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Best E-Bike Deals: 7 Great Sales to Check Out Right Now
Best E-Bike Deals: 7 Great Sales to Check Out Right Now
Electric bikes are getting more and more popular, especially for city-dwelling commuters who want to reduce their carbon footprints without breaking out into a full sweat on their way to work. E-bikes are also a rising trend for students who want to get from one side of the campus to the next without being late for class. Whatever your reason is for looking for an e-bike, we've rounded up some of the best deals out there. These e-bikes range in price and capabilities, so you're sure to find something within your budget that will meet your riding needs.
Amazon
Equipped with a powerful 750-watt high-speed motor to propel it with speeds up to 28 miles an hour, this bike can cover 25 to 40 miles on a full charge. It has a removable battery that can be charged at home or in the office. It also comes with a one-year warranty for the battery, charger, motor and controller. It retails for $1,799 but you can save 11% and an additional $100 at checkout
Amazon
The TotGuard e-bike comes with large 27.5-inch tires, which provide a comfortable ride, a waterproof 48-volt lithium battery and an ABS LCD display that shows your battery and speed The bike can top speeds of 21.6 miles per hour. It was originally $900, but this e-bike is now 13% off.
Amazon
This e-bike can go up to 30 miles per hour, and can travel 70 to 84 miles on a single charge of its 48-volt battery. The removable battery lasts about 1,000 charges. Equipped with hydraulic brakes and front air suspension to keep you safe and comfortable, this bike can adapt to various terrains. It's priced at $1,600 but you can save $200 with a coupon applied at checkout.
Amazon
Go up to 40 miles per charge with this 350-watt e-bike. With just a 15-minute charge, you can cruise for seven miles. On a full charge with a top speed of 20 miles per hour, you can travel between 26 and 40 miles. It has 26-inch wheels and a 21-speed gear system. The full price is $850, but this bike is on sale for $760. Save an extra $150 with a coupon applied at checkout.
Amazon
Wallke F3 500W 7-speed e-bike
Save $500
This e-bike has fat tires that are perfect for cruising on the beach. You can reach speeds of up to 25 miles per hour and travel up to 35 miles on a single charge while on Eco Mode. It comes with a one-year warranty and lifetime technical support. The full price is $1,599, but you can save $500 at checkout with an on-site coupon.
Charge bikes
Charge bikes is offering $300 off all of their e-bikes right now, so it's a perfect time to grab one. This Thru Bike features a 50-mile range on a single charge and a top speed of 20 miles per hour. The Comfort 2 is designed for an easy, comfortable ride and is made by the makers of Schwinn bikes. The bike is entirely foldable, making it ideal for compact living spaces.
Best Gas Credit Cards for September 2022: Earn Rewards for Your Gas Spending
Best Gas Credit Cards for September 2022: Earn Rewards for Your Gas Spending
Whether you're commuting to work or taking a summer road trip, using a gas credit card is a good way to put some rewards back in your pocket for spending you have to make.
These cards are designed with high rewards rates specifically on gas and gas station purchases -- you can earn up to 5% of your gas costs back, among other perks like welcome bonuses, grocery rewards and introductory APRs. The picks below fit a variety of needs, so there's sure to be a good choice for your wallet.
Intro OfferEarn $200 in cash back after you spend $750 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
APR16.24% - 26.24% (Variable)
Intro Purchase APR0% for 15 months on purchases
Recommended Credit Excellent, Good
Reward Rates
Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter.
Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Annual Fee$0
Intro Balance Transfer APR0% for 15 months on balance transfers
Balance Transfer APR16.24% - 26.24% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Late Payment Fee Up to $41
Foreign Transaction Fees 3%
Penalty APR Up to 29.99% (Variable)
Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter.
Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Our Take
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card allows cardholders to earn 5% cash back on their highest eligible spending category, on up to $500 of expenditure within a billing cycle, then 1%. Gas stations are an eligible category. This 5% gets applied automatically depending on your spending within the billing cycle, so be sure to use this card primarily for gas. For most commuters, this card will maximize your cash-back earnings on gas savings over all others.
Other eligible spending categories include restaurants, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and live entertainment.
Check out our full review of the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card.
Intro OfferFor a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
APR18.24% - 26.24% (Variable)
Intro Purchase APRN/A
Recommended Credit Excellent, Good
Reward Rates
Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Annual Fee$95
Balance Transfer APR18.24% - 26.24% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Late Payment Fee Up to $41
Foreign Transaction Fees 0%
Penalty APR Up to 29.99% (Variable)
Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Our Take
The Citi Premier Card is a great option for anyone who does most of their spending at gas stations (and supermarkets, restaurants, hotels or air travel). When you spend in those categories, you'll earn 3x points for every dollar you spend, compared with just 1x points per dollar in all other spending categories. And you can earn points at gas stations worldwide.
These points can be redeemed for 1 cent each as a statement credit -- essentially netting you 3% return on gas station purchases. Plus, there's no cap on the amount you can earn the 3x points on. The only downside is its $95 annual fee, so make sure you're earning enough in rewards to make up for it. Check out our full review of the Citi Premier Card for more details on its other benefits.
Intro OfferEarn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
APR16.24%-27.24% Variable
Intro Purchase APR0% on purchases for 12 months
Recommended Credit Excellent, Good
Reward Rates
6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
1% Cash Back on other purchases
Annual Fee$95
Intro Balance Transfer APR0% on balance transfers for 12 months
Balance Transfer APR16.24%-27.24% Variable
Balance Transfer Fee Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Late Payment Fee Up to $40
Foreign Transaction Fees 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.
Penalty APR 29.99% Variable
6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
1% Cash Back on other purchases
Our Take
The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express offers high cash-back rates for U.S. gas stations at 3%. But if you don't drive, or commute via public transit or ride-share often, you also get 3% back on those purchases (and parking, tolls, buses, trains and more). In addition to these great transit rewards, you can also earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 of spending per year, then 1%, and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Intro OfferIntro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match - only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There's no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
APR14.49% - 23.49% Variable
Intro Purchase APR0% for 6 months
Recommended Credit Fair/New to Credit
Reward Rates
Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter.
Earn 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
Annual Fee$0
Intro Balance Transfer APR10.99% for 6 months
Balance Transfer APR14.49% - 23.49% Variable
Balance Transfer Fee 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
Late Payment Fee None the first time you pay late. After that, up to $41.
Foreign Transaction Fees None
Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter.
Earn 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
Our Take
The Discover it® Student chrome* is designed to help make credit more accessible for students and to help them build credit, but it still has surprisingly good rewards. You'll earn 2% on gas station and restaurant spending (on up to $1,000 in combined purchases per quarter, then 1%). You'll also earn 1% cash back on all other purchases, as well as an Unlimited Cashback Match at the end of your first year, as is tradition with Discover cards. Because it's a student card, it doesn't come with some of the other perks you might expect.
Intro OfferEarn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
APR15.49% - 21.49% Variable
Intro Purchase APR0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months
Recommended Credit Good, Excellent
Reward Rates
Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
Annual Fee$0
Balance Transfer APR15.49% - 21.49% Variable
Balance Transfer Fee Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign Transaction Fees 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
Penalty APR Up to 29.99%
Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
Our Take
If you need a gas credit card for your small business, consider the Chase Ink Business Cash card. It's one of the best business credit cards on the market right now. Not only does it offer cash-back rewards on categories that businesses often need like office supplies and telecommunications, but it also offers 2% cash back on gas station purchases (on up to $25,000 in combined gas station and restaurant purchases each year) -- netting you up to $500 in cash back per year just on gas station purchases. And despite the business perks and great welcome bonus, it has no annual fee and a 0% introductory APR on purchases for 12 months (15.49% to 21.49% variable APR thereafter).
Intro OfferN/A
APR15.90% or 23.90% Variable
Intro Purchase APRN/A
Recommended Credit Excellent/Good Credit
Reward Rates
5% cash back on gas anywhere (up to $6,000)
Plus members earn 3% back on eligible purchases when shopping in-club or digitally through Sam's Club when they use their Sam's Club Mastercard and another 2% back from their Plus membership, for a total of up to 5% rewards on eligible purchases.
3% cash back on dining and takeout
1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Annual Fee$0
Foreign Transaction Fees $0
5% cash back on gas anywhere (up to $6,000)
Plus members earn 3% back on eligible purchases when shopping in-club or digitally through Sam's Club when they use their Sam's Club Mastercard and another 2% back from their Plus membership, for a total of up to 5% rewards on eligible purchases.
3% cash back on dining and takeout
1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Our Take
If you're a Sam's Club member, then this Mastercard might be a good option for a gas credit card. With the Sam's Club Mastercard*, not only do you earn 5% cash back on gas purchases at Sam's Club, but you earn the same 5% back at all other gas stations (on the first $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1%). It's an especially attractive card if you're a Sam's Club Plus member and can take advantage of the higher cash back at the store. However, this card doesn't come with many of the perks you'd expect of another rewards credit card, such as a large welcome bonus or 0% introductory APR.
Check out our full review of the Sam's Club Mastercard for more details.
Intro OfferN/A
APR17.49% (Variable)
Intro Purchase APRN/A
Recommended Credit Excellent
Reward Rates
4% cash back on eligible gas for the first $7,000 per year and then 1% thereafter
3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases
2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com
1% cash back on all other purchases
Annual Fee$0
Balance Transfer APR17.49% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Late Payment Fee Up to $41
Foreign Transaction Fees 0%
Penalty APR Up to 29.99% (Variable)
4% cash back on eligible gas for the first $7,000 per year and then 1% thereafter
3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases
2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com
1% cash back on all other purchases
Our Take
If you're a Costco member -- or willing to become one -- the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi* offers 4% cash back on eligible gas for up to $7,000 per year (then 1%). Technically there isn't an annual fee to maintain an account, but you'll need to pay $60 annually for a Costco membership. If you're averaging around $135 per week or less in gas, the 4% cash-back rate can cover your gas bill for the year. The catch is that you can only redeem your rewards on an annual basis.
For more details on how to redeem these rewards and other features, check out our full review of the Costco Anywhere Visa Card.
FAQs
What is a gas credit card?
A gas credit card is one that rewards cardholders for spending at gas stations. Most gas credit cards aren't offered by gas stations themselves. Instead, other credit card issuers offer bonus rewards on gas purchases, among others. The best gas credit cards offer up to 5% back on gas purchases, but most offer 2% to 3%.
What credit score do I need for a gas credit card?
The credit score you need to qualify for a gas credit card depends on the specific card you apply for. Most credit cards on this list require a good credit score of 670 or higher. That being said, some may have stricter requirements.
On the other hand, cards like the Discover it Student chrome are designed for lower-credit borrowers and may require only average credit.
Who should get a gas credit card?
Gas credit cards can be an excellent option for anyone who does a lot of driving and would see a financial benefit from increased rewards on gas purchases. Consider this: If you spend $250 per month (which amounts to $3,000 per year) on gas, then a card that offers 3% cash back on gas could help you score an extra $90 per year in gas purchases alone. With a card offering 1% cash back on gas, the same amount of spending would result in just $30 per year in cash back.
Is it better to get a cash-back card or a gas credit card?
A cash-back credit card offers you a percentage of cash back on your spending -- either overall at a flat rate or on certain spending categories. A gas credit card is a type of cash-back card that specifically rewards you when you spend money at gas stations.
One of the benefits of the credit cards on our list is that they don't just reward you for your gas purchases. Instead, they're general cash-back credit cards that happen to include gas as one of their bonus categories. As a result, you can earn higher cash back for your gas purchases (and other spending categories) while still earning baseline rewards for all of your spending.
Our methodology
CNET reviews credit cards by exhaustively comparing them across set criteria developed for each major category, including cash-back, welcome bonus, travel rewards and balance transfer. We take into consideration the typical spending behavior of a range of consumer profiles -- with the understanding that everyone's financial situation is different -- and the designated function of a card.
For cash-back credit cards, for example, key factors include the annual fee, the "welcome bonus" and the cash-back rate (or rates, if they differ by spending category). For rewards and miles cards, we calculate and weigh the net monetary value of a card's respective perks. And with balance transfer credit cards, we analyze specs such as the duration of the introductory 0% APR period and the balance transfer fee, while acknowledging secondary factors such as the standard APR and the length of time you have to make a balance transfer after you open the account.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express, click here .
*All information about the Discover it Student chrome, Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi, and Sam's Club Mastercard was collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
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T-Fal FZ7002 Actifry review: Even superb fries don't make this a good deal
T-Fal FZ7002 Actifry review: Even superb fries don't make this a good deal
Stir, fry on automatic
As air fryers go, the Actifry's size is pretty average, which means it's quite large. The appliance won't take up as much counter space as a toaster oven, but it has a bigger footprint than most coffee makers and four-slice toasters. Thankfully its profile is low enough to slide easily under kitchen cabinets.
Physically the fryer consists of two sections. A main circular unit that's squat and bulbous. Inside, under the flip-open lid, is its cooking pan and mixing paddle.The pan has a handle that flips down and out of the way while you cook.
At the center of the pan is the cone-shaped paddle. The device clamps down onto the pan and locks into place, holding them together. In this position, the hollow part of the paddle's cone rests on a rotating spindle. The spindle enters through a hole below the pan. You can pull the pan out of the fryer simply by flipping its handle up and lifting upwards.
The Actifry's second section is a flat control panel. It sits on a rounded bump that extends a few inches from the back of the fryer. The panel is refreshingly simple, with just two buttons: an "on/off switch" and a "timer setting button." In between them is a small LCD screen. Aside from two fat buttons on the front to open the lid, these are the Actifry's only controls.
A latch inside the lid detaches it from the Actifry's hinge. The lid, pan and paddle are all dishwasher safe. Compared to other big air fryers like the $300 Philips Airfryer XXL, I found the Actifry's parts a cinch to hand wash as well.
So simple it's scary
This Actifry model has the most elemental controls I've seen on an air fryer. Other air fryers such as the Philips Airfryer Avance, Krupps Fry Delight, Black and Decker Purify and DeLonghi Multifry all let you control two things -- power and temperature. Not so with the Actifry. You can turn it on or off. That's about it. The air fryer's internal heat level is out of your hands.
It certainly makes cooking with the Actifry dead simple, at least in theory. First, secure the pan and paddle stirrer in place. Next put your food in, close the lid and start it up. Within a few seconds, the paddle begins to rotate slowly. As with the DeLonghi Multifry, the digital timer and cooking functions aren't connected. So, when the timer counts down to zero the air fryer doesn't not turn off. You have to remember to do that yourself.
The Actifry can air-fry up to 2.2 pounds of frozen french fries at a time.
Brian Bennett/CNET
Performance and taste
The Actifry may not be a monster of an air fryer like the Philips Airfryer XXL (1.4kg capacity) but it still has lots of room. The fryer's 1kg pan can accommodate up to 2.2-pound batches of fries, meatballs, nuggets and other frozen items.
My 23.3-ounce test sample of frozen crinkle-cut french fries (no oil) took 30 minutes to cook in the Actifry. Its roughly the quantity that fits on a standard baking sheet. That's longer than the Philips Airfryer XXL (23 minutes), Philips Avance (18 minutes), Simple Chef (24 minutes), Philips Via (23 minutes) and Krups Fry Delight (27 minutes).
The Actifry made the best tasting frozen French fries we've had from an air fryer.
Brian Bennett/CNET
That said the T-Fal's fries were consistently the best we've tasted from any air fryer, coming out superbly crispy, with a creamy, light inner texture.This was true even with fries of different sizes. Hand-cut fries were just as tasty when cooked in the Actifry. They were also uniformly golden brown and delicious. For best results I had to pour 1 tablespoon of oil directly into the Actifry's pan. Tossing the fries with oil in a bowl first left too much oil behind.
Chicken wings the Actifry cooked were fine but their skin wasn't crispy enough.
Brian Bennett/CNET
Chicken wings, while fine, are not the Actifry's forte. The skin of wings I cooked (without oil) was not that crisp. Rendered fat from the chicken collected in pan. The fryer slowly dredged the wings through this grease thanks to the mixing paddle. The resulting skin was oily, not crackly or crisp.
Tragedy struck when I tried to whip up some risotto in the Actifry. My test recipe calls for 2 cups of chicken broth mixed in with mushrooms, rice, onions and other aromatics. Somehow the mixing paddle wasn't connected properly to the pan. In turn the paddle didn't form a watertight seal.
Risotto the Actifry managed to create was bad, but edible.
Brian Bennett/CNET
Cooking liquid then leaked from the pan into the hot plate below. The leak continued to spill out of the fryer and onto the counter. A second risotto attempt was less eventful but the results were disappointing. The rice was cooked unevenly and the texture was mushy. Still, the risotto was edible. That wasn't the case when I tried to make the dish in the DeLonghi MultiFry.
Great fries are not enough
There's no question that the $200 T-Fal Actifry FZ7002 is an interesting air fryer option. It cooks french fries, both frozen and fresh, extremely well. For diehard pommes frites fans, that's reason enough to splurge on this pricey machine. For ordinary shoppers though, giving up precious counter space for a mainly one-trick appliance is a nonstarter.
If the Actifry cost less, then perhaps it would be an option. Or if the fryer could handle sauces and other wet ingredients without the risk of a huge mess. Then the Actifry would be worth it to many people. As it stands though, you're better off getting your fried food fix from the more affordable $70 Simple Chef Air Fryer.
Are you curious about all the other air fryers we tested out? Check out our air fryer roundup here.
Asus ROG Phone review: The best way to play games on Android
Asus ROG Phone review: The best way to play games on Android
If you can't tell from the angular lines, exposed copper heat sinks and pulsating light-up logo, the Asus ROG Phone is designed for gaming. While I can't say the looks are my cup of tea, there will be plenty of people who think this styling looks badass. And it's nice to see a phone maker go for something different.
But what exactly makes this a gaming phone? Well let's start with the AMOLED display that can refresh 90 times a second -- a first for any OLED phone. The higher refresh rate means less motion blur and faster response times. It's not as high as the Razer Phone 2's 120Hz LCD screen, but the fast refresh times are a noticeable improvement over other phones when playing certain games. And even though the ROG's screen looks nice, sometimes it was too dim even at its brightest setting.
Pressure sensitive buttons called AirTriggers
Perhaps one of the coolest and most innovative features on the ROG Phone is AirTriggers. These are pressure sensitive corners that double as bumper buttons for games. I've used phones with pressure sensitive features before like the Pixel 3 where you can squeeze the sides to open Google Assistant. But Asus' approach here is by far my favorite implementation of the technology on phones.
In landscape gameplay, the top right and left corners of the phone have pressure sensitive sensors that can be used as bumper buttons.
Aloysius Low/CNET
AirTriggers can be programmed for specific functions. For example in PUBG, I assigned one to fire a weapon and another to crouch. It's a curious solution to the lack of physical controls on phones and yet it's so well-implemented and feels so intuitive that I became much more immersed in the games I played.
The curved bezels and sides make the phone incredibly comfortable to hold especially in landscape. The speakers, dotted with copper colored grills, are wonderfully loud and sound fantastic. They're right up there with the amazing speakers on the Razer Phone 2 in terms of being able to produce bombastic high-quality sound.
(Top photo) With AirTriggers activated, a blue circle "L1" and red circle "R1" appear onscreen. (Bottom photo) I dragged the circles on top of controls for firing a weapon and crouching. Now when I tap the top right corner of the phone it throws a punch or fires a weapon.
PUBG
ROG X mode and AeroActive cooler
The ROG has two USB-C ports, one on the bottom and one on the side so when you're playing games in landscape mode the power cord doesn't get in the way of your hands. The side port also supports accessories like a detachable fan called the AeroActive cooler which comes with the phone.
Now, it might seem silly to attach a fan to the back of your phone, but it makes a big difference in terms of performance, especially if you're going to be playing a game for 20 to 30 minutes without a break. The fan keeps the phone from getting too hot to hold and along with a software setting called "X mode" lets the processor run at its highest speed for longer during gameplay.
The detachable AeroActive cooler keeps the phone cool during gameplay and along with Asus' X mode improves processor performance.
Josh Miller/CNET
Quick break for a Patrick thought: I'm neutral on the detachable fan. I have a strong fear I'd lose it, but the gain in performance is beyond impressive especially when I played a game for a long amount of time. But then, I am attaching a fan to my phone which seems like a clunky solution.
But don't get me wrong, you don't need the fan and X mode to use this phone in everyday tasks. The phone opens apps lighting fast, even big ones like the camera. Android animations are peppy and appear smooth. There's no lag when processing and saving photos.
I ran GeekBench 4 when I first got the ROG without the fan and X mode enabled and got a single-core score of 1,413 and a multi-core score of 5,592. Then I ran it again with the fan attached and X mode turned on and got 2,556 for single-core and 8,445 for multi-core. That ranks it up there with the Razer Phone 2, Galaxy Note 9 and OnePlus 6 as one of the fastest current Android phones.
However, Apple'siPhone XS is in another league in terms of raw processing power and performance -- and it doesn't require a detachable fan. Check out the results of our performance tests below.
3DMark Slingshot Unlimited
Asus ROG Phone6,438Razer Phone 26,526Galaxy Note 96,344OnePlus 66,275iPhone XS8,309
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited
Asus ROG Phone62,751Razer Phone 263,253Galaxy Note 958,832OnePlus 662,952iPhone XS76,823
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Geekbench v.4.0 single-core
Asus ROG Phone2,556Razer Phone 22,417Galaxy Note 92,406OnePlus 62,454iPhone XS4,816
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Geekbench v.4.0 multicore
Asus ROG Phone8,445Razer Phone 28,905Galaxy Note 98,827OnePlus 69,068iPhone XS11,585
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Camera and battery life
Then there's all the regular phone stuff. It has a 4,000-mAh battery that lasted an incredible 15 hours and 5 minutes battery life in CNET's battery lab test for continuous video playback on airplane mode.
Image quality from the dual rear cameras is good. They capture a nice amount of detail. HDR mode adds a bit more dynamic range without going over the top with highlights and shadows. Take a look at the photos below I took inside a cafe: one with HDR enabled and the other with it off. Notice how the HDR captures the details outside the door and windows whereas the non-HDR photo just shows a white blob of clipped highlights.
The second rear camera gives you a wider field of view so you can pack more into your frame. And it is really wide. I found it great for moments I wanted to take a panorama but didn't want to go through that capture process. I also liked putting the camera on the wide-angle setting and placing the phone super close to an object in the foreground to create a perspective effect.
This was taken with the ROG's main 12-megapixel camera rear camera.
Patrick Holland/CNET
This was taken with the second rear camera that is wide-angle. I was standing in the same place when I took this photo and the one above.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Video looks decent but definitely suffers in low-light situations. The ROG has slow motion in 1080p resolution at 240 frames per second. It's not as impressive as the iPhone XS, but it is definitely worth trying.
Below are some more photos I took with the Asus ROG Phone.
Here's a photo of Stella the cat. Notice the detail in her fur.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Even with HDR, the ROG doesn't have the dynamic range abilities of the Pixel 3 or iPhone XS. But it still does a decent job with this sunset over Twin Peaks.
Patrick Holland/CNET
The ROG handles this indoor shot of a Four Barrel cappuccino pretty well. I noticed the phone tends to protect highlights -- look at that foam.
Patrick Holland/CNET
The ROG has a tendency to underexpose images like this one of the California Street cable car.
Patrick Holland/CNET
This photo was taken at sunrise. Low-light shots aren't this phone's strength. Notice the noise in the building on the right.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Asus ZenMotion and (sigh) ZenMoji
There's also a cool feature called ZenMotion. When the screen is asleep you can draw a letter on it to launch an app. Draw a "W" to unlock the phone and open the weather app or a "C" to open the camera. Besides showing this feature off to my friends, I didn't find myself using it but once or twice.
For those of you inclined, there is an app called ZenMoji that maps an AR cartoon avatar of an animal like a horse, cat or bear over your face. The characters are pretty adorable and yet another entry in the animated emoji wars: Apple has Memoji, Samsung has AR Emoji, LG has animated emoji and Huawei has 3D Live Emoji. You'll never be at a loss of ways to express yourself.
The ZenMoji rabbit winking.
Asus
Asus designed a lot of gaming accessories for the ROG that really take it beyond just playing games on a mobile phone. Accessories include:
In the TwinView dock, the phone sits on top, while it runs the game on another display below.
Aloysius Low/CNET
TwinView Dock: It transforms the phone into a Nintendo DS-like dual screen device and adds two physical shoulder buttons, a 6,000mAh battery and a selfie camera to stream and record yourself as you play.
The Gamevice controller for the ROG Phone.
Aloysius Low/CNET
Gamevice controller: The ROG fits in the middle of the vice like device which has dual joysticks, fire triggers, bumpers, a D-pad and all the buttons you'd expect.
WiGig Display Dock: Stream content wirelessly from your ROG Phone to a TV with minimal latency.
Here's how the ROG Phone sits in the Mobile Desktop Dock.
Aloysius Low/CNET
Mobile Desktop Dock: Turn the ROG into a mini gaming rig complete with nearly every port you can imagine: HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, USB-3.1, micro-USB, Ethernet, headphone jack and an SD card reader.
Professional Dock - It has less ports than the Mobile Desktop Dock but has HDMI for a monitor and two USB ports for a keyboard and mouse.
All of these are sold separately and there's currently no word on pricing or availability.
Asus ROG Phone is definitely for gamers
The Asus ROG Phone is designed inside and out for gamers. The 128GB model costs $899 which converts to £690 and AU$1,265 while the 512GB model is $1,099 converts to £840 and AU$1,545. The Razer Phone 2 costs $100 less, but you get less battery life.
I didn't expect to like the ROG as much as I did. The extras really do make a difference in how this thing performs: the AirTriggers, X mode and the fan actually work to enhance the gaming experience. But the ROG also has a solid camera and a great battery life.
While I wouldn't recommend this to nongamers (the Pixel 3, OnePlus 6 and Galaxy Note 9 are better all-around choices), if you're a gamer trying to decide between this and the Razer Phone 2, Asus has the edge when it comes to controls and optional accessories. Of course that edge comes at a higher price.
Personally I find the design of the Razer Phone 2 much more appealing as a phone and high-end mobile gaming device. And even without a fan, it beat the ROG in nearly every performance test I ran.
Yet as I write this, Apple is preparing to ship the iPhone XR which costs less than either the Razer or the ROG, has bonkers processing power -- although we've yet to test it -- and access to a larger library of games on iOS. It doesn't have a high-refresh rate display or pressure sensitive buttons, but it's definitely a worthy consideration for a gaming phone.
Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram coming back online after widespread outage
Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram coming back online after widespread outage
Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram are starting to come back online after a widespread outage lasted more than six hours on Monday, disrupting communications for the company's roughly 3 billion users.
"To the huge community of people and businesses around the world who depend on us: we're sorry. We've been working hard to restore access to our apps and services and are happy to report they are coming back online now. Thank you for bearing with us," Facebook said in a tweet.
The three social networks -- all owned by Facebook -- started having issues around 11:40 a.m. ET, according to Down Detector, a crowdsourced website that tracks online outages.
The company acknowledged that it was having issues shortly after noon ET, saying in a tweet from its WhatsApp account that it's "working to get things back to normal and will send an update here as soon as possible." Similar messages were shared on the Twitter accounts for Facebook and Facebook Messenger.
Hours later, Facebook CTO Mike Schroepfer said in a tweet that the company was "experiencing networking issues" and working as fast as possible "debug and restore" its services.
Facebook later said in a company blog that it believed a "faulty configuration" change was the cause of the outage
The outage -- and the resulting reaction on Twitter -- underscores both our dependency on the social networks and the love-hate relationship they inspire. Being unable to post on Facebook or Instagram elicited equal parts frustration and relief, with some relishing the break from being constantly connected to our digital lives. Ironically, it's those very social media platforms that allow us to express our collectively mixed feelings about the situation.
Outages are nothing new in the online world, and services often go offline or experience slowdowns. Facebook's outage on Monday, however, was unusual in that it struck a suite of the company's products, including its central site and WhatsApp, an encrypted messaging service used widely around the world. Facebook is deeply enmeshed in global infrastructure and the outage disrupted communications for the company's billions of users. The website and its services are used for everything from casual chatting to business transactions.
It isn't immediately clear what caused the issue for the three properties. Security expert Brian Krebs said it appears to be a DNS related-issue, adding that something "caused the company to revoke key digital records that tell computers and other Internet-enabled devices how to find these destinations online."
Cloudflare, a content delivery network that hosts customers data for fast access around the world, had its own explanation of what might have happened.
"Facebook and its sites had effectively disconnected themselves from the Internet," Cloudflare concluded. "It was as if someone had 'pulled the cables' from their data centers all at once and disconnected them from the internet.
Facebook's problem involved a combination of two fundamental internet technologies, BGP and DNS, both instrumental to helping computing devices to connect across the network. The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) helps establish the best way to send data hopping from one device to another until it reaches its final destination. The Domain Name System (DNS) translates human comprehensible network names like facebook.com into the numeric Internet Protocol (IP) addresses that actually are used to address and route data across the internet.
Just before 9 a.m. PT, Cloudflare detected a flurry of unusual updates from Facebook describing changes to how BGP should handle Facebook's part of the network. Specifically, the updates cut off network routes to Facebook's DNS servers. With those servers offline, typing "facebook.com" in a browser or using the app to try to reach Facebook failed.
In addition to Facebook's services and apps being down, some of the company's internal tools were also reportedly impacted by the outage. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri said in a tweet that it felt like a "snow day."
The Facebook outage appears to have caused a headache for Twitter, as well, with more people heading there after finding Facebook down.
"Sometimes more people than usual use Twitter," Twitter tweeted Monday afternoon. "We prepare for these moments, but today things didn't go exactly as planned."
The outage cost Facebook an estimated $60 million in forgone revenue as of 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET, according to Fortune and Snopes. The two publications calculated the lost revenue by using the roughly $29 billion the company reported in its second-quarter earnings. Facebook makes roughly $319.6 million per day in revenue, $13.3 million per hour, $220,000 per minute, and $3,700 per second. The outlets then used those numbers to calculate revenue loss based on how long the outage has lasted.
Shares in the social network dropped nearly 5% to $326.23 per share amid a broad selloff in social media stocks. (Shares of Twitter and Snap were both off more than 5%.)
The slide in Facebook stock weighed on CEO Mark Zuckerberg's net worth, which dropped to $121.6 billion. His net worth is now less than Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and is the fifth wealthiest person in the world, according to Bloomberg.
The outage creates another headache for Facebook, which is battling a massive public relations nightmare in the wake of a whistleblower's allegations that the social network is aware of harm that content on its services causes. The allegations were detailed in a series of stories published by The Wall Street Journal based on research leaked by the whistleblower that said the company ignored research about how Instagram can harm teen girls and that an algorithm change made users angrier.
The whistleblower, a former Facebook product engineer named Frances Haugen, is scheduled to testify to Congress on Tuesday. She detailed some of her allegations in a televised interview on Sunday.
"Facebook, over and over again, chose to optimize for its own interests, like making more money," she told 60 Minutes' Scott Pelley.
As is often the case with outages, users flocked to other social networks to complain and also revel in the Facebook outage. Instagram and Facebook quickly became the top trending topic on Twitter in the US, and dominated other locations around the world as well. Twitter even got in on the joke, with the company's official account tweeting, "Hello literally everyone," and CEO Jack Dorsey asking "how much?" in response to tweets suggesting Facebook's domain was for sale.
This isn't the first time Facebook has suffered from a lengthy outage. In 2019, Facebook's services suffered from a daylong outage that the company blamed on a "server configuration issue." In previous outages, the social network has also cited a DNS issue or a central software problem as causes.,
Read more: Funniest memes and jokes about Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram outage
CNET has contacted Facebook for additional comment and we'll update when we hear back.
CNET's Carrie Mihalcik and Stephen Shankland contributed to this report.
