Table of ContentsTable of ContentsCrowning achievementWhat about the specs?Worth a buy?The Xiaomi Watch S4 has arrived with an updated design, adding a crown to the case for improved usability. Inside though, its more of the same, but is that a bad thing? Weve had some hands-on time with the affordable smartwatch to find out.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsThe Xiaomi Watch S3 made do with a pair of buttons on the case along with the touchscreen for navigation, but for the Watch S4 Xiaomi has put a crown at the two oclock position, complete with a twist-to-scroll feature. Theres a noticeable vibration when you turn it, and the software reacts quickly, making it a great upgrade. However, I dont remember the Watch S3 being a navigational nightmare without it.Recommended VideosIts attached to a smartwatch thats otherwise quite similar. The clever removable bezel feature makes a welcome return, giving you far more customization than on a normal smartwatch, as each bezel comes with its own matching strap and watch face. Its genuinely fun, and the mechanism to change the bezel makes things really easy: you just twist and click to lock it in place.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsI wasnt so taken with the primary bezel and strap supplied with my Watch S4 model, as the rainbow colors cheapened it slightly. An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak with a rainbow bezel its most definitely not. The rubber strap with its multi-color stitching is comfortable, but still not to my taste. I also received an orange band thats a lot like a Sport Loop band for the Apple Watch, and it was comfortable and really eye-catching. The great thing is, the Xiaomi Watch S4 can look how you want with its quick change bezel and strap.RelatedAndy Boxall / Digital TrendsThings havent changed much with the specification. The 1.43-inch screen has a 466 x 466 pixel resolution, and its really bright at 1,500 nits in sunlight, and a 2,200 peak. I havent struggled to see it at all. The case is made of aluminum, the bezel material changes depending on the one you buy and several come in ceramic. Theres a 486mAh battery with up to 15 days of use on a single charge. Its charged using a plastic puck that magnetically attaches to the back of the watch. Be careful though, as the magnets arent that strong, and its also happy to latch on even when the chargers pogo pins arent lined up correctly.On the back is a heart rate sensor and the watch connects to the Mi Fitness app on your Android phone, and Xiaomi says the algorithm has been updated. It tracks heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, and sleep, plus theres a one-tap health overview feature where a 60-second check-up alerts you to any abnormal results. The OnePlus Watch 3 has a similar feature.The software is Xiaomis own HyperOS 2, which comes with a few unusual features around connectivity with other Xiaomi devices. There are gestures like making a fist to move through presentation pages on a Xiaomi tablet, for example, and snapping your fingers to reject a call. I wear a watch on my left wrist and I cant snap my fingers with my left hand, so this one would go unused. The software is fine, but oddly laid out. It doesnt use a side swipe system like Googles Wear OS, and instead employs the rotating bezel to navigate through a list of cards. Swipe left, and a watch face customization page appears, which seems unnecessary.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsI still think the interchangeable bezel feature is cool, but I know that once I found a pairing I liked, Id probably stick with it. However, the chance to change it up after a while is really welcome, adding much needed longevity to the design.The Xiaomi Watch S4s price hasnt been revealed at the time of writing, but based on the 130 British pounds price of the Watch S3 (about $160), it will cost far less than the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and OnePlus Watch 3.Its main challenger will be the CMF by Nothing Watch 2 Pro, which also has a swappable bezel gimmick. The Xiaomi Watch S4 looks and feels higher quality though, and although the softwares a bit weird, it has been reliable. Provided the Xiaomi Watch S4 doesnt suddenly double in price, its looking like a good value smartwatch with a clever customization feature, good performance and all the health tech most need.Editors Recommendations

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Xiaomi 15 UltraMSRP$1,640.00 Score Details The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a highly capable smartphone with a unique design, the latest tech, and an incredible camera specification.ProsUnique camera-like designHighest performance processorBright screenIncredible camera specificationTwo-day battery lifeConsCamera lacks some characterSoftware is complex and sometimes unreliable Table of ContentsTable of ContentsSpecsXiaomi 15 Ultra: designXiaomi 15 Ultra: screen and performanceXiaomi 15 Ultra: cameraXiaomi 15 Ultra: softwareXiaomi 15 Ultra: battery and chargingXiaomi 15 Ultra: price and availabilityDoes the Xiaomi 15 Ultra live up to expectations?Its fair to say I had high expectations for the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Its the follow-up to my favorite camera phone of 2024, and the latest from one of the most interesting partnerships in mobile photography Xiaomi and Leica. My expectations arent the only challenged faced by the phone, as how will Xiaomi go about making it even better in the first place? After a while with the phone, I realized I should have kept my exceptions in check, but this isnt a knock against the phone itself. Let me explain.Recommended VideosXiaomi 15 UltraSize161.3 x 75.3 x 9.48mmWeight229 gramsScreen and resolution6.73-inch AMOLED, 1-120Hz, 3200 x 1440, 3200 peak brightness, 1920Hz PWM dimmingOperating systemXiaomi HyperOS 2, Android 15Storage512GB or 1TBProcessor and RAMQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, 16GB RAMCameras50MP main, 50MP wide-angle, 50MP telephoto, 200MP periscope telephoto, 32MP front cameraDurabilityAluminum frame, Xiaomi Shield Glass 2.0, IP68Battery and charging5,410mAh, 90W HyperCharge wired, 80W Hypercharge wireless.ColorsBlack and Chrome, Black, WhitePrice1,299 British pounds 16GB/512GB, 1,499 pounds 16GB/1TBRelatedAndy Boxall / Digital TrendsThe Xiaomi 15 Ultra looks like a camera from the back, and I think its a fantastic design. The top section (viewed in landscape) is made of metal and the lower section is covered with a vegan leather, but its a panel of leather, meaning the metal chassis surrounds it. Its as classic, stylish design which tells you everything you need to know about what makes the phone special.The camera module is huge, but at least its sensibly and symmetrically laid out, so size-aside it doesnt overwhelm the otherwise simple design of the phone. I like the Ultra logo in the corner, the proud Leica branding, and the coin-edge bezel around the camera module. If youd prefer something a bit less camera-like, Xiaomi makes the 15 Ultra in black and white too.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsTheres no getting away from the size and weight of the phone though. Its quite top heavy in portrait orientation, thick at 9.5mm, and you know its in your pocket due to the 229 gram weight. The screen has a neat 3D curve around the edge, so the phone doesnt dig into your hand. A happy coincidence is the huge camera module rests against the top of your fingers, which can help with balance. I really like the way the phone looks, and its a big improvement over the 14 Ultra, plus its durable with an IP68 dust and water resistance rating too.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsIve not had any issues seeing the big 6.73-inch AMOLED screen even in bright sunlight, and I dont think it has even reached its 3,200 nits peak either. It has a 1 to 120Hz refresh rate, and Ive had it set to the maximum 3200 x 1440 pixel resolution through my test, a factor important to know when we get to the battery. Like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the OnePlus 13, the screen is practically faultless, whether Im watching videos or playing games.The same can be said for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. Its so powerful I question whether anyone will reach its limits, and certainly not on a regular basis. Theres not a stutter from the software under normal use, but I have found a few issues with app compatibility. For example, some games have almost locked up during first use, with the screen becoming unresponsive apart from exiting the app. Restarting the phone cures the problem, and it doesnt seem to reoccur either. Very odd.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsIve used the phone in the U.K. and connectivity has been excellent, with the phone pulling in 5G signals where others sometimes fail, and calls have all sounded great. The phone supports Wi-Fi 7, and it has happily stayed connected to my home Wi-Fi 6 router without a problem. The stereo speakers are really loud, face unlock has a really wide field-of-view, and the in-display fingerprint sensor works properly, even if its not the fastest Ive used. What Im saying is that as a phone, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is excellent, and all you want from a flagship. However, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra looks a lot like a camera, so has it got the photographic ability to back up the style?Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsThe spec list for the Xiaomi 15 Ultras camera is ridiculous. The main camera is a 50-megapixel Sony LYT-900 with an f/1.63 aperture, electronic and optical image stabilization (EIS and OIS), and a 23mm focal length. The 50MP wide-angle Samsung JN5 camera has a modest 115-degree field of view and an f/2.2 aperture. There are two telephoto cameras, a 200MP periscope and a 50MP floating telephoto. All are covered by a Leicas Vario Summilux lens, theres a host of AI work behind the scenes, and some interesting editing features including a take on Apple and Samsungs photographic styles.I adore the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, so the 15 Ultra has a lot to live up to. The spec list is almost too extensive and there are a host of promises about what it can do, but its a little disappointing to see Xiaomi abandon the manually variable aperture for the 15 Ultra, a feature that gave the 14 Ultra considerable photographic credibility. Would this set the tone for a more consumer-friendly approach, and perhaps diminish some of the 14 Ultras wonderful character?1 of 17Andy Boxall / Digital Trends Wide-angle Andy Boxall / Digital Trends Andy Boxall / Digital Trends 3x zoom Andy Boxall / Digital Trends 3x zoom Andy Boxall / Digital Trends 4.3x zoom Andy Boxall / Digital Trends Andy Boxall / Digital Trends Wide-angle Andy Boxall / Digital Trends 4.3x zoom Andy Boxall / Digital Trends Wide-angle Andy Boxall / Digital Trends Andy Boxall / Digital Trends Andy Boxall / Digital Trends 4.3x zoom Andy Boxall / Digital Trends Andy Boxall / Digital Trends Andy Boxall / Digital Trends 4.3x zoom Andy Boxall / Digital Trends 30x zoom Andy Boxall / Digital Trends I think it may have done. The 15 Ultras camera is still excellent, but it does seem to have lost that special something. Some of Xiaomis old habits have crept back in, where colors are amped up just a little too much, especially when using the Leica Vibrant mode which is set as default, with the option to choose Leica Authentic as an option. Theres good consistency between the main and wide-angle cameras, but the zoom modes are all over the place.Shots taken with the 3x zoom lack color and punch, while the 4.3x zoom (a default setting in the app) photos can appear heavily processed. On the more positive side, the main camera has a lovely natural depth of field and its photos have lots of detail. But theres nothing here that made me really keen to use it over the OnePlus 13 for example. Its still really good, and I like the photos Ive taken, but theres some frustrating inconsistency, and Im not sure as much time has been spent on the tuning as there was with the 14 Ultra.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsOne final thing to note is I havent used a Photography Kit for the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and havent heard whether one will be released. Theres a strong chance the Photography Kit and its hardware filters helped make the 14 Ultra such a winner. After several hundred photos with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, it hasnt instantly become my go-to camera phone, something I did expect. That doesnt make it bad, far from it, but I cant help but feel it should be a little more consistent, and for its versatility to encourage me to really get out and use it more.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsThe Xiaomi 15 Ultra has the companys HyperOS 2 software over Android 15 installed. I came to the phone after using the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and the OnePlus 13, and all have better, more reliable, easier to quickly learn software than the Xiaomi. Its the little things that make a huge amount of difference here.Notifications have been unreliable, especially over the first few days of use, where none appeared at all. When they magically did start, not all of them show up all the time. Apps dont always refresh correctly either, and my Microsoft Teams app doesnt update chats until you manually go into each one. Im sure theres some kind of power management system at work here, but I shouldnt have to go searching for ways to disable it.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsIm not a fan of the default split notification shade either, where a downward swipe on the left of the screen shows notifications and one on the right shows quick settings. Its awkward and annoying, but can be changed in the settings menu. Theres a lot of customization in HyperOS, which some may enjoy, but its all usually hard work. If you want to change the wallpaper, the usual shortcut takes you to a massive Theme store, where some are free, some cost money, and the choice is overwhelming. Sometimes I just want to use my own photo, and these are selected in the Gallery app. Its messy and annoying compared to One UI 7 and OxygenOS 15.At the time of writing the 3DMark benchmarking app seems to be blocked on the 15 Ultra which is unfortunate. Theres a slight hint the phone will get quite warm when playing games, and 3DMark would expose any shortcomings in cooling. A short session on Asphalt Legends: Unite introduces more heat into the chassis than I experience on other phones with the same processor. Its not a problem as such, but if youre a hardcore mobile gamer, the phone may warm your hands a bit after a while.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsThe size of the phone reflects the size of the battery inside, and its a 5,410mAh whopper. The phone supports the 90W HyperCharge proprietary wire charging system, and 80W wireless charging. Theres no charging block in the box, and unusually its a USB A to USB C cable, rather than a USB C to USB C supplied with many other devices.For my approximately three hours per day screen time use, without gaming, the battery mostly ends a full day with 60% remaining. Getting two days use from the battery, for a total of six hours screen time, is effortless. Its efficient too, with a 40-minute YouTube video in 1080p taking just 4%.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsXiaomi does not sell its smartphones in the U.S., but it will release the Xiaomi 15 Ultra in the U.K. in the near future. When it does, the 16GB/512GB version will cost 1,299 British pounds, which is around $1,640, and the top 16GB/1TB version will be 1,499 pounds, or about $1,895.This puts it in direct competition with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, leaving the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and Oppo Find 8 Pro looking like comparative bargains next to it, and the OnePlus 13 appearing decidedly cheap.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsPerhaps my expectations for the Xiaomi 15 Ultra were too high. This is by no means a bad phone its a high performance, supremely capable, and superbly usable every day partner. However, because the camera hasnt blown me away, the devices idiosyncrasies frustrate more. Whether its the software or the overall size, you have to accept those compromises. Before, the Xiaomi 14 Ultras camera made them easier to accept.It reminds me a lot of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Its very good and you probably wont regret buying it, but will you want to buy it? The cameras amazing specification will tempt you, but at this point, it hasnt quite lived up to its promise. Its very good indeed, but its not quite as stellar as I hoped it would be. At least for now.Ill end the review by saying I havent finished with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. I do think theres more to come from the camera, as I refuse to believe Xiaomi and Leica have take a step back from the 14 Ultra. Ill take more photos with it, play with the many new features I havent fully explored yet, wait for a possible Photography Kit accessory, and really look for the magic that Im sure is there somewhere. I think thats a recommendation, just maybe not a wholehearted one.Editors Recommendations

The newest fire spotters boast night vision, never take breaks and speedthey often beat 911 human callers. Adding them has made a hell of a difference.

My son is in his first year of college, and he's loving it.He recently told me he has no plans to live at home ever again.I was devastated at first, but I'm glad he found his place and his people.Anyone who's parented a child to adulthood knows letting them fly off into the world is equal parts rough and rewarding. There can be an initial sense of mourning or even profound loss when they set out on their own one that experts say is a normal part of the empty nest transition.But in my case, there's another twist.My only child shipped off to college last fall. He left his Midwestern home, friends, and family behind for southern California and hasn't looked back. Recently, over winter break, he dropped a bit of news I'd prepared for but still can't fully process: He doesn't ever want to live at home again.However, what might seem on the surface like an enormous ouch is actually quite outstanding. Let me explain why.He's found his place and peopleEarly on, my kid focused on a specific passion and career path. He's always been a storyteller, and he especially loved movies. An intensive cinema studies class in high school melded his two loves. He was hooked. He worked hard, did well academically, and got into a terrific film program halfway across the country.There's not been a whiff of homesickness from him during his first semester. It's the exact opposite: he's enthusiastic and ready to learn. He's become good friends with like-minded peers who share his appreciation for the screen. In short, my child is in his happy place.That's why I didn't freak out during the holiday break when he told me in no uncertain terms there's not much for him to come home to anymore.While his revelation was a bit jarring, I wasn't terribly shocked or upset. That's because my son is spot-on.We both know full well he's where he needs to be right now. He's established himself on his college campus and doesn't care to be anywhere else at this point, including his hometown. After all, it's not as if the Midwest is an epicenter for the film industry.The world is his oyster right now. It includes a strong social life and robust career opportunities in a new, exciting city. Why would I want to guilt him about enjoying his circumstances, even if they're more than a thousand miles away? Why would his dad and I insist he come home?We won't. Even if it ultimately means we spend less time with him.He's becoming independent, and that's all I ever wantedWhen our son returned for the holidays, I was struck by how he'd changed, and I don't mean the freshman 15. He carried himself differently, more confidently.It was clear he'd already passed the freshman-year independence challenge with flying colors. He left the familiarity of home, ventured off solo, and blazed his own path. The young man who came home to us was a far different version of the one we dropped off in August.Instead of being sad, I was so proud and thrilled. We did what every parent wants: to raise children into successful and happy adults.He can always come homeMy son knows he can always come home and will always have a place under our roof. That said, there are chances I'll be the mom without a kid home for the summer should he find a job or internship in SoCal after the spring semester. And that's OK.This is his time to stretch, grow, and make his own choices, including where he spends his time and hangs his hat. I know this doesn't mean he's rejecting me or his dad. Rather, he's becoming the young adult we hoped he would, making his own way in the world.Watching our children build their own lives without us is our bittersweet reward as parents. It's what we signed up for, after all.So, instead of being sad, we'll focus on spending the best quality time we can with him. That will probably include many more trips to the Pacific Time Zone.Sand, sunshine, and son visits? Sounds good to me.

After years of living in Miami, I bought a house in Florida. I realized there's a lot I don't know. I didn't realize my home-insurance options would be somewhat limited in Florida. Shortly into homeownership, pest control and tree removal became unexpected expenses. Recently, I made one of the biggest personal and financial decisions of my life: buying a house in Florida.I'm a millennial from West Virginia, and I'd been living in Miami for seven years. I was excited to officially put down roots in the area I'd fallen in love with. I felt pretty prepared to purchase my property since my parents owned our house when I was a teenager, and I grew up hearing about the general costs, burdens, and benefits that come with being a homeowner.However, I quickly discovered just how much I really didn't know. Here are five things I wish I'd done before buying my house in Florida.I wish I'd researched how few companies insure homes in FloridaI've lived in Florida for the better part of a decade, so I've seen how volatile the weather can be.However, I never thought that would (or even could) stop well-known insurance companies from offering new policies to Florida homeowners. Because of my state, big names like Progressive and Costco Insurance Agency weren't even options when I was looking to insure my property. I ended up getting an incredible insurance deal from a smaller company that still operates in South Florida. Still, I wish I'd known how few options I'd really have when it came to protecting my property.I should've checked how much my new ZIP code would impact my car-insurance rate Miami has several ZIP codes. Franz Marc Frei/Getty Images I didn't research my ZIP code as well as I should have when I bought my house. After all, I had a lot of other things to worry about, and I'd lived in different parts of Miami-Dade County before. However, this area alone has 34 incorporated municipalities and various unincorporated neighborhoods. Different parts of Dade have their own ZIP codes, and car-insurance premiums can vary based on which you live in. This isn't only the case in Florida, either. I should've taken more time to research exactly how my new ZIP code would impact my car insurance especially because I'll be living here for a while. I wish I'd researched how expensive tree removal can be before buying the propertyOnce I'd moved in, some tree branches started falling from a massive banyan in my yard and I started researching how much it would cost to remove the tree.The best quote I got was $12,000 due to the scope of the project.Had I also known how expensive tree removal can be in South Florida (and in general), I may have paid extra to have the trees examined before closing or even considered a different property.It would've been helpful to visit my new neighborhood after a rainstorm to see how much it floods It's hard to avoid flooding in South Florida. Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images There's really no way to totally avoid minor flooding in South Florida. A lot of places flood Miami even during day-to-day rain showers. It doesn't matter if you're on Miami Beach or a few miles inland.However, it would've been nice to know how it would impact me on a regular basis before I bought my home.Although the street I live on doesn't flood too much, the main streets I use to get to my house do. I wish I'd thought to come by after a storm one day to see where flooding impacts my neighborhood the most.I wish I'd known more about pest control before purchasing a home hereUnfortunately, Florida's climate is a favorable one for a lot of creatures I don't want in my home.When I was a renter, my landlords were in charge of pest control and, thankfully, they were quick to resolve any insect-related issues at the properties where I used to live.Because it had never been my responsibility before, I didn't know how to keep my property free of termites, palmetto bugs, snakes, and iguanas.This was something I had to learn very quickly from friends who have lived in Florida all their lives. Pest-control services are an expense I was not expecting at first, but I'm very grateful the pros have taught me how to protect my home before any full-blown infestations could begin.

In January, New York City finally launched congestion pricing, charging drivers a $9 toll to use the busiest streets in Manhattan during peak hours. The program is meant to reduce traffic both by discouraging people from driving into the city and by using the revenue from the toll to invest in improving public transportation. The early data suggests that congestion pricing is working just as it should, improving commute times and raising nearly $50 million in its first month. But from the start, the program has faced fierce opposition, ranging from Republicans in New York to the Democratic governor of New Jersey to the teachers union. And now, the Trump administration has joined the chorus. Last month, the Department of Transportation moved to block the program by rescinding federal approval of the tolling scheme, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority swiftly filed a lawsuit in response. The programs fate is uncertain.Congestion pricing opponents say that the toll is too steep and therefore unfair to working class and poor residents. But the opposition has struggled to offer tangible alternatives for investing in public transit, which is what would help working-class and poor residents the most. The reality is that the state of public transit in many American cities is abysmal and requires a lot of money. And the best solution to those transportation woes isnt to make driving more affordable; its to make public transit more accessible for everyone.People in poverty need better public transitDriving isnt cheap. Car prices, insurance rates, and leasing options are often expensive and out of reach for many people. Maintenance and necessary repairs can also set people back. Thats why lower-income people are less likely to have a car. (In 2022, for example, 30 percent of low-income households didnt own or lease a car. For households making over $245,000, that figure was only 3 percent.) So a good, and financially wise, alternative mode of transportation for many commuters is public transit. But theres a problem: While wealthy residents have plenty of options to get around cars, cabs, buses, and trains it is often the case that poor neighborhoods have fewer public transit routes, despite the fact that lower-income commuters rely more heavily on public transit. All of this adds up to longer commute times and a transportation cost burden for low-wage workers. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, lower-income households spend up to 30 percent of their post-tax income on transportation costs, whereas the average household spends about 15 percent.So while it might seem like the opposition to congestion pricing is concerned with costs for lower-income commuters, the truth is that improving public transit access while making it more affordable is much more likely to benefit working class families than removing tolls from the roads.America needs to double down on public transitInequality in transportation has tangible consequences on peoples lives. Fare increases, frequent delays, and traffic congestion result in people missing important life events, be they job interviews or doctors appointments.But it doesnt have to be this way. And as it so happens, investing in public transit can create a virtuous cycle: The better service a city provides, the more likely people are to ditch their cars for trains or buses, improving traffic and increasing fare revenues for struggling transit agencies. As I wrote last year, the public transit agency in Washington, DC, is a perfect example of this: The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority spent the boost in cash it received from federal pandemic aid on improving service and reducing fares. As a result, it successfully lured more riders back than many other cities.More cities should take that approach adding new transit routes, creating bus lanes to get people around faster, and maintaining affordability. The problem is that theres often not enough political will to raise taxes or allocate taxpayer dollars to further subsidize public transportation. Thats why congestion pricing in New York City is a big deal: Its the nations first experiment of redistributing money from drivers to transit riders, which, if spent well, could disproportionately benefit low-income residents. And if it succeeds in New York, then other cities might follow suit.Lawmakers might be averse to doubling down on public transit because prioritizing buses over cars or train tracks over roadways tends to come with a loud backlash from drivers. But as the congestion pricing model in New York has shown so far, good transit policy only becomes more and more popular over time. Even though a majority of New Yorkers opposed congestion pricing before it went into effect, now 60 percent would like the tolls to stay.So cities big and small should double down and get creative with how they raise revenue for public transit. Low-income commuters, who stand to benefit most long-term transit investments, deserve nothing less. This story was featured in the Within Our Means newsletter. Sign up here.See More:

2025Theres just something about building your own PC. Whether its your very first build or your umpteenth, its just magic. It can also be a time-consuming, nerve-racking process. (Did you make sure youre grounded before you touch anything??) And for those who dont have the time or patience to build a rig, a prebuilt one can be just as good. Take the CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme, a Best Buy exclusive that packs a bunch of power into an RGB-lit mid-tower that can do it all: gaming, content creation, and productivity, and it looks good doing it. Priced at under $3,000, the Gamer Supreme pairs a mighty AMD Ryzen 7 processor with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080. You know, that one GPU thats currently flying off the shelves. As one of the higher-end cards in Nvidias new 50-series lineup, this desktop isnt afraid to exert its dominance. Its got just enough flash, and if youre feeling froggy later down the line, its not too hard to swap out parts. The CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme is a prime candidate for gamers looking for convenience and power. CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme PC The CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme PC is a prebuilt beauty that combines power and convenience https://www.bestbuy.com/site/cyberpowerpc-gamer-supreme-gaming-pc-amd-ryzen-7-9800x3d-32gb-memory-nvidia-geforce-rtx-5080-16gb-2tb-pcie-4-0-ssd-black/6614155.p?skuId=6614155 Pros Cons CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme Review: Pricing and Configurations The Gamer Supreme is a Best Buy exclusive. It costs $2,630 and has a 4.7-GHz AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU with 32GB of DDR5 5600MHz SDRAM, 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, integrated AMD Radeon GPU, and a discrete Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 GPU with 16GB of VRAM. The mid-tower also has a trio of Montech fans preinstalled with CyberPowerPCs Bitspower Infinity 360-millimeter AIO Liquid CPU Cooling. And for the PSU, youvegot a 1,000W ATX 3.0 power supply. However, if thats not enough power for you, CyberPowerPCs website lets you configure something that fits your discerning taste.CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme Review: Design and Build Quality In terms of design, the Supreme looks like many other prebuilt cases on the market. The mid-tower is a sturdy mix of aluminum, tempered glass, wires, and RGB lighting. While it doesnt have any funky, out-of-this-world design, the case will still turn its fair share of heads. The front and left side panels are tempered glass, while the bottom, rear, top, and undercarriage are black anodized aluminum. Photo: Charles Anthony Davis/DreamSmith LLC The top metal plate is attached magnetically and can be easily removed via the gray fabric lanyard in the back. It provides easy access to the fans at the top of the system. Both sides of the desktop can be removed. The metal side needs the screws in the back removed to slide it off, while a pair of divots at the top of Supreme will help you detach the glass panel. Its something youll have to do to remove the protective foam packaged inside the case to protect the graphics card.After the foam is removed and the Supreme is powered on, take a minute to appreciate the RGB-lit fans inside the system and the rainbow strip along the front and left side of the case. The lighting draws your eye to the MSI Nvidia RTX 5080 graphics card and the rainbow-hued compartment encasing the AMD Ryzen CPU on the motherboard. The wires connected to the CPU and GPU are neatly arranged. That clean cable management continues on the desktops right side underneath the metal panel. I appreciate that itd be a pretty easy process if I wanted to upgrade or swap out components. Photo: Charles Anthony Davis/DreamSmith LLC As far as ports, the Supreme has a fair amount. In the front, theres a pair of USB-A ports, a USB-C 3.1 port, and a pair of audio jacks with the power button in the center. A quick look in the back reveals the motherlode. There are six USB-A ports in the back of various speeds from 2.0 to 3.1. Theres also a DisplayPort and HDMI port outside of whats on the GPU, jacks for line-in and line-out, and a microphone and a gigabit Ethernet jack. At 40 pounds, the Supremes weight is equivalent to a healthy 4-year-old.CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme Review: Performance Whether its weight or graphics power, this CyberPowerPC is far from a lightweight. The Supreme is a potent pugilist equipped with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 GPU with 16GB of GDDR7 video memory. I finally decided to bite the bullet and finish up Black Myth Wukong. I cranked all the settings to the highest level, Cinematic for this game. At 1080p, I got a frame rate of 83 frames per second. I also wanted to see how the desktop would fare with the latest version of Nvidias DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) technology, which relies on AI to boost frame rates and reduce latency. During that run of tests, the system hit 127 fps. I also ran the tests with the resolution set to 4K. I got 74 fps sans DLSS 4 which jumped to 118 fps. Photo: Charles Anthony Davis/DreamSmith LLC I also ran a couple of other benchmarks to see how far I could push the Supreme PC. The answer is pretty damned far. When I ran the Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark, the CyberPowerPC reached 187 fps at 1080p on Ultra settings and 211 fps with DLSS enabled. Switching the resolution to 4K netted me 143 fps with DLSS and 114 fps without. And while those are impressive scores, theyre nothing compared to the sheer might of Origin PC and its RTX 5090 GPU, which yielded scores of 244 fps with no DLSS and everything maxed out at 4K. With the technology enabled, the frame rate leaped to a face-melting 307 fps.Photo: Charles Anthony Davis/DreamSmith LLC Finally, I ran the Hitman 3 benchmark. Without DLSS, the desktop reached 190 fps (1080p) and 121 fps (4K), respectively. Enabling DLSS 4, the frames hit 427 fps (1080p) and 225 fps (4K). While it was incredibly tempting to spend all day gaming, thats not how my adult life functions nowadays. Actual work has to get done, and so I subjected the desktop to my usual workload, which is me being a tab hoarder with 55 open Google Chrome tabs. Before you judge me, the majority is a mix of G-Suite apps such as Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Then, you have a few social media and news sites and a YouTube video or two. Photo: Charles Anthony Davis/DreamSmith LLC Try as I might, I couldnt really trip up the Supreme and its AMD Ryzen 9800X3D processor and 32GB of RAM. In addition to my tab collection, I started editing a couple of videos and a cache of photos, but the Supreme was still purring like a kitten. And speaking of noises, the CyberPowerPCs trio of fans didnt get louder than a gentle whirring. Even when I was fighting through Black Myth Wukong, unleashing a torrent of expletives that would make the saltiest sailor blush, the desktop kept things barely above a whisper.Photo: Charles Anthony Davis/DreamSmith LLC But back to the actual performance. I ran a few benchmarks, starting with PCMark, where the desktop delivered a strong 9,981. The Supreme continued to show out on the other performance tests, including Cinebench 2024 and Geekbench 6. For its part, the Supremes 2TB SSD could be a tad bit faster. It took 3 minutes and 7 seconds to transcode a 4K video to 1080p. CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme Review: Verdict Ive thoroughly enjoyed my time with the CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme desktop. The design is simultaneously flashy and understated, with clean cable management. As a mid-tower, the desktop is just compact enough to fit in some of the smaller spaces in your battle station. And even at its loudest, the Supreme isnt so noisy that its distracting. My only design quibble lies with the ports, as I could definitely use a couple more USB-C ports. Now, lets talk about the specs and performance. The Supreme is a damned-good desktop whether youre gaming, editing video, or creating a head-turning slideshow presentation. The AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Nvidia RTX 5080 are a match made in heaven, crushing all workloads and benchmarks thrown their way. Could the SSD be a touch faster? Sure, but its a small complaint at the end of the day. Gamers looking for an out-of-the-box, ass-kicking machine should consider the CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme desktop.

By Margherita Bassi Published March 2, 2025 | Comments (3) | A Martian landscape, photographed by NASA's Curiosity rover. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ESA Standard Licence Step aside, Santa Monica. It seems that Mars once had beaches that would give the Californian coast a run for its money. An international team of researchers has revealed evidence of bygone vacation-style sandy beaches on Mars: underground rock layers that testify to an ancient northern ocean with gently lapping waves, as detailed in a study published January 14 in the journal PNAS. Their work bolsters previous research suggesting that Mars once hosted large bodies of water and a potentially habitable environment. Were finding places on Mars that used to look like ancient beaches and ancient river deltas, Benjamin Cardenas, a geologist at Pennsylvania State University and a co-author of the study, said in a university statement. We found evidence for wind, waves, no shortage of sanda proper, vacation-style beach. Cardenas and his colleagues studied geological data collected by the Chinese Zhurong rover in 2021 in an area of Mars called Utopia Planitia. Zhurong comes equipped with ground-penetrating radar, a tool that gives us a view of the subsurface of the planet, which allows us to do geology that we could have never done before, said Michael Manga, a planetary scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, who also participated in the study. The radar data revealed underground rock layers bearing a striking resemblance to geological structures on Earth called foreshore depositsdownward sloping formations shaped by water currents pulling sediments into oceans. The researchers confirmed the similarities by comparing the Mars data to radar images of Earthly coastal depositseven the angles of the underground Martian slopes aligned with those on our planet. This stood out to us immediately because it suggests there were waves, which means there was a dynamic interface of air and water, Cardenas explained. When we look back at where the earliest life on Earth developed, it was in the interaction between oceans and land, so this is painting a picture of ancient habitable environments, capable of harboring conditions friendly toward microbial life.We tend to think about Mars as just a static snapshot of a planet, but it was evolving. Rivers were flowing, sediment was moving, and land was being built and eroded. After making sure that the formation couldnt be explained by other factors such as rivers, wind, or volcanic activity, the researchers suggest that the Martian formations, as well as the thickness of their sediments, imply the presence of a bygone oceanic coast. Were seeing that the shoreline of this body of water evolved over time, Cardenas added. We tend to think about Mars as just a static snapshot of a planet, but it was evolving. Rivers were flowing, sediment was moving, and land was being built and eroded. This type of sedimentary geology can tell us what the landscape looked like, how they evolved, and, importantly, help us identify where we would want to look for past life. The study supports previous research claiming that Mars once had a giant ocean, while also suggesting that one of the Red Planets highly scrutinized warm and wet periods might have lasted tens of millions of years. If Mars really had oceanfront property, its ancient shores might be some of the best places to hunt for signs of past life. Future missions could help settle the question: Did microbes once call these beaches home, or were they just waves rolling over an empty, lifeless world?Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Isaac Schultz Published February 25, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published February 15, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published February 12, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published January 21, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published January 7, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published January 6, 2025

Sports Hall Wangen / Steimle ArchitektenSave this picture! Brigida GonzlezArchitects: Steimle ArchitektenAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:3700 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Brigida GonzlezManufacturersBrands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers: JUNG, Duravit, Benz Sport GmbH, Hansa, LIGNOTREND, LTS Licht & Leuchten, Mosa More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. At first glance, the key function of the new sports hall may not be immediately apparent. Still, its role as an urban hinge on the heterogeneous area between the vocational school centre, the old town hall, the grammar school and the fairground is crucial. By opening up the hall on three sides through the spacious foyer and the integrated cafeteria, the new building not only creates a visual but also a functional network for the entire campus.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The urban positioning of the hall creates a sequence of open spaces with different qualities that merge seamlessly into one another. The campus square to the north in front of the main entrance faade, together with the neighbouring plane tree hall to the west and its remarkable old trees, welcomes students with an inviting gesture. This imposing spatial framework of the tree hall continues onto the campus square like a car-free plane, which visually connects with the neighbouring old town when looking eastwards. The positioning of the sports hall defines the fairground to the east of the building, which, together with the new square design to the south of the hall, opens up a generous open space for events. Six large gates open up the hall to the south towards this square and the hall is thus connected to the outdoor events.Save this picture!The compact two-storey cube of the three-court sports hall is based on the rational aesthetics of the neighbouring buildings in terms of its design language, materiality and simplicity. Defined by a restrained, calm architectural order, the sports hall integrates into the existing context as a new address in the centre of Wangen. The faade of the building follows the principle of an interplay between open and closed surfaces. While the exterior walls in the area of the sports hall are closed in front of the baffle walls in accordance with their use, with a continuous band of skylights above, the main entrance faade opposite reverses this principle with the continuous glazing of the foyer on the ground floor and the wooden louvre faade on the upper floor. The east and west faades reproduce this interplay with a central division.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The foyer, which is accessed at ground level via the campus square, is designed as a multifunctional, open and bright zone. In addition to the function of receiving and distributing, the foyer with its integrated cafeteria offers a catering service for students, teaching staff and external guests on campus, making the hall an important networking point. Between the sports hall with its three-pitch sport fields to the south and the foyer to the north, there is a space that runs along both sides with ancillary rooms such as the kitchen, changing rooms, equipment rooms, control room, technology, storage and access via two staircases to the upper floor. Here, two large, almost square gymnastics rooms provide additional space for sports activities and are orientated towards the north-west and north-east via the corners of the building. For sports activities, the hall is also accessed via a side entrance to the east with short routes to the changing rooms on the upper floor.Save this picture!The building structure is based on a hybrid construction method with a stiffening solid core and an enveloping timber supporting structure. The rhythm of the construction grid can be seen in the faade design. Timber frame elements with vertical and alternating tapered louvres were developed to clad the evenly spaced compartments between the load-bearing timber supports. Rooms that require daylight, such as the gymnastics rooms, are sufficiently lit by the faade design of the louvre construction and at the same time protected from outside views.Save this picture!The entire design and building concept is based on a climate-friendly and recyclable construction and was realised with regard to a sustainable environmental footprint in accordance with the guidelines for sustainable building of the district of Ravensburg and with the support of the Vorarlberg Energy Institute. The realisation was based on a holistic approach and took into account criteria such as building ecology, biodiversity and near-natural construction. The sustainability concept includes measures such as the use of regional building materials and local timber, as well as the avoidance of pollutants and the protection of species on the building, the creation and preservation of landscape-defining elements on the outside of the building, the minimisation of sealed surfaces and a green roof designed for biodiversity.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Wangen im Allgu, GermanyLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeSteimle ArchitektenOfficeMaterialsWoodConcreteMaterials and TagsPublished on March 02, 2025Cite: "Sports Hall Wangen / Steimle Architekten" 02 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027299/sports-hall-wangen-steimle-architekten&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! 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Microsoft 365 is kind of like that ex you simply cant get away from. Hows that possible? Its because you keep going back to it every month, paying a pesky recurring fee for access, all while complaining on and on about how annoying it is.Its time to break up with Microsoft 365 andlevel up with Microsoft Office instead, especially since the 2024 edition isfinally on the shelves. Its compatible with both Mac and PC, comes with AI tools, and is yours for life once you pay the one-time fee of$129.97 (down from $149).Move aside, Microsoft 365: Office is hereYoull finally be freed from your ex (your old Microsoft 365 subscription) once you invest in this Microsoft Office lifetime licenseand the savings will seriously add up after about 18 months.Not only that, but youll also be able to avoid the Microsoft 365 price increase (an extra $20 yearly!) that Microsoft just announced.So, whats all the fuss about the latest version of Microsoft Office? Check out just a few of the improvements your favorite apps got:Heres another reason why youll be glad you dumped Microsoft 365. Like your ex, the subscription probably didnt come with too many rewarding perks. With Microsoft Office 2024, your favorite productivity apps arrive not only with new features, but also AI-powered assistance.Dont worryyou dont need to be a tech aficionado to use these features and maximize your workflow. All you need to do is click on a button to select what function you want to do. Let AI help you avoid writers block while drafting a paper in Word or have itautomatically generate charts and graphs in Excel!Sorry, Microsoft 365. A better partner has arrived.Upgrade and own your favorite Microsoft apps forever with thisMicrosoft Office 2024 lifetime license for your Mac or PC, now just $129.97 while licenses last.StackSocial prices subject to change.Microsoft Office 2024 Home for Mac or PC: One-Time PurchaseOnly $129.97 at Popular Science