Google's Pixel Buds Pro remain one of our favorite pairs of true wireless earbuds, offering robust active noise cancellation (ANC), punchy bass, reliable touch controls and a host of convenient features for Android users in particular. That said, given how competitive the wireless market is these days, they aren't the greatest value at their standard list price of $200.
Today, though, Wellbots is running a sale that brings the pair down to a more palatable $135 with the checkout code ENGPIX65. This isn't an all-time low — the buds fell as low as $117 in a similar deal last October and went for $119 for much of the holiday season — but it's the best price we've tracked in 2024. For reference, the device dropped to $139 last month. This offer applies to each of the set's colorways.
Engadget's audio expert Billy Steele gave the Pixel Buds Pro a review score of 87 back in 2022. By default, they have a sculpted, hyped-up sound with thumpy bass and elevated treble. It's the kind of signature that won't suit audio purists but should work well with modern pop music. As with many pairs, though, you can tweak the sound with a graphic EQ. The earbuds themselves have an IPX4 water-resistance rating, so they should be able to withstand typical workouts. Battery life is solid at roughly seven hours with ANC on or 11 hours with it off, while the case supports wireless charging. You can connect to two devices at once, and the pair supports in-ear detection, so it'll automatically pause when you remove an earbud.
Maybe the biggest reason to consider the Pixel Buds Pro is how tightly they integrate with Android. It's somewhat similar to how Apple's AirPods work with iOS: You can call on the Google Assistant hands-free, quickly swap between paired devices, utilize adaptive and spatial audio modes, ring the earbuds remotely and access Google Translate, among other OS-specific features. Last fall, Google also added a "conversation detection" mode that automatically pauses your music and turns off ANC when you start talking to someone. All of this functionality is natively available on Google's Pixel phones; with other Android devices, you can access most of the same tricks through a separate Pixel Buds app.
There are still issues to note. While we didn't have any comfort issues in testing, the fit may be tricky for those with smaller ears. Call quality isn't great, nor is the included transparency mode. For more discerning listeners, there's no support for higher-quality Bluetooth codecs like aptX or LDAC. And again, this is a busy market: Other pairs like the Sony WF-1000XM5, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 or Anker Soundcore Space A40 can provide better noise isolation, sound quality or overall value in a vacuum. It wouldn't be a huge shock if we saw a new model at Google's I/O conference next month, either. Still, the current model remains a well-rounded choice for Android fans today, and this discount brings them down to a more appropriate price.
Say farewell to the classic XPS 13, and say hello to the spiffy new XPS 13. Dell surprised us at CES by bringing the modern (and somewhat controversial) design of 2022's XPS 13 Plus to its entire flagship lineup, which now includes the larger XPS 14 and 16 models. With this new design, they all have invisible haptic trackpads hidden beneath the glass-covered wrist rest, a capacitive top row of function keys (which can instantly switch to media controls), and wider gap-less keyboards that have no spacing between keys. But do those upgrades actually make them better computers than Dell's previous XPS lineup? Well, it really depends on how much you like the way they look.
When I reviewed the XPS 16 last month, I was impressed by its sheer power and attractiveness, but its high price and a few quirks made it a tougher sell than the XPS 15 that came before it. The same is mostly true for the XPS 13 and 14. The smaller model is basically just the XPS 13 Plus with a new Intel Core Ultra 7 chip. The XPS 14 is far more intriguing, since it aims to pack in the power of the XPS 16 without being so damn hefty. I’m reviewing them together because they're gunning for a very similar audience: People who demand both speed and portability. Choosing between them comes down to how much power you actually need and how much weight you're willing to deal with.
Just like their larger sibling, both the XPS 13 and 14 are gorgeous to behold. They're exercises in minimalism, with all-aluminum cases (available in light or dark variants) and clean layouts around their keyboards. And yes, their displays also have razor-thin bezels, something Dell popularized with the XPS line over a decade ago. Rather than try to stand out with extraneous features like dual screens or a plethora of LEDs, the XPS 13 and 14 make more of a statement by what they don't have: visible trackpads and dedicated function keys.
Like the XPS 13 Plus, this year's XPS 13 only carries two USB-C sockets and no other ports — no dedicated headphone jack, not even a dedicated charging connection. But hey, at least Dell put its USB-C ports on opposite sides, something I'd still like to see on the MacBook Air. If you want any other additional connectivity, you're probably better off with the XPS 14, which has three USB-C ports, a headphone jack and a micro-SD card slot. Professionals would be better off with a full-sized SD card reader, though, and it would be nice to have an HDMI port like the MacBook Pro 14-inch.
Weight is the most obvious difference between the XPS 13 and 14: the smaller model comes in at 2.6 pounds (slightly less than the MacBook Air), while the XPS 14 is noticeably heftier at 3.7 pounds. (Dell is following Apple's product strategy a bit, as the 13-inch MacBook Air weighs 2.7 pounds and the MacBook Pro 14-inch sits between 3.4 and 3.6 pounds.) The XPS 13 and 14 are both easy to carry around all day, but the one-pound difference could make the larger model more annoying if you're trying to travel light.
Still, the XPS 14 justifies its additional heft by cramming in more hardware. It can be equipped with NVIDIA's RTX 4050 GPU (running at 30 watts), and also features more robust cooling, which allows it to reach a higher maximum thermal envelope of 47 watts. The XPS 13, on the other hand, can only hit 28 watts of sustained performance. Even though both machines use the same Intel Core Ultra CPUs, you'll end up seeing far better performance from the XPS 14 for prolonged workloads like video encoding or 3D rendering. (Again, that's much like the difference between the MacBook Air and base configuration MacBook Pro.)
The XPS 13 (2024) sitting on top of the XPS 14.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
The XPS 14's 14.5-inch screen is an inch larger than the XPS 13's, which makes it more comfortable for multitasking with multiple apps or working on media timelines. No matter which model you choose, though, you'll get a bright and immersive image, along with thin bezels that Apple still can't touch. Both computers offer a variety of viewing options: the XPS 13 can be equipped with Full HD+ (1,920 by 1,200 pixels, non-touch), Quad HD+ (2,560 by 1,600) or 3K+ OLED (2,880 by 1,800), while its larger sibling gets Full HD+ (non-touch) and 3.2K+ OLED (3,200 by 2,000) screens..
Dolby Vision is standard across the board, but you'll only get 100 percent DCI-P3 color gamut coverage with the pricier displays. You'll also get up to 120Hz refresh rates on all of the screens, except for the XPS 13's OLED, which maxes out at 60Hz. (I'd recommend avoiding that option entirely and going for a high refresh rate LCD, which will ultimately deliver a smoother image.)
Both the XPS 13 and XPS 14 I reviewed were equipped with Intel's Core Ultra 7 155H CPU, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. The XPS 14 also had NVIDIA's RTX 4050 GPU, while the smaller laptop relied on Intel's built-in Arc graphics. As I expected, they didn't differ too much when it came to CPU benchmarks like Geekbench 6. But the XPS 14 was twice as fast as the XPS 13 in the Geekbench 6 Compute test, which relies on the GPU for more intensive work. That NVIDIA hardware also helped the XPS 14 be more than three times as fast as the 13 in the Geekbench Machine Learning GPU test.
While the XPS 14 is far from what I'd call a gaming laptop, its NVIDIA GPU also let me play Halo Infinite in 1080p with medium graphics at 40fps. That's not exactly my ideal Halo experience, but hey, it's playable. In comparison, the XPS 13's Intel Arc graphics barely managed to sustain 25fps. The RTX 4050 GPU is mainly useful for media creation on the XPS 14: I was able to use Handbrake to transcode a 4K clip into 1080p in 26 seconds, whereas that same task took 36 seconds on the XPS 13.
I had no trouble with my daily workflow on either machine, but I enjoyed carrying the XPS 13 around town far more than the XPS 14 simply because it's lighter and easier to maneuver. I could slip it into a tote bag without a second thought, bring it to Starbucks and get up and running easily. Thanks to its additional bulk and weight, II sometimes had trouble stuffing the XPS 14 into the same bag amid the accoutrements of parenthood. This won't be much of a problem if you're using a backpack (and not trying to fit in kids' toys and snacks), but it was a reminder of how useful a sub-three pound notebook can be.
Much like the XPS 16, I enjoyed typing on Dell's lusciously wide keyboards. The large key caps are easy to hit and they have a satisfying amount of key travel. The keyboard is more visually impressive on the XPS 13, since it stretches completely edge-to-edge, while it's flanked by speakers on the XPS 14. The capacitive function keys are fine most of the time, but they still disappear in direct sunlight and other bright lighting.
And then there's the trackpad. By now, I'm used to Dell's invisible design, and I also appreciated the increased size of the XPS 14's trackpad. But it still takes some adjustment, especially for newcomers. I've also noticed that it's sometimes tough to find the line that separates left and right clicks, which led to a few frustrated attempts to copy and paste links from Chrome.
Now that I've experienced Dell's invisible trackpad and capacitive function row across four machines, I'm even more convinced they're a mistake. Sure, they look cool and help Dell stand out in the dull world of Windows laptops, but that doesn't justify the usability issues. On the XPS 13 and 14, I also saw fraction-of-a-second delays while swiping around Windows. The problem went away when I forced both machines to run at 120Hz, but that also uses more battery life than running at 60Hz. It almost feels like I'm trying to swipe through an additional layer of glass. I noticed the same issue on multiple XPS 13 and 14 units, but Dell tells me it hasn't been able to replicate any slowdown in its labs. The company will be doing a further investigation into our review units, and I'll report back later on what it finds.
As for the rest of their hardware, both the XPS 13 and XPS 14 feature solid 1080p webcams with Windows Hello support for facial authentication. You can also use Windows Studio Effects during video chats to blur backgrounds and adjust your gaze, thanks to the NPUs in Intel’s new Core Ultra chips. Their 8-watt speaker setups sound fine for watching YouTube videos or playing a bit of background music, but they’re not nearly as impressive as Apple’s notebooks. There was also a surprising battery life gap between both machines: The XPS 13 lasted 13 hours and 15 minutes in PCMark 10’s Modern Office benchmark, while the XPS 14 ran for just four and a half hours. You can chalk that up to its beefier GPU, as well as its larger screen.
Another downside to the XPS 13 and 14's spiffy look? Higher prices. The XPS 13 now starts at $1,399 with the configuration we tested, while the XPS 16 starts at $1,699. (Our review unit would cost $2,399, thanks to its NVIDIA GPU and OLED screen.) I'll give Dell credit for making 16GB of RAM standard, instead of 8GB like previous models, but for the most part you're paying out the nose to have a prettier trackpad. Is that really worth it? Dell's pricing is particularly wild when you consider you can nab an M3 MacBook Air for $1,099 and a 14-inch MacBook Pro for $1,599. Sure, you'll also need to add $200 to get 16GB of RAM, but even the base configurations are faster than Dell's laptops.
While there’s a lot to like about the new XPS 13 and XPS 14, we can’t recommend them as easily as Dell’s earlier XPS generations. They look attractive and perform well, but that comes at a cost for usability, battery life and, well, actual cost. Simply put, you’re paying more for pretty machines.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/dell-xps-13-and-xps-14-review-2024-gorgeous-laptops-with-usability-quirks-130010912.html?src=rss
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Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, Microsoft chief Satya Nadella, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai are joining the government's Artificial Intelligence Safety and Security Board, according to The Wall Street Journal. They're also joined by Nvidia's Jensen Huang, Northrop Grumman's Kathy Warden and Delta's Ed Bastian, along with other leaders in the tech and AI industry. The AI board will be working with and advising the Department of Homeland Security on how it can safely deploy AI within the country's critical infrastructure. They're also tasked with conjuring recommendations for power grid operators, transportation service providers and manufacturing plants on how they can can protect their systems against potential threats that could be brought about by advances in the technology.
The Biden administration ordered the creation of an AI safety board last year as part of a sweeping executive order that focuses on regulating AI development. In the Homeland Security's website, it said the board "includes AI experts from the private sector and government that advise the Secretary and the critical infrastructure community." Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told the Journal that the use of AI in critical infrastructure can greatly improve services — it can, for instance, speed up illness diagnoses or quickly detect anomalies in power plants — but they carry a significant risk which the agency is hoping to minimize with the help of this board.
That said, one can't help but question if these AI tech leaders can provide guidance that aren't meant to primarily serve themselves and their companies. Their work centers around advancing AI technologies and promoting their use, after all, while the board is meant to ensure that critical infrastructure systems are using AI responsibly. Mayorkas seems to be confident that they'll do their jobs properly, though, telling the Journal that the tech leaders "understand the mission of this board," and that it's "not a mission that is about business development."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/openais-sam-altman-and-other-tech-leaders-join-the-federal-ai-safety-board-120334742.html?src=rss
