Tag: comparing
Gary Lineker faces BBC rebuke for comparing Suella Braverman’s migrant crackdown to Nazi Germany
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AMD’s latest RDNA 3 presentation appears to have removed a slide comparing RTX 4090 performance
AMD’s recent RDNA 3 announcement was met with a healthy mixture of both excitement and skepticism by fans and critics. While many lauded AMD for their innovations and achievements using the new chiplet-based architecture, others were quick to point out that Team Red had no direct competition for Nvidia’s hot…
iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 13 Mini Buyer’s Guide: Comparing Apple’s Two $599 iPhones
At $599, both devices sit above the $429 iPhone SE in Apple’s product lineup, adding features like OLED displays and Face ID. The iPhone 13 mini is a more modern device than the iPhone 12, and features the same battery life as the larger device despite having a smaller internal battery, but it does come at the cost of display area.
As the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini share a large number of features, should you consider purchasing the older model to save money? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two iPhones is best for you.
Comparing the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 13 Mini
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini share a large number of key features, such as OLED Super Retain XDR displays, Face ID, 5G connectivity, MagSafe, and Ceramic Shield. Apple lists these identical features of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini:
Similarities
- OLED Super Retina XDR display with HDR, True Tone, P3 wide color, and Haptic Touch
- Face ID
- 6GHz 5G connectivity (and mmWave in the U.S.)
- Six-core A-Series Bionic chip
- 4GB of memory
- Dual 12MP ƒ/2.4 Ultra Wide and ƒ/1.6 Wide cameras with two-times optical zoom out
- Photography features including Night mode, Deep Fusion, True Tone flash with Slow Sync, Portrait mode, and more
- Videography features including 4K video recording at up to 60fps, HDR video recording with Dolby Vision, Audio zoom, slo-mo video up to 240fps at 1080p, Night mode Time-lapse, and more
- Ceramic Shield front
- IP68 rated splash, water, and dust resistance
- Aerospace-grade aluminum
- MagSafe and Qi wireless charging
- Lightning connector
- Up to 17 hours battery during video playback
- Available with 128GB and 256GB storage options
- Available in (PRODUCT)RED
Apple’s breakdown shows that the iPhones share a large number of notable key features. Even so, there are some meaningful differences between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini, such as their processors and display brightness, that will be important when weighing up which device to choose.
Differences
iPhone 12
- 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display
- 625 nits max brightness (typical)
- A14 Bionic chip
- Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM)
- Optical image stabilization for video
- Smart HDR 3 for photos
- Dolby Vision HDR video recording up to 4K at 30fps
- Weighs 164 grams
- Available in Purple, Blue, PRODUCT(RED), White, and Black
- Available with 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage options
iPhone 13 mini
- 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR display
- 800 nits max brightness (typical)
- 20 percent smaller notch
- A15 Bionic chip
- Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM) and dual eSIM support
- Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video
- Smart HDR 4 for photos
- Photographic Styles
- Dolby Vision HDR video recording up to 4K at 60fps
- Cinematic mode video recording with shallow depth of field (1080p at 30 fps)
- Weighs 141 grams
- Available in Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, Green, and PRODUCT(RED)
- Available with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options
Read on for a closer look at each of these aspects, and see what exactly both iPhones have to offer.
Design and Colors
Both the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 13 mini have the same industrial design with squared-off edges and a flat aluminum band around the sides. The devices use aerospace-grade aluminum on the edges and a single piece of polished glass on the rear. The iPhone 13 mini’s dual rear cameras are offset against each other diagonally, as opposed to the iPhone 12’s vertical orientation.
The iPhone 13 mini features a 20 percent smaller notch for the TrueDepth camera array, which frees up more display area and makes the cutout less obtrusive. Other than the rear camera positioning and the smaller notch, the devices look otherwise the same.
As a smaller phone, the iPhone 13 mini is shorter and narrower than the iPhone 12. The size of the iPhone 13 mini makes it much more pocketable than the iPhone 13.
Another factor that demarcates the difference between the two devices is their weight. The iPhone 13 mini is 23 grams (0.81 ounces) lighter than its larger counterpart, at just 141 grams (4.97 ounces) in total. If you want the smallest and lightest possible iPhone, the iPhone 13 mini will be a better choice than the iPhone 12.
The iPhone 12 is available in Purple, Blue, Green, White, and Black, while the iPhone 13 mini is available in Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, and Green. Both are also available in PRODUCT(RED). The two shades of Blue are similar, as are White and Starlight, and Black and Midnight. As similar-looking devices, preference for either the iPhone 12 or the iPhone 13 mini in terms of design and colors will come down to personal taste.
Display
The iPhone 12 and the iPhone 13 mini both have a OLED Super Retina XDR display with HDR, True Tone, P3 wide color, and Haptic Touch. The only difference with the iPhone 13 mini’s display is that it is able to get 175 nits brighter during typical non-HDR use, but this is not a major reason to get the newer model.
The most noticeable difference between the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 12 is the size of their displays. The iPhone 13 mini has a display size of 5.4-inches and the iPhone 12 has a display size of 6.1-inches. This means that the larger phone will be able to show more content on the screen, with the UI elements of apps spaced further apart and items such as the keyboard being bigger.
Nevertheless, the smaller phone is easier to use with one hand. For example, the Control Center is easier to reach at the top of the screen, and users may feel more comfortable swiping around iOS on a smaller display with a firmer grip.
The main reason to prefer the iPhone 13 mini will be because of its better fit in the hand and easier one-handed use. Likewise, those that want a larger display for media consumption, being the same size as the iPhone 14, will clearly prefer the 6.1-inch iPhone 12.
A14 vs. A15
The iPhone 13’s A15 Bionic chip brings a modest performance improvement over the A14 Bionic in the iPhone 12. Benchmarks show that the A15 in the iPhone 13 offers around 10 percent better single-core performance and 18 percent better multi-core performance compared to the iPhone 12’s A14 chip. In graphics tasks, the iPhone 13 performs roughly 15 percent better than the A14 Bionic in the iPhone 12.
These performance improvements with the A15 are iterative rather than a substantial reason to upgrade alone. The A14 is still an extremely capable chip, and in day-to-day use, the two devices are likely to perform similarly, although the A15 chip may be supported for longer and perform better over time.
Dual SIM
Both devices support dual SIM, with one physical nano-SIM and an eSIM, but the iPhone 13 mini is also able to support two eSIMs simultaneously. If you need to switch between two eSIMs, you will need to get the iPhone 13 mini to get this functionality.
Cameras
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini have dual 12MP rear cameras with a ƒ/2.4 Ultra Wide and a ƒ/1.6 Wide camera. The iPhone 13 mini’s Main camera features a larger sensor than the iPhone 12, capable of capturing 47 percent more light for less noise and brighter images, and the Ultra Wide features a new sensor to capture more detail. The Main camera also contains sensor-shift optical image stabilization technology for smoother video and improved image quality.
Although the devices can both record Dolby Vision HDR video, the iPhone 13 is able to record this up to 60 fps, as opposed to the iPhone 12’s 30 fps.
The iPhone 13 mini features Cinematic mode, which allows users to record video with a shallow depth of field at 1080p and 30fps. Cinematic mode can rack focus to seamlessly shift the focus from one subject to another when capturing video. It holds focus on the subject while blurring the background, and can automatically change the focus when a new subject is about to enter the scene. Blur and focus can be adjusted after capturing video as well through the Photos app.
The iPhone 13 mini also supports Photographic Styles, which are smart, adjustable filters that can do things like boost or mute colors without affecting skin tone. Styles apply selectively to an image, unlike a filter that is applied to the entire image. Photographic Styles include Vibrant (boosts colors), Rich Contrast (darker shadows and deeper colors), Warm (accentuates golden undertones), or Cool (accentuates blue undertones). Tone and Warmth are customizable for each style, so you can get the exact look that you want.
While the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini feature cameras with similar specifications, the iPhone 13 mini offers Dolby Vision HDR video at a higher frame rate, Cinematic mode, and Photographic Styles, as well as hardware improvements such as a larger sensor and sensor-shift stabilization. The iPhone 12’s camera is still highly capable, but with more photography and videography options and improved image quality, the iPhone 13 mini is the better option.
Storage
A key area to consider when weighing up the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini is storage. While both devices start at $599, the iPhone 12 features a base storage configuration of 64GB, while the iPhone 13 mini offers 128GB of storage for the same price. The iPhone 12 with 128GB of storage costs $649 and at 256GB it costs $749, $50 more than the iPhone 13 mini with the same amount of storage. If storage is a priority for you, it may be better to get the iPhone 13 mini since higher storage quantities come in at a lower price across the board.
The iPhone 12 is also not available with a 512GB configuration, unlike the iPhone 13 mini. This means that if you need more than 256GB of storage, you will need to get the iPhone 13 to have the option of a larger 512GB storage capacity.
Final Thoughts
The iPhone 13 mini’s upgrades over the iPhone 12 are mostly iterative, offering refinements in terms of a brighter display, a smaller notch, performance improvements, and new camera software features. The more significant upgrades include the camera hardware, but at face value there is likely not enough to justify getting the new model over the iPhone 12 for those who mainly want a larger display. The iPhone 12’s A14 Bionic chip and dual-camera setup are still highly capable for everyday use, and the device shares an overwhelming majority of the iPhone 13 mini’s most versatile features, such as a 17-hour battery life, 5G connectivity, Night mode, MagSafe, and IP68 water resistance.
However, when looking at the 128GB and 256GB storage options only, since these options are available with both models, the iPhone 13 mini costs less than the iPhone 12. If you need more than 64GB of storage and do not want a larger display, you should buy the iPhone 13 mini – especially considering that it comes with additional features and is a year newer. If 64GB of storage is sufficient for you, it will be a case of deciding if the iPhone 13 mini’s selection of improvements and extra storage are worth sacrificing a larger display.
This article, “iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 13 Mini Buyer’s Guide: Comparing Apple’s Two $599 iPhones” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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Comparing ‘Goodnight Mommy’: remake vs. original
If you’ve lived through the 2014 Austrian psychological horror film Goodnight Mommy, you’re already furious it’s been remade.
For those who haven’t, welcome! You’re about to strike a match on the unnecessary nightmare that is a remake of a critically acclaimed and terrifying film about twin brothers who fear a vicious imposter has invaded their home.
Written and directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, the original film is a triumph of understated slow burn terror, then unnerving body horror that lingers with you long after the final unsettling moments, and leaving you uncomfortably aware of the capabilities of humans to inflict pain on one another.
Goodnight Mommy follows twin brothers Elias and Lukas (played by Elias and Lukas Schwarz), whose mother (Susanne Wuest) returns in facial bandages post-surgery to their modernist country house to recover. As she begins showing erratic and abusive behaviour, the boys suspect the person underneath the bandages might not be their mother at all.
With an adapted screenplay from Kyle Warren, Brand New Cherry Flavor director Matt Sobel is behind the helm of the 2022 remake for Prime Video, which indicates a certain level of squirm factor afoot. Cameron and Nicholas Crovetti (Nicole Kidman’s sons on Big Little Lies) take on the roles of Elias and Lukas, whose father drops them off at the American country house of their mother, played by another Australian star, horror remake aficionado Naomi Watts. (See also: The Ring and Funny Games. Or you know, don’t.)
In a nutshell, the remake dilutes the most shocking, violent elements of the original, in a way that reduces the film to a rather stale few hours of emotional and physical torment that underuses Watts’ talent. Then comes lukewarm home truths that don’t land in any way as expertly as the chilling 2014 film.
So, though Sobel borrows a few character-following camera techniques from Franz and Fiala’s film, how is the English language remake of Goodnight Mommy really different from the original, apart from subbing out of Brahms’s “Cradle Song” for Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell’s “You Are My Sunshine” as a creepy lullaby motif?
If you’re not into spoilers, turn back now. If you’ve already started the fire, step this way.
Goodnight Mommy’s core mystery solved: Is she or isn’t she?
Credit: Ulrich Seidl Film Produktion/Films Ditribution/Kobal/Shutterstock
In the original, the identity of the mother is kept in question until the very end, keeping the audience as fearful of her presence as Lukas and Elias. Wuest’s unnervingly robotic movements stalking through the house, her menacing staring, her cruel treatment of the boys’ stray cat, and refusal to completely confirm her identity constantly make the audience question whether this person is in fact the boys’ mother, or even whether she’s completely human thanks to a surreal forest scene harks to Robert Eggers’ The Witch.
In both films, the prevalence of darkness and silence in the mother’s house makes narrative sense, as a strict rule set as necessary for her recovery. But the original uses this lack of sound and light to terrifying thematic effect, whereas it simply feels like a horror given in the remake.
Credit: Amazon Studios
Watt’s version of the mother is much warmer and seemingly more human than the original character. She moves through the house like a regular person, at first speaks kindly to the boys, and clears up any feelings of doubt immediately. This makes it more difficult for the audience to feel the creeping dread of the twins’ suspicions. “It’s still me under here,” she declares when the boys first arrive. “I hate that you have to see me like this. But there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
The boys gather evidence in both films, but the original offers up major clues to indicate this actually might not be their mother: a picture of her with an identical woman, her insistence on wearing contacts we never see confirmed, and a drawn-on mole revealed during interrogation. The remake answers all of these questions or doesn’t include these clues at all. Added are multiple scenes showing the boys’ father, meaning it becomes clear Watts is indeed their mother. This level of consistent confirmation of identity reduces the level of threat to Elias and Lukas, and foregrounds the final reveal early in the piece, slowing the whole thing down.
Elias is brought front and centre
In the new film, one of the twins is placed at the centre of the story, while the original film balanced the three core characters. Sobel pays the most attention to Elias in the film, which risks revealing the story’s twist too early for those who haven’t seen the original. Luckily, Cameron and Nicholas Crovetti bring compelling individual performances. Cameron, in particular, is required to do most of the heavy emotional lifting as Elias, and actually brings more nuance and emotion to the character than the dead-eyed terror of the original. But then again, he’s asked to do less violent acts as the character, so it checks out.
It’s the biggest challenge for the actors and directors in both films, making both Lukas and Elias make sense in every scene until the reveal without making the audience aware that their mother is only interacting with Elias. And honestly, both the remake and original do an exceptional job of making this work with savvy blocking and well-measured dialogue.
Lukas’ fate is no longer a mystery
Credit: Amazon Studios
One of the most perplexing questions of the original is what exactly happened to Lukas. In the original it’s ambiguous, as Lukas disappears into a dark tunnel in the woods amid inexplicable and sinister sounds at the start. In the next scene, we see Elias floating on a lake, calling out for Lukas, and we see nothing but bubbles from the depths. Whether this means Lukas drowned, and the tunnel scene was representative of his death is left up to the viewer.
In the remake, there is no question left unsolved as to how Lukas died. It’s very clearly revealed. Watts’ character takes Elias to the forbidden barn and explains that he accidentally shot his brother while they were playing with a gun. In both instances, it appears that Elias has completely blocked Lukas’ death from his memory, and measures the truth of his mother’s identity on whether or not she plays along with his fantasy of keeping Lukas alive.
Sobel cuts the graphic torture from the original
Credit: Ulrich Seidl Film Produktion/Films Ditribution/Kobal/Shutterstock
Wow, Watts’ character gets a much better deal than Wuest’s.
In both the original and the remake, Elias shockingly restrains his mother in the film’s third act to interrogate her about her identity. One of the chillingly defining elements of the original film is the ensuing scenes of torture, demonstrating the truly insidious capabilities of humans, even children. Wuest’s character is put through horrific torture, before being burned alive in a fire intentionally started by Elias. They’re truly distressing scenes with exceptional acting by Wuest.
In the remake, Elias’ limits his torture methods, and he manages to separate himself from Lukas long enough to connect with his mother in an emotional, present moment for both of them. Wuest’s character never gets this moment. Unfortunately Watts’ mother also meets death by her son’s hand. But in the remake it seems accidental, which makes for a (slightly) less harrowing ending.
Is the Goodnight Mommy remake better than the original?
Ultimately, Sobel’s remake of Goodnight Mommy ditches the original’s shocking scenes of violence and forces narrative opportunities to fully answer questions left unanswered by Franz and Fiala. Surprisingly, Fiala seems to be fine with this, saying in a press statement: “I think they solved some problems in their script that we couldn’t solve in ours, so that was very interesting to see.”
However, the result is the antithesis of what made the Austrian version so shockingly memorable: a disturbing, private examination of grief and trauma that coldly demonstrates what a child is capable of, one that leaves the audience still wondering whether it was mommy they were indeed saying goodnight to. The slippery surrealness was a major part of what made the original so satisfyingly sinister. Unfortunately, the remake’s quest to fill in the gaps weakens the sheer terror of a lauded international horror gem. We never needed to know all the answers.
Goodnight Mommy (2022) is now on Prime Video.
Goodnight Mommy (2014) is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.
Comparing popular VPNs? Folks on Reddit have some thoughts.
Slow WiFi and an exposed Google history are an avid internet user’s worst nightmares, and the Obama-era rules that protect from these have been under attack since 2017. New FCC nominees could offer hope for a fairer internet in 2022, though undoing years of net neutrality bashing is an uphill battle.
Squashing these protections essentially gives internet service providers the green light to dish unfair treatment to certain web traffic — like throttling a Netflix connection or charging extra to use a certain social media platform. And don’t get us started on how it could affect smaller sites with smaller budgets.
Discussions about the government’s right to spy on your digital habits without a warrant don’t exactly make anyone feel confident, either.
Whatever the reason, people are becoming more and more paranoid about the vulnerability of their internet usage (that, or they’re just really tired of American Netflix). In turn, Google has become littered with VPN reviews and lists of the best VPNs according to experts, tech publishers, and regular consumers alike. But if you wanted a more raw take on the day-to-day VPN experience from normal people (with no filter), there’s only one place to go: Reddit.
What is a VPN used for?
The bottom line is simple: People don’t want other people watching what they’re doing online, even if they’re not doing anything wrong.
A VPN (virtual private network) is an internet security subscription that basically allows you to make up your own internet rules. It acts as a bodyguard between you and your internet service provider (and hackers, and other third-party weirdos) by hollowing out a personal anonymity tunnel through which you perform all of your internet activities. A VPN’s job is to plug the holes that could be making your data vulnerable to nefarious eyeballs, like creeps scouring public WiFi networks for personal information that could be used to steal your identity. VPNs are as wise of a precaution as antivirus software or a password manager (yes, this applies to Macs too).
Hackers love free WiFi for the same reason you do: Connecting to the internet requires no authentication. That network is littered with unsecured devices, many times belonging to working professionals with bank accounts and business credentials that have phishers frothing at the mouth. Often, the easiest thing for hackers to do is slide in between your device and the connection point. This Man-in-the-Middle situation is like eavesdropping, but on emails, credit card info, and work logins. Other hackers use public WiFi to unleash malware to all of the suckers using the network without protection.
Many folks avoid the public WiFi risk by recruiting their phone’s hotspot. But on the flip side, cellular data limits might be an issue — setting up a situation where both a laptop and phone need VPN protection. Many Reddit users suggest using something like EasyTether to share the VPN connection. Just download and enable a proxy app on your phone, configure it on your laptop, and you can enjoy a sort of reverse hotspot VPN-style.
VPNs also provide a way for people to get around internet roadblocks and censors. These can be location-based or around blocks to certain websites set by, say, your school.
Does a VPN help with streaming?
Unblocking streaming services is probably the most universally useful feature of VPNs, even for casual internet users who don’t think twice about eyes on their browsing habits.
All decent VPNs offer a wide selection of servers based in multiple geographic locations. Picking one of those essentially tricks your ISP into thinking your device is based there, maneuvering around geoblocks and opening the door to international content, like another country’s Netflix library or BBC iPlayer. American fans of the UEFA Champions League or Love Island UK could also use location spoofing to watch a live game or episode as they air in another country.
What Redditors care most about in a VPN
The specs that Reddit users care about in a VPN are easy to tally when the same ones (or multiple people bitching about the lack of the same feature) pop up in countless subreddits throughout the year. If you’re not feeling hardcore enough to build your own VPN, like some users suggest, here are the frequently-mentioned points that Reddit suggests to look for:
Streaming dependability is a given. Tons of people want a VPN solely to watch content from other countries, so a VPN’s ability to fake out geoblocks and get around a streaming site’s VPN blocks is crucial. (If you, in the U.S. want to watch a show that’s only available in France, you’d want to pick a VPN with a plethora of servers in France.) The speed at which that content streams matters, too (a fast VPN should be able to upscale to HD without lag). Connection speed and location spoofing are dependent on the number of servers and where they’re located — more servers means fewer people hogging a single server’s capacity, and various locations mean more streaming libraries from around the world. (Free VPNs typically don’t have the funds to support as robust of a menu of servers.)
For obvious reasons, most big streaming services aren’t psyched on the idea of VPN usage and will probably mention it in their terms and conditions. If they happen to sniff out your VPN-ridden IP address, you’re not necessarily screwed. The most likely repercussions would be the inability to access the streaming platform (even if it just worked the day before), but there have been instances of steaming services terminating subscriptions associated with spoofing.
Split tunneling can aid with traffic jams as well. VPNs that support split tunneling let you route some of your traffic through the encrypted VPN tunnel while bouncing other traffic over the internet directly. One might choose to separate less demanding but high-security activities like web browsing from high-bandwidth but low-security activities like streaming or playing video games. Advantages include reduced traffic on corporate networks, better speeds and reduced latency for the chosen tasks, and more customized privacy. If you’re looking to tunnel to specific apps, look for an SSL VPN.
No DNS leaking is a good test of a VPN’s trustworthiness. Think of a DNS (Domain Name Service) as the internet’s phonebook: It’s the service that transfers host names for humans to understand (like Mashable.com) to IP addresses for computers to understand. A leaked DNS essentially blabs your browsing history to whoever’s watching on the other end — thus totally defeating the purpose of a VPN.
A kill switch cuts your connection to the internet if a secure connection to your VPN drops without notice. This is less likely on a high-quality VPN with a hefty roster of servers that can balance the traffic of millions of users, but far from impossible. By default, your device will switch back to your personal IP address or, worse, a public one. The speedy end-all action performed by a kill switch essentially ensures that you aren’t unknowingly operating on a weak IP address. Some kill switches operate in the form of a firewall.
Jurisdiction — or the country in which a VPN is originally based — will dictate the privacy laws that VPN has to follow. Some places are nosier than others, mostly depending on their membership in an intelligence-sharing alliance (or not): The Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and Fourteen Eyes are all but guaranteed to come up in any subreddit about a certain VPN’s privacy policy. Countries in these groups have agreements related to third-party sharing and may be following strict data retention laws, depending on their legal jurisdiction. (Let’s say a VPN is officially based in the US but has an office in Switzerland. The company can decide to follow Swiss legal obligations in order to avoid loopholes that make user data vulnerable.)
Not all VPNs run equally smoothly on every device, so app compatibility can make or break your VPN experience. Before signing up, make sure that your chosen VPN’s app doesn’t have major bugs on your operating system. For instance, some mobile VPN apps don’t play as well on iPhone as Android, or an app might keep getting killed depending on other apps sucking your phone’s battery. Alternatively, if you’re using a VPN to stream on your TV, ensure that the service has a dedicated Fire TV app.
Are free VPNs the move?
Reddit has strong feelings about this. It’s bluntly summed up here in response to an inquiry about the “best free VPN”:
Credit: reddit/screenshot
Reddit users will let you know that comparing free VPNs to paid VPNs just doesn’t make sense. It’s like comparing apples to oranges, and you’ll almost definitely be skimping on some crucial features by opting out of paying. Proof isn’t always provided, but many Redditors are convinced that free VPNs don’t follow a true no-log policy or sell your data to third parties. “Free” is sometimes synonymous with “slow” due to fewer servers in fewer locations.
The general consensus seems to be to only use a free VPN to test the waters, then cough up the credit card info (or Paypal, or Bitcoin, or Visa gift cards from your grandma). Most times, this can be done through a trusted paid VPN that has a free tier to experiment with, or via a free trial, which many services offer. In a rare turn of events, Reddit backs Windscribe’s free service hard. However, free VPNs can step up to the job for more temporary endeavors — like having access to your home country’s streaming services while going abroad for a semester or keeping up with a certain sport for a season. Because paid VPNs only really get affordable when a one or two-year subscription is met, it may not make sense to pay $10 or $12 per month for the few months that you need a VPN.
The Wireguard vs. OpenVPN debate: Which VPN protocol is best?
If you know to check Reddit for VPN advice, you likely already have some general knowledge about VPN protocols. But here’s a breakdown if you need a refresher: A protocol is the rulebook that dictates how the VPN client talks to the VPN server and creates a tunnel, ultimately playing a role in security and vulnerabilities. Outdated-yet-popular protocols like L2TP/IPSec and PPTP, two more modern protocols often come up in conversation on Reddit: Wireguard and OpenVPN.
Both are open source, giving anyone in the community access to the source code to conduct their own investigation on potential security flaws — and Reddit users appreciate the ability to take things into their own hands. Wireguard’s simpler code base is a little easier to crack and offers technical perks like better encryption and connection times, but it’s not as polished as OpenVPN. OpenVPN, on the other hand, is the go-to for streams and gamers.
Subreddits get much further into the weeds than this, and TechRadar does a sweet job of unpacking it all.