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- Review count74
- Helpfulness votes307
- First reviewOctober 24, 2013
- Last reviewOctober 14, 2025
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- First review commentMarch 29, 2017
- Last review commentMarch 29, 2017
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The high-performance USB4 multi-port hub incorporates the latest USB4 controller from Intel, offering compatibility with Thunderbolt and older USB specifications. With up to 20Gbps of throughput, dynamic data, and display bandwidth allocation for efficient display data flow, you can easily create a dual-monitor setup. Enjoy up to 4K resolution using DisplayPort, HDMI, or USB-C and access data faster without affecting system performance. Additionally, it has two USB SuperSpeed+ 10Gbps ports (1 USB-C and 1 Type-A) for charging or connecting peripherals. It is also equipped with a USB-C Power Delivery port to charge your laptop and power your connected devices with up to 85W pass-through power.
Customer Rating
3
Good companion for 2 monitor setup but has limits
on January 6, 2023
Posted by: KusMoG
At 3.8 oz and 5"(L)x2"(W)x0.5"(H) it's lightweight and compact enough for a laptop on the go in need of a multi-monitor setup. Just be aware that you will need either a USB 4 port, a Thunderbolt 4 port, OR a Thunderbolt 3 port in order for this hub to work.
There are vents behind each port, and the casing itself appears to be made of aluminum, which is great because if you push the hub to its limits (e.g. transferring large amounts of data over a long period of time) it will get warm. I can't tell if there are heatsinks inside but it never got too hot to touch during my testing. Just be aware that the hub will generate heat with use.
***If you are using it on a desktop PC, review your motherboard's Thunderbolt 4 capabilities: you MAY need to use a Displayport cable to connect the DisplayPort in to your graphics card's DisplayPort out in order to drive a display from the port.
I was able to drive one 4k monitor at 60Hz using the hub just fine with no lag or any other issues.
I was also able to drive a 1080p HDMI monitor at 60Hz.
I was also able to drive a 1080p HDMI monitor at 60Hz.
I wasn't able to drive 2 monitors (one monitor connect to DP, another connected to HDMI) at once using the hub though despite using a Thunderbolt 4 port and additional power by connecting the hub's "Power In" port to my second Thunderbolt 4 port with a power delivery capable USB cable. And that's why I'm taking away 2 stars.
As a USB data hub, you'll find a USB 3.2 10Gbps Type A connector port, and a USB 4 Type C connector port which is capped at 10Gbps. So you will NOT get full USB 4 speeds (40Gbps) with this hub. It seems like it was designed to be a display hub first and foremost.
If you're aware of its limits, j5create's USB4 hub is a good companion for your multi-monitor needs, particularly on the go. However, my inability to drive 2 monitors at once left much to be desired, and with USB4's large bandwidth capabilities, I'm sure there are other hubs that can or will be able to do this.
And while the 10Gbps cap for the data ports is fine for now, I question its ability of being future-proof as the USB4 standard begins to become the mainstream norm.
And while the 10Gbps cap for the data ports is fine for now, I question its ability of being future-proof as the USB4 standard begins to become the mainstream norm.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Meta Quest Pro is a virtual reality system that unlocks new perspectives into how we work, create, and collaborate, so you can go beyond what was previously possible. A completely reimagined headset is slimmer and more well-balanced for long-lasting comfort. Breakthrough high resolution mixed reality passthrough uses full-color sensors to let you see and engage with the physical world around you~even as you connect, work and play in virtual spaces. Multiple room-sized displays let you skip between tasks to get more done, more easily. Connect better with friends or collaborate with peers like never before with real-time avatar expressions that mirror your authentic facial reactions. Intuitive, redesigned controllers dispense with tracking rings, using self-tracking cameras to capture a greater range of motion and fine motor controls to translate detailed finger operations like writing and drawing into VR. Advanced multi-point haptic feedback makes virtual interactions feel more real. Meta Quest is for ages 13+. Certain apps, games, and experiences may be higher.
Customer Rating
3
A high quality Quest 2. But is that what you want?
on November 2, 2022
Posted by: KusMoG
Pros:
-Build Quality and design of headset and controllers
-Comfortable
-Slim, portable charging dock
-Sharper display and colors with a slightly better horizontal field of view
-Passthrough camera is now in color
-Build Quality and design of headset and controllers
-Comfortable
-Slim, portable charging dock
-Sharper display and colors with a slightly better horizontal field of view
-Passthrough camera is now in color
Cons:
-Very poor image quality from color passthrough, unable to read off of backlit digital displays
-No network storage support (eg. Samba)
-Lack of standalone business and productivity apps
-Very poor image quality from color passthrough, unable to read off of backlit digital displays
-No network storage support (eg. Samba)
-Lack of standalone business and productivity apps
The Quest Pro is a good looking piece of kit. It’s an unassuming matte black, aside from the front of the headset, which is glossy. The build feels solid and premium, especially the Pro controllers.
The Pro controllers feel nice in the hands and the buttons are responsive and relatively quiet, including the trigger buttons. They’re a lot better than the Quest 2 controllers. They’re able to track independently so they don’t need to be in the line of sight of the headset. You can replace the strap with included nibs for use with apps that support it for better precision.
The Pro controllers feel nice in the hands and the buttons are responsive and relatively quiet, including the trigger buttons. They’re a lot better than the Quest 2 controllers. They’re able to track independently so they don’t need to be in the line of sight of the headset. You can replace the strap with included nibs for use with apps that support it for better precision.
The headset wears comfortably as long as you don’t tighten the fit too tight. Otherwise the pressure of the wear is felt mostly on your forehead. There is an ample amount of cushioning from what feels like faux leather to me.
Unlike the Quest 2, which had only 3 preset IPD distances, the Quest Pro has continuous IPD adjustment from the range of 55-75mm. Instead of using a glasses separator like the Quest 2, the Quest Pro has a dial in front of the headset which allows you to adjust how near or far lens are from your face, which allows spacing for glasses. There’s no dioptric adjuster like with the GearVR or binoculars, so if you wear glasses, you’ll need them when wearing the headset.
It comes with a USB-C charging dock which is surprisingly slim and lightweight, so it’s portable. It’s about 1.75” at its thickest but mostly ¾" inch thick elsewhere. The dock charges both the headset and the controllers. And because it’s powered through a USB-C port, you don’t need proprietary cables or chargers. The controllers connect to the dock magnetically, while the headset doesn’t.
Setup is simple and straightforward. If you’ve owned a Quest 2, it is exactly like that.
In fact, the whole operating system is just like the Quest 2. You’re just running it on Quest Pro hardware.
With that said, out of the box it isn’t traditionally suited for enterprise use. There’s no way to centrally manage the device or provision them for deployment. No biometric security, despite having facial recognition cameras. No network drive support. No external USB storage support.
There is also no way to organize files or the apps you’ve downloaded. Any app you’ve downloaded will permanently remain visible in your library, regardless of whether it is installed or not.
The Quest operating system is best suited for VR gaming and entertainment.
You can however, multitask by opening up to 3 different 2D windows or apps at once.
In fact, the whole operating system is just like the Quest 2. You’re just running it on Quest Pro hardware.
With that said, out of the box it isn’t traditionally suited for enterprise use. There’s no way to centrally manage the device or provision them for deployment. No biometric security, despite having facial recognition cameras. No network drive support. No external USB storage support.
There is also no way to organize files or the apps you’ve downloaded. Any app you’ve downloaded will permanently remain visible in your library, regardless of whether it is installed or not.
The Quest operating system is best suited for VR gaming and entertainment.
You can however, multitask by opening up to 3 different 2D windows or apps at once.
The Quest Pro has a color passthrough camera, which appears to be a black and white camera with a color overlay. At times, I can see part of the visuals in black and white. The quality of this camera is unfortunately similar to that of the Quest 2’s. The only noticeable difference is that it’s in color. There’s a lot of noise, which results in things appearing blurry. It makes it tough to read things in the real world, making the Quest Pro a very poor Mixed Reality device. You also can’t read anything from a backlit screen because it produces a glare when seen from the Quest Pro. So you can’t see what's on your monitor, smartphone, or TV, among other things.
The visuals are what shine with the Quest Pro, and I believe it’s due to the pancake optics. Compared to the Quest 2, you get a slightly better horizontal field of view (no change with vertical though), and the colors look more robust on the Quest Pro. It is so much easier to find the sweet spot of the display when putting on the headset than it was with the Quest 2. The visuals are also slightly sharper despite having roughly the same resolution as the Quest 2. But that’s another problem with the Quest Pro. There’s no improvement in resolution. So when you’re multitasking with multiple windows on the Quest Pro, everything still looks soft, and the edges look jagged, despite text being legible. It can make working on it an uncomfortable experience. By no means would it ever be a desktop replacement for me.
While it disappoints me in work, with gaming it’s a welcome improvement over the Quest 2. Since the headset doesn’t apply pressure to my face, I can wear it for a longer period of time comfortably. The controllers feel like a high-end gaming console’s controllers. And the visuals in games pop a bit better than the Quest 2.
Unfortunately, the battery only lasts about 2 hours from my tests. I read that Meta suggested it was 1 to 2 hours but I was never able to get it to be as bad as 1 hour.
The Quest Pro has a USB-C port located on the left side of the headset that you can charge or transfer data from. Or you can charge the headset on the included dock. Both methods will take 1.5 hours to charge the headset from 0% to 100%, using the included 45W charging adapter.
The controllers take 3 hours and 8 minutes to charge from 0% to 100%.
The Quest Pro has a USB-C port located on the left side of the headset that you can charge or transfer data from. Or you can charge the headset on the included dock. Both methods will take 1.5 hours to charge the headset from 0% to 100%, using the included 45W charging adapter.
The controllers take 3 hours and 8 minutes to charge from 0% to 100%.
There are facial recognition cameras that can capture your facial expressions for your avatar to display. However, this feature along with other biometric features such as hand tracking, are turned off by default for privacy concerns. At the moment, with the lack of apps supporting it, I find it more of a novelty. It also makes for an awkward experience as an early adopter as the other people you collaborate with will need a Quest Pro also to be able to have the facial expression feature.
While the Quest Pro supposedly has a 50% better processor than the Quest Pro, I haven’t been able to notice its benefits. All the apps made for Quest were designed for the Quest 2 or earlier headsets.
Besides that, I’ve found that the Quest Pro still struggles with loading pages quickly with the native Meta Quest Browser. The browser also isn’t supported by some websites, making it difficult to work from as a true standalone device. I couldn’t find anything in the options to sign into VPN.
Besides that, I’ve found that the Quest Pro still struggles with loading pages quickly with the native Meta Quest Browser. The browser also isn’t supported by some websites, making it difficult to work from as a true standalone device. I couldn’t find anything in the options to sign into VPN.
The native file manager is barebones and has no access to the local network via Samba or anything of the sort. There is no native option to access popular 3rd party cloud storage, such as Google Drive or Dropbox. It only allows cloud syncing with Meta.
Unfortunately, almost everything I loved about the Quest Pro I could already do with the Quest 2. I don’t think the better comfort and the premium controllers justify the additional cost, especially when I take into account pricey features like facial recognition, which doesn’t have real practical use at this stage.
Meta set such a low bar with its color passthrough camera, which was absolutely critical for the Mixed Reality experience on it to be worth anything while. But instead it settles for mediocre visuals.
Meta set such a low bar with its color passthrough camera, which was absolutely critical for the Mixed Reality experience on it to be worth anything while. But instead it settles for mediocre visuals.
Because of that, I can’t with good conscience recommend buying the Quest Pro. Not right now.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Take on your ultimate adventure with Galaxy Watch5 Pro~. It~s our most advanced outdoor watch yet, featuring a 2x stronger~ Sapphire Crystal Glass display. Power through intense activities, even with GPS on, with a long-lasting battery. Stay on the right trail even in unfamiliar terrain thanks to voice or vibration guided turn-by-turn navigation~. Push your body further with accurate sensors that help keep a closer eye on your heart rate~, and BIA~ measurements that help you track your physique. Get the rest you need to stay energized on your journeys with Advanced Sleep Coaching~. Look sharp on every expedition with bands and watch faces that you can match to any outfit. Plus, pair your watch with the rest of your Galaxy for a connected network of devices that work together to help go stronger and harder than ever before. Whether you~re hiking, kayaking~ or camping, get ready to take it to the extreme with Galaxy Watch5 Pro.
Customer Rating
3
Nothing Pro about it. It's a Galaxy Watch5 Plus.
on September 6, 2022
Posted by: KusMoG
It's called the Galaxy Watch5 Pro, but I feel like it's a marketing gimmick to broaden the potential market for it. Using Samsung's own naming conventions, I would call it the Galaxy Watch 5 Plus, or Galaxy Watch5 Ultra if I'm being generous.
Battery
Its standout feature for the average user is its larger battery, which delivers on battery life.
With Always On Display on, Wi-Fi on, Bluetooth on, heart rate measured every 10 minutes, An hour of streaming video played via the Samsung Internet app, Internet browsing, notifications, sleep tracking with snore detection on, using the flashlight a few times, several hours of GPS use (if I had to guess I'd say 3 hours), and 1 hour of working out on the elliptical, I got 2 days and 10 hours of battery life, enough to get 3 nights of sleep tracking because I started wearing it in the evening that I got the watch. So that was night 1. Then I was able to sleep with it for the next 2 nights. The 3rd night was a close call because the watch warned me that my watch won't last the night to sleep track. It was wrong.
Its standout feature for the average user is its larger battery, which delivers on battery life.
With Always On Display on, Wi-Fi on, Bluetooth on, heart rate measured every 10 minutes, An hour of streaming video played via the Samsung Internet app, Internet browsing, notifications, sleep tracking with snore detection on, using the flashlight a few times, several hours of GPS use (if I had to guess I'd say 3 hours), and 1 hour of working out on the elliptical, I got 2 days and 10 hours of battery life, enough to get 3 nights of sleep tracking because I started wearing it in the evening that I got the watch. So that was night 1. Then I was able to sleep with it for the next 2 nights. The 3rd night was a close call because the watch warned me that my watch won't last the night to sleep track. It was wrong.
With normal use: Always On Display off, Wi-Fi on, Bluetooth on, heart rate measured every 10 minutes, no streaming video, light internet browsing (checking up on US Open scores), GPS use (about 3 hours), and 1 hour of working out on the elliptical, I got 2 days and 23 hours.
So I would say it's safe to use intensively to still last you the day without the slightest worry of needing a charge.
Charging the watch takes a little over one hour using the stock charging puck.
However, charging it with the Samsung Duo charger takes about 4 hours. Evidently, the Duo charger doesn't take advantage of the Watch5 Pro's fast charging.
My Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra's reverse charging also charges at the pace of 4 hours for a full charge.
However, charging it with the Samsung Duo charger takes about 4 hours. Evidently, the Duo charger doesn't take advantage of the Watch5 Pro's fast charging.
My Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra's reverse charging also charges at the pace of 4 hours for a full charge.
Unfortunately, the Watch5 Pro's included watch band, the sports D-band, doesn't play nice with wide/long chargers because of its no-gap style that won't allow the watch to lay flat near the Watch5 Pro itself. The D-band also doesn't opento expose the bottom of the watch like a traditional band. Think of a Rolex watch band. It only opens via the clasp. You can't really push the band aside to expose the bottom of the watch to charge because the material is too stiff.
Style and comfort
It looks a lot like the Galaxy Watch5 (and Watch4 for that matter) expect that it's thicker, with a raised capacitive bezel. It kind of reminds me of a wrist compass.
I think if you're comfortable with wearing G-Shock watches, the thickness of the Galaxy Watch5 Pro will be no problem for you whatsoever. It looks worse in pictures than it actually is on your wrist, however it's going to look awkward on small wrists. Surprisingly, it doesn't feel as heavy as you'd think it would. Opting for titanium over stainless steel surely helped with that. I added a plastic case over the Watch5 Pro and it still doesn't feel that heavy to me.
I had no issues sleeping with it like others have, so your mileage may vary.
I found the sports D-band too bulky and restrictive to my liking. It feels comfortable, but I guess the magnet adds weight, and it's very inconvenient to adjust the size on the fly since it's designed to set it up to a fixed size similar to the typical d-band style watch band with metal links.
Fortunately, you can replace the watch band with most 20mm watch bands.
It looks a lot like the Galaxy Watch5 (and Watch4 for that matter) expect that it's thicker, with a raised capacitive bezel. It kind of reminds me of a wrist compass.
I think if you're comfortable with wearing G-Shock watches, the thickness of the Galaxy Watch5 Pro will be no problem for you whatsoever. It looks worse in pictures than it actually is on your wrist, however it's going to look awkward on small wrists. Surprisingly, it doesn't feel as heavy as you'd think it would. Opting for titanium over stainless steel surely helped with that. I added a plastic case over the Watch5 Pro and it still doesn't feel that heavy to me.
I had no issues sleeping with it like others have, so your mileage may vary.
I found the sports D-band too bulky and restrictive to my liking. It feels comfortable, but I guess the magnet adds weight, and it's very inconvenient to adjust the size on the fly since it's designed to set it up to a fixed size similar to the typical d-band style watch band with metal links.
Fortunately, you can replace the watch band with most 20mm watch bands.
Durability
Unlike the regular Watch5 which has an aluminum body, the Watch5 Pro uses a titanium body so it's more durable. I accidentally brushed my Watch5 Pro against the metal door handle at a Planet Fitness as I was exiting and I panicked. But when I checked my watch, there were no scratches. So it survived that test. Like the regular Watch5, it also uses a sapphire crystal display. After a week's use I haven't found any scratches on it. The raised bezel prevents it from being a point of accidental contact.
I have found the display to be kind of a fingerprint magnet though.
Unlike the regular Watch5 which has an aluminum body, the Watch5 Pro uses a titanium body so it's more durable. I accidentally brushed my Watch5 Pro against the metal door handle at a Planet Fitness as I was exiting and I panicked. But when I checked my watch, there were no scratches. So it survived that test. Like the regular Watch5, it also uses a sapphire crystal display. After a week's use I haven't found any scratches on it. The raised bezel prevents it from being a point of accidental contact.
I have found the display to be kind of a fingerprint magnet though.
Software
The Watch 5 Pro comes with One UI version 4.5 which is based on WearOS 3.5, the latest iteration of both.
Google Assistant comes preinstalled, but Samsung's own Bixby is still available. You can configure the top button's press and hold function to be assigned to either.
Google Maps can give you turn-by-turn navigation but only via driving, walking, or cycling. Transit directions are still notably absent and will need to be done from your phone to appear on the Watch5 Pro.
Many watchfaces allow the use of "complications" which are like widgets. For example, I use Samsung's My Photo+ watchface where not only do I use my own pictures, but I have the Battery %, Timer, Date and Weather, and Alarm complications set up. If I want to start a timer, I tap on the timer complication on my watchface and set the timer. Then on my watchface I can see the timer counting down in real time. The same goes with my alarm. I can set it up from my watchface then see the countdown from my watchface. It's extremely convenient.
The Watch 5 Pro comes with One UI version 4.5 which is based on WearOS 3.5, the latest iteration of both.
Google Assistant comes preinstalled, but Samsung's own Bixby is still available. You can configure the top button's press and hold function to be assigned to either.
Google Maps can give you turn-by-turn navigation but only via driving, walking, or cycling. Transit directions are still notably absent and will need to be done from your phone to appear on the Watch5 Pro.
Many watchfaces allow the use of "complications" which are like widgets. For example, I use Samsung's My Photo+ watchface where not only do I use my own pictures, but I have the Battery %, Timer, Date and Weather, and Alarm complications set up. If I want to start a timer, I tap on the timer complication on my watchface and set the timer. Then on my watchface I can see the timer counting down in real time. The same goes with my alarm. I can set it up from my watchface then see the countdown from my watchface. It's extremely convenient.
Health tracking
It has everything the Watch 4 had: ECG, Stress, Body Composition. And it also still doesn't have blood pressure in the US.
It can track your heart rate continously, where you can see what your current heart rate is in real time from the watch's heart rate panel, but you can't see the real time measurements graphed in the Samsung Health app. Instead it will show the range of your heart rate over a period of time.
There is a temperature sensor on the Watch 5 series, but it hasn't been enabled yet. There is no word or even the slightest hint of when this feature will be enabled. It may be enabled close to the release of the Galaxy Watch 5's successor, the way Google Assistant became available on the Watch 4 short months before the announcement of the Watch 5.
It has everything the Watch 4 had: ECG, Stress, Body Composition. And it also still doesn't have blood pressure in the US.
It can track your heart rate continously, where you can see what your current heart rate is in real time from the watch's heart rate panel, but you can't see the real time measurements graphed in the Samsung Health app. Instead it will show the range of your heart rate over a period of time.
There is a temperature sensor on the Watch 5 series, but it hasn't been enabled yet. There is no word or even the slightest hint of when this feature will be enabled. It may be enabled close to the release of the Galaxy Watch 5's successor, the way Google Assistant became available on the Watch 4 short months before the announcement of the Watch 5.
"Pro" features
So aside from the larger battery, the features Samsung sets aside exclusively for the Watch 5 Pro to label it "Pro" are:
-Routes: where you upload a GPX file of your route for turn-by-turn navigation. It explains the easiest way to upload a GPX file, which is to get it from your previous hikes or cycling tracked exercises from the Samsung Health app. So you will have to have gone through the route previously. But there are other ways to get a GPX file. You'll want to research that on your own because I won't have enough space in this review to explain them.
-Track back: which is basically an extension of Routes. It's only available on the Hiking and Cycling exercises, and accessible from the exercise's options (gear icon) after you start the exercise. You won't want to start Track back until you reach the point in your route where it's time for you to turn back to your starting point.
My issue with this is that it's like the crumbs of Hansel and Gretel, it will give you the same route you took to get there but in reverse. So if you were cycling in one-way traffic, this feature can be useless.
And that's it.
These are very niche features, and for the more seasoned adventurer, these Pro features may be lacking compared to the competition that were designed for the outdoors with longer battery life than the Watch 5 Pro.
So aside from the larger battery, the features Samsung sets aside exclusively for the Watch 5 Pro to label it "Pro" are:
-Routes: where you upload a GPX file of your route for turn-by-turn navigation. It explains the easiest way to upload a GPX file, which is to get it from your previous hikes or cycling tracked exercises from the Samsung Health app. So you will have to have gone through the route previously. But there are other ways to get a GPX file. You'll want to research that on your own because I won't have enough space in this review to explain them.
-Track back: which is basically an extension of Routes. It's only available on the Hiking and Cycling exercises, and accessible from the exercise's options (gear icon) after you start the exercise. You won't want to start Track back until you reach the point in your route where it's time for you to turn back to your starting point.
My issue with this is that it's like the crumbs of Hansel and Gretel, it will give you the same route you took to get there but in reverse. So if you were cycling in one-way traffic, this feature can be useless.
And that's it.
These are very niche features, and for the more seasoned adventurer, these Pro features may be lacking compared to the competition that were designed for the outdoors with longer battery life than the Watch 5 Pro.
There's just way too little from the Watch 5 Pro to differentiate itself to be called a "Pro". Everything I love about the Watch5 Pro is available on the regular version. The biggest distinguisable feature is the longer lasting battery.
It all comes down to your use case. If battery life was a problem for you with a smartwatch, the Watch5 Pro is definitely for you, and if you don't mind its thicker look, you'll love it. But for everyone else skip the Watch5 Pro. The Watch6 should have the worthy features to differentiate it from the standard Watch5 because the Watch5 Pro doesn't.
It all comes down to your use case. If battery life was a problem for you with a smartwatch, the Watch5 Pro is definitely for you, and if you don't mind its thicker look, you'll love it. But for everyone else skip the Watch5 Pro. The Watch6 should have the worthy features to differentiate it from the standard Watch5 because the Watch5 Pro doesn't.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Hearing is believing. Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro pack a studio-worthy listening experience into our most comfortable design yet ~wear them as long as you want. Stimulate your senses with enhanced 360 Audio that surrounds you in your favorite beats like never before. Feel every note like you~re there with Hi-Fi sound quality. Stay focused on the sounds you love with Intelligent Active Noise Cancellation that quiets even the loudest outside sounds. Work out worry-free with moisture resistance that stands up to rain. Pair your Buds2 Pro with the rest of your Galaxy for new ways to enjoy pro-quality sound wherever you happen to be. If it~s a podcast, a call or your favorite playlist, listen blissfully with Galaxy Buds2 Pro. Whether on a call or during face-to-face conversations, hear real-time translations through your Buds with Galaxy AI.~
Customer Rating
4
1 of the best earbuds, but bad Samsung multi-point
on August 28, 2022
Posted by: KusMoG
Pros:
Comfortable fit
Understated but attractive design
Great sound quality even at 16 bit
Louder than the average wireless earbuds
Good ANC
Clean yet thumping bass
Earbuds can play independent from one another
Comfortable fit
Understated but attractive design
Great sound quality even at 16 bit
Louder than the average wireless earbuds
Good ANC
Clean yet thumping bass
Earbuds can play independent from one another
Cons:
Samsung integration
-requires the Wearables app on all devices for full functionality
-buggy "seamless earbud connection"
-Touch controls can be finicky
No custom EQ
Samsung integration
-requires the Wearables app on all devices for full functionality
-buggy "seamless earbud connection"
-Touch controls can be finicky
No custom EQ
Design/Fit
==========
The Buds2 Pro are lightweight and small enough that they don't protrude from my ears very much. The curved outer design allows me to sleep with them on without really hurting my ears. Keep in mind, everyone's ears are different so your mileage may vary.
When I take off my shirt, the Buds2 Pro don't fall out. What does happen though is that the shirt lifts my ears, which interferes with the touch controls.
The medium tips fit me fine, without falling off, and they feel very comfortable.
The matte black is lowkey but very attractive to me. They pair well with anything I wear, for casual or professional setting.
==========
The Buds2 Pro are lightweight and small enough that they don't protrude from my ears very much. The curved outer design allows me to sleep with them on without really hurting my ears. Keep in mind, everyone's ears are different so your mileage may vary.
When I take off my shirt, the Buds2 Pro don't fall out. What does happen though is that the shirt lifts my ears, which interferes with the touch controls.
The medium tips fit me fine, without falling off, and they feel very comfortable.
The matte black is lowkey but very attractive to me. They pair well with anything I wear, for casual or professional setting.
The case was a LOT smaller than I imagined they'd be. They're actually smaller than the case for the wireless earbuds I was previously using, which I thought already had a small case. Turns out the Buds2 Pro's case has them beat.
The problem with the case however is that the magnets that attract the earbuds into the case are not strong at all.
A slight shake while open and upside down will have the buds easily fall out.
The case's magnet that closes its clamshell is strong, however, and requires a bit of force to open. So they won't likely fall out from the case accidentally opening. It's when you're putting them back in the case where it could be an issue.
The problem with the case however is that the magnets that attract the earbuds into the case are not strong at all.
A slight shake while open and upside down will have the buds easily fall out.
The case's magnet that closes its clamshell is strong, however, and requires a bit of force to open. So they won't likely fall out from the case accidentally opening. It's when you're putting them back in the case where it could be an issue.
Battery
=======
Volume was set to a fixed 80 on my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra for all tests.
Surprisingly, Samsung's battery claims are pretty accurate for average battery life.
With my first trial, where I had ANC on but occassionally used ambient mode purposely but mostly accidentally from touching the buds:
right earbud- 4 hours, 42 minutes, 52 seconds
left earbud- 5 hours, 16 minutes
=======
Volume was set to a fixed 80 on my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra for all tests.
Surprisingly, Samsung's battery claims are pretty accurate for average battery life.
With my first trial, where I had ANC on but occassionally used ambient mode purposely but mostly accidentally from touching the buds:
right earbud- 4 hours, 42 minutes, 52 seconds
left earbud- 5 hours, 16 minutes
With my second trial with ANC on but little to no use of ambient mode:
right earbud- 5 hours, 19 minutes
left earbud- 5 hours, 30 minutes, 31 seconds
right earbud- 5 hours, 19 minutes
left earbud- 5 hours, 30 minutes, 31 seconds
I suspect the 1st trial was under the 5 hour claim because of the use of the microphones while under ambient mode.
With ANC off, on my first trial, again with occassional use of ambient:
left earbud- 6 hours, 55 minutes, 21 seconds
I missed recording the right earbud, but they died first.
left earbud- 6 hours, 55 minutes, 21 seconds
I missed recording the right earbud, but they died first.
The second trial with ANC off and touch controls off to prevent accidentally going into ambient:
left earbud- 8 hours, 28 minutes, 32 seconds.
Forgot to record right earbud but they died first and only a little before left.
left earbud- 8 hours, 28 minutes, 32 seconds.
Forgot to record right earbud but they died first and only a little before left.
So the claim of 5 hours ANC and 8 hours ANC off seems pretty fair to me.
Charging
========
The buds themselves charge surprisingly fast inside their case.
In just 10 minutes they went from 0% to 31%.
13 minutes- 40%
21 minutes- 59%
32 minutes- 71%
45 minutes- 82%
Once hits around 82-84% charging slows down to a crawl.
Then it speeds up around 94%.
From 0% to 100% it took me 1 hour and 7 minutes the first time.
It took me 1 hour and 14 minutes the second time.
========
The buds themselves charge surprisingly fast inside their case.
In just 10 minutes they went from 0% to 31%.
13 minutes- 40%
21 minutes- 59%
32 minutes- 71%
45 minutes- 82%
Once hits around 82-84% charging slows down to a crawl.
Then it speeds up around 94%.
From 0% to 100% it took me 1 hour and 7 minutes the first time.
It took me 1 hour and 14 minutes the second time.
The case holds 3 full charges, and for the 4th attempt it will take your buds from 0% to 35%.
While the case charges wirelessly, it doesn't do fast charging.
Wireless charging on Samsung's Duo charger takes about 11 hours, despite it just being 500mAh. For comparison, my S22 Ultra is 5000mAh and charges in about 2-3 hours on the same pad.
Wired charging, which uses USB-C, takes about 90 minutes.
Wireless charging on Samsung's Duo charger takes about 11 hours, despite it just being 500mAh. For comparison, my S22 Ultra is 5000mAh and charges in about 2-3 hours on the same pad.
Wired charging, which uses USB-C, takes about 90 minutes.
Sound
=====
On my S22 Ultra using the Samsung Scalable Codec, my FLAC audio sound amazing! The first thing I noticed is that they're loud. The Buds2 Pro's 80 volume setting is like my Jabra Elite Active 75t's 100. Besides that, at the highest volume they're loud without distorting.
The bass is evident and thumping but unlike some other buds, they don't sound exaggerated. The bass sounds clean with no muddy wamrth.
Sound separation is excellent too.
However I feel that the 24-bit audio may be gimmicky. I downloaded 24 bit audio samples along with 16 bit samples of the same song from the same website and played them with the app PowerAmp. My ears weren't able to tell the difference but they both sounded fabulous.
So while 24-bit audio is a Samsung device only feature, I don't think you're missing out on much with that.
I think a better way of putting it is that non-Samsung devices won't be able to use Samsung's proprietary SSC, which sound great.
=====
On my S22 Ultra using the Samsung Scalable Codec, my FLAC audio sound amazing! The first thing I noticed is that they're loud. The Buds2 Pro's 80 volume setting is like my Jabra Elite Active 75t's 100. Besides that, at the highest volume they're loud without distorting.
The bass is evident and thumping but unlike some other buds, they don't sound exaggerated. The bass sounds clean with no muddy wamrth.
Sound separation is excellent too.
However I feel that the 24-bit audio may be gimmicky. I downloaded 24 bit audio samples along with 16 bit samples of the same song from the same website and played them with the app PowerAmp. My ears weren't able to tell the difference but they both sounded fabulous.
So while 24-bit audio is a Samsung device only feature, I don't think you're missing out on much with that.
I think a better way of putting it is that non-Samsung devices won't be able to use Samsung's proprietary SSC, which sound great.
Playing them on my PC, which I assume uses the SBC codec, the sound was noticeably flatter/less depth.
I think the most important thing about the sound with the Buds2 Pro is that it has a great neutral sound signature.
With the Galaxy Wearables app, you have preset EQs, which cover a wide range of audio taste. The bass boost effectively gives you the exaggerated bass, but without muddiness.
Unfortunately, for the audio-savvy, there is no EQ that you can customize for yourself.
I think the most important thing about the sound with the Buds2 Pro is that it has a great neutral sound signature.
With the Galaxy Wearables app, you have preset EQs, which cover a wide range of audio taste. The bass boost effectively gives you the exaggerated bass, but without muddiness.
Unfortunately, for the audio-savvy, there is no EQ that you can customize for yourself.
I found the 360 audio very gimmicky and don't see any practical use for it with music.
For video, however, if you wanted that simulated 360 audio effect it's there. It just feels like a gimmick since the source audio isn't desgined for 360.
With head tracking on, the audio balance slides according to your head position. Sometimes there is a bit of a delay in tracking your head movement though.
For video, however, if you wanted that simulated 360 audio effect it's there. It just feels like a gimmick since the source audio isn't desgined for 360.
With head tracking on, the audio balance slides according to your head position. Sometimes there is a bit of a delay in tracking your head movement though.
ANC
===
The ANC is great for earbuds. Their main concentration is with low frequency sounds. It does an excellent job blocking out my fan, the AC, and my PC fans.
It's virtually futile with high frequency noises though. Talking, crying, honking can be heard.
On the NYC, I haven't found a single ANC headphones that effectively blocks its noise entirely. With the ceramic tiles amplifying the sounds, the subway is just too loud. But the Buds2 Pro does a great job of blocking the harsh offensive noise. It's dulled significantly. With music on a high volume you can block most of the sound out. Just not Showtime or the mariachi bands though.
===
The ANC is great for earbuds. Their main concentration is with low frequency sounds. It does an excellent job blocking out my fan, the AC, and my PC fans.
It's virtually futile with high frequency noises though. Talking, crying, honking can be heard.
On the NYC, I haven't found a single ANC headphones that effectively blocks its noise entirely. With the ceramic tiles amplifying the sounds, the subway is just too loud. But the Buds2 Pro does a great job of blocking the harsh offensive noise. It's dulled significantly. With music on a high volume you can block most of the sound out. Just not Showtime or the mariachi bands though.
Ambient mode/Speak to chat
==========================
Ambient mode works well when you just want to hear your surroundings as if you weren't wearing the earbuds. However when you start speaking, it can feel a bit uncomfortable. Your voice does sound a bit processed.
==========================
Ambient mode works well when you just want to hear your surroundings as if you weren't wearing the earbuds. However when you start speaking, it can feel a bit uncomfortable. Your voice does sound a bit processed.
Speak to chat works well and immediately but I can't find myself using it because I talk to myself sometimes, as well as like to sing along to music.
Calls
=====
Every call I've tried on them sounded clear from my end. When I asked the person on the other end how I sounded, they said I sounded clear. At no point was there ever any confusion in our conversation. Even with my AC on, the caller on the other end heard me clearly. The buds seemed to have made an attempt at blocking out background noise.
=====
Every call I've tried on them sounded clear from my end. When I asked the person on the other end how I sounded, they said I sounded clear. At no point was there ever any confusion in our conversation. Even with my AC on, the caller on the other end heard me clearly. The buds seemed to have made an attempt at blocking out background noise.
Calls can be made and received by a single earbud without relying on the other, so you can have one still in its case.
Controls
========
Touch controls can be finicky because the buds are small and rounded. If you have bad coordination, it can take some practice find the touch panel to tap. The top edge of the buds is a dead zone. Because they're touch, they're susceptible to accidental presses, sometimes from your own ears. Like if you lay your head against a wall or pillow, it pushes your fleshy ears in and can trigger the touch controls of your buds.
Other than that, the controls are the touch version of controls you'd find for buds with physical buds, bud instead of pressing it's tapping.
Single tap to pause/play.
Double tap for next track.
Triple tap for previous track.
Tap and hold will toggle ANC by default.
========
Touch controls can be finicky because the buds are small and rounded. If you have bad coordination, it can take some practice find the touch panel to tap. The top edge of the buds is a dead zone. Because they're touch, they're susceptible to accidental presses, sometimes from your own ears. Like if you lay your head against a wall or pillow, it pushes your fleshy ears in and can trigger the touch controls of your buds.
Other than that, the controls are the touch version of controls you'd find for buds with physical buds, bud instead of pressing it's tapping.
Single tap to pause/play.
Double tap for next track.
Triple tap for previous track.
Tap and hold will toggle ANC by default.
With the Wearables app, you can customize the touch controls. Tap and hold can be used to control the volume, however if you do that, the functions are fixed to their respective buds: tap and hold left is for volume down, right is for volume up.
Under Labs, the app's beta features, there is "Double tap earbud edge", which you can use for volume command.
However tapping the edge of the earbud itself is very hit or miss, hence why it's a beta feature. As many others on the internet have suggested, I found better success tapping that fleshy triangle part of my ears as my way of tapping the "earbud edge".
However tapping the edge of the earbud itself is very hit or miss, hence why it's a beta feature. As many others on the internet have suggested, I found better success tapping that fleshy triangle part of my ears as my way of tapping the "earbud edge".
Waterproof/Sweatproof
=====================
Waterproofing checks out. I've cleaned my earbuds under a running faucet several times with no issues. Music will still play while in contact with water too. Rest assured it will work perfectly fine if you're caught in the middle of a rain downpair while wearing the Buds2 Pro.
I had no issues with sound while sweating hard during my elliptical workouts. However, the sweat did loosen the seal of my silicone tips. Just not to the point where the buds would fall out. When I shake my head while sweaty on the elliptical, they still won't fall off.
=====================
Waterproofing checks out. I've cleaned my earbuds under a running faucet several times with no issues. Music will still play while in contact with water too. Rest assured it will work perfectly fine if you're caught in the middle of a rain downpair while wearing the Buds2 Pro.
I had no issues with sound while sweating hard during my elliptical workouts. However, the sweat did loosen the seal of my silicone tips. Just not to the point where the buds would fall out. When I shake my head while sweaty on the elliptical, they still won't fall off.
Multi-device
============
This is where the Buds2 Pro stumbles. Seamless connection is only supported by Samsung devices and it doesn't appear to be at a system level. It appears to be dependent on the Galaxy Wearables app. Unlike bluetooth's standard multipoint, Samsung's own method is a lot more buggy. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. I can't make rhyme or reason as to why it behaves the way it does. When it does work, it works like multipoint, with the added convenience of visual notifications on the device letting you know your device connected to the buds. But it doesn't always work.
Despite not being a Samsung device, a PC can benefit from the seamless connection with Samsung's Galaxy Buds app (download from the Microsoft Store). But it's just as finicky as with my S22 Ultra and Tab S8 Ultra. All top of the line flagship devices. Samsung would've been better off with the standard Bluetooth multipoint. It doesn't have the bells and whistles but at least it works reliably on an Android system level.
============
This is where the Buds2 Pro stumbles. Seamless connection is only supported by Samsung devices and it doesn't appear to be at a system level. It appears to be dependent on the Galaxy Wearables app. Unlike bluetooth's standard multipoint, Samsung's own method is a lot more buggy. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. I can't make rhyme or reason as to why it behaves the way it does. When it does work, it works like multipoint, with the added convenience of visual notifications on the device letting you know your device connected to the buds. But it doesn't always work.
Despite not being a Samsung device, a PC can benefit from the seamless connection with Samsung's Galaxy Buds app (download from the Microsoft Store). But it's just as finicky as with my S22 Ultra and Tab S8 Ultra. All top of the line flagship devices. Samsung would've been better off with the standard Bluetooth multipoint. It doesn't have the bells and whistles but at least it works reliably on an Android system level.
Loved the Buds2 Pro and would recommend them.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Introducing Logitech MX Master 3S ~ an iconic mouse remastered. Designed for designers and engineered for coders, now with Quiet Clicks and 8K DPI any-surface tracking for more feel and performance than ever before. It~s ergonomic silhouette is crafted to support your palm and fingers and allows you to work comfortably for hours across multiple computers and operating systems in one fluid workflow. With MX Master 3S, you can truly master what you make.
Customer Rating
5
Very Customizable, Tracks glass, and now Silent!
on June 14, 2022
Posted by: KusMoG
Pros:
-Mouse can be used on virtually any surface, including glass
-Ergonomic; comfortable with any grip
-Very silent
-Pairs with up to 3 devices so you can switch between them (can only use with one device at a time)
-Long battery life
-Very smooth scroll and thumb wheels
-Extremely customizable when used with Logitech's Options+ software
-Logitech Flow allows use of mouse between up to 3 PCs at the same time and copy/paste across them
-8000DPI sensor for quicker movement on high resolution displays
-Mouse can be used on virtually any surface, including glass
-Ergonomic; comfortable with any grip
-Very silent
-Pairs with up to 3 devices so you can switch between them (can only use with one device at a time)
-Long battery life
-Very smooth scroll and thumb wheels
-Extremely customizable when used with Logitech's Options+ software
-Logitech Flow allows use of mouse between up to 3 PCs at the same time and copy/paste across them
-8000DPI sensor for quicker movement on high resolution displays
Questionable Pro:
-Uses Bolt receiver, which supposedly provides a more reliable connection
-Uses Bolt receiver, which supposedly provides a more reliable connection
Cons:
-May be jarring to users of the older MX Master series mice at first due to all the changes they made
-Bolt receiver is not backwards compatible and doesn't support Unifying receiver devices
-145Hz polling rate means it's not made for serious gamers
-Flow only compatible with Windows and MacOS
-(for left-handed people) It's a right-handed mouse
-May be jarring to users of the older MX Master series mice at first due to all the changes they made
-Bolt receiver is not backwards compatible and doesn't support Unifying receiver devices
-145Hz polling rate means it's not made for serious gamers
-Flow only compatible with Windows and MacOS
-(for left-handed people) It's a right-handed mouse
Questionable Con:
-Battery indicator is now just one bigger LED, no longer showing levels
-Battery indicator is now just one bigger LED, no longer showing levels
For some reason in 2022, Logitech appears to be the only brand with mice on the market that tracks on glass. So if you have a glass table to use your mouse on like I do, and don't want to use a mouse pad, Logitech's MX series of mice appear to be your only option. Thankfully, Logitech does an amazing job with the MX Master line making it feel like a premium device that it's worth.
Thanks to its ergonomic design, it never feels uncomfortable using the MX Master 3S. It's tall enough and curved in the right way to allow your hand and fingers to naturally rest on it. The soft rubberized texture of the base provides a comfortable feel. I've used the mouse all day and my wrist never feels tired from it.
What's new to the MX Master 3S that was absent from the Master MX 3 that preceded it are the silent left and right click buttons. What was once the loudest parts of mouse, on the 3S it's now the most quietest. The amazing thing is, it still feels tactile. It doesn't feel mushy or suppressed. You'll feel the click like you always do. It's just A LOT less noisy. The change is so dramatic that you may hate initially, like I did. I wanted a silent mouse, but when I first used the 3S I instantly felt regret and frustration. My brain was so used to expecting a sound when I click that when I didn't with the 3S it felt extremely jarring to me. I think I may have been clicking harder than I needed to out of reflex. Fortunately, within a half hour, maybe an hour at most, I got used to the silent click and wound up falling in love with it like I thought it would. Oh my GOD, I *WISH* I had this 20 years when I was up using a computer during late hours when my parents expected me in bed.
The left/right click buttons aren't the only thing that's gone quieter. The scroll wheel is also a lot more quiet, even in ratchet mode, where the wheel has tactile "steps" when you spin it.
The back/forward side buttons are also relatively quiet.
All in all this mouse seems to be designed to work quietly. The loudest part of the mouse is probably the thumb button.
The left/right click buttons aren't the only thing that's gone quieter. The scroll wheel is also a lot more quiet, even in ratchet mode, where the wheel has tactile "steps" when you spin it.
The back/forward side buttons are also relatively quiet.
All in all this mouse seems to be designed to work quietly. The loudest part of the mouse is probably the thumb button.
None of the buttons feel cheap. They all have a pleasant tactile responsive feel. No soft mushy feel. No sticky feel.
The thumb button is easier to find and on the MX Master 3S than the 2S and older because it has a very slight bump to help feel your way to locating it. It also feels easier to press because there is now a groove on the side of the mouse to allow the button to be pressed deeper. You won't accidentally press it while resting your thumb there because of where the button is placed, in the center of the base of mouse on the left side. It's hard for me to explain. It's not easy to press the button by accident, but it's easy to press the button when you need to.
The thumb button is easier to find and on the MX Master 3S than the 2S and older because it has a very slight bump to help feel your way to locating it. It also feels easier to press because there is now a groove on the side of the mouse to allow the button to be pressed deeper. You won't accidentally press it while resting your thumb there because of where the button is placed, in the center of the base of mouse on the left side. It's hard for me to explain. It's not easy to press the button by accident, but it's easy to press the button when you need to.
There are 2 wheels on the mouse, the scroll wheel in between the left/right click buttons for scrolling with your index finger, and the thumb wheel on the side for scrolling with your thumb. There is no longer the rubberized coating on the wheels but they still have a good feel to them. I like this change as I imagine the wheel will be easier to clean over time as it collects dirt and grime. The rubber from the older versions made it tougher to clean as dirt would stick to it. Now it's just all steel.
The thumb scroll wheel is now placed above the back/forward buttons instead of beside them.
Thanks to this, the thumb scroll wheel is in its own row and the wheel is now wider making it more easier to use than ever before.
The scroll wheel has SmartShift, which automatically switches the scroll wheel from line-by-line scrolling to hyper-fast scrolling when you scroll faster.
Or you can use the Shift wheel mode button below the scroll wheel to switch between Ratchet (tactile steps) and Free spin (no tactile steps) immediately.
The thumb scroll wheel is now placed above the back/forward buttons instead of beside them.
Thanks to this, the thumb scroll wheel is in its own row and the wheel is now wider making it more easier to use than ever before.
The scroll wheel has SmartShift, which automatically switches the scroll wheel from line-by-line scrolling to hyper-fast scrolling when you scroll faster.
Or you can use the Shift wheel mode button below the scroll wheel to switch between Ratchet (tactile steps) and Free spin (no tactile steps) immediately.
With the use of Logitech's Options+ software, the mouse is extremely customizable. Every button on the mouse can be remapped. You can even map buttons for specific applications only, instead of making the changes global.
With Options+ you can also change the speed of both wheels, as well as change the direction of the scrolling of the wheels.
You can also change the pointer speed by changing the sensor range. The range is from 200DPI to 8000DPI by steps of 50 DPI. The default DPI out of the box, and without the Options+ software is 1000DPI. I found 8000DPI way too fast and frenetic for me to be precise with it with my use case, even though I have a 3 monitor setup with 4K monitors, but this may be helpful for others with a more expensive setup like a multi-monitors using 8K monitors which have twice as many pixels, making the average mouse pointer feel slower with the default sensor. The higher DPI sensor would allow the mouse pointer speed to move faster.
The Options+ software is also where you can set up the MX Master 3S with Flow. Flow allows you to use and control multiple computers with Options+ also installed seamlessly. Switch to another computer by simply moving your cursor to the edge of the screen. Flow also allows your to copy and paste content between those computers. However, since Flow is dependent on the Options+ software, it's only compatible with Windows and MacOS. So there is no first-party solution from Logitech for Linux, Android, or iOS.
With Options+ you can also change the speed of both wheels, as well as change the direction of the scrolling of the wheels.
You can also change the pointer speed by changing the sensor range. The range is from 200DPI to 8000DPI by steps of 50 DPI. The default DPI out of the box, and without the Options+ software is 1000DPI. I found 8000DPI way too fast and frenetic for me to be precise with it with my use case, even though I have a 3 monitor setup with 4K monitors, but this may be helpful for others with a more expensive setup like a multi-monitors using 8K monitors which have twice as many pixels, making the average mouse pointer feel slower with the default sensor. The higher DPI sensor would allow the mouse pointer speed to move faster.
The Options+ software is also where you can set up the MX Master 3S with Flow. Flow allows you to use and control multiple computers with Options+ also installed seamlessly. Switch to another computer by simply moving your cursor to the edge of the screen. Flow also allows your to copy and paste content between those computers. However, since Flow is dependent on the Options+ software, it's only compatible with Windows and MacOS. So there is no first-party solution from Logitech for Linux, Android, or iOS.
Whereas "MX" meant the mouse employs Darkfield technology to allow tracking on virtually any surface, the "Master" means the mouse is able to pair with up to 3 devices. With a button found under the mouse, you can switch between those 3 devices. Out of the box, "1" is paired to the included Bolt receiver.
What may comes as unfortunate news to loyal Logitech users is that the Bolt receiver is not compatible with devices that use the older Unifying receiver. First introduced with Logitech's business line of products, it was designed to be more secure and perform better under busy environments that would typically cause interference with the wireless connection. Typically when this happens, users are advised to get a USB extension cable to connect the USB receiver to, so you can bring it closer to the mouse for a more reliable connection. In theory, Bolt should help prevent this. Unfortunately, I'm not in an environment with that kind of interference so I can't test this claim.
What may comes as unfortunate news to loyal Logitech users is that the Bolt receiver is not compatible with devices that use the older Unifying receiver. First introduced with Logitech's business line of products, it was designed to be more secure and perform better under busy environments that would typically cause interference with the wireless connection. Typically when this happens, users are advised to get a USB extension cable to connect the USB receiver to, so you can bring it closer to the mouse for a more reliable connection. In theory, Bolt should help prevent this. Unfortunately, I'm not in an environment with that kind of interference so I can't test this claim.
Logitech claims it has a battery life of *up to* 70 days, carefully wording it so that 70 days is their claim max point. So don't expect 70 days. The reality is, how long it lasts will vary depending on the user and how they use it. For example, with me, I'm on the computer almost all day and night, over 8 hours a day. I haven't owned the 3S long enough to test its battery life in real time to see it go from 100% to 0% but I've seen it lose 10% of battery in my 3 days of use. That would amount to about 30 days, which is the same amount of battery life I got with my MX Master 2S, which Logitech also claimed "up to 70 days". So, if you're a previous MX Master 2S or Master 3 user, expect the same amount of battery life as that. To me, this is very good battery life, as I'm an abnormal user. I spend way too much time on the computer. Perhaps the average user will get 45-50 days out of it. For someone like my mom, who is elderly and not on the computer as much, 70 days is definitely possible. This is thanks to how power efficient the mouse is. It goes into sleep mode after a long period of inactivity. I have never felt the need to power my mouse off.
The mouse charges via USB-C, and Logitech claims 3 minutes of charging will give you about a full day's worth of use.I haven't been able to test this yet because I'm still working with the initial charge that it came with out of the box, which was 45%. In 5 days of use, I've only lost a reported 10%.
That's a notable thing about the battery reporting with the MX Master 3S. You can only see the battery percentage through the Options+ app or bluetooth if you have it connected via bluetooth. And it only reports the battery percentage in intervals of 5%. So the 35% battery I'm seeing now actually means 31% to 35%.
That's a notable thing about the battery reporting with the MX Master 3S. You can only see the battery percentage through the Options+ app or bluetooth if you have it connected via bluetooth. And it only reports the battery percentage in intervals of 5%. So the 35% battery I'm seeing now actually means 31% to 35%.
The battery indicator on the MX Master 3S is just a single LED, albeit larger and easier to see. On the MX 2S and older, there were 3 LEDs so you could see the battery level. With one LED, you can now only see whether the battery is above 10% (green), below 10% (red), or charging (blinking). I honestly don't think this is that bad because when it turns red, that's your reminder to charge it or else it will die. And being in the red with 10% will give you 3 days of extensive usage to do it, which is plenty of time.
For loyal MX Master mouse users coming from the 2S or older, you may be in for a real unpleasant shock from all the changes they've made to the 3S. But give it time and you'll fall in love with it like I did. Bolt is the future, and Unifying will get phased out. Got to start somewhere. 3S is a great start.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The WH-1000XM5 headphones rewrite the rules for distraction-free listening. Two processors control 8 microphones for unprecedented noise canceling and exceptional call quality.
Customer Rating
4
Incredible if you don't mind that they can't fold
on May 31, 2022
Posted by: KusMoG
Pros:
-Rich in features
-Can charge the battery from 0% to 100% in less than an hour with a 45W PD charger.
-Excellent transparency mode
-Lightweight
-Touch panel is more responsive
-Long 30 hour battery life with noise cancelling and high resolution audio (LDAC) on.
-Settings save on the headphones including EQ
-Rich in features
-Can charge the battery from 0% to 100% in less than an hour with a 45W PD charger.
-Excellent transparency mode
-Lightweight
-Touch panel is more responsive
-Long 30 hour battery life with noise cancelling and high resolution audio (LDAC) on.
-Settings save on the headphones including EQ
Cons:
-No longer collapses to smaller size
-No wind reduction ambient mode
-plastic construction still prone to creaking
The XM5s are an addition to Sony’s 1000X line of headphones with 2 undeniable improvements over its previous generations and those are its microphones and its battery charging capabilities.
The rest are pretty subjective when compared to its previous iteration, the WH-1000XM4, which is a good thing that Sony is still keeping this model in the market.
-No longer collapses to smaller size
-No wind reduction ambient mode
-plastic construction still prone to creaking
The XM5s are an addition to Sony’s 1000X line of headphones with 2 undeniable improvements over its previous generations and those are its microphones and its battery charging capabilities.
The rest are pretty subjective when compared to its previous iteration, the WH-1000XM4, which is a good thing that Sony is still keeping this model in the market.
CONSTRUCTION/DESIGN:
It’s still made of the plastic similar, if not the same, as the XM4. Unfortunately, I’ve found this material to be prone to creaking ever since the XM3. After 5 days of wear my once silent XM5 began creaking whenever I move around while wearing them. It did go away 2 days later, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it returned.
The black version of the XM5 is prone to showing fingerprint stains a lot more easily than previous versions.
The cushioning is made of a different material from previous generations that feels more comfortable on the skin; smoother, less abrasive. The size of the cushion is less thick than the XM4 but I didn’t find it less comfortable. They still sweat up the ears on a warm day or after extended continuous use.
The headphones’ length adjustment is via stepless plastic rods so you’ll no longer hear clicks when adjusting them.
Unfortunately, the ear cups no longer collapse to a smaller size for portability.
They’ll still swivel, but when rested around your neck, the ear cups will swivel facing up.
The proximity sensor is no longer visible but it’s still there in the left ear cup.
The XM5s do not have any water or sweat resistance, and the included written materials advise users not to work out with them.
It’s still made of the plastic similar, if not the same, as the XM4. Unfortunately, I’ve found this material to be prone to creaking ever since the XM3. After 5 days of wear my once silent XM5 began creaking whenever I move around while wearing them. It did go away 2 days later, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it returned.
The black version of the XM5 is prone to showing fingerprint stains a lot more easily than previous versions.
The cushioning is made of a different material from previous generations that feels more comfortable on the skin; smoother, less abrasive. The size of the cushion is less thick than the XM4 but I didn’t find it less comfortable. They still sweat up the ears on a warm day or after extended continuous use.
The headphones’ length adjustment is via stepless plastic rods so you’ll no longer hear clicks when adjusting them.
Unfortunately, the ear cups no longer collapse to a smaller size for portability.
They’ll still swivel, but when rested around your neck, the ear cups will swivel facing up.
The proximity sensor is no longer visible but it’s still there in the left ear cup.
The XM5s do not have any water or sweat resistance, and the included written materials advise users not to work out with them.
SOUND:
The XM5’s sound is easily the most balanced since the XM2 going away from the bass-heavy and generally muddy sounds of the XM4 and especially the XM3, without losing much of the punchiness. It’s a cleaner-sounding bass. The default sound is Sony’s typical warm sound but thanks to the customizable and responsive EQ using Sony’s Headphones app, you can change this to get a more neutral sound. The EQ settings save directly on the headphones themselves so the sound will stay that way no matter what device you connect to, until the next time you change the EQ settings from the app.
I always struggle to describe sound quality because I’m not an audio expert, but music of all genres sound great to me on the XM5.
Supported codecs are SBC, AAC, and LDAC. Like with the XM4, AptX is not supported. This may not be a huge deal if you’re using the headphones on Apple, PC, or newer Android devices as they’ll support the theoretically best option for those.
While I didn’t experience any latency issues with videos except one time with YouTube (turning headphones off and on again fixed issue), I did for gaming.
The XM5’s sound is easily the most balanced since the XM2 going away from the bass-heavy and generally muddy sounds of the XM4 and especially the XM3, without losing much of the punchiness. It’s a cleaner-sounding bass. The default sound is Sony’s typical warm sound but thanks to the customizable and responsive EQ using Sony’s Headphones app, you can change this to get a more neutral sound. The EQ settings save directly on the headphones themselves so the sound will stay that way no matter what device you connect to, until the next time you change the EQ settings from the app.
I always struggle to describe sound quality because I’m not an audio expert, but music of all genres sound great to me on the XM5.
Supported codecs are SBC, AAC, and LDAC. Like with the XM4, AptX is not supported. This may not be a huge deal if you’re using the headphones on Apple, PC, or newer Android devices as they’ll support the theoretically best option for those.
While I didn’t experience any latency issues with videos except one time with YouTube (turning headphones off and on again fixed issue), I did for gaming.
NOISE CANCELLING:
The XM5 still lives up to being one of the best in the market for active noise cancelling headphones in its price range. When compared to some of its competitors using their demo display at my local store, it’s embarrassing to hear how much better the XM5 was.
At the same time, it claims to have the best noise cancelling yet with the help of 2 processors. I still own the XM4 and to my ears, the XM4 still does a better job and cancelling noise than the XM5.
However, when record the sound inside the earcups with noise cancelling on using a tiny microphone for both the XM4 and XM5, to my surprise, the XM5’s do produce lower decibels of sound than the XM4.
I’m no expert at this, but if I had to come up with some sort of explanation I think it may be because the XM4 produces a more apparent white noise sound that’s mostly absent on the XM5. While this white noise helps mask outside noise better for my ears, it still does attribute to noise volume. The noise cancelling on the XM5 produces a much cleaner sound with less cabin pressure.
The XM5 also has an active optimizer that uses the mics to assess your surroundings and change the noise cancelling characteristics accordingly. My issue with it though is it doesn’t work the way you want it to sometimes.
I can tell it’s working when I hear the sudden changes with no music playing. The easiest way I can get it to noticeably work is by turning the air conditioner on. As I move closer to it, I can hear the noise cancelling change like a flick of the switch. I also feel a change in air pressure with my ears. One way of resetting this is by going into transparency mode.
But there are times when the noise cancelling changes to make it sound worse and allows the noises that I consider more annoying, to be more easily heard. I liken the auto optimizer as an audio version of a camera’s auto focus. Sometimes it focuses to a noise cancelling profile I wasn’t aiming for. You have no control over the auto optimizer, not even from the app.
What shines is the ambient mode, which is customizable to 20 levels with 20 allowing the mode outside sound. It almost sounds like you’re not wearing any headphones at all, or perhaps more accurately, wearing open back headphones. I feel comfortable enough to wear them while watching TV and talking to people.
The bad? Wind Noise Reduction is now missing from the Ambient mode settings. And no, the XM5’s noise cancelling isn’t effective enough to eliminate wind noise.
The XM5 still lives up to being one of the best in the market for active noise cancelling headphones in its price range. When compared to some of its competitors using their demo display at my local store, it’s embarrassing to hear how much better the XM5 was.
At the same time, it claims to have the best noise cancelling yet with the help of 2 processors. I still own the XM4 and to my ears, the XM4 still does a better job and cancelling noise than the XM5.
However, when record the sound inside the earcups with noise cancelling on using a tiny microphone for both the XM4 and XM5, to my surprise, the XM5’s do produce lower decibels of sound than the XM4.
I’m no expert at this, but if I had to come up with some sort of explanation I think it may be because the XM4 produces a more apparent white noise sound that’s mostly absent on the XM5. While this white noise helps mask outside noise better for my ears, it still does attribute to noise volume. The noise cancelling on the XM5 produces a much cleaner sound with less cabin pressure.
The XM5 also has an active optimizer that uses the mics to assess your surroundings and change the noise cancelling characteristics accordingly. My issue with it though is it doesn’t work the way you want it to sometimes.
I can tell it’s working when I hear the sudden changes with no music playing. The easiest way I can get it to noticeably work is by turning the air conditioner on. As I move closer to it, I can hear the noise cancelling change like a flick of the switch. I also feel a change in air pressure with my ears. One way of resetting this is by going into transparency mode.
But there are times when the noise cancelling changes to make it sound worse and allows the noises that I consider more annoying, to be more easily heard. I liken the auto optimizer as an audio version of a camera’s auto focus. Sometimes it focuses to a noise cancelling profile I wasn’t aiming for. You have no control over the auto optimizer, not even from the app.
What shines is the ambient mode, which is customizable to 20 levels with 20 allowing the mode outside sound. It almost sounds like you’re not wearing any headphones at all, or perhaps more accurately, wearing open back headphones. I feel comfortable enough to wear them while watching TV and talking to people.
The bad? Wind Noise Reduction is now missing from the Ambient mode settings. And no, the XM5’s noise cancelling isn’t effective enough to eliminate wind noise.
FEATURES:
*Speak-to-chat allows you to enter ambience mode with the “Focus on voice” option on automatically whenever you speak. While it’s supposed to make you hear voices better, “Focus on voice” option does so at the expense of making the environment sound less natural and your own voice sound muffled. Unfortunately, with Speak-to-chat there is no way to enter ambience mode without the “Focus on voice” option. This mode also isn’t great to have on if you’re the type of person that likes to sing along to the music while listening to it as that would activate Speak-to-chat.
*Covering the right ear cup with your palm enters Ambient mode in its max 20 setting, as long as it stays covered. It returns back to the mode you were previously in once you uncover the right ear cup. This is convenient for times when you want to be alert of your surroundings for a brief or sudden moment.
*Multipoint allows the headphones to connect to 2 different devices at the same time. Unfortunately, this still won’t work with the LDAC codec.
*Automatic Power Off allows the headphones to automatically turn off after a certain period of time when you aren’t wearing your headphones.
*”Pauses when headphones are taken off” allows you to do just that. While they are taken off, the touch panel is disabled as well so it prevents accidental inputs. Wearing the headphones again will unpause. This is all provided that the app that’s playing supports pausing. For example, it won’t work with watching live channels on the ESPN app.
*Quick Access is the replacement of the Custom button function of the older gens. Double-pressing or triple-pressing the NC/AMB button allows you to assign a Service function to it. Unfortunately, it’s essentially a beta with these headphones since the only service that works for it is Spotify. You can’t even assign a voice assistant to this button anymore. The voice assistant is accessed by press-holding the right ear cup.
*Voice assistant: When set to Google Assistant and Alexa you will still need to be connected to a device with these apps as they cannot be used with the headphones alone. The XM5 just natively supports them to allow faster responses and the ability to read your notifications out to you. You can also use it for any other voice assistant, but it is basically just a Bluetooth audio extension of your phone and slower.
*Speak-to-chat allows you to enter ambience mode with the “Focus on voice” option on automatically whenever you speak. While it’s supposed to make you hear voices better, “Focus on voice” option does so at the expense of making the environment sound less natural and your own voice sound muffled. Unfortunately, with Speak-to-chat there is no way to enter ambience mode without the “Focus on voice” option. This mode also isn’t great to have on if you’re the type of person that likes to sing along to the music while listening to it as that would activate Speak-to-chat.
*Covering the right ear cup with your palm enters Ambient mode in its max 20 setting, as long as it stays covered. It returns back to the mode you were previously in once you uncover the right ear cup. This is convenient for times when you want to be alert of your surroundings for a brief or sudden moment.
*Multipoint allows the headphones to connect to 2 different devices at the same time. Unfortunately, this still won’t work with the LDAC codec.
*Automatic Power Off allows the headphones to automatically turn off after a certain period of time when you aren’t wearing your headphones.
*”Pauses when headphones are taken off” allows you to do just that. While they are taken off, the touch panel is disabled as well so it prevents accidental inputs. Wearing the headphones again will unpause. This is all provided that the app that’s playing supports pausing. For example, it won’t work with watching live channels on the ESPN app.
*Quick Access is the replacement of the Custom button function of the older gens. Double-pressing or triple-pressing the NC/AMB button allows you to assign a Service function to it. Unfortunately, it’s essentially a beta with these headphones since the only service that works for it is Spotify. You can’t even assign a voice assistant to this button anymore. The voice assistant is accessed by press-holding the right ear cup.
*Voice assistant: When set to Google Assistant and Alexa you will still need to be connected to a device with these apps as they cannot be used with the headphones alone. The XM5 just natively supports them to allow faster responses and the ability to read your notifications out to you. You can also use it for any other voice assistant, but it is basically just a Bluetooth audio extension of your phone and slower.
CONNECTIONS:
*Bluetooth 5.2
*3.5mm audio: works without battery use but without noise cancelling/transparency, and works with battery to use powered functions like noise cancelling/transparency. Bluetooth functions do NOT work while wired, so you cannot use microphone. Inline wired microphones will NOT work because jack doesn’t support input.
*USB-C for charging only; does NOT support USB audio.
*Bluetooth 5.2
*3.5mm audio: works without battery use but without noise cancelling/transparency, and works with battery to use powered functions like noise cancelling/transparency. Bluetooth functions do NOT work while wired, so you cannot use microphone. Inline wired microphones will NOT work because jack doesn’t support input.
*USB-C for charging only; does NOT support USB audio.
CHARGING:
I used a Samsung 45W Fast Wall Charger and to my surprise I got way better than advertised results!
3 minutes of charging gave me 3 hours and 50 minutes of LDAC playtime with noise cancelling.
Charging from 0% to 100% took only 52 minutes. I dramatic improvement from the XM4 which took 2 hours and 50 minutes using the same charger.
I used a Samsung 45W Fast Wall Charger and to my surprise I got way better than advertised results!
3 minutes of charging gave me 3 hours and 50 minutes of LDAC playtime with noise cancelling.
Charging from 0% to 100% took only 52 minutes. I dramatic improvement from the XM4 which took 2 hours and 50 minutes using the same charger.
Battery Life:
I got 30 hours of battery life with noise cancelling using LDAC while playing a 24-bit FLAC album on a loop. So their battery claims are accurate; not an oversell or undersell.
I got 30 hours of battery life with noise cancelling using LDAC while playing a 24-bit FLAC album on a loop. So their battery claims are accurate; not an oversell or undersell.
I'll miss the portability of the XM4 but the incredible charging time of the XM5 and the amazing transparency mode is what seals the deal for me. Ambient mode has NEVER sounded this good and natural on a Sony noise cancelling headphone, and very close to a leading competitor known for having this quality. Highly recommended if you don't mind that it can't fold anymore.
My biggest concern is its durability over time.
My biggest concern is its durability over time.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Linksys E9450 WiFi 6 router covers 2800 square feet* and handles 30+ devices at speeds up to 5.4 Gbps. This compact Dual-Band router lets you surf, stream, and game all at the same time to keep you connected to the things that matter most. With Parental Controls and separate Guest Access, your network will always remain safe and secure. Easily add devices to your network with a push of the WPS button
Posted by: KusMoG
from Brooklyn, NY
Don't let the lack of external antennas fool you, the E9450 delivers on its promised range and even performs better on range than another router I had that had 4 adjustable external antennas, which actually had dead zones in one of our bedrooms, the garage, and the front porch on the 5GHz band. The E9450 on the other hand still operated in those locations under 5GHz while still delivering our max internet speed of 230Mbps.
The router is compact and yet has a good solid heft, giving it a premium feel, and won't move around while cables are plugged in when standing vertically, which is also supported by the rubber feet on its stand.
You can actually lay the router horizontally, but out of the box it will slide around on a flat smooth surface. If you place it on a rubber mat or attach non-slip feet on them, it will work out fine.
You can actually lay the router horizontally, but out of the box it will slide around on a flat smooth surface. If you place it on a rubber mat or attach non-slip feet on them, it will work out fine.
Setup is incredibly simple and done using any internet browser. You simply connect to the router's wifi connection using its SSID and sign in with the credentials noted on the included written materials, then enter 192.168.1.1 on any browser to get to the router's configuration page. The router will walk you through the initial setup.
The configuration page itself is fast to navigate through, with a clean and easy to understand interface.
The configuration page itself is fast to navigate through, with a clean and easy to understand interface.
UPnP (universal plug and play) works out of the box. The E9450 was able to set up the port forwarding for my Plex Media Server automatically without me having to do anything, and even labeled it correctly as "Plex Media Server".
The E9450 has a USB 3.0 port which allows you to connect an external disk to it and turn it into a NAS (network attached storage) as a SMB, FTP, or UPnP media server. The configuration page has a relatively mature external storage section, allowing you to see the USB speed protocol the connected device is running at, shared folders, the ability to format the drive and safely eject the drive.
The supported formats for external storage on the E9450 are FAT32, NTFS and HFS+.
The supported formats for external storage on the E9450 are FAT32, NTFS and HFS+.
Missing from the router is the ability to host a VPN server. This is not to be confused with connecting to a VPN server, of which the E9450 has no problems doing. It supports IPSec, PPTP, and L2TP VPN passthrough. But if you want to create a VPN server of your own for your home network to allow it to be accessible outside of your home, you can't. Furthmore, to my knowledge, DD-WRT doesn't support this router.
Fast AX wifi speeds with reliable range and an excellent, speedy and informative configuration page makes this a router I can easily recommend.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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eufy Smart Wi-Fi 2k Video Doorbell with Chime is a battery powered (or wired- you choose) video doorbell that is the perfect protection for your home. With no monthly fee, enjoy 2K resolution so that you can see who is at your door, clearly. Talk to them via the 2-way mic, and be alerted when a human is at the door instead of the neighborhood dog. IP65 Weatherproof Ensures the Video Doorbell camera continues to operate in extreme temperatures from minus 4~F to 122~ F (minus 20~C to 50~C). Installation is easy. No need to mess around with complicated wiring, self-installation in minutes. Wireless Video Doorbell camera will also work with old chimes.
Customer Rating
5
Solid home security camera with free local storage
on July 24, 2021
Posted by: KusMoG
from Brooklyn, NY
The Eufy Battery 2K video doorbell with chime is a great cost-effective option for home security. Thanks to local storage, you don't need to have a paid subscription to record events from your video doorbell. The downside to local storage is that you won't be able to access your recordings if your doorbell isn't actively connected to the wifi. However, like its competitors, Eufy also has its own subscription cloud storage service so your recordings are stored on the cloud and viewable from anywhere even when your doorbell is not connected to the internet.
The local storage is located on the bundled chime instead of the doorbell, so it's inside your home. It uses microSD, which makes it expandable to 128GB according to Eufy, though it comes with a 16GB microSD card.
Setup was straight forward and easy. Although this doorbell is battery powered, you also have the option of installing it wired. The power source will still be the battery but the wired setup will continually charge the battery so you won't need to remove the doorbell from the mount to recharge it.
Recharging the doorbell is a bit of a drag. The battery is non-replaceable so you'll need to detach the doorbell from the mount using a SIM-card removal type tool that's included each time you need to charge it. Sadly, it still charges via micro-USB. Recharging the doorbell takes about 6 hours, so that's 6 hours of downtime.
I personally find the doorbell to be attractive but glossy black is all you'll get. There are no faceplates. There is a ring light on the doorbell button that lights up when motion is detected.
The video quality is excellent- clear and bright, although this largely relies on the stability of your doorbell's wifi connection at the location it's installed so keep this in mind. The included chime acts as a wireless extender for the doorbell as well, but sometimes it may still not be sufficient. Unfortunately, I live in an apartment building so I'm unable to comment on its performance under low light since the hallway that my doorbell is installed at is always lit.
The doorbell has motion detection, which it can send you notifications for, but frequent activation of this will greatly impact the battery life. Since I live in an apartment building, I don't get any false positives as only people roam around the hallways. I have no trees, bugs, or cars in range to possibly trigger its motion sensors.
I can't confidently confirm Eufy's battery claims of 180 day battery life, but from my usage that could be the case. In a whole day the battery either didn't drain a percent, or went down 1%.
Notifications were pretty quick, and also include a live picture thumbnail.
The app is pretty straightforward as serves as a platform for the Eufy ecosystem of home security devices, such as their cameras. However, you won't find any social Neighborhood watch type features on it.
The app is pretty straightforward as serves as a platform for the Eufy ecosystem of home security devices, such as their cameras. However, you won't find any social Neighborhood watch type features on it.
While the chime can be used to play a digital chime, you can also disable it. This is useful for a wired setup, where it will still use your original chime which you may prefer. You can also set up Amazon Echo dots as a chime from the app.
The Eufy doorbell works with both Google Assistant and Alexa.
Competitively priced and without the need for a paid subscription to view recordings of older doorbell events, I would recommend the Eufy Wired/Battery 2k video doorbell to anyone in the market for one.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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How much content can you hold with your fingertips? With the Crucial X6 Portable SSD, the answer is: A lot! Whether you~re downloading videos for off-line travel, organizing family photos, collaborating with classmates, or heading off on a great adventure, the Crucial X6 features up to 2TB of portable storage capacity and is ready to go wherever you do.
Posted by: KusMoG
from Brooklyn, NY
At 2.5" L x 2.625" W x 0.5" it is very portable, which a square and flat design that hides away in most shirt and pants pockets without bulging out. It is also very light.
I think the best thing about the external SSD's design is that the USB port on it is the standard USB-C. So while the USB-C to USB-A cable is included with the SSD, if you lose it or need a longer cable, you can always replace it with any standard USB-C cable. Keep in mind though that all USB-C cables are not the same, and to get the full speed of the SSD you'll need a USB 3 speed USB-C cable.
When used while the SSD is at cool or normal temperature, it is extremely quick for transferring large single files, faster than a lot of comparable SSDs at this price point. When transferring many small files that add up to a large file size, the speed is dramatically slower, like a lot of competing SSDs at this price point but it's not any slower than the competition.
This external SSD's biggest flaw is the speed throttling that happens when the SSD becomes warmer (I've never had it become 'hot' although this is probably because the speed throttling never allows it too. I'm almost sure of it.) What this means is that, when the SSD gets really warm, the file transfer speeds become dramatically slower. From 2x to 4x slower; the hotter it gets, the slower it becomes. How it gets hot is through extended use of the SSD over a very short period of time. The good news is, it transfers very quickly.
However, if you're using it for backup transfers that are 256GB or larger that can take minutes, this will heat up the SSD and eventually it will slow to a crawl, and the initial 10 minutes you see can end up being over an hour.
For less intensive transfers like transferring a large ISO file from one device to another, this SSD is perfect.
However, if you're using it for backup transfers that are 256GB or larger that can take minutes, this will heat up the SSD and eventually it will slow to a crawl, and the initial 10 minutes you see can end up being over an hour.
For less intensive transfers like transferring a large ISO file from one device to another, this SSD is perfect.
As advertised, this external SSD works with Android flawlessly as well, provided your device has a file manager installed to browse the data on the SSD. If speeds are slow on the Android device, it's possible that it's your Android device's USB port that's the issue, and may not be capable of the max speed transfers of the SSD because the SSD itself is extremely fast.
Summary: Small, lightweight, and extremely fast, the Crucial X6 SE is an excellent travel companion for the casual user, but not ideal for the IT professional transferring large amounts of data constantly over a short period of time. The thermal throttling makes it unreliable for large, lengthy file transferring projects that require timeliness.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The HTM6 S2 Anniversary Edition delivers clear dialog and power in a compact form for Home Theater. Continuum mid-bass drive units provide make it easy to hear actors and robust bass lines for action films while Decoupled Double Dome Tweeters create an enveloping sense of space and clarity. Featuring upgraded crossovers for even more transparency and a unique trim-ring to celebrate this milestone, the HTM6 S2 Anniversary Edition is the most sophisticated, affordable center channel Bowers & Wilkins has ever made. The HTM6 S2 Anniversary Edition is the matching center channel for the 600 Series Anniversary Edition range of products. Over the last 25 years, the 600 Series has been our most affordable performance range of loudspeakers, and we~re celebrating our love of sound with acoustic improvements to the crossover network for overall greater levels of clarity and smoother high frequencies so you can enjoy a compelling listening experience across the range of products.
Customer Rating
5
Amazingly clear speakers. Great for center channel
on December 31, 2020
Posted by: KusMoG
from Brooklyn, NY
I need to preface this review by saying I am by no means an audiophile. I'm not familiar with the science or the technical jargon so I'm not going to pretend like I'm an expert at sound quality. I categorize myself as an enthusiast. I've invested in a decent receiver, home theater system, cables, etc. And I care about what I listen to enough to know what I like and don't like, and notice when something is lacking.
The design is a rather conservative rectangular box with sharp edges. The only eye catching aspect of its design are the silver cones. The finish is a matte black vinyl-looking plastic. Some may find this boring, but since I use it in my home theater setup, I prefer less eye catching things in my field of vision while I'm watching something on TV.
The grill attaches to the speaker magnetically, which I love. It's easy to remove or install it to the speaker with one hand, and effortless since the magnets always guide it to attach in its proper position. it's no longer a chore to remove the grill if I ever want to sport an industrial look.
I reviewed this center speaker along with the 603 S2 Anniversary edition floorstanding speakers and not only do they complement each other perfectly, they share similar characteristics. The clarity lives up to its claim. For OTA TV sound, it's just clear without sounding muffled or muddy. Likewise with movies. The great thing about these speakers is I'm able to hear dialog clearly even in low volume. It doesn't lose its high resolution.
I highly recommend this speaker in a home theater setup. The center channel is where the dialog in movies is predominantly played and with this speaker it's a joy to listen to.
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KusMoG's Review Comments
Make your home an internet haven with this versatile Linksys Velop wireless Wi-Fi system. Three identical tri-band dual-stream AC2200 routers, each equipped with a quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 processor, deliver lightning-fast internet. Equipped with Bluetooth 4.0/LE, this Linksys Velop wireless Wi-Fi system is simple to set up and pairs easily with computers, tablets and smart devices.
Overall3 out of 5
3 out of 5Optimized for distance, not speed. Limited admin
By KusMoG
First off, let me preface by saying that I'm coming off using an EA9500, a traditional router that costs $100 less than a Velop 3 pack. I also live in an apartment building with a highly congested 2.4GHz space; so bad it affects speeds dramatically and makes the connection highly inconsistent.
With that said, I wasn't really impressed with the Velop at all, for the amount of money it will cost you. It runs on 2.4 and 5.0GHz bands but which your device is connected to is entirely managed by the Velop mesh router themselves. You can't select it yourself. So for some *stupid* reason, even though my Galaxy Note 5 is capable of connecting to the 5.0GHz band, it connects me to 2.4. Because of this I get a slower and inconsistent connection due to the 2.4GHz congestion in my building.
There's also no web administration page, so you can't configure your Velop Wi-Fi from a computer. You need to do it through their app. That means your doing all the heavy lifting of port forwarding and such, from your phone. I'm not sure if they have an app for tablets.
As far as range goes, it will do the job. You will get a strong signal as long as you are near one of the nodes. But the catch is it only extends the wireless signal for as well as it currently performs in your environment at 100% signal and you have no control over which wi-fi band it connects to, like you do with a traditional router. So if your 2.4GHz band wi-fi is terrible to begin with at 100% signal, I suggest you stay very far away from this unless you want buyer's remorse.
I can only recommend the Velop wi-fi 3-pack to users, most especially with wi-fi dead spots in their home, that have great consistent connection in terms or speed and reliability on both 2.4 and 5.0GHz band with a traditional router at 100% signal. This mesh router will be music to your ears since it will be capable of extending your wi-fi range through your house with minimal signal loss.
I can't stress this enough but this router isn't 5.0GHz friendly. I suspect it recognizes when a device is a phone and connects it to the 2.4 GHz band to prioritize distance. It just doesn't offer the flexibility and power administrators want to manually control these connections. I'll be putting all my wireless devices back on my EA9500 because it clearly outclasses the more expensive, less admin-friendly Velop.
KusMoG
Attention Kristine the Linksys Support rep
March 29, 2017
Hi Kristine,
So I called the number you gave me and spoke with a Linksys representative named Kim (Badge ID# 21791) and she agreed with my review. She said it was a product limitation and that users are not able to select the wi-fi band since it's designed to run on a singular network. She also said there is a web UI but it's virtually the same as the app and offers no additional settings or features. So I stand by my review.
It's an awful lot of spend to spend to have so little control. 2 5.0 GHz bands exists on the node but it's USELESS if and when the Velop decides on its own not to connect using that band, instead choosing the inferior 2.4GHz band. This router is a huge step back for IT professional users.
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KusMoG's Questions
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KusMoG's Answers
Bring your A-game anytime, anywhere. Introducing a universal mobile gaming controller that fits most smartphone devices, designed to bring console-level control to your on-the-go gaming. With this controller by your side, wherever you go, victory will follow.
Will it fit the Galaxy Note 20 ultra
Yes it will. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, while not officially listed as supported, probably because it wasn't available for Razer to test at the time, is the Kishi's limit.
5 years, 1 month ago
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