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What Is Keystone Correction for Projectors? And Why You Should Avoid It
What Is Keystone Correction for Projectors? And Why You Should Avoid It
If you've ever tried to set up a projector you'll be familiar with the struggle of getting a perfectly rectangular image on the wall. This is because the lens of projector has to be perpendicular to the screen. If any corner of the projector is closer to the screen than its opposite, you'll get some kind of trapezoid instead of a nice rectangle.
This isn't a new problem, and for decades projectors have had a "feature" to counter this issue. Called keystone correction, or keystone adjustment, it will technically make a rectangle out of your trapezoid… so to speak. If you care at all about picture quality, don't use it. Here's why.
The problem with not being perpendicular
Examples of what your image might look like if your projector isn't exactly center. You would have to turn or tilt the projector to get it to line up, resulting in a trapezoid. Clockwise from top left: PJ too far right, too far left, too high, too low.
Geoff Morrison/CNET
Projectors are a two-piece system: the projector and the screen. Even if you're using a wall or the side of your house instead of a screen, that still counts. All projectors use rectangular imaging chips to create an image, and it's crucial that the image sent by the chip is exactly perpendicular to the screen. Every corner needs to be the same distance to the screen as its opposite corner and if that doesn't happen, the shape gets distorted.
Even if you've never used a projector, you've probably seen this effect in action. Ever used a flashlight? Point it directly at the wall and you've got a circle. Point it on the ground ahead of you, and it's an oval. Same concept.
Some projectors have a feature called lens shift, which mechanically adjusts how the imaging chips, lens and screen line up. Lens shift lets you move the image slightly on the wall without hurting image quality, but its adjustment range is limited. If you're beyond how far the lens shift can adjust, or the projector don't have lens shift at all, misplacement will cause the image to go askew.
Most screens have black borders so you don't need exact placement to the picometer, but it'd be a shame to spend money on a projector, and time on installing it, only to be annoyed at the visible edges when you're using it.
Which is why every projector has keystone correction. That doesn't mean it's good.
Keystone: Not even once
Keystone correction aims to solve electronically what is inherently an optical problem. The projector will digitally adjust the image in the opposite direction to offset the trapezoid. So if the image is, say, smaller on the left than the right, the projector can reduce the size of the right side so it appears rectangular again. Clever, right? Sort of. Unfortunately there ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
All modern projectors use one of three technologies, DLP, LCD, or LCOS. All of them have a fixed number of pixels, or picture elements, used to create an image. There's no way to change the number of pixels on one of these chips. These imaging chips are generally fixed in place as well.
How a projector not lined up correctly might look on screen, and the buttons to press to "fix" the issue, via a business projector's owner's manual.
Canon
What keystone correction does is scale the image smaller, and then further process it to form the shape required to "look" rectangular. Or to put it another way, it's drawing a trapezoid inside a rectangle, but because the projector and image itself is skewed, that trapezoid now looks rectangular.
Both of these things reduce image quality. Scaling, in this case, reduces the number of pixels used to create the image. You're only using a portion of the imaging chip to create the new image shape. The more you adjust the keystone, the fewer pixels are used, further softening the image.
Most projectors don't have much processing power, so this scaling might further soften the image, or it might introduce other noticeable artifacts. Changing the shape of the image is a further processing challenge and can add additional artifacts.
Digital keystone adjustment might get you a rectangular image, but the projector's imaging chips are all still active, so you'll get a dark gray "image" projected where the image isn't. In this illustration, the image at the top of the article has been "adjusted" but the projector hasn't moved. So you get a rectangular image but also the original trapezoid of the angled imaging chips.
Geoff Morrison/CNET and phototropic/Getty Images
And if that weren't enough, it's impossible to turn "off" the pixels you're not using. So there's still going to be light projected on the screen from these unused pixels, which appears inside the trapezoid shape you've been trying to avoid. In an extreme situation, you could have a noticeable gray image beyond the screen area. Inelegant at best, distracting at worst.
The solution? Place the projector properly
There's no better solution than not having the problem to begin with. Proper projector placement placates potential picture perils. Or to quote the ancient adage from prehistory: measure twice, cut once.
If you're mounting your projector permanently, double- and triple-check the mount is in the correct place for your projector. This is crucial. Most projectors, especially those based on DLP, have their lenses offset from the center of the projector. Ideally, your mount will have some adjustment "wiggle room," but it might not.
Usually you can download a mounting template and other info from the manufacturer's website.
Also consider that most projectors, again especially those based on DLP, have an "upward throw." Which is to say, they create an image several inches above the top of the projector (or below, if it's mounted on the ceiling). You can't tilt the projector down since that, too, creates a trapezoid. Again, this info is on the company's website.
Many portable projectors have automatic keystone correction. It's worth turning off if you're able to get the projector properly positioned.
Geoff Morrison/CNET
So yeah, if you absolutely have to use keystone correction, go for it. But it should only be used as a last resort in situations where you physically can't place the projector in its proper position. If you're mounting it, it's best to spend the time and get it right the first time and not rely on image-reducing electronic trickery to fix a bad install.
As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000-mile road trips and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.
He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and on his YouTube channel.
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The Benefits of Crying and Why It's Good for Your Health
The Benefits of Crying and Why It's Good for Your Health
We've all tried to hold back tears at some point. We get embarrassed for our emotions and try to suppress them, especially in front of other people. But there's nothing to be ashamed of -- crying is a natural human activity. More so, crying is actually good for you.
If you're like me, you might cry when you're mad or frustrated, or even when you're happy (if I see one sappy commercial, it's instant waterworks). While it's sometimes viewed as a sign of weakness, crying is a healthy coping method. When you need a release to get rid of stress or calm down, a good cry might be just what the doctor ordered.
We explain exactly why you cry and why it's beneficial for your health to let those tears flow.
How tears work
There are three types of tears -- basal, reflex and emotional. Basal tears are always present in the eye -- those are what lubricate and protect your cornea. They are the barrier between your eye and the outside world. Reflex tears are what flush your eyes of harmful irritants, like smoke or onion fumes. They are mostly water and antibodies that combat infection. Emotional tears respond to heightened emotions of joy, sadness or fear.
All tears are produced by the lacrimal glands located above each eye. When you blink, basal tears are spread across your eye to protect it. Without your noticing, tears drain into the puncta of the eye -- the tiny holes on the corners of your upper and lower eyelids -- and then drain into the nasolacrimal ducts in the nose. Reflexive and emotional crying produce more tears than your natural drainage system can handle. The puncta are only about the size of a grain of rice. That's why tears overflow and run down your face.
Emotional tears have several relieving qualities.
Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision/Getty Images
Benefits of crying
The purpose and benefits of emotional tears are an evolving field of study. However, current research shows that proteins and hormones are present in emotional tears, not in basal or reflex tears. This suggests that there are relieving qualities only emotional tears offer.
It can make you feel better
Crying activates your parasympathetic nervous system, slowing your breathing and heart rate and bringing you relief. When strong emotions come on, crying helps restore you back to your normal balanced state. It's naturally how your body responds. Unfortunately, it's not instant relief -- it takes a few minutes of crying and deep breathing for your heart rate to slow and your body to relax.
Long periods of crying can also help relieve physical and emotional pain. When you cry, your body releases oxytocin and other endorphins associated with pain relief. Crying is also an important part of the grieving process. Research suggests that it might help you process loss.
Crying can boost your mood
Crying can also help lift your mood. Unlike reflex and basal tears, emotional tears contain stress hormones as well as the mineral manganese. Manganese is associated with anxiety, irritability and nervousness, so crying is one way to release tension.
You experience the benefits of crying when you embrace your tears. If you try to hold back and feel shameful about your need to cry, it negatively affects your mood. Trying to keep your emotions and stress inside (that's called repressive coping) is linked to poor immune health, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.
Crying can actually help to lift your mood.
Fiordaliso/Getty Images
Crying helps you connect with others
Let's be honest: Crying in front of people is uncomfortable. People don't know if they should comfort or sit beside you while you weep. Awkward as it may be, one of the most significant benefits of crying is social connection.
Crying helps explain to others what you're feeling and experiencing. It allows people to determine how to react and what you need from them. Crying not only strengthens social connections with others, it also increases empathy, closeness and encourages support from family and friends. Tears prompt other people to offer support, ultimately making you feel better.
Can you cry too much?
You can't cry too much or too little, and there isn't a recommended amount of crying to be healthy. However, certain conditions cause your eyes to produce too many tears, such as blepharitis or epiphora. Or you can produce too few, in the case of dry eye. Our bodies make fewer tears as we age. Dry eye and irritation are common during hormonal changes including pregnancy and menopause. Some medications or cancer treatments can also limit tear production.
Crying as a response to heightened emotions is completely normal -- and healthy. However, crying may become a problem if it interferes with your ability to function. Crying for seemingly no reason can be a sign of depression. If you think you have signs of anxiety or depression, talk to your doctor.
Too long, didn't read?
Crying is a completely healthy way to express emotions. While it's generally associated with sadness, crying can be a sign of healing and processing what you're feeling. You feel better after you cry because you've flushed out toxins and stress hormones. Tears are nothing to be ashamed of, and you shouldn't hold them in. Find the space where you feel comfortable embracing your feelings and crying. It's good for you.
More for your wellness:
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
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Best iPhone Deals: Save Up to $800 With Trade-In, Gift Card Deals and More
Best iPhone Deals: Save Up to $800 With Trade-In, Gift Card Deals and More
Apple's iPhones are among the best phones out there but they certainly aren't the cheapest. Some of the top iPhone models go for $1,000 and up. Even at the low end, Apple's entry-level iPhone SE will set you back $429 or more so it's well worth hunting down an iPhone deal to make the cost a little more palatable.
The iPhone 13 Pro is one of the top phones you can buy right now.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Fortunately, we're constantly scouring the web for the best iPhone deals so that you don't have to. We keep tabs on iPhone prices across all of the major retailers and also have our finger on the pulse when it comes to carrier promotions and phone deals during seasonal sales. Below, we've rounded up the best iPhone deals currently available to make things easy for you.
iPhone 13 deals
The iPhone 13 series is Apple's current flagship line of phones and includes the diminutive iPhone 13 mini, standard iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and top-spec iPhone 13 Pro Max. Being Apple's latest and greatest, these phones don't come cheap though there are plenty of iPhone deals out there to cut their sticker prices down to size. Check out our iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro reviews for everything you need to know on these devices and scroll down for the latest iPhone 13 deals.
Apple is offering up to $600 in credit when you trade in an eligible device. The service is called Apple Trade In and the steps to get it are described on the Apple website. First, you'll answer some questions to get an estimated trade-in value. You can then finance your phone and Apple will apply the value as credit, or you can pay the full amount of the phone and they'll credit your payment method after receiving the old phone. Say you have an iPhone 12 that's in great condition and you get a $600 credit. That makes your new iPhone 13 just $200.
One of the best trade-in options is with AT&T. You can get up to $700 off your new iPhone 13, making it just $99 after trade-in. Eligible items include the iPhone 12, iPhone 11 and iPhone X. You have to pay the remaining balance in installments and it can only be activated with an AT&T monthly plan. This deal is open to both new and existing customers who want to upgrade or add a line.
Verizon is offering up to $800 off iPhone 13 purchases when you trade in your old or damaged device and get a new line. That figure falls to $440 for upgrading existing lines. You have to buy the iPhone 13 with a select 5G Unlimited plan, which can start at $65 a month for a welcome plan and go up to $90 a month for unlimited data and 50GB high-speed mobile hotspot data. Devices eligible for that maximum trade-in value include iPhone X or newer. You can get an extra $200 in credit when you switch from another carrier, or save up to $150 when you also purchase a smartwatch. Save $30 on AirPods, too, with any iPhone purchase at Verizon.
You can save up to $100 when you buy an iPhone 13 at Boost Mobile. Both new and existing customers can capitalize on this deal. The 13 Pro is also $100 off at the carrier. Since Boost Mobile is a prepaid carrier, you have to buy the phone outright; there are no financing options.
iPhone 12 deals
Though no longer the latest model, Apple still sells the iPhone 12 and reduced is price when the iPhone 13 launched in 2021 making for some stellar iPhone deals. It's a solid upgrade for anyone still using an older iPhone that doesn't want to spend top dollar to have the latest and greatest tech.
Apple offers as much as $600 off iPhone purchases with trade-in, though the top discounts are for people trading in iPhone 12 series devices which you're unlikely to be doing when buying an iPhone 12. That being said, older models like iPhone 11 Pro Max can still net you up to $400 off and select Android phones are also eligible for trade-in.
Verizon is offering $700 off iPhone 12 with a new line on an unlimited plan meaning you can effectively get the 64GB device for free there without the need to hand over your old phone. There's an additional $200 bonus for switchers, too. If you're upgrading an existing line, you'll get $350 off iPhone 12.
AT&T is cutting iPhone 12 prices in half and you don't even need to trade in an older device to get in on the savings. The deal requires an eligible installment plan and you'll receive the 50% discount (up to $365) in the form of bill credits applied over 36 months.
T-Mobile has a few deals on iPhone 12 right now including as much as $800 off when you trade in your old phone and add a new line ($400 for existing customers). Devices eligible for the maximum value include iPhone XR and newer plus a variety of Android phones. Alternatively, you can buy one iPhone 13 or iPhone 12 series device and get up to $700 off a second via 24 monthly bill credits when you activate two or more new lines. If the iPhone 12 mini is what you're after, there's an extra deal on that model dropping it down to just $250 for new customers.
You can save up to $200 when you buy an iPhone 13 at Boost Mobile. Both new and existing customers can capitalize on this deal. Since Boost Mobile is a prepaid carrier, you have to buy the phone outright; there are no financing options.
Get your iPhone 12 via Visible, port in your number, and receive $150 back as a gift card to spend wherever Mastercard is accepted. The deal requires you to transfer your number within 30 days and after completing three full months of service payments you'll receive a code to claim your virtual gift card. Go for the iPhone 12 mini and you'll get a $100 gift card.
iPhone SE (2022) deals
The budget option in Apple's lineup, the iPhone SE is targeted squarely at people who want a no-frills iPhone experience. It's the perfect device for anyone who wants to stick with the familiar home button-first experience and the device was updated for 2022 with powerful new internals to ensure the device will be functional for years to come. With a starting price of just $429, you can snag a great iPhone SE deal on one if you know where to look.
Surprisingly, Best Buy doesn't seem to be carrying any unlocked models of the iPhone SE. But if you're a T-Mobile customer, there is an offer you can take advantage of. Customers who use T-Mobile as their carrier can save up to $215 in monthly bill credits on their new iPhone SE. Just note that you'll have to add a new line of service, and choose the 24-month installment plan to get the discount. T-Mobile customers will also get an extra $100 in savings, on top of the usual value, when they trade in a used device.
If you prefer to buy your new iPhone right from the source, you can do that with the iPhone SE. Apple has all the carrier models along with the unlocked one. And if you're already an iPhone owner looking to switch to the new SE, Apple is offering up to $600 when you trade-in an iPhone 8 or newer. With a base price of $429, that means that you could theoretically get the new SE totally free. If your trade-in value exceeds the cost of your new phone, you'll receive an Apple Gift Card for the remainder. If your trade-in doesn't cover the full cost, you can pay the remaining cost in full, or or split it into 24 months of interest-free payments when you use an Apple Card during checkout.
There is also an exclusive offer for existing T-Mobile customers, who will receive up to $400 of credit with the trade-in of an iPhone X or newer.
While Verizon deals on upgrading existing lines are pretty slim right now, there is a great offer available if you're looking to add a new line of service. When you buy an iPhone SE on a new line with any unlimited plan, you can save $430, which gets you the 64GB model for free. Just note that the discount will be applied in the form of monthly credits over a three-month period, even if you buy the phone outright.
Plus, if you're in the market for even more Apple devices, Verizon is offering up to $200 off iPads and $150 off Apple Watches over a period of 36 months with the purchase of a new iPhone SE. This offer is valid for new and existing customers, but you are required to have a data plan for the new device as well as the phone.
New and existing customers on any Sprint or T-Mobile plan are able to save $400 on the iPhone SE when trading in an eligible device. This comes in the form of 24 monthly credits, but you'll only pay $29 (plus tax) for the iPhone SE. And if you're looking to add a new line to your plan, you can save up to $215 on the iPhone SE via 24 monthly credits, no trade-in required.
Buy your iPhone SE (2022) at Visible, port in your number, and receive $200 back as a gift card to spend wherever Mastercard is accepted. The deal requires you to transfer your number within 30 days and after completing three full months of service payments you'll receive a code to claim your virtual gift card.
Spectrum is another carrier that has the 2022 iPhone SE available for purchase, though the deals are pretty slim. The only offer available is an extra $100 on top of the estimated value of your device with a qualifying trade-in and a new line of service.
Metro has the best prepaid offer of any retailer or carrier out there at the moment. When you purchase an iPhone SE at full retail price and switch your existing number over to Metro's $60-per-month unlimited data plan, you'll get an instant $330 rebate. Meaning you're getting the iPhone SE for a single $100 purchase, rather than discounted via monthly credits. Those who don't have a number to switch over can still save $100 with the activation of a new line on a qualifying Metro plan. If you're looking to purchase your phone outright, this is the best offer you'll find, though you'll have to actually go to the store in person to claim it.
Note: Because Metro is owned by T-Mobile, this offer is not available to those switching their number from an existing T-Mobile plan.
Older iPhone deals
In recent years, Apple has formed a habit of keeping some older iPhone models in the lineup at reduced prices for those that don't want to pay more for newer devices. Because of this, it's possible to find some really competitive iPhone deals on previous-gen models.
Get your iPhone SE (2020) via Visible, port in your number, and receive $100 back as a gift card to spend wherever Mastercard is accepted. The deal requires you to transfer your number within 30 days and after completing three full months of service payments you'll receive a code to claim your virtual gift card.
Which iPhone is the best?
While it appears a simple question at first, the best iPhone for you might be different to the best iPhone for someone else. Apple currently sells eight different iPhone models, so choosing the right one for you means assessing your needs and preferences when it comes to things like design, features, cameras and price.
The current iPhone 13 is our pick as the best iPhone for most people as it balances top-tier features with a relatively affordable price (especially with the above deals). It has a bright and clear OLED display, 5G support, cameras that are more than good enough for day to day use and the A15 Bionic chip powering it is a portable powerhouse.
Take the step up to the iPhone 13 Pro line and you'll get an additional camera lens for macro photography, an extra GPU core, a high-refresh rate display and a heftier feeling stainless steel construction. It's the best iPhone for those that want the latest and greatest technology from Apple.
Sarah Tew/CNET
If value is your main decision driver, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini are still available from Apple and from carriers with some significant markdowns. Just because these are previous-gen devices it doesn't mean they might not be the best iPhone for you with their great displays, cameras and speedy performance making them great value for money. Plus, Apple is great at supporting its older devices with software updates for many years after they are released.
If you want the most affordable iPhone, you're going to be looking at the iPhone SE (at least when it comes to brand new phones, that is). Updated for 2022, the 3rd generation iPhone SE maintains the overall design of the iPhone 8 which will be familiar to a lot of iPhone buyers. Don't be fooled by its classic appearance, though, as inside it is powered by the beefy A15 Bionic chip found in the current flagship iPhone models. It also offers 5G connectivity and a 12-megapixel camera. For $429, it's a lot of iPhone for not a lot of money.
What is the cheapest iPhone?
To buy outright in new condition, the iPhone SE is going to offer the cheapest iPhone prices. It starts at $429 contract-free and you can find carrier deals offering iPhone SE deals from as little as $11 per month making it a super affordable choice.
Apple also still sells the iPhone 11 from $500 meaning you can get a more modern-looking device with an edge-to-edge display and dual camera system for not much more, though it's powered by the slower and older A13 Bionic chip.
When is the best time to buy an iPhone?
There are a few points in the year that make the most sense to buy an iPhone. The first is when a new model launches, usually in September each year. If you're an early adopter that wants the best device as soon as possible, that's when you'll get it. It's also a great time of year to buy if you're looking for an iPhone deal as prices on older models drop to make room for the new devices.
Other times of year that make the most sense are during major sale seasons, including annual events like Labor Day sales, Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. Apple tends not to participate in these events, at least not directly, but you can bet third-party retailers and carriers will be offering some of their best iPhone deals of the year at these times.
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Best Ceramic Coating for 2022
Best Ceramic Coating for 2022
Listen to the hype about ceramic auto paint coatings and you might get the idea that a ceramic top coat will protect your vehicle from falling tree limbs. It won't. The best ceramic coatings will give your car or truck its best defense against settling airborne chemicals and pollutants, tree sap, road and sea salt, bird poop and the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. They'll also deliver a gorgeous sheen that's hard to beat.
Think of ceramic coating as a harder, more protective clear coat for your paint's clear coat. It's the best, most durable way to protect your vehicle's finish, short of a full transparent film wrap, and its hydrophobic (water sheeting) properties make cleaning much, much easier. A properly applied ceramic coating can last for years.
The best ceramic coatings require differing amounts of time and energy to apply, but all require some level of sweat equity and commitment (there's a reason automotive detailing shops get big bucks to professionally apply ceramic). There's a lot of white noise about ceramic coatings and literally hundreds of products to choose from. We've waded through the hype and chosen the best OTC ceramic coatings for a variety of circumstances, purposes and commitment levels based on expert knowledge and opinion, user ratings and personal experience. Click through our best ceramic coatings to understand your options, then read on for a primer on what this amazing technology will and won't do for your vehicle and how best to use it.
CarPro
CarPro CQuartz UK 3.0 is the top over-the-counter product from a Malta-based company that pioneered automotive ceramic coatings in the early 21st century. It contains 70% silicon dioxide that's 99% pure and it leaves what might be the deepest wet-look gloss we've seen. It delivers all the durably protective properties only true ceramic coatings can.
Better still, CQuartz UK 3.0 is not terribly difficult to apply, as pro-grade ceramic coatings go. It's much less finicky about air temperature during application than other serum-type ceramic liquids (anything between 40 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit will work). Its initial hardening time is longer than most, so there's more time to spread and work. Yet it fully cures in only 60 minutes, so you can take a blast by the time you clean up. Or you can build layers during a single-day session, if you want even longer protection. CarPro projects 18 to 24 months of full hydrophobic performance for each layer applied. Every bottle is labeled with its production date and it's guaranteed to remain fully pliant for one year
In short, CarPro CQuartz UK 3.0 is the best combination of quality and ease of application we've encountered and the kit includes almost everything you need. According to users (and CarPro's own math), the included suede applicator wraps will be used up before a medium to large size vehicle is coated, so you might want to order some extras.
Nasiol
Like our best overall ceramic coating product, this kit comes from a company that has been in the ceramic coating business since the beginning. Indeed, Turkey-based Nasiol manufacturers a range of nano-ceramic protectants, including coatings for countertops, marine products, wood and clothing. The chemistry in ZR53 Nano Ceramic coating is impeccable. It goes on in one coat, delivers a rich shine and 9H hardness and should last at least three years in all conditions. The kit includes ZR53 ceramic coating, application pads, gloves, two microfiber cloths and other accessories.
So what's not to like? You'd better know what you're doing when you lay this ceramic down. It needs to go on thin and even and that's easier said than done. Trickier still, it starts to harden in as little as 20 seconds. It's imperative to work small, and quickly, because if it's not buffed before it dries, it can leave streaks or uneven clouds. And the only way this stuff is coming off is with ultra-high PH detergent you won't find at your local hardware store, or with pro-skill power wheeling and enough experience to get it without going into the paint underneath.
Mothers
How difficult is applying Mothers CMX Ceramic Spray Coating? You spray it on an applicator pad, spread it evenly, let it set about five minutes and buff it lightly with a microfiber towel. Then you let it cure for 24 hours. In other words, it goes on easier than conventional "wax on, wax off" carnauba or polymer auto coatings. While it won't last as long as more expensive (and more challenging) ceramic coatings, it will last multiples longer than most of those conventional carnaubas and polys. Or a year or so, depending on how much your car sits out in the sunlight and smog.
You can also layer CMX Ceramic Spray with two or three consecutive coats, leaving those 24 hours in between, before you ever pull the car from the garage. That will extend its durability. Either way, it will provide better hydrophobic protection than most carnaubas and poly waxes, keeping your paint safer and your car cleaner and making your car easier to wash. With application this easy there shouldn't be too much trouble finding time to shine your car once a year.
Nexgen
Nexgen Ceramic Spray can leave flecks and streaks that take some serious elbow grease to buff out. That's almost certainly because you sprayed too much on the paint to begin with. Use less, work less. The eight-ounce bottle is enough for four or five mid-size cars. Once it's on, Nexgen leaves a slick shine and something you don't get in many easy-app ceramic sprays.
That would be a whole lot more silicon dioxide in the formula and silicon dioxides are what thatch the coating molecules together and bond the ceramic to your paint. Nexgen claims it has the highest concentration of SiO2 in any over-the-counter spray; at 13%, double what many have. That should mean that its liquid-shedding, chemical protecting gloss will last longer than the typical easy-app ceramic spray.
Meguiar's
Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Liquid Wax is more like a conventional wax formula infused with silicon dioxides to bond the molecules and build that ceramic barrier and there's something to be said for familiarity. It goes on like conventional liquid in a circular motion and dries to a haze that you buff off. To be sure, the haze is lighter than old-school wax residue and less work to remove. It's really hard to mess this stuff up.
What's left when you're finished is a deep, mellow shine and extreme water-beading action. Moreover, the haze makes it harder to miss spots and easier to gauge even coverage and Meguiar's Hybrid will not whiten non-painted trim or rubber gaskets.
Drexler
Drexler is a relatively new, small-volume company in France that warrants some of its ceramic coatings up to 10 years. Its over-the-counter ceramic for vehicles is applied in two stages: one liquid, one spray. It's time consuming (at best) to apply, but not terribly tricky and the manufacturer offers an on-line tutorial.
What you get for the trouble is a hard 9H finish that should minimize light scratching as effectively as any ceramic coating can. It's intended to last five years or more, like many of the professionally applied, detail-shop ceramics. Drexler claims that with moderate hose pressure (say, from a low-grade pressure washer), virtually anything stuck to a Drexler-coated vehicle will rinse off without rubbing.
Weiruixin
This product originates in China and delivers pro-grade chemistry for the price of good, easy-application, consumer-grade detailing products, with applicator, towels, etc. in the package. Weiruixin claims 10H Ceramic Coating 3.0 has an industry best 10H hardness rating and remains bonded at temperatures up to 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit. It guarantees its hydrophobic properties for at least two years... or your money back.
We wouldn't want to have to chase that $25, but the indicators suggest this could be a good product for not much money, if you're willing to make it work. Experience tells us that it won't be easy to use. The thick fluid will be temperature sensitive, demanding room-temperature, no-dust application conditions and you'll have to keep your car dry and shaded for seven days for it to fully cure. If you lack pro-grade skills, better to choose something like our best cheap and easy ceramic coating. You'll be much happier with the process and maybe even with the results.
Mothers
Remember the first fundamental rule of all ceramic coatings: Surface or paint preparation matters at least as much as the coating itself. The coating simply protects and shines whatever is underneath and it will last longest when its bond with the paint is strongest.
Now, you could spend thousands of dollars or a week's worth of hard work on a full paint correction for your daily-driving 2008 Subaru Impreza. Or you could get Mothers' relatively inexpensive CMX Surface Prep. CMX Surface Prep is pH neutral and biodegradable, and it strips oil, grease, wax and other chemical residue without harming the paint-as easily as cleaning the windows. Just spray CMX Surface Prep on the paint and wipe it off. It won't do much about existing swirl marks or scratches, but it will leave a chemically spotless foundation that helps ensure maximum bonding for the ceramic coating that follows.
Mothers
Like our best minimalist ceramic coating prep (Mothers CMX Surface Prep), CMX Ceramic 3-in-1 Polish & Coat removes grease, old wax and other chemical residue in advance of your ceramic coating application. Yet 3-in-1 adds a light polishing compound, so with a dose more elbow grease or a polishing wheel, it can also remove swirl marks, light scratches, oxidation and other imperfections in the paint.
Better still, Mothers CMX Ceramic 3-in-1 Polish & Coat includes mineral oxides like those in the ceramic coating itself, so it leaves a nice, hard gloss when you're finished. It's hardy enough to leave as it is, but it also provides a fantastic primer coat for a full ceramic coating on top. It won't deteriorate an existing ceramic coating, either, and that makes it a great refresher to invigorate and deepen a good coating that's a couple years old with less work (and cost) than starting from scratch.
Comparison of the best ceramic coatings for 2022
Product
Price
Best ceramic coating overall
CarPro CQuartz UK 3.0 Kit
$83
Best ceramic coating for pro-skill home detailers
Nasiol ZR53 Nano Ceramic Coating Kit
$118
Best cheap and easy ceramic coating
Mothers CMX Ceramic Spray Coating
$18
Best ceramic coating for home detailing newbies
Nexgen Ceramic Spray
$35
Best old school/new school ceramic wax
Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Liquid Wax
$25
Best ceramic coating for off-roaders
Drexler Ceramic Car Coating Kit
$74
Best cheap ceramic coating for pro-skill home detailers
Weiruixin 10H Ceramic Coating 3.0 Kit
$25
Best minimalist prep for any ceramic coating
Mothers CMX Surface Prep
$13
Best stage 1 upgrade prep for any ceramic coating
Mothers CMX Ceramic 3-in-1 Polish & Coat
$13
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Ceramic coatings 101
Somewhere in or under your automobile, there's almost certainly some ceramic coating. Automakers have been using it for years because it's the best protective finish for a variety of parts, including wheel hubs, interior trim bits and things you'll see if you lift the hood. You just won't have ceramic coating on your vehicle's finish paint unless you put it there yourself.
Ceramic coatings can have different names -- nano ceramic, quartz or silica coatings -- and come in various forms. There are thermal sprays, dry powder coatings and wet chemical sprays or liquids. There are different auto-detailing ceramics for different surfaces like wheels, paint, windows or trim. In this report we'll focus on the paint, though some products will work on all of the above. Some of them aren't ceramic coatings in the original form. They're hybrids manufactured like more conventional auto waxes and infused with the key ingredient that makes ceramic coatings "ceramic."
That ingredient is silicon dioxide (SiO2), which bonds the coating at a molecular level to itself and the paint underneath, then cures to form a hard, hydrophobic (impenetrable to water) layer on top of the paint. The silicon dioxide is extracted from natural materials like quartz or sand. Over the years, some ceramic coating manufacturers have added titanium dioxide (Ti02) or more complex silicon compounds such as silicon nitride (Si3N4 9) and silicon carbide (SiC) to their formulae. These can increase the performance of the coating.
Any ceramic coating worth the name will have at least 5% silicon dioxide. The best consumer-grade ceramics have SiO2 concentrates in the 70-80%range, though these can also be the most difficult to apply. Professional detailers and installers typically use ceramic coatings with SiO2 concentrations between 93 and 97%. Other things equal, the higher the SiO2 percentage, the stronger and more durable the coating becomes, and the more money it costs.
In ceramic coatings, other things are rarely equal. The overall performance and price of the product is at least as important as the amount of silicon dioxide. Every ceramic coating also has polymers (more conventional bonding chemicals), glossing agents, curing compounds and or other ingredients. While most manufacturers keep their exact formula proprietary, their products must do more than protect. They must also maximize shine and make application consistent, if not necessarily easy. While the level of silicon dioxide is important to a ceramic coating's overall durability, it's not the only thing that determines a coating's overall performance, in terms of how it looks on your car and how easy or difficult it is to put there.
Meguiar's
Ceramic coatings are sometimes rated with a number before the letter H like 8H or 9H. Contrary to published claims and popular belief, this is not a rating on the Moh scale, which is used by geologists to rank mineral hardness from 1 to 10 (the surface of a copper penny is about 3.5H on the Moh scale, while a diamond is 10H). Rather, the ratings for ceramic coatings will be based on the Wolff-Wilborn Pencil Hardness Test. A pencil hardness test drags increasingly hard graphite pencils across the surface of a coating. The resultant number identifies the softest pencil that will leave a scratch on the coating. A 9H in a pencil hardness test demonstrates about the same surface hardness as the copper penny on the Moh scale, and while that's not diamond grade, it's still pretty darn hard. By pencil hardness, the standard clear coat paint on your car or truck is somewhere between 2H and 4H. That means a 9H ceramic coating is 2.25 to 4.5 times harder to scra tch.
Over-the-counter ceramic coatings are, obviously, intended for use by DIY auto detailers. In the simplest terms, application is similar to traditional automotive wax: You spread the ceramic on in some fashion and then buff it (though not necessarily off). Yet anyone who's done much automobile waxing knows the simplest terms don't fully explain the level of energy required. The best do-it-yourself ceramic coatings and the best results demand some level of sweat equity, in both surface preparation and application. The best in terms of durability or long-term protection are usually the most demanding. If you mess a high-grade ceramic coating up, it will be really, really hard to get off.
It's no coincidence that high-end detailing shops (sometimes called auto spas) have boomed in the era of ceramic coatings. The good shops know what they're doing and they can almost certainly do it better than you can. There are nonetheless a range of great consumer-grade ceramic coatings out there, suitable for everyone from raw DIY detailers to those with pro-grade skills. Those products can leave the paint on your car or truck looking gorgeous... and a you that's proud of what you accomplished, wherever you rank in the detailing-skills pecking order.
We'll get to the details of ceramic coating preparation and application shortly, but if you plan to do it yourself you need to start by gauging how much time and energy you're willing to commit. And by not overestimating your skills. And by considering what you're willing to do if it goes wrong.
First, let's get specific about the real benefits of ceramic coatings and the myths.
Nasiol
What ceramic coatings will (and won't) do
The best ceramic coatings will give your car or truck an incredible shine and probably a better shine than it's ever had before. Professional detailers and some car geeks know that shines can be different like the deep, mellow, lusty shine of perfectly applied, old-school carnauba wax or the more aggressive, wet-look shine of subsequent polymer sealants. The best ceramic coatings span a similar spectrum, but all of them will leave you looking over your shoulder and admiring as you walk away from your vehicle in a parking lot. They'll keep your car cleaner, longer and they'll make it look like you just re-waxed it every time you wash it.
At least as importantly, the best ceramic coatings will protect your car's paint better than any conventional carnauba or poly wax can. Think of any wax or sealant as a transparent sacrificial layer that can be removed or reapplied as necessary to protect the paint underneath it. Ceramic coating is just harder and less porous than more conventional waxes, so it makes it more difficult for anything that settles on the paint to penetrate or even stick. We're talking things like airborne chemicals and pollutants, overspray of any type, tree sap, bird droppings, road or sea salt or the sun's relentless UV rays. Ceramic coating is the best chemical barrier against the harmful effects of multiple substances that can damage paint and diminish its appearance over the years, even moreso if your car lives outside. It will fill the role of sacrificial layer better than any carnauba or poly was and it can do so more economically.
That's because, thanks to silicon dioxide and all that molecular bonding, ceramics stay put a lot longer. A relatively inexpensive, easy application, ceramic spray can protect for a year or so. To maintain peak performance with a traditional wax-on, wax-off carnauba or poly coat, you'll need to lay down a new layer every three or four months. The manufacturers of some more expensive ceramic liquids warranty their product for two years. (We are not weighing in on how difficult or fruitful it might be to make a claim on those warranties.) We've known consumer-grade ceramic liquids that have lasted close to five years before their hydrophobic properties start to diminish. Detailing shops in urban areas around the country, including Motor City Auto Spas in greater Detroit, will guarantee their ceramic applications five, seven or 10 years, depending on the product used.
"We'll guarantee our top product for life, if the car is relatively new, with an annual inspection and detail," says Motor City founder and CEO Matt Lifter. "Short of the annual visits we'll guarantee seven years. Not even acidic solvents like wheel or brake-dust cleaners will take it off. It's really amazing stuff."
Mothers
Ceramic coating is more durable than wax or poly in another sense because it's much harder. That means it's more resistant to light scratches or paint swirls (those spiraling curves that can develop in clear coat after years of washing). Indeed, a ceramic-coated vehicle that's washed properly (no drive-thrus) is nearly immune to paint swirls.
We emphasize "resistant" above because no ceramic coating is scratch proof, even if some to the wildest marketing hype suggests that it might be. Drag a key along a door panel on a ceramic-coated car and the panel will definitely scratch. Throw pebbles at it hard and it will nick. Bottom line: Ceramic-coated cars are still susceptible to rock chips. Some road rash is still likely to build up over the miles and years.
If your overriding goal is preventing rock chips or road rash, better look past ceramic coating. In the current state of auto protection, that would mean looking toward transparent film or "wraps."
Not up to speed on wraps? Vinyl auto wrap is a blend of polyvinylchloride and additives that make it flexible and resistant to UV light and sometimes add color. The additives are blended, dropped onto moving sheets of PVC, then baked and cured. Transparent wrap is virtually invisible on your car's paint, except for barely perceptible edges where the wrap might end and give way to unprotected paint, and it provides an actual, physical cushioning barrier between the paint and whatever the road throws at it. Good wrap will self-heal, so if a high-velocity pebble takes a divot out of the protective barrier, light and heat will actually close and smooth it again.
Drexler
Wrap will get you closer to proofing your car from scratches, rock chips or road rash than any ceramic coating can. It is also considerably more expensive than ceramic (the product) and significantly more difficult to apply. While some brave amateurs have tried, we wouldn't think about doing this ourselves.
Before we get to the process of applying ceramic, there's one more myth to address: Yes, even with the best ceramic coating, you will still have to wash your car.
We're compelled to make this point because a lot of the hype out there seems to suggest you'll never have to wash your car again. We assure you you'll have to do it less often, but dirt, road salt and other appearance-marring substances will eventually build up on the ceramic. The good news, beyond the fact that you'll wash it less, is that your ceramic coated vehicle should be much easier to wash than it was before the ceramic coating: generally no repeated rubbing back and forth over sticky, embedded stuff (which is another reason ceramic can keep swirl marks to a minimum) and usually more like a wipe and rinse. Indeed, some ceramic manufactures promise that, with proper application and sufficient water pressure, anything on your paint will rinse off without rubbing. Finally, know that washing can still leave water spots on ceramic coated cars, depending on the mineral content in your water source. Always towel dry.
On to the work at hand.
Mothers
Layin' it down
Professional-grade ceramic coatings are usually thick, almost glue-like and often require more than one step in the curing process. Consumer-grade ceramics are generally more forgiving to apply, though the most durable can be tricky. If you've browsed our best list, you've seen that there are several types of over-the-counter ceramic coatings. Even the most modestly priced, easiest-to-apply ceramics should outperform comparably priced conventional waxes when it comes to protection and longevity.
Whichever you choose, you must understand the first rule of ceramic coatings (or conventional carnauba and poly waxes, for that matter): surface or paint preparation matters at least as much as the coating itself, and more so if the paint is in poor shape to begin with. The coating simply protects and shines whatever is underneath and it will last longest when its bond with the paint is strongest. Without any prep, you're going to make those scratches or tar flecks or bits of oxidation shine for a long time.
"I'd say on average, our prep is four to five hours," says Lifter, whose Motor City Auto Spa has been doing ceramic since the early days (ed. note: that's four or five hours from efficient, well-trained techs). "It's at least two or three times more time than the actual application. Sometimes the prep can take two full days, but we can't guarantee our product without it."
You can expect a detailing shop to undertake most or all of these steps in advance of applying ceramic coating: Washing the vehicle with an appropriate detergent and sometimes a power washer; "Claying" the paint from stem to stern, or rubbing it with soft clay slabs and a lubricating fluid to remove sap, tar and other substances from the clear coat's pores; Polishing with a compound and a power pad, which can be the trickiest part depending on the age and depth of the paint, to remove swirls, scratches and oxidation; Wiping with a chemical cleaner to remove the final vestiges of dust, grit, waxes or grease.
Mothers
Now, you can do all those things yourself, if you have the inclination and fortitude and the time. It's always worth it, even on a beater with decent paint. You have to decide what you're willing to try. If it's your baby, which only leaves the garage on nice days for car meets or weekend blasts, you probably need to suck it up and try the full Cleveland. It will pay big in the final results. If it's a car you use for track days or the 10-year-old Civic that gets you reliably and satisfyingly to work and the paint still looks good, you can get away with a clay and chemical wash.
If you lean toward the less-work end of the prep spectrum, we urge you to at least undertake the chemical wash (after a good water wash). Using a product like Mothers CMX Surface Prep is essentially like washing windows. You spray it on and wipe it off, and it leaves a squeaky, chemical-free foundation that will ensure a solid bond between the ceramic and the paint. If you're up to a little more elbow grease or have an easy oscillating buffer, try something like Mothers 3-in-1 Prep & Coat. It adds a light polishing compound, so the extra rubbing will take care of a lot of the swirls and light scratches and leave a nice, polished finish.
Given the steps in proper preparation, you might surmise that the best time to apply ceramic coating is when a car is brand new or nearly so. You'd be correct. New cars (for lack of wear) require the least amount of paint correction. Detail shops will often guarantee their ceramic coatings longest when they're applied to new vehicles. If your car is already a few years old, you've got what you got. Just remember that your final ceramic-coating results will be directly related to how well the paint is prepped.
When it's time to actually apply the coating, follow these general rules. Do not apply in direct sunlight, or to paint that's hot to the touch. Do it in a garage, if there is enough light, or borrow one of those cheap outdoor canopies, if that's the next best option. Zero dust is best, and nearly impossible to achieve short of full climate-control conditions, but keep that objective in mind as you set up to start coating. An ambient temperature of about 70 F is ideal; your specific product's instructions will give you a range of acceptable application temps.
Definitely read those instructions and watch the videos on your product manufacturer's website (if available). Time spent now will be time saved during the application, and it will likely improve the end results.
Mothers
Ceramic liquids are invariably what the pros use and typically have the highest silicon-dioxide concentration in consumer-grade coatings. Most come in kits with an applicator sponge and soft cloths to wrap it. Some come with microfiber towels for buffing. It never hurts to have extra application clothes.
To start, you'll wrap the applicator with one of the clothes and spot it with the ceramic coating, sometimes as little as several drops. Working in small areas, spread the coating as evenly as possible. Your product will have its own recommendation on "small," but it's not going to be more than two feet square. Over the next few minutes, depending on the product, the moisture in the ceramic will evaporate to a point where the surface gets a gleaming, almost oily look (sometimes called flashing). That's when you buff with a microfiber towel. When you're happy with what you see, start a new section.
Too little product will be better than too much. The typical 50 ml bottle of ceramic liquid can be enough for multiple cars and too much on the surface is a frequent cause of bad results. Change the applicator cloth and the polishing rags frequently, because if the coating hardens on the rags, it can definitely scratch the paint. If you have any hope of reusing the rags or applicators, throw them in a bucket of water to keep the ceramic from setting until you can wash them thoroughly.
Once you've made your way around your vehicle, leave it sitting out of the sun (and the rain) for as long as it takes for the ceramic to cure. Your product instructions will tell you specifically. Touch contact is typically allowed in 60 minutes to six hours. Liquid contact usually requires at least 24 hours, though it can take up to seven days.
Nasiol
"You've got to make sure the prep is good, but we already said that," veteran ceramic pro Lifter reminds home detailers. "Stay small [in the application area] as you progress, and don't think because you've successfully applied a couple small patches you can expand to bigger sections. Staying small is the best way to avoid high spots. We've had a few customers bring us messes because they lost track of that idea."
The worst-case outcome with consumer grade ceramic liquids is relatively rare, but it happens. It's usually the result of too much product applied in too big an area for the workable set time and is an uneven mess of ridges and cloudy high spots on the paint that is really, really hard to get off. Remember that this stuff is designed to last for years. The only options are looking at the mess every time you get in your car for years, or heading to a good detail or body shop, where a pro-skill polisher might get it off without wrecking the paint. That's going to cost you as much or more than what you hoped to save by applying the ceramic coating yourself.
If you're not willing to accept that risk, we suggest at least starting with one of our relatively inexpensive best ceramic sprays. The general rules are the same: Use it in the best conditions you can create, use less than you might think you need and work small. Thanks to the viscosity of the sprays, which sometimes include lubricants, and to the way they set up, they're loads more forgiving than most liquids. And they're easy enough that you can apply two or three layers in short order, as long as you respect the cure time.
Finally, whichever product you use, don't neglect your health and safety. These products are industrial-grade chemicals. You definitely want to avoid sucking the vapors into your lungs and you want to keep the liquid off your skin. Work in a well-ventilated space and wear a ventilator or a chemical mask (we should be used to masks by now). Definitely wear gloves (many kits include them); it's not a bad idea to wear a long-sleeve shirt, too.
Mothers
Are you ready?
There might be a couple big-picture questions to ponder before you tear into this ceramic coating thing. If you own multiple vehicles, which do you most want to protect as best you can? How much money do you have to spend on your cars?
If the answer to that second question is as much as you need to spend, have ceramic coating professionally applied. Or maybe think about a full wrap with transparent film. It will cost more than pro-applied ceramic, but it has advantages, as previously noted.
If you only have as much money to protect your paint as you can get away with, think creatively. Maybe you pay the pros for a limited wrap (say the front fascia, door sills and rear fender bulges) and put ceramic on everything including the wrap yourself. That might be your most efficient use of resources. Or maybe you just take a nice day and apply a relatively inexpensive ceramic spray.
Unless you have the full inventory of tools, climate-controlled car space, the right skills, years of experience and a lot of time, you will not get the same results and durability as a professional establishment applying high-grade ceramic coatings. What you can get is an awesome gloss that protects much better and lasts years longer than conventional carnauba or polymer auto waxes, for up to thousands less than you might pay the pros.
That's not bad at all.
Written by J.P. Vettraino for CNET Cars.
More car cleaning recommendations
Ceramic coating FAQs
What is ceramic coating and is it worth it?
Ceramic coatings, sometimes called nano-ceramic, quartz or silica coatings, were developed in the early part of the 21st century. They're applied to automobiles in very generally the same fashion as old-school liquid or paste waxes: spread on and buff. They universally contain silicon dioxide (SiO2), derived from quartz or sand. Over the years, some manufacturers have added other mineral compounds, including titanium dioxide (Ti02) or more complex silicon compounds such as silicon nitride (Si3N4 9) and silicon carbide (SiC). These compounds bond the coating at a molecular level to itself and the paint underneath, then cure to form a hard, hydrophobic layer on the paint. It's the primary reason ceramic coatings last.
Worth it? Loaded question, but yes, ceramic coatings are worth it. The least expensive consumer-grade ceramics don't cost much more than traditional waxes and don't take any longer to apply. Properly done, they'll work better and last longer.
How much does a ceramic coating cost?
It can be $1,000 or more when it's professionally applied by product-certified auto detailers. Consumer-grade ceramics can cost in excess of $100 for top-grade durability and performance and can be tricky to apply. Ultimate results are directly related to cost or time and energy invested, yet even the least expensive, easiest-to-apply ceramics (about $20) should out-perform conventional wax of a similar price.
Is ceramic coating easy to apply?
Yes, and no. Generally, the most protective and durable ceramic coatings are the most difficult or time consuming to apply and the trickiest. Experienced do-it yourself detailers shouldn't have too much trouble with any of them, but it takes work and occasionally disasters ensue. Easy ceramic sprays or hybrids are easier than traditional wax-on, wax-off sealants to apply. They'll shine at least as well as the conventional waxes, protect better and last longer.
Just remember: the ceramic coating will only shine and protect whatever is underneath it, so you can end up with some really shiny scratches and tar flecks. Final appearance and durability are directly related to the amount of paint prep that precedes the actual coating. If your paint is in reasonably good shape, we at least recommend a spay-and-wipe prep solution, which will remove old wax and chemical residue and ensure a solid foundation that maximizes the bond between the coating and paint.
How do I maintain a ceramic-coated car?
You wash it, until the coating's hydrophobic properties start to wane and that can be years. Washing will be easier than ever: You won't have to wash your vehicle as often as you did before the ceramic coating and you shouldn't need strong detergents. Ceramic coatings work partly because far fewer substances stick to them than to old-school carnauba or polymer waxes, sort of like Teflon on a frying pan. Those substances that do settle are much more easily removed.
You can use a wash detergent that's intended for ceramic coatings, or a spray refresher on the paint as you dry. Both can extend the life of the coating itself. Either way, your vehicle will look like you just polished it when you're done. You definitely don't need to wax it once the ceramic is applied. The ceramic coating replaces wax and provides all the gloss and protection you need.
How long does ceramic coating last?
Longer than conventional wax, in the worst case. Some professional auto detailers will guarantee their ceramic coatings for the life of the car. Pro-style consumer-grade ceramics can last five years or more, properly applied. Some manufacturers guarantee these for two or three years. The easiest spray-on ceramic coatings can last a year or so, depending on whether the vehicle lives outside and they're easily layered for more durability. Conventional carnauba or poly waxes typically need to be applied every three or four months.
NFTs explained: Why people spend millions of dollars on JPEGs
NFTs explained: Why people spend millions of dollars on JPEGs
Take a quick look at the image to the right. What, if anything, could convince you that image is worth $9 million?
Richerd/OpenSea
What you're looking at is an NFT, one of the first ever created. It's part of the CryptoPunks collection, a set of 10,000 NFTs released in 2017, a time when much of the world was still finding out what bitcoin is.
Most likely you've already rolled your eyes, either at the $9 million figure or at the very idea of NFTs themselves. The response to nonfungible tokens hasn't changed much since March when they first started exploding. The public at large has reflexively dismissed them as environmentally harmful scams. The bigger the sale, the more brazen the injustice.
Which brings us back to the above pixelated chap. Its owner is Richerd, an affable Canadian software developer. He started building cryptocurrency software around 2013, but eventually tired of it. After discovering NFTs earlier this year, Richerd bought CryptoPunk #6046 on March 31 for $86,000 in what he said was the biggest purchase he'd ever made in his life.
Richerd, who has over 80,000 followers on Twitter, last month claimed that his CryptoPunk was priceless to him and wasn't for sale no matter the price. The very next day his determination was tested when an offer came through for 2,500 ether, or $9.5 million. It was made not because Richerd's CryptoPunk is worth that amount -- similar NFTs now go for about $400,000 -- but rather because his bluff was very publicly being called. It was a challenge, but it was still a legitimate offer. If Richerd clicked "accept", 2,500 ether would have flowed into his wallet.
Richerd rejected the offer.
"Well, obviously, the day before I said 'I'm not selling it for any price,' so if I sell it for that price, I'd be going against my integrity," Richerd told me over a Zoom call. "On top of that, I've used this CryptoPunk as my profile pic, as my brand. Everyone knows that's me."
Not too long ago, Richerd's explanation would have sounded insane to me. How divorced from reality would someone need to be to offer eight figures on a picture that looks like a Fiverr job? How scandalously misguided would a person need to be to rebuff that offer? After I spent a few months researching and following NFTs, however, it doesn't surprise me in the slightest. In fact, it makes a whole lot of sense.
There are 10,000 NFTs in the Bored Ape Yacht Club collection. Here are three examples. The middle one is owned by Jimmy Fallon.
Yuga Labs
Bitcoin millionaires
Here is one quick fact that explains why NFTs are bought for the equivalent of a CEO's salary: Bitcoin is estimated to have made over 100,000 millionaires. It's no surprise that NFTs became a phenomenon in March. That's when bitcoin hit $60,000, up over 500% from just six months prior.
When you see a headline or a tweet about some preposterous sum being spent on an NFT, it's easy to become bewildered over how absurd that purchase would be for you. What's easy to forget is that very expensive things are almost exclusively bought by very rich people -- and very rich people spend a lot on status symbols.
Take Bored Ape Yacht Club, for example. It's a collection of 10,000 ape NFTs, all with different traits that make some rarer than others. Rare ones have sold over for over a million bucks, but common variants go for around $200,000. (At the time of launch back in April, BAYC developers sold the NFTs for $190 each.) BAYC, owned by the likes of Steph Curry and Jimmy Fallon, is what you'd call a "profile pic collection." The main purpose of the images is to be used as your display photo on Discord, where most NFT business goes down, or on Twitter, Instagram or wherever else.
To recap: $200,000 minimum for a profile picture.
In isolation, that's insane. But place it on a spectrum of how wealthy people spend money, and it becomes less staggering. You can right click and save a JPEG, so why spend money on it? Well, you can buy a nice house in a safe neighborhood almost anywhere in the world for $1 million, yet celebrities regularly snap up $20 million mansions. You can find a fashionable dress for under $500, yet brands like Chanel build their business on selling ones for 20 times that amount.
Up to 100,000 people became millionaires when that green line shot skyward.
coinmarketcap.com
We accept that rich folks buy extravagant items offline. Is it so inconceivable they would buy extravagant things online, too?
"In the real world, how do people flex their wealth?" said Alex Gedevani, an analyst at cryptocurrency research firm Delphi Digital. "It can be buying cars or watches. How scalable is that versus if I buy a CryptoPunk and use it as my profile picture?"
Obviously, status symbols aren't specific to the rich. All of us indulge in some way or another, be it buying a $20,000 new car when a $7,000 used vehicle will do, or buying a $30 T-shirt when Walmart sells basics for under $5. What most status symbols have in common is that they have a specific audience in mind. The banker sporting his Rolex and the chief executive stepping into her Bentley don't care that I think either of those purchases is excessive. They have a small but powerful group of people they're trying to influence. So, too, with NFTs.
In the case of Richerd, he runs his own business, Manifold, where he helps show digital artists like Beeple how they can use blockchain technology to make art that could only exist as NFTs. Being a part of the most sought-after NFT collection helps in those circles. And when he says his brand is built on his Punk, he's not exaggerating -- a group of investors even named their organization after him.
"Anybody who owns a CryptoPunk believes certain things," Richerd explained. "Either you've been in the community for a long time so you believe in what these are, or you've paid a lot of money to get in, which shows conviction.
"I want to show my conviction. This is one of those projects that makes you put your money where your mouth is."
A bit of trouble
NFTs are polarizing. There's a small group of people who believe in the underlying technology (tokens that prove ownership of a digital good), but there are many more who regard it as a hoax. Just as the second group struggles to see any value in NFTs, the first group can sometimes be defensive about the technology's imperfections.
And make no doubt about it, there are a lot of issues with NFTs.
First is the confounding inaccessibility. There's a reason software developers tend to do well in crypto and NFT trading: Setting up blockchain wallets and other required digital apparatus is difficult. Even just buying and selling can be perilous. Send money to the wrong wallet address by accident, and it's gone forever.
Then there are the fees. Imagine you're interested in dipping your toes into nonfungible waters and you have $1,000 you're willing to lose. If you're minting a new NFT during a public sale you'll usually spend between $120 and $400. Not too bad -- until you factor in the transaction fees. Most NFTs are built on the ethereum blockchain, which is notoriously inefficient. The more people using ethereum, be it through trading altcoins or buying NFTs, the higher the fees. At a good time you'll spend about $100 per transaction, though double or triple that amount is common. Suddenly that $1,000 doesn't go very far.
This is especially troublesome for NFTs, which are infamous for causing "gas wars." It's possible for 100,000 people to buy shiba inu coins at once, since there are a quadrillion in circulation. But when 10,000 people try to buy an NFT, it results in a massive spike in transaction costs as some users outbid each other to speed up their purchase. It may only last a minute or two, but a lot of damage can be done in that time. People spending over $10,000 on a transaction fee isn't rare. People losing $1,000 on a failed transaction isn't, either.
This is what it looks like when someone spends $4,000 on a failed transaction. It's rare, but not rare enough.
Etherscan screenshot by Daniel Van Boom
Ethereum's inefficiency also contributes to the other major criticism of NFTs, the massive amount of energy they consume. Note that this is something of a semantic issue: NFTs aren't bad for the environment as much as ethereum is. Other networks, like Solana, use a fraction of the power. Ethereum developers are expected to implement an upgrade next year that will make mining it consume 1% the energy it currently does. At this moment though, while no one can say precisely how much energy ethereum consumes, we know it's a lot. (Bitcoin, despite getting all the headlines, is even less efficient than ethereum, which is why almost nothing is built on its blockchain.)
And finally, there's the fact that most people trading NFTs are doing so to make a profit. Scams are everywhere, and prices are volatile. Most of the people who create, buy and sell NFTs are ignorant or uninterested in the technology. If there is a technological leap taking place, it's likely to be obscured by the dizzying price movements.
"I'd call it a bubble," Gedvani said, "because the amount of speculators that are entering the market is outpacing genuine creators."
But a bubble can pop and leave something better in its wake. Think of Pets.com. It had a peak valuation of $290 million in February 2000 but by November of that year, as the infamous dot-com bubble began to burst, it had already closed shop. It's used as a cautionary tale for speculative trading in bubbles. But the impulse to invest in Pets.com evidently ended up being justifiable. That particular venture was misguided, but the e-commerce trend it was flicking at was legitimate. Seven-figure pixel art may not be forever, but proof of digital ownership, which is what NFTs are really about, may be.
A big 2022
Where NFTs will end up is anyone's guess -- and anyone who claims to know is probably trying to sell you something. What we do know is that the amount of people buying NFTs is almost definitely about to grow.
It's estimated that around 250,000 people trade NFTs each month on OpenSea, the biggest NFT marketplace. In the short term, CoinBase will soon open its own NFT marketplace, for which 2 million users are on the waiting list. Robinhood has similar plans.
More importantly, giant companies that already make money outside of the crypto space want in. Niantic, the company behind Pokemon Go, has just announced a game in which players can earn bitcoin. Twitter and the company formerly known as Facebook plan to integrate NFTs into their platforms, and Epic Games says it's open to doing so too. Envision a world where instead of buying skins in Fortnite, you buy an NFT for those skins that you own -- meaning you can trade it for outfits and weapons in other games, or sell it once you're done with it. (Epic said it won't integrate such a mechanic into Fortnite, but that may not stop competitors.)
Richerd reckons the flood of people soon to enter the NFT marketplace will create a broader diversity of digital products sold for different audiences. Your neighbor might not want to spend $200 -- much less $200,000 -- on a profile picture, but maybe they'll be willing to spend $10 on a one-of-a-kind skin, or on a product in Facebook's Metaverse. But though the space may change, he remains confident that CryptoPunk #6046 is safe for a while yet.
"Even if every NFT falls," he said, "CryptoPunks will be the last one."
