TheTechNugget's stats
- Review count116
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- First reviewMay 21, 2016
- Last reviewMay 8, 2024
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- Average rating3.8
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- First answerOctober 15, 2016
- Last answerSeptember 26, 2018
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Take your playlist with you by using these noise-cancelling Sony headphones. Their 40mm drivers with liquid crystal polymer diaphragms fill your ears with booming audio to immerse you in songs, and they're ergonomically designed to provide comfort during extended listening sessions. These Sony headphones have a proprietary noise-cancelling processor, so you can immerse yourself in the music.Industry Leading Noise Cancellation. *As of August 30, 2018. According to research by Sony Corporation measured using JEITA-compliant guidelines. In headband-style of wireless noise-canceling headphones market.
Customer Rating
5
Great pick for high-end consumer headphones!
on September 26, 2018
Posted by: TheTechNugget
from Cleveland, OH
For those who know me, it is certainly no mystery that I spend a lot of time reviewing personal audio products. I've written before about how the market space has exploded over the last several years, and even more recently remarked that it is getting harder and harder to find bad headphones and bad speakers. That's of course not to say bad headphones and bad speakers don't exist, especially at budget prices, but just like smart phones there are plenty of manufacturers that are succeeding in developing budget options for those people who really enjoy a good audio experience.
And just like in the smartphone market, you still have the big players, like Bose, Sony, and Beats, who continue to sell products at the top end of most peoples’ comfort zones. Some number of years ago, when Bose’s QC line of over-the-ear headphones hit the market, people balked at the $350 price tag; I am no stranger to spending top dollar for flagship products, my recently acquired iPhone X S Max is a testament to that.
I've also had discussions recently with friends about the nature of audiophiles, and what they expect out of a great pair of headphones. I remember remarking that the Bose QC35s are an all-around great pair of headphones, even for those folks who are really picky about what they hear; the response to that was that true audio files would have a serious problem with my statement. But what we have to remember is that Sony and Bose and Beats aren’t marketing toward audiophiles; but they are doing a great job converting more amateur listeners of music and watchers of movies into people that can tell the difference between good and bad when it comes to audio quality. My wife, who has on many occasions shared her discontent with my obsession over headphones and speakers, is a great example of that; she has been using my Sennheiser 598 SEs for the last couple of months.
I once bought and returned a pair of Bose QC35s when they were originally released; the active noise canceling was a little bit too much for me to handle. Still, I've wanted to get back into that space and test out some great noise canceling headphones even though the negative pressure makes me motion sick. So, I jumped at the the opportunity to review the Sony WH-1000X M3wireless headphones,
First and foremost, it's important to note that these headphones are a direct competitor to the Bose QC35s, and the finished product is definitely something to get excited about. The build is a largely plastic one, with soft and supple ear cups as well as a nice headband pad along the top. The design is minimalist at best, with only two buttons on the left ear cup (one for controlling power and one for controlling noise cancellation functions). There is an auxiliary input jack on the left ear cup as well, and the headphones can be used without power in the event that your battery runs out. The right ear cup sports a single USB type C port, and while I will get more into this later, the right ear cup is touch sensitive with an array of additional controls. The headband is extremely flexible, and the matte black design that is carried throughout the entire pair of headphones is extremely pleasing to the eyes. There is a mic on each ear cup as well. The ear cups turn inward and the headphones fold and collapse so that they can be easily stored in the provided carrying case. The carrying case has room to also store the USB charging cable, an auxiliary input cord and an airplane headphone adapter which are all included. While the included auxiliary cable was not of a particularly high quality, it will definitely do the trick since you're going to be using these wirelessly most of the time. The carrying case itself is a clamshell style case providing protection for the headphones and has a soft fabric on the inside to protect the headphones from scrathes; it's a full zippered enclosure with a mesh pocket on the back for carrying additional cables if you prefer. The case itself on the outside has a dark denim look which is also pleasing to the eyes.
In terms of comfort, the Sony WH-1000X M3s feel as nice as they look. Weighing in at just over 250 grams, they're extremely lightweight but still provide great flexibility and comfort during wear; even during long sessions of listening there is no wearing fatigue along the top of the head or at the jawline. And, because the design allows the ear cups to be folded inward, they are extremely comfortable to wear around the neck if you're not using them. I will admit, they can get a little warm, but that's nothing new for over-ear headphones; I would not pick these as great headphones to wear at the gym, but in a more relaxed setting they are extremely comfortable.
The packaging touts a 30-hour battery, which of course is going to be different based on your volume and noise canceling adjustments, and I found that the battery does last well over 20 hours during my testing under normal use. They are also quick charge capable, providing five hours of playback time with only a 10-minute charge. I also want to point out how excited I am that these headphones charge with the USB Type-C cable and not micro USB like so many other headphones that are still being released today. Sadly, they only have Bluetooth version 4.2, and not version 5 like some other flagship headphones.
In terms of performance, and in short, these are the first over-ear headphones that I think truly give the Bose QC35s a run for their money. The sound profile right out-of-the-box is very flat, and is probably intended to be that way. The headphones allow you to toggle between active noise canceling, noise pass-through, and passive noise canceling with no modification to your audio. For the purpose of this review, audio quality was assessed with no active noise cancellation.
I am no stranger to Sony's line of extra bass products, which certainly accomplish providing a great audio experience with fantastic bass; it's clear that Sony has brought some of that technology into the WH-1000X M3s, as the low-end capabilities of these headphones strike a nice balance between bass lover and acoustic appreciation. The mids offer exactly what you would expect, and in some cases, this is where these headphones shine most. Vocal and acoustic tracks have an almost live feeling, sometimes even raw. Sony also does a great job with the highs on these headphones, where even at 100% volume there is no crass separation in cymbal crashes and other high-frequency sounds.
The performance of these headphones out of the box, though, is only enhanced by the Sony companion app available for iOS and Android. Among all of the products that I've reviewed and all of the companion apps that go with them, Sony's Headphone Connect app continues to provide among the best user experience and simplest interface. The app allows you access to a basic equalizer, as well as adjustments for soundstage and noise canceling options. Settings adjusted within the app take place real-time on the headphones, and are stored so you don't have to reset them every time you power them on.
As I mentioned before, one of the great features of these headphones is the touch-sensitive controls located on the right ear cup. A swipe up or a swipe down on the ear cup will adjust the volume, while swipes forward and back allow for track seek and track skip. Double tapping the right ear cup will play or pause your music as well as answer phone calls, and covering the right ear cup with your palm will lower music volume and let through ambient noise; this can be especially helpful in a busy office environment with frequent interruptions.
There's really only one thing that I don't like about these headphones, and that is how warm my ears get if I'm doing even the most basic physical task like folding laundry. That is by no means a deal-breaker, though, because all over-ear headphones that provide great passive noise cancellation like the WH-1000X M3s have that same characteristic, including Bose’s QC35s.
At a retail price of $350, these are by no means cheap, but there are cases where you get what you pay for and this is one of them. Now, whether or not it's appropriate that high-end consumer headphones (not audiophile studio headphones) are commonly sold between $300 and $400, compared to the competition the Sony headphones hold up well. Between great battery life, quick charge capability, the great minimalist design, USB Type-C, and a super comfortable wearing experience, there's no reason to think that anybody would be disappointed with these headphones.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
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Party all night with this LG PK7 portable Bluetooth speaker. It uses Meridian Audio technology and dual tweeters for excellent sound quality, while the 22 hours of playback time keep you dancing. Get the perfect celebratory atmosphere with the LED multicolor mood lighting on this LG PK7 portable Bluetooth speaker.
Customer Rating
3
Might be what you're looking for...but not me.
on September 15, 2018
Posted by: TheTechNugget
from Cleveland, OH
If there are two products that I have more of than anything else, it's headphones and speakers. I love listening to music, watching movies or shows online, and the better the audio experience, the better the immersive nature of whatever I'm taking in at the time. Personal audio, as I've said before, is a market that is extremely flooded with products right now and it's becoming more and more difficult to distinguish between inherently "good" and "bad" products. But that's not necessarily a bad thing; at mostly every budget there are products that perform admirably, this thanks to just how flooded the market is.
We've all walked up and down the aisles at Best Buy and looked at the numerous Bluetooth speaker options, becoming familiar with brands like Bose, Harmon Kardon, UE, JBL and Marshall, but perhaps one of the brands we're not so familiar with when it comes to portable Bluetooth speakers is LG. LG, a maker of TVs, smartphones, computer monitors, laptops; oh, and washers, stoves and refrigerators--they also have a portable speaker option.
It's no surprise, in some sense, that a maker of higher-end speaker bars would release a product like the PK7, its largest of three options in the PK series. It has been some time since I've tried out a new large speaker, although probably my most recent was a Samsung soundbar that has been a phenomenal addition to my entertainment setup. Nevertheless, I've become so familiar with small portable speakers that I often forget just how heavy speakers can be--and at 6.3 pounds, the PK7 is a beast of a speaker (by weight) in a relatively small package.
From a design perspective, there's nothing all that exciting when you take the PK7 out of the box. It is a front-facing speaker only, with no 360-degree sound; although I do admit that it probably serves this speaker better that it is not. With two large "handles" on the front (only one of which is intended as a handle), the front of the speaker is slightly elevated which points the speaker at an upward angle, as if it were intended to sit on a short shelf or table. The all-black plastic shell surrounds the speaker unit itself, also completely black and a mix of metal and plastic. Four rubber feet are on the bottom of the speaker, indicating that there is only one correct way to place this speaker on a surface, and a row of controls along the top give you access to play/pause, volume up/down, power, Bluetooth and function buttons. The back of the speaker has a small door, sealed with a rubber gasket, under which the DC in, auxiliary port, reset button and Dual Play button (which allows you to pair two PK7 speakers for stereo sound). Along each side of the speaker is a passive radiator that contributes to the speaker's bass performance.
Right off the bat, I was pleased to find such a large and allegedly powerful speaker that ran on a battery promising 22 hours of battery life (individual results may vary); it's 10,400 mAh battery being charged through a standard DC adapter that comes in the box. It is strange to me that this speaker doesn't support any USB input (including power, which is pretty much a standard for Bluetooth speakers), but nevertheless, a 20+ hour battery on a large speaker is nothing to get upset about regardless of how it is charged.
The speaker package itself includes the two passive radiators mentioned above along with two tweeters, which combine to provide a relatively well-rounded audio profile. Naturally flat, there isn't much excitement to the audio performance straight out of the box. LG provides dedicated buttons on the top of the speaker to enable/disable both "Clear Vocal" and "Enhanced Bass" settings, and after listening to anything with both features enabled I'm not sure why anyone would do anything but always leave them on.
With both Clear Vocal and Enhanced Bass enabled, the sound profile turns into something a little more exciting. Vocals come through, well, very clear and almost raw--making this a great product for indie and singer/songwriter music that doesn't have a lot of instrumental depth. For most music, the mids come through clearly as well, with a decent amount of separation between instrumentation. Highs are also clear and crisp, with great separation from the lows and mids. And, the lows come through beautifully with the help of the dual passive radiators on the sides of the speakers.
From a volume perspective, this speaker can get pretty loud, although I'm not sure it would perform well in large open spaces indoors or well in your backyard barbeque if your yard is too big. While it appears to be marketed as a product intended for larger audiences, especially with the handle design (eat your heart out, boombox), it's more appropriate to think of this speaker as something you'd take to your local park for a quick game of 3-on-3 basketball, or to stash it on a table near your grill for entertainment while you prepare for a weekend cookout. This is not a speaker you're going to rely on for the next rave in your backyard.
And speaking of raves, if you happen to throw one in your living room, the PK7 comes with all the onboard lighting you need to ensure your guests have a great time…
In all seriousness, this is another speaker with onboard lighting, which is a phenomenon I'm not entirely sure I understand. With the lights on, it appears as if the speaker has eyes staring deeply into your soul, and they have a few different functions during music playback as well ("Party," "Water" and "Forest"). I definitely see a difference in the light behavior between each setting, but I certainly don't understand the naming convention.
So the speaker sounds pretty good, has lights that you can thankfully disable, and seemingly good battery life…but it's not all sunshine and rainbows. For starters, the fact that this is a single-direction, forward-facing speaker with bass amplification on the side makes for awkward positioning to get the most out of your sound. Other Bluetooth speakers sometimes put bass amplification on the back of the speaker, making it ideally placed on a table near a wall, while others (and the PK7 could definitely get away with it since the bottom of the speaker unit is raised) put it on the bottom of the speaker to take advantage of downward reflection. Because the PK7 has passive radiators on the side, it makes an attempt at providing full space-filling sound, but given it doesn't perform all that well in open areas, this is only accomplished if the speaker is placed in a corner of a room. Admittedly, that's a perfectly acceptable placement of a speaker, but not necessarily a convenient one for all people.
And, while the sound is largely good and provides a decent experience, at higher volumes you can hear a slight hiss during certain types of music. I found this mostly in tracks highlighting vocals and large unison sections of instrumental music. This isn't a deal breaker by any means and could be specific to my unit, as it was harder to notice in non-controlled audio environments.
The one thing that often times saves an audio product from a total "thumbs down" review from me is its companion app, especially if that app allows for adjustment to the sound profile in any way. I was annoyed to find out that the companion app for the PK7 was Android only, but I did have an Android phone around for testing purposes so downloaded the app. It's terrible. There is no adjustment that can be made to the sound at all, aside from enabling or disabling the functions that have dedicated buttons on the speaker itself.
And (thank goodness), you can also create a custom lighting animation for the speaker within the less-than-good companion app. That really saves the day, because "Forest" and "Water" just weren't doing it for me. Can we talk about the lights, though? Why? Why is this a thing? I really don't get it. If nothing else, it would be nice if the app would let you set the light default to off when the speaker is powered on, but even that isn't possible…every time I turn the speaker on, I have to cycle through the options with the physical buttons on the speaker to make the lights go away, otherwise, it's just more battery wasted. Sony, for instance, recently released the SRS-XB31 Bluetooth speaker, which also has lights, but it has a pretty good companion app and the ability to save settings to the speaker and clear out defaults.
So, the PK7 sounds good enough for what it is. I'm not writing home about it, and I'm certainly not going to recommend paying $250 for it. If you get it on sale (at the time of writing this review I see it for $179, which is a pretty good price for what you're getting), it's worth considering if you're looking for a speaker that does a fine job filling a room or two with sound. You're not going to be buying this when you DJ your kid's graduation party, but it's also not a useless piece of tech. At around 25% off, it's a better value than a smaller $200 Bose speaker, even given Bose's better sound performance (I continue to use my several-year-old SoundLink Mini, which is one of the best speakers I've used), and the PK7's onboard battery gives you enough playback to get through a week's worth of runs on your treadmill. But at the full retail price of $250, I'd pass on this one and go instead with one of the many other manufacturers in the personal audio market.
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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-5points
11of 27voted this as helpful.
Get ready to game with this Fnatic Clutch 2 gaming mouse. It's specifically designed for e-sports so that you have an edge on the competition, and because it is full-size, this ergonomic mouse fits neatly in the palm of your hand. This Fnatic Clutch 2 gaming mouse features highly accurate sensor technology to ensure every movement is delivered on screen.
Customer Rating
4
Stellar for a mouse with a cord...
on August 29, 2018
Posted by: TheTechNugget
from Cleveland, OH
Not long ago I wrote a review about the Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop, demonstrating my lack of knowledge in the arena of PC gaming. I've spent no small amount of time learning about gaming on PCs--building your own rig, benchmarks and FPS performance indicators and the monitors with the best refresh rate for the highest demand games, but I've never fully understood the obsession with wired mice and keyboards (and specifically, mechanical keyboards). I decided it probably wouldn't be something I could read about and understand, so I did what any reasonable human being would do, and got my hands on some true gaming peripherals from a company called Fnatic to see if the hands-on experience would shed any light on the topic for me.
Any time I go to Microcenter, I often find myself amazed at how inexpensive a basic wired optical mouse is. So, at $60 for Fnatic's Clutch 2 gaming mouse, I had my doubts…then again, I'm accustomed to paying upwards of $100 for a good wireless mouse (i.e., the MX Master 2S), so maybe this wouldn't be so far off.
I was immediately surprised at how basic the Fnatic Clutch 2 looked…standard curved mouse design, a couple of side buttons, scroll wheel, and a few lights--but that's it. It's also very lightweight, which I imagine is important if you're an avid gamer. The size is perfect for someone with larger hands, and it's very comfortable to hold and use.
Inside a gaming session, it's equally and comfortable and understated--which is an interesting juxtaposition for me. When I buy a mouse, something like the MX Master 2S, I want to be reminded constantly that I bought that mouse--I want to love the mouse and recognize that it's always under my hand. That said, I learned soon during a game of Rocket League that the less I'm thinking about the mouse, the better off I'd be…I don't want to be reminded of the mouse I paid $60 for, because in that moment the only thing I should be focused on is the game. The Clutch 2 helped accomplish this goal--with its light and simple design, I didn't have to think about where it was, how it felt, or where the buttons were…it's a basic mouse that is great for being exactly that.
Then again, an $8 optical mouse from Microcenter might accomplish the same thing…at least in game. And in some sense, that's true--but what it would be missing are a couple extra touches that make this gaming mouse (and others just like it) special: customization. Because I've spent some time watching folks build gaming PCs, I understand the obsession with RGB lighting. I've seen enough "Office Tour" and "Desk Setup" videos to have purchased my own RGB light strips for the back of my desk…I get it. That's one piece of the customization here--utilizing the OP software to change the lights on the mouse to any color your heart desires.
And of course, a fancy light show isn't the only thing that the OP software allows: as expected, CPI and Polling Rate customization options are available there, as well as key binding capabilities…along with the ability to save up to 4 different configurations for the mouse so you can easily swap between fully customized presets. My only real complaint about the OP software was how long the install took on Windows…it is totally possible it was a system performance issue, but the installer hung multiple times during my initial installation attempts, but after a while I finally got it figured out.
In tweaking this mouse to my liking, it really got me thinking about how such a highly customizable mouse could make a difference in my standard work, not specifically for gaming. So, I downloaded the OP app for Mac (I was surprised there was a Mac installer in the first place), and applied those same preferred settings for my standard workload…and I have to admit, my opinion on wired gaming mice may have changed; this is certainly a different experience from my standard Logitech choices, better in most ways aside from the cable.
So at the end of the day, I sit the fence. The Clutch 2 is a well-built product that is comfortable to use and performs well during a gaming session. It could easily replace my wireless mouse because of its smooth operation and simple design, and for only $60 that's not a bad bargain. As long as you like the looks, and the customization is something you're looking for, I think Fnatic might have a product you'll enjoy, even if you're not a gamer.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+8points
8of 8voted this as helpful.
Pair this Fnatic miniStreak Professional e-sports keyboard with your gaming setup for quick response in fast-paced games. Ideal for FPS and multiplayer gaming, this tenkeyless mechanical keyboard makes the most of your space, while Cherry Brown MXRGB switches provide tactile reaction and satisfying speed. Complete with a detachable leather wrist rest, this Fnatic miniStreak Professional e-sports keyboard is ideal for tournament play.
Customer Rating
3
This keyboard is fine, but colorful
on August 29, 2018
Posted by: TheTechNugget
from Cleveland, OH
Not long ago I wrote a review about the Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop, demonstrating my lack of knowledge in the arena of PC gaming. I've spent no small amount of time learning about gaming on PCs--building your own rig, benchmarks and FPS performance indicators and the monitors with the best refresh rate for the highest demand games, but I've never fully understood the obsession with wired mice and keyboards (and specifically, mechanical keyboards). I decided it probably wouldn't be something I could read about and understand, so I did what any reasonable human being would do, and got my hands on some true gaming peripherals from a company called Fnatic to see if the hands-on experience would shed any light on the topic for me.
I'll start with this--although mechanical keyboards speak to the reminiscent part of my brain when it comes to computers, the reminiscent part of my brain is relatively small and I've never found them particularly enticing. Again--I've read and watched A LOT of reviews on these, and lately have been interested in checking them out. As a point of reference, I typically prefer a chiclet-style low profile keyboard, something like the Apple Magic Keyboard or Logitech's Craft Keyboard.
The Mini Streak is a standard keyboard without a number pad on the right--and that may be a deal breaker for some right away (Fnatic also makes full-size keyboards with 10-keys, for what it's worth). I would describe the keys and key travel as the opposite of my preferred low profile keyboards, but I was surprised that after a significant amount of typing I didn't feel any fatigue in my hands. This is something that I've noticed as I've become accustomed to lower- and lower-profile keyboards, over time; the latest MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards are an example of my ultimate keyboard because so little effort is required to engage a key and register a key press. Any time I stray away from a lower profile keyboard, I find myself struggling to, after some time with the keyboard, push the keys down in order to register a key press--and while that probably sounds whiny and stupid, it is nonetheless something that I've found in recent years.
That said, no fatigue at all with these keys, and I credit the Cherry MX Brown switches and solid wristpad design for that. Speaking of the wristpad, the Mini Streak comes with a detachable wrist rest that can be customized to sit right below the keyboard (flush with it), or further away with an inch-and-a-half gap between the bottom of the keyboard and the top of the wrist rest; this is a nice design touch and helps accommodate folks with larger hands.
Fanatic's OP software allows for maximum customization of the keyboard, including key binding, customized colored lighting (down to the individual key), and the ability to deactivate certain keys with Fnatic's "Competition Mode" so that no accidental system actions are triggered during your gaming sessions. And, while it took more time than I expected to get the software installed and running on Windows, I finally got the job done and was able to fully customize the keyboard to my liking.
Inside a gaming session, the Mini Streak operated no differently than any other wired keyboard, from my perspective. I understand that avid gamers may notice a difference between a 500Hz and 1000Hz polling rate, but I'm not one of those people. I also thought about using the Mini Streak in place of my standard wireless keyboard but was less excited about that experience than I was replacing my regular wireless mouse with a gaming mouse.
So at the end of the day, I'm not convinced. The Mini Streak is certainly a well-built product that is comfortable to use and performs well during a gaming session. But, from a performance perspective, I'm not convinced it's much better than any other wired keyboard unless you're into the customization that it offers along with the Cherry MX Brown Switches. At $100, I can tell you I've purchased more expensive keyboards that don't do quite as much, but I don't find this particular keyboard to be among my favorites.
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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0of 34voted this as helpful.
Only at Best BuyEnter the RPG arena with this Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop. It has 1TB of storage, and its NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card loads dynamic in-game visuals and Full HD movies smoothly. The quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of DDR4 RAM let this Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop perform efficiently.
Customer Rating
3
An OK starter budget gaming laptop
on May 9, 2018
Posted by: TheTechNugget
from Cleveland, OH
Let's just say I'm not the master race type. I've had Playstation and Xbox consoles through the years, and my gaming "roots" take me back to the days of Atari and Nintendo (the latter, a majority of the time), and while my love for gaming has persisted through the years it's never been a top-5 hobby of mine. Just as much as the next guy, I'll wait for certain titles to hit and will buy them immediately on whichever console is my "current" at the time--Halo, Assassin's Creed, etc., but beyond that, I wouldn't call myself an avid gamer. And maybe because of that primarily, the notion of a budget gaming laptop was appealing to me.
But I'm not completely new to the PC gaming space; I recognize that the hardcore master race guys and gals out there are building their own machines with the best specs and saving serious dollars by rolling their own (versus buying something off the shelf called a "gaming" PC), and even more recently with more mini-PC cases being made in a way that makes home-building easy for novice DIY-ers, I've been watching (and waiting) for the right time to build my own. Unfortunately, cryptocurrencies have pushed up PC internal prices in the last several months which has dropped this down a few spots on my "to-do" list.
And while building your own gaming PC has been the cheapest way into the game for some time now, there's still a temptation for the more mobile, more social among us to have access to a more compact way of taking gaming with us (man oh man do I miss LAN parties). Enter gaming laptops, which we've seen more and more of as time has gone on.
This particular review is on the Acer Nitro 5, which hit the market somewhat officially several months ago but has been upgraded to Intel's 8th Generation Coffee Lake processors. A quick rundown of the specs here:
• 1TB 7200RPM Hard Drive
• Intel Core i5-8300 Processor
• GTX 1050 Dedicated Graphics
• 8GB DDR4 RAM
• 15.6" FHD IPS display
• I/O: 3x USB Type A, 1x USB Type C, Full-size HDMI Out, Ethernet, SD Card Slot, Headphone Jack
• 1TB 7200RPM Hard Drive
• Intel Core i5-8300 Processor
• GTX 1050 Dedicated Graphics
• 8GB DDR4 RAM
• 15.6" FHD IPS display
• I/O: 3x USB Type A, 1x USB Type C, Full-size HDMI Out, Ethernet, SD Card Slot, Headphone Jack
Being that I'm not an avid gamer, I'm going to leave the benchmarking to the more in-depth reviews you will find all over the internet…what I'm most concerned about, as with any gadget, is the experience…especially in light of the specs above.
First and foremost--I had a few concerns about the spinning hard drive, but like it over the 256GB NVMe SSD option because of the storage required for a library of games. I recognize that external hard drives (and especially USB-C ones) exist and can alleviate this quite easily, but there's nothing more convenient than having access to more games without worrying about more attachments. From a performance perspective, aside from slower boot times and possibly slower game load times, the spinning hard drive did the job fine…but, if you wanted to buy an additional SSD and add it to this machine, you could do that pretty easily and with limited impact to your wallet. (Not that you want to buy a machine just to upgrade it, but that still puts you under $850 after upgrade).
And while the hard drive is a decision that you don't have to stick with long-term, choosing your graphics card is something that you have to decide up front. The Nitro 5 comes with either the 1050 or the 1050Ti, the latter being the better performer, but I found the 1050 to do an adequate job at processing video without stutter or lag. And, not that Rocket League is the most video-intensive game, it pushed 60FPS consistently without fail every time I played. Just upgrading to the model with the 1050 Ti and keeping the spinning hard drive adds only $30, so if you're looking to squeeze every bit of juice out of this it's almost certainly worth the investment.
RAM was another big concern of mine; fortunately, this is easily upgradable to a max of 32GB, but as with the lower-spec graphics card I didn't see any performance lags during gameplay running with only 8GB. And the display was good, not great. On a "budget" gaming machine, I wasn't expecting much here--decent viewing angles and got the job done; a 4K display would have too drastic an impact on price tag and performance, so there's not much here that is a surprise.
Stepping away from the specs, the design is one that I found to be pretty attractive and not too overstated. Gaming peripherals and PC cases and monitors and the various other gaming-related gadgets are usually far too gaudy for my liking, but the Nitro 5 does a good job balancing the traditional "red" gaming components with an almost stealthy look for the rest of the device. The keyboard was good, although I don't like the backlighting at all, as the backlights are more visible from the front of the device (with light bleeding out from beneath the keys) than it is on the keycaps themselves. I feel like this is a design flaw--making the keycaps just a bit taller can cover up these lines of light and add to the stealthy profile. The touchpad is fine (although a bit "loose" feeling to me) and uses Windows Precision drivers, although I would imagine most folks would be connecting an external mouse to this during long-term use.
Accessibility to the internals is no issue; the SATA drive and RAM are both accessible through their own ports and the back cover comes off pretty easily for those who want to upgrade (or in my case, ADD) an SSD. The device comes in at over 5 pounds, which is not unreasonable for a gaming machine, and is primarily plastic.
There are a couple final points to make in this review. First, the master race PC builder isn't going to waste their time reading a review like this, or even considering this purchase. But for someone like me, a not-so-serious gamer that wants to occasionally play some PC games, I think this machine is a really good choice. I think the intense gamers will probably be dissatisfied with something like this unless they're looking specifically for a mobile-friendly rig to complement their already awesome home-built PC.
Second, there is a fair amount of competition at this price point. I would fully expect a little bit of a discount for the entry-level, budget-conscious gaming laptop, so keep your eyes out for that. Specs will all be about the same, so it may come down to price or design that makes you pull the trigger.
Third, if you're not a gamer but plan to get serious about it, I wouldn't spend the money here. There's a lot of draw to having a gaming laptop, but in most cases, you're going to be playing in one place--and at $700, you can build a pretty great starter machine that will be far more customizable and upgradeable for you in the years to come.
But all that considered--I had a lot of fun with this machine. If a budget gaming laptop is on your shopping list, given that the Nitro 5 is available in a few different configurations (swapping out the spinning drive for an SSD or the GTX 1050 for a slightly-more-capable GTX 1050Ti), figure out where you think you'll get the best bang for your buck and go for it. I think the sweet spot is probably the better graphics card with the larger hard drive, but that's entirely subjective.
Overall it's a decent machine that will provide some good entertainment for my family. I'm not a huge fan of the materials, but the design is solid and performance at the price point is good enough to get you started in the master race.
My Best Buy number: 0905875468
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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-3points
13of 29voted this as helpful.
The Xperia XZ2 Compact is designed to be the ultimate entertainment device. Whether you're recording breathtaking videos in 4K HDR, or watching films in HDR, the Xperia XZ2 Compact delivers big screen entertainment in the palm of your hand.
Customer Rating
5
There's just something about it...
on May 1, 2018
Posted by: TheTechNugget
from Cleveland, OH
Over the last year or two, we've seen a lot of great phones hit the market that don't require you to take out a second mortgage on your house. People have become cell phone crazy, and with a willingness to pay top dollar for the best, most exciting phone, other manufacturers are also taking the opportunity to release some mid-range phones with really great specs in the $300 - $700 range. One example is the Essential phone, released last year, that is a great phone that missed the mark in one major way, its camera. Still, for around $500, you could get your hands on a phone with a great design and snappy performance that definitely turns heads.
This year, Sony is releasing its second-generation XZ phones (suitably called the XZ2's) which include a number of different choices, so many that perhaps Samsung is a little jealous. All joking aside, Sony's line of cell phones, tablets and laptops have always had a soft spot because of their design; if your Samsung Galaxy S9 is in a sport coat, the XZ2 might be in a tuxedo. Sony's design has always been what I would call "smart."
All of the different players in the XZ2 line conform to some specific feature that makes that phone the best for the choice: The XZ2 has a big screen, the XZ2 Premium has a 4K display, and the XZ2 Compact is, well, smaller than all the others. Yes, in a world with increasingly large screens, Sony still has the gall to release a product with a 5-inch screen.
This phone is more than just a 5-inch screen, though. The previously-mentioned "smart" design seen in many Sony products carriers through here, but does so in an incredibly compact body. Many smaller-screen phones still being released are put on the market with large bezels, but the XZ2 Compact's bezels are smaller than the competition; the side bezels are tiny, and the chin and forehead are small enough to make this phone look like it might have been released recently (compared to, for instance, the Pixel 2 or the iPhone 8).
The screen itself has sharp corners, which is nice to see again, and the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 front sits very slightly above the metal edges of the phone. This is one of the first small-screen phones that I've seen in an 18:9 aspect ratio and the screen itself is full HD+ at a 2160x1080 resolution. The sides and back are all metal which gives this phone a great premium look and feel; the materials also add to its considerable (but extremely pleasant) heft. And speaking of heft, the alleged 'compact' phone is extremely thick, coming in at a half-inch, probably due to the ample 2,870 mAh battery.
Some additional features to mention--a 19MP single-lens camera with a dedicated shutter button, a "snappy" Snapdragon 845 processor, expandable storage supporting up to 400GB micro SD cards, 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard memory, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C charging and stereo speakers. Pair that with the previously-mentioned beefy battery, and you have a pretty good package for $650.
So what's wrong with it? Well, nothing, really. Sony's software overlay on Android 8.0 is minimal, almost non-existent, and the fingerprint sensor on the back is pretty fast. The 19MP camera isn't a gimmick and performs well enough for most users, and has a ton of manual setting options as well as super slow motion 960FPS video capture. And, the processor and memory combo help it handle tasks with ease. The battery, which drives the relatively small screen, does so impressively; I went almost two days between charging on days with light-to-moderate use. It's a small, zippy phone that's a joy to use.
If there's anything in 2018 that is wrong with this phone, it's the screen size, which is kind of crazy. I'm used to big screen phones, so the first couple days with the XZ2 Compact were pretty rough--and I found myself having to shrink text just to get more to fit on a screen that 5 years ago was perfectly adequate for everyday use. And while I may go back to using my iPhone X soon, I do have to admit, there's just something special about this phone.
Big phones are not for everyone, and that's the sweet spot where the XZ2 performs best. The camera is great, and I love the fact that it has a dedicated shutter button (although I'm less excited about the power button and shutter button both being screen-off shortcuts that turn on the screen and take you directly to the camera app). I love using a phone that again fits into my front pants pocket or my front shirt pocket without looking ridiculous. And I absolutely love the way the thing feels in the hand. But the other thing to consider is, small phones are also not for everyone.
Sitting on a table in front of you, you're sure to get criticisms: "Where did you get that 10-year-old phone from?" one co-worker asked me. But once you spend some time with it--hold it, use it, and experience some of the major advantages in smaller phones that you may have forgotten about--the XZ2 compact is definitely worth considering. And for $650, it's not a bad package deal. I'm sure that carriers will discount it as it is not going to be in the top 5 selling smartphones over the next 6 months, and that would be the ideal time to pick one up if you can wait.
My Best Buy number: 0905875468
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+6points
6of 6voted this as helpful.
Add music to your day with these Sony wireless headphones. Their noise cancelling technology uses artificial intelligence to adapt to your environment and reduce background sounds for enjoyable listening. The Quick Charging battery on these over-ear Sony wireless headphones provides up to 35 hours of playback for convenience.
Customer Rating
4
All good, except noise canceling performance
on March 29, 2018
Posted by: TheTechNugget
from Cleveland, OH
It has been nearly 5 months since I've had the pleasure of reviewing some over-ear closed-back headphones. And I think it's about time.
Much like any other product that I review a lot of, I find myself gravitating usually toward one or two products as my "daily driver" products, if you want to call them that. Most tech bloggers and reviewers reserve that terminology for cell phones, but the concept ought apply in other places as well. For instance, when it comes to wireless Bluetooth speakers, Sony's SRS-XB31 is my current favorite, and gets more regular use than my Bose Mini Soundlink II; my primary computing device is a 15" MacBook Pro with Touchbar (over Microsoft Surface Pro and Dell XPS options); and, when it comes to headphones I have been sticking with my B&O H4's for over-ear entertainment. I'm fortunate enough to be able to enjoy a lot of options when it comes to technology.
So let's talk about headphones, and specifically what we see happening in the personal audio market in late 2017 and early 2018. A lot of players are coming to the market, kind of like what happened with cell phones 2-3 years ago, where more and more the products you can get your hands on now are consistently decent. Gone are the days of not buying the best cell phone on the market (at the highest price tag) and having a crappy experience, and at least from the small subset of products I've interacted with in personal audio (speakers and headphones of all kinds) this holds true as well.
But also in 2017 and 2018, we're seeing over, and over, and over again the price tags of generally-accepted "decent" headphones in the $200-$400 range, which is a little bit high for many average consumers. And that sucks, because these products are getting really good, even borderline great. The one nice thing is, $350 seems to be the cap for well-marketed consumer higher-end products, and that's not much different from a few years ago. So, there's good and bad, and the goal of this is to see where in that spectrum this set of headphones sits.
Enter Sony's WH-CH700N headphones, another aptly Sony moniker, a set of noise canceling over-ear headphones coming in at $200, which is well below its biggest competitor (arguably), Bose's QC35. And if you haven't experienced the QC35's, get on down to your local retailer and put a set of these things on your head, because it is a magical experience. In any case, everything about the CH700N's (which shall henceforth be named "Sony's") seems to target the QC35's, from the design cues in color, size and weight, outstanding battery life, and most importantly, noise cancelation.
Some more specifics on design; they come in black and blue, the former being a more standard, less flashy headphone look and certainly my preference. The left ear cup houses the power and noise cancelation button, along with a standard 3.5mm input jack and micro-USB for charging (broken record, I know, but I still don't understand why these manufacturers can't start including USB Type-C as standard); the right cup has controls for volume, play/pause/answer and back/next. The cups themselves are deep enough for my ears so that they don't touch the cloth inner-speaker cover, and the ear cushions are thick and comfortable, covered with a leatherette material. The band is lightly padded and also covered in a leatherette material, and the construction as a whole is largely plastic. And speaking of plastic, these things weigh in at 8.47 ounces, which is a mere 2% heavier than the QC35's.
So yeah, there's only one player in this space--and that's what Sony seems to be going after here, although you may be wondering how well they're doing considering the big price difference.
Even at $200, I expect these headphones to do most things well (reference paragraphs 2-4 above). And the Cliff's Notes version, they do. As I said, they're light, and they don't clamp tightly at the jaw, so you can wear them all day long and remain mostly comfortable, unless you tend to get sweaty in over-ear headphones (the ear pads don't breathe at all). Most notably for me, the battery life on these are rated at 35 hours, which is near the top of the list of currently-released headphones in early 2018…but again, compared to the QC35 II's 20 hour battery, there seems to be something fishy going on here.
Exploring further, arguably most important--the sound. Much like the QC35's, they don't get particularly loud. And, much like the QC35's, they have a sound profile that favors more natural sounds and play vocal, orchestral and live tracks well compared to pop, hip-hop, EDM or metal. These headphones seem to shine when it comes to mids and upper mids, and hold highs well at maximum volume without distortion. No, these aren't your typical overly-bassy Sony headphones, which certainly have a place in the world for people like me. But that doesn't mean they don't get bassy.
Unlike the QC35's, while these can provide a very good natural-sounding flat sound profile, they aren't limited to that; combining some of the Sony software within the Headphones app with pretty darn good engineering, these can put out enough bass to please a diverse group of listeners. These settings are customizable in the Sony app, which has a mixer and other settings to help tune the sound to your particular preference.
I really, really like these headphones, and in some cases think they outperform the QC35's. So what's the catch?
Noise canceling: it's atrocious. It is not where these shine. Sure, they do a decent job muting some ambient noise, but it's far from what I would call acceptable. My typical gauge for assessing the "goodness" of noise cancelation is how well it makes me motion sick. I'll be honest, I didn't even realize noise canceling was on for most of the time I was using them during the first week. Over time, I noticed some slight, subtle differences, but I found more variation in performance from app settings than I did the NC button on the left ear cup.
Another not-so-great aspect of the Sony's is the build quality, which at first inspection seems to emulate the QC35's well, after further wear and use I found them to be a bit creaky when I would move my head or have a snack while wearing them. Creakiness when you're listening to music or watching a movie is not great.
What was good--surprisingly so--is the battery. I fully expect 35 hours to be an attainable number; although I didn't run the battery down from full charge, I did not need to charge them even with sporadic use in the first week. And, they support quick charge, which is a nice plus.
So in summary--decent design, light frame (although a little cheap feeling after some use), great battery life, comfortable, really great sound, good supporting app, and abysmal (let's call it non-existent) noise canceling. At $200 these aren't great wireless noise-canceling headphones, because they're not noise canceling headphones at all. But at $200, they are remarkably good wireless headphones, and check a lot of the boxes to be successful in that category; unfortunately, though, the product performance makes these a bit misleading, and disappointing.
I still recommend them, certainly not as noise-canceling headphones, because they perform as well as they do in the other areas. And, Bose remains the king of noise cancelation.
My Best Buy number: 0905875468
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
3of 4voted this as helpful.
Add music to your day with this portable Sony speaker. Its Live Sound mode broadcasts sound waves in a wider arc for a true concert experience, and the Extra Bass setting deepens the low notes. This water-resistant Sony speaker has flashing lights that sync with the beat to create a party atmosphere wherever you go.
Customer Rating
5
One of my favorite small speakers
on March 17, 2018
Posted by: TheTechNugget
from Cleveland, OH
I think that finding a perfect Bluetooth speaker is a bit of a white whale. And, even if I found my white whale, it may be entirely different from anyone else’s—and that makes reviewing these things both difficult and sometimes frustrating. For instance, last June I got my hands on a speaker that from a company, little known in the audio world, that I thought was going to blow my mind—and it was, in large, a total dud.
It’s no secret here that I get a good amount of stuff that I don’t have to pay for, so for me, reviewing them doesn’t carry any inherent risks; from my point of view, my reviews might help you decide whether or not you want to try something out, which is really, really awesome.
That said, I also think that I am (just like anyone else) invariably influenced by the speakers that I use most, and I use them most because they are the best of what I need them to be. Nary a room in my house isn’t, or hasn’t, been adorned with some kind of speaker technology that I use on a pretty regular basis; my love for technology aside, I LOVE listening to music. And for me, the best all around speaker I have used is the Bose SoundLink Mini II, which I bought a couple years ago.
The SoundLink has become my measuring stick for all other speakers; I put it up against similarly sized and priced speakers from the same market, and it dominated in every matchup; I even compared it to speakers in a completely different market, namely a $400 Samsung Soundbar and the latest Apple HomePod. And, while it certainly is not a better sounding speaker than either of those, this little guy has held its own well.
At this point, I’ve set up two big things that you might be thinking I’m headed towards: first, the wireless speaker white whale, and second, the speaker that can unseat the current undefeated champion. Spoiler alert—I will make neither of those claims in this review, at least not in that way.
Sony is no stranger to the audio market, and I really like their stuff; my first “nice” on-ear headphones were a pair of $20 Sonys that I had for many, many years (wasn’t it nice when prices for good audio gear weren’t so inflated??). A year after I got my SoundLink, Sony released an obviously competing product that had a good sale going, so I picked it up. Sad to say, I was massively disappointed and had to return the product which couldn’t hold its own against the SoundLink. But the audio market has changed a bit since then, and for Sony and their line of Extra Bass headphones and speakers, another product has emerged which I was curious enough to try out.
The product is the SRS-XB31, an incredibly Sony-esque identifier. This speaker sits in their Extra Bass line as a competitor (at least in size) to my aging Bose SoundLink Mini II. It has all the minimum bells and whistles—long battery life, the ability to connect multiple devices (up to 100 of them, which seems to be something that no one would ever use), USB power out for charging your devices if necessary, auxiliary input jack, and it’s IP67 certified for water resistance. If the thing looks good and sounds good, we might have a winner.
First, the design—Sony jumped on the all-mesh body bandwagon with this one, and it looks great (I have a feeling that many other manufacturers are going to copy this design language). The model I have is all black, but it also comes in blue and white. The black is a classic look to me, very clean. It has a rounded back and a flat front, and there is no question about which direction this thing is supposed to face—so keep in mind this is not a 360-degree speaker. The bottom of the speaker has 4 small rubber feet to keep it stationary while in use, but I would have liked to see an option to set this thing on its side for a more vertical placement as well (since its directional, this should have very little impact on the sound). And if that’s all there was to this speaker, I’d give it a solid thumbs up on design.
But, sadly, it’s not everything. This speaker is intended as a party speaker—its goal to apparently liven up the group of rebelling teens who took their Sony SRS-XB31’s down to the beach, to dance around a campfire. No, but seriously, that’s the image they portray in their video. And what rebellious teenage beach party is complete without a strip of LED lights across the top and bottom of the speaker, which animates to the beat of your music? No, I’m not sure either.
The light strips are a huge gimmick to me, so distractingly awful that I had to turn them off—which, thankfully, you can do with a button on the back…so you don’t need to navigate through the frustratingly-menu-based app that Sony puts out there for you. Honestly, I was trying to listen to the audio quality and couldn’t stop watching the blinking lights…it was annoying, to say the least. But, for what it’s worth, using the app you can change the light strips to be more or less annoying, even solid colors if you want—so that’s kind of nice, I guess. I’ll get to the app more later.
But on to the important stuff: the sound. If you’ve ever used any of Sony’s XB gear, this device will not surprise you at all. Yes, it is a bass-heavy device but that functionality can be turned off to completely flatten the sound profile. But straight out of the box, it’s a device that seems to compete well in the space, as there were definitely songs that I think the XB31 handled better than my tried-and-true Bose speaker. But to be clear, you’re not going to pick this up because you love listening to vocal tracks or orchestral music (although the software-enabled “Live Sound” feature did a good job accenting some of the mids and highs that a typically bass-heavy speaker will leave as garbled mush.
For hip-hop, pop, and even some classic rock and roll, this thing is a great little speaker. What makes it better is the Music app from Sony, although I have my complaints about it as well. The user interface is not great. There is a portion of the app that basically impersonates your existing music app, which makes no sense at all unless you really hate the native music player on your device. The menu system is overly complicated, and the mixer (possibly the most important part of the app) is hidden a few menus deep. All that said, functionality like adjusting the lighting, creating quick-launch links to apps like the default music player, Netflix and Youtube, and other small tweaks are all there to help enhance your experience. It’s not a great app, but it gives you access to a mixer, which is always nice to see.
Back to gimmicks, I have to mention one portion of the app which is probably worse than the LED light strips—the “Party Booster,” which enables you to turn the speaker into a mini drum kit, adding your own percussion to already professionally-produced songs. Because why not. It really helps that beach party atmosphere.
Otherwise, it’s a Bluetooth speaker. There are controls on the device, allowing you to play, pause, adjust volume. It is NFC-enabled, but it doesn’t have the latest Bluetooth 5.0 and doesn’t have USB Type-C charging. It retails at $150, which is really, really accessible for this good of a speaker, and even though it has some tremendously gimmicky features, it does the other stuff well enough to be worth the price…and maybe, MAYBE just a little bit better than my trusty Bose.
My Best Buy number: 0905875468
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+46points
50of 54voted this as helpful.
Enjoy superior sound and voice quality with these Jabra Elite wireless headphones. Integrated controls let you answer calls, adjust the volume or pause music with the touch of a button, while the included carrying case doubles as a charging station. External ambient noise keeps you aware of your surroundings, while a background noise filter delivers crisp, clear voice calls. With Bluetooth connectivity, these Jabra Elite wireless headphones are easy to pair to a mobile device.
Customer Rating
5
AirPod Killer? All around a great product.
on February 23, 2018
Posted by: TheTechNugget
from Cleveland, OH
I recently reviewed a set of wireless on-ear headphones from Plantronics, a company better known for their office phone headset presence, not so much their products in the personal audio space. Nonetheless, I thought that those headphones were worth a look because of my overwhelmingly positive experience with Plantronics products in the past, as well as their reputation. So too was my approach with this new product, the Jabra Elite 65t True Wireless Earbuds. My experience with Jabra, similar to Plantronics, was more along the lines of professional use, not personal audio—and although the lines between the two are blurred, I haven’t seen much from Jabra strictly in the personal audio market.
For starters, the packaging was simple and it took very little time for me to get my hands on the earbuds. My first impression of the buds themselves were that they looked big, but otherwise the design was sleek and modern. The included charging/carrying case is also relatively small, larger than the AirPods case, but not by much (I’d put it around the size of a slightly wider-than-usual Tic Tac container). The charging case has two leads per bud which need to be in contact with the buds in order to charge, but there are no magnets that hold the buds into the case—so, be careful when you’re opening it.
Before we get into audio quality, there are a few other “goodies” that need to be called out, the first of which is Bluetooth 5.0. The 65t’s are among the few products in the truly wireless earbud space with it, which helps with wireless range and battery performance.
And speaking of battery performance, the battery on the buds is rated at 5 hours of life before needing a recharge, but this number may be different for you based upon your listening habits; high volumes, excessive bass, etc., will drop the average listening time down. I personally found that the 5-hour estimate is fair, and some review sites have found up to 6 or more hours on a single charge. The charging case will recharge your buds twice before it needs to be charged, so a light-to-moderate user will probably need a charge one or two times per week. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when it came to battery life. And, no, the case does NOT have a USB type C connector, however it does support quick charge which is a plus.
From a durability perspective, the 65t’s carry an IP55 rating, which means that sweat and dust shouldn’t be a problem if you’re using these at the gym.
I remarked earlier in the review that my first impression of the buds themselves were that they seemed large—however, once I put them in my ears my opinion changed immediately. These are probably among the best-fitting and most stable earbuds I’ve ever tried, and that comparison includes Bose’s ear tips which are my current favorite for earbuds. The 65t’s are an ear-canal style bud, and there are multiple sizes of ear tips in the retail packaging. I was a bit concerned at first that there were no fins to keep these seemingly large buds in my ears, but the body of the buds is almost perfectly designed for my ear and is held in place snugly; attempting to “shake” them out of my ears is not an easy thing to do. That said, my wife who has smaller ears didn’t like the fit at all and they were a little large for her, so your individual ear size may “make or break” this purchase for you.
The onboard buttons allow for play/pause, answering and hanging up calls, volume up/down and track skipping—all standard stuff.
On to sound performance: the ear-canal style bud makes for great passive noise reduction, and the fit for me was such that almost all outside noise was eliminated when I put these in (I’ll cover the app later, but it is worth noting that the buds allow you to “pipe in” outside noises if you’re in an environment where that is preferred).
The sound profile of these buds was relatively flat—which is a nice change for newer products which [in my experience] tend to favor lows. A flat profile allows for maximum sound customization, which is allowed by the Jabra app which I’ll cover shortly. Listening at the default settings, lows, mids and highs all came across clear even at higher volumes, and there was very little sound leaking heard by those around me up to 70-80% volume.
These buds also had a familiar feature: the automatic pausing of music when one earbud is removed. This is achieved via a proximity sensor between the two buds, so slightly different from Apple’s AirPods, but nonetheless a plus when it comes to features.
Another quick note—truly wireless earbuds sometimes have audio/video syncing issues when it comes to using them to watch Netflix or Youtube; in my experience, that delay in audio does not exist for the 65t’s, making them a good all around earbud (and not just for music).
Call performance was as expected from a name like Jabra: called parties were able to hear me clearly without much background noise being picked up in quieter environments, however, as with most Bluetooth headsets, noisier environments are not ideal as background noise usually comes through more readily to called parties.
The sound and call performance both are enhanced by what I consider to be among the best audio companion apps that I’ve used. The flat sound profile, although default, can be modified with a decent equalizer, and the response to those adjustments are easy to hear compared to some of the competition. Also in the app, Elite’s “HearThrough” feature can be enabled, which passes outside audio into music or calls; the app also allows customization of your own voice to be passed through in a feature called “Sidetone,” which is just a monitor function built into the earbuds. And finally, the app allows you to chose your voice assistant; currently Google’s voice assistant and Siri are available, and Alexa will be available in the future.
The gold standard for true wireless earbuds right now, if such a thing exists, is undoubtedly Apple’s AirPods—and whether or not they are the best audio performer, they do a great job at a few things which put them ahead of the competition. It is well known, though, that they are not the greatest choice for audiophiles, as their fit and overall design don’t allow for a great audio experience.
The 65t’s, in contrast, do provide a really good audio experience, and they do so at $169, which is only $10 more than Apple’s AirPods. And, they have a better app experience, more customization, arguably a better fit (although that’s subjective just like everything else), and similar features—all while being cross-platform (technically, I recognize the AirPods are also cross-platform, but not in the truest sense since some features are lost when you use AirPods with Android).
I think it also stands to reason that the 65t’s will be available on sale more frequently and at higher amounts that the AirPods, meaning you will probably be able to get your hands on them at or below the cost of AirPods.
AirPods aside, a great design, excellent battery life, really good audio performance and customization all make this a great buy for the price, especially considering they are available at a price lower than many of their direct competitors.
My Best Buy number: 0905875468
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+6points
8of 10voted this as helpful.
Enhance your listening experience with these Plantronics headphones. They wirelessly connect to any Bluetooth-enabled device to eliminate the hassle of traditional corded models, and they work with Siri, Cortana and other virtual assistants for convenient control. A single charge lasts up to 18 hours, so you can listen to your Plantronics headphones worry-free all day long.
Customer Rating
5
Pleasantly Surprised
on January 31, 2018
Posted by: TheTechNugget
from Cleveland, OH
There’s no doubt the personal audio market is massively saturated. Nearly one-third of the reviews I’ve posted on this site have been on audio products, and the majority of those are some sort of headphone or earbud. Saturated can be a good thing if you’re a consumer, as companies who are less popular sometimes release stellar products that can give you a great experience while saving you some money…then, the big players will offer discounts to retailers to try to compete, and those retailers pass on the savings to you (if you choose the more mainstream route).
People have become comfortable with less mainstream products, too. Audiophiles love names like Sennheiser and Audio Technica, even though a few years ago you’d be hard-pressed to find a selection of either brand in any electronics retailer. That landscape has changed now, as the headphone space has exploded over the last couple years and more in-person buying options have been made available to the consumer.
Headphones are probably my favorite thing to write about because I absolutely LOVE listening to music. And, I have all sorts of criteria for determining whether or not a particular set of headgear is “good” or “bad” in some subjective sense, but at the end of the day, if a set of headphones helps enhance your listening experience, it’s safe to call them a winner.
Even still, to help inform the buyer, I’ll use my go-to “Rule of 3” to show how I think these Plantronics BackBeat FIT 505’s fit into my collection of listening gear. To me, the 3 ideal pairs of headphones/earbuds to have are as follows:
* Basic earbud with inline mic - for everyday use, generally less expensive, comfortable to the point you forget about them, and usable in most places.
* Studio headphones - for musical or cinematic (or both) adventures; they are your lounging headphones for when you want to zone out in your media.
* Wireless - for the gym, yard work, housework, etc.
* Basic earbud with inline mic - for everyday use, generally less expensive, comfortable to the point you forget about them, and usable in most places.
* Studio headphones - for musical or cinematic (or both) adventures; they are your lounging headphones for when you want to zone out in your media.
* Wireless - for the gym, yard work, housework, etc.
Right off the bat, basic earbuds and studio headphones are out. They’re not earbuds, and the sound quality for the 505’s is really good, but not quite good enough for “studio” use (more on that later).
Wireless is interesting because you can now have some decent earbuds that are wireless with built-in microphones and cover two categories at once. It’s a matter of personal preference, what fits your ears most comfortably (in-ear, on-ear or over-ear). The 505’s are on-ear style and are extremely lightweight at 155 grams—among the lightest on-ear headphones I’ve ever used.
Lightweight headphones can be a double-edged sword, as sometimes the build quality is sub-par; this is not the case with the 505’s. They are thin but durable, entirely plastic with supple cushions and a soft crown pad; in spite of their weight, they are sturdy and flexible. The design along the outside of the band is a bit more expressive/noticeable than I prefer, but they are modern looking and comfortable enough to wear for longer listening sessions. From a physical design perspective, my only complaint is the range of fit is a bit limited, although this is pretty standard for on-ear headphones in my experience (I have a big head).
On the outside of the cups, you’ll find a number of controls for interacting with your music. The left cup has dedicated forward, back and play/pause buttons, a volume rocker, and both a 3.5mm headphone and micro-USB jacks. The right cup has nothing on the back, but a combo power/bluetooth pair switch, as well as a dedicated phone answer/hangup button.
Side note, the mesh pouch that they come with is nice, but a hard case would have been nicer.
Now is a good time to remind you that these are made by Plantronics, who is really well known for phone headsets…you may have a Plantronics headset at work. I’ve used their headsets for years, and have almost always been pleased with the performance. The 505’s didn’t disappoint, although I wouldn’t buy them because they also can serve as a headset…a boom mic will almost always outperform a set of headphones that has some built-in microphones as an added feature. Call quality on the sending and receiving side was as expected for most headphones I’ve used recently: good, not great. It gets the job done, but it’s not the reason to buy these headphones.
On to battery life. Plantronics quotes 18 hours of use, and I’ve been very pleased with the performance thus far, only having to charge them once since I opened them over a week ago. The 505’s also have a “deep sleep” feature that boasts long-time charge retention of up to 6 months while powered off; you’ll have to check back in with me after 6 months to see if it holds true, provided I can put them down and ignore them for that long. They also can be fully charged in 90 minutes, which is really great.
And finally, sound quality. I’ll admit, with a small frame and lightweight construction, I was expecting to be underwhelmed by their sound output, but was presently surprised as soon as I started listening. With 40mm drivers and a sound profile that leans on the low end of the mids, these can put out enough bass to help drive a workout, or loading the dishwasher, or folding the laundry. And, these are some of the loudest wireless headphones I’ve ever used, although the mids and highs start to spread a bit at higher volumes.
Ah, but the price. I’ve paid (or my employer has) a pretty penny in the past for some of Plantronics’ headsets. These headphones—a hundred bucks! They’ll probably go on sale, but I think they’re a steal at only $100 for all that you get—a solid build, lightweight, really good sound quality with emphasis on the lows. The only downside, MAYBE, is the form factor, but I’ll admit that these made me rethink about my general dislike for on-ear headphones; they are one of the most comfortable pairs of headphones I own of any form factor, and they sound great.
Yes, they are called the BackBeat Fit headphones, and with a sweat-resistant design you’d expect to use them in the gym, but they make excellent all-around wireless headphones (with a wired option). I read one review on these that said, “I can’t find a single fault with these headphones,” and at the price point, I’d have to agree. There were a lot of surprises for me in these headphones, but all pleasant ones.
My Best Buy number: 0905875468
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Take your playlist with you by using these noise-cancelling Sony headphones. Their 40mm drivers with liquid crystal polymer diaphragms fill your ears with booming audio to immerse you in songs, and they're ergonomically designed to provide comfort during extended listening sessions. These Sony headphones have a proprietary noise-cancelling processor, so you can immerse yourself in the music.Industry Leading Noise Cancellation. *As of August 30, 2018. According to research by Sony Corporation measured using JEITA-compliant guidelines. In headband-style of wireless noise-canceling headphones market.
How are they for working out for example on a treadmill? Do they stay on your head well? What about sweat? Does that impact the quality or fit
These probably aren't ideal for use on a treadmill...I would imagine you'd get pretty warm and the cups may not hold up to sweat well. Check out the Jabra Elite 65t truly wireless buds; great fit and great noise cancellation and really good for more active users.
5 years, 7 months ago
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TheTechNugget
Enjoy superior sound and voice quality with these Jabra Elite wireless headphones. Integrated controls let you answer calls, adjust the volume or pause music with the touch of a button, while the included carrying case doubles as a charging station. External ambient noise keeps you aware of your surroundings, while a background noise filter delivers crisp, clear voice calls. With Bluetooth connectivity, these Jabra Elite wireless headphones are easy to pair to a mobile device.
Does they play loud. Most earbuds doesent play very loud. l had Jaybird x3. Good sound bit not so loud
I thought these were probably louder than most earbuds I've tried, and with very little distortion in the sound at higher volumes. Also, there is very little sound leaking at 70-80% volume, so others around you shouldn't be too annoyed at higher volumes.
6 years, 2 months ago
by
TheTechNugget
Enjoy superior sound and voice quality with these Jabra Elite wireless headphones. Integrated controls let you answer calls, adjust the volume or pause music with the touch of a button, while the included carrying case doubles as a charging station. External ambient noise keeps you aware of your surroundings, while a background noise filter delivers crisp, clear voice calls. With Bluetooth connectivity, these Jabra Elite wireless headphones are easy to pair to a mobile device.
How well do these stay in your ears during an extreme workout? Doesn't look like there is anything to hold them in!
I was pleasantly surprised by the fit--they don't seem to go anywhere for me, and I was trying to shake them out of my ears. I had the same reservations--no ear fins, no way for them to stay secure. If they fit your ears like they do mine, they're not going anywhere.
6 years, 2 months ago
by
TheTechNugget
Browse the internet or play your favorite apps on this Acer tablet. It runs on an Android operating system and is powered by a quad-core 64-bit processor for full functionality. Google Mobile Services and Microsoft Office Suite are preloaded on this Acer tablet for out-of-the-box work or play capabilities, and DTS-HD Premium Sound lets you enjoy videos.
THIS Acer - Iconia One 10 - 10.1 - Tablet - 32gb - White IN SALE in best buy, IS NEW OR USED?
This is definitely a new item, but make sure you read up on your reviews on this one, I certainly wouldn't recommend it.
7 years, 7 months ago
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TheTechNugget