Thermaltake was one of the few companies that had online expo events to replace the loss of Computex 2020 and CES 2021 due to COVID-19, and one of the rare few to actually improve these events over time. Not only were there public events and announcements of new products in January, the company held detailed 1-on-1 media sessions for every product of interest. I was especially interested in their new peripherals. Under the new Argent lineup, Thermaltake is aiming to introduce a clean-looking high-end set of products to appeal to most people. We will take a look at the Argent K5 keyboard separately since it arrived just a couple of days before the newer W1 Wireless. So here we are then taking a look at this keyboard first, and thanks again to Thermaltake for sending review samples to TechPowerUp!
While not part of the Argent lineup directly, it is heavily influenced by the new design scheme the company is taking. The W1 Wireless is a large keyboard no doubt, mostly owing to the integrated wrist rest seen in the stock photo above. Otherwise, we see a good-looking unit the company advertises with three means of connectivity: wired (USB), wireless via Bluetooth, and wireless via a 2.4 GHz network. There is also no internal battery as Thermaltake uses replaceable AA batteries instead. A couple of other things add to the longevity promised with the W1 Wireless, and we will go through everything in this review that begins with a look at the specifications in the table below.
Specifications
Thermaltake W1 Wireless Keyboard
Layout:
104-key full-size form factor in a US ANSI layout, other languages supported based on your region
Material:
ABS plastic case, PBT plastic keycaps, and steel plate
Cowon has added Bluetooth, a volume wheel and a dual DAC to its bijou player – and produced another class leader
For
Detailed presentation across frequencies
Bluetooth connectivity
Classy build and finish
Against
Screen looks a little dated
Remember matchbook quotes, those little sayings written on complimentary matchbooks you could pick up in high-end bars or hotel lobbies? Should the Cowon Plenue D3, a matchbox-sized portable music player, have come adorned with its own saying, it might have read, ‘Be cautious of people whose actions don’t match their words’.
The third-generation Plenue D player arrives with no boastful fanfare, despite both its previous iterations gaining five-star reviews and even What Hi-Fi? Awards. The demure black packaging divulges little about this machine, apart from the fact that there’s now a Cirrus Logic CS43131 dual DAC on board, whereas the last generation used just one.
There’s also Bluetooth support, so you can pair your wireless headphones or speaker, and a new rotary volume wheel. Regardless of its decorated lineage and all these useful extras, the D3 is only slightly pricier than its predecessor, the Plenue D2.
Build
(Image credit: Cowon)
As we’ve come to expect from this line of miniature portable music players, the PD3’s build is minimalist and chic, with a black mirror finish on the front and back, a matte finish for the sides, and a silver metallic panel across the top of the player. It’s also available in a gold finish.
Cowon’s isometric edge design – where two faces meet, each edge has been cut with precise calculation – creates clean lines and proves that beauty really is in the detail.
The new Plenue D3 is a few millimetres longer and thicker than the original Plenue D, but unless you place the two side by side it is almost impossible to tell. The extra depth is down to a cracking new volume dial on the top right of the player, where the power button used to sit.
This glorious rotary wheel seems like an homage to Astell & Kern and feels just as premium as its pricier competition. As with the A&K Kann Alpha, a recessed light also shines out from beneath the dial. Here, it periodically flashes blue when playing, or glows red when charging or loading music, but you can turn it off in the settings menu if you prefer.
The power button has been relocated to the top right side of the player and, because there’s no need for volume buttons here anymore, the three other little circular controls for play/pause, skip forward and skip back are now even easier to locate and use in your pocket. And the player still weighs just 103g.
The touchscreen is the same 2.8in wide-angle LCD (240 x 230) display as on the previous model. If you think one interface looks a little dated, you can choose between three different ‘skins’ and also alter the text font.
The PD3 responds well, displays album artwork and offers easy navigation and grouping of your music. Considering the challenging amount of screen real estate it has to work with, that’s no mean feat. Once you get used to hopping through the settings and back to your music, the Plenue D3 is a joy to use.
Features
(Image credit: Cowon)
The PD3 boasts a battery life of up to 45 hours if you’re playing MP3 files, or a solid 30 hours when listening to hi-res files at ‘normal’ volume. There is support for 24-bit/192kHz WAV, FLAC, ALAC and AIFF files and 64GB of built-in storage, which is expandable to 192GB with the addition of a 128GB microSD card. The PD3 boasts DSD128 file compatibility too – and that support is native, so DSD files aren’t converted to PCM during playback. Again, there’s balanced 2.5mm and unbalanced 3.5mm headphone jacks.
So why should you upgrade to the PD3? If the new volume wheel doesn’t tempt you, Bluetooth 3.0 (with support for SBC and aptX codecs) might. We go into the PD3’s Settings menu, hit the Bluetooth tab and select our Earfun Air Pro wireless headphones, and later our Tribit Audio Stormbox Micro Bluetooth speaker, to pair. Both connect – and automatically re-pair – with ease.
If you’re going away for the weekend and want a tiny sound system for your room that is both ultra-portable and leaves your phone free for actual calls, this is a top solution. Go to the JetEffects tab in Settings and you can stream your music with effects such as ‘X-Bass’, or ever-more creative profiles such as ‘Feel the wind’ or ‘Reverb cathedral’, according to your room or tastes.
There are 48 of these JetEffects in total, including 44 named presets, four user presets you can create with a five-band equaliser and nine special ‘reverb’ modes. Want to hear a track up to 50 per cent slower or at 1.5 times its original speed? The PD3 can oblige here too. Although DSD files can’t be played over Bluetooth or with JetEffect sound profiles, most of your music will work with all of these functions.
The PD3 charges via USB-C and takes around 3.5 hours to fully charge. Loading tracks via the same port is a breeze. We hook it up to our MacBook Pro, find it under our ‘devices’ tab and drag and drop files into the ‘music’ folder – no third-party apps required. You still need to physically connect the PD3 to your source to add music, but when adding files is this easy it genuinely feels like the best way to do things.
Sound
(Image credit: Cowon)
We enjoy toying with the PD3’s Bluetooth connectivity and JetEffect features, but the bulk of our testing is done with the wired Grado SR325e headphones (with a 6.3mm to 3.5mm adaptor) and with sound profiles set to ‘Normal’. But in the Audio Output tab here, you can select between in-ear ‘earphones’ or harder-to-drive ‘headphones’, just to optimise the performance.
We cue up Queen’s Greatest Hits (16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC) and there’s a glorious amount of separation on offer from the outset of Fat Bottomed Girls as the band sings the anthemic chorus. Freddie Mercury’s vocal is central, but the instruments shine too – a detailed drum fill towards the raucous end of the track, vocal trills, guitar ideas – proving there’s an extra level of detail on offer here that some players can’t access. The album continues to Bicycle Race and the character of the vocals and the playful bass completes an exciting, zealous and transparent listen.
The bicycle bells towards the end of the track are sparkling, separate and distinguished through the treble. This is a talented player that’s sonically similar in character to its older siblings, but there are small upgrades to be had in terms of rhythm, timing, detail and musicality.
From the start of Michael Jackson’s Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ (24-bit/192kHz FLAC) the bass riff is notably deep and agile in our left ear and the central melody is zealous and remarkably energetic for such a tiny box of tricks. The layers of vocals are handled with precision so that each is impactful across the frequencies.
Switching to Hans Zimmer’s Gotham’s Reckoning (24-bit/192kHz FLAC) from The Dark Knight Rises original soundtrack, the pensive and fast-paced percussion builds to a full-bodied snap of thunder within a brooding and expansive mix, brimming with emotion and forceful low-end punch.
Verdict
When considering the Cowon Plenue D3, it’s important to note that wi-fi streaming is still off the menu – so you will have to go without on-the-go streaming of Tidal, Deezer and others.
But if you have the files and like the idea of pairing your portable music player either to a wireless speaker or pair of headphones for one of the smallest wireless systems you’ve seen, there’s no better shout currently on the market for the money.
The Plenue D3 keeps things simple: it plays your hi-res music – and it does that very well indeed.
(Pocket-lint) – With some LCD TV makers – including LG! – making a big song and dance about the introduction of Mini LED backlight technology for 2021, the pressure on mainstream OLED TVs to deliver their own substantial hardware leap that’s been rumbling along for years now has become particularly intense.
Just as well, then, that LG’s OLED G1 is stepping up to the plate with a new ‘Evo’ panel design that promises both more brightness and better colour than any LG OLED TV has managed before. Besides that, it’s got all the bells and whistles that cinephiles, gamers and designers will crave in a wall-mount TV. So just how good is it?
Design
4x HDMI 2.1 inputs, 3x USB ports
LAN & Wi-Fi multimedia options
As with LG’s debut Gallery OLED TVs in 2020, the OLED G1 – reviewed here in 65-inch, there’s also 55- and 77-inch versions – is designed very much with wall-mounting in mind. So much so that it only ships with a wall bracket. If you want to place it on desktop legs you’ll have to pay extra for them. And even then they won’t really do the G1’s thin, elegant profile justice.
Pocket-lint
The G1 wall-mount is designed to sit within a recess on the TV’s rear, allowing the screen to hang perfectly flush to a wall. Its impact on your living space is minimised even further, too, by the extreme narrowness of the screen’s frame. You can even choose to play artworks on the screen in a low power mode when you’re not watching it, further justifying the Gallery name.
The only issue with the design, perhaps, is that most people actually don’t wall-mount their TV, but may well still want to get their hands on the G1 series’ unique high brightness panel. If that sounds like you, be prepared to pay the extra for those optional support feet – or a new tripod-style Gallery floorstand LG has introduced for 2021.
The OLED G1’s connections put those of most rivals to shame. Especially when it comes to its four HDMIs, which all meet the latest HDMI 2.1 specification and so can support all the latest features of 4K HDR playback at 120Hz, automatic low latency mode (ALLM) switching for faster gaming response times, and variable refresh rates (VRR). Even in 2021 most rival premium TVs are only offering one or two full-spec HDMIs.
What is ALLM and VRR? TV gaming tech explained
Picture Features
HDR Support: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision
Processing engine: Alpha 9 Gen 4
The advances of the OLED G1’s new Evo panel (which is exclusive to the G1 series) come in two main areas.
First, a new ‘luminous element’ is included to enhance brightness without using lots more power or, so LG claims, increasing the likelihood of the OLED G1 suffering with the permanent image retention issue that can affect OLED technology.
Second, LG has introduced a new green layer into the OLED G1’s panel construction that should, in conjunction with new narrower wavelengths for the red and green colour elements, lead to more dynamic and precise colours across the spectrum.
With Panasonic and Sony also using brightness-enhancing panels on their premium OLED ranges for 2021, though, LG has one other bit of the OLED G1’s picture story it’s keen to talk about: its new Alpha 9 Generation 4 processor. Without this, LG argues, the OLED G1 would not be able to unlock the new panel’s full potential.
The Alpha 9 Gen 4 processor also boasts a few potentially important new more general image tweaks. These include new Natural and Cinema Movement motion processing modes, and enhancements to both LG’s AI Picture Pro and AI Sound Pro automatic picture and sound optimisation options.
On the AI Picture Pro front, the latest processor can now use AI learning to identify when an image may be showing a city scene, a landscape or a night shot, and apply specific rules to the image accordingly. It can even apply ‘rules’ to specific objects or areas of specific content within any overall image, creating a more three-dimensional and natural effect than would be possible by just applying the processing rules equally across the whole image.
The OLED G1’s use of an OLED rather than LCD panel – no surprise given the name, eh? – brings with it innate picture quality advantages too. For instance, it can be watched from almost any angle without its colour saturations or contrast deteriorating significantly. It can also deliver light control down to individual pixel level, so that the darkest blacks the panel is capable of can appear literally right next to the brightest whites, without any dimming/greyness/backlight clouding trade-offs. This sort of local light control just isn’t possible with LCD TVs – not even those that use Mini LED technology.
As usual with a premium LG TV, the OLED G1 supports the Dolby Vision and HLG formats of high dynamic range (HDR) technology, alongside the industry standard HDR10 format. There is no support for the rarer (in source terms) HDR10+ format.
The OLED G1 picks up where the company’s popular 2020 X series OLEDs left off when it comes to gaming, continuing to offer 4K resolution, HDR, 120Hz refresh, plus variable refresh rates (VRR) across all four HDMIs.
Pocket-lint
It introduces a roster of new gaming options via a Game Optimiser ‘dashboard’ too. These options include a series of selectable game genre-based picture presets, an AI Game Sound mode, separate tweaks for the bright and dark extremes of gaming graphics, a Reduce Blue Light option for shifting game graphics to a warmer, less fatiguing colour tone, and separate Standard and Boost input lag reduction options that deliver exceptionally fast response times of just 12.4ms and 9.4ms respectively.
There’s also a new Fine Tune Dark Areas option for VRR gaming that provides a counter-measure to the tendency of OLED TVs to exhibit raised black levels when playing VRR images. So LG is clearly hell bent on retaining the legion of gaming fans it picked up with its forward-thinking 2019 and 2020 LG OLED series.
Smart Features
Smart system: WebOS 6.0
After years of merely refining its much-loved webOS platform, LG has finally introduced some really significant changes on the OLED G1.
A new full-screen interface takes over from the old and familiar strip of app icons along the bottom of the screen. This interface focuses for the most part on recommending content based on household viewing habits and currently popular shows from across the wide range of apps the TV supports. There’s a substantial box to top right, too, that takes you to a well-presented and wide-ranging content search page.
LG
While it makes sense these days to shift the webOS focus to providing recommended content curated from across supported apps rather than making users explore content on a per-app basis, the layout and ‘weighting’ of the new home screen doesn’t feel quite right. The three link options along the top of the screen in particular feel like they’re been given more weight than they really warrant.
The signature webOS source icon strip does still continue along the bottom of the new full-screen home page, and you can scroll down from there to a small selection of further shelves containing a list of all your connected devices, and direct content links to some of the most popular streaming apps. Strangely there’s no Netflix shelf at the time of writing, though, and you can’t change the order the shelves appear in.
LG’s voice control and recognition features – Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and LG’s own ThinQ options are all available – continue to be excellent. As does the system’s level of app support, with all the key streaming services covered. This includes the UK’s terrestrial broadcaster catch-up services via Freeview Play.
Picture Quality
The OLED G1 undoubtedly delivers overall better picture quality than any of LG’s 2020 OLED TVs. Whether it delivers as much of an improvement as some quarters might have been hoping for, though, is another question.
The new Evo panel makes an impact in two ways. First, where an HDR image, such as a shot of sun-drenched blue sky, features almost full-screen brightness, there’s a slightly higher level of overall intensity to the picture than 2020’s LG models can provide. Second, the very brightest parts of HDR images – naked bulbs and lights, reflections on glass or metal, sun-drenched clouds and the like – look punchier and, as a result, more natural.
LG
It’s noticeable, too, that since the Evo panel is designed to handle slightly lighter peaks of brightness, it typically delivers more subtle detailing and shading in the brightest HDR areas.
These differences, along with a slightly richer, more refined HDR-content colour palette, are more consistently noticeable when playing HDR console and PC games than they are with typical video.
Even with the punchiest games, though, the OLED G1 step up from 2020’s LG OLEDs don’t elevate the brand’s OLED performance into a whole new ball park. It’s more refinement than revolution. While this initially feels slightly disappointing, it doesn’t take long living with the OLED G1 to start feeling as if this initial assessment is a bit foolish.
After all, the OLED G1 is providing a 10-20 per cent HDR performance boost to 2020 LG OLED TVs – which were themselves sensational performers. And that’s actually a pretty remarkable achievement in a premium TV world now so good that even the tiniest improvements should be embraced like long lost relatives.
What’s more, the G1’s picture improvements aren’t just down to its new Evo panel. The new Alpha 9 Gen 4 processor has its part to play too, on two levels.
First, the new AI Picture Pro option is a substantial advance over its predecessor. Its ability to apply more effective enhancements on a more local basis yields pictures which look both more eye-catching and more natural. This eye-catching/natural combination is key, since while LG AI processing has previously delivered enhancements to colour, sharpness and contrast, those enhancements have always been accompanied by distracting side effects. On the OLED G1 the improvements are not only more pronounced, but come at the expense of practically no downsides.
There are, of course, people who won’t use the AI Picture Pro mode because they don’t like the idea of a TV’s processor taking over the way a picture looks. And for those people the OLED G1 still supports all the calibration tools and accuracy of other recent LG generations. The much improved AI Picture Pro is very much worth trying for most users, though.
The other key processing improvement comes from LG’s new motion options. The new Natural motion processing mode used by default with most of the OLED G1’s picture presets is a little too smooth and can cause unwanted processing side effects. The new Cinematic Movement mode, though, does a superbly well-balanced job of gently reducing the rather ‘hard’ judder with 24p movie sources that OLED TVs can exhibit without creating really any distracting side effects. It’s outstanding.
LG
The OLED G1’s improvements have not, thankfully, compromised any of LG’s traditional OLED strengths. Black levels still look inky, actually exhibiting slightly less noise in areas of near-black detail, despite also showing more shadow detail in most picture presets.
Colours hardly ever look forced or over the top despite the slight brightness increase and marginally purer presentation, and sharpness is slightly improved without making the image look brittle or harsh. With HD sources, in particular, the new Alpha 9 Gen 4 upscaling really earns its corn by delivering a markedly crisper finish than seen with previous LG OLED generations without exaggerating noise.
The OLED G1’s pictures are not completely perfect though. There’s noticeable flickering in dark scenes when gaming in VRR, for starters. All Dolby Vision presets (bar Vivid) can cause some crushing of detail in dark areas. There’s a new hint of magenta over pictures if you watch from a wide angle, too, although contrast and colour intensity still benefit from OLED’s viewing angle advantage over LCD in this area.
The OLED G1 can also still exaggerate compression noise in dark (usually SDR) streamed scenes, and even with the G1 it’s still important to stress that while OLED is untouchable when it comes to local (as in, pixel by pixel) contrast, premium LCD TVs can still get significantly brighter with both peak and full-screen HDR content.
Sound Quality
Since LG doesn’t join Sony in using the screen surfaces of its premium OLED TVs to produce sound, there isn’t much space in the OLED G1’s super-skinny design for a big old set of speakers. With that in mind, though, in many ways the OLED G1 sounds pretty good.
For starters, a new Virtual 5.1.2 upconversion system introduced by the Alpha 9 Gen 4 processor does a surprisingly convincing job of adding a mild sense of height to soundtracks that don’t have height channels built-in. At least the sound expands nicely from all of the TV’s edges, even if there isn’t any sense of actual overhead sounds. Voices tend to sound clear and believable, and detail levels are quite high for a sound system that doesn’t have any forward-facing drivers.
LG
There are two fairly significant issues, though. First, while it’s cool that the OLED G1 decodes Dolby Atmos soundtracks (though there’s no DTS support), it doesn’t do so very well. The speakers just can’t deliver anywhere near as much impact as they should with very loud, dense Atmos moments. In fact, the speakers tend to become more subdued just when they’re supposed to be ratcheting up.
This makes LG’s own AI Sound Pro setting a much better option for most content. This does amp up to take on loud moments, as well as somehow make the sound fill the room more.
However, whenever a film soundtrack features low rumbles – especially in AI Sound Pro mode – the TV’s low frequency drivers start to fall prey to significant amounts of break up and distortion. So much so that it can become quite hard to listen to, and a clear distraction from the onscreen action.
Best go buy a separate soundbar/surround system then.
Verdict
At the time of writing there’s a question mark over whether the OLED G1 is sufficiently superior to the upcoming C1 mid-range OLEDs – which don’t get the Evo panel – to justify its extra cost. Based on the type of enhancements it brings over last gen’s CX models, though, it most likely is a worthy step up from the C1 – if you’re looking to wall-mount anyway.
So while it doesn’t quite shatter the OLED rule book in the way some had hoped, the OLED G1’s new Evo panel in conjunction with LG’s latest processing engine delivers comfortably the best OLED TV LG has ever made. That’s what makes this TV special. A fact which should rightly have both AV and gaming fans drooling, given how good LG’s previous OLEDs have been.
Also consider
LG
LG OLED GX
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If you can live without the Evo panel’s enhanced HDR performance and Game Optimiser functionality but like the Gallery design, 2020’s OLED GX is still available for a chunk of cash less.
Read our review
Panasonic
Panasonic HZ2000
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Panasonic was the first brand to introduce new high brightness OLED technology, and 2020’s version of this technology is still available at a slightly lower price than the LG. Stocks are apparently starting to run low, though, so get a move on!
The Audio Pro Addon C10 has consistently been one of our favourite wireless speakers in the three years since its arrival, winning three What Hi-Fi? Awards on the trot in its price category (‘under £500’). Now, the Swedish firm has released a sequel with enhanced functionality, sound quality and design.
The C10 MkII expands its predecessor’s feature list (which includes AirPlay, Bluetooth, aux and RCA inputs, and access to music streaming services via wi-fi) by adding AirPlay 2 and Google Cast streaming smarts. That now gives owners three ways of using the C10 MkII in a multi-room environment – with Apple devices (via AirPlay 2), Google Cast-compatible speakers, and Audio Pro’s other wireless speakers (via the Audio Pro app). These new features are, Audio Pro says, a direct response to customer demand.
In the name of improved sound quality, Audio Pro has also enhanced the electronics and revised the bass port design, while the dual tweeters and woofer that have helped make the original such a sonic class-leader in its field remain.
(Image credit: Audio Pro)
The number of preset buttons has been increased to six, too, allowing owners quick access to any playlist and radio station they wish to allocate to each one, without the need to use the control app. And last but not least, the new C10 also boasts a magnetic fabric mesh speaker grille to hide its koala-resembling frontage and bring it more in line with the firm’s latest speakers, such as the G10 and BT5.
Unsurprisingly, those extra features and improvements come at a price over the original C10, which had an RRP of £299 but can now be picked up for £259. The Audio Pro C10 MkII is now available to pre-order now at Richer Sounds for £360 in Arctic White, Storm Grey or Coal Black finishes. Will it prove to be a new favourite of ours? We wouldn’t bet against it.
MORE:
Our pick of the world’s best wireless speakers 2021
Gigabyte’s Aorus Z590 Master is a well-rounded upper mid-range motherboard with a VRM rivaled by boards that cost twice as much. Between the Wi-Fi 6E and 10 GbE, three M.2 sockets and six SATA ports for storage, plus its premium appearance, the Z590 Master is an excellent option to get into the Z590 platform if you’re willing to spend around $400.
For
+ Fast Networking, Wi-Fi 6E/10 GbE
+ Superior 18-phase 90A VRM
+ 10 USB ports
Against
– No PCIe x1 slot(s)
– Audible VRM fan
– Price
Features and Specifications
Editor’s Note: A version of this article appeared as a preview before we had a Rocket Lake CPU to test with Z590 motherboards. Now that we do (and Intel’s performance embargo has passed), we have completed testing (presented on page 3) with a Core i9-11900K and have added a score and other elements (as well as removing some now-redundant sentences and paragraphs) to make this a full review.
Gigabyte’s Z590 Aorus Master includes an incredibly robust VRM, ultra-fast Wi-Fi and wired networking, premium audio, and more. While its price of roughly $410 is substantial, it’s reasonable for the features you get, and far from the price of the most premium models in recent generations. If you don’t mind a bit of audible VRM fan noise and like lots of USB and fast wired and wireless networking, it’s well worth considering.
Gigabyte’s current Z590 product stack consists of 13 models. There are familiar SKUs and a couple of new ones. Starting with the Aorus line, we have the Aorus Xtreme (and potentially a Waterforce version), Aorus Master, Aorus Ultra, and the Aorus Elite. Gigabyte brings back the Vision boards (for creators) and their familiar white shrouds. The Z590 Gaming X and a couple of boards from the budget Ultra Durable (UD) series are also listed. New for Z590 is the Pro AX board, which looks to slot somewhere in the mid-range. Gigabyte will also release the Z590 Aorus Tachyon, an overbuilt motherboard designed for extreme overclocking.
On the performance front, the Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master did well overall, performing among the other boards with raised power limits. There wasn’t a test where it did particularly poorly, but the MS Office and PCMark tests on average were slightly higher than most. Overall, there is nothing to worry about when it comes to stock performance on this board. Overclocking proceeded without issue as well, reaching our 5.1 GHz overclock along with the memory sitting at DDR4 4000.
The Z590 Aorus Master looks the part of a premium motherboard, with brushed aluminum shrouds covering the PCIe/M.2/chipset area. The VRM heatsink and its NanoCarbon Fin-Array II provide a nice contrast against the smooth finish on the board’s bottom. Along with Wi-Fi 6E integration, it also includes an Aquantia based 10GbE, while most others use 2.5 GbE. The Aorus Master includes a premium Realtek ALC1220 audio solution with an integrated DAC, three M.2 sockets, reinforced PCIe and memory slots and 10 total USB ports, including a rear USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port. We’ll cover those features and much more in detail below. But first, here are full the specs from Gigabyte.
Specifications – Gigabyte Z590 Aorus Master
Socket
LGA 1200
Chipset
Z590
Form Factor
ATX
Voltage Regulator
19 Phase (18+1, 90A MOSFETs)
Video Ports
(1) DisplayPort v1.2
USB Ports
(1) USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, Type-C (20 Gbps)
(5) USB 3.2 Gen 2, Type-A (10 Gbps)
(4) USB 3.2 Gen 1, Type-A (5 Gbps)
Network Jacks
(1) 10 GbE
Audio Jacks
(5) Analog + SPDIF
Legacy Ports/Jacks
✗
Other Ports/Jack
✗
PCIe x16
(2) v4.0 x16, (x16/x0 or x8/x8
(1) v3.0 x4
PCIe x8
✗
PCIe x4
✗
PCIe x1
✗
CrossFire/SLI
AMD Quad GPU Crossfire and 2-Way Crossfire
DIMM slots
(4) DDR4 5000+, 128GB Capacity
M.2 slots
(1) PCIe 4.0 x4 / PCIe (up to 110mm)
(1) PCIe 3.0 x4 / PCIe + SATA (up to 110mm)
(1) PCIe 3.0 x4 / PCIe + SATA (up to 110mm)
U.2 Ports
✗
SATA Ports
(6) SATA3 6 Gbps (RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10)
USB Headers
(1) USB v3.2 Gen 2 (Front Panel Type-C)
(2) USB v3.2 Gen 1
(2) USB v2.0
Fan/Pump Headers
(10) 4-Pin
RGB Headers
(2) aRGB (3-pin)
(2) RGB (4-pin)
Legacy Interfaces
✗
Other Interfaces
FP-Audio, TPM
Diagnostics Panel
Yes, 2-character debug LED, and 4-LED ‘Status LED’ display
As we open up the retail packaging, along with the board, we’re greeted by a slew of included accessories. The Aorus Master contains the basics (guides, driver CD, SATA cables, etc.) and a few other things that make this board complete. Below is a full list of all included accessories.
Installation Guide
User’s Manual
G-connector
Sticker sheet / Aorus badge
Wi-Fi Antenna
(4) SATA cables
(3) Screws for M.2 sockets
(2) Temperature probes
Microphone
RGB extension cable
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(Image credit: Gigabyte)
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(Image credit: Gigabyte)
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(Image credit: Gigabyte)
After taking the Z590 Aorus Master out of the box, its weight was immediately apparent, with the shrouds, heatsinks and backplate making up the majority of that weight. The board sports a matte-black PCB, with black and grey shrouds covering the PCIe/M.2 area and two VRM heatsinks with fins connected by a heatpipe. The chipset heatsink has the Aorus Eagle branding lit up, while the rear IO shroud arches over the left VRM bank with more RGB LED lighting. The Gigabyte RGB Fusion 2.0 application handles RGB control. Overall, the Aorus Master has a premium appearance and shouldn’t have much issue fitting in with most build themes.
(Image credit: Gigabyte)
Looking at the board’s top half, we’ll first focus on the VRM heatsinks. They are physically small compared to most boards, but don’t let that fool you. The fin array uses a louvered stacked-fin design Gigabyte says increases surface area by 300% and improves thermal efficiency with better airflow and heat exchange. An 8mm heat pipe also connects them to share the load. Additionally, a small fan located under the rear IO shroud actively keeps the VRMs cool. The fan here wasn’t loud, but was undoubtedly audible at default settings.
We saw a similar configuration in the previous generation, which worked out well with an i9-10900K, so it should do well with the Rocket Lake flagship, too. We’ve already seen reports indicating the i9-11900K has a similar power profile to its predecessor. Feeding power to the VRMs is two reinforced 8-pin EPS connectors (one required).
To the right of the socket, things start to get busy. We see four reinforced DRAM slots supporting up to 128GB of RAM. Oddly enough, the specifications only list support up to DDR4 3200 MHz, the platform’s limit. But further down the webpage, it lists DDR4 5000. I find it odd it is listed this way, though it does set up an expectation that anything above 3200 MHz is overclocking and not guaranteed to work.
Above the DRAM slots are eight voltage read points covering various relevant voltages. This includes read points for the CPU Vcore, VccSA, VccIO, DRAM, and a few others. When you’re pushing the limits and using sub-ambient cooling methods, knowing exactly what voltage the component is getting (software can be inaccurate) is quite helpful.
Above those on the top edge are four fan headers (next to the EPS connectors is a fifth) of 10. According to the manual, all CPU fan and pump headers support 2A/24W each. You shouldn’t have any issues powering fans and a water cooling pump. Gigabyte doesn’t mention if these headers use auto-sensing (for DC or PWM control), but they handled both when set to ‘auto’ in the BIOS. Both a PWM and DC controlled fan worked without intervention.
The first two (of four) RGB LED headers live to the fan headers’ right. The Z590 Aorus Master includes two 3-pin ARGB headers and two 4-pin RGB headers. Since this board takes a minimal approach to RGB lighting, you’ll need to use these to add more bling to your rig.
We find the power button and 2-character debug LED for troubleshooting POST issues on the right edge. Below is a reinforced 24-pin ATX connector for power to the board, another fan header and a 2-pin temperature probe header. Just below all of that are two USB 3.2 Gen1 headers and a single USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C front-panel header for additional USB ports.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Gigabyte chose to go with a 19-phase setup for the Vcore and SOC on the power delivery front. Controlling power is an Intersil ISL6929 buck controller that manages up to 12 discrete channels. The controller then sends the power to ISL6617A phase doublers and the 19 90A ISL99390B MOSFETs. This is one of the more robust VRMs we’ve seen on a mid-range board allowing for a whopping 1,620A available for the CPU. You won’t have any trouble running any compatible CPU, including using sub-ambient overclocking.
(Image credit: Gigabyte)
The bottom half of the board is mostly covered in shrouds hiding all the unsightly but necessary bits. On the far left side, under the shrouds, you’ll find the Realtek ALC1220-VB codec along with an ESS Sabre ESS 9118 DAC and audiophile-grade WIMA and Nichicon Fine Gold capacitors. With the premium audio codec and DAC, an overwhelming majority of users will find the audio perfectly acceptable.
We’ll find the PCIe slots and M.2 sockets in the middle of the board. Starting with the PCIe sockets, there are a total of three full-length slots (all reinforced). The first and second slots are wired for PCIe 4.0, with the primary (top) slot wired for x16 and the bottom maxes out at x8. Gigabyte says this configuration supports AMD Quad-GPU Cand 2-Way Crossfire. We didn’t see a mention of SLI support even though the lane count supports it. The bottom full-length slot is fed from the chipset and runs at PCIe 3.0 x4 speeds. Since the board does without x1 slots, this is the only expansion slot available if you’re using a triple-slot video card. Anything less than that allows you to use the second slot.
Hidden under the shrouds around the PCIe slots are three M.2 sockets. Unique to this setup is the Aorus M.2 Thermal Guard II, which uses a double-sided heatsink design to help cool M.2 SSD devices with double-sided flash. With these devices’ capacities rising and more using flash on both sides, this is a good value-add.
The top socket (M2A_CPU) supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4 devices up to 110mm long. The second and third sockets, M2P_SB and M2M_SB, support both SATA and PCIe 3.0 x3 modules up to 110mm long. When using a SATA-based SSD on M2P_SB, SATA port 1 will be disabled. When M2M_SB (bottom socket) is in use, SATA ports 4/5 get disabled.
To the right of the PCIe area is the chipset heatsink with the Aorus falcon lit up with RGB LEDs from below. There’s a total of six SATA ports that support RAID0, 1, 5 and 10. Sitting on the right edge are two Thunderbolt headers (5-pin and 3-pin) to connect to a Gigabyte Thunderbolt add-in card. Finally, in the bottom-right corner is the Status LED display. The four LEDs labeled CPU, DRAM, BOOT and VGA light up during the POST process. If something hangs during that time, the LED where the problem resides stays lit, identifying the problem area. This is good to have, even with the debug LED at the top of the board.
Across the board’s bottom are several headers, including more USB ports, fan headers and more. Below is the full list, from left to right:
Front-panel audio
BIOS switch
Dual/Single BIOS switch
ARGB header
RGB header
TPM header
(2) USB 2.0 headers
Noise sensor header
Reset button
(3) Fan headers
Front panel header
Clear CMOS button
(Image credit: Gigabyte)
The Z590 Aorus Master comes with a pre-installed rear IO panel full of ports and buttons. To start, there are a total of 10 USB ports out back, which should be plenty for most users. You have a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port, five USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports and four USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports. There is a single DisplayPort output for those who would like to use the CPU’s integrated graphics. The audio stack consists of five gold-plated analog jacks and a SPDIF out. On the networking side is the Aquantia 10 GbE port and the Wi-Fi antenna. Last but not least is a Clear CMOS button and a Q-Flash button, the latter designed for flashing the BIOS without a CPU.
The LG Stylo 6 is one of the company’s bestselling phones in recent history.Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge
The company leaves a void that brands like Motorola and TCL are well-positioned to fill
LG’s exit from the smartphone business felt inevitable in the weeks leading up to it as rumors mounted. When it was finally confirmed, Avi Greengart, a longtime consumer tech analyst and president of Techsponential, noticed a trend toward nostalgia in the reactions to the news.
“I’m not getting a lot of people saying ‘What will I do to replace my LG G8X ThinQ?’ I’m getting ‘Aw, my first phone was an LG flip phone, and it was durable and reliable and I loved it.’”
As someone who spent many years covering the digital camera market, it’s a very familiar moment to me. We mourn the loss of the brand that gave us our first flip phone or our first camera with a tweet and a broken heart emoji. But truthfully, we moved on long ago, as did most of the rest of the phone- or camera-buying population.
Things weren’t looking good for LG’s phone business in 2016 when it introduced the modular G5, and the ecosystem’s failure to take off perpetuated what would become years of losses for the mobile division. In 2020, the smartphone business recorded an operational loss of around $750 million for the year; the company promised to “closely review the direction of the business,” and we know now how that turned out.
While most shoppers have moved on, there are still gaps left in the market when a Kodak or an LG packs it in. “This is a void. When they do leave, this will be a void,” says Ryan Reith, program vice president for IDC’s Mobile Device Tracker division. He says that through last year, LG still held close to 10 percent market share in the US.
In particular, the company still had a solid foothold in the prepaid device business. Greengart doesn’t think there will be any lack of appetite to snap up that share of the market. “The competition there is brutal. The real question is will US carriers invite a new brand in — someone like Xiaomi would be my longshot.” The company’s Redmi and Poco lineups might be good candidates, with a focus on bringing high-end features and solid performance to affordable handsets.
Greengart also notes that OnePlus already has a foot in the door at Metro by T-Mobile, the carrier’s prepaid sub-brand. Samsung has already announced that it will sell two of its least expensive A-series phones, the A02s and A12, through prepaid brands like Cricket and Metro this spring.
As for the sub-$300 space in general, there’s no shortage of brands ready to pounce. “I would say the two brands that are probably going to take that share going to be Motorola and TCL,” Reith says. He notes that Motorola is already well-positioned to pick up LG’s Latin American customers, which was recently about 30 percent of its mobile phone business. Even on an individual device level, there are obvious heirs: one of LG’s last bestselling devices is the Stylo 6, and its sole competitor, the Moto G Stylus, is quite frankly a better phone.
TCL has also made it clear in the past couple of years that it’s eager to get its own brand devices into more consumers’ hands, in addition to the phones the company already makes for other brands. Reith says he’s “bullish” on the company’s prospects, as more US shoppers have become familiar with the brand name by way of its TV business. If one thing’s certain, it’s that more than a few companies are in a good position to fill that void LG leaves behind. As Greengart puts it, “Undoubtedly there will be plenty of substitutes; in fact there already are.”
Although LG only had a small presence in the premium market, there’s a gap left there too — even if it’s mostly symbolic. The few devices the company still sold were an alternative to the two dominant brands in the US: Apple and Samsung. Especially considering the lower cost of entry to the S21 series this year, those remaining customers will likely be easily scooped up by the duopoly. “The market is mostly Apple and Samsung in the United States,” says Greengart. “If it was concentrated before, it’s even more concentrated today.”
Realistically though, the market had already spoken. LG’s efforts at bold, unusual designs in the premium space never caught on and spelled serious trouble for the business. Reith points to the LG Wing as an example. “To come up with a design like that… it takes so much money for R&D, that when you put that out and it only sells thousands of units — not hundreds of thousands, but thousands of units — it’s a big, big loss,” he says.
LG’s premium devices may have been interesting and unique, but the market spoke, and the company’s mobile phone exit became seemingly inevitable. That’s how these things work, and a multitude of companies are ready to swoop in and pick up where LG left off. But whether you follow mobile tech closely or just have a special place in your heart for your old flip phone, many of us will still take the opportunity to pause and shed a digital emoji tear.
NASA engineers have decided to delay the Ingenuity helicopter’s debut flight on Mars to at least Wednesday, April 14th, after running into a minor computer glitch during a rotor spin test late Friday night, the agency said on Saturday. The tiny craft is healthy, but engineers need some more time to review telemetry data from the unexpected hiccup before proceeding.
Ingenuity, a mini four-pound helicopter that arrived on Mars February 18th attached to NASA’s Perseverance rover, was initially slated to carry out its first flight test late Sunday night (or, mid-day Mars time). The first bits of data on whether the flight attempt was successful was expected to come early Monday morning, around 4AM ET.
But data from a high-speed rotor test carried out on Friday showed the test sequence “ended early due to a ‘watchdog’ timer expiration,” NASA said. It happened as Ingenuity’s computer was trying to switch from pre-flight mode to flight mode.
Ingenuity’s “watchdog timer” is just that — a software-based watchdog that oversees the helicopter’s test sequences and alerts engineers if anything looks abnormal. “It helps the system stay safe by not proceeding if an issue is observed and worked as planned,” NASA said in a blog post.
NASA emphasized the craft is healthy, and Ingenuity is still in good contact with engineers at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.
Ingenuity was deployed by Perseverance on the Martian surface on April 4th, kicking off a 31-day clock in which five flight tests are planned. For its first flight demonstration, the helicopter will ascend 10 feet above the surface and hover for about 30 seconds, aiming to achieve the first-ever powered flight on another world. Depending how the first test goes, subsequent tests will involve Ingenuity soaring to higher altitudes and buzzing around within its running track-shaped flight zone at Mars’ Jezero Crater.
Crowbits’ progressive STEM kits teach future engineers (ages 6-10 and up) the basics of electronics and programming, but nondurable paper elements and poorly translated documentation could lead to frustration and incomplete projects.
For
+ 80+ Lego-compatible electronic modules and sensors
+ Helpful programming software
+ Progressive learning kits
+ Examples are very helpful
+ Engaging projects for pre-teen and teen engineers
Against
– Inadequate and inaccurate project tutorial
– Cable modules are stiff and pop off easily
– Cardboard projects are flimsy and cumbersome
– Labels are hard to read
They say that the best method of teaching is to start with the basics. This is true for most subjects, but even more so for getting kids involved and interested in learning about electronics and programming. This is exactly Elecrow Crowbits’ approach to launching young inventors and creators into the world of technology.
Available via Kickstarter, the STEM kit series starts with building simple projects that make use of basic electronic concepts, then steps up kids’ skills by introducing projects that require some coding and graduates to more advanced application development. The Crowbits lineup consists of five interactive STEM-based packages, each appropriately themed with projects that cater to kids from ages 6 -10 and up. These are the Hello Kit, Explorer Kit, Inventor Kit, Creator Kit and Master Kit.
With the variety of engineering kits out in the market today, Crowbits’ pricing falls in the mid-range category. Ranging from $26 to $90, depending on which kit you prefer, it is money well spent. One of the key values that Crowbits brings is its focus on teaching kids the basics of electronics through the use of these programmable blocks and sensors and ties that learning to current practical uses, like turning the lights on or off. This simple circuit logic is used to program small home appliances like coffee machines, automatic dispensers or even smart home security systems.
Much like the company’s previous Kickstarter project the CrowPi2, a Raspberry Pi-powered laptop which we reviewed last year, Crowbits also presented issues with documentation. Makers and creators know that clear and concise directions are very important for any project building. Unclear and inadequate instructions causes users, especially beginners, to feel that they may have done something wrong. They may be able to troubleshoot some issues themselves, but if left unresolved an air of defeat and frustration ensues.
Crowbits Setup
Setup for Crowbits starts with choosing which components to use depending on the project the child wants to try. The modules are designed to be plug-and-play so young makers can use them to build structures and experiment right away. Modules are also compatible with the entire series of learning kits, so if you purchased more than one, you can use them interchangeably.
If you want to try building from the suggested projects, of which there are plenty to choose from, note that they become more challenging as you move up in the series and may include some coding and firmware downloads.
How Crowbits Work
(Image credit: Elecrow)
Every kit consists of a number of modules. Each module has magnetic pogo-pins on all sides that help connect them easily. Another way of connecting modules are by the magnetic cables. At the back of each module are Lego holes for seamless integration of Lego bricks to any structure.
(Image credit: Elecrow)
There are four different types of modules and are easily identified by color: Blue for power/logic, yellow for input, green for output and orange for special modules. It’s important to keep in mind a few rules for creating a circuit sequence. There should be at least a power, an input and an output module in order to build a circuit, with the proper sequence having the input block before the output.
There could be multiple input and output blocks in a sequence where the output is controlled by the nearest input block. Lastly, names of modules must be facing up to ensure the correct pins are being used.
Crowbits Module and Sensor Breakdown
(Image credit: Elecrow)
There are four different types of modules and sensors for Crowbits and each function is distinguished by color:
Power Modules (Blue) – the power source and a core module that’s required for every project build. You’ll see a green light that indicates when the power is on. Use the included micro-USB cable to re-charge the power supply when needed.
Logic Modules (Blue) – for basic operations. Includes: 315 MHz Controller, Expansion, etc.
Input Modules (Yellow) – accepts input data like touch, vibration or object detection and passes it to the output modules. Includes: Touch module, IR reflective sensor, light sensor, etc.
Output Modules (Green) – receives command from input module and executes ending action. Examples are: Buzzer module (makes a sound), LED (Y) light up, or vibrate
Special Modules (Orange) – used for advanced programming tasks. Examples are: I2C or UART
Crowbits Software and Hardware
(Image credit: Elecrow)
Programming Languages Supported: Letscode (Elecrow’s visual programming software based on Scratch 3.0), which supports Python and Arduino IDE.
Open Source Hardware Compatibility: ESP32 TFT, Micro:bit board, Arduino UNO and Raspberry Pi (TBA).
OS Supported: Windows and Mac
Crowbits Learning Kits Use Cases
Hello Kit and Explorer Kit
(Image credit: Elecrow)
The Hello Kit and Explorer Kit are learning tools for beginners and targets children ages 6-8 and up. It introduces the concept of modules and their functionality. No coding is required for any of the suggested experiments and projects here. Building the projects with cardboard elements proved to be difficult for my seven-year-old and she got easily frustrated trying to use the thin double-sided tape that came with the kit.
Once the structures were built (with my help) she did enjoy putting the modules together and making things happen like sounding the buzzer on the anti-touching device or making the lights turn on her window display project. Another annoyance to note was when using the cable module that serves to connect modules together. The cable is quite thick and not flexible so it had the tendency to pop off and break the connection for multiple projects.
I would have to say that my daughter was most engaged with the Explorer Kit, perhaps because the projects had more integration with Lego blocks, and some projects were also very interactive like the Quadruped Robot and the Lift, which were her favorites. She enjoyed building the structures and seeing the creations come to life, especially when there was movement, sounds and lights.
Inventor Kit and Creator Kit
(Image credit: Elecrow)
The Inventor Kit and Creator Kit are the intermediate learning tools of the Crowbits series and targets children ages 10 and up. The Inventor Kit includes more advanced projects that incorporate the Micro:bit board in the builds. This requires some coding and the use of Letcsode, Elecrow’s Scratch-based drag-and-drop visual programming software.
The software seemed a bit buggy (mainly in steps like downloading custom code) and there were inaccuracies in the project documentation that led to a lot of troubleshooting on our part. Hopefully, by the time Crowbits is ready for release in June, these kinks will have been resolved.
It is worth noting, though, that the list of projects suggested for the Inventor kit seem to be age-appropriate. My tween worked on the Horizontal Bar and the Ultrasonic Guitar projects. She thoroughly enjoyed the experience and had no issues following the diagrams in building the Lego structures. There was a little hiccup in using the software, as I mentioned earlier, where we were wanting for troubleshooting tips and more clear documentation.
Unfortunately, we were not able to try out the Creator Kit as it was not available when we received our evaluation samples. We may update this review when we receive the Kit after its June release.
Master Kit
(Image credit: Elecrow)
The Master Kit definitely is the most challenging of the engineering kits in the Crowbits lineup, with the task of programming hardware and software to build real-life products like a mobile phone, a game console and a radar. I’ll set aside my comments for this kit as I was unsuccessful in trying to make the phone and console work due to a corrupted SD card.
Additionally, we had intermittent issues while uploading firmware. It is unfortunate because I was looking forward to this kit the most, but perhaps I can re-visit the Master Kit and post an update at a later time.
The one successful project build out of this kit, the radar, honestly left us scratching our heads. The expected results were not seen as we tried a placing variety of objects in the vicinity of the rotating radar dish and none of them seemed to be detected.
Crowbits Learning Kits Specs and Pricing
Modules
Projects
Age
Price
Hello Kit
7 Modules
5 Cardboard Projects
6+
$26
Explorer Kit
13 Modules
12 Projects
8+
$70
Inventor Kit
10 Modules
12 Lego, graphic programming projects and Letscode introduction
10+
$80
Creator Kit
TBD
TBD
10+
$90
Master Kit
TBD
TBD
10+
$90
Crowbits Available Bundles and Special Pricing
Bundles
Kits Included
Pricing
Bundle #1
Explorer Kit, Creator Kit, Master Kit
$239
Bundle #2
Explorer Kit, Inventor Kit, Master Kit
$249
Bundle #3
Hello Kit, Explorer Kit, Inventor Creator Kit, Master Kit
$354
Bottom Line
Despite all its kinks, overall the Crowbits STEM Kit appears to be another great educational tool from Elecrow with the emphasis on educating kids on electrical engineering. Whether it be building simple circuit projects or coding more complex applications for use in everyday living, the Crowbits series provides a complete learning platform for kids ages 6-10 and up.
With its average pricing and the flexibility to pick and choose which kit to purchase, it is an attractive choice for someone looking to buy an educational STEM kit for their child or loved one. Of course you can also buy the entire set as a bundle and enjoy helping your child build models and program as you go through the different stages of electronic learning from basic to advanced concepts. It’s also worth noting that the Letscode software program that comes with the packages is free and supports Python and Arduino programming which is a welcome added bonus.
Lypertek is a relatively new brand in consumer audio, so much so that they essentially appeared out of nowhere globally with three similar-sounding products, the MEVI, BEVI, and TEVI. The last one, TEVI, is their true wireless earbuds solution and garnered rave reviews, especially at its going price back then, and things have improved even more with a nice price cut as well as a rebranding. Gone is the TEVI name unless you take a look at the company website, and we instead have the PurePlay Z3. I was working with a local PR firm in the UK on a couple of different things, and they expressed interest in coverage of these having sung praises galore. Thanks again to Lypertek for providing a sample to TechPowerUp over their marketing agency!
At first glance, there is not much to differentiate the PurePlay Z3 from the vast majority of similar true wireless (TWS) earbuds in the market today. Recognizing also that this is not a brand-new product, the rebranding is an effort from the company to have it better fit with its goals to be a leader in consumer audio. Targeting a neutral sound profile, Lypertek wants to offer great battery life and tactile buttons along with good wireless codec support, all at an excellent $69.99. This new, reduced price tag is what mostly got me interested, having used plenty of more expensive TWS earbuds from larger brands, including Audio-Technica, and so here we are taking a quick look at the Lypertek PurePlay Z3.
Packaging and Accessories
The product box comes with a plastic seal all around, and removing it reveals a fairly squarish design with the company logo and product name on the front and on either side of a render of the ear buds. On the back are the salient marketing features listed, and a visual representation of the contents greets us on the side. A single seal keeps the box intact, and then we see a wraparound top that unfurls to reveal the contents inside. Lypertek includes the quick start guide (online copy here) and a thank you note in a separate pouch. The ear buds and case are placed inside a piece of foam that has cutouts to snugly hold the three items, with a tab at the top to help lift this layer to reveal the other accessories underneath.
I do like the unboxing experience of the PurePlay Z3, with clean layers and markings throughout and a good balance of function and form. The final set of accessories come inside a cardboard box with labels which reveal it contains replacement ear tips, and it is placed in a recess customized for the box with more cardboard around for further protection. Lypertek includes three sets of replacement tips, with size S and L silicone tips as well as a set of size M foam ear tips, which are nice to see since these make for a more snug fit with better isolation for those who prefer it or are allergic to silicone.
Closer Look
The case is instrumental to true wireless earphones, providing storage and charging capability at the same time, and the Lypertek version takes on a familiar form factor in the shape of a rounded pill (~80x40x30 mm) that opens in the middle. There is a notch to aid with this, and we see indicator LEDs underneath, on the black plastic rim that goes around to the other side, which has a USB Type-C port for charging underneath a solid hinge. The entire case is out of plastic, but differentiates itself from most others with a well-done fabric finish in a blue color. There is another color option, ivory, which looks more golden in the photos I have seen. A carry strap and the Lypertek logo on top complete the exterior, and opening the box reveals the charging specifications.
The TWS earbuds do not in my opinion set themselves apart visually in the sea of similar-looking products available today, especially from the side. This is a working formula that has been successful, so I can understand adoption of the same. This version is predominantly black, including at the front, with a chrome ring around the tactile button on each bud for accentuation. We see the Lypertek logo and product name as well, and these are small and light enough to where you won’t experience fatigue over even longer listening sessions if they fit well. There are indicator LEDs on the front, and a vent to access the integrated microphone on each. The stems are about average in length and come with the medium silicone tips pre-installed. These are a safe default, but I recommend trying the others to be sure. The FlexFit foam tips were the best for me, allowing for a snug and comfortable fit.
There is an 800 mAh battery inside, which is charged at a maximum rate of 700 mA at 5 V and outputs 50 mA at the same voltage for each of the two pods that fit the earbuds. This means seven charging cycles are theoretically possible, but after accounting for electrical losses at each step, six cycles are more realistic.
Setup and Audio
Out of the box, you will need to press and hold the two earbuds for a second to turn them on. An audio message reflecting the status of each earbud is played as well, and a double click turns on pairing mode. A compatible Bluetooth device, of which there are several here owing to the Bluetooth 5.0 LE protocol compatibility, will see and pair with one earbud first before doing the same with the other. This is due to support of Qualcomm’s TrueWireless Plus technology, and partly how these earbuds have an automatic battery-based switching mode for uniform battery charging and adaptive switching between the primary and secondary bud. As with the Creative Outlier Gold earphones, there is also mono mode for when you use a single earbud and leave the other in the case.
Battery life is a key metric for TWS earbuds, and these promise 10 hours of use when fully charged. I hit over 9 hours regularly at ~60% volume on my phone, and the included charger provides for another six charge cycles. Charging them with the case takes about 90 minutes, and there is a quick charge mode by default, wherein 15 min gives you up to 2 hours of listening time. The indicator LEDs on the case show the progress of charging the case in 25% increments, which can take much longer depending on the source. The case does not support any quick charging in itself that I saw. Regardless, this makes for very respectable battery lives to where I got a week on average while commuting, going for walks or exercising outdoors over the ~3 weeks of testing. These are also IPx7 waterproof for the more intense physical workouts, or even a quick shower, which makes the PurePlay Z3 a good audio solution for the gym and outdoors.
The buttons on each bud allow for more once paired, including media playback and volume controls, as well as pulling up the OS assistant on iOS and Android. The included microphones are decent for calls and smart assistant voice control, but do feel more like an afterthought compared to the listening hardware, which are a 6 mm graphene drivers, an unnamed Qualcomm 32-bit triple-core Bluetooth audio SoC, an equally unnamed Kalimba DSP and, you guessed it, unnamed DAC/amp combination. In addition to the standard SBC codec, these also support aptX and AAC. Nothing more, which is a shame as I would have liked to see some newer, improved codecs adopted despite the age of the product.
Here’s where things stand for audio listening—you are not going to get the deepest bass or fantastic highs. Lypertek tuned the sound signature to a neutral profile. As someone who listens to a lot of classical music and smooth jazz when using these outdoors and sometimes even while writing a review on TechPowerUp, I personally dig this a lot. The neutral profile means you are more likely to hear audio as the creator intended, which in stereo mode and when isolated well makes for a very good listening experience. The sound stage is not very big, and there is distinct separation of the two channels, but you do get detailed notes for orchestral music in particular in return. Vocals take a small hit compared to just about everything else I have on hand, including the Creative Outlier Gold, Audio-Technica CK3TW, CKS5TW, and ANC300TW, and the EVA2020 x final, as well as a couple of other Bluetooth earphones that are not of the true wireless type. For instrumental music in particular, however, this thing hangs with the best of them, and did I mention the rest are all more expensive?
Lypertek wants $89.90 for the black version of the PurePlay Z3and $79.90 for the ivory variant, for customers in the USA, although street pricing seems lower in general at ~$75 for the black version as of the time of writing, which makes the Lypertek PurePlay Z3 a fantastic buy. The company does seem to have distributors and resellers in mostly Europe and Asia, however, where things are arguably even better priced. The only item of note is the company expressing outright that it is not tuned towards bass or treble, so do keep that in ind. I appreciate the battery life and case design even if it does feel quite similar to the Sennheiser Momentum TWS case, and the tactile buttons on each earbud make the controls easy to use on the go as well. The rebranding exercise seems to be taking forever, however, with even the company website still claiming the TEVI name. But be it the TEVI or PurePlay Z3, it should be right up there at the top of your considerations.
I would like to thank XGIMI for supplying the sample.
There has been quite a history of compact projectors hitting the market, with some so tiny as to fit in one’s palm. However, most tend to suffer from some form of limitation in terms of portability, brightness, interface or audio. XGIMI presented an interesting choice with the original Mogo Pro, which managed to provide all of the above at a level that made it a pretty unique all-rounder for casual use both indoors and on the road. The XGIMI Mogo Pro+ takes the same technological base of the Mogo Pro and adds fully automated Keystone setup to the mix.
Packaging and Contents
The XGIMI Mogo Pro+ ships in a white box that looks very similar to what you would expect when buying a modern cell phone these days. There is very little writing to distract from the product with the partner logos clearly visible for an added boost of clout and recognition. On the rear, once again much like mobile phone companies, you will find the serial number and required certification logos.
Besides a bit of paperwork, you don’t get any extras with the XGIMI Mogo Pro+, which is a bit unfortunate. It is built with portability in mind, so a case that could hold it and its power supply would have been a very welcome sight, especially as other brands in the industry include one. You may buy it separately for around $80 on Amazon, which is pretty expensive. A means to safely transport your fairly expensive device is pretty crucial; it would have been nice if it at least were a little cheaper.
The XGIMI Mogo Pro+ requires 3.42 A according to the PSU, which unfortunately is beyond the 3 A a USB-C implementation could deliver. Thus, a classic power brick makes sense, and the provided power brick is both sturdy and quite compact.
The bundled Bluetooth remote has a bit of a triangular shape to it, which makes it very comfortable to hold. In the front, you get a good set of buttons that allow you to navigate the Android TV interface easily. In the center is the colorful Google Assistant button. The remote takes two AAA batteries and even has a built-in toggle to use the angled up/down buttons for either volume or focus.
Neo Forza is a relatively young manufacturer of DRAM memory modules and flash memory products. The Taiwanese company was founded in 2018 as enthusiast-focused brand of Goldkey, a well-established producer of computer hardware which has focused on OEM manufacturing until recently.
Today’s review covers the Neo Forza eSports M.2 NVMe SSD, which is also known as NFP075. “eSports” is not a range of products, but the name of this specific drive. A future Gen 4 drive would be called “Esports4x4”, according to Neo Forza. Under the hood, the NFP075 is powered by a Phison PS5012-E12S controller paired with 3D TLC NAND from Chinese state-backed flash memory maker Yangtze Memory Technologies Co (YMTC)—the first YMTC flash I’ve ever reviewed! A DRAM chip from Kingston is included, too. PCI-Express 3.0 x4 is used as the host interface.
The Neo Forza eSports is available in capacities of 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB. Endurance for these models is set at 420 TBW, 890 TBW, 1350 TBW, and 1550 TBW respectively. Neo Forza provides a three-year warranty for the eSports SSD.
Specifications: Neo Forza eSports NFP075 1 TB
Brand:
Neo Forza
Model:
NFP075PCI1T-3400200
Capacity:
1024 GB (953 GB usable) No additional overprovisioning
(Pocket-lint) – The gaming phone market shows no signs of slowing down. Indeed, just 20 hours prior to revealing our verdict on this very device, the Red Magic 6, Lenovo revealed its next-gen Legion Duel gaming monster.
Except, interestingly, the Red Magic 6 has a bit of a headline feature that the Lenovo lacks: there’s a 165Hz screen refresh rate, which, at the time of writing, is the fastest you’ll find in a gaming phone – or, indeed, any phone to date – to make for super smooth visuals.
The Red Magic 6 is all about its gaming focus elsewhere, too, thanks to a top tier processor, stacks of RAM, plus a built-in cooling fan. So does all that make it a case of game on, or should you go game elsewhere?
Design & Display
6.8-inch OLED panel, 1080 x 2400 resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio
165Hz refresh rate, 500Hz touch sampling rate
Dimensions: 170 x 77 x 9.7mm / Weight: 220g
Finish options: Eclipse Black, Aurora
Dedicated switch for Game Space
Under-display fingerprint scanner
Built-in shoulder triggers
3.5mm headphone jack
Visually speaking the Red Magic 6 looks much like the Red Magic 5G and 5S devices that came before it. Except it’s actually a little bit bigger. Yup, as if those aforementioned slabs weren’t substantial enough, Nubia has gone and installed a yet bigger screen – up from 6.65-inches to 6.8-inches – making for a slightly wider overall package (although, thankfully, it’s a slither thinner than its predecessors).
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In this Eclipse Black finish it’s also approaching subdued for a gaming phone. Perhaps that’s because the 5S we had came in a so-called ‘Pulse’ colourway. Which was loud to say the least. Not that the Red Magic 6 lacks some flashy “look at me” moments – helped along for the most part by rear lighting that can be set to various colours and patterns based on notifications, calls, gameplay and more (or switched off entirely, if you prefer).
The principal attraction of the Red Magic 6, we think, is its screen. This 6.8-inch OLED panel is quite the monster, plus it’s equipped with some headline-grabbing features. First, it’s flat, not curved, which makes it very practical for gaming (and anything, really, which is why we see curved screens on the decline). Second, it’s got a 165Hz refresh rate, meaning it can refresh that many times every second if you want – or select from 60Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz from the settings instead to conserve battery. It’s bright, too, with a 630 nits peak brightness claimed.
We’re always a little on the fence about fast-refresh panels, though, as the Red Magic 6’s sell over the 5S is basically 144Hz vs 165Hz. Will your eyes notice those extra 21 cycles per second? No, it’s not humanly possible. But it’s there, so it’s “one better” on paper nonetheless. You’ll most certainly see a big jump from the base 60Hz, though, so there’s obvious benefit to having a higher refresh rate panel. Plus, with 500Hz sampling rate, it’s super responsive to finger taps.
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Not that you have to just tap the screen. Being a gaming phone, Red Magic continues with its gaming focus, which includes integrated shoulder triggers to one edge, which you can programme for certain games. You can even adjust the screen’s responsiveness in zones using the Game Space application.
Activating Game Space is a simple case of flicking the red switch to the upper left side (facing) of the device. It’s a nice touch, able to transport you into a games carousel, along with the ability to select various key options – such as do not disturb (DND), permitting specific apps to notify (such as Discord in a pop-up overlay), controlling lighting, the cooling fan, and screen refresh rate.
We just wish that switching into Game Space would automatically apply selected presets. For example, we’d (perhaps) activate 165Hz when in the space, but drop that to 90Hz once done and flicking the switch back to ‘normal’ for our everyday activities. But that doesn’t happen – the selected refresh rate remains in play, so you have to manually adjust it.
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Elsewhere in terms of design, the Red Magic 6, rather unusually, features a 3.5mm headphone jack. So you can plug in your wired headphones. That’s an increasing rarity for high-end devices, although we suspect most will just use Bluetooth anyway.
Performance & Battery
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 platform, 12GB LPDDR5 RAM
128GB UFS 3.1 storage, no microSD card slot
5050mAh battery capacity, 66W fast-charge
Turbofan and liquid cooling system
Dual-Core Cooler accessory
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)
5G connectivity
So why is the Red Magic 6 so chunky, at almost a full centimetre wide? There’s a number of reasons: the massive battery capacity (5,050mAh), the integrated physical cooling fan, the spatial capacity to ensure airflow won’t overheat the processor inside. And that’s just three reasons.
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There’s no doubting the Red Magic 6 has got the goods when it comes to power. Utilising Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 platform, alongside 12GB RAM, there’s nothing more powerful inside phones right now. Which makes the asking price of this phone all the more phenomenal.
Motorola’s new Moto G9 Plus is a stunner of a phone – find out why, right here
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For most people the difference between a Snapdragon 888 and, say, 870 isn’t going to make much difference for casual use. But the Red Magic 6 is all about gaming – so it has a processor that can put in the extra work to eke out those extra frame-rates and graphical options that you might otherwise not get elsewhere.
That said, only so many games are able to really tuck in. The same goes with the refresh rate debate: which games will genuinely benefit from 165Hz? Not many, perhaps none at all. Running Red Magic’s own FPS checker in real-time showed that many of our favourites – South Park: Phone Destroyer being the main, PUBG Mobile being the other – apparently max out at 31fps. Surely an error on Red Magic’s software? Because PUBG Mobile can run at 90fps.
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That self administered punch to the face aside, however, and the Red Magic 6 does a darn good job when it comes to playing games. There’s no delay, no fuss with fidelity, no issues with graphics textures, and so forth. It’s about as good as it gets.
However, that cooling fan doesn’t half make a lot of noise. It’s whirring sound whistles quite irritatingly. Having it on will undoubtedly use up power, too, so we’ve opted for leaving the standard cooling system minus the additional fans to take care of things. It’s a good job you can manually adjust this from the settings shade – because the fan also activates when fast-charging kicks in, unless you tell it not to.
The reason for that is the fast-charging, at 66W, is really quick. You can fill it from dead in under 40 minutes, assuming you have the correct plug at the wall, which is borderline ridiculous. Pop it on a slower recharge and you’ll be kinder to the battery’s health, but it’ll take a fair lot longer.
As for realistic longevity per charge. With this phone, more than most, that’s going to depend on how much you game. We’ve found the battery life a little unpredictable in general, with a day of ‘normal use’ (at 90Hz, note) and some gaming thrown in delivering close to 15 hours. That’s fine for a single day, except there are some moments when the battery will bomb and that’ll leave you reaching for the charger when you might not usually expect so – and that can render the 165Hz plus cooling fan as limited time options.
It would also be remiss to not speak on software, which here is Red Magic OS (V4.0), built over Google’s Android 11 operating system. It’s fairly harmless, in that it has various obtuse Themes, but there are some fundamentals that are just broken.
Notifications, for one, are scruffy, filling up layers per app in a not-too-useful format. But at least, unlike with the Poco X3 Pro, we get consistent notifications, eh?
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The home screen also can’t accept new apps being dragged from the app drawer and onto it as icons – they just vanish, unless you load multiple apps into a folder and drag them from there. It’s a ridiculous and irksome bug. That, in a sense, is indicative of what to expect when it comes to software experience: a unique yet unpredictable one.
Cameras
Triple rear system:
Main (26mm): 64-megapixel, f/1.8 aperture, 0.8µm pixel size
Wide (13mm): 8 MP, f/2.0, 1.12µm
Macro: 2MP
Selfie camera: 8MP, f/2.0
One area where we’ve been critical of previous Red Magic devices is with the cameras. Although the Red Magic 6 doesn’t get away Scot-free by any means, its main camera is fairly decent – outshining the likes of the Moto G100, that’s for sure.
Thankfully the rear of this phone is slightly curved so it slots into the hand pretty elegantly. There’s no giant camera bump in the way. No unwarranted protrusions or oddities. But that’s because the cameras here simply aren’t as high-end as you’ll find in some devices.
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According to the specification, the Red Magic 6 has a 64-megapixel main sensor (a S5KGW3 – which is Samsung’s GW3 sensor) that squeezes images down to 16-megapixels by using one-in-four processing. Then there’s an 8MP wide-angle (a HI846, so a typical Hynix sensor). Lastly there’s a 2MP macro for close-ups (the OV02A10, supplied by OmniVision).
Thing is, the camera app doesn’t offer any wide-angle shooting. It’s not to be found anywhere. So you can already forget about getting any ultra-wides out of this device. Yet another problem of the software, perhaps?
The macro, given that it’s just 2-megapixels, is also of really poor quality – so we doubt you’ll ever want to use it. At least the system does prompt you to use it when very close to a subject, though, and the magnifying glass-style focus symbol on the screen is particularly useful to get in-focus shots. Not that they’ll be all that sharp, given the limit in quality.
So it all falls to the main lens to sell the camera system. Think of the Red Magic 6 as a single camera and it’s reasonably successful. The real-time phase-detection autofocus is snappy at showing what it’s focusing onto. The quality of images is fairly decent in a variety of conditions, too. Oversharpened, sure, but there’s detail here that could easily be negated by a lesser setup.
Just make sure you turn off the watermark feature (as you can see from the gallery above, we didn’t) – because it’s on by default, will plaster your images with unwanted words that you can’t remove, and it’s still beyond perplexing to us that this is an acceptable practice. Kill the watermark default already.
Not that you’ll be taking pictures, right? You’ll be playing games. Because, ultimately, that’s what the Red Magic 6 is all about.
Verdict
If you’re in the market for a gaming phone then the Red Magic 6 has a lot going for it: it’s well priced, it’s seriously powerful, and it has a faster screen refresh rate than you’ll find on any other phone right now.
Thing is, whether you’ll get genuine use from 165Hz is a whole other matter. And with it active the cooling fan’s whining drone sound isn’t delicate on the ears. Plus it rather affects the battery life for the worse.
That there is physical fan-based cooling, however, is testament to how gaming-focused this phone is. With its Game Space dedicated switch, too, there’s quick-access to controls and gaming-specific settings.
Just like its predecessors, the Red Magic 6 does what it sets out to achieve: being an alluring gaming phone. But while it’s “game on” in that regard, it’s “game off” for everyday use – where the software comes up short, the sheer size approaches unwieldy, and the cameras are way off their billing.
Also consider
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Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
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Ok, so it’s the first-gen model – the second-gen has just been announced – and it’s pricier than the Red Magic. But with the Lenovo’s side-positioned pop-up camera and dual charging facility, it’s a super-powered gaming device unlike anything else on the market.
As a Freeview PVR, the Humax Aura is hard to beat , but its incomplete smart platform requires a pause for thought
For
Excellent recording and playback
Full-bodied, exciting sound
Useful Aura mobile app
Against
No Netflix app
HDR picture could be better
User interface a touch convoluted
Even without an Oxbridge education, the Humax Aura PVR has managed to achieve a double first. It’s the first Freeview set-top box from Humax to use the Android TV operating system and also the first to be 4K HDR-enabled. How could we not be intrigued?
The Humax Aura can be a number of things to different people and it feels as though it has been priced to interest everyone. The most obvious use is as a Freeview Play recorder, with enough internal storage options to capture hours of live Full HD and standard-definition television.
With its Android TV platform, you can also use it as a Chromecast with benefits – a way of adding over 5000 apps and streaming services to feed your television or projector with plenty of 4K fun. With its USB sockets, hi-res audio and 3D home cinema codec support, there’s an option to use it for local film file playback too – it’s quite the box of tricks.
Pricing
The Humax Aura costs £249 for the 1TB model, which can store up to 250 hours of HD (or 500 of SD) programming, and £279 for the 2TB model, which can store up to 500 hours of Full HD (1000 of SD) programming.
If you’re serious enough about live TV to want to record it on a regular basis, then the extra £30 for double the amount of space feels like a no-brainer.
Features
(Image credit: Humax)
Humax has had great success with its What Hi-Fi? Award-winning FVP-5000T set-top box and, four years down the line, a replacement has been long overdue. For both specs and looks, the Aura is the upgrade we’ve been waiting for.
Stand the two next to one another and the sculpted lines of the low slung Aura more easily fit into the category of contemporary industrial design.
The Aura is a tidy 26cm by 20cm box that takes up about the same space as your wi-fi router. Its gloss black body is accented by an LED strip on the underside, which changes from red to blue to violet to orange depending on whether it’s off, on, recording or recording in standby. It’s a useful indicator and reminiscent of K.I.T.T from Knight Rider in standby mode.
But if it’s a party at the front of the Aura, then around the back is the serious business. Here you’ll find the single HDMI 2.1-out along with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 (Type A) sockets for local media. There’s also an optical audio-out and a LAN connection if you’d rather leave the 2.4/5GHz wi-fi alone.
The Aura remote is fully featured, with dedicated buttons for just about everything you could need, including shortcuts to streaming services, recordings, the guide, the Freeview Play platform and the Android TV homepage too. You’ll need to pair the remote with the Aura box using Bluetooth for the Google Assistant voice system to work.
Humax Aura tech specs
(Image credit: Humax)
Tuners x3
Ports HDMI 2.1, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, optical-out
OS Android TV 9
Freeview Play Yes
Storage 1TB/2TB
Dimensions (hwd) 4.3 x 26 x 20cm
Weight 764g
The Humax Aura’s three Freeview Play tuners bring access to over 70 non-subscription live TV channels and over 20,000 hours of on-demand entertainment through the catch-up services, with BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4 and My5 all present. Those tuners allow you to pause and rewind TV, as well as record up to four channels while watching a fifth one live.
Unlike the older FVP-5000T, there’s no built-in app for streaming live TV or your recordings from the box to other devices around your home, though Humax says the same DLNA support will be added to the Aura in a forthcoming firmware update. The Aura mobile app will detect any DLNA or Chromecast-enabled devices on the same network as your box and allow you to play recordings or live channels to those, sourcing it from the Aura as a server.
For the time being, the Aura mobile app is a handy tool in its own right. It brings a full view of the electronic programme guide (EPG) to your small screen and allows users to schedule recordings, watch recordings and even enjoy live TV on mobile – just the ticket for keeping track of Countdown while you put the kettle on.
The Aura’s big-screen offering is also bolstered by Android TV, and that means another 5000 or so apps from Google Play are at your disposal, with subscription services such as Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, alongside more UK-specific apps, such as BT Sport and UKTV Play.
(Image credit: Humax)
There are significant gaps, though, including Britbox, Now TV and the Netflix app. Somewhat ironically, Netflix is actually one of the few non-catch-up apps available on the older FVP-5000T. Fortunately, the Aura’s built-in Chromecast functionality allows users to cast these missing apps from mobile, tablet or browser instead, but that solution won’t suit everyone. It’s also worth noting that casting won’t work for either Apple TV or Apple Music, which are also missing from the Aura.
Away from the video side, the hi-res audio support is a welcome addition. It means those connecting the Aura to a decent external speaker system can get a strong performance from locally stored or streamed audio files, even if connecting through the HDMI, which can handle up to 24-bit/192 kHz levels.
You’ll need to download a third-party app such as VLC to play local media and Plex if you want to connect a NAS drive or similar from your home network. The Aura’s support for 4K HDR (HDR10 and HLG) and 3D audio codecs offers the potential to do justice to any high-quality movie files you own.
Thanks to the quad-core 1.8GHz CPU and 3GB RAM combo, the whole experience feels snappy and well put together. From the remote to the on-screen navigation, the user experience will bend to your bidding without complaint.
The twinning of Freeview Play and Android TV 9.0 doesn’t make for the easiest of combinations, though. Each offers its own home page experience, leaving the user unsure as to which one to use. You’ll find some apps on both, but others just on one, and both home pages have their own settings menus. Fortunately, the shortcuts on the remote mean that you can sometimes go straight to whatever it is that you’re looking for, but that doesn’t really excuse the poor integration of the two interfaces.
Each interface is good in its own right, at least. We particularly like Freeview Play’s Kids’ Zone – a brightly coloured area with TV programmes specially selected for younger viewers. Content can be searched according to duration and timeslot, and parents can use this to block certain apps and channels from appearing.
Picture
(Image credit: Humax)
The picture quality through the Freeview Play tuners in both SD and Full HD is every bit as good as that of the FVP-5000T. Watching Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is on BBC2, we get some inviting shots of a French antiques market on a cloudless summer’s day. The cobbled streets and stalls are bright and colourful, but with a realistic sense of tonality and texture.
The Aura trades a touch of detail for this better blending and, while some might prefer harder edges to stone walls, it feels like a well-judged decision from Humax. There’s a proper sense of complexity to the bright blue TV shelf as one of the bargain hunters haggles over a few Euros. It makes for a more natural aesthetic to the picture and feels believable when upscaled to 4K.
That arrangement is justified even further when switching to SD on the BBC News channel. Low-res content can seem particularly harsh and blocky when upscaled, but the Aura’s slightly softer approach smooths out a few more of those unwanted edges than its predecessor and adds some much-needed subtlety to clothing colours and skin tones.
However, the app platform is not quite as adept. Compared with a budget streaming stick, the Aura’s skill with a 4K HDR app is a little less assured than it might be. We watch The Boys on Prime Video and while the picture is punchy and dynamic, some of the finer detail is lost, particularly at the brightest and darkest extremes of the contrast spectrum. Viewing a scene set in the White House, the backlit silk curtains are missing folds in the material and the Aura doesn’t reveal the number of freckles on ex-CIA Deputy Director Grace Mallory’s skin that we might expect.
The other slight drawback is that not all users will find the dynamic range and refresh rate content matching system easy to use. There are a few options and, without the right ones selected, app TV shows and films are often displayed incorrectly; motion is juddery and streams are often jumpy. It can be fixed using the remote while viewing, but it isn’t easy to do. Quality standalone streamers have options to automatically match the dynamic range and refresh rate of the source material, and the Aura should really have the same.
Sound
(Image credit: Humax)
The Aura’s hi-res music support offers an excellent opportunity to get good quality sound from this box through both locally stored files and streamed music services. Plugging it into our reference system, we fire up the Tidal Masters version of Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival and, by the standards of PVRs and video streamers, we’re struck by how well it captures the recording.
There’s a spacious sound to the vocals and guitars that gives a fabulous feel to the acoustics of the room where the recording was made. Compared with other, similarly priced streaming products, there is an added dimension to the track. There’s a good dose of dynamics that brings excitement and character to all of the instruments. We can visualise the drums at the start of the track and every time the first snare of each bar is hit with an accent.
The back and forth between the guitar and the vocals is like listening to a conversation. It’s a cohesive sound from top to bottom and we feel confident that there’s little we’re missing in the music. Some streamers at this level might offer a touch more crispness to the rhythm, but not without some loss of the excitement we get with the Aura.
All of that translates to an enjoyably emotional feel for home cinema as we switch to AV with the Live Aid scene at the end of Bohemian Rhapsody on Prime Video. The thuds of the kick drum are wonderfully solid and offer a genuine sense of timbre and resonance as the pedal first hits the skin at the beginning of the set.
When Brian May plays his solo at the end of the piece, it’s like he’s making his guitar sing. Again, the sense of place is captured brilliantly in a credible rendition of the sound of the old Wembley Stadium full of 72,000 people clapping in time and singing along to Radio Ga Ga.
Sound such as this is a huge leg up for any home cinema device. Whether capturing the atmosphere of a rock concert or the special effects of an action scene, the Aura really delivers on this front.
Verdict
The Humax Aura does its main job well. It’s an excellent Freeview recorder for both Full HD and standard definition with an easy-to-use TV guide, plenty of space and handy remote recording features. The problem is that Humax has offered – and is charging – more this time around and this box doesn’t deliver these extras quite so well.
If you’re going to promise more apps, then the omission of the most popular one of all is an issue. You also need to make sure your handling of streamed TV and film content is up to the same high standards as the competition, and that isn’t quite the case with the Aura. Tacking on the Android TV platform also means that the overall user interface loses a little focus.
While the Aura is spot on for sound, opting for the cheaper but still brilliant Humax FVP-5000T and buying a Google Chromecast with Google TV as well is a better option in terms of overall performance. The experience won’t feel much more split than the Aura already does but, more importantly, the smart offering will be more complete and a little better for picture quality too.
That said, if you have your heart set on a single box solution for your TV recording and video streaming, the Aura is a solid choice.
It’s said that money can’t buy everything—and the world’s most valuable company seems to be learning that lesson the hard way. Nikkei Asia Review today reported that even Apple’s supply chain has been weakened by the global chip shortage.
Apple has devoted a lot of time, expertise, and cold hard cash to making sure it can keep pace with consumer demand. The company is TSMC’s biggest customer by far; it’s also said to be responsible for roughly 50% of Foxconn’s revenue. That means it’s often given special treatment, especially when it comes to order fulfilment.
But—surprise!—even Apple can’t make components appear out of thin air. Nikkei Asia Review reported that “chip shortages have caused delays in a key step in MacBook production,” namely “the mounting of components on printed circuit boards before final assembly,” according to the outlet’s anonymous sources.
The report also said that iPad production was delayed by a lack of displays and unidentified display components. That hardly comes as a surprise, given that display panel supplies have suffered in recent months, and that the hardware display drivers on which those panels rely are suffering their worst shortage in 20 years.
Nikkei Asia Review said that “Apple has pushed back a portion of component orders for the two devices from the first half of this year to the second half” because of these delays. So far it’s able to keep pace with demand for its existing products, per the report, but it’s not clear how these delays might affect its plans for new devices.
This might also explain the lack of announcements from Apple so far this year. With the exception of its annual developer conference, the company hasn’t revealed anything new since announcing its custom silicon in November 2020.
Yet there are signs that Apple is working on a redesigned iMac, redesigned MacBook Pro, and new iPad Pro models that are supposed to debut this year. It would be a surprise if the company lumped all those announcements in with the products on annual update cycles—namely the iPhone and Apple Watch—or some new devices.
The company might start to reveal some of these leaked devices in the months leading up to WWDC21, of course, and it could technically have a rapid-fire series of announcements in the end of the year. But for now it looks like even Apple’s plans have been thrown off by the supply issues affecting so much of the tech industry.
New filings show both sides’ legal strategies at work
On May 3rd, Fortnite publisher Epic Games will finally have its day in court, forcing Apple to defend kicking Fortnite off the iOS App Store last year. Epic’s antitrust lawsuit is bigger than a single game; it’s a direct challenge to the App Store model, the most significant legal challenge Apple has faced since the Xerox days.
Last night, both sides filed a document called a “proposed findings of fact,” essentially laying out every factual claim they’ll rely on in their arguments. The documents run more than 650 pages in total, giving a detailed roadmap of how each side sees the case — from the early days of the iPhone to Epic’s specific preparations for picking this fight with Apple. But the filings also bring the case into focus, raising three questions that will be central to the trial over the coming months.
The heart of the case is the so-called App Store tax — a 30 percent surcharge Apple collects on purchases made through the App Store. Fortnite was kicked off the App Store for dodging that tax by installing its own payment system, which is forbidden under App Store rules. Now, Epic is making the case in court that the rules should never have been put in place.
You often hear that this case is about whether the App Store is a monopoly — but Epic’s argument is more subtle than that, drawing on antitrust ideas around legal monopolies and abuses of market power. As Epic sees it, Apple’s monopoly over iOS is legal, but it’s using the market power from that monopoly to dominate the secondary market for app distribution. Epic compares the situation to Microsoft’s antitrust case in the ’90s: a legitimate monopoly over Windows, extended illegally to the secondary market in web browsers.
It’s a good theory, but it only works if you see the App Store model as fundamentally separate from iOS. In its statement of facts, Apple describes the exclusive App Store as a fundamental part of the iPhone, part of the broader offering that makes the devices valuable. “Apple wanted to ensure that iOS devices were more protected from those malware and instability issues and quality issues that the PC world was used to,” Apple claims in its filing. App Store exclusivity is part of that, but so are security measures like the code-signing and hardware root-of-trust systems. On the software side, there is a range of private APIs and OS-level entitlements that are only enabled after App Store review, tying the systems that much tighter together.
Of course, it’s inconvenient for this argument that Google is offering a competing mobile operating system with none of these restrictions — to say nothing of Apple’s own macOS, which allows side loading. Clearly, it would be technically possible to allow competing app stores on iOS. The question is whether the court sees that as changing Apple’s business model or changing iOS itself.
One of the biggest challenges for Epic is that the App Store model is fairly widespread. Consoles like Xbox and PlayStation operate on basically the same playbook, delivering games digitally through an open but curated digital store that’s locked to the hardware and controlled by the manufacturer. That alone doesn’t make it legal, but it adds credence to Apple’s claim that the App Store lockdown isn’t trapping consumers. If you don’t want to play Fortnite on an iPhone, you can play it on a console or a PC. Some devices come locked into a specific distribution channel and some don’t, giving users the chance to vote with their feet.
Epic’s counter to this argument, as explained in the filing, is that “video game consoles operate under a radically different business model than smartphones.” Development for console games is slow and expensive work, and consoles are useless without a steady supply of those games, so console manufacturers are under immense pressure to attract developers. That means hardware itself is often sold at cost, leaving App Store commissions as the primary source of profit.
Apple is different, Epic argues, because most of its profits still come from iPhone sales. “Developers do not participate in those profits,” the filing argues, “even though the availability of apps contributes greatly to the sale of devices.”
On some level, this boils down to the argument that console companies are nicer to developers, so their platform power is less of an issue. The constant competition between Xbox and PlayStation gives game developers leverage to extract more favorable terms. But iOS and Android don’t compete for app developers in the same way, and the lower cost of mobile development means the competition happens on vastly different terms. Apple has given people lots of reasons to buy an iPhone, which means there’s less pressure on any given line of business. But that’s well short of the standard for monopoly power, and Apple ultimately comes away from the console comparison looking pretty good.
Underneath everything else, Apple is facing a profound question of how much control it can exert over its own devices. For critics, this is Apple’s original sin, using industrial and graphic design to lure customers into a walled garden, then locking the gate. For fans, it’s Apple’s genius, integrating hardware and software to deliver a more purposeful and powerful user experience. But it all rests on Apple’s ability to maintain a closed stack, using hardware integration to control what happens in software.
This trial won’t undo that stack, but it could limit what Apple can do with it. The Epic Games fight started over payment processing, but the same legal standard could allow for alternative app stores or limit the restrictions Apple can place on rogue apps like Parler. It’s a first step toward setting regulatory limits on how tech companies operate, similar to the regulations on wireless carriers or banks. At its most basic level, Epic is arguing that Apple’s ecosystem has grown too big and too powerful for it to be run entirely out of Cupertino, and it’s time for it to be directly accountable to antitrust law.
Hundreds of pages in Apple’s filing are devoted to the benefits of that system for developers and iPhone owners, much of it undeniably true. There really is less malware on iOS devices because of Apple’s software controls, even if scam apps sometimes slip through. The system really does generate a lot of money for iOS developers, many of whom couldn’t compete outside of Apple’s walled garden. The shift to digital distribution really has saved money for developers who don’t need to distribute their product through brick-and-mortar retail anymore.
But in a sense, all of that is beside the point. Abuses of market power aren’t excused just because they’re sometimes helpful, and classical monopolies like Standard Oil or Bell Telephone had lots of side benefits, too. The bigger question is whether courts are ready to dive into the mobile software stack and start dictating the terms of how tech companies can set up their marketplaces. That’s a hard question, and it won’t be settled by a single ruling or a single case. But one way or another, it’s a question this court will have to take on.
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