Engadget review recap: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, Insta360 Luna Pro and more
A roundup of recent reviews from Engadget.
Whether it's a productivity-focused laptop or the newest gimbal camera, our latest batch of reviews includes those gadgets and a few in between. We also tested a screen-less activity tracker, some excellent-sounding earbuds and more. Read on to catch up on everything you might've missed from the last two weeks as we clear our desks for the incoming iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods reviews.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14
The ThinkPad has been a workhorse for the Windows faithful for a long time. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 puts a modern spin on that familiar formula, and it works well for the most part.
"It's fast, wonderfully light and has a gorgeous OLED screen," senior writer Devindra Hardawar said. "But if you're looking for something a bit more stylish, it's probably not meant for you. Lenovo is catering to ThinkPad loyalists with the X1 Carbon, and for the most part, I think they'll be pleased."
Insta360 Luna Pro
Insta360 went all out with its first gimbal camera, the Luna Ultra. It was immediately clear the company could stand toe-to-toe with DJI, with the key advantage that its products aren't banned in the US. Now it's back with the "regular" Luna Pro.
"The gap between the Pro and the Ultra is a little more tricky," contributing reviews writer James Trew said. "The $170 upgrade for the extra zoom lens isn't huge, but enough that it's worth considering how much you really need it. But right now, the Luna Pro is the most flexible single lens gimbal camera you can buy."
Garmin Cirqa
Screen-less activity trackers seem to be all the rage right now. There definitely seems to be interest in having some health insights that don't require a screen on your wrist. Enter the Garmin Cirqa.
"If you're looking for a cheaper alternative to a Whoop, then I'm not sure this does enough of the Whoopy things to lure you in," senior writer Dan Cooper said. "If you're looking for a lightweight activity tracker, Garmin sells one for less money than it wants for the ostensibly less-functional Cirqa. What you're left with is half of a good product split from the other half that would make it a worthwhile purchase."
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5
Sennheiser's Momentum earbuds are consistently among the best-sounding sets you can buy. The company continually crafts a stock tuning that's detailed and warm, and the audio profile is undoubtedly the best thing about the Momentum True Wireless 5.
"As is typically the case with Momentum True Wireless earbuds though, the fifth-generation model still missed the mark in some ways," I said. "There are some fixable audio quirks that I'd like to see the company address, but overall ANC performance and call quality both lag behind the best premium earbuds."
But wait, there's more
In addition to those reviews, I also tested both the Sony Bravia Theater Trio and Bose's second-generation QuietComfort Headphones. Weekend editor Cheyenne MacDonald spent some time reading on the Boox Go 6 (Gen II), which has a stylus that lets you take notes directly in books.
As I already mentioned, Apple just announced a slew of new devices this week. Those reviews will be hitting the site soon.