I bought the most MINIMALIST Tech ever.
Summary
TLDRIn this tech review, the host embarks on a $20,000 quest to purchase the most minimalist technology available to determine if it can truly transform life into a 'Zen Paradise' or if it's merely an expensive marketing ploy. The exploration includes a variety of products like the HP Spectre fold, LG's easel TV, and the Light Phone 2, each promising simplicity and elegance. From unique takes on gaming with the Playdate to high-end audio experiences with Bang & Olufsen speakers, the video scrutinizes the practicality and value of these minimalist gadgets. The host also tests kitchen innovations like Xiaomi's smart cooking robot and the Balmuda coffee machine, revealing a mix of disappointments and surprisingly satisfying experiences.
Takeaways
- 💻 The HP Spectre fold is a minimalist laptop with a screen that transforms into different form factors.
- 📺 The LG easel TV is a minimalist TV that can transform between two states, offering a unique aesthetic with potential practicality concerns.
- 📱 The Light Phone 2 is a minimalist phone designed to disconnect from social media and other digital distractions, boasting simplicity over functionality.
- 🎮 The Playdate is a minimalist gaming console with a unique crank mechanism and limited games, emphasizing a different gaming experience.
- 📻 The Samsung Music Frame is a speaker that resembles a picture frame, blending into home decor while providing full-range sound.
- 🎶 The Wheel by Wren is a minimalist record player with technology compacted into a small design, playing records from the back.
- 🍵 The Balmuda teapot and coffee maker are minimalist kitchen gadgets designed for the perfect brewing experience, focusing on precision and design.
- 🍳 The fry pan plate is a minimalist kitchen gadget that allows eating directly from the pan, sacrificing some comfort for convenience.
- 🧘 The R2 hot sail wa is a minimalist treadmill that folds away for easy storage, emphasizing a clean and simple design.
- 🎁 The video concludes with the narrator's experience of unboxing and testing various minimalist tech products, rating them based on their functionality and design.
Q & A
What is the main purpose of the HP Spectre fold?
-The HP Spectre fold is designed to be a minimalist laptop that transforms into various form factors, featuring an all-screen design.
How does the LG easel TV differ from traditional TVs?
-The LG easel TV is a minimalist TV that can transform between two different states, giving it a unique appearance and allowing it to stand out as a piece of furniture.
What is the primary appeal of the Light phone 2?
-The Light phone 2 is a minimalist phone that boasts of not having social media, clickbait news, email, an internet browser, or any other anxiety-inducing infinite feeds, aiming to help users be completely unplugged.
How does the Samsung Music frame speaker provide an audio experience?
-The Samsung Music frame speaker is designed to blend in with home decor as it looks like a picture frame. It promises full range Ultra wide sound and is equipped with AI enhancement technology to improve voice clarity.
What is unique about the wheel to play records from the back?
-The wheel to play records from the back is a minimalist record player where all the technology sits underneath the record, making only the record visible, thus providing a clean and minimalistic look.
How does the Xiaomi smart cooking robot differ from traditional kitchen appliances?
-The Xiaomi smart cooking robot, known as 'your master', is designed to perform all kitchen functions in one machine, aiming to simplify cooking and provide a variety of delicious foods effortlessly.
What is the main drawback of the frying plate mentioned in the script?
-The main drawback of the frying plate is that it can get very hot and may potentially burn the surface it's placed on or the user's hand when removing the food, and it may not be as non-stick as expected without a non-stick coating.
What is the battery-free Aroma diffuser's method of operation?
-The battery-free Aroma diffuser uses a candle to generate heat, which is then directed onto a steel surface. The heat energy causes a fan to turn and diffuse essential oils around the room.
What is the minimalist approach of the Light phone 2 in terms of functionality?
-The Light phone 2 takes a minimalist approach by providing only essential functions such as texting, connecting as a Wi-Fi hotspot, playing music via Bluetooth, and giving directions. It lacks internet browsing, social media, and email capabilities.
How does the Xiaomi cooking robot perform in terms of cooking quality?
-The Xiaomi cooking robot performs exceptionally well, providing a high-quality risotto that is far superior to a traditionally made one by a novice, as noted in the taste test.
What is the main concern regarding the minimalist LG Aero Furniture range?
-The main concern is that the LG Aero Furniture range is only available in certain regions like Hong Kong and Singapore, which may limit its accessibility to a broader audience who might appreciate its minimalist design.
Outlines
🛒 Unboxing Minimalist Tech Splurge
The speaker begins by announcing their intent to spend $20,000 on minimalist technology within minutes to evaluate if such products can indeed transform life into a 'Zen Paradise' or if they are merely overpriced for less functionality. They discuss a range of items including the HP Spectre fold, a multiform laptop; the LG easel TV, a minimalist TV with a unique stand; the LG briefcase, a 27-inch touchscreen with cinema capabilities; and the Light phone 2, a minimalist phone without social media or internet browsing. Other products mentioned are the Playdate gaming console, Samsung's Music frame speakers, and the Wheel turntable. The segment ends with a mention of kitchen gadgets by Balmuda and Xiaomi's smart cooking robot, suggesting that the minimalist approach seeks to consolidate multiple functions into single devices.
📦 Arrival and Testing of Minimalist Gadgets
After a 9-day wait, the speaker starts testing the minimalist products they've received. They begin with the frying plate, which has a non-stick surface despite no coating, and discuss its practicality for single-person use. The Zero Tolerance Machining desk toy impresses with its precision but is criticized for its high price and limited entertainment value. The Playdate gaming console is tested for its unique crank mechanism and UI responsiveness but is found to be less appealing for long-term use. The speaker also evaluates a battery-free aroma diffuser, which uses a candle to power fragrance diffusion, comparing it to a traditional candle with added oil.
📞 Minimalist Tech Experiences and Reviews
The speaker continues their exploration of minimalist tech with the Light Phone 2, a minimalist phone that can only text and make calls, which they find to be a commitment too far for most users. They then review the Balmuda teapot, which boasts a silent operation and laminar flow pouring feature, and compare it to a cheaper alternative. The scent diffuser test results are shared, with the minimalist version outperforming the traditional candle method. The speaker also discusses the availability of minimalist tech, noting that it seems more popular in East Asian markets.
🏡 Testing High-End Minimalist Home Appliances
The speaker tests the Balmuda tea maker, emphasizing the ritual of making tea and its silent operation. They also examine an air purifier that doubles as a table, testing its noise level and wireless charging capabilities. The Samsung Frame speaker is critiqued for its high price and paper-thin design, and the speaker's AI enhancement technology is tested. The speaker also reviews a getaway bag made of durable materials with various compartments, assessing its protective qualities and design.
🎮 Minimalist Tech: Bag Durability and Coffee Experience
The speaker puts the getaway bag through a durability test by simulating a drop and assessing its ability to protect contents. They also describe their experience with Balmuda's coffee maker, highlighting its precision in water distribution and the quality of coffee it produces. The process of making coffee with the machine is detailed, emphasizing the difference in flavor compared to instant coffee.
🏃♂️ Minimalist Treadmill and TV Unboxing Experience
The speaker unboxes and tests a minimalist treadmill, noting its quiet operation and the safety concerns due to its structure. They also discuss the unboxing of an LG easel TV, a high-end minimalist TV with a unique design that can lean against the wall like an easel. The TV's features, such as line view mode and customizable display options, are explored, but the speaker questions the practicality and value for money of such a product.
📺 Minimalist Tech: High-End Speaker and Cooking Robot
The speaker reviews a high-end Bang & Olufsen speaker, noting its small size and the challenge it presents to fill a room with sound. They also test a Xiaomi cooking robot, comparing its performance to traditional cooking methods. The robot's ability to weigh ingredients and adjust cooking times is highlighted, and the resulting cheese risotto is judged to be superior to a traditionally prepared version.
🎶 The Appeal of Minimalist Tech: Record Player and Laptop
The speaker discusses the allure of a minimalist record player, appreciating the manual process and high-quality sound it offers. They also review a laptop with a seamless screen that transforms into an all-in-one PC, praising its impressive display but criticizing its performance issues and limited ports. The laptop's adaptability and the convenience of having a single device for multiple functions are noted.
🍚 Cooking Showdown and VPN Service Endorsement
The speaker concludes the video by comparing the results of cooking risotto using the Xiaomi robot versus traditional methods, finding the robot's output to be significantly better. They also discuss their experience with a VPN service, highlighting its benefits in preventing bandwidth throttling by ISPs and providing a discount code for the service.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Minimalist Tech
💡LG Aero Furniture
💡Light Phone 2
💡Playdate
💡Samsung Music Frame
💡Balmuda Teapot
💡Xiaomi Cooking Robot
💡LG Briefcase
💡Bang & Olufsen Beosound
💡HP Spectre Fold
💡LG Easel TV
Highlights
Investing $20,000 in minimalist tech to evaluate its impact on lifestyle and functionality.
HP Spectre fold's versatility as a laptop with a full-screen form factor.
LG Easel TV's unique design that transforms between two states, offering a minimalist TV experience.
LG's 27-inch touchscreen briefcase that provides a cinema experience on-the-go.
LG's table that doubles as an air purifier, combining furniture and functionality.
Light Phone 2's minimalist design that eschews social media and internet browsing for simplicity.
Playdate handheld gaming system with custom-made games for a minimalist gaming experience.
Samsung Music Frame's innovative design that disguises a speaker within a picture frame.
Bang & Olufsen's minimalist audio offerings, including full-range ultra-wide sound speakers.
Wheel turntable's minimalist approach, playing records from the back and housing technology underneath.
Balmuda's minimalist kitchen gadgets, such as a lightweight teapot and a precision coffee maker.
Xiaomi Mijia Smart Cooking Robot's all-in-one kitchen functionality for effortless cooking.
Yanko Design's minimalist workout equipment, like the R2 hot sail wa treadmill that folds for easy storage.
Evaluating the practicality and minimalist design of various tech products, from kitchen gadgets to workout equipment.
Balmuda teapot's laminar flow pour and quiet operation, offering a premium tea-making experience.
Samsung Frame speakers' AI enhancement technology that improves voice clarity in audio playback.
Playdate's unique crank control scheme for a novel gaming experience.
Light Phone 2's minimalist phone capabilities and its potential as a replacement for a smartphone.
Unboxing and testing various minimalist tech products, assessing their design, functionality, and value.
Transcripts
I about to spend $20,000 in the next 5
minutes buying the most minimalist Tech
on the planet so that we can find out if
it actually does turn your life into a
Zen Paradise or if it's all just a fancy
way of charging you extra for stuff that
actually does less minimalist laptop the
HP Spectre fold it seems like it
transforms into so many different form
factors it's a laptop that's all screen
what about the most minimalist TV what
on Earth is this the LG easel TV oh it's
transformed between two different states
when you see it in images like this it's
definitely the kind of vibe I had in
mind
5,899 wait LG does a briefcase it's a
27in touchscreen a cinema experience
wherever you go is that a dumb idea or
is that a really intelligent idea well I
am having a whale of a time here LG has
a table that is also an air purifier I
mean this is absolutely beautiful oh it
has color options no
no they have board ape versions of their
hyper minimalist Arrow Furniture oh God
that is awful I'm going to pretend that
doesn't exist I'm just going to buy the
white one okay let's get something non
LG that would be good phone oh God that
looks awful it looks like a remote for
your thermostat the Light phone 2 oh
their website is uh kind of naughty
definitely sells you on that vision of
being completely unplugged it will never
have social media clickbait news email
an internet browser or any other anxiety
inducing infinite feed it's strange
isn't it we're living in an age where
products are actively boasting about all
the things they don't do I mean is this
such thing as a minimalistic gaming
console oh the play dat it's a tiny new
handheld gaming system with a bunch of
brand new games Al every game is custom
made for the playd are they just going
to be like really basic you kind of
assume that when it's got a black and
white screen I'm not sold on this but I
also think there was enough hype around
the launch of it that it feels wrong to
just write it off we should try it let's
do minimalist speakers audio is always
my favorite part of these videos the
Samsung Music frame a speaker that
blends in beautifully with your home
designed to look just like a picture
frame does look incredibly clean so it
looks like bang and olivon is pretty big
in this space Oh this is interesting
they're picturing it in a bookshelf next
to books and it's smaller than them fits
in anywhere and reaches you everywhere
in the room with full range Ultra wide
sound that's a claim that we have to
test let's see what the cleanest record
player is the wheel to plays records
from the back so all the technology is
sitting underneath the record and that's
all you see that is minimalistic it
looks like they've compacted so much
technology that should take up so much
space into a tiny little piece but it
still does the same thing if not more
that's true minimalism at least that's
what I tell Ria boy oh the company
actually has different tiers they've got
the white wheel and then the black wheel
we reserve time to hand build just 5 to
10 of these per month this is so
unbelievably exclusive kitchen gadgets
oh there's balmuda products balmuda
makes a teapot lightweight and perfectly
sized doesn't need to be any bigger they
also do a toaster which we already have
and then the Brew which is coffee oh wow
so this is apparently the temperatures
that all the different steps of making
coffee have to occur at for the
scientifically perfect coffee that is a
lot more than your typical mispro
machine xiaomi makes a smart cooking
robot your master that allows you to
effortlessly enjoy a variety of
delicious foods where has this been my
whole life it's basically saying that it
can do all of your kitchen functions in
one machine yeah if we're saying the
entire purpose of minimalism is to get
as many functions as possible into one
device I think we have a winner oh Yanko
design completely forgot about this site
but I've realized this is literally what
this video is and I definitely should
have just started with it eliminate the
middle man and eat on the very thing you
cooked your food on this is speaking to
my soul there's a battery free Aroma
diffuser o it just looks so tactile and
satisfying and then there's a
spork that looks terrible oh yeah Zero
Tolerance Machining desk toys it's
basically toys that are so precisely cut
that you can't actually see the seams
like when you put them together it will
just look like one continuous object
$100 though is nutty for a tiny little
toy the pack it's actually really funny
like 50% of minimalist products are just
named the something like yes we get it
you're very cool and efficient with your
words oh my god look how it
opens that is cool Final thing will just
be if there's any kind of minimalist
workout equipment the R2 hot sail wa
it's a treadmill that's well I guess
literally just the treadmill that is
absolutely awesome and it folds so you
just tuck it away when you're not using
it why are they giving me a kiss well
the product looks good so that's the
important thing oh the except PayPal
good just on the off chance I get
scammed
hey that's probably
Fair 9 days is how long all of this
stuff took to arrive so I mean even the
wait times are minimal oh and also we
have found the most peaceful property
ever to film this in it's very exciting
come let me show you so let's go roughly
from least expensive to most expensive
starting at $70 with the frying plate
which is either genius or terrible and I
haven't worked out which yet okay not a
great first impression are those oil
marks now in theory this is very me I am
so the kind of person who would give up
some eating Comfort to be able to have
less washing up to do wow these are
going to be some oily eggs but see
there's two things that would normally
stop me from eating my meals directly
from a pan one because I might burn
myself or the table that I'm eating from
but also two that by stabbing it with a
fork there's a very good chance that I
am actually taking off the non-stick
coating and eating it so this is
uncoated for that reason but then then
does that make it a terrible pan okay so
even without a non-stick coating it is
actually pretty non-stick the edges of
the egg do need a little bit of prying
but then this is the key feature so with
one hand I should be able to slide that
back and take it off that's my plate and
I'm slightly scared that it's going to
be like
1,000° yeah that's boiling hot that
could well burn through any normal
surface that you would eat your food on
so already that's a big problem right
you need well in my case oven mitt don't
like the sounds it makes but it's the
eating practicality that I have the
problem with because permanently having
to approach your plate from this angle
just so you don't sear through your
entire arm it does slightly cut into the
enjoyment of your food plus also this
basically only works if you're one
person cooking for one person so three
out of 10 rough start the zero tolerance
Machining toy kind of fascinates me I
mean the idea of paying nearly $100 for
a fidget device feels crazy to me so
what on Earth could it possibly do that
makes it worth that I mean from from a
technical perspective this is quite
impressive when these two parts do slot
together the seam does actually
basically disappear and to create
something with zero gaps like this you
can't just use a traditional Toy Factory
like this piece wasn't cut with a blade
because the blade itself would create
its own Gap what you effectively have to
do is to vaporize the space in between
these two pieces using the heat
generated from Rapid electrical
discharges okay but then as something
that you actually having to spend your
hard earned money on I'm not going to
lie I find this whole category of
executive desk toys just a little bit
cringe like the idea of these highflying
business people who earn so much money
that they can't just play with normal
toys and they in fact have to spend $100
on something with the same entertainment
value as an empty bag of crisps and this
is actually the other part of the
problem because this thing is so
precisely machined once this piece comes
out it is stupidly hard to get it back
into place genuinely only goes in if you
precisely match the direction of the
Grain on both parts and then does let me
and I stop it earning money because I'm
spending all my time trying to put my
fidget toy back together I think it
actually has to be a zero out of 10
technically buy their own admission I'm
much more hopeful about the play date I
fully remember when this thing launched
and people all over Twitter went pretty
Bonkers over it it's this very strange
blend of retro gaming console but
instead of being made with cheap creaky
plastic like most consoles are premium
Hardware oh yeah and a
crank wait this thing's
tiny this is definitely among the
smallest mobile devices I've ever used
whoever was posing in the photos on the
website has extremely small hands also
the crank actually tucks into the body
of the device that's pretty cool
engineering you know when I first saw
this thing I thought this was how you
charge up the device I'm actually very
glad that's not the case that would be a
nightmare this is actually one of your
controls to be able to play games with I
will say it is a very pretty piece of
tech surprisingly so the buttons feel
really satisfying the screen is only
black and white it gets noticeably more
readable as I tilt it up toward WS the
light but anyway the most important
question on my mind is is it fun okay so
the UI is definitely much more
responsive than you expect it to be
based on how the thing looks does feel
like it's running at a full 60 frames
per second yeah it's got really smooth
animations but really retrographics so
it's got this weird past meets future
vibe to it I don't know how I feel about
this crank to be honest like I totally
respect the need to be different but
it's just making my hands ache and I
can't imagine this being the way that I
want to play games on like a long
airplane in flight for example and let's
try casual burder oh this is really
weird it turns your device into a camera
and then you use the crank to focus that
camera so I'm
unfocused and then I'm focused one thing
this unique control scheme means is that
you're definitely not playing games
you've ever played before this isn't
like a retro emulation device but I just
I don't think it's for me so there's
only two games on here right now but the
way this works which is actually quite
cool to be fair is they stagger them so
they give you two games every week for
the first 12 weeks of owning it and
that's all included with the price I
guess they stagger it to let you
appreciate each game before giving you
the next one but it's just playing on
something like this really makes me
realize that me personally I actually
don't want minimalism in my games I want
more buttons I want more power or
failing that just multiplayer and I
think for more people something like the
Miu Mini Plus has much more appeal so
this is something I only found out about
a couple of weeks and when you boot it
up it is basically every single retro
console and then you click into one
let's say the PS1 and there are so many
games it is just nutty uh one of my
favorites growing up was crash team
racing the shoulder buttons on the back
it is genuinely the entire PlayStation 1
experience and I'm not even super sold
on this I'd still rather play something
like the Nintendo switch with its modern
games but I see it I see the Merit of
something like this whereas I really
struggle to see the Merit of this the
battery scent diffuser is well I guess
it's the minimum required Tech to
achieve diffusion I got to say I am very
much enjoying the unboxing experiences
so far I guess it is one thing that you
can bet on Minimalist designled
companies definitely getting right it's
quite nice to see a product that isn't
actually over engineered like this uses
really simple physics to the point where
you can actually see the entire process
in action so essential oil goes in the
back here obviously I picked eucalyptus
it's the only right choice oil goes
behind the fan you light the candle and
then essentially this glass tube is
going to direct as much of the heat
energy from that candle onto this steel
surface at the top and then hopefully
that heat energy is going to be
transferred over towards the fan which
can use it to then start turning and
diffuse those oils around your room I
saw twinges of movement oh oh look at it
oh my God that is beautiful there's
something so elegant about the fact that
there's no batteries there's no cables I
made that happen with this little candle
the only question then is is this all
theatrics or is this actually better
than sticking oil in a candle and just
lighting it okay so let's stick this in
one of the rooms like that oh it really
is pretty and then in room number two
it's going to be just the candle and I'm
literally just going to pour drops of
oil on top of it and what the other
diffuser was saying is that doing it
this way would cause the essential oils
to burn and therefore not actually
preserve their scent let's come back to
it and find out moving up to $300 now
for this price you can actually replace
your phone with a minimalist equivalent
so this is the light phone 2 that we
bought and again like the play dat the
thing's microscopic but unlike a lot of
the products so far which could just
neatly fit into your existing lifestyle
switching your phone is a big commitment
so what can this do it can text okay oh
you have to type sideways I guess
they've decided that that's the only way
you can comfortably type on a screen
like this and it's not too bad it's a
little bit less responsive than you're
probably used to and the autocorrect
kind of sucks it connect as a Wi-Fi
hotspot it's got Bluetooth it's got a
headphone jack on the top so it's got
your music covered it does say it has
directions what does that even look like
on a phone like this God this is so
clunky you have to keep rotating it
every single time it's pretty
slow by the way it's acting you'd think
I just asked it to Sol physics not ask
for walking directions oh but it does
give you some semblance of Google Maps I
assume it is not a good way to use it
though Cy cuz this is an e in screen
screen so it doesn't have smooth
animations it has to reender every
single thing on screen every time it
changes but this will be fun let's see
what the call Quality is like oh yeah
here's another problem I was just about
to call my mom but she's in India right
now so I would have normally WhatsApp
called her there is no WhatsApp here
do oh hi Domino we're big fans could we
get some pepperoni
[Music]
pizza yeah okay it's functional for
calls it does have a speaker phone it's
not particularly loud now we got some
pizzas on the way I'm slightly torn with
devices like this because I see the
appeal you know a phone that weighs
nothing it could disappear within your
pockets plus it does seem to be getting
quite a few software updates from what I
can see it's just that for most people I
don't think it does quite enough to
replace your smartphone like you can't