PC Magazine - December 2021

CONTENTS

DECEMBER 2021

CAROL MANGIS

First Word: 2021’s Top Tech

READER INPUT

Windows 11: Your Wishlist

WHAT’S NEW NOW

FACEBOOK SHUTS DOWN
ITS FACIAL-RECOGNITION
SYSTEM

Facebook doesn’t point to a single
incident that prompted the decision,
but it comes as facial-recognition
systems (and the social network in
general) have come under fire.

MICROSOFT ONEDRIVE IS
DITCHING WINDOWS 7, 8,
AND 8.1

The cloud storage platform will drop
support for older versions of Windows
in early 2022.

DEMAND FOR LOW-END
LAPTOP CPUS IS TANKING

The decline in entry-level PC
shipments during this year’s third
quarter also caused the average
selling price for CPUs to shoot up,
according to Mercury Research.

COMMENTARY

SASCHA SEGAN

The Real 5G Metaverse Will Blow
Facebook’s Meta Out of the Water

KIM KEY

Get Third-Party AV: Windows
Defender Isn’t Enough

REVIEWS Beats Fit Pro

CONSUMER iRobot Roomba j7+
ELECTRONICS
HP Chromebook x2 Razer Blade 15
Beats Fit Pro (2021) Advanced Model

iRobot Roomba j7+

HARDWARE

HP Chromebook x2
(2021)

Razer Blade 15
Advanced Model
(Late 2021)

SOFTWARE &
APPS

ESET NOD32 Antivirus

SNK vs. Capcom:
The Match of the
Millennium (for PC)

ESET NOD32 SNK. vs Capcom:
Antivirus The Match of the
Millennium

FEATURES

COVER STORY

THE BEST PRODUCTS OF 2021

THE HOTTEST TECH TOYS
FOR KIDS

From a build-it-yourself space
station to a portable storyteller to
Harry Potter’s Hedwig, here are
the 2021 tech toys that’ll bring the
kids in your life a ton of fun.

TIPS & HOW TOS

WHAT CAN YOU DO ON
ICLOUD.COM?

For starters, you can access all your
backed up and synced content,
search for a lost iPhone, manage your
passwords, and change account
settings. Here’s how.

THE WHY-AXIS

CYBORG-LIKE BODY MODS
ARE A-OK WITH MOST OF US

Medical microchips? Bionic eyes? LED
tattoos? A lot of people want them,
and most people surveyed say they
should be allowed.

PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION I SUBSCRIBE I DECEMBER 2021

FIRST WORD
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

2021’s Top Tech

Readers, does the term “Q4” strike terror into your hearts? Probably not, but
it might if you worked here. The three months leading up to and including the
winter holidays are PCMag’s busiest time of year by far. After all, we review
products—lots of them. Most of which would make excellent gifts. And people
want to know how our testing went.

Despite the hectic climate of Q4, we always take the time to step back and
look at our work over the prior year: Which of the more than 2,000 products
we reviewed stood out the most? We usually wind up with about 100 top
SLFNV LQ WKH WRWDO FDPH WR ,Q WKLV LVVXH \RX¶OO ¿QG D OLVW RI WKRVH
products along with brief accounts of why we chose them, written by our
expert analysts in each category—computers, phones, cameras, software, and
so on.

When you do all that work, it’s pretty satisfying to encapsulate it in a story
like this. A little retrospection is appropriate at the end of a year. The timing
is also handy for those of you still hunting for holiday presents for your loved
ones—or considering what you might want to receive yourself!

We wish you all safe and joyful holidays. See you in January 2022!

[email protected]

Carol Mangis manages the PCMag Digital Edition.
Her first job in tech journalism was at PC
Magazine; she also worked for Consumer Reports.
She’s fascinated by technology’s evolution.

@cmangis

PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION I SUBSCRIBE I DECEMBER 2021

READER INPUT

YOUR COMMENTS

Windows 11: I think the biggest sin of W11 is the architecture one.
Your Wishlist The chip shortage we are in now is serious, and

PCMag readers have a lot of KDUGZDUH GHOD\V DUH VLJQL¿FDQW 6R XSGDWHV WR :
opinions when it comes to are out the window (pun intended) as the hardware
0LFURVRIW¶V QHZHVW 26 we would need to replace perfectly useful machines
now is not possible. I see no reason why the TPM
functionality should not be an option as opposed to a
requirement. Anything that strengthens security is
desired, but right now, it is not possible to wholesale
replace computers (much less graphics cards).
Another factor here is “green.” Forcing companies to
junk perfectly good computers, with useful life, to go
to Windows 11 is certainly not green. This needs a
rethink as much as the interface. One wonders about
the marketing decisions at major companies—
are they truly being made in an echo chamber, as
it appears?
—cdrkennon

I have a powerful PC with Xeon E5-2637 (6th
generation) processors. It will become obsolete in

IRXU \HDUV , WKLQN LW LV D ZD\ WR ÀXVK RXW ROG 3&V
regardless of abilities, so Microsoft, the chip
manufacturers, and the PC manufacturers can get

ULFKHU 6RUW RI OLNH ZKDW KDSSHQHG ZKHQ WKH 8 6

JRYHUQPHQW ZDV FRQQHG LQWR WUDVKLQJ XVDEOH 689V
and cars (actually destroying the engines to prevent
operation) and paying the owners $1,000 so that car
manufactures could sell new cars.
—David Sylva

Your computer will be out of date for all the available horizontal space, at least
Windows—but not for Linux. The latest when I’m using a 16:9 or 16:10 display.
YHUVLRQV RI 8EXQWX /LQX[ UXQ (It’s less true on a 3:2 display.)
seamlessly on computers that are over —6KLUOH\ 0iUTXH] '~OFH\
\HDUV ROG 2SHQ 2̇FH FDQ EH
FRPSDUHG WR 0LFURVRIW 2̇FH *UDYLW ,¶YH XVHG 0LFURVRIW VLQFH '26 ,
Designer can be compared to Adobe EHOLHYH DQG RWKHU WKDQ 9LVWD 0H
,OOXVWUDWRU 6FULEXV FDQ EH FRPSDUHG WR and Win 8, I’ve liked new iterations of
Quark X Press or Adobe Indesign, 06 26HV , IRXQG QR SUREOHPV DFFHSWLQJ
6KRWFXW FDQ EH FRPSDUHG WR $GREH and using them, and I don’t get all the
3UHPLHUH %OXH¿VK LV VWURQJHU WKDQ VWDWLF WKDW QHZ 26HV JHQHUDWH 7KH RQO\
Adobe Dreamweaver. There is always WKLQJ , ¿QG GDXQWLQJ DERXW :LQGRZV LV
an alternative. Don’t let Microsoft and that you need to update your hardware in
Apple pull you by the nose (that’s what PDQ\ FDVHV WR UXQ LW ZHOO 6R , DP JRLQJ
WKH\ VD\ LQ 6HUELD 'RQ¶W OHW WKHP to wait four years, as I am not throwing
make fools of you and take money out out my present computers. ... In 4 years, I
of your pocket. will be ready for new ones, and they will
—darebeograd already have Windows 11.
—$GODL $UPXQGVHQ
What feature or function was introduced
in the 8th generation of processors that is Windows 11 is Windows 10 with a paint
critically needed by Windows 11? job and some aesthetic changes.
—David Sylva —: 3RQWLXV

Yes, Microsoft has been deafeningly People generally display inertia when
silent on this issue. IDFHG ZLWK GL̆HUHQW ZD\V WR GR WKLQJV
—Ben Myers even if in the long term, they might be
EHQH¿FLDO 0DQ\ ZLOO FDUU\ RQ E\ KDELW
, MXVW ZDQW P\ :LQGRZV 6WDUW PHQX +RZ PDQ\ XVH WZR ¿QJHUV WR W\SH
with the live tiles back. I also like the old despite knowing that learning to use all
taskbar, but I have it set up so it’s all digits will save them time down the line?
grouped in a square. I like the old action Let’s not forget the masses using Total
center. I also would like the News and Commander on Windows 10 just because
Interests widget to return. ... I just want WKH\ KDG 1RUWRQ &RPPDQGHU LQ 06
the features that work for me. '26
—À\LQJB1LJKWBVODVKHU —Petar H. Lambrev

I want the option to put the taskbar on ? Ask us a question
the side to return. I just about always
need more vertical space and rarely need Email us at [email protected]
and we’ll respond to your question
PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION I SUBSCRIBE I DECEMBER 2021 here. Questions may be edited
slightly for content and clarity.

WHAT’S NEW NOW

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook Shuts Down Its
Facial-Recognition System

Facebook doesn’t point to a single incident that prompted the
decision, but it comes as facial-recognition systems (and the
social network in general) have come under fire.

BY CHLOE ALBANESIUS

Meta will shut down Facebook’s facial-recognition system and delete the
template it uses to recognize people in photos.
More than a third of Facebook’s daily active users have opted in to the system,
which can suggest people to tag when you upload a photo. So axing the system
“will represent one of the largest shifts in facial recognition usage in the
WHFKQRORJ\¶V KLVWRU\ ´ VDLG -HURPH 3HVHQWL 93 RI $UWL¿FLDO ,QWHOOLJHQFH
Pesenti didn’t point to a single incident that prompted the decision, saying only
that there are “growing concerns about the use of this technology as a whole.”
But it comes as facial-recognition systems (and Facebook in general) have come
XQGHU ¿UH

Pesenti argued that lawmakers have dragged their feet Pesenti argued
on laws governing facial-recognition software. “There that lawmakers
are many concerns about the place of facial recognition
technology in society, and regulators are still in the have dragged
process of providing a clear set of rules governing its their feet on
use,” Pesenti said. “Amid this ongoing uncertainty, we
believe that limiting the use of facial recognition to a laws governing
narrow set of use cases is appropriate.” facial-

(CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also shifted blame to recognition
Congress for failing to adequately address some of the software.
bigger problems on the social network, from
misinformation to liability for content.)

On the downside, the move means Facebook won’t be
able to identify people in photos using Automatic Alt
Text (AAT), which describes photos to people who are
blind or visually impaired. But AAT “depends on an
underlying technology that attempts to evaluate the
faces in a photo to match them with those kept in a
database of people who opted-in. The changes we’re
announcing today involve a company-wide move away
IURP WKLV NLQG RI EURDG LGHQWL¿FDWLRQ DQG WRZDUG
narrower forms of personal authentication,” according
to Pesenti.

Facebook will explore more secure uses of facial-
UHFRJQLWLRQ WHFKQRORJ\ OLNH RQ GHYLFH IDFH YHUL¿FDWLRQ
Pesenti said. But for now, the system will shut down in
the next few weeks.

What does that mean for you? Facebook won’t
automatically recognize if people’s faces appear in
Memories, photos, or videos. And you won’t get tagging
VXJJHVWLRQV ZKHQ \RX XSORDG SLFV ³,I \RX KDYH RSWHG
into our Face Recognition setting, we will delete the
WHPSODWH XVHG WR LGHQWLI\ \RX ,I \RX KDYH WKH IDFH
UHFRJQLWLRQ VHWWLQJ WXUQHG R̆ WKHUH LV QR WHPSODWH WR
delete and there will be no change,” Pesenti said.

Facial-recognition for photo tagging on Facebook dates These systems
back to 2010, when it was pretty common for people to are often
photo dump dozens of photos from a night out. How wrong,
many of us woke up to emails back then that said
“Friend A tagged you in 96 photos on Facebook”? particularly
(Eventually, Facebook gave everyone the option to when it comes
approve tagged photos before they appeared on to identifying
timelines). But facial recognition has since grown ever people of color.
more sophisticated, with major companies including

$PD]RQ ,%0 DQG 0LFURVRIW GHYHORSLQJ DGYDQFHG
systems for corporate clients. One problem: These
systems are often wrong, particularly when it comes to
identifying people of color.

Amid pushback from privacy groups and the public, all
three companies have scaled back their facial-

UHFRJQLWLRQ H̆RUWV 0LFURVRIW VD\V LW ZRQ¶W R̆HU WKH WHFK
to law enforcement unless Congress acts, Amazon has

SDXVHG LWV UROORXW WR ODZ HQIRUFHPHQW LQGH¿QLWHO\ DQG
,%0 KDV VFUDSSHG LWV H̆RUWV IRU QRZ

PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION I SUBSCRIBE I DECEMBER 2021

WHAT’S NEW NOW

CLOUD STORAGE

Microsoft OneDrive Is Ditch-
ing Windows 7, 8, and 8.1

The cloud storage platform will drop support for older versions of
Windows in early 2022.

BY NATHANIEL MOTT

Microsoft is giving some Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 users another reason to upgrade
to a newer version of the operating system. The company announced that its
OneDrive cloud storage platform will start to drop support for those older
versions of Windows in early 2022.
“In order to focus resources on new technologies and operating systems, and to
provide users with the most up-to-date and secure experience, beginning
January 1, 2022, updates will no longer be provided for the OneDrive desktop
application on your personal Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 devices,” Microsoft said in a
blog post on the change. “Personal OneDrive desktop applications running on
these operating systems will stop syncing to the cloud on March 1, 2022.”

0LFURVRIW DGYLVHV SHRSOH XVLQJ WKHVH YHUVLRQV RI :LQGRZV WR ¿QDOO\ XSJUDGH WR
Windows 10 or 11. That’s easier said than done for many people, however,
whether it’s because their hardware doesn’t meet the new system requirements
or because upgrading isn’t up to them. But the looming end of support for
Windows 7 and 8.1—both of which Microsoft plans to stop updating on Jan. 10,
2023—means those obstacles will have to be overcome sooner than later.
Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 users will have another option, though: Microsoft says
¿OHV FDQ VWLOO EH XSORDGHG DQG GRZQORDGHG YLD 2QH'ULYH¶V ZHE DSS 7KH\ MXVW
won’t automatically sync via the platform’s native applications. The company
also notes that these changes apply only to the consumer version of OneDrive.
Support for the business version “will be aligned with the Windows support
lifecycle,” the company says, which suggests Windows 7 and 8.1 will be
supported until 2023.

PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION I SUBSCRIBE I DECEMBER 2021

WHAT’S NEW NOW Craig F. Walker / The Boston Globe via Getty Images

PROCESSORS

Demand for Low-End Laptop
CPUs Is Tanking

The decline in entry-level PC shipments during this year’s third
quarter also caused the average selling price for CPUs to shoot
up, according to Mercury Research.

BY MICHAEL KAN

As the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, the PC industry
experienced its biggest quarter-over-quarter decline in shipments for laptop
&38V DFFRUGLQJ WR D UHVHDUFK ¿UP 7KH GHFUHDVH RFFXUUHG GXULQJ WKLV \HDU¶V
third quarter, when shipments for laptop CPUs fell by more than 18 million
XQLWV IURP 4 DFFRUGLQJ WR 0HUFXU\ 5HVHDUFK
Driving the decrease was plummeting demand for low-end laptop CPUs such as
WKH ,QWHO &HOHURQ DQG $0' $WKORQ ZKLFK GHFOLQHG E\ PRUH WKDQ IURP 4
Dean McCarron, president of Mercury Research, called the decline “the worst
RQ TXDUWHU GRZQWXUQ IRU PRELOH &38V LQ WKH KLVWRU\ RI WKH 3& &38 PDUNHW ´

³7KH SXOOEDFN RQ HQWU\ OHYHO &38V KDV QR FRQQHFWLRQ WR The PC
WKH FKLS VKRUWDJH ´ 0F&DUURQ WROG 3&0DJ LQ DQ HPDLO industry
³,I DQ\WKLQJ LW¶V SUREDEO\ KHOSLQJ RWKHU PDUNHWV DV experienced its
some of those components could be used in other
3&V SURGXFWV ´ biggest
quarter-over-
Instead, he blamed the downturn on evaporating quarter decline
demand for entry-level laptops such as Google in shipment for
Chromebooks, which are particularly popular in the laptop CPUs.
HGXFDWLRQ PDUNHW &29,' DQG WKH QHHG WR VWXG\ DW
home caused sales for Chromebooks and other
notebooks to soar last year, which catapulted PC
VKLSPHQWV WR OHYHOV QRW VHHQ LQ D GHFDGH

0HUFXU\ 5HVHDUFK¶V RZQ GDWD VKRZV HQWU\ OHYHO ODSWRS
CPUs “averaged more than 180% on-year growth each
TXDUWHU IURP 4 WKURXJK 4 ´ 0F&DUURQ
VDLG %XW ZLWK WKH SDQGHPLF QRZ ZDQLQJ GHPDQG IRU
WKH SURGXFWV KDV EHHQ TXLFNO\ GU\LQJ XS 0HDQZKLOH
shipments for processors geared for desktops, servers,
DQG ,R7 GHYLFHV UHPDLQ UREXVW

“Some pullback was expected, but the return to pre-
COVID volumes was instantaneous rather than
JUDGXDO ´ KH DGGHG 2WKHU UHVHDUFK ¿UPV LQFOXGLQJ
Canalys also report demand for Chromebooks has taken
D VKDUS GLYH LQ UHFHQW PRQWKV

McCarron added: “Due to the decline in low-cost entry
level shipments, the market average CPU selling price
LQFUHDVHG WKH PRVW RQ TXDUWHU LQ \HDUV ´ 7KH DYHUDJH
selling price is now at $168, up from $151, according to
0HUFXU\ 5HVHDUFK¶V VWDWV

PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION I SUBSCRIBE I DECEMBER 2021

COMMENTARY

The Real 5G Metaverse
Will Blow Facebook’s Meta
Out of the Water

Facebook, now Meta, wants to pivot into
virtual reality. But it won’t be able to escape
its sins.

)DFHERRN LV WU\LQJ WR VKXFN R̆ LWV UHSXWDWLRQ IRU PDQLSXODWLQJ HOHFWLRQV
DQG GHVWUR\LQJ VRFLHWLHV E\ EHFRPLQJ ³0HWD ´ WKH PHWDYHUVH FRPSDQ\

,Q VKRUW D metaverse LV D SHUVLVWHQW RSHQ YLUWXDO RU DXJPHQWHG UHDOLW\
SODWIRUP 0HWDYHUVHV KDYH H[LVWHG IRU GHFDGHV 6HFRQG /LIH ZDV D
PHWDYHUVH DQG RQFH KDG D PLOOLRQ XVHUV 0HWD RI FRXUVH ZDQWV WR WDNH
WKDW IURP WKH PLOOLRQV WR WKH ELOOLRQV

(YHU\RQH LQYROYHG LQ * LV EHWWLQJ RQ PHWDYHUVHV WRR 4XDOFRPP FDOOV
LWV DSSURDFK ;5 RU extended reality. 0LFURVRIW FDOOV LW 05 mixed
reality. 7 0RELOH¶V 3UHVLGHQW RI 7HFKQRORJ\ 1HYLOOH 5D\ WROG PH WKDW
³H\HZHDU ZHDUDEOHV´ FRXOG EH WKH NLOOHU FRQVXPHU DSS IRU WUXH * $QG
WKDW¶V KRZ \RX JHW LQWR WKH PHWDYHUVH

7KHUH¶V D ELJ GL̆HUHQFH EHWZHHQ )DFHERRN¶V PHWDYHUVH DQG WKH RQH WKH
* SOD\HUV ZDQW ,W¶V LPSRUWDQW DQG LW JRHV WR ZK\ )DFHERRN¶V YLVLRQ LV
VR JULPO\ G\VWRSLDQ %XW WKH * PHWDYHUVH LV DOVR UHOLDQW RQ WHFKQRORJLHV
WKDW DUH \HDUV DZD\ 7KH\ H[LVW RQ SDSHU EXW WKH SURFHVV RI DFWXDOO\
EXLOGLQJ WKHP LV JRLQJ WR EH ORQJ GL̇FXOW DQG H[SHQVLYH

)DFHERRN¶V PHWDYHUVH GUHDPV VHHP ODUJHO\ GHSHQGHQW RQ 95 virtual
reality, ZKLFK WDNHV SHRSOH RXW RI WKHLU ERGLHV DQG ORFDWLRQV DQG SXWV
WKHP LQ D YLUWXDO VSDFH

6R PDQ\ VFLHQFH ¿FWLRQ G\VWRSLDV KDYH EHHQ @saschasegan
EDVHG RQ WKLV 6R PDQ\ 7KLV LV Ready Player
One WKLV LV Wall-E WKLV LV The Matrix 95 LV
ZKHUH SHRSOH OHW WKHLU ERGLHV URW DQG WKH ZRUOG
FUXPEOH DURXQG WKHP DV WKH\ WU\ WR HVFDSH LQWR D
ZKROO\ RZQHG FRUSRUDWH FRFRRQ )RU VRPH
YLGHR JDPHV DQG WKH RFFDVLRQDO =RRP PHHWLQJ
LW¶V JUHDW EXW WKH PRUH \RX XVH LW WKH PRUH
WHUULI\LQJ LW JHWV

,¶YH DOZD\V WDNHQ WKH SRVVLEO\ FRQWURYHUVLDO"
SRVLWLRQ WKDW ZH DUH SK\VLFDO ERGLHV LQ WKH ZRUOG
DQG WR WRWDOO\ GHQ\ WKDW LV SHULORXV 6R WKH 95
IRFXV LV LQ P\ PLQG D ELJ VWULNH RQH DJDLQVW
)DFHERRN¶V PHWDYHUVH YLVLRQ

7KH * PHWDYHUVH LV DOO DERXW $5²JRLQJ RXW LQWR
WKH ZRUOG DQG HQKDQFLQJ LW 7KLV LV EHFDXVH WKH
5HDG\ 3OD\HU 2QH ZRUOG RI QHYHU OHDYLQJ \RXU
KRXVH ZRUNV MXVW ¿QH ZLWK ¿EHU DQG :L )L (²
\RX GRQ¶W QHHG * <RX GR QHHG * ZKHQ \RX
OHDYH WKH KRXVH )DFHERRN 0HWD GRHV KDYH DQ
$5 SURMHFW RQ WKH WDEOH VRPHWKLQJ FDOOHG ³3URMHFW
1D]DUH ´ EXW LW VD\V WKDW¶V ³D IHZ \HDUV RXW´
FRPSDUHG ZLWK VKRUWHU WHUP 95 VROXWLRQV

0LFURVRIW¶V +ROR/HQV GHPRV KDYH VKRZQ YLGHR
JDPHV LQ ZKLFK RQOLQH ³JKRVWV´ DSSHDU LQ D
URRP DQG HQWHUSULVH VROXWLRQV LQ ZKLFK YLUWXDO
UHSDLU PDQXDOV VLW QH[W WR WKH WKLQJ \RX¶UH
UHSDLULQJ $V , JHW ROGHU , DOVR UHDOO\ ZDQW WKH
SURPLVHG IHDWXUH ZKHUH SHRSOH¶V QDPHV DSSHDU
RYHU WKHLU KHDGV ZKHQ \RX ORRN DW WKHP

%RWK WKH 95 DQG $5 PHWDYHUVHV KDYH FRPSOH[
GL̇FXOW SUREOHPV RI GDWD FROOHFWLRQ SULYDF\ DQG
UHJXODWLRQ ZKLFK QHHG WR EH GHDOW ZLWK WKURXJK
ODZV UDWKHU WKDQ SXUHO\ WKURXJK WHFKQRORJ\ %XW

WKH * $5 PHWDYHUVH WKH RQH ZKHUH \RX DFWXDOO\ 5G can fix some
JR RXWVLGH LV D ORW PRUH DSSHDOLQJ WKDQ WKH QHDU of the problems
WHUP 95 RQH ZKHUH WKH RQO\ WKLQJ \RX VHH LV WKH
LQVLGH RI D )DFHERRN KHDGVHW with existing
AR/VR headsets
* FDQ ¿[ VRPH RI WKH SUREOHPV ZLWK H[LVWLQJ and help people
$5 95 KHDGVHWV DQG KHOS SHRSOH HQWHU WKH
PHWDYHUVH 2FXOXV KHDGVHWV EDVLFDOO\ SDFN LQ DQ enter the
HQWLUH WZR \HDU ROG VPDUWSKRQH WR UHQGHU WKHLU metaverse.
ZRUOGV PDNLQJ WKHP KHDY\ KRW DQG ZLWK
VLJQL¿FDQWO\ ZRUVH JUDSKLFV WKDQ 3&V RU JDPH
FRQVROHV FDQ SURYLGH +HUH¶V KRZ , GHVFULEHG
)DFHERRN¶V SURSRVDO RQ 7ZLWWHU ³)% ZRXOG OLNH
\RX WR OLYH LQ DQ LQWHUDFWLYH ZRUOG RI VKLWW\ SKRQH
JUDSKLFV XVLQJ D VZHDW\ 2FXOXV KHDGVHW ´

:LWK JRRG *²WKH UHDO WKLQJ QRW ZKDW ZH PRVWO\
KDYH QRZ²KHDGVHWV ZLOO EH DEOH WR UHQGHU WKHLU
JUDSKLFV UHPRWHO\ DFWLQJ MXVW DV GLVSOD\V DQG
FROOHFWLRQV RI VHQVRUV 7KLV ZLOO PDNH WKHP PXFK
OLJKWHU DQG PXFK PRUH SRZHU ḢFLHQW

7R JHW WKHUH WKRXJK \RX QHHG UHOLDEOH ODWHQFLHV
XQGHU DERXW PV DFFRUGLQJ WR 4XDOFRPP DQG
DQRWKHU WHFKQRORJ\ FDOOHG ³PRELOH HGJH
FRPSXWH ´ ZKLFK SXWV PRUH FRPSXWLQJ SRZHU LQ
EDVH VWDWLRQV DQG DW ORFDO QHWZRUN KXEV

<RX DOVR QHHG VWDQGDORQH * QHWZRUNV ZKLFK
PHDQV QRW UHO\LQJ RQ H[LVWLQJ * FRYHUDJH DQG
LQVWHDG VWDUWLQJ IUHVK DW OHDVW IRU WKLV DSSOLFDWLRQ
7KDW PHDQV \HDUV RI SDLQVWDNLQJO\ EXLOGLQJ QHZ
QHWZRUNV SULPDULO\ UHO\LQJ RQ QHZ PLG EDQG
DLUZDYHV DQG WKHQ NQLWWLQJ WKHP WRJHWKHU VR
PHWDYHUVHUV GRQ¶W GURS GRZQ WR * * RU ZRUVH
QRWKLQJ ZKLOH WKH\¶UH WU\LQJ WR LQWHJUDWH WKHLU
YLUWXDO ZRUOG ZLWK WKH UHDO RQH

$OVR QRERG\ KDV \HW VROYHG WKH RSWLFV SUREOHPV IRU D JRRG DXJPHQWHG
UHDOLW\ KHDGVHW :KHWKHU LW¶V WKH +ROR/HQV RU 0DJLF /HDS WKH\ DOO KDYH
QDUURZ ¿HOGV RI YLHZ DQG RYHUO\ FRPSOH[ RSWLFV 7KDW¶V D SUREOHP
QHLWKHU DSS PDNHUV QRU QHWZRUN SURYLGHUV DUH SUHSDUHG WR VROYH
DOWKRXJK PD\EH $SSOH²ZKLFK KDV EHHQ ZRUNLQJ RQ DQ $5 KHDGVHW IRU
\HDUV QRZ²ZLOO SURYLGH WKH DQVZHU

7KHVH DUH DOO SDUWV RI ZK\ H[SHUWV DW WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 2XOX VD\ WKH ³UHDO´
* ZRUOG PD\ QRW KDSSHQ XQWLO

$OO VLJQV DUH SRLQWLQJ LQ D ³PHWD´ GLUHFWLRQ 7KH TXHVWLRQ UHPDLQLQJ LV
ZKHWKHU 0HWD ZKLFK LV UHDOO\ VWLOO )DFHERRN ZLOO ODVW ORQJ HQRXJK WR VHH
WKH FKDQJH

0HWD GRHVQ¶W FRQWURO QHWZRUN EXLOG RXWV DQG LW GRHVQ¶W FRQWURO RSWLFV
,WV KDUGZDUH R̆HULQJV VR IDU KDYH EHHQ GHFHQW EXW WKH\¶YH DOO EHHQ
SRLVRQHG E\ KRZ EDG WKH FRPSDQ\¶V UHSXWDWLRQ IRU GDWD SURWHFWLRQ KDV
EHFRPH

0HWD¶V WKUHH PDMRU SURGXFWV DOO UHO\ RQ XVHU PRPHQWXP EXLOW D GHFDGH
DJR EHIRUH WKH FRPSDQ\¶V SRVW KHHO WXUQ ,I YDULRXV PHWDYHUVH
SURYLGHUV GHYHORS QHZ XVHUV ZLOO SUREDEO\ GHFLGH WR SLFN D FRPSDQ\
ZLWK D OHJDF\ WKDW LVQ¶W TXLWH DV SRLVRQHG

7KH PHWDYHUVH LV D ORQJ WHUP VWUDWHJ\ EXW 0HWD QHHGV D VKRUWHU WHUP
VROXWLRQ $V LW FRQWLQXHV WR DOLHQDWH SRWHQWLDO XVHUV E\ DEXVLQJ WKHLU GDWD
DQG WKHLU WUXVW 0HWD PD\ ¿QG WKDW WKLV QHZ SLYRW LV ERWK ¿YH \HDUV WRR
HDUO\ DQG ¿YH \HDUV WRR ODWH

Sascha Segan is the lead mobile analyst for PC
Magazine. His commentary has also appeared on
Fox News, CNBC, CNN, and various radio stations
and newspapers around the world.

PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION I SUBSCRIBE I DECEMBER 2021

Kim Ke COMMENTARY

Get Third-Party AV: Windows
Defender Isn’t Enough

Windows’ built-in security software just
doesn’t keep you as safe as the best
antivirus.

“I won’t do it,” my husband said, seemingly out of the blue, while staring
at his monitor. I looked at him quizzically.

“I won’t get antivirus software,” he said. “I have a Windows computer.
Defender does a good enough job for me. I’m not going to bother paying
for something I know I don’t need.”

Usually, I’d just nod in vague agreement at this software-related
outburst and continue with my day. However, I decided to take my
spouse’s declaration up with PCMag Lead Security Analyst Neil J.
Rubenking and get his opinion on the matter.

7KH :LQGRZV 'HIHQGHU RI WKH SDVW ZDVQ¶W YHU\ H̆HFWLYH DQG PDQDJHG WR
score below zero in some independent lab tests, according to Rubenking.
That said, in recent years, Microsoft has made some improvements to
Windows’ built-in security system. It’s now called Microsoft Windows
Defender Security Center. The software has simple ransomware and
malware protection, and its lab scores are more than acceptable.
Defender is a capable antivirus solution, earning a 3.5 out of 5 score for
ḢFDF\ IURP 1HLO DQG LW GRHVQ¶W UHTXLUH DQ\ DGGLWLRQDO LQVWDOODWLRQV RU
costs.

But what about Microsoft Windows Defender Security Center’s
limitations? It received poor scores for phishing, a scam that boomed
while people were at home during the early days of the COVID-19
SDQGHPLF $OVR WKH VRIWZDUH¶V 6PDUW6FUHHQ PDOZDUH ¿OWHU ZRUNV RQO\
for Microsoft browsers. Most third-party antivirus products apply
malicious download protection to all popular browsers, including Google
Chrome and Firefox.

Kim Ke To me, it’s most telling that Defender’s developers @ kimnewsome
seem to consider it a fallback solution. When you
install third-party antivirus software on your Kim Key covers
Windows machine, Windows Defender doesn’t security and
interfere with it. But if you uninstall your third- streaming services for
party protection, Windows Defender activates PCMag. She has
again. There’s also the simple fact that the best previously written for
antivirus tools, even the best free antivirus CNN, Fanbyte,
Mashable, the New
SURJUDPV SHUIRUP EHWWHU LQ WHVWLQJ DQG R̆HU York Times, and
more features than Defender. TechRadar.

I presented all of the above information to my
spouse, and he grumbled something about not

PHVVLQJ ZLWK ³GRGJ\ ZHEVLWHV¶¶ DQG ZDQGHUHG R̆
I couldn’t change his mind, but I know he has
diligent security habits, such as avoiding
malware-infested websites and refusing to open
email links, so I can be optimistic that his
computer will remain secure.

But to be the safest you can be, install third-party
antivirus on your Windows computer. And while
you’re at it, consider antivirus for your Android
devices, too. Apple’s iOS is tight as a drum, so you
don’t need much help there—but macOS malware
exists, and it’s also a good idea to safeguard
against it with antivirus protection for Macs.

PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION I SUBSCRIBE I DECEMBER 2021

REVIEWS

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

Beats Fit Pro

$199.99

GOOD

Beats Fit Pro: Solid ANC

A bass-heavy alternative to the AirPods Pro

BY TIM GIDEON

$IWHU UHOHDVLQJ WKH UHODWLYHO\ D̆RUGDEOH 6WXGLR %XGV HDUOLHU WKLV \HDU
%HDWV LV EDFN ZLWK D QHZ SDLU RI QRLVH FDQFHOOLQJ WUXH ZLUHOHVV HDUSKRQHV WKH
%HDWV )LW 3UR $SWO\ QDPHG WKH IRFXV KHUH LV RQ LQ HDU ¿W VHFXULW\ ZLWK EXLOW LQ
HDU¿QV PDGH RI D SOLDEOH PDWHULDO WKDW WUXO\ KHOSV FUHDWH D PRUH VHFXUH VHDO LQ
\RXU HDU 7KH\¶UH DOVR DUPHG ZLWK DFWLYH QRLVH FDQFHOODWLRQ $1& DQG VLQFH
%HDWV LV RZQHG E\ $SSOH \RX JHW WKH FRPSDQ\¶V + FKLS ZKLFK HQDEOHV IHDWXUHV
LQFOXGLQJ 6SDWLDO $XGLR ZLWK KHDG WUDFNLQJ $GDSWLYH (4 KDQGV IUHH 6LUL DQG
RQH WRXFK L26 SDLULQJ 7KH VRQLF SHUIRUPDQFH LV FODVVLF %HDWV ZLWK LQWHQVH
EDVV ERRVWHG KLJKV DQG D VFRRSHG RXW PLGUDQJH 7KH $1& LV EHWWHU WKDQ
DYHUDJH ZLWK H̆HFWLYH ORZ IUHTXHQF\ QRLVH HOLPLQDWLRQ )RU WKH SULFH WKHUH¶V
SOHQW\ WR OLNH EXW WKH %HDWV )LW 3UR IDFHV VWL̆ FRPSHWLWLRQ IURP $SSOH¶V RZQ
$LU3RGV 3UR DV ZHOO DV PRGHOV IURP %RVH -DEUD DQG 6RQ\

A FOCUS ON FIT Beats Fit Pro
$YDLODEOH LQ EODFN JUD\ ODYHQGHU RU ZKLWH WKH )LW 3UR¶V
FKXQN\ HDUSLHFHV DUH KRXVHG LQ D URXQGHG FKDUJLQJ FDVH CONS
RI WKH VDPH FRORU ZLWK WKH %HDWV ORJR SURPLQHQWO\ Powerful audio with
GLVSOD\HG RQ ERWK WKH FDVH DQG HDUSLHFHV ,W¶V D ELW robust bass and bright
FXULRXV WKDW \RX JHW RQO\ WKUHH SDLUV RI HDUWLSV LQ VPDOO highs. Secure in-ear fit.
PHGLXP DQG ODUJH ZKLFK LV PRUH RU OHVV VWDQGDUG² Solid noise
EXW SOHQW\ RI SDLUV VKLS ZLWK PRUH ¿W RSWLRQV DQG WKHVH cancellation.
LQ HDUV DUH DFWXDOO\ FDOOHG WKH )LW 3UR 7KDW VDLG WKH ¿W Hands-free Siri.
LV H[FHSWLRQDOO\ VHFXUH 7KH HDU¿QV GR DQ H[FHOOHQW MRE
RI VWDELOL]LQJ WKH LQ HDU VHDO GHVSLWH EHLQJ EXLOW LQWR WKH CONS
DFWXDO HDUSLHFHV PRVW ¿QV DUH UHPRYDEOH DQG No user-adjustable EQ.
UHSODFHDEOH RIWHQ R̆HUHG LQ GL̆HUHQW VL]HV Merely average water-
resistance rating.
7KH RQ HDU FRQWUROV DUH VLPSOH EXWWRQV WKDW DUH HDV\ WR
RSHUDWH ZLWKRXW FRPSULVLQJ WKH LQ HDU ¿W $ VLQJOH WDS BOTTOM LINE
RQ WKH %HDWV ORJR RQ WKH RXWHU SDQHOV RI HLWKHU HDU The true wireless Beats
FRQWUROV SOD\EDFN DQG FDOO PDQDJHPHQW ZKLOH D GRXEOH Fit Pro earphones
WDS VNLSV IRUZDUG D WUDFN WKUHH WDSV QDYLJDWHV EDFN D deliver deep bass and
WUDFN DQG D ORQJ SUHVV HQDEOHV RU GLVDEOHV $1& ,Q WKH crisp highs with above-
%OXHWRRWK VHWWLQJV PHQX \RX FDQ DVVLJQ YROXPH WR EH average noise
FRQWUROOHG E\ D ORQJ SUHVV LQVWHDG LQ ZKLFK WKH OHIW HDU cancellation in a
ORZHUV WKH YROXPH DQG WKH ULJKW HDU UDLVHV LW modestly water-
resistant design with a
super-secure fit.

$OVR LQ WKH %OXHWRRWK VHWWLQJV PHQX²ORFDWHG LQ WKH GH In the music
IDFWR DSS IRU WKH )LW 3UR²\RX FDQ XVH WKH (DU 7LS )LW menu, you can
WHVW WR PDNH VXUH \RX KDYH DQ LGHDO LQ HDU VHDO <RX FDQ switch through
DGMXVW PLF VHWWLQJV IRU H[DPSOH DXWRPDWLFDOO\
VZLWFKLQJ WR ZKLFKHYHU HDUSLHFH LV LQ RU XVLQJ RQO\ WKH various EQ
OHIW RU ULJKW HDU DQG HQDEOH RU GLVDEOH DXWRPDWLF HDU presets,
GHWHFWLRQ ,Q WKH PXVLF PHQX \RX FDQ VZLWFK WKURXJK
YDULRXV (4 SUHVHWV DV ZHOO DV /RVVOHVV $XGLR SOD\EDFN including
DQG DXWRPDWLF 'ROE\ $WPRV SOD\EDFN DQG LQ WKH 6LUL Lossless Audio
PHQX \RX FDQ HQDEOH RU GLVDEOH ³+H\ 6LUL´ IRU KDQGV
IUHH YRLFH FRPPDQGV <RX FDQ DOVR XVH $SSOH¶V )LQG 0\ playback.
IHDWXUH WR ORFDWH PLVVLQJ HDUEXGV %HFDXVH WKH\ XVH WKH
+ FKLS WKH HDUSKRQHV DOVR VXSSRUW RQH WRXFK SDLULQJ
ZLWK L26 GHYLFHV

)RU $QGURLG XVHUV WKH %HDWV DSS FRPHV ZLWK VRPH
IHDWXUHV WKDW \RX ¿QG QDWLYHO\ LQ L26 LQFOXGLQJ WKH HDU
¿W WHVW OLVWHQLQJ PRGH FRQWUROV DQG ¿UPZDUH XSGDWHV
:KDW¶V PLVVLQJ RQ $QGURLG LV VXSSRUW IRU 6SDWLDO $XGLR
ZLWK KHDG WUDFNLQJ KDQGV IUHH 6LUL )LQG 0\
FRPSDWLELOLW\ DXGLR VKDULQJ DQG DXWRPDWLF VZLWFKLQJ
EHWZHHQ SDLUHG VRXQG VRXUFHV

7KH ,3; UDWLQJ LV D ELW XQGHUZKHOPLQJ IRU D SDLU VR
IRFXVHG RQ ¿W DV \RX PLJKW QDWXUDOO\ WKLQN WKDW D JRRG
¿W HTXDWHV WR EHLQJ EXLOW IRU H[HUFLVH $OWKRXJK ,3;
PHDQV WKH HDUSLHFHV FDQ KDQGOH VZHDW OLJKW UDLQ RU

VSODVKHV IURP DQ\ GLUHFWLRQ WKH\¶UH QRW EXLOW WR EH VXEPHUJHG RU SODFHG XQGHU D
IDXFHW 7KH PRVW UHOLDEOH H[HUFLVH IRFXVHG LQ HDUV WHQG WR KDYH DQ ,3; UDWLQJ
ZKLFK PDNHV WKH HDUSLHFHV IXOO\ ZDWHUSURRI

,Q DGGLWLRQ WKH FDVH LVQ¶W ZDWHU UHVLVWDQW VR HDUSLHFHV PXVW EH WKRURXJKO\ GULHG
EHIRUH WKH\¶UH GRFNHG IRU FKDUJLQJ 7KH FDVH¶V ÀLS WRS OLG RSHQV OLNH D MHZHOU\
ER[ UHYHDOLQJ WKH FKDUJLQJ GRFNV DQG D SDLULQJ EXWWRQ 7KH IURQW SDQHO RI WKH
FDVH KDV D VPDOO VWDWXV /(' DQG WKH EDFN SDQHO KRXVHV D UHFHVVHG 86% & SRUW
IRU WKH LQFOXGHG 86% & FKDUJLQJ FDEOH 1R DGDSWHU LV LQFOXGHG IRU 86% $ SRUWV
DQG XQOLNH WKH $LU3RGV 3UR ZLUHOHVV FKDUJLQJ LVQ¶W VXSSRUWHG

7KH HDUSKRQHV DUH FRPSDWLEOH ZLWK %OXHWRRWK DQG VXSSRUW $$& DQG 6%&
FRGHFV EXW QRW $SW;

%HDWV HVWLPDWHV EDWWHU\ OLIH DW URXJKO\ WR KRXUV KRXUV ZLWK $1& RU
WUDQVSDUHQF\ HQDEOHG KRXUV ZLWK $GDSWLYH (4 HQDEOHG ZLWK DQ DGGLWLRQDO
WR KRXUV LQ WKH FKDUJLQJ FDVH <RXU UHVXOWV ZLOO YDU\ ZLWK \RXU PL[ RI $1&
DQG $GDSWLYH (4 XVDJH DV ZHOO DV YROXPH OHYHOV 7KHVH QXPEHUV DUH VOLJKWO\
DERYH DYHUDJH

NOISE CANCELLATION AND MIC PERFORMANCE
7KH HDUSKRQHV GHOLYHU VROLG QRLVH FDQFHOODWLRQ <RX FDQ VZLWFK EHWZHHQ $1&
2Q 7UDQVSDUHQF\ 0RGH ZKLFK OHWV \RX KHDU \RXU VXUURXQGLQJV ZLWKRXW
UHPRYLQJ WKH HDUSLHFHV DQG 2̆ :LWK QRLVH FDQFHOODWLRQ RQ %HDWV GRHV DQ
H[FHOOHQW MRE RI GLDOLQJ EDFN GHHS ORZ IUHTXHQF\ UXPEOH DV \RX PLJKW KHDU RQ
DQ DLUSODQH 7KH $1& DOVR GRHV D VROLG MRE DJDLQVW PLG IUHTXHQFLHV EXW LW¶V IDU
OHVV H̆HFWLYH DJDLQVW KLJKHU IUHTXHQFLHV²D UHFRUGLQJ RI D EXV\ UHVWDXUDQW
KLJKOLJKWV WKLV DV WKH FKDWWHU LV GLDOHG EDFN LQ WKH ORZ PLGV DQG ORZV EXW D EDQG
RI KLJKHU IUHTXHQF\ QRLVH PDNHV LW SDVW WKH $1& ZLWK HDVH²DQG SHUKDSV HYHQ
VRXQGV VOLJKWO\ ORXGHU

&RPSDUHG ZLWK WKH FODVV OHDGLQJ 6RQ\ :) ;0 ERWK SDLUV GR
ZHOO DJDLQVW GHHS ORZ IUHTXHQF\ UXPEOH DOWKRXJK WKH 6RQ\ PRGHO GRHV VOLJKWO\
EHWWHU 7KH UHDO GL̆HUHQFH LV LQ WKH PLGV DQG KLJKV LQ ZKLFK WKH 6RQ\ PRGHO
GLDOV EDFN VOLJKWO\ PRUH LQ WKH PLGV DQG LV IDU PRUH H̆HFWLYH LQ WKH KLJKV 7KLV
LVQ¶W VKRFNLQJ²IHZ SDLUV DUH DV VXFFHVVIXO DV WKH 6RQ\ :) ;0 DW
HOLPLQDWLQJ KLJKHU IUHTXHQFLHV DQG WKH %HDWV PRGHO FRVWV OHVV 7KDW VDLG LI
QRLVH FDQFHOODWLRQ LV \RXU WRS SULRULW\ \RX¶OO EH EHWWHU VHUYHG E\ WKH 6RQ\ :)
;0 WKH %RVH 4XLHW&RPIRUW (DUEXGV RU WKH $LU3RGV 3UR

7UDQVSDUHQF\ PRGH LV ZHOO LPSOHPHQWHG 7KH PLFV FOHDUO\ UHSUHVHQW \RXU
VXUURXQGLQJV ZLWKRXW PDNLQJ WKLQJV WRR ORXG RU WLQQ\

7KH EHDP IRUPLQJ GXDO PLF DUUD\ R̆HUV VROLG We found the DSP
LQWHOOLJLELOLW\ 8VLQJ WKH 9RLFH 0HPRV DSS RQ DQ in the Beats Fit
L3KRQH ZH FRXOG XQGHUVWDQG HYHU\ ZRUG ZH UHFRUGHG Pro to be fairly
7KH %OXHWRRWK DXGLR DUWLIDFWV WKDW W\SLFDOO\ FORXG XS D typical of in-
UHFRUGLQJ ZHUH RQO\ PLQLPDOO\ SUHVHQW KHUH VR RQ D
VROLG PRELOH VLJQDO FDOOHUV VKRXOG EH DEOH WR XQGHUVWDQG canalearphones—
\RX FOHDUO\ bass gets limited
at higher
SOUND QUALITY volumes, but it’s
,QWHUHVWLQJO\ $GDSWLYH (4 LV HQDEOHG RQO\ ZKHQ $1& LV
R̆ 6R LI \RX GRQ¶W OLNH ZKDW $GDSWLYH (4 GRHV WR WKH relatively smooth.
DXGLR \RX FDQ DOZD\V WU\ VZLWFKLQJ WR $1& PRGH 7KH
DXGLR SHUIRUPDQFH GHVFULSWLRQV EHORZ DUH ZLWK 6SDWLDO
$XGLR GLVDEOHG DQG $1& R̆ VR WKDW $GDSWLYH (4 LV
DXWRPDWLFDOO\ HQDEOHG ,W¶V ZRUWK QRWLQJ WKDW $GDSWLYH
(4 VHHPV IDU PRUH LPSRUWDQW LQ WKH WKLUG JHQHUDWLRQ
$LU3RGV DV WKHLU LQWHULRU PLFV DUH PHDVXULQJ KRZ WKH
HDUEXGV DUH DQJOHG LQWR \RXU HDU 7KHUH¶V D ORW OHVV
YDULDWLRQ ZKHQ \RX KDYH DQ LQ FDQDO SDLU OLNH WKH )LW
3UR DQG VR $GDSWLYH (4 EHFRPHV OHVV DERXW WKH PLFV
ZKLFK DUH VWLOO WKHUH DQG PRUH DERXW ZKDW WKH PLFV
WULJJHU ZKLFK LV '63 GLJLWDO VLJQDO SURFHVVLQJ
2YHUDOO ZH IRXQG WKH '63 KHUH WR EH IDLUO\ W\SLFDO RI
LQ FDQDO HDUSKRQHV²EDVV JHWV OLPLWHG DW KLJKHU YROXPH
OHYHOV EXW LW¶V UHODWLYHO\ VPRRWK

7KH PDLQ WKLQJ WR SRLQW RXW DERXW $GDSWLYH (4 DW OHDVW
DV IDU DV WKH )LW 3UR JRHV 0RVW SHRSOH DUH XQOLNHO\ WR
QRWLFH ZKHWKHU LW¶V RQ RU R̆ %DVV GHSWK DQG KLJK
IUHTXHQFLHV VRXQGHG QHDUO\ LGHQWLFDO LQ WHVWLQJ ZKHQ
WKH $1& ZDV HQDEOHG DQG $GDSWLYH (4 GLVDEOHG 7KDW¶V
DFWXDOO\ JRRG QHZV²WKHVH PRGHV VKRXOGQ¶W PDNH WKH
DXGLR VRXQG ZLOGO\ GL̆HUHQW %XW LW GRHV PHDQ WKDW LQ
WKLV FDVH $GDSWLYH (4 IHHOV D ELW PRUH OLNH PDUNHWLQJ
WKDQ D UHDO IHDWXUH \RX FDQ FRQWURO

2Q WUDFNV ZLWK LQWHQVH VXE EDVV FRQWHQW VXFK DV 7KH
.QLIH¶V ³6LOHQW 6KRXW ´ WKH HDUSKRQHV GHOLYHU VHULRXV

WKXPS²WKH ORZ IUHTXHQF\ UHVSRQVH LV SRZHUIXO
ZKHWKHU DW WRS XQZLVH OLVWHQLQJ OHYHOV ZKHUH WKH
EDVV UHPDLQV FOHDQ DQG XQGLVWRUWHG RU DW PRUH
PRGHUDWH YROXPHV 7KLV LV GH¿QLWHO\ D EDVV ORYHU¶V
VRXQG VLJQDWXUH

%LOO &DOODKDQ¶V ³'URYHU ´ D WUDFN ZLWK IDU OHVV GHHS EDVV
LQ WKH PL[ JLYHV XV D EHWWHU VHQVH RI WKH )LW 3UR¶V
JHQHUDO VRXQG VLJQDWXUH 7KH GUXPV RQ WKLV WUDFN DUH
ORDQHG VRPH DGGHG EDVV GHSWK DQG WKXPS DQG
&DOODKDQ¶V EDULWRQH YRFDOV KDYH D ELW RI DGGHG ORZ PLG
ULFKQHVV 7KH KLJK PLGV DQG KLJKV DUH GLDOHG XS DQG
VFXOSWHG DV ZHOO OHQGLQJ WKH YRFDOV VRPH WUHEOH HGJH
DQG WKH DFRXVWLF VWUXPV VRPH DGGHG EULJKWQHVV 7KLV
LVQ¶W DQ DFFXUDWH VRXQG VLJQDWXUH DV LW¶V IDU WRR VFXOSWHG
DQG ERRVWHG EXW WKH EDVV GHSWK VRXQGV IXOO DQG ULFK
DQG WKH KLJK PLGV DQG KLJKV DUH VFXOSWHG WR PDWFK 7KH
PLG UDQJH VRXQGV D OLWWOH VFRRSHG RXW DV D UHVXOW ZKLFK
PDNHV WKH DEVHQFH RI UHDO (4 D EXPPHU WKHUH DUH
OLVWHQLQJ PRGHV IRU $SSOH 0XVLF EXW WKDW¶V QRW WKH
VDPH DV XVHU DGMXVWDEOH (4

2Q -D\ = DQG .DQ\H :HVW¶V ³1R &KXUFK LQ WKH :LOG ´ Artists are mixing
WKH NLFN GUXP ORRS UHFHLYHV DQ LGHDO DPRXQW RI KLJK tracks specifically
PLG SUHVHQFH DOORZLQJ LWV DWWDFN WR UHWDLQ SXQFKLQHVV for Spatial Audio,
7KH YLQ\O FUDFNOH DQG KLVV XVXDOO\ UHOHJDWHG WR but without head
EDFNJURXQG VWDWXV DOVR WDNH D VWHS IRUZDUG LQ WKH PL[
DQG WKH VXE EDVV V\QWK KLWV WKDW SXQFWXDWH WKH EHDW DUH tracking, the
GHOLYHUHG ZLWK IXOO ERGLHG SRZHU 7KH EDVV UHVSRQVH feature is just
ERRVWV WKH GUXP ORRS VRPHZKDW WRR²DJDLQ WKLV LV D some EQ and
VFXOSWHG VRXQG VLJQDWXUH ZLWK H[WUD ORZV DQG KLJKV DQG reverb filters
D PLGUDQJH WKDW VWHSV EDFN D ELW ,W VXLWV WUDFNV OLNH WKLV
ZHOO²WKHUH¶V SOHQW\ RI URRP IRU WKH YRFDOV WR H[LVW DQG and effects.
WKH\¶UH GHOLYHUHG FOHDUO\ ZLWK VRPH DGGHG KLJK PLG
SUHVHQFH EXW QRW PXFK DGGHG VLELODQFH ZKLFK LVQ¶W
DOZD\V HDV\ WR SXOO R̆

2UFKHVWUDO WUDFNV OLNH WKH RSHQLQJ VFHQH IURP -RKQ
$GDPV¶ The Gospel According to the Other Mary VRXQG
ULFK DQG FULVS²WKH ORZHU UHJLVWHU LQVWUXPHQWDWLRQ JHWV
PLQLPDO ERRVWLQJ DQG SOD\V D ORYHO\ DQFKRULQJ UROH LQ
WKH PL[ 7KH KLJKHU UHJLVWHU EUDVV VWULQJV DQG YRFDOV
DUH EULJKW DQG DLU\²WKLV PD\ QRW EH D VXSHU DFFXUDWH
SRUWUD\DO RI WKH PL[ EXW LW DFFHQWXDWHV WKH IUHTXHQFLHV
WKDW PDNH LW IHHO PRUH YLEUDQW

SPATIAL AUDIO
$V ZLWK WKH WKLUG JHQHUDWLRQ $LU3RGV 6SDWLDO $XGLR
UHPDLQV PRUH RU OHVV D FRRO JLPPLFN KHUH UDWKHU WKDQ
DQ HVVHQWLDO IHDWXUH 7KH KHDG WUDFNLQJ IXQFWLRQDOLW\ LV
LQWHUHVWLQJ EXW LW KDUGO\ DGGV DQ HVVHQWLDO HOHPHQW WR
DQ\ OLVWHQLQJ H[SHULHQFH

7KH EHVW XVH ZH¶YH IRXQG IRU LW WKXV IDU LV VSLQQLQJ
DURXQG LQ D FKDLU VR WKDW PXVLF VRXQGV OLNH LW¶V PRYLQJ
DURXQG \RXU KHDG $UWLVWV DUH PL[LQJ WUDFNV VSHFL¿FDOO\
IRU 6SDWLDO $XGLR RQ $SSOH 0XVLF EXW ZLWKRXW KHDG
WUDFNLQJ WKH IHDWXUH LV HVVHQWLDOO\ MXVW VRPH (4 DQG
UHYHUE ¿OWHUV DQG H̆HFWV DSSOLHG WR PL[HV WR JLYH WKHP
DQ HQKDQFHG VSDWLDO IHHOLQJ²QR PDWWHU KRZ \RX VOLFH LW

WKLV LV VWLOO VWHUHR DXGLR SODLQ DQG VLPSOH 6SDWLDO $XGLR
FDQ VRXQG FRRO VRPHWLPHV EXW LW¶V IDU IURP EHLQJ JDPH
FKDQJLQJ DXGLR WHFKQRORJ\

SOLID ANC FOR BASS LOVERS, BUT
ALTERNATIVES ABOUND
7KH %HDWV )LW 3UR HDUSKRQHV GHOLYHU D VROLG DUUD\ RI
IHDWXUHV SDUWLFXODUO\ IRU EDVV ORYHUV ZLWK $SSOH GHYLFHV
:KHQ LW FRPHV WR QRLVH FDQFHOODWLRQ WKH $LU3RGV 3UR
%RVH 4XLHW&RPIRUW (DUEXGV DQG 6RQ\ :) ;0
DOO GR D EHWWHU MRE EXW WKH\ FRVW PRUH DV ZHOO )RU WKH
SULFH -DEUD¶V (OLWH 3UR HDUSKRQHV DUH RXU
WRS SLFN ZLWK VROLG QRLVH FDQFHOODWLRQ DQG IXOO\
ZDWHUSURRI HDUSLHFHV WKDW DUH EHWWHU EXLOW IRU H[HUFLVH
$QG LI \RX GRQ¶W QHHG QRLVH FDQFHOODWLRQ WKH WKLUG
JHQHUDWLRQ $LU3RGV GHOLYHU D EDVV KHDY\ VRXQG DQG DOO
RI WKH VDPH + FKLS¶V EHQH¿WV DV WKH %HDWV )LW 3UR

0DQ\ JRRG RSWLRQV H[LVW LQ WKLV SULFH UDQJH DQG WKRXJK
WKH %HDWV DUH D VROLG DGGLWLRQ RWKHU SDLUV PLJKW ZRUN
EHWWHU IRU \RX %XW LI \RX ORYH EDVV XVH DQ L3KRQH DQG
ZDQW WKDW %HDWV ORJR RQ \RXU HDUV \RX¶OO EH ZHOO VHUYHG
E\ WKH )LW 3UR

PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION I SUBSCRIBE I DECEMBER 2021

REVIEWS

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

iRobot Roomba
j7+

$849.99

OUTSTANDING

iRobot Roomba j7+:
Smart and Capable

Peace of mind for people with accident-prone pets

BY ANGELA MOSCARITOLO

+HUH¶V D ¿YH ZRUG KRUURU VWRU\ 5RERW YDFXXP PHHWV GRJ SRRS ,¶YH QHYHU
H[SHULHQFHG WKLV GLVDVWHU ¿UVWKDQG EXW , LPDJLQH LW ZRXOG EH WUDXPDWL]LQJ
HQRXJK WR VZHDU R̆ ÀRRU FOHDQLQJ URERWV IRU OLIH 7KH L5RERW 5RRPED M
SURPLVHV WR VROYH WKLV SUREOHP E\ XVLQJ D EXLOW LQ FDPHUD DQG PDFKLQH OHDUQLQJ
WHFKQRORJ\ WR GHWHFW DQG DYRLG FRPPRQ REVWDFOHV²QDPHO\ SHW ZDVWH DQG
FRUGV ,W¶V VPDUW LQ RWKHU ZD\V WRR )RU H[DPSOH LW FDQ GHWHFW DQG WKHQ E\SDVV
SRWHQWLDO REVWDFOHV EDVHG RQ \RXU IHHGEDFN :KHQ LW GRFNV DIWHU D FOHDQLQJ UXQ
WKH 5RRPED M DXWRPDWLFDOO\ HPSWLHV LWV GXVWELQ LQWR DQ DOOHUJHQ VHDOHG EDJ
$QG ZKLOH LWV EDWWHU\ OLIH GRHVQ¶W EORZ XV DZD\ WKH URERW QDYLJDWHV EDFN WR LWV
EDVH ZKHQ LW UXQV ORZ RQ SRZHU WR UHFKDUJH DQG WKHQ SLFNV XS ZKHUH LW OHIW R̆
6R GHVSLWH LWV SUHPLXP SULFH WKH M HDUQV RXU (GLWRUV¶ &KRLFH DZDUG IRU KLJK
HQG URERWLF YDFXXPV HVSHFLDOO\ IRU EX\HUV ZLWK FOXWWHUHG KRPHV RU DFFLGHQW
SURQH SHWV

IROBOT’S LINEUP iRobot Roomba
7KH 5RRPED M FRPHV ZLWK D VHOI HPSW\LQJ j7+
EDVH WKDW FKDUJHV WKH URERW DQG KROGV DURXQG GD\V¶
ZRUWK RI GHEULV LQ LWV 'LUW 'LVSRVDO EDJ GHSHQGLQJ RQ CONS
KRZ RIWHQ \RX YDFXXP DQG WKH FOHDQOLQHVV RI \RXU Pet waste-avoidance
KRPH <RX FDQ JHW WKH 5RRPED M ZLWK D VWDQGDUG guarantee. Auto-empty
GRFNLQJ VWDWLRQ IRU EXW , KLJKO\ UHFRPPHQG base. Intelligently
VSULQJLQJ IRU WKH VHOI HPSW\LQJ EDVH HVSHFLDOO\ LI \RX suggests Keep-Out
VX̆HU IURP DOOHUJLHV Zones. Supports
Amazon Alexa and
7KH M LV WKH VHFRQG PRVW H[SHQVLYH URERW YDFXXP LQ Google Assistant voice
L5RERW¶V FXUUHQW OLQHXS XQGHUFXWWLQJ RQO\ WKH commands. Allows for
5RRPED V %RWK KDYH VWUHQJWKV 7KH V R̆HUV scheduled area
VWURQJHU VXFWLRQ SRZHU DQG JHWV GHHSHU LQWR FRUQHUV cleanings. Rarely gets
WKDQNV WR LWV ' VKDSH EXW WKH M KDV PRUH DGYDQFHG stuck. User-friendly
REVWDFOH DYRLGDQFH WHFKQRORJ\ companion app.

L5RERW GRHVQ¶W VSHFLI\ WKH SDVFDO 3D VXFWLRQ SRZHU RI CONS
LWV URERW YDFXXPV OLNH PRVW RWKHU YHQGRUV EXW VD\V WKH Expensive.
5RRPED M LV WLPHV VWURQJHU WKDQ LWV HQWU\ OHYHO Unimpressive battery
5RRPED VHULHV 7KH V R̆HUV WLPHV WKH VXFWLRQ life.
SRZHU RI WKH VHULHV PDNLQJ LW WKH VWURQJHVW FKRLFH
DPRQJ L5RERW¶V OLQHXS IRU KRPHV ZLWK FDUSHWV RU BOTTOM LINE
VKHGGLQJ SHWV %XW LI \RXU ÀRRUV DUH FURZGHG ZLWK ORWV While pricey, iRobot’s
RI IXUQLWXUH RU RWKHU REMHFWV RU \RXU SHWV RFFDVLRQDOO\ Roomba j7+ robot
KDYH DFFLGHQWV LQ WKH KRXVH WKH 5RRPED M LV WKH vacuum has smarts to
EHWWHU RSWLRQ spare, with a
guarantee to avoid pet
NO MORE SMEARED PET POOP waste and a self-
7KH M LV WKH ¿UVW PRGHO ZLWK L5RERW¶V 3UHFLVLRQ9LVLRQ emptying base that
1DYLJDWLRQ WHFKQRORJ\ D FRPELQDWLRQ RI KDUGZDUH DQG means you rarely have
VRIWZDUH WKDW DOORZV LW WR UHFRJQL]H REVWDFOHV LQ LWV to lift a finger.
FOHDQLQJ SDWK LQ UHDO WLPH DQG DYRLG WKHP L5RERW
PRYHG WKH FDPHUD IURP WKH WRS RI WKH URERW ZKHUH LW¶V
ORFDWHG RQ WKH V WR WKH IURQW JLYLQJ LW D ZLGHU ¿HOG RI
YLHZ DQG DOORZLQJ LW WR VHH REMHFWV RQ WKH ÀRRU 7KH
URERW WKHQ XVHV DUWL¿FLDO LQWHOOLJHQFH VRIWZDUH WR
LGHQWLI\ KD]DUGV DQG UHURXWH LWVHOI DURXQG WKHP

L5RERW VD\V LW KDV DOUHDG\ WUDLQHG LWV 3UHFLVLRQ9LVLRQ iRobot has
1DYLJDWLRQ PDFKLQH OHDUQLQJ DOJRULWKPV WR LGHQWLI\ trained its
SKRQH FRUGV SRZHU FDEOHV DQG SHW ZDVWH XVLQJ PrecisionVision
KXQGUHGV RI PLOOLRQV RI LPDJHV FURZGVRXUFHG IURP Navigation to
FXVWRPHUV ZKR RSWHG LQ WR FRQWULEXWH WR WKH GDWDEDVH identify phone
7KH FRPSDQ\ SODQV WR H[SDQG WKH REMHFW UHFRJQLWLRQ cords, power
OLEUDU\ WR LQFOXGH RWKHU SLWIDOOV WKDW PLJKW SUHYHQW WKH cables, and
URERW IURP VXFFHVVIXOO\ GRFNLQJ DIWHU D FOHDQLQJ MRE pet waste.
LQFOXGLQJ VKRHV DQG VRFNV

,Q WHVWLQJ WKH M GLG DQ H[FHOOHQW MRE QDYLJDWLQJ
DURXQG SKRQH FRUGV DQG SRZHU FDEOHV $V \RX FDQ
LPDJLQH LW ZDV D ELW KDUGHU WR WHVW LWV SHW ZDVWH±
DYRLGDQFH DELOLWLHV 0\ GRJ %UDGOH\ KDV KLV IDLU VKDUH
RI EHKDYLRUDO LVVXHV EXW SRRSLQJ LQ WKH KRXVH LVQ¶W RQH
RI WKHP , DWWHPSWHG WR WHVW WKH SRRS DYRLGDQFH IHDWXUH
XVLQJ EDOOHG XS EODFN DQG EURZQ VRFNV EXW WKH 5RRPED
M FROOLGHG ZLWK ERWK ,W W\SLFDOO\ SXVKHG WKH VRFNV RXW
RI WKH ZD\ EXW LQ RQH LQVWDQFH , ZDWFKHG LW QDYLJDWH
DURXQG D EURZQ SDLU 6LQFH , ZDVQ¶W XVLQJ DFWXDO SHW
ZDVWH , FDQ¶W YHULI\ WKDW WKH QHZ SRRS DYRLGDQFH
WHFKQRORJ\ ZRUNV EXW , DOVR FDQ¶W YHULI\ WKDW LW GRHVQ¶W

)RU LWV SDUW L5RERW LV VR FRQ¿GHQW LQ WKLV QHZ WHFKQRORJ\ WKDW LW¶V R̆HULQJ WKH
5RRPED M ZLWK D 3 2 2 3 3HW 2ZQHU 2̇FLDO 3URPLVH JXDUDQWHH ,I WKH
URERW IDLOV WR DYRLG VROLG SHW ZDVWH ZLWKLQ D \HDU RI \RXU SXUFKDVH WKH FRPSDQ\
ZLOO JLYH \RX D QHZ PDFKLQH IRU IUHH

L5RERW LVQ¶W EULQJLQJ LWV QHZ SRRS DYRLGDQFH IHDWXUH WR ROGHU PRGHOV HYHQ WR
WKH SUHPLXP 5RRPED V VHULHV EHFDXVH RI WKH ORFDWLRQ RI WKH FDPHUDV RQ WKRVH
PRGHOV 7KH V XVHV ' VHQVRU WHFKQRORJ\ WR GHWHFW REVWDFOHV DQG FOHDQ
DURXQG WKHP EXW LW FDQ¶W LGHQWLI\ REMHFWV VKRUWHU WKDQ DERXW DQ LQFK

7KH 5RRPED M LVQ¶W WKH ¿UVW URERW YDFXXP ZLWK $, SRZHUHG REVWDFOH
DYRLGDQFH WHFKQRORJ\ 7KH (FRYDFV 'HHERW 2]PR 7 $,9, DQRWKHU
(GLWRUV¶ &KRLFH ZLQQHU DPRQJ SUHPLXP ÀRRU FOHDQLQJ URERWV R̆HUV VLPLODU
WHFKQRORJ\ LQ RXU WHVWLQJ LW VXFFHVVIXOO\ DYRLGHG GRJ WR\V WKDW KDYH WULSSHG
XS FRPSHWLWRUV

GETTING TO KNOW THE ROOMBA J7+
7KH M PHDVXUHV LQFKHV LQ GLDPHWHU DQG LQFKHV WDOO D VWDQGDUG VL]H IRU
URERW YDFXXPV ,I \RX¶UH VHDUFKLQJ IRU D VKRUWHU PRGHO FDSDEOH RI SDVVLQJ XQGHU
ORZ SUR¿OH IXUQLWXUH ZH VXJJHVW WKH (XI\ 5RER9DF * DW MXVW LQFKHV WDOO

7KH 5RRPED M KDV D &OHDQ EXWWRQ RQ WRS WKH DIRUHPHQWLRQHG FDPHUD RQ WKH
IURQW HGJH DQG D ZDOO IROORZ VHQVRU RQ WKH VLGH 2Q WKH ERWWRP DUH WZR PXOWL
VXUIDFH UXEEHU EUXVKUROOV RQH HGJH VZHHSLQJ EUXVK VL[ FOL̆ VHQVRUV WKDW
SUHYHQW LW IURP IDOOLQJ GRZQ WKH VWDLUV DQG D ÀRRU WUDFNLQJ VHQVRU IRU
QDYLJDWLRQ 7KH EUXVKUROOV URWDWH LQ RSSRVLWH GLUHFWLRQV WR DJLWDWH DQG OLIW GLUW
IURP FDUSHW ¿EHUV DQG VXUIDFHV DV ZHOO DV WR SUHYHQW KDLU WDQJOHV
$ OLJKW ULQJ DURXQG WKH &OHDQ %XWWRQ VSLUDOV ZKLWH OLJKW ZKHQ WKH URERW LV
FKDUJLQJ VKRZV UHG ZKHQ LWV EDWWHU\ LV ORZ DQG WXUQV EOXH ZKHQ LW¶V VHHNLQJ LWV
FKDUJLQJ VWDWLRQ

:KHQ WKH M HQFRXQWHUV D KHDYLO\ VRLOHG DUHD LW In Dirt Detect
HQJDJHV 'LUW 'HWHFW PRGH D IHDWXUH DYDLODEOH DFURVV mode, the
L5RERW¶V OLQHXS ,Q 'LUW 'HWHFW PRGH WKH OLJKW ULQJ
LQGLFDWRU ÀDVKHV EOXH DV WKH URERW PRYHV EDFN DQG IRUWK Roomba’s light
WR FOHDQ WKH DUHD XQWLO LWV VHQVRUV GHWHFW IHZHU SDUWLFOHV ring indicator
flashes blue as
7KH VHOI HPSW\LQJ EDVH LV IDLUO\ FRPSDFW DW DERXW
E\ E\ LQFKHV +:' ,W ORRNV FODVV\ ZLWK D the robot
PDWWH ULEEHG WH[WXUH RQ WKH IURQW DQG D OHDWKHU SXOO WDE moves back
WKDW RSHQV WKH FDQLVWHU OLG 7KH FDQLVWHU KLGHV WKH and forth to
LQVWDOOHG 'LUW 'LVSRVDO EDJ DQG R̆HUV VWRUDJH IRU RQH clean the area.
H[WUD <RX JHW RQO\ WKRVH WZR LQ WKH ER[ ZKHQ \RX UXQ
RXW \RX FDQ SXUFKDVH D SDFN RI WKUHH IRU

:KHQ \RX RSHQ WKH ER[ WKH ¿UVW WKLQJ \RX HQFRXQWHU LV
D VPDOO JXLGH WKDW R̆HUV VHWXS LQVWUXFWLRQV 7R VWDUW VHW
XS WKH FKDQJLQJ VWDWLRQ QHDU DQ RXWOHW LQ DQ DUHD ZLWK
JRRG :L )L FRYHUDJH DW OHDVW IHHW DZD\ IURP
DQ\WKLQJ WR WKH OHIW IHHW IURP DQ\WKLQJ WR WKH ULJKW
DQG IHHW DFURVV IURP DQ\WKLQJ

1H[W SLFN XS WKH URERW DQG SODFH LW RQ WKH FKDUJHU
PDNLQJ VXUH WR DOLJQ LWV PHWDO FRQWDFWV ZLWK WKH RQHV RQ
WKH EDVH $IWHU D PLQXWH RU VR WKH URERW ZLOO HPLW D
VRXQG OHWWLQJ \RX NQRZ LW¶V DZDNH

<RX WKHQ GRZQORDG WKH L5RERW +RPH DSS DYDLODEOH IRU
$QGURLG DQG L26 DQG FUHDWH DQ DFFRXQW LI \RX GRQ¶W
DOUHDG\ KDYH RQH :KHQ \RX ¿UVW VLJQ LQWR WKH DSS LW
DVNV IRU SHUPLVVLRQ WR ¿QG DQG FRQQHFW WR GHYLFHV RQ
\RXU ORFDO QHWZRUN SUHVV 2. 7KHQ SUHVV WKH PHQX LFRQ
LQ WKH WRS OHIW FRUQHU RI WKH DSS DQG VHOHFW $GG D 5RERW
:KHQ LW ¿QGV \RXU 5RRPED M SUHVV 6HW 8S 7KH DSS
WKHQ EULQJV XS D :L )L VFUHHQ ZKHUH \RX PXVW VHOHFW
DQG VLJQ LQ WR \RXU KRPH QHWZRUN

$IWHU WKDW WKH DSS LQVWUXFWV \RX WR SUHVV WKH EXWWRQ RQ
WRS RI WKH URERW WR FRQQHFW LW WR \RXU SKRQH 2QFH WKH
FRQQHFWLRQ LV VXFFHVVIXO WKH DSS ZLOO DVN \RX WR QDPH
WKH URERW

$W WKLV SRLQW LQ WKH VHWXS SURFHVV , JRW D SRS XS
QRWL¿FDWLRQ IURP WKH $PD]RQ $OH[D DSS LQIRUPLQJ PH
WKDW WKH 5RRPED M DXWRPDWLFDOO\ FRQQHFWHG WR WKH
YLUWXDO DVVLVWDQW YLD WKH L5RERW +RPH VNLOO ZKLFK , KDG
SUHYLRXVO\ HQDEOHG ZKHQ WHVWLQJ DQ HDUOLHU PRGHO , DOVR
KDG QR SUREOHP FRQQHFWLQJ LW ZLWK *RRJOH $VVLVWDQW YLD
WKH *RRJOH +RPH DSS WDS WKH SOXV VLJQ LQ WKH XSSHU
OHIW FRUQHU WKHQ FOLFN RQ Set up device > Works
with Google > iRobot Smart Home DQG IROORZ WKH
RQ VFUHHQ LQVWUXFWLRQV WR OLQN \RXU DFFRXQWV

7KH DSS DQG YLUWXDO DVVLVWDQW VHWXS SURFHVV RQO\ WRRN D
FRXSOH RI PLQXWHV 7KH URERW ZRUNHG SHUIHFWO\ ZLWK
$OH[D DQG *RRJOH $VVLVWDQW LW OHW PH VWDUW DQG VWRS
FOHDQLQJ UXQV ZLWK YRLFH FRPPDQGV 7KH 5RRPED M LV
PXFK HDVLHU WR VHW XS DQG UHVSRQGV EHWWHU WR YRLFH
FRPPDQGV WKDQ PDQ\ FRPSHWLQJ URERWV LQFOXGLQJ WKH
VHOI HPSW\LQJ 1HDERW 1R0R 1

SMART MAPPING AND OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE IRobot says it
2Q LWV ¿UVW IHZ UXQV WKH 5RRPED M PDSV \RXU ÀRRU usually takes two
SODQ HQDEOLQJ PDQ\ VPDUW IHDWXUHV LQFOXGLQJ WDUJHWHG complete runs for
URRP YDFXXPLQJ YLUWXDO ERXQGDULHV DQG VFKHGXOHG
DUHD FOHDQLQJV ,5RERW VD\V LW XVXDOO\ WDNHV WZR the Roomba j7+
FRPSOHWH UXQV IRU WKH 5RRPED M WR ¿QLVK FUHDWLQJ D to finish creating
6PDUW 0DS EXW LQ P\ FDVH LW WRRN WKUHH 7R VSHHG XS a Smart Map, but
WKH SURFHVV \RX FDQ VHQG LW RQ D PDSSLQJ UXQ LQ ZKLFK
WKH URERW IRFXVHV RQO\ RQ H[SORULQJ \RXU KRPH in my case, it
took three.
,Q FRPSDULVRQ PRVW URERW YDFXXPV ZLWK D UDLVHG /LJKW
'HWHFWLRQ DQG 5DQJLQJ /L'$5 VHQVRU RQ WRS
LQFOXGLQJ WKH 5RERURFN 6 DQG WKH :\]H
5RERW 9DFXXP FDQ PDS \RXU KRPH LQ RQH UXQ
%XW L5RERW¶V VPDUW IHDWXUHV DUH HDVLHU WR XVH WKDQ WKRVH
RI PRVW RI WKH FRPSHWLWLRQ VR LW¶V QRW D KXJH GHDO WKDW
WKH 5RRPED M WDNHV D IHZ PRUH UXQV WR JHW VWDUWHG

:KHQ PDSSLQJ \RXU KRPH WKH M GLYLGHV \RXU ÀRRU
SODQ LQWR PXOWLSOH URRPV $IWHU WKLV \RX FDQ HGLW DGG
RU GHOHWH WKH ERXQGDU\ OLQHV DV QHHGHG DV ZHOO DV ODEHO
HDFK URRP RQ WKH PDS , HDVLO\ VHSDUDWHG P\ RSHQ
FRQFHSW OLYLQJ DQG GLQLQJ VSDFH LQWR WZR VHSDUDWH
URRPV WKHQ ODEHOHG HDFK URRP RQ WKH PDS D WDVN WKDW
KDV EHHQ GL̇FXOW ZLWK RWKHU URERW YDFXXPV

7R VWDUW D FOHDQLQJ UXQ IURP WKH DSS WDS 9DFXXP
(YHU\ZKHUH RU 1HZ -RE :KHQ \RX SUHVV 1HZ -RE \RX
FDQ VHOHFW LQGLYLGXDO URRPV RQ WKH PDS 7KH DSS DOVR
OHWV \RX PDQXDOO\ FUHDWH DQG LQWHOOLJHQWO\ VXJJHVWV
&OHDQ =RQHV DURXQG VPDOOHU DUHDV ZLWKLQ D URRP 7KDW
ZD\ \RX FDQ VHQG WKH URERW GLUHFWO\ WR KLJK WUḊF
DUHDV VXFK DV \RXU HQWU\ZD\ XQGHU WKH NLWFKHQ WDEOH
RU DURXQG WKH FRXFK

<RX FDQ DOVR FUHDWH D FOHDQLQJ VFKHGXOH VR WKH URERW
DXWRPDWLFDOO\ YDFXXPV DW D FHUWDLQ WLPH <RX FDQ HYHQ
VFKHGXOH WDUJHWHG FOHDQLQJ UXQV )RU H[DPSOH \RX FDQ

FRQ¿JXUH WKH 5RRPED M WR YDFXXP XQGHU \RXU NLWFKHQ WDEOH HYHU\ QLJKW
DIWHU GLQQHU

7KH M VXFFHVVIXOO\ PDQHXYHUHG DURXQG IXUQLWXUH DQG WUDYHUVHG DUHD UXJV
FDUSHWLQJ DQG KDUG ÀRRULQJ ZLWK HDVH ,W JRW VWXFN RQO\ RQ WKH GRRU WKUHVKROG RI
P\ FRQYHUWHG JDUDJH ZKLFK LV D VWHS GRZQ IURP WKH PDLQ OHYHO $IWHU LW JRW
VWXFN LQ WKLV VSRW WKUHH VHSDUDWH WLPHV , PDQXDOO\ FUHDWHG D .HHS 2XW =RQH
DURXQG WKH DUHD LQ WKH DSS DQG WKH URERW VXFFHVVIXOO\ DYRLGHG LW RQ VXEVHTXHQW
UXQV ,I \RX HQDEOH QRWL¿FDWLRQV WKH L5RERW DSS VHQGV \RX DQ DOHUW ZKHQ WKH
URERW JHWV VWXFN VR \RX FDQ JR UHVFXH LW

%HIRUH VHYHUDO UXQV , VFDWWHUHG EDOOHG VRFNV DQG GRJ WR\V DOO RYHU WKH ÀRRU DQG
XQOLNH PDQ\ RWKHU URERW YDFXXPV ,¶YH WHVWHG WKH 5RRPED M QHYHU RQFH JRW
VWXFN RQ WKHP , DOVR ZLWQHVVHG LW ZLJJOH DZD\ IURP ORQJ FXUWDLQV ZLWKRXW
JHWWLQJ VWXFN DQRWKHU DUHD WKDW KDV WULSSHG XS PDQ\ FRPSHWLWRUV

$V LW FOHDQV WKH M VQDSV LPDJHV RI REVWDFOH DUHDV LW HQFRXQWHUV ,W WKHQ DVNV
\RX WR UHYLHZ WKH LPDJHV DQG VSHFLI\ ZKHWKHU WKH URERW VKRXOG FOHDQ RU DYRLG

WKRVH DUHDV LQ WKH IXWXUH ,Q WHVWLQJ WKH 5RRPED M I was able to
VXUIDFHG PDQ\ REVWDFOHV IRU UHYLHZ SUHVHQWLQJ PH ZLWK create Keep-Out
LPDJHV RI SKRQH FRUGV SRZHU FDEOHV DQG YDULRXV RWKHU
ÀRRU FOXWWHU Zones quickly
and easily around
,W WDNHV MXVW D PLQXWH RU VR WR UHYLHZ WKH GHWHFWHG several spots that
REVWDFOH LPDJHV DQG GRLQJ VR FDQ SURYH XVHIXO )RU
HDFK LPDJH \RX FDQ PDUN WKH DUHD DV D WHPSRUDU\ have halted
REVWDFOH RU QR REVWDFOH RU DGG D .HHS 2XW =RQH 8VLQJ competitor
WKLV PHWKRG , ZDV DEOH WR FUHDWH .HHS 2XW =RQHV robot vacuums.
TXLFNO\ DQG HDVLO\ DURXQG VHYHUDO VSRWV WKDW KDYH KDOWHG
RWKHU URERW YDFXXPV LQFOXGLQJ WKH FRUGV XQGHU P\
EHGURRP GUHVVHU

0\ RQO\ JULSH LV WKDW WKH URERW RFFDVLRQDOO\ IDLOV WR
FRQQHFW ZKHQ , RSHQ WKH L5RERW DSS DIWHU LW¶V EHHQ
UXQQLQJ LQ WKH EDFNJURXQG %XW ,¶YH HDVLO\ RYHUFRPH
WKLV LVVXH E\ FORVLQJ RXW RI WKH DSS DQG UHRSHQLQJ LW

VACUUMING AND AUTO-EMPTYING
PERFORMANCE
7KH 5RRPED M PRYHV TXLFNO\ DQG ḢFLHQWO\
YDFXXPLQJ LQ RUGHUO\ URZV LQVWHDG RI KDSKD]DUGO\ SLQJ
SRQJLQJ IURP ZDOO WR ZDOO OLNH VRPH OHVV H[SHQVLYH
URERW YDFXXPV ,Q WHVWLQJ LW YDFXXPHG IRU XS WR
PLQXWHV RQ D FKDUJH 7KDW¶V QRW WKH EHVW EDWWHU\ OLIH
UHVXOW ZH¶YH VHHQ EXW LI LW VWDUWV UXQQLQJ ORZ EHIRUH
¿QLVKLQJ D MRE WKH URERW UHWXUQV WR LWV GRFN WR MXLFH XS
WKHQ UHVXPHV FOHDQLQJ ZKHUH LW OHIW R̆

7KH M W\SLFDOO\ ¿QLVKHV YDFXXPLQJ P\ VTXDUH
IRRW PDLQ OHYHO LQ DURXQG PLQXWHV ,I \RX KDYH D
ODUJHU KRPH LW PLJKW QRW EH DEOH WR ¿QLVK YDFXXPLQJ DQ
HQWLUH ÀRRU LQ RQH SDVV 6HYHUDO FRPSHWLWRUV FDQ FOHDQ
IRU PLQXWHV RU PRUH DQG PLJKW EH EHWWHU VXLWHG IRU
VSDFLRXV DERGHV )RU LQVWDQFH WKH 'HHERW 2]PR 7
$,9, DQG WKH 1HDERW 1R0R 1 ODVWHG XS WR DQG
PLQXWHV LQ WHVWLQJ UHVSHFWLYHO\

$IWHU HDFK UXQ P\ ÀRRUV ORRNHG QRWLFHDEO\ FOHDQHU 0\ GRJ %UDGOH\ VKHGV DQG
WKH 5RRPED M GLG DQ H[FHOOHQW MRE RI FROOHFWLQJ KLV IXU IURP P\ KDUG ÀRRUV
DQG FDUSHWLQJ

7KH 5RRPED M JHQHUDOO\ HPLWV DURXQG GE RI VRXQG DFFRUGLQJ WR UHDGLQJV
IURP WKH 1,26+ 6RXQG /HYHO 0HWHU DSS 7KH &'& VD\V WKDW¶V DERXW DV ORXG DV D
QRUPDO FRQYHUVDWLRQ RU DQ DLU FRQGLWLRQHU ,W¶V TXLHWHU ZKHQ FOHDQLQJ RYHU
FDUSHW YHUVXV KDUG ÀRRULQJ 6WDQGLQJ ULJKW RYHU LW ZKLOH LW ZDV FOHDQLQJ
ODPLQDWH , PHDVXUHG LWV YROXPH DW GE ZKLFK LV DSSURDFKLQJ WKH WKUHVKROG
WKH &'& VD\V SHRSOH W\SLFDOO\ ¿QG DQQR\LQJ GE

7KH DSS¶V +LVWRU\ VHFWLRQ NHHSV D GHWDLOHG UHFRUG RI WKH URERW¶V YDFXXPLQJ UXQV
)RU HDFK VHVVLRQ LW VKRZV ZKHUH WKH 5RRPED M YDFXXPHG LWV GXUDWLRQ WKH
VTXDUH IRRWDJH LW FRYHUHG WKH QXPEHU RI GLUW HYHQWV DQG REVWDFOH DUHDV LW
HQFRXQWHUHG DQG ZKHWKHU LW HPSWLHG LWV ELQ

:KHQ WKH M GRFNV DIWHU FOHDQLQJ WKH DXWR HPSW\ IXQFWLRQ LQLWLDWHV
DXWRPDWLFDOO\ ,W JHWV SUHWW\ ORXG IRU DERXW VHFRQGV²DERXW WKH YROXPH RI DQ
ROG VFKRRO VWDQGLQJ YDFXXP²DV LW VXFNV DOO WKH GHEULV IURP WKH URERW¶V ELQ LQWR
WKH GXVW EDJ 0RVW FRPSHWLQJ ERWV ZLWK DQ DXWR HPSW\ EDVH ZRUN WKH VDPH ZD\

$IWHU PRUH WKDQ KDOI D GR]HQ FOHDQLQJ UXQV WKH The vacuum’s
YDFXXP¶V GXVWELQ ZDV FRPSOHWHO\ HPSW\ PHDQLQJ LWV dustbin was
FRQWHQWV ZHUH VXFFHVVIXOO\ WUDQVIHUUHG WR WKH EDJ HDFK completely
WLPH 7R P\ VXUSULVH DQG GHOLJKW LWV UXEEHU EUXVKUROOV
ZHUH IUHH RI KDLU empty, meaning
its contents were
SMART AND CAPABLE
$W WKH L5RERW 5RRPED M PLJKW LQGXFH successfully
VWLFNHU VKRFN EXW LW¶V RQH RI WKH VPDUWHVW URERW YDFXXPV transferred
\RX FDQ EX\ ,WV WRS IHDWXUHV LQFOXGH DGYDQFHG $,
SRZHUHG REVWDFOH DYRLGDQFH WHFKQRORJ\ DQ DWWUDFWLYHO\ to the bag
GHVLJQHG EDVH DQG WZR UXEEHU EUXVKUROOV WKDW SUHYHQW each time.
KDLU WDQJOHV %HVW RI DOO LW GRHVQ¶W UHTXLUH PXFK
DWWHQWLRQ RQ \RXU HQG DQG WUXO\ JHWV EHWWHU DW QDYLJDWLQJ
\RXU KRPH ZLWK HDFK UXQ $QG ZKLOH LW FDQ¶W VWRS \RXU
GRJ IURP PDNLQJ D PHVV LQ WKH KRXVH WKH YDFXXP
FRPHV ZLWK D JXDUDQWHH WKDW LW ZRQ¶W VPHDU DQ\ VXFK
DFFLGHQWV DOO RYHU \RXU ÀRRUV

7KDQNV WR LWV H[FHOOHQW SHUIRUPDQFH DQG VPDUWV WKH
5RRPED M HDUQV RXU (GLWRUV¶ &KRLFH DZDUG IRU KLJK
HQG URERW YDFXXPV ,I LW¶V EH\RQG \RXU EXGJHW WKRXJK
ZH DOVR UHFRPPHQG WKH 6KDUN ,4 5RERW 6HOI (PSW\ ;/
5 $( :KLOH LW LVQ¶W TXLWH DV VPDUW RU DOOHUJ\ IULHQGO\
DV WKH M LW R̆HUV VLPLODU IHDWXUHV DQG SHUIRUPDQFH IRU
D PRUH DSSURDFKDEOH

PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION I SUBSCRIBE I DECEMBER 2021

REVIEWS Credit: HP

HARDWARE

HP Chromebook
x2 (2021)

$599.00 as tested

EXCELLENT

HP Chromebook x2 (2021):
A Clever Combination

The best Chrome OS detachable of 2018 returns strong

BY ERIC GREVSTAD

So you’re in the market for a detachable 2-in-1—a tablet you can use either by
itself or with a keyboard and stylus? The Apple 10.9-inch iPad Air is a good
choice—in fact, a PCMag Editors’ Choice winner—at $599. But if you’re willing
WR WKLQN GL̆HUHQW +3¶V LQFK &KURPHERRN [ FRVWV WKH VDPH²LQFOXGLQJ WZLFH
WKH PHPRU\ DV ZHOO DV WKH NH\ERDUG DQG SHQ WKDW $SSOH ZLOO FKDUJH \RX DQ H[WUD
IRU 7DEOHW VKRSSHUV UDUHO\ FRQVLGHU &KURPHERRNV EXW WKH +3 [ IDYRUV
the bold. It doesn’t perform as well as comparably priced Chromebook laptops
DQG ZH VWLOO FRQVLGHU RXU (GLWRUV¶ &KRLFH IDYRULWH WKH /HQRYR &KURPHERRN
'XHW D EHWWHU YDOXH DPRQJ &KURPHERRN GHWDFKDEOHV EXW LW ¿OOV D QLIW\ QLFKH

ALL NEW FOR 2021 HP Chromebook
:H UHYLHZHG WKH ¿UVW +3 &KURPHERRN [ ²D LQFK x2 (2021)
WDEOHW ZLWK DQ ,QWHO &RUH P FKLS²LQ 6HSWHPEHU
This year’s model has an 11-inch Gorilla Glass touch PROS
VFUHHQ ZLWK D DVSHFW UDWLR E\ SL[HO Affordable price
UHVROXWLRQ EDFNHG E\ DQ HLJKW FRUH 4XDOFRPP includes pen and
Snapdragon 7c processor. At $599, our test unit is a keyboard cover.
%HVW %X\ FRQ¿JXUDWLRQ ZLWK *% RI 5$0 *% RI Available 4G mobile
H00& ÀDVK VWRUDJH DQG WKH VQDS RQ NH\ERDUG DQG broadband.
UHFKDUJHDEOH SHQ +3 FRP R̆HUV D PRGHO
ZLWKRXW WKH SHQ EXW ZLWK *% RI VWRUDJH DQG CONS
* /7( PRELOH EURDGEDQG Tepid performance. No
headphone jack. Wi-Fi
7KH +3 LVQ¶W WKH RQO\ &KURPH 26 WDEOHW DQG NH\ERDUG 5, not 6 or 6E.
FRPER ZH¶YH JLYHQ WZR WKXPEV XS WR WKH LQFK
/HQRYR &KURPHERRN 'XHW DQG RQH WR WKH LQFK BOTTOM LINE
$VXV &KURPHERRN 'HWDFKDEOH &0 :LQGRZV LV Its performance trails
DQRWKHU RSWLRQ WKH 0LFURVRIW 6XUIDFH *R LV D that of conventional
LQFK WDEOHW WKDW FRVWV ZLWK D 3HQWLXP *ROG &38 Chromebooks, but HP’s
RU ZLWK D &RUH L SOXV DW OHDVW IRU D Chromebook x2 is an
keyboard and pen. attractive 11-inch
tablet with keyboard,
kickstand, and pen all
in the box.

7KH &KURPHERRN [ FRPHV LQ WKUHH SLHFHV 7KH &1&
PDFKLQHG DOXPLQXP WDEOHW PHDVXUHV E\ E\
LQFKHV DQG ZHLJKV SRXQGV URXJKO\ WKH VDPH DV WKH
6XUIDFH *R DQG D IHZ RXQFHV KHDYLHU WKDQ WKH SRXQG
L3DG $LU ,WV SRZHU EXWWRQ GRXEOHV DV D ¿QJHUSULQW
reader on top; a magnet that holds and recharges the

LQFK 8QLYHUVDO 6W\OXV ,QLWLDWLYH SHQ LV RQ WKH ULJKW
HGJH DQG D YROXPH URFNHU WZR 86% & SRUWV DQG D WUD\
UHPRYHG ZLWK D EHQW SDSHU FOLS IRU HLWKHU D QDQR 6,0
or microSD card are on the left. The AC adapter plugs

LQWR D 86% & SRUW 8QIRUWXQDWHO\ WKHUH¶V QR DXGLR RU
headphone jack.

7KH RWKHU WZR SLHFHV DUH LQ 1LJKW 7HDO RU 6KDGH *UD\
polyurethane-coated fabric and add another 1.04

SRXQGV RI ZHLJKW 7KH ¿UVW LV D EDFN FRYHU ZLWK D KROH

for the rear-facing camera lens and a kickstand to prop The tablet’s back
the tablet up in laptop mode. The second is a non- and keyboard
EDFNOLW NH\ERDUG FRYHU WKDW DGKHUHV WR WKH ERWWRP HGJH covers are
DQG ZKRVH IROGLQJ KLQJH DOWHUQDWHO\ SURYLGHV D VOLJKW WLOW magnetically
IRU W\SLQJ DQG FRYHUV WKH VFUHHQ VLGH IRU FDUU\LQJ secured and

7KH WDEOHW SURYLGHV DF :L )L DQG %OXHWRRWK D make it easy to
PHJDSL[HO IURQW IDFLQJ FDPHUD IRU VHO¿HV DQG carry the trio
FRQIHUHQFH FDOOV DQG DQ PHJDSL[HO UHDU FDPHUD IRU together.
VQDSVKRWV LQ WKH ¿HOG +3 EDFNV LW ZLWK D RQH \HDU
ZDUUDQW\ DQG SUHLQVWDOOV *RRJOH¶V &XUVLYH²D SHQ EDVHG
QRWH WDNLQJ DQG HGLWLQJ FRXQWHUSDUW WR WKH &DQYDV
GUDZLQJ WRRO²DQG D WULDO RI &RQFHSWV D &KURPH 26
SRUW RI 7RS+DWFK¶V SRSXODU L26 VNHWFKLQJ GUDZLQJ
jotting app.

A PRODUCTIVE PACKAGE
7KH EDFN DQG NH\ERDUG FRYHUV DUH PDJQHWLFDOO\ VHFXUHG
and make it easy to carry the trio together. Detached
from them, the tablet is easy to hold, feeling sleek and
sturdy with medium-thin screen bezels. The power-
EXWWRQ ¿QJHUSULQW UHDGHU ZRUNV ¿QH DQG WKH FDPHUDV

FDSWXUH FOHDU DQG FRORUIXO LPDJHV DQG YLGHR DW UHVROXWLRQV XS WR E\
SL[HOV IURQW RU E\ SL[HOV UHDU

7KH VFUHHQ¶V QDWLYH E\ UHVROXWLRQ PDNHV WH[W DQG LFRQV WRR WLQ\ VR
DV ZLWK PRVW &KURPHERRNV \RX FDQ FKRRVH DPRQJ VHYHUDO ³ORRNV OLNH´ RU IDX[
UHVROXWLRQV WKH GHIDXOW LV E\ ,WV DVSHFW UDWLR PDNHV LW ORRN DQG
IHHO OLNH D SLHFH RI SDSHU ZHOO D FOLSERDUG LQ YHUWLFDO RU SRUWUDLW PRGH &RORUV
DUH FULVS DQG YLYLG DQG WKHUH¶V HQRXJK EULJKWQHVV UDWHG DW QLWV WR ZRUN
DQ\ZKHUH H[FHSW LQ GLUHFW VXQOLJKW RXWVLGH

/LNH DOO WDEOHWV ZLWK NLFNVWDQGV WKH &KURPHERRN [ LV KDSSLHU RQ D GHVN WKDQ LQ
\RXU ODS ZKHQ SRVLQJ DV D ODSWRS²,¶P IHHW WDOO EXW P\ ODS ZDVQ¶W GHHS HQRXJK
WR DFFRPPRGDWH WKH NH\ERDUG ZKLOH WLOWLQJ WKH VFUHHQ EDFN VẊFLHQWO\ 7KH
NH\ERDUG FRYHU LVQ¶W WRR VPDOO RU VTXDVKHG²WKH $ WKURXJK DSRVWURSKH NH\V
span just under 7.5 inches instead of the regulation 8 inches—but has a thin,
hollow feel; typing is actually pretty comfortable but surprisingly loud.

7KH EXWWRQOHVV WRXFKSDG LV VPRRWK DQG UHVSRQVLYH WDNLQJ MXVW WKH ULJKW DPRXQW
RI SUHVVXUH WR FOLFN 7KH SHQ LV D VLPSOH VW\OXV ZLWKRXW SUHVVXUH VHQVLWLYLW\ RU WLOW
control but works nicely enough, keeping up with my fastest swoops and
scribbles and showing good palm rejection. The pinhole speakers produce
GHFHQWO\ ORXG EXW WLQQ\ VRXQG \RX FDQ PDNH RXW RYHUODSSLQJ WUDFNV EXW WKHUH¶V
no bass to speak of.

PERFORMANCE TESTING THE CHROMEBOOK X2: THE ARM
DISADVANTAGE
)RU RXU EHQFKPDUN FKDUWV , FRPSDUHG WKH +3 &KURPHERRN [ ZLWK LWV ULYDO WKH
$VXV &KURPHERRN 'HWDFKDEOH &0 DQG WKUHH RWKHU &KURPHERRNV²WZR ,QWHO
&HOHURQ SRZHUHG LQFK HFRQRP\ PRGHOV WKH FODPVKHOO 6DPVXQJ
&KURPHERRN DQG FRQYHUWLEOH $FHU &KURPHERRN 6SLQ DQG WKH /HQRYR
,GHD3DG )OH[ &KURPHERRN D LQFK FRQYHUWLEOH WKDW VKRZV WKH EHQH¿WV RI
VWHSSLQJ XS WR D &RUH L SURFHVVRU DQG VROLG VWDWH LQVWHDG RI H00& ÀDVK
storage. You can see their basic specs in the table below.

We test Chromebooks with three performance benchmark suites—one Chrome
26 RQH $QGURLG DQG RQH RQOLQH 7KH ¿UVW 3ULQFLSOHG 7HFKQRORJLHV¶ &U;357
PHDVXUHV KRZ TXLFNO\ D V\VWHP SHUIRUPV HYHU\GD\ WDVNV LQ VL[ ZRUNORDGV VXFK
DV DSSO\LQJ SKRWR H̆HFWV JUDSKLQJ D VWRFN SRUWIROLR DQDO\]LQJ '1$ VHTXHQFHV
DQG JHQHUDWLQJ ' VKDSHV XVLQJ :HE*/ 7KH VHFRQG 8/¶V 3&0DUN IRU $QGURLG
:RUN SHUIRUPV DVVRUWHG SURGXFWLYLW\ RSHUDWLRQV LQ D VPDUWSKRQH VW\OH
ZLQGRZ )LQDOO\ %DVHPDUN :HE UXQV LQ D EURZVHU WDE WR FRPELQH ORZ OHYHO
-DYD6FULSW FDOFXODWLRQV ZLWK &66 DQG :HE*/ FRQWHQW $OO WKUHH \LHOG QXPHULF
VFRUHV KLJKHU QXPEHUV DUH EHWWHU 6HH PRUH DERXW KRZ ZH WHVW ODSWRSV
7KH $50 DUFKLWHFWXUH SRZHUV GHYLFHV IURP VPDUWSKRQHV WR VXSHUFRPSXWHUV
DQG $SSOH¶V $50 EDVHG 0 VHULHV &38V JR OLNH JDQJEXVWHUV EXW LQ WHVWLQJ
&KURPHERRNV ZH¶YH IRXQG $50 SURFHVVRUV WR XQGHUSHUIRUP DOO EXW WKH
KXPEOHVW [ FKLSV IURP ,QWHO DQG $0' 6DGO\ WKH +3¶V 6QDSGUDJRQ F LV QR

H[FHSWLRQ 7KH &KURPHERRN [ GRHVQ¶W IHHO VORZ RU VOXJJLVK LQ HYHU\GD\ XVH
with just a few apps running or browser tabs open, but if you push it it bogs
GRZQ 7KH 6QDSGUDJRQ RXWSDFHG WKH 0HGLD7HN $50 FKLS LQ WKH $VXV DQG ZDV
FRPSHWLWLYH ZLWK WKH ERWWRP OHYHO &HOHURQV LQ WKH 6DPVXQJ DQG $FHU EXW WKH
/HQRYR¶V &RUH L EOHZ LW DZD\

7ZR RWKHU $QGURLG EHQFKPDUNV IRFXV RQ WKH &38 DQG *38 UHVSHFWLYHO\
3ULPDWH /DEV¶ *HHNEHQFK XVHV DOO DYDLODEOH FRUHV DQG WKUHDGV WR VLPXODWH UHDO
ZRUOG DSSOLFDWLRQV UDQJLQJ IURP 3') UHQGHULQJ DQG VSHHFK UHFRJQLWLRQ WR
PDFKLQH OHDUQLQJ ZKLOH *);%HQFK VWUHVV WHVWV ERWK ORZ OHYHO URXWLQHV OLNH
WH[WXULQJ DQG KLJK OHYHO JDPH OLNH LPDJH UHQGHULQJ WKDW H[HUFLVHV JUDSKLFV DQG
FRPSXWH VKDGHUV *HHNEHQFK GHOLYHUV D QXPHULF VFRUH ZKLOH *);%HQFK FRXQWV
IUDPHV SHU VHFRQG ISV

)LQDOO\ WR WHVW D &KURPHERRN¶V EDWWHU\ ZH ORRS D S YLGHR ¿OH ZLWK VFUHHQ
EULJKWQHVV VHW DW DQG :L )L GLVDEOHG XQWLO WKH V\VWHP TXLWV ,I WKHUH LVQ¶W
HQRXJK LQWHUQDO VWRUDJH WR KROG WKH YLGHR ZH SOD\ LW IURP DQ H[WHUQDO 66'
SOXJJHG LQWR D 86% SRUW 1RUPDOO\ ZH WXUQ WKH DXGLR YROXPH WR EXW VLQFH
WKH &KURPHERRN [ ODFNHG D KHDGSKRQH MDFN ZH RSWHG WR PXWH LW LQVWHDG RI
OHDYLQJ LW EODULQJ IRU KRXUV ZKLFK SRVVLEO\ JDYH WKH +3 DQ XQIDLU DGYDQWDJH LQ
EDWWHU\ OLIH EXW VDYHG RXU VDQLW\

%HQFKPDUNV LGHQWLI\ WKH [ E\ WKH FRGH QDPH ³*RRJOH VWURQJEDG ´ ZKLFK ZLOO
SOHDVH WKH +RPHVWDU 5XQQHU IDQV RXW WKHUH 7KH +3 SRVWHG D UHVSHFWDEOH VFRUH

LQ *HHNEHQFK EXW WKH /HQRYR )OH[ ZDV IDU DQG DZD\ WKH ZLQQHU LQ RXU
*);%HQFK WHVW [ RZQHUV FDQ SOD\ VRPH FDVXDO $QGURLG JDPHV EXW WKHLU
entertainment pastimes will mostly center on streaming media.

'HVSLWH WKH PXWHG DXGLR WKH &KURPHERRN [ WRRN D GLVDSSRLQWLQJ ODVW SODFH LQ
our battery rundown; I can only blame this on its high-resolution screen being
UHODWLYHO\ EULJKW HYHQ DW DQG SRVVLEO\ WKH SRZHU GUDLQ RI WKH H[WHUQDO GULYH
SOXJJHG LQWR D 86% & SRUW VLQFH LWV H00& VWRUDJH ZDVQ¶W ELJ HQRXJK WR KROG
WKH YLGHR ¿OH )URP P\ DQHFGRWDO XVDJH ,¶G H[SHFW PRUH OLNH HLJKW RU QLQH KRXUV
RI HYHU\GD\ UXQWLPH

A CLEVER COMBINATION
7KH +3 &KURPHERRN [ LV D KDQG\ WDEOHW ZLWK D FRQYHQLHQW VW\OXV DQG SUHWW\
JRRG NH\ERDUG FRYHU DOO DW D UHODWLYHO\ ORZ SULFH FRPSDUHG WR D OD FDUWH $SSOH
and Microsoft tablet-and-accessory combos. The same money will get you
EHWWHU SHUIRUPDQFH IURP D FRQYHQWLRQDO &KURPHERRN EXW WKH +3 KDV D QLFHU
VFUHHQ DQG NH\ERDUG WKDQ WKH /HQRYR &KURPHERRN 'XHW ,I WKH LGHD DSSHDOV WR
you, check it out.

PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION I SUBSCRIBE I DECEMBER 2021

REVIEWS Credit: Razer

HARDWARE

Razer Blade 15
Advanced Model
(Late 2021)

Starts at $2,299.99;
$2,699.99 as tested

EXCELLENT

Razer Blade 15 Advanced
Model (Late 2021): Perennial
Gaming Favorite

Faster CPU, better webcam bolster the beloved Blade 15

BY MATTHEW BUZZI

The Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model is a perennial favorite, having proven its
build quality and gaming chops to us across several iterations (though previous
generations were called “Advanced Edition” instead of “Advanced Model”).
What we’re reviewing here is an update to the early 2021 version that bumps up
the processor to Intel’s 11th Generation “Tiger Lake-H” Core i7, boosts the
ZHEFDP WR S UHVROXWLRQ DQG VSRUWV D QHZ ¿QJHUSULQW UHVLVWDQW FRDWLQJ ,W
VWLOO R̆HUV 1YLGLD *H)RUFH 57; 6HULHV JUDSKLFV DQG D FKRLFH RI KLJK UHIUHVK
UDWH GLVSOD\V RXU FRQ¿JXUDWLRQ FRPELQHV DQ 57; DQG D +]
full HD panel) while maintaining the sleek and light all-metal build. The Blade’s
battery life has taken a hit, no longer leading the pack, but that’s the only real