What to expect from the housing market in 2022: Another sellers' market

What to expect from the housing market in 2022: Another sellers' market

This story is part of The Year Ahead, CNET's look at how the world will continue to evolve starting in 2022 and beyond.

The last 22 months have been some of the wildest in real estate history, as the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the speed and intensity of recent trends. Home prices surged to record-breaking highs. Interest rates dropped to historic lows. And, amongst it all, the new era of online home buying and selling took further root. On top of that, just about every contemporary macro-economic trend -- from inflation to supply chain woes to labor shortages -- made an appearance in the 2021 housing market, increasing the advantages of existing homeowners, daunting prospective homebuyers and, ultimately, further widening wealth inequality in the US.

Though no one can predict what the next year will bring, we've asked some industry experts to help us read the tea leaves. Perhaps most significantly, home prices are expected to continue to rise, though at a slower rate than last year. As such, the 2022 housing market will present challenges for new buyers looking to get a foothold. For those looking to sell, new technologies like iBuying will continue to streamline and simplify real estate transactions. And existing homeowners will likely have another year to capitalize on rising property values through refinancing -- if they haven't already. 

Experts also predict an extension of two major 2021 trends: low housing inventory and supply chain issues, both of which will continue to hamstring construction and renovations. Meanwhile, there are two new spectres on the scene: inflation and rising interest rates. "For a homebuyer, 2022 is going to require patience and strategy," said Robert Dietz, chief economist the National Association of Home Builders.

"If you think you're going to wait on the sidelines for the market to cool off, that usually doesn't work," cautions Karan Kaul, senior research associate at the Urban Institute. "Timing" the market is a tricky enterprise, and prices seem unlikely to decrease meaningfully any time soon. 

With the caveat that political and virological developments can wreak havoc on this unpredictable corner of the economy, here are some of the major factors experts see influencing the housing market in 2022. 

Still smoking: Home prices continue to rise

If you already own a home, you're more than likely to be in a fortunate position. Skyrocketing home values have continued to increase equity for homeowners in many US regions throughout the pandemic, according to Dietz. 

Combined with historically low interest rates, a record-breaking number of homeowners were able to tap into their home equity in 2020. As property values surged during the first year of the pandemic, cash-out refinancing levels were at their highest since the 2007 financial crisis.

Of course, this creates a much more difficult situation for prospective homebuyers. And that's unlikely to change much in 2022. Although prices are expected to increase at a lower rate next year, they are expected to continue to rise. And that -- in addition to higher interest rates -- will create considerable headwinds for buyers throughout 2022. 

Clogged supply chains cause more delays

Supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic continue to delay shipments which impedes new construction. That is only making the market that much more competitive along with the rising price of existing homes across the US. And the number of people looking to buy is also increasing, thanks in large part to millennials entering the housing market in growing numbers.

"We've seen so much interest in buying homes over the past year and a half, it's a bit difficult to project when that is going to lose some steam," according to Robert Heck, vice president of mortgage at Morty, a mortgage-tech start-up. But it's clear there are still plenty of buyers trying to enter the market despite prices continuing to creep up.

"Despite the fact that builder confidence is pretty strong right now, in the short run there is a lack of building materials, higher cost of building materials like lumber, appliances, windows and doors, and even garage doors," said Dietz. And further complicating the picture is a sustained labor shortage, particularly for skilled construction workers.

Delivery delays can extend build time by as much as four to eight weeks for a typical single family home. And if there aren't enough contractors on hand to use those materials once they show up, it's clear that demand will continue to outweigh supply for some time to come.

Macro headwinds: Interest rates and inflation 

Prospective homebuyers will want to keep their eyes on some wonky stuff in 2022. The Federal Reserve announced that it will wind down bond purchasing and look to raise interest rates next year. And higher interest rates will only make things more difficult for those looking to buy, as they raise both the average monthly payment and the total lifetime cost of a mortgage. 

 And don't forget about inflation! That will almost certainly increase both the cost of home building materials and skilled labor. In fact, the National Association of Realtors' anticipates that annual median home prices will increase by 5.7% in 2022.

And yet it's not all doom and gloom. Mortgage interest remains are still quite low. And there are pockets of affordability in many regions of the US, creating a key opportunity for those fortunate enough to be able to work remotely. 

"Mortgage rates are still at historical lows, and it's been harder than ever to predict where things are going thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," said Heck.

Tech innovations reshape home buying

Digital lending has already impacted the way Americans shop for homes. The rapid rise of online real estate brokerages and mortgage marketplaces has made it easier than ever to browse properties and finance a home. That's unlikely to change: Almost 40% of millennials said they would feel comfortable buying a home online in a recent Zillow study. 

"Consumers like the ability to bid remotely, and to really take a look at properties and neighborhoods online," said Miriam Moore, division president of default services at ServiceLink, a mortgage transactional services provider. This will likely impact both sides of transactions, as sellers learn to adapt their home's curb appeal to someone looking at it on their phone and buyers (and agents and investors) look for ways to arbitrage the market.

An evolving challenge: Climate change

Perhaps the biggest unknown in real estate is how soon climate change will become the dominant factor. According to experts across the industry, every part of the homebuying process will eventually be affected by changing weather patterns, encroaching shorelines, shifting flood zones and an increasingly complicated insurance marketplace. Case in point: Moore, who is in the mortgage business, has seen an increase in inspections due to weather and fire over the last year.

New construction may prove to be both more energy efficient and more durable in the face of extreme weather. "People want to live in energy efficient homes, but they can only buy them if they exist," said Kaul, at The Urban Institute.

The stakes couldn't be higher. Buying a house remains one of the most reliable ways to build wealth and has long been a key milestone for Americans in establishing long-term financial security. And although interest rates remain as low as ever, given all of the other trends impacting the real estate market in 2022, the balance of power is likely to remain in the hands of sellers.

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2023 VinFast VF 8 First Drive Review: Testing Vietnam's First EV for America

2023 VinFast VF 8 First Drive Review: Testing Vietnam's First EV for America

In the wake of Tesla's industry-shaking success and the future promise of electric, autonomous mobility, would-be electric car companies are sprouting up everywhere. The floodgates have opened, with the last decade seeing more startups get off the ground than at any time since the dawn of the automobile. Most are already finding out the hard way that car building is a terrible way to make money. Developing and selling cars is a hugely cash-intensive business, and automobiles are the world's single most complex consumer goods, subject to the most numerous and varied global regulations and operating environments. It all adds up to a world where an overwhelming majority of intenders will fail, most without ever having delivered a single vehicle. 

Despite such dire conditions, if I had to place my chips on a single new automaker to escape the mire, it's Vietnam's VinFast. In fact, there's ample reason to believe the company won't just survive, it will likely shortly emerge as a global force, including right here in America. I say this after having flown to Asia to learn about the company and drive its first US-bound model, the 2023 VF 8 electric SUV. My trip quickly turned out to be as much of a test drive of VinFast itself as it is of its forthcoming battery-powered compact crossover.

While my very brief drive of VinFast's electric future took place in a preproduction prototype, you won't have to wait long to have your chance to buy a VF 8 -- plans call for initial examples to land in US driveways by year's end. In fact, the young automaker even expects to deliver the first units of its larger sibling, the handsome three-row VF 9 EV, before 2023. These are hugely ambitious goals, but the company already has an established track record for accomplishing the nearly impossible, thanks in part to an executive team made up of industry veterans. VinFast started in 2017, and just 21 months later, it had three different passenger cars in production in a massive, fully modern factory complex in Haiphong, about two hours east of Hanoi. Those first models were admittedly based heavily on tech purchased from other automakers like BMW, but even so, the accomplishment can't be overstated.

Vingroup corporate power

While CNET isn't normally in the habit of test-driving prototypes from startups, there's ample reason to believe VinFast will buck the trend and find success. For one thing, this company has the financials to see things through. It's part of Vietnam's Vingroup, a mega corporation that owns and operates dozens of businesses, including luxury resorts, amusement parks, hospitals and even massive housing developments that are more like small cities, replete with skyscrapers and malls. More to the point, Vingroup also appears to have a slew of helpful related technologies in its portfolio, including divisions focused on AI, cybersecurity and cloud computing. The organization even built a new university from scratch to cultivate homegrown talent. All of this illustrates that not only does this company have the resources to become a global automotive player, it develops businesses at a breakneck clip. At 28 years young, Vingroup is barely out of corporate adolescence.

Given VinFast's damn-the-torpedoes corporate pace, it should come as no surprise that the two VF 8 prototypes I'm testing are decidedly unfinished. In fact, they're not even operating on the same development software versions, and many of the vehicles' software functions... don't. Combine that with a makeshift drive loop that's perhaps a couple of kilometers long, and it's all but impossible to draw concrete conclusions about whether or not this EV belongs on your shopping list. Having said that, what my drive points out clearly is the promise baked into the VF 8. There's a lot of work to be done in a very short time, but critically, the fundamental ingredients are all present.

For starters, the 2023 VinFast VF 8 is the right vehicle at the right time. North America's compact electric crossover SUV segment is rapidly blooming, and this five-seat model is sized and designed to establish a beachhead in the heart of this emerging market. That strategy may sound basic and obvious, but it's worth noting that it took literal decades for Japanese automakers like Honda and Toyota to introduce the right types of vehicles for the vast majority of Americans to take them seriously (let alone deliver vehicles with styling acceptable to the masses). Ditto for Korea's Hyundai and Kia, both of which admittedly managed the trick significantly more quickly.

The VF 8's exterior is contemporary, with standard LED illumination and a V-shaped grille with integrated daytime running lamps that echo the brand's logo. The nose is the single most expressive and potentially controversial aspect of the exterior, but even if the face isn't your favorite, the design isn't so out there as to be a turn-off for most buyers. In profile, the VF 8 looks rather nondescript -- its most interesting details are the tapered indentation along the door bottoms and a raked rear window.

VinFast promises a full range of connected services, including e-commerce functions and gaming.

VinFast

Cabin tech and features

Inside, the VF 8 is clearly a modern EV. Its dashboard is dominated by a landscape-oriented 15-inch infotainment touchscreen. There's a color head-up display, but notably, there's no traditional gauge cluster -- you either look at the HUD or glance at the main screen to see how fast you're going. The center console is dominated by a push-button gear selector, and the three-spoke steering wheel's most noteworthy feature is a tiny driver-facing camera atop the column, a hint that VinFast plans to offer some kind of hands-free driving assist. It's too early to judge the VF 8's fit and finish, as there are some preproduction and ill-fitting parts in evidence (including a power seat controller wired in reverse).

It's worth noting that VinFast is hinging much of its success on its ability to offer a full range of connected services and infotainment features, including everything from a sentry mode and an e-commerce tool to the ability to play games and videos on the center screen (sound familiar?). These features are not functional in the test vehicles I'm sampling. Further, attempts to cajole the voice control into opening and closing the panoramic moonroof meet with limited success, and when I tell the virtual assistant I am cold, it raises the temperature by a single, miserly digit. A subsequent attempt sees the system jump directly from 65 to 90 degrees. If VinFast delivers all of the conveniences it claims it will, the VF 8 ought to have an extremely competitive feature set.

At 187 inches long, 74.8 inches wide and 65.4 inches tall, the VF 8 is the same length as a Tesla Model Y and only around an inch separates their width and height. Interestingly, chief engineer Huy Chieu tells me that in developing the VF 8's driving performance, the company recently benchmarked Hyundai's excellent Ioniq 5 EV, a great bogey. Like many of his fellow executives, Chieu joined VinFast recently after decades in the business at established automakers (Chieu worked at General Motors from the late 1990s). Importantly, VinFast is stacked with veteran industry talent from top to bottom -- people who know how to design and build cars in volume. With all that said, we'll need to have to wait for a final-production VF 8 to figure out if Chieu and Co. have hit the mark with the VF 8's dynamics and tech, because it's clear that engineers are still dialing in the vehicl e's performance as it rushes toward production.

The five-seat VF 8 will compete against EVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Tesla Model Y and Volkswagen ID 4.

Chris Paukert/CNET

Power and performance

VinFast will build two VF 8 models, with dual-motor Plus trims like the ones I'm sampling delivering up to 402 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque. With standard all-wheel drive, official estimates call for 0-to-60-mph time of 5.3 seconds -- quick, but about a half-second shy of what we've seen from the aforementioned Tesla and Hyundai models. (A lower-power Eco model with 348 hp promises 60 mph in 5.9 seconds.)

My drive is limited to quick acceleration blasts up and down a road between factory buildings, with a U-turn on one end and a keyhole loop return on the other. Signage suggests our tests are to be capped at 80 kph (50 mph), but the engineer sitting in my passenger seat allows me to go far more quickly, touching 100 mph before braking hard into the left-handed keyhole. Being an EV, acceleration is predictably smooth, but with the 19-inch Goodyear Eagle Touring tires under load in the final turn, the steering's power assistance has brief moments where it feels oddly nonlinear.

Further, regenerative braking was notable by its absence. VinFast engineers say a one-pedal drive model is under development and will likely be released to early vehicles via an over-the-air update. I also noticed inconsistencies in power levels between the two test vehicles (likely attributable to different software versions), and at least one other media member reported a momentary total loss of power during their test drives after coming off the brakes. These sorts of experiences are relatively common in early prototype vehicles, but given that VinFast plans to hand over production models to expectant owners in a little over six months, engineers clearly have their work cut out for them.

VinFast built a highly automated plant and churned out 3 different models in only 21 months. As a startup.

VinFast

Pricing and range

Strangely, VinFast plans to release two different battery sizes in both its Plus and Eco variants. I say "strangely" because the separate ranges and prices aren't well differentiated. For the base Eco Battery Version 1, the company is targeting 260 miles on Europe's more-lenient WLTP test cycle at a cost of $40,700 (plus a yet-to-be determined destination fee). The enhanced-range Battery Version 2 Eco is slated to deliver 292 miles for $41,000 -- just $300 more. The more luxurious (and consequently heavier) VF 8 Plus is expected to achieve 248 miles of range in Battery Version 1 guise ($47,700) and 277 miles in its $48,000 Battery Version 2 spec. US mileage estimates on the EPA's more-stringent test cycle figure to be somewhat lower.

While VinFast has yet to disclose exactly how large the Samsung-celled packs are in the Battery Version 1 models, the larger packs are 90 kilowatt-hours. On a DC fast charger, Version 1 models can go from 10% to 70% full in 24 minutes, while vehicles with the larger packs take 31 minutes.

Batteries not included

There's one other key point regarding the batteries mentioned above: You pay extra for them. VinFast will become the first automaker in North America to offer cars with a separate battery lease/subscription and charging plan. Because batteries are the biggest fixed cost in EVs, the company is betting that by subtracting the cost of the pack, it will be able to make pricing more attractive. Officials also hope to temper concerns about power pack longevity and reliability by assuming responsibility for such variables. It will eventually also offer a more traditional car-with-battery pricing option, but not until 2024.

VinFast has already announced that Electrify America will be its preferred charging partner in the US, and costs range from as little as $35 per month on the Flexible plan for up to 310 miles of range (plus $0.11 per mile for overages) to $110 per month for the unlimited-range Fixed battery lease plan. For the full details, check out our explainer feature. The math is complicated, but for now, you should know that even if gas prices come down substantially, the value equation looks promising (if obscure).

Nothing if not ambitious, VinFast plans to have models in US customers' hands by year's end.

Chris Paukert/CNET

As you can plainly see, there's a lot of promise in the 2023 VinFast VF 8, but there's also a lot of work to be done -- and that's before taking into account the company's ambitions around advanced driver-assist systems (the VF 8's spec sheet calls for automatic lane-change and summon tech among other advanced skills). It will be interesting to see if officials can reach their self-appointed on-sale deadline, and it will be telling if the company manages to deliver a quality product right out of the gates -- with or without most of the features it's promising.

Of course, simply delivering those vehicles on time isn't enough for a company with VinFast's vast ambitions. Not by a long shot. Even before the company has sold a single vehicle in the US, officials have already announced plans for a multibillion-dollar EV plant and battery factory outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. The brand quickly followed this news by disclosing it has filed for a US IPO.

It will be very interesting to watch this new company from Vietnam as it finds its footing in the US. If VinFast can manage to tick all of these items off its to-do list in anywhere near their promised timeframes, I humbly suggest it considers renaming the company "VinFaster."

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Editors' note: Travel costs related to this story were covered by the manufacturer, which is common in the auto industry. The judgments and opinions of CNET's staff are our own and we do not accept paid editorial content.

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GoPro HD Hero2 review: GoPro HD Hero2

GoPro HD Hero2 review: GoPro HD Hero2

I've had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the GoPro HD Hero that we've used during the recording of the Car Tech Live podcast for the last year or so. On the one hand, the Hero takes phenomenal wide-angle video, is ridiculously durable thanks to its polycarbonate shell, and (when you get the settings right) relatively easy to use. However, that last bit is also my biggest point of contention with the first few generations of the GoPro Hero cameras; I'm a self-proclaimed techie who's recorded hours of footage using the HD Hero and I still have to break out the poorly written instruction sheet to change any of the settings. More often than not, I just leave the settings where I left them and just point and shoot.

So, when the new generation GoPro HD Hero2 landed on my desk boasting an improved interface, I decided to challenge myself to full-test the device without cracking the spine on its (also improved) 90-page user manual.

Old design with a twist
Looking at the GoPro HD Hero2 side by side with the original HD Hero (hereafter referred to as the HD Hero1), reveals remarkably little change in the unit's form factor. Both units are dimensionally identical and feature the same lens, power button, shutter button, and LCD screen placement. This means that any waterproof cases or lens covers purchased for the HD Hero1 will still work with the HD Hero2, which is a good thing for GoPro devotees. Likewise, both units feature the same rear hook and connection port for GoPro's line of removable BacPacs, which we'll discuss later.

Closer inspection reveals that there's more than the addition of the number 2 to distinguish the new model from the old. For starters, the Hero2 features a new glass lens that should be sharper and more durable than the old lens. Where the Hero1 featured only one red recording indicator LED, the Hero2 features four (one enlarged indicator on the front of the unit and smaller lights on its top, back, and bottom edges). On the right edge (when viewed from the front) are the connections for the proprietary video output, the Mini-USB port for charging, and a 2.5mm microphone input. Thankfully, these three connections are actually labeled this go-round. On the left edge are the full-size SD card slot and a new HDMI video output. Onboard microphones are now located on the top and bottom edges of the unit. Finally, the rear panel is where you'll find the battery door that covers the user-replaceable 1,100mAh lithium ion battery.

I mentioned that the HD Hero2 ships with the same waterproof housing as the Hero1. For those unfamiliar with this housing, it's a clear, polycarbonate shell that holds the Hero camera to whatever mounting option you chose to use. Spring-loaded waterproof buttons give users access to the selection and shutter buttons and a clear lens bubble protects the HD Hero2's lens from scratches. In the event that this bubble is damaged, a replacement can be ordered and affixed with a small screwdriver. At the back of the shell is door that locks shut with a plastic latching clamp. (The plastic latch on our HD Hero1 busted after only a few weeks of use, so this bit worries me. Fortunately, it's a relatively simple fix.) Users are given the choice between two easily swappable doors that ship with the HD Hero2. The first is a sealed waterproof door that keeps the camera dry, even when submerged to a depth of 197 feet. The second door is a "skeleton door" with openings that sacrifice waterproofing f or increased sound quality.

The mounting options included in the box will depend on which HD Hero2 kit you pick up. The Motorsports Edition, for example, ships with a suction cup mount on an articulated arm and five adhesive mounts. The Surf Edition packs a pair of surfboard mounts and a special "Floaty" back door that will keep your camera from sinking to the bottom of the ocean in the event of a detachment. Finally, the Outdoor Edition includes a helmet strap, a head strap, and a selection of adhesive mounts. Additionally, additional mounts for handlebars, roll bars, chest straps, etc. are available from the manufacturer for additional cost.

Same screen, new interface
Of all of the changes to the HD Hero, the most drastic is the overhauled interface present on the tiny monochromatic LCD. For starters the HD Hero2 uses larger, bolder icons for identifying the current recording mode. So tapping the selection button on the front of the unit fills the screen momentarily with a large icon for the newly selected mode that is easier to read with goggles on or at an arm's length. When the moment is passed, the screen returns to its default state with a smaller icon indicating the mode and a new text-based setting identifier. So rather than memorizing that "R7" is 1080p video at 30 fps, the unit simply displays "1080-30," which is much easier to decode. Likewise, photo modes are clearly identified with, for example, "5 MP 0.5 sec" which can easily be identified as "take a 5 megapixel shot every half second."

Likewise, the menu system has also been made clearer, with more easily identified icons for each setting that leads to a drop-down menu where the different options can be viewed clearly. Navigating the GoPro's many options with just the select and shutter buttons is still an exercise in patience. For example, setting the date to 11:11am on 11/11/11 can take as many as 60 or more button presses. (Fortunately, the date is something you should only really have to set once.) That's an extreme example, but even simpler tasks (such as changing the video or still-photo resolution) can take as many as 10 button presses.

On the bright side, the fact that the GoPro HD Hero2 even offers granular access to all of its settings right on the camera is an advantage that it holds over simpler camera systems, such as Contour's.

There are still a few icons that don't make much sense. (I doubt many can tell me what this icon means without first checking the manual.) However, the important bits--changing the resolution of photos and video, setting time-lapse intervals--and the options that you're likely to find yourself wanting to fiddle with before bombing down that double-black-diamond slope are extremely easy to understand.

I started the review with the intention of never cracking open the GoPro HD Hero2's instruction manual and I'm pleased to state that I didn't need to use it. (Although, I did flip through the manual and found that it is both more thoroughly written and better organized than the old sheet. So if you do find yourself needing help, it's a great resource.)

Recording modes
So, we've discussed the chassis and we've explained that it's easy to use, but what sort of video and photos can you expect to get out of this camera?

Like the Hero1, the HD Hero2 features a wide range of video and photo modes to chose from. Where moving images are concerned, the HD Hero2's highest recording resolution is 1,920x1,080 pixels (1080p for short) Full HD video at 30 frames per second (fps) with a wide-screen 16:9 aspect ratio. Users can also select a 1,280x720-pixel (720p) wide-screen mode with options to capture at 30 or 60 fps. There's also 1,280x960-pixel Tall HD mode that records at a 4:3 aspect ratio with options to capture at either 30 or 48 fps. Finally, there are the 800×480-pixel (480p or WVGA) modes that capture relatively low-resolution video but at high 60 or 120 fps speeds, which can be slowed down using software to create slow-motion video.

Most video modes capture at the lens' full 170-degree wide-angle field of view (FOV), but users can choose to step down to medium 128-degree or narrow 90-degree FOVs. To my eye, 1080p video captured at these narrower FOVs appears to be grainier with visible pixelation, which leads me to believe that GoPro is using some sort of digital zoom technology to compensate for the lens' fixed focal length. This likely won't bother many, particularly at the medium FOV, but I couldn't unsee the image degradations once I'd noticed them and stuck with the full wide FOV for most videos captured after the official testing had concluded.

Still photos are captured at a maximum of 11MP with space-saving 8MP and 5 MP modes also available. Like the video mode, still photos take advantage of the full 170-degree FOV, but can be set to capture at a medium 128-degree FOV. (The narrow FOV is unavailable for still photos, presumably because the digital zoom artifacts would be too visible in a still shot, but that's just speculation.) Photos taken outdoors at the full resolution with full FOV are sharp and pleasing. The wide angle makes framing shots easy, but without the aid of the optional LCD BacPac, shot composition is a bit of a guess-and-check affair.

When shooting still photos, there are a few trigger modes to choose from. The first is a single shot. Press the button, capture a photo. It's the simplest of the available modes. Next is a self-time mode that captures a single shot after a 10-second delay. The next mode is one of my favorites: Time-lapse mode continuously captures a still photo at timed 60s, 30s, 10s, 5s, 2s, 1s, and 0.5s intervals. (Note: The fastest interval of 0.5s requires a high-speed Class 10 SD card to keep up.) Users can then stitch those photos together into a cool time-lapse video that compresses hours of actions into minutes of video.

Finally, the HD Hero2 gains a new trick made possible by its new faster digital image processor called Photo Burst Mode. In this mode, the camera can capture 10 full-resolution 11MP photos within the span of a single second. Personally, I found timing the Burst to be tricky, particularly because there's a few seconds of lag after a burst is captured while the HD Hero2 writes the contents of its buffer to the SD card. However, with practice this could be another cool tool in your GoPro toolbox.

In sum
About the only think that I didn't like about the previous-generation GoPro HD Hero was that maddeningly difficult interface. And while in my opinion GoPro still hasn't perfected its menu structure and usability, it's gotten pretty damn close within its self-imposed constraints (two-button interface, maintaining compatibility with older hardware). GoPro also states that its low-light image quality has been improved between the two generations, which you can see yourself by comparing the indoor photos below. There's no question in my mind that this is the best GoPro camera yet.

But is it the best HD sports camera? To figure that out, we have to compare it to its most fierce competitors from Contour's lineup, particularly the ContourGPS. (Contour's top tier Contour+ is significantly more expensive, so we're leaving it out of the running for now, but many of the same points I'm about to make will still apply.)

Ease of use is a tie. Both camera systems excel here in different ways. The Contour camera's supersimple slide-and-record interface and laser-pointer aiming makes it easier for first-time users to pick up and shoot with. However, the GoPro HD Hero2 excels where on-device flexibility is concerned. If you're, for example, trackside with the Hero2 and you want to switch capture modes, every still and video setting is available right there on the device itself. The ContourGPS features two user presets that can be selected with the flip of a switch, but if neither of those is what you need at the moment, then you'll need to fire up the Contour smartphone app or bust out your laptop to pick a new preset. Additionally, the Contour cameras give no visual indication of what mode they're in, where the GoPro always displays its capture mode on a display. Trust me, there's nothing worse than getting back from a full day of recording with an SD card full of photos when you wanted videos. To the p oint, users who enjoy constantly fiddling with settings on the fly will prefer the GoPro, but if you're the kind of person who sets up the camera once and never changes modes, perhaps the Contour cameras are a better fit.

One place where Contour has the GoPro system beaten is where applications are concerned. Contour's included desktop editing and uploading software makes it easy to cut the good part out of a long video. Conversely, GoPro's experience is a B.Y.O.-software affair. Contour's top-tier models also capture GPS position, speed, and elevation data that can then be displayed alongside an uploaded video. GoPro does not, but if you don't mind spending a few extra bucks, the GoPro system can be upgraded with longer battery life, an LCD display, or the ability to capture 3D video thanks to its BacPac system.

The GoPro has the Contour cameras flatly beat on ruggedness. The Contour+ and ContourGPS require an additional purchase of a waterproof housing to match the GoPro in the wet. The entry-level ContourRoam is waterproof out of the box, but not nearly to the same depth as the GoPro. And if the HD Hero2 and the ContourGPS fell off of the same car at speed, the GoPro camera would definitely fare better. When you're talking about action cameras, durability is a top-tier attribute.

Deciding which camera system is best is truly a tough decision, and depending on your particular needs, you may disagree with me. At $299, the GoPro HD Hero2 is a slightly better buy than the ContourGPS, which is the same price--provided that the collection of GPS metadata isn't one of your top priorities. The learning curve is slightly steeper (and only just barely thanks to the upgraded interface), but once you're over it, the GoPro HD Hero2 is a much more flexible and durable device.

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Oregon Scientific ATC Chameleon review: Fun but flawed dual-camera action cam

Oregon Scientific ATC Chameleon review: Fun but flawed dual-camera action cam

The concept of the Oregon Scientific ATC Chameleon is certainly a good one.

Creating a compelling action cam video is easier -- not necessary, but easier -- when you have two cameras shooting a subject from two different angles. That, of course, requires buying two cameras and possibly mounts or other accessories for those cameras. And then you'll need some basic video-editing skills to combine what's captured, especially if you want to throw both camera views in the video at the same time.

The Chameleon, however, puts two cameras in one body. Each camera can be rotated 180 degrees -- one horizontally, one vertically -- and has a fish-eye lens covering a 110-degree angle of view. Mount the camera, position the lenses to your liking, and record. When you're done, you have both camera angles combined into one MP4 file. No editing required.

However, that's all it does. If you want to do time-lapse videos, take pictures, shoot high-speed clips for slow-motion movies, or even just capture the video from a single camera, this is not for you. But, that simplicity will certainly be a selling point for some.

The splash-proof plastic body weighs only 4.4 ounces and measures 4.8 inches long by 1.7 inches wide by 1.9 inches high. A door on the side covers a Micro-USB port (for charging and transferring videos), a microSDHC card slot, status button for battery life and storage, and a switch for choosing between having the video from the two cameras appear stacked vertically or side by side.

Outside of that, there is only one control for the camera: a big Record switch on top. Slide it forward and after a few seconds the camera turns on and starts recording, giving off a couple beeps and turning the record light from yellow to red.

The battery is built in, capable of recording up to 2 hours of continuous video on a single charge. Basically, all you need to do is pop in a microSD card (cards up to 32GB are supported, but not included), charge it up, and you're ready to go.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Bundled with the camera are a vented helmet mount and a tripod mount. A clip attached to the bottom of the camera slides into the mounts. Although Oregon Scientific only has a handful of mounts designed for the Chameleon, the tripod mount means you can use mounts from other manufacturers. Also, if you need the Chameleon to be waterproof, there's a housing that's good down to 200 feet (I misspoke in the video shown at the top of this review).

Again, there is just a single setting to consider with this camera. Recording video side by side horizontally, the camera captured clips with a 1,920x720-pixel resolution (960x720 per camera) with a variable bit rate from 9Mbps up to about 14Mbps. The vertically stacked video came out of my test camera at 1,280x1,440-pixel resolution, so each camera was recording at 1,280x720. However, instead of 30fps with a bit rate of 9Mbps like the horizontal split screen, it recorded at 22.5fps with around a 6Mbps bit rate.

The results are OK. The side-by-side 1,920x720-pixel-resolution video does look better than the vertically stacked video; the former looks a bit more detailed, sharper, and, to me, visually more interesting. Regardless of what you pick, though, movies look soft, especially off to the sides, at anything larger than YouTube dimensions. If you do view them at large sizes, you'll be treated to blocky compression artifacts and smeared details.

Color is good, but changes in exposure aren't handled all that smoothly and just about any amount of camera shake causes wobble from rolling shutter. Low-light video is loaded with noise, so you'll definitely want to stick to bright outdoor conditions with this camera.

As for audio quality, well, even light breezes get picked up by the mono mic, so you'll probably want to put music over your final video.

Screenshot by Joshua Goldman/CNET

Oregon Scientific includes software with the camera, but that's disappointing, too. It allows you to open and view the videos and actually do some cool things like picture-in-picture, switch between the two cameras, or watch just one camera. Unfortunately, there are no editing features, so you can't export with picture-in-picture or have only the video from a single camera. It seems like a missed opportunity.

Conclusion
Between the mediocre video quality and overall lack of features, if the Oregon Scientific ATC Chameleon were still priced at $199.99, it probably would not be worth getting for most people. At $99.99 direct from Oregon Scientific (the price was $80, but jumped $20 during the course of writing this review), its shortcomings are certainly easier to swallow. The fun here is in having one camera for easily recording the action from two different angles. Otherwise, if you want to do a multiple camera setup on the cheap, I recommend checking out the Monoprice MHD.

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This $1 Hot Wheels car works with GoPro -- but there's a catch

This $1 Hot Wheels car works with GoPro -- but there's a catch

GoPro is hitching a ride with Hot Wheels, as the two companies team up to create the first die-cast toy car that attaches to a GoPro action camera. That means Hot Wheels fans can capture video of fast-flying toy car stunts from the driver's seat, so to speak.

The Hot Wheels car itself isn't high-tech. Called the Zoom In, the toy goes on sale this month for the same price as any basic Hot Wheels car, just $1.09. What makes it unique is that you can snap in a GoPro Hero Session or Hero5 Session camera, sold separately for considerably more. These cube-shaped cameras sit snug in the center of the toy, locked in place by a bar that grips the top.

The car has a folding bar to lock in the cube camera and keep it snug.

Sarah Tew/CNET

The car should be a hit with anyone who loves Hot Wheels -- or with GoPro fans looking to put a new spin on their action cam shots. Kids can follow livestreaming footage from a tablet or phone app. And the rugged camera shoots in high speed to capture epic crashes in slow motion. 

(I just received one of these Zoom In cars from Mattel, so I'll be taking it for a test drive soon -- stay tuned!)

But here's something that may throw buyers for a loop: The two GoPro Session cameras that fit in the car are discontinued models. You should still be able to easily find the Session and Hero5 Session for sale, but supplies may be limited. 

This month marks the 50th anniversary of Hot Wheels. The company has put cameras in its cars before. Back in 2011, Mattel released the Video Racer Micro Camera Car, a Hot Wheels car with a camera built inside to record 12-minute clips. You can still find it sold online for about $15. 

Of course, that Video Racer car won't get you 4K shots or survive being thrown into water like a GoPro can, but the toy did have something a Session camera lacks: a mini LCD screen for instant playback.

The Zoom In Hot Wheels car rolls out to stores this month for $1.09. The GoPro, however, is sold separately for $200.

Sarah Tew/CNET

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GoPro's new Hero camera looks just like the company's Hero5 and Hero6 cameras, and that's no accident.  

Despite being an entry-level model, the Hero shares key design features with its higher-end linemates, namely a 2-inch touchscreen and a rugged body that's waterproof without the need for a polycarbonate housing.

That's something GoPro didn't do with its last Hero, which had little to offer beyond good video quality and a low price. And while the price of the new model is $70 more at $199 (£199, AU$299), those design features apparently mean a lot to potential buyers.

"Our research and feedback shows consumers really like having a touchscreen, so we wanted to give people that familiar experience at an entry-level price, and Hero satisfies both," said a GoPro spokeswoman. Being waterproof to 30 feet (10 meters) without a housing is also a huge selling point for GoPro's cameras, she said.

So where does that leave the company's other $199 camera, the tiny cube-shaped Hero5 Session? It's going away. The Session will continue to be sold at retailers through the first half of 2018, but is no longer available on GoPro.com. Basically, as happens with other discontinued cameras, retailers will sell through what's available, but once it's gone, it's gone. 

That's a shame since the Session definitely has an edge on the Hero when it comes to the camera's capabilities. GoPro kept the Hero's shooting options to a bare minimum:

• Record video at 1080p or 1440p at 60 or 30 frames per second (fps) in MP4 at 60Mbps
  
• Snap 10-megapixel photos
  
• Burst shoot at 10fps
  
• Capture time-lapse photos and video at 0.5-second intervals
  

If you just read that list and wondered why there's no 4K or slow-mo options for video or raw capture or low-light settings for photos, this camera isn't for you. The Hero is aimed squarely at casual and first-time users who want to shoot and share experiences they can't grab with a phone.

The new Hero has a 2-inch touchscreen on back like the Hero5 Black (pictured).

Joshua Goldman/CNET

The shooting options might be lean, but to help balance things out, GoPro added voice controls and electronic video stabilization. Plus, with the built-in Wi-Fi, you can send clips straight to your phone as soon as you stop recording and have them instantly turned into an edited video with GoPro's mobile app.  

At the start of the year, GoPro dropped the price of its premium model, the Hero6 Black, from $499 to $399. The addition of the $199 Hero along with the $299 Hero5 Black ($445 at Amazon) moves GoPro's plan forward to return to a good, better, best product strategy.

"What we've learned is people want 'good, better, best' options from us. So with the new Hero we now have cameras that are characteristically GoPro -- durable, waterproof, cool design -- with feature sets for every level of user." 

The GoPro Hero is available today at retailers and direct from GoPro. 

First published March 29, 10:00 a.m. PT.

Update, 4:30 p.m.: Adds information on Hero5 Session. 

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Navigating foreclosure: How to find help, repair your credit and bounce back

Navigating foreclosure: How to find help, repair your credit and bounce back

The COVID-19 pandemic -- and its economic fallout -- have put millions of homeowners at risk of losing their homes. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau industry data in April showed that almost 3 million homeowners are behind on their mortgage payments. 

While the CARES Act provided temporary relief for homeowners, its moratorium on foreclosures ended on July 31. Although this means lenders can proceed with the foreclosure process, a moratorium on foreclosure-related evictions has been put in place by the Federal Housing Administration until Sept. 30. The White House has also extended the forbearance enrollment period for federally backed mortgages through Sept. 30, giving homeowners more time to enroll in housing protections that could last for up to 12 months.  

That said, some homeowners are still facing the resumption of monthly mortgage payments that have been paused for over a year -- and as a result, a mountain of debt.

If you own a home and are concerned about making mortgage payments, it's important to understand the foreclosure process. We'll walk you through everything you need to know -- from the best practices for avoiding it to surviving the aftermath. 

You can find out more information about buying a foreclosure here.

What is a foreclosure? 

Foreclosure starts when a homeowner has missed payments for a certain length of time -- usually, 90 to 120 days. At this point, the lender will attempt to recoup what they're owed on a mortgage. Once you're a few months late on your mortgage payment, the lender will put your loan into default.

If you don't make your mortgage payments for, say, three months, your lender can start a legal process to take ownership of your home in order to sell it. This allows them to get some of the money you still owe on your mortgage back.

The steps of the foreclosure process vary from state to state. 

The foreclosure process

Foreclosure doesn't happen overnight. Your mortgage lender is required to notify you well in advance of when your home officially enters foreclosure -- also known as preforeclosure. 

Preforeclosure

After you miss one mortgage payment, you might enter a preforeclosure period, but you often have another month to pay the balance owed before the bank takes serious action. 

"Making your mortgage payment after the 1st of the month won't be considered late," says James McCann, branch manager at Cornerstone First Mortgage. "Most mortgage servicers won't charge a late fee until the 15th of the month and even when they do, it's usually nominal. Mortgage payments aren't reported late until the 30th of the month."

At that point, your lender sends you a notice. Whether you just needed a little extra time or making the payment simply slipped your mind, if you make your missed payment at this time, the preforeclosure process stops. You'll probably need to pay a late fee and your credit score might take a hit, though.

If you miss two mortgage payments, the letters become more serious. At this stage, you'll receive a demand letter requesting the missed payments. You can still stop the foreclosure process at this point by sending in the money you owe right away.

After three to four months of missed payments (varies by lender), you'll get a notice of default. This notice will usually lay out a grace period (often 90 days) during which you can make up the money you owe to avoid foreclosure. This grace period is called the reinstatement period. If you don't take advantage of this final window to get caught up on your missed payments, your lender officially starts foreclosure.

Foreclosure

At this point, your mortgage lender starts the process of taking ownership of your home. This works because mortgages are secured loans, which means they're backed by collateral -- in this case, your home. 

When homeowners are unable to continue making mortgage payments, lenders start the foreclosure process to take back their collateral. Foreclosure ends with the lender either selling the home or adding it to their real estate portfolio. This allows the lender to recoup the money the homeowner was unable to pay. 

Types of foreclosures 

There are three different types of foreclosures, but processes will vary depending on where you live. Most states employ one of the first two types of foreclosures: 

Judicial foreclosure

A judicial foreclosure is an option in all states. During this process, the lender files a lawsuit with the court to initiate the foreclosure process. The homeowner then gets a notice of the suit in the mail and has 30 days to pay all of the money they owe. If they don't, the local sheriff's office or the court will sell the house at an auction and give the proceeds to the lender. 

Power of sale

Also called a statutory foreclosure, this type of foreclosure is legal in most states, provided your mortgage has a power of sale clause. This clause says that if your mortgage lender demands payment and you continue to fail to pay for the period of time laid out in the clause, the lender can sell the home to recoup their money. 

Strict foreclosure

The rarest type of foreclosure, strict foreclosure, is often avoided unless the outstanding mortgage amount is greater than the property's current value. The process is similar to a judicial foreclosure in that the lender files a lawsuit, but rather than selling the property at auction, the property enters the lender's real estate portfolio once the foreclosure is complete. 

Avoiding foreclosure

Foreclosures are stressful. But you can often avoid foreclosure, especially if you take steps as soon as you struggle to make your mortgage payments. Here are some tips to help with avoiding foreclosure.

Talk to your lender ASAP

Lenders don't want you to enter into foreclosure. They would much rather have you continue to make your payments (allowing them to make income off your mortgage's interest). If you're struggling to make a payment, reach out to see what support your lender can provide. 

"Talk with your current mortgage servicer to see if there's anything they can do to help," McCann says. "Your lender might offer a loan modification or forbearance plan that would allow you to lower or pause your payments." 

Consider selling

With real estate property values at notably high levels in many regions, homeowners who think they won't be able to keep up with their mortgage payments can consider selling before they end up in a foreclosure situation. With the proceeds from your home sale, you can pay off the outstanding balance of your mortgage and avoid foreclosure -- and the eviction and major hit to your credit score that comes with it. 

You don't necessarily go back to renting, either. McCann recommends working with a realtor to find out if you can downsize to reduce your monthly mortgage payment.

Explore a refinance

With mortgage rates at historic lows right now, refinancing can help you get through a financially challenging season -- and save you money over the life of your loan. Refinancing could allow you to lock in a lower rate, reducing your monthly mortgage payment.

"You can often time your refinance to skip a mortgage payment, which could give you a little time to get back on your feet," McCann says.

You might be able to get a short refinance, which means your lender forgives some of your outstanding balance, then refinances the rest.

Foreclosure assistance programs

There are also assistance programs that can serve as helpful tools in avoiding foreclosure. 

Until Sept. 30, you can enroll in a forbearance program if you have a federally held mortgage, e.g., FHA, VA, USDA and some Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae home loans. 

While federal programs beyond the COVID-19 forbearance are currently lacking, you can also get help from a housing counselor. You can click your state on their map to find information about foreclosure avoidance counselors near you. It's well worth choosing one approved by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to help avoid foreclosure scams. 

Beware of foreclosure assistance scams

Unfortunately, unsavory individuals and organizations often take advantage of people facing financial hardship and foreclosures. And they may do it under the guise of old programs. Be wary of mortgage assistance from groups that recommend expired assistance programs like the FHA Home Affordable Program or the Making Home Affordable program. Although these programs are legitimate, they were established to help after the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008 and aren't accepting new applicants. 

For a full list of foreclosure assistance scams to avoid, review this guide from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. 

Surviving foreclosure

Avoiding foreclosure isn't always possible -- and it's not a financial death sentence. If none of the above resources can help you avoid foreclosure, your first step should be to find safe housing for yourself and anyone who lives with you.

From there, work on establishing a consistent income stream and building up your savings. Your credit score will take a dive after your foreclosure, but managing your money responsibly -- paying your bills on time and making sure you don't use too much of your other available credit, including credit cards -- will help you to rebuild it. From there, it's a waiting game. After seven years, the foreclosure will fall off your credit report and you'll have a fresh start again.

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The Galaxy S21 lineup is here, with a $200 price cut, new design and S Pen support

The Galaxy S21 lineup is here, with a $200 price cut, new design and S Pen support

This story is part of CES, where CNET covers the latest news on the most incredible tech coming soon.

Samsung's new Galaxy S21 lineup is here. And the new Galaxy S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra have plenty to attract would-be buyers, including new designs and $200 shaved off the starting price of their predecessors.

The South Korean electronics giant on Thursday, during its first virtual Unpacked event of the year, showed off its three new phones: the $800 Galaxy S21, the $1,000 Galaxy S21 Plus and the $1,200 Galaxy S21 Ultra. (In the UK, the S21 will start at £769, just £30 cheaper than the S20.) It also unveiled new $200 earbuds, called the Galaxy Buds Pro; $30 Tile-like Galaxy SmartTags that can track nonelectronic items like pets; and a $40 S Pen accessory. The event took place on the last day of this year's CES and more than a month earlier than normal. 

Samsung's Galaxy S21 lineup is packed with refinements to the cameras, displays and 5G capabilities. The new phones feature a redesign that accentuates the camera lenses on their backs while linking them with their metal frames, something Samsung calls "Contour Cut Camera" housing. The base amount of storage for all of the S21 models is 128GB, and Samsung boosted the photo and video capabilities for vloggers and others. 

The lower price is a nod to the realities of the world, with the coronavirus pandemic shutting down many global economies and eliminating millions of jobs. Smartphones, serving as a lifeline to friends and co-workers, remain one of the few essential gadgets. This is also one of the first phones in a few years that didn't introduce a brand new technology like 5G, which often justifies a premium. 

"In 2021, our top priority is to bring the benefit of technology to more people," TM Roh, the head of Samsung's mobile communication business, said in a statement, calling the Galaxy S21 series "the most powerful and versatile flagship lineup ever."

On the other end of the spectrum, the S21 Ultra is designed for people who want the "best of the best." It features a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x display, Samsung's best camera of the S21 lineup with four back lenses, and Corning's scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back. The S21 and S21 Plus have 6.2- and 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x displays, respectively, and Gorilla Glass Victus on the front. The S21 Plus also has the glass on the back, while the regular S21 features a plastic polycarbonate backing. Both have three camera lenses on the back.

This year, Samsung has brought support for its S Pen, a hallmark of the Galaxy Note lineup, to its Galaxy S family for the first time. Of the three new phones, only the S21 Ultra works with the S Pen, and it comes as a separate accessory that costs $40 for just the pen or $70 when bundled with a specially designed case that stores the stylus. Users can't stow the S Pen away inside the S21 Ultra like they can with Note, but they can use their old Note styluses with the S21 Ultra. The new accessory doesn't work with gestures or many of the other features found in the Note's S Pen, which likely means the Note line isn't dead quite yet.

Samsung will introduce an S Pen Pro later this year, though, that has some of the Bluetooth-enabled features found in the Note's stylus, like gestures. Samsung didn't give a price or release date for the S Pen Pro. 

The new phones come as Samsung faces a tougher market for 5G phones. When the Galaxy S20 lineup hit the market a year ago, there still were relatively few 5G phones available, and they weren't cheap. Now competition is fierce. Prices for 5G phones go as low as $300 in the US, and virtually all companies sell 5G models. Every phone in Apple'siPhone 12 lineup from late 2020 came with 5G by default, something that was expected to help the technology go mainstream. At the same time, the world continues to grapple with a pandemic that's limiting budgets for new gadgets. 

Samsung made the decision to drop the starting price of its new phones by $200 because of a few factors. Components like 5G processors, displays and camera modules now cost less because Samsung has such a high volume of those parts in devices across its portfolio. The company also made some minor trade-offs in its S21 and S21 Plus devices, like lowering the base level of RAM to 8GB from 12GB. 

"For people who want the highest-end, Ultra experience, we still have that, and we're not sacrificing [the features] based on price point," Drew Blackard, Samsung Electronics America's vice president of product management, said in an interview ahead of Unpacked. "For people who want value and an amazing flagship experience at the same time, we still have a great offering for them with the S21. And then we've got something kind of in between for people who want a little bit of both."

The existence of the Ultra is a reminder that not everyone feels the impact of the pandemic equally.

"The people that are buying an S21 Ultra are not feeling the pressure of the pandemic," Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi said. Samsung "could have decided that maybe [its] entry product was going to be cheaper but leave the two flagships more expensive. But it's not doing that." 

Preorders for the phones begin Thursday at 8 a.m. PT, and the phones hit stores on Jan. 29. The Galaxy Buds Pro are available Thursday on Samsung.com and will be at other retailers on Friday. People who preorder the phones get up to $200 in Samsung credit and also get a free Galaxy SmartTag. In addition, carriers are offering promotions, like AT&T's offer for up to $800 off when trading in an eligible device and purchasing the new phone on a 30-month installment plan.

Say cheese

One of the biggest differentiators for the Galaxy S21 Ultra over the S21 and S21 Plus is the camera. The pricier device comes with four cameras on the back -- ultra-wide, wide and dual tele-lenses -- and an upgraded 108-megapixel sensor. That allows users to capture 12-bit HDR photos with 64 times richer color data and more than three times wider dynamic range. In other words, sharper, better photos. 

"When designing the Galaxy S21, we thought about how people use their cameras today," Stephen Hawke, director of product management for Samsung Electronics America, said during a briefing with reporters ahead of Unpacked. "For instance, there are those fleeting moments when you just don't have time to think about the perfect mode or setting to capture a shot, let alone switch to recording video. We need our phones to do all this for us. With a Galaxy S21, you get photos and videos with the simplicity of point and shoot."

When it comes to video, the Ultra enables users to shoot in 4K at 60fps across all lenses, including those on the front, meaning they can shift to different perspectives with the same quality. A new feature called Director's View lets you see a scene from multiple perspectives simultaneously, while Vlogger View lets you shoot with the front and rear cameras at the same time. Pro Mode lets users capture images in a 12-bit raw file format to make it easier to edit the images later. 

The Galaxy S21 Ultra has four camera and laser autofocus on the back.

Drew Evans/CNET

The S20 Ultra features 100x Space Zoom, like its predecessor, but in this year's phone is a new feature called Zoom Lock that keeps the camera focused on an object for a clearer picture. Samsung said it provides "tripod-like stability with an AI-powered stabilizer." Space Zoom on the S21 Ultra is powered by Samsung's first dual-tele-lens system, which is one optical 3X zoom for midrange and one optical 10x zoom for long-range. Both have dual pixel autofocus to capture ultra clear shots. 

Low-light photography also gets a boost in the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Samsung improved its Bright Night sensor and Night Mode to reduce noise and capture challenging shots like dimly lit rooms or landscapes at night. 

The Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus both have three rear cameras in ultra-wide, wide and tele-lens. They feature 30X Space Zoom with Zoom Lock, as well as Director's View and Vlogger View. Portrait Mode gets a boost from AI, which provides options for virtual studio light and effects to make the subject pop from the frame -- with both the rear cameras and the front-facing selfie lens. 

Samsung has improved its 8K Snap feature to let users grab clear images from 8K video footage, and its Super Steady Video records at an "improved" 60fps. The new Galaxy S21 phones also feature Multi-Mic Recording when paired with the new Galaxy Buds Pro, letting users record with their camera mic and earbuds mic at the same time. 

What's inside

All phones in the Galaxy S21 lineup in the US come with Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 888 processor and integrated 5G modem. The new Snapdragon chip is more effective at connecting to all flavors of 5G, from the slower, more reliable nationwide variant offered by all the US carriers, or the speedier but more finicky millimeter wave version touted by Verizon, and boasts peak download speeds of 7.5 Gbps and upload speeds of 3Gbps.

The new processor with its integrated modem is "really important," Technalysis Research analyst Bob O'Donnell said. By being able to combine different types of 5G airwaves together, there's a "huge potential increase in performance in 5G," he said. 

The Galaxy S21 Plus gets a bigger battery -- 4,800 mAh versus 4,500 in the S20 Plus -- while the S21 stays steady with 4,000 mAh and the S21 Ultra retains its 5,000 mAH battery. 

Also under the hood, or rather the display, is an improved fingerprint sensor from Qualcomm. The chip giant on Monday unveiled the second generation of its 3D Sonic Sensor that's 50% faster and 77% bigger than the previous generation, making it easier for people to to unlock their devices using their fingerprints. Along with making it simpler to know where to place a finger, the larger size also allows the technology to collect 1.7 times more biometric data, speeding up the unlock time. 

Samsung also included ultra wideband, or UWB, technology in the Galaxy S21 Plus and S21 Ultra. The technology lets a user pinpoint the exact location of phones, key fobs and tracking tags, helping them find lost dogs or automatically unlock their car. UWB calculates precise locations by measuring how long it takes super-short radio pulses to travel between devices. (Note: It's different from the Ultra Wideband terminology Verizon uses for its mmWave 5G network.)

Samsung will eventually have UWB in its Galaxy SmartTags, but the first version available will use Bluetooth Low Energy. The company didn't yet say when the UWB version will be available or how much it will cost, but it sees big opportunities for UWB in the future, especially as it tries to control the smart home. 

"We recently launched SmartThings Find to help you quickly and easily locate your Galaxy devices, even when offline," KJ Kim, chief technology officer and head of mobile R&D for Samsung, said in a statement. "We took this a step further with Galaxy S21 Plus and S21 Ultra, which use expanded UWB capabilities to utilize the AR finder so you can send virtual messages to other Galaxy users during your search."

He added that Samsung has formed partnerships with "major car companies" to provide "a next-generation car experience starting this summer."

And out

The phones in the Galaxy S21 lineup all feature a matte finish that helps minimize fingerprints. In the US, the Galaxy S21 Ultra comes in phantom black and phantom silver, and it has four possible configurations. The silver only comes with 128GB of storage and 12GB RAM, while the black has 128GB or 256GB of storage with 12GB RAM, and a monster 512GB model with 16GB RAM. 

The S21 Plus and S21 have some brighter color options, including phantom violet and phantom pink, the latter of which is only in the S21. There are two storage options for those phones, either 128GB or 256GB, both with 8GB RAM.

Samsung's Galaxy S21 (left), Galaxy S21 Plus (center) and Galaxy S21 Ultra hit stores Jan. 29.

Drew Evans/CNET

Samsung's Bixby voice assistant again makes an appearance in the S21 lineup, but its button can be remapped to other tasks. It's also integrated into SmartThings, Samsung's smart home control app.

The S21 Ultra has some advantages when it comes to the screen. All three use Samsung's Infinity-O Displays, are HDR10+ certified and have an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate that automatically adjusts based on what the users is doing, but the Ultra has a resolution of 3,200x1,440, while the other two are 2,400x1,080. 

The Ultra also has a Quad HD+ display -- versus flat, full HD+ in the S21 and S21 Plus -- and "the best, brightest display ever," Samsung's Hawke said. He noted the picture is 25% brighter than in the S21 and S21 Plus. The Ultra also has a 50% improved contrast ratio to deliver clear, immersive images, even when outdoors, and a brighter screen

"This is going to make content really pop, especially high dynamic range content," said Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart. "People will be able to use it outdoors without [the screen] getting washed out."

For Samsung, the hope is that its lineup has something for everyone. 

"When it comes to shopping for new smartphones, first and foremost, people want choice," Samsung's Blackard said. "That is both in terms of features and in terms of price points. So we're really committed to driving a range of different devices that offer what we think is that diversity of needs that's in the market today."

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