Reddit has announced a new feature for subreddits: chat channels. The launch comes with a disclaimer from the company that previous Chat launches were not done “in the best ways” and that this approach focuses on small communities and mod tools to, ideally, be better.
Chat channels do differ in a few ways from the Live Chat feature, for example, existing as a permanent space in the subreddit, rather than a fleeting post. They’re also operated by the mods, who can choose to block responses, pin messages and to chat in a private channel. Mods also control who’s allowed in the channel, ranging from open participation all the way to only trusted members.
Reddit
Reddit claims to be building chat channels with space for additional updates, depending on testing results. The company specifically calls out features like automod rules, slow mode and the ability to build custom channel roles as potential developments.
The chat channels announcement came alongside two other small Reddit updates. The company has rolled out an new subreddit header that shrinks the space between the header and posts, makes the search bar into one button and shows tabs like “menu” and “about” by clicking anywhere across the header. Reddit claims these updates increased community subscriptions and actions in tests. It also announced May 9th as an official shutdown date for its Predictions polling game. Users will no longer be able to create or join an active tournament and old tournaments will become inaccessible.
For now, chat channels are still at the pilot program stage with only 25 subreddits testing them out at the moment — totalling less than 100,000 users. Mods interested in trying it out can add their subreddit to a participation waiting list.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/reddit-trials-permanent-chat-channels-in-subreddits-114548682.html?src=rss
This week, Devindra chats with Sam Rutherford about his recent experiences with ASUS’s ROG Ally, a powerful new Steam Deck competitor, and Nintendo’s long-awaited The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The ROG Ally sounds like one of the best portable gaming systems yet, though we’re still waiting for pricing details. And Zelda was apparently a blast to play, but of course it was. Also, Devindra and Podcast Producer Ben Ellman dive into the latest news, including the FAA grounding SpaceX’s Starship and Grimes’ decision to let people run free with her AI voice.
Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you’ve got suggestions or topics you’d like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!
UK regulator blocks Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision/Blizzard – 34:04
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny features 25 mins of de-aged Harrison Ford – 39:54
This week in AI: Snapchat users revolt against AI assistant, Grimes offers 50/50 credit to songs with her AI voice – 43:19
Working on – 50:21
Pop culture picks – 52:07
Livestream
Credits Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Sam Rutherford Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O’Brien Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos Graphic artist: Luke Brooks and Joel Chokkattu
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-podcast-asus-rog-ally-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-123035085.html?src=rss
I really thought we were done with Android tablets. Google itself hasn’t released one in years, though that’ll change soon with the forthcoming Pixel Tablet. Samsung has hit on a high-end formula that works pretty well, Amazon’s cheap Fire tablets technically run Android… and that’s basically it. Plenty of manufacturers have tried, but for various reasons Android tablets have never caught on.
Despite that market reality, OnePlus is taking its first shot at this market with the $479 OnePlus Pad. As the price hints, OnePlus isn’t going right after high-end tablets like Samsung’s Galaxy S8 lineup or Apple’s iPad Air or Pro. Instead, this tablet reminds me more of Apple’s 10th-generation iPad, in style, substance and price. And the fact that OnePlus is also making a keyboard folio and a stylus shows they’re serious about making a tablet built for more than just watching movies or browsing the web. But while OnePlus made a lovely piece of hardware, Android’s large-screen limitations continue to hamper the overall experience.
Hardware
The OnePlus Pad makes a great first impression. That starts with its striking metallic green color and subtle rounded brushing of the metal that surrounds the centered camera bump on the tablet’s back. I’m a little surprised that OnePlus isn’t offering the Pad in a more generic color like black or silver, but the green makes it stand out a bit without being something most people will object to.
Despite having a relatively large, 11.6-inch display, it’s light and easy to hold with one hand. That’s due in part to the tiny 6.7mm bezel surrounding the display. That’s slightly thinner than the one on my 11-inch iPad Pro and noticeably thinner than the one on the current Air or 10th-generation iPad. OnePlus used a rather unusual screen ratio here, 7:5, but I definitely prefer that over the 16:9 ratio so common on other devices. Movies and shows will have more noticeable black bars, but everything else benefits from more vertical screen real estate.
Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget
Besides the screen, there’s nothing else of note on the front of the Pad aside from the landscape-oriented 8-megapixel camera for video chat. On the sides, you’ll notice the power button and two volume buttons, a USB-C port and four speakers. As with most successful tablet designs, it’s a screen-first device that is light and easy to hold, which is probably the most important thing.
There’s a lot to like about the OnePlus Tab’s screen besides just the size. OnePlus says it’s a Dolby Vision panel with HDR, and its 2,800 x 2,000 resolution works out to 296 pixels per inch. Even though it’s an LCD, lacking the extreme contrast ratios you’ll find on OLED or mini-LED panels, it’s still an extremely bright and vibrant display, whether you’re looking through photos, watching a movie or playing games. It also has a 144Hz refresh rate, though most apps max out at 120Hz. Still, that’s better than any iPad in this price range.
The four-speaker system is also much better than I expected, given the Tab’s svelte profile. It can get surprisingly loud, pumping out enough volume for watching movies on your own or with a friend. But more importantly than just the level, the sound is clear and balanced. You’ll still likely want to opt for headphones during any more serious listening session, but these speakers definitely do the job in a pinch.
On the inside is MediaTek’s Dimensity 9000, a Cortex-X2 processor which runs at 3.05 GHz; that’s paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
Accessories
Unsurprisingly, OnePlus made a keyboard folio and stylus to go along with the Tab.Also unsurprisingly, the tablet isn’t bundled with either, so you’ll need to shell out extra cash to complete your rig. The $149 keyboard includes a trackpad and connects directly to the Pad via pogo pins, so it doesn’t need its own power or a Bluetooth connection. It’s thin and attaches easily to the Pad without adding any significant weight or bulk, which is a nice change of pace from the comfortable but heavy Magic Keyboard that goes along with my iPad Pro.
The keyboard is a bit of a mixed bag, though. On the plus side, it’s just big enough to be comfortable to type on for extended periods of time. Like the keyboard on the similarly-sized iPad Air or Pro, there’s a little learning curve, but the keys are a good size and have decent travel. The space key was a lot less reliable than I hoped, though (apologies to my editor who had to fix the numerous missing spaces in this draft). The trackpad, on the other hand, was a bit more problematic. It wasn’t great at rejecting input from the edge of my hands, so it often moved the cursor randomly around as I was typing this review. It was incredibly frustrating and almost made me give up on it entirely. I eventually managed to hold my hands to minimize the mistaken input, but it still happened often enough to be maddening.
Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget
The trackpad itself was generally fine for moving through the OnePlus Pad’s interface, but it felt just a little slow to respond to everything I was doing, whether scrolling, swiping or clicking on things. This is a recurring theme with the whole OnePlus Pad experience, unfortunately. The trackpad itself is small, but I’m plenty comfortable with a similar-sized one on my iPad.
The last nit I’ll pick about the keyboard folio is that you can’t adjust the angle of the screen at all. The folio holds it in a fixed position, so hopefully that works for you. This isn’t dissimilar to some other keyboard folios for other tablets in this price range, so I will only complain so much, but it would still be nice if it was adjustable.
There’s also a stylus available for the Pad, the $99 OnePlus Stylo. Like the second-generation Apple Pencil, the Stylo magnetically attaches to the top of the Pad for power and convenient storage. I love this trick on the iPad, and I love it here as well. The Stylo itself is a round (aside from the flat charging edge), fairly nondescript piece of hardware that serves its purpose well.
I have zero visual arts skills, so I can’t say exactly how it compares to using an iPad and Apple Pencil for serious creative work. But, OnePlus says it has 4,096 levels of pressure and 60 degrees of tilt, which should make it a versatile instrument. And in a little testing taking notes and scribbling around in the OnePlus Notes app, I was immediately impressed at the total lack of lag. If you can find the right drawing software, the OnePlus Pad and the Stylo could make a reasonably affordable and powerful drawing kit.
Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget
Software experience
As with basically every Android tablet I’ve ever used, the thing that is holding the OnePlus Pad back isn’t its hardware, but the software. The Pad runs Android 13.1 with OnePlus’ Oxygen OS on top of it. For the most part, Oxygen OS represents a minor re-skinning of the Android UI, along with a couple custom OnePlus apps as well as some handy tricks if you also use a OnePlus phone. Unfortunately, I didn’t have access to a OnePlus phone for this review, but these features are worth noting.
For starters, OnePlus has a cellular data sharing feature that lets the Pad jump onto the 5G signal from a OnePlus smartphone. It’s automatically enabled when the phone is near the Pad. Obviously, tethering another device to a smartphone signal isn’t new technology, but OnePlus is definitely trying to make it more seamless. Furthermore, OnePlus built in an “Auto Connect” feature between the Pad and a compatible phone, which means you can receive notifications, share clipboard data for instant copy and pasting, and see text messages and phone calls on the Pad. If you’re in the OnePlus ecosystem already, this is a solid reason to consider the Pad over another competing tablet.
OnePlus also did a decent job of including some apps that take advantage of the Pad’s screen – the Notes app uses multiple panes to show your list of notes as well as whatever you’re working on, or you can go into a full-screen focus mode. It also has a to-do app built in and works well with the Stylo if you want to draw or take handwritten notes. The Weather app, meanwhile, feels like a clone of what you might find on the iPad, but it’s still useful and takes advantage of a bigger screen, rather than feeling like a blown-up phone app.
Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget
Naturally, Google has done a great job of making its apps work on a larger screen, as well. Chrome, Gmail, Photos, Drive, Docs, Meet and basically anything else I tried from Google felt native, which goes a long way towards making the OnePlus Pad feel useful.
The experience isn’t so great once you start using third-party apps, though. If you’ve ever read a review of an Android tablet, you’ve heard this complaint before. There just aren’t enough Android apps designed to take advantage of a bigger screen. Comparing things like Slack and Twitter to their iPad counterparts shows that the developers haven’t taken larger-screen Android devices into account. On the iPad, both apps have multiple panes which makes it much easier to get things done. On the Pad, Slack just shows any conversation you’re in at full width. Similarly, tweets stretch across the entire screen and images or video aren’t scaled down at all. Todoist, another app I use constantly, has a sidebar, but it automatically hides whenever I tap on an item, so I have to keep resummoning it.
There are also numerous apps, like Reddit and Instagram, that simply don’t run in landscape orientation at all. Even worse, some apps throw you from landscape into portrait mode. For example, HBO Max seems to work fine in landscape mode, but when I exit a movie, the screen jumps to portrait mode. There are also plenty of strange bugs throughout the system. More than once, I tried playing a video in HBO Max or the Google TV app only to have it refuse to load. This happened in both apps back-to-back and was only cleared up after rebooting the tablet. Another fun one is the notification I get every single time I open up the keyboard folio that tells me to “configure physical keyboard,” which brings up a menu with basically nothing you can actually configure.
Probably the most frustrating thing for me was simply trying to work across multiple apps. Pressing alt-tab brings up a view of recently-used apps, but the implementation is poor. If you tap alt-tab once and don’t hold anything, all it does is zoom out of the app you’re in and then drop you back. On basically every other computer I can think of, this key command brings you straight to the last app you were using. If you keep holding alt and press tab again, you’ll start cycling through your recent apps – but there’s absolutely no visual indicator to show which you have selected, so it’s useless. Swiping up on the trackpad with three fingers and holding for a second also drops you into this view, and you can then swipe around with the trackpad and click on the app you want. That’s marginally better, but not having a reliable keyboard shortcut for moving between apps is infuriating.
Just as you can on an iPad, you can split an app view and run two apps side-by-side. This generally works fine – but if you exit out to the home screen, the only way to get that dual view back is by going into the aforementioned app switching view. Tapping the app’s icon on the home screen will bring that app back up in full screen, forgetting the configuration you had before
Despite all this, the OnePlus Pad is fairly responsive, at least. Websites and apps loaded quickly, but scrolling through sites or my long list of emails felt a little bit choppy. That’s despite the screen’s high refresh rate. Similarly, games I tried (including Genshin Impact, Asphalt 9 and my go-to Alto’s Odyssey) mostly worked fine, but had occasional moments where it felt the hardware was struggling slightly. For a tablet priced under $500, the OnePlus Pad more or less met my expectations – but it’s not as smooth as even the most basic iPad.
One area where the OnePlus Pad is definitively great is on battery life. I can get about 10 hours doing my normal work routine on the device, jumping between multiple apps, playing occasional games, watching some videos and streaming music. More extensive gaming sessions will always run the battery down quicker, as will jacking up the screen brightness, but I don’t think anyone who tries this tablet will need to worry about reaching for the charger too often.
Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget
Wrap-up
After using the OnePlus Pad for a few weeks, I’m left struggling with who this device is for. Die-hard Android fans are probably better served by a Samsung tablet, though people who use a OnePlus phone will appreciate the way the two devices work together. For the price, the OnePlus Pad does a fair few things well, at least. The battery is very good, the Stylo is a solid drawing tool and the screen is better than one you’ll find on a similarly-priced iPad.
But the app ecosystem for large-screen Android devices remains dire, and the experience of using Android on a tablet still does not feel fully baked. Most Android users who have a passing interest in using a tablet will likely still be better off with an iPad. They’re faster, less buggy and have a wildly better app ecosystem. And the price comparison doesn’t exactly work out well in the OnePlus Pad’s favor, either. The kit I tested cost $730, while you can get a 10th-generation iPad with its keyboard folio and pencil for $800.
If you’re absolutely not willing to consider Apple hardware, we’re just a few weeks away from Google taking the wraps off the Pixel Tablet. While that won’t solve the third-party app issue (after more than a decade, I don’t know what will), I do think it’s worth waiting to see what Google has in store before committing to new hardware. Unless, of course, you’re a die-hard OnePlus fan – but even those folks should think long and hard before pulling the trigger here.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/oneplus-pad-review-solid-hardware-thats-let-down-by-android-130039695.html?src=rss
This is a great opportunity to buy an affordable smartwatch for your springtime runs and bike rides. Amazon is selling the Fitbit Versa 4 at a near-record low price of $160, or $40 off. The bargain applies regardless of color, too. And if you want Fitbit’s most advanced model, the Sense 2 is down to $250, or $50 off.
The Versa 4 is a refinement of Fitbit’s middle-of-the-road smartwatch, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. You still get robust fitness and health tracking, with 40 exercise modes, sleep monitoring and even a stress management score. It also offers support for Google Maps (on Android for now, iOS later in the spring) and Google Wallet — you can use two of the most common navigation and tap-to-pay services on your wrist without giving up some of Fitbit’s advantages, including the six-day claimed battery life.
There are a few caveats. You’ll need to pay for a Premium subscription (after the first six months, that is) if you want perks like guided programs and personalized insights. And while you will get some core smartwatch features, you’ll want to consider the Pixel Watch if you’re willing to trade battery life for a much more robust app ecosystem that still preserves Fitbit’s functionality. At $160, however, the Versa 4 is far easier to rationalize if you only want the essentials.
Xbox gamers looking for a headset that both supports spatial audio and looks pretty sleek may be interested in checking out the Xbox Wireless Headset. Although there are a number of other options on the market, this model ties into the aesthetic of the Xbox Series X (and previous Xboxes, given the green and black color scheme). Best of all, the Xbox Wireless Headset is on sale right now. It has dropped by $15 to $85 at Amazon.
The headset can connect directly to your Xbox Series X/S or Xbox One without the need for a dongle. It’s compatible with Windows 10 and 11 devices. There’s the option to connect it to your phone and Xbox simultaneously, so you can take a call without interrupting your gaming session. Additionally, there’s Bluetooth and USB-C support and you’ll get up to 15 hours of use on a single charge, Microsoft says.
There’s support for Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos and DTS Headphone:X spatial audio protocols, though you’ll need a $15 license to use Dolby Atmos beyond any free trial that’s on offer. Spatial audio can, for instance, help you figure out which direction enemies are approaching from.
You’ll be able to use rotating earcup dials to adjust the volume and chat levels. The headset uses dual beamforming microphone elements and voice isolation tech to optimize your in-game voice chat. There’s an auto-mute option that kicks in when you aren’t talking, as well as a manual mute button. Moreover, the headset has an adjustable headband with what Microsoft describes as a flexible and lightweight design.
The Razer Blade 16 is one of the most unique laptops we’ve ever seen – I just wish I could recommend it as easily as the Blade 15. It can handle 4K gaming just as well as high-speed 1080p gameplay, thanks to a dual-mode screen. And it’s one of the fastest notebooks around, featuring Intel’s latest CPUs and NVIDIA’s newest GPUs. And notably, it can be configured with an RTX 4090.
But all of that comes at a cost. It’s noticeably heavier than the Blade 15, and you’ll have to pay at least $3,300 to own one with the dual-mode display. It’s like Razer put another Razer tax on top of its already high prices.
For some, though, the cost will be worth it. The Blade 16’s MiniLED display can natively handle 4K+ 120Hz (meaning it can show up to 120fps gameplay), and 1080p+ 240Hz. You could always configure a 4K panel to scale down to 1080p or lower resolutions, but that usually leads to a muddy mess, and 4K screens are typically limited to 120Hz at best. What’s special about the Blade 16 is that it delivers those resolutions as sharply as standalone monitors.
According to Razer, the Blade 16’s dual-mode MiniLED technology was developed together with the display maker AUO. The screen is natively a 4K+ 240Hz panel that can sync pixels together to accurately scale down to 1080p, something that looks far better than typical downscaling. Razer says there’s no mobile GPU or data pipeline that can effectively deliver 4K at 240Hz, so that refresh rate is only possible in 1080p. (It’s still rare to find 4K 240Hz on desktop monitors, and even a 4090 would have trouble hitting 240fps at that resolution.)
Previously, you’d have to choose between a 4K screen with a much lower refresh rate, or a faster 1080p or 1,440p display. The Blade 16 lets you have your gaming cake and eat it too. The only downside is that switching between those two modes requires a complete reboot. Given how miraculous technology seems, though, I don’t think that’s a huge problem. If you care more about resolution, stick with the 4K 120Hz mode until you need to dive into some fast-paced competitive gaming.
Maybe instead of thinking of the Blade 16 as a slight upgrade from the 15-inch model, it’s better to think of it as a shrunken down Blade 17. That’s another massive and expensive computer, but potential buyers are likely aware of its downsides. More importantly, the Blade 17 was the fastest Razer laptop for years — now that title belongs to the Blade 16 and the new Blade 18.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Both of these laptops feature Intel’s 13th-gen mobile CPUs, as well as NVIDIA’s more powerful RTX 4080 and 4090 GPUs. This is the first time we’ve seen NVIDIA’s 90-series hardware on any notebook, so that alone is sure to be a hook for power hungry gamers. Strangely, though, Razer’s dual-mode display is only available on the Blade 16 — the tech likely isn’t there yet to make it happen on the bigger computer.
In practice, the Blade 16 excelled at both 4K and 1080p gaming. Cyberpunk 2077 and Halo Infinite looked absolutely crisp in 4K with their graphics and ray tracing settings maxed out. Both games also looked far brighter than I’ve ever seen on a laptop thanks to the MiniLED panel. That’s particularly useful for bright HDR highlights, something most notebooks and monitors handle poorly.
Given the sheer power of the RTX 4090 in our review unit, the Blade 16 was also able to play games in 4K well beyond 60fps. Depending on your graphics settings, you may even be able to reach 120fps to fully max out its screen. Halo Infinite hit a very playable 80fps with ultra graphics settings, while Cyberpunk 2077 hit 70fps with Ultra ray tracing settings thanks to DLSS 3.
Not surprisingly, the Blade 16 had no issue getting above 200fps in Halo Infinite and Overwatch 2 when I flipped over to 1080p mode. Personally, I’ve never really seen the point of gaming screens beyond 120Hz — I just can’t really perceive much of a difference by bumping up to 144 or 240Hz. But after switching between the Blade 16’s various modes, I noticed that I played better as I approached 200fps — I hit headshots more regularly, and I was faster to react whenever enemies popped up. Maybe it was just luck, or me feeling more comfortable over time — or maybe those extra frames actually helped.
As much as I enjoyed the Blade 16’s gorgeous display and incredible performance, I didn’t love lugging it around my house or hauling it in a bookbag. It weighs 5.4 pounds, a full pound heavier than the Blade 15. Now that might not seem like much, but it makes a huge difference for portability. Living with the Blade 15 was no different than most other 15-inch notebooks, but the Blade 16 feels noticeably bulkier.
But again, maybe I should be judging it against the Blade 17 instead, which weighed a little over 6 pounds. When compared to that, the Blade 16 seems like a remarkable engineering feat. That’s not the way most people think of 16-inch notebooks though: The MacBook Pro 16 replaced the 15-inch model, and many other laptop makers are following suit with their larger notebooks.
On the non-gaming front, the Blade 16 also excelled at everything I threw at it. Scrolling through websites and documents was a dream, thanks to that high refresh rate screen. And while it doesn’t include a mechanical keyboard like Alienware and other competitors, the Blade 16’s typing experience was solid. The trackpad is also far larger than the Blade 15’s, but it’s just as smooth and responsive. And you can actually expect to do a decent amount of work before recharging: In PCMark 10’s battery benchmark, it lasted 5 hours and 15 minutes, two hours more than the Blade 18. It also has every port you’d want: three USB 3.0 Type A connections (two on the left side, one on the right), HDMI, two USB-C ports (one of which supports Thunderbolt 4) and a microSD card slot.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
As I spent time with the Blade 16, I couldn’t help but ask myself: Is it really worth spending more for a dual-mode screen, when fast 1,440p laptops are becoming increasingly affordable? Personally, I think that resolution sits at a sweet spot between delivering more pixels than 1080p, but also achieving faster refresh rates than any 4K panel. For most people, a 1,440p laptop (like the Zephyrus G14) simply makes more sense – especially when you can find them for $1,000 (or more) less than the Blade 16.
Given its added heft, as well as its higher $2,700 starting price (with an RTX 4060), I can’t recommend the Blade 16 to most buyers – not when the Blade 15 is still around and starts at $2,000 with a 3070 Ti. If you want the 4060, be prepared to shell out another $500. And if you’re mainly intrigued by the dual-mode display on the Blade 16, that costs $3,300 with an RTX 4070. Honestly, that’s a ridiculously high price for a laptop with that GPU. Our review unit cost a whopping $4,300 with the Core i9-13950HX, RTX 4090, 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD.
But, just like much of Apple’s hardware, the Razer tax may be something we have to pay for innovation. The Blade 16’s dual-mode screen is one of the most remarkable things I’ve seen in a gaming laptop lately – but for most shoppers, the Blade 15 will be far more practical.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/razer-blade-16-review-4k-1080p-miniled-screen-151100229.html?src=rss
Sony has a great track record when it comes to budget headphones. The company’s WH-CH710N were excellent, but overpriced initially. Sony made them an incredible value at $150 after it cut the price shortly after their debut in 2020. Great sound quality, capable ANC, good battery life and a comfy fit made the WH-CH710N a compelling, affordable alternative to the premium WH-1000XM3, which was the company’s flagship model at the time. Earlier this year, the company debuted the follow-up to that three-year-old set: the WH-CH720N.
On paper, the 2023 edition should keep Sony’s reputation for solid mid-range and budget headphones as alternatives to the pricey WH-1000XM5. The WH-CH720N houses the same V1 chip from the M5, which powers both active noise cancellation (ANC) and overall sound quality. There’s also an updated design and a lower price following another early cut ($130), but battery life remains the same at 35 hours. So, is the WH-CH720N another mid-range hit for Sony?
Let’s start with the design. The WH-CH720N takes cues from Sony’s more recent 1000X headphones and the WH-XB910N, primarily the headband and ear cup hinges. The outside of the ear cups are flatter and they’re just hard plastic – no soft-touch material here. Like previous mid-range Sony models, the WH-CH720N has physical controls with a power/pairing button on the left beside the USB-C charging port and 3.5mm jack. On the right side, there’s a dedicated noise canceling button that cycles between ANC and transparency mode. There’s also the typical three-button array with volume controls flanking the multi-function track and call button. That center control also summons your preferred voice assistant. While the buttons work reliably, the raised dash on the middle button is low, so it’s difficult to place your thumb quickly.
Like the WH-CH710N, this new model is supremely lightweight and comfy. I can easily wear these for hours at a time. There’s also ample cushioning in the ear pads and the headband hinge isn’t wound so tight it pinches my head. I liked a lot of what the 710N had to offer, but overall comfort was near the top of the list, so it’s great to see that Sony didn’t overlook this aspect when designing the follow-up version. The only real issue is that it uses a lot of plastic. While this helps keep the weight down, it also ensures the 720N look decidedly cheap.
The suite of features for the WH-CH720N inside the Sony Headphones app is where you’ll notice key differences from the WH-1000XM5. Most notably, the 720N doesn’t have Speak-to-Chat, a feature that automatically pauses audio when it detects you’re talking. Related, this new model also doesn’t have automatic pausing when you take them off your head.
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
Despite a few omissions, there are still some handy tools available. First, Adaptive Sound Control allows the app to automatically adjust settings based on your location or activity. This allows you to turn on ANC when you arrive at the office or activate transparency mode when you start a run, for example. Here, and in the general sound settings, you can specify a level of ambient sound and choose to pipe in voices while this mode is active.
Additionally, Sony offers an EQ slider for manual adjustments as well as a separate bass adjustment. There’s also a collection of audio presets if you’re in a hurry. 360 Reality Audio is available on the WH-CH720N (with a compatible streaming subscription) and the app gives you the option of DSEE upscaling to improve compressed content. The app also allows you to activate multipoint Bluetooth for two devices and a Safe Listening feature is there to help preserve your hearing.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about the WH-CH710N was the overall sound quality. I was amazed at what Sony managed in a set of headphones that cost half as much as its flagship model. There was ample bass with an open soundstage and great clarity in the details. Thankfully, the WH-CH720N is more of the same. These headphones allow the subtleties of boygenius’ the record to shine, from the somber guitar effects to the quieter keyboard/organ parts of songs like “True Blue.” There are lots of more subdued parts on the record that you can easily pick up on. The fingerpicked acoustic guitar and banjo on “Cool About It” are also quite dynamic and textural.
Heavier, more chaotic genres fare just as well. Better Lovers’ gritty, thrashy metal track “30 Under 13” is quite a ride. Even the fastest, grindiest riffs are captured with surprising clarity. All the instruments stand on their own, and at no point do they become a smashed together mess. The dynamics of tracks like O’Brother’s “Halogen Eye” also come through well. There’s plenty of grainy, thick distortion on the verses and these headphones get every bit of that texture, in addition to reverb and other effects that create the band’s atmospheric, moody soundscape.
Lastly, on Nickel Creek’s Celebrants – a modern bluegrass record – the WH-CH720N allows you to feel like you’re in the room with the band. Helped in part by the positioning of the guitar, mandolin, fiddle and bass in the mix, the headphones keep the sensation of sitting in on a private performance rather than simply listening to a recorded track.
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
In terms of noise cancellation, I think the WH-CH720N are a slight step back from the 710N. The ANC will do just fine for you in most cases, especially with constant noise. However, these headphones really struggle with human voices, which doesn’t make them the best option if your primary aim is to block out a nearby phone call or chatty colleagues. Transparency mode offers a great natural sound that comes in especially handy when you’re taking video and voice calls. Speaking of calls, the 720N does a decent job blocking background noise and the overall audio quality makes you sound better than speakerphone and most earbuds. It’s not pristine, but it’s a cut above the status quo.
When it comes to battery life, Sony promises up to 35 hours with ANC on. During what I consider normal use – a mix of noise canceling and transparency mode for music and calls, plus powering off a few times overnight – the app showed 40 percent remaining after 28 hours. The Bluetooth menu in macOS backed this up. The company says you can expect up to 50 hours with ANC off, so my mixed-use trials were on par with that. Battery life estimates have never been a problem on Sony headphones and that’s not the case here either. Plus, 35 hours is on par with most flagship models these days, even if it’s the same figure as the previous model.
The WH-CH720N is a strong contender to replace the current budget pick in our best headphones guide, but if you need a solid alternative look to Audio-Technica. While the $79 M20xBT is our current low-cost selection, the M50xBT2 is a more apt comparison. The M50 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation, but they do have a more refined design, physical controls and warm, inviting sound. If you don’t need extra help blocking out distractions, they’re currently available for $199 – $69 more than the 720N. Sony introduced the WH-CH520 alongside the WH-CH720N, which could be an option if you’re really pinching pennies. This on-ear model doesn’t have ANC either, but it does have 50-hour battery life and multipoint connectivity alongside onboard controls. What’s more, they’re only $50.
Sony has managed to build another compelling set of affordable noise-canceling headphones without cutting too many corners. Sure, there are some premium features you’ll have to live without, but the WH-CH720N covers the basics well. Good sound quality with specific attention to finer details and ample bass is combined with a handy transparency mode and automatic sound profile switching. The noise cancellation does a decent job, but it’s not the best, and you’ll have to make do without automatic pausing. Still, for well under $150, you’d be hard pressed to find a better option at this price.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-wh-ch720n-review-160032871.html?src=rss
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