Samsung Galaxy S7 Oreo review: What to expect from your final software update

Getting up to the modern era is mostly good — with a little speed slowdown trade-off.

After what feels like an inordinately long wait, many versions of the Galaxy S7 have received their Android 8.0 Oreo update. Considering that the phone launched back on Android 6.0 marshmallow, Oreo is the final major platform update for this line, bringing it up to the Galaxy S9’s software level before being left to live out the rest of its life on it.

Because this is the last major update these phones will see, finding out how Oreo runs on these “old” phones is rather important. For those holding off on the update, or patiently waiting for the notification on their phone, I want to offer you a look into what to expect when that big download finally arrives on your own Galaxy S7 or S7 edge. Here’s what you need to know about your Android 8.0 Oreo update.

Visual consistency

Samsung Galaxy S7 Oreo improvements

Samsung’s take on Oreo, first shown off with the Galaxy S9, isn’t for everyone. But as far as Samsung’s software goes, it’s the best it’s ever done and a nice improvement in design and functionality over the Nougat builds before it. And a huge benefit of this Oreo update for the two-year-old Galaxy S7 series is that it’s near-identical to what comes out of the box on the Galaxy S9.

There isn’t a whole lot to talk about here, particularly since you’ve already been using your Galaxy S7 or S7 edge on Nougat for a year now. Things haven’t changed all that much visually with Oreo, but you get a lot of behind-the-scenes improvements. There are new background limits for apps that help improve battery life, notification channels to give you better control over what apps notify you, and the biggest of the group will be the new Autofill APIs that let apps pull usernames and passwords from the cloud to speed up sign-in processes.

This is a near-perfect recreation of the Galaxy S9’s software, and battery life hasn’t taken a nosedive.

The biggest difference in the Oreo update compared to the Galaxy S9 is the camera interface, which has stuck with the Nougat-style interface rather than the new tab-style interface that lets you swipe between modes. You also don’t get AR Emoji, but you probably don’t care about that. Camera quality remains unchanged as far as I’m concerned — it’s still surprisingly good for a two-year-old phone, but nobody would confuse it for one of the 2018 flagships.

Battery life hasn’t changed appreciably for me, which is a positive — I wasn’t expecting battery life to improve, but I was definitely fearing that it’d degrade. We’re bound to hear many horror stories about how Galaxy S7 battery life takes a nosedive after the Oreo update, as is the case with every major platform upgrade, but that hasn’t been my experience. As you’ll read below this may be a result of my choice to factory reset my Galaxy S7 edge after the update, which at this point I’m recommending everyone do on their phone if they can stomach the time it takes to set up your phone again.

My Verizon-branded Galaxy S7 edge updated to the April 1 security patch, which is (somewhat hilariously) a month ahead of the U.S. unlocked Galaxy S9 at the time of writing. I wouldn’t expect Samsung to keep rolling out security patches for the Galaxy S7 series for too much longer, but knowing that you at least get a somewhat up-to-date patch on such an old device is good.

Hiccups

Samsung Galaxy S7 Oreo downsides

Starting up my Galaxy S7 for the first time in several months, I feared the worst. I knew I’d be applying a dozen updates or so, all leading to the eventual big download of Oreo. It took most of a Saturday periodically checking and applying several updates, but eventually I got there and had Oreo installed … but it was horrendously slow. Even after charging up for a few hours, updating all of my apps and restarting multiple times, it just didn’t smooth out. Everything was stuttering, apps took several seconds to open, it was a complete mess.

I’m recommending everyone do a factory reset after installing Oreo.

Like so many Samsung phones before it, I decided to factory reset the phone to clear out the junk, start fresh and evaluate a clean slate of Oreo. To my relief, it improved dramatically. But it still didn’t do enough — this phone is appreciably slower on Oreo than it was on Nougat. Comparing this Galaxy S7 edge side-by-side with another Galaxy S7 I have that’s still on Nougat, it just isn’t the same, and that’s a shame.

The best way to describe the performance on Oreo is that everything just takes an extra beat to complete. When you open an app, it takes a moment extra to open and then may take an extra few moments to be fully responsive. Scrolling through an app, the movement lags behind your finger enough to be noticeable. Quickly switching between apps or using something intensive, you notice dropped frames and stutters. It’s not downright bad, but it’s disappointing to see for a device that I felt was still relatively quick and modern-feeling when running Nougat.

The performance isn’t downright bad, but it’s disappointing for a phone with this capable of specs.

After all, the Galaxy S7 has a Snapdragon 820 processor and 4GB of RAM, running out to a 1920×1080 resolution that’s set by default to help performance — that should be enough to get better performance than I’ve been seeing on my Galaxy S7 edge here. Instead, this latest update makes the phone feel like it’s running every action through some sort of extra layer that’s getting in between your input and the response from the device.

I won’t say that the slowdown is enough to warrant skipping the Oreo update altogether. There are lots of under-the-hood improvements and new features to be used in Android 8.0 and Samsung Experience 9.0 that are worth updating for. But it just rubs me the wrong way that Samsung couldn’t retain solid performance on a device with this level of internal hardware, especially one that performed quite well on Nougat.

And yes, how could I forget — Oreo did remove the ability to set individual text message notification sounds on a per-contact basis. I’ve been reminded of this problem every day by at least one person who’s angry about it. Samsung has said that it is working to bring the feature back after facing the wrath of thousands of angry users online. But in the meantime, there are many ways to bring back the feature using third-party messaging apps. I never knew that this was such a massively popular feature, but I sure do now.

Your final update

Samsung Galaxy S7 With Oreo

It was a long time coming, but the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge finally have Oreo, roughly 27 months after they first launched and 8 months after Oreo itself was released. Samsung has done a really good job of recreating the software experience from the Galaxy S9 back on the two-year-old Galaxy S7, save for a few small differences. You get all of the same features and design elements found across all other devices with the Samsung Experience 9.0 software, and that makes the Galaxy S7 instantly feel more modern and up to date.

Oreo didn’t offer these phones a new lease on life, but it gave them another year of usefulness with no use downside.

Nothing in the software is outright broken, buggy or filled with issues. There are no show-stopping problems. Camera performance has stayed the same, and in my experience battery life hasn’t changed from Nougat either. In this respect, the update process has gone off without a hitch.

The only downside to speak of, as we’ve seen time and time again with big platform updates, is a drop-off in overall performance. Even after a factory reset, which I recommend everyone do after updating, the Galaxy S7 just isn’t the same on Oreo as it was on Nougat. That’s a real shame, but the slowdown isn’t big enough to make me recommend that you stay on Nougat. There are enough improvements here, and few (if any) further problems, that it’s a clear improvement overall for these phones that have been out in the wild for over two years at this point.

Being the last major software update for the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, some would hope that these phones would receive a whole new lease on life with Oreo. Unfortunately, they didn’t — but they got up to date with the latest software and features to give their users another year or so of modern software while they await the next Samsung flagship release.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge

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Caseology Skyfall Case for Samsung Galaxy S9+ review: Shines bright and smudges fast

Take your clear case game to the next level with the Skyfall’s shiny metallic bumpers.

Android phones have come a long way from matte plastic backs. Android flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S9+ sport shimmering, mirror-finish glass backs, and while we all need a little extra grip and protection for our $800 phone, why cover up perfection? Now, there are plenty of clear cases on the market today — including a slim Liquid Crystal case we love — but none have quite the style of Caseology’s Skyfall case.

Caseology Skyfall Case for Samsung Galaxy S9+

Price: $14.99

Bottom line: It’s a clear case with style and grip; just be prepared to wipe down the smudges and grime frequently.

The Good

• Higher lips around the sides better protect the curved screen
• Great colors that compliment each color model
• Good port cut-outs

The Bad

• Picks up fingerprints and grime very quickly
• Feels bulkier than it is
• Plastic frame feels flimsy when applying/removing case

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Slick as a Bond film

Caseology Skyfall Case for Samsung Galaxy S9+ What I like

Clear cases are often ill-fitting; their crystal-clear bumpers are stiff to get on and off or have gaps between the case and phone that collect dust or let the phone shift around just enough to pop out. Luckily, the Skyfall has none of these problems: the Galaxy S9+ fits inside like glove and the bumper’s two-layer design ensure that the phone stays securely in place while showcasing bright colors to compliment the Galaxy’s own hue.

The buttons on the Skyfall are silent and solid without feeling stiff, and the cutouts around the bottom ports are wide enough for the average cable. The cutout around the cameras and fingerprint scanner is separate from the cutout for the flash and heart rate sensor, which makes the heart rate sensor a little harder to get readings with, but it’s not like the heart rate sensor is something most Galaxy owners actually use.

All of Caseology’s cases for the Galaxy S9 and S9+ feature higher lips on the sides of the display and a less gradual bevel towards the screen, which offers a greater degree of protection for a curved screen that is more prone to shattering during side and corner drops. The higher sides on the Skyfall better guard the screen’s curved edges while still allowing easy use of the screen from edge to edge. Unfortunately, there is one drawback to these higher sides.

Keep a cleaning cloth handy

Caseology Skyfall Case for Samsung Galaxy S9+ What doesn’t work

When switching from a clear Ringke case to the Skyfall, I was taken aback by how much bulkier the Skyfall felt. Its higher sides make the case sturdier and more protective, but it also makes the case and phone seem bulkier than they are. This feel in-hand seems even more odd when you separate the two layers of the Skyfall and feel just how thin and almost flimsy the polycarbonate bumper looks on its own.

Clear cases are known for gathering fingerprint smudges just as quickly as the mirror finish on the Galaxy S9+ itself, but the Skyfall seems to pick them up quicker than the last half-dozen clear cases I’ve used. At the end of a single day of regular use, the Skyfall already had a layer of noticeable, tactile grime on its back — not just smudges, but grime. My sweating in the Texas heat probably didn’t help matters, but I’ve reached for my microfiber cloth to clean this case more often than my glasses the last few days.

Caseology Skyfall Case for Samsung Galaxy S9+

The Skyfall is a beauty, a flash of shine and color against a sea of unobtrusive, crystal clear plastics. It sports a perfectly matched bumper for each color of Galaxy S9 and S9+ — except late-comer retailer-exclusive Sunrise Gold — and better covers the curved screen and all-important ports securely and beautifully.

4
out of 5

It’s a gem of a case, but like most gems, it’s going to get dirty if you take it out into the real world for very long. I’m more than happy to give it quick polish here and there in exchange for stylish protection and excellent grip.

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Oculus TV now available for watching shows on Oculus Go

Content is available from Netflix, Hulu, Pluto TV, and more.

The Oculus Go is one of the best ways to get high-quality virtual reality experiences wherever you are, and today, the new Oculus TV app is launching for it so you can get completely immersed in all your favorite programming.

Oculus TV can be downloaded for free from the Oculus Store, and upon opening it, you’ll be transported to a virtual living room of sorts where you’ll be faced with a screen that equates to a 180-inch TV if you were viewing it in real life.

From this virtual TV, you can watch shows from Netflix, Hulu, Showtime, Pluto TV, Newsy, Netherthink, and more. Oculus has a UI that makes it easy for browsing through both live and on-demand content between these various apps, and you can even tune into live MLB games with Facebook Watch.

Throughout the summer and fall, Oculus TV will get support for more apps and broadcast partners, with one of the highlights being ESPN.

Oculus TV is available now, and for the price of free, it’s definitely worth a look.

Oculus Go: Finally, VR for Everyone

T-Mobile Announces New ‘FamilyMode’ Feature for Monitoring Kids’ Online Activity

T-Mobile this morning announced the launch of T-Mobile FamilyMode, a new feature that is designed to let parents monitor and control what their kids are doing on their internet-connected devices.

T-Mobile FamilyMode requires both a FamilyMode app and a device called the FamilyMode Home Base, which is designed to connect to a home’s Wi-Fi system to provide access to connected devices.

FamilyMode from T-Mobile will let parents manage, monitor, filter, and set time limits for a range of devices, even those that aren’t connected to the T-Mobile network thanks to the Home Base. It will also provide location services for keeping track of kids.

According to T-Mobile, it will work with phones, tablets, gaming consoles, laptops, smart TVs, and other Wi-Fi connected devices.

T-Mobile is charging $20 for the FamilyMode Home Base and $10 a month for the FamilyMode app, which controls the FamilyMode system. The FamilyMode feature will be available to customers starting on June 29.

Device monitoring and time management features to cut down on device addiction have become popular in 2018. The newest version of Google’s Android operating system includes Android Dashboard for monitoring time spent on a device and setting limits, and a similar feature, Screen Time, has been included in iOS 12.

Screen Time includes comprehensive monitoring of the amount of time spent using iOS devices, along with detailed parental controls and app limit features.

T-Mobile isn’t the first carrier to join the device monitoring trend. Verizon in April announced “Smart Family,” an app that lets parents track screen time, set content filters, monitor location, and more. Verizon’s option does not include hardware and is priced at $4.99 to $9.99 per month.

Tag: T-Mobile
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Tech Advocacy Group That Includes Apple Meeting This Wednesday to Discuss Online Privacy

Members of the Information Technology Industry Council plan to meet this Wednesday, June 27 in San Francisco to discuss “how to tackle growing questions and concerns about consumer privacy online.”

The news comes from Axios, and members of ITI in attendance will reportedly include Apple, Facebook, IBM, Microsoft, Intel, Qualcomm, Samsung, Dropbox, and more — although specific attendees have not been confirmed by the organization.

ITI has organized all-day meetings that will focus on topics about online privacy in the wake of Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation and the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica data scandal.

ITI CEO Dean Garfield told Axios that tech companies are aware there’s a “new sense of urgency around consumer privacy.” The organization also said that the new meet-up of tech leaders is “not a direct result” of alleged conversations brewing within the Trump administration about a U.S. “counter-weight” to Europe’s GDPR.

“Just because Europe has taken a comprehensive approach doesn’t mean our different approach is deficient,” Garfield said. “And just because Europe is early doesn’t mean it’s best or final. But we should always be thinking about how we evolve to make sure consumers have trust in our products.”

In that report last week, Trump advisor Gail Slater was said to have discussed a U.S. version of GDPR with Garfield, although Slater stated the White House has no desire to create a “U.S. clone” of Europe’s rules. Slater claimed that “giving consumers more control over their data” and “more access to their data” are high marks of the GDPR, suggesting these aspects would be emphasized in the U.S. law if it ever comes to pass.

While lawmakers and advocacy groups discuss online customer privacy, individual companies have promised some form of enhanced user privacy on a global scale in the wake of GDPR. For Apple, the company launched a new Data & Privacy website that lets users download all of the data associated with their Apple ID. Prior to GDPR, last September Apple revamped its privacy website so that its various policies could be more accessible and easy-to-read for its customers.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tag: privacy
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Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of iOS 11.4.1 to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming iOS 11.4.1 update to developers and public beta testers, one week after seeding the third beta and a month after releasing iOS 11.4, an update that introduced AirPlay 2 and Messages in iCloud.

Registered developers can download the new iOS 11.4.1 beta from Apple’s Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center. Public beta testers can also install the update over-the-air with the public beta profile.

No new features were discovered in the first three iOS 11.4.1 betas, suggesting it focuses on bug fixes and performance improvements to address issues discovered since the release of iOS 11.4.

We’ll update this post should we discover any new features in the fourth iOS 11.4.1 beta, but we’re not expecting major changes now that Apple has shifted its focus to iOS 12, which is also available to developers for beta testing purposes.

Related Roundup: iOS 11
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Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of tvOS 11.4.1 to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming tvOS 11.4.1 update to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the third tvOS 11.4.1 beta and one month after releasing tvOS 11.4, an update that introduced support for AirPlay 2.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 11.4.1 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that’s installed using Xcode. Public beta testers can opt-in by going to the Settings app on the Apple TV and navigating to the Software Updates section under “System.” “Get Public Beta Updates” will need to be toggled on, and once it is, the Apple TV will download the beta software.

No new features or changes were discovered in the first three tvOS 11.4.1 betas, suggesting the update focus on fixes for bugs that have been discovered since the release of tvOS 11.4.

Apple’s tvOS updates have historically been minor in scale, and Apple does not often provide us with detailed notes outlining what’s new. We’ll update this post should anything be found in the fourth beta.

Apple’s work on tvOS 11 is winding down as the company is now focusing on tvOS 12, which was unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference in early June.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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Apple Seeds Third Beta of watchOS 4.3.2 to Developers

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming watchOS 4.3.2 update to developers, two weeks after seeding the second watchOS 4.3.2 beta and a month after releasing watchOS 4.3.1, a minor bug fix update that addressed a startup issue.

Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software update.

To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.

No new features were discovered in the first two watch watchOS 4.3.2 updates, but as a 4.3.x update, it’s likely to be minor in scale, addressing bug fixes discovered since the release of watchOS 4.3.1 and making other small improvements to the operating system.

watchOS 4.3.2 is likely to be one of the final updates to the watchOS 4 operating system. Apple has begun work on watchOS 5, which was provided to developers at the 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference and will see a public launch this fall.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, watchOS 5Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
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Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 update to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the third 10.13.6 beta.

The new macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 beta can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store with the proper profile installed.

We don’t yet know what improvements the sixth update to macOS High Sierra will bring, but it likely focuses on bug fixes and performance improvements for issues that were not able to be addressed in macOS High Sierra 10.13.5.

No feature changes were discovered in the first three macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 betas, but we’ll update this post if new features or notable bug fixes are discovered in the fourth.

Work on macOS High Sierra is wrapping up, with Apple now shifting focus to the next-generation version of macOS, macOS 10.14, which was unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference in early June.

Related Roundup: macOS High Sierra
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‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ tips and tricks

Fornite‘s Battle Royale game mode is the latest in the genre to garner massive buzz. It borrows heavily from PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, but it differentiates itself in a few meaningful ways. It’s also free, and available on pretty much every gaming platform: PC, PS4, XBOX One, smartphones, and now the Nintendo Switch — heck, it’s one of the best free-to-play games online right now.

The objective is straightforward: Outlive 99 other players, all trapped on a battlefield that gets increasingly smaller. Naturally, that’s not easy. We don’t have the special ingredient that will lead you to win matches left and right — although we do recommend tweaking your PC for ultimate performance — but we do have some tips that should help you outlast the majority of your competitors on a consistent basis. Read on and make your foes weep.

Parachute quickly toward cover

Like PUBG, Fortnite: Battle Royale  starts with a jump. Rather than out of a cargo plane, it’s a school bus attached to a hot air balloon. Once the doors open, it’s time to skydive toward the island. Technically, you have about 50 seconds to survey the ground below before hopping into the open air, but we recommend making your descent within the first 10 seconds or so. Not only will you get to the ground quicker, but you can still cover a lot of horizontal ground by deploying your glider early. This way you can freely navigate towards your intended target.

While some players like to immediately converge on urban areas with the most structures — Retail Row, Tilted Towers, Greasy Groves, Dusty Depot, Tomato Town — those tend to be the most dangerous and chaotic parts of the map in the early going. If you don’t see other gliders around you though, making a break for a commercialized zone can pay off thanks to the plethora of gear available in these spots. If you’re feeling bold, Retail Row, located southeast of the lake, always seems to have largest stockpile.

If you see more than a few players converging on these spots, shoot for areas with lone buildings or areas with lots of natural cover. We’ve found success gliding down just outside of structural hubs. From there, you can scope things out and see if you can make a break for buildings once the coast is clear.

Grab a gun

It may be obvious, but you won’t last very long in a gun fight if you just have your starting pickaxe. Your main objective when you first hit the ground should be securing a deadlier weapon. All gear in Fortnite glows so you can spot it from a distance. Any firearm gives you a fighting chance, but not all weapon classes are created equal.

• Pistols: The least effective weapon class, but they are easy to use and get the job done in close-range combat.
• SMGs: More effective than pistols, but not as easy to use.
• Assault Rifles: An all-around solid weapon class that excels in close/mid-range combat. If you grab one with a scope, assault rifles also work well in long-range combat.
• Shotguns: When camping, the shotgun is your best friend for close-quarters combat.
• Snipers: Hard to find, but snipers will make you one of the deadliest players on the map if you are a good shot.
• Explosives: Rocket and grenade launchers can penetrate your opponent’s structures with devastating force, but make sure you have a contingency plan, since they elicit a lot of attention. Frag grenades can accomplish the same job in close-range situations, but make sure you have a capable weapon before giving away your position.

You can determine the rarity of a weapon on its color: gray (common), green (uncommon), blue (rare), purple (epic), orange (legendary). Generally, the higher up the rarity scale, the more useful it will be throughout the match.

Camp, but don’t fall asleep

All that matters is being the last person standing. You can win a round of Fortnite simply by outlasting the competition. You have no obligation to hunt down and take out other users. Since it’s all about survival, camping — the act of hiding inconspicuously — is highly encouraged. That being said, when in cover, you always have to be on alert, swiveling the barrel of your gun across all potential threat areas on loop. It’s helpful to always be in the mindset that someone can see you even when it’s clear that you are in good position. You cannot go prone in Fortnite but you can crouch. Always crouch when stationary.

Listen closely (and wear a headset)

Your ears are as important as your eyes. From listening to gunfire to hearing footsteps approaching, you can gauge a lot of what’s going on near you by listening closely. Playing with a headset, preferably over-the-ear headphones is basically a must if you want to survive.

Mind the storm

Throughout the match, a clock in the upper right corner of the screen counts down until the next instance of the storm. Your map shows the safe area from the storm’s effect. The circle will shrink as the match wanes on. Think of the storm as a secondary opponent. You must respect that it can and will kill you if you don’t get out of its wake in time, but don’t panic because even if the safe area is on the opposite end of the map, you have time to reach it. As the safe area shrinks, we recommend holing up just outside of the circle until the storm touches down. We’ve found that many players concentrate their scopes inside of the circle to pick off incoming players. If you give off the appearance that you are a straggler, you can sometimes avoid an all-out firefight. Still, you should look in all directions and listen closely when the storm touches down, especially when the safe area is small. You’re much more likely to encounter other players when the habitable area has been vastly reduced.

If you see life, think first

As mentioned earlier, the name of the game is survival. That means you don’t need to shoot at everyone you see. Sometimes you are better off letting them go on their merry way (hopefully to get picked off by another player or disintegrated by the storm). Don’t get trigger-happy if you see another player, especially if they are going in the opposite direction or if you aren’t in the best hiding spot. Bullets leave tracers in the air so it’s not too hard for someone — and not necessarily the person you were aiming for — to see where the shots came from. Only reveal yourself to the world if you know that you will come out victorious in the firefight. Unless you have a sniper rifle, it’s better to wait for other players to come near you, that way you can limit the range of the crossfire, and hopefully, retain your cover. Remember, the goal is to stay alive, not to rack up kills.

Look before looting

Whether you’re looting a body or picking up gear in a building, you should always take a quick peek at your surroundings before doing so. After you take out an opponent, you have to be mindful that another player could have been watching the exchange. On more than a few occasions, we were overexcited to collect our new gear and ended up giving up our own to a savvy player who capitalized on our overzealousness. So wait, take a gander at the world around you, and then pick up your new goodies. The same goes for when you come across gear around the map. We learned this the hard way, as some players use gear as bait.

Move with purpose

The most nerve-wracking part of Fortnite comes into play when you absolutely have to move. Maybe you’re getting shot at and you just can’t seem to figure out where it’s coming from. Or perhaps you need to cover some serious ground before the storm touches down. In these cases, you should always sprint, but with purpose. If the area ahead doesn’t have many opportunities for cover, may we suggest running in an unconventional manner? Zigzagging through an open field may still get you killed, but you have a better chance at staying alive than if you move in a straight line. Ideally, though, you should plan significant movements across the map. Sprint and take cover behind a tree. Look around, reassess the situation, and then move onto the next viable cover option.

Save your building resources

The major difference between Fortnite‘s Battle Royale and PUBG is building. You can build your own cover with three materials: wood, metal, and brick. These resources can be picked up like gear or acquired by breaking down anything in Fortnite — almost everything is destructible. Here is the thing, though: While a custom building can provide makeshift cover, it stands out compared to pre-built structures. You’re much better off finding cover that is already in place, when possible.

On top of that, it’s smart to stockpile resources for the latter half of the match, when the player count dwindles and the circle is shrinking. Building a fortified, four-wall structure in the early portion of a match isn’t the way to go since you will have to abandon it when the storm comes anyway.

If you’re in a pinch, however, with no natural cover nearby, quickly throwing together a wall while you contemplate your next move is advisable.

Quick tips

Tires: If you find a stack of tires, you can run into them to get airborne to reach rooftops. Verticality gives you a better vantage point.

Shield potions: Although rare, shield potions should be consumed immediately. The blue potion found in chests gives you a 50 percent buff and you can stack two of them for double health throughout the whole match. There are three types of rare health items: Regular shield potions, small shield potions, and slurp juice. Regular shield potions add 50 shield points, small shield potions add 25, and slurp juice restores 25 health and gives you 25 shield points.

Bandages: Restore 15 health points apiece. You can use up to five bandages.

Close doors: Get in the habit of closing doors behind you when you enter buildings to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Of course, you can also purposely leave doors open to draw other players in on your location and ambush them. But generally, closing doors is a good policy to keep.

Inventory management: You can only hold five gear items (weapons, potions) at a time. You will likely have to make some executive decisions when it comes to weapons. Be wise, don’t keep two of the same class of weapon. Diversify your options.

Be wary of traps: Mind the ground below you, especially when entering buildings or approaching loot. Although uncommon, damage traps can kill you instantly if you haven’t consumed any shield potions. They resemble spikes on the ground. Likewise, if you come across one of these useful items, place it in a spot that helps keep your hunkered position secure.

Editors’ Recommendations

• ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ review
• Here are 9 tips to help you master ‘Fortnite’ on your phone
• Dominate multiplayer with our ‘Destiny 2’ Crucible guide
• Here are the 20 best PlayStation 4 games you can buy right now
• Tweak these Fortnite game settings for a split-second edge