Microsoft Xbox One S review – CNET
The Good The Xbox One S is a slick looking game console that’s 40 percent smaller than the original and ditches the infamously gigantic power brick. It can display 4K video from streaming services and Ultra HD Blu-rays, and supports HDR contrast on video and games. The updated controller works with other Bluetooth devices, too.
The Bad 4K, Ultra HD Blu-ray and HDR settings only work with newer TVs, and may require some trial and error. The updated controller feels cheaper than its predecessor. Project Scorpio, the more powerful Xbox One successor, arrives in late 2017.
The Bottom Line The Xbox One S is the console Microsoft should have delivered three years ago, but there’s little reason to upgrade if you already own the original box.
This is more like it.
The Xbox One S is the version of the console that Microsoft should’ve first released back in 2013 instead of the lumbering beast that we got. It’s better in a number of ways, making it even more of a worthy alternative to Sony’s PlayStation 4.
Xbox One S offers a far more attractive enclosure, options for a bigger hard drive, a slightly redesigned controller and some video perks for owners of 4K TVs. It starts at $300, £250 or AU$400 for the 500GB version; $350, £300 or AU$500 for a 1TB model; and $400, £350 or AU$549 for 2TB.
That last model is available to buy as of today in the US (and includes the vertical stand that otherwise costs $20 when purchased separately in the US), while those with the smaller hard drives will be available later in August, bundled with games such as Madden 17 and Halo. (Additional bundles will follow later in the year — including a pricier 2TB Gears of War 4 version in October — and may vary by region.)
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Sounds like a slam dunk, right? Unfortunately, it’s never that simple. The One S doesn’t get an across-the-board “buy it now” recommendation for two reasons. First off, it doesn’t deliver huge improvements for anyone who already owns an Xbox One. But more importantly, Microsoft has already promised that the next Xbox — dubbed Project Scorpio — will be arriving in late 2017 with with the seriously amped-up graphics and VR-ready hardware that audiences are clamoring for.
When it’s all said and done, the Xbox One S should be primarily viewed as a slimmed-down version of the Xbox One that introduces a mildly updated controller and provisions for 4K display. It’s not going to warp you into a state-of-the-art gaming experience. Pragmatically, you’re probably better off nabbing an older Xbox One, which are now being sold at fire-sale prices. But if you are getting an Xbox One for the first time, have an interest in the bundled games and aren’t saving your pennies for 2017’s Project Scorpio, the One S is certainly a good all-round gaming and entertainment deal.
What’s new in the Xbox One S
There’s a short but significant list of improvements and changes to the Xbox One S.
Smaller, cleaner design: To start, it’s 40 percent smaller, which considering its power supply is now internal, is impressive. It’s also stark white, with some slick plastic moldings flanking the entirety of the box. I think it’s the best-looking Xbox Microsoft has ever designed.
The One S can also stand vertically, too. The 2TB model we received for review packs in a stand. If you buy one of the other models, you can get the stand separately for $20.
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4K and HDR video: Xbox One S gets a fairly beefy upgrade on its video capabilities, with 4K resolution (3,840×2,160, or four times as sharp as standard 1080p HDTVs) and HDR (high dynamic range, which is basically enhanced contrast and color). Keep in mind: those features only work on compatible TVs and 4K functionality only works with a small but growing list of compatible video content. 4K can currently be accessed through streaming video services such as Amazon and Netflix (as long as you have the bandwidth to support it and pay for their premium tier) and those new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs. Certain games, meanwhile, will eventually be able to take advantage of HDR visual improvements, but don’t look for PC-like 4K graphics — the games are merely upscaled to 4K.
So no, you’re not getting native 4K gaming out of an Xbox One S. In fact, only a limited number of games will feature HDR and none of them are out yet. They are Gears of War 4, Forza Horizon 3 and 2017’s Scalebound.
New controller design: The Xbox One controller has been updated for the S, too. It has a more streamlined top section, better range and textured grips. It can also use Bluetooth to connect, which opens the door for compatibility with other devices — no more annoying dongles, at least on Bluetooth-compatible PCs.
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The One S controller (right), compared with its predecessor.
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Unfortunately, I’m not a fan of the new controller’s design. It’s not a drastic departure from the original, but there’s just enough of a change to make it feel cheaper. The plastic textured grips don’t feel good the way rubberized ones do, but thankfully the triggers seem unchanged. The D-pad also feels slightly less tactile — I even noticed differences between two of the new controllers side by side.
IR blaster and receiver: Still present is the IR port for controlling the console with a remote, but the Xbox One S also features an integrated IR blaster to control or power on other devices in the room.
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And it still does everything the old Xbox One does: The good news is that you’re not losing anything with the Xbox One S compared with its predecessor. Around back the console offers a lot of the same ports as the original Xbox One, though noticeably absent is a dedicated Kinect port. You can still attach Kinect to the Xbox One S, you’ll just need a special $40 (!) adapter. Either way, the omission of a Kinect port should give you an idea of how that peripheral is regarded at Microsoft HQ.
HDMI-in and -out ports are still there, so you can still make use of the Xbox One’s live TV integration if that’s something that appeals to you, but I never found it overly useful.
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Suffice it to say, the One S plays all existing Xbox One games, and a growing list of Xbox 360 games. It also includes all of the encouraging software improvements Microsoft has made over the past few years, including the redesigned interface, support for the Cortana digital assistant (using a microphone headset), compatibility with the Windows Store and, soon, additional cross-play options with Windows PC gamers on certain titles.
4K and HDR scorecard
I want to personally thank the Xbox One S for introducing me to the hot mess that is the world of 4K and HDR formats. I considered myself fairly fluent in the language of home theater, but I was bewildered at the insane of amount of granularity and confusion that the format is currently plagued with.
Staaker Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Tiny, mountable action cams make it easy to capture yourself doing all sorts of things without relying on another person to hold the camera. The Staaker camera drone aims to do the same by freeing you from the need for a pilot.
The quadcopter, pronounced “stacker,” claims to be the world’s first artificially intelligent auto-follow drone capable of not only tracking your moves, but can predict what you’ll do next, too. And Staaker can do that while flying at up to 50 mph (80 kph).
Basically, you strap on a waterproof tracker/controller, unfold the drone’s arms, attach a GoPro Hero3 or Hero4 to its 3-axis gimbal in front, launch it and have it follow you while you surf or ski or whatever. The company says the drone will have five different follow modes so you can position it at any angle and adjust its distance from you. Though, from what I can tell, these modes don’t appear to be too different than what you can do with a DJI Phantom 4, Yuneec Typhoon H or, to some extent, the AirDog.
Look! Up in the sky!
| Up to 30 | Up to 18 |
| 50/80 | 42/68 |
| 1,150/350 | 820/256 |
| 3-axis stabilization | 2-axis stabilization |
In fact, the Staaker looks and sounds awfully similar to the AirDog minus the Staaker’s promised AI features and the performance differences listed in the chart above. The AirDog does have programmed modes for different sports such as surfing, mountain biking and wakeboarding, however, and it’s available now for $1,599 on Amazon (roughly AU$2,100 or £1,200).
Staaker drone is ready to follow whatever…
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Preorders for the Staaker are set at $1,195 for the drone, waterproof tracker and a travel case, though it won’t ship until December (assuming there are no production problems, of course). When it ships, the company says it’ll be priced at $1,795. That converts to about AU$2,382 or £1,235 for the preorder — and like the AirDog, that price doesn’t include the GoPro camera.
GoPro’s own Karma drone is also expected this fall. With no pricing and no real details on it yet, there’s no telling if the Karma will have similar auto-follow features to the Staaker. However, I’d be surprised if it doesn’t.
Xbox One S review: A worthy successor — to the Xbox 360
Microsoft is making a lot of assumptions with the Xbox One S. It’s a 40 percent smaller, 100 percent whiter version of the Xbox One that launched nearly three years ago, albeit with a few key differences. First is the built-in 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player and compatibility with high dynamic range video for increased contrast and a wider color gamut. Then there’s support for Ultra HD streaming from apps like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. As for the rest of the system? For better and worse, it’s basically the same.
The benefits of upgrading from 2005’s launch Xbox 360 to the Xbox 360 S in 2010 were pretty clear-cut. That isn’t the case this time around, though: Microsoft didn’t have to fix a loud console with an incredibly high failure rate. No, thanks to a slew of software updates, the Xbox One’s most serious issues have already been mostly addressed. And that makes the Xbox One S’ value proposition tricky.
Let’s say you have a 4K TV or plan on buying one in the relatively near future. Should you shell out $400 for the One S? What if you don’t plan on upgrading your TV any time soon and don’t see the appeal in collecting even more “perfect-er” Blu-rays? After spending a weekend testing the system in each of the above situations, the answer remains clear.
Hardware
Though they share a similar name, you’re not likely to confuse the Xbox One for the One S. The S measures 9.125 x 11.7 x 2.5 inches, versus the original’s 13.1 x 10.8 x 3.1 inches, and “floats” on a half-inch-thick slab of black plastic that’s flush with the back panel, but inset a quarter of an inch everywhere else. Microsoft boasts that the console is almost half the size of its predecessor.
That sounds impressive enough on paper, but the difference is even more striking in person, when you place the two consoles side by side. Every time I glance at them sitting next to each other I’m in disbelief that Microsoft managed to cram the same hardware and a power supply into a dramatically smaller package. Thanks to all this, putting the console in a backpack or messenger bag to use away from home is actually feasible — especially given the drop in weight, from 7.8 to 6.4 pounds.
The 2TB launch model sports a “robot white” chassis with black accents, whereas the original was a mix of glossy and matte black with chrome accents. After the Xbox 360’s overheating epidemic, Microsoft made a concerted effort to cover the Xbox One with vents. They’re here on the One S too, but they look different. Diagonal slats have given way to circular perforations throughout, with a 5-inch fan opening on the broadest panel. In seven consecutive hours of gaming, Ultra HD Blu-rays and streaming in 4K, I really didn’t hear it turn on — and if it did, the fan was extremely quiet.
Up front, the USB 3.0 port that was awkwardly stuck on the left side of the Xbox One has been moved to the lower left corner of the front face, below the slot-loading Ultra HD Blu-ray drive. Now there’s a small circular eject button sitting in the middle of the front side, while a push-button Xbox jewel near the right edge powers the system on and off. Immediately below that is the most important addition to the console: an IR blaster. Navigating the system dashboard and controlling streaming apps with a universal remote no longer requires Microsoft’s do-all Kinect sensor, because the One S itself can take commands from a remote. That’s your not-so-subtle hint that the Kinect is basically dead.
That take-it-or-leave-it approach to Kinect is obvious from the backside too. Whereas the Xbox 360 S added a dedicated port for the camera/mic gizmo, the One S strips it away entirely. If you still want to use the device for Cortana voice commands, for example, you can order a USB adapter from the Xbox website, free of charge. What finally doesn’t require an additional dongle, though, is the power supply. Since 2005, every Xbox has needed a bulky external power brick. That’s thankfully no longer the case: The One S uses a power cable similar to what’s included with many other modern devices.
The rest of the back panel remains unchanged. Microsoft may have given up on Kinect, but it hasn’t abandoned the HDMI input for connecting your cable box to the system. An HDMI-out socket, a pair of USB 3.0 connections, IR output, optical audio and an Ethernet jack round out the rest of the ports. Oh! And with the One S, there’s an included stand you can use to position the console vertically. It snaps into place easily, but I’m not sure how many people will actually situate their console that way.
Gamepad
I didn’t like the gamepad that came packed in with the 2013 Xbox One. It felt unfinished, with sharp edges and stiff shoulder buttons. Thankfully, the controller included with the One S represents the revisions Microsoft has made since then. The device now has rounded seams with satisfyingly clicky shoulder buttons and a 3.5mm headphone jack directly below the D-pad. This joypad will work as a Bluetooth controller for your gaming PC, and Microsoft says it has better range too. The subtle texture on the underbelly adds a fair amount of grip and reminds me a lot of the PlayStation 4 gamepad’s bottom side. All of those refinements make this controller a joy to use for extended sessions.
Thanks to these changes, the $150 Xbox One Elite controller is a lot less necessary now. The custom key bindings and swappable thumbsticks are still great, but spending that much feels even more like overkill now than it did last year.
Software
Without the Windows Anniversary update, there’s nothing different about the Xbox One S. Over the weekend, Microsoft started rolling out the patch that unlocks 4K UHD streaming, Ultra HD Blu-ray playback and support for HDR video. That’s right, none of the headlining features of the console are usable out of the box without a large software update. Again. In 2013, this was kind of understandable: Following a controversial E3 keynote five months before launch, Microsoft had to drastically retool the system software.
This time should have been different, though. The company has presumably been working on the Xbox One S for a while. And yet, the device’s headline features aren’t available in the box. Similar to what happened with the original Xbox One launch, if you wanted to pull the One S out of the box and start watching The Revenant or streaming Man in the High Castle you’ll have to sit through a lengthy update. On my modest 90 Mbps connection, it took me about 45 minutes from unboxing to actually using the console. I cannot stress how ridiculous it is that this is still a thing. More than that, the Blu-ray player app doesn’t come pre-installed either.
Once that’s out of the way, though, it’s smooth sailing. The recent Anniversary Update makes the console feels complete. You can listen to music from any source while you’re playing games or just navigating the dashboard now, and accessing your games and apps is a lot easier with a handy shortcut button in the home screen’s upper-right corner. This officially marks the debut of Cortana on the Xbox platform as well.
4K UHD
For all the external changes, it’s what’s inside the Xbox One S that matters most. Support for 4K Ultra HD video is the console’s headline feature. Good thing, then, that it handles 2160p playback without a hitch. Not all movies and TV shows are created equal, though. Sure, Netflix has a raft of UHD programming on offer, but not everything looks nearly as good as House of Cards or Stranger Things in 4K. That’s partly because not everything uses high-dynamic range video for improved contrast and color saturation.
Same goes for movies, like last year’s The Revenant. Each scene carries a tremendous amount of depth and detail; the picture quality and award-winning cinematography makes the movie feel like a BBC nature documentary on steroids. Truthfully, though, the film is going to look amazing on any UHD Blu-ray player regardless of the manufacturer. It’s a testament of the talent involved, not who made the playback device.
The Xbox One will also play HDR-enabled games. However, none of them will be available until this fall when the Microsoft-developed Gears of War 4 and Forza Horizon 3 come out. Working with HDR is going to be expensive for developers to implement, though, so don’t expect many games aside from Microsoft’s own to actually use it. Is there a difference playing normal games like Forza Horizon 2 or last year’s Rise of the Tomb Raider in 4K versus 1080p? Not that I could tell. The Xbox One S upscales those games’ 1080p resolution to 2160p, matching the UHD display it’s connected to, but I otherwise couldn’t spot any differences.
The Competition
Ultra-HD Blu-ray players from Samsung and Philips cost around $300 and have built-in streaming apps, but you can’t play Madden or Halo on those. That’s the value proposition here: You can rely on your TV or Ultra-HD Blu-ray player to access the programming that’ll make the most of all those pixels on your new display, but you can’t play Xbox games on those. The PlayStation 4 still only plays 1080p Blu-rays and despite Sony’s claims that the console can output 4K video, we haven’t seen it happen yet. Sony has teased a higher-spec PS4 too (codenamed “Neo”), but the company hasn’t said anything about UHD Blu-ray playback.
Really, the Xbox One S’ biggest competition comes from Microsoft itself. The company may have kicked off its E3 keynote by unveiling the Xbox One S, but it wrapped the event with news of “Project Scorpio.” It’s a high-spec Xbox One that the company claims will play games at a native 4K resolution and also in virtual reality. It’s slated to arrive late next year. Microsoft so far hasn’t said anything about price, but given its specs, it’s safe to say it won’t be cheap.
In terms of money, the One S is in direct competition with the original Xbox One. The $300 One S’ with 500GB of storage doesn’t come out until later this month. Meanwhile, you can buy the original Xbox One with 500GB for just $250 — half of what it cost three years ago. This fire sale is indicative of Microsoft’s future plans for the One S: It’ll become the default, with Project Scorpio aimed at more serious gamers (or those with deeper pockets).
Wrap-up
Unless you own a fancy new display or have one earmarked for the future, there’s no reason to upgrade from your existing Xbox One. The only benefit you’ll see is the increased internal storage space and, even then there are existing Xbox One models with 2TB of room for games and apps. That said, there’s a lot to like about the system, especially if your TV can support all the super high-resolution bells and whistles on offer. There isn’t one distinct reason to buy one today, but if you don’t already own an Ultra HD Blu-ray player, you won’t be disappointed if you decide to pick one up. The S is the Xbox One you know, but tailored for the future.
LG UH8500 series review – CNET
The Good With support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10 formats, the UH8500 can access more high dynamic range content than other TVs. Color accuracy and bright-room performance are solid. The design is attractive, and the motion remote is one of the best available.
The Bad Similarly-priced TVs perform much better.
The Bottom Line An attractive design and cutting-edge compatibility add the LG’s UH8500’s appeal on paper, but in person its image can’t beat competitors.
There’s a lot of ingredients that contribute to the picture quality you see on your TV at home, but the two most important are the quality of the source and the quality of the display.
High dynamic range (HDR) video, whether from streaming sources like Netflix and Amazon, or 4K Blu-ray discs, is the best source you can watch at home today. LG deserves credit for being the first TV maker to support both types of HDR content, Dolby Vision and HDR10, with its 2016 TVs. Today at least, that means TVs like the UH8500 can access more HDR TV shows and movies than other devices.
That leaves the display part of the equation, which is where the UH8500 comes up short. At CES I called out LG’s “Super UHD” marketing term, denoting its best non-OLED TVs, as openly derivative of rival Samsung’s SUHD brand. Now that I’ve had a chance to compare both TV directly, side-by-side, it’s clear that the LG UH8500 is the least “super” of the two.
LG’s OLED TVs, on the other hand, really are super. In fact, the 55-inch member of the UH8500 series costs just as much as the 55EG9100, LG’s cheapest OLED. In terms of source compatibility and cutting-edge features, the UH8500 is superior. But for pure picture quality, the lowly non-4K, non-HDR curved OLED is much better. It’s not even close.
LG UH8500 series (pictures)
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Series information: I performed a hands-on evaluation of the 55-inch 55UH8500, but this review also applies to the other screen sizes in the series. All sizes have identical specifications and according to the manufacturer should provide very similar picture quality.
LG also makes a couple of other related series grouped under the Super moniker, the UH7700 and UH9500 series. Both have similar picture quality to the UH8500 reviewed here, according to LG. The only image quality difference the company specified was in color gamut; the more-expensive 8500 and 9500 models cover 90% of the DCI/P3 color space, and the 7700 about 84% (see below for more). The 8500 and 9500 also have 3D while the 7700 does not. Between the 8500 and 9500, the only difference is styling; the 9500 has an “Ultra Slim design with 4-sided even bezel” according to LG.
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Metallic TV, motion remote
TVs today look basically the same, with thin frames and more or less-thin cabinets, so the major external difference often comes down to color: black or silver? The quietly attractive LG UH8500 goes the mostly-silver route with its metallic finish, leaving just a thin strip of black butting up against the screen. LG also continues its recent quirk of coloring the back of the TV white.
The remote is basically the same as last year, and I’m a fan. LG kept its trademark motion control, which allows you to whip around the menus with a responsive cursor rather than a plodding directional keypad. That keypad is still available too, if you want it, along with a slick rubberized scroll wheel.
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The clicker is bigger than many and relies more on buttons than the menu system, but since they’re logically placed and easy to differentiate by feel, I don’t mind. Cable box control is prominent, although control for other devices isn’t nearly as advanced as Samsung’s system, and unfortunately the motion doesn’t work on every app and menu.
Web OS is OK, but not as good as other Smart TVs
I prefer the competing 2016 Smart TV systems from Samsung, Sony (Android TV) and especially Roku TV over LG’s latest incarnation of its Web OS smart TV system. I appreciate that LG’s menus are snappier and easier to use than before, and the new “focus zoom” to magnify on-screen selections is cool, but they seem more cluttered–especially now that there’s an ad on the home page–and less intuitive than the others.
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4K streaming with Dolby Vision HDR is available from Netflix, Amazon and Vudu, which outpaces the HDR selection of Samsung (which lacks Vudu’s HDR) and Vizio (which lacks Amazon’s) and matches Sony’s. 4K-capable apps include YouTube and Xfinity’s lame 4K sampler, formerly exclusive to Samsung, which only works for Comcast subscribers.
Other apps are hit or miss. You get Hulu, Crackle, MLB TV, Plex, Google Play Movies and TV, Spotify and Pandora, for example, but LG’s system is missing both HBOs (Go and Now), Showtime (or Anytime), Pluto TV, Sling TV, Watch ESPN, CBS All Access, PBS, PBS Kids, and more. Roku and Android TV have all of those, and many more niche apps too, while Samsung’s selection is about the same, give or take a few services.
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To browse new apps you’ll visit the LG Content Store, which also lists TV shows and movies from different streaming services. It’s a frustrating way new stuff to watch. The suggestions are sort of a hodgepodge, menu design is less than intuitive, and pricing from Amazon isn’t listed until you click through. You can also search TV shows and movies via voice or text, but results are presented in a confusing way, and again less satisfying than Roku, Samsung or Android TV, despite decent voice recognition.
In the end LG’s system is good enough to get the job done, but today’s external streaming devices, and many competitive Smart TV systems, are superior.
Key TV features
| LED LCD |
| Edge-lit with local dimming |
| 4K |
| HDR10 and Dolby Vision |
| Flat |
| Web OS 2.0 |
| Motion |
| Passive |
Features and connectivity
The big standout here is compatibility with both types of HDR format, but even beyond that the UH8500 is well-equipped. Its edge-lit backlight uses local dimming, although since it has an IPS-style panel, its overall contrast is still limited (see Picture Quality for more). Like most 4K LCD sets the UH8500 has a 120Hz refresh rate; its “TruMotion 240Hz” specification is so much hooey.
LG’s web site lists “LG IPS 4K quantum display” as a feature, but don’t confuse that with actual quantum dots, like those found in Samsung’s SUHD TVs. Instead, according to LG, it refers to general improvements made to the panel (color gamut, screen brightness and contrast). There’s also a “Tru Black Panel” feature that “reduces stray light from being emitted in order to create a deeper black level” according to the company. Not deep enough, according to me.
The UH8500 is one of the few TVs available today to include 3D, a particularly notable feature since Samsung canned that feature in 2016. The combination of LG’s passive 3D and 4K resolution should warm the hearts of third-dimension fans everywhere. LG includes two pair of 3D glasses (I didn’t test 3D performance for this review, and don’t plan to do so unless there’s a revolt in the comments section).
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- 3x HDMI inputs with HDMI 2.0a, HDCP 2.2
- 3x USB ports
- 1x component video input
- 1x composite video input (shared with component)
- Ethernet (LAN) port
- Optical digital audio output
- RF (antenna) input
- Remote (RS-232) port (minijack)
Most competitors offer four HDMI but the UH8500 makes do with three, although all are state-of-the-art. Unlike many of Samsung’s sets, this one actually has an analog video input for legacy (non-HDMI) devices.
Picture quality
Despite the fancy-sounding features and cutting-edge compatibility, the UH8500 is not among the best-performing TVs available. It shows some strengths, including accurate color and the excellent bright-room qualities of high light output and an effective anti-reflective screen. But washed-out black levels and excessive blooming, especially evident with HDR material (regardless of format) resign its overall picture quality to a level below most peers.
Click the image at the right to see the picture settings used in the review and to read more about how this TV’s picture controls worked during calibration.
Comparison Models
- Insignia NS-50DR710NA17 (50-inch 4K LED LCD)
- LG 55EG9100 (55-inch 1080p OLED)
- Samsung UN65KS8000 (65-inch 4K LED LCD)
- Sony XBR-65X850D (65-inch 4K LED LCD)
- Vizio P65-C1 (65-inch 4K LED LCD)
Dim lighting: Although better than the Sony in a dark room environment, the UH8500 still fell a good deal short of the Samsung, the Vizio and the OLED in this important category, and didn’t look much better than the Insignia. As usual the difference was best revealed during some difficult dark scenes, including the evening and nighttime shots during Chapter 4 of The Revenant. The letterbox bars, shadows and other dark areas of the LG’s were relatively light, making the overall image appear much less contrasty and impactful than the three superior sets.
Whirlpool WRB322DMBB Bottom Freezer Refrigerator review – CNET
The Good This Whirlpool bottom freezer offers the best performance of any fridge we’ve ever tested, and it comes at a reasonable asking price, to boot.
The Bad The design is boring and the features are few and far between. Certain build aspects also feel flimsy.
The Bottom Line If you value performance over gimmicks, then this unassuming icebox is the fridge for you.
The Whirlpool WRB322DMBB is a good fridge. Yes, it’s plain-looking inside and out, and no, there’s nothing unique about it. It doesn’t have any flashy features. It isn’t as stylish as today’s French door models are. It won’t make your neighbors jealous.
But this is a good fridge — a really good fridge. At $1,400 (or $1,500 if you want it in stainless steel), it offers cooling performance that’s as strong as any refrigerator we’ve tested, including ones that cost thousands of dollars more. Basic build aside, it’s a solid option, solid enough to unseat last year’s LG LDC24370ST as our pick for best bottom-freezer fridge. If you’re shopping for a bottom freezer and you value performance, I’d have a hard time finding a reason to recommend anything else.
Tall, dark, and powerful: Meet the Whirlpool…
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The Clark Kent of refrigerators
You’ll find 15.6 cubic feet of storage space in the body of the fridge — a decent amount of room for groceries.
Chris Monroe/CNET
Bottom freezer fridges flip the script on the traditional top freezer build that many of us probably grew up with. Like the name suggests, bottom freezers put your frozen goods down below the fridge compartment. This makes it more comfortable to reach fresh groceries, though you will need to bend over a bit to grab a frozen pizza.
As bottom freezers go, the WRB322DMBB is a pretty basic one, with a plain-looking 22.1 cubic-foot interior. 15.6 of those cubic feet are allocated to the fridge compartment — that’s a bit better than the 14.8 cubic feet in the Kenmore Elite 78022 and the 14.9 cubic feet in GE’s Artistry Series bottom freezer, but not quite as big as the 16.4 cubic feet in the LG LDC24370ST or the equally-sized LG LDCS24223S that replaced it this year.
Both of those LG fridges sit atop the bottom freezer storage space scoreboard, but the WRB322DMBB isn’t far behind. We had no trouble finding room for all of our test groceries, and we were very nearly able to fit all six of our large-sized stress test items in, too (the party platter didn’t quite make it in). All in all, it’s a very solid result for a relatively inexpensive bottom freezer model.
Whirlpool vs. the bottom freezer competition
| 15.6 cubic feet | 16.4 cubic feet | 14.8 cubic feet | 14.9 cubic feet | 14.9 cubic feet |
| 6.5 cubic feet | 7.7 cubic feet | 7.3 cubic feet | 6.0 cubic feet | 6.0 cubic feet |
| 22.1 cubic feet | 24.1 cubic feet | 22.1 cubic feet | 20.9 cubic feet | 20.9 cubic feet |
| Yes (in freezer) | Yes (in freezer) | No | Optional (+$89) | Yes (in freezer) |
| No | No | No | No | No |
| Yes (+$100) | Yes (+$100) | Yes (+$200) | No | Yes (+$100) |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 584 kWh | 608 kWh | 589 kWh | 488 kWh | 572 kWh |
| $70 | $73 | $71 | $59 | $69 |
| $3.17 | $3.03 | $3.21 | $2.82 | $3.30 |
| $1,400 | $1,500 | $1,800 | $1,200 | $1,550 |
| $1,165 | $1,300 | $1,250 | $1,075 | $1,395 |
The klutzy crisper bins come out way too easily.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET
Less solid: the interior design. Specifically, I’m talking about the drawers — they’re wobbly and plasticky, and they don’t catch very well when you open them, which caused me to accidentally yank them all the way out of the fridge on several occasions. They’re my least favorite thing about this refrigerator.
Xiaomi Mi QiCycle Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
If Xiaomi’s cheap-but-great phones aren’t enough to help it conquer the world in the very near future, it has plenty of other cards up its sleeve, such as a superthin laptop, a drone and now a foldable electric bike.
The Mi QiCycle is made by Xiaomi and its partner iRiding. It’s a three-speed Shimano internal hub bicycle powered by a 250-watt 36-volt high-speed motor, with a range of around 45 km (27 miles). It sells in China for 2,999 yuan, which converts to $450, £340 or AU$600.
Weighing at 14.5 kg (32 pounds), the QiCycle isn’t the lightest of bikes. It’s actually not too heavy compared to other foldable bicycles, but there are some compromises made to hit this relatively light weight.
Xiaomi’s Mi QiCycle folding electric bike…
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For one, the wheels are of the 16-inch variety, similar to Bromptons, which means you’ll have to pedal more compared to a larger 20- or 24-inch bicycle. It’s not too big a problem, of course, since the QiCycle comes with an electric motor that kicks in for an extra boost to make uphill climbs a breeze and flat roads really zippy.
Testing it out under the hot Beijing summer sun, I found myself merrily whizzing along. The controls for power assist are pretty simple — you can choose between full-powered assist, eco mode or completely off. Climbing hills was a breeze even in third gear, and I was able to hit 28 kph (17.4 mph) on flat ground without trying. You can connect the bike to your phone via Bluetooth to track your distance traveled.
Xiaomi says the electric motor is rated at a maximum speed of 20 kph (12.4 mph), when you’re not pedaling and just coasting along. There’s no regenerative braking to help you gain back electric power, and charging to full from flat takes a solid 3 hours.
Key specs
- Shimano three-speed internal gear hub
- 14.5 kg (32 pounds)
- 16-inch wheels
- Electric motor with up to 20 kph speed
- 5,800 mAh, 36V battery with 45 km range
- Bluetooth enabled
The 36V battery is tucked into the frame of the bike, and has a hole for the seat post to hold it in place. I’m not too big a fan of this design, because the QiCycle requires two locks to be opened before you can adjust the height of the seat post.
Using two hinge locks for the seat post makes it quite a pain to adjust.
Aloysius Low/CNET
Furthermore, the QiCycle doesn’t fold as well compared to Terns or Bromptons. You have to lift up the seat post, then give a nudge to the rear wheel to fold the bike in half, then lower the seat post back down to prop up the bike before folding the fork downwards.
While it sounds easy, it’s actually pretty clunky, as you have to keep a firm grip on the bike until you can lower the seat post (or it falls down). Folding a Tern or a Brompton is quicker and easier, that’s for sure. You’re better off leaving it unfolded most of the time.
Lastly, the front handle bar is a bit too low and more suited for a speedier bike. On an electric bike I prefer sitting upright in comfort without having to lean forward like I would do on a more sporty road bike, since it’s supposed to be more relaxing.
Still, at $450 for a really well-built bike, it feels ridiculously affordable. The QiCycle bike will likely be only sold in China until Xiaomi decides to start selling more of its products in other countries, so you’ll probably have to be willing to import it.
Alienware Aurora review – CNET
The Good The Alienware Aurora can fit two graphics cards into a relatively small case. Interior access doesn’t require a screwdriver, and future GPU upgrades should be easy.
The Bad This is still big and heavy for a mid-size gaming desktop, some components are hidden behind the power supply, and some of the latest highest-end component options aren’t available yet.
The Bottom Line Alienware’s mid-size Aurora is very flexible, and one of the smallest dual-GPU-ready gaming desktops, but it’s still going to hog a lot of floor space under your desk.
Alienware’s desktop gaming lineup has seen a recent shuffle, mixing up the catalog of products available, while keeping the same general small-medium-large division between them. Losing out in the reshuffle is the X51 desktop, a slim but flexible small form factor system. In its place, Alienware has launched the Aurora, a new mid-size tower with a more accessible chassis and wider configuration options. Anchoring the small and large slots in this lineup are the newly refreshed Alienware Alpha and the giant Area-51 desktop.
In one sense, it’s a shame, because the X51 was one of the smallest desktops that could be configured to run current-gen virtual reality headsets (which have very heavy hardware requirements). But the switch-up also makes sense because the revamped Alpha — itself smaller than a living room game console — now has desktop-level processors and graphics, making it a much more practical entry level gaming rig.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Taking over that middle spot in Alienware’s lineup is the Aurora, a new system that uses a resurrected name previously used on other Alienware products from the mid-2000s until just a few years ago.
Like most Alienware systems, the Aurora offers a deep set of configuration options. Our test unit included an Intel Core i7-6700K, the new Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card, and a 256GB SSD/2TB HDD storage combo, for a total of $2,279 (the closest similar configurations in other territories go for £1,609 and AU$3,667). The least-expensive configurations (which are decidedly not VR-ready, start at $799/£699/AU$1,599.
Alienware Aurora
| $2,279 |
| 4GHz Intel Core i7-6700K |
| 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 2400MHz |
| 8GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 |
| 256GB SSD + 2TB 7200rpm HDD |
| 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit) |
Design and upgradability
This new Aurora is a relatively svelte 14 inches deep by 18 inches tall by 8 inches wide, and the chassis takes a good deal of its design DNA from the larger Area 51, with three side lights on the angled case echoing the pyramid-like design on that larger desktop. It’s very sharp-looking, without going over the top. And keep in mind that this is a custom design, while gaming desktops from smaller PC makers almost always come built into off-the-shelf cases, despite costing as much or more than an Alienware.
Nvidia GeForce 1080 gaming desktop roundup…
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This is the smallest Alienware desktop that can handle dual graphics cards, and if you want to start out with a single card and add another later, the traditional side panel screws have been replaced with a simple rear latch, making it easy to access the case interior. That’s often called a “tool-less” design, as you don’t need a screwdriver or other tools to get to the motherboard and accessory slots.
Inside the easy to open case, you can access the second graphics card slot, as well as the hard drive bays, but the CPU and RAM are hidden away behind the power supply, which folds out on a hinge after undoing a couple of screws. It’s all part of how the relatively small chassis can hold two GPUs, three hard drives and more in a very compact space.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The end result is an interior where everything fits, but also one that feels cramped, with its internal cables densely packed, at least compared to the full-size desktops from Origin PC, Velocity Micro, Digital Storm and others we’ve tested recently. Despite this, we didn’t notice any heat issues or excessive fan noise, even when running high-end VR applications.
Mini review video: Our quick verdict on the new Moto Z phones
For years, Motorola put out a flagship phone called the X, and for years it won positive reviews, thanks to its customizable design, clean software build and generally good value. This year, there’s no X. Instead, we have two new Moto phones, the Z and Z Force. And it makes sense that Motorola chose a different naming scheme, because these are indeed very different devices from what the company has put out in years past. The design is no longer customizable, and with prices reaching $624 for the Z and $720 for the Z Force, they’re not exactly what we’d call affordably priced either. Instead of being colorful and cheap, they have a modular design that allows you to snap in optional “Moto Mods” accessories, including a speaker, projector and battery pack. Another risk? Neither phone has a headphone jack. Oh, and they’re exclusive to Verizon.
While we’re not too pleased about those last two caveats, the Moto Mods make the Z line the best modular phones we’ve seen yet. The Z in particular is exceptionally thin and charges quickly, while the slightly chunkier Z Force adds longer battery life, a shatter-proof screen and a more robust 21-megapixel camera. For that reason, we gave the Z Force the higher score. But hey, if a thin phone floats your boat, you’ll be happy with the Z too.
Samsung WF50K7500AV review – CNET
The Good Samsung’s $1,499 WF50K7500AV AddWash washing machine performs well, looks good, is easy to use, and has a massive 5-cubic-foot capacity.
The Bad Its hatch-like door doesn’t make it any easier to do laundry and the related Samsung Smart Home Android and iPhone app is very glitchy.
The Bottom Line You’ll love the AddWash’s impressive performance, large capacity, and luxury black stainless finish — just pretend that extraneous hatch door isn’t there.
Visit manufacturer site for details.
The $1,499 Samsung WF50K7500AV AddWash washing machine is a true luxury appliance. With 14 cleaning cycles, a massive 5-cubic-foot capacity, a black stainless finish, and a streamlined display panel, this high-end washer is a pleasure to use. It happens to do a great job removing stains, too.
But that’s not quite where the AddWash’s story ends.
Samsung also tried out a couple of additional features with this appliance that didn’t fare as well — a second, smaller door that you’re supposed to use to add forgotten items mid-cycle and a related Samsung Smart Home app for Android and iPhone. Since you have to pause the washer for the second door to unlock, you might as well just open the main door to add that errant sock or towel. And the app was so glitchy I never made it past the configuration phase.
Even so, Samsung’s AddWash still exceeds expectations and is well worth your consideration if you’re in search of a stylish and functional premium front-load washer.
Here’s what Samsung’s AddWash washer does…
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One door too many
I got so many error messages trying to configure this app that I eventually gave up.
Screenshot by CNET
Black stainless is a relatively new finish for Samsung, one that instantly transforms an appliance from the consistently ‘meh’ look of traditional white washers to something decidedly more high-end. It also features a 5-cubic-foot tub, the largest of any front-load washing machine we’ve reviewed so far.
I also like that the AddWash supports app integration. Unfortunately, the Samsung Smart Home app, available for Android and iPhone users, was the most frustrating thing about this appliance.
A decent laundry app should let you check on the status of your washer remotely, as well as start and stop cycles. I’d also like to receive push alerts when a cycle ends.
Not only could I not figure out if these features were available on the Smart Home app, I couldn’t even get past the initial configuration steps to view the app. I tried a number of times on both a Samsung Galaxy S5 and an iPhone 6 Plus to no avail. The screenshot to the right pretty much sums up my experience.
There’s also the issue of the AddWash’s second door, something I really looked forward to trying out in our appliance lab.
My initial belief was that I’d be able to open that trap door any time I wanted during a cleaning cycle to chuck in socks, hand towels and other small items (you’d really have to get creative to fit jeans or something similarly large through the AddWash compartment). And that is true…kind of. The trick is that you have to hit pause on the washer to unlock the door.
AIVAnet 