Gigabyte brings two mini-PC series with AMD’s Ryzen mobile processors 4000 U – actually are These are intended for notebooks, but thanks to their low waste heat, they are also suitable for palm-sized PCs. The normal Brix models are 34, 7 mm × 119, 5 mm × 99, 5 mm in size and just under 700 ml. The Brix-S versions are a good centimeter higher and offer space for a 2nd , 5-inch data carrier in addition to an M.2 SSD.
Both Gigabytes Brix and The Brix-S PCs are also available in four versions each with AMD’s Ryzen 7 4800 U, Ryzen 7 4700 U, Ryzen 5 4500 U and Ryzen 3 4300 U. The top model uses eight CPU cores, masters simultaneous multithreading for 16 threads and can accelerate up to 4.2 GHz. The integrated Radeon Vega graphics unit with eight compute units (512 shader Cores) comes up to 1750 MHz.
Gigabyte Brix PCs with AMD Ryzen 3200 U (13 Photos) (Image: Gigabyte) PCIe-SSD and a lot of USB The mainboard provides an M.2 slot for a fast PCI Express SSD or a slower SATA 6G card. Gigabyte occupies the M.2 E-Key slot ex works with Intel’s Wi-Fi 6 module (WLAN 802. 11 ax) AX 201 . A Realtek controller runs NBase-T Ethernet at 2.5 Gbit / s – an advance compared to the Gigabit Ethernet of many other mini PCs. Two SO-DIMM slots take up to 34 GByte DDR4 – 3200 – RAM in dual-channel. Since such mini-PCs are mostly sold as barebones, users have to buy storage media and RAM themselves.
Thanks one HDMI 2.0 port, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type C (10 GBit / s) including DisplayPort Altmode and a Mini-DisplayPort, the Brix Mini-PCs can control four Ultra-HD monitors. For further peripherals there are five USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A (5 GBit / s), which corresponds to a comparatively lavish USB equipment. Realtek’s entry-level sound chip ALC 255 provides an audio combo jack. A side RS 232 COM port on the Brix S allows Expansion through additional modules.
So far, Gigabyte has the product pages for the total of eight Brix mini PCs with Ryzen 4000 U created. Details on prices and availability are not yet known.
WordPress for advanced users: How to get more out of WordPress 1. Deliver content faster via caching What you should know about WordPress plugins 2nd pictures optimize for faster loading times 3. Automatically create backups 4. Muck out WordPress and throw off ballast Website condition, spam, data protection Article in Mac & i 13 / 2020 read WordPress is quickly installed and ready for use – thanks to the simple installation. But you are far from the end of its possibilities: With extended functions and plug-ins you can expand the CMS and turn it into a real all-rounder.
The popular CMS WordPress has quite a few advanced features that let you get more out of your blog or website. There is more than 55. 000 Extensions that retrofit important functions. Caching plug-ins speed up the delivery of websites, but they must be set up well. Special backup extensions back up posts and pages fully automatically and regularly. With page builders, WordPress becomes a powerful WYSIWYG website builder – HTML knowledge is not required. We explain all of this to you in nine tips.
1. Deliver content faster via caching WordPress creates dynamic websites – that’s the advantage of a CMS, but sometimes also the disadvantage. The server recalculates the HTML output each time it is called. If it is a bit slow or busy, valuable time can pass before the page appears in the browser. The patience of many visitors is exhausted after a few seconds and they click somewhere else. Caching tools counteract this by keeping static websites in stock and thereby accelerating delivery. The best known tool for this job is called WP Super Cache, which is developed and maintained by the WordPress manufacturer itself.
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Log in and read Register now and read the article immediately More information about heise + WordPress for advanced users: How to get more out of WordPress 1. Deliver content faster via caching What you should know about WordPress plugins 2nd pictures optimize for faster loading times 3. Automatically create backups 4. Muck out WordPress and throw off ballast Website condition, spam, data protection Article in Mac & i 13 / 2020 read
(Pocket-lint) – Getting fit isn’t easy. The thought of sitting with a jar of Nutella in front of Netflix is often far more appealing than the sweat, pain and self-drive required for good exercise. It’s unlikely you’ll regret doing the exercise after you have done it, though, while there’s every chance you will regret the jar of Nutella.
So how do you get off the couch and start burning calories? That’s where we come in. There are numerous apps, fitness trackers and sports watches out there to help you on your running journey. We’ve rounded them up to get you started and build you up from that comfy couch to a 5K run.
Best apps for Couch to 5K
Apple
One You Couch to 5K
Download for iOS | Download for Android
The One You Couch to 5K has a nine-week training program – though you can take longer if you want to – and there are five trainers to choose from to help motivate and support you along your running journey.
There’s a countdown timer so you’ll know how long you have left for each run, as well as a half time bell so you know when it’s time to head home and you can track all your progress and achievements as you complete your runs. You can also set run reminders to make sure you don’t miss a run.
Apple
Couch to 5K Runner
Download for iOS | Download for Android
The Couch to 5K Runner app has an eight-week training programme that requires you to train three times a week for 30 minutes a day. Alternating between walking and running intervals, the run segments will gradually increase over the course of the program.
You’ll be told when to walk and when to run and the Couch to 5K Runner app is compatible with music apps so you can listen to your favourite playlist on Spotify whilst still hear your coaching commands. This app is also compatible with other GPS running apps, like Nike+ and it supports Apple Health too.
Apple
C25K 5K Trainer
Download for iOS | Download for Android
The C25K app is an eight-week program that, like the Couch to 5K Runner app, requires you to train three times a week for 30 minutes. It’s compatible with a range of GPS apps, MyFitnessPal and music apps including Spotify and Apple Music so you’ll still hear the coach over your playlist.
You’ll be able to track your calories and distance for each workout and there are light and dark modes, as well as Apple Health integration. As with the other apps on this list, you basically just have to press start and away you go.
Apple
Couch to 5K
Download for iOS | Download for Android
The Couch to 5K app is a nine-week program and relies on you training three times a week for between 20 and 30 minutes. There are four virtual coaches to choose from and human audio cues will guide you through your training sessions.
Couch to 5K is compatible with music apps so you can listen to your music and hear coaching cues and there’s GPS support in the app too so you can calculate distance, pace and map routes. You’ll also get treadmill support for manual entry of workouts and you can track your progress with total distance and average pace. A 5K to 10K follow up app is available too for when you surpass your 5K goal.
Apple
Zombies, Run! 5K Training
Download for iOS | Download for Android
The Zombies, Run! 5K Training apps is for those who want to improve their fitness but have a little fun while doing it. It’s designed as an eight-week training program, with instructions for each workout on when you should walk, run, jog or stretch, but it has a story to follow too, making it more interesting.
You’ll get a progress report for your training and the zombie story continues through the program, keeping you entertained while running. As with the other Couch to 5K apps we have listed, the Zombies, Run! 5K Training app is compatible with music apps so you can hear cues over your playlists and it is compatible with Apple Health too.
Pocket-lint
Best wearables for Couch to 5K
GPS sports watch
A GPS sports watch is a great way to track your runs accurately without bringing your smartphone with you. Using a GPS sportswatch also means less battery drain on your smartphone too. The software offered by GPS sports watches varies depending on the company, but many tap into a wider community that helps keep up motivation.
Garmin is a great platform for runners, offering plenty of data through its Connect platform, as well as a huge user base, but you could also consider Polar, Fitbit or Apple Watch, depending on what your budget is and how much data you want to see. What you buy will also likely depend on whether you plan to continue running after reaching your 5K goal.
Pocket-lint
Our recommendation: Garmin Forerunner 35
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For beginners, the Garmin Forerunner 35 is a great starting GPS sportswatch. It offers access to Garmin’s platform, delivers accurate fitness tracking, a strong battery life and a reliable heart rate sensor. Read our full review here.
Best GPS running watch 2020
Activity tracker
An activity tracker is different to a GPS sportswatch in that many use Connected GPS rather than built-in GPS, meaning you’ll still need to bring your phone with you on a run if you want the route data, though they will estimate distance travelled without your phone.
The great thing about an activity tracker is that they are designed to encourage movement, tracking steps and calories burned, as well as heart rate, sleep and other metrics like floors climbed and VO2 Max, depending on the model you buy. Fitbit is an excellent platform for activity trackers, offering data in an easy to understand format, but Garmin also offers options, including some with GPS built in, and Withings has a couple too.
Pocket-lint
Our recommendation: Fitbit Charge 4
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The Fitbit Charge 4 has a lovely waterproof design and it offers a great battery life, alongside accurate tracking with in-built GPS. It has superb heart rate tracking, excellent sleep tracking and calorie and step counting. It has automatic exercise recognition on board too in case you forget to log your run. Read our full review here.
Best fitness trackers 2020
Workout headphones
The headphones you wear during exercising will likely be different to those you’ll wear for casual listening. Workout headphones need to be comfortable, sweat resistant and secure fitting.
There are a number of options out there, some of which have heart rate monitors built in too, but they don’t come cheap if you want ones that sound good too. For heart rate headphones, you can try the Lifebeam Vi, Jabra Elite Sport or Bose SoundSport Pulse, all of which are great.
Our recommendation: Beats Powerbeats Pro
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The latest Beats Powerbeats Pro are a great pair of wire-free workout headphones and our top recommendation if you don’t want heart rate tracking built in. They have nine-hours of battery life, a great design, an impressive sound and they are excellent for running. Read our full review here.
Best workout headphones 2020
Writing by Britta O’Boyle. Editing by Max Freeman-Mills.
(Pocket-lint) – Noise-canceling headphones have become almost an essential everyday item for many of us, whether they’re used to isolate your listening pleasure on your morning commute or drown out the drone of a jet engine.
And with many more of us working from home, there’s every reason why you should get a pair.
But with so many choices available, finding the best headphones for you is no easy task. Some pairs will have more effective noise cancellation, while others will sound better – so finding the middle ground can be tricky.
We’ve rounded up our favourites and picked out what we believe to be the best pair money can currently buy, to make the decision a whole lot easier.
Our pick of the best ANC headphones
Pocket-lint
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
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Think of noise-canceling headphones and chances are you’ll think of Bose. Despite the imaginative name, these over-ear cans deliver very imaginative sound quality to rival the best competition out there. And the multi-level noise-canceling is class-leading.
There’s also smart assistant integration for the big three (Google, Amazon, Apple), a solid app for various customizations (but no EQ, sadly), and well-integrated touch-based controls on the right earcup.
We can think of no other pair we’d rather take on our travels. Bose is the boss when it comes to noise-canceling.
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 review: Bose is the ANC boss
Pocket-lint
Sony WH-1000XM4
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Sony has updated the 1000X headphones once again, taking an approach as aggressive with product launches as it is with cutting out external noise. Design tweaks add quality and refinement to these headphones, while a new-and-more-powerful chip provides the grunt to cancel out more noise.
The results are sensational, with the 1000XM4 not only sounding great as a set of headphones but also being some of the most effective at combatting external noise through more selectable levels.
Sony WH-1000XM4 review: The best just got better
Pocket-lint
Bowers & Wilkins PX7
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Bowers and Wilkins is no stranger to the audio game; the British-based company has been going since 1966, and its older ANC pair of headphones, the PX, was a mainstay on this list. So when we heard it was updating them with new tech, safe to say our ears certainly pricked up. When we actually got them onto our ears, our expectations were, amazingly, exceeded once again.
The PX7 headphones look great, and they sound even better. B&W’s noise cancellation is at the top of its class, and adding features like aptX Adaptive support makes for smoother listening experiences and better future-proofing. Really impressively, too, the headphones are even more comfortable than ever before, making for a dreamy user experience.
While they might not be sitting on the very top of our list, these are a seriously impressive pair of headphones, make no mistake, and you’ll be certain to like them if you pick them up.
Bowers & Wilkins PX7 review: Leading ANC audio performance with aptX Adaptive for good measure
Pocket-lint
Beats Studio 3 Wireless
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The Beats Studio 3 Wireless are likely to appeal to iPhone owners more than those using an Android phone, only because they’re the latest pair to benefit from Apple’s W1 chip (which has been replaced with the H1 chip, moving forward). This means these cans automatically try to pair with an iOS device when within distance, and once paired are available to instantly connect to from all other Apple devices using the same iCloud account.
The Studio 3 Wireless have some very clever noise-cancellation technology onboard too. It constantly measures the sounds around you – up to 50,000 times per second – and adjusts both the noise-cancellation and sound profile accordingly, to make sure you’re getting the most effective sound blasted into your ears.
The sound is less bass-tactic that you might expect from this headphone company too, yet still impactful, while the battery life just goes on and on and on.
Beats Studio 3 Wireless review: Smart sounding, ultra long-lasting headphones
Pocket-lint
Bang and Olufsen BeoPlay H9i
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The Bang and Olufsen BeoPlay H9i is one of the more expensive pairs of noise-canceling headphones to grace our ears, but in return, these cans provide a supreme level of comfort, thanks to high-quality materials.
To complement the fantastic build quality is the incredible sound quality – and these headphones evolve themselves beyond the original H9s. The H9i has boosted the noise-canceling ability, while shrinking the ear cups a little, thus making them a little more practical.
With a wealth of competition at lower prices, the BeoPlay H9i need to do a lot to justify their asking price, but we’d spend the extra for the build and comfort. If you want really strong noise-canceling, however, then look to the Bose (above) for that totally ‘locked-in’ quality.
B&O Beoplay H9i review: Pricey but near perfect over-ear headphones
Pocket-lint
Sennheiser HD 450BT
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Most of the cans on this list so far have something in common – they’re seriously pricey. Now, Sennheiser’s great HD 450BT aren’t exactly cheap, but they’re more affordable and offer superb sound at a reduced price point. You get really long battery life to go with that nicely balance listening, and they’re really comfortable to wear, too.
Plus, the noise cancellation might not be adaptive, but it’s still effective and more than enough for most people to get lost in their music with. We’re really impressed by the HD 450BT, and are confident they’d make a great pick for anyone with a slightly tighter budget.
Sennheiser HD 450BT review: Noise-cancelling cans at an affordable price
Pocket-lint
Microsoft Surface Headphones
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Ok, so we don’t like the big Windows-like logos on the side of these headphones… but Microsoft has otherwise done a stellar job with its first bash at a pair of headphones, thanks to a variety of great features.
First up, these cans are comfortable on the ears for long periods of wear. Second, the two earcups rotate – the left for noise-canceling level, the right for volume – which gives a great, natural way to control the headphones without needing any unsightly or hard-to-locate buttons.
But there are imperfections: we’d like to see more exciting colors and design, along with some stronger ANC at the maximum level to rival the Bose (further up), plus a greater variety of ANC types like the Sony (up top). That said, if you want comfortable, long-lasting and easy-to-control ANC headphones then don’t overlook Surface – whether or not you use a Microsoft laptop/2-in-1 or not!
Surface Headphones review: Is Microsoft’s first bash at over-ear cans any good?
Pocket-lint
Sony WF-1000XM3
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Sony has applied its audio expertise to noise-canceling in-ear headphones too. We’ve seen what the company can do with a pair of over-ears, so we had mighty high expectations for the entirely wire-free in-ear model – now in its third-gen form.
These wireless in-ears deliver a well-balanced sound that’s neither too bassy nor too bright; we found it to be just right. The noise-cancellation is just as accomplished, too, effectively blocking out the general humdrum of everyday life, as well as plane and train noises.
Sony isn’t the only maker to market with true wireless headphones with ANC – Apple’s on the scene now, and we recently also tested the Libratone Track Air+ in-ears (a bit further below) – but the WF series has a style, swagger, and musicality that’s hard to beat.
Sony WF-1000XM3 review: True wireless in-ears with class-leading ANC
Pocket-lint
Apple AirPods Pro
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In some ways, Apple took its time getting to noise cancellation, although the huge success of its AirPods without the feature might have given it some time to work with. The AirPods Pro adds the functionality at last, though, and in one fell swoop has solved what was likely to be most people’s two biggest issues with its earbuds.
Firstly, they can now fit a far wider range of ears, with three earbud sizes to pick from rather than the older AirPods “hope they fit” approach. Secondly, the superb ANC Apple’s used means that you can actually rely on the AirPods Pro to be audible even on the busiest of commutes.
With slightly smaller stems than previously, they’re also less obvious than ever, design-wise, and make a great choice, especially if you’re an iPhone user. That quick and reliable pairing is as useful as ever.
Apple AirPods Pro review: Silence is golden
Pocket-lint
Libratone Track Air+
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As in-ear headphones go, this product sounds truly exceptional, is comfortable to wear, offers sweat-proof build for those active sessions, and a noise-cancellation system that’s genuinely smart.
In a world where the so-so AirPods seem to get all the attention, or far pricier Sony and Sennheiser products receive some of the loudest shout-outs, Libratone has done its utmost to stand out from the crowd.
The price alone will be a massive lure. But that’s not the sole reason to buy the Air+ – no, you’ll want to don these in your ears because everything on offer, from sound to comfort to capability, is delivered at the highest level.
Libratone Track Air+ review: Wireless ANC in-ears at a great price
Writing by Mike Lowe. Editing by Max Freeman-Mills.
(Pocket-lint) – It’s no exaggeration to call the release of Apple’s AirPods a few years ago a bit of a revolution. All of a sudden, true wireless earbuds were in the mainstream, and they’ve only got more popular since then. They might not be to everyone’s taste when it comes to design but they are excellent in terms of convenience.
Unlike the company’s iPhones, iPads and Apple Watch, the AirPods only come in white and Apple doesn’t offer any own-branded accessories for them, except a wireless charging case. That doesn’t mean other companies haven’t decided there is a market for AirPods accessories though – some of which are pretty clever.
Whether it’s a case to make the AirPods case more protective, or hooks to keep them in your ears more securely while exercising, here are the best AirPods accessories we have come across.
Apple AirPods tips and tricks
Twelve South
Twelve South AirFly Pro
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If you want to connect your AirPods to gym equipment or use them on a flight, it’s worth investing in a bluetooth transmitter like the Twelve South AirFly Pro. The AirFly Pro offer eight hours battery and it comes with a 3.5mm headphone cable, USB charging cable and travel pouch.
Belkin
Belkin Wireless Charging Pad
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If you have the second generation of AirPods with the wireless charging case, or you have the AirPod Pros, getting yourself a wireless charging pad will make charging a dream. Just pop your AirPods in their wireless charging case down on the pad and they will charge away. No need to find your Lightning cable, or faff around plugging them in.
Gazeon
Gazeon Qi Wireless Charging Case
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This is a clever solution for those with the original AirPods that don’t come with the wireless charging case. The Gazeon Qi Wireless Charging case slips over your AirPods case, allowing you to charge them wirelessly, without buying the official wireless case from Apple. There are a number of options available and a clip to attach your AirPods to keys, bags or belts.
AhaStyle
AhaStyle Silicone Earbud Covers
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If you need a more secure fit than the original AirPods or AirPods 2 offer and you don’t want to upgrade to the AirPods Pro, then you could try AhaStyle’s Silicone Earbud Covers. The covers come in large and small sizes and they feature ear tips, designed to help with sound and offer a better fit.
Lenlun
Lenlun Protective Silicone Cover
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For those who do have the latest AirPods Pro, Lenlun offer a protective silicone cover in a range of options to protect against scratches and make the white case pop a little more. There’s also a metal carabiner clip for attaching your AirPods Pro to your bag, keys or belt.
Elago
Elago EarHooks
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If you’re a runner or gym-goer and you can’t justify investing in the AirPods Pro, the Elago EarHooks are designed to keep your AirPods secure when doing exercise. There are eight options to choose from and all you have to do is pop the AirPods into the loops and hook the ear hook over your ear.
Olixar
Olixar Anti-Loss Cable
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The Olixar Anti-Loss Cable is compatible with all generations of AirPods and is designed for keeping your AirPods secure when exercising. Just slip your AirPods into the loop and the strap will sit behind your neck. It sort of defeats the object of the brilliant wire free design though.
Power Support
Power Support Silicone Dual Cap Case
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The Power Support Silicone Dual Cap Case for the original AirPods and second generation model comes in a range of different options with each model offering two different version caps. The silicone skin wraps around the white casing to protect from bumps and scratches.
Catalyst
Catalyst Waterproof Case
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The Catalyst Waterproof Case is made from silicone and it not only gives your AirPods or AirPods 2 water protection, but it offers drop protection too. This case comes in a number of options – including a glow in the dark option – and it includes a lightweight carabiner for attaching it to your bag or belt loop.
Incase
Incase AirPods Case With Woolenex
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Incase offers a couple of different case options for the AirPods and AirPods 2, including this form-fitting case made from Wollenex. The lightweight fabric offers good abrasion and weather resistance and underneath the material is a polycarbonate shell. The case comes in four options.
Writing by Britta O’Boyle. Editing by Max Freeman-Mills.
(Pocket-lint) – Ultimate Ears (UE) is well-known for its excellent Bluetooth speakers, all with a distinctive look made from rubber and fabric materials. They’re also known for their bright and vibrant colour options and giant volume buttons.
Best wireless speakers: The top Wi-Fi speakers to choose from
Which UE speaker is the right one for you though? With several options available offering various features at different price points, we have broken them all down from the MegaBlast to the Wonderboom to help you find the best UE speaker to suit your needs.
UE / Pocket-lint
UE Megablast
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The UE Megablast is the top speaker in the Ultimate Ears portfolio – the loudest and most powerful. It offers the distinguishable UE design with giant volume buttons and a combination of rubber and fabric, with a power button on the top and a Micro-USB port on the bottom. There is also a contact charging option but the Power Up accessory is sold separately for £35.
The Megablast features two 25mm tweeters, two 55mm active drivers and two 85 x 50mm passive radiators inside for a frequency range between 60Hz and 20kHz and a maximum sound level of 93dBC. It has 360-degree sound and it’s an excellent performer in terms of sound quality. It also offers a Bluetooth range of 45-metres and it is compatible with the UE App and Equaliser.
The Megablast comes with Amazon Alexa built-in, replacing the need for an Amazon Echo or Echo Dot, though we didn’t find the Alexa experience as smooth as Echo, even though the sound quality is far superior. Multiple microphones are on board with beam-forming technology and noise cancellation for far-field voice recognition, and the Megablast promises 16 hours of battery life.
UE Megablast review
Ultimate Ears Megablast review: Mr Boombastic, say me fantastic
UE / Pocket-lint
UE Blast
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The UE Blast is the smaller version of the Megablast, offering exactly the same design, ports and features, including Amazon Alexa built-in and far-field voice recognition but in a much more compact device.
The Blast still delivers 360-degree sound but it ditches the tweeters found in the Megablast and opts for two 35mm active drivers and two 81 x 39mm passive radiators instead. It offers a frequency range between 90Hz and 20kHz and a maximum sound level of 90dB. Like the Megablast, it also has a Bluetooth range of 45-metres but it doesn’t offer the Equaliser feature of the UE App.
Due to its smaller size, the UE Blast has a slightly smaller battery capacity compared to the Megablast, delivering up to 12-hours instead of 16-hours. It still has the Micro-USB port on the bottom, as well as the contact charging option for the Power Up, however.
UE / Pocket-lint
UE Megaboom 3
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The UE Megaboom features a more seamless design than the Blast range. It has a “Magic Button” on its top which allows users to play, pause and skip tracks without using their phone, as well as access playlists with a long press from services including Apple Music and Deezer.
The Megaboom offers 360-degree sound and delivers great sound quality, via two 50mm drivers and two 55 x 86mm passive radiators. It has a frequency range between 60Hz and 20kHz, a maximum sound level of 90dBA and it is compatible with the UE App and Equaliser, whilst also offering a 45-metre Bluetooth range.
The Megaboom doesn’t have Alexa built-in. The UE Megaboom 3 has a battery life of 20-hours though, more than the Megablast, and charging is more convenient thanks to a repositioned Micro-USB port on the back and a built-in contact charging port for the Power Up on the bottom. The Power Up is sold separately, however.
The original UE Megaboom is a few years old and it has been replaced by the Megaboom 3, though you should still be able to get hold of this model if you so wish. It offers a more rugged design than the Megaboom 3 with a rubber band down the front, and it has a 3.5mm aux-in port too, something its replacement doesn’t offer.
Inside, the Megaboom has the same speaker array as the new model with two 50mm drivers and two 55 x 86mm passive radiators. The original Megaboom has a frequency range between 65Hz and 20kHz, a maximum sound level of 90dBA and it offers a Bluetooth range of 30-metres.
There is no Alexa capability on the Megaboom and you also don’t get the “Magic Button”. It too gets a 20-hour battery life, but it is charged via the Micro-USB port that is at the bottom of the speaker making it a little less convenient. The original Megaboom is not compatible with the Power Up charging dock.
UE Megaboom review
Ultimate Ears UE Megaboom review: Boom and bass
UE / Pocket-lint
UE Boom 3
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The UE Boom 3 is the smaller model of the UE Megaboom 3 and the successor to the popular Boom 2. It offers the same design as the Megaboom 3 but in a smaller and more compact model, and there are personalisation options too if you pay a little extra through the MyBoom service. The “Magic Button” is on top like the Megaboom 3, offering play, pause and skip capabilities, as well as access to playlists (music service dependant) and you get the more streamlined design too.
Inside, everything is exactly as it was on the Boom 2 so you’ll still get that excellent sound. There are two 50mm drivers and two 50 x 80mm passive radiators, delivering a frequency range between 90Hz and 20kHz and a maximum sound level of 90dBA. Like the Megaboom 3, it offers a Bluetooth range of 45-metres and it is compatible with the UE App and Equaliser.
The Boom 3 isn’t smart like the Blast, but it does offer a 15-hour battery life, which is charged via the re-located Micro-USB port on the back, or the Power Up contact charging port on the bottom.
The UE Boom 2 is the smaller and more compact model of the original Megaboom. It is an excellent speaker for its size, offering portability and great sound quality within its convenient body, which is a perfect fit with a bicycle drink holder. There is no Magic Button interface like the newer Boom 3, but there is a 3.5mm aux-in jack.
Like its replacement – the Boom 3 – there are two 50mm drivers and two 50 x 80mm passive radiators, delivering a frequency range between 90Hz and 20kHz and a maximum sound level of 90dBA. Its Bluetooth range is a little lower at 30-metres instead of 45-metres and it isn’t compatible with the UE App and Equaliser either.
Battery life sits at 15-hours on this speaker, like the Boom 3, though it is charged via the Micro-USB port that is positioned at the bottom of the device rather than the back, making it a little more awkward. The Boom 2 isn’t compatible with the Power Up contact charging dock either.
UE Boom 2 review
Ultimate Ears UE Boom 2 review: Booming back for the sequel
UE / Pocket-lint
UE Wonderboom 2
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The Wonderboom 2 updates the original Wonderboom and brings with it stereo pairing, for those who want a more sophisticated sound. It also features an outdoor sound button, which drops the bass and projects the treble, making it much better for listening outdoors.
It has two 40mm active drivers and two 46.1 mm x 65.2 mm passive radiators delivering a frequency range between 75Hz and 20kHz and a maximum sound level of 86dBA, or 87dBA in Outdoor Mode. Its Bluetooth range is 30-metres and it is IP67 water and dust resistant.
The Wonderboom 2 has a 13-hour battery life, lasting a little longer than the original model, while still offering the same compact and powerful delivery of your music. If you don’t want to stereo pair, you also have the option to group with another Wonderboom speaker.
UE Wonderboom 2 review
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 review: Stereo pairing sounds even sweeter
UE / Pocket-lint
UE Wonderboom
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The UE Wonderboom is the smallest and most compact Ultimate Ears speaker but don’t let that put you off. It’s a brilliant little speaker, perfect for bringing everywhere with you thanks to its portable size, even if it has been replaced by the Wonderboom 2.
There are two 40mm active drivers inside, coupled with two 46.1 x 65.2 mm passive radiators, delivering a frequency range between 80Hz and 20kHz and a maximum sound level of 86dBC. It only has a 30-metre Bluetooth range like the original Megaboom and the Boom 2, and it isn’t compatible with the UE App and Equaliser but it’s still a great option.
The Wonderboom isn’t a smart speaker either and it doesn’t have any fancy features like the Magic Button on the Megaboom 3 and Boom 3, but it is possible to pair two Wonderboom speakers together and it has a 10-hour battery life, which isn’t bad given its small size. The Power Up charging dock isn’t supported but the Micro-USB port is conveniently placed at the back for easy access.
UE Wonderboom review
Ultimate Ears UE Wonderboom review: An explosion of musical joy
Writing by Britta O’Boyle. Editing by Max Freeman-Mills.
(Pocket-lint) – To listen to music on any iPhone since the iPhone 7, you either need a pair of wireless Bluetooth headphones, a 3.5mm to Lightning converter (no longer included in the box for 2018 and later iPhones) or a pair of wired headphones that will connect to the Lightning port.
Best noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones for blocking out noise when you’re working from home
Lightning headphones do have a special quality; they’re capable of receiving lossless stereo 48kHz digital audio output from Apple devices and sending mono 48kHz digital audio input. They can also draw power from an Apple device (even if the device is asleep).
Apple’s Lightning port can also support headphones with integrated digital-to-analogue converters (DACs) and amplifiers, so audio travelling through the Lightning port will pass into the headphones digitally, thus avoiding typical analogue signal interferences you get with other headphones.
We’ve picked some of the best pairs of Lightning headphones available now, comprising over-ear and in-ear models, at a variety of price points.
The best Lightning headphones to buy today
Belkin
Belkin RockStar iPhone Headphones with Lightning Connector
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Available in both black and white, these wired Lightning headphones also come in a USB-C version for Android phones. They’re Apple-certified and come with a tangle-free cable. Naturally, they’re at home with calls or music, while there’s also an in-line volume control.
As you can see, they’re inexpensive compared to many other Lightning headphone options, too.
Audeze
Audeze Sine DX
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Audeze Sine DX is a pair of on-ear Lightning headphones, that we’ve had the pleasure of listening to. Like the EL-8 Titanium below, the Sine have a 24-bit DAC integrated into the cable for high-resolution audio, and also have planar magnetic drivers to help keep distortion at bay. We couldn’t fault the Sine when we reviewed them, so if it’s the best Lightning headphones you’re after, look no further.
Audeze
Audeze EL-8 Titanium
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They’re not cheap, but the Audeze EL-8 Titanium are sure to give you a fantastic sound from their combination of planar magnetic drivers and a dedicated DAC integrated into the cable. The DAC bypasses the iPhone’s internal one and so is capable of handling high-resolution audio, whether it be from a streaming service or local files.
Libratone
Libratone Q-Adapt in-ear
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Libratone’s Q Adapt in-ear Lightning headphones use the power from the Lightning port to power their CityMix noise cancellation technology. There are four varying levels of noise cancellation, which either lets some external noise in, so you’re aware of your surroundings, or blocks it out entirely.
Pocket-lint
Audeze iSine10
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Like their on-ear and over-ear brethren, the Audeze iSine10 use planar magnetic drivers in their construction and come supplied with a Lightning “Cipher” cable that you can attach to connecting to the Lightning port of your iPhone. This means you get an integrated 24-bit DAC capable of improving the quality of music, in conjunction with a dedicated app that lets you adjust the equaliser settings in real-time. They produce an incredibly well-balanced sound and let’s be honest, look damn cool.
Audeze iSine10 review: In-ears unlike any other
Pocket-lint
JBL Reflect Aware
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If you’re someone who loves to exercise while listening to music, the JBL Reflect Aware warrant your attention. Their sports-focused design means they’re water- and swear-resistant and as the name implies, they have a reflective coating that reflects light if you’re out on roads in the dark, so drivers can see you. They feature noise-cancelling tech that can be turned on or off within the dedicated companion app but most importantly, they sound great, if a little bass-heavy at times.
The Pioneer Rayz Plus have built-in noise-cancelling technology that promises to adapt to your ears, but also lets in enough external noise to make sure you stay aware of your surroundings. When you take them out of your ears, the music you were listening to automatically pauses and starts again when you put them back in.
A convenience key on the in-line controls can be set to open a music app, mute calls or launch Rayz controls, which allows you to adjust various headphone settings. Perhaps one of the best features of the Rayz Plus though, is they let you charge your iPhone while listening to music.
Writing by Dan Grabham. Editing by Max Freeman-Mills.
The Amazon Fire HD 8 sounds good, its display is very capable for streaming TV shows, and the hands-free Alexa is a lovely perk
For
Clear and competent picture
Expansive sound
Snappy operation
Packing your new, ultra-slimline tablet into your luggage for a weekend away – with its camera to capture all the glorious sights, and its ability to stream some engaging entertainment – isn’t possible for many of us right now; but we’re an optimistic bunch, so let’s hope it soon will be.
Over the past few years, we have found much to celebrate when testing Amazon’s entry-level Fire HD tablet series. The new Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020) has received its first update since 2018 (we gave that version four stars), but with twice the storage, a claimed 30 per cent faster performance courtesy of its new 2.0GHz quad-core processor, up to 12 hours of battery life (two more than its predecessor) and easier charging with a USB-C charging port, we have high hopes for this new version.
Add to this 2GM RAM and 64GB of storage onboard that’s expandable by up to 1TB with a microSD card, plus an asking price of just £120 ($120), and we’re intrigued. Can it match the success of its Award-winning, larger Amazon Fire HD 10 sibling?
Features
(Image credit: Future)
Amazon’s Fire HD tablets have largely been plastic affairs, but our Twilight Blue sample (there are Black, White and Plum finishes too) feels resoundingly durable and, save for the subtle logo on the back of the tablet, Amazon branding is almost non-existent.
On test here is the 64GB Fire HD 8, though there is also a 32GB storage model for just £90 ($90). The HD 8 is bundled with a 5W charger, but since it now sports a USB-C socket, if you have a 15W USB-C charger it will charge in closer to three hours.
Note that there is also an HD 8 Plus (£110/$110 for the 32GB model; £140/$140 for the 64GB variant), which boasts 50 per cent more RAM, wireless charging support, and a bundled 9W USB-C charger that claims to charge the tablet in less than four hours.
Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020) tech specs
(Image credit: Future)
Screen 8in Full HD
Resolution 1280 x 800
Storage 32GB, 64GB
Bluetooth version 5.0
Battery life Up to 12 hours
Audio output 3.5mm jack
Finishes x4
Dimensions (hwd) 20.2 x 13.7 x 0.9cm
Weight 335g
The Fire HD 8’s 8in Full HD display (as with all Amazon Fire HD tablets, the model number denotes the screen size) makes it roughly the same height and width as a paperback book, but the tablet is slim, rounded at the edges and surprisingly light – perfect for holding and slipping into a bag.
One small gripe is that the power button is situated towards the left of the top edge of the tablet when held in portrait mode, and since the USB-C charging port, 3.5mm headphone jack and volume controls are also found along this top edge, it can make the functions feel a little busy. It’s a minor issue, mind you. The HD 8’s dual speakers with Dolby Atmos support are found along the left side of the tablet when held this way.
You get the same battery life (up to 12 hours) and 2MP front and rear snappers as you do with the HD 10, and though the 1280 x 800 (189ppi) screen resolution is a step down from the HD 10’s 1920 x 1200 (224ppi) 1080p Full HD screen, it still looks remarkably good.
At five hours, the HD 8 takes an hour longer to reach full charge than the HD 10, and the HD 8’s new Quad-core 2.0GHz processor is a slight step down from the HD 10’s Octa-core 2.0GHz processor, but in our tests both tablets perform just as snappily.
Considering the Fire HD 8 starts at just £90 ($90) and gives you hands-free Alexa, there are plenty of tablet perks on offer here for the money. Alexa works brilliantly and the HD 8’s voice pick-up is admirable. Responses are accompanied by a visual, too – ask Alexa how many teeth a dog has and your tablet pulls up a picture of a pooch to go with the verbal response (the answer is 42, by the way).
You will need an Amazon account to use the tablet, and it prompts you to take up a Prime subscription, which grants access to Amazon Prime Video and makes the most of the tablet’s features – though it isn’t essential. This Amazon-centric approach might make the Fire HD 8 less desirable than a conventional Android-based tablet to those who don’t wish to buy into the Amazon ecosystem, but there’s still plenty for everyone to enjoy here.
Picture
(Image credit: Future)
We stream amateur baking show Nailed It on Netflix and the contestants’ hilarious creations-gone-wrong are revealed in all their ghastly colourful glory. The picture runs remarkably smoothly, even when one participant frantically hits the panic button as their dinosaur celebration cake collapses. There’s a short moment of judder as the money gun sprays cash around the winning contestant, but it’s a competent performance overall.
Some nice features in the Fire HD 8’s display settings include Adaptive brightness (a toggle that optimises brightness levels according to the surrounding light) and Blue Shade, which reduces the amount of blue light on the screen. As a tablet of this size will often be used for reading before bed, this is a nice touch.
The Fire HD 8’s new gaming mode also makes playing Candy Crush Saga a joy – sweets zip across the screen and explode snappily as we swipe to make our connections on the touch-screen. We try the more graphically challenging Alto’s Odyssey and there is a nice level of detail as we surf the endless desert.
Sound
(Image credit: Future)
We start our listening with the sonic accompaniment to the BAFTA-nominated Alto’s Odyssey. It’s a textured and layered performance alongside the game’s ambient chimes. Whooshes and swoops as we jump, collect coins and somersault over cliff edges are three-dimensional and detailed, too.
We pair the Earfun Air true wireless earbuds over Bluetooth and stream Our Planet: The High Seas on Netflix. Sir David Attenborough’s voice is central as the crashing of dolphins being chased by false killer whales, alongside a frenzied classical piece, come through with energy and zeal.
It’s an expansive presentation, too, with excellent separation as a baby Blue Whale emerges from the depths in our left ear and calls for its mother, whose response is heard through our right. We cannot fully support the Fire HD 8’s Dolby Atmos claims – after all, there’s only so much three-dimensional audio small speakers on a tablet can offer – but it’s still a good-sounding tablet for this money.
Verdict
At this affordable level, we couldn’t ask for more in a tablet. No, the Amazon Fire HD 8 isn’t as good as the latest Apple iPad, which boasts greater screen resolution, cameras and processing across the board; but it’s three times cheaper than Apple’s entry-level offering.
The Fire HD 8 is an easy-to-use device that looks and sounds splendid for the money and has all the apps and features it should have, plus hands-free Alexa.
If you’re looking for an Android tablet on which to download TV shows, movies or books for a journey, or a hands-free Alexa-enabled device for answering queries and so on, we don’t think the Fire HD 8 can currently be bettered for the money.
The time for home headphones might well be returning, and Philips has staked its claim well with the Fidelio X3
For
Detailed presentation
Rich midrange
Comfortable
Against
Lack energy
Treble could be more open
“Like a concert hall for your ears,” reads the literature accompanying the Philips Fidelio X3 over-ear headphones. With concert halls shut for most of this year, there hasn’t been a better time to release a pair of open-back headphones since the market moved to more portable models a few decades ago.
Concert halls, we hope, will soon be open again, but we could well continue to spend more time at home than we did previously. So, if you’re using headphones at home rather than when you’re out and about, the inherent sound leakage of open-back headphones may no longer be quite the compromise it once was – and there is often a clear sonic benefit to this design.
So if you feel this is the time to invest in a serious pair of wired home headphones, you will find plenty to entice you with the Philips Fidelio X3.
Comfort
(Image credit: Philips)
They look the part, for a start. Where you might opt for something more durable than attractive for those cans rattling around your work bag five days a week, the Fidelio X3 combine both with a leather and metal design that almost demands to be looked after.
Comfort has to be a priority for home listening, too – those hour-long train journeys are nothing compared to whole afternoons lost listening to music at home – and Philips has certainly succeeded here. The Fidelio X3 are light but substantial, like a good winter duvet.
An inner headband adjusts to fit your head, while the outer one adds a bit of weight. The memory foam ear cups combine comfort with the right amount of clamping to give that imperative good seal.
Build
(Image credit: Philips)
Acoustically transparent Kvadrat speaker fabric covers the inner workings of these headphones, but don’t be fooled into thinking these are closed back. Air will flow through the fabric freely, eliminating air pressure build-up behind the drive unit diaphragm, but also letting a lot of sound leak out, as is usual with open-back designs.
Philips Fidelio X3 tech specs
(Image credit: Philips)
Sensitivity 100dB
Max power 500mW
Impedence 30ohm
Frequency response 5Hz – 40kHz
Dimensions (hwd) 11 x 23 x 19cm
Weight 380g
Double-layered ear shells are used to reduce structural resonance and vibration, while the neodymium drivers are engineered to tilt at 15 degrees, aiming to fit the natural geometry of your ear for optimal accuracy at high frequencies. The diaphragms of those 50mm drivers are also composed of multiple polymer layers and filled with damping gel.
The Fidelio X3 are technically compatible with any source with a headphone jack, and come with a 6.3mm adapter to go with the 3.5mm jack at the end of their 3m cable, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care when pairing.
Headphones such as these, aimed at analysis as well as musicality, are deserving of high-quality sources and material. If you’re playing music through your phone or laptop, for example, the least you can do is feed them with a hi-res streaming service and use an external DAC. During testing, we find these are more forgiving of poor quality audio than some rivals, but you’re still cuffing their ability by using Spotify straight from a headphone jack.
Sound
(Image credit: Philips)
With a little running in, these Philips headphones prove they don’t only look and feel luxurious – they sound it as well. The presentation is predictably more open than any closed-back pair around this price, but that doesn’t mean you need lose solidity or a full-bodied presentation. The Fidelio X3 are not shy to offer that kind of richness.
We use ours with the Chord Hugo 2 DAC, and they make good use of the incredible detail on offer. Vocals are plumped well by a generous bass and lower midrange, but there’s texture within them as well. It’s a natural-sounding presentation of voices and instruments that allows both for deeper listening and for zoning out, satisfied you’re hearing things as they’re meant to be.
They’re happy organising big arrangements, too, whether that’s a dense pack of snarling guitars or an orchestra in full swing; the separation on offer does not deny a sense of everything being tied together or the confidence that another few instruments could be thrown in before the Fidelio X3 began to struggle.
Everything is played with consummate ease; the only issue is that sometimes it feels like these Philips are a little too laid back. Swap to the Fidelio X3’s main competitor, the Award-winning Grado SR325e, and the whole energy of the music changes.
The treble is most evidently livelier, which does mean you have to be even more careful with the quality of your source with the Grado headphones, but it can almost sound like the music is playing at an entirely different speed. Greater agility and more dynamic punch allow tracks to skip along more freely, and it feels as if there’s more detail on offer here too.
The more you swap from one to the other, the more pronounced these differences seem to become. Rhythmic coherence and dynamics are often what sets Grado above the rest – when it gets things right, at least – and their ability to make a hugely energetic and entertaining pair of headphones, without wearing out your ears, is accentuated by the comparison with Philips’s Fidelio X3.
Verdict
There is a lot to love about these Philips open-back Fidelio headphones. Many will even prefer their more subdued performance, which can indeed allow for a measured deeper listening experience.
However, that is the thing that holds it back from becoming a class-leader. We’d love a more open treble and a bit more life but, even so, the Fidelio X3 should appear on your audition list.
Our man Jonny Evans has now been living with the Sonos Arc for a little over three months. If you’ve already read part one, you can skip ahead to his latest update.
I must confess to getting a little bit overexcited when I heard about the Sonos Arc, a Dolby Atmos enabled soundbar at a price that, while by no means cheap, is still considerably more affordable than other similarly enabled products of decent competence.
After moving house 18 months or so ago, I’d been biding my time as far as a home AV set-up goes. The fully loaded 7.1 Onkyo-powered surround system of my old house is no more – I simply don’t have the space in my new living room to house all those speakers; so I’d been thinking about a soundbar as a replacement.
Clearly I won’t ever get the precision or power of a full system with a soundbar, that much I realised, but practicalities simply have to override such things for me – and a good approximation of surround sound may well be enough to do the trick. The household has been subjected to the sound coming from my 55-inch Samsung TV for a year and a half now – and to be fair the kids haven’t been complaining too much. But what do they know?
(Image credit: Sonos)
While the Sennheiser Ambeo – a veritable beast of a soundbar – would in many ways be perfect, there’s no way I can justify spending two grand on one; so I’ve been biding my time impatiently for a more affordable alternative to come along.
I almost took the plunge with the Sonos Beam (and, as events later reveal, perhaps I may yet do so…), but didn’t really pull my finger out in time to get it sorted before the Arc was announced.
So, sitting at the dining room table that has served as my work desk for most of the period of lockdown, I waited for the team to complete its review, with fingers crossed.
One five-star verdict later, and someone (ahem…) suggested that it might be a great idea for us to really put it through its paces in a real world, long-term test.
Hopes and lofty ambitions
Having read the review and talked to the reviewers, I knew that there were likely to be issues with my set up at home. But you know how it is with these things: once you get an idea in your head, you just want to plough on regardless and hope that it all turns out okay in the end.
And, to be fair to the Sonos Arc, for the most part it really has.
First things first, though. This is a very impressive looking piece of kit. It’s certainly premium in feel and build. It comes nestled in a reassuringly solid box, with heavy-duty locking tags that make the whole thing seem even more upmarket. The unit itself is everything you would expect of a Sonos product – and, despite its undeniably beefy dimensions, looks quite at home and rather neat sitting under my television.
Set up was a fairly simple affair – which was a mighty relief to me, as I had made a half-hearted effort to use a Sonos Amp as my TV’s sound source last year, and that caused me a fair bit of trouble (due, I found out in the end, to an issue with the HDMI cables I was using). So it was with some trepidation that I plugged the Arc in to the Samsung’s One Connect box, using the HDMI cable supplied with the soundbar.
A positive handshake
(Image credit: Future)
I need not have worried. The Samsung UE55KS9000 immediately shook hands with the Arc via the supplied HDMI plugged into its ARC (audio return channel), and all felt more reassuring with the world.
Then it was simply a case of downloading the Sonos app onto my iPhone and letting the pair do their set-up thing. (The Arc works only with the new S2 version of the Sonos app, so you’ll need to download that if you’ve got legacy Sonos kit and are still on 1.0).
The phone app found the Arc quickly, and then set me on the way to setting things up. It’s an interesting process, involving, among other things, moving around the room wafting your phone about while the soundbar beeps at you, gauging the dimensions and sonic characteristics of the space it has to work in.
That reasonably fast set up process gone through, we were good to go.
It’s safe to say that the Arc was instantly impressive. Not a massively surprising statement perhaps, given that it was competing with the TV’s speakers; still, instant gratification nevertheless. Voices are precisely placed, and extremely clear, the spread of sound is in a completely different league, and there is texture and depth to the bass. It’s night and day.
What it’s not, of course, and nor could it ever really be, is a proper AV amplifier driving seven speakers – but as I’ve already explained, I have now written that off as an option, so I’m not in any way disappointed.
One of the issues I have had with the Samsung is that the volume would vary with the input – so the Sky Q box, for example, would be playing at a comfortable level, but then if the PS4 was booted up, it was always much louder, and the remote control had to be scrabbled for.
The Arc has removed this irritation for the most part. The sound from the Samsung is fed to the Sonos via the the TV’s ARC-enabled HDMI output, and it all comes out of the soundbar at the same volume. This may seem a rather minor irritation but it became less and less minor as time wore on – and I’m extremely happy to be rid of it.
And the volume is controlled by the Sky Q handset, now I’ve told it to be, so the Arc sits there waiting to be of service without fuss. Turn the TV on and the Arc comes on with it. It’s all very neat and intuitive.
Best 4K TVs
Won’t somebody please think of the children?
I’d set all this up in an empty house, so I was interested to note the reaction of the rest of the household, and said nothing about the change in sonic setup. The kids (who, as is the way with teenagers, are astonishingly unobservant about such things in general) barreled into the living room, turned on the telly and started watching Netflix (Ru Paul’s Drag Race, I believe.)
Within 20 seconds or so, I was asked, “What’s happened to the sound?” It was only after that that the question came, “and what’s that in front of the telly?” (see comment about observation skills above).
So first impressions very good all round – even for the unobservant teenagers.
Coming down off the high
The Arc is also available in white… (Image credit: Sonos)
It was when I started looking into fine-tuning things and trying to test out the surround-sound capabilities that a little bit of the gloss started to come off. I hasten to add, the main issue really isn’t the Arc’s fault. And as I’ve said, this wasn’t an enormous surprise by any means, but it was still just a tiny bit devastating.
My TV won’t pass through a Dolby Atmos signal.
It’s a great TV, the UE55KS9000 (and many people have commented on its impressive picture over the past three and a half years), but it’s been left behind by Samsung on the update front. The first time this frustrated me was when the BBC started broadcasting 4K content over iPlayer. The set doesn’t support HLG, so couldn’t show any of the events (Wimbledon, the 2018 World Cup) that the Beeb put out.
And this (the fact that it won’t pass through a Dolby Atmos signal) is the second crushing disappointment it has meted out.
The best I can manage, having tinkered with the TV’s settings is 5.1 surround – the app will tell you what the soundbar is outputting.
Still a very impressive sound in ‘plain’ 5.1
Thankfully, the plain vanilla 5.1 sound is pretty impressive in its own right; it certainly makes a good fist at spreading the soundtrack of an action movie out wide, and giving very decent sound location. But it’s not Dolby Atmos. There’s no way around this, other than getting hold of a new TV of course, and, while I am positively itching to experience the full fat sonic abilities of the Arc, I really can’t justify replacing what is a pretty fine TV still.
It may just be, though, that the Arc is therefore overkill for me. A Sonos Beam may well do close to the same job for half the cost. Something, for sure, for the prospective Arc purchaser to investigate.
Despite my frustrations, I am still deeply impressed by the Sonos Arc – and I have a few ideas to come to see how I might improve things further; chief among these involves a visit to IKEA and the purchase of two Symfonisk bookshelf speakers to act as true surround speakers for the system.
For that, watch this space: I shall update this particular story Arc in due course, once my family and I have lived with the new Sonos soundbar for a while longer.
Update 1: Dolby Atmos at last!
Update: Dolby Atmos at last!
(Image credit: Samsung / Truth Seekers, Amazon Prime)
Well, I couldn’t resist. I had to find out how the Arc performs with a Dolby Atmos signal, and I happened to find myself in our Bath AV test room a while ago. There was a relatively new model 55in Samsung TV (the excellent QE55Q90T) sitting there patiently, just begging me to borrow it for a while. It was but the work of a moment to comply with its wishes and stick it in the back of the car. (I know: it’s all right for some. But at least now I can get an idea of how Atmos sounds from the soundbar.)
Once I got it home and set things up, I dived straight in to The Witcher on Netflix (for some reason it’s pretty much the only show that I am able to recall reliably as having Dolby Atmos sound).
The difference between listening to the Dolby Atmos soundtrack compared with the (very good, still) 5.1 surround sound I had been hearing before was clear. Dolby Atmos adds a lot of space to the soundstage, opening things up impressively. The soundstage is immediately wider and effects are quite effectively placed and moved around the room.
Indeed, over the past few weeks I have, on a number of occasions, started to wonder what was happening in another room of the house, only to then realise that the sound I was hearing was coming from the soundbar, reflected off the side walls of the room, rather than straight from the hall or kitchen.
Now I’m certainly not saying that the improvement in sound and atmosphere is necessarily worth splashing out on a new TV for if your current set won’t pass through Dolby Atmos; but if you’re in the market for a new set, it’s something I would definitely take into account.
It’s also, in my set-up’s current configuration, nowhere near as effective a surround sound solution as a full seven-speaker set-up. For the Arc to have a chance of approaching that, I will need to get a couple of other Sonos speakers to act as proper surrounds. But as a compromise solution, in a room that simply cannot house all the extra boxes required for a full set-up, this is a rather fine alternative.
A worrying glitch
Things haven’t been plain sailing for the Arc, however, despite my excitement at hearing the impressive Atmos performance. After a week of using the new TV with the soundbar without issue, the system developed what could have been a serious problem.
Every five or six seconds, the sound would drop out for half a second or so. It was a persistent occurrence and made watching anything pretty much impossible. It was a puzzle, especially as all had been fine with the new TV for the first week of using it.
I unplugged and reinserted the HDMI cable, to no effect. I swapped the cable out for another one; also to no effect. A quick Google (not sure why I didn’t just try that first) showed that this is a known issue with the Arc with some televisions. The solution, I read, was to do a full reboot of the Arc (rather than simply unplug and reconnect the HDMI cable).
The thread was undeniably worrying, in that a number of people have said that it is a frequent problem for them. All I can say is that, after the reboot, I haven’t experienced a recurrence of the issue over the course of three or four weeks. So fingers well and truly crossed there.
Next steps
The next steps then, as already mentioned above, are to get a couple of smaller speakers to act as surrounds in the set-up, so I can get as close to a full-blown surround sound system as possible. I have rather high hopes for that, if the improvement from 5.1 to Dolby Atmos is any hint as to the improvement possible.
I had intended to use a couple of the IKEA Symfonisk speakers, as they act as a shelf as well; I have nowhere to put two Sonos Ones, and it feels like a neater – and cheaper, of course – solution. I shall take advice on that though; it’s possible that I may go for the Ones – but then I shall need to rely on my DIY skills as far as finding them a place to sit.
With the advent of CD burners at the end of the last millennium, many users began to save holiday and children’s pictures on cheap silver discs. With the DVD burners, the work was made a little easier thanks to the larger media capacity. The panes usually went to some cupboard, perhaps written on with a felt pen, printed with an inkjet or given a paper sticker.
Optimal storage conditions, i.e. absolute darkness and a constant temperature of 20 ° C, should only have prevailed in very few cases. The quality of the blanks and the interaction with the burner also play a role in the lifespan of the data. Between 10 and 49 years the discs should keep their data – the first self-burned CDs from the 90 years are therefore in the critical age. Today you can no longer be sure that the discs are still legible.
So now is the time to take care of it. Because the longer the disks lie around, the less chance there is of fetching the data from them. However, many households should no longer have PCs with optical drives, CDs and DVDs have disappeared from the lives of most users. A simple USB DVD drive hardly costs 20 Euro.
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Big Chungus is one of the most interestingly named PC cases we have seen in a long time. In a market where a series of letters and numbers often make PC cases sound more like a robot from a sci-fi movie rather than somewhere to house your expensive hardware, having an actual name is refreshing. ‘Big Chungus’ was originally a viral meme in case you were wondering, but does this huge show case live up to its name and can it rival some of the other similarly priced open-air display chassis the market has to offer? We find out today.
Watch via our Vimeo channel (below) or over on YouTube at 2160p HERE
The case we are looking at today is the Kolink Big Chungus Unit Edition, on the box it is labelled as “V2” since it is an updated version of the original Big Chungus that released earlier this year. Kolink claims that the V2 Unit Edition improves on the original as it includes five 120mm dual Ring ARGB PWM fans (single ring fans in the original), as well as a black, anodised aluminium stand that comes pre-installed to the base of the cassis, the original had a red anodised aluminium stand that the user self-assembled. Other than that, the two look almost identical.
When Big Chungus arrives, you instantly notice the sheer size of the case, the box is almost a two-man job to carry, it is huge. Once out of the box and stood on the desk, the Big Chungus lives up to its name as it stands 668mm tall and 336mm wide. For the system build, I immediately thought about cramming in a load of custom water cooling to show off what this case is capable of since it is marketed as a showpiece chassis after all.
Kolink Big Chungus Unit Edition Features:
Large and unorthodox ATX form factor with a unique appearance designed for displaying and showcasing extravagant and extreme PC builds.
Open chassis layout with four sides of the case covered with tempered glass panels allowing airflow and an unrestricted view of internal components.
Unit Edition is an updated version of the original Big Chungus and includes five 120mm dual ring ARGB fans pre-installed along with two RGB lighting strips at the base and an RGB fan controller with remote control.
Steel chassis frame with a black anodised aluminium base that comes pre-installed, unlike the original red aluminium base that had to be assembled by the user.
Potentially supports front-mounted radiators up to 480mm long (360mm officially), top radiators up to 240mm, floor mounted radiators up to 360mm and/or a total of up to ten 120mm fans (4 x front, 2 x top, 1 x rear and 3 x floor), no support for 140mm fans.
Motherboard support includes ATX/E-ATX or Micro-ATX, maximum CPU cooler height is 175mm, maximum graphics card length is 335mm, as well as power supplies up to 220mm long.
Front panel connectivity consists of 1x USB 3.1 Type C, 1x USB 3.1 type-A, 1x USB 2.0 Type-A, 3,5mm Audio In/Out and a power button.
Fans possible in total: 4x 120 mm (front side), 2x 120 mm (cover), 1x 120 mm (back side), 3x 120 mm (floor)
Pre-installed: 4x 120 mm (front, PWM, digitally addressable RGB-LEDs), 1x 120 mm (back panel, PWM, digitally addressable RGB-LEDs)
Fan/ARGB controller/Hub: Outputs 10x 6-pin (ARGB/PWM), 2x 3-pin ARGB (5VDG), Inputs: 1x 3-Pin ARGB (connection with motherboard), 1x PWM 1x SATA power (for power supply)
Radiator mountings: 1x max. 360 mm (front side), 1x max. 240 mm (cover), 1x max. 120 mm (back side), 1x max. 360 mm (bottom)
Power supply: 1x standard ATX
Expansion slots: 7
Drive Bays: 2 x 2.5″/3.5″ + 2 x 2.5″
I/O Panel: 1x USB 3.1 Type C, 1x USB 3.1, 1x USB 2.0, 1x Audio In/Out
Maximum graphics card length: 335 mm
Maximum CPU cooler height: 175 mm
Maximum length ATX power supply: 220 mm
However, when you start to look at the case in more detail it seems as though there are some shortcomings with the design. Because of its angular design, the case is tall at its highest point but the problem is the depth of the case from front to rear and the useable space it provides. The case isn’t deep enough to allow the installation of a regular pump/res combo upfront so building custom water cooling inside the Big Chungus may not be as easy as we would expect.
Building a system inside the case also throws up some unexpected issues and limitations and makes the installation process frustrating and less enjoyable. There are several fundamental issues with the case such as pre-installed motherboard standoffs that are not removable and a micro-ATX pre-installed standoff that could potentially cause a short with ATX/E-ATX motherboard installations and possible component damage.
Other issues during installation included the LED strips at the base interfering with power supply installation, power supply screws not lining up easily and the power supply blocks half of the LED strip once installed. Cable management on the rear of the motherboard tray is virtually non-existent, there are cable pass-through holes but no cable management channels, tie-down points, eyelets or straps to neaten up cable installation which is annoying since you can see all the untidy cables through the glass panel.
Thermal Performance Testing
As with every KitGuru case review, thermal performance is important, therefore we shall measure this by running a series of tests to record CPU and GPU temperatures under load.
To simulate thermal performance under load, we run Aida64 stress tests, stressing CPU, FPU, Cache and GPU for 20 minutes with the case in various configurations. With this data, we can compare how each scenario affects thermal performance.
We will compare the system’s thermal capabilities with a liquid-cooled solution for the CPU, using a Silverstone IceGem 240P, 240mm AIO and the graphics card stock cooling solution.
During thermal performance testing, only stock case fans will be used unless otherwise specified. All fans and pumps (where applicable) will be set to their standard fan curve profile as controlled by the motherboard.
All temperature measurements are presented as Deltas – the ambient temperature has been deducted from the CPU/GPU temperature giving us a Delta.
The following configurations are used to test the effect they have on thermal performance:
Default configuration;
Front panel removed;
Glass side panel removed.
Test system
Chassis: Kolink Big Chungus V2 Unit Edition
CPU: AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
Motherboard: Gigabyte TRX40 Aorus Master
Memory: 2 x 16GB (32 GB Total) (2 x 8GB Modules + 2 x Dummy modules) Aorus RGB 3600MHz DDR4 memory
Power supply: Seasonic Prime TX-1000 1000W 80+ Titanium
CPU Cooler: Silverstone IceGem 240P TR4/TRX40 AIO cooler
Case Fans: 5 x stock 120mm dual ring ARGB
Thermal compound: Corsair TM30
Operating System: Windows 10 1909
Note: 240mm AIO cooler was installed in the roof of the case with fans fitted in a push configuration exhausting air out of the case.
Thermal Performance Overview:
Because the Big Chungus is technically an open-air chassis, thermal performance is relatively unaffected by changing the configuration of the case such as removing side or front panels.
Removing the side panel or front panel of an airflow restrictive case usually has a noticeable positive effect on GPU and CPU temperature, but with the Big Chungus, we only recorded a minimal change in the CPU and GPU temperature when removing panels as expected from an open-air chassis.
We omitted any noise level testing from this review as the open layout of the chassis means that noise levels are not affected by changing the case configuration as they would be in more traditional PC cases.
Closing Thoughts
There is no doubt that Big Chungus V2 Unit Edition is a unique looking chassis, however, it is extremely frustrating to work with. During the build process, I was so discouraged by the issues that kept occurring I almost gave up on the build completely. There are so many small niggling issues with the Big Chungus and the build quality isn’t of a high enough standard to warrant the premium £220 price tag the case has been given.
The most annoying and possibly dangerous flaw with the case is the pre-installed motherboard standoffs. This wouldn’t normally be such an issue if the standoffs could be easily removed, but in the Big Chungus the motherboard standoffs are pressed into the steel tray and include a MATX standoff that could potentially contact a component on the rear of an ATX or E-ATX motherboard, short out a circuit and cause damage to hardware.
Another annoying oversight in the design of the Big Chungus is the complete lack of cable management on the rear of the motherboard tray. There are plenty of cable cut-outs in the right places which is great, however, there are no cable channels, eyelets, straps or points to fasten cables down anywhere which is a big disappointment since the case is equipped with glass side panels so the untidy cable management can be seen. Much cheaper cases with solid side panels have better cable management options than this.
Installing the power supply was also problematic with the Big Chungus Unit Edition, the pre-installed LED strips on the base of the case interfered with installation and once the PSU was in position, the screw holes didn’t line up correctly and the power supply blocked off half of the LED strips so the lighting effect glow was only visible from below the front of the case.
The list of issues continues, front panel motherboard connections are multicoloured and look unsightly, AIO installation at the top of the case is very tight, there isn’t much space at the front of the case for a pump/res combo, LED strip power cables are too short, front panel connectivity is sparse for this price range, glass panels are tricky to re-install due to poor alignment and so on.
One thing that the Big Chungus V2 Unit Edition does have in its favour is the appearance, there is no other case you can buy that looks like the Big Chungus V2 Unit Edition. You also get five pre-installed ARGB fans, two ARGB LED strips and an RGB/Fan hub, although this would be expected from a case that costs in excess of £200.
So if you are a fan of the Big Chungus meme and want a PC case that resembles a fat rabbit then this might be the case for you, just make sure you cut out that dodgy MATX motherboard standoff and try not to get too stressed out while building a system inside as I did, maybe play some calming music to keep relaxed.
The Kolink Big Chungus V2 Unit Edition is available to purchase from Overclockers UK now, priced at £219.95 HERE.
KitGuru says: What could be an interesting and unique chassis for showing off exotic builds is seriously let down by build quality and frustrating issues that spoil the build process.
Duke Nukem 3D, Quake and Doom: Do these names evoke nostalgic feelings? Many people enjoy playing these old DOS games again years later. This can be done in a computer museum, via an emulator or by means of an old system. Among (older) tweakers we see increasing interest in the latter or even in rebuilding a retro PC. With old hardware, but supplemented with handy accessories that make everything a lot more practical.
More retro Those who not only want to play old DOS games again, but also games from the home computer era, can choose from a wide range of products. Well-known names are the DE 10 Nano FPGA and RetroPie based on a Raspberry Pi.
There are countless possibilities to go in time. The easiest way is an emulator or virtual machine. Via Dosbox you can easily play old DOS games again; a site like GoG.com, or Good Old Games, has grown with it. You can also install an old Windows version by means of virtualization. In addition, the web is nowadays powerful enough to emulate a lot of software online. For most people that will be enough, but someone else will miss something. Think of certain hacks or tweaks that made it more fun, extensions and mods or the sound of a specific sound card, especially in games with AdLib sound. Emulation is close, but not the same.
An advantage of a real computer is that old hardware and peripherals just run on it. This is often not the case on modern computers, either because the desired software is not available for modern operating systems or because the connections and adapters are simply missing. For example, if you want to read old 5, 25 ”floppies, you really need an old disk drive and corresponding computer. The same goes for old IDE hard drives, zip drives, and software that only works with an old Windows version. Also old DOS and Windows games often no longer work under Windows 10, at least not without tools.
In this article we will discuss what to look out for if you want to build or buy a retro PC, the do’s and don’ts as well as new possibilities and modern tools that make this a lot easier.
The Internet Archive — the non-profit digital library known for the Wayback Machine — announced that it will now preserve Flash animations and games, ahead of Adobe’s planned demise for the defunct web software at the end of 2020. The Archive will emulate the content so it plays as it used to, preserving critical elements of early internet culture for browsers that can no longer run them.
The Internet Archive says you can already browse over 1,000 games and animations that it’s saved, including classics like “Peanut Butter Jelly Time” and “All your base are belong to us”. The organization says emulation is made possible by an in-development Flash emulator called Ruffle that it’s incorporated into its system. While Ruffle’s developers say it isn’t currently compatible with a majority of Flash projects made after 2013, having any amount of access to the culture that defined many people’s adolescence and young adulthood is a win for preservation.
“All your base are belong to us” is a classic Flash video based on the infamous English translation of the game Zero Wing.Image: Bad_CRC
Flash was critical to creativity on the early web, turning drab pages of text and images into absolute nightmares of movement, but as The Internet Archive notes, Flash was really important because it was relatively easy to use:
Software allowed a beginner or novice to make surprisingly complicated and flexible graphic and sound shows that ran beautifully on web browsers without requiring deep knowledge of individual operating systems and programming languages.
Flash has been past its expiration date since 2017 when Adobe announced it was ending support, but the writing has been on the wall for even longer, starting with Apple’s announcement that it wouldn’t allow Flash on iOS in 2010. In the years following, Adobe decided to end support for Flash on mobile. Not long after, Chrome, Edge, and Safari chose to default to HTML5 whenever possible, leaving the old standby to rot.
With this new emulation tool in its tool belt, The Internet Archive should be equipped to serve as an ark for many endangered Flash creations. And it’s not alone: game publisher Kongregate also plans to continue to host Flash games on its site for the foreseeable future.
While looking for a present for my niece and nephew, I noticed a tadpole shrimp breeding tank. My interest in the little Triops crabs was aroused and after I gave the tank away, I studied websites with breeding tips. The Triops crayfish are the oldest known animal species in the world, which has hardly changed for about 200 million years. This makes them even a bit older than their well-known relatives, the brine shrimp, which in the past were often included in the YPS magazine.
A constant temperature is essential for rearing them, but straight In the cold months it can be quite laborious to keep the temperature constant overnight with a heat source such as a desk lamp. It has to be done differently, I thought to myself. A day later I was the owner of my own breeding tank and the tank upgrade could start.
The transparent tank has a U-shape, which I used to control the Arduino for a water heater to pinch. I also recorded the rearing with a Raspberry Pi camera. The heating foil is operated by an Arduino Uno via a MOSFET and the current temperature by means of an LM 35 – sensor checked. How warm the pool is right now is also shown on a self-made 7-segment display.
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