunt then there are plenty of soundbar or soundbase options to choose from. Many are complex and expensive though.

The JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam, on the other hand, takes a simple approach: it’s an all-in-one box solution – so no fuss with separates or a subwoofer – complete with Dolby Atmos pseudo surround enhancement via MultiBeam technology. It’s reasonably priced, too.

If that kind of all-in-one neatness is exactly what you’re looking for then just how well does the JBL Bar 5 deliver upon its audio-enhancement potential – and can the Dolby Atmos mode truly deliver additional dimensionality from such a speaker arrangement?

Design & Setup

  • Ports: HDMI In, HDMI Out (HDCP 2.3 compliant, eARC & 4K HDR passthrough), Ethernet, Optical
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay, Google Chromecast, Amazon Alexa / Google Assistant
  • Controls: Included physical remote, four-button top-of-‘bar panel
  • Dimensions: 705 x 100 x 58mm / Weight: 2.8kgs

Much of the JBL Bar 5.0’s appeal is that it’s an all-in-one solution. Pull the ‘bar out of the packaging, plug it in using the included fig-8 power cable and then you’ve got various options on how to plug-in your A/V devices.

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With both an HDMI input and HDMI output, supporting eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel), you can use a single cable solution from ‘bar to TV and it’ll deliver your other audio sources with ease.

Our setup, for example, has a PlayStation 5 plugged into the TV’s HDMI 1 (as it’s 4K/HDR compliant), the JBL Bar 5.0 plugged into the TV’s HDMI 2 (as it’s the eARC appointed slot; thus our BT TV box is plugged into the soundbar’s HDMI In to passthrough to the telly via its HDMI Out), with Nintendo Switch and Chromecast sitting in the TV’s HDMI 3 and 4 (as neither of those sources/ports can handle 4K).

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The JBL Bar 5.0 supports HDCP 2.3, which is the latest High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection protocol – i.e. the method that permits it to pass protected content signals from a variety of sources. That’ll ensure no issue with your Blu-ray player, games console, streaming box, PVR, and so forth. Whatever you plug in, it’s going to work, and it’ll auto-switch to the correct source too.

All those cables connected and the JBL Bar 5.0 sits tidily atop our A/V cabinet setup. The ‘bar measures just shy of 60mm tall, making it a near perfect fit under the stand of our 55-inch Panasonic 4K FZ800 OLED TV. It’s 700mm long, so leaves a spare 260mm either side of the telly in this setup. It’s not a massively long soundbar compared to some out there, which is just the kind of scope we want – nothing too dominating or distracting.

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Visually the JBL’s build is pretty straightforward: a black enclosure with rounded edges that’s covered entirely by a mesh to the front; up top there’s the same black finish, which isn’t too glossy and therefore saves from TV panel reflections, complete with a built-in four-button control section. We like our soundbars unobtrusive, so this does just the job.

Source is reflected by the small panel hidden behind the mesh to the front left – it’s not an especially large panel, as it has to scroll to display the full information, but as it’s LED based when it’s off it’s well and truly off. Again, that means no unwanted light pollution (we have our PlayStation 5 to take care of that job, sigh) or reflection.

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In addition to that up-top control section – for volume up/down, source, on/off – there’s also a bundled remote control in the box. It’s a simple remote, which takes 2x AAA batteries (also included) and, frankly, you’ll never really need to use it once you’ve set things up as you like – because your standard remote controls will take over control of volume, settings and source.

What you will need this controller for, however, is adjusting the bass level – there’s five levels to select from – and for calibration. However, neither of these are obvious to access: one is a three-second hold of the ‘TV’ button; the other a five-second hold of the ‘HDMI’ button. Not even the manual explains how to do this (unless the shop-worthy products have an updated quick-start manual).

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We found the bass level was actually a little too ripe and therefore pushed it down one notch (to 2/5) for best overall balance. Calibration – which sends out signals to measure your setup position and soundwave reflection from nearby surfaces – is also an essential to match the best sound profile to your physical setup. As there’s no on-screen menu system, however, it wouldn’t be able to randomly do this upon first activation as a proper setup is required first.

Sound Quality

  • Adjustments: 5-level bass control / Automatic MultiBeam Calibration (AMC) / virtual Dolby Atmos mode
  • Speakers: 5x drivers (48x80mm) / 4x passive bass radiators (75mm diameter)
  • Frequency range: 50Hz – 20kHz / 5x 50W output (250W total)

As we don’t have the TV on in the day, our first use of the JBL Bar 5.0 was as a speaker. It has Bluetooth, Chromecast, AirPlay and plays nice with all kinds of sources, so we’ve been typing away listening to our favourite tunes. And this ‘bar is really musical in its delivery – able to deliver a chunky sound that, if you were in the market for a living room speaker, might entirely change your mind. Just buy the soundbar and you’ve got the double benefit – plus it’s Multi-Room Music compatible if you have other speakers.

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The JBL Bar 5.0 has, as the name helps define, five main speakers housed within. It’s the “.0” that tells you there’s no separate subwoofer, otherwise it would be a “.1” for the separate bass channel. There are, however, four bass radiators (or “woofers” if you prefer) to pump out ample low-end – which is why there’s a mesh to the top of the soundbar, to release the air.

It’s important to note that the mesh up top has nothing to do with upward-firing speakers, because this ‘bar doesn’t have any. The 5.0 arrangement covers centre, left, right, surround left, surround right – helping to push sound out across a wide soundstage. It does this amply, but lacks a certain amount of verticality – which is perhaps its most noticeable detriment when, as is our case, paired with a 55-inch telly. There’s just a certain lack of height.

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However, the Dolby Atmos mode does enhance audio. Don’t think of it as insta-surround when you click it on, not if your source is basic stereo (as so often from TV) anyway. It will add roundness, building up greater impact from bass and giving a stronger sense of placement to audio.

Feed the JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam a decent source, however, and you’ll really begin to believe in what Dolby Atmos can do – even from just the five speaker arrangement. Watching Lupin on Netflix and the rain scenes took on a whole other life, pushing around the room and really enhancing the sense of immersion.

That can sometimes go a little awry – far left/right speakers can ping off sounds that reflect a bit too abruptly – but, in general, if you’ve got a 48/50-inch TV it’ll bring real rich enhancement. No, it’s not true surround, it couldn’t be in this arrangement, but it’s decent nonetheless – as it the whole point of MultiBeam technology and why, of course, it’s featured proudly in the product’s full name.



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There are some minor issues though. The passthrough is rather slow, so it takes a number of seconds for source and signal to kick in. We’ve had rare issues with lip-sync too, which is likely a software issue – eARC carries a mandatory lip-sync provision, so it shouldn’t be an issue – which has been easily fixed with the usual “turn it off, turn it on” solution.

The other point, of course, is that the Bar 5.0 isn’t future expandable. You can’t add a subwoofer later, as this system isn’t designed for that. You can’t add other separates for true rear/vertical enhancement either. Which is perhaps less criticism than simply pointing it out: after all, JBL also makes the Bar 5.1, which comes with a subwoofer, and therefore has all its bases covered (there’s the Bar 9.1 if you want to go all-out too).

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So while the 50Hz low-end quota of the JBL Bar 5.0 is decent for low-end punch, it can’t distribute this with quite the cinema-going movie-tastic guttural slap of a separate sub. Those pitch-down “wommmms” won’t quite make your furniture vibrate anyway. But they will certainly be a lot tastier than baseline TV audio, that’s for sure.

Verdict

The JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam is a neat all-in-one soundbar solution that delivers sonic grunt, well-balanced musicality, and can passthrough all the necessaries – 4K HDR via eARC (albeit slowly on start-up) – to play nice with any up-to-date A/V setup and add roundness to your TV’s audio.

No, there’s no separates or subwoofer, but that’s half the point of this solution (other options exist within the range to cater if you’d rather splash out). And while it’s not fully, truly surround sound, feed this ‘bar a decent source – namely Dolby Atmos from Netflix – and it does a convincing job of adding extra wideness and immersion to your viewing experience.

If you’re looking to enhance your TV’s audio prospects and don’t own a super-massive screen, this unobtrusive single box solution does a sterling job for an affordable price – with only a few minor hiccups along the way.

Also consider

Polk

Polk Signa S3

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This affordable and effective solution is not only cheaper than the JBL, it comes complete with a separate subwoofer too. It’s not as smart when it comes to pseudo surround though – as there’s no Dolby Atmos certification (but there is Dolby Digital 5.1).

  • Read our review
Yamaha

Yamaha SR-B20A

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If you want to go cheaper still, then Yamaha’s all-in-one solution – which has the option for a sub to be added later – is a sturdily built box that delivers sturdy audio to boot.

  • Read our review

Writing by Mike Lowe.

philips-momentum-558m1ry-55-inch-monitor-review:-jumbo-4k-gaming-with-audio-to-match

Philips Momentum 558M1RY 55-inch Monitor Review: Jumbo 4K Gaming With Audio to Match

Our Verdict

The Philips 558M1RY represents a price breakthrough in the jumbo gaming monitor category. Though it leaves out HDMI 2.1, it brings everything else to the gaming table with 120 Hz, adaptive sync and accurate DCI-P3 and sRGB color. Add in killer HDR and you have a winner for a relatively low price.

For

  • Good contrast
  • Color accurate
  • Bright
  • Perfect Adaptive-Sync at 120 Hz
  • Unbeatable audio quality

Against

  • No HDMI 2.1
  • No streaming apps

Features and Specifications

Go big or go home. Size matters. The bigger, the better. Whatever your favorite cliché, games are more fun when you play on a big screen. That’s part of the reason the PlayStation 5 (PS5), Xbox Series X and console gaming in general is so popular. It’s not just cost; consoles also make it easier to play on the large TV in the living room, rather than the desk-sized screen sitting in the home office.

But PCs have a huge performance advantage over consoles. You’re not going to hit 144 fps on a console, and you’re definitely not going to find a DisplayPort on a console or TV. For those committed to high-performance and speed in one of the best 4K gaming monitors, the question is how much are you willing to spend on a jumbo monitor?

If around $1,500 is within your budget, the Philips Momentum 558M1RY may be for you. It’s a 55-inch VA monitor specced for up to 1,000 nits brightness, HDR, AMD FreeSync and a 120 Hz refresh rate. If that’s not enough, the 558M1RY includes a high-quality soundbar from Bowers & Wilkins. Yes, that B&W. That’s a premium package at a premium price.

Philips Momentum 558M1RY Specs

Panel Type / Backlight VA / W-LED, edge array
Screen Size / Aspect Ratio 54.5 inches / 16:9
Max Resolution & Refresh Rate 3840×2160 @ 120 Hz
FreeSync: 48-120 Hz
Native Color Depth & Gamut 10-bit / DCI-P3
DisplayHDR 1000, HDR10
Response Time (GTG) 4ms
Max Brightness SDR: 750 nits
HDR: 1,200 nits
Contrast 4,000:1
Speakers B&W 40-watt Ported Soundbar: 2x tweeters, 2x mid, 1x sub
Video Inputs 1x DisplayPort 1.4
3x HDMI 2.0
Audio 3.5mm headphone output
USB 3.2 1x up, 4x down
Power Consumption 53.5w, brightness @ 200 nits
Panel Dimensions WxHxD w/base 48.5 x 32.8 x 12.1 inches (1232 x 833 x 307mm)
Panel Thickness 4 inches (102mm)
Bezel Width Top/sides: 0.4 inch (10mm)
Bottom: 0.9 inch (22mm)
Weight 58.3 pounds (26.5kg)
Warranty 4 years

We’ve looked at a few jumbo monitors in the past, like the HP Omen X 65 Emperium and the Alienware 55 OLED panel. Both perform admirably but cost a fortune. In terms of jumbo gaming monitors, Philips’ 558M1RY is the least expensive we’ve seen yet.

There’s no question around whether or not the 558M1RY is a TV. There’s no tuner and no smart TV apps. But despite Philips advertising the monitor as offering “new-level console gaming,” there is no HDMI 2.1 to support the new PS5 and Xbox consoles’ fastest frame rates. If you use the monitor with a console you’ll be limited to a 60 Hz refresh rate, unless you drop down to 1440p resolution, where you can reach 120 Hz. For 4K at 120 Hz, you have to use the DisplayPort connection, which, of course, is only found on PCs.

A VA panel promises high native contrast, there’s an extended color gamut and an LED edge-array backlight that Philips promises is good for 750 nits brightness with SDR content and a whopping 1,200 nits with HDR, which surpasses VESA’s highest HDR certification, DisplayHDR 1000, which requires 1,000 nits. The 558M1RY certainly has the tools to produce a stunning 4K image.

Gamers will enjoy the 558M1RY’s seamless AMD FreeSync Premium Pro implementation. Compared to standard FreeSync and FreeSync Premium, FreeSync Premium Pro adds HDR support and low latency in HDR mode. We also got Nvidia G-Sync to run on the scree,n even though it’s not G-Sync Compatible-certified. (To learn how, see our How to Run G-Sync on a FreeSync Monitor tutorial).  We verified that both kinds of Adaptive-Sync work over a 48-120 Hz range with or without HDR through DisplayPort 1.4.

Assembly and Accessories on Philips Momentum 558M1RY

You’ll need a friend to help you unbox the Philips Momentum 558M1RY because it arrives fully assembled with stand and soundbar already fixed in place. The package weighs around 65 pounds in total. As with a desktop monitor, you get an IEC power cord plus HDMI, DisplayPort and USB cables. A tiny remote is also included which makes menu navigation a lot easier. If you plan to wall mount, there’s a 200mm VESA pattern in back with four large bolts included in the box.

Philips Momentum 558M1RY Product 360

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It’s hard to appreciate the scale of the Philips Momentum 558M1RY from the photos, because it’s styled just like a standard PC monitor. The first clue that this is an extreme display is the soundbar firmly  attached to the panel. These B&W speakers are covered with a burlap-like wool-blend fabric in dark gray. Meanwhile, the base and upright are very solid and stable and offer a tilt adjustment like a desktop display. The generally low-key design makes sense, considering that this will likely sit in a living or family room for all to see. There are no gaming cues in sight — until you activate the 558M1RY’s colorful lighting effect.

The 558M1RY features what Philips calls Ambiglow, a lighting feature across the sides and top of the panel’s backside. It can glow a single color with adjustable brightness or you can set it change according to what’s currently on the screen. That effect adds an interesting motion element you won’t find on any other gaming monitor. It works particularly well if you have a neutral-colored wall behind the screen.

From a side view, the 558M1RY looks chunky with angles and straight lines making up the 558M1RY’s shape. In back, you can see a heat vent across the top and a tiny Philips logo. The small dots around the perimeter are the Ambiglow LEDs. On the soundbar, you can see a port on one side that extends the bass lower.

Perfect for a living room, the 558M1RY even comes with a 6-inch-long wand-shaped remote that easily controls all monitor functions. You get a power toggle, plus mute, input and menu up top. After the four-way nav pad is picture mode and return. Two rockers at the bottom adjust brightness and volume.

The input panel is up under the upright and fairly hard to reach. You get three HDMI 2.0 inputs and a single DisplayPort 1.4. USB is version 3.2 and includes one upstream and four downstream ports. Two of them can charge or power devices when the 558M1RY is off.

OSD Features on Philips Momentum 558M1RY

With 12 logically arranged submenus, the on-screen display (OSD) is exactly like the one found in all the Philips monitors we’ve reviewed. You can access it with a joystick on the back-right side of the panel or the handy remote control.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

First up is Ambiglow, the LED lighting effect. You can set any color to a steady state and adjust its brightness with a slider, or choose a random rotation of colors. The coolest feature is image match, where the colors change with the onscreen content. It sounds gimmicky, but in practice, it added an interesting dimension to both gameplay and video.

A Game Setting menu offers aiming crosshairs, a low input lag mode, which can be left on all the time, and a three-level overdrive. The speediest overdrive settings, Fastest, works well at reducing motion blur without leaving ghosting artifacts.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Most of the image controls are in the Picture menu, where you get brightness and contrast, along with sharpness and color saturation. At the top, SmartImage offers 7 different picture modes, which are task-specific. One of the modes focuses on improved screen uniformity. It delivered but reduced contrast in the process. Our sample didn’t need that feature though.

There are also five gamma presets in the Picture menu.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The Color menu offers color temp adjustments by Kelvin value or with RGB sliders. The Philips Momentum 558M1RY measures well out of the box and doesn’t need calibration, but there are slight gains available with a few adjustments. Here also is the sRGB mode, which effectively renders that gamut with decent gamma and grayscale tracking. Color purists will be happy to have this feature available.

Philips Momentum 558M1RY Calibration Settings

The 558M1RY has a native DCI-P3 color gamut that it uses for all content unless you engage the sRGB mode in the Color menu. Since sRGB mode can’t be calibrated, we calibrated the  558M1RY via the User Define color temp and left SmartImage off. With slight changes to the RGB sliders and a switch in gamma from 2.2 to 2.4, we achieved excellent results.

You’ll notice in the table below that we could only turn the backlight down to 105 nits minimum. That’s a bit bright for gaming in a completely dark room, but you can get some relief by turning on Ambiglow and setting it to a dim white.

Here are the calibration settings we used for SDR mode on the 558M1RY:

Picture Mode Smart Image Off
Brightness 200 nits 54
Brightness 120 nits 12
Minimum 105 nits
Contrast 50
Gamma 2.4
Color Temp User Red 99, Green 99, Blue 99

When an HDR signal is applied, you get five additional presets. For the brightest presentation, choose DisplayHDR 1000. For the best HDR image, choose Personal.

Gaming and Hands-on with Philips Momentum 558M1RY

Using a 55-inch monitor for workday tasks is a bit unusual, but if you sit around 6 feet away, it works. The Philips Momentum 558M1RY’s stand raises the screen a bit less than 5 inches from the desktop, so to put your viewpoint in the center, you’ll have to raise your chair or use a lower than typical piece of furniture. Unlike a TV, the Philips’ stand has a tilt function of 10 degrees, so there is some flexibility there. The soundbar moves with the panel so its sound is always focused on the user.

With font scaling set to 300%, Windows apps were easy to use from up to 10 feet away. Small text was easily readable, so if you want to sit on the couch and browse the web, the 558M1RY can oblige. Contrast is superb with a nearly 5,000:1 contrast ratio available in SDR mode. We used the extended color gamut for most productivity apps, except Photoshop, where we switched to the sRGB mode.

Movie watching is a pleasure with such a large screen. You can sit close and have a very immersive experience, both visually and sonically. The impact of good audio cannot be overstated either. In the AV world, the most commonly given — and most commonly ignored — advice is to spend twice as much on audio as video. This is hard to do because we all want the largest possible display. But when sound is as good as the B&W soundbar included with the 558M1RY, you’re getting a huge value-add.

With two tweeters, two 10W midranges and a 20W woofer for bass, the Philips Momentum 558M1RY has some of the best built-in sound we’ve ever heard. The full frequency spectrum is represented and only the very deepest bass, below 80 Hz, is a little weak. 

For gaming and movies, the soundbar is a huge asset. Not only is the audio crystal clear, but also the sound stage is much wider than the bar’s physical size. Higher partials, like female voices and finely detailed ambient effects, came through in perfect balance with no trace of sibilance or harshness.

Of course, the Philips Momentum 558M1RY is at heart a gaming monitor, and for that, it excels. SDR games, like Tomb Raider, look fantastic when running at 120 frames per second (fps) at 4K resolution with max detail. We paired the monitor with a system running a GeForce RTX 3090. One of the best graphics cards, it has no trouble keeping frame rates high. We also tested the monitor with a Radeon RX 5700 XT-equipped machine. In either case, we got Adaptive-Sync to run perfectly. And in general, response and input lag were low enough not to call attention to themselves.

Contrast was particularly impressive in the dark areas of the game environment where blacks were true and shadow detail was rich. The depth afforded by a quality VA panel like this makes the suspension of disbelief far more palpable.

Color also stood out, thanks to an accurate gamut. We played Tomb Raider in sRGB mode, where it looked great, and with the full DCI-P3 gamut engaged, where it looked even better. Though purists like us prefer to use the mastered color spec whenever possible, there’s no denying the impact of a little more saturation.

Switching to HDR in Windows worked seamlessly, and thanks to the availability of the contrast slider in the HDR Personal mode, we were able to dial down the extreme brightness to make the desktop less fatiguing to look at. With the HDR title Call of Duty: WWII, however, we enjoyed 750-nit highlights that made the picture really pop. It never looked too bright, even in daylight outdoor scenes.

Video processing was also perfect with HDR engaged. 120 Hz and Adaptive-Sync worked flawlessly on both AMD and Nvidia platforms with HDR content.

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