Modern Simple Living

Gear Review Choosing Between iPhone XR and iPhone 11 A practical comparison for those upgrading from older hardware ~6 Years Expected Life 6.1 Inches Screen Size ~$100 Price Difference Section I The Decision Process When I was looking for a replacement for my venerable iPhone 6s, the XR and 11 were high on my list. I debated which one to get, and I found that the XR and 11 are almost identical, with only two major differences: the faster A13 chip and the dual rear cameras of the 11.   Specification iPhone 11 iPhone XR Screen 6.1” (828 × 1792) 6.1” (828 × 1792) Processor A13 Bionic A12 Bionic RAM 4 GB 3 GB Storage 64 GB 64 GB Battery 3110 mAh 2942 mAh Camera 12 MP / 12 MP 12 MP Weight 6.84 oz 6.84 oz Port Lightning Lightning Dual Cameras — The Difference Maker I ultimately decided on the iPhone 11 and paid $300 during a special deal (the full retail price is normally $600). I am very happy with my choice, as I find the dual cameras to be a must-have. You don’t realize what you’re...

Gear Review Retro Gaming: The Anbernic RG351p Review *Is this budget handheld the ultimate device for your nostalgia fix?* ~10 Seconds Startup 5–6 Hours Battery ~30 Minutes Avg Session Section I The Quest for the Perfect Handheld Retro gaming has come a long way since the early PC emulators. I was curious about how well a portable handheld could handle emulation and am impressed with the Anbernic RG351p. Based on online reviews, the RG351p is probably the best handheld for those serious about portable retro gaming and who want to own just one device. I have to agree with those reviews and was able to start gaming within 10 seconds of owning the device. This by itself is impressive. The RG351p is by no means perfect, but there are no perfect portable handhelds. Its competitors using the same chipset may have features and capabilities that outclass the RG351p, but they also come with their own drawbacks. The target audience for the RG351p is casual gamers who plan to spend 15 to 30 min...

Collections 2022 Wish List & Spending Summary Planning, tracking, and closing out the year $800 Initial Budget $1,245 Final Total Spent 5 Categories 4 Update Rounds Table of Contents ① Year-End Summary ② Initial Wish List ③ Wardrobe Refresh ④ Update — Feb 2022 ⑤ Update — Apr 2022 ⑥ Update — Aug 2022 ⑦ Update — Sep 2022 ⑧ Update — Dec 2022   The Full Picture Year-End Summary As 2021 came to a close, I planned my acquisitions for 2022, focusing on various collections and budgeting around $800. Overall, I spent a bit more than expected, but each acquisition feels worthwhile. Category Amount Clothes & Shoes $633 Knives $58 ...

Gear Review Updated Inventory List for Collections *Refining the rotation: A complete 2021 look at tech, gear, and everyday carries.* 57 Total Items 7 Categories 16 Knives 2021 Update Table of Contents ① Inventory Overview ② Headphones ③ Tech ④ Watches ⑤ Swiss Army Knives ⑥ Sneakers ⑦ Fountain Pens ⑧ Whisky   Section I Inventory Overview I've made some updates to my collections, adding a new category for Swiss Army Knives and shifting my focus from Clothing to Sneakers. Here’s the current overview of my holdings: Category Item Count Headphones 11 Tech 12 Watches 7 Swiss Army Knives 16 Sneakers 4 Fountain Pens 4 Whisky 3 The only collection that hasn’t changed since 2018 is my Fountain Pens; all other collections have expanded or evolved. Section II Headphones I reduced this collection by three items, letting go of my old MDR-ZX, ATH-EQ500, and WM-77 models, which I hadn't used in years. Over-Ear → Audio Technica ATH-MSR7 — High-resolution over-ear headphones. → Audio Techn...