Category: Electronic Product

Nikon D750 Replacement Coming in Early 2020 with 24MP Sensor, Better AF and More: Report

The D750 is a favorite among Nikon DSLR shooters, but in 2019 it’s really starting to show its age. Thankfully, the latest reports hint at a replacement coming sooner rather than later, and as of this morning, we have our first set of rumored specs for the unconfirmed DSLR.

This set of specifications come from Nikon Rumors, who claims that the camera will not be called the D760. Instead, sources tell NR that the camera will be “a merger of the D700 series and the D800 series” with a model number between D760 and D800.

Beyond this, several of the rumored specs read like a DSLR version of the mirrorless Nikon Z6: with a 24MP BSI sensor, 4K/30p and 1080/120p video support, better high-ISO performance than the D850, touchscreen, updated UI, and built-in WiFi and Bluetooth. Where it differs will be the dual UHS-II SD memory card slots and a (obviously) DSLR-style autofocus system with between 51 and 153 AF points.

As with any “first set” of rumored specifications, we suggest taking these with a grain of salt, but it sounds like Nikon does have a D750 DSLR replacement in the works for those users who don’t want to jump on the mirrorless bandwagon. According to Nikon Rumors, the official announcement “could be as early as January-February.”

This new HyperJuice 100W GaN charger could be the charger of your dreams

Gallium nitride chargers have been getting better fast since they first came out earlier this year — we started with 30W and 45W chargers, then small 61W bricks, then a 60W charger with two USB-C ports, and there was a small 65W charger with two USB-C ports and a USB-A port in September. But now we might have a new wall charging king, as Hyper launched a Kickstarter for the HyperJuice 100W GaN charger — which delivers the maximum amount of power that USB-C can muster under the current standard, in a package that’s about the size of a deck of cards.

It also has built-in prongs on the back that you flip out so you can plug it into an outlet. But be careful plugging it into a wall — the charger sticks out far enough that it looks pretty easy to run into and accidentally knock out:

The charger can push a full 100 watts of power — which could theoretically let you fully power a powerful 15-inch MacBook Pro and an iPhone 11 Pro simultaneously, or a 13-inch Pro and a MacBook Air — because it’s using gallium nitride (GaN), which is more efficient than silicon because it can sustain higher voltages and can run current faster than silicon can — which all has the benefit of opening up more possibilities for small yet powerful charging devices like the HyperJuice.

If this truly does seem like your dream wall charger and you want to back it, it seems likely you’ll get the product Hyper has promised — the company has a good track record when it comes to crowdfunding, having successfully used Kickstarter in the past for marketing and preorders. Other Kickstarted products include the Sanho HyperCube, which lets you add USB and microSD storage to your phone charger, and the the HyperJuice USB-C battery pack, which was the first to support the 100W USB-C Power Delivery 3.0 Profile.

Hyper says the HyperJuice 100W GaN wall charger will start shipping to early bird backers in January 2020 (but unfortunately, those are sold out already), and to other Kickstarter backers in February 2020. If you back it on Kickstarter now, you’ll get it for a bit cheaper than its expected retail price of $99 — but how cheap depends on which tier you buy, and how soon you do.

Sony A6600 review: A rare misstep for Sony’s cameras

As Sony’s new flagship APS-C camera, the 24.2-meagpixel A6600 has a lot to live up to. First of all, it had to follow the A6500, launched in 2016 with innovative features like 4K 30 fps video, fast 11 fps shooting speeds, in-body stabilization and face- and eye-tracking. For a couple of years, nothing else on the market could touch it.

What’s more, the A6600 arrived just after Sony’s 61-megapixel A7R IV full-frame mirrorless camera — possibly the best camera I’ve ever seen. From a competition standpoint, Sony is also under pressure to top Fujifilm’s X-T3, which has a higher-resolution sensor, more 4K video features and much better handling than the A6500.

The A6600 has in-body stabilization, a key feature that its rivals lack, and packs other promising features like a bigger grip and battery, along with improvements to its famous AI-powered autofocus system. However, Sony did not upgrade the three-year old sensor. Can it can hold its own against its full-frame stablemates? Can it beat the X-T3?

Pros

Excellent battery life

Class-leading autofocus

In-body stabilization

Good low-light performance

Cons

Bad rolling shutter

Mediocre 4K capability

Poor handling

Single slow memory card slot

Summary

As Sony’s new flagship APS-C camera, the 24.2-megapixel A6600 has a lot to live up to. Its predecessor, the A6500, broke new ground, and the full-frame A7 series are the best mirrorless cameras on the market. The A6600 does have some nice features like real-time AF tracking, in-body stabilization and improved battery life. However, it’s held back by poor handling, an old sensor with bad rolling shutter and 4K video capabilities that are behind rivals. Overall, it’s not as good a camera as Fujifilm’s X-T3, and represents a rare camera misfire for Sony.

Body and handling

A lot of fans were hoping that Sony might reboot the A6500’s rather plain, ergonomically-deficient body and go with something that looks more like the A7R III. That didn’t happen. The A6600’s body is pretty similar to the previous model, except for one important detail: a much bigger grip.

That grip not only makes it easier to grab and hold the camera, but also houses a much larger Z-series battery. You now get 810 shots on a charge, an incredible spec usually reserved for DSLRs. In that department, it beats its main rivals — the X-T3 (390 shots), Canon’s M6 II (305 shots), the Panasonic GH5 (410 shots) and the Nikon Z 50 (300 shots) — by miles.

Unfortunately, that’s where the ergonomic improvements end. The A6600 has the same button and dial layout as before, bar some minor nip-and-tuck work. That means it still lacks a front shutter/aperture dial and a joystick control for focus. It’s inexcusable for Sony to leave those things out on a flagship, $1,400 camera, especially when you can find them on all its competition.

The A6600’s menu system is roughly the same as before, which is to say, not good. Many functions are buried in the wrong menus, and require endless scrolling to find. Given that, and the lack of manual controls, using the A6600 was frankly a frustrating experience — especially after I had such a good time with the well-designed A7R IV. Oh, and on top of all that, the A6600 is still pretty ugly, too.

Another negative is the 2.36-million dot OLED electronic (EVF) viewfinder, which is also largely unchanged from the last model. It works okay, but feels out-of-date compared to the 3.69-million dot, blackout-free EVF on Fujifilm’s X-T3.

The A6600 has just a single card slot, and worse, it only uses the UHS-I standard and not UHS-II with triple the speed. As I’ll explain later, that can slow down shooting considerably. While this might have been acceptable three years ago, in 2019 the A6600 has to go up against the X-T3 and Panasonic’s GH5, both of which have two fast UHS-II card slots.

On the positive side, the rear touch display now tilts up, making the A6600 more useful as a vlogging camera. You can also use it to choose autofocus tracking subjects, but unlike the touch displays on all its rivals, it can’t be used to operate the main menu or even the quick menu.

Like before, the A6600 has a microphone input, and Sony has also added a headphone port. That’s a nice addition, as serious videographers can monitor sound while they’re doing interviews and other chores.

Performance

While ergonomics are not the A6600’s strong point, it has excellent shooting speeds and, particularly, autofocus performance. It can handle bursts up to 11 fps with full autofocus and auto exposure, which is a bit slower than Canon’s M6 Mark II (14 fps) and identical to the Fujifilm X-T3. However, in electronic shutter mode, the X-T3 can hit 20 fps, nearly doubling the A6600 burst speeds.

Sony’s uncanny autofocus system, with 425 phase and contrast detect AF points, still delivers more in-focus shots than those models. The latest feature is what Sony calls “real-time tracking” and “real-time eye autofocus.” What that means is that Sony has increased AF speeds to the point that you can touch to select a subject, and it’ll track them in real time.

The face- and eye-detect systems are particularly good, staying locked onto your subject’s face even if they temporarily move out of view. If you touch to select your subject, it tenaciously tracks them no matter where they go. I found that the only time subject tracking didn’t work well was if they were particularly far away.

Overall, Sony still has the best autofocus and face-tracking AI of any APS-C camera. It was able to handle everything I tried, from tracking people playing at a pond, to a musical group in low light, to dogs running around.

However, it’s hampered by a couple of things. First off, if you need to be unobtrusive while shooting sports with the silent electronic shutter, you might end up with skewed shots because of the sensor’s rolling shutter issue.

And while you can shoot pretty long bursts of up to 99 shots at maximum resolution, it takes ages and ages for the buffer to clear. That’s likely because of the relatively slow write speeds from the UHS I slot that Sony inexplicably decided to use. When that happens, you can’t shoot anymore and many of the camera’s functions are inoperable.

Another issue with the burst shooting is the lack of a blackout-free EVF. That can make it hard to follow action in sports or wildlife — and that’s the point of burst shooting and tracking autofocus. The X-T3, on the other hand, has no blackout in the viewfinder at the maximum 20 fps shooting speeds.

One of the Sony A6600’s biggest advantages over similar cameras is the five-axis stabilization. The system lets you shoot in much lower light than would otherwise be possible. With five stops of shake reduction, I was able to take photos at shutter speeds down to around 1/15th of a second, provided my subject didn’t move around much. On other cameras, including Nikon’s Z 50 and the X-T3, you’ll need to use lenses with built-in stabilization — and many of the best primes don’t have that option.

Image Quality

While it has the same sensor as the A6500, Sony did a good job sprucing up the A6600’s image quality. It has a new Bionz X processor, and Sony rejigged the algorithms, using the same ones on the A7R IV, to improve the color accuracy and sharpness.

JPEGs straight out of the camera were sharp and had natural-looking colors, especially in the skin tone regions. With 14 stops of dynamic range, shadows and highlights were pleasingly smooth and not brutally cut off in tricky gradient areas. When working with RAW files, I was able to tease out detail in both shadow and highlight areas.

As far as low-light shooting goes, the A6600 is one of the best APS-C cameras on the market, with usable shots up to ISO 12,800 and beyond. Above that, you’ll see a lot of noise in shadows, but well-lit areas still retain a surprising amount of detail. I took one photo in a train station at ISO 6400, and by cranking up the shadows, I was able to see the detailed brickwork in the ceiling without excessive noise levels.

Overall, image quality is a strong point on this camera thanks to Sony’s faster processor and improved color science. Again, keep in mind the rolling shutter issues that can happen in electronic shutter mode. If you or your subject move around a lot, you’re going to get skew that can potentially ruin a photo.

Video

With a full-sensor readout and super-sampled 30 fps 4K, along with full HD at 120 fps, the A6500 was an excellent video camera in 2016. But in 20190? Not so much. The A6600 carries over those same specs, and still only supports low bit-rate, 8-bit video. In the meantime, its rivals have moved on. The X-T3 and Panasonic’s GH5 can handle 4K at 60 fps and also record 30 fps 4K with 10 bits (billions) of color, both externally and internally at up to 400 Mbps.

You still get sharp super-sampled 4K video, and with Sony’s latest algorithms, colors and skin tones look realistic and natural. Sony also has added V-Log2 and V-Log3 options to maximize dynamic range in post. However, that feature is somewhat crippled by the lack of 10-bit output and low 100 Mbps bit rate, which means you’ll have less flexibility when you go to adjust the footage.

That said, Sony’s excellent autofocus system is an advantage here. If you flip it into face and eye detection mode, you’ll keep your subject in focus more reliably than on the X-T3. Despite the recent improvements, though, it still occasionally lost focus on my subjects. As such, Canon still holds a slight lead over Sony with its Dual Pixel autofocus system.

The A6600 is a decent vlogging and general-purpose video camera thanks to the flip-up screen and headphone output. I tried it out in face-detection mode, and at close vlogging range, it rarely lost focus. Because of the flip-up screen, however, you can’t just mount an external mic on the hot shoe — rather, you’ll need to get an accessory like Sony’s shooting grip kit, including an external microphone bracket.

The biggest problem for vlogging, though, is (again) the rolling shutter. Unless you can walk a lot more smoothly than I can, any jolt will turn the video into a wobbly mess. For that reason alone, it’s hard for me to recommend it for any serious vloggers — I’d get Panasonic’s GH5 or GH5s instead.

Wrap-up

Given Sony’s technical leadership in the camera industry, the release of the A6600 is a head-scratcher. If you were looking for a mirrorless APS-C camera three years ago, the A6500 was the best option, hands down. Now? I’m not so sure.

Sony did make a few decent improvements, adding real-time tracking and real-time eye AF to its class-leading autofocus system. It’s nice to have a bigger grip and incredible battery life for both photo and video shooting. And the five-axis in-body stabilization gives the A6600 a leg up on its rivals, particularly when using un-stabilized prime lenses.

However, it’s bizarre that Sony didn’t update the sensor over the last model, considering that it’s the world’s leader in sensor technology. The bad rolling shutter was the biggest weakness of the original A6500, and it’s now back to haunt the A6600. In 2019, it has to compete against the X-T3, Z 50, Canon’s M6 II and Panasonic’s GH5, none of which have rolling shutter that’s nearly as noticeable. I also wish it had two faster card slots and more advanced 4K options.

If you’re looking to spend $1,400, I’d get the X-T3 instead, which is a better all around camera. If it’s resolution you need, take a look at Canon’s M6 Mark II which is cheaper ($1,050 with the EVF) and can also shoot faster. If you’re okay with a smaller Micro Four Thirds sensor, Panasonic’s $1,500 GH5 is still the best video-centric mirrorless camera out there, especially with recent AF firmware updates.

Razer’s latest wireless mice promise low-lag gaming from $60

Razer is expanding its Basilisk mouse family with a pair of models that aim to make low-latency wireless mice both more accessible and more powerful. The most interesting model may be the affordable option, the six-button Basilisk X HyperSpeed (above). It packs a 16,000DPI sensor, Bluetooth support and its namesake low-lag HyperSpeed wireless (when you use a 2.4GHz USB dongle) for a reasonable $60. You may save money on batteries, too, as one AA cell will deliver about 12 days of use on 2.4GHz, or 19 days on Bluetooth.

The Basilisk Ultimate (below), meanwhile, is the spare-no-expense option. It touts the same 20,000DPI sensor as the Viper Ultimate, 11 buttons and optical mouse switches to reduce both delays and the risk of corrosive effects. You also get up to five on-device memory profiles, optional wired use and the seemingly obligatory abundance of Chroma RGB lighting. It doesn’t last as long at 100 hours using the 4GHz dongle (no Bluetooth here), but that’s not shocking given the performance. You can buy the Ultimate for $150 by itself, or $170 with a Mouse Dock that simplifies recharging.

Both mice are available now, and you can buy the Mouse Dock separately for $50 if you need it later.

Canon Has ‘Moved On to HEIF,’ But Won’t Ditch JPEG Completely… Yet

A report by Digital Camera World earlier this week initially claimed that Canon was ditching JPEGs, replacing them with 10-bit HEIF files in the upcoming Canon 1D X Mark III, and possibly beyond. And while Canon eventually clarified that they are not getting rid of JEPG, the format may be (ought to be?) on its last legs.

The so-called “High Efficiency Image File Format” is a more efficient image format based on “High Efficiency Video Compression” or H.265. It rose to industry prominence in 2017 when Apple actually did ditch JPEG in favor of HEIC—the file name Apple uses for HEIF images captured by iPhones—because the format allows you to store twice the data as JPEG without increasing the file size. Additionally, HEIF supports up to 16-bit color, whereas all JPEGs are 8-bit.

Which brings us back to Canon.

The DCW report drew an understandable conclusion based on a statement by Canon UK product intelligence specialist David Parry, who said that Canon had “moved on to HEIF files” during a 1D X Mark III product briefing.

Once the news started gaining traction, Canon clarified that they “have no plans to abandon JPEGs just give users a new image option,” but this begs the question: why would someone shoot 8-bit JPEGs when they could capture more data at a similar file size with a 10-bit HEIF?

Google ran into this head-on earlier this month, when it was discovered that the iPhone’s original resolution HEIC files were so small they were getting around Google Photos’ limited storage parameters, allowing iPhone users to store unlimited full-resolution files on the service for free—a feature that was “exclusive” to Pixel users, and that Google was quietly doing away with.

DCW’s James Artaius drew the same conclusion after hearing from Canon that JPEG would still be around. Thanks to Apple, the format has enjoyed widespread adoption by developers for both Windows and Mac, so there are no longer any major compatibility issues. In Artaius’ own words, “with JPG being made quite redundant by HEIF, there is little practical point in actually using it.”

We would love to see this technology adopted by other brands, and wouldn’t be surprised if that happens sooner rather than later. Apple got the ball rolling two years ago, and now that the world’s largest camera company is embracing HEIF, we can only hope that it will be the format that JPEG 2000 and Google’s WEBP and every other “JPEG-killer” never quite managed to become.

The Moto 360, the original round smartwatch, is back, and it’s a stunner

The Motorola Moto 360 is back, except things are a little different, as Motorola isn’t making this one. Instead it has licensed out the Moto 360 name to a brand partner called eBuyNow. The Moto 360 has gone the same way as Nokia, BlackBerry, and other tech resurrections. The firm insists this new model is deeply connected to the original Moto 360, and that it’s a step above the average smartwatch.

The return of the Moto 360

The $350 price certainly suggests a higher tier. It’s about $100 more expensive than most Fossil smartwatches, and getting close to the Apple Watch Series 5. In terms of specs, this is the equivalent of a 5th generation Fossil watch, so you get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 3100 processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB memory, a 1.2-inch AMOLED screen, a heart rate sensor on the back, GPS, NFC, and Google’s WearOS software. It has quick charging — just 60 minutes to full capacity — and should last through the day.

So far, so familiar. What makes it different is the materials and the build quality. The Moto 360 is designed to appeal to those who appreciate what makes a traditional watch desirable. The body is made from 3 mm-thick stainless steel — twice that of other smartwatches eBuyNow told me — which is then covered in a PVD (similar to films found on solar panels) or DLC (diamond-like carbon) coating, giving the Moto 360 a pleasing texture I’m more used to seeing on watches that cost a lot more than $350.

Styling queues taken from the original Moto 360 are minimal, taking after it mostly in the simple overall design, but the new 360 stands apart from previous versions due to its two-button layout. This is a little more comfortable to wear, as there’s no crown to dig directly into your wrist, but it may not look as appealing to some. Thankfully, the Moto 360 pulls off this design very well, mostly because the top button features a textured finish with the Motorola logo inscribed, which I rather like.

Straps and software

The top button is multi-functional, and can be pushed to access the menu, held down for Google Assistant, or twisted to scroll through menus and notifications. It’s very natural too, and the tactility feels great against the tip of your finger. The lower button is programmable, as well. There are two straps inside the box — a leather version and a very flexible, high quality silicone strap.

It looked smart, stylish, and perfectly-sized when I strapped it on my wrist, but the thickness is slightly surprising, given the advances Fossil has shown in this area with its 5th generation smartwatches. For all Motorola’s bluster about the premium DLC and PVD coatings, it’s questionable whether regular smartwatch buyers really care about it, and whether it will encourage anyone to spend more on a Moto 360 than one of the more svelte Armani or Fossil watches.

The watch runs WearOS and doesn’t have any additional apps or special Motorola alterations at all. I was told that some software announcements may come when the watch goes on sale, but whether this would be a Google update or Motorola’s special features was not stated. During my limited time with the watch the software worked well and the menus moved smoothly and quickly. But it wasn’t connected to a phone, so the full experience may differ.

eBuyWho?

As mentioned, Motorola isn’t manufacturing the Moto 360, instead licensing out the name to eBuyNow, which it describes as a strategic brand partner. Heard of them? Me neither. In the press release for the smartwatch, eBuyNow says it’s an independent, data-driven consumer electronics manufacturer, and that it looks for gaps in the market to exploit. It seems the gap in release times from the last, well-regarded Moto 360 seemed a ripe opportunity.

At the London launch event, eBuyNow representatives spoke very positively about the Moto 360 smartwatch, its partnership with Qualcomm, and great relationship with Motorola. But what else has it made? It’s worked with Fitbit and Garmin as well, so it has experience in making wearables, and also lists Samsung, Panasonic, Toshiba, Sony, and Sharp as partners. It’s also responsible for Kodak, a licensing deal that appears similar to that with Motorola.

Conclusion

First impressions of the Moto 360 are good. It’s attractive, made from quality materials, and the design is elevated above the ordinary with the unusual side buttons. Still, it’s quite hard to justify the additional expense on the materials and build alone, as Fossil’s stylish watches are also great choices for a sizable amount less. Perhaps using the Moto 360 may reveal it to be operationally better than other WearOS watches out there, especially with a pending software additions pre-launch, so we’re keen to try it out more.

The Moto 360 will be available to buy in December through moto360.com, with pre-orders beginning in mid-November. The watch costs $350 or 340 British pounds.

The Moto 360 smartwatch is back, but Motorola isn’t making it

The original Moto 360 was one of the most attractive smartwatches around when it launched way back in 2015. As the first round Android Wear watch, it made a huge impression with slick-looking wearables fans despite some hiccups at launch, but as with so many tech firsts, it gradually lost its charm. Now, however, it’s making a comeback.

In the same nostalgic vein as HMD’s revival of the Nokia, or TCL bringing back the BlackBerry, the Moto 360 has been given a contemporary makeover and is being brought back to the masses. This time around it’ll feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform, 8GB of storage and 1GB RAM, an always-on display and fast charging that’ll have it juiced from zero to 100 percent in just an hour. Plus it comes with all-day battery life and a battery-saving mode that will keep the time displayed for three days even when the battery is critical. And, of course, it’ll boast the good looks that made it so popular the first time around.

What’s interesting, however, is the company behind its resurrection. While Nokia and BlackBerry had the likes of HMD and TCL behind their resurgence, the Moto 360 has a company called eBuyNow. It’s under license and in partnership with Motorola, but it’s still a relative unknown. Whether this will have any impact on the watch’s comeback remains to be seen — the company’s website does say that it has 15 years of experience in this area — but the real question is whether the Moto 360 can once again find favor with buyers in a market that’s now saturated with equally attractive-looking devices.

Canon creating even smaller mirrorless cameras, new patent reveals

Canon’s new EOS M6 Mark II is a portable powerhouse: it fits easily into any bag, making it an ideal traveling companion. In fact, even the company’s EOS RP full-frame mirrorless snapper (pictured above) is small and light, despite its large lens mount.

However, Canon seems to think it’s possible to shrink the size of its mirrorless cameras even further, if its latest patent application is anything to go by.

Filed in Japan, the patent describes “a technique for suppressing an increase in the size of an image pickup apparatus due to the arrangement of a motor for driving a shutter”. 

In other words, as Canon News points out, if the shutter motor is moved from its current position next to the battery compartment on the EOS RP to under the shutter assembly (position 405 in the diagram below), it might allow the camera maker to design a smaller body.

Going by the diagrams in the patent, particularly the size of the lens mount, the design idea seems to be for a new full-frame mirrorless snapper, although the same concept could be applied to Canon’s APS-C mirrorless cameras as well.

While a lighter, more compact interchangeable lens camera (ILC) will make many travel photographers happy, how a smaller body will be able to handle larger lenses – like the brand-new RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM – remains to be seen. That said, if Canon could design some pancake prime lenses with wide apertures of f/1.4 or f/2.8, the company may well win back some customers.

Beats Solo Pro review roundup: Best Beats headphones by far

Apple announced Beats Solo Pro headphones, with active noise cancellation and amazing battery life in mid-October. The headphones are available to purchase now for $299 in a number of matte finishes which include Gray, Black, Red, Ivory, Dark Blue, Red and Light Blue. These headphones have been receiving glowing reviews from different publications. Here are some of the best reviews to help you decide if you should buy the new Solo Pro headphones or not.

Beats Solo Pro Reviews

The Verge reviewed the headphones and said that these are the best Beats headphones yet. They complained about the lack of auto-pause and 3.5mm port, which means that you have to buy a special $35 cable from Apple with aux on one side and Lightning on the other side, if you want to plugin to a headphone jack. The website gave the headphones an 8/10 rating.

But even as they are, the Solo Pros are perhaps the best headphones Beats has produced. The noise cancellation isn’t best in class, but it’s still quite good. Frequent travelers or people who care most about comfort might want to stick with Bose or Sony.

Tom’s Guide did not like the fact that Beats Solo Pro use a Lightning connector, and we agree. It should have used a USB-C connector in this day and age. They also did not like the lack of an equalizer. However, they think that the headphones are good enough to give Bose competition, at a lower price. Tom’s Guide gave them a 4.5/5 rating.

Beats has always been the cool brand. Many of your favorite celebrities have rocked a pair on camera at one point. However, Beats headphones weren’t really known for their audio or build quality. That all changes with the Beats Solo Pro. For $299, you get a pair of headphones with great audio quality, near-instantaneous pairing and seamless integration with Apple products. And as the first on-ear noise-cancelling headphones in the Beats catalog, they actually give Bose some stiff competition. And yes, you can still get a colorful, eye-catching pair of cans.

PCMag found the headphones have good audio but they get some hiss when active noise cancellation is enabled. Like Tom’s Guide, they also don’t like that Beats do not have an equalizer. PCMag’s overall review score was 4/5.

The Beats Solo Pro headphones delivers quality noise cancellation with a bass-forward, but relatively balanced, sound signature.

Gizmodo’s review says that the headphones are $100 too expensive. However, other reviews claimed that they are $100 cheaper than equivalent headphones from competitors. Gizmodo praised the design, build quality and sound quality.

I like the Beats Solo Pro. It feels like the company has turned a corner, leaving behind a scattered history of making questionable headphones and charging towards a brighter future. As such, I’m excited about the inevitable upgrade to the Beats Studio flagship.

Beats will nevertheless sell a lot of these headphones. Those who do fork over three C-notes for the Solo Pro will surely enjoy using them. They’re good headphones. And there I said it: Beats made good headphones.

A common theme across all reviews was that the headphones are a tight fit for people with big heads, no pun intended. Otherwise, Beats Solo Pro are winning praise from everyone, even those who would shrug when the Beats brand is mentioned. If you are in the market for new headphones, these might be worth considering.

AirPods versus AirPods Pro — Apple’s wireless earbuds compared

Apple’s just-launched AirPods Pro are certain to be a desirable audio accessory this holiday season, but how different is it from the existing second-generation AirPods? AppleInsider runs the numbers on both sets of wireless earphones.

Launched on Monday and shipping from October 30, the AirPods Pro are a premium alternative to the existing and already highly-coveted AirPods. The key change for this version is the inclusion of Active Noise Cancellation, but there’s far more changes to the model from what’s available in its predecessor.

Physical

The AirPods Pro are best described as shorter and squatter than the AirPods, having a shorter height of 1.22 inches against 1.59 but measuring wider and deeper at 0.86 by 0.94 inches against 0.65 by 0.71 inches. To external viewers, the main difference is the stem of the AirPods Pro is a fair bit shorter than for the AirPods, which is their biggest clue as to which version is being worn.

The short and squat changes also apply to the case, which measures 1.78 inches in height and with a width and depth of 2.39 inches and 0.85 inches respectively. The case for the AirPods is, again taller at 2.11 inches but not as wide at 1.74 inches, and with a comparable 0.84 inches in depth.

If the AirPods Pro case is rotated so it is on its side against the upright AirPods case, there’s not much difference at all, with the Pro being generally slightly smaller in terms of overall volume. Just like the AirPods Pro, the case is also slightly heavier at 1.61 ounces, versus 1.41 ounces for the AirPods case.

Another big difference is the AirPods Pro use of additional silicone tips that can be switched between three different sizes to give an optimal fit to the ear cavity, something not offered by AirPods. Apple claims the fit helps provide an “exceptional seal for Active Noise Cancellation” to function optimally.

This arguably also accounts for the additional width of the AirPods Pro, and with the shifting of internals up into the earbud, this allows Apple to reduce the length to something that is less obvious.

Similar Functionality

The core functionality of both the AirPods and AirPods Pro are the same, mostly due to the use of Apple’s H1 headphone chip in both models. The chip drives the connectivity with an iPhone or another device, as well as enabling voice-activated Siri, with Apple boasting it also reduces audio latency for gaming by up to 30 percent.

The built-in optical sensors and motion accelerometers work together to manage the audio experience, such as turning on the microphones for calls and for Siri, and for turning each AirPod on to play sound when it is placed in an ear. Taps of each earphone can be used to control music playback or answer a phone call, instead of needing a verbal Siri request to do so or to access the connected device hosting the audio feed.

The speech-detecting accelerometer is able to recognize when the user is speaking then, in concert with the beamforming microphones, can filter out external noise to try and focus on the user’s voice for clearer audio.

The Big Difference: Active Noise Cancellation and Adaptive EQ

The main change potential AirPods owners will care about is Active Noise Cancellation, which is available on the AirPods Pro but not the AirPods. As with other noise-cancelling systems, the AirPods detects external sound to determine environmental noise, then creates an equivalent “anti-noise” to cancel it out before it reaches the user’s ear.

The AirPods Pro include an extra microphone that is inward-facing, which listens towards the ear. Any remaining noise that is detected by the microphone is then dealt with in a similar way, further enhancing the ANC effect.

According to Apple, this process is performed 200 times per second.

Due to the use of an effective ANC as well as using the vented silicone tips that seal the ear canal, a Transparency mode is offered in the AirPods Pro that can let users hear the environment while still listening to music, making it safer for wearers to hear traffic or other potential hazards while out and about.

The system is similar to ANC in that it detects the environmental noise and processes it, but instead it reduces the volume.

The included Force sensor, new to AirPods Pro, is used to switch between the full ANC and Transparency modes, though it also helps assist with other tapping actions.

The introduction of Adaptive EQ also promises to make music better for users, by automatically tuning the low and mid-range frequencies of the music to the shape of the individual’s ear. This, combined with a custom high dynamic range amplifier and a high-excursion, low-distortion speaker driver providing rich bass down to a level of 20Hz, promises to offer a great audio experience.

Power and Sweat

Both versions offer similar levels of power usage, though with ever so slight differences. While both are capable of up to 5 hours of music listening from a single charge, this drops slightly to 4.5 hours for the AirPods Pro when used with ANC. For talk time, the AirPods Pro come out on top with 3.5 hours to the AirPods 3 hours.

Wen used with the charging cases, Apple claims both models offer “More than 24 hours of listening time” in total, and “Up to 18 hours of talk time.”

The specifications for charging the AirPods advise 15 minutes in the case will provide up to three hours of listening time. For the AirPods Pro, this is instead described as 5 minutes of charging resulting in around 1 hour of listening, making the two roughly comparable on that metric.

Apple also goes out of its way to state the AirPods Pro offer a level of sweat and water resistance, specifically at an IPX4 rating, whereas there is no mention of the feature for AirPods. It is likely that the additional silicone tips offer enough purchase to make the AirPods Pro more suitable for activities like running and working out, whereas the AirPods’ slightly less secure seating make them less useful in that regard.

A Decent Upgrade

In theory, the AirPods Pro are the easy choice among the pair if someone wants to buy wireless earphones to go with their iPhone. The addition of ANC to the device makes it a no-brainer for people who hate having to deal with environmental noise and other distractions, while the Transparency mode still makes the user aware in situations where they need to pay attention.

As all other elements are largely the same, it becomes a question of whether the extra price is worth it for these additional functions. Considering other headphones with ANC can command a significant premium on top of non-ANC versions that can run to well over $100 in some instances, paying an extra $50 for the same thing in AirPods is actually quite reasonable.

This is of course in comparing the AirPods with Wireless Charging Case against the AirPods Pro, which uses a similar wirelessly-charged case. The price difference rises to $90 when comparing the lowest cost AirPods at $159 with the non-Wireless version of the Charging Case, but seeing as you gain the Wireless Charging Case as part of the upgrade as well, it’s still worth going for it.

First-generation AirPods users looking to replace theirs may also want to opt for the AirPods Pro instead of going for the second-generation AirPods, though both they and second-generation model users may prefer to stick to their existing units instead of upgrading if they don’t value ANC that much.

Where to Buy

AirPods Pro will be available only in white for $249 and are available to order from B&H, or Apple directly in the US and more than 25 other countries and regions. AirPods Pro will start shipping on October 30 and be available in stores beginning later this week. Apple’s 2019 AirPods refresh remains available.