It wouldn’t be the end of summer if we weren’t gearing up for another iPhone launch! This week, Devindra and Cherlynn are joined by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the purveyor of many Apple rumors, to discuss what we expect from the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Based on Gurman’s reporting so far, the iPhone 15 will likely get Apple’s Dynamic Island and improved tech from last year’s Pro phone. The iPhone 15 Pro, meanwhile, will see thinner bezels, a titanium frame and a periscope camera for the Pro Max.
You can also expect Apple to finally move over to USB-C for both of these phones, which should improve data (and potentially charging) speeds. Be sure to subscribe to Mark’s Bloomberg newsletter, Power On, to follow his reporting.
Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!
This is Bethesda's highest-profile game since being bought by Microsoft. It’s also a high-profile game for the console maker, as the acquisition turned it into an Xbox exclusive. Starfield is here with vast gameplay options, stories and quests. According to Engadget’s Jessica Conditt, every player will find a gameplay aspect that resonates with them. Bethesda claims it will take hundreds of hours to interact with everything in Starfield, and according to Jessica, “40 hours and one New Game Plus later, this doesn’t feel like a lie.”
Combat is one of Starfield’s weak points. While gun battles are central to the game’s core loop, they often feel unnecessary and occasionally monotonous. The scale is grand, but it feels like a mix of other sci-fi games and references. However, if you liked Cyberpunk and you liked No Man’s Sky, there’s certainly a bit of both in Starfield.
JLab's extremely affordable earbuds already strike a solid balance of value and performance, but the company set out to "drastically" reduce size and weight with its latest model. Announced back in December, the JBuds Mini is a set of insanely tiny wireless earbuds with a charging case smaller than a car key fob. While the $40 earbuds lack more advanced features, like active noise cancellation (ANC), there are touch controls, transparency mode and more.
The brand's new product category puts it in competition with Ring.
Signify, the Philips spinoff known for its Hue lighting products, has announced a new range of security cameras, putting it in direct competition with companies like Ring and Nest. The new Hue Secure cameras are for indoors or outdoors, and you can prop up the wired version with its companion desktop stand. Both will be available this fall, with the wired camera a bit cheaper at $218 (€200) than the $273 (€250) battery variant. The Philips Hue lineup also has contact sensors, so you can stick them on doors, windows and other places, to get notified if somebody opens them.
For fans of handheld gaming PCs, 2023 keeps getting better. Following the release of ASUS’ ROG Ally earlier this year, Lenovo is entering the category with the Legion Go. Some of the Legion Go’s highlight features are to do with its screen. It’s an 8.8-inch 2,560 x 1,600 IPS panel with a 144Hz refresh rate and listed at 500 nits of brightness. That makes it the biggest screen on pretty much any device in this category. Other specs include an AMD Z1 Extreme chip, 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage.
Sony has unveiled the Xperia 5 V smartphone with some nice high-end features and one fewer camera, along with a slightly lower price tag. The company also promises an "extraordinary music and video experience" thanks to the HDR display, updated speakers and more — all at a slightly lower price than the previous Xperia 5 IV model.
Sony smartphones are all about the cameras, and there's good news in that regard, despite what looks like a worse camera array. The Xperia 5 V (yes that's "five five") has the same 52-megapixel Exmor T backside illuminated (BSI) Type 1/1.35-inch stacked sensor as the Xperia 1 V, meaning it's very fast and very good in low-light. In addition, Sony has improved the AI-powered "bokeh mode" to get pictures "closer to the standards of interchangeable lens cameras," the company said.
Sam Benard for Sony
As the photo above shows, though, there's now only two rear cameras — the 48-megapixel Exmor T and a 12-megapixel 16mm ultrawide — rather than three as on the Xperia 5 IV. However, the primary sensor has much higher resolution than the previous 12-megapixel telephoto camera, and can dynamically switch between 24mm and 48mm (around 48mm and 96 mm 35mm equivalent) focal lengths, so you still get an equivalent 2X optical (lossless) zoom that should take much sharper images.
As before, you can shoot 4K video at up to 120fps in HDR, and it comes with optical image stabilization, along with 5-axis gyro-powered electronic stabilization for maximum smoothness. Other features include HDR recording, eye-tracking, "Creative Look" color presets and a new Video Creator app that automatically creates a final video based on your choice of shots and music. And for audio creators, it has a dedicated voice recording mic "that picks up your voice even with other voices and environmental sounds in the surroundings," Sony says.
Sony
It's also designed as an entertainment machine, starting with the 6.1-inch OLED HD+ (1,080 x 2,520) display (the same specs as the last model). For watching movies, it comes with Sony's TV Bravia X1 image quality engine for mobile, along with a newly developed front stage speaker system that offers "powerful deep bass" and negates the need for external speakers, Sony claims. And thanks to the power-saving tech, the 5,000mAh battery can go over 24 hours on a charge and maintain 80 percent or higher capacity after three years, according to the company. (That's a subtle dig at Apple's iPhone 14, in case you didn't notice.)
The Xperia 5 V should also be solid for gaming, thanks to the flagship-level Snapdragon 8 Gen2 processor, 120Hz display refresh rate and a larger heat diffusion sheet (it's available with 8GB or 12GB of RAM, plus 128GB of expandable storage). Meanwhile, the game enhancer adds features like an audio equalizer, voice chat mic and a screen recording function.
Despite a small drop in price in Europe, the Xperia 5 V isn't cheap. It's priced at £849 / €999 in the UK / Europe, with availability in "late September." There's no word on US pricing or availability, but we should hear something soon — and as a reminder, the Xperia 5 IV cost $1,000 at launch.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-xperia-5-v-phone-comes-with-a-flagship-52-megapixel-sensor-110148895.html?src=rss
Lenovo has introduced its new flagship gaming laptop at IFA 2023, and it's the first 16-inch model under the company's Legion brand. Called the Lenovo Legion 9i, it's powered by the 13th-gen Intel Core i9 processor and can be equipped with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTXTM 4090 Laptop GPU, as well as a 64GB Overclocked 5600Mhz Dual Channel DDR5 RAM or a 32GB Overclocked 6400Mhz DDR5 Dual Channel RAM. Lenovo VP Jun Ouyang said the Legion 9i is the first Legion laptop with an integrated liquid-cooling system and hardware AI chip tuning.
The company describes its liquid cooling system as the first of its kind for a 16-inch laptop. It's positioned so that it runs over the GPU VRAM, allowing it to manage heat under extreme gaming sessions, and it switches on when the GPU hits a temperature of 183 degrees Fahrenheit (84 degrees Celsius). This works in tandem with an AI-tuned triple-fan air-cooling system. Speaking of AI, Lenovo's LA-2 AI chip syncs the RGB strips around the keyboard and on other parts of the laptop. As for the device's screen, it uses Lenovo's PureSight 3.2K Mini-LED with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 165Hz variable refresh rate. The laptop can also accommodate up to a 2TB SSD for storage.
One interesting thing to note is that the company didn't launch separate Pro and Slim variants like it does for lower-tier gaming laptops, because it says this model fulfills the purpose of both varieties. The Legion laptop will ship with Windows 11 and a 3-month free subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It will be available in October with prices starting at $4,399.
Lenovo
In addition to the new flagship laptop, Lenovo has also announced a new version of its Legion Glasses, which are a wearable virtual monitor. They use the company's micro-OLED display technology and can deliver full HD resolution with a 60Hz refresh rate for each eye. These glasses provide a portable, large-screen viewing experience for users with Legion Go and other compatible devices, which include most newer Android phones, iPhones, Windows and Mac computers. They will also be available next month and will set buyers back at least $329.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lenovo-announces-its-first-16-inch-legion-gaming-laptop-040004058.html?src=rss
Google has just made it easier than ever to capture video stills while using its Chrome web browser. The company highlighted the struggle faced by users when attempting to capture video frames — noting that screenshots often produced lower-quality images with the video’s progress bar shown across it. If you’re using Chrome (or another Chromium-based browser, like Microsoft’s own Edge), that’s now a thing of the past. Starting today, users can hit pause at any time during a video, right-click, and select the new "Copy Video Frame" option from the pop-up menu.
We went ahead and tried the feature but noticed it didn't work as intended. On YouTube, evoking the new option required two right clicks instead of one. The first right-click brought up the native YouTube menu but after a second try, the menu with the new feature was available. When you click the "Copy Video Frame," Chrome will capture what's currently being shown and you'll have the option to paste your image in supported text fields within the browser, like Google Docs. We were also able to paste the image into the Apple Notes app; from there, you can save the actual file.
As of right now, there is no option to save the copied video image directly to your desktop as a file. The feature is also limited when it comes to streaming services, with many of them restricting the ability to capture content. In fact, so far we've only gotten it to work on YouTube. So, while this feature may technically be helpful in a pinch, it may need some fine-tuning to be more useful. Chrome's new "Copy Video Frame" is being rolled out today for Windows, Mac, Linux and ChromeOS.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/chrome-now-lets-you-copy-frames-from-videos-for-easy-sharing-210657406.html?src=rss
PlayStation Portal, Sony’s $200 handheld for PS5 game streaming, is available to pre-order today before its November 15th launch. The company announced the availability details today in an update to its announcement post from last week. The upcoming device requires a PS5 and a persistent WiFi connection.
Sony markets the device as “the handheld gateway to your PS5 games.” Its eight-inch LCD screen offers 1080p visuals at 60 frames per second, and it includes haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Engadget’s Kris Holt aptly described the device’s appearance as “a bit like a tablet wedged between two halves of a DualSense controller.”
However, PlayStation Portal doesn’t support cloud streaming through PlayStation Plus Premium or similar services. Nor does it have any local apps. The device merely acts as a WiFi remote streaming controller for the PS5 you already own. However, at least it supports long-distance remote play as long as your console is up and running at home.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-200-playstation-portal-handheld-arrives-on-november-15th-190222052.html?src=rss
Google announced today that all Chromebook owners can claim three free months of GeForce Now. Most Chromebook users will get a (usually $10 per month) GeForce Now Priority subscription, while owners of Cloud Gaming Chromebooks will receive access to the Ultimate tier (typically $20 per month). The company is tying the promotion to Baldur’s Gate 3 launch on Nvidia’s cloud gaming service.
Standard Chromebook owners can claim three months of GeForce Now Priority, which uses a “premium rig” in the cloud that maxes out at 1080p / 60 FPS streaming and six-hour gaming sessions. Meanwhile, folks who bought a Cloud Gaming Chromebook can claim three months of GeForce Now Ultimate, which boosts performance to an RTX 4080, 4K resolution, 120 FPS and eight-hour sessions.
GeForce Now, launched publicly in 2020 after nearly five years in beta, offers instant access to a computer with much greater horsepower than a Chromebook — without worrying about updates, patches or graphic settings. But, of course, you’ll need at least a decently fast and low-latency internet connection to stream the games from Nvidia’s servers.
Building and accessing your library on Nvidia’s service can be a bit clunky compared to rivals like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and the now-defunct Stadia: You’ll need to link your Steam, Epic Games Store, the Microsoft Store or Ubisoft Connect store accounts (among others) to see which of your purchased titles are eligible. Then, you can stream the games you already own and find out which storefronts are supported for those you still want to add. Nvidia’s GeForce Now library webpage is a solid place to start: It simplifies the process by letting you search the service’s catalog of over 1,500 support titles.
Google hasn’t announced how long the promotion will be available, except to say it’s for a limited time only. Chromebook owners can claim the offer on this “special perks” webpage.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-gives-chromebook-owners-three-months-of-geforce-now-cloud-gaming-182734681.html?src=rss
Shure may not have changed much of the design of its Aonic 50 headphones for the second-generation version, but it did a lot of work on the inside to massively upgrade all-around performance. The company announced the new model today, a set of $349 premium noise-canceling wireless headphones that now offer spatial audio, improved active noise cancellation (ANC) and twice the battery life of the previous version.
In terms of sound quality, Shure says the new Aonic 50 has its spatial audio tech onboard that leverages an "acoustical modeling and critical listening" algorithm to offer immersion without compromising the original audio. There are three modes here — Music, Cinema and Podcast — which the company explains are tailored to each use case. Music mode offers the experience of listening with "high-end speakers" while Cinema mode adds more low-end tone to give the effect of being in a theater, maintains clarity and offers "natural sounding" dialog. Podcast mode positions the host's voice closer to the user's ears. This is all powered by 50mm dynamic drivers and Snapdragon Sound with aptX Adaptive, allowing you to stream music in AAC, SBC and LDAC codecs.
Rather than keep the ANC setup from the previous version, tech simply described as "adjustable," Shure opted for a new hybrid active noise cancellation system. Like hybrid ANC on other headphones, the company uses microphones on the inside and the outside of the ear cup to monitor environmental clamor. Shure also allows you to control the amount of noise blocking and ambient sound with four modes: Light, Moderate, Max and MaxAware. The last of which is a new option the company describes as "perfect balance between blocking unwanted noise and maintaining awareness of your surroundings." There's also an Enhanced Environment mode that allows you to adjust those levels with a slider rather than relying on presets.
Shure has more than doubled the battery life for the second-gen Aonic 50. It now offers up to 45 hours of listening time on a charge, up from the 20 hours on the previous version. There's also a quick-charge feature on the new model that gives you five hours of use in 15 minutes. The company is also touting "superior" call quality thanks to beamforming mics with automatic gain control. Shure says the six built-in microphones adjust automatically to combat ambient noise, which it claims provides "unmatched" clarity. Companies make lofty promises about voice performance all the time, and since mileage varies greatly on those, we'll have to reserve judgement here until we can complete our own testing.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/shures-new-aonic-50-headphones-have-spatial-audio-and-double-the-battery-life-160025565.html?src=rss
Finding the best computer monitor for your needs is already hard enough, but as soon as you decide to go for one that’s suited for gaming, there are a ton of additional factors and features to consider. What are refresh rates? What’s the difference between NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync? Those are just some of the questions this guide aims to answer, and, in the process, help you find the best gaming monitor for your budget.
LCD vs OLED
When shopping for a new gaming monitor, you first need to decide if you want to go with a screen that has an LCD or OLED panel. For most people, that choice will come down to price; OLED gaming monitors are significantly more expensive than their LCD counterparts. But even if money isn’t a concern, the choice might not be as straightforward as you think.
LCD monitors come in three different varieties: twisted nematic (TN), vertical alignment (VA) or in-plane switching (IPS). Without getting too technical, each panel type has its own set of quirks. For the most part, you want to avoid TN monitors unless you’re strapped for cash or want a monitor with the fastest possible refresh rate. TN screens feature the worst viewing angles, contrast ratios and colors of the bunch. After using an IPS monitor for many years and testing an OLED monitor for this guide, I can’t go back to a TN panel.
The differences between VA and IPS panels are more subtle. Historically, VA gaming monitors have featured slower pixel response times than their TN and IPS counterparts, leading to unsightly image smearing. However, that’s improved in recent years. VA panels also frequently sport better contrast ratios than both TN and IPS screens. They’re not dramatically better than their IPS siblings on that front, but when contrast ratios aren’t an inherent strength of LCDs, every bit helps.
On the other hand, IPS panels excel at color accuracy and many offer refresh rates and response times that are as fast as the fastest TN panels. The majority of LCD gaming monitors on the market today feature IPS panels, though you will frequently find VA screens on ultrawide monitors.
In many ways, OLED is the superior display tech. There’s something transformational about the ability of organic light-emitting diodes to produce true blacks. Simply put, every game looks better when there’s no backlight to wash out shadow details. Moreover, if you buy an OLED monitor, you can experience something PC gamers have been missing out on for a while: proper HDR gaming.
Unfortunately, OLED screens also come with a few noteworthy drawbacks. One big one is text legibility. Almost all OLEDs feature sub-pixel layouts that produce noticeable text fringing in Windows. It’s not an issue you will see when gaming, but it does mean they aren’t the best for productivity.
Another issue — and everyone’s favorite topic of conversation whenever OLEDs come up — is burn-in. Organic light-emitting diodes can get “stuck” if they display the same image for long periods of time. Every OLED gaming monitor you can buy in 2023 comes with features designed to prevent burn-in and other image retention issues, but those displays haven’t been on the market long enough for us to know how they handle all the static elements that come with Windows. When you consider those drawbacks, OLEDs are great for gaming but they’re less ideal for everyday PC use.
Screen size, resolution and aspect ratio
Photo by Igor Bonifacic / Engadget
After deciding where you fall on the LCD vs OLED debate, you can start thinking about the size of your future gaming monitor. Personal preference and the limitations of your gaming space will play a big part here, but there are also a few technical considerations. I recommend you think about size in conjunction with resolution and aspect ratio.
A 1440p monitor has 78 percent more pixels than a 1080p screen, and a 4K display has more than twice as many pixels as a QHD panel. As the size of a monitor increases, pixel density decreases unless you also increase resolution. For that reason, there tend to be sweet spots between size and resolution. For instance, I wouldn’t recommend buying a FHD monitor that is larger than 24-inches or a QHD one bigger than 27 inches. Conversely, text and interface elements on a 4K monitor can look tiny without scaling on panels smaller than 32 inches.
You also need to consider the performance costs of running games at higher resolutions. The latest entry-level GPUs can comfortably run most modern games at 1080p and 60 frames per second. They can even render some competitive titles at 120 frames per second and higher — but push them to run those same games at 1440p and beyond, and you’re bound to run into problems. And as you’ll see in a moment, a consistently high frame rate is vital to getting the most out of the latest gaming monitors.
If your budget allows for it, 1440p offers the best balance between visual clarity and gaming performance. As for 1080p and 4K, I would only consider the former if you’re on a tight budget or you exclusively play competitive shooters like Valorant and Overwatch 2. For most people, the user experience and productivity benefits of QHD far outweigh the performance gains you get from going with a lower resolution screen.
Before the end of last year, I would have said 4K was not a viable resolution for PC gaming, but then NVIDIA came out with its 40 series GPUs. With those video cards offering the company’s DLSS 3 frame generation technology, there’s a case to be made that the technology is finally there to play 4K games at a reasonable frame rate, particularly if you exclusively play big, AAA single-player games like Control and Cyberpunk 2077 or enjoy strategy games like the Total War series. However, even with frame generation, you will need a GPU like the $1,099 RTX 4080 or $1,599 RTX 4090 to drive a 4K display. Plus, 4K gaming monitors tend to cost more than their 1440p counterparts.
If you want an OLED monitor, your choices are more limited. It was only at the end of last year that LG began producing 27-inch OLED panels. What’s more, the first batch of 32-inch 4K OLED gaming monitors won’t arrive until next year. A few companies have released ultrawide monitors with Samsung QD-OLED panels, but expect to pay a hefty premium for one of those.
Speaking of ultrawides, note that not every game supports the 21:9 aspect ratio and fewer still support 32:9. When shopping for a curved monitor, a lower Radius, or ‘R’ number, indicates a more aggressive curve. So, a 1000R monitor is more curved than an 1800R one.
Refresh rates and response times
And now finally for the fun stuff. The entire reason to buy a gaming monitor is for their ability to draw more images than a traditional PC display. As you shop for a new screen, you will see models advertising refresh rates like 120Hz, 240Hz and 360Hz. The higher the refresh rate of a monitor, the more times it can update the image it displays on screen every second, thereby producing a smoother moving image. When it comes to games like Overwatch, Valorant and League of Legends, a faster refresh rate can give you a competitive edge, but even immersive single-player games can benefit.
A monitor with a 360Hz refresh rate will look better in motion than one with a 240Hz or 120Hz refresh rate, but there are diminishing returns. At 60Hz, the image you see on your monitor is updated every 16.67ms. At 120Hz, 240Hz and 360Hz, the gap between new frames shortens to 8.33ms, 4.17ms and 2.78ms, respectively. Put another way, although a 360Hz monitor can display 50 percent more frames than a 240Hz screen in a given time period, you will only see a speedup of 1.14ms between frame intervals. And all that depends on your GPU’s ability to render a consistent 360 frames per second.
Ultimately, a fast monitor will do you no good if you don't have a graphics card that can keep up. For example, with a 1440p 360Hz monitor, you realistically need a GPU like the RTX 4070 or RTX 4080 to saturate that display while playing competitive games like Overwatch 2 and Valorant.
There’s also more to motion clarity than refresh rates alone. Just as important are response times, or the amount of time it takes for pixels to transition from one color to another and then back again. Monitors with slow response times tend to produce smearing that is distracting no matter what kind of game you’re playing. Unfortunately, response times are also one of the more opaque aspects of picking the best gaming monitor for your needs.
Many manufacturers claim their products feature 1ms gray-to-gray (GtG) response times, yet they don’t handle motion blur to the same standard. One of the reasons for that is that many companies tend to cherry pick GtG results that make their monitors look better on paper. The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) recently created a new certification program to address that problem, but the grading system is unwieldy and, as far as I can tell, hasn’t had a lot of pickup from manufacturers.
For now, your best bet is to turn to resources like Rtings and Monitors Unboxed when shopping for a new gaming monitor. Both outlets conduct extensive testing of every screen they review, and present their findings and recommendations in a way that’s easy to understand.
FreeSync vs G-Sync
Photo by Igor Bonifacic / Engadget
No matter how powerful your system, it will sometimes fail to maintain a consistent framerate. In fact, you should expect frame rate fluctuations when playing graphically-intensive games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Control. For those moments, you want a gaming display with adaptive sync. Otherwise, you can run into screen tearing.
Adaptive sync technologies come in a few flavors. The two you’re most likely to encounter are AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync, and each has its own set of performance tiers. With G-Sync, for instance, they are – from lowest to highest – G-Sync Compatible, G-Sync and G-Sync Ultimate.
The good news is that you don’t need to think too much about which adaptive sync technology a display supports. In the early days of the tech, it was rare to see a gaming monitor that offered both FreeSync and G-Sync, since including the latter meant a manufacturer had to equip their display with a dedicated processor from NVIDIA. That changed in 2019 when the company introduced its G-Sync Compatible certification. In 2023, if a monitor supports FreeSync, it is almost certainly G-Sync Compatible too, meaning you can enjoy tear-free gaming whether you’re using an AMD or NVIDIA GPU.
In fact, I would go so far as to say you shouldn’t make your purchasing decision based on the level of adaptive sync performance a monitor offers. As of the writing of this guide, the list of G-Sync Ultimate-certified displays is less than two dozen models long, and some are a few years old now.
Inputs
Almost every gaming display on the market right now comes with at least one DisplayPort 1.4 connection, and that’s the port you will want to use to connect your new monitor to your graphics card. If you own a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S, it’s also worth looking out for monitors that come with HDMI 2.1 ports, as those will allow you to get the most out of your current generation console.
A word about HDR
As fast and responsive gaming monitors have become in recent years, there’s one area where progress has been frustratingly slow: HDR performance. The majority of gaming monitors currently on sale, including most high-end models, only meet VESA’s DisplayHDR 400 certification. As someone who owns one such monitor, let me tell you right now it’s not even worth turning on HDR on those screens. You will only be disappointed.
The good news is that things are getting better, albeit slowly. The release of Windows 11 did a lot to improve the state of HDR on PC, and more games are shipping with competent HDR modes, not just ones that increase the brightness of highlights. Unfortunately, if you want a proper HDR experience on PC, you will need to shell out for an OLED monitor.
Gaming monitor accessories
If you plan to spend a lot on a gaming monitor, I would recommend picking up an affordable colorimeter like the Spyder X Pro alongside your new purchase. A lot of gaming monitors come uncalibrated out of the box, so their colors won’t look quite right. It’s possible to get a decent image with the help of online recommendations and ICC profiles you can download from websites like Rtings, but every panel is different and needs its own set of adjustments to look its best.
I would also recommend a monitor arm if you want to improve the ergonomics of your setup. Many gaming monitors come with subpar stands that don’t offer the full range of adjustments people need to avoid bad posture. A monitor arm can help by offering a wider range of height, tilt and swivel options. Most 16:9 gaming monitors will work with VESA 100-compatible monitor arms. Vivo makes some great affordable options.
The best gaming monitor for most people: LG 27GP850-B
For most people, the LG 27GP850-B is all the gaming monitor they need. It features an excellent 27-inch, 1440p Nano IPS panel with a native 165Hz refresh rate, and the option to overclock to 180Hz. In addition to excellent pixel response times (1m GtG, according to LG), the 27GP850-B comes with a backlight strobing feature that can further improve motion clarity for GPUs that can maintain a frame rate above 120fps. It’s also FreeSync Premium and G-Sync Compatible certified.
If you can’t find the 27GP850-B at your local retailers, another good option is the LG 27GL83A-B. It’s a few years old now, but offers a 144Hz refresh rate, speedy response times and it’s at least $100 less than the 27GP850-B. I’ve been using the Dell version of this display since mid-2021 (sadly no longer available), and can’t imagine replacing it until OLED monitors become more affordable.
A compelling budget option: ViewSonic XG2431
For a more affordable option than either LG displays mentioned above, consider the ViewSonic XG2431. While its price has fluctuated in recent months, you can frequently find the XG2431 for less than $300. Coming in at 24-inches, it’s on the smaller side and only features a 1080p panel. However, it offers a 240Hz refresh rate. When you combine that with its lower resolution, the XG2431 is a great option for competitive gamers on a budget.
The best gaming monitor regardless of price: LG 27GR95QE-B
If money is no object and you enjoy a mix of immersive and competitive gaming, the LG 27GR95QE-B is the monitor to beat right now. It features a 27-inch 1440p OLED panel with a 240Hz refresh rate and sub-1ms pixel response times. In motion, the 27GR95QE-B performs a shade worse than the ASUS PG27AQM highlighted below, but, among dedicated gaming monitors, it is unmatched when it comes to HDR performance.
The 27GR95QE-B comes with all the usual issues associated with OLEDs, including the text legibility and burn-in concerns I mentioned above. It also doesn’t get very bright, maxing out at about 200 nits.
A few other companies produce 27-inch OLED monitors using the same panel as the 27GR95QE-B. Most notably, there’s ASUS with the PG27AQDM. It can get a fair bit brighter than the 27GR95QE-B, though it hasn’t been out long enough for people to carry out long-term testing to determine how that affects the longevity of the panel.
A high-end LCD option: ASUS PG27AQM
If the thought of spending $1,000 on an OLED monitor that could one day suffer from burn-in gives you pause, the ASUS PG27AQN is a safer high-end option. It’s one of the fastest gaming monitors on the market right now, offering an impressive 360Hz refresh rate, 1ms response times and a 27-inch QHD panel. It also comes with NVIDIA’s Reflex module, which you can use to see how your mouse, internal hardware and display contribute to your system's overall latency. However, it is expensive, coming in at $1,049, but for that price, you get one of the gaming monitors on the market right now.
A high-end ultrawide option: Alienware AW3423DWF
For those set on an ultrawide monitor, one of the best options available right now is the AW3423DWF. I haven’t had a chance to test it, but Engadget Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar gave Alienware’s QD-OLED display a score of 92 when he reviewed it last May. At $1,299, the AW3423DWF is easily the most expensive screen on this list, but for that price you get a 21:9 gaming monitor with an up-to 175Hz refresh rate, 0.1ms response rate and HDR True Black 400 performance. The only thing it’s missing is an HDMI 2.1 port.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-gaming-monitor-140008940.html?src=rss
A much-demanded feature is finally coming to Threads very soon, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has confirmed. A keyword search function is on the way. Until now, the search box has only been useful for looking up user accounts.
In fact, the company is already testing the function in Australia and New Zealand. It plans to roll out keyword search more broadly to English-speaking territories in short order. “We are actively listening to the community’s feedback and working on more features to improve the search experience,” Meta told TechCrunch.
A full-text search feature is seen as critical for Threads to challenge (or perhaps even supplant) X/Twitter as the go-to platform for public conversations, particularly around events that are happening in real-time. Threads is missing some other functions that could help it get to that point, such as a TweetDeck (sorry, XPro) equivalent, but being able to search for posts is vital. It's a key feature that could help Threads bring back some of the users who have drifted away after an initial spike in popularity.
To its credit, Meta has been quickly adding other important features to Threads over the last several weeks, including a full web version and a chronological feed of posts. So, other functions that users have been asking for may not be far behind.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/keyword-search-is-finally-coming-to-threads-135516556.html?src=rss
