I would like to thank XPG for supplying the review sample.
The XPG Starker we are reviewing today is a compact full-ATX capable mid-tower chassis with a few unique or at least uncommon design and engineering elements in the front of a frame that is both sturdy and functional. With its steel interior that can hold a thick radiator in the ceiling, built-in ARGB elements, and clean looks, the XPG Starker is meant to appease gamers who want a bit of bling, but also crave clean looks. You may pick between a white or black variant of the chassis. In this review, we are taking a look at the black XPG Starker.
Specifications
XPG Starker
Case Type:
Mid-Tower
Material:
Steel, plastic, and tempered glass
Weight:
N/A
Slots:
7x horizontal or 4x vertical (with supplied metal bracket)
Drive Bays:
2x Internal 2.5″ (may be used for 1x 3.5″) 1x Internal 2.5/3.5″ 1x Internal 3.5″
Motherboard Form Factors:
Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, and ATX
Dimensions:
465 x 215 x 400 mm
Front Door/Cover:
N/A
Front Fans:
3x 120 or 2x 140 mm (1x 120 mm XPG Vento fan pre-installed)
Rear Fans:
1x 120 mm (1x 120 mm Vento ARGB fan pre-installed)
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1More has absolutely flooded the true wireless earbud market, and it’s confident enough in its new ComfoBuds Pro noise-canceling earbuds to proclaim them as superior to the AirPods Pro — for a fraction of the price. They slot in between the company’s flagship True Wireless ANC earbuds ($200) and less expensive options like the $50 PistonsBuds and the standard ComfoBuds, the latter of which has an open-style design. 1More says with the Pro model, it’s “sure to bring the fight to Apple and give their loyal fanbase a serious dilemma in choosing what pair of earbuds are right for them.”
I don’t think forcing such a direct comparison was the right move because, despite 1More claiming that it offers “so much more” than Apple’s flagship buds, the ComfoBuds Pro can’t match up with the AirPods Pro in all areas — as is expected with such a price discrepancy — but they’re still an excellent product in their own right. The sound is fantastic for the money, they have several useful noise cancellation modes to switch between, and the fit certainly delivers on the “comfort” part of their name.
The ComfoBuds come in either gunmetal gray or white, and they lay flat in their elongated, capsule-shaped carrying case. This makes for a compact, pocketable design, but the trade-off is that removing them from the case isn’t so simple: you’ve got to press down on the stem, which pushes up the main earbud portion, and then pluck that out of the case. Once you’ve done it a few times, you’ll have it down.
Removing the ComfoBuds Pro from the case takes a bit more effort than some other earbuds.
LEDs hidden at the bottom of the teardrop stem indicate pairing and charge status, and there’s also a light on the case’s exterior so you know when they’re fully topped off. Battery life is rated at 6 hours with ANC enabled, which outlasts the 4.5-hour AirPods Pro. The case has enough extra juice for you to reach 20 hours of total listening time. It charges over USB-C but doesn’t offer wireless charging.
1More also beats out Apple on the scale, with each ComfoBud Pro weighing 5.2 grams compared to the 5.4-gram AirPods Pro. In your ears, they feel similarly light and barely there. This results in comfort that lasts over extended stretches, which can’t always be said of heavier options like the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (8.5 grams) and Jabra Elite 85t (7 grams). Four sets of silicone tips come in the box, with an extra small size thrown in alongside the standard small, medium, and large. I’d have appreciated an XL option, as even the largest size took some adjustment for a snug seal.
Instead of any actual buttons, the ComfoBuds Pro have a touch-sensitive area on the outer stem. It works well enough, even if it’s not obvious exactly where you should be tapping. The most confounding thing about 1More’s controls is there’s no single-tap action. You can choose what happens with a double tap, long press, or triple tap, but the single-press option — commonly used by other manufacturers to play / pause — just doesn’t exist here. So although 1More lets you customize the controls that are here, you’re a bit limited.
By default, two taps is pause, three activates a voice assistant, and a long press toggles between the noise-canceling modes. I ended up switching the three-tap gesture to track controls, but that meant settling for no direct volume access. Each earbud has an IR sensor on the outside for auto-pause if you remove them. They reliably resumed the music whenever I put them back in my ears.
1More has a good reputation for delivering on sound quality, and I think the ComfoBuds Pro might set a new bar for what to expect if you’re on a $100 budget. They’ve got excellent clarity without the bass bloat that’s common in this price bracket. Everything gets its ample space in the mix; the many layered vocal tracks by Taylor Swift and Justin Vernon on “Exile” are all distinct and come through with clarity. The funky groove of Lake Street Dive’s “Hypotheticals” is a good demo for the punchy bass these earbuds are capable of. Usually, there’s one genre or even a style of music production that will expose the weaknesses of a particular set of earbuds, but I struggled to find that with the ComfoBuds Pro. They can adapt to pretty much anything without coming off as harsh or thin. 1More doesn’t include any options for EQ customization, so what you get is what you get. Either earbud can be used standalone.
You control the ComfoBuds Pro with tap gestures on the stem.
But do they sound better than the AirPods Pro? You could make the case they do, yeah. I think some people will prefer the deeper low tones and how much wider 1More’s earbuds can feel; vocals stay planted in the center, but you’ll hear a ton of detail out of the left and right channels. Still, there’s something to be said for the no-nonsense, straightforward audio reproduction of the AirPods Pro that so many people find pleasing across all sorts of different audio. 1More’s pricier True Wireless ANC also sound a bit fuller and more precise since they have a dual-driver design compared to the single 13.4-millimeter driver in the ComfoBuds Pro.
These earbuds offer a few different levels of noise cancellation intensity. There’s the default “strong” option, which goes the furthest in quieting outside noise. But 1More also includes a less powerful mode it says is suitable for “chatty” environments like cafes and offices, plus another that’s meant to avoid wind noise, which is common with noise-canceling earbuds since they constantly use the exterior microphones to sample ambient sound. If you’re outside on a windy day, that could be a good trick to lean on. (These latter two modes require the 1More mobile app to activate.) Finally, there’s a full-on transparency mode for getting a clear sense of everything happening around you. 1More’s active noise cancellation worked pretty well when I was sitting outside at a Brooklyn coffee shop, but this is one area where the AirPods Pro pull ahead. They don’t have the same variety of modes, but Apple’s premium earbuds do a better overall job of bringing down the volume of the outside world, which is what’s most important.
The case is compact but lacks wireless charging.
Even so, all of these things make the ComfoBuds Pro a great value. But the AirPods Pro still rank above in several respects. First, the ComfoBuds Pro case doesn’t support wireless charging. Second, Apple’s transparency mode still sounds more natural and airy than 1More’s. And 1More can’t match the software flexes (automatic switching, spatial audio, seamless pairing, audio sharing, etc.) that exist between AirPods and other Apple devices. That’s a huge part of what makes them so popular. Again, we’re talking about quality-of-life conveniences that you’d rightfully expect from a $250 product. And these cost nowhere near that. But if 1More is going to make the comparison, the differences are worth pointing out. Despite putting a huge focus on voice mic performance, 1More also winds up behind the AirPods Pro there — as does everyone else. It’s a draw on sweat resistance, with both sets of earbuds rated IPX4.
1More has put together a fantastic pair of budget earbuds with the ComfoBuds Pro. I wish the company had focused on the sheer value you get in exchange for your $99 instead of trying to take down the AirPods Pro, which just isn’t realistic. Despite matching them on comfort and edging them out in other areas like battery life, there are still valid reasons why many iPhone owners will go right for Apple’s buds. It’s hard to put a price on those exclusive Apple ecosystem features and the superior noise cancellation. But if you’ve only got around $100 to put toward earbuds, the ComfoBuds Pro are a standout pair that won’t leave you missing much else. Only thing is, the AirPods are far from the only competition they’ll need to stand out from.
(Pocket-lint) – OnePlus announced the OnePlus 9 and the 9 Pro during an event on 23 March.
You can read how the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro compare to each other in our separate feature, but here we are looking at how the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro compare to the Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+ and S21 Ultra.
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Design
OnePlus 9: 160 x 74.2 x 8.7mm, 192g
OnePlus 9 Pro: 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7mm, 197g
S21: 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm, 172g
S21+: 161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8mm, 202g
S21 Ultra: 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9mm, 228g
The OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro both have a punch hole camera in the top left corner, but the 9 has a flat display and a plastic frame, while the 9 Pro has a slightly curved display and a metal frame.
Both devices have a prominent rectangular camera housing in the top left corner of their glass rears, with two stand out lenses. The 9 has a third smaller lens, while the 9 Pro has two additional smaller lenses. Both devices feature Hasselblad branding.
The Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+ and S21 Ultra all have a centralised punch hole camera at the top of their displays. The S21 and S21+ both have flat displays and plastic rears, while the S21 Ultra has a curved display and glass rear. All three Samsung devices have a metal frame.
On the back, the S21, S21+ and S21 Ultra all have a rectangular camera housing that moulds into the frame, making for a slightly different design. There are three large lenses on all three devices, but the S21 Ultra has an additional fourth smaller lens.
The three Samsung devices are all IP68 water and dust resistant, but only the OnePlus 9 Pro is out of the two OnePlus devices. In terms of size, the Samsung Galaxy S21 is the smallest, followed by the OnePlus 9, S21+, OnePlus 9 Pro and the S21 Ultra is the largest.
Display
OnePlus 9: 6.55-inches, 2400 x 1080, 120Hz
OnePlus 9 Pro: 6.7-inches, 3216 x 1440, 1Hz-120Hz
S21: 6.2-inches, 2400 x 1080 pixels, 48-120Hz
S21+: 6.7-inches, 2400 x 1080 pixels, 48-120Hz
S21 Ultra: 6.8-inches, 3200 x 1440 pixels, 10-120Hz, S Pen
The OnePlus 9 has a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution for a pixel density of 402ppi. It has a 120Hz refresh rate, though this isn’t adaptive, and it has an aspect ratio of 20:9.
The OnePlus 9 Pro meanwhile, has a slightly larger 6.7-inch display with an AMOLED panel with LTPO. It offers a Quad HD+ resolution for a pixel density of 525ppi and an adaptive refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz. Its aspect ratio is 20.1:9.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 has a 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display, which makes it the smallest of the devices being compared in this feature. Like the OnePlus 9, it has a Full HD+ display, putting its pixel density at 424ppi. It has an adaptive refresh rate between 48Hz and 120Hz.
The Galaxy S21+ has a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display, like the OnePlus 9 Pro, but it has a Full HD+ resolution instead of a Quad HD+ resolution like the 9 Pro. This results in a pixel density of 393ppi, and like the S21, it has an adaptive refresh rate between 48Hz and 120Hz, so it doesn’t drop quite as low as the 9 Pro.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra meanwhile, has a 6.8-inch Super AMOLED display with a Quad HD+ resolution for a pixel density of 516ppi. It offers an adaptive refresh rate between 10Hz and 120Hz, so still not as low as the 9 Pro, but it has support for Samsung’s S Pen stylus.
Both the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, supported by 8GB or 12GB of RAM and with 128GB or 256GB of storage. Neither have microSD support for storage expansion.
The two OnePlus devices both have a 4500mAh battery and both offer Warp Charge 65T fast charging. The OnePlus 9 has 15W wireless charging in Europe and North America, while the OnePlus 9 Pro has Warp Charge 50 Wireless, which is 50W wireless charging.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 devices all run on either the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset or the Exynos 2100, region dependent. The S21 and S21+ are available with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB of storage or 256GB. The S21 Ultra comes with 12GB or 16GB of RAM and in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB storage options. Like OnePlus, none of the Samsung devices have microSD support.
The Galaxy S21 has the smallest battery of the five devices being compared in this feature with a 4000mAh cell. The S21+ has a 4500mAh battery and the S21 Ultra has a 5000mAh. All three devices support for fast charging and wireless charging.
The five devices being compared in this feature all have under-display fingerprint sensors. They are also all 5G capable.
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Camera
OnePlus 9: Triple (48MP + 50MP + 2MP), 16MP front camera
OnePlus 9 Pro: Quad rear (48MP + 50MP + 2MP + 8MP), 16MP front camera
S21: Triple rear (12MP + 12MP + 64MP), 10MP front camera
S21+: Triple rear (12MP + 12MP + 64MP), 10MP front camera
S21 Ultra: Quad rear (108MP + 12MP + 10MP + 10MP), 40-megapixel front camera
The OnePlus 9 has a triple rear camera made up of a 48-megapixel main camera with 1.12µm pixels and an aperture of f/1.8, a 50-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera with an aperture of f/2.2 and a 2-megapixel monochrome lens.
The OnePlus 9 Pro has a quad rear camera that offers the same three lenses as the OnePlus 9 but adds a 8-megapixel telephoto lens with an aperture of f/2.4 and 1.0µm pixels. Both the OnePlus 9 and the 9 Pro have a 16-megapixel front camera and both offer the Hasselblad partnership.
The S21 and S21+ both have a triple rear camera, made up of a 12-megapixel main sensor with 1.8µm pixel size, f/1.8 aperture and optical stabilisation (OIS), a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor with 1.4µm and f/2.2, and a 64-megapixel telephoto sensor with 0.8µm, f/2.0 and OIS. There’s a 10-megapixel, 1.22µm, f/2.2 front camera.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra meanwhile, has a quad rear camera made up of a 108-megapixel main sensor with 0.8µm pixels, f/1.8 aperture, OIS and laser autofocus, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor (1.4µm, f/2.2) and two 10-megapixel telephoto lenses, one with 1.22µm, f/2.4 (3x optical) and the other with 1.22µm, f/4.9 (10x optical). It also has a 40-megapixel selfie camera.
The three Samsung devices offer 4K 60fps video capture from all the cameras, with 8K 24fps offered on the rear too. The OnePlus 9 offers 4K video at 60fps and 8K at 30fps, while the OnePlus 9 Pro offers 4K at 120fps and 8K at 30fps.
Price
OnePlus 9 series: From £629
Samsung Galaxy S21 series: From £769
The OnePlus 9 comes in Winter Mist, Arctic Sky and Astral Black colour options. It starts at £629 in the UK.
The OnePlus 9 Pro comes in Morning Mist, Stellar Black and Pine Green and starts at £829.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 starts at £769 in the UK and €849 in Europe. It comes in four colour options: Phantom Grey, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink and Phantom White. The S21+ starts at £949 in the UK and €1049 in Europe. It comes in five colour options: Phantom Violet, Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Gold and Phantom Red.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra starts at £1149 in the UK and €1249 in Europe. It comes in five colour options: Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy and Phantom Brown.
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Conclusion
The OnePlus 9 is the cheapest of the five handsets being compared in this feature, followed by the Galaxy S21 and then the OnePlus 9 Pro. The Galaxy S21 Ultra is the most expensive by £200 in the UK so budget will likely come into play when choosing between these handsets.
The hardware between the OnePlus 9 series and the Samsung Galaxy S21 series is similar, though the OnePlus 9 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra both offer more RAM as an option, as well as more storage in the case of the S21 Ultra. The Ultra also has a slighty larger battery capacity than the others, while the 9, 9 Pro and S21+ are identical.
The camera make up differs across the models, but the S21 Ultra delivers excellent results in our experience, and the S21 and S21+ are good too, while we found the OnePlus 9 Pro to be good, but a little inconsistent during our review.
Ultimately, the decision between these devices will come down to budget and which features are most important to you. If you want the best camera, then the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is probably your best bet, but if you want decent specs for a good price, OnePlus is on the money.
(Pocket-lint) – It’s safe to say OnePlus has been on something of a journey over the past few years. It lifted itself out of that initial ‘plucky upstart’ role and started to become a real smartphone company.
It’s gone from being a company that launched one or two new phones a year to launching six phones in 2020, with varying specs and at different price tiers. In 2021 that output glut looks set to continue – and it starts with the OnePlus 9.
Design
Dimensions: 160 x 74.2 x 8.7mm / Weight: 192 grams
Finish options: Winter Mist, Arctic Sky, Astral Black
3D Corning Gorilla Glass back
Dual stereo speakers
Look at the camera housing and you’ll see an evolution of design when you compare the OnePlus 9 to its most recent predecessors: the OnePlus 8T and OnePlus 8. The 9’s two main cameras have very deliberate metallic ring around them, while the camera housing has been designed to colour-match the rest of the phone’s rear panel.
It’s a classy and minimalist look, now with the addition of a Hasselblad logo. Because, yep, OnePlus is all about a camera partnership with this new series.
It’s in the rest of the build where we’ve seen OnePlus move backwards compared to its previous models though. The 9’s frame is made from a similar shiny plastic to what we first saw on the OnePlus Nord. Or, as OnePlus calls it: “fibreglass infused polymer”. Thankfully, the back is covered in Corning Gorilla Glass for protection.
It’s not the slimmest or lightest phone around either, certainly feeling thicker than previous models, but that’s almost certainly down to the move towards a flat screen. Rather than have those curved edges on both sides of the phone, it only has them on one side, so you lose that more sleek effect. Still, the OnePlus 9 feels noticeably chunkier than the 8T – another flat-screened model – which was thicker than the OnePlus 8 before it.
Of course, there are real benefits to having a flatter screen. There’s very little chance you’ll suffer from accidental touches, because it doesn’t curve around the edges, so that makes the phone a bit easier to use.
Our own review unit is the Winter Mist model, which has a light purple colour, with the rear featuring a gradient refraction effect. That means the bottom part of the phone is really glossy and reflective, but the top is more frosted and gradients between these two finishes. We think some people will like it, but we prefer the softer fully frosted look of some of the blue Arctic Sky model. It’s also a bit of a fingerprint magnet, which diminishes the overall finish effect.
There are all the usual OnePlus buttons and ports though. That means the volume rocker is within easy reach on the left side, with the alert slider switch on the right near the power/sleep button. The dual nano SIM tray is on the bottom edge near the USB-C port and the bottom-firing loudspeaker – which joins with a speaker near the earpiece to form stereo sound that’s boosted by Dolby Atmos tech.
Display
6.55-inch AMOLED panel
Full HD+ resolution (2400 x 1080 pixels; 402ppi)
120Hz refresh rate
OnePlus has focused on having lightweight and fast software for years. Its latest iteration of Oxygen OS is no different, and the display is primed and ready to take full advantage of that fluidity too.
Pocket-lint
The AMOLED screen on the front of the OnePlus 9 isn’t quite as sharp as that of the 9 Pro, but with a pixel density over 400 pixels-per-inch it should be sharp enough for most content you’d want to watch.
What’s more, with a refresh rate peak of 120Hz, it can keep up with any fast frame-rate gaming. OnePlus says it has improved the colour accuracy and the automatic brightness adjustment too – the result of adding in two ambient light sensors, while the brightness has more than 8000 different levels to enable smoother adjustment.
Like Apple’s True Tone, there’s a Comfort Tone feature that adjusts the colour temperature of the display to match your environment, which should be handy when reading ebooks on a white screen, making it seem a bit more like a paper surface.
Brightness itself shouldn’t be a problem either. With a peak of up to 1100nits and HDR10+ certification you should find a very attractive, vivid and bright panel. Of course, we need a bit more time to test it thoroughly, but all early indicators are good.
Hardware and performance
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 platform
128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 storage
8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM
4,500mAh battery capacity
Warp Charge 65W charging
15W Qi wireless charging
With a top OnePlus flagship you know one thing for certain: you’ll always get the latest, most powerful mobile processor. That means the Snapdragon 888 platform for the 9 series, along with suitably quick LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.
What that means in daily use is that, not only will your apps and games load quickly, but any downloads and installs will be fast too. That’s helped further by 5G support, presuming you’re in an area with 5G coverage, for speedy and low-latency connectivity.
All this power needs cooling for efficiency. For the OnePlus 9 there’s something called the OnePlus Cool Play system. Essentially, the manufacturer has made the vapour chambers larger and added more layers of graphite and copper to dissipate heat when you’re powering your most demanding games.
We’ve not yet experienced a OnePlus phone that under-delivers on speed and performance, so we don’t expect the OnePlus 9 will be any different. Our first few days of use have been pretty much plain sailing.
Regarding the battery and it’s really the charging that sells this phone. You may remember OnePlus saying in the past that it didn’t want to use wireless charging until it was as fast and convenient as its fast wired system. Well, for the non-Pro model in the OnePlus 9 family, it turns out it’s forgotten all about that.
The regular OnePlus 9 does have wireless charging, but it’s not blindingly fast. Instead, it uses a fairly standard 15W Qi-compatible wireless charging. That means it’s nowhere near as quick as the new Warp Charge 65T wired charging capability which can keep those 65W speeds pumping for longer and give you a full charge in under 30 minutes.
Cameras
Triple camera system with Hasselblad tuning:
Main: 48-megapixel, f/1.8 aperture, Sony IMX689 sensor
Ultra-wide: 50MP, f/2.2, SonyIMX766 sensor
Mono: 2MP
Front-facing camera: 16-megapixel
Video: 8K30p / 4K120p
OnePlus has listened to its critics over the past few years and says it’s finally delivering a flagship level camera experience. That’s thanks in part to its new collaboration with Hasselblad, to help tune the image processing to strict standards, ensuring your pictures should come out looking great.
It’s not just that tuning that’s changed though. The regular OnePlus 9 features the same main camera sensor found in the OnePlus 8 Pro from 2020, and has the same sensor in the ultra-wide as found in the excellent (and more expensive) Oppo Find X3 Pro.
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Those two are joined by a low-res monochrome sensor for extra light detail, but that’s it. No macro lens or gimmicky chroma filter camera in sight this time.
What’s more, the video recording capability can reach the heights of 8K resolution at 30fps or – perhaps more impressively – can capture 4K up to 120fps, which should enable some fantastically sharp slow-motion video.
Hasselblad’s partnership has led to some other more inconsequential features, like the orange colour of the shutter button, and a leaf shutter sound when you press it. However, where you’ll see the biggest influence is in the ‘Pro’ camera mode.
Pocket-lint
The user interface has been designed to look like one developed by Hasselblad for some of its cameras. This includes a focus peaking feature that will highlight in-focus areas in orange when you’re using the manual focus.
First Impressions
The OnePlus 9 design may not have wowed us that much, but this company knows its users are all about getting the best performance out of every area of its phones.
So if cutting corners and adding in a plastic frame means being able to stick two flagship cameras on the back, add wireless charging, a capacious battery, and market-leading speed, then we think that’s a compromise worth making.
We can’t quite get out of our heads that the OnePlus 9 is similar to the much cheaper Nord in some respects, and that might still be worth considering, but on the whole – from the spec conscious – this latest OnePlus looks like it will deliver an experience much closer to its Pro-labelled sibling this year.
Also consider
Pocket-lint
OnePlus Nord
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If you’re all about price then the last-gen affordable OnePlus model is a sensible option.
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There are a lot of topics, both serious and fun, that are out there to be covered by The Verge, and it falls on our news writers to cover them: from coronavirus and space exploration to YouTube and Super Nintendo World. Mitchell Clark is one of those writers; among other articles, he wrote one of the best explanations you can find of what exactly NFTs are. We took a look (remotely via photos) of Mitchell’s desk and asked him some questions about his stuff.
Tell me a little about yourself. What is your background, and what do you do at The Verge?
Like Jay, I’m a news writer, tasked with keeping The Verge’s readers up to date with news about pretty much anything you could think of. Lately, it’s been a lot of NFTs, but it’s really just a grab bag every day I come into work, which keeps it exciting.
I also literally just got here — I started in December. I previously did a little of everything, from slinging fast-food chicken fingers, professionally fixing people’s phone problems, and doing training, testing, and coding for software the government uses. Basically, pretty much anything not related to my degree in video production.
Photo by Mitchell Clark / The Verge
How did you decide where and how to set up your workspace?
I live in a relatively small and cheap city, so I’m luxuriating in a two-bedroom apartment. I’ve worked at home ever since we moved here in 2017, so as soon as we got all the moving boxes out of the second room, I claimed it as my office. As for where the desk is: it used to be up against the window, but the sun kept getting in my eyes, so I moved it against the wall instead.
Tell me a little about the desk itself.
It’s called the iMovR Energize, and it’s a motorized standing desk. And yes, I do actually work standing up a lot. I don’t often work sitting at it, though — the cat is banned from the office, but if I’m in here he’ll sit outside the door and scream. So if I’m going to work sitting down, I do it on the couch so he doesn’t guilt-trip me.
Half of the reason why I chose the Energize was because it’s ostensibly made in the US, and the other half is that there are almost no reviews of it, and I wanted to do one and have it stand out. As far as I can tell, I’m still the only person who’s done a video review of it on YouTube, the TL;DR of which is that it’s a good desk. If it lasts for 10 years, it may actually be worth the almost $1,000 price tag.
I think that’s the simplest desk chair I’ve seen so far.
Yeahhhh, it’s an Ikea Trollberget. I went with it over an office chair in the optimistic hope that it would help me not slouch so much. The seat part of it tilts back and forth, so it really requires some core strength to sit up straight, which is great when I actually do that, but honestly I usually just put my elbows on the desk and curve my body into some horrible “S” shape. If I lived somewhere I could find a used Herman Miller, I’d probably give one of those a try.
Tell us a bit about your audio setup. It looks like you’ve put considerable thought into it.
Yes, I have. It’s a Shure Beta 87A microphone, mounted on a Heil PL2T arm and connected to a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 audio interface. The headphones are the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 ohms, which aren’t super fun for music (hence the fifth-gen iPod with KZ ES4 earbuds) but are great for accurately reproducing vocals.
The whole setup is optimized for one thing: making sure that my voice is as clear and echo-free as possible. I was tired of having to go into a cave of blankets to record voiceovers, so I got a microphone with a very narrow (supercardioid) pickup pattern, and it works great. I also sometimes use it as an improvised video mic, for which it’s only okay. Usually, it just makes me sound really great on Zoom calls (and lets me pretend I’m going to make more episodes of a podcast I made three episodes of and then gave up on).
Okay, now it’s time to talk about your other tech: your computer, display setup, and other tech stuff.
Alright! My computer is a 13-inch M1 Macbook Pro — I went with the Pro over the Air mainly for the brighter screen. When I’m working from my desk and not the couch, I plonk that on a Twelve South Curve stand, and plug it in to a… *checks B&H order history* Dell U2415 24-inch monitor.
It’s 16:10, which is nice, but unfortunately it’s got a 1920 x 1200 resolution. I seem to be especially sensitive to low resolutions (I can immediately tell the difference between YouTube at 1080p and 720p on my iPhone Mini), so my next big upgrade may be to LG’s 24-inch UltraFine 4K (if I can find one used).
I switch between a Magic Trackpad and Logitech G502 Hero for my mousing needs. Changing which device and hand I use helps stave off wrist pain, and I’ve discovered that any mouse without Logitech’s ratcheting / free-spinning scroll wheel is almost unusable for me. For my keyboard, I use the peculiarly named Ducky One 2 with Cherry MX Browns. The main theme is wired: I’ve always run into weird, annoying issues with Bluetooth keyboards and mice.
The final Big Thing on my desk is an OWC ThunderBay 4. Being into video production and photography (Fujifilm X-T3 for digital, Nikon F3HP for film, by the way), I accumulate a lot of absolutelymassive files: I’ve currently got 11TB of data spread out across 17TB of drives.
You mentioned that you had a bit of a cable issue.
Yeah, I just up (down? side-to-side?)-graded from an iMac Pro, which had just enough ports to plug in my five bajillion peripherals. Now my computer has two ports, so I have an absolute nightmare of a situation.
Here’s my current setup: I connect my laptop with Thunderbolt to the ThunderBay 4. Somehow that provides enough power to trickle-charge the laptop, and provides a Thunderbolt pass-through, which I currently have a USB-C Satechi Clamp Hub Pro plugged into. Plugged into that are my mouse and keyboard, and my monitor’s built-in USB hub, which has even more devices plugged into it (notably the scanner and Scarlett). Then I use my laptop’s second Thunderbolt port to plug in the monitor (good thing the ThunderBay can charge the computer, I’m out of ports).
I’ve got an OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock on preorder to save me from this triple-hub chain nightmare, but until then, I’ve just got a mess of wires and am hoping nothing breaks.
I see your keyboard is right near your desk. Do you ever take a break to make some music?
I can’t actually play piano to be honest, even though I’ve literally had this keyboard since I was seven years old. I do have it hooked up to my computer through the Scarlett’s MIDI interface, so sometimes if I find a really cool-sounding synth in Logic, I’ll mash at the keyboard until I get something that sounds good. Its main job, though, is to sit there, guilting me until I actually learn even a drop of music theory.
Looks like a great setup for storing your bikes, but I’d be nervous about crashing into them if I push my chair back too hard…
I’d never even thought about that, but thankfully my chair doesn’t have wheels so I’d really have to try for it. The biggest risk with the bikes is that I’ll look out my window, see the paved trail that runs right outside it (and keeps going for 100 miles into a different state), and not be able to resist the temptation to take a ride!
For any other apartment-dwellers, the bike stand is probably a great option: it’s made by a company called Delta Design. I bought mine at Costco, but as always when I find something I like there, it’s no longer available. Amazon still sells it, and REI has a nicer-looking version, too.
Tell us a bit about your decorations: the great collection you’ve got on your bulletin board, the sculptures on your windowsill, etc.
I always want to have things that, as Marie Kondo would put it, spark joy around me while I’m working. So, I try to decorate with things made by creators or friends, or with art that is associated with some sort of memory. Some of the pins are from webcomics or podcasts that I enjoy, some are from Etsy, and the vintage and Michigan-related ones I got from my grandma, who apparently collected them. I’m on the record as absolutely loving Kentucky Route Zero, so I figured I’d get a poster of it, too.
The coolest story, though, goes with the metal bonsai trees. I did karate for about 10 years (and have missed doing it for six), and my sensei had a friend who would make the trees by hand. He’d give them out every year as awards for people who exemplified certain qualities of the Shotokan dojo kun. I don’t remember which I got them for, but they’re good reminders of some pretty good rules.
What’s on the shelving beneath the bulletin board?
A little bit of everything! There’s an Epson Perfection V550 scanner, which I use for everything from the mundane (scanning documents and birthday / holiday cards) to the exciting only to me (scanning all the film negatives I’ve developed). I also keep all my camera gear there, with one of the drawers having a mishmash of GoPro accessories, a Rode VideoMic Go, Zoom H5, and other video gear. The other drawer has “ancient media” like VHS tapes, cassette tapes, and vinyl records.
Oh, and there’s a label maker, which I’m pretty sure doesn’t have any tape left.
Finally — do you often hide under your desk?
Only in the summer, when it’s hot and I need to get out of the sunlight! But I do work from the floor a lot, either just sitting on it or laying down. I’ve been told it’s weird (usually by my wife, who comes home and finds me laying on the floor, with the cat having sprawled himself across my legs), but it works for me.
Although it’s a pricey drive, Corsair’s MP600 Pro is fast, secure, and keeps its cool with innovative cooling solutions.
For
+ Competitive performance
+ Innovative and functional thermal solutions
+ AES 256-bit encryption
+ 5-year warranty
Against
– Less endurance than the non-Pro model
– Smaller-than-expected SLC cache
– Slow-to-recover SLC cache
– Dated software support
– Costly
Features and Specifications
Powered by Phison’s new PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD controller and Micron’s 96-Layer TLC flash, Corsair’s all-new MP600 Pro is the company’s fastest M.2 NVMe SSD yet. With sequential read/write throughput that stretches up to a blistering 7.1 / 6.5 GBps, the MP600 Pro offers nearly bus-saturating performance and looks brilliant with innovative custom heatsinks, making it a sure contender for our list of Best SSDs. Though the drive is pricey, Corsair offers not only a standard drive cooled with a heatsink but also a Hydro X Edition with a water block for those who want a truly water-cooled M.2 SSD.
Historically, Corsair’s SSDs have a solid design and rank well in both performance and value. Until now, the MP600 served as the company’s top dog, sporting a sleek design, AES 256-bit encryption, and packing top speeds of up to 5 / 4.4 GBps of sequential read/write throughput.
Now, over a year later and just in time for Intel’s Rocket Lake launch, the company has upgraded to faster hardware to create a Pro model for those who want even more speed. Corsair’s MP600 Pro improves upon its predecessor, trading out the Phison E16 controller for the new E18 and interfacing with a faster flash with a 1,200 MTps transfer rate. Those enhancements yield up to 660,000 / 800,000 random read/write IOPS.
Unlike Team Group’s form-over-function attempt at water-cooling an SSD, Corsair’s MP600 Pro Hydro X Edition is the first truly water-cooled M.2 NVMe SSD we’ve seen. With both a heatsink edition and the Hydro X Edition for integrating into your custom watercooled PC, both of the sleek and innovative designs ensure cool operation.
Specifications
Product
Force MP600 Pro 1TB
Force MP600 Pro 2TB
Force MP600 Pro Hydro X 2TB
Pricing
$224.99
$434.99
$259.99
Capacity (User / Raw)
1000GB / 1024GB
2000GB / 2048GB
2000GB / 2048GB
Form Factor
M.2 2280
M.2 2280
M.2 2280
Interface / Protocol
PCIe 4.0 x4 / NVMe 1.4
PCIe 4.0 x4 / NVMe 1.4
PCIe 4.0 x4 / NVMe 1.4
Controller
Phison PS5018-E18
Phison PS5018-E18
Phison PS5018-E18
DRAM
DDR4
DDR4
DDR4
Memory
Micron 96L TLC
Micron 96L TLC
Micron 96L TLC
Sequential Read
7,000 MBps
7,000 MBps
7,000 MBps
Sequential Write
5,500 MBps
6,550 MBps
6,550 MBps
Random Read
360,000 IOPS
660,000 IOPS
660,000 IOPS
Random Write
780,000 IOPS
800,000 IOPS
800,000 IOPS
Security
AES 256-bit encryption
AES 256-bit encryption
AES 256-bit encryption
Endurance (TBW)
700 TB
1,400 TB
1,400 TB
Part Number
CSSD-F1000GBMP600PRO
CSSD-F2000GBMP600PRO
CSSD-F2000GBMP600PROHXE
Warranty
5-Years
5-Years
5-Years
The MP600 Pro is available in capacities of 1TB and 2TB for $225 and $435, respectively. The Hydro X Edition only comes in a 2TB capacity with a slightly higher price tag of $460. Corsair rates the MP600 Pro to deliver speeds of up to 7,000 / 6,550 MBps in sequential read/write transfers and up to 660,000 / 800,000 random read/write IOPS under heavy load.
Corsair didn’t improve the MP600 Pro’s endurance ratings, though. In fact, instead of improving, the Pro has slightly lower endurance than the MP600. Corsair’s MP600 Pro comes backed by a five-year warranty and is rated to endure up to 700TB of written data per 1TB of drive capacity, while the original MP600 carries a much higher 1,800TB-per-1TB of capacity rating.
Corsair supports the MP600 Pro with an SSD Toolbox software, too, but the GUI is dated compared to some of the better SSD Toolbox software like Samsung’s Magician, WD’s SSD Dashboard, or Intel’s Memory and Storage Tool.
A Closer Look
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Corsair’s MP600 Pro is an M.2 2280 SSD, and our sample comes with a large extruded aluminum heatsink rather than the XM2 water block. The heatsink measures 24 x 14.5 x 70 mm and comes with plenty of fins to dissipate the SSD’s heat output, even in situations with little to no airflow. However, the fins are large enough that they could potentially block a GPU.
Unlike Adata’s XPG Gammix S70, you can remove the MP600 Pro from the heatsink, which is always a plus. But bear in mind, doing so may ruin the thermal pad between the heatsink and SSD, so you might have to do some patchwork or replace it with a new strip entirely if you plan to reinstall the heatsink later.
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Phison’s PS5018-E18, a fast eight-channel PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD controller, resides under the hood. This controller offers among the fastest write speeds we’ve seen, thanks to its DRAM cache that assures responsive access to the file mapping table. The controller also interfaces with a single 8Gb package of SK Hynix DDR4.
Furthermore, the controller incorporates three Cortex R5 cores clocked at 1GHz, and two lower-clocked Dual CoXProcessor 2.0 cores handle the host’s requests and the SSDs’ internal NAND management algorithms. The controller also supports APST, ASPM, and the L1.2 standby power state for efficiency, as well as thermal throttling to ensure cool operation. However, like the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus, the MP600 also comes with a low throttle temperature limit. Thermal throttling triggers if the temperature exceeds 68 degrees Celsius. This algorithm dynamically reduces performance by roughly 50 MBps for every 1 degree Celsius over that limit.
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The MP600 Pro’s controller interfaces with Micron’s 96-Layer 3D TLC flash at speeds of up to 1,200 MTps. The 1TB model uses four NAND packages, each containing four 512Gb dies, while the 2TB models use eight NAND packages with eight 512Gb dies apiece. This flash features a robust quad-plane architecture and many innovative design features, including CuA (Circuit under Array) and tile grouping for responsive random read access. However, it isn’t as cutting-edge as Micron’s 176-Layer flash that should hit the market soon.
Cambridge’s top-of-the-line DAC is a well-armed, high-performing all-rounder
For
Smooth, clean, insightful sound
Generous connectivity
Native MQA support
Against
No remote control
Tough competition
Cambridge Audio’s flagship DacMagic 200M is the DAC equivalent of an all-inclusive holiday that not only offers flights, meals and accommodation but also throws in room upgrades, free excursions and unlimited ice-cream for the kids. And while we may have forgotten what holidays feel like right now, the fact that this digital-to-analogue converter is a generous soul should please anyone in the market for a well-equipped DAC for their hi-fi or desktop system.
Features
(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)
The DacMagic 200M wants to accommodate every music source and file you already own, or might conceivably think of owning. There are pairs of coaxial and optical inputs for covering CD players, games consoles and Blu-ray players, as well as a USB-type B socket (with a ground/lift switch) that welcomes laptops and PCs with open arms. For those who value easy and convenient wireless playback from a phone or tablet, aptX Bluetooth is also onboard.
Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M tech specs
(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)
Bluetooth version aptX
Hi-res 32-bit/768kHz PCM, DSD512, MQA
Inputs USB-type B, optical (2), coaxial (2)
Outputs RCA, XLR
Dimension (hwd) 52 x 215 x 191mm
Weight 1.2kg
RCA and balanced XLR outputs on the rear panel allow the DacMagic 200M to be a middleman in a hi-fi system, while a front-panel 6.3mm output caters for listening via headphones. That’s driven by Class A/B amplification that, thanks to a reduction in impedance output, promises more power and less distortion than the one found in the previous DacMagic design.
High-resolution file support goes beyond what most people will need: the USB-type B goes up to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD512, above the bitrate of most commercially available music files, while the opticals and coaxials top out at 24-bit/96kHz and 24-bit/192kHz respectively. As off-the-shelf DAC chips become more sophisticated, hi-fi DACs increasingly sport such highbrow file compatibility.
But what makes the Cambridge stand out is its native support of MQA technology, meaning it can decode and play downloaded MQA hard files, in addition to hi-res Tidal Masters (which are MQA-encoded). That’s great news in particular for Tidal HiFi subscribers who have access to the increasing number of ‘Masters’ streams (many of which are 24-bit/96kHz) that populate the catalogue.
Build
(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)
The whole right-hand side of the Cambridge’s facade is dedicated to displaying the sampling rate of the audio signal being fed into it. Several LEDs each labelled with a sampling rate – ‘44.1kHz’, ‘48kHz’, ‘96kHz’ and ‘192kHz’, for example – light up to signify it. So if you’re playing a CD-quality file, the ‘44.1kHz’ LED will illuminate. Likewise, LEDs for MQA and DSD light up when those types of files or streams are detected.
It makes for a busy aesthetic, not least as they’re also joined by LED, buttons and text labels for DAC filters and source selection, as well as the usual power button, volume dial, headphone jack and company logos. Still, it’s smartly presented and gives the DAC a rather tactile element – great if you plan to have it near you on a desktop and manually make adjustments, though not so relevant if it’s placed far away (those text labels are small) or tucked away in a system rack, as the compact aluminium chassis lends itself to. There’s no remote control either.
The DAC architecture itself uses dual ESS Sabre DACs in a mono configuration. That means one DAC chip handles the right audio channel while the other handles the left, theoretically resulting in better channel separation.
Sound
(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)
The DacMagic 200M’s performance continues the momentum of the company’s recent hi-fi components, including the CX and Edge ranges. It’s recognisably ‘Cambridge’, characterised by a full, smooth tonality that’s complemented by an open, expressive and authoritative manner.
We hook the Cambridge up to a Macbook Pro via USB type-B, feed it Arab Strap’s Fable Of The Urban Fox (16-bit/44.1kHz) and are instantly impressed by the articulacy of Aidan Moffat’s trademark poetic storytelling through the 200M. It not only communicates his unmistakable Scottish accent but also the masterful cadence of his delivery.
The insightful midrange, also exemplified by the textured acoustic melody, is bookended by a rich, punchy low-end – the introductory bass thump is full and lush – and pleasingly present highs that round off a nicely proportioned, equally talented frequency range. As the instrumentation busies the soundstage, the Cambridge has enough breadth and control to keep things coherent.
That smoothness clings to the violins leading Ólafur Arnalds’ Spiral (Sunrise Session) (24-bit/96kHz) in a way that makes it enjoyable without clouding the textural finesse or dynamic undulation of the strings that communicate the piece’s beautiful fragility. The Cambridge rides the dynamic ebbs and flows nicely, showing its grace in the quieter moments and its authority in the louder ones.
Dynamic shrewdness is backed by rhythmic coordination and punch, amounting to a musical presentation. There’s much to appreciate in a hi-fi component that lets you sit back and enjoy your music no matter the genre, whether it’s Beethoven’s Piano Concerto 5 Op73 “Emperor” Adagio (MQA, 24-bit/96kHz) or Drake’s What’s Next (24-bit/88.2kHz) – and the DacMagic 200M is one of those.
(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)
There’s enough transparency to make the most of the higher-res tracks in which it supports, too. A DSD64 of Stevie Wonder’s Too High sparkles with the amount of detail revealed.
At the other end of the scale, music transmitted over Bluetooth often equals notably muddier, more confined results compared to a wired source. But while there’s some degradation here in terms of clarity and subtlety, Bluetooth playback is exemplary when paired with a Samsung Galaxy S21 during testing. The presentation is clean, open and ultimately well upheld, which is about all you can ask for from a product of this nature.
The Cambridge’s three digital filters – Fast, Slow and Short Delay – offer fairly subtle differences, albeit some level of sonic customisation. We find ourselves settling for Short Delay – it seems the more punctual of the three in relation to timing – but it’s worth experimenting with them.
The similarly priced Chord Mojo sets a rather lofty benchmark at this price, despite lacking many of the Cambridge’s features due to its portable (and battery-powered) nature. The Chord edges ahead in performance, delivering even greater subtlety and rhythmic precision, but it can’t match the DacMagic 200M’s impressive feature versatility.
Verdict
Cambridge Audio’s latest top-of-the-line DacMagic continues the legacy of the long-standing DacMagic model, the original of which earned Cambridge its first What Hi-Fi? Award in 1996. The 200M is 25 years and several evolutionary steps along the DacMagic line in terms of features and performance, but it hasn’t lost sight of its vision to sit among the very best at its level. The DacMagic 200M is a talented all-rounder: a safe buy indeed.
In a highly unusual statement issued early this morning, United States health officials said that the data released by AstraZeneca on its COVID-19 vaccine may include “outdated information.” The announcement, which came from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), comes less than a day after the pharmaceutical company said its vaccine was highly effective in the US trial.
The NIAID said that the independent board of experts reviewing data from the trial raised concerns about the publicly released data. It “may have provided an incomplete view of the efficacy data,” the agency said in its statement.
The announcement may contribute to some unnecessary hesitancy around the AstraZeneca vaccine, Anthony Fauci, director of the NIAID, said on Good Morning Americathis morning.
“This is really what you call an unforced error because the fact is, this is very likely a very good vaccine,” he said. “If you look at it the data, they really are quite good, but when they put it into the press release, it wasn’t completely accurate.”
AstraZeneca said in a statement that the information it released was based on data collected up until February 17th. The company said it is analyzing the most recent data now and will share it within 48 hours.
Typically, disagreements between companies and the independent boards overseeing their trials don’t happen in public, clinical trials expert Eric Topol told The New York Times. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Topol, who also directs the Scripps Research Translational Institute in California.
Not good.
Though it does give me increased confidence in the other existing options. The experts *are* watching.
NIAID Statement on AstraZeneca Vaccine | National Institutes of Health (NIH) https://t.co/KYHFDKmsJ5
— Jeremy Faust MD MS (ER physician) (@jeremyfaust) March 23, 2021
This morning’s announcement is the latest in a long line of issues with the AstraZeneca vaccine. The company hasn’t been as transparent with regulators as it should and gave some clinical trial participants in the United Kingdom the wrong dose of its vaccine. European doctors raised safety concerns after some people had unusual clotting disorders after receiving the vaccine. Experts hoped that yesterday’s announcement, which included data from the large and tightly controlled US clinical trial, would help clarify lingering questions about the vaccine and restore some confidence in the shot.
If and when AstraZeneca applies for authorization in the US, it will have to send all of the data from the US clinical trial to the Food and Drug Administration. Agency scientists will publish their independent analysis publicly, which will give experts the opportunity to review it as well.
The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is already being used in multiple countries around the world.
(Pocket-lint) – The joy of cycling is that it’s an accessible sport that allows you to travel relatively long distances in a short amount of time. Well, at least that’s how it starts, but once bitten by the bug there are usually two questions that dominate riders’ thoughts: “how do I go further?”, and “how do I go faster?”
This is where deep pockets and a sympathetic or unobservant significant other becomes necessary. It usually starts with a new bike, upgrading the wheels maybe, faster rolling tyres – all these are so obviously necessary and easily justifiable in your quest to beat your PBs.
Sure, your trusty bike computer tells you the results, and your heart monitor will give you some indication of how hard you were working, but to really see how much effort you’re putting in on the road, you need a power meter.
Once the preserve of the professional teams, power meters have come down in price and gone up in accuracy over the past 10 years, making them a popular and accessible upgrade for riders looking to step up their performance. So, how does the premium Garmin Vector 3 perform?
Best fitness trackers 2021: Top activity bands to buy today
By Britta O’Boyle
·
Our guide to the top fitness trackers available, helping you count steps, track calories, monitor your heart rate, sleep patterns and more.
Out of the box
Weight: 316g
Cleat type: Look Keo
Waterproof rating: IPX7
Adjustable release tension
Pedal-based power meters have long promised to deliver accurate power measurements to cyclists with the added convenience of being easily installable and swappable between bikes. Unfortunately, early investors found products that have been plagued with reliability problems, until now. Garmin has further refined its Vector 3 pedals to provide all the data you could ever need, accurate measurements and, crucially, reliability.
We’d been looking forward to testing the Vector 3 pedals, despite the fact that there are a number of negative reviews online. In spring 2020, Garmin released a new-and-improved battery compartment cover for their Vector 3 pedals – which has finally added the all-important factor of reliability to what was already undoubtedly a technically excellent power meter.
Pocket-lint
The Vector 3 pedals are shipped with a pair of basic red (9 degree float) Look Keo cleats, so you can get going straight away, though many people will want to upgrade to ones with less float.
Also included is a quick installation guide and the manual. If, like most people, you’re planning on installing the Vector 3 pedals yourself, you’re also going to need a 15mm spanner and some grease; as long as you have those it’s a simple enough job. Weighing in at 316 grams apiece, they’re about the same weight as the most basic Look or Shimano pedals, which considering the technology that is packed into them, is fairly remarkable.
Once you’ve got the Vector 3 pedals physically attached to your bike, you need to pair them with your bike computer (they are also compatible with some high-end Garmin watches) and set your crank length. It’s then possible to alter the data fields on your display to show all sorts of variations of power output as you ride.
Garmin Edge 1030 Plus cycling computer review: Data by the bucketload
One thing that isn’t clearly explained in the manual, however, is how to calibrate the Vector 3 pedals – which Garmin support says you should do before each ride.
On the road
Communication: ANT+ & Bluetooth
Battery type: LR44/SR44 (x4)
Battery life: 120 hours
Accuracy: +/- 1.0%
Out on the road the pedals do precisely what they should. As straight pedals, they are unobtrusive to the point that we forgot they were there, which is exactly as we think it should be for this kind of tech.
Pocket-lint
We found clipping in and out was just as you would expect – unless you’re unfamiliar with Look Kleo anyway! – and they had good clearance, even when cornering more aggressively. We tested them extensively in the wet and cold, commuting through the winter grit and grime as well as the lanes at weekends, and they worked flawlessly no matter the weather.
The IPX7 protection means these pedals won’t be bothered by hours of road spray, or indeed a full dunking if you have to traverse a flooded road. Garmin’s battery cover has been redesigned and stands up to the rigours of real-life riding.
One niggle is that the pedals do not have a rechargeable battery option – which we would have liked to have seen over the single use LR44 batteries.
Connectivity and Garmin Connect
Once you’re off the Vector 3 power meter provides near instant power data to our bike computer. That’s allowed us to pace TT efforts and perform interval training on the track and road. To check the power reading we hooked the bike up to a Wahoo Kickr and found that the pedals recorded power at a consistent 10W higher. It’s usual to find discrepancies like this between power meter measurements, but crucially they tracked each other’s power consistently.
Pocket-lint
Through your bike computer – and the Vector 3 pedals are compatible with all the major players – you can choose to display a range of data beyond just straight power output, including your watts per kilogram (W/KG), power as a percentage of your FTP (Functional Threshold Power), average power per lap – the list goes on and covers pretty much every realistic scenario we could think of.
Beyond this Garmin provides a rich seam of data for post-ride analysis that will appeal to many riders looking to improve their technique, but only if you’re using a Garmin Edge computer or compatible watch. Through these you’ll be able to record and analyse your ride’s power cycling dynamics.
The data covers a wide variety of areas, including cadence, left/right power balance, time spent seated/standing, your power phase (showing the angles of rotation of the pedal that you are generating different levels of power at) – again, the list goes on.
It’s worth noting that this is only available on the Vector 3 pedals, not the single-sided and more affordable Vector 3S model.
How useful this data will be will vary from rider to rider, but there’s no doubt that Garmin present the data in an accessible way through the Garmin Connect app. If you want to train to increase your power to weight ratio then it’s not going to be an overnight journey, you’ll need to put the structure and planning into place.
If you have more cycling sensors to pair with your setup then you can derive yet more data too. Garmin will know your power output and can detail recovery, based on your profile build in Garmin Connect. A heart-rate monitor and blood oxygen read can also factor into this.
Pocket-lint
You are also able to analyse at what phase of your pedal stroke you are applying the greatest power. We found this data interesting to see and to think about, but there is no definitive ‘right’ answer to how this should be.
Platform offset was again interesting, but no amount of cleat tweaking seemed to change the +2mm that our right foot was off from centre. And herein lies the danger of so much data: how much time one should spend trying to adapt with newly enhanced knowledge.
Verdict
Despite some early poor reviews for the Vector 3 pedals, we found them – in their 2020 guise, with updated battery cover – to be excellent and consistent performers.
If you already own a Garmin bike computer you will get access to the full range of cycling dynamics, but be aware that outside of Garmin’s ecosystem you will only see basic power data.
Aside from Garmin choosing single-use batteries over a rechargeable option, we whole heartedly recommend the Vector 3 power meter if that’s the kind of data you want to gather to help improve your potential.
Alternatives to consider
Favero
Favero Assioma DUO Power Meter Pedals
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With the added convenience of rechargeable batteries, the Favero Assioma offers many of the same features and value for money.
Quarq
PowerTap P2 Power Pedals
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These reliable pedals are a popular choice for many, but lag behind the Garmin Vector 3 pedals in the data stakes.
We’re celebrating all things British hi-fi this week on What Hi-Fi?, so we had to include our newly updated round-up of our favourite sets of speakers to have emerged from these isles.
This list includes some big, some small, some heavenly high-end, some much more affordable – but all straight from the top draw when it comes to performance-per-pound value.
Our verdict? The hi-fi industry has been, and continues to be, spoilt with British engineering talent, as you can see for yourself from the following list of superlative hi-fi speakers…
See all our British Hi-Fi Week 2021 reviews and features
Wharfedale Diamond I (1982)
The original Wharfedale Diamonds were the seeds for what has become one of the most successful speaker ranges of all time.
While speakers these days come in more shapes and sizes than ever before, these pint-sized efforts, standing at just 24cm high, were designed for those who needed a speaker to fit into a tight space.
They had a particularly praiseworthy midrange and bass considering their budget price, though they were slightly fussy in terms of partnering kit, working better with more upmarket amplification.
That Was Then… Wharfedale Diamond review
Heybrook HB1 (1983)
Heybrook was a British hi-fi manufacturer that started life in 1978 and was named after Devon’s Heybrook Bay, which was near the site of the company’s original factory.
Heybrook got off to a flying start after its inception, with the Peter Comeau-designed, entry-level HB1s proving a highlight of What Hi-Fi?‘s early years. It was the first product to win three What Hi-Fi? Awards in a row, no less.
With a sealed box design, they worked well close to a wall, but aside from that, thanks to a high-quality finish and dynamic sound, the HB1 were another example of a speaker that could hold its own against much more expensive efforts.
Acoustic Energy AE1 (1988)
Acoustic Energy’s AE1 were also smaller speakers whose performance belied their size. They were capable of impressive punch and dynamic reach – in part thanks to their metal drivers, which were rare at that time.
They also weren’t limited to one decade, evolving over several years and several variations to inspire what is today one of our favourite active speakers, the suitably-named AE1 Active.
Epos ES11 (1991)
We enter the ’90s with Epos’ ES11, which were similar in sonic character to the legendary ES14 but available for a fraction of the price. A win-win, then.
As was usual for the brand, the crossover was minimal – it employed a single capacitor for the tweeter – helping them produce surprisingly sturdy bass and excellent resolution, in addition to superb rhythmic drive and dynamic expression.
A modest-looking but really musical pair of speakers, they could deliver just the right amount of aggression, delicacy and restraint as a song demanded.
Monitor Audio Studio 20 (1992)
The Studio 20 were, back in 1992, one of the most detailed-sounding speakers we’d encountered.
They needed some fine-tuning and a fair bit of running-in thanks to those metal drivers but, these issues aside, they were incredibly well finished and sounded terrific.
It was no surprise that their successors, the new-and-improved Studio 20 SE, arrived a few years later and occupied our test rooms as our reference model for many years.
13 of the best Monitor Audio products of all time
Mission 753 (1992)
The 753 were an important speaker in Mission’s history, ushering in a new slim floorstander design no wider than an, erm, ice skate (see above).
Both looking and sounding the business, they had a smörgåsboard of drive units with four 13cm drivers – two mid/bass drivers, two low bass units – and a single 25cm dome tweeter, through which a fast and punchy sound ensured whatever they were playing was enjoyably involving.
Tannoy Mercury M2 (1997)
The Mercury M2 made an immediate impression when they burst onto the scene in the late ’90s. Back then, we said they were the closest anyone had come to creating the perfect mass-market standmounter.
Quite frankly, our ears hadn’t heard a more satisfyingly musical all-rounder at their price (£150), so it’s hardly surprising that we called them “an extremely safe bet [that] will suit a wide variety of systems”.
Wilson Benesch A.C.T. One (1999)
Five years after launching its first product, the Wilson Benesch Turntable, the British company launched a second: the A.C.T. One speaker.
Unveiled at the 1994 Frankfurt High End show, the floorstanders, were made mostly out of carbon fibre (like many Wilson Benesch speakers after them), introducing the world’s first curved carbon fibre composite panel in a speaker design.
These superbly-engineered and elegant-looking towers were the most analytical and musical speakers we’d heard before the turn of the century.
Read the full Wilson Benesch A.C.T One review
Quad ELS 2805 (2008)
This side of the millennium we have the Quad ELS 2805. After all, it would be sacrilege to not include one of the British company’s legendary electrostatic speakers in this list. So here it is.
“Fifty years after its electrostatic speakers first wowed the hi-fi world, Quad breaks new ground,” we said of the 2805 in 2008.
These one-way speakers (meaning there was no crossover in the signal path) fired equal amounts of sound backwards and forwards, so care was needed setting up. Any bother was well worth it, though. The lack of punch and slightly lumpy bass were drawbacks, but in every other way they were truly exceptional performers.
Read the fullQuad ESL-2805 review
B&W 800 Diamond (2012)
Continuing the high-end trend, these £18,500 speakers represented the pinnacle of B&W’s cutting-edge technology back in 2012. “The ultimate expression of all the company’s trademark technologies.” This has since manifested itself in the latest Diamond range.
From tweeter domes made out of diamond, to cleverly braced and shaped cabinets, to cones made out of Kevlar, they were innovative speakers that at the time showcased unrivalled clarity, dynamic reach and volume. The bass was stunning, as was detail, and all of this sound was delivered with speed and punch.
Read the full B&W 800 Diamond review
KEF LS50 (2012)
The KEF LS50 were, and remain, blindingly good speakers. They’ve won multiple What Hi-Fi? Awards over the years and have recently formed the basis of active versions in the shape of the LS50 Wireless II and LSX, as well as the passive LS50 Meta – all three What Hi-Fi? Award winners themselves.
Of course, a hat tip deserves to be directed to KEF’s trademark Uni-Q array (an aluminium dome tweeter in the centre of a magnesium/aluminium–coned mid/bass), which was largely behind the LS50’s insightful and musical, bassy yet balanced sound.
Read the full KEF LS50 review
Neat Iota (2012)
He who dares wins, right? With a sideways orientation that makes them look more like an AV centre channel speaker than a pair of stereo speakers, the 13cm-tall Neat Iotas were certainly different, but brilliantly so.
The Teesside-based speaker company’s unusual design allowed us to experiment using them with the tweeters placed on the inside or outside, the latter of which we preferred. The Iotas sounded remarkable – big and bold, with plenty of detail, weight and scale on offer. And their tiny-boxed design only added to their appeal.
Read the full Neat Iota review
Q Acoustics Concept 20 (2013)
The strength of the competition at this price is always fierce, but it speaks to the talents of Q Acoustics’ Concept 20 that they remain firm favourites.
They utilise what is still some of the company’s top-tier technologies, such as the complex cabinet design that sees two layers of MDF separated by a lossy Gelcore material in an effort to dampen resonances. And due to such innovative engineering, they produce a multi-talented, all-round sound that delivers everything from punch and attack, to subtlety and precision.
The fact they’re available at nearly half their original price these days is staggering.
Read the full Q Acoustic Concept 20 review
PMC Twenty 26 (2014)
Speakers from PMC’s Twenty range have not only been winning awards in recent years but also occupying our test rooms.
Few rival floorstanders are as musical or as balanced as the Twenty 26, whose strong dynamics, impressive detail, even tonality and seamless integration is hard to find fault with. These may not be the latest models in the Twenty range, but they are among our favourites.
Read the full PMC Twenty 26 review
Spendor SP2/3R2 (2016)
It’d be easy to dismiss Spendor’s SP2/3R2 as a retro throwback, but that would be to miss out on a stellar speaker that very much deserves the attention of anyone with this budget. “Despite a design ancestry that dates back to the 1970s, there’s much this dinosaur could teach its modern competition,” we noted in our 2016 review.
Sonically, they’re huge, with a scale and authority that’s made for epic blockbuster soundtracks. But there’s absolutely no shortage of dynamics or detail either, and while they don’t deliver the last word in punch or drive, rhythms are delightfully measured.
Read the full Spendor SP2/3R2 review
ATC SCM 50 (2019)
(Image credit: ATC)
We’ve been using ATC’s SCM50 as our reference speakers for well over a decade, and in that time they’ve been connected to just about every piece of electronics that has passed through our test rooms. And guess what? They’ve never let us down.
Every so often we come across rival speakers – usually of higher cost – that better these ATCs in some respect, whether it’s outright resolution, openness, stereo imaging or rhythmic precision.
Yet we haven’t managed to find something that’s as satisfying an all-rounder or as practical to use as a day-to-day review tool. Considering the SCM50 was originally introduced in the mid-80s, that’s quite some achievement. It seems great engineering doesn’t date.
Read the full ATC SCM 50 review
ProAc Response D2R (2019)
(Image credit: ProAc)
Don’t let the lack of curved cabinets or fancy cone materials fool you. The ProAc Response D2R are among the finest speakers we’ve ever heard and are more than worth of their spot on this list.
You’ll need suitable stands, suitable electronics and to spend a decent amount of time tinkering with positioning, but once sorted, these exceptional standmounters deliver an intoxicating mix of detail and entertainment that is tough to beat at this price.
Read the full ProAc Response D2R review
MORE:
Best British speakers 2021
12 of the best British CD players of all time
10 of the best British turntables of all time
See all our British Hi-Fi Week 2021 reviews and features
KEF is one of the most well-respected British brands in world hi-fi and has been for well over 50 years.
The company’s ethos is based around engineering, design and development found in trademark technology such as the Uni-Q driver, which still features heavily in its products today.
In recent years the brand hasn’t been afraid to diversify, either, and now covers a wide range of categories, from stereo speakers to custom installation solutions to headphones, wireless speakers and all-in-one streaming systems.
To celebrate British Hi-Fi Week, we’ve rounded up 11 of the best KEF products to pass through our test rooms since the birth of What Hi-Fi? In 1976. So kick back, relax and reminisce.
See our British Hi-Fi Week news, reviews and features
KEF Coda III (1985)
The oldest model on this list, the KEF Coda 3 originally featured in What Hi-Fi? way back in 1985. At just £99, the Codas were a serious bargain and although they didn’t feature KEF’s trademark Uni-Q driver, they still managed to impress. We noted their “excellent stereo imagery” and “clean, controlled and well-extended bass”, as well as their tendency to sound “slightly dry and splashy” with “high level rock”. The Coda III used a KEF designed and Japanese built 3cm fabric dome tweeter, plus a 20cm paper pulp mid-bass driver which was glued into the cabinet to ensure a solid seal. Proper budget speakers didn’t get much better in 1985.
KEF 105/3 (1990)
The 105/3 (pictured above, middle) were clever speakers that combined a couple of different KEF technologies. The company’s trademark Uni-Q driver was present, but it was also joined by what KEF referred to as its coupled-cavity bass loading tech, which had two drive units actually firing within the speaker’s cabinet. Bass frequencies would then emit from a solitary opening on the front of each speaker. This was done to lower distortion, improve power handling and deliver more bass from a small cabinet. The speakers served a solid, tangible soundstage and rich, textured bass.
KEF Coda 7 (1995)
In the mid 1990s, the budget speaker market place was a tough place to be. Mission had a stranglehold and were proving difficult to beat. Enter the Coda 7, KEF’s brave attempt to wrestle back some of that market share. Their 30cm cabinets used an upside-down driver layout with a 13cm coated paper bass driver sat above a 25mm soft dome tweeter. Not the most high-tech design, then, but they still managed to produce an outstanding sound. At the time we said the KEFs “not only throw down the gauntlet to the likes of the Mission 732, they cock a snook and thumb their nose too!” High praise indeed.
KEF Q35 (1997)
Small and compact floorstanders have a certain charm and this was definitely the case with the diminutive KEF Q35, which debuted in 1997. They weren’t keen on being cranked to the max, but if the quality of your recordings was up to scratch, the KEFs were capable of delivering one of the most realistic sonic experiences available at their £349 price point. We described the quality of their imaging as “almost eerie”, and able to “give a three-dimensional, almost tactile effect”. We also strongly advised that you listen to them bi-wired, which we found only further enhanced their resolution, which was “unrivalled at the price”.
KEF Cresta 2 (1999)
The Coda 7 were always going to be a tough act to follow, but KEF managed to maintain its lofty standards with the arrival of its new Cresta 2 standmounters. At 37cm high, they were relatively tall for budget standmounters and this extra size was reflected in the exceptional sense of scale and openness. Like the Coda 7, the Cresta 2 used a simple 25mm soft dome tweeter with a 13cm coated paper cone, but in a more traditional arrangement, with the former positioned above the latter. Tonal evenness and subtlety weren’t their forte, but it was the stunning musicality that won us over.
KEF KHT2005 (2001)
If you want a home cinema icon, then look no further than the KHT2005 from 2001. Affectionately known as the KEF ‘eggs’, this sub/sat system offered not only performance in spades, but a serious dose of style too. The cast aluminium, egg-shaped satellites looked the business and were a welcome distraction from more traditional-looking boxy alternatives. Together with the system’s 150W subwoofer, they combined to produce an exciting, entertaining and cohesive surround sound experience that entertained us for many a year.
Read our That Was Then… KEF KHT 2005 review
KEF Reference Model 203 (2001)
KEF completely revamped its flagship Reference range of loudspeakers in 2001. The Reference 3 were four-way baby towers that boasted beautiful curved cabinets, and a time-aligned tweeter sat on top of a Uni-Q driver. The configuration of the speaker meant KEF had five separate drivers to integrate, yet the 203 still managed to produce a “beautifully seamless” sense of cohesion across the board. We said the speakers delivered a “dynamic, exciting performance that gives a crystal-clear view of the music.” Even at £3k we felt they were worth every penny.
KEF iQ5SE (2007)
The Q35 evolved over the years and 2007 saw the launch of the iQ5SE variant, which battled it out with the truly exceptional Monitor Audio BR5 and B&W 685 speakers. Like its ancestors, the iQ35SEs were a compact and attractive pair of hugely talented floorstanders. The speakers majored in speed and punch and combined this impressive rhythmic accuracy withn excellent dynamics and stereo imaging, even if they couldn’t quite knock the B&Ws off the top spot.
KEF LS50 (2013)
In 2013, to mark KEF’s 50th anniversary, the company celebrated by launching the LS50 standmounters. They weren’t a high-end, mega-money pair of loudspeakers, but they still made quite the impression, blowing the competition out of the water and receiving a glowing five-star review for their troubles. The LS50 boasted striking looks and saw KEF use a new DMC (Dough Moulding Compound) material for their curved front panels. They also featured unusually flexible bass reflex ports designed to reduce unwanted midrange distortions. Needless to say the LS50 sounded exceptional, with impressive dispersion, a huge stereo image and big, communicative bass. They’ve left a lasting impression, too, laying the foundations for further LS50 models we have noted below.
Check out our full KEF LS50 review
KEF Reference 1 (2018)
The price tag might be high but the Reference 1 are worth every penny – you won’t find a better bookshelf speaker in KEF’s entire stable. They’re a shining (and shiny) example of KEF’s high-end engineering at its best, and set a benchmark that few rivals can match. They look stunning in the flesh, with beautifully finished cabinets that you bolt onto KEF’s matching stands. A simply gorgeous speaker with the sound to match, the Reference 1 speakers are brilliant all-rounders that work superbly across across a wide range of music, systems and rooms.
KEF Reference 1 review
KEF R3 (2018)
You don’t have to trawl back very far through the What Hi-Fi? Archive to find the KEF R3. They’re on page 62 of our 2018 Awards issue, complete with the stereo speaker Product of the Year stamp of approval. Such an accolade doesn’t get handed out to any old pair of speakers so you’d be right to assume the R3 are something special. We noted “a level of insight and detail resolution way beyond most rivals” and the fact they deliver “a sound good enough to worry most speakers below the two grand mark”. The KEF R3 are the complete package and one of the most talented all-rounders we’ve heard from the brand in recent years, only recently eclipsed by the brand’s own LS50 Meta.
Read the full KEF R3 review
KEF LS50 Wireless II (2020)
(Image credit: Future)
Which brings us to another LS50 descendent.
When it comes to innovative and entertaining sequels, Wayne’s World 2 or Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo may spring to mind, but in 2020 KEF released the LS50 Wireless II all-in-one streaming speaker system and quickly earned a reputation as a follow-up of rare quality as well as a What Hi-Fi? Award. The Wireless II address the LS50 Wireless’ minor imperfections and, while proudly maintaining the familiar chassis and Uni-Q driver arrangement, manage to squeeze out even more performance by introducing a new KEF innovation called Metamaterial Absorption Technology (also found on its LS50 Meta passive speakers, and hopefully on many more KEF models to come).
MAT is basically a clever way of absorbing sound waves that radiate from the rear of the tweeter dome so that they don’t distort the unit’s forward output, effectively creating an ‘acoustic black hole’ and absorbing 99 per cent of the unwanted sound. The effect was a purer treble, clean mids, and a more defined bass, with the whole presentation, opened out, offering subtler but more precise detail and greater instrument separation.
The Gigabyte Radeon RX 6700 XT Gaming OC is the company’s factory-overclocked graphics card for those seeking a close-to-reference custom rendition of the RX 6700 XT from Gigabyte without the bells and whistles of the AORUS Gaming brand. The Radeon RX 6700 XT is AMD’s fourth RX 6000 series RDNA2 graphics card, and arguably its most important so far as it targets a sub-$500 (MSRP) price point, bringing the architecture to a wider audience. A successor to the RX 5700 XT, it brings full DirectX 12 Ultimate readiness, including real-time raytracing, and is suited for maxed out gaming at 1440p. AMD claims that the card is competitive not only against NVIDIA’s RTX 3060 Ti, but also the pricier RTX 3070 in certain games.
The RDNA2 graphics architecture powering the RX 6700 XT is spread far and wide in the current generation, spanning not just the Radeon RX 6000 series, but also the latest game consoles. This makes it easier for game developers to optimize for the architecture on the PC. AMD’s approach to real-time raytracing involves using special hardware called Ray Accelerators to handle the most compute-intensive task in raytracing, of ray intersections, while compute shaders are used for almost everything else, including de-noising. A side effect of this approach is that AMD has had to bolster its SIMD muscle significantly over the previous generation, which can work wonders for conventional raster 3D games.
The Radeon RX 6700 XT is based on and maxes out the new 7 nm Navi 22 silicon, which physically features 40 RDNA2 compute units. This works out to 2,560 stream processors, 40 Ray Accelerators, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The stream processor count is exactly the same as with the RX 5700 XT, but besides having a higher IPC, they run at much higher engine clocks in excess of 2.42 GHz, compared to the 1.77 GHz game clock of the RX 5700 XT.
AMD has increased the standard memory amount to 12 GB, but over a narrow 192-bit GDDR6 memory bus. AMD attempts to overcome the bandwidth deficit compared to the 256-bit GDDR6 interface of the RX 5700 series by increasing the memory clocks to 16 Gbps and deploying its new Infinity Cache technology—a fast 96 MB on-die level 3 cache that accelerates the memory subsystem.
The Gigabyte RX 6700 XT Gaming OC comes with the company’s latest-generation WindForce 3X cooling solution found on several other current-generation products. Three aluminium fin stacks are skewered by five 6 mm-thick copper heat-pipes that make direct contact with the GPU at the base. This heatsink is ventilated by three fans. The cooler is longer than the PCB, so some of the airflow from the third fan flows through a hole in the backplate. The RX 6700 XT comes with factory overclocked speeds of 2514 MHz (game clock) as opposed to the 2424 MHz reference. In this review, we take the card for a spin.
VPN and privacy lovers may have heard of OVPN before, a popular VPN service provider based out of Sweden that specifically focuses on no trackers when browsing the internet. The company had built a hardware router a few years ago, the OVPNbox based on pfSense, but it had.. less than desirable results and feedback. For one, it cost more than the net sum of the output. People were quick to note that they could build an analogous setup using an x86 processor with OpenVPN. The product seemed too technically out of reach for the average end user, so much so that the customer who could make the most of it could also do something custom entirely. Vilfo was created because of that experience, which the company states outright is fully independent from OVPN and has as its goal the development of a true successor that aims to lower the entry barrier for a VPN router experience for everyone. We take a look at the Vilfo VPN router today, and thanks again to the company for sending TechPowerUp a review sample!
Vilfo has recently brought a product out, the VPN router for homes, which is on display in the preview above. The company is working on a business solution as well, which does peak my interest in terms of how it will differ. Regardless, it has been a while since I have had my hands on a router that has external antennas, which makes it a nice departure from the usual mix of mesh WiFi systems and mobile routers tested to date. This is an all-white router that is on the smaller side of things, with the company taking time to let you know of the powerful processing system inside to handle all the integrated VPN features. We will examine all this and more in this review beginning with a look at the specifications in the table below.
Specifications
Vilfo VPN Router
Processor:
Intel® Celeron
WiFi:
Mediatek MT7612E supporting 802.11a/b/g/n/ac at up to 867 Mbps throughput
There’s a new iPad on the way. Or, rather, four to be exact.
Apple is said to be about to launch a new iPad Pro next month. While most range refreshes include minor tweaks, this one should bring some major new screen technology into play – and it’s tech that could really improve the user experience.
Not only that, but Apple is also thought to be working on a new iPad Mini that’s bigger than the current model, as well as a refresh to the standard iPad; both of those should launch this year. Add them to the two different-sized Pro models, and that makes four new iPads in the pipeline.
Excited? You should be. Here’s why.
Check out the current range: Best iPads: big, small, budget and premium
Apple iPad Pro 2021: release date
The next iPad Pro refresh could happen very soon indeed. That’s according to Bloomberg, which carried a report recently detailing the new models.
Its sources say that the new Pro models will launch in April. There’s no firm date set, and Apple is yet to announce any events for the coming weeks. But it usually gives at least two weeks’ notice, so expect a mid-April launch at the earliest.
Once they have been announced, however, the new iPads could go on sale just days later, or even immediately.
This would be the fifth generation of iPad Pro. The current model launched last March, a year ago almost to the day. But a spring launch isn’t a given for iPad Pros. The third generation launched in October 2018, while the second gen landed in June 2017. The first model was announced in September 2015 and launched in November of the same year. Fingers crossed it becomes a new spring regular.
OS agnostic? Read our guide to the best tablets covering both iOS and Android
iPad Pro 2021: price
(Image credit: Apple)
The iPad Pro is the daddy of the iPad family, a stylus-equipped tablet that’s superpowered for work and play. Want the best games? The crispest movies? Need it for work, be it illustrating, animating, video editing or music production? It’s the tablet for you.
Of course, all this power doesn’t come cheap. Here’s how the current Pro models stack up.
iPad Pro 11in: from £769 ($799, AU$1329)
iPad Pro 12.9in: from £969 ($999, AU$1649)
With all that natty new screen tech at hand to go with all the usual improvements, we can’t see Apple dropping the price of the new models. Expect them to be in keeping with the current price tags.
iPad Pro 2021: screen
(Image credit: Apple)
We’re expecting two new models of iPad Pro, in the same sizes as the current models (11in and 12.9in). And it’s the bigger of the two that’s really got our attention.
That’s because it is said to boast a Mini LED screen. Like OLED, this technology is used in TVs, but it has better contrast ratios than the current Pro’s OLED panel. It is also less susceptible to burn-in, so if you accidentally leave your tablet on YouTube over the weekend you won’t have to worry about the logo being forever etched in the screen.
We don’t have only Bloomberg‘s word for it. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said back in 2019 that he expected Apple to start using Mini LED screens in its tablets and laptops. He even predicted that Apple would launch the tech in the 12.9in iPad Pro. When two such reputable sources say the same thing, the odds are that it’s true.
Mini LED has a lot going for it. It’s pitched as a more affordable version of OLED, though it works similarly to LCD tech. Essentially, the LEDs on a Mini LED panel’s backlight are much, much smaller than those used on a traditional LCD screen – and therefore there are a great many more of them; we’re talking tens of thousands rather than tens of hundreds. The idea is that the more LEDs used, the greater control the device has over over local dimming – i.e. how bright or dim parts of the screen can go. Theoretically as a result, Mini LEDs can produce pictures with better contrast, pictures with more precise shading and, in turn, better colour reproduction than your average LCD screen.
With a backlight, Mini LED TVs can reach a higher peak brightness than an OLED screen is capable of, and as there is greater control over what portions of the screen are dark it’s easier to achieve deeper blacks. That said, as there is still a backlight in the mix and the LEDs can’t turn completely off, as the self-emissive diodes in OLEDs can, it’s doubtful they’ll be able to produce quite the lights-off blacks that OLEDs can.
Still, we can’t wait to see the technology in action on an iPad. And it sounds as though we won’t have to, for long.
iPad Pro 2021: design
While the screen may be all new, it doesn’t sound as if the design of the device will change much, if at all. According to Bloomberg‘s report, the new Pro models will look similar to the current models. But that’s no bad thing.
The current iPad Pro, after all, is about as sleek as tablets come. Thanks to its narrow bezel, it’s basically all screen, making movies, games and TV shows all the more immersive. Sticking to this design will only serve to better show off the new screen tech, too – when the device is all screen, it really enhances those popping colours and sharply defined edges.
The current models are super slim and light, too. The 11in model sizes up at 24.7 x 17.8 x 0.6cm, while the 12.9in version comes in at 28 x 21.5 x 0.6cm. The smaller model weighs 473g, while the larger tips the scales at 643g – that’s lighter than a squeezy bottle of ketchup.
Unlike some other tablets, the Pro features speakers on both its top and bottom. This means that, when watching a film with the tablet in landscape orientation, you benefit from stereo sound, in contrast to those tablets with speakers in only one place.
The Pro also features a USB-C connection, but the new models have reportedly been tested with Apple’s Thunderbolt connectors. It’s not clear at this point whether they will ship with Thunderbolt or USB-C.
Apple is also reportedly testing its MagSafe connector for laptops. MagSafe is a magnetic connector – because it connects using magnets, the connection breaks if the cable is yanked out, and your device won’t tumble to the floor (say if someone trips over the cable). It was first used in Apple’s laptops, but recently made a return in the iPhone 12 as a way of snapping on accessories. With Apple mulling over MagSafe for MacBooks, could the next iPads also use it?
iPad Pro 2021: specs
(Image credit: Apple)
While the new iPad Pros might look almost identical to the current models, they should be much more powerful. So powerful, in fact, that performance should reportedly be “on a par” with Apple’s M1 MacBook Airs, MacBook Pros and Max Mini.
These M1 devices are the first to feature Apple’s own processors. That’s because last year the firm stopped using Intel chips in favour of its own, homegrown ones, known as Apple silicon. With Apple making both the hardware and software, it is able to optimise performance – these chips are made specifically for Apple devices, after all, as opposed to off-the-shelf processors that power all manner of desktops, laptops and tablets.
Reviews have praised Apple silicon devices, due to their notably improved performance. They have also shown big improvements in battery life.
For example, the latest Apple MacBook Air boasts up to 15 hours of wireless web performance, and up to 18 hours of movie streaming via the Apple TV app. The current iPad Pros manage only about 10 hours of power before needing a recharge, so it’s quite possible that the new models will see a significant battery bump.
The new Pros are also said to have new cameras, but here details are a bit thin on the ground.
Tablets’ cameras are usually a bit of an afterthought; but not on the Pro. This is a device built for creative professionals, after all, and imaging technology is likely to be high on their priority list. It has two rear cameras (a 12MP wide-angle lens, and a 10MP ultra-wide), with 2x optical zoom and 5x digital zoom. It also allows for 4K video recording at 24fps, 30fps or 60fps, 1080p HD video recording at 30fps or 60fps, and 720p HD video recording at 30fps.
The 7MP front-facing camera also has 1080p HD video recording at 30fps or 60fps.
Any upgrade on these would be most welcome, especially to the filmmakers eyeing up a new tablet to help make their movies.
Other new iPads for 2021
(Image credit: Apple)
As we said, the new Pros aren’t the only iPads in the Apple pipeline. The firm is also reportedly working on a new iPad Mini and a refresh of the standard iPad.
The Mini should have a slightly larger screen than the current 7.9in iPad Mini. This follows the trend in mobiles, which has been for bigger screens in recent years. Though it would still carry the Mini moniker, so don’t expect it to supersize anytime soon.
The standard iPad will reportedly be slimmer and lighter than the current model. The current iPad measures 25 x 17 x 0.7cm, so cutting down these dimensions will be no mean feat.
Expect minor spec bumps for these two devices, too.
Both of these iPads are expected to launch later in the year, possibly around September. That would be a year on from the last iPad range refresh. It’s also when we’re expecting the new iPhone 13. Could be a busy month.
MORE:
Read our in-depth Apple iPad (2020) review
Find the perfect Apple tablet for you: the best iPads 2021
Apple’s first over-ear headphones rated: read our AirPods Max review
Everything we know so far about the rumoured AirPods 3
(Pocket-lint) – The big ol’ beast upon which your eyes are affixed is the Poco X3 Pro: the Xiaomi offshoot’s sub-flagship device, here to tempt you with massive screen, massive battery, and not-so-massive price point.
Just a year after the Poco X2 launched, the X3 Pro isn’t exactly an unexpected surprise. But it does cut its own path: its the first device to feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 processor, which is all-powerful (basically an 855+ rebadged) but, crucially, drops any 5G modem – and, with that, any battery/cost implication that such connectivity could cause.
As such, the Poco X3 Pro is a fairly unique prospect. It’s not quite as flagship grade as the smaller Poco F3 – which was announced the same day, here’s how the two compare – but as 4G/LTE handsets on a big scale go, it’s got a lot of weight behind it (both figuratively and literally speaking).
As you’ve no doubt already figured out by now: the Poco X3 Pro is a big and weighty phone – even more so than its spec sheet might have you think. No, 215g is hardly a lot when you’re weighing out pasta for dinner or something, but in a phone that you handle constantly it’s noticeably chonky. It’s far more than the Redmi Note 10 Pro, for example, which has almost exactly the same footprint.
Pocket-lint
The big scale comes, in part, from this Poco’s big screen. This 6.67-inch ‘DotDisplay’ panel is sourced from Samsung, complete with many of the current nice-to-haves in a phone – namely the 120Hz refresh rate to keep the visual experience smoother. The Full HD+ resolution – that’s 2400 x 1080 pixles – might not sound top of the line, but it’s really as much as you’ll need and doesn’t negatively affect fidelity.
Flip the phone around and the rear design has a kind-of retro look about it. Phone design moves on so rapidly year on year that, for whatever reason, the Poco X3 Pro just looks a bit ‘last year’. Maybe it’s the raised camera unit, housed within a black circle, that’s behind the times. The big look-at-me Poco logo emblazoned on the back is way bigger than necessary, too.
There are some nice touches though. A 3.5mm headphone jack is on board, if you’re still using wired headphones. And the side-mounted fingerprint scanner – which doubles-up as the power button – is well placed for rapid login. Or, by the wonders of face unlock, you can feed the X3 Pro your face and get a speedy unlock that way too.
Pocket-lint
In summary: the Poco X3 Pro is massive, in a kind of gawky way that’s not at the forefront of phone design. But then it’s also practical, if you’re looking for a large phone, thanks to that massive screen and massive battery combination. And, really, that’s the most important take-away factor.
Performance & Battery
Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 platform, 6GB/8GB RAM
5,160mAh battery, 33W charging
4G/LTE only, no 5G
There’s been heaps of chat about 5G over the last few years. For good reason, too, as it enables super-fast connectivity with low-latency. Except, it doesn’t if you can’t get a 5G singal – which, in majority of places around the world, is often the case. Not to mention the elevated asking price of your monthly mobile subscription.
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The Poco X3 Pro bypasses any 5G problem by, well, shunning the connectivity entirely. That, it seems, is much the point of using the all-new Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 processor – there’s no X50/X55 series modem attached within the platform, thus no 5G. But 4G/LTE connectivity is perfectly good enough and, without the concern over elevated costs or battery consumption, we think it’ll be lapped up by many consumers.
Not to mention that the Snapdragon 860 is really rather powerful. It’s a lot like a rebaged Snapdragon 855+ from two years back – same eight cores, same clock speed (2.96GHz), same graphics chip – just minus the faster modem, as we said. In terms of performance, though, that means there’s little to nothing that’s going to bother this phone at all.
We’ve been living with the Poco X3 Pro as our own for a working week, digging into Zwift sessions (and Companion ones), playing South Park: Phone Destroyer, and generally milling about our suite of apps to browse, mail and watch videos. None of that has caused so much as a hiccup. It’s all a very smooth experience – often literally, thanks to the 120Hz display.
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Having this double-speed refresh rate here makes a lot of sense as a more powerful processor can handle decent frame-rates in a variety of situations, from the user interface and software through to a myriad of apps, including games. Some makers have pushed faster refresh screens but then not paired a quite good enough processor to always make good on that hardware – the cheaper Moto G30 being one such example – but the Poco always delivers.
Without throttling battery saver features enabled, we’ve been cutting through 30 per cent of battery every 10 hours. That includes some casual gaming. It’s no surprise, really, as the Poco X3 Pro houses a 5,160mAh battery – which is massive by any measure. But a 30-hours-plus innings per charge would be no bother, making this one of those phones that’s close to being a two-dayer unless you’re really hammering out heavyweight apps a lot of the time.
There are some caveats to all this though. That comes down to Xiaomi’s MIUI software, which has a lot of detail when it comes to battery handling. By default every app is set to ‘Battery Saver’ – so you’re likely going to need to manually move your key apps to ‘No Restrictions’ to ensure they continue to function better than not.
That said, the Poco X3 Pro still hits some walls. It’s persistently exhibited problems with notifications – much like we found with the Xiaomi Mi 11, albeit worse here – such as, for example, hour-long delays in WhatsApp notifications, plus delays with various other apps. In theory the software will learn which apps are most important to you – by volume and repetition of use – and permit those more access, but that’s not helped our overall experience.
Customisation can be a great thing, but it can also be a hindrance. We would rather MIUI was a just more gentle with its approach to limiting with apps. Why certain Xiaomi phones on the same software versions run fine – the Redmi Note 10 Pro being one example – but others do not, such as this Poco, is rather perplexing. Each has its own launcher, sure, but these ongoing notification issues are a needless irritation.
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Which is why this more laborious setup won’t be distracting those with a little more budget from buying into, say, a Google Pixel phone with stock Android software, or something like a Motorola handset instead (likely foregoing some power for the sake of user experience).
Whereas many are now pushing 108-megapixel cameras as the norm, Poco is a little further down the ladder with the X3 Pro, instead opting for a 48-megapixel main sensor. This functions by using four pixels in one, to produce 12-megapixel results. Which are fairly decent quality overall, including in a mix of conditions, with a usable Night Mode too.
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Move away from that main sensor, however, and the X3 Pro isn’t especially ‘pro’ in its sell. There’s an 8-megapixel wide-angle that, while useful, is of limited quality – as is typical at this level, really.
But it’s the pair of other cameras – both 2-megapixel sensors – to cover depth readings and macro close-ups that are throwaway. They’re of limited use, don’t need to be here, and are on board to up the count and lure you in with the “quad camera” pitch. Macro is so hidden that you’ll never know to use it, which is a good job as the results are poor.
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: Main camera – Night ModeMain camera – Night Mode
Pare the X3 Pro’s camera spec down and it’s got a perfectly fine main lens, then, but that’s about as far as things go. It’s fairly typical of this level, though, so isn’t a surprise – but consider that “quad camera” claim as and oversell and your expectations may be met.
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Verdict
The Poco X3 Pro is all about going big. It’s got a big screen, big battery, and its anticipated low price point should have big appeal.
In some regards, however, it’s a bit too big for its own boots. The software doesn’t quite connect in this format – we’ve had notification problems which irk – while the sheer physical size and weight mean other devices may hold added appeal.
But as a pitch there’s sense here: if you want a long-lasting phone, don’t mind the physical bulk, and don’t care for 5G, then the Poco X3 Pro will hit the mark for certain users in certain markets.
Also consider
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Redmi Note 10 Pro
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Still a large size, but the Redmi is lighter weight, feeling more balanced and accomplished compared to the big slice that is Poco. The battery isn’t quite as epic, though, if that’s your main want – but we found the software here wasn’t as marred by notification issues (despite it still running MIUI).
Read our review
Writing by Mike Lowe.
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