Microsoft is bringing Forza Horizon 4 to Steam on March 9th. It marks the first time the Forza franchise has been available on Steam, and it will include crossplay with players on Xbox consoles, the regular Windows 10 version, and those streaming Forza Horizon 4 through xCloud.
Playground Games has been gradually improving Forza Horizon 4 with expansions and a battle royale-like mode. A Halo driving experience even appeared in the game a few years ago, and the Lego Speed Champions expansion includes brick cars and scenery. A new Hot Wheels car pack is also coming soon, which will include a number of new cars for $10.
Microsoft’s Forza embrace of Steam comes after the company reversed course nearly three years ago, promising to distribute more Xbox titles through Steam. Halo: The Master Chief Collection arrived on Steam in 2019, followed by Sea of Thieves last year. Alongside Microsoft Flight Simulator, all three titles are now regularly found in the top sellers list on Steam.
The Raspberry Pi Pico is a $4 powerhouse of a microcontroller, and the range of projects created in such a short space of time is amazing. There are two officially supported languages for the Pico – MicroPython and C. While MicroPython is aimed at beginners and hobbyists, C is where power users create their projects. But there is an issue with moving from MicroPython to C; it is rather difficult to install the necessary tools. Github user Nikhil Dabas has created their own automated installer for Windows 10 users.
Pico setup for Windows is an automated installer that handles the tricky process of installing the tools needed to develop projects in C. Dabas’ tool is a rough translation of the pico-setup tool for Linux systems, and it installs the following applications:
ARM GCC Compiler (GNU Arm Embedded Toolchain)
CMake
Build Tools for Visual Studio 2019
Python 3.8
Git for Windows
Visual Studio Code
The entire installation process is designed to be silent, with little, if any, user interaction required. Part of the installation process is to clone the Raspberry Pi Pico SDK for C/C++, and some useful repositories of examples, which are referred to in the official getting started guide. The script uses the prerequisite settings set in the official guidance, but power users can tweak these settings to match their workflow.
If you are new to the Raspberry Pi Pico, be sure to check out this great tool and also take a look at our everything we know page for Raspberry Pi’s latest board.
The PC industry response to Apple’s new M1 chips has been rather quiet, until now. Intel is hitting back at Apple’s new M1 MacBooks with some benchmarks of its own, after early reviews showed impressive performance and battery life from Apple’s ARM-based chips.
In benchmarks published by Tom’s Hardware, Intel compares its 11th Gen Core i7 processor with the M1 CPU found in the latest MacBook Pro. Intel claims its latest chips beat Apple’s M1 performance by 30 percent in overall Chrome browsing tasks, and every one of its carefully selected Office 365 tasks.
Intel’s productivity benchmarks.Image: Intel
Intel’s benchmarks also include comparisons between HandBrake transcoding, Adobe Premiere Pro exports, and tasks in both Photoshop and Lightroom Classic. Intel’s 11th Gen chips beat Apple’s M1 in all of these tasks, too.
Intel also tested gaming across both chips, mainly to point out that most games aren’t available on macOS. Out of the games tested, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Hitman, and Borderlands 3 all run at higher average framerates on the M1, though.
This range of benchmarks are clearly cherry picked to favor Intel’s chips, especially as some make use of Intel’s hardware acceleration. Most of the tests aren’t industry standard benchmarks, and Intel even swapped out the MacBook Pro it was testing with a MacBook Air specifically for the battery life tests. Reviewers have regularly found the MacBook Pro battery life to be superior to the MacBook Air and similar Windows laptops, but Intel used the Air for its comparisons to show it only beat PCs by six minutes.
Intel also argues that PCs offer more choice, better peripheral compatibility, and multi-monitor support. These are particularly valid points, especially when you consider that the M1 MacBook Pro and Air only support a single external display.
What Intel’s hand-picked benchmarks don’t really cover is the experience of using an M1 device compared to existing Intel-based MacBooks. Apple’s latest laptops are silent during most operations, with no loud fans spinning up, impressive battery life, and solid software compatibility. Apple’s processor transition to its own silicon has been surprisingly smooth, and this is just the first generation of chips to make it to market.
Intel is clearly concerned by Apple’s first chips, and we’re now waiting for the company to respond with its own processors instead of benchmarks. The entire PC industry will need to respond to Apple, at a time when laptop sales are growing. Intel’s new CEO, Pat Gelsinger, looks set to battle Apple’s M1 chips in the years ahead, and he’s already made it clear that Intel has to beat Apple in the future.
Police in Minneapolis got a search warrant that ordered Google to provide account data on people who were near a protest that turned violent two days after the killing of George Floyd last year, TechCrunch reported.
The search warrant required Google to provide account data for anyone “within the geographical region” of an AutoZone store on May 27th, 2020, to police, according to TechCrunch. Photos of a protest outside that store two days after Floyd’s death showed a man in a mask smashing the store windows with an umbrella. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported at the time that police believed the so-called “Umbrella Man” was actually a white supremacist trying to spark violence at the protest.
According to TechCrunch, a police affidavit showed Minneapolis police were seeking information about the identity of “Umbrella Man,” who they considered responsible for sparking violence at what had been peaceful protests.
Geofence warrants, also known as reverse-location warrants, allow authorities to sweep up location data from GPS, Bluetooth, and wi-fi from devices near a crime scene. They often pull in information from people who had nothing to do with the crime, and have raised privacy concerns. A Florida man who used a fitness app to track his bike rides briefly found himself a suspect in a 2019 burglary, when police used a geofence warrant. The man had unknowingly provided information about his location to Google, which placed him near the scene of the crime.
The use of geofence warrants has increased in the past several years; in 2019, Google reported the number of such warrants it had received was up 1,500 percent between 2017 and 2018, but did not provide specific numbers. The New York Times reported that Google received as many as 180 geofence warrants in one week in 2019.
A Minneapolis resident told TechCrunch he had received an email from Google informing him that information from his account was subject to the warrant and was being given to police. The man said he was filming the protest, not participating in it.
Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday.
Home security camera systems have exploded in popularity while decreasing in price over the past few years. For example, you could purchase a Ring Indoor Security Camera for around $60, but there are some drawbacks: first, vendors like Ring often charge a monthly fee to store your data and second, you might not want video and photos from inside your home being shared with a third party (in Ring’s case, Amazon) where strangers could potentially see them.
MotionEyeOS, a free open-source application, allows you to turn a Raspberry Pi with a camera into a home video monitoring system, where the photos and videos can either stay on your device (and home network) or, if you choose, be uploaded automatically to a cloud-storage service such as Google Drive or Dropbox.
In this tutorial, we will show you how to set up a Raspberry Pi security camera with MotionEyeOS. This software works with almost any Raspberry Pi (connected to the internet) and almost any webcam or Pi camera. There’s no fancy coding to be done in this project; it just works.
Here are a few of the cameras I’ve successfully used with MotionEye.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
This Raspberry Pi security camera can be used to record porch pirates, monitor children or pets or to watch out for burglars.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Disclaimer: This article is provided with the intent for personal use. We expect our users to fully disclose and notify when they collect, use, and/or share data. We expect our users to fully comply with all national, state, and municipal laws applicable.
What You’ll Need
Raspberry Pi 4 or Raspberry Pi 3B+, or Raspberry Pi Zero W
8 GB (or larger) microSD card
Raspberry Pi Cam, HQ Camera, Infrared Camera, or webcam
Monitor/Power supply/Monitor/HDMI Cable (for your Raspberry Pi)
Your Windows or Mac computer.
Install MotionEyeOS
In this section, we will download MotionEyeOS, flash to a microSD card for our Raspberry Pi security camera, and set our WPA credentials.
1. Download the latest version of MotionEyeOS corresponding to the specific model of Raspberry Pi you are using from https://github.com/ccrisan/motioneyeos/releases
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2. Insert your microSD card into your computer to be read as a storage device.
3. Launch Raspberry Pi Imager. You can download the imager here if you don’t already have it installed on your computer.
4. Select “Use custom” for the Operating System.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
5. Select the motioneyeos version that you just downloaded. This should be a .img.xz file.
6. Select your microSD card under “SD Card.” Note that all data on your microSD card will be erased in the next step.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
7. Click “Write” in the Raspberry Pi imager. The ‘write’ process could take 1 to 2 minutes.
8. When the process completes, physically remove and then reinsert your microSD card. We do this because the software automatically ejects the microSD card when the process completes, but we need to add one file before the next step.
9. Create a new file named wpa_supplicant.conf with the following text, replacing “YOUR_NETWORK_NAME” and “YOUR_NETWORK_PASSWORD” with your information. A source code editor such as Atom works great for this purpose. WordPad and Notepad are not recommended to create this file as extra characters are added in the formatting process.
10. Save wpa_supplicant.conf to your microSD card. Eject your microSD card.
11. Insert your microSD card into your Raspberry Pi.
12. Connect your camera, monitor and power supply to your Raspberry Pi. Power up your Pi.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
13. Find your internal IP address on the Pi screen. In most cases your internal IP address will start with 192.168.x.x or 10.0.0.x. Alternatively, if you do not have access to a monitor, you can download Angry IP Scanner and find your IP address for your Motioneye Raspberry Pi. Look for “MEYE” to identify your MotionEye Pi.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
14. Enter your internal IP address into a browser window of your Windows or Mac computer. Alternatively, you could use a Chromebook or a tablet. At this point your Motioneye should start streaming.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
In most cases, the system will automatically stream from the attached camera. If no image comes up, the camera may be incompatible with the Raspberry Pi. For example, an HD webcam may be incompatible with the Raspberry Pi Zero, but will work with a Raspberry Pi 3. There may be some trial and error in this step. Interestingly, most older webcams (manufactured before the Pi) will work with Motioneye. Here’s an old Logitech Pro 9000 connected to a Pi Zero W with a 3D printed stand.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Configuring MotionEye for Raspberry Pi Security Camera
In this section, we will perform a basic configuration of Motioneye and view our Raspberry Pi security camera video stream.
1. Click on the Profile icon near the top left within your browser menu to pull up the Login screen.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Log in using the default credentials. The username is admin, and the password field should be blank.
3. Select your Time Zone from the dropdown menu in “Time Zone.” Click Apply. Motioneye will reboot which will take a few minutes. This step is important as each photo and video is timestamped.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
4. Motioneye detects motion when _% of frames change. The intent is to set your % low enough to pick up the movement you are tracking, but high enough to avoid recording a passing cloud. In most cases, this is achieved through trial and error. Start with your default 4% Frame Change Threshold and then move up until you reach your optimal setting.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
5. Click the down arrow to the right of “Still Images” to reveal the corresponding settings. Do the same for “Movies.” Set Capture Mode and Recording Mode to “Motion Triggered” and length of time to “Preserve Pictures” and “Movies.”
I have chosen “For One Week” since I’m only working with an 8GB microSD card. The photos saved locally will serve as a backup. You’ll save all of the photos to Google in a later step. Click Apply to save your changes.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
6. Set your Camera Name, Video Resolution, Frame Rate and other options in the “Video Device” section. Click Apply to save your changes.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Viewing Raspberry Pi Security Camera Images / Video Locally
If you don’t wish to upload images to a third-party service such as Google Drive, you can view the images and/or videos) captured locally on your Raspberry Pi security camera. If you choose this method, the images will never leave your local network.
1. Click on the live camera feed and new icons will appear.
2. Click on the image icon to view images.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. Or Click on the “Play”button icon to view movies.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Automatic Uploading to Google Drive (Optional)
In this step, we will configure our Raspberry Pi security camera to automatically upload all of the photos (and videos) taken to Google Drive. This method (with a couple of nuances) also works with Dropbox. Of course, you have to be comfortable with having your images in the cloud.
Most users create a separate Gmail account specifically for this purpose, to maximize free storage space from Google. Additionally, this will come in handy if you decide to enable email notifications in the next step.
1. Click the down arrow corresponding to “File Storage” in the main admin menu.
2. Toggle “Upload Media Files” to ON. This should automatically toggle “Upload Pictures” and “Upload Movies” to ON, but if not, hit ON.
3. Select Google Drive from the “Upload Service” dropdown menu.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
4. In your Google Drive, create a new folder for storing your photos and videos. I chose “PorchCam” for the name of my folder.
5. Enter “/” followed by your folder name for ‘Location.’
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
6. Click “Obtain Key” and accept associated permissions by clicking “Allow.”
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
7. Copy and paste the authorization code into your “Authorization Key” in Motioneye.
8. Click the “Test Service” button. If you don’t get an error message in Motioneye, then it was a success.
9. Go to your Google Drive folder and test your setup by pointing the camera at yourself and waving to the camera.
In this optional step, we will configure our MotionEye to automatically send us emails with attachments containing the photos our Raspberry Pi security camera has taken. It is highly recommended that you create a separate Gmail account specifically for this purpose. These instructions are specific to Gmail only.
1. Enable “Less Secure Apps” in your Gmail account.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Expand “Motion Notifications” in Motioneye.
3. Toggle ON “Send An Email”
4. Enter your Email address, password.
SMTP Server = smtp.gmail.com
SMTP Port = 587
Use TLS – Toggle to On
Enter a value for “Attached Pictures Time Span”
5. Click the “Test Email” button.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The first email is a text only email. Subsequent emails will contain attachments.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Mobile App Access to Raspberry Pi Security Camera
MotionEye also features a mobile app for iOS and Android / Google Play stores. Keep in mind that the app will only work while you are on the same network as your Raspberry Pi (unless you enable port forwarding, which is not encouraged for security reasons).
In November 2020, Apple announced M1. By the end of the year, it announced three devices — the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and the Mac Mini — that ditched Intel’s processors.
Those devices received largely positive reviews based on benchmark performance and battery life. But Intel has also released its 11th Gen “Tiger Lake” processors, and after several months of silence, now it’s firing back at Apple. Slides from the Santa Clara, Calif.-based chipmaker shows how it tested, and why it thinks Windows 10 laptops can beat back Apple’s ARM-based solution.
Below, we are publishing the slides in full (minus a title slide, be sure to look through the galleries), as well as our analysis. Intel shared benchmarks for the chips, but as with all vendor-provided benchmarks, take them with a grain of salt.
Intel’s Performance Claims
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For pure productivity performance, Intel’s testing eschews typical benchmarks. Sure, it used Principled Technologies’ WebXPRT 3, but the Microsoft Office 365 tests appear to be based on Intel’s internal RUG (real-world usage guideline) tests. Intel claims the 11th-Gen system, an internal whitebox with an Intel Core i7-1185G7 and 16GB of RAM, is 30% faster overall in Chrome and faster in every Office task. This largely goes against what we saw in our 13-inch
MacBook Pro with M1 review
, where benchmarks showed M1 to be largely on the same level, if not better.
For what it’s worth, in most laptops, we’ve seen the companies that make them opt for the Core i7-1165G7. We’ve only seen the 1185G7 in one production laptop, the
MSI Prestige 14 Evo
.
Intel also claims that the i7-1185G7 is six times faster than M1 on AI-tools from Topaz Labs and Adobe Premiere, Photoshop and Lightroom functions. (Again, using the company’s internal RUG tests).
Gaming was a mix, with Intel and Apple trading blows with integrated graphics. But Intel also got a little snarky, placing Apple at 0 frames per second for a number of games that don’t currently work on macOS and the M1 CPU. Apple’s ecosystem hasn’t been a hardcore gaming platform for years now, especially after 32-bit app support was cut in macOS 10.15 Catalina.
It’s unclear how many people are playing some of the listed games, like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Crysis Remastered or Red Dead Redemption 2 on Intel’s integrated Xe graphics, but yes, the point is made – Windows PCs have far larger collections of triple-A games.
Intel Evo vs. Apple M1
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When Intel revealed
Evo
, its second-generation upgrade to Project Athena to make the best portable devices, it included a number of experiences from studies that it believed would create the best notebooks. So when evaluating M1, it used those tests.
Intel claims that the M1 in the MacBook Pro it tested failed eight out of 25 tests it uses, including “Switch to Calendar” in Outlook, “start video conference” in Zoom, and “Select picture Menu” in PowerPoint. Intel’s workloads don’t explain how these are run, but they’re also simple tasks that work quite well on just about any modern processor, so they’re odd choices. (I had plenty of Zoom conferences while testing the MacBook Pro with no issue.)
Interestingly, in the configurations document at the end of the slides, Intel shows that it switched to a MacBook Pro with 8GB of RAM, rather than the 16GB model it tested for performance.
In battery life, Intel switched to an Intel Core i7-1165G7 notebook, the Acer Swift 5, rather than sticking with the Core i7-1185G7 in the whitebook it used for performance testing. It also tested a MacBook Air. They ran Netflix streams and tabs and found the MacBook Air came ahead with a six-minute difference.
Intel didn’t list battery life for the MacBook Pro.
In our tests,
that beat Intel PCs by hours.
The Form Factor Argument
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There has been an interesting debate among Mac users for a long time about whether or not Apple should add a touchscreen to MacBooks. It hasn’t, and left that on the iPad.
Per Intel’s slides, a Windows machine offers more choice, including 2-in-1s, desktops, small form-factor desktops, desktops with touchscreens, and even easels. This is somewhat odd, considering Apple does offer a small desktop (the Mac Mini), as well as various desktops in the iMac and the Mac Pro, and Apple has promised that its own chips will land there, too. Touchscreens and convertible 2-in-1s are the big areas where Apple lacks.
The second slide about choice shows the various form factors and configurations. And yes, Apple’s laptops are limited to clamshells. Interestingly, Intel only includes the MacBook Pro on this list, and not the MacBook Air, which starts at $999 with an M1, 8GB and 256GB of memory. That’s less than the Dell XPS 13 listed at $1,499 and has a higher display resolution. However, it is right that the MacBook Pro can get expensive at higher configurations, and certainly about the fact that Apple’s port selection on the 13-inch MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air is lacking.
(Image credit: Intel)
Intel also took a dig at the M1’s display capabilities. The slide is right – both the M1 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air only support one external display, up to 6K at 60 Hz. (This isn’t the case for the Mac Mini desktop, which also has an HDMI 2.0 port.)
Some users have found a workaround by using DisplayLink drivers and docks, but it is a weak point, especially for the Pro-branded notebook.
Compatibility
Apple includes Rosetta 2 to emulate x86 software on the Mac, but some software just doesn’t support M1. Intel includes games, again, as a weak point, as well as a lack of support for Boot Camp.
It also suggests many accessories won’t work. This is somewhat true. The M1 laptops don’t support external graphics docks, and some software won’t work on the Mac. (For instance, Razer recently announced a docking station that doesn’t have RGB lighting control because Synapse doesn’t currently work on the Mac).
Perhaps the Xbox controller wasn’t fully supported when Intel tested, but PS5 and Xbox Series X/S controller support showed up in the beta for macOS 11.3, so it’s on the way.
It’s definitely showing a disadvantage to early adoption, though many people use headphones, hard drives and other accessories that don’t require software to use.
Intel has made a similar argument about software. To a degree, again, this is true; not all software works. In my experience, I found anything that ran through Rosetta 2 seemed fairly seamless. Since then, more native software has become available or announced. For instance, Box, which is listed as incompatible, has called the issue a “High priority investigation.”
The other angle here is that the Mac has a devoted league of developers that make software only for Apple’s platform. So, in that case, people using M1 are likely to use some of that software, or Apple’s alternatives. Others, like Google Drive, are also available on the web.
On the Adobe front, Lightroom currently runs natively on M1, while the company has promised native versions of its other software.
So Intel does make some points here, but it seems far less about the M1’s capability and more about being an early adopter.
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Notes and Disclaimers
Intel included these, so we’re including them here for the sake of transparency.
The company makes some good points about the current state of Apple’s chip initiative, especially if you demand a specialized form factor or play games casually.
Intel’s performance claims need to be taken with a certain grain of salt, as they’re in Intel-created tests and not industry-standard benchmarks. The fact that it switched out between the Pro and the Air for battery life (as well as the Core i7-1185G7 and Core i7-1165G7) also shows an incomplete picture.
Intel’s thoughts on software and compatibility get a bit tricky. Early adopters may feel a bit of a sting, but it’s been rapidly improving, and much of the software that doesn’t work at all may be counteracted with Apple software.
The slides paint two pictures: Yes, Apple has work to do in this transition, and the touchscreen, multi-display support, and limited port selection need to be fixed. But the fact that Intel went through putting these slides together also shows that it sees a formidable opponent worth comparing its chips against, suggesting a competitive future for notebooks.
In January, South Korean a cappella group Maytree wowed us with their spot-on vocal interpretations of Windows sound effects, and on Friday, the group released a video of their next impressive showcase: interpretations of sounds from iPhones.
The video is a little over a minute long, and I recommend watching the whole thing, which you can do at the top of this post. They cover a lot of ringtones, including the familiar “Opening” ringtone, the classic “Marimba” ringtone, and even the twangy “Strum” ringtone. (I should warn you that they also re-create the blaring “Alarm” ringtone, so be prepared to experience that brief moment of terror.) They even tackle some system noises, including the sounds of text messages being sent and received and a tightly choreographed version of the iPhone’s lock sound.
If you haven’t seen the video of the Windows sound effects, you should take 28 seconds out of your day to watch it, too. I think it’s even better than their iPhone video.
When you’re stuck at home because of pandemics, bad weather, or just because you don’t feel like going out, there’s nothing more satisfying than cooking something really fantastic. Even if you’re not an experienced or enthusiastic cook, sometimes it’s really satisfying to create a new and tasty dish for you, your friends, and / or family.
We asked the staff of The Verge what kinds of equipment, gadgets, and tools they use to make their kitchen adventures better tasting, easier, or just more fun. Here are some of the answers we got.
Immersion blender
The Mueller Austria Ultra-Stick hand blender.Photo: Mueller Austria
This is one of my favorite tools in the kitchen. It’s a hand-held blender that can be used to prepare soups, smoothies, whipped coffee, and more. I often use it in my Indian cooking just to smooth out the sauce a little and bring the dish together. It’s a game-changer, and I honestly just have so much fun using it. We also don’t own an actual blender so this has come in handy to make smoothies and shakes as well.
Dilpreet Kainth Social media manager, video
When I was in college, I drove through a literal Maine blizzard to buy an immersion blender because I really wanted soup.
Nicole Wetsman Health tech reporter
I have been making a lot of sauces and smoothies, and since I have a tiny kitchen, I don’t have a lot of counter space for more gadgets. This is why I love my immersion blender.
Kim Lyons Weekend editor
I love my Breville hand blender. It makes soups and stuff that you don’t want to transfer into a blender so easy. I love the model I have, but clearly, there are a lot of good options out there.
Amelia Holowaty Krales Senior staff photographer
Cooking app
Paprika Recipe Manager
The Paprika Recipe Manager is my entire cooking process now. Paprika is good because it:
Isn’t linked to a specific cooking service, so the features aren’t tied to a particular set of recipes
Can download and cleanly convert recipes from almost any site pretty well, either through its built-in web browser or a bookmark widget
Comes with a meal calendar and grocery list function that has become remarkably useful now that I do weekly grocery runs
Adi Robertson Senior reporter
I’m seconding Adi’s recommendation of Paprika, which is the best recipe app, bar-none. It’s also got really great app support, with desktop and mobile apps on every platform (Mac ($15), Windows ($15), iOS ($5), and Android (free for up to 50 recipes).
Chaim Gartenberg News editor
Air fryer
GoWise air fryer.Image: GoWise
We just received a GoWise Air Fryer as a quarantine gift, and we couldn’t be happier with it! It replaces our microwave 90 percent of the time for reheating, and food comes out tasting crisp and delicious. It’s also great at cooking. We’ve made stuffed mushrooms, fried chicken, steak sandwiches — you name it, this thing makes it.
Grayson Blackmon Senior motion designer
Electric kettle
Bonavita electric kettle.Photo: Bonavita
In the UK, where I’m from, it’s pretty unusual for a kitchen to come without an electric kettle, and honestly, I’ve got no idea how anyone manages without them. Obviously, the main thing my kettle gets used for is brewing cups of tea, but it’s just as happy boiling water for coffee if you’re brewing it in a device like an AeroPress. When the water’s boiled the power automatically cuts off, which certainly feels a lot safer than the risk of leaving a burner on. Unfortunately, the US’s lower voltage means that electric kettles aren’t quite as fast as a burner if you’re boiling water to cook with, but I think they’re still a pretty useful kitchen addition.
Jon Porter Reporter
It’s so fast, and I never have to worry about stuff catching fire.
Russell Brandom Policy editor
Also +1ing an electric kettle. I love my Bonavita kettle.
Dan Seifert Deputy editor
Food mixers & processors
KitchenAid mixer.Photo: KitchenAid
KitchenAid stand mixers are great for mixing cake mix or whisking, but the thing I most regularly use mine for is kneading dough using its dough hook accessory. I’m sure there are purists out there who’ll claim that a machine can never match the process of kneading by hand, but for me, it’s worth it just so I can get dough ready for baking without having to cover an entire work surface with flour. I will accept that using a stand mixer means I’ll never end up with Paul Hollywood’s forearms of steel, but that’s my burden to bear.
Jon Porter
I can’t stop buying KitchenAid attachments! Specifically, the sifter, scale, and the pasta roller.
Sarah Smithers Editorial coordinator
There are so many great things you can do with the Cuisinart food processor: pesto, perfectly mandolined veggie slices for lasagna, babka dough, savory crackers, dicing onions without weeping. My mom met a Cuisinart employee who swore by the 11-cup as their least-repaired model.
Helen Havlak Vice president
Instant Pot
Instant Pot cooker.Photo: Instant Pot
I’ve never been a great cook so, in an attempt to get me to eat more home-cooked food, my mom gifted me an Instant Pot. This was years ago, and I’ve never looked back. I am the queen of soups, but it’s such a handy tool to cut down cooking time and effort on almost any dish. For the most part, you just toss in all the ingredients, set the timer, and go about your business.
Kaitlin Hatton Social media manager
About 90 percent of our quarantine meals have been made in an Instant Pot. There’s just no time to do anything anymore, and we can make large amounts of healthy food, with little attention, and have leftovers. I liked it before, but now I’m ready to build a shrine to it.
Christopher Grant SVP, Polygon and The Verge
+1 to everything above. Also, the Instant Pot makes delicious rice — just make sure to wash the rice a few times before you put it in!
Jay Peters News writer
Coffee makers
Baratza coffee grinder.Photo: Baratza
I really like my overpriced Baratza Virtuoso coffee grinder. It’s expensive but has served me well for nearly five years now. It works very well for everything from fine-grind espresso to coarse French press. Almost every part is replaceable, as well, meaning I can keep it going for many more years to come. (Apparently, the exact model I have has been replaced by this newer one with a digital timer.)
Dan Seifert
I’m a big believer in the AeroPress. It’s especially good for camping.
Andrew Hawkins Senior reporter
Cast iron pot
Lodge Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven.Photo: Lodge
Cast iron pots are one of my key kitchen tools. First off, they’re essential for getting a great crust on a homemade loaf of bread (especially sourdough). But they’ve got myriad uses beyond that: soups, stews, roasting, deep-frying, and more. Plus, they’re relatively cheap, and if you take care of them, they can last a lifetime.
I’m a big fan of Lodge’s Double Dutch Oven since the lid doubles as a second cast iron pan, making it twice as useful.
Chaim Gartenberg
Fish spatula
Agrus fish spatula.Photo: Agrus
Full disclosure: I have never used my fish spatula for fish. But its thin, flexible edge makes it perfect for getting under the edges of fried eggs, seared meat, and grilled cheeses.
Nicole Wetsman
We actually do use our fish spatula for fish, among other things, and it works beautifully, especially when trying to flip over delicate filets. If you’re picking up an especially large piece, two are better. And if you’ve got one of the Lodge cast iron pans (see above), you can use it to scrape off the burned bits.
Barbara Krasnoff Reviews editor
Cutting board
Bamboo cutting boardPhoto: Royal Craft Wood
I hate when pieces of chopped veggies roll off the edge of a cutting board, so I insist on using one big enough to fill up most of the counter. It can fit an onion and garlic with room to spare, so I don’t feel cramped while I’m focusing on my (mediocre) knife skills.
Nicole Wetsman
Sous Vide
A sous vide heats your food with the help of a mobile app.Photo: ChefSteps
I only use it once every few months, but I love my Joule sous vide. It takes a bit of setup, but once everything is in the water bath, my job is basically over for a few hours. It cooks everything to the perfect temperature every time, meaning no more over- or undercooking. I get the perfect amount of pink with my steak, my veggies don’t get mushy, my chicken breasts stay moist, and I don’t have to stick everything with a food thermometer 15 times to make sure I don’t accidentally give my family food poisoning.
Sarah Smithers
A sous vide is great. I use mine all the time — I can proof bread in it, make garlic confit, lots of good meat / fish options.
Chaim Gartenberg
Ice cream machine
Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream, and Sorbet Maker.Photo: Cuisinart
Is it big? Yes. Is it extremely limited in what it can do? Also yes. Can I make ice cream and sorbet whenever I want? Yes.
Chaim Gartenberg
Pancake batter mixer
Whiskware Pancake Batter Mixer Photo: Whiskware
Who doesn’t like pancakes? There’s something simply beautiful about a short stack of pancakes. But I felt I was using way too many dishes whenever I made pancakes. So I bought this pancake batter mixer.
It looks like a huge baby bottle, but it’s one of the best things I purchased for under $20. You place all the ingredients to make the batter in the bottle and shake it like a protein shake. Once the batter forms, you can squirt the batter out and adjust how big or how little you want your pancakes. The nozzle is great because it’s wide enough for things like chocolate chips to squeeze out the bottle as well.
Taylor Lyles Writer
Garlic rocker
Garlic rocker / mincer / crusherPhoto: Joseph Joseph
We use a lot of garlic in my household, and traditional garlic presses never did it for us — they usually produced a messy, slushy paste. A friend of ours introduced us to the garlic rocker, which is not only fun to play with but produces beautifully minced pieces of garlic, perfect for sautéing and other uses.
Barbara Krasnoff
Digital scale
Ozeri Pronto digital scale.Photo: Ozeri
A must for bread baking, especially if you’ve gotten your hands on some sourdough starter (or made your own). Anything that measures in grams and ounces will work — just get whatever’s cheapest.
Chaim Gartenberg
Update February 5th, 2021, 10:30AM ET: This article was originally published on June 6th, 2020; prices have been updated and a pancake batter mixer has been added.
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It’s been nearly a year since many of us started working from home due to the pandemic, and if you haven’t yet adjusted your workspace to accommodate your needs, then it’s probably time to get to it. Whether you’ve set yourself up in the guest bedroom, on your living room couch, or in a walk-in closet, you may need a little extra to make it possible to type comfortably, meet online, or just concentrate. Sometimes it means buying a new desk, lamp, or monitor; sometimes it just means finding a household item that will make life a little easier.
We asked the staff of The Verge what they’ve been using to make their work-at-home situations more practical, more pleasant, or simply more possible. Here are some of the answers we got.
Tech products
Apple AirPods Pro
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
I basically live in my AirPods Pro during the day. They let me listen to music, catch Slack pings, and take calls, all with the added benefit of some noise cancellation to help drown out outside noise. Their range is also great for my apartment — I can be anywhere in the house without losing connection to my computer, which is really nice if I need to step away from my desk to, say, microwave my second cookie of the afternoon. —Jay Peters
Apple AirPods Pro
Phone as webcam
Turning my phone into a fully functional webcam was surprisingly easy and cost-effective. I already had a Nexus 6P sitting around, and with these steps that work on most Android and iOS devices, I now have a phone-meets-webcam. It’s got video quality that’s roughly on par with a standalone webcam that would probably cost $200 right now. What makes it even better is that my iOttie car mount connects perfectly to my glass desk, so I don’t have to awkwardly arrange the phone to get a good angle on my face. —Cameron Faulkner
Satechi Aluminum Multi-Port Adapter V2
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
While I’m working off a MacBook, this Satechi hub has been a lifesaver for plugging in podcasting mics and any other gear I’m suddenly using on my own. —Adi Robertson
Satechi Aluminum Multi-Port Adapter V2
Rechargeable batteries
I go through tons of batteries with my flash when photographing at home and I find that these rechargeable batteries last so much longer than regular single-use batteries. Not only do they save me trips to the store and keep more batteries out of the landfills, but they also save me money in the end. —Amelia Holowaty Krales
Panasonic AA NiMH 2,550mAh rechargeable batteries
CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 dock
Photo: CalDigit
This Thunderbolt 3 dock lets me switch my whole desk setup (keyboard, mouse, speakers, Ethernet, display, external storage drives, and microphone) from one computer to another by just moving one cable. I plug all of my peripherals into the dock, and then just use the one Thunderbolt cable to hook up my Mac or whatever Windows machine I need to test at the moment. It also has a very useful high-speed SD card slot on the front, which is great for whenever I need to dump images from my camera onto my computer. —Dan Seifert
CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 dock
Google Nest Wifi Router
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Last year, I installed a Google Nest Wifi router with a mesh point. I’ve had a lot of networking equipment over the years, and this was immediately the best. And it was extremely easy to set up. —TC Sottek
Google Nest Wifi router
Ultrawide monitor
Photo: LG
An ultrawide monitor is the best purchase I ever made for working from home. It’s so big I have to physically lean from side to side to see it all. I can have three full-size windows up at the same time or countless windows overlapping. (Right now, I have nine different windows open and it doesn’t feel cramped at all.) Mine is an old LG 34UM94-P that they don’t make anymore — it looks like there is an updated version, the LG 34BL850-W. However, any monitor that is at least 34 inches in size with 1440p or better resolution is what I recommend. —Dan Seifert
LG 34BL850-W 34-inch QHD monitor
Home office helpers
Fully Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk
Photo: Jarvis
We heard from three staffers about this desk:
The Jarvis from Fully was recommended to me by my colleague Christian Mazza, and it’s been far and away my best work-from-home purchase in years. It’s rather pricey by desk standards, but cheap by standing desk standards.
Assembly was far less cumbersome than I thought it would be. Just having the option to sit or stand, when you’re cooped up in your room or home office all day, makes a big difference. Plus it looks great and has some nice customization options for color and desk material. —Nick Statt
I love my Jarvis desk for all of the same reasons Nick does. If you’re considering one, I highly recommend spending the extra $20 for the extended-range height, which lets the desk get lower for sitting and higher for standing, and the extra $35 for the programmable height switcher, which lets you preset heights that you can switch back and forth to just by pressing a button.
I also sprung for the $29 casters so that I could wheel the desk around my apartment, which lets my wife and I use it as a mobile entertainment system. When we’re done working for the day, we can roll the desk over to our comfy chairs and watch Netflix or play Animal Crossing on the desk’s monitor. —Jay Peters
I have the Jarvis, too, just in a larger size. It has served me well for about four years now. It’s a comfortable, stable, spacious desk that has more versatility than typical desk options. —Dan Seifert
LapGear Designer Lap Desk
Photo courtesy LapGear
I should work at a desk more, but I spend a lot of time working from a couch. It’s bad for me, but also very comfortable. Using a lap desk like this one helps me at least pretend to be a little more conscientious about my posture; plus, it’s helpful for writing on physical paper (or when my laptop gets too hot). —Chaim Gartenberg
LapGear Designer Lap Desk
Huanuo monitor mount stand
Photo: Huanuo
This monitor mount brings my screen up to a nice height so that I don’t hunch over, and it’s the tallest one I’ve found. Other monitor arms I tried just weren’t tall enough for me when I was standing while working — and I’m not that tall at five feet, 11 inches. The mount also lets me adjust my monitor to exactly the right height for movies or Animal Crossing when I’m using my desk as a mobile entertainment center. —Jay Peters
Huanuo monitor mount stand
Nespresso Inissia Espresso Machine
Photo: De’Longhi
I’m hopelessly addicted to iced lattes and I finally invested in this espresso machine with my stimulus check. It makes waking up in the morning a little more exciting when I don’t have to French press my coffee. And it came with a milk frother! —Makena Kelly
Ello Devon Glass Tumbler
Photo: Ello Products
I never drink enough water. I just seem to forget to and I get headaches from dehydration, but something about this bottle helps remind me. Maybe it’s the design? I love it! —Amelia Holowaty Krales
Ello Devon Glass Tumbler
Herman Miller Sayl Chair
The Herman Miller Sayl is a common chair — Vox Media’s NYC office has hundreds of them. I bought one without arms, though, because it works a little better for my posture. I’m tall, and it’s hard to find chairs that don’t encourage me to slouch. Also, I like the red. —Sam Byford
Herman Miller Sayl Chair
Notebook and pen
While all of my work and most of my writing happen on my computer, sometimes it’s easier (especially for sudden phone calls or when I don’t want to switch out of a video) to simply turn to the notebook I keep next to my laptop and jot down a note or two. And I’ve found that using a classy pen is not only good for my morale, but makes it a lot less likely that I’ll find myself out of ink (or with a hand cramp) when I need to get something important written quickly. Currently, I’m using a True Writer ballpoint pen from Levenger that I got as a birthday present, but any pen that makes you feel good will do. —Barbara Krasnoff
Update February 4th, 2021, 2:37PM ET: This article was originally published on April 28th, 2020, and has been updated to include changes in prices and circumstances.
If you’re shopping for 144 Hz and 25 inches, the BenQ EX2510 is one of the best IPS panels we’ve seen for under $300. There’s no extended color, but it delivers top-notch gaming and surprisingly good HDR. Users seeking a high performance-to-price ratio should definitely check it out.
For
Good contrast and color accuracy
Decent HDR
Good gaming performance
Strong build quality
Against
No extended color
No dynamic contrast in HDR
Features and Specifications
The price of a good gaming monitor is generally dictated by screen size, resolution and refresh rate. Other gaming features, like Adaptive-Sync, are pretty much a given for any display marketed to enthusiasts. And color accuracy and build quality do not necessarily go hand-in-hand with cost.
BenQ may not be as well known for its gaming screens as brands like Asus or Acer, but it offers products that deliver performance, quality and value. Lately, it has brought out new models with interesting names like Zowie and Mobiuz. But these creative monikers don’t attempt to make up for any shortfall. The new Mobiuz EX2510 is a great example. It’s a 25-inch, 1080p resolution IPS panel with a 144 Hz refresh rate, FreeSync and G-Sync compatibility and HDR with BenQ’s HDRi emulation mode. At publication time, it’s selling for around $250, making it much more affordable than many of the market’s best gaming monitors.
BenQ Mobiuz EX2510 Specs
Panel Type / Backlight
IPS / W-LED, edge array
Screen Size / Aspect Ratio
24.5 inches / 16:9
Max Resolution & Refresh Rate
1920 x 1080 @ 144 Hz
FreeSync: 48-144 Hz
Native Color Depth & Gamut
8-bit / sRGB; HDR10
Response Time (GTG)
2ms
Brightness
400 nits
Contrast
1,000:1
Speakers
2x 2.5w treVolo audio w/DSP
Video Inputs
1x DisplayPort 1.2
2x HDMI 2.0
Audio
3.5mm headphone output
USB 3.0
None
Power Consumption
15.8w, brightness @ 200 nits
Panel Dimensions WxHxD w/base
22 x 15.5-20.5 x 8.5 inches (559 x 394-521 x 216mm)
Panel Thickness
2 inches (51mm)
Bezel Width
Top/sides: 0.3 inch (7mm)
Bottom: 0.8 inch (21mm)
Weight
12.4 pounds (5.6kg)
Warranty
3 years
The 25-inch gaming monitor category is filled with super-fast 1080p resolution models running above 240 Hz and priced at the premium level. The 360 Hz Asus ROG Swift PG259QN is a perfect example. It’s a 25-inch, 1080p IPS monitor that costs an eye-watering $700. But if you’re OK with 144 Hz, you can save quite a bit of money. In fact, the BenQ EX2510 is a great alternative to 27-inch 1080p and 1440p monitors that typically cost about $75-100 more.
The EX2510’s 144 Hz refresh rate is achieved without overclock. The monitor’s AMD FreeSync-certified, and we were also able to run Nvidia G-Sync on it, even though it’s not certified (to do this yourself, check out our How to Run G-Sync on a FreeSync Monitor tutorial).
Though it’s compatible with HDR10 signals, the EX2510 does not include an extended color gamut. Color depth is a true 8 bits achieved without Frame Rate Compensation, and the backlight is flicker-free.
Assembly and Accessories of BenQ Mobiuz EX2510
The EX2510’s build quality is apparent when you unpack its three parts. The base is nicely finished in silver with an orange rubber accent across the front. The upright is quite heavy and solid. Just attach it to the base with a captive bolt. The panel then snaps in place. A 100mm VESA mount is included for aftermarket hardware.
In the box, you’ll find an HDMI cable and IEC power cord for the internal power supply. There’s also a snap-on cover for the input panel. You can pass the cables through a hole in the upright for a tidier look.
BenQ Mobiuz EX2510: Product 360
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The BenQ EX2510’s styling is somewhat blocky and understated for a gaming monitor., but it’s all about function. Straight lines dominate its shape with the only curve being a smooth taper across the back. The bezel is flush and free of physical framing, but you can see a thin 7mm border when the power’s on. The bottom trim is 21mm wide and features the BenQ logo and an HDRi button (more on that later). The front anti-glare layer is free of grain and presents a sharp image without reflecting any room light.
The stand features 5 inches of height adjustment plus 20-degree swivel each way and -5/20 degrees of tilt. There is no portrait mode. Movements are very firm and solid with no play at all. Even if you shake up your desk during intense frag sessions the EX2510 will stay put.
In addition to the HDRi button on the front, there are two more keys in the back-right corner, plus a joystick for menu navigation. One key toggles power, its status indicated by a white LED, and the other changes the signal source. The controls click firmly and respond quickly to user input.
In the bezel’s center, you can see a small protrusion that houses the sensor for BenQ’s Brightness Intelligence Plus (BI+) feature. It works with two of the HDRi modes to adjust brightness and color temperature to the environment. It responds quickly to changes and, in most cases, you won’t see it working.
The input panel includes two HDMI 2.0 ports and a DisplayPort version 1.2 (for help picking one, check out our HDMI vs DisplayPort article). You also get a 3.5mm audio jack for headphones or powered speakers.
OSD Features of BenQ Mobiuz EX2510
The on-screen display (OSD) appears when you press the joystick button and scroll down to the menu option. You can configure the quick menu to the user to allow easy access to commonly used options like brightness or picture mode.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The EX2510 includes three HDR and seven SDR presets. Standard is the default and most accurate choice with good out-of-box color and access to all picture options, like gamma and color temp. Other features include Light Tuner, which changes highlight and shadow detail levels. You can also access a low blue light mode from the Eye Care menu, along with the aforementioned BI+ feature, which engages the light sensor to change brightness and color temp automatically for different ambient lighting conditions.
There are five gamma options and three preset color temps, plus a very precise user mode, which we used to calibrate the EX2510 to a high standard. Also here is AMA, BenQ’s term for overdrive. It worked well on the highest of three settings to curb motion blur without ghosting artifacts. If you want to try the backlight strobe for blur reduction, you’ll have to turn off FreeSync.
For HDR content, the EX2510 will automatically switch to its default HDR mode, which is the best of the three. Cinema and Game turn the color temp quite blue, though the effect varies if you use the BI+ sensor. For testing purposes, we left these automatic enhancements off.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
To engage the bezel’s light sensor, turn it on in the Eye Care menu. It can vary brightness and color temp in the HDRi modes, as well as adjust itself over time to prevent eye fatigue. BenQ also includes red and green filters with 20 steps each to compensate for varying levels of user color blindness.
BenQ Mobiuz EX2510 Calibration Settings
In its Standard picture mode, the EX2510 is very accurate in the sRGB color space with no need for calibration. But a few gains are possible with adjustment of the RGB sliders in the user color temp mode. Gamma is spot-on with no adjustment necessary. Other picture modes are less accurate but may appeal to users playing specific game types. Using the HDRi emulations makes SDR content punchier but at the expense of some clarity in shadow and highlight areas. On page four, we’ll show you its effect with a few measurement charts.
Below are our recommended calibration settings for the BenQ Mobiuz EX2510 and SDR content. They produce perfect gamma with very accurate grayscale and color tracking.
Picture Mode
Standard
Brightness 200 nits
56
Brightness 120 nits
25
Brightness 100 nits
18
Brightness 80 nits
10 (min. 53 nits)
Contrast
50
Gamma
3
Color Temp User
Red 97, Green 99, Blue 100
For HDR, the best picture comes in the default mode.
Gaming and Hands-on with BenQ Mobiuz EX2510
One of the EX2510’s most unique features is its HDRi HDR emulation mode. It’s accessed by a button on the front panel and can give an HDR look to SDR content. HDRi works by manipulating gamma to increase perceived contrast. While not strictly accurate, it may appeal to some.
BenQ simplified the EX2510’s image options by eliminating any sort of dynamic contrast feature and leaving the HDRi modes the task of altering contrast for SDR content. We tested the three HDRi modes — HDR, Game HDRi and Cinema HDRi — with Windows apps and various games. It’s also possible to use the Cinema and Game modes with HDR-encoded content.
In SDR mode, we booted up Tomb Raider, and all three HDRi modes degraded the image to varying degrees. HDR was the least offensive but darkened the picture too much overall. Brighter scenes looked about the same, but dimly lit indoor areas were too hard to make out. Game and Cinema HDRi made the effect worse and created a blue tint over everything. With these observations in mind, we recommend avoiding the HDRi HDR emulations unless the content is predominantly bright, like a sports game or animated movie.
Turning on HDR in the Windows Control Panel had a positive effect. Very few HDR monitors actually look good running things like word processors and spreadsheets, but the EX2510 is an exception. By default, the monitor is set to 100% brightness with HDR content. That isn’t as harsh as you might think, given that it’s peaking at around 450 nits. Small highlights in photos and YouTube videos popped nicely, but the overall picture was very pleasing to look at.
Our only complaint is elevated black levels. Though perceived contrast is very good, dark material looked a bit too gray and washed out. A Harry Potter film, for example, looked murky. You’re better off watching your HDR movies in SDR mode. Since there’s no extended color gamut, you won’t see any difference in saturation between SDR and HDR. But in terms of color overall, the monitor has very accurate color tracking, so we didn’t miss the DCI-P3 color space too much.
With Windows HDR on, we played a few rounds of Call of Duty: WWII. This title makes great use of HDR, which is why we use it for testing. Bright cutscenes looked incredibly lifelike with sharp highlights and loads of detail on the EX2510. Darker areas were a bit gray, but detail was still easy to see.
In all cases, we had no trouble with video processing. You can set overdrive to its highest value without ghosting, and blur was a non-issue. Adaptive-Sync worked perfectly on both AMD and Nvidia platforms (even though it’s not G-Sync-certified) with or without HDR. Frame rates stayed maxed at 144 frames per second (fps) in all the games we played. Input lag was also a non-issue with snappy control response and no stuttering or flicker. At this price, it’s hard to imagine finding superior gaming performance.
BenQ put extra effort into its audio by tuning the built-in speakers with a technology called TreVolo. It’s a digital signal processor (DSP) devoted to tweaking the frequency response and phase of the speakers. There are three sound modes, and though they don’t deliver thumping bass at ear-bleeding levels, they sounded better than the average monitor speakers.
Another bonus feature is in the ability to engage a sensor to alter brightness and color temperature to better suit the room’s lighting. This is also something that will deviate from accepted imaging parameters but won’t degrade the picture.
The Razer BlackWidow V3 is a good performer that offers more customization than some of its companions. However, for fans of pink there are cosmetic issues that make the Quartz Edition hard to recommend over the black model, especially with some of the default lighting effects.
For
Solidly built
Comfortable typing
Against
Similar cosmetic issues to other BlackWidow V3 keyboards
Very large
The best gaming keyboards come in many shapes, sizes and styles. With RGB now basically expected of gaming clackers, how can a keyboard stand out in the looks department? Premium media controls can help. You can also go for a nice wrist rest or fancy keycaps and more. But nothing quite makes a keyboard stand out the way a pink color scheme does.
The Razer BlackWidow V3 ($140 as of writing) comes in black but is also available in pink, dubbed Quartz Edition. But not all pinks are made the same, and there’s, of course, more to a keyboard than its looks. Let’s find out if there’s a quality keyboard under that unique pigment, or if Razer simply decided to put lipstick on a pig.
Razer BlackWidow V3 Specs
Switches
Razer Green (clicky) or Razer Yellow (linear)
Lighting
Per-key RGB
Onboard Storage
5 profiles
Media Keys
Yes (
Interface
USB 2.0 Type-A
Cable
Attached, rubber
Additional Ports
None
Key Caps
Doubleshot ABS plastic
Construction
Aluminum top plate, plastic base
Software
Razer Synapse
Dimensions (LxWxH)
17.8 x 6.1 x 1.7 inches (45.2 x 15.5 x 4.3cm)
Weight
2.2 pounds (997.9g)
Design of the Razer BlackWidow V3 Quartz Edition
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Razer’s products often feature a black, green and grey color palette that looks striking to some and dull to others. The BlackWidow V3 can match this theme with a black hue, but the BlackWidow V3 Quartz Edition we’re reviewing distinguishes itself from the rest of the lineup with its powder pink pigment. This color will prove even more divisive—(which is probably why most keyboard manufacturers opt for ol’ reliable), but there’s no denying that it makes Razer’s Quartz collection distinctive.
Underneath that pink color scheme lies a full keyboard that seems massive in comparison to the Razer BlackWidow V3 Tenkeyless, especially with the optional wrist rest attached. If the tenkeyless model is a teacup pig, the Quartz edition BlackWidow V3 is a warthog. We expected this take on the keyboard to be bigger than the TKL model, but we weren’t expecting this large a difference. Without the wrist rest, this behemoth is17.8 inches long, 6.1 inches deep and 1.7 inches tall, compared to the tenkeyless model’s 1.62 x 14.26 x 6.1 inches and weighs 2.2 pounds to its smaller counterpart’s 1.85 pounds. Where the TKL felt reassuringly dense thanks to its aluminum top plate, this model is simply big and it demands attention.
Compared to other full-sized keyboards with dedicated media controls, though the BlackWidow V3 is of a comparable size, if not a bit long. For example, the Redragon K580 Vata is shorter, a little less long but deeper (17.6 x 7.6 x 1.5 inches ), and the HyperX Alloy Elite 2 is less, deep and tall than our review focus (17.5 x 6.9 x 1.5 inches ).
Nor were we expecting Razer to replace the base model BlackWidow V3’s volume roller. The black model’s roller features grooves that make it easier to, well, roll. This version replaces those grooves with a bunch of spikes that make the Quartz edition BlackWidow V3 look like something one might find in an accessories store that caters specifically to teenage girls. That one change had a dramatic effect on the keyboard’s style.
Similar to the BlackWidow V3 Tenkeyless, this full-sized version has some (in my opinion, ugly) keycaps that make the RGB backlighting look worse than it should. They’re doubleshot ABS plastic, which means they should be a bit more durable than your standard keycaps and the writing won’t fade. But the RGB comes through unevenly and looks smudged. That problem was frustrating on the TKL, but at least the issue was limited to the lighting. On the BlackWidow V3 Quartz Edition, the uneven RGB makes the pink coloring look washed out and kind of sickly.
This might seem overly critical of a keyboard’s color scheme, but that color palette is this keyboard’s raison d’etre. People are supposed to buy this version of the BlackWidow V3 because it’s pink, and that aesthetic choice will probably be weighed more heavily than anything else about the keyboard’s design. It’s a shame that such a potentially compelling look was let down by the same issues as other BlackWidow V3 models.
Of course, you can opt for the black version, but we expect to the RGB to look uneven there too, like it did on the black version of the BlackWidow V3 Tenkeyless we tested.
Typing Experience on the Razer BlackWidow V3 Quartz Edition
Razer offers the BlackWidow V3 with its clicky green or linear yellow mechanical switches. Our review model came equipped with Razer Green switches that boast a 50g actuation force, 1.9mm actuation point, and a 0.4mm difference between the actuation and reset point with a total travel distance of 4mm. The yellow switches change those specs to 45g, 1.2mm and 0mm, respectively, with a total travel distance of 3.5mm. Razer Green and Yellow switches can also be found in other BlackWidow V3 models, such as the wireless Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro or aforementioned TKL version.
We ran through 10fastfingers.com’s typing test with the BlackWidow V3, a Logitech G Pro with Romer-G switches and the Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro to get as close to an objective look at our performance on the keyboard as we could get. (The test isn’t perfect, and there’s bound to be variance, but at least it’s quantifiable.) We did the test three times on each keyboard and took the average for the final result.
The results: 114.66 words per minute (wpm) with 95.44% accuracy on the BlackWidow V3, 116.3 wpm with 97.47% accuracy on the G Pro and 114 wpm with 97.24% accuracy on the Apple Magic Keyboard. Razer’s offering performed well considering our familiarity with the other keyboards—we’ve used the G Pro for several years and spend a lot of time using the iPad Pro. Still, the head-to-head tests highlighted some of the BlackWidow V3’s flaws.
The biggest issue was notable pinging on many keys when they’re struck with enough force to bang out more than 100 wpm. The space bar offered a hollow “thud” in between words, too, which made the tests a bit maddening. There’s an important distinction between the pleasant “clack” of a clicky mechanical switch and the unpleasant “ping” of an unhappy spring. We found ourselves typing much slower in normal usage to avoid the latter.
It was also difficult to get the BlackWidow V3 in a comfortable position. The keyboard itself is laid out well—we didn’t notice any undue discomfort during everyday usage, the typing tests, or the writing of this review. But it’s a massive keyboard that we struggled to make room for on our desk in a way that made it easy to reach the mouse as well. (More on that in a moment.) Whether or not the number pad is worth that much space is subjective.
With its clicky Razer Green switches, the BlackWidow V3 will do fine during everyday use, despite pinging issues, when subjected to particularly forceful typing. Intrepid buyers could probably solve that problem with a bit of lube too.
Gaming Experience on the Razer BlackWidow V3 Quartz Edition
This BlackWidow V3 proved as responsive as desired in-game. Something as simple as peeking after a flash in a game like Valorant requires a lot of key presses: Q to prep the flash, A to peek the corner, D to counter-strafe in time to make an accurate shot, Ctrl to crouch when you need to commit to a spray, etc. It never felt like that sequence was messed up because of the keyboard. (Let’s just say that our typing speed doesn’t always translate to in-game key presses.)
Our fingertips didn’t slide from the doubleshot ABS keycaps, it was comfortable to hover like a claw over that all-important WASD cluster and it didn’t take us any time to adapt to the layout when we needed to reach additional keys. We missed having an identifier on the “W” key, like what you” find on the Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro, but aside from that, Razer’s offering was pretty standard on the gaming keyboard front. It didn’t make us any better, nor it didn’t make us any worse.
But this is where the inclusion of a number pad becomes more divisive. TKL keyboards have become increasingly popular, in part because people who play first-person shooters, action games and other genres that don’t rely on that cluster of keys want as much room as possible for their best gaming mouse and mousepad.
Having a behemoth keyboard like the BlackWidow V3 directly violates that principle. We simply couldn’t find a way to make the keyboard fit next to our large-sized Razer Gigantus V2 mousepad in a way that A) was ergonomically viable and B) didn’t look absolutely ridiculous to onlookers.
How much this matters will depend on the games you like to play. Tactical shooters like Valorant and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive reward low in-game sensitivities, which means having a spacious, ergonomic setup is vital. Games that don’t require precise aim can make do with a smaller area of the desk. That isn’t to say ergonomics should ever be overlooked — everyone should try to make their setups as comfortable as possible — but it does mean space is relative.
Our fingertips didn’t slide from the key caps, it was comfortable to hover like a claw over that all-important WASD cluster and it didn’t take us any time to adapt to the layout when we needed to reach additional keys. We missed having an identifier on the “W” key, like what you” find on the k space would probably be better served by the TKL version of the keyboard, however, and those seeking maximum responsiveness should probably opt for linear Razer Yellow switches.
Features and Software on the Razer BlackWidow V3 Quartz Edition
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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)
The BlackWidow V3 relies on Razer Synapse 3 and the Chroma Studio add-on for its customization. Synapse 3 offers the ability to disable the Windows key by toggling Gaming Mode, determine when the keyboard should go to sleep and choose from a list of default RGB effects. You can use Chroma Studio to set per-key RGB lighting in the 16.8 million color spectrum. We don’t necessarily love having to install multiple apps to access those settings, but it’s become the status quo for Razer, so anyone who’s purchased the company’s peripherals before has probably already decided they’re content to install whatever they need to along the way.
Razer’s software also includes the Razer Hypershift feature that allows every key to perform a secondary function–such as launching apps or running a macro–while a designated Hypershift key is held down. Note that the keyboard also allows for on-the-fly macro recording.
This customization also extends to the volume knob and media buttons mentioned earlier. Those descriptions apply to the inputs’ default functions, but Synapse 3 can be used to customize the “multi-function roller wheel” to serve a variety of purposes, while the button next to it can be programmed just like any other key on the keyboard.
Unlike the BlackWidow V3 TKL, this version of the keyboard has on-board storage with support for up to five profiles. People who create Razer accounts can sync profiles across devices using Synapse 3.
Bottom Line
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
There’s no denying that the Razer BlackWidow V3 has a strong foundation. We’ve liked the other BlackWidow V3 models we’ve reviewed, and they share a lot of similarities, so it’s not surprising we like this one as well. Objectively speaking, Razer made a quality keyboard. Although, it doesn’t exactly break the mold.
If you opt for the pink SKU, the Black Widow V3 Quartz Edition looks more unique. But you probably shouldn’t commit to it without seeing it because it can look very different from photos in real life (it’s hard to take a decent photo that captures how off-putting the keyboard looks at times). We were excited to test the Quartz Edition because we thought it’d stand out, but the pink here is washed out and marred by other cosmetic issues.
If you’re looking for a keyboard in this price range with a striking look, the HyperX Alloy Elite 2 is worth considering, and the Thermaltake Level 20 is a juggernaut of its own. Meanwhile, the Patriot Viper V765 brings an RGB deck and is much cheaper than the BlackWidow V3 currently.
But with a solid construction and cozy typing experience, the BlackWidow V3 is a worthy full-sized competitor, if you can find a hue you like.
Along with news, features, opinions, and tech reviews, video has become an increasingly important part of The Verge’s content. But to make great, involving videos, you’ve got to have staff with the expertise to create that video — along with the tools that allow those staff members to let their imaginations soar.
Alix Diaconis is one of the directors who helps make video magic for The Verge. We talked to Alix about what she does and what tools she uses.
Alix, what do you do for The Verge?
I’m one of the video directors for The Verge. I get to work every day with my three co-workers (but really, friends) to create the videos on The Verge’s YouTube channel. Sometimes deadlines are fast because tech and news are fast, but our team has been working together for years, so even live events feel seamless and fun. We each shoot, take photos, and edit; then the video gets treated by our sound and graphics wizards. Then bam, on to the next one!
What hardware and software tools are needed to produce a video for a site like The Verge?
It really varies video to video. For some videos, we’ll pull out all the stops, while for others, we need to do quick and light. Heck, I think we’ve shot videos with just a GoPro.
When we go to a press event, we’ll keep it very light with a monopod, lavalier microphone, and a camera we feel most comfortable with. And then I’ll edit at the event on my MacBook Pro.
But most of the time when we’re shooting on location, we’ll bring a bigger kit with an HD monitor, a slider (which helps you do tracking shots), maybe a drone. And when we’re making the big stuff, like a flagship phone review, we like to bring out everything, including a probe lens like the Venus Optics Laowa to make intro shots like this.
The opening shot on this video was created using a probe lens.
Since we’re uploading videos for our job, good internet upload speeds make life a lot easier. We also have a shared server so we have access to our terabytes and terabytes of footage at all times.
Oh, and also teamwork. Lots and lots of teamwork.
What specific hardware tools do you use for your work?
For shooting, I prefer to use the Canon EOS C200 — I think it looks really cinematic — and my preferred lens is the Canon EF 70-200mm (for B-roll at least). Sometimes I’ll use the Sony A7S II or III, which looks extra crisp, but I’m not a big fan of Sony menus. For sound, I’ll typically use a Sennheiser G3 lavalier or a Zoom H6 recorder. For photos, I use the Canon 50D.
For post-production in The Verge offices, I would edit on a 27-inch iMac, which is due for an upgrade. At home, though, I have a more powerful editing PC that my producer built for me. It has an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-core processor, 2TB NVMe drive, a Radeon RX 580 series video card, 32GB RAM, and an Asus 28-inch 4K display. Of course, there are always technical issues — it’s part of editing — but the PC is the best editing machine I’ve personally owned. (Thank you, Phil!) I do miss the beautiful iMac display though.
Also, since video takes up a lot of space, I’ll sometimes use an additional SSD for projects. And as for headphones, I use the Sony MDR-7506, which are the only headphones I can wear comfortably all day.
And then there’s the fun, random gear: a GoPro Hero 8, an Insta360 panoramic video camera (which we recently used for this e-bike video), a Zhiyun Crane, a DJI Mavic Pro drone… and whatever else we can get our hands on.
This video was created using an Insta360 panoramic video camera.
What software tools do you use for your work?
All Adobe everything. Premiere Pro for editing, After Effects for basic graphics, and Photoshop for the video thumbnails. You can do a lot in Premiere, but it does have its bugs, and it’s not always optimized for Apple’s hardware.
What tools do you use for your own projects?
I’ve been teaching myself DaVinci Resolve to color footage. I still barely understand the program, but it makes footage look 100x better than coloring it in Premiere. And purely for fun, I shoot 35mm film on my dad’s old Minolta camera.
What hardware and software tools would you recommend for somebody just starting out?
Premiere is very common for editing. But if you want to try something free and you have an iPhone or iPad, there’s the Splice app. It’s really intuitive, but you’re limited to clips you have on your device. There’s also DaVinci Resolve, which is free and as advanced as most paid editing softwares.
As for cameras, just get one that you feel comfortable using! And for a computer, invest in a good one if you see yourself editing for a long time; iMacs and Windows PCs are both good, and the specs will just depend on how big your projects will be. I haven’t had a chance to use Apple’s new M1 MacBook Air or Pro yet, but both seem like good choices if you’d prefer a laptop.
It’s more important than usual to update to the latest version of Chrome. Version 88.0.4324.150 of Google’s browser released on Thursday fixes a vulnerability which the search giant says is actively being exploited in the wild. The update is rolling out now across Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Google isn’t providing specific details about the CVE-2021-21148 vulnerability “until a majority of users are updated with a fix.” But ZDNet notes that the date Google says the bug was reported on (January 24th) is just one day before Google’s Threat Analysis Group publicly disclosed a hacking campaign that appeared to be relying, in part, on an unpatched vulnerability in Chrome. It said government-backed hackers based in North Korea had set up a blog to lure their targets to, which would infect their machines even if they were running fully-patched software.
Regardless of the exact bug being patched, it’s more important than usual to ensure you’re running the latest version of Chrome. Although the browser’s update process is basically automatic, you can accelerate things and force an update in the “About Google Chrome” menu.
Razer is adding its Chroma RGB to a new part of your setup: a Thunderbolt 4 dock. It’s the latest office-style accessory to get a touch of the company’s gaming aesthetic, and its selection of ports is clearly meant for those looking to future-proof their setups.
The dock, dubbed Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma, costs $329.99 and is up for pre-order at Razer’s website and retail stores. It has ten ports in total and is compatible with any Windows 10 laptop with Thunderbolt 3 or 4 and Macs with Thunderbolt 3, as long as they run macOS Big Sur (including both Intel-based laptops and those with Apple’s own M1 processors).
(Image credit: Razer)
Of the four Thunderbolt 4 ports, you’ll use one to connect your laptop to the anodized aluminum dock. The other three can be used for power delivery, data or a display. Razer claims the dock supports up to 40Gbps data transfer speeds.
The dock supports up to two monitors at 4K60 or a single 8K monitor at 30 Hz, but it doesn’t use traditional HDMI or DisplayPort outputs. You’ll either need to use this dock with a USB-C or Thunderbolt monitor or get Thunderbolt-to-DisplayPort cables.
(Image credit: Razer)
On the front, besides a TB4 port, there’s also an SD card reader and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The back features the other three TB4 ports, RJ-45 Ethernet, and three USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A ports. It comes with a 135W power brick and offers 90W power delivery to charge your laptop without other cables.
One thing that’s unclear is if this dock will work with regular USB 4, given that Thunderbolt 4
is largely USB 4 with some optional features
.
The dock is 7.48 inches wide, 2.93 inches deep and 1.06 inches tall. That will take up a bit more space than some docks that have vertical stands, and it allows for more room for its RGB showcase.
And what would a Razer device be without Chroma RGB? The Thunderbolt 4 dock works with Razer’s Synapse software for lighting customizations, at least if you’re on Windows 10. The company says Synapse isn’t supported on macOS, so it’s likely Mac users will have to opt for a generic rainbow pattern.
But Razer isn’t the first to an RGB dock. WD added the D50 Game Dock NVMe to its Black line last year, which is $320 or more if you add up to 2TB of internal storage. It, however, is more about the storage and has fewer ports.
It’s not a huge surprise to see Razer, known primarily as a gaming-focused company, continue its dive into the office. It made its first productivity-focused notebook, the Razer Book 13, last year. It has also made office-bound peripherals in a partnership with Humanscale.
Razer is also updating its laptop stand, the Laptop Stand Chroma V2, with more ports (USB 3.2 Gen 1 both Type-A and Type-C, HDMI 2.0 and USB-C for power delivery) and an 18-degree angle which is meant to improve ergonomics. It, too, features Chroma RGB. The $150 laptop stand is also up for pre-order.
If you’ve been hunting for a Thunderbolt 4 dock for your new laptop, Razer has a new option for you to consider, simply called the Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock. It’s loaded with ports, and of course, Chroma RGB lighting, too. Razer says it’s USB4 compliant, so it’ll be compatible with the next wave of fast peripherals and devices. It’s available for preorder through Razer for $329.99, which seems competitive for what it offers.
Taking a trip around this understated, matte black aluminum dock, its front hosts a fast UHS-II SD card slot, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a single Thunderbolt 4 port to plug straight into your computer. On the back is where you’ll find most of the ports, including a barrel jack for its 135W power source, three Thunderbolt 4 ports for connecting displays and accessories (including support for Razer’s Core X external graphics card enclosure), a Gigabit Ethernet port, and three USB Type-A 3.1 Gen 2 ports.
The dock is 7.48 inches long, 2.93 inches wide, and just over an inch tall. It weighs three quarters of a pound.Razer
The Thunderbolt 4 Dock can deliver 90W PD charging to laptops, and if you plan to connect external monitors to it, it can support up to two 4K screens with a 60Hz refresh rate, or one 8K display at 30Hz.
This dock is also compatible with Windows 10 laptops with Thunderbolt 3 ports, as well as recent MacBook Pro and Air models running macOS Big Sur and all of Apple’s M1-powered machines — all of which feature Thunderbolt 3.
Razer’s Thunderbolt 4 dock is almost a direct (but slightly more expensive) parallel to the Kensington SD5700T dock that my colleague Monica Chin checked out. It’s $289.99 and features the same amount of Thunderbolt 4 ports, plus one extra USB Type-A port. Razer’s option is a little more slim, lightweight, and flashy with its LEDs, but only you will know if that’s worth $40 more.
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