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Users share what makes the Google Nest Hub great
It took senior editor Nicole Lee a bit of time to figure out where the Google Nest Hub (originally the Google Home Hub) fit into her life because it seemed too small to be used like a typical home assistant device. At a mere 7 inches, the smart display is meant to be a personal assistant for any room of the house. Because the Nest Hub lacks a camera, it's even good for the bedroom. Once Nicole started using the Nest Hub like a digital photo frame, albeit one with the smarts to control home automated devices that can also use Google apps, she began to see the strengths of this discreet commected display. In the end, she granted the Nest Hub a commendable score of 87. User reviewers, who always tend to score more harshly, gave the Nest Hub a passable score of 72. Here's where they differed, or agreed with Nicole, on the product's successes and shortcomings.
Readers have spoken, and apparently people really like the Galaxy S10+
Samsung released its most recent flagship, the Galaxy S10+, after a decade of refining and perfecting the Galaxy lineup. With improvements to the screen, battery life and software, the $1,000 S10+ once again showed the company knows how to build a hit Android smartphone. Engadget reviews editor Cherlynn Low was impressed with the smooth UI, fast performance and useful features like Wireless Powershare which enables the phone to charge other devices. With all that in mind, she ultimately awarded the S10+ a score of 91. Our readers, who always tend to score a bit more harshly, gave it a more muted (but still good) rating of 84.
Readers relive their experiences with the original NES
This week as Nintendo celebrates its 130th (!) anniversary, we've taken a look back at the original Nintendo Entertainment System -- a gaming console that started many life-long love affairs with gaming. Although it's been thirty-six years since the release of the NES, this iconic system still holds a place in the hearts of many. It was many people's first experience with a home console, allowing players to dedicate hours and hours trying to crack a Super Mario Bros. level or getting laughed at by the dog in Duck Hunt. We asked Engadget readers to review the iconic gray box and share their memories of Nintendo's first big hardware hit.
20 years of Dreamcast: Readers look back on Sega’s final console
Engadget started up in 2004, so we missed the rise (and fall) of the Sega Dreamcast by a few years. We've still covered the company's ups and downs over the past decade and a half (and can't wait for the Sega Genesis Mini later this month). Today's the 20th anniversary of the Dreamcast's release in North America, so we asked readers to write a review to tell us what they miss most about the console. Here's what they had to say about the games they loved, the features that impressed them and the system's unrealized potential.
Tell us who the Fitbit Versa Lite is good for
When reviews editor Cherlynn Low spent some time with the pared down Versa Lite smartwatch back in April, she was pleased by its comfortable fit, four-day battery life and capable tracking. But she still couldn't recommend it, as the regular Versa offers WiFi, an altimeter and a gyroscope for only $40 more. This disparity earned the Versa Lite a fair but unimpressive score of 72, compared to the Versa's much better 83.
What made Nintendo fans love the 3DS?
As we approach Nintendo's 130th anniversary next month, we're taking some time to look back on the company's devices that preceded the Switch, and we're starting with its immediate predecessor, the 3DS. In Engadget's review of the original version back in 2011, Tim Stevens praised the device for its comfortable Circle Pad, compelling 3D effects and creative augmented reality. However, battery life was underwhelming, DS games were slow to load and the d-pad was located in an uncomfortable position. While we didn't score products back then, there are over ninety user reviews averaging 76. Not bad, but not great. Here's what users liked, loved and had no use for.
What makes the Mac Mini a great computer?
When Apple released a refreshed Mac Mini last year, it had been four years since the last iteration. The 2018 update kept the same sleek unibody but included significant spec boots like an eighth-gen Intel processor and a variety of ports (ethernet, 3.5mm headphone jack, full-size HDMI, four USB-C and two USB-3.0 Type-A). The Mac Mini performs tasks quickly and is easy to customize, but also expensive to upgrade and it also lacks a dedicated GPU. Reviewer Christopher Schodt "liked the machine" but admitted that its drawbacks make it useful for only a limited number of people. He handed the 2018 model a respectable score of 80; users gave it an average score of 76.
The Roomba i7+ is a step forward for home robots
The 2018 release of the Roomba i7+ marked a turning point for iRobot. Finally, the company offered a feature they'd long requested: A vacuum capable of emptying itself without intervention from its human owner. The i7+ also provided users like reviewer Devindra Hardawar with quieter, yet still exceptional cleaning performance and accurate room mapping software. However, these sought-after features came with a premium price tag of $1,100, dropping the vacuum's Engadget score to 87. User reviewers, who tend to judge more harshly, gave the Roomba i7+ an average score of 77.
Readers tell us why the OnePlus 6T has earned so many fans
When Senior Editor Richard Lai reviewed the OnePlus 6T, new features like its distinct dewdrop notch and in-display fingerprint reader stood out to him. As the company's first offering through a US carrier and the successor to the popular OnePlus 6, the device had a lot to live up to. But it came with some trade-offs. While the 6T maintained a premium build and powerful Snapdragon 845 chipset, it ditched the headphone jack and offered some weak haptic feedback. Richard awarded the 6T an overall score of 89 (two points less than he gave the OnePlus 6). User reviewers, who tend to score more harshly, gave the 6T an average score of 84.
Engadget readers love the iPad Pro 12.9
The word that Senior Editor Chris Velazco used to sum up his experience reviewing the iPad Pro 12.9 was "wow." While the ever popular tablet offers sleek hardware, an "absurdly fast" A12X Bionic chipset and a significantly improved Apple Pencil, it still lacks features on the software side that would have made it a realistic laptop replacement. Despite its speedy performance, Chris felt limited by iOS 12's abilities and continually needed work arounds to accomplish tasks that would have been simple on a laptop. While the iPad Pro 12.9 is an "impressive technical achievement," Chris ultimately wanted more from the software side and gave the tablet a solid, but not spectacular, score of 84. Users were actually more disappointed by iOS 12, awarding the device an average score of 78.
Why is the PlayStation Classic so unpopular?
Given the popularity of other nostalgic throwbacks like the NES and SNES Classic consoles, it's easy to see what Sony was trying to do when they released the PlayStation Classic in December. Devindra Hardawar even pointed out in his review that the system was "a quick attempt by Sony to cash in on the micro-console trend." While the Classic did have a decent look and feel, the 20 game selection was unlikely to satisfy fans, the controllers lacked DualShock and the inclusion of the PAL versions of some titles was baffling. These disappointments -- and an initial price point of $100 -- were enough to push the console's score down to 67.
Nintendo fans take another look at the Switch
After two years with the Nintendo Switch, a few things still manage to impress editor Devindra Hardawar, like how flexible the system is mobile or docked, or the way those shareable Joy-Cons pull everyone into the experience. In re-examining his review, Devindra said that a larger selection of titles, improved online service and the durability of the hardware had changed his overall perspective on the device. We ended up raising the score on the Switch from 84 to 88. However, users were a little more implacable (and perhaps less likely to update their write-ups), leading to an average score of 81 from our readers.
Apple fans get real about the MacBook Air 2018
When Apple released the newest version of the MacBook Air back in October, Engadget editor-in-chief Dana Wollman was torn in her review. On one hand, the Air was a long-awaited refresh that many Apple fans had been looking forward to. On the other hand, the popular laptop was now only $100 cheaper than the entry-level MacBook Pro, while including many of the same features. Did the addition of TouchID and a sharper Retina display make up for a minimal selection of ports and a relatively low-powered processor? That depends on your priorities, and Dana ended up giving the Air a pretty favorable score of 84. Readers were more critical; the Air earned an average score of 75 on our user reviews page.
Our readers tell us what’s wrong with the Google Pixel Slate
Though he's well-known around the Engadget office for being a Chromebook enthusiast, deputy managing editor Nathan Ingraham found little to recommend about Google's Pixel Slate. It would appear, given the responses from our user reviews page, that many real-world owners feel the same. Despite having a lovely 12.3-inch display, a comfortable keyboard folio and solid battery life, the Pixel Slate floundered on the software side: Its poor implementation of Android apps ultimately earned it an embarrassing score of 69. However, the Pixel Slate owners in our user reviews section were a bit more forgiving, giving it an average of 77.
Our readers review the Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Our review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 was largely positive; reviewer Cherlynn Low found the handset impressive, calling it "one of the best phones of the year." With a "brilliant display," hearty battery life and speedy performance, the Note 9 did plenty to earn its lofty score of 92. Our December call for readers to submit their own reviews of the Note 9 also produced impressive results: We saw nearly 120 new scores and reviews for the flagship phone, most of them agreeing with Cherlynn. But they also tended to be harsher about the phone's shortcomings, resulting in an average user score of 87.
Here’s what our readers think of the Google Pixel 3 and 3XL
With last year's release of the Pixel 3 and 3 XL Google answered the call of competing smartphones by adding some significant software upgrades, and subtle hardware changes, to its flagship line-up. Aside from the addition of the controversial notch to the XL, the Pixel's body didn't change much from previous iterations; the company also switched to a glass back and provided a full HD+ HDR screen. Indeed, most of the real developments were on the software side. While these were substantial enough to wow reviewer Cherlynn Low and earn the phones scores of 90 and 89 respectively, users were less enthusiastic.
Did you buy the most recent MacBook Air? Tell us what you think.
When Apple unveiled a new Macbook Air last October, we wasted no time in putting the long-awaited refresh through its paces. While the new machine includes an upgraded "butterfly" keyboard, a Touch ID sensor and a Retina display with thinner bezels, it has markedly less inputs than the previous generation: just two USB-C and a headphone jack (no SD card reader in sight, sigh). Although the dual-core Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM and 128GB SSD were more than enough for most day-to-day tasks, we were careful not to make a one-size-fits-all recommendation. After all, the new Air is about the same price as the entry-level MacBook Pro, which packs more power, albeit no fingerprint sensor.
Our readers review the Apple Watch Series 4
Two months after our review of the Apple Watch Series 4 was published, we asked our readers to leave their critique of the device on its product page in our buyer's guide. Almost 30 readers participated, detailing their long-term experiences with Apple's latest wearable. Big thanks to everyone who chimed in! If you'd like to join, feel free to submit your own review for this or any other gadget on its related product page over on the buyer's guide section of our site.
Share your thoughts about Microsoft's Surface Laptop 2!
Microsoft's sequel to the Surface Laptop didn't just impress our reviewer last year -- the Surface Laptop 2 earned a strong score of 90, largely owing to its stunning design and fast performance. The keyboard and trackpad are a pleasure to use, the display is bright and crisp, and we also dig the new matte black color option. Also counted in the laptop's favor were upgrades to Windows 10 Home and 15-hour-plus battery life. However, we were less thrilled by the company's decision to continue using a proprietary charging port (which falls out easily) instead of switching to USB-C.
Amazon Echo Plus owners: Tell us what you think!
When we reviewed Amazon's updated Echo Plus, we concluded that the $120 device was a solid improvement with "some noticeable thump" and "crisper and more detailed" music tracks. But as a gadget that doubles as a smart home hub, it's less impressive. In particular, we were disappointed by the lack of support for Z-Wave or Lutron Clear Connect protocols, especially since the control over smart devices like the Hue bulbs felt basic and underwhelming for a smart home hub. While the audio and the price caught our attention, we ultimately didn't feel it was a necessary upgrade over the first-gen Echo.
