InterviewsThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2: Greg Butler VFX Supervisor DNEGBy Vincent Frei - 23/01/2025 Back in 2019, Greg Butler shared insights into MPCs visual effects for X-Men: Dark Phoenix. He went on to work on 1917 before bringing his expertise to Method Studios in 2020, contributing to A Babysitters Guide to Monster Hunting, Loki, and the first season of The Rings of Power. By 2022, he had moved to DNEG, where he worked on season two of The Rings of Power.How did you and DNEG get involved on this show?Before joining DNEG, I was VFX supervisor for Method Studios work on the first season of The Rings of Power. DNEG also worked on Season 1 and was already in discussions about Season 2 when I arrived there in Fall 2022.What was your feeling to be back into this iconic universe?I thoroughly enjoyed my time on Season 1. It was a great feeling knowing that Season 2 would be very familiar creatively and have the same filmmaking sensibilities. I knew there would be changes given the production move from New Zealand to the UK, but with Jason Smith still overseeing the visual effects, I was confident that we were in good hands. We were also coming out of COVID-19, so there would be more opportunities to work closer together and the whole production would be less disrupted.The Lord of the Rings has been a big part of my career over the years. I was one of the first international hires for The Fellowship of the Ring in 1999 and worked on all three of the original Peter Jackson films. One of the last shots I was ever assigned as a hands-on digital artist was the last shot to final on The Return of the King, Gollum falling into lava. Mentally inhabiting Middle Earth for a living again after all these years is a constant source of enjoyment and satisfaction. I feel very lucky that Im able to contribute to the visual lore in a new way. I also enjoy bringing new generations of VFX artists into this kind of work. There are lots of similarities between the projects, a big one is how much people care about the images were creating. I remember very well the pressure we felt working on the original films, knowing that the fans of the books would study everything we did, though we didnt realize for how long! Now we have similar pressure, but for First Age material. And on top of that, people will constantly compare us to the great work done on the original film trilogy.How was the collaboration with the showrunners and VFX Supervisor Jason Smith?Working with Jason has been great from day one. We have very complimentary backgrounds and skills. Jason takes his responsibilities very seriously and is a great role model for everyone else in the VFX teams. He is endlessly enthusiastic about supporting the stories Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne want to tell. He has earned their trust over the years and the creative briefs and vision are always very clear. His top priority is creating compelling and realistic images that live up to the standards we all have for portraying Tolkiens world. Second to that though is making sure that the global VFX crews enjoy their time on the project. He is very complimentary to everyone when he sees good work and is always ready to help solve problems as they come up. Im constantly amazed at how Jason can keep his eyes across so much varied work and maintain a consistent level of energy and quality. I feel my job is to dig in deep to the portion of work assigned to my team. I became an expert in the geography in and around Eregion, Orc costumes, Elven attitudes, and many other details in the DNEG scope of work. Its been a lot of fun to throw ideas around and see many of them grow into shots or gags within shots. For example, we came up with a quick insert shot in Episode 3. The showrunners wanted to give Damrods entrance a little more time and set a mood. We added a long lens shot of the skulls hes woven into his skirt. It shows hes the kind of mercenary that carries around souvenirs of past victims, maybe as a warning to others or some kind of score keeping. Its a creepy little shot we got to invent and give Damrod more screen time.How did you organize the work with your VFX Producer?I was very lucky to work with Michelle Teefey-Lee again. She was my VFX Producer on Season 1 at Method Studios and joined DNEG just in time to kick off Season 2 with me. Michelle and I both worked in London during the great Harry Potter years. Weve seen a lot of VFX facility work get into trouble over the years, we made sure to stay on top of everything and avoid the usual traps. As we often said in our management check-ins, we plan for the worst so that it never happens. In addition to our shared background in the UK industry of the late 2000s, we have very similar instincts and attitudes about VFX work. Casting, supporting and holding onto a great crew, being up front with our client, always pushing forward, never leaving the hard stuff until later. We have lots of mantras and battle tested ideas. On a typical day, we quickly go over the big topics internal and external and then divide and conquer. We occasionally show up in each others meetings in support or to keep aware of the others challenges. We always have one voice in front of the client and crew, keeping our debates in the background. After two successful seasons together, we know we can count on each other, which makes everything much easier.What are the sequences made by DNEG?DNEG worked on 80 sequences across Season 2. Some sequences were only 1 shot, but a few were around 100, especially in Episodes 7 and 8. Our work was mostly a clean split from the other vendors. The Siege of Eregion was our main assignment and we were generally given anything that happened in or around the city. We also did a couple of unrelated moments, such as the brief scene in Episode 1 where we see Sauron using black speech to befriend a warg.Eregion is a stunning Elven city with immense visual detail. Can you describe the creative vision and challenges behind designing this environment?My involvement with Eregion goes back to Season 1 when my team and I were asked by Ron Ames and Jason Smith to take on the building of this new environment halfway through our production schedule. It was needed for under 10 shots, some wide establishers and some one-off closer views. It was a huge, but exciting challenge. Ron and Jason would mention occasionally that our work on the city would very likely continue into the next season, and that we should put some thought into how the city could be defended if it were ever attackedWe were given two critical starting assets by the production; an Unreal city model from the virtual art department led by Peter Baustaedter, and a beautiful production design PDF created by the Season 1 Production Designer Ramsey Avery. The client had already worked out a great location for the virtual city to exist, a bend in the Dart River located near Queenstown, New Zealand. They placed the city in the shadow of a large granite cliffside. My long time Environment Supervisor Jules Bodenstein, studied Ramseys design documents intensely and briefed his small generalist environment team on the build. He worked on multiple fronts at the same time. We needed an environment that could be ready for shot work in a few months, but that was built well enough to still be viable for another few years. We had no way of knowing at the time that our Season 2 work would be at a different company and on a different pipeline. One of the key design concepts we always followed is that Eregion was designed and built by Celebrimbor over hundreds of years. It had to embody a mix of clever technology, simple architectural beauty and integrate with nature, especially trees. One of the features that makes Eregion unique is that it was built with cooperation from the Dwarves of Khazad-dm. In the areas of the city closer to the cliffs, there are fully dwarven structures. In front of this area, some buildings have dwarven foundations with Elven towers resting on them. Closer to the water, there is more influence of Elvish designs, like those of Lindon. This includes large areas of trees and gardens.In both seasons, Jason was able to give us aerial photography as a base for most of our wide shots. This was a tremendous help in achieving realism and reducing the variables of shot design. Ironically, most of the plates used for Season 2 were the rejected takes from Season 1 that werent sunny enough. Once we got into Season 2, we realized the overcast plates from Season 1 were perfect for the mood and story of the new season.For Season 2, I was lucky enough to be joined by many of the key players from the Season 1 team. Knowing the city so well, both creatively and technically, was a huge jump start for the year of work it would take to rebuild it bigger and better for Season 2. There were very few specific changes needed for the citys initial role in Season 2. We added a defensive curtain wall around the city and found ways to incorporate the new sets being built for the shoot. We also designed and built Celebrimbors completed Artisan tower. The biggest new feature to integrate was the live action battle set. We ended up narrowing the virtual river to match the Windsor, UK location known as Buttersteep Rise. Most of the build work went into upgrading the complexity and quality of the city overall. We would have hundreds of shots this time, with multiple times of day, and levels of destruction.Our Season 2 methodology was about maintaining a complex and robust master asset, and we avoided cheating for specific shots as much as possible. Environment Technical Lead Yordan Petrov took on the role of city manager from the beginning. Any addition or change to the city went through him. He would resist whenever possible doing something that would result in a custom version of the environment just to solve a specific shot issue. This paid off many times over the course of the production, especially when it came time to build destroyed versions of the city. It also made it possible to maintain a much more stable and predictable asset in the pipeline. Jules also worked with our other Environment Supervisor Gauresh Churi. In addition to building the digital versions of the sets, Gaureshs team also looked after the building of the collapsing cliffs across the river and the revealed muddy riverbed. The design of the cliff structure had a very long development phase. Rather than designing a specific series of tooth-like rocky towers and forcing an FX simulation to create a chain reaction collapse, we bounced back and forth between the two departments, always giving FX the final word on the placement and shapes of the objects they were being asked to collide.Jules, Yordan, and a small core team of generalists in Montral focused on solving specific design and technical issues as they arose, destroyed buildings in particular. The destruction also required a strong collaboration with our FX Supervisors, Sbastien Quessy and Shal Joseph, as well as our Lighting Supervisors Ian Cooke-Grimes, Aleks Saraev, and Vishal Shah. The FX involvement started with the addition of small fire torch caches throughout the city that were mainly seen at night. Eventually the teams added lots of other destruction related caches such as smoke plumes and burning trees. Lighting was testing the city in parallel to make sure it was staying under memory limits and giving lighting artists enough control in shot production. Finally, the compositing team constantly fed back to everyone else on what was working and often helped decide when to cheat the last steps and when to go back to 3D. My DFX Supervisor, Marc Rice, had comped the main development shot on Season 1, so he was very familiar with the city from a 2D perspective. For Season 2, Filip Sustek looked after all of the big establishing shots of Eregion as our Compositing Supervisor.How did you balance the ethereal beauty of Eregion with the practicality of creating it as a believable, living city for the series?Working in the fantasy genre is always interesting when it comes to images of ethereal beauty and other concepts that can work against realism or believability. You want to take the audience with you to a new place, but dont want to lose them on the journey. If everything is working well acting, writing, music, photography, etc. you can stretch a little further into looks that go beyond whats familiar in the real world. The best starting point is to stay within photographic reality, but push all the tools available. Bright warm backlight, a little slow motion, some floating pollen in the air, maybe even a touch of glow on highlights. We had to be very sparing with using too many enhancements that would make the images look forced and cause the audience to question the reality of the world or notice any single technique. One of the most interesting aspects of visual effects is reality versus filmic or photographic reality. Theres no set formula for this and audiences tastes are constantly changing and evolving. The moment in Eregion that I think about here is when Celebrimbor walks out of his tower while under Annatars illusion and sees a courtyard full of his people doing idyllic Elven things; painting, drawing, reading, playing. This was our moment to show life in Eregion as it had been for centuries, working with nice photography and adding CG backgrounds full of nature and classic Elven towers. We called this pristine Eregion and it was the first version of the asset we completed.We return to this same place later when the illusion is broken and Celebrimbor sees the city as it really is under siege with its beauty being buried in smoke and rubble. Hopefully both of these looks have a believability to the audience. Our other DFX Supervisor Nihal Friedel worked with his team to create these courtyard scenes, using the same master asset as the big wide shots. Compositing Supervisor Sneha Amin was in charge of the comp work, and she made sure that we never went too heavy on any treatments that would push us into too dreamy a look.Id also like to mention something about the citys population. It sometimes seems like theres not many people around for how large a place it is. Ive always felt that Elves dont live in crowded environments. As an almost immortal race, they dont have large families and spend much of their time in pursuit of wisdom and knowledge. They prize large spaces where they can wander in thought and spend whole days on various projects. We didnt want to put crowds of Elves scattered throughout the city just for the sake of making it look lived in.Can you walk us through the technological processes used to construct the city digitally? Did you incorporate any physical sets or miniatures for reference?At the start of our Season 2 work, Yordan Petrov went through the whole Season 1 asset and ingested all the usable components into DNEGs new USD pipeline. There were a lot of things to re-do, restructure, and optimize. One of the biggest optimizations was to use a games technique to texture all the assets. We had one material per texture type which was then used over all assets using UV layouts instead of projections such as triplanar/pxr round cube. This enabled every single asset/building to access a single brick marble texture, drastically minimizing memory and texturing time. The rebuild was a lot of work, but it allowed us to make a fresh technical start, with the advantage of having finaled Season 1 shots to match. We didnt have as many variables to consider since we werent building it for the first time. The city was structured with twelve independent zones so we didnt have to load everything for shots that didnt have a full city view. Season 2 needed more CG zones as we previously relied on photography or digital matte paintings (DMP) for the environment around Eregion. There was also a lot of work done to improve the amount of instancing Renderman could give us and culling geometry not seen in the camera frustum. As usual, we had to be careful with this as items outside the view often affect scene lighting. While the rebuild was under way, Jules Bodenstein had his team refining many of the structures as well as building new ones to support more hero views and previously unseen areas of the city. Gauresh Churi was assigned the task of creating digital versions of all the live action sets. These needed to be merged into the existing city and look the same in wide fully digital shots as they did in live action closer shots. It was fun trying to find the right place to put the various courtyards and wall sets. Jules would find a good location, then see how it played in various shots before getting me and Jason to approve it as a final position. Then a pass of digital set dressing would be done to make it look like that area had always been there. This often involved adding trees, paths, and benches. As an additional layer, the environment team scattered and placed braziers and torches all around the city and within each building. Inside all these torches were locators that were swapped for FX simulated fire caches at render time. For the various versions of city destruction, building damage was controlled through a Houdini setup using simple intersecting shapes to create highly art-directable damage whilst also generating broken edges with procedural scorch marks. Much like the buildings, the tree damage was also controlled in Houdini using simple shapes to burn off leaves and smaller branches whilst also discolouring the surrounding leaves to give a realistic burnt look.Damrod the troll is a standout character. What went into designing his look, and what inspirations guided his visual style?Jonathan Banks portrayal of Mike Ehrmantraut in Breaking Bad became our primary attitude reference. It became such a good fit for the character. We also looked at tall actors with a lot of screen presence, like Ron Perlman and Andr the Giant, for their powerful lumbering strides and balancing arm swings.We came up with these ideas while working out his Episode 3 introduction scene. There is very little Damrod needs to do here walk into the Orc camp, push a beam out of his way, and then say a line back to Adar. I dont come from an animation or acting background and I was really struck by how much is actually conveyed in this short scene due to the acting choices we made. Its his lack of movement and his seeming disdain for even having to say his line that portrays how misanthropic and world weary he is.When we got to the battle, that short character sketch gave us a lot to work with. Once he is sent into the battle, he is single minded and just wants to find the quickest way into the city. The Orcs arent his teammates, theyre just something else in his way.How did you blend practical effects with CGI to create Damrod? Was motion capture used for his movements, and if so, what challenges arose in animating his size and weight convincingly?There were only a few moments where Damrod interacted with the real world. The rest of the time, we just left a wide enough area clear and an eyeline pole moved through the set at an appropriate pace. We spent a lot of time in shoot prep working out which would be practical interaction moments and when wed just keep it loose and handle all the interaction in post. When Damrod first enters the battlefield, he grabs an Orc, bites off his head and tosses him away. Thats obviously a digital double and we had the Elves and Orcs on-set fighting with a Damrod-sized hole left in their midst. We cut to close-ups of his feet stomping through the mud and theres two choreographed SFX moments that we added CG feet to. For those shots, a stunt Elven warrior is lying on an airbag that quickly deflates so that he appears to be pushed into the mud by a troll foot. We even got some usable FG mud splashes from the proxy troll foot that our SFX Supervisor puppeteered in camera. I find it works really well to have a combination of shots that lock you into what was shot and some that are left loose enough that the action can be resolved in post. After a rough cut of the sequence was put together, there were some additional beats shot on a bluescreen stage. The most significant ones Jason named the inhuman shield and the guitar solo. The shield moment is when Damrod gets annoyed by all the arrows Arondir is sticking in him and he pulls two Orcs up to soak up the attack. The Orcs were practical and we reverse engineered the troll animation into the footage. We had to jump through some hoops in terms of their movement and lighting, but it was nice to have real stuntmen in the shot reacting to the virtual arrow hits. The guitar solo is a big panning shot that connects Damrods entrance with the city wall and the fight going on in front of it. It was done with multiple motion control passes to capture a number of stunt events. These were all stitched together and then massaged into place once we had some good Damrod lumbering and kicking animation. We filled up the mid and background with lots of digital fighting vignettes.We never really considered motion capture for Damrod. We felt that, in addition to finding a performer and getting the right recipe for motion re-targeting, we would also owe a lot of motion editing for ground interaction and contact with real and virtual objects. It took a while to find the right key frame balance of stride, hip rotations, arm swings, and other indications of size and weight. But, once we had an approved cycle, the animators could branch off from there for the specific shot moments.Looking back on the project, what aspects of the visual effects are you most proud of?What Im really the most proud of is that everyone on our global team of hundreds enjoyed the experience and worked so well together. Ive been doing visual effects for a long time now and I dont ever take for granted that a project will be a good experience for the crew. Im still getting positive feedback from the Season 2 crew today and everyone is hoping that we can all work together again soon. I want to first thank my Amazon clients, the showrunners and Producers Jason Smith, Tim Keene, James Yeoman, and their whole team who gave us so much trust, support and friendship. Michelle and I made sure that our crew were aware of that positive relationship and the importance of holding up our end of it by keeping up our effort and care at all times. The DNEG senior management team, especially Puja Parikh, Amit Sharma, Emma McGuinness, Adriano Rinaldi, Merzin Tavaria and Rohan Desai, really let us run the project using our instincts and experience. They left us to it, but were ready to help whenever we asked. We couldnt have done it this way without a great supervision and production team. From the very beginning we made sure that all departments looked up and down the pipeline and always talked to each other, never just throwing their work over the fence without making sure it worked for the next person. Attending internal reviews was very gratifying when I saw evidence of that attitude and saw the quality and efficiencies that resulted. Of course, creating great images that add to the visual history of Tolkiens work brings me great joy, but if it had come at the cost of artists that never wanted to do it again it would have been a great disappointment.Which sequence or shot was the most challenging?Our biggest shot was definitely the opening of Episode 8. We start by looking into a dramatic sky and follow smoke plumes down to see across the battlefield as the remaining trebuchets fire into the heavily damaged city. We blend from fully digital into a minute long single camera take and hand back to digital at the end. The camera is led through the city first by invading Orcs, then by an Elven archer, and finally by Galadriel leading refugees to safety.This shot was turned over soon after it was shot and we only finished it in our final weeks. It wasnt worked on every day but one steadfast Compositor, Kuba Pruszkowski, did have it on his plate the whole time and would build up the layers as they came in. It wasnt just the man hours necessary to create and blend all the pieces, it was also the creative decisions that needed to go into this scene. Every department contributed elements after having built up looks and techniques in other smaller shots. Its a true kitchen sink shot!The final look of the whole shot came together once we had worked out how the world would look from the cliffs above, where Galadriel and Sauron are duelling. We got some great concept frames from the client VFX Concept Artist, Einar Martinsen, that showed how this big opener could link to the later scene and emphasize areas of the frames dramatically as we moved through the city environment.Is there something specific that gives you some really short nights?Nothing specific. Throughout post-production we faced creative and technical challenges; a single shot or effect we couldnt make work, a sequence that was still in search of a look, a sudden trailer deadline. I had such a good crew that we planned for those things constantly. Not knowing what or when, but having built in spare time and resource for the inevitable surprises. Our Senior Production Managers, Val Kenol and Stefan De Souza, were always reviewing resources and schedules to make sure we werent caught short. Despite all the planning, the thing I can never shake off is the fear and apprehension of that last minute phone call. When someone high up in the food chain suddenly decides that what weve been doing isnt right, doesnt work, etc. Its almost never happened in my career and has yet to happen on The Rings of Power. But that background fear keeps me pushing. If I get complacent, thats when it will happen.What is your favorite shot or sequence?I never got tired of reviewing our big Eregion establishing shots. Theres so much detail and history in each frame. By history, I mean the years of building and evolving the city asset across the two seasons. Though I could easily pick from a number of them, the very last shot of Episode 1 is a helicopter flying right to left, looking at the city as foreground trees interrupt and eventually wipe the frame. Our layout team, supervised by Florian Mignet, did many iterations of the FG trees to get just the right visual rhythm that Bear McCreary could cue off of and take us into the episode credits. I didnt know until I was watching Episode 1 with my family that the shot would end that weeks episode. It was a great surprise.What is your best memory on this show?For specific moments, its hard to beat the sensory experience of being on-set for the filming. I was present for two months of the second unit battle work. We had a great VFX on-set crew, led by Richard Bain. Everyone on that shooting crew was great and I soaked up all the information and memories I could to inform and inspire our post work. The Second Unit Director was the legendary Vic Armstrong and it was a great privilege to watch him design shots and lead the unit. I had wanted to work with Vic ever since I heard stories from friends who were with him on the 1996 Starship Troopers shoot in South Dakota. We spent a lot of our time on-set standing in thick mud, usually the cold and gooey variety.One particular night I remember really well was when our last shot was the big explosion at the siege machine (called the Ravager). Earlier that night we completed great shots of Selina Lo (as the Elven archer Rian) being hit with Orc arrows and collapsing into the mud. I was really impressed with her stoic performance and level of tolerance for the cold and wet conditions. When it was time for the big stunt/SFX shot where she fires off her last arrow at the oil barrels, it began to rain so heavily everyone went under shelter to wait it out. The rain eased up and Vic decided we could still get the last shot. SFX set up the charges and a group of stunt performers prepared safety gear and slathered on fire gel. The crew pulled back to safety and then we rolled on a single amazing take. The Rian stunt double is silhouetted by fire as stunt Orcs fly through the air covered in flames. In post, we realized that the rain in the shot was very visible and there wasnt rain in surrounding shots. We embraced the added drama of the sparkling rain and added digital rain to the following shots. Its hard to recreate these organic and spontaneous live action moments when youre in post just using computers.How long have you worked on this show?I started in November 2022 and we completed our final shots at the end of August 2024.Whats the VFX shots count?DNEG completed 936 shots across the 8 episodes. Most of our work was in episodes 6-8.What is your next project?Were currently discussing work for Season 3 of The Rings of Power and Im looking forward to finding out how we can contribute to another exciting installment.A big thanks for your time.WANT TO KNOW MORE?DNEG: Dedicated page about The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 on DNEG website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

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The Facades+ conference series returns to South Florida on February 4. Hosted at the Le Meridien Dania Beach, the program features case studies of some of the most exciting projects in the region, as well as topical conversations related to climate resiliency, and coastal subsidence. AN collaborated with Margi Glavovic Nothard, founder and design director of Glavovic Studio, to assemble the symposium.Click here to find more information and register. Youth Sports Complex: A Community Porch for Pompano BeachThe day begins with a presentation of the Field House at the Youth Sports Complex in Pompano Beach, Florida. This small, 4,100-square-foot structure supports 10 acres of recreational facilities. Mason Millner, project designer at Brooks + Scarpa, will describe the envelope design of the new facility, which features a street-facing elevation formed from a yellow aluminum lattice while the remainder of the building is contained within a shell of board-formed concrete. Through its eclectic facade, the field house is unsubtle in its references to South Floridas tradition of colorful modernism. Coastal Subsidence on Miamis Barrier Islands from Satellite InSARNext, Falk Amelung, a professor of geophysics at the University of Miami, will share his teams discovery of coastal subsidence in South Florida, impacting the regions many hotel and condo high-rises. Amelung will explain the use of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR), which identified displacement in the coastlines limestone bedrock, while also focusing on takeaways relevant to AEC professionals.Glavovic Studios reclad an existing brick building with green resin panels for the Girls Club headquarters. (Robin Hill)Girls Club: Materiality, Lightness, and Color for Adaptive ReuseIn the following session, Margi Nothard will present her design for the headquarters of Girls Club, an arts nonprofit based in Downtown Fort Lauderdale. Beginning with an existing 2-story masonry structure, Glavovic Studio completely transformed the appearance of the building, recladding the exterior with green resin panels. To create a sense of depth and visual complexity, the exterior is draped in fishing nets produced by local craftsman and illuminated from below. The result of these interventions is an aesthetically unique expression that reflects the artistic mission of the client.Grove Central is a mixed-use development located along Miamis Underline. (Robin Hill)Grove Central: Designing for Climate Resilience and Urban ConnectivityAfter lunch, Jacqueline Gonzalez Touzet, founding partner of Touzet Studio, will present Grove Central, a new transit-oriented and mixed-use development located in Miamis Coconut Grove neighborhood. Focusing on design strategies that respond to South Floridas increasingly volatile climate, Touzet will discuss how podium cladding can be used to combat flash flooding, and other storm related threats. In addition, she will share two of the firms in-progress projects that use a terra-cotta rainscreen across their podium as a means of storm water retention. Enclosure Strategies for Damaging Winds, Tropical Storms, and HurricanesConversations related to Floridas unique climate challenges continues in the next session, where Heather Anesta, founder of Anesta Consulting, and Dr. Jon Galsworthy, managing director of CPP Wind Engineering, take the stage to discuss envelope design strategies to combat high winds. Anesta, who regularly works with FEMA, will share images of cladding failures that have occurred during recent tropical storms, while Galsworthy will impart how these catastrophes can be avoided during the design process.garciastromberg were tasked with adding contextually sensitive additions to the historic Pier Sixty Six hotel in Fort Lauderdale. (Barry Grossman)Pier Sixty Six: Reinterpreting Iconic Mid-Century DesignIn the days final session, Jorge Garcia and Roger Grave de Peralta, CEO and vice president respectively at garciastromberg, will be joined on stage by Chris Gandolfo, senior vice president at Tavistock Development, to discuss the expansion of Pier Sixty Six in Fort Lauderdale. Because the resorts original midcentury tower has long been an architectural landmark in Fort Lauderdale, the project team set out to design new buildings that complement the tower stylistically. This was achieved primarily through the design of geometrically expressive balcony spaces which distinguish each of the new structures.

ZDNET's key takeaways HP's 16-inch Envy x360 2-in-1 (2024) comes in a variety of configurations, but the version with 1TB of storage and an OLED display is on sale for $949.It sports one of the most gorgeous displays I've seen on a convertible laptop in this price range.It's a little on the heavy side, and the configuration swapping can be buggy. View now at HP What's the deal?HP is selling multiple discounted Envy x360 models on its online store. Prices start at $620 and go up to $1,300 for high-end configurations. Keep in mind that the cheaper units lack the more impactful features, such as OLED touchscreens.A host of great 2-in-1 laptops launched in 2024, forcing more and more laptop diehards (myself included) previously unwilling to commit to the form factor to switch to convertibles, which give you the best of both worlds.TheHP Envy x360 16" 2-in-1shows up to the party with all the features that consumers actually want in a convertible: a gorgeous display, beefy speakers, and a suite of hardware to back it up. This results in a solid performance and a satisfying media experience at a mid-range price point.Also: HP shows off three next-gen laptops and revamps its desktops at CES 2025Yes, a 16-inch screen is large when used as a tablet -- a little unwieldy, even. However, the OLED display on this laptop is so good that it doesn't matter to me. In fact, it could be bigger, and I would still happily tote it around. details View at Hp The Envy x360 features a 2.8K (2880 x 1800) resolution OLED touchscreen with a variable 120Hz refresh rate and edge-to-edge glass that results in a smooth-as-silk visual experience. The 500-nit brightness is more than enough for normal use, and the glossy finish looks gorgeous (although it may not be for everyone, because fingerprints are a thing).Also: This Lenovo laptop handled my various workflows with grace - and it's surprisingly affordableVideo playback is vibrant, smooth, and sharp, with a realistic depth of color and contrast. HP also advertises the Envy x360 as an "IMAX certified" laptop, one of the first of its kind. It earned this certification for its ability to display IMAX-formatted content in its original 1.43:1 or 1.90:1 aspect ratio. While a flashy designation, this is a laptop we're talking about here; it's still a 16-inch screen. It does look good, though -- I'll give it that.The audio is also decent. While it may seem that the two vents on either side of the keyboard are speakers, audio actually originates from the dual DTS:X Ultrabar-shaped speakers on the back of the device. There isn't a lot of bass, but mid-frequency audio and dialogue sound crisp and clear and held their own when I played Netflix in a noisy kitchen. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETThe previously mentioned vents on either side of the keyboard are actually for expelling heat, something my colleague Cesar Cadenas will appreciate, as this is a laptop you can actually place on your lap without getting first-degree burns on your legs.The Envy x360 is positioned just below HP's Spectre line of laptops to provide great performance that serves most users' needs. We reviewed the 2024 Spectre x360early last year and found it has top-notch hardware thanks to the "Meteor Lake" AI processor, but it will run you hundreds of dollars more.The Envy x360 model that I tested, however, came with an integrated AMD Radeon GPU that, coupled with the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor, can run both CPU-intensive and graphics tasks well. This aligns with its targeted creator/freelancer consumer demographic, allowing visual apps like DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Photoshop to run smoothly, with an eye toward generative AI capabilities.I found that the battery life was better than average -- especially for an OLED-equipped laptop -- thanks to the efficiency gains of the Ryzen 7 8840HS processor. With only intermittent use, the laptop lasted me several days, while sustained activity resulted in over 10 hours of battery life, more or less equivalent to what is advertised. Even better is the fast charging feature, which I found even faster than HP's 50% in 45-minute claims.Also: My favorite lightweight laptop for work is not a ThinkPad or MacBook - and it's on saleThe 2-in-1 form factor requires a certain degree of physical fortitude, and its hinge-style design (which is almost identical to the Lenovo 7i 2-in-1) supports a sturdy build that's up to the task. It has minimal screen wobble, yet enough resistance to stay in place as a touchscreen.That said, this is not a particularly light laptop, weighing in at around four pounds, with most of that weight coming from the 16-inch OLED. Despite the weight, it's very thin -- only 0.72 inches -- which results in a laptop that still feels sufficiently portable. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETPort selection on the 2024 Envy x360 will also be sufficient for most users, with two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an HDMI port. The keyboard is particularly unique: the keys are big and chunky, in a matte gray color, with oversized letters in a distinct sans serif font. It looks good but lacks a right-side number pad, which I prefer to have on a laptop -- especially one of this size.Also: This 11-in-1 docking station is the office productivity gadget I didn't know I neededIf you can't tell already, I'm a big fan of the Envy x360, and out of all the 2-in-1 laptops I've tested, I prefer this one. My main critique of this laptop is the bugginess that can occur when swapping between the different orientations. Going from tablet to laptop can result in delayed or glitchy keyboard response, and the screen orientation can stick in one position or another, requiring a deliberate re-positioning of the laptop to reset the internal gyroscope.These issues are prevalent across all 2-in-1 laptops I've tested and are (usually) intermittent enough to not be problems -- but in certain moments, facing non-functioning hardware can be frustrating, and you should keep that in mind.ZDNET's buying adviceThe HP Envy x360 16 (2024) is priced well for an upper-mid-tier device with a gorgeous display and solid performance. Creators will love this laptop's flexible form factor and impressive battery life. After using it for a few weeks, I can say that it's my favorite big-screen 2-in-1, despite its quirks. This is a laptop for work as much as it is for entertainment, and if you're looking for a 2-in-1 laptop, you have to consider the Envy x360.Compared to its rivals, HP's model offers a more complete package. Take a look at Lenovo's Yoga 7i. It's also a great machine worth consideration, but the Yoga is heavier with a duller screen. Microsoft's 11th-Gen Surface Pro arguably has better hardware, but it is much smaller, sporting a 13-inch touchscreen.If you're looking for a smaller option, considerHP's 2024 Spectre x360, which has a 14-inch display. For something more adventurous, check out the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, which has two displays.Featured reviews

Ollama allows you to use a local LLM for your artificial intelligence needs, but by default, it is a command-line-only tool. To avoid having to use the terminal, try this extension instead.

'Over the Hill' is the long-awaited spiritual successor to the stunning 'Art of Rally'.FunselektorIt wasnt perfect, and it certainly didnt hold your hand, but the superb Art of Rally remains one of the most beautiful and balanced racing games of the last five years. Today, developer Funselektor finally revealed a spiritual successor one that takes the driving experience onto even trickier terrain.Over the Hill celebrates the golden age of offroading that promises a gorgeous world of challenging trails that you can conquer on your own or with friends, using vehicles inspired by iconic autos from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, like the Land Rover 110, Toyota Land Cruiser, and Ford Bronco.As the second game created by Funselektor and Strelka Games, who collaborated last year on the impressive, F1-inspired management racer Golden Lap, Over the Hill draws on the personal experiences of Funselektor founder Dune Casu. He left behind Vancouvers high rental costs and transformed a cargo van into a fully functional camper, containing a kitchen, bed, solar panels, and crucially a workspace.After having developed several games about motorsport, we wanted to go off-track by offering players a vast world to lose themselves at a slower pace, Casu said. Theres something special about being in the wilderness in the middle of nowhere, from the peace, the sounds of nature, and less distraction from the civilized world. I hope this game can really drive that feeling home.MORE FOR YOUThe experience aims to offer a free-roaming off-road exploration game with beautiful visuals, modeled after the minimalistic art style of Art of Rally. Across a range of familiar biomes and terrains, the world is subject to day and night cycles, and changing weather that hope to deliver an ever-changing and consistently original experience.'Over the Hill' places a large focus on cozy multiplayer driving.FunselektorOver the Hill also aims to reward dedication with numerous progression routes. Portals link environments together and unlock new areas. Each region has its own objectives, challenges, and hidden gems. You can also customize your ride with equipment that makes certain journeys easier to navigate.From its trailer, the real charm of Over the Hill seems to be its multiplayer appeal a lo-fi take on Expeditions: A MudRunner Game that focuses less on overcoming hurdles and more on shared relaxation.Theres no firm release date for Over the Hill just yet, but you can wishlist it now on Steam. There arent any plans for a console release just yet, but Art of Rally found itself on Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch around a year after its PC debut and this follow-up seems like the perfect day-one multiplayer debut for the likes of Game Pass.

In a nutshell: Buffalo has introduced the RUF3-KEV a USB flash drive with a unique twist. This seemingly ordinary device is engineered to serve as the final line of defense against viral infections when transferring files between computers. At first glance, the RUF3-KEV looks like an ordinary USB stick. However, beneath its unassuming exterior lies Buffalo's proprietary "DiXiM Security Endpoint" an embedded anti-malware system that monitors files for threats in real-time. According to PC Watch, any rogue programs or virus signatures are instantly quarantined and neutralized before they can cause harm.The drive also includes a built-in antivirus scanner that scans new file transfers, detecting and removing infected payloads on the fly. An additional "heuristic" layer analyzes program behaviors, identifying and isolating anything that exhibits suspicious traits.For added security, the RUF3-KEV features password authentication, preventing unauthorized access to its data.The RUF3-KEV features a capless design to prevent dust infiltration, and its auto-retracting USB connector reduces wear and tear. Despite being a USB 3.2 Gen 1 flash drive, it boasts a compact stature, measuring approximately 19.8 x 10 x 68 mm.It's worth noting that USB 3.2 Gen 1 is far from the latest standard, as it has been surpassed by USB 3.2 Gen 2, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, and USB4. Clearly, speed is not the primary focus of this device. // Related StoriesThe drive is available in 64GB, 32GB, and 16GB capacities. Pricing, announced in Japanese yen, starts at 10,000 ($64) for the 64GB version, 8,300 ($53) for the 32GB model, and 6,600 ($42) for the 16GB option.For now, the RUF3-KEV is only available via Amazon Japan, which may involve additional shipping costs. While Buffalo has a US subsidiary (Buffalo Americas), it remains unclear if the device will launch stateside.For users frequently transferring sensitive files between computers, the added peace of mind may justify the extra expense.Buffalo, best known for its LinkStation and TeraStation lines of network-attached storage devices that enable centralized data access across networks, also offers a range of portable drives and networking components.

WTF?! With everything that's happened to TikTok over the last few days, it's no surprise that the app and owner ByteDance have rarely been out of the news cycle. There have even been reports that YouTube's most-subscribed star, Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, is in the race to buy TikTok's US operations, though his spokesperson said discussions are ongoing. Donaldson posted a jokey message on X on January 13 that read, "Okay fine, I'll buy Tik Tok so it doesn't get banned." A day later, he wrote that "Unironically I've had so many billionaires reach out to me since I tweeted this, let's see if we can pull this off."Donaldson taking over TikTok might be more plausible than it sounds. There were reports earlier this month that Chinese authorities were considering selling TikTok to X owner Elon Musk. Donald Trump has said he is open to Musk or fellow tech billionaire Larry Ellison buying the app in the US.On Tuesday, law firm Paul Hastings announced that it is advising a syndicate of investors led by Recruiter.com founder/CEO Jesse Tinsley in an all-cash offer to acquire TikTok's US operations and various assets from ByteDance. It adds that the investor group comprises institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals, including MrBeast.The statement does not include the size of the bid, though Trump said the app was valued at $1 trillion with a "permit" to operate in the US under 50% US ownership. Donaldson's net worth is estimated to be around $1 billion.On Tuesday evening, Donaldson replied to a tweet about his bid to buy TikTok alongside investors. He wrote that "The leading groups who are all credible bidding on Tik Tok have reached out for us to help them, I'm excited to partner/make this a reality. Big things cooking"While all signs point to Donaldson trying to become a part-owner of US TikTok, MrBeast spokesperson Matthew Hiltzik said the YouTube star hasn't yet officially joined any bids. "Several buyers are holding ongoing discussions with Jimmy," Hiltzik told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "He has no exclusive agreements with any of them." // Related StoriesAfter blocking access for US users on Saturday, hours before it was due to be banned, TikTok's services began returning on Sunday, for which the company thanked Trump. On his first day in office on Monday, the president issued an executive order telling the DoJ not to enforce the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act or to punish those who violate it for 75 days.TikTok is still not available to download from the Apple App and Google Play Stores after being removed over the weekend.

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsBumps in the roadWhats the next stop?When you hear EV, you tend to think of a car, but the term is a big umbrella. E-bikes and scooters fall under the category as well, and so do buses. Public transit is already a fairly sustainable choice. Given the large size of bus battery packs and their pre-existing efficiency for mass transportation, does switching buses to electric appreciably lower emissions? Is it worth the work and cost of adding commercial charging infrastructure?Our first stop in answering these questions was the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. This specialized government group supports the electrification of public transit by providing resources and technical assistance to local agencies.Recommended VideosThey tell us that over the lifetime of a single battery electric bus, total greenhouse gas emissions are estimated at 1,192 short tons versus 2,112 short tons for a diesel equivalent. Thats a difference of over 40% and a strong argument for electric buses on climate impact alone.The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation pointed us to the AFLEET online tool, which provides estimations for all sorts of transit emission scenarios. For example, a single all-electric transit bus operating in the District of Columbia has an estimated fuel economy of 11.2 miles per diesel gallon equivalent (MPDGE), while a diesel transit bus is estimated at 4.4 miles per gallon (MPG). Getting more than twice the mileage for the emissions is pretty dang good.ZumBeyond greenhouse gas emissions are local emissions. People using public transit are exposed to all sorts of particulates. The American Lung Association says we can mitigate pediatric asthma attacks and infant deaths by reducing exposure to direct transportation emissions. The adoption of zero-emission vehicles could cumulatively amount to $978 billion in public health benefits, 89,300 fewer premature deaths, 2.2 million fewer asthma attacks, and 10.7 million fewer lost workdays. These benefits would be equitable too, since lower-income people are more likely to be riding the bus.As for charging, DC fast chargers can be centralized at bus depots where they can be well-maintained. Electric buses use chargers that are similar to those for consumer vehicles, which minimizes technological hurdles. That said, additional charging stations across service areas are required for buses to maintain consistent uptime, and bus routes need to be adjusted accordingly.Public transit is just the first stop on electrifying buses, however. School buses move a lot more people on a daily basis. In the U.S., over 25 million kids ride the bus every day. Set schedules with big breaks in between provides predictability for school bus charging and grid demand. Bus batteries are so big that their potential contribution in vehicle-to-grid energy on this timetable is promising. Through schemes like that provided by Zum in Oakland, school buses can help power homes during peak evening hours when the grid is under the most strain. These buses can even start paying back their up-front cost through net metering, whereby schools earn credit on their electrical bills by feeding power back into the grid when its needed most.As we look for success stories, its hard to ignore China.BYDThey have about half a million EV buses on the road now. That suggests we could be doing more in this space. I would not be surprised if China is 80% of the worlds electric bus fleet. says Christopher Knittel.Christopher Knittel is from the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research at MIT. Hes an economist who has spent a lot of time looking at costs, challenges, and opportunities around transit electrification. Sure enough, his take on China is accurate. The last tally in 2022 put Chinas count of pure electric buses at around 455,500, which was 64.8% of the global share at the time. By comparison, the U.S. had a little over 6,000 battery electric buses in 2023.Shenzhen is particularly noteworthy. This tech hub on the border of Hong Kong is where many of our favourite gadgets are built. Local expertise has been equally applied to electrify their entire 16,000-bus fleet, and that was seven years ago. Since then theyve also completely electrified their taxi fleet. This shows that it can be done, but it requires a lot of government support.IndyGoWhy havent we flipped the switch already and electrified Americas bus fleets?For one, we have to wait on the gas-guzzlers to retire. Municipalities have spent good money on the buses they have, and with tight budgets, it makes no financial sense to retire them while theyre still functional. As of 2021, about 22% of the American bus fleet was eligible for retirement, which isnt a bad chunk to start with.Even once diesel buses are retired, electric alternatives still cost upwards of three times more than their fossil fuel counterparts. Thats a hard pill to swallow, even with long-term savings in fuel and maintenance costs. It would take $8.5 billion to replace the 22% of the bus fleet that was ready to go as of 2021 and another $2.0 to $3.1 billion to replace the three to four thousand buses retiring each year until 2035. On the flip side, Chicagos transit authority estimates that they would save about $25 million in annual costs with a fully converted fleet.Climate also impacts EV performance. Batteries get unstable when subjected to high temperature, requiring extra energy be spent on cooling. That extra energy can put a 25% dent into range, depending on conditions. One rollout in Albuquerque was stalled due to buses failing to perform under the heat, though there were other issues, and the city went on to expand their electrified fleet. Meanwhile, Indianapolis needed to install additional wireless charging stations to make up for the range shortfall caused by cold.When asked about how to improve U.S. adoption of electrified fleets, Knittels hopes lay with policy changes.I would love to see more federal guidance on this. We can leave it up to municipalities. We can leave it up to the states. We can leave it up to school districts. But theres potentially a lot of economies of scale here. Unless we have market coordination across states and cities, were just not going to have access to the cheapest and best technologies.The state of New York has already enacted a mandate to shift to electric school buses, and California has similar legislation for public transit transitioning completely by 2040. New tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act provides some federal-level incentives for commercial EVs and charging infrastructure, plus about $1.5 billion is being provided in direct electrification funding. It will take time to see the impact of this funding. Its a good start, but theres still a long road ahead.Editors RecommendationsGenesis Electrified GV70 first drive review: a killer high-end EV with one flaw

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: specsSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: design and displaySamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: performanceSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: battery and chargingSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: camerasSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: software and updatesSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: price and availabilitySamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: which should you buy?Its a new year, so its time for Samsung to release new phones. For 2025, this includes the Galaxy S25 series. Lets look at how the top model, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, compares to Apples iPhone 16 Pro Max.Though we have not yet spent time with a Galaxy S25 Ultra, we still know much about it to begin the comparison. Heres how the Galaxu S25 Ultra compares to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, at this early stage.Recommended VideosSpecsSamsung Galaxy S25 UltraiPhone 16 Pro MaxSize162 x 77.6 x 8.2mm163 x 77.6 x 8.25mmWeight218 grams227 gramsScreen6.9-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X1440 x 3120 pixelsSuper Smooth 120Hzrefresh rate (1~120Hz)2,600 nits brightness6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED1320 x 2868 pixelsProMotion with 120Hz dynamic refresh rate2,000 nits brightnessOperating systemAndroid 15One UI 7iOS 18RAM and storage256GB, 512GB, 1TB12GB RAM256GB, 512GB, 1TB8GB RAMProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for GalaxyApple A18 ProCameraRear:200-megapixel primary50MP ultrawide50MP telephoto, 5x optical zoom10MP telephoto, 3x optical zoomFront:12MPRear:48MP primary48MP ultrawide12MP telephoto, 5x optical zoomFront:12MPConnectivityWi-Fi 7Bluetooth 5.4Wi-Fi 7, dual-bandBluetooth 5.3Water resistanceIP68 (maximum depth of 1.5m up to 30 minutes)IP68 (maximum depth of 6m up to 30 minutes)Battery & charging5,000mAh battery45W fast chargingFast Wireless Charging 2.0Wireless PowerShareQi wireless charging4,685mAh battery45W fast charging25W wireless charging via MagSafe15W Qi2 wireless chargingColorsTitanium Silverblue, Titanium Black, Titanium Whitesilver and Titanium GreyBlack Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert TitaniumPriceStarting at $1,299Starts at $1,199ReviewTo be publishediPhone 16 Pro MaxNirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsRelatedThe Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra features a sleek, sophisticated design characterized by rounded corners and a thinner, lighter profile than its predecessor, the Galaxy S24 Ultra. It boasts a large 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED display, providing vibrant colors, deep blacks, and an immersive viewing experience. Like the previous model, the S25 Ultra offers a display with an impressive refresh rate of 120Hz, ensuring smooth scrolling and fluid animations. Peak brightness is 2600 nits. Additionally, it includes an in-display fingerprint sensor for secure and convenient unlocking.It is also important to note that the Galaxy S25 Ultra includes an S-Pen, a feature unique to Samsung devices. While this pen has lost some functionality compared to previous models, it will continue to be a significant reason for many users to choose Samsung.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsThe iPhone 16 Pro Max features a refined design characterized by a titanium frame, contributing to its durability and lightweight nature. This choice of material enhances the devices appearance while offering protection against everyday wear and tear. The phone maintains a flat-edged design, a recognizable Apple aesthetic aspect.The iPhone 16 Pro Max also has a 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display. This OLED screen provides vibrant colors, deep blacks, and clarity due to its high resolution (2868 x 1320 pixels). It also includes ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and animations. With a peak brightness of up to 2000 nits, the display remains visible in bright conditions, and it is safeguarded by Apples Ceramic Shield for increased scratch and drop resistance.On paper, Samsungs phone is slightly lighter than Apples and has an ever-so-slightly smaller body, even though both phones have a 6.9-inch display. Does this make the newer phone easier to carry? Well know once weve had a chance to review it.Winner: TieNirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsWhile we have not yet had the opportunity to test the Galaxy S25 Ultra, we have preliminary compared its processor, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, and the A18 Pro chip used in the iPhone 16 Pro Max.At first glance, the Snapdragon 8 Elite has a distinct advantage due to its innovative architecture thats slightly newer. It has more CPU cores with enhanced multi-core performance and a more powerful Adreno GPU. This combination significantly boosts capabilities in demanding tasks such as gaming, 3D rendering, and multitasking. Users can expect smoother gameplay and noticeably faster processing speeds when navigating resource-intensive applications.In contrast, the A18 Pro shines in single-core performance. This makes it exceptionally efficient for everyday tasks such as web browsing, messaging, and using productivity apps. Users who value quick responsiveness in day-to-day activities may find the A18 Pro more appealing. The Snapdragon 8 Elite suits mobile gamers and users who regularly engage in demanding multitasking scenarios. Its higher core count and advanced GPU ensure that even the most graphically intense games run smoothly, providing an immersive experience without lag.Conversely, if you are deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem and appreciate the seamless hardware and software integration, the A18 Pro remains an exemplary pick. It provides efficient performance and a user-friendly interface, making it a strong contender for those who prioritize optimization and ease of use in light computing tasks.Ultimately, our hands-on testing of the Galaxy S25 Ultra will be the real determining factor. Once we delve into its performance metrics in real-world scenarios, we will gain more insight into how the Snapdragon 8 Elite compares to the A18 Pro, paving the way for a clearer choice based on users unique needs and preferences.Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraChristine Romero-Chan / Digital TrendsThe Galaxy S25 Ultra, like last years model, features a 5,000mAh battery. Samsung claims this will provide up to 31 hours of video playback on a single charge, one hour longer than the Galaxy S24 Ultra. We got up to two days of battery life with the S24 Ultra, which is quite impressive, and we anticipate similar performance from the newer model.The Galaxy S25 Ultra promises a 65% charge in about 30 minutes when using a 45W adapter. It also supports Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 and Wireless PowerShare. We expect to learn more details on battery charging in the coming days, and when we do, well adjust this post.The iPhone 16 Pro Max offers impressive features when it comes to battery life and charging. It is equipped with a 4,685mAh battery, which is a significant upgrade from the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This larger battery plays a key role in providing excellent battery life.Apple claims that the device can deliver up to 33 hours of video playback and up to 105 hours of audio playback. This means it can easily last through a full day of regular use, even with heavy activity. In our tests, we found that the iPhone 16 Pro Max could last between a day and a half to two days on a single charge.Regarding charging capabilities, the iPhone 16 Pro Max supports a maximum of 30W with a MagSafe charger. It can reach up to 50% battery in just 30 minutes when using a 20W adapter or higher with a wired USB-C connection. Additionally, the phone offers wireless charging at up to 25W with MagSafe and 15W with accessories that use the more common Qi2 standard. Both the iPhone 16 Pro Max and its predecessor can also wirelessly charge accessories like AirPods.Winner: Tie (for now)Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsSamsung has made a significant change to the Galaxy S25 Ultras quad-camera system compared to the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The ultrawide camera has been upgraded from 12-megapixels to 50MP, which should enhance clarity and vibrancy in photos. The wide-angle camera remains at 200MP, while the telephoto lens features 50MP and 10MP.In addition to the hardware upgrades, various software enhancements have been implemented for the Galaxy S25 Ultras cameras, many of which benefit from the improved chipset on the phone. These updates will enhance both photo and video quality. New camera features include improved low-light performance, advanced AI processing, and a virtual aperture. This virtual aperture allows users to adjust the depth of field after taking a photo, offering greater control over the background blur, similar to portrait mode but with more flexibility. In particular, w e cant wait to test the enhanced zoom capabilities and improved night mode.The iPhone 16 Pro Max features a comprehensive camera system that aims to capture high-quality photos and videos in various environments. The rear setup includes a triple-lens configuration, highlighted by a 48MP primary camera equipped with a larger sensor and second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization. This combination is intended to enhance image clarity, particularly in low-light conditions. Accompanying the primary lens is a 48MP ultrawide camera that offers a generous 120-degree field of view, making it suitable for photographing expansive landscapes or large group shots. The third component of the camera system is a 12MP telephoto lens featuring 5x optical zoom, allowing for detailed close-up shots without losing quality.Apple has incorporated a range of computational photography advancements into the camera system, including an upgraded Photonic Engine designed to enhance image quality across various lighting scenarios. The iPhone 16 Pro Max also allows for ProRAW capture, providing users with more editing options and flexibility in post-processing. Regarding video capabilities, the device supports recording in Dolby Vision HDR, which has resolutions up to 4K and frames reaching 120 frames per second. For self-portraits, the front-facing camera presents a 12MP sensor with autofocus and supports the Photonic Engine, contributing to improved image quality for selfies.The iPhone 16 Pro Max, like the other phones in the iPhone 16 series, includes a Camera Control button on one side to make it easier to take photos and videos in horizontal form.Until we can test the Galaxy S25 Ultras camera system and compare and contrast it with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, we consider the systems a tie.Winner: TieAndy Boxall / Digital TrendsThe Samsung Galaxy S25 series becomes the first Samsung devices to support Android 15 and include the companys new One UI 7 on the top. This combination should provide an improved user experience with enhanced privacy features, a redesigned quick settings panel, improved multitasking, and more. There are also enhanced AI capabilities and fresh or updated productivity and creativity tools.In terms of software upgrades, Samsung has extended to seven years of guaranteed OS and security updates. Yes, seven years, which is impressive.The iPhone 16 Pro Max operates on iOS 18, introducing various new features and enhancements, including improved personalization options, upgraded communication tools, and a more advanced Siri. A key addition is Apple Intelligence, an AI-powered feature providing systemwide writing tools to help refine your writing style, check for grammar errors, and summarize text.Unlike Samsung, Apple does not guarantee specific years for operating system updates. However, Apple has a strong history of providing software updates for its devices, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max is expected to receive several years of iOS updates. This ensures your phone remains current with the latest features, security enhancements, and performance improvements. These updates are delivered wirelessly and are easy to install, keeping your iPhone 16 Pro Max running smoothly and securely for years.Both the Galaxy S25 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max are packed full of software features and should only get better over time as improvements are made. In particular, both offer the latest AI features from their respective companies. Its safe to say even before testing Samsungs newest phone, it will be next to impossible to pick a winner here. Assume that iPhone fans will stick with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, while Android fans will pick the Galaxy S25 Ultra.Winner: TieChristine Romero-Chan / Digital TrendsAt launch, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is available with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage starting at $1,299. Like in past years, you can expect discounts directly from Samsung that will bring prices down.Everywhere, the phone is available in Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Black, Titanium Whitesilver and Titanium Grey. On Samsungs website, the phone is also available in Titanium Jadegreen, Titanium Jetblack, and Titanium Pinkgold.The iPhone 16 series has been on the market since last fall. Therefore, these models are easy to find for purchase. The iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,199 for a 256GB model. You can also purchase the phone with 512GB ($1,399) or 1TB ($1,599) of storage. Its offered in all-new Desert Titanium, plusBlack Titanium, White Titanium, and Natural Titanium.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsThe Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max are powerhouse smartphones vying for the top spot. Under the hood, Samsungs new phone uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, while Apple relies on its own A18 Pro chip both promising blazing-fast performance. Samsung continues its megapixel race in the camera department, while Apple has improved its system with enhanced telephoto capabilities. A key differentiator remains the S Pen stylus, exclusive to the S25 Ultra, providing a unique advantage for productivity and creativity. The iPhone, however, boasts its Dynamic Island for fluid multitasking and interactive notifications.Software-wise, its Android with One UI versus iOS 18 a classic battle of personal preference. Ultimately, the better phone depends on your needs and priorities. The S25 Ultra appeals to those seeking cutting-edge camera tech, the versatility of the S Pen, and the flexibility of Android. The iPhone 16 Pro Max attracts users entrenched in the Apple ecosystem, valuing iOS simplicity and the raw power of Apple silicon.Editors Recommendations