Tag: Cheap

Majority MP3 Player review: one of the best cheap music players to consider

Post author By lisa nichols
Post date May 12, 2024
No Comments on Majority MP3 Player review: one of the best cheap music players to consider

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Majority MP3 Player: Two-minute review

The Majority MP3 Player shines for its simplicity in a world where MP3 players are trying hard to be your replacement smartphone, radio and Kindle all wrapped into one.

The Majority MP3 Player is not trying to be the best MP3 player ever invented; it’s trying to be a simple music device for people who don’t have degrees in sound engineering. Created by British audio company Majority, this is basically the cheapest MP3 player on the market that you should seriously consider buying, found on Amazon by searching ‘MP3 player’ and sorting ‘price: low to high’. And it wears that budget badge with pride.

The Majority MP3 is absolutely tiny, and very lightweight too, so it’s not going to drag a hole in your pocket like many of its rivals. Its plastic shell may seem ‘cheap’ to some, but it’ll take drops and knocks better than delicate premium options, and contributes to its lovely lightness.

My favorite feature is the sports clip on the back, which firmly clasps the MP3 player to your clothes, bag or anything else. This was so handy for keeping the player held still while keeping it within arms’ reach (ie, not in a pocket), and also means you can take the player for a run or workout and clip it to your clothes, to exercise hands-free.

Design aside, there’s more to like here too: the player is simple to use (well, once you’ve got your head around some user interface quirks) and has a battery life that outstrips lots of the competition.

As you can imagine from the price, the Majority MP3 doesn’t exactly have all the trappings of its pricier rivals. You’re not getting a touchscreen, so you’ll have to rely on a fairly rudimentary button system to get around, and don’t expect to fiddle with an on-device EQ, watch videos or read audiobooks, or download any more than 128GB of music (or 16GB, without an SD card).

However if you’re simply buying a nice lightweight little gadget that lets you outsource your music listening to a non-smartphone device, sometimes you don’t need bells and whistles; you just need simplicity. And simplicity is something the Majority MP3 delivers in spades.

The Majority MP3 Player in a man's hands.

(Image credit: Future)

Majority MP3 Player review: price and release date

Costs $35 / £30 (about AU$60)
Available since March 2023 (according to Amazon)

As stated in the introduction, the Majority MP3 is one of the cheapest MP3 players on the market at the time of writing. How cheap? Uh – that’s a good question.

At the time of writing, Majority has two separate listings for the device on Amazon UK: £29.95 and £34.95, and I can’t for the life of me tell what the difference between the two is. I’d hazard a guess that there isn’t one. The expert tech minds at TechRadar have come to the conclusion that you should buy the cheaper one.

What about outside the UK? It’s available on Amazon US for $35, in mercifully just one entry. There’s no Australian availability, but these prices would translate to around AU$60.

The Majority MP3 Player on a wooden bench.

(Image credit: Future)

Majority MP3 Player review: Features

16GB memory, expandable to 128GB
Limited list of extra tools
34-hour battery life, lower if using Bluetooth

You can fit up to 16GB of music onto the Majority MP3 player, which the company estimates will take 4,000 songs to fill. If you buy a compatible SD card you can expand that by 128GB which will fit countless hours of music in MP3 format. The only file format officially supported is MP3 – no AAC or WAV support is listed here.

Despite being a simple device, the Majority does have a few extra tools that may come in handy. You can record audio notes, change your background, use a stopwatch or check a calendar (though I couldn’t find a way to add anything to it) and create folders and playlists on the device.

Some features that many other MP3 players have are missing here. You can’t streaming over Wi-Fi, sync with audiobooks services, watch videos, or tune into the radio, so you’ll have to rely on whatever MP3 files you manually download. There’s also no way to customize your listening experience, beyond picking your chosen headphones carefully.

There’s a 3.5mm jack for wired listening, or you can ditch cables and set up a Bluetooth connection, which lets you stream the MP3 files through some of the best wireless earbuds or one of the best Bluetooth speakers – though it’ll harm your battery life of course.

That battery life is 34 hours by default if you’re using wired audio, which is a fair bit longer than some competitors (many of our favorite MP3 players last between 15 and 20 hours). Charging takes three hours, done with an in-box USB-C cable.

The Majority MP3 Player on a wooden bench.

(Image credit: Future)

The Majority MP3 Player in a man's hands.

(Image credit: Future)

Majority MP3 Player review: Sound quality

Quality depends on audio files and headphones
No extra features to improve quality

The Majority MP3 Player isn’t one to buy if you’re looking for a device that ekes all the sound quality it can out of your tunes.

Unlike some pricier rivals, the device doesn’t come with an on-board equalizer and doesn’t support higher-quality music file types, so this isn’t a portable music player for audiophiles – MP3 only here. You could probably tell that from the price.

Music played on the device will depend a lot more on the files you upload and the headphones you use than the pedigree of the Majority, then.

For what it’s worth, I tested with a range of music files and they sounded effectively as good on the Majority MP3 as on pricier audio players, my computer and my smartphone.

The bass and treble were bright and distinct, though the mid-range was a little lost compared to on some rival devices. The sound quality will best suit runners, but won’t impress people who care about high-quality music.

Sound quality score: 2.5/5

Majority MP3 Player review: design

Tiny and light plastic body
Small touchscreen and buttons for controls
Plastic ‘sports clip’ holds

The Majority MP3 Player is a small plastic rectangle, with a teensie screen and control panel on the front.

The player is absolutely tiny; it’s the smallest of its ilk that I’ve tested by a fair amount. It measures 4.4 x 6.8 x 1.9cm / 1.7 x 2.7 x 0.8 inches (ignore Majority’s website or Amazon, which both offer the dimensions of the shipping box as that of the device itself!). To give you a sense of that size, you’d need to put three and a half in a row to cover up a dollar bill.

It weighs only 33g too, so it’s slight enough that you can pop it in a pocket or on your clothes and forget it’s there. This lightweight form is partly thanks to the small size but likely mainly thanks to the fact it’s plastic, a material that’s often associated with ‘cheap’ tech but is also very hardy. I dropped the MP3 player a fair few times and there’s not a scratch or mark upon it.

A distinctive design feature is the use of a ‘sports clip’ on the back of the body, which you can use to clip it onto anything you want. As per the name, I used it a lot when going for a run so I could go hands-free, and it stayed attached despite all the associated jostling and bouncing. When not running, I also liked to attach the player to my clothes instead of drop it in a pocket, which made for easy access when I wanted to change the tune or turn it off.

Around the edges of the device you’ve got a USB-C port for charging and plugging into a computer, a 3.5mm audio jack (headphones are included in the box but you can use your own), an SD card slot that supports up to 128GB expandable memory, a volume rocker and a ‘hold’ button which deactivates any of the other controls so you don’t accidentally press them. On the front of the Majority is the screen and five buttons: the main selection one, ‘M’ (for ‘music’), previous track, next track and back. These are all you’ll have when navigating the menus.

That screen is 4.8cm across with a resolution of 240 x 240, and it’s bright enough that you can see it in direct sunlight. With those specs, it’s fit for purpose but won’t wow you with its fidelity, so I’m not exactly heartbroken that you can’t watch videos on the device. When you’re listening to music, a clock sometimes appears to tell you the time, but I could never figure out the rhyme or reason for it showing up or the Majority simply defaulting to a black screen; it felt pretty random.

The Majority MP3 Player clipped to a blue hoodie.

(Image credit: Future)

Majority MP3 Player review: usability and set-up

Plugs into PC using USB-C cable
Navigate with physical buttons
User interface can be a little confusing

Downloading music onto the Majority MP3 Player is incredibly easy. You don’t need to fuss over different folders or settings; plug the player into your computer, select ‘Transfer’ on the player, and simply drag any of your music you want into the player’s folder. No, you don’t need to put it in a certain place on the folder or upload it in a certain way; throw it all in there and it’ll sort itself out. Easy!

Finding the music on the device itself may be a little trickier. You can use the forward and backward buttons to scroll forward and backward in the list, and the central one to select an option.

Back, as you imagine, takes you back, but only one menu, so if you want to return to the player’s main menu then you’ll just have to smash the back button loads of times. And want to pause or switch tracks while you’re listening to music? You’ll have to navigate all the way back to the main menu, and then forward into the music options to find ‘Now Playing’, as there’s no simple way to jump to the music player.

I got used to the navigation after a while, but it did take a little learning. Another gripe I had is that the player takes a few seconds longer to turn on or off than I’d have liked (both are performed by pressing and holding the central button). That’s also true of turning on and off the controls hold option; you have to wait a few seconds for an animation to play out, so changing volume or skipping tracks isn’t as quick as you’d hope.

Usability & setup score: 3.5/5

The Majority MP3 Player on a wooden bench.

(Image credit: Future)

Majority MP3 Player review: value

MP3 player right at the lowest of the low end of the market
Does what it promises, and only a little more
Faults are easily forgiven at this price

If you’re looking for value for your money, you can’t find a better device than the Majority MP3 Player, and that’s simply because it’s so cheap.

You can spend literally thousands on an MP3 player if you want top-end features and audio, but Majority has gone for the opposite side of the spectrum, and you know what? You still get the same core function of playing MP3 files.

Being unable to play hi-res music or watch videos really won’t be an issue for anyone looking for something this cheap, and the storage is sufficient for its purpose. I really can’t fault it for its value.

The Majority MP3 Player on a wooden bench.

(Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the Majority MP3 Player?

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Majority MP3 Player
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	A nice long battery life makes up for a lack of useful extra features.	2.5/5
Sound quality	It’s real basic in terms of formats, but give it some decent MP3s and it sounds perfectly fine.	2.5/5
Design	Small, lightweight, durable and with a super handy sports clip.	4/5
Usability & setup	Very easy to set up, easy (after a learning curve) to use.	3.5/5
Value	You can barely find a cheaper MP3 player worth buying.	5/5

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Majority MP3 Player review: Also consider

Majority MP3 Player review: how I tested

Two-week testing period
Pop, rock, classical and spoken word music tested
Used at home, in office, on walks and on runs

I tested the Majority MP3 Player using its provided headphones (though obviously you can upgrade to some of the best wired headphones for an improvement), and I paired it using Bluetooth to the Earfun Wave Pro and the OneOdio OpenRock S headphones to see how it measured up.

Musically, I loaded it up with a testing playlist of rock, pop and post-rock, and also used it to stream lots of running music and classical. As you can tell I used it on runs as well as when at home, in the office and on walks.

The testing period for the Majority MP3 Player was roughly two weeks, and I was able to compare it directly with two other similar devices: the Mechen 64GB and HIFI Walker.

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Tags Cheap, Majority, MP3, music, Player, players, Review

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Here’s one good reason you may want to ‘downgrade’ your SSD and lose capacity in the process — cheap QLC SSD can be transformed into expensive SLC to improve endurance but it’s not for the fainthearted

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We love crazy tech projects here at TechRadar Pro – Some of our recent favorites include an enthusiast getting ChatGPT to run on a NAS, and the person who transformed AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800X3D processor into a storage device with read-write speeds to rival some of the best SSDs.

The latest idea to cross our desks comes from Gabriel Ferraz, a computer engineer and TechPowerUp’s SSD database maintainer, who turned a 512GB QLC SATA III SSD into a 120GB SLC one.

You probably know this, but just as refresher, SLC NAND holds one bit of data per cell, resulting in faster data writing, lower power consumption, and higher cell endurance than QLC NAND which stores four bits per cell. QLC NAND is denser and cheaper, but with the downside of compromised longevity and speed.

3000% endurance increase

Ferraz’s idea was to trade capacity for massively improved performance and endurance. He took 512GB a Crucial BX500 SSD which has a Silicon Motion SM2259XT2 controller and NAND flash dies from Micron. Using an app called MPtools for the Silicon Motion SM2259XT2 controller, he identified the precise die used in the SSD and inputted in new die reference numbers.

Was it worth it? Well, while Ferraz lost a lot of drive space, he says “the SSD endurance jumps to 4000 TBW (write cycles), which is about a 3000% increase. Additionally, performance increased as well.”

Ferraz explains his process here, and you can also watch him perform his clever trick in the video below, which includes benchmarking results.

French startup reveals quasi-immortal sensor that doesn’t need energy to work — SilMach’s ultra cheap microsensors can be used in a dizzying array of use cases

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France 2030 is a strategic €34 billion investment by the French government aiming to kickstart economic growth in the country.

As part of this initiative, the SIRCAPASS project (Surveillance of Road Infrastructures by Passive Sensors) has chosen French firm SilMach to provide ultra-cheap microsensors to monitor and ensure the structural health of bridges across the country.

The €1.7 million project is aimed at monitoring road infrastructures through passive sensors, specifically targeting impact detection, fatigue monitoring, exceptional overload, and crack identification – all tasks that previously were handled manually.

Operate effectively in harsh environments

Built around hybrid MEMS micromechanical sensor technology, these microsensors can record critical structural events without a power source, potentially identifying any hazards that might compromise a bridge’s structural integrity, and hopefully ensuring public safety.

“France 2030 marks a crucial step in SilMach’s development,” said Co-CEO Pierre-François Louvigné. “We are proud to lead this public-private consortium with key actors capable of providing a technological solution for the safety of the French and our economy.”

Fellow Co-CEO Jean-Baptiste Carnet added, “Everyone knows the human and economic cost of a bridge collapse. Our innovations are here to provide a new response to a major societal challenge.”

SilMach says its energy-free microsensor sensors operate effectively even in harsh environments including underwater and in space. With a communication module linked to an information system, the sensor can relay critical data and provide a mechanical memory ensuring access to raw data in a directly exploitable format.

Surprisingly cheap Pro monitor provides unique features that even Apple Studio display doesn’t — AOC’s new monitors offer KVM capability, a whopping 11 ports and Hollywood-grade Calman software compatibility

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AOC has announced the Graphic Pro U3 Series of monitors, which it says are crafted with creative professionals in mind, particularly photographers, visual artists, designers, editors, broadcasters, and producers.

The Graphic Pro U3 line is made up of Q27U3CV, with a 27-inch QHD (2560×1440) display, U27U3CV, with a 27-inch 4K UHD (3840×2160) display, and the larger U32U3CV, with a 31.5-inch 4K UHD screen.

The standout feature of the Graphic Pro U3 Series is its compatibility with Calman, the Hollywood-grade color calibration software. The screens communicate directly with the software, allowing for precise and swift monitor calibration for color accuracy. It utilizes RGB-triplet control and 1D/3D-LUT profiling, unlike custom ICC profiles, offering a more robust display calibration at the hardware level, something not typically seen in monitors at this price point.

Plenty of ports

In addition to this, the AOC Graphic Pro U3 series comes with a welcome selection of ports. Q27U3CV has 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x DisplayPort 1.4 input, 1x DisplayPort 1.4 output, 1x RJ-45, 2x USB-C (1 up, 1 downstream) and 4x USB-A ports.

Both the U27U3CV and the top-of-the-range U32U3CV sport 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x RJ-45, 3x USB-C and 4x USB-A ports, as well as a KVM switch, so you can use a single keyboard and mouse to control multiple computers. Simply connect the devices to the monitor’s USB hub, and you can switch between PCs connected to the monitor’s USB-C ports. All three screens have 2x 3W speakers.

“At AOC, we understand that creative professionals demand the very best tools to bring their visions to life,” said Artem Khomenko, Head of Product Management at AOC.

“We are beginning a new chapter in AOC’s legacy. Our new Graphic Pro U3 Series is the result of our expertise in display technologies and our commitment to delivering high-quality, high-performance monitors that empower creators to push the boundaries of their craft. With exceptional color accuracy, hardware calibration with Calman Ready, versatile USB-C connectivity, and a sleek design, the new Graphic Pro monitors will deliver the perfect tools for content creators and designers.”

AOC’s Graphic Pro U3 monitors, priced from £289.99 for the Q27U3CV, £399.99 for the U27U3CV, and £499.99 for the U32U3CV, will be available in July 2024.

Best cheap Android phones 2024 by Samsung

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date May 1, 2024
No Comments on Best cheap Android phones 2024 by Samsung

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The search for the best cheap Android phones can often be daunting. There are just so many manufacturers to choose from. The cheapest phones aren’t made alike, though. The budget options you choose should offer respectable specs, decent performance and good software support.

This can often be lacking in devices from other manufacturers. However, Samsung is a company that excels at making the best budget phones. These happen to be some of its best-selling devices across the globe. So if you’re looking for cheap Android phones in the US that cost under $500, Samsung is your best bet.

Quick Buy

Don’t have time to read the entire list? We’ve conveniently listed all of the best cheap Android phones in each category here. You’re just one click away from picking them up!

Samsung’s Latest: Galaxy A54 5G
The Underdog: Galaxy A42 5G
Balanced Option: Galaxy A34 5G
Best-Seller: Galaxy A14 5G
Most Affordable: Galaxy A03s
Honorable Mention: Galaxy S23 FE

How To Pick The Best Budget Android Phone For You

You want something that’s going to last you a few years. There’s no point in buying a budget smartphone that can’t go the distance, because you’ll end up having to spend more money if you need to replace the phone after a few months.

Fortunately, the cheap Android phones from Samsung are very well made, even the very affordable ones. Samsung doesn’t skimp on the quality so you’re bound to get a product that’s going to last you a couple of years at the very least.

Next, ask yourself, what are the main things you want the phone to provide you? Do you want a larger display? A process that can handle some light mobile gaming? Perhaps you want expandable storage?

As long as you’re clear on the basics, you can find a great budget phone. For example, if you’re looking to spend around $500, you can get the Galaxy A54 5G. If you’re only after a basic device that can handle emails, some apps, and support light browsing, get the Galaxy A04s.

All budget Samsung phones provide industry-leading software support as well, so you won’t have to change your device quickly just because it stops getting new updates.

Our Best Budget Android Phones List For May 2024

As premium devices have become more expensive over the years, there has been a conscious push by manufacturers to provide more capable cheap phones. A lot of the tech that was previously limited to mid-range devices has since trickled down to the cheapest phones. Features such as 5G connectivity, ultra wide cameras, four years of security updates and more are now offered with entry-level devices.

Many of the best budget phones cost less than $500. As the leading global Android smartphone vendor, Samsung provides the best selection. The company wants to offer the best value for money with its budget devices. Customers can rest assured that they will get the most bang for their buck.

Best Budget Phones – Samsung’s Latest: Galaxy A54 5G

Customers who want a cheap Android phone love the Galaxy A5x series. The entire lineup excels at providing competitive specs at a great price. The Galaxy A54 5G is the 2023 addition to the series and it carries the legacy of its predecessors very well.

For its $449 price tag, the Galaxy A54 5G provides you with a 6.4-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, an elevated design with a sleek look. Samsung’s latest Exynos 1380 chipset is under the hood alongside up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The device is 5G-enabled, and the chipset is also great for mobile gaming.

You also get a 50MP primary camera sensor at the back with a 12MP ultra-wide and 5MP macro sensor. A 32-megapixel selfie camera is present on the front as well. Its 5,000mAh battery has 25W fast charging support. Samsung promises four years of Android OS upgrades for this device.

Reasons to buy: Elevated design, improved display, excellent performance and four years of Android OS upgrades.

Who should buy: Customers who need a capable device without breaking the bank.

Galaxy A54 5G Specs | Galaxy A54 5G Review | Buy Galaxy A54 5G from Samsung

Best Budget Phones – The Underdog: Galaxy A42 5G

The Galaxy A42 5G may have been overshadowed by the more popular devices in Samsung’s budget lineup, but that doesn’t take anything away from its viability. This device has the same Snapdragon 750G chipset as the Galaxy A52. So there’s plenty of power under the hood to handle routine tasks and even a bit of gaming. The device comes with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

It also has a rather unique design with the back panel being divided into four sections with a color gradient. There’s a 6.6-inch Infinity-U HD resolution Super AMOLED display on the front. The rear camera setup includes a 48MP primary sensor with an 8MP ultra wide, 5MP macro and 5MP depth sensor. The Galaxy A42 5G came with Android 10 out of the box but it is eligible for the Android 12 update.

Samsung continues to sell this device in the United States. At $399, it’s a great option for customers who want a bit more performance compared to the other devices further down this list.

Reasons to buy: Unique design, Snapdragon 750G chipset and decent display.

Who should buy: Those who prefer devices that provide great value for money.

Galaxy A42 5G Specs | Buy Galaxy A42 5G from Amazon

Best Budget Phones – Balanced Option: Galaxy A34 5G

This is among the most affordable phones from Samsung that have support for 5G. This mass-market device starts at £349. and features a 6.6-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.. There’s a MediaTek Dimensity 1080 chipset under the hood paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

The camera setup includes a 48MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide, and a 5MP macro sensor. A 13MP selfie camera is onboard. The device comes with a chunky 5,000mAh battery with 25W fast charging support. There’s even IP67 dust and water resistance. As many of its recent devices, the Galaxy A34 5G is guaranteed four years of Android OS upgrades from Samsung.

Do keep in mind that the Galaxy A34 5G is only available in limited markets and it’s yet to arrive in the United States. It remains to be seen if Samsung does end up bringing it to the country.

Reasons to buy: Refined design, 5,000mAh battery with 25W fast charging, new, improved chipset.

Who should buy: Customers who need an affordable 5G-enabled phones.

Galaxy A34 5G Specs | Galaxy A34 5G Review | Buy Galaxy A34 5G from Samsung

Best Budget Phones – Best-Seller: Galaxy A14 5G

One of the more affordable of Samsung’s latest budget phones in 2024, this device also happens to be one of the most affordable 5G-enabled phones that you can buy from Samsung. It’s a successor of the wildly popular Galaxy A1x series and Samsung has equipped it with enough functionality so that it can easily follow in the footsteps of the great cheap Android phones that came before it.

This $199 device features a 6.5-inch Full HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It runs on the new Exynos 1330 chipset and is backed up by a 5,000mAh battery. Other specs include up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage, a 50-megapixel primary camera sensor alongside a 2-megapixel depth and 2-megapixel macro sensor. It also features an upgraded 13-megapixel selfie camera. There’s even NFC onboard so features are Samsung Pay are supported.

It definitely has the capability to take over the title of the best cheap android phone from its predecessor. The improvements and upgrades that Samsung has made to this device make it a great, cost-effective option for customers in the US and across the globe.

Reasons to buy: Competitive price, improved chipset, 5G connectivity and better cameras.

Who should buy: Customers who want an affordable 5G entry-level smartphone.

Galaxy A14 5G Specs | Buy Galaxy A14 5G from Samsung

Best Budget Phones – Most Affordable: Galaxy A03s

Samsung recently brought the Galaxy A03s to the United States to offer customers one of the cheapest phones that it sells. This is one of the company’s most entry-level devices. As you’d expect, it doesn’t support 5G.

The specs are fairly simple as well. There’s a 6.5-inch PLS LCD HD_ display with a MediaTek Helio P35 chipset under the hood. The device is available with up to 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The camera setup consists of a 13MP wide angle sensor with a 2MP depth and 2MP macro sensor.

The device ships with Android 10-based One UI 2.0 Core, it’s a lightweight iteration of Samsung’s custom skin designed for entry-level devices. At $159, the Galaxy A03s is best cheap Android phone from Samsung without 5G.

Reasons to buy: Very competitive price, optimized UI, compact design.

Who should buy: Customers who want a reliable and robust device at a fair price.

Galaxy A03s Specs | Buy Galaxy A03s from Amazon

Best Budget Phones – Honorable Mention: Galaxy S23 FE

Starting at $629, the Galaxy S23 FE might seem a bit out of place on this list, but you can get it for much less when you take advantage of Samsung’s deals. This is a great option to consider if you’re in the position to stretch your budget a little bit.

The Galaxy S23 FE provides you with almost flagship-level performance in a clean and modern design with impressive cameras. It’s one of the most value for money devices that Samsung has launched this year. There’s also the fact that you’ll get four years of Android OS upgrades for this phone.

The design of this device is quite like the base Galaxy S23 handset. It actually looks better than its predecessor thanks to its aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass 5 back panel. It boasts a 6.4-inch FHD+ display with a 60-120Hz adaptive refresh rate. Under the hood you’ll find the Exynos 2200 chipset in most markets, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in select markets. Samsung has improved the thermal performance of the chipset with the addition of a vapor chamber, allowing the chipset to sustain high performance for longer.

You can get this device with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. The camera setup includes a primary 50-megapixel sensor with an 8-megapixel 3x telephoto sensor and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor. There’s also a 10-megapixel selfie camera.

The “FE” models are basically budget flagships. At its discounted price, it’s hard to pass up on the Galaxy S23 FE. It may not be one of Samsung’s cheapest phones, but it does offer a lot of value for money.

Reasons to buy: Great design, improved durability, flagship-level specs and four years of Android OS upgrades.

Who should buy: Customers who can stretch their budget a bit more to get a near-flagship experience.

Galaxy S23 FE Specs | Galaxy S23 FE Review | Buy Galaxy S23 FE from Samsung

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Tags Android, Cheap, phones, Samsung

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Scientists design super-battery made with cheap, readily affordable chemical element, Na — Salt-based cell has surprisingly good energy density and charges in seconds

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Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed a high-performance, hybrid sodium-ion battery that charges rapidly and offers impressive energy density.

This revolutionary prototype uses sodium (Na), a chemical element over 1000 times more abundant and cheaper than lithium (Li), the main component of conventional batteries.

Generally, sodium-ion batteries face constraints such as lower power output, limited storage properties, and extended charging times. The innovative battery design, led by Professor Jeung Ku Kang of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at KAIST, combats existing limitations of sodium-ion batteries by integrating the anode materials used in traditional batteries with the cathodes used for supercapacitors into a hybrid system. The result reportedly delivers high storage capacity and rapid charge-discharge rates.

Multiple possibilities

Developing the hybrid battery hinged upon improving the energy storage rate of battery-type anodes and boosting the relatively low capacity of supercapacitor-type cathode materials.

The research team at KAIST made use of two distinct metal-organic frameworks to create an optimized synthesis of hybrid batteries, culminating in anode material with improved kinetics and a high-capacity cathode material.

The fully assembled hybrid sodium-ion energy storage device reportedly surpasses the energy density of commercial lithium-ion batteries and matches the power density characteristics of supercapacitors. Professor Kang says this new battery, with an energy density of 247 Wh/kg and a power density of 34,748 W/kg, could be used across a range industries, including electric vehicles, smart electronics and aerospace technologies.

The findings of this research, co-authored by KAIST doctoral candidates Jong Hui Choi and Dong Won Kim, were published in the international journal Energy Storage Materials with the catchy title of “Low-crystallinity conductive multivalence iron sulfide-embedded S-doped anode and high-surface-area O-doped cathode of 3D porous N-rich graphitic carbon frameworks for high-performance sodium-ion hybrid energy storages.”

Speck Gemstones Play review: comfy cheap earbuds, but you can do better

Post author By lisa nichols
Post date April 28, 2024
No Comments on Speck Gemstones Play review: comfy cheap earbuds, but you can do better

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Speck Gemtones Play: Two-minute review

The Speck Gemtones Play true wireless earbuds are a step out of the comfort zone for Speck, which is better known for its range of phone cases, and it shows. While the sound quality of these earbuds deliver is as you might expect for $49.99 (about £40 / AU$75), the Speck Gemtones Play earbuds don’t offer as much value as the Earfun Air 2 earbuds, which retail for roughly the same price, but have additional features like wireless charging and longer battery life.

I’d be tempted to say that you get what you pay for from the Speck Gemtones Play, but since there are alternatives among the best budget wireless earbuds at the same price with additional features, that wouldn’t be strictly accurate. This is not to say that these earbuds are noticeably bad, because they aren’t. If you’re not an audiophile who focuses on output and dynamic range then you’ll be happy enough with the sound quality that’s on offer here. One noticeable issue, however, is the audible strain around the vocals, which is apparent when listening to both music and podcasts. This can be remedied by switching to the Vocal Range EQ preset, but it’s a shame that the default EQ settings don’t offer better vocal clarity.

While the earbuds are easy to keep track of thanks to the Find your Earbuds function and the inclusion of a push-to-release button on the case, the lack of quality in the materials quickly becomes apparent. The hinged lid of the case feels flimsy, and the matte black finish scratches and shows fingerprints easily; the case of my review sample looked like it had been through an ordeal after just a few days of use.

If you’re looking for a better-quality finish and more features without spending extra, we recommend the 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 or the Earfun Air 2 earbuds.

The speck Gemtones Play earbuds are pictured lying on a white tabletop in front of their charging case. The ear buds are black, with the left one having the Speck logo printed in white. The case is also black, with white inside the earbud cavities.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

Speck Gemtones Play review: Price & release date

Released in January 2024
Priced at $49.99 (about £40 / AU$75)
Only available from Speck within the US, may be available from third-party retailers

The Speck Gemtones Play earbuds were released at the start of 2024. At present, Speck only sells its earbuds within the US, but you may be able to find them at third-party retailers elsewhere.

Better known for its production of phone cases, Speck has taken a leap into audio tech, and at $49.99 (about £40 / AU$75), these earbuds are the cheapest offering in the Gemtones range, coming in below the $69.99 Gemtones Sport (with earhooks for a secure fit) and the $79.99 Gemtones Pro.

While these are relatively cheap and cheerful earbuds, they have stiff competition from the likes of the 1More Piston Bud Pro Q30s, which have the added benefits of Spatial Audio, Low Latency mode, and ANC, which the Gemtones Play unfortunately lack.

Speck Gemtones Play review: Specs

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Type	Wireless earbuds
Active noise cancellation	No
Battery life	8 hours (buds); 28 hours (case)
Weight	0.15oz / 4.09g each (buds)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C (charging)
Waterproofing	IPX5
App available	Yes, iOS and Android

Speck Gemtones Play review: Features

28 hours max playtime
Four EQ profiles
Find your Earbuds function

The Speck Gemstones Play lack some of the features you might expect at this price point in 2024, but the easy-to-use app and a couple of novel features help bump up their score.

The Speck Gemtones app is basic, but its lack of complexity and ease of use will appeal to some. When I launched the app it spotted my earbuds straight away, and once I’d paired them via Bluetooth in my phone’s settings, it only took a tap of the icon in the app to sync them.

The app provides a range of useful features, including four different equalizer presets: Default, Balanced, Dynamic Bass, and Vocal Range. It doesn’t offer the ability to create custom EQ settings, though, which is a shame, but it does have a feature that could prove particularly useful for the forgetful among us – a Find your Earbuds feature, which you can use to get either the left or right earbuds to emit a loud beeping to help you hunt them down. This only works when they’re not in the case, however – and obviously you need to be close enough to be connected to them.

A Volume Limit feature can also be found in the app, which is still not too common in headphones apps. As someone with sensitive ears, I was reassured to know that it wouldn’t be possible to accidentally hit the volume keys on my phone and raise the volume too high – and it’s also great for making sure kids don’t harm their hearing by cranking up the sound. In practice, however, this feature doesn’t work as I’d anticipated. Instead of stopping the volume from going any higher than 85dB at full volume, it reduces the sound at all levels, so 50% volume is no longer 50%. This concerns me, because once you turn the limiter off – albeit this can’t be done accidentally, as you need to enter a code – the volume shoots back up to whichever volume you’re set to. It’s also worth mentioning that even with the volume locked, the volume at which the buds announce that they’re connected is quite loud.

The app also shows you how much charge is left in the earbuds. I found that the battery life performed a little better than advertised, lasting around eight hours and 20 minutes while playing music continuously at 50% volume. I listened to music and chatted on work calls while working from home without needing to charge them, and between the charge in the buds themselves and in the case, I could do the same in the office, plus listen to music on my commute home, without running out of battery.

The Speck Gemtones Play’s dual microphones didn’t impress me when compared, again, to the similarly-priced 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 earbuds. When I listen back to a recording of myself, I sound distant and unnatural. They’d be adequate for making phone calls indoors, but the low volume and lack of clarity may prove problematic when making calls out and about, or with a rocky connection.

It’s a shame that these earbuds offer no active noise cancellation. This may seem understandable considering the price point, but as mentioned, there are alternative options on the market in this price range that offer this feature – the 1More that I’ve mentioned just above, or the Earfun Air Pro 3, which often fall to this kind of price.

A further small but frustrating niggle is that you can’t start listening on another device without disconnecting the buds from the current device first – i.e., there’s no multipoint pairing – which can be a pain if you often switch between listening on phones, tablets, laptops, etc. Again, the 1More and Earfun offer this.

The Speck Gemtones Play earbuds sitting inside their charging case with the lid open, on a white tabletop.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

Speck Gemtones Play review: Sound quality

Acceptable sound quality for the cost
Good tonal range, but lacks clarity
Capable of delivering clear vocals, but with sacrifices

As expected for the price, the Speck Gemtones Play don’t deliver the most dynamic sound. They’re pleasant to listen to, but if you have an ear that can appreciate rich bass through to sparkling and natural treble, they may fall a little flat. On the other hand, these earbuds could pick up delicate touches, such as background synths in sections of Black Eye by Allie X, so they score points for their general clarity.

While they can be forgiven for not being as dynamic as the likes of the Marshall Motif II A.N.C earbuds, which are priced at $199.99 / £179.99 / AU$349, they also lag a little behind the sound quality of the similarly priced 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 – and this is hard to ignore considering that the 1More earbuds also offer extra features including ANC, spatial audio, and Low Latency mode.

I found myself regularly changing the EQ presets to get the most out of different songs. While I can hear that the sound quality is improved after choosing the appropriate setting, I do wish the default preset performed a little better to make for a more effective listening experience when out and about. When left on default, music can sound flat, with an edge of strain on the speakers from vocals. Although cycling between EQ settings can improve the listening quality, it sometimes feels like you’re having to sacrifice an element such as vocal clarity or bass quality, and I found it hard to achieve a good balance. That’s especially true when the Vocal Range preset isn’t selected, as it can sound like the vocals are being dampened, as if I’m listening through a curtain.

When listening to I Want You by Moloko with the Vocal Range equalizer preset selected, the raw vocals come through beautifully. You do, however, lose the impact of the percussion hitting. The Dynamic Bass equalizer preset was a good middle ground on this occasion, softening the vocals without sacrificing that depth.

The Default equalizer preset made Justin Hawkin’s vocals in The Darkness’ I Believe in a Thing Called Love lack impact, making the listening experience fall flat. Selecting the Balanced EQ preset once again sounded muffled, as if I wasn’t in the same room as the band. I’d go as far as to say that you’ll feel like you’re listening from outside the venue when it comes to this song. The most satisfying preset for this particular track was Vocal Range, which delivered the drama lost with the other presets.

When listening to podcasts on the Default settings, voices had a tinny edge to them, but they came through with more clarity when the Vocal Range equalizer preset was selected. The same was true when listening to content on YouTube.

The Speck Gemtones Play earbuds sitting on a white table top. They are matte black with the Speck logo printed on the top of the left earbud in white.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

Speck Gemtones Play review: Design

Useful press-to-release button
Comfortable fit for smaller ears
Light-but-cheap materials

The Gemtones Play case feels lightweight at just under 1oz / 29g. It appears more cheaply made than some other earbuds in this price bracket, with a thin, transparent black frosted flip lid and matt black body that marks easily from fingerprints. It scratches easily, too – I have long gel nails, and it was instantly clear where they’ve made contact with the case.

The case would probably be useful for you if you plan to keep it in your pocket or hanging from its fabric loop on the outside of your bag, as it won’t open unless you push the release button, which is a feature that I appreciate. The hinge feels sturdy, but the plastic is very thin and looks like it could be easily broken. I have questions about the longevity of this case, although aside from the aesthetic issues it hasn’t let me down just yet.

The design of the earbuds themselves isn’t anything to get excited about. Similarly to the case, they’re made from cheap-looking matte black plastic, with the left-hand bud having the Speck logo printed on it. There’s a small indicator light on each bud, and another in the space between them on the case which indicates when the earbuds are prepared for Bluetooth pairing, whether the earbuds or case are charging, or whether either are fully charged. These lights are a little on the subtle side, as the LEDs are deep-set, so it’s not clear what the lights are showing unless you’re looking down the barrel at them.

The buds feel comfortable in my ears, and I wore them for long periods with no issues. I was able to wear them straight out of the case, without needing to switch to another pair of silicone tips, which Speck includes in sizes from extra small to extra large, and this was a new experience for me, as I have smaller ears and often need to switch to smaller tip sizes. Helping them to feel comfortable is the fact that the earbuds are light at just over 0.15oz / 4g each.

While the touch features are basic, they are simple to use. A single tap on either bud will play or pause the track, and triple tapping will trigger your device’s voice assistant. I quite liked that skipping past or going back to songs is triggered by a double tap on the right or left bud respectively, although if you’re in a situation where you need to settle for just one bud it’s a little annoying that you’re limited to either skipping or returning. The same issue is present with volume control too, as pressing and holding the left earbud turns the volume down, and pressing and holding the right earbud turns it up. It shouldn’t be a big deal most of the time, though.

The touch controls aren’t always responsive, and there were a few instances where the music would play or pause, or the voice assistant would be triggered, when I was trying to double tap, but this was only a small niggle. If you’d rather assign different functions than the default offering, you can customize what each touch control triggers within the app.

The earbuds I’ve been testing were in the Back in Black finish, but they’re also available in other colors, including Pop Purple, Bop Blue, and White Album.

A face on view of the Specks Gemtones Play earbuds sitting in their charging case, clearly showing the press-to-release button.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

Speck Gemtones Play review: Value

Reliable battery life, delivering the promised 8 hours of playtime
More features available for the same price from competitors
Useful app, but cheap-feeling hardware

As previously mentioned, the sound quality of the Gemtones Play isn’t bad for the price. It would be unfair to expect a premium listening experience from these earbuds; however, the presence of the similarly priced Earfun Air 2, which offer more features, and the incredibly cheap but good-quality JLab Go Air Pop earbuds, which offer a better user experience and wear-detection, does lead me to question whether these are truly worth the $49.99 (about £40 / AU$75) price tag given the current competition.

Ignoring the competition, though, the app works well, and offers useful features that increase the appeal of these earbuds. In addition, the press-to-release button on the case certainly comes in handy, but the quality of the materials does let these buds down.

Should I buy the Speck Gemtones Play?

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Section	Notes	Score
Features	While these earbuds score points for their easy-to-use app and helpful Find your Earbuds feature, the lack of ANC or wear detection lets them down.	3/5
Sound quality	The quality of sound can be hit-and-miss, with the default setting particularly having issues dealing with treble. But it can be very pleasant, too.	3/5
Design	I love the press-to-release button for added security, but the build quality and materials fall short compared to competitors.	3/5
Value	If I wasn’t aware of the competition, I would say that these earbuds are good value for the price. But I am, so they’re no better than average.	3/5

Buy them if…

Don’t buy them if…

Speck Gemtones Play review: Also consider

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	Speck Gemtones Play	EarFun Air 2	JLab Go Air Pop
Price	$49.99 (about £40/AU$75)	$49.99 / £49.99 (about AU$75)	$25 / £25 / AU$49
Active noise cancellation	No	No	No
Quoted battery life	8 hours (buds) 28 hours (plus case)	9 hours (buds) 40 hours (plus case)	8 hours (buds) 32 hours (plus case)
Weight	4g per earbud, 37g total weight	4.5g per earbud, 45g total weight	3.7g per earbud
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.1
Waterproofing	IPX5	IPX7	IPX4

How I tested the Speck Gemtones Play

A view from directly above the Speck Gemtones Play earbuds are shown sitting in their charging case sitting on a white table top

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

I tested the earbuds for 7 days
I tested at home, in the office, on walks, and commuting
I listened to music, podcasts, and YouTube content

I subjected the Speck Gemtones Play earbuds to a week of testing. I tested the wearability, sound quality, and features by listening to music for hours at home, in the office, on walks, and while commuting. In addition to listening to music, I watched YouTube videos and listened to my usual podcasts.

I also followed TechRadar’s standardized testing process for earbuds, including listening to a particular set of tracks to make it easy to compare different buds, and real-world measurement of the battery life. Read more about how we test earbuds at TechRadar.

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Tags Cheap, comfy, Earbuds, Gemstones, Play, Review, Speck

Entertainment

The best cheap fitness trackers for 2024

Post author By lisa nichols
Post date April 24, 2024
No Comments on The best cheap fitness trackers for 2024

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Achieving your fitness goals doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. Keeping track of your progress will be crucial, but not everyone needs to drop hundreds of dollars on the best smartwatches out there. The average affordable tracker might offer just the right tools to help kickstart your health journey. And, after testing a number of affordable fitness trackers, I can say with confidence that you might be surprised by how much a $100 (or less) wearable can do. Many of these gadgets go well beyond being glorified pedometers, providing in-depth reports on how you’re sleeping at night or giving you a breakdown of your heart rate variability during a workout. But given their price, there will be some sacrifices. To help you decide which is right for you, I tested a number of the best cheap fitness trackers available today to find the ones that are worth your money.

What to look for in a cheap fitness tracker

All of the best fitness trackers should have at least three features: a program to track workouts or movement of some sort, the option to monitor and collect sleep data and the ability to measure health metrics like heart rate and blood oxygen levels (though, the readings might not be super accurate).

Fitness features

A cheap workout tracker can be great for someone looking to keep tabs on small, achievable goals like 10,000 steps before sundown or 30 minutes of a HIIT workout to get your heart rate peaking. An experienced long-distance runner looking to train for a triathlon might opt for a more expensive device that can measure cadence or ground contact time, and can track more customizable workouts or give deeper insights into performance data.

At the very least, a budget workout tracker should be able to track workouts beyond walking and running — otherwise, it would just be a pedometer. The number of activities a device will recognize varies. Some will get funky with it and consider skateboarding a workout, while others won’t be able to track a jumping jack.

At this price, you can expect a device to measure a mix of cardio, machine workouts and strength training. With each, you might get a numerical or visual breakdown of heart rate activity, overall pace, and calories burned per session. Although some cheap trackers can offer a really good overview of heart rate zone activity during a workout, a more technically advanced device might be able to go a step further and explain what your results mean and coach you on how to keep your heart rate in a specific bracket so that you can burn more fat per workout. I found that the more budget-friendly the device, the more likely it is that a tracker will fall short when it comes to smart counseling or offering predictive insights beyond a given workout. If a budget tracker does happen to offer some semblance of a coaching program, you can expect it to sit behind a paywall.

Tracking and planning your recovery is just as essential to any fitness journey. A sub-$100 device should be able to tell you how long you’ve slept and provide a breakdown of deep, light and REM sleep activity. It’s not a guarantee that you will get a sleep “score” or insights on how to get better rest — that data is usually found on more expensive wearables. Also, because these trackers aren’t designed for bedtime specifically — be mindful of comfort. The bands and watch face on a budget fitness tracker may not be ideal for getting some good shut-eye.

Connectivity and practicality

Not all activity trackers, budget-friendly or not, are designed to seamlessly integrate with a smartphone. The trackers tested for this roundup can’t directly make calls or send texts to contacts on a paired smartphone. They can, however, display and dismiss incoming calls and notifications. You can forget about checking your email or paying for a coffee from your wrist using these more affordable devices.

Most cheap fitness trackers also won’t include a built-in GPS. Instead, they usually depend on a paired smartphone to gather location data. The drawback of using a fitness tracker without GPS is that it might not provide as precise for tracking distance or pace. You also can’t use a budget tracker to get turn-by-turn directions during a walk or while running errands. For the more outdoorsy consumers, having GPS could be a key safety feature.

Design

You also might find that an inexpensive fitness tracker is harder to navigate than a more advanced smartwatch. Whether it be a screen size issue or simply not having a smart enough interface, don’t expect every feature to be one that you can engage with directly on your wrist. Oftentimes, you will need to pull out your smartphone to log information or access more in-depth health data.

The quality and build of displays and bands will also vary in this category. Don’t expect the highest resolution displays or the fanciest materials in the bands. But you can expect some level of sweat and water resistance.

Xiaomi

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 stood out on many fronts — it not only has the easiest interface to navigate when recording workouts, it also has the most comfortable band to sleep in. This device has pretty much everything you would expect on a fitness tracker, and it comes at a price that’s hard to beat. The 1.62-inch, 192 x 490 pill-shaped AMOLED display is full color and shines pretty bright both indoors and out. Although it doesn’t have a physical navigation button, you can move through the UI by swiping up and down, or left and right.

The Smart Band 8 is quite comfortable, but what really made it secure the top slot is how detailed its workout reports were. Unlike some of the other trackers we tested, the Smart Band 8 does not require you to download any exercises from its companion app. Meaning, you can get right into tracking exercises as niche as skiing. When a workout is complete, you get all the information you’d want on your wrist – from heart rate readings to pace and speed, to calories burned and more. It may sound basic, but some of the other trackers we tested only report step count and distance traveled after a walk. The amount of time spent in each heart rate zone will appear in your summary, from light, intensive, aerobic to anaerobic.

Xiaomi’s tracker also has a unique “Pebble” mode, which allows you to clip on the tracker to shoelaces using a special case to gather running and cycling data. Using Pebble mode, you can get a better breakdown of how you performed during a sprint -– namely stats like flight ratio and ground contact time, along with general information about your running form.

The tracker was easy to fall asleep with because of how lightweight and comfortable it is. The do-not-disturb feature is easy to turn on from the watch face and I didn’t have any issues with the screen waking me up at night. The sleep insights after wearing it overnight impressed me with their detail. Right on my wrist, I was able to learn how long I slept and also got a detailed sleep graph that showed me when I was in light and deep sleep. This was all free, on my wrist and it was further broken down for me in the Mi app. I also was able to gather information on my average HR during sleep and my breathing patterns.

Also, importantly, Xiamo’s impressive battery claims checked out – the Smart Band 8 only needs 30 minutes on a charger before being fueled up for about two weeks of use. I never worried about not being able to track my activity or sleep.

Pros

Easy to navigate interface
Full color display
Comfortable design that supports Pebble mode
Good fitness tracking and sleep monitoring
Long battery life

Cons

No physical navigation button

$41 at Amazon

Amazfit

The Amazfit Band 7, like the Xiaomi Band 8, has all of the workouts you can track pre-loaded on your wrist. It also has a unique interface that allows you to set a custom goal, like burning 500 calories, before starting a workout.

The Amazfit band has a special scoring system called PAI, which stands for “Personal Activity Intelligence.” This metric is derived from your heart rate during all activities (even ones that don’t involve tracked workouts) and gives you a numeric score from 1 to 100. You want to get your score as close to 100 as possible, through workouts and rest, to keep your overall heart health strong. Like the Xiaomi Smart Band 8, the Amazfit Band 7 gives a user a breakdown of their overall heart rate zone activity on the watch face.

The watch also has a unique “one tap measure” that gives you insights into your heart rate, blood oxygen levels and even a stress score based on your heart rate variability.

There are some downsides to the Band 7, though, namely that it is considerably slower than the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 when it comes to starting and ending exercise sessions. It also does not have a physical navigation button, making it sometimes hard to exit a page. That would have been something I could have overlooked if the watch’s display had been a bit on par with the Xiaomi Band 8’s. Despite having an AMOLED color display, the Band 7’s screen was sometimes hard to view even indoors.

It does get brownie points for being a bit more comfortable to sleep in than some of the others we tested, but it still takes some getting used to. If you do sleep with the Band 7 for a week though, you can get an in-depth sleep analysis about your susceptibility for conditions like sleep apnea. The caveat is that you need to pay a premium for this more detailed sleep report. Through the Zepp app (formerly Amazfit) you can pay $10 monthly or $50 annually for a premium subscription, which also includes meditation content and an AI sleep coach.

Pros

Supports custom goal setting per workout
Good activity and sleep tracking
Comfortable design

Cons

Slow performance
No physical navigation button

$45 at Amazon

Fitbit

I expected more out of the Fitbit Inspire 3 because, well, it’s Fitbit. Also, considering it’s the most expensive tracker on the list, you would think you would get more. The tracker does serve its purpose -– it can record your workouts. However, only 6 kinds of activities can be tracked at a time. To add more niche exercises like a weight-lifting routine, you need to open the Fitbit app and swap one exercise widget for another. It does give a rudimentary breakdown of your calories burned, heart rate, and all of the things you would normally want to get in a performance report.

One thing I do appreciate about the Fitbit Inspire 3 is its Active Zone Minute breakdown after a workout is tracked. This is a feature unique to Fitbit that calculates how hard your workouts were and how much fat you burned in the process. The app does a good job of breaking down other health metrics during exercise and can tell you how much recovery you need before your next workout. It’s nice to have that information, but the fact that you need to pull out your phone to get deeper insights can be a nuisance.

The Inspire 3 also does not allow you to directly log menstrual cycle data on it, whereas the Xiaomi Band 8 and Amazfit Band 7 do. The battery life on this tracker is on par with what the company says, though. It charges to full in under 45 minutes and dies after about 10 days of use. So in between tracking workouts and gathering sleep data, I did not have to worry much about missing a night of sleep tracking to charge it overnight. The Fitbit Inspire 3 is comfortable to sleep with, maybe even slightly more comfortable than the Amazfit Band 7, but the fact that its sleep coaching is only available for premium Fitbit subscribers does take away from the appeal.

Pros

Supports Active Zone Minutes tracking
Good battery life
Comfortable design

Cons

Cannot manually add menstrual cycle data directly from the band
Lots of data hidden behind Fitbit Premium paywall

$97 at Walmart

Other cheap fitness trackers we tested

Wyze Watch 47c

I didn’t have high expectations of the Wyze Watch 47c, but I was shocked at how little this tracker can do. The 47c can only track walks and runs. It has a dedicated widget, a small logo of a man running, and when you tap it, it begins measuring your pace, heart rate, calories burned and mileage. It does not auto-detect or auto-pause workouts and it doesn’t differentiate between a run and walk. Most importantly, this device can’t track any other exercises. It’s basically a glorified pedometer.

The 47c was also my least favorite to sleep with, mainly because the square watch face is so large and heavy. Even if I did manage to sleep through the night with it on, it only gave me a basic sleep report.

Garmin vivofit 4

The Garmin vivofit 4 has a tiny display that is not a touchscreen and all navigation happens through one button. The watch face is impossible to read outdoors and the exercise widget is also very finicky. To start tracking a run, you have to hold down the main button and flip through some pages until you get to a moving person icon. Once there, you have to press the bottom right corner of the bar and hold down and if you press for too long or in the wrong spot, it’ll switch to another page, like a stopwatch. It’s incredibly frustrating.

Once you start a run though, it will start tracking your steps, your distance — and that’s pretty much it. It does not auto-detect or auto-pause workouts. It doesn’t alert you of any mileage or calorie milestones.

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Tags Cheap, fitness, trackers

Featured

Nikon Z 40mm f/2 review: this cheap, modern ‘nifty forty’ has been my every day lens for over a year and it hasn’t let me down

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Two-minute review

Nikon’s Nikkor Z 40mm f/2 is one of two lightweight, inexpensive prime lenses for the Z-mount – the other being the wider 28mm f/2.8.

At 40mm, it’s currently the closest match to the ‘nifty fifty’ lenses of old, aiming to provide a lightweight lens with a compact footprint, flexible focal length, and a relatively fast aperture. Above all, it’s cheap – really cheap for a proprietary lens sitting at just £259 / $289 /AU$310 new. Compared to the Nikon S 50mm f/1.8 or the S 35mm f/1.8, the 40mm comes in at under half the price while still offering some form of weather sealing and excellent performance.

Optically, this lens has a few idiosyncrasies – namely corner sharpness and coma – but the 40mm is innately usable in a wide range of situations. It’s wide enough for some landscapes and close enough for most portraits. Personally, I find the 40mm focal length more usable than 50mm for a walkabout lens – and f/2 is plenty outside of extreme situations.

Nikon Z 40mm f/2 specs

Type: Prime
Sensor: Full-frame
Focal length: 40mm (60mm APS-C)
Max aperture: f/2
Minimum focus: 11.8in / 30cm
Filter size: 52mm
Dimensions: 2.8 x 1.8in / 70 x 45.5mm
Weight: 6oz / 170g

I tested on a full-frame Nikon Z6 but the lens is also compatible with the ‘DX’ APS-C Nikon Z-mount cameras. In this case, the focal length becomes 60mm. It’s getting into portrait lens territory for APS-C here although it would also be a good choice for a shy street photographer who wants some distance from their subject.

Nikon Z 40mm f/2: design

The Nikon Z 40mm f/2 features an entirely plastic build that feels well engineered and deceptively robust in the hand. Overall, it’s a solid and well put together lens but the plastic thread and mount do cheapen the overall feel somewhat. You’re never tricked into thinking this is a premium lens, even though its output is excellent.

The Nikon Z 40mm f/2 is, however, extremely light – weighing just 6oz / 170g. Pairing this lens up with my Nikon Z6 results in a package that weighs just over 21oz / 600g, which rivals crop sensor setups for sheer portability. While I’d never call this pairing ‘pocketable’, it’s a featherweight combination for a full-frame system and perfect for every day shooting.

Image 1 of 3

Nikon Nikkor Z 40mm F/2 — (Image credit: Future / Alex Whitelock)

And, I have to say – the 40mm pairs nicely with the Z6’s relatively minimalist, being workmanlike in its design since there are no external AF switches, custom control rings, or any other kind of outward flare to speak of. I’d say it looks decent enough on one of Nikon’s more modern bodies. Is it boring? Maybe, but it doesn’t look out of place.

Image 1 of 3

It’s worth noting here that the Nikon Z 40mm f/2 comes in two variations – the standard version that I tested and a more retro-themed ‘SE’ variant. If you’re looking for a prime to pair up with the much more old-school-looking Nikon Zf or Nikon Zfc then you’ll want to make sure you’re checking out the SE for maximum retro effect.

Neither variant ships with a first-party lens hood but both are dust and drip-resistant, which is a major selling point for a lens this inexpensive. In recent years, third-party manufacturers (most notably Viltrox) have started to offer compelling budget alternatives to entry-level first-party lenses but weather sealing is one area where most are severely lacking. And, I can personally attest that the splash resistance of this lens is fantastic – having been soaked from head to toe on Dartmoor during field testing.

Nikon Z 40mm f/2: performance

Thanks to built-in lens corrections on Z-mount bodies, you’ll get extremely good results out of camera with the 40mm. For the price, the lens is impressively sharp even at f/2 and exhibits minimal chromatic aberration or vignetting. Flare is also controlled – despite this lens likely not featuring Nikon’s higher-end coatings.

I’ve shot thousands of images with the 40mm and I’ve come to appreciate how it renders a scene. I’ve read some describe this lens as ‘classic’ in character and while its sharpness is certainly more akin to a modern lens, colors certainly do pop under the right circumstances. Bokeh-wise, the 40mm is also relatively circular/puffy in the center but becomes less bloomier and more defined around the edges.

As with most lenses, the sharpness sweet spot for the 40mm is around f/5 to f/8 but even at these optimal apertures the 40mm is notably sharpest in the centre. Depending on what you’re shooting the 40mm will exhibit some softness at the extreme corners – as with this sample image of a dock leaf taken at f/5.6.

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Nikon Nikkor 40mm F/2 sample image of a dock leaf — Full image taken at f/5.6(Image credit: Future / Alex Whitelock)

Despite having a minimum focus distance of 11.8in / 30cm the lens is also quite soft when close focusing. You can narrow down the aperture for more sharpness but you’ll miss out on that creamy DoF (depth of field) up close, which means the 40mm can suffer for specialized applications like floral photography. Just below you can see a specific example of a flower taken at around a foot distance, where the focus point was set directly on the central bud.

Nikon Nikkor 40mm F/2 sample image of a flower

The Nikon 40mm f/2 exhibits some softness up close, even central in the frame. (Image credit: Future / Alex Whitelock)

The 40mm also exhibits some coma, which can result in noticeably smeared lights during night photography towards the extreme edges of the frame. In real-life testing, I found this to be an incredibly minor issue that only cropped up on a few niche cases such as the attached scene just below. Astrophotographers will likely skip this lens over in favor of the wider (and similarly priced) 28mm but note that this lens does feature some astigmatism if you’re deadset on edge-to-edge clarity.

Nikon Nikkor 40mm F/2 sample image of a skylight

The Nikon 40mm f/2 renders some coma on the extreme edges of the frame. (Image credit: Future / Alex Whitelock)

That’s where my criticisms end, however. In practical use the 40mm performs admirably. Autofocus is extremely quick and minimal focus breathing means this is a versatile lens that can also handle video. Note, however, that my lens has a slight whirring sound when focusing – an absolute non-issue for me as a photographer but videographers may notice. I wouldn’t rule out copy variation here since it’s not a widely reported issue, though.

Nikon Z 40mm f/2: sample images

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Should I buy the Nikon Z 40mm f/2?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

How I tested the Nikon Z 40mm f/2

Regular use for over a year and counting
Used in fair and inclement weather
Day and nighttime use

I’ve had the Nikon Z 40mm f/2 in my kit for over a year now; in which time I’ve used it extensively for general purpose photography both home and abroad. Subsequently, I’ve been able to thoroughly test the lens in a variety of situations to determine its strengths and weaknesses.

Since Nikon openly advertises this lens as weather-sealed, I’ve made sure to test this lens in adverse conditions, particularly in rainy environments. I’ve also extensively tested this lens at night, making use of its wide aperture of f/2.

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Looking for a cheap OLED display? LG’s highly-rated C2 OLED TV is on sale for $839

Post author By lisa nichols
Post date April 20, 2024
No Comments on Looking for a cheap OLED display? LG’s highly-rated C2 OLED TV is on sale for $839

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While the LG C2 OLED was released in 2022, it’s still considered one of the best TVs on the market, thanks to its exceptional picture, sleek design, and reasonable price. The good news is that the price just got more attractive thanks to this fantastic deal at Walmart, which has the 42-inch model on sale for just $839 (was $1,549.99).

The feature-packed OLED, which we gave five out of five stars in our LG C2 OLED review, was ranked at the top of last year’s best TV list. The LG C2 delivers a stunning OLED display powered by LG’s a9 Gen5 AI processor, delivering deep contrast and excellent brightness. The LG TV also includes virtual surround sound, smart capabilities, voice control, and an extremely thin design.

Today’s deal from Walmart is not only the best deal you can find on the 42-inch LG C2 TV but also an incredible price for a feature-rich OLED display. I’ve listed more of today’s best OLED TV deals further down the page from brands like Samsung, Sony and LG.

LG C2 OLED TV deal

More of today’s best OLED TV deals

You can see more of the best cheap TV deals and OLED TV deals happening right now.

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Tags Cheap, display, highlyrated, LGs, OLED, Sale