Snag a 9-Quart Dual Basket Digital Air Fryer for $80 Today
Snag a 9-Quart Dual Basket Digital Air Fryer for $80 Today
If you're looking for easier, healthier, golden-delicious food at home, then you'll want to check out this practical multitasker. Air fryers have soared in popularity -- and with health concerns and time shortages on the rise, it's little wonder why. The TurboFry can simplify meal prep, get your food on the table and get you back to what you love faster. Make two different foods at the same time, and even if they cook differently, you can make sure they'll be ready together. You can grab the Chefman TurboFry 9-quart digital air fryer with dual basket functionality for $80 at Best Buy during this one-day sale.
What if you're only making one thing? Don't worry: It's simple to sync your cooking settings across both baskets, and an LED reminder helps you keep from overcooking or undershifting, giving you that perfect golden fry each time. 1,700 watts of power provides you with even cooking and a quick heat up time, getting you on your way that much faster, and with a temperature range from 200 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and an easy-to-use digital touchscreen, it makes frying effortless and convenient. And with eight built-in cooking functions, this one machine can handle most of your cooking needs. Plus, all accessories can be thrown right into the dishwasher, and the nonstick baskets are incredibly easy to clean, making tidying a breeze. So get inspired in the kitchen again with the versatility of this air fryer and make something exceptional.
2022 Mini Cooper SE Long-Term Wrap-Up: A Great SoCal City Car
2022 Mini Cooper SE Long-Term Wrap-Up: A Great SoCal City Car
People love to hate the electric Mini Cooper SE for its short driving range. But focus on that 114-mile EPA estimate and you'll miss this car's strongest selling points. No one is buying a Mini -- gas or electric -- for long-distance cruising. Put the Cooper SE into service as a daily driver in a congested city and its goodness will quickly win you over.
That's what we found after a year with our long-term 2022 Cooper SE. The whole point of CNET Cars' yearlong test was to use the Mini in day-to-day city life. For that reason, we kept the Mini in Southern California, where we have the most staff and the most plentiful public charging network. Twelve months after our initial delivery, we're still smitten with our little Mini EV. Sure, we encountered some problems along the way, but the Cooper SE's short range wasn't the burden it might seem.
How we spec'd it
The entire Mini Cooper Hardtop lineup got an update for 2022, with some styling tweaks and equipment changes that make the car more attractive overall. The electric Cooper SE only comes as a two-door Hardtop -- though Mini did recently show off a SE Convertible prototype -- and a 2022 model like ours cost $30,750 including an $850 destination fee, though that excludes any potential tax credits.
Mini sends all Cooper SEs out the door with goodies including heated seats, LED headlights and a 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. We added the $7,000 Iconic pack to our tester, which got us a panoramic sunroof, leather seats, a premium audio system, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors and some extra piano black exterior trim. We had ours painted in Mini's Enigmatic Black hue, which is actually more of a super-dark blue, and we matched it with yellow mirror caps, a white roof, and the SE-exclusive 17-inch Power Spoke wheels (read: the correct wheels). All told, our Mini came to us with a $37,750 final sticker price.
For the 2023 model year, the Cooper SE has a higher starting price of $35,075 including destination, but the car has more standard equipment (though weirdly, the formerly standard heated steering wheel now costs extra). Adding the Iconic trim is now only a $2,475 upcharge, and a 2023 Mini Cooper SE optioned exactly like our long-termer is only $50 more expensive: $37,800 including destination and excluding any tax credits.
The best wheels.
Steven Ewing/CNET
Fun and functional
The Cooper SE is powered by a 32.6 kilowatt-hour battery pack with a single electric motor mounted to the front axle. Total output is only 181 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, which doesn't sound like a ton, but the instant electric thrust makes the Mini super quick off the line. No, Mini's 0- to 60-mph estimate of 6.9 seconds isn't anything to write home about, but it's that initial 0- to 30-mph blast that really feels like a thrill. And we never found the Mini lacked power while passing slower-moving cars on the highway. It's as zippy as you'd expect, and way more fun to drive than similar EVs.
"Every trip in the Cooper SE is a joy thanks to the instant torque, great steering and low center of gravity," noted senior social media editor Daniel Golson. "It's easily the most fun car that Mini makes, and an actual performance variant would be awesome." Golson also wished for some kind of "artificial spaceship-y noise under acceleration," like you can get in other EVs, but not everyone on our staff agrees.
"As a city car, the Mini SE excels," wrote former news and features editor Kyle Hyatt. "Its small size and nimble handling make it a breeze to whip around in Los Angeles traffic, and it's easy to park in tight city spaces." Hyatt did note that the Mini's ride is a little on the stiff side, "but it's not overly bouncy or jarring," he said.
As a cargo-hauler, no Mini is ideal, but the Cooper SE's boxy shape and low load-in height made it surprisingly functional -- mostly. "It's great that the rear seats are able to fold pretty much flat," Golson wrote, "but if the front seats are even a little too far back then it's not possible to fold the rears because space is so tight." Still, there's a maximum of 34 cubic feet of space in the back of the Mini -- enough for a set of small tires, a few big boxes or luggage for two adults.
Our car showed no wear and tear after a year of use.
Steven Ewing/CNET
Comfy interior, but the design's getting old
After a year of use, our Mini's interior showed no signs of wear and tear. We always appreciated features like the kickin' Harman Kardon stereo, comfy seats and sunroof shade that can close while the glass is still open. Really, our main complaint about the Cooper SE's cabin is that Mini's too-cute design is starting to get old.
"Charming as the Mini's interior is, I'm ready for the next-gen model to bring a cleaner setup," Golson wrote. "The toggle switches and other analog controls are strangely laid out, and the infotainment setup feels old and laggy." On top of that, pretty much everyone on staff complained about how the small digital gauge cluster would wash out in any kind of sunlight.
It's not the range, it's the charging
For daily commuting duties, 114 miles of range isn't as bad as you think. Most EV owners have some kind of home charging solution, and the Mini's small battery is easy to top off overnight. The downsides of the Mini's setup make themselves known when you have to rely on the public charging infrastructure, something that Los Angeles does better than pretty much any other US city, but still leaves a lot to be desired.
Guess how many of these chargers actually worked.
Steven Ewing/CNET
Because the Mini's battery capacity is relatively small, at 32.6 kWh, charging it shouldn't take that long -- or so you'd think. Unfortunately, the Mini can only accept a max charge speed of 50 kW, so reaching 80% capacity can take as long as 45 minutes. That kind of time suck is fine in larger EVs with faster charging speeds, because you're gaining hundreds of miles of range per session. If the Cooper SE could handle faster speeds, going from 10% to 80% could theoretically take 10 to 15 minutes, which would be a huge advantage.
The other issue is that we rarely saw anything close to that advertised 50-kW speed. We plugged the Mini into 50-kW, 150-kW and 350-kW chargers, but usually only saw a max intake speed of about 35 kW, reducing charging times even further. Of course, America's public charging network is notoriously problematic, so the chargers themselves could be to blame in a lot of these instances, but not being able to reliably get even 50 kW was frustrating to say the least.
As for mileage, at the end of the year we observed an average range of 117 miles per charge, a 3-mile improvement over the EPA estimate. Driving the Mini in its Green mode helped eke out a few miles at a time without killing the fun-to-drive vibe, and we rarely if ever found Sport mode to be necessary -- the standard (what Mini calls "Mid") mode offered plenty of punch, but frequent use of the Green setting really helped us with overall range.
Yes, you could argue that a bigger battery with longer range would alleviate the need to charge as frequently, making longer stops easier to swallow. But none of us complained about the frequency with which we had to charge. The question was how long the charging took once we were there. We don't mind popping into a charger for 10 minutes to top off, especially if something like a Mini could hit 80% in that amount of time. But having to sit at chargers for 30 or 40 minutes is an eternity, no matter the size of the battery.
We'll miss you.
Steven Ewing/CNET
Final verdict
The Mini Cooper SE isn't perfect, but as a daily driver in LA, it's hard to fault. It never failed to make us smile, whether that be through its quirky design, small size or the fact that it's a blast to drive. Former reviews editor Emme Hall said it best: "For short trips in town, there isn't a car I'd rather have."
Like many carmakers, Mini will soon go EV-only, and our year with the Cooper SE makes us excited for that future. Fun little cars like the Mini really lend themselves to electrification, and new vehicle platforms with better battery packaging will give the carmaker more opportunities to maximize interior space. Our big hope is that the next generation of battery tech allows for higher capacity and quicker charging times. Small cars like a Mini will always be short on range, but faster charging speeds will make that a non-issue.
Elden Ring Boss Guide: How To beat Margit, Godrick, Radahn, and more
Elden Ring Boss Guide: How To beat Margit, Godrick, Radahn, and more
Elden Ring is out and like every other Souls-like game there are times when you confront a major foe who will put your survival skills to the test.
Elden Ring has the largest roster of bosses and secret encounters of any Souls-style game to date, and people are quickly figuring out how unforgiving these bad guys can be. So with that, we're offering a quick rundown of general tips to know when facing these bosses. Along with that, a guide on defeating some of the first major bosses of the game.
Check back with us in the coming days as we'll be adding more guides and tips on overcoming the big bads of The Lands Between.
General Boss tips
Learn Their Patterns
While every boss can be daunting, they each have a pattern that they follow rigorously. The most important thing you can learn when fighting enemies is how they move and what behaviors they follow. This knowledge can be a bit tough to learn, especially when you have swords and magic spells being hurled at your face. But once you do, you'll get a sense of how a boss' attacks work and what you can do to overcome them.
Don't Rely on Rolling Too Much
Rolling in Elden Ring is vital to every battle, but it's easy to abuse it. The move gives players a small window of invincibility on any attack, so it appears that spamming it would be the right answer to whatever scenario. Do not do this. FromSoftware purposely makes enemies' attacks reach a certain distance for when you roll. Bosses also have multiple quick and delayed attacks to throw off the timing of your rolls. Keep that in mind even in the heat of the battle.
If you need to roll, especially for boss battles, try rolling toward the boss. It sounds counterintuitive but the way FromSoftware designs boss attacks, going toward the boss helps you evade, as the expectation is for you to roll away. If there's one attack constantly hitting you when you roll away, that's when you need to roll forward.
Being Greedy is Dangerous
We know the feeling you can get when a particular foe gets caught in a vulnerable spot, and you want to keep attacking them. However, it's important not to be greedy in those moments. Before you know it, a boss can quickly recover and send you flying with a powerful counterattack. Always be mindful of the time it takes to attack. It's often better to go in for a couple of quick hits and back away to safety, even if there's time for another set of blows.
Make Sure to Use Your Summons
As players progress through the game, they'll receive more summons. These spirits can be somewhat weak and do minimal damage, but they distract the boss. These assists provide a small respite from the battle, allowing you to heal or set up a powerful charge or jumping attack. Calling on a summon should be the first thing players should do in a boss battle.
For the boss fights of legacy dungeons, there is usually a summon right next to the golden fog gate. Keep an eye out for an orange symbol on the ground as these fighters are powerful and can help you tremendously in these hard battles. You might need to find these NPCs within the dungeon before they will help.
Finish The Fight, Later
FromSoftware always finds ways to catch you off guard. An example is the Tree Sentinel, a big brute of a boss, in the game's first area. It's a powerful foe that can kill you in two hits. This encounter may give you the impression that you have to beat him at this moment, but trust us when we say that is not the case. You'll inevitably come across some foes that will knock you out in a quick fashion. While you can certainly try and figure a way to beat them, you're often better off just taking the hint and doing something better with your time. You can always come back later once you're stronger and get some revenge -- and those moments are always satisfying.
Now let's take a look at some specific bosses...
Margit, The Fell Omen
Margit, the Fell Omen can be a daunting foe to face in your first hours with the game.
From Software / Namco Bandai Games
This encounter is likely the first major boss you'll face in Elden Ring and they will certainly put you through your paces. The battle against Margit is, above all, a test of your dodging, attack skills and patience during a fight. Despite its size, Margit is highly mobile and can easily close the distance to land some hits on you if you aren't careful. The boss primarily uses their staff as a close-range weapon, striking with three-hit combo attacks and a harder two-handed blow that can drop your stamina fast if you try to block it. Margit will throw magic daggers at a distance at a range, and it's best to avoid them by dodging.
The best way to strike Margit is to hit them once they've finished performing their attacks. By looking at their attack patterns, you can have a window of opportunity to hit them with quick strikes. It's always better to stick and move rather than lay into them with a series of long combos. Go for brief 2-3 hits and then move away to avoid their follow-up attacks. And unless you have decent strength and endurance for your character, it's always better to roll out of the way of its attacks. Though if you have a shield with parry sub-ability -- and you're willing to take a risk -- you can stun Margit with a well-timed parry. However, if you miss the timing, you leave yourself open to a devastating attack.
Once you clear half its health, Margit enters a second phase where they'll pull out a massive hammer. While their patterns are still similar, Margit's extra aggression makes for a more tense fight. The best thing to do is stay composed and look at their patterns to find an opening. And always stick with dodging as opposed to blocking. If you try to block their hammer, you will lose your stamina and open yourself up for attack. Remember to stick and move, and keep your attacks brief when fighting Margit, and you will eventually defeat them.
If you're still struggling, another option to make the fight slightly easier: Visit the Murkerwater Cave dungeon, north of the Dragon Burnt Ruins. Inside the case, you'll encounter a boss named Patches, a recurring character from previous FromSoftware games. If you spare his life after he yields in combat, he will open up his inventory for purchase. One item he sells is Margit's Shackle, which will stun the boss during its first phase only, allowing you to go in for a series of strikes. This is a great way to overcome Margit if you need extra help with the fight
Godrick The Grafted
The battle against Godrick will be a real test of patience and resolve. It'd be best to bring in some back up for him.
FromSoftware / Namco Bandai Games
If you make it through Stormveil Castle, then you've already picked up skills and tactics when it comes to overcoming foes. However, the battle with Godrick is, by far, the biggest hurdle you'll need to overcome. As the first demi-god you'll fight, this fallen ruler of Stormveil Castle will pull out all the stops to take you out. Much like Margit, Godrick is speedy despite his size. But unlike Margit, Godrick has a larger arsenal of weapons and skills to use.
Before this fight, one thing you can do to make it easier is to summon an AI character. Nepheli, a traveling warrior, is someone you'll first meet in the Roundtable Hold, and you can find her again in Stormveil Castle near Godrick's location. If you speak with her, she will help you during the battle. Just outside the door to Godrick, you can see her summon sign. It's recommended you call in an assist in this fight, as having a backup will be a big help.
Like the previous fight, you'll need to watch Godrick's patterns to avoid their strikes. One attack to watch out for is a 360-degree wind attack that will encompass the immediate area of Godrick, damaging you and other allies if you stay close. It's important to watch for his tells and avoid his attacks once he gets them ready. It would be best to try to be more aggressive in this battle. Godrick has a lot of health, so playing it safe too long can exhaust you and resources, leading to a sudden defeat. Still, don't be greedy with your attacks.
During his 2nd phase, he'll take a more desperate tactic and graft the head of a dragon onto his arm and use it to attack you. This upgrade for him not only adds a new melee attack to his arsenal, but he can also use his new arm for breathing fire on you, which does considerable damage if you get hit. During this phase, the best thing to do is to keep a medium distance away from him, avoid his area of effect attacks, and then run to his blind spots when he pulls out the dragon head to breathe fire. The flames will only go in front of him, so running up to his side or behind him will protect you while also leaving him vulnerable for extended periods.
One of the important lessons this fight will impact is the importance of placement and position in a fight. Along with being a narrow bridge, the area also has a set of stairs on both sides. The elevation change can prove to be an advantage, as some of Godrick's attacks can miss you entirely if you get the high ground above him or below him. If you can be mindful of his attacks while also keeping your positional advantage, then you will be able to overcome Godrick with patience and a steady rhythm of attacks.
Red Wolf of Radagon
The battle with Red Wolf of Radagon will test if you can handle a foe adept at magic and close ranged combat.
FromSoftware / Namco Bandai Games
The battle with Red Wolf can be tough, due to how aggressive it is with close-range attacks and its set of long-range magic attacks. Like other major bosses, the Red Wolf is highly mobile, and uses that to its advantage with its attacks. Its deadliest attacks, by far, are the magic missiles, which are homing attacks that will tear right through your defenses and health. The Red Wolf also has a regular habit of priming up its magic spells and then using melee attacks to close the distance, adding further pressure on you. It can be tough to manage, and you'll likely face a quick death during your first attempts.
Thankfully, the Red Wolf doesn't have a second phase, so you'll see most of its patterns and tricks during the first couple minutes of the fight. The important thing to figure out is that the Red Wolf is very aggressive. Yet, that aggression can be used against it. Once it finishes attacking, it will leave itself vulnerable to counterattacks. Given the frequency of its attacks, you'll have plenty of opportunities to go in for quick hits -- provided you dodge its attacks without fail. Don't bother chasing after it; keep your distance and let it come to you. Once it has finished its attacks, strike it and back away. Keep this up for the remainder of the battle, and you will eventually come out on top.
Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon
Rennala is an incredibly powerful magic user, and can easily vaporize your character with her spells.
FromSoftware / Namco Bandai Games
The two-phased fight against magic-wielding Rennala is a bizarre one, but it's still a challenging fight. Unlike other bosses, Rennala likes to keep her distance, use spells, and summon monsters to tear through you. She'll start off with having her academy students fight for her, but once the battle continues, she'll take matters into her own hands -- and that's where things can quickly go south.
The first phase taking place in the library is a strange one. As you can see in the center of the room, Rennala is suspended in the air and it's impossible to reach her. The only way to bring her down is to find three different glowing gold students. They're hidden in the library, so you'll have to run through the area to search for them. Once you destroy three students, Rennala will fall to the ground in the center of the room, opening her up for attack. She won't stay down for long, though. Once enough damage has been done, she'll come back up, forcing you to repeat the previous steps. The biggest dangers in this phase of the fight is the magic that sends furniture hurling towards you, along with some devastating spells that will turn Renalla's students into missiles. The best thing to do is dodge through these attacks while searching for glowing students. After you deal enough damage, Renalla will then get serious.
This second phase is where the fight gets more dangerous. Rennala is an adept mage, and she'll keep her distance away from you while she sends out devastating magic attacks. Many of her spells are homing, which means you'll need to be extra careful when dodging and running towards to close the distance. Also, she'll call in help from her plethora of summoned monsters, many of which are common foes you've fought through the game thus far. These additional enemies are ultimately a distraction. If you focus too much on them, Renalla will snipe at you with her spells, spelling a quick defeat. If you die during this phase, you'll have to repeat the first one again.
The best way to defeat Renalla is to take note from previous bosses and be aggressive. While Renalla has some spells that push you away, she is very weak at close range and easily staggered with attacks. If you are a spellcaster, the best thing to do is to dodge her spells and then cast your own in quick succession. The key to winning this fight is to not hesitate and land your attacks when you see a window of opportunity. If you can keep it up, then you'll defeat Renalla in no time.
Godfrey, First Elden Lord
Roll forwards, not backwards!
From Software
Godfrey is the first required boss in Leyndell. He's a big golden brute with a giant axe. Luckily, his attacks, while powerful, are somewhat typical for a boss.
A good way to start off the fight is with a summon. If you haven't yet, visit the Fringefolk Hero's Grave, which is at the very start of the game behind a fog wall. Complete the dungeon and you'll receive Banished Knight Oleg who is a more powerful summon that can take quite a few hits from bosses.
As for strategy, the key to his Godfrey fight is to roll forwards, not backwards. Godfrey makes use of his giant axe to reach you as you roll back. If you see him winding up, it's like he's getting ready for a long-reaching attack which is when you want to roll forward. He'll also use this attack when you're backpedaling while trying to heal.
If there's an attack you want to be aware of it's his stomp. It comes out quickly and will stun just enough to combo into an axe swing if you don't move. If you see a stomp coming, try to use a shield to block the attack instead of rolling away since it can still catch you.
You'll want to attack when you roll forward into those long axe attacks and when you roll away from his jumping pound attack. In both cases, he takes an extra couple of seconds to reset himself leaving him open to attacks.
Morgott, The Omen King
If Margit gave you nightmares, Morgott is going to haunt you while you're awake. The Omen King is going to be the toughest challenge you've faced so far unless you have gained a substantial number of levels. Even then, this is far from an easy fight.
The good news is that you have an orange summon available right outside the golden fog: Melina. If you don't see her symbol, use a Furlcalling Finger Remedy to reveal it. She's going to be vital for the fight as she can heal you while also dealing and taking damage. You'll also be able to use one of your own ash summons, but it's best to save that for the second phase.
What's important in this battle is speed. Do not attempt long combos against Morgott. Their attacks are so quick, can do multiple hits and will be delayed in order to throw your timing off. What you want is to get in, do a quick jumping attack and run away. This is where having Melina helps because as soon as she becomes targeted, you can get a few more hits in as well as a jumping attack.
In this fight, rolling back is more ideal as Morgott doesn't have long reaching attacks. If you're far away, they can throw some daggers or a lance that can be easily blocked or dodge. If you see swords floating above, that's a big area-of-effect attack and you want to roll back and avoid any areas where they land.
Phase 2 starts when Morgott's health gets about halfway. They'll lean over and start coughing. This is your sign to run away because a big blast is about to happen. If you're clear, it's time to for an ash summon in order to get another target for Morgott.
In the second phase, Morgott does the same attacks, but whenever an attack is missed, a puddle of liquid will be left that will erupt a few seconds after so make sure to avoid them. Aside from that, keep the same strategy of jumping in for quick attacks and then getting out of range. Keep this up and Morgott will go down.
Starscourge Radahn
The battle with Radahn is one of Elden Ring's most bizarre and epic boss fights. Come in prepared.
FromSoftware / Bandai Namco Games
While not required to complete the main story, this battle against Starscoruge Radahn is one of Elden Ring's most epic boss encounters, and it's one you'll likely find yourself walking into unintentionally. Located just off from Redmane Castle in the Caelid region, the battle with Radahn will see you face off against a towering foe who wields a ludicrous amount of power. Along with that, you'll call in many support characters to help you in battle. It's truly a one-of-a-kind fight, but it's also quite unforgiving. One wrong move against Radahn can result in a quick and brutal defeat.
What makes this battle so difficult is that is Radahn's attack power and range are so high that he can easily kill you within seconds of the fight beginning. He wields a magic-infused bow and twin great swords that can tear through your defenses. Right at the beginning, you'll need to close the distance on Radahn while also taking the time to summon allies to the fight. During this part of the fight, he'll try to pick you off with his arrows, and they deal considerable damage. You'll need to stick with cover, using the piles of old weapons as a shield, and close the distance to Radahn. You'll need to jump on Torrent and begin your attack from here.
This battle has two phases, and you'll need to pick your moments to attack Radahn and make a quick exit to avoid his strikes. For more of a detailed breakdown of the battle against Radahn, check out deeper guide that details the fight and the best strategies you'll need to beat him.
Save $65 on Nespresso's Slick Espresso Maker for Prime Day
Save $65 on Nespresso's Slick Espresso Maker for Prime Day
This story is part of Amazon Prime Day, CNET's guide to everything you need to know and how to find the best deals.
Keurigs are great for easy cups of coffee at the touch of a button but the design often leaves something to be desired. Nespresso makes a line of similar capsule coffee systems that are just as simple to use but look a whole lot better. They're typically on the pricey side but not if you grab one of these Nespresso two Prime Day deals.
Nespresso's popular Vertuo Plus capsule coffee maker is down to just $119 for Prime Day (normally $184). The Vertuo Plus and milk frother bundle is also on sale for $151 (save $81), perfect for making fancy coffee-house drinks. Both come with an assortment of 20 Nespresso pods and ship for free.
Amazon Prime Day camera and accessory deals: GoPro, Sony, DJI, Lowepro and more
Amazon Prime Day camera and accessory deals: GoPro, Sony, DJI, Lowepro and more
This story is part of Amazon Prime Day, CNET's guide to everything you need to know and how to find the best deals.
Amazon Prime Day means some excellent camera and accessory deals if you're a photography enthusiast or aspire to become one. Even in 2021, there are plenty of times it's worth trying something besides your smartphone for capturing memories and getting creative.
There are a lot of discounts in the photography section for Prime Day, but we've pored over the options for the best deals and gear.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
When you spot an action camera attached to a surfboard, ski helmet or mountain bike handlebars, chances are it's made by GoPro, the company that pioneered the market for these small, rugged video cameras. The GoPro Hero 8 Black 4K camera arrived in 2019 and won a CNET Editors' Choice for its value and all-important image stabilization. This GoPro bundle is 26% off and its accessories -- a tripod, head strap, extra battery and a 32GB memory card -- are useful. The batteries are from GoPro, not a third-party manufacturer. The newer top-end GoPro Hero 9 adds some improvements, but the Hero 8 remains a solid, more affordable choice.
DJI
Gimbal mounts use pivots to keep cameras steady -- or in the case of the DJI OM 4, your smartphone. It's 20% off for Prime Day. This is handy for shooting video when you're walking. This model has a built-in battery for 15 hours of use and a magnetic mounting system that lets you easily attach and detach your phone. And motorized Dynamic Zoom and Spin Shot add little cinematographic effects to your video.
Amazon
Rokinon lenses aren't generally as good as higher-end models from better known Japanese camera companies, but they're a lot cheaper. At 48% off, this 14mm Rokinon ultrawide lens for Canon EF and EF-S mount cameras (those full-frame and smaller APS-C sensors, respectively) is an affordable way to try out a new perspective on your photography. It has a 115.7-degree field of view on full-frame cameras and 89.9 degrees on APS-C, and some weather sealing to handle rougher conditions.
Amazon
Lowepro has been making camera backpacks for decades. The Truckee BP 250 LX is designed for tourists, hikers, street photographers out for a day in the city, and anyone else who has to carry a modest amount of camera equipment. It'll accommodate an SLR and three midsized lenses in the bottom padded compartment, a 15-inch laptop in an inside zippered sleeve, a water bottle and tripod in side pockets, and lunch and a rain jacket in the top.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15-inch review: Far from the cutting edge
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15-inch review: Far from the cutting edge
Deja vu. Just like last year's Microsoft Surface Laptop 3, the 2021 Surface Laptop 4 indistinguishes itself by its utter averageness. It's still not particularly light, or fast or feature-packed. It's not inexpensive or full of cutting-edge tech and it doesn't have an especially long battery life. It's faster and has better battery life than the older model, but so does every other laptop updated for 2021. But it's also still reasonably portable, sufficiently fast, pleasantly sleek looking, durable, somewhat upgradeable, and backward-compatible with previous power supplies and Surface Connect accessories sold by Microsoft.
Very little has changed for this generation. It's been bumped to the 4000-series of the AMD Ryzen 7 mobile processor and 11th-gen Intel Core i7-11875G7, plus storage and memory increases and newer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Given the rote upgrades, it's a bit annoying that Microsoft chose to use the last generation (Zen 2) of the AMD CPUs rather than the current and faster 5000 series (Zen 3), though that's probably due to the timing of the laptop's release. It's also par for the course: the Surface Laptop 3's AMD CPU was also an older-than-current generation.
Like
Retains the thin, sleek look
Solid performance and battery life
Don't Like
Screen still has wide-ish bezels
Too few ports
Can't upgrade memory
The Ryzen 7 4980U processor in the 15-inch system is dubbed the Ryzen 7 Microsoft Surface Edition. That made sense last year when the processor differed from the rest of its siblings by the addition of an extra graphics core (compute unit) its Vega 9 integrated graphics. But this year's CPU is effectively identical to the Ryzen 7 4800U, albeit with clock speeds a mere 200MHz faster, and in fact its Vega 8 integrated GPU has one CU less than the chip in the Surface Laptop 3.
Note that this year's AMD model will always outperform last year's simply because the older model used a lower-end Ryzen 5, not a Ryzen 7, and the AMD model will likely outperform the Intel model, at least on multicore-intensive tasks, simply because it has 8 cores compared to the Intel's 4.
The 3:2 aspect ratio, 201 pixel-per-inch display is the same as before; nothing to get excited about unless you're upgrading from an old laptop with a dim screen. It's fine for work, but somewhat washed out for Netflix. There are two color profiles which come with it, a standard sRGB and an "Enhanced" mode, but the latter seems to be the native screen profile and looks like it just increases the contrast. It retains the same old sufficient 720p webcam and the paucity of ports -- one each USB-A and USB-C plus an analog headphone jack.
Read more: Meet Microsoft's new Modern family of work-from-home audio accessories
The under-the-hood-only updates mean much of what we liked and disliked about the Surface Laptop 3 remain the same, from the slim and sleek design to the insufficient number of ports and soldered memory. This year I'll toss in the somewhat stodgy looking screen bezels because it uses the same screen in the same chassis as before; even Apple finally overcame bezel inertia for the MacBook Pro a few years ago.
Still slim and still Microsoft Surface Connector powered.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Down to business
Microsoft offers only AMD processors in its consumer-focused models, but both AMD and Intel for its Surface Laptop 4 for Business line. The two sales channels differ by the variety of configurations and version of Windows they offer -- Windows 10 Home versus Windows 10 Pro. The biz prices are about $100 higher.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 (15 inch)
Price as reviewed
$1,700, £1,649, AU$2,699
Display
15-inch 2,496 x 1,664 (201 ppi, 3:2 aspect ratio) pen and touch display
PC CPU
2.0GHz AMD Ryzen 7 4980U
PC Memory
16GB 4,267MHz LPDDR4
Graphics
AMD Vega 8
Storage
512GB SSD
Ports
1 x USB-C, 2 x USB-A (1 in power brick), headphone jack, 1 x proprietary (Surface Connect port)
Networking
Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX200, Bluetooth 5.1
Operating system
Microsoft Windows Home (2H20)
Weight
3.4 lbs/1.5 kg
The pricing for the 15-inch model starts at $1,300 (£1,469, AU$2,499) for AMD and $1,800 (£1,799, AU$2,849) for Intel, but the AMD base models have only 8GB of RAM. You really can't run Windows 10 very well in 8GB except for maybe lightweight cloud-based applications and possibly enterprise remote PC software like Citrix Desktop. The flip side is that 32GB is overkill for most software you'd be running on this laptop. So if you're going to opt for the 15-inch Surface Laptop 4, I recommend the 16GB memory, 512GB SSD models.
That's still a lot to pay for what you get compared with competitors: Laptops like the Lenovo Yoga 9i, a 2-in-1 which is smaller at 14 inches but superior in almost every other way for hundreds less. On sale, it might be a different story. That model even has discrete graphics for gaming; there's not a ton of graphical muscle here with the integrated Intel Iris Xe or AMD Radeon Vega 8 graphics. The heavyweight multiplatform shooter Outriders was choppy even at the lowest graphics preset, but lightweight Hades, the recent award-winning indie game, ran perfectly.
Overall, the Surface Laptop 4's AMD CPU performed very well for its size class. At 11-12 hours, battery life was much improved over the previous generation, to the tune of about 2.5 hours, and quite competitive for its size.
Toss in some wonky USB-C and touchscreen behavior I experienced -- they both stopped working until a random reboot fairy sprinkled some magic dust on them -- and it's hard to place the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 in the top tier of models we've tested over the past couple of years. But you'll probably be perfectly happy with it, especially if your IT department buys it for you.
Geekbench 5 (multicore)
Surface Book 3 (15-inch)
Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)
Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482
Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance.
Cinebench R20 (multicore)
Surface Book 3 (15-inch)
Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)
Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482
Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance.
3D Mark Fire Strike Ultra
Surface Book 3 (15-inch)
Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)
Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance.
Video streaming battery test
Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)
Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)
Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482
Surface Book 3 (15-inch)
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance.
PCMark 10 Pro Edition (complete)
Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)
Surface Book 3 (15-inch)
Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)
Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance
System configurations
Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.8GHz Intel Core i7-1165G7; 8GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; 128MB Intel Iris Xe graphics; 512GB SSD
Microsoft Surface Book 3 (15-inch)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (1909); 1.3GHz Intel Core i7-1065G7; 32GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; Intel Iris Plus Graphics and 6GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q design; 512GB SSD
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch, Intel)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (1903); 1.3GHz Intel Core i7-1065G7; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 2,667MHz; 128MB (dedicated) Intel Iris Plus Graphics; 256GB SSD
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch, AMD, 2021)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (2H20); 2.0GHz AMD Ryzen 7 4980U; 16GB LPDDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; tkGB (dedicated) AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics; 512GB SSD
Brock Lesnar, Bill Goldberg and one shocking WWE Survivor Series ending
Brock Lesnar, Bill Goldberg and one shocking WWE Survivor Series ending
On Sunday at Survivor Series, Bill Goldberg returned to the squared circle for the first time in 12 years.
He was escorted to the ramp by a security force, just like they used to. He stood at the stage entrance as pyro engulfed him, just like it used to. He blew smoke out of his nose like a dragon, just like he used to.
Goldberg stood face-to-face with his opponent, Brock Lesnar. Two minutes later, the match was over. He was victorious -- having defeated Lesnar with his two signature moves and a legit (no cheating) one, two, three pin -- leading the 17,000 in attendance at the Air Canada Centre and the million-plus watching on the WWE Network to completely freak out.
It seems the WWE just got turned on its head.
WWE
Why is this crazy?
Brock Lesnar has been the WWE's biggest star for the last two-and-a-half years.
A former UFC Heavyweight Champion, he only wrestles three to five times a year. Each match is treated like a huge deal, as a rare chance to see a special attraction in action.
In the era of "Sports entertainment," where guys and gals play characters in the WWE Universe, he's presented as the real deal. Lesnar is a fighter, not a "sports entertainer," and is positioned as a cut above everyone else on the roster.
In 2014 he defeated The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXX, breaking The Phenom's 23-year winning streak at the annual event. Since then, he's taken on the company's top stars, like John Cena and Dean Ambrose, and demolished them all.
Most recently, he left 12-time world champion Randy Orton lying in a pool of his own blood.
Lesnar has an aura unlike anyone else. He's a legitimate tough guy and is treated like a big star. Which is why fans couldn't believe their eyes when he was beaten in less than 90 seconds.
Many were ecstatic to see Goldberg, one of pro wrestling's biggest stars of all time, in all of his explosive glory. Many were appalled that Lesnar lost to a 49-year-old, who said he was returning for just this one match, instead of to an up-and-coming wrestler.
But regardless of whether it was positive or negative, no one saw this coming.
So, what now?
While social media was blowing up over Goldberg's win, the match's result became slightly less astonishing with the breaking of some news.
Goldberg, originally contracted for just this return match, has signed a new deal. He'll be wrestling at the Royal Rumble in January, reports Pro Wrestling Sheet, and more than likely at WrestleMania 33 next April.
He may prove to be particularly helpful to the company at the Royal Rumble, an event taking place in the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The WWE hopes to pack the venue with 60,000 fans, and will need something special to do it.
So what was originally planned to be a one-off match to help promote WWE 2K17, a video game in which both Lesnar and Goldberg are heavily featured, looks to have turned into a long-term storyline.
This is thanks in part to the incredible crowd reaction to Goldberg's return, as well as buzz heading into the show.
WWE
"He's definitely going to be back and he's definitely going to work with Brock Lesnar in a rematch, that was a deal that was put together this week," said revered wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer on Monday's Wrestling Observer Radio.
The story goes that both Lesnar and WWE CEO Vince McMahon saw that there was "money in Bill Goldberg," Meltzer said. As a result, the decision was made to continue the feud and to use Sunday's match as a tool to make the returning athlete look unstoppable.
The WWE took a huge gamble on Sunday. It proved it can still completely shock its fans, but risked ruining the aura of its top star in the hopes that Goldberg versus Brock Lesnar III will do huge business.
But social media is buzzing about pro wrestling, and that's a pretty good sign the plan is working.
