PROS:

• Beautiful and spacious 8.8-inch 1600p 144Hz screen


• Detachable controllers with innovative FPS (vertical mouse) mode


• Great overall performance

CONS:

• Large and heavy


• Bottom USB-C port is unusable when using the kickstand


• Short battery life

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS

ERGONOMICS

PERFORMANCE

SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY

VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The Lenovo Legion Go pushes the envelope of what handheld PCs are capable of, paving the road for future innovation in this space.

Although it was hardly the first portable gaming console, the success of the Nintendo Switch really inspired a new class of gaming devices. It pushed the boundaries of what you can accomplish with a handheld, offering a gaming experience that you can enjoy anywhere, including while sitting on a couch in front of a TV or table. Of course, Nintendo’s selection of titles is just a small part of the larger gaming world, and there have been many brands that have tried to bring the magic of the Switch to PCs. The Steam Deck proved that such a product would be popular, but it just stopped there. Lenovo, on the other hand, went all out with what is possibly the closest to a “Switch PC” to date. But is the Lenovo Legion Go just a Switch clone or is it offering a completely new gaming experience? We take this innovative gaming handheld for a few good spins to find out.

Designer: Lenovo

Aesthetics

Right off the bat, the first thing you’ll notice about the Lenovo Legion Go is that it’s huge, bigger even than the Steam Deck that’s already considered a giant. It’s slightly thinner than the Deck but only in the middle because the removable controllers almost add an inch to that thickness. It is definitely the larger and heavier of the three major handheld PCs, something that has repercussions for comfort and ergonomics, as we’ll see later.

Fortunately, you might forget the Legion Go’s size the moment your eyes settle on its large 8.8-inch screen, also the largest in this niche market. With a high pixel resolution and bright colors, it easily outclasses the competition, at least in terms of sharpness and visual impact. It doesn’t come without cost, though, but if you value a large, sharp, and fast gaming screen above other specs, this is the one to beat.

The Legion Go definitely carries itself well compared to its peers in terms of aesthetics. Unlike the more rectangular shapes of the Steam Deck and the ASUS ROG Ally, the Legion Go’s controllers taper a bit, creating a more interesting shape from the front. The back of the device is mostly flat save for the contoured handles of the controllers on each side. That back also features a full-width kickstand that lets you easily prop up the Legion Go on any flat surface for playing games or even for watching videos. The top edge has buttons and ports for controlling the device while the bottom has a lone USB-C Gen 4 port for both charging and data.

All in all, the Lenovo Legion Go presents a solid and distinctive design that doesn’t stray too far from the convention but has enough tweaks to make it stand out from the crowd. Its large screen plays in its favor, though the resulting large size is a bit of a double-edged sword. This niche market is still in its infancy and we’ll surely see more interesting designs in the future, but at least for now, Lenovo has pulled enough tricks to give the Legion Go a memorable character.

Ergonomics

There’s really no going around the fact that the Legion Go is a bulky and heavy device, bigger and heftier than its two closest rivals. For a device that’s primarily meant to be held in your hands, that can be a huge drawback. Even if its battery life lasts for hours (or if you’re playing it while charging), your hands and arms will undoubtedly tire after the first 30 minutes or an hour at most. It might be an artificial way to limit your gaming time, but the great thing about this kind of device is you don’t actually need to hold it up to play. Just like the Switch, you can simply set it down on a table or connect it to a large screen. Either way, you can just continue playing, at least as long as you have enough battery for it.

As mentioned earlier, this is as close as we’ve come to a Switch-like PC, and that’s primarily thanks to the detachable controllers. You can slide them off, though downward in the opposite direction compared to the Switch, and use them as normal Bluetooth controllers except split in two. There is, however, a special Lenovo-only mode that changes the narrative a bit. It’s called FPS mode and you stick the right controller into a base that makes it look like a joystick, except it’s a mouse that you drag across the table, not unlike those ergonomic vertical mice. As the name suggests, it’s meant to offer a more precise method of aiming with the right hand in FPS games and more fluid movement with the left controller. It’s definitely an innovative design but one that requires heavy muscle memory training to really get used to.

The Legion Go isn’t just a gaming device, however. It’s a gaming PC that runs a regular version of Windows 11, which means the user experience isn’t optimized for anything but a keyboard and mouse or, at the very least, a touch screen. This makes operating the non-gaming parts of the operating system a bit more tedious, though Lenovo thankfully included a small touchpad on the right-hand controller exactly for this purpose. There’s also a tiny scroll wheel on the back side of the same controller, but its location makes it difficult to reach. Along with the idiosyncrasies of Windows itself, this makes operating the device in handheld mode cumbersome and awkward.

Performance

Lenovo definitely pulled out the stops when it came to the Legion Go’s silicon muscles. Running inside is an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme with RDNA Graphics paired with 16GB of RAM and 512GB or 1TB of NVMe SSD storage. It’s not desktop-level hardware, not even a gaming laptop, but at this size, it’s currently the best that’s available for handheld computers. It can definitely handle most PC games at medium settings, and maybe a few at high settings. Of course, cranking up those options will drain the battery quicker, and there’s not a lot in the first place.

The real star of the show, however, is the impressive 8.8-inch 2560×1600 IPS LCD display with a 144Hz refresh rate. Not only is it the largest among handheld computers, it also has the highest resolution. It’s bright, vibrant, colorful, and sharp. And it’s also quite the battery drain. On paper, a high resolution such as this would be a huge boon for gaming, but only if you have lots of battery and power to spare. At full resolution, the only way you’ll get above 60fps in Fortnite is by setting the setting to medium (67fps) or low (79fps). Then again, 47fps with high settings isn’t so bad either. Dropping the resolution to 1200p made the gameplay experience much better during our test.

The real problem is the battery life, though the Legion Go isn’t alone in this regard. At medium settings, playing Fortnite (with voice chat on) drained the battery in around 79 minutes and at 1200p resolution only. Again, the sharpness of the screen is a huge advantage over the Steam Deck and the ROG Ally, but the price it entails is just too high. Sure, you can set a lower resolution by default, but then you’ll be paying for hardware you’re not able to fully utilize.

The Lenovo Legion Go has the bare minimum when it comes to hardware connectivity, namely two USB-C 4.0 ports, one at the top and another at the bottom. There’s also a headphone jack for good measure so you can connect your favorite wired headphones for more immersive gaming. Having two USB-C ports is great for connecting peripherals or a hub while still having one port free for charging the device. The catch is that the placement of the bottom port makes it inaccessible when using the built-in kickstand. Sure, you can use the top port for charging, but you still lose the other port for other accessories. To be fair, the Switch has the same problem but is worse by having a single USB port, but you’d hope that designers would have solved this problem by now.

Being able to set the Legion Go down on a table and still play using the controllers is also a Switch-inspired feature, but the actual implementation needs a little bit of work. In addition to the awkward way of pulling out the controllers, you apparently can’t use a different external controller unless you take the pair out and disable them from Windows Device Manager. It might just be a bug or a hidden setting, but the fact that it isn’t as straightforward as on a regular computer (or even the Nintendo Switch) makes it a less favorable experience.

When it comes to performance, the Legion Go spares no expense at using the best possible hardware, but having the most powerful isn’t always the correct solution. Power-hungry specs, especially a hi-res screen, drain the battery faster than it should, and owners are forced to tweak every aspect to squeeze out as much juice as they can from the device. Admittedly, PC gamers are used to tweaking settings left and right, but that’s a little less convenient and less ideal on a handheld form factor.

Sustainability

Impressive as the Legion Go’s design might be, there will definitely be concerns about its long-term viability. First-gen designs in this industry don’t always spark confidence, both in terms of durability as well as customer support down the road. Lenovo is an established brand, of course, so there’s an implicit trust in the products that it makes. This device definitely feels solid, despite its plastic body, so you can be assured that it’s not some flimsy product that will die out on you in the first few months.

Its unique design does bring a few complications, though, particularly with the removable controllers. These can be points for mechanical failure in the feature, or structural weaknesses that could lead to an early death for the device. There are a lot of custom parts used for the Legion Go as well, so repairs will have to be done by authorized Lenovo service providers only. That increases the risk factor in purchasing a device that could meet more accidents in your hands compared to a conventional laptop.

Value

Gaming handhelds are becoming popular again, both from the retro front as well as the PC market. Just looking at the growing number of options outside of major manufacturers shows there’s a sizable market for these devices. Not every PC gamer is a fan, though these would also admit dreaming of being able to play games anywhere, including in situations where they can’t use their bulky gaming laptops. As mentioned, there are plenty of options available now, but the Lenovo Legion Go offers the best-balanced set of benefits and drawbacks in the market today.

It has powerful specs topped by a gorgeous and large display that really makes games pop. The FPS mode might need a bit of getting used to, but the convenience of being able to detach the controllers when needed is a huge boon, though there are some rough edges to smoothen out. Battery life is pretty dismal by default, but that’s on par with other handheld PCs. The biggest clincher is that you’re getting this solid mobile PC gaming experience starting at just $699.99, which means you aren’t cutting corners for that juicy price tag.

Verdict

There was a time when analysts proclaimed the PC market to be dying, but that might only be true for desktops. Laptops flew off the shelves during the pandemic, and now handheld PCs are sparking interest and ushering in a new generation of PC gamers who are living the dream of playing anywhere. There are still only a few players in this market, and Lenovo, the world’s biggest PC maker, is making sure it’s leading here as well.

The Lenovo Legion Go definitely shows the brand’s expertise, combining decades of experience with a bold design and innovative features. It also proves that there is still plenty of room for improvement, whether for refining features or introducing new experiences. At this point, handheld gaming PCs like these are still considered a luxury, but with a tempting $700 price tag, the Legion Go is doing its part to make these devices more approachable and more usable for everyone.

The post Lenovo Legion Go Review: Big Steps for Handheld PC Gaming first appeared on Yanko Design.

PROS:

• Distinctive cover design


• Effective liquid-cooling system


• Desktop-grade performance


• Comes with two power adapters (330W GaN, 140W USB-C)

CONS:

• Small, cramped trackpad


• Mediocre battery life


• A bit pricey

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS

ERGONOMICS

PERFORMANCE

SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY

VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

With an effective liquid cooling system and impressive performance, the Lenovo Legion 9i delivers a formidable desktop replacement wrapped in a fresh new aesthetic.

Laptops have come a long way and are available in a wider range of options. While there are still some designs that prioritize extra slim profiles, others target performance to match or even rival that of a desktop PC. These desktop replacements, mostly in the guise of gaming laptops, have to make a few compromises to strike a balance between portability, performance, and heat management. There’s no perfect mix, at least none that would match almost all the needs of almost all types of laptop users. The Lenovo Legion 9i, though primarily a gaming laptop, promises to come pretty close to that ideal. Better yet, it comes with a unique and memorable design that might even appeal to those outside of gaming circles. Read on for a deeper dive into this visually distinctive laptop to see if it is really able to deliver on those promises.

Designer: Lenovo

Aesthetics

Right off the bat, the Lenovo Legion 9i is clearly not your average laptop, gaming or otherwise. The top cover has this unconventional pattern of polygons in different shades of gray. These are actually forged carbon chips, chosen not just for their unique appearance but also for the material’s lightweight durability. Lenovo says that no two Legion 9i units have the same pattern, so it’s almost like getting an exclusive edition for each purchase. Admittedly, it’s going to be a divisive topic, since the design isn’t something you can turn on or off as you wish, unlike RGB lights. At the same time, it’s like a breath of fresh air, deviating from the standard gaming aesthetic. Suffice it to say, it’s going to be a head-turner, no matter how you look at it.

The rest of the laptop’s chassis eschews the usual plastic affair and is made with 90% recycled magnesium die-cast in a classy Carbon Black finish. Not only does it afford increased durability, it also gives the laptop an interesting sustainability story. The chassis has a matte finish that adds a bit of texture, appealing not only to your sight but also to your sense of touch.

Speaking of those RGB lights, there’s still plenty to go around, though not in the usual places. On the A cover, you’ll only see it behind the large “LEGION” branding in the corner, while they’re pretty much under each key inside. There’s also a strip of light that runs around the edges of the laptop, wrapping it in a somewhat subtle rainbow of colors of your choosing. The ports themselves aren’t illuminated, but indicators for the back connectors do get a bit of light to help guide your hand in the dark. As always, you have full control of these lights, so you can configure them to match your mood or environment.

As a 16-inch laptop, the Lenovo Legion 9i is definitely on the larger end of the size spectrum, and even among its peers is still on the bulkier side. It is by no means excessively big, especially considering everything it’s packing inside, but those expecting MacBook Pro-like profiles are definitely looking at the wrong category of laptops. All in all, this portable desktop replacement strikes a fine balance when it comes to size and features, and it carries a unique visual character wherever you take it.

Ergonomics

As mentioned, the Legion 9i is by no means a thin and lightweight laptop, which can be expected from gaming-focused desktop replacements like it. In fact, it sits somewhere in the middle of other 16-inch laptops like a smaller ASUS ROG Strix G16 and a behemoth Alienware x16 R1. Yes, it is thick, but it could have actually been worse if not for the headlining liquid-cooling feature. It is surprisingly portable compared to other 16-inch gaming laptops, but you’ll still want to prepare your shoulders or hands whenever you have to carry this powerhouse. And regardless of that cooling system, you still wouldn’t want to put it on your lap except in the most dire circumstances.

When it comes to laptops, comfort and usability factors focus mostly on the keyboard and the trackpad. Gamers are especially picky about the former, as the performance of keyboards can mean the difference between glorious victory and devastating defeat. The Lenovo Legion 9i’s keyboard is, to put it simply, good enough. It’s not mechanical, of course, but it does have sufficient travel to make it feel snappy and comfortable at the same time, a rare treat for membrane-based keys. The keyboard is pushed further down compared to most laptops, but not because there’s some fancy display or interface at the top. Instead, that area is yielded to the aforementioned cooling system, including the ventilation grilles that sit there on top.

Unfortunately, that shift in position affects the trackpad in a detrimental manner. While the trackpad itself is responsive and smooth, its small size makes it feel cramped and difficult to use, particularly for vertical movement. While most gamers will have their favorite gaming mouse when they’re in the zone, it’s still a disappointing sacrifice that you will definitely feel whenever you have to use that trackpad to do some work quickly.

Performance

Due to the need for speed and power, gaming laptops naturally try to match the performance of their stationary desktop cousins. They are, however, more affected by the laws of physics, particularly when it comes to the heat generated by all that hardware, which in turn causes throttling and performance hits with deadly consequences for gamers. There has been no shortage of cooling innovations in the laptop segment over the years, and Lenovo finally brings one of those to its Legion laptop segment for the first time.

Co-engineered with the famed Cooler Master, the branded Legion ColdFront liquid cooling system runs over the GPU’s VRAM to help keep temperatures down, kicking into gear once the GPU hits the 84°C mark. There are also three fans that help ferry cold air away from those components and out the sides. The liquid cooling system is not a panacea and you’ll still hear the fans spin, though not at an uncomfortable high speed. It is quite effective in keeping performance stable while, at the same time, offering an alternative to bulky cooling solutions that are part of the reason why some gaming laptops are larger than they need to be.

On the opposite side of that distinctive forged carbon A cover is an equally eye-catching 16-inch 3200×2000 mini-LED screen, a display technology that outpaces IPS LCDs in terms of black levels but also surpasses OLEDs in brightness. And the screen is indeed very, very bright, especially when you show HDR content. It has an odd resolution, granted, but it is also higher than some of its rivals in the 16-inch laptop segment. Running games at QHD or QHD+ resolutions gives the most balanced performance, but “3.2K” as Legion calls it is definitely a good option for content that doesn’t require extremely high refresh rates.

As with any laptop in the market today, there are different configurations to choose from, but the base starts with a 13th-gen Intel Core i9-13980HX, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, and 32GB of DDR5 memory. Those are pretty mighty specs with matching hefty prices, but they definitely show their worth when it comes to actual use. Synthetic benchmarks don’t tell the whole story, of course, but there is pretty much nothing the Lenovo Legion 9i can’t handle, whether it’s graphics-intensive games or video rendering. Granted, it’s not going to outperform a hulking desktop tower with the latest cooling solutions, but it definitely comes close to providing you with a desktop that you can use and carry anywhere.

Given everything that’s happening inside, it’s probably no surprise that the Legion 9i’s battery life is so-so. With moderate use, you can squeeze out a little over two and a half hours, but you’ll easily see that time cut down to an hour or so on more intensive games. Lenovo tries to make up for it with a super-fast 330W GaN charger, but it isn’t an understatement to call that a brick. Interestingly, Lenovo does something out of the ordinary and ships a second and significantly slimmer 140W PD charger that connects via USB-C. This is the one you’ll probably want to always carry with you, but you’ll also have to remember how it will limit the laptop’s overall throughput.

Sustainability

As the world’s largest PC maker, it is quite encouraging that Lenovo takes its environmental responsibility quite seriously. Especially with gaming laptops that chug plenty of electricity, Lenovo has to look for other areas where it can offset its negative impact on the planet. It’s not 100%, but the use of recycled magnesium on Legion 9i definitely helps cut down reliance on plastic, while giving the laptop both durability and looks.

Laptops have also thankfully become less restricted, at least when it comes to upgrading certain parts. You still can’t easily repair most commercial laptops like these, but upgrading storage and memory can usually be done with ease. For the Lenovo Legion 9i, however, that’s only true for the storage, which is immediately accessible after removing the bottom cover. RAM is unfortunately hidden beneath the motherboard, so you will have to remove other parts before you can double your memory. That means it’s more practical to aim for the configuration with the largest RAM capacity, though that’s easier said than done considering the price.

Value

Considering all the features mentioned above, it shouldn’t come as a shock that the price tag on the Legion 9i starts with a high figure. Depending on sales, it starts at around $3,200 to $3,400 with 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and an NVIDIA RTX 4080. The maximum configuration pushes you back $3,800 to $4,000, again depending on any promos or the current SRP. It’s easily more expensive than the competition, but the good news is that you’re getting exactly what you pay for.

The Lenovo Legion 9i makes very few compromises, except what you can expect in terms of its size and weight. The integrated liquid cooling system, while not mind-blowing, is impressive and effective in keeping both temperatures and thickness down. High-performance hardware makes short work of gaming and content creation tasks, and plenty of connectivity options expand the laptop’s capabilities to desktop levels. And that bright mini-LED makes any type of content a pleasure to see. Plus you get a smart-looking distinctive piece of equipment that’s going to pique the interest of people around you. Taking all those into consideration, that hefty price tag becomes more of an investment on a desktop that empowers you to do anything you need or want anywhere you go.

Verdict

Gaming laptops are traditionally large and bulky because of hardware requirements, but thankfully they don’t need to be unattractive as well. Developments in engineering and design are revealing ways to slim down these portable powerhouses without sacrificing too much performance. It’s still a matter of making compromises, but the Lenovo Legion 9i thankfully makes very few of those.

The unique forged carbon lid and subtle RGB edge lighting immediately draw your attention, while the impressive performance keeps you glued to that beautiful screen. Liquid cooling and AI-tuned fans help keep that performance from fluctuating too much, and two charging options let you go big or pack light, depending on your needs. Yes, the trackpad is uninspiring, the battery life is too short for comfort, and the price tag is a bit tough to swallow, but you are definitely getting your money’s worth for a desktop replacement with a hot look and a cool personality.

The post Lenovo Legion 9i Gaming Laptop Review: Liquid Cooling meets Hot Design first appeared on Yanko Design.

PROS:

• Strong sustainability efforts


• Excellent sound quality


• Distinctive design


• Easy to setup and use

CONS:

• Inconsistent spatial audio performance


• No Google Assistant support yet


• Single USB-C slot for both line-in and Ethernet


• Very expensive

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS

ERGONOMICS

PERFORMANCE

SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY

VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The Sonos Era 300 offers impressive sound quality wrapped in a unique, environment-friendly design, though its unreliable spatial audio performance makes its rather high price tag a bit harder to swallow.

There is a staggering number of wireless and smart speakers in the market today coming from numerous brands both big and small. But even before Amazon dumped the Echo on people’s tables, Sonos was already making a name for itself in the industry. With today’s confusing plethora of smart speakers, there is an urgent and critical need to stand out, and not just by looking different, though that also works for a brief period of time. Sound quality is almost a given, so the competition often turns toward new features and traits that set speakers apart. The new Sonos Era 300 has the trending Spatial Audio as its battle cry, but it’s far from being its most distinctive feature. In fact, it could even be its weak spot, so we gave it a test to check if it is truly worth its weight in gold.

Designer: Sonos

Aesthetics

From the very first moment you lay eyes on it, you can immediately tell that the Sonos Era 300 is not your run-of-the-mill smart speaker. Most of its peers would come in simple shapes like cylinders or boxes, but the Era 300 seems to have a different form depending on which side you’re looking at. From the front, it would seem like it’s a normal oval speaker, but looking at its tapered halves from other angles makes it resemble an hourglass instead. In addition to its large size, there is no way the Era 300 won’t catch your attention, though it’s debatable whether your appreciation of its design will be favorable or not.

The shape that Sonos chose isn’t just for the sake of being visually different, though. For the designers, it’s the only shape that makes sense, given how the different drivers are arranged inside. There are two woofers, one on the left and the other on the right, and four tweeters facing up, forward, and sides. Their positions aren’t by accident, either, since each one has a specific role to play. The two woofers at the sides, for example, deliver powerful yet balanced bass, while the front-blasting tweeter takes care of vocals and high ranges. The tweeter at the top directs sound to the ceiling so that it would reflect back down to create a more believable spatial audio experience.

This extra-large Sonos speaker comes in black or white options, but it is the latter that has a more interesting story to tell. In line with its sustainability goals, the Era 300 uses 40% post-consumer recycled plastics, and those in the manufacturing industry know how the nature of the material can affect the final color. It’s difficult to hit the nearly pure white that some products have when using recycled plastics, so Sonos opted for a softer shade of white that happens to blend better with home interiors. Perhaps it’s time for the birth of a new “Responsible White” color.

It’s hard to argue that the Sonos Era 300 has a unique and quite memorable design that you won’t find on other speakers, though it’s debatable whether most will find it aesthetically pleasing. The best parts of its design, however, are the ones that you won’t see or even read about, like its sustainable design and innovative driver arrangement. Fortunately, those don’t detract from the speaker’s value as long as it actually sounds great.

Ergonomics

The Era 300’s large size may be justified, but that doesn’t exactly make it less problematic. At 4.47kg, it’s not something you’d move around a lot anyway, but it does mean you’ll want plenty of space for it on a shelf or table. A better option would be to put it on a very minimalist stand built especially for the speaker, though that will send you back around $169 on top of the speaker’s price.

Fortunately, you won’t be juggling it around so much to use it because all of its most important functions are either on its top or accessible through a paired mobile device. There are capacitive touch controls for playing, pausing, and skipping tracks, as well as a groove made for adjusting the volume. There’s a speech bubble icon there as well for disabling the voice assistant temporarily, but if you’re really concerned about privacy, there’s a hardware switch on the speaker’s back to mute the mic.

Setting up the Sonos Era 300 is just as easy. You just need to download the Sonos app on your phone, create or log into your Sonos account, and add the detected speaker there. You’ll need to connect the app with music streaming services if you’ll be using those as well, but the process will be pretty familiar to anyone who has handled Bluetooth speakers before. Sonos also has a special fine-tuning feature called Trueplay, where it can automatically change its settings depending on where it’s located in a room. It does so by listening to its own sound output using the built-in mic, which is as easy as just letting the app run the tests. For more accurate tuning, however, there’s an “advanced” manual mode that requires walking around the room with an iPhone or an iPad.

Performance

With no less than six drivers inside, you’d expect the Era 300 to sound fantastic. Fortunately, it doesn’t disappoint. The audio coming from the speaker is nothing short of phenomenal, with loud and full sound across the board and frequencies coming out clear and distinct. With how powerful the bass comes out, those not familiar with the Era 300’s specs might presume there’d be a subwoofer hidden somewhere. The angle of the drivers definitely creates that stereo effect, though the audio industry has started moving toward another direction when it comes to surround sound.

Spatial Audio is the new hype in the industry, promising a 3D surround sound experience without the multitude of speakers. It’s still in its infancy, but the who’s who of the market are jumping at the opportunity to blaze a trail, and Sonos is no different. In fact, you could say that Spatial Audio is the headlining feature of the Era 300, or at least it’s supposed to be. In practice, it sounds like one of the speaker’s very few flaws. The experience of Spatial Audio on this large audio equipment seems to be a hit or miss, depending on what you’re playing. Sometimes, the difference from the regular stereo version is as clear as night and day; other times, it might take a true audiophile to discern the nuances. There are even some cases where the Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio version sounds a little bit worse than the original because of the larger amount of reverb. This is especially true for music remastered to be compatible with Spatial Audio, and you will have better luck with newer pieces recorded with Spatial Audio in mind right from the start.

In short, the Sonos Era 300’s key feature seems to be its weakest, but that doesn’t erase the fact that it is still a strong and solid speaker without the Spatial Audio feature. The slightly good news is that there are still too few albums and services that offer Spatial Audio, so you can keep on enjoying quality sound from the Era 300. Unfortunately, that also means you might be paying for technology that you might be using most of the time anyway, which makes the cost of the speaker feel a little too steep.

While the speaker is already powerful on its own, disregarding the Spatial Audio spiel, it can also be used in tandem with other Sonos products for an even more immersive listening experience. For example, pairing two Era 300 speakers will create an actual stereo speaker setup, though you won’t be able to control which is the left and which is the right. If you want a more traditional 7.1.4 surround sound setup, you can combine a Sonos Arc, two Sonos Era 100s in the front, and two Sonos Era 300s in the back, though that will definitely burn a hole through your wallet as well.

As a wireless speaker, the Era 300 has support for almost all possible sources, from streaming services to Bluetooth devices. As a smart speaker, you can control it using your voice via Amazon Alexa or the company’s own Sonos Voice Control. In the past, Sonos speakers supported Google Assistant as well, but recent events seem to have muddled relationships between the two. Sonos thankfully included options for wired connections, but you might have to spend extra for that capability. There is a single USB-C port on the back for external sources, but you will need a USB-C to Line-in Adapter if you want to connect a traditional 3.5mm jack. The speaker can also connect via Ethernet, but you will have to buy the Sonos Combo Adapter for that as well.

Sustainability

Spatial Audio might be the Era 300’s key feature, but its strongest point might be the one that buyers might never know about. More than just a revolutionary new look, the speaker represents Sonos’ strongest sustainability effort as well, and it goes beyond just using some recycled material. Of course, that’s important as well, and both black and white versions of the speaker use 40% post-consumer recycled plastics, which is still a large portion considering how few speakers today even use recycled plastics.

Sonos, however, is taking a more holistic approach to sustainability, going beyond manufacturing and shipping and stepping into the “use phase” when the speakers are already in consumers’ hands. The company takes into account the greenhouse gas emissions generated by using the speaker itself, especially when they’re left on standby. To help reduce that figure, the Sonos Era 300 and its smaller sibling, the Era 100, use less than two watts of power when idle.

The very structure of the speaker itself was made with longevity in mind, even if you can’t easily repair the speaker yourself. The speaker was made to be easily disassembled at the end of its life so that parts can be quickly sorted and reused or recycled if possible. The Era 300’s grill uses velcro to attach to the system rather than being bonded to the frame directly. This would make repairs by authorized service providers a bit easier while also making it more convenient to refurbish speakers for sale later on.

And, of course, there’s the packaging, which uses 100% recyclable materials. Such materials often get a lot of flak for their durability, but Sonos has ensured that not only is the Era 300’s box more long-lasting, but that it also looks and feels as premium as the speaker that’s lying inside. There are plenty of smart speakers littering the market today, but only the new Sonos Era speakers can proudly claim they’re designed not to litter the planet.

Value

Getting straight to the point, the Sonos Era 300 is one expensive piece of audio equipment, though it’s not the company’s priciest product either. At $450, it sits well below the Sonos Five, which has been hailed as the speaker to beat in this family. At the same time, however, you can have two $250 Sonos Era 100 speakers to create a true stereo setup for just a little bit more. It’s always a matter of balancing the pros and cons, and, unfortunately, the scales tip slightly against the Era 300 in this aspect.

Make no mistake; the Sonos Era 300 is an excellent speaker, producing solid audio that can embrace you in rich tones on all frequencies. Its key feature, however, is Spatial Audio, and it’s the one area where the speaker doesn’t put its best foot forward, not for the lack of trying. When you consider that there are two other speakers that support this technology at half the price, you might easily feel that the Era 300 is a tad overpriced. That said, this is also Sonos’ most sustainable speaker yet, and a purchase of the Era 300 could also be seen as a sign of support for this effort.

Verdict

For years, audio engineers and musicians have been trying to find ways to recreate how we naturally hear sounds but using as few speakers as possible. The latest technology to attempt that is being marketed as Spatial Audio, and the Sonos Era 300 is one of the extremely few wireless speakers that try to deliver that to music lovers and audiophiles. That technology is still in its infancy, and it definitely shows in the inconsistent performance of the speaker, depending on the kind of music and how it was made to embrace Spatial Audio.

If you manage to overlook this one major flaw and its high price tag, the Sonos Era 300 definitely meets the expectations of a powerful, high-quality stereo speaker. Its unique design is definitely eye-catching, and its ease of use is a breath of fresh air in the midst of advanced but complicated smart speakers. Sonos definitely deserves kudos for its sustainability efforts that cover manufacturing, packaging, and even “use phase” emissions. It is definitely a solid performer, which justifies the costs a little bit. It just might be ahead of its time, given how the world isn’t completely prepared for Spatial Audio just yet.

The post Sonos Era 300 Review: Spatial Audio with a Heart first appeared on Yanko Design.

PROS:

• Beautiful, seamless design without visual distractions


• Ceramic back is comfortably warm in the hand


• Excellent photos in under any lighting condition

CONS:

• Slightly heavier than other phones of its class


• Lacks strong sustainability push


• Availability differs by market

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS

ERGONOMICS

PERFORMANCE

SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY

VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The OPPO Find X5 Pro stands out like an oasis of calm in the middle of a turbulent sea of smartphone designs, truly worthy of the title of Best of MWC 2022.

Smartphones are cool tech gadgets, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be breathtakingly beautiful as well.

It has been a long time since smartphones crossed the line between geeky devices to everyday must-haves. They have gone past being something that only grownups used for serious work to become a reflection of one’s lifestyle. Along with those changes in objectives, smartphones have also changed a lot in their designs over the years. Few, however, managed to successfully strike a balance between form and function, uniformity and identity. That’s part of why the OPPO Find X5 Pro piqued our interest because of its particular attention to design, earning the top spot in our Best of MWC 2022 awards list. That said, we take it for a good spin to see if it’s more than just a pretty face and if it offers enough to make it stand out from a market dominated by giants like Apple and Samsung.

Designer: OPPO

Aesthetics

Unless you’re a smartphone aficionado, smartphone designs probably won’t speak to you. Although they have shed their polycarbonate shells of the past, most smartphones today are plagued by large warts on their backs known as camera bumps. Many phone makers seem to have just given up and have, instead, decided to actually highlight those large structures in sometimes obnoxious ways. They dominate the visual center of the phone’s design, but in some cases, they look and feel almost simply slapped on rather than being an integral part of the device.

The OPPO Find X5 Pro’s design distances itself from that crowd in two notable ways. The most important is also the most obvious, the fact that it doesn’t have a camera bump in the traditional sense. Yes, there is still a raised area to house the inevitably big camera hardware, but it is seamlessly integrated into the body of the phone. Rather than a separate bump made of metal, the Find X5 Pro’s array gently rises out of the phone’s back, more like a dune on the soft sands of the desert.

Even the cameras themselves lie flush against the flat surface of that mound. If it weren’t for the black rings around the lenses, it would almost look like they’re actually part of the back cover. This creates a visual continuity that’s often taken for granted in designs, especially in smartphones. There is nothing that forcibly calls attention to itself, generating a more pleasing aesthetic that lets the eyes gently flow over the phone’s back.

The OPPO Find X5 Pro also stands out as one of the very few to use ceramic in a regular, mass-produced edition of a phone, though it is only used on this “Pro” variant. Given how hard it is to work with the material, most manufacturers only apply ceramic on the back of more expensive limited editions. Ceramic is notoriously difficult to shape into specific forms, like the one that this phone has, so it’s a testament to OPPO’s skills that it is able to make it available to a wider audience at a more accessible price tag.

The decision to use ceramic instead of typical glass goes hand in hand with its “futuristic” fluid design. Ceramic feels warmer in the hands, as opposed to cold glass, but also dissipates heat better. It also has a bit more grip even when compared to matte glass, making it less likely to slip from your hand. It has almost the perfect texture to complement the Find X5 Pro’s smooth form, generating a sense of calmness when holding and looking at the phone. Overall, the OPPO Find X5 Pro’s design feels more “human” than any other phone out there, offering a product that almost stands out like an oasis amidst the chaotic world we live in today.

Ergonomics

As a tool, it’s not enough for the OPPO Find X5 Pro to be good to look at. It also needs to be good to hold and use, especially for something that stays in the hand most of the time. Fortunately, the phone does meet ergonomic standards, though probably less perfectly than its visual design. It’s comfortable to hold and settles into your hand securely, but it could prove to be a bit tiring after long periods of use.

The ceramic back is smooth but not slippery, especially compared to AG frosted or matte glass. There’s almost a slight stickiness to it even, though not exactly in a gross kind of way. Along with its natural warmth, the material makes the Find X5 Pro a joy to hold. And depending on how you hold the phone, you might even find yourself unconsciously brushing your index finger against the soft curves of the camera bump, almost like a fidget toy.

The phone, however, is also slightly heavier than most of its peers. It’s not uncomfortably hefty, mind, and you’ll only realize that fact when you try holding other phones as well. It might not matter much, but if you’re the type who tends to hold your phone for long periods of time, you might find your hand, wrist, or arm tiring more easily with the phone.

Unfortunately, the Find X5 Pro can’t escape being a fingerprint magnet, especially with the black finish where smudges are more visible. It takes a simple wipe to banish those marks, though, but sticklers for tidiness might want to grab the white one instead. Fortunately, that doesn’t get easily smudged and embodies the purity and serenity of the phone’s design even better.

Performance

We’re not going to bog you down with specs and numbers, mostly because the OPPO Find X5 Pro is a powerful machine that can stand head-to-head with the best that the smartphone market has to offer this year so far. It comes with the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and up to 12GB of RAM, but there’s no support for storage expansion, so you’ll have to make an upfront choice of what configuration you need when you buy it. There are a few standout details worth mentioning, though, that really make the phone shine.

The 6.7-inch 2K screen, for example, is bright and vibrant even under the sun. It boasts 1 billion colors, which will really make your photos pop, which goes perfectly well with its cameras. Designers and artists will appreciate how accurate the colors are, which is critical when trying to take photos and videos for reference.

In terms of specs, the Find X5 Pro’s crowning glory is really its camera system. On paper, the 50MP main camera might not sound like much, even if it has optical image stabilization. But thanks to the company’s new MariSilicon X chip, which was designed in-house, the images that its cameras produce look too good to be true. Fortunately, they really are.

Photos come out crisp and detailed, no matter the lighting condition. Of course, Night Mode has special tricks to make the scene look perfect, but nighttime photos, with just enough lighting, still look sharp even without that special mode. There’s no loss of detail when switching to ultra-wide because it has a similar 50MP sensor as the main camera. The 13MP telephoto camera, unfortunately, tells a slightly different story. With only 2x optical zoom, you might actually feel it’s not worth the loss in quality and stick to the main camera anyway.

In terms of software, the OPPO Find X5 Pro already runs the latest Android 12 with the company’s ColorOS 12.1 on top. It tries to stick as close to the vanilla Android experience, just with a few embellishments on top. Of course, there are also some major features you won’t find in Google’s version of Android, mostly around themes and customization. There are also your usual pre-installed apps, some of which can be uninstalled, thankfully. One, in particular, is quite interesting in how it meshes well with the overall theme of the phone. The new O Relax app uses a variety of sounds, including those associated with bustling cities, to create a relaxing audio space. Together with its design and ceramic material, this makes the OPPO Find X5 Pro one of the most calming phones on the market.

Sustainability

The Find X5 Pro scores high on most of our marks, but this is one area where the phone is sadly just like any other. Although the smartphone market is slowly taking steps towards more sustainable practices and materials, the Find X5 Pro doesn’t exhibit those efforts just yet. Just like many phones before it, it is a beautiful and high-performance phone that wasn’t designed to be easily repaired and recycled.

Admittedly, ceramic is a more sustainable material compared to plastic, but its costs will mean that repairs and replacements will be much higher as well. The phone is also sealed shut, making repairs more difficult. OPPO, of course, has its authorized service centers, but there is also a new trend these days where the likes of Apple, Google, and Samsung are opening their doors to third-party service providers. Other companies have yet to catch up to these, especially smaller brands that might not have the margins to afford that kind of business strategy.

To its credit, OPPO tries in its own small ways to at least prolong the life of its phones and delay their inevitable fate in garbage dumps. In particular, its battery health engine tries to preserve lithium-ion batteries for as long as it can, even going as far as “healing” them over time. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s still a step in the right direction.

Value

As a high-end phone, the OPPO Find X Pro is nearly perfect. It has powerful hardware that cuts through your daily tasks like a hot knife through butter. Its cameras are among some of the best we’ve seen in the market, proving the wisdom of the company’s investments in its own imaging processor. It has snappy and useful software that truly offers added value, though we could do without most of the bloatware.

In terms of product design, the phone scores even higher. Its seamless and fluid design is a strong statement against current design trends in the market. With its choice of ceramic and the new O Relax app, OPPO boldly embraced a theme that guided its overall design, offering an oasis of calm in your hands in the middle of chaotic times. As with its design, the Find X5 Pro looks and feels like a more holistic product than yet another phone with a laundry list of must-have features.

The one catch to its overall value is its availability. At $1,300, it is on the more expensive end of the price range, but the real problem will be availability. OPPO’s phones aren’t present in all markets, and the Find X5 Pro is even less so. But for those who do have a chance to get one, it’s almost a steal.

Verdict

Almost all smartphones, especially those from Samsung and Apple, talk heavily about the design process that goes into making their latest models. Few can actually claim to deliver something that will tickle the aesthetic taste buds of those with design inclinations. Although it’s not completely new, the design language that OPPO perfected in the Find X5 Pro this year definitely stands a chance in that area. It has won many awards, in fact, including our Best of MWC 2022.

It isn’t just a pretty face, though. Unlike most of its peers and rivals, the OPPO Find X5 Pro actually has a story to tell and a message to get across. Its seamless design, its choice of materials, and even its software all point to a single theme, one that puts design thinking and attention to detail on a pedestal. In effect, the Find X5 Pro has graduated from being just another premium phone or even just a product. It has become a lifestyle choice.

The post OPPO Find X5 Pro Review first appeared on Yanko Design.

PROS:

• Brilliant new platform


• Improved throttle response from gutsy 2.4L boxer, no turbo lag


• One of the world’s best handling cars for $36,000

CONS:

• The design was toned down from concept car


• A bolder red on the seats would enhance interior design


• Export model won’t get latest EyeSight X tech

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS

ERGONOMICS

PERFORMANCE

VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

Off the line, the new 2.4-liter turbo’s throttle response is noticeably sharper and the extra punch exiting corners is addictive as is its composure under heavy braking.

Few car names invoke as much passion, awe, and anticipation as the WRX. Just say those three letters and car nuts everywhere get sweaty palms as they know you’re talking about the road-going version of Subaru’s legendary World Rally Championship winning all-wheel-drive turbo. And for 2022, a radical new version will land in showrooms keeping that legacy alive.

The WRX outlasted its arch rival

The Impreza WRX (‘Impreza’ preface dropped in 2013) first appeared in 1992, at the same time as its arch rival, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. For the next two decades, with successive generations, these two pocket rockets battled each other in the WRC, on rally stages around the world, and for street kudos like two aging gladiators fighting for the ultimate honor in a colosseum. But the Subaru ended up outlasting the Mitsubishi when the Evo went out of production 5 years ago. Over a span of 9 years from 1995, the WRX won three manufacturer’s championships and three driver titles, putting those three letters—WRX—firmly on the map and giving the car cult-like status in sports car and gaming circles.

The car, however, was not always referred to as just ‘WRX.’ Up until 2014, the Impreza WRX and the base-model Impreza sat on the same platform. When Subaru decided to give the WRX a new platform in 2014 when building the fifth generation of the car, differentiating it from the base Impreza, they dropped the ‘Impreza’ preface, kept those three tell-tale letters, and added ‘S4.’

Now, some 29 years after the original version debuted, the fifth generation WRX export model has just been revealed in its final production form at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. And I got to test drive the range-topping WRX GT model to the limit at Sodegaura Forest Raceway, one hour southeast of Tokyo. Boasting a totally new body, enhanced 4WD system, all-new platform with stiffer rigidity, totally new interior and a new larger capacity 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four engine, the new model aims for enhanced performance and handling while delivering better economy and cleaner emissions. More on that new engine in a moment.

WRX concept’s extreme body toned down for final production model

But before I get into the car’s performance and on-road manners, let’s go back a few years and see where this new model came from. First unveiled at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, the extreme ‘Subaru Viziv Performance Concept’ (pictured below) gave us a sneak peek at what a new WRX might look like. With its wide and low stance, superb wedge-shaped silhouette, massively flared fenders, rugby ball-sized brake ducts, sharp, aggressive front end and quadruple exhaust pipes, the concept looked like a Scud missile on four wheels. Considered one of the best-looking cars of the show, and arguably Subaru’s most aesthetically appealing concept car ever, hopes were high in motoring circles that Subaru beancounters would retain as much of those sporty, in-your-face lines and edges as possible when the new WRX came to market.

However, while the new car does sit on the brand’s highly acclaimed Subaru Global Platform, shared by the Outback and Forester, the extreme styling traits were watered down. As so often happens when a new model is transformed from concept to road-going version, the new WRX did manage to keep some aspects of the concept like the concept’s sharp hexagonal grille and headlight contours, but saw those awesome flared fenders and over-the-top silhouette toned down for the mass market.

But while the production model now offers more conservative design influences, it does however still feature typically characteristic WRX styling traits like a large hood scoop to feed air to the intercooler, and chunky blacked-out trim on the wheel arches and side skirts is a nod to its off-road potential, according to one Subaru staffer.

Playing the devil’s advocate, however, at first glance these dullish black plastic surrounds take some getting used to and are rather controversial in the motoring world, to say the least. They make the WRX look more like an awkward Forester sedan than a high-performance sedan. On the positive side, these black parts do work aesthetically to give the car a slightly thinner-looking side profile, which in turn, makes the WRX seem as though it means business. The rear wing has also been subtly integrated into the trunk design to help shift the car away from its long-time boy racer image. Although we can expect to see a snow board-sized rear wing on the hot WRX STI model slated for launch in a year or so.

Subaru’s design department also highlights a few functional styling upgrades that help to elevate the new WRX’s dynamic performance. In addition to new functional brake ducts at the front corners of the car that channel air into the wheel arches to cool the brakes, new air outlets behind the front wheels reduce lift on the front tires and improve overall stability at speed. In addition, new air outlets at the rear of the car help to streamline the WRX and stop air from getting trapped under the rear bumper. One designer even pointed to the special aerodynamic texture of the engine under tray that reduces air resistance to improve front-end downforce as a special feature of the aero package. To further reinforce the new WRX’s image into an increasingly discerning market, Subaru has also added a new ‘solar orange pearl’ body color to a range of eight colors.

WRX gets a more driver-focused cockpit with flat-bottomed wheel

It is inside the car where the WRX’s reinvention is most obvious. Aiming to bring the new model into line with more upmarket European sports models, the new cockpit features a driver-focused layout with a flat-bottomed steering wheel and a generous amount of leather, faux-leather, and soft cloth with bright red stitching gracing the seats, steering wheel and dashboard. The idea behind the cloth finish on the seat base is to hold drivers better in their seats when cornering at high speeds.

Carbon-fiber and chrome accents around the air-conditioner outlets, doors, center console, and steering wheel add a touch of class while the huge iPad-sized 11.6 inch HD touchscreen delivers Subaru’s latest Starling infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto built-in. The touchscreen provides high-quality clear graphics and a quick to the touch reaction time when selecting menus.

Two-tone burgundy and dark grey optional seats are made by Recaro and offer excellent lumber and back support. To be honest, however, I feel Subaru could have been more adventurous with their color choices, especially the dull burgundy hue on the seat. Given that Subaru is trying to take the WRX upmarket and appeal to a slightly more mature buyer, it would have been good to see a brighter red used to contrast with the seat’s dark grey and black tones, while a red or signature STI-style dark pink stripe on the seatbelts would have enhanced the interior ambiance no end.

One feature that certainly does enhance the driving experience is the premium Harmon Kardon audio which uses a high performance class-D amplifier pumping out 504 Watts of power that sends your music through its 11-speaker sound system.

The Driving Experience

With the new WRX’s powerplant, don’t expect to find any electric motors or hybrid options. This car packs a new Subaru 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine – a format employed by every WRX since the original 1992 model. In this new guise, it pumps out 271-hp (up 3hp over the predecessor) and 258 lb-ft (43-hp and 74 lb-ft more than the naturally aspirated unit in the BRZ) and boasts a twin-scroll turbocharger. The torque curve has been broadened to deliver peak output from 2000 rpm to 5200 rpm and it is clear to see that the extra 400cc of displacement, along with a new electronically controlled turbo wastegate and bypass valves, all combine to improve throttle response and nullify turbo lag. Keep the turbo purring above 3500 rpm and you’ll have a gutsy instant boost of acceleration every time you need it. Off the line, the WRX is noticeable quicker and the extra punch exiting corners is addictive. Power goes to both axles via a 6-speed manual gearbox or a new 8-speed automatic Subaru Performance Transmission (SPT) said to offer 30% faster upshifts and 50% quicker downshifts.

Unfortunately the Japanese spec I drove only offered the SPT as the 6-speed manual is not offered in its home country. This 8-speed gearbox is basically a rehashed continuously variable transmission, but meticulously tuned to offer eight distinct gear ratios, which are surprisingly distinguishable, but with a more aggressive shift logic that provides quicker and beefier throttle response across the entire powerband.

The U.S.-spec model might not get the all-new ‘EyeSight X’ technology fitted to the Japanese spec WRX GT, but it does get a tweaked version of the predecessor’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology that monitors traffic, optimizes adaptive cruise control, and warns you when you sway outside of your lane. This tech also offers automatic pre-collision braking and automatic emergency steering that can steer away from an oncoming obstacle when there is a clear path and braking alone may not be enough to avoid an accident.

On the road, the WRX can only be described as masterful and gripping. The new WRX GT really does handle superbly and delivers its power effortlessly and seamlessly thanks to its new 2.4-liter turbo boxer that feeds power to the road through a new rapid shifting 8-speed auto transmission. It may not be as quick or convincing as, say, a VW DSG 7-speed gearbox, but it certainly does the job.

The WRX GT is fitted with a bespoke drive-mode select switch which adjusts the car’s powertrain, electronically-controlled dampers, and power steering to suit the driver’s needs. With overhauled front suspension, 18-inch Dunlop SP Sports Maxx tires, quicker steering, and ventilated disc brakes all round, Subaru claims the WRX boasts “the highest levels of dynamic performance and ride comfort in its history”. I might have to agree. This car gets the business of going quick safely with the minimum of fuss. When pushed to the max, the WRX jumps off the line faster than its predecessor, stays flatter in the corners than any WRX before it, and resists understeer more than any other Subaru before it.

Its steering is quick and pinpoints with plenty of feedback from the road while its power delivery is instant and effortless. What will impress more discerning buyers is the top-class ride quality that the WRX offers thanks to its new platform and suspension setup.

Prices and Options

Prices have not been released yet, but in the U.S. we can expect the WRX GT to slot into its flagship role at around $36,000, with the entry-level model starting at around $30,000. Expect the WRX STI to hover around $40,000. Competitors to the WRX include the Volkswagen Golf GTI and the new Hyundai Elantra N which is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter developing 276-hp.

As pressure is being put on automakers to switch to electrification and phase out their gasoline engines over the next decade, I asked an engineer why he and his team went to so much trouble to produce such a thrilling car. “We wanted to go out on a high, extracting everything possible from our decades of continuous development and accumulation of high performance technology and all-wheel-drive handling from our rally program. We wanted to squeeze every drop of passion and pace out of our flagship sports car and honor its WRC successes while paying tribute to our legions of fans around the world that have stuck with us over all these years.” Good way to go out fellas. Can’t wait for the stonking WRX STI in a year or so. That’ll be something really special.

The post 2022 Subaru WRX Review first appeared on Yanko Design.