This week, Cherlynn and Devindra chat about what to expect from Apple’s upcoming event (new MacBooks, baby!), as well as all of the other launch shindigs from Google, Samsung and Sony. Cherlynn also tells all about her Apple Watch Series 7 review, and why she hates testing sleep tracking gadgets. And to catch up on some big news from last week, Manda Farough from the Virtual Economy Podcast joins to dive into the massive Twitch hack.
Listen below, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!
Credits Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Devindra Hardawar Guests: Manda Farough Producer: Ben Ellman Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos,Luke Brooks Graphics artists: Luke Brooks, Kyle Maack Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien
Sadly, we're note getting Mindhunter season 3. After a short tease yesterday, Netflix just revealed its next project from renowned filmmaker David Fincher: VOIR, a collection of visual essays about the love of cinema. The short teaser doesn't tell us much, sadly. But according to writer and film critic Drew McWeeny, who's working on one episode of the series, VOIR will feature standalone explorations about different aspects of movies.
From executive producer David Fincher…
VOIR, a new documentary series of visual essays celebrating cinema, from the mind of one of film’s modern masters.
"We’re not trying to sell you anything, and we’re not interviewing anyone about what Marvel movies they’re doing," McWeeny wrote in his newsletter, Formerly Dangerous. "We’re each tackling a totally different idea, something that intrigues us or upsets us or that has to do with our connection to the movies."
Much like Love, Death and Robots, the animated sci-fi series from Fincher and Tim Miller (Deadpool), VOIR episodes will range from 10 to 30 minutes. The series is also co-created by David Prior, the director of the recent cult horror hit The Empty Man. Tony Zhou and Taylor Ramos, The duo behind the excellent YouTube series Every Frame a Painting, Taylor Ramos and Tony Zhou, are also listed as directors. VOIR will premiere at LA's AFI Fest in November, and Netflix says it'll be heading to the streaming service soon.
As promised in July, TikTok is rolling out more ways for livestreams to wrangle their unruly audiences. Now, streamers and their trusted helper will be able to temporarily mute people for minutes, hours or the length of an entire livestream. According to Eric Han, head of Tiktok's US Safety team, muting a person will remove their entire comment history from the stream. And of course, you could also just turn off comments entirely or filter out specific keywords. Together with Tiktok's last batch of "kindness" updates for livestreamers, the platform is aiming to create a safer environment for creators.
Han says the prompts TikTok added in July — which pop up to make you think twice about posting an "unkind or harmful" comment — have led almost 40 percent of people editing or withdrawing their comment entirely. That's not too surprising, as Twitter found a similar feature also led to reduced bullying.
Given Tiktok's meteoric rise as a relatively young social network, it's apparently learned quite a bit from the struggles of older outfits like Facebook and Twitter. Based on its Q2 Community Guidelines Enforcement Report, the company says it's also getting better at weeding out improper videos. Han says 73.3 percent of harassment videos were removed before there were any user reports, whereas that figure was 66.2 percent in the previous quarter. Similarly, 72.9 percent of videos showing hateful behavior were removed in the second quarter, compared to 67.3 percent previously.
At one point in No Time to Die, Daniel Craig's final entry as James Bond, you can see a sleek supercar in the background. It's the Aston Martin Valhalla, a 937hp beast of a plug-in hybrid, and it's just sitting there, with nowhere to go. If you've seen a Bond film before, you can imagine it's holding a slew of killer gadgets (though hopefully not invisibility). Surely it would appear later in the film, perhaps just in time to save our hero before he sips a martini from a built-in fridge. But no—nobody drives the car throughout the film's 163-minute runtime. We never even see it in motion. (Though that's not stopping Rocket Leaguefrom pitching it as a Bond vehicle.)
Nicola Dove/DANJAQ, MGM
That undriven Chekhov's car makes one thing clear: No Time to Die, directed by Cary Joji-Fukunaga (True Detective, Beasts of No Nation), isn't your usual Bond movie. And as I watched the film, a momentous occasion after years of delays, I was struck by how few gadgets there were. Sure, Bond gets a cool watch, a classic bulletproof (and gun-equipped) Aston Martin and he rides in something called a gravity plane, but they come few and far in between. Instead, the film focuses on Bond's human drama: His inability to trust; his persistent death-wish; the danger he brings to others.
Craig's Bond was different from the beginning. In 2006's Casino Royale, he was a fledgling agent he hadn't yet earned his 00 status. He was gruff and dirty, more used to getting into Bourne-esque fights instead of wearing a tux. But the Bond writer's and producers could never quite settle on how they wanted to transform the character. 2008's Quantum of Solace was a disaster mired by the Hollywood writer's strike (not to mentioned completely incomprehensible action). Skyfall was a return to form, elevating the franchise with Roger Deakin's Oscar-nominated cinematography. But the series hit a new low with 2015's Spectre, a boring and regressive film I haven't had the heart to revisit.
Strangely, even though No Time to Die is Craig's final entry, it never tries to one-up the set pieces of its predecessors. There's a thrilling motorcycle chase early on, which features an astounding practical jump up a flight of stairs, a balletic shoot-out in Cuba, and a few smaller sequences later on. But the film cares less about spectacle than it does setting a mood. That may make it a divisive entry for some, but as someone fascinated by emotional action movies, like Michael Mann's much-maligned Miami Vice reboot, I found it endlessly compelling. (It helps that No Time to Die, like Casino Royale before it, actually makes you care about Bond and everyone in his orbit.)
When I chatted with No Time to Die's VFX supervisor, Charlie Noble, he had a hard time pointing to a specific whiz-bang set-piece. Unlike Tom Cruise's latest Mission Impossible movies, this Bond outing isn't built around a specific stunt or gadget. And after the emptiness of Spectre, I'm all for that. Noble says he's more concerned with subtle VFX work, like adding additional cars to the background of a chase, or removing wires from a dangerous stunt. Sometimes the best visual effects are the ones you don't even notice.
There's something genuinely refreshing about No Time to Die's practically lo-fi approach to action, especially after living through more than a decade of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's often weightless CG. Even something that's genuinely high-tech in the film, like a series of magnets the villains use to jump down an elevator shaft, aren't dwelled upon. Instead, the focus is on what that action means (in this case, it's a group of baddies stealing a potentially world-ending nanovirus from a high-security research facility.)
Nicola Dove/DANJAQ, MGM
Now don't get me wrong, I love a good Bond gadget or two. But for an aging franchise that seriously needs to reckon with its sexist and colonialist origins, I'm glad that No Time to Die decided to focus more on its characters. That includes Lashana Lynch's Nomi, who wastes no time taking up the 007 mantle when Bond disappears, as well as Paloma, a fresh spy recruit who joins for an action romp in Cuba.
Daniel Craig may no longer be Bond, but this is a fitting end for his tenure. And the toys aren't going anywhere—now anyone can use them.
It’s not too often we get a new version of Windows and a new Android release! This week, Engadget Editor-in-Chief Dana Wollman joins Cherlynn and Devindra to chat about her Surface Pro 8 review, Windows 11, as well as the Surface Laptop Studio and Go. Also, Senior Editor Karissa Bell joins to talk about the latest news from Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen.
Listen below, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!
Sustainability data is going to be a bigger thing in Google products soon – 36:17
Android 12 release / Pixel event announced for October 19 – 47:06
Twitch was hacked revealing lots of information – 48:57
OLED Switch review is up! – 50:03
Canon made a huge VR fish eye lens – 52:15
Catching up on the fallout from the Facebook whistleblower interview – 55:10
Picks – 1:18:23
Video livestream
Credits Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Devindra Hardawar Guests: Dana Wollman and Karissa Bell Producer: Ben Ellman Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos,Luke Brooks Graphics artists: Luke Brooks, Kyle Maack Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien
Before you jump into a feisty Twitter thread about Sora being the last Super Smash Bros. Ultimate character, you may eventually see a warning about the potentially heated conversation. Today, the company said it's testing a "Heads Up" feature on iOS and Android that'll serve as a helpful PSA. (Twitter said it was in the works a few weeks ago.) On top of the intensity warning, there's also a screen that highlights a few golden rules of online conversations: remember there's a person on the other side; focus on facts; and consider the value of different opinions, which could help strengthen your perspective.
Similar to Birdwatch, Twitter's community-driven push to fight misinformation with informed context, the Heads Up feature is an attempt at empowering the company's users. It's tough to prevent toxic conversations entirely, and this is one way to opt out of a potentially contentious argument. (Life is too short to argue with some gaming fandoms, after all.) Of course, this isn't a replacement for tools that can actually help people avoid harassment, like its new Safety Mode.
In a landmark announcement today, the World Health Organization has recommended the use of the first-ever malaria vaccine. RTS,S, also known as Mosquirix. Specifically, the WHO says it should be deployed for children in sub-Saharan Africa and other areas where with moderate to high malaria transmission. The announcement follows in the footsteps of huge vaccine advancements around the COVID-19 pandemic. To be clear, though, RTS,S isn't an mRNA vaccine, which have the potential to make an even bigger impact on malaria and other diseases that have affected humans for ages.
“This is a historic moment. The long-awaited malaria vaccine for children is a breakthrough for science, child health and malaria control,” WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement. “Using this vaccine on top of existing tools to prevent malaria could save tens of thousands of young lives each year.”
RTS,S has an efficacy rate of preventing 39 percent against malaria cases and 29 percent of severe cases, based on trials in Africa involving small children. That may seem particularly low, but when combined with other anti-malarial tools, like bed netting with insecticide, the WHO says the vaccine could potentially save tens of thousands of lives annually. The organization estimates that more than 260,000 African children die from malaria every year.
Crucially, the WHO also says RTS,S can be deployed easily, is safe to use and is cost effective to roll out. According to The Guardian, the company behind the vaccine, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), says it will supply up to 15 million doses annual at no more than 5 percent of the production cost. The WHO and GSK are looking for additional sources of funding from partners and governments.
RTS,S is just the start, though. Thanks to mRNA-based technology, which can teach our bodies how to respond to specific diseases, Oxford University's R21 vaccine is up to 77 percent effective when it comes to preventing malaria. And based on tests so far, it's proven to be safe.
"For centuries, malaria has stalked sub-Saharan Africa, causing immense personal suffering,” Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said in a statement. “Today’s recommendation offers a glimmer of hope for the continent which shoulders the heaviest burden of the disease and we expect many more African children to be protected from malaria and grow into healthy adults.”
The Surface Laptop Studio proves that Microsoft has learned from the mistakes of the Surface Book — well, most of them. Instead of over-engineering a way to have a detachable screen on a powerful notebook, the Laptop Studio's display simply tilts forward. Press it down even further, and it turns into an angled digital easel, similar to its larger sibling, the Surface Studio. That hinged screen isn't entirely unique — we've also seen similar implementations on the HP Spectre Folio and Acer's ConceptD 7— but it's still distinctive enough to justify a spot in the Surface family.
After reviewing the Surface Book 3 last year, it was clear that Microsoft needed a new strategy. All of the Surface Books were actually tablets that docked into a keyboard base, which housed an additional battery and an optional discrete graphics card. The PC guts were placed entirely behind the Book's screen. That was an ingenious way to make a detachable slate that could take advantage of powerful GPUs, but the tight size constraints severely limited CPU power. It was a design that simply couldn't keep up against other laptops, which could fit much more powerful hardware.
Enter the Surface Laptop Studio, one of the first Windows 11 PCs. At first glance, it looks like a direct MacBook Pro competitor. Even before you see its moving screen, it's evident this isn't your typical notebook. Its bottom half looks like two slightly different-sized tablets stacked together. That gives you thin edges to hold, but a bit more height to fit in beefy specs. At 3.8 to 4 pounds (depending on the chip you get), it's over a half-pound heavier than the 15-inch Surface Laptop 4. It’s clearly not trying to be an ultraportable, but Microsoft is also trying to keep it from feeling like a hefty gaming laptop.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Microsoft’s most intriguing display yet
The Surface Laptop Studio’s 14.4-inch screen is a bit sharper than 1,440p, with a 2,400 by 1,600 resolution. Notably, it's one of the first productivity PC screens with a fast 120Hz refresh rate. That's something Microsoft also brought to the new Surface Pro 8, and it simply makes everything on the display look smoother, no matter if you're scrolling through web pages or jotting down notes with the Surface Slim Pen 2. Typically, high refresh rates have been reserved for gaming laptops (faster action means better headshots, of course), though it's also a marquee feature of Apple's iPad Pro.
In its standard notebook orientation, the Laptop Studio's display fits right alongside the rest of the Surface family, which historically have had some of the best screens on the market. It also features Dolby Vision support, allowing you to enjoy the higher brightness and contrast from HDR videos and games. I've seen countless laptop screens over the years, and while the XPS 15's OLED is still the high bar for me, the Laptop Studio comes very close. Everything looks fantastic, and that high refresh rate leads to less eye strain after hours of web browsing (and working on this review). It makes sense: If the screen can scroll more naturally, your eyes don't have to work extra hard to keep track of everything.
Even though it's surrounded by some chunky bezels — something Microsoft avoided with the Surface Pro 8 — the Laptop Studio's display entranced me. And that's before I started spending time with its flexible modes. You can pull it forward with just two fingers, and it magnetically rests between the keyboard and trackpad. That's useful for binging video, especially if you prefer using the touchpad instead of dirtying your screen. Another plus for the Surface Studio: It has surprisingly powerful speakers, including two subwoofers spitting sound out the sides of the laptop, and two tweeters blasting through the keyboard. They also support Dolby Atmos for (very basic) simulated surround sound.
You can get into easel mode by pulling the Laptop Studio's screen completely forward, where it's angled up slightly for sketching and writing. And while Microsoft hasn't advertised this too much, you can also push the screen backwards so that the keyboard is completely behind it. That could be helpful for stepping through presentations without turning your entire computer around.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
That last orientation also gives you a clear view of the Surface Laptop Studio's unique hinge. The area directly underneath the display is covered in a smooth cloth, which also keeps the hinge from making direct contact with the screen. The hinge mechanism feels a bit flimsy at first, until you figure out where the display is supposed to rest for each mode. Microsoft reps tell us that they typically put their hinges through years of testing, so they should last for the lifetime of the laptop. Still, I'd certainly be anxious about putting this laptop in front of a small child. My parental spidey sense can foresee disaster if a kid starts pulling the screen.
A solid Surface Book successor… mostly
The big takeaway after living with the Laptop Studio for around a week: It's so much easier to use than the Surface Book. I don't have to worry about hitting the eject button to release the screen, and placing it in the exact right spot when I want to lock it back in. There's no obscene hinge curve, which always made it difficult to fit the Surface Book into slim bags. And finally, Microsoft can throw more power into a high-end Surface!
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Well, sort of. The Laptop Studio is powered by quad-core 11th-gen Intel chips, either the i5-11300H or the i7-11370H. Both are a big step up from the 10th-gen hardware in the Book 3, but it's curious that Microsoft didn't push for six or eight-core CPUs. If Dell can squeeze a six-core chip into the XPS 13, why can't Microsoft make that happen in its flagship Surface notebook? When asked about the power limitation, Microsoft representatives said their research showed a quad-core CPU with discrete graphics (the Laptop Studio can also be equipped with NVIDIA's RTX 3050 Ti) was the best option for their users. But as someone who knows plenty of media professionals and other would-be Laptop Studio customers, I find that hard to believe.
Even if that's the case, it's hard to recommend a system with a quad-core chip when there are so many competitors sporting more power. At least Microsoft is using Intel's beefier H35 chips, which are meant for ultraportable gaming laptops. Our benchmarks show the Laptop Studio is a significant step up from the Book 3 in every benchmark. But it doesn't have a chance against the Razer Blade 14, which can be equipped with an eight-core AMD CPU and NVIDIA RTX 3080 GPU. That's particularly damning when the Blade 14 tops out at $2,800, whereas the comparable Laptop Studio model is $2,700. The only downside for Razer is that its machine comes with 16GB of RAM, instead of the Surface's 32GB.
PCMark 10
Geekbench 5
3DMark Night Raid
ATTO disk speeds (top read/write)
Surface Laptop Studio (Intel Core i7-11350H, NVIDIA RTX 3050 Ti)
It could just be that Microsoft is setting itself up for an even bigger Laptop Studio down the line. The Book 3 came in 13.5- and 15-inch variations, so I wouldn't be surprised to see a future 16-inch studio with even beefier hardware eventually. Perhaps Microsoft is just waiting to see what Apple's next hardware refresh means for the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Ignoring how it competes on a hardware level, the Laptop Studio is a solid performer for everyday computing tasks. It's also fast enough to reach between 90 and 100fps in Overwatch at the Studio's native resolution and ultra graphics settings. That's better than what I saw with the XPS 15 OLED, which could only reach around 70fps in 1,440p with a slightly slower RTX 3050 Ti. For most people, it'll be very capable for media work with some light gaming on the side. Still, I can't help but sigh at some of the benchmarks: how is it only slightly faster than the Surface Pro 8 — a tablet — in Geekbench 5?
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
I was similarly annoyed by the Surface Laptop Studio's anemic port situation. It only has two USB-C ports alongside the proprietary Surface Connect slot. Thankfully, those USB-C connections also support ThunderBolt 4, so they'll work with high-bandwidth storage devices, external GPUs and let you string together multiple 4K external monitors. Still, it's a shame to see the Book 3's SD card slot go. I suppose Microsoft is just following in Apple's footsteps here with the 13-inch MacBook Pro, but it sure seems like a missed opportunity to outdo their competitor. Also, strangely, while the Surface Pro 8 has an easily accessible NVMe SSD slot for additional storage, there's no secondary SSD slot for the Studio. (Though you could unscrew the bottom of its case and replace its SSD eventually.)
So that's a few big strikes against the Surface Laptop Studio, at least as a machine meant for creative professionals. Thankfully, Microsoft brought over one of the best aspects of the Book 3: that fabulous keyboard. It's wide, responsive and has some of the most satisfying key travel I've ever felt in a laptop. It's also accompanied by a Precision Haptic touchpad, which has no moving parts, but does a great job of mimicking that click you feel when pressing on a trackpad. That tech isn't new, exactly: Apple has offered it on MacBooks since 2015, but we're only now beginning to see it on PCs, like Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
The new Surface Slim Pen 2 — which unfortunately costs an additional $130 — is also the perfect companion to the Laptop Studio's excellent keyboard and trackpad. It's easy to hold and it has a haptic motor of its own, which helps to mimic the feeling of putting pen to paper. That's a thoughtful addition, as the feeling of a stylus nub against glass always felt unnatural to me. The Slim Pen 2, meanwhile, makes me feel like I'm actually writing in a notebook. And unlike the Surface Book, there's a secure spot to store the new stylus right underneath the keyboard. It also wirelessly charges off of the Surface, which is much more convenient than carrying around tiny spare batteries.
Speaking of batteries, the Laptop Studio lasted an admirable 12 hours and 25 minutes with a 120Hz refresh rate during our battery benchmark. When I knocked that down to 60Hz, a must if you ever need to save some energy, it went for 17 hours and 15 minutes. But really, save your eyes whenever possible — just keep 120Hz on.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Wrap-up
Here’s the thing: I genuinely like using the Surface Laptop Studio. Its flexible screen is far less frustrating than the Surface Book’s, it has an excellent keyboard and it’s powerful enough to play a few games. But I can’t help but want more, especially after seeing how much the Surface Book line struggled since its inception.
With a starting price of $1,600, the Surface Laptop Studio directly competes with Dell’s XPS 15, the MacBook Pro 16-inch, and the Razer Blade. You’d have to shell out at least $2,100 to get the NVIDIA GPU, which puts it up against far more powerful gaming laptops. So here’s the question: How much is a tilting screen worth to you? If it’s more important than having the best CPU and GPU power around, the Surface Laptop Studio will suit you well. But if you want genuine power for a similar price, just get the Razer Blade 14 already.
What's the point of Windows 11? With Windows 10, Microsoft had to make a big course correction from Windows 8, an ambitious yet flawed attempt at bringing PCs into the touchscreen era. Before that, Windows 7 was meant as a palate cleanser to help us forget about the bloated mess that was Vista. Given that Windows 10 was already pretty polished when it launched, and only got better over time, why the need for a whole new version?
After testing early builds for months, as well as the shipping release this past week (here's how to nab it yourself), it's clear that Microsoft isn't actually trying to fix much with Windows 11. It's basically a fresh coat of paint on top of Windows 10 (and likely a last-ditch attempt at rebranding the defunct Windows 10X.) But the more I use it, the easier it is to see that small design tweaks can go a long way. Windows 10 was laser-focused on productivity; it aimed to make you as efficient as possible. Windows 11 goes a step further: What if being productive was also pleasant and oddly relaxing? Windows, meet mindfulness.
What's new
At first glance, Windows 11 may seem like a radical departure from Microsoft's typical desktop template — an aesthetic that hearkens all the way back to Windows 95. The taskbar is still around, but now all of your icons are centered by default. The Start menu is back with a redesigned look featuring pinned and recommended apps (you can also hit All Apps to see everything you've got installed). RIP, Live Tiles — nobody ever used you.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
This refreshed look extends throughout Windows 11: App windows now have rounded corners; icons, Windows Explorer and the Settings app look sharper than ever; and even the sound effects have been cleaned up. This is Windows at its most refined. To put it uncharitably, though, it also seems a lot like macOS. But fret not, Windows diehards: You can still shove the entire taskbar back to the left side of the screen. (Editor’s note: Where it belongs.)
Microsoft has also reworked system tray, for better and worse. Hitting the date and time brings up your notifications and calendar, while clicking on the volume or networking icons makes the new action center pop out. It’s similar to the system shortcuts in Windows 10, allowing you to change Wi-Fi networks, enable airplane mode and quickly change your brightness and volume. You can also easily reach some accessibility tweaks, like enabling the magnifier or color filters. Everything looks sleeker than Windows 10, though some options are gone entirely, like the ability to turn Night Lite settings on and off.
Windows 11 also marks a major return for widgets: bite-sized apps that also appeared in Windows 7. You can reach them by hitting the widget button in the taskbar, but frankly, I found them useless. These days, I don’t need a glanceable screen for my calendar, news and mail, not when my smartphone is always within reach.
Microsoft
Less noticeable than the taskbar changes, but still important, is the new Windows Store. It looks cleaner, with a left-hand navigation bar and multiple panes for individual app entries. I'd wager Microsoft just wanted to keep those install and purchase buttons in clear view at all times. Windows 10 is also getting the same Store app eventually, so it's not really an exclusive for the new OS. Eventually, we'll also see Android apps in the Microsoft Store, but it's unclear when that's happening.
Similarly, Windows 11 ships with the latest Xbox app, but that's also available on Windows 10. You'll still want to upgrade for the best overall gaming performance, though, as Windows 11 will be the only way to use Microsoft's DirectStorage technology on PCs. Whenever that does land it should dramatically speed up load times (assuming you have a compatible GPU and SSD) just like the Xbox Series S and X.
Microsoft
Calm from the start... mostly
On a new PC, Windows 11 welcomes you with a series of setup screens that feel like you're flipping through a spa brochure. Log into your Wi-Fi (or plug into Ethernet), enter your Microsoft credentials, and maybe grab a cucumber water while you wait.
As with Windows 10, you can choose to disable advertising IDs, which prevents ad tracking, and opt out of sending diagnostic information to Microsoft. But there aren't many other choices you'll have to make; the setup process basically runs on autopilot until you see the new desktop.
It's worth noting that Microsoft has made setup more restrictive for Windows 11 Home users: Both an internet connection and Microsoft account are required. You won't be able to set up a local user account, or use your computer at all, until you meet those requirements. Windows 11 Pro users won't have that limitation, which is good news for IT professionals and power users. But it could be frustrating for people without reliable internet access of their own.
(As of last year, the FCC said around 14.5 million Americans don't have steady broadband, defined as at least 25Mbps download speeds and 3Mbps uploads. Recent figures from Data Reportal say around 40 percent of the world's population are offline. Microsoft is probably assuming that the majority of its potential customers won't have an issue finding internet, but that goes directly against the company's moves towards increased accessibility.)
I'd expect many consumers will be upgrading their existing Windows 10 systems, rather than setting up a new computer. Unfortunately, Microsoft didn't have a way for me to upgrade my PC with a final Windows 11 release. Based on what I've seen with the latest Windows 11 Insider previews, though, moving to the new OS appears to be very similar to installing a major Windows 10 update. On a Surface Laptop 4 I had lying around, the upgrade process took around 15 minutes after downloading the new OS via Windows update.
You're going to have a tougher time if you own an older PC that doesn't meet Microsoft's hardware requirements. You'll need a compatible Intel, AMD or Qualcomm processor; 4GB of RAM; and at least 64GB of storage. Also, you'll have to enable Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module), features that should make it harder for spyware and malware to attack your OS. Microsoft's PC Health Check app can help you see if your system is ready for Windows 11.
If you don't meet the upgrade requirements, you can download a Windows 11 ISO and install it manually, a method that bypasses Microsoft's CPU restrictions. Still, you'll need to be savvy enough to create a boot disk and deal with a more complex installation. Another caveat: manual installations may not receive some future Windows Updates, according to The Verge. (It sounds like Microsoft hasn't decided how restrictive it wants to be just yet.)
If you've built your own desktop PC, I'd suggest bracing yourself for additional upgrade complications. Microsoft's Health Check app initially said that my system — powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 5800X processor, an ASROCK motherboard and 32GB of RAM — wasn't compatible with Windows 11. It turned out I needed to enable the AMD TPM 2.0 module and Secure Boot in my BIOS. But once I did all that, my system couldn't boot into my Windows 10 installation.
After a bit of sleuthing, I learned that I needed to convert my Windows 10 installation disk from MBR (Master Boot Record) to GPT (GUID Partition Table). So off I went into the command line to run some strings and pray for my Windows installation's safety. Five sweat-soaked minutes later, I rebooted and saw my trusty Windows login screen. Whew. From there, I was able to proceed with the Windows 11 Update as normal.
I'm sure I'm not the only one with a Windows 10 installation on an MBR disk — that was the standard on older computers — so I'm hoping Microsoft eventually bakes that conversion into the entire Windows 11 setup process. I can't imagine average consumers trying to figure out command line prompts without wanting to throw their PCs out the window.
Microsoft
In use: A new look, new frustrations
Windows 11 is nice to use. Pleasant, even. Windows 10 wasn't ugly, but Windows 11's focus on design leads to a more refined experience at first. I enjoyed having color-matched themes. The new Settings app is a dream; it's actually easy to find things for once! I genuinely love the new automatic window snapping, which lets you shove an app to a particular area of your screen by hovering above the maximize icon. Even better, snapping a few apps together creates a group that you can easily revisit in the taskbar.
That facelift doesn't come at the expense of performance, either. Windows 11 feels just as fast as Windows 10 on all of my test systems. But I'll be more interested to see how it performs on PCs older than five years, which is about the cut-off for Microsoft's upgrade requirements.
As impressed as I am by the design changes, a part of me feels constrained by the new OS. No matter where you place your taskbar icons, for example, you won't be able to see app labels anymore. Microsoft has been pushing an icon-focused taskbar since Windows 7, but you always had the option to turn on labels, so you could see what was in an app window before you clicked on it. Dealing with that loss is the single biggest hurdle I had with Windows 11.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Now it takes me multiple clicks to find a specific Chrome window, or to locate an email I popped out of Gmail. Icons just aren't enough. I can understand why Microsoft took away labels: They make your desktop look chaotic. It's not nearly as zen as a simple line of high-resolution pictures.
But as a Windows user, I'm used to chaos. I was shaped by the instability of Windows 3.11; I learned to tame Windows XP as an IT admin; and I was there at the Windows 8 launch in Spain (an event that seems cursed in retrospect). Even after all of that, I'm still primarily a Windows user. If chaos can make me more productive, I embrace the madness. Sadly, Windows 11 doesn't give me that option. It just wants me to relax, damnit.
To be fair, I have similar issues with macOS. As pretty as it is, finding a specific app window can be frustrating. To mitigate that, I typically rely on Mission Control to establish hot corners that can either show me every open app, windows within a specific program, or the desktop. Windows 11 lets you set up a hot corner in the bottom right of your screen to show the desktop, but you'll have to rely on keyboard shortcuts to see open apps. (I'm still debating whether Alt + Tab or Win + Tab is better.)
After spending so much time with Windows 11, I'm begrudgingly getting the hang of the new taskbar, at least. I'd bet some Windows diehards will be similarly frustrated with the new Start menu, especially if they're used to seeing all of their apps instantly. Personally, I find the focus on shortcuts and recently added files and apps to be more useful. And as of Windows 10, I just hit the Windows key and start typing to search for specific apps. (I'm glad that's still practically instantaneous on the new OS.)
I’ve only dabbled in the Windows 11 touchscreen experience so far, but in general it feels easier to hit specific targets. Microsoft has also made apps more responsive to touch, so it’s being able to quickly expand and maximize windows feels less frustrating. You still won’t mistake Windows 11 for iPadOS, but I never expected Microsoft to go that far. This new OS is simply better for laptops that have touchscreens, and it’s far more usable for hybrid tablets like the Surface Pro.
While I've found Windows 11 pleasant overall, I'll be interested to see how mainstream users react to all of the changes. Some members of Engadget's staff initially found the new design to be ugly (some warmed up to it later), and at least one was grateful I explained how to move the taskbar back to the left. It's tough for Microsoft to make any major changes to Windows without having users throw a fit. (Remember everything that happened around Windows 8?) So I expect the initial reaction isn't going to be welcoming. Let's just say I'm glad I'm no longer in IT support for this transition.
Microsoft
So, who needs Windows 11?
To paraphrase Thanos, Windows 11 is inevitable. It's going to start rolling out to eligible Windows 10 users today, and it will ship with new PCs this Fall. Aside from re-learning the taskbar and Start menu functionality, there's not much of a reason to avoid it. The new Secure Boot requirements will make it a safer OS overall; gamers will eventually get faster loading times; and everyone can appreciate the clean new aesthetic.
It's a step forward, even if it isn't as momentous as Windows 10. It's also hard to ignore the story behind the new OS, which makes Windows 11 feel more like a way for Microsoft to save face after an embarrassing failure. In the fall of 2019, the company announced Windows 10X, an OS variant meant for dual-screened PCs. Those devices, like the intriguing Surface Neo, failed to arrive. (It's unclear if the complex new hardware was the roadblock, or if PC makers were waiting for Windows 10X to be completed.)
In my head, I imagine the frantic meetings around Windows 10X's rocky development like something from The West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin. With dual-screened devices a no-show, maybe they could just repurpose that work for traditional laptops, a harried Panos Panay would say. But why even make that a separate version of Windows 10? The PC market is pretty hot right now, perhaps there's a way to capitalize on that? And at some point, someone just said "Why not just go to 11?" A stunned silence. Applause all around.
Not to sound too cynical, but releasing a new OS is an easy way to encourage people to buy new computers. That's particularly true now that we're relying on our PCs more than ever, as many people are still working and doing schoolwork from home. A new version of Windows is no simple thing, and it’ll surely get more headlines and media attention than a mere Windows 10 update. (Stares directly into camera.)
I didn't expect much from the second-generation Sonos Beam. It has the same exact speaker components as the original, a device we already loved. The main difference is that the new Beam also has more processing power to handle Dolby Atmos surround sound. I tend to want more in a sequel, especially since in this case Gen 2 costs $50 more at $450. But even though it's more of a revision, the new Beam still manages to deliver a wider, more immersive soundscape than before. It proves that having a dollop of Dolby Atmos can go a long way.
The original Sonos Beam was a predictable hit. Consumers were hungry for soundbars to beef up their flatscreen TVs, and it turned out that many people also wanted a cheaper alternative to Sonos's two TV solutions at the time , the aging Playbar and the awkwardly shaped PlayBase, both priced at $699. Enter the $400 Beam: it was compact enough to fit in small living rooms; featured Amazon Alexa built in; and, most importantly, it sounded great. It was an accessible entry point into Sonos's family of connected speakers, pluss an easy upgrade for existing customers.
The new Beam looks almost the same as before; the only difference is that it has a perforated plastic grille around its curved exterior, a departure from the thin cloth covering on the previous-gen model. It's still surprisingly small, measuring just 25.6 inches wide and weighing a mere six pounds. It has the same rear ports, too: Ethernet, HDMI and power. You'll need to plug it into an HDMI ARC/eARC socket on your TV to tap into the power of Dolby Atmos and TrueHD. (But if you've got an older set, you can get basic Dolby Digital decoding with the bundled HDMI to optical adapter.)
Speaking of Atmos, that was a major deficiency on the earlier Beam. When that speaker was released in 2018, soundbar makers like Vizio were already exploring what was possible with Dolby's new technology. Typically, that involved using upward-firing speakers to bounce sound off of your ceiling. And, despite seeming like a bit of an audio hack, in my experience those speakers do a decent job of replicating what you get from Atmos-equipped cinemas, which have dedicated hardware built into their ceilings. There are limits, though: Upward-firing Atmos speakers tend to max out with 15-foot ceilings, and they work best with flat surfaces.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Given the additional hardware and room requirements, why go through the trouble of getting Atmos hardware at all? Simply put, it makes for more room-filling surround sound than traditional 5.1 solutions like Dolby Digital and DTS. Those earlier technologies sent sound to specific channels — left, right, center, two rears and a subwoofer. Atmos is different: It's object based, allowing engineers to map sounds in 3D (XYZ) space coordinates. That lets an Atmos mix automatically scale up anywhere from two speakers (or basic stereo support) to 64 in cinemas.
Sonos is no stranger to Atmos soundbars: It's the defining feature on the $899 Arc. But what makes the second-generation Beam unique is that it doesn't even have upward-firing speakers. It has the same basic hardware as before: a center tweeter, four mid-woofers for mid-range sound, and three passive radiators to handle the low-end. Instead, it's relying entirely on audio processing to simulate the Dolby Atmos experience. The additional CPU speed allows it to power two additional channels: height and surround for both the left and right speakers.
When Sonos first announced the second-gen Beam, I immediately wondered how the heck it could provide any height channels without adding more speakers. It turns out, the company leaned even more heavily into psychoacoustics, or the science of how we perceive sound. According to Scott Fink, the product manager behind all of Sonos's home theater gear, the company can tweak the audio timing and frequency to make it seem as if sound is coming from the side, or slightly above you. It's no replacement for having actual speakers dedicated to blasting height channels, but it worked surprisingly well in my testing.
During the opening chase in Baby Driver, for example, I could hear cars whizzing by my ears, the roar of powerful engines and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's "Bellbottoms" filling my family room. That same scene on the original Beam sounded fine, but there was no sense of enveloping surround sound. The second-generation model just sounded like a richer experience, as if cotton balls were removed from my ears.
The same was true while revisiting 2015's (seriously underrated) The Man from U.N.C.L.E., or the epic car-turned-motorcycle chase in MIssion Impossible: Rogue Nation. The new Beam is a tiny speaker meant to make a meal of bombastic action sequences, and it does so without distorting or breaking a sweat. Sonos also focused on making dialog clearer too, something I appreciated when conversations were happening amid those huge set pieces.
Mostly, though, I was impressed by what Sonos was able to do with such a small device. You can find soundbars and wireless surround sound systems for less than $450, and many will deliver bigger sound. But Sonos offers things other systems don't. For one, it's easy to set up: You just plug it into the appropriate ports and step through the process on Sonos's app. With competing products, you may also have to find spots to hold rear speakers, which still need to plug into power. As great as the new Beam sounds, though, it's no match for the Atmos capabilities of the Arc. But for half the price, I wouldn't expect it to.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
When it comes to synchronized audio throughout your home, Sonos is still the connected speaker company to beat. There's no easier way to program music for house parties (and outdoor shindigs with the portable Roam and Move speakers). The second-gen Beam is a solid addition to the family when it comes to music, though it's less of an immediate upgrade compared to movies. It'll support Dolby Atmos on Amazon Music later this year, but that service currently doesn't have a huge number of Atmos tracks. Sonos isn't saying when it'll support Atmos on Apple Music, but there's technically nothing stopping that from happening down the line.
The new Beam sounded fine while playing back some of my favorite albums, like Bjork's Homogenic and Janelle Monae's The Electric Lady, with a decent sense of presence and some thumping low-end. But it didn't sound dramatically different like it did with action movies. Amazon Music's Ultra HD mix of Marvin Gayes' "What's Going On" sounded very crisp and clear, but I'll be more interested in hearing what the Atmos version of that song sounds like eventually. On my Echo Studio, that Atmos mix almost sounds like Gaye is performing a live concert right in front of you.
And speaking of Echo devices, the Beam’s Alexa integration still works well. Its far-field microphones can hear me from the other side of my large family room, and it supports all of the same commands as Amazon’s own devices. It could easily replace an Echo in the same room, but you can also just mute the microphone and keep your Amazon account unlinked if you don’t want to have it listening in.
The Sonos Beam excels at being a simple and compact soundbar that'll give you a large soundstage for movies. But I'd recommend sitting back and thinking about what's really important to you. Do you care more about having a clean TV setup without many wires? Or do you want a soundbar system with more realistic surround sound? (Actual rears, a subwoofer and upward-firing Atmos speakers.) If so, you've also got great options like Vizio's M-series 5.1.2 for around $500.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
You could eventually build a Sonos surround sound system around the Beam by adding two One speakers as rears, as well as the company's wireless subwoofer. But those two pieces of hardware alone would run you another $1,150 (or you could buy them all bundled together for $1,499). If you're going that route, you might as well jump straight to the $899 Arc to have the best possible Sonos system.
The second-generation Sonos Beam isn’t a huge leap ahead of the original, but it’s still a better soundbar overall thanks to the addition of Atmos. If you already own a Beam, you don’t need to run out and grab one. But it’s a solid sub-$500 soundbar if you want to take your movie watching up a notch.
Note: Sonos is a former sponsor of my movie podcast, The Filmcast, but that hasn't stopped me from being critical of the company.
