Alcon Entertainment says it specifically denied a request to use material from the film at the event. Read...

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, just released a new research report that examined whether the AI chatbot discriminates against users or stereotypes its responses based on users’ names. OpenAI OpenAI OpenAI The company used its own AI model GPT-4o to go through large amounts of ChatGPT conversations and analyze whether the chatbot’s responses contained “harmful stereotypes” based on who it was conversing with. The results were then double-checked by human reviewers. OpenAI OpenAI OpenAI The screenshots above are examples from legacy AI models to illustrate ChatGPT’s responses that were examined by the study. In both cases, the only variable that differs is the users’ names. In older versions of ChatGPT, it was clear that there could be differences depending on whether the user had a male or female name. Men got answers that talked about engineering projects and life hacks while women got answers about childcare and cooking. However, OpenAI says that its recent report shows that the AI chatbot now gives equally high-quality answers regardless of whether your name is usually associated with a particular gender or ethnicity. According to the company, “harmful stereotypes” now only appear in about 0.1 percent of GPT-4o responses, and that figure can vary slightly based on the theme of a given conversation. In particular, conversations about entertainment show more stereotyped responses (about 0.234 percent of responses appear to stereotype based on name). By comparison, back when the AI chatbot was running on older AI models, the stereotyped response rate was up to 1 percent. Further reading: Practical things you can do with ChatGPT Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Attractive, slim design  Excellent keyboard Good performance, especially from the IGP Fantastic speakers Long battery life Cons IPS display can’t match OLED competitors Touchpad is a bit small for the category Performance isn’t greatly improved over earlier Intel Core Ultra laptops Our Verdict The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Aura Edition is a solid do-it-all laptop. It offers well-rounded performance, long battery life, and attractive design. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Editionis among the first laptops to launch with Intel’s new Lunar Lake chip architecture, a significant revision that focuses less on raw core count and more on providing a well-rounded, efficient chip. Lunar Lake is able to deliver in that regard, especially in IGP performance and battery life. The Yoga Slim 7i, meanwhile, is a solid chassis for the new chip. Further reading: Best laptops 2024: Premium, budget, gaming, 2-in-1s, and more Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition: Specs and features The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Aura Edition’s most notable specification is the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor. This is a mid-range, mainstream chip in Intel’s line-up. It has eight cores (four performance, and four efficient) alongside Intel Arc integrated graphics and an NPU that quotes up to 47 TOPs. CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 256V Memory: 16GB LPDDR5x-8533 Graphics/GPU: Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics NPU: Intel AI Boost (47 TOPs) Display: 2880 x 1800 IPS Multi-touch up to 120Hz, 16:10 aspect ratio Storage: 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 solid state storage Webcam: 1080p 30fps camera with IR 3D camera for Windows Hello, electronic privacy shutter Connectivity: 2x Thunderbolt 4 (with USB-C 4, DisplayPort, Power Delivery), 1x USB-A (5Gbps data), 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm audio Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: Windows Hello facial recognition Battery capacity: 70 watt-hours Dimensions: 13.54 x 9.27 x 0.55 inches Weight: 3.37 pounds MSRP: $1,379.99 MSRP  The Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition’s specifications otherwise have an eye on the future. Lenovo embraces Thunderbolt 4 and the latest wireless standards, yet only includes a single USB-A port. The laptop is remarkably thin, too, at barely more than half an inch thick. Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition: Design and build quality IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition follows the design language of other recent Lenovo laptops, which works to its advantage. It’s extremely slim, measuring only 0.55 inches thick, and has a compact footprint of 13.5 x 9.25 inches. The laptop is made from aluminum and uses a matte finish that gives it a sleek and understated look. A design trait I particularly appreciate is the use of rounded edges along not over the corners of the chassis, but also across both the front and side edges, which makes the laptop comfortable to hold. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition is another solid addition in Lenovo’s generally strong line-up of mid-range and premium Windows PCs. It suffers a few flaws, like a relatively small touchpad and a mediocre display, but makes up for its shortcomings with attractive design, a great keyboard, and class-leading speakers. Despite its thin profile, the Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition feels rigid and sturdy. When picked up from one edge, the laptop’s chassis shows no noticeable flex, and the display lid hardly warps when opened. The hinge is well-tuned, as well, so I found it possible to open the lid with a single free hand. Lenovo’s build quality compares favorably with most super-thins Windows laptops, like Acer’s Swift series and LG’s Gram series, though Samsung’s Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is close. Strangely, despite the word “Yoga” in its name, the Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition is not a 2-in-1. The hinge only rotates back 180 degrees to lie flat on a surface. While that’s a good range for a standard laptop, the Yoga name has traditionally signaled a 2-in-1 design. I’m not a fan of this shift in direction for the Yoga series, as it makes Lenovo’s lineup more confusing. That oddity aside, though, the Yoga Slim 7i’s design is among the best in its class. Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition: Keyboard, trackpad IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith I thoroughly enjoyed typing on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition’s keyboard. That would be notable for any laptop, but it’s especially impressive given this laptop’s thin profile. Despite its size, the Yoga Slim 7i provides a satisfying key travel with a crisp, tactile, and springy rebound. I found it instantly comfortable and was able to type quickly from the moment I opened the laptop. The spacious layout contributes to the ease of typing, as well. Although the laptop has a 15.3-inch screen, the Yoga Slim 7i doesn’t try to squeeze in a number pad, which allows for larger keys and ample space between each one. Even the function keys are slightly larger than typical for this class of laptop. While the keyboard is excellent, the touchpad is mediocre. It’s smooth and responsive in both simple tasks (like clicking an icon) and more complex multi-touch gestures (like Windows’ five-finger pinch to reduce or maximize all windows). Also, since it’s centered, it avoids accidental input while typing.  However, the touchpad is small for a laptop of this size, measuring roughly 5 inches wide and 3 inches deep. Because of that, it can feel a bit cramped, especially when scrolling vertically through web pages and documents. Competitors like the Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 and Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge offer a much larger touchpad surface. Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition: Display, audio IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition’s display is good yet somewhat disappointing. Many recent Lenovo laptops use OLED touchscreens that offer excellent color performance and class-leading contrast. However, this laptop has an IPS display panel, which, though attractive, can’t match the quality of OLED. Starting with the positives, the display is extremely sharp, with a resolution of 2880 x 1800. With a 15.3-inch screen, this translates to approximately 221 pixels per inch (PPI). It also supports a refresh rate of up to 120Hz and includes variable refresh rate, which can reduce power consumption or provide smoother frame pacing in games. Finally, it’s a multi-touch display and provides smooth, responsive input. However, the screen has limitations typical of IPS-LCD panels. It can’t achieve deep, inky blacks in dark scenes, which results in “IPS glow,” a problem where dark areas of the screen appear gray and seem to shimmer or glow. This isn’t readily noticeable in a well-lit room, but if you watch a movie in a dimly lit room, it becomes apparent. Also, while the display’s color performance provides a vibrant and punchy image, it still falls short of OLED. It’s not an issue in most situations, but if you’re interested in photo editing or digital art, you might miss the wider color gamut an OLED panel can offer. The Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition’s speakers, on the other hand, are truly fantastic. They provide strong, crisp audio with excellent bass. Yet, despite that, they largely avoid the distorted, muddy sound most laptops speakers suffer at higher volumes. The bass is so strong, in fact, that it causes a noticeable vibrant across the touchpad and keyboard, which might be distracting if you’re typing while listening to tunes. As an added bonus, the speakers are upwards-firing, so the surface the laptop is placed on doesn’t drastically change the laptop’s audio presentation. The Yoga Slim 7i’s audio quality is top-notch for a Windows laptop and good enough that less critical listeners will hear no reason to use external speakers.  Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition: Webcam, microphone, biometrics The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition comes with a 1080p webcam that provides crisp and colorful video for Zoom calls and other casual uses. As with most laptop webcams, the image can look a bit grainy, and it may struggle with exposure in rooms with mixed lighting.  Lenovo includes an electronic privacy shutter which is activated by a switch on the side of the laptop. The privacy shutter doesn’t disable the microphone, however. That’s also true for other privacy shutters (phyiscal or electronic), but something to keep in mind. The microphone is good, though not exceptional. It captured my voice clearly, even when I spoke softly, and did a decent job of filtering out low-volume background noise. However, it still had the slightly hollow, distant sound typical of laptop microphones. I’d recommend it for video calls, but not for podcasting. Biometric login is available through Windows Hello facial recognition, and as usual, it works well. Once set up, the laptop unlocks almost instantly when it detects your face after the lid is opened or when resumed from sleep. A fingerprint reader is not included. Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition: Connectivity IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith Slim laptops are often limited in connectivity, and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition is no exception, though it does provide a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports. Each Thunderbolt port also supports USB-C 4, DisplayPort, and Power Delivery, meaning you can use each to connect a monitor and/or charge the laptop. Connectivity options are otherwise limited, as the laptop has just one USB-A port. It’s joined by an HDMI port and a 3.5 mm combo audio jack. To be fair, the inclusion of an HDMI port is not typical for a super-thin laptop, but having only one USB-A port could be inconvenient for those who still use multiple legacy USB devices. Ethernet is also absent, though this is essentially standard for a Windows laptop in 2024 (a few gaming and enterprise-focused laptops aside). Wireless connectivity is robust, as the laptop supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 (the latest version of each standard). That means the laptop is compatible with all of the newest wireless features and supports the fastest wireless speeds available. Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition: Performance The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition is powered by Intel’s Core Ultra 7 256V processor, and uses the company’s new “Lunar Lake” architecture. PC World’s Mark Hachman dove deep into the processor at launch, so I recommend his review of Lunar Lake if you want the details. In general, however, Lunar Lake is meant to deliver significant gains in power efficiency while retaining or improving CPU, GPU, and AI performance. When it comes to performance, though, the new Yoga Slim 7i isn’t much different from its predecessors.  IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith First up is PC Mark 10, a synthetic test that stands in for mixed productivity and day-to-day use. Here, the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V hit a score of 6,995 right on the nose, which is a solid result for a thin, light laptop. The Yoga Slim 7i is the second-quickest of the laptops used for comparison, all of which are models released in the last few months. Notably, the Core Ultra 7 256V scores win over AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 365 in the Asus Zenbook S 16, as well as AMD Ryzen 7 8840U in the Acer Swift Edge 16. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 in the HP OmniBook Ultra 14, however, rules the roost. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith PC World is amid a transition to the latest version of Cinebench R24, which means the number of results we have for comparison is more limited. What’s available, though, puts the Yoga Slim 7i in a less favorable light. Its multi-threaded score of 600 virtually tied to the Core Ultra 7 155H in the Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9, and way behind the HP and Samsung laptops with AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, respectively.  This isn’t necessarily a surprise, however. This is a multi-threaded test, and Intel is behind on thread count. The Intel Core Ultra 7 256V has eight cores, which is a modest count in 2024, and they’re split evenly between “performance” and “efficient” cores. AMD’s latest Ryzen AI processors take a similar approach, but tend to include more “efficient” cores. The AMD Ryzen 9 AI HX 375 has four “Zen” cores and eight “ZenC” cores, for a total of 12. Qualcomm, meanwhile, does not use different types of cores and offers 12 cores in total.  IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith The Yoga Slim 7i produced a better score in Handbrake 1.5.1, where it managed to beat all comers besides the HP Omnibook Ultra 14 with AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 which, as in other tests, displayed a significant lead. With the HP removed from consideration, though, the Yoga Slim 7 looks to edge out a wide range of comparable Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm hardware. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith Our review of Lunar Lake showed it can provide a significant leap in integrated graphics performance. The Yoga Slim 7i doesn’t deliver the full potential our Lunar Lake review found possible, but it’s still quite good.  The Yoga Slim 7i achieved a solid but not impressive 3DMark Time Spy score of 3677, as well as a strong score of 31,682 in the less demanding 3DMark Night Raid benchmark. Both scores are solid results for integrated graphics, falling behind only the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 with AMD Radeon 890M graphics. In general, the Yoga Slim 7i can deliver acceptable performance in less demanding 3D games, and can play most modern titles at sub-native resolutions and detail settings. It’s definitely not ideal for games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Space Marine 2, but it’s passable if you’re okay playing at a low resolution, low detail settings, and with drops below 30 FPS. On the whole, the Yoga Slim 7i’s performance results are good for this class of laptop. It’s bit quicker than competitive laptops in some benchmarks, such as PCMark 10 and Handbrake, but falls behind in others, like Cinebench. Intel’s Arc 140V also does well, providing competent IGP performance despite the laptop’s thin size. Finally, I noticed that the Yoga Slim 7i wasn’t unusually loud or warm in my testing. I had quite the opposite experience with Asus’ Zenbook S 16, a 16-inch laptop of comparable size and weight. Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition: Battery life Battery life is always important for a slim, portable laptop, but it’s especially important for the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition. The new Intel processor promises better efficiency which, in theory, could close the gap between Intel’s Core Ultra line and Qualcomm’s new, power-sipping Snapdragon X chips. The Yoga Slim 7i is able to close the gap, though it doesn’t come out the victor. IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith IDG / Matthew Smith The Yoga Slim 7i endured our battery test, which loops a 4K file of the short film Tears of Steel, for 16 hours and 45 minutes. That’s not a record-setting result, but it’s quite good, and indicates the laptop should have more than enough battery life for an eight-hour workday—provided your work doesn’t include especially demanding apps, of course.  Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition: Conclusion The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition is another solid addition in Lenovo’s generally strong line-up of mid-range and premium Windows PCs. It suffers a few flaws, like a relatively small touchpad and a mediocre display, but makes up for its shortcomings with attractive design, a great keyboard, and class-leading speakers. Intel’s new “Lunar Lake” Core Ultra 7 256V, meanwhile, delivers a respectable performance uplift over prior Intel laptops, packs a great IGP, and brings battery life into competition with Qualcomm Snapdragon X laptops. That makes the Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition an excellent choice if you want a thin, portable Windows laptop that’s still versatile enough to handle productivity and entertainment with equal ease. Read...

At a glance Pros USB-C port with 96 watts of Power Delivery Good color performance and wide color gamut Easy-to-use menus with many options Up to 100Hz refresh rate with Adaptive Sync Cons Mediocre contrast, brightness HDR is available but disappoints Color accuracy is good but doesn’t beat peers Our Verdict The Asus ProArt PA278CFRV offers the color performance and connectivity required for professional productivity, content creation, and other work. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Asus ProArt PA278CFRV Retailer Price $379 View Deal Asus 379 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The Asus ProArt line includes a wide range of professional content creation and productivity monitors, but its entry-level models often receive the most attention — and for good reason. Past Asus ProArt displays, like the PA278QV and PA279CRV, offered excellent color performance at a very low price. The Asus ProArt PA278CFRV continues this trend, meeting the expectations set by those prior offerings. Asus ProArt PA278CFRV specs and features The Asus ProArt PA278CFRV is a 27-inch monitor with a resolution of 2560×1440 and an In-Plane Switching (IPS) display panel. This is typical for a productivity and content creation monitor. The refresh rate stands out, however, as the monitor can handle refresh rates up to 100Hz. That’s not uncommon among general-use and gaming monitors, but among productivity monitors, some competitors are still at 60Hz or 75Hz. Display size: 27-inch 16:9 widescreen Native resolution: 2560×1440 Panel type: IPS Refresh rate: Up to 100Hz Adaptive sync: VESA MediaSync HDR: Yes, VESA DisplayHDR 400 Certified Ports: 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x DisplayPort 1.4-out (for daisy-chain), 1x USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 96 watts Power Delivery, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 downstream, 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 downstream, 3.5mm audio-out VESA mount: 100x100mm Speakers: 2x 2-watt speakers Price: $379 MSRP Asus’ connectivity also stands out. The monitor has a USB-C port with DisplayPort and up to 96 watts of Power Delivery, which is perfect for powering and charging most laptops. It also has DisplayPort-out, which is handy if you plan to use multiple monitors but your PC only has one video-out port. The Asus ProArt PA278CFRV is designed for professional use with a focus on productivity and content creation. It features a reserved and subtle design, with the panel clad in charcoal-colored plastics. The stand, meanwhile, has a sleek silver finish. Further reading: See our roundup of the best home office monitors to learn about competing products. While the monitor is reserved, Asus does offer a distinctive design language for its ProArt monitors, which includes a heatsink-like ribbing on the back of the panel. This new monitor will complement any recent ProArt gear already on your desk. Foundry Foundry Foundry Asus offers an ergonomic yet functional monitor stand that adjusts for height, tilt, and swivel, and can also rotate 90 degrees for portrait orientation. While these features are common in office and productivity monitors, it’s still a welcome inclusion, especially considering that this monitor is more affordable than similar models from Dell’s Ultrasharp and BenQ’s photography monitor lines. The stand is stable and has a small, flat base that doesn’t take up much desk space. Its flat design also allows you to place small items or notebooks on it without issue. If you prefer using a third-party monitor arm, though a 100x100mm VESA mount is available. Asus ProArt PA278CFRV connectivity and menus The Asus ProArt PA278CFRV offers a lot of connectivity, which is arguably one of the best reasons to buy the monitor. Its video inputs include one HDMI 2.0 port, one DisplayPort 1.4, and one USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode. All of these inputs can support the monitor’s maximum resolution of 1440p at its maximum refresh rate of 100Hz. While it would be nice to see a fourth video input, the monitor compensates with DisplayPort-out, which can be used for daisy-chaining to a second display. This is a useful feature if your computer has only one video output or if you want to reduce cable clutter on your desk. Asus doesn’t pull any punches with the USB-C port. In addition to supporting DisplayPort, it provides up to 96 watts of USB Power Delivery, so it can fully power most laptops that don’t have discrete mobile graphics. The USB-C port also connects to a built-in USB hub, which includes one downstream USB-C port and three downstream USB-A ports. This is a solid range of USB connectivity for a monitor priced under $400. A 3.5mm audio-out jack rounds out the connectivity options. Foundry Foundry Foundry The monitor has a long list of options that can be accessed through a joystick control on the front bezel of the display. They’re flanked by a series of buttons, which is odd for a modern monitor; most choose to tuck the joystick and buttons out of sight. However, this makes sense for a professional monitor, as I assume people who buy this display are more interested than the average user in changing the options to fit their particular needs. The monitor’s options can also be controlled through DisplayWidget, a software utility available on Windows and Mac. And there’s a lot of options. The monitor supports a broad range of image quality adjustments, including settings for gamma, color saturation, color temperature, and preset modes for sRGB, DCI-P3, and AdobeRGB, among others. The monitor also includes features specific to visual artists, like a built-in grid that can be used to verify the alignment of images on the screen. I’m not sure Asus has any advantage over BenQ in this area, and Asus notably lacks the helpful remote some BenQ monitors provide. However, the range of options is stronger than recent Dell Ultrasharp monitors we’ve reviewed. The Asus ProArt PA278CFRV offers a solid range of USB connectivity for a monitor priced under $400. As an added bonus, the monitor has a built-in ambient light sensor that will adjust the brightness of the display depending on your environment. I find this to be an extremely helpful feature, especially for home and remote workers who might experience a lot of variance in room lighting throughout the day. A light sensor can ensure that your display is never so bright that it causes unnecessary eye strain. The monitor also includes a pair of two-watt speakers. While it’s nice to have a source of audio if you don’t have external speakers or headphones available, the speakers are weak and only work for basic needs, like hearing Windows or Mac system sounds or listening to a podcast. With that said, the same is true for Asus’ direct competitors. Professional monitors tend to skimp on speaker quality. Asus ProArt PA278CFRV SDR image quality The Asus ProArt PA278CFRV is all about its SDR image quality. While it’s true that there are various reasons why professional artists might work with HDR, SDR is still predominant outside of the most demanding use cases — in which case, a monitor under $400 is probably not the right choice. This monitor is aimed at mainstream general-purpose productivity and content creation, where SDR remains the go-to. So, how does the monitor perform? Foundry Foundry Foundry We start off with brightness, where the Asus ProArt PA278CFRV delivers an acceptable maximum brightness of 360 nits. That is likely good enough for how the monitor will be used in most environments, as this level of brightness is sufficient even for rooms with some uncontrolled lighting and, for reasons I won’t get into here, it’s best to edit SDR at lower levels of brightness that match the standards of the color gamut you choose. However, if your office has a lot of bright, sunlit windows or is located in an all-glass corporate tower, you might find the ProArt’s brightness pushed to its limits. Foundry Foundry Foundry Next up is contrast, where again the ProArt PA278CFRV finds itself in the middle of the pack. It performs better than the older ProArt PA278QV, Asus’ previous affordable 1440p monitor for creative professionals, and also outperforms the BenQ SW272Q. However, a contrast ratio of 1040:1 is not remarkable. By comparison, the Dell U2724DE, which features an IPS Black display panel, can achieve a naturally superior contrast ratio of 2190:1. The Dell is more expensive, though. Unfortunately, the ProArt PA278CFRV’s contrast ratio is limited by the monitor’s inability to reach appropriately low brightness levels in dark scenes. Because of this, dark scenes can suffer from an unattractive gray-silver cast that detracts from the experience. This issue is most noticeable in entertainment like games and movies, but if you frequently edit dark photos or videos, it could be a problem. On the other hand, most similar monitors face the same issue. So, while I would prefer a better contrast ratio, it doesn’t put the ProArt PA278CFRV behind its closest competitors. Shoppers looking for class-leading contrast need to consider a more expensive Mini-LED or OLED display, like the MSI MPG 341CQPX. Foundry Foundry Foundry Asus’ new ProArt PA278CFRV provides a good color gamut, reaching up to 97 percent of DCI-P3 and 87 percent of AdobeRGB. While this isn’t a standout color gamut for a monitor in 2024, it’s still quite good and should be up to the task for professional work within the sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamuts, at least. When compared to the competition, the Asus trades blows with the Dell U2724DE. It’s similar, with just a percentage difference in DCI-P3 or AdobeRGB. The BenQ SW272Q is superior in AdobeRGB, but slightly inferior in DCI-P3 (note that the results here are for the AdobeRGB mode on the SW272Q, however, in DCI-P3 mode the monitor still measured at 94 percent of that color gamut). Those who own older entry-level Asus ProArt monitors will find that the ProArt PA278CFRV offers a noticeable improvement over previous models. If you have an older ProArt monitor and are considering an upgrade, you will see a benefit in color performance with the new monitor. Foundry Foundry Foundry The Asus ProArt PA278CFRV’s color accuracy surprised me because it wasn’t as good as the competitors I used for comparison. It’s important to recognize that this slight color error is still fine for most professional use and is also lower than what Asus has promised (it advertises a color error below 2, which is achieved). However, it’s notable that some other monitors offered better out-of-the-box color accuracy. Thankfully, the Asus ProArt PA278CFRV performed very well in two other key areas important for accurate imaging: gamma and color temperature. It hit the preferred target gamma curve of 2.2 and offered the ideal color temperature of 6500K at the monitor’s default settings. As a result, the image doesn’t look too dark or too bright, and it avoids appearing too cool or too warm. And, as mentioned, the monitor has many settings to change the gamma and color temperature if you want or need to work with a different gamma or color temperature setting. Sharpness is adequate. The monitor’s resolution of 2560×1440, spread across the 27-inch panel, results in a pixel density of about 109 pixels per inch. This is sharp enough for most situations, but small fonts in documents and fine details in photographs can appear softer or more aliased compared to a 4K monitor. It’s worth knowing that, at the time of writing, the 4K Asus ProArt PA279CRV is only $30 more expensive than the new ProArt PA278CFRV. Shoppers should also know that while the ProArt PA278CFRV offers dynamic backlight dimming, it doesn’t have a Mini-LED backlight. Because of that, the dynamic backlight can cause huge, easily noticeable variances in display brightness across the screen. Strangely, the ProArt had this feature enabled by default. That’s odd because these variances in brightness are not good for image accuracy, which is what the ProArt is built to offer. All my testing was conducted with the dynamic backlight turned off, and I recommend that every owner turn it off when they receive the monitor. On the whole, the Asus ProArt PA278CFRV delivers good image quality comparable to its closest competition. It excels in color performance, offering a wide color gamut and decent, though not above-average, color accuracy. It also scores well in gamma and color temperature. It’s a solid choice for working with documents and editing photos or content in SDR. If you plan to play games or watch movies, though, the contrast ratio may give you pause. Asus ProArt PA278CFRV HDR image quality The Asus ProArt PA278CFRV is VESA DisplayHDR 400 certified, but like most mid-range monitors, it’s not great, or even passable, when it comes to HDR content. This limitation is partially due to the monitor’s contrast ratio. The lack of a Mini-LED backlight or an OLED display panel means that the monitor cannot increase the brightness of bright objects without also increasing the brightness of darker areas on the screen. This, in turn, causes a loss of detail in either the brighter objects or the darker areas when viewing HDR content. Brightness is low, too. I could only make it sustain a maximum HDR brightness of 329 nits, which is low for a monitor that carries VESA DisplayHDR certification. While I don’t doubt that the certification testing managed to produce the required 400 nits of brightness in certain scenarios, I couldn’t replicate it. The bottom line is this: Although the monitor can display HDR, it’s not useful as an HDR monitor. I would not recommend it for viewing or editing HDR content. To be fair, this is also true for other productivity and content-creation monitors in this price range. If you’re looking for excellent color gamut, high color accuracy, and good HDR performance, you’re going to need to spend more on a monitor with a Mini-LED or OLED display. Asus ProArt PA278CFRV motion performance I’m happy to see the Asus ProArt PA278CFRV offer a maximum refresh rate of 100Hz. While there are some monitors focused on creativity and content creation that offer a higher refresh rate, like the Dell U2724DE with its 120Hz refresh rate, most monitors in this category stick to 60Hz. That can be disappointing since it results in less fluid motion clarity if you want to play PC games. The Asus also offers something I haven’t seen on any monitor I’ve reviewed before: VESA MediaSync certification. This is a lower level of adaptive sync certification for monitors that can support a variable refresh rate but don’t reach the 120Hz threshold. Because of this, the monitor unofficially supports both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync, and it worked seamlessly with my AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT. While the monitor’s 100Hz refresh rate is a nice upgrade, gamers shouldn’t get too excited about its gaming performance. Motion fluidity and clarity are certainly improved over 60Hz, but they’re still on the lower end of what’s available in 2024. Fast-moving objects remain visible but can appear blurred, and it can be difficult to make out fine details, like text, on objects that are moving across the screen. So, while I applaud Asus for offering a higher refresh rate and adaptive sync support — features I believe all modern monitors should include — gamers looking for top-tier motion clarity may want to look elsewhere. Should you buy the Asus ProArt PA278CFRV? The Asus ProArt PA278CFRV is a good choice for anyone looking to buy a productivity or content creation monitor that offers solid color performance and extensive connectivity at its price point. While it has some drawbacks, particularly with contrast, it performs well in terms of color gamut and offers a wide range of image quality options. The USB-C port is another perk, as it supports up to 96W of power delivery and connects to multiple downstream USB-A ports. Asus also provides an enhanced refresh rate and adaptive sync support, making the monitor more versatile for users who want a productivity display that can also handle occasional gaming. Shoppers considering the Asus ProArt PA278CFRV might also look at the Dell U2724DE, which is an upgrade in most respects. It’s about $100 to $150 more expensive, though, so the Asus remains the budget-friendly choice. Read...

I joined Twitter in 2007, just a year after it was launched, and I’ve been using it almost daily since then. And while all social media platforms evolve over time, Twitter is something different altogether — it has grown so toxic that it has driven away many longtime users. Most of that has happened under the leadership of Elon Musk, who acquired the platform in 2022: Twitter is now called X, half of its workforce was let go, previously banned users were restored in the name of free speech, and being “verified” is now a subscription-based perk rather than anything based on fame or notoriety. Related: Twitter check mark colors, explained If you’re like me, the overall X experience might be worse than it’s ever been, but you can’t quit it cold turkey for one reason or another. If you find yourself in this position, here are some ways to make X more tolerable to use even in 2024. 1. Switch to the Following feed X offers two different feeds for users: the For You feed (which offers a mix of tweets from accounts you follow and accounts you don’t) and the Following feed (which only shows tweets from accounts you follow). Switching from the default For You feed to the Following feed can have a huge impact on your overall X experience. Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG To switch from the For You feed to the Following feed, simply click Following at the top of your feed. From then on, you’ll only see tweets from accounts that you’re explicitly following and you’ll no longer see other tweets that X’s algorithm wants to push on you. If you get bored, you can switch back at any time by just clicking the For You feed again. Or, my preferred option is to start following more accounts to bolster your feed with tweets you want to see so you never have to use the algorithm-driven For You feed again. 2. Regularly audit who you’re following Even if you only ever scroll through the Following feed, you may still see uninteresting or disagreeable tweets from accounts that have grown in a direction you no longer care to go in — so it’s important to conduct regular audits of the X accounts you follow and make sure you unfollow any that are no longer posting content you want to see. Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG To conduct an audit, click Profile in the left-hand sidebar, then click the Following link (with a number next to it). You can then scroll down the list of who you’re following and see if they’re following you back.  Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG If you’re unsure about an account, open the profile in a new tab to see what they’ve been posting of late. If you no longer want to follow them, hover over the Following button and it will change to Unfollow. Click that and you’ll no longer be following that account. 3. Don’t hesitate to Block and Mute people X has two tools that are invaluable if you want to carry on with the platform but wait to escape all the nastiness, negativity, and divisiveness that seems so commonplace. You can Block accounts (to stop them from engaging with you) and Mute accounts (to stop seeing anything and everything they post). Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG To Block or Mute someone on X, click the three-dot menu either at the top of their profile or to the right of one of their tweets. Then, click either option to Mute @[username] or Block @[username]. Blocking someone is the better option if they’re tweeting at you or responding to your posts in an inappropriate manner. Muting someone is better if you just want to stop seeing their posts on X. 4. Populate Lists with good accounts Another invaluable tool you should be using on X is Lists, a feature that lets you create (or follow) curated collections of accounts that are usually (but don’t have to be) grouped according to theme or niche. For example, you might have Lists for technology journalists, for comedians, for entertainment news, for gaming companies, etc. Whether you create your own List or follow publicly available ones made by others, it’s a great way to narrow down your X feed experience. Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG To create a List, first click the More option in the left-hand sidebar, then click on Lists. Once you create or follow Lists, you’ll see them on this page; otherwise, you can use this page to discover new Lists that X thinks will interest you, search for Lists based on your interests, or create a new List by tapping the New List icon to the right of the search field: Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG Once you click New List, you just need to name it, add a description, then add accounts to it. You can also add a cover photo, make the List private or public, and share your List with other people. Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG Once you have followed or created Lists, they will then appear at the top of your X feed alongside the For You and Following feeds. It’s a quick way to jump into a List and narrow down the posts you’re exposed to. 5. Mute all your notifications Notifications can be extremely useful. I mean, you need to know when your boss messages you, right? Or when you have an appointment coming up that you absolutely don’t want to miss? But you never really need X notifications. The occasional one might be helpful, but they’re an overall negative influence with all of their disruptions and distractions. So, turn them off. Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG To turn off notifications in X, click the Notifications option in the left-hand sidebar. Then, click the Settings cog in the top-right corner. From here, you can choose which notifications you want to see (or not), plus select preferences for each notification type. I have both push notifications and email notifications switched off, and I recommend you do the same if you want to retain your sanity. 6. Avoid doomscrolling and negativity Like many other social media platforms, X feels like it was almost made for doomscrolling. Doomscrolling is rotting our brains so, if you can, you should find better things to do with your time. Even when I occasionally venture onto the For You feed on X, I make sure not to endlessly scroll through negative post after negative post just to find those rare hidden gems. The trick is to open X, quickly see what’s going on, and then close the app right away. Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG Dave Parrack / IDG This can be tough to do at first since all social media platforms are designed to hook you in and keep you engaged for as long as possible. Unfortunately, there’s no magic trick to using X this way, but it gets easier the more you do it, and it’s also easier if you’re mindful and intentional about it. Set a timer if you absolutely can’t stop yourself. 7. Limit your time on X and take breaks And that brings us to the final way to make X more tolerable in 2024: stop using it so often, wean yourself off, and limit your engagement. You could waste hours on X, reading about all of the horrible things happening in the world, watching funny videos, getting into debates with people who argue in bad faith (or, more likely, are bots). But all of these things are ultimately rather pointless. While X can be a good source of both news and entertainment, it isn’t the be-all and end-all for either — and it’s getting worse on both fronts. So you’re really better off logging out and/or staying off, only using it when you absolutely need it, and only doing so intentionally. Ultimately, that’s the only way to make X an app you’ll enjoy using rather than an app you’re stuck using out of sheer habit or obligation. X (Twitter) will continue to (d)evolve under Musk’s leadership, and you may well reach the point where you decide that enough is enough. When that happens, there are plenty of alternatives that you’ll like better. Until then, use the above methods to keep X at least somewhat tolerable. Further reading: Practical reasons to keep using Twitter Read...

Wow, I feel like I’ve been seeing this monitor (or ones functionally identical to it, anyway) on sale a lot lately. But that doesn’t make it any less sweet. Today, Newegg is selling this Acer Nitro gaming monitor with a 27-inch IPS panel at a 1440p resolution and 180Hz refresh rate for just $160. That’s $110 off its regular price. I’ll stop banging this drum when it stops making noise: If at all possible, you should opt for an IPS panel over a VA panel. The better color accuracy means you can use it for Photoshop (like I did in this very article), then switch over to Fortnite for gaming (which I did not do for this article. I promise, boss!). Now that these monitors are coming with higher refresh rates, it’s the perfect one-two punch for a home machine that’s used for both work and entertainment. The Acer Nitro VG271U combines an upgraded panel with a boosted 2560×1440 resolution, giving you an impressive jump over standard 1080p gaming monitors. Plus, the 0.5ms response time means it’ll never lag behind your puny human eyeballs. It has DisplayPort and double HDMI inputs, and I dig the jaunty blue of the included stand. But if you have your own stand or monitor arms, then this monitor will still work with its standard VESA mount. Newegg deals tend to come and go on a whim, so get your order in quickly if you’re ready to buy. But if you can wait, you might be able to score an even better deal when Prime Day monitor deals hit next week. Get an Acer Nitro 27-inch IPS gaming monitor for $160Buy now on Newegg Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Functional built-in stand Two USB-C ports, both with DisplayPort and Power Delivery Includes touchscreen and stylus Extremely sharp image Cons Mediocre maximum brightness Unimpressive color gamut Only 60Hz refresh rate Expensive for its size Our Verdict The Lenovo ThinkVision M14t is a productivity-focused portable monitor with several notable features including a built-in display stand, a touchscreen, and a bundled stylus. It’s expensive, though, and while the monitor looks sharp its color performance is mediocre at best. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Retailer Price CDW $377.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Lenovo ThinkVision M14t Retailer Price CDW $377.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Buying a portable monitor is incredibly easy, or surprisingly difficult, depending on your needs. There’s lots of inexpensive portable monitors on Amazon, and some are quite good for the price. But if you want more specific features, like a touchscreen, stylus, or a display with above-average sharpness, your options begin to narrow. The Lenovo ThinkVision M14t caters to those looking for such extras, though it charges a high price for them. Lenovo ThinkVision M14t Gen 2 specs and features The Lenovo ThinkVision M14t is a 14-inch widescreen portable monitor. That’s a common size, but a few specifics stand out. This is a 16:10 display, not 16:9, which provides a bit more vertical space. It also provides a resolution of 2240×1400, which is quite a bit higher than the 1080p resolution common to budget 14-inch portable monitors. Finally, the display is a touchscreen, and it’s bundled with a passive stylus (Lenovo’s active pens are supported, too, but must be purchased separately). Display size: 14-inch 16:10 widescreen Native resolution: 2240×1400 Panel type: IPS 10-point capacitive touchscreen Refresh rate: 60Hz Adaptive sync: None HDR: None Ports: 2x USB-C with DisplayPort and up to 65 watts USB Power Delivery VESA mount: 100x100mm Speakers: None Price: $400 (approximate) The monitor is mostly sold through retailers that cater to enterprise customers, like CDW, and is relatively expensive at nearly $400. That’s a high price for a 14-inch portable monitor, though not out of line with top-tier options like the Viewsonic VX1655-4K-OLED. Further reading: See our roundup of the best portable monitors to learn about competing products. Lenovo ThinkVision M14t Gen 2 design The Lenovo ThinkVision M14t is part of the company’s “Think” brand, which includes the famous ThinkPad — so, unsurprisingly, it looks a lot like a ThinkPad. That means an all-black design with a grippy, soft-touch coat on the backside of the display panel. The coat readily shows fingerprints, but also makes the display easier to handle and less likely to slip or slide on uneven surfaces. A stand is built into the bottom half of the M14t. It folds up against the back of the display when not in use and, when needed, can rotate up to 90 degrees. That means the display can accommodate any position from flat on a desk to perfectly upright, which is about as wide a range of adjustment as a portable monitor can offer. Foundry Foundry Foundry Less expensive portable monitors, like the Arzopa A1 Gamut, often use the display cover as a prop for the monitor itself, providing a much more limited range of viewing angles. The M14t has an edge against the Viewsonic VX1655-4K-OLED, which also has a built-in stand, but can’t sit upright in the same way as the Lenovo. For protection, Lenovo ships the M14t with a soft fabric sleeve. It looks nice and offers some cushion against bumps. I would prefer a cover that can clip over the top of the display, but the sleeve does the job, and owners who planned to use a sleeve anyway might prefer it. The Lenovo ThinkVision M14t ships with a stylus designed to work with Windows and Android/Chrome devices (Mac support is not listed, and did not function in my testing). The bundle’s stylus is passive, however, so it’s not precise and only works well for jotting down an occasional note or tapping a touch button in an app. Lenovo says the M14t is also compatible with the company’s active pens, which are much more precise, but you’ll need to buy the active pen separately (they’re typically around $50). The stand offers enough stability to accept touch input at angles up to about 60 degrees. Beyond that, the stylus still functions, but trying to draw or write towards the top half of the display can cause it to wobble backwards. Foundry Foundry Foundry Lenovo ThinkVision M14t Gen 2 connectivity and menus Lenovo provides just two ports on the ThinkVision M14t: a pair of USB-C ports with DisplayPort and up to 65 watts of USB Power Delivery. That means both ports can be used as a video input and/or to charge the M14t. Lenovo does not ship the M14t with a USB power brick, so you’ll need to rely on the USB Power Delivery capabilities of the computer you use with the M14t or use a third-party power adapter. The M14t’s specifications quote a maximum power draw of about 10 watts, though, so most USB ports with Power Delivery should be able to handle it, as will most USB-C chargers. The monitor’s on-screen menu system is unique and excellent. Instead of relying on buttons to navigate the menu, which is often fiddly, tapping the menu button opens a touchscreen menu in the monitor’s lower right quarter. It’s responsive and easy to use. There’s not a ton of menu options to change, however: The monitor only provides vague color temperature controls and doesn’t have gamma presets. Foundry Foundry Foundry What it does have, though, is a wake-on-touch function and an auto rotation function. Both are excellent for a touchscreen portable monitor. You can use a touch to wake the monitor, if desired, and easily swap between portrait and landscape orientations. Just be warned that portrait orientation is a bit awkward, as the stand does not tilt in that direction (meaning that, in portrait mode, you can only position the monitor upright 90 degrees or flat on a surface — unless you use a third-party stand, of course). Portrait mode will also obstruct one of the USB-C ports, and will leave the other positioned in an awkward angle. Lenovo did give this some thought, though, and compromises with an included 90-degree USB-C adapter that makes the USB-C cable a bit less obtrusive in portrait mode. The M14t Gen 2 is best for people who aren’t overly concerned about color gamut or contrast but instead need a reliable, versatile portable touchscreen monitor. Lenovo ThinkVision M14t Gen 2 SDR image quality The Lenovo ThinkVision M14t doesn’t make any big claims about its image quality. It doesn’t support HDR, it quotes a contrast ratio of just 1500:1, and it only promises to cover 100 percent of the sRGB color gamut (which is the least impressive of modern color gamut standards). That’s not to say the monitor’s image quality is bad — but it is more focused on sharpness and functionality than wow factor. Foundry Foundry Foundry I measured a maximum SDR brightness of only 250 nits, which isn’t great. The touchscreen is glossy, too, so glare can easily overwhelm the monitor if it’s used in a brightly lit room. Using the monitor outdoors, or near large sunlit windows, borders on impossible. Many portable monitors have similar problems. Increasing brightness increases power draw, which is an issue for a portable display. Still, buyers should keep this in mind when thinking about how they’ll use the M14t. It’s best in a room with light control. Foundry Foundry Foundry The M14t achieved a contrast ratio of 1880:1 at 50 percent of maximum brightness. That’s actually not bad for a monitor with an IPS touchscreen, and it’s enough to deliver a good sense of depth and immersion when using the monitor in a lit room. OLED monitors, like the Viewsonic VX1655-4K-OLED, deliver a much better contrast ratio, but the M14t’s contrast is fine for day-to-day productivity. Foundry Foundry Foundry Color gamut is a weak spot for the M14t. It can cover the entire sRGB color gamut, but only 79 percent of DCI-P3 and 77 percent of AdobeRGB. That is a rather limited color gamut, and it means the M14t can’t display as many colors overall as its competition. OLED portable monitors have a serious edge, and provide a vivid, punchy image that’s more alluring than what the M14t achieves. Foundry / Matt Smith Foundry / Matt Smith Foundry / Matt Smith While the M14t can’t display an impressive range of color, the colors it can display are much more accurate than typical for a portable monitor. The monitor’s average color error is close enough to perfect that most people won’t notice color imperfections. The sole exception is blue and cyan hues, which had a color error much higher than all other colors. Still, most people will find the M14t’s presentation realistic. This is helped by the monitor’s gamma curve of 2.2 and color temperature of 6300K. The gamma curve is exactly on-target, and it means that content displayed on the monitor will not look brighter or darker than it should. The color temperature of 6300K is a bit warmer than our target of 6500K, but not so much that it’s a problem. With that said, the M14t doesn’t have any gamma adjustments and only four color temperature adjustments, which might be a problem if you want to change the gamma or color temperature to your preference. Sharpness is clearly the M14t’s greatest strength. The 14-inch 16:10 panel provides a resolution of 2240×1400, which works out to roughly 189 pixels per inch. That’s a higher pixel density than a 27-inch 4K monitor. Video looks ultra-sharp and small text is surprisingly legible with no noticeable pixelation around high-contrast edges at a normal viewing distance. It’s a super-crisp experience. On the whole, the M14t seems more interested in nailing the basics of image quality, like sharpness and accuracy, than stretching to provide a more alluring, vivid display. That’s a reasonable decision, as the M14t is pitched as a portable monitor for productivity and business. However, competitors like the Innocn 15A1F and the ViewSonic VP16-OLED deliver a much wider color gamut and better contrast at a similar price, though at the expense of a softer 1080p image. Lenovo ThinkVision M14t Gen 2 motion performance The Lenovo ThinkVision M14t Gen 2 makes no claims that would hint at superior motion performance. It’s a 60Hz IPS panel and doesn’t support adaptive sync. Motion clarity isn’t great. Scrolling test images from games like DOTA 2 and League of Legends showed that character silhouettes and map details were difficult to make out, while the names and hitpoint bars above characters were impossible to read. This is typical performance for a 60Hz monitor with an IPS display, but it’s still not great. Lenovo’s one concession to entertainment is an “Extreme” response-time mode. It does slightly offer a tad more motion clarity, but this feels like trying to split hairs. The improvement isn’t enough to make fast motion any more legible. Should you buy the Lenovo ThinkVision M14t Gen 2? The Lenovo ThinkVision M14t Gen 2 is a solid option if you need a portable monitor with touchscreen support. It has several strong features including a fold-out stand with a significant range of adjustment, a bundled stylus, and a 16:10 aspect ratio with a resolution of 2240×1400. The M14t’s image quality doesn’t stand out, though, and its price tag of nearly $400 feels steep. The M14t Gen 2 is best for people who aren’t overly concerned about color gamut or contrast but instead need a reliable, versatile portable touchscreen monitor. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Attractive and luxurious design Smart TV features powered by Samsung’s Tizen OS Infinite contrast and wide color gamut Great motion clarity Cons Smart TV features might annoy PC purists No USB-C Built-in speakers don’t impress Adaptive Sync support proved buggy Our Verdict The Samsung OLED G8 is an attractive QD-OLED monitor packed with Smart TV features rarely found on competitors. Though useful, the Smart TV functionality makes the monitor more confusing to use. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Samsung OLED G8 Retailer Price $1,299.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The plethora of OLED has made comparisons a bit dull. Most use the same OLED panels, and have similar features, so the verdict often comes down to price. Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G8 is an exception, however, as it delivers an OLED panel alongside Smart TV functionality that includes built-in apps, a remote control, and much more. These features make the monitor more versatile, but could annoy PC enthusiasts who just want a monitor to act like a monitor. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 (G80SD) specs and features The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8’s specifications are typical for a high-end OLED monitor. It offers 4K resolution, a refresh rate of up to 240Hz, and a QD-OLED panel that provides an exceptional color gamut. It also supports Adaptive Sync and HDR. Display size: 32-inch 16:9 aspect ratio Native resolution: 3840×2160 Panel type: Samsung QD-OLED Refresh rate: Up to 240Hz Adaptive Sync: AMD FreeSync, Nvidia G-Sync Compatible HDR: HDR10+ Gaming Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 2x USB-A 3.0 Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6E VESA mount: 100x100mm Speakers: Yes Price: $1,299.99 MSRP ($1,099 typical) However, one specification stands out as unusual: The monitor includes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. These features are required for its built-in Smart TV functionality, which includes support for streaming apps like Netflix. It can also be used for cloud gaming on services like Xbox Cloud Play and Amazon Luna. Pricing is similar to Samsung’s competitors. The LG Ultragear 32GS95UE-B is $1,399.99 at MSRP, which is $100 more, while the Alienware AW3225QF has an MSRP of $1,199.99, which is less than the Samsung. Further reading: See our roundup of the best monitors to learn about competing products. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 design The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 has a surprisingly elegant, even stately design. It’s covered in dark silver-gray materials, which strike a professional and reserved tone. However, the monitor still includes an RGB LED lighting ring on the back of the display, which can add some flair to your setup (it was off by default). The Odyssey should fit in anywhere you want to use it, whether that’s at a PC gaming desk, a home office, or a guest room. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Build quality is a perk. Like other recent Odyssey OLED monitors, it has a metal panel design, which feels far more premium and rigid than the plastic panels that are common even among high-end monitors. Of course, a monitor is not frequently touched or moved, so this durability probably isn’t going to make it last any longer than it would otherwise. Still, the use of metal provides a luxurious feel that beats even the best alternatives, like the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE-B and Alienware AW3225QF. An ergonomic stand is included and offers adjustments for height, tilt, swivel, and the ability to rotate 90 degrees for use in portrait orientation. This is a good range of adjustment for a 32-inch gaming monitor. The stand feels sturdy and thankfully uses a compact, flat base. While the 32-inch monitor panel is, of course, quite large, the monitor doesn’t take up excessive room on a desk. That said, a 100x100mm VESA mount is available if you want to use the monitor with a third-party stand or arm. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 features and menus The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 isn’t like most monitors. Though it’s technically not a TV because it lacks a TV tuner, it functions much like any other Samsung Smart TV. It even runs Samsung’s Tizen OS and offers features typically found only on TVs, such as an image processor that enhances motion clarity in sports content. Because of these features, setting up the Odyssey involves several steps, including connecting to Wi-Fi and selecting the smart apps you want to use. This is likely to frustrate PC gamers who prefer a plug-and-play experience. However, I didn’t find the process difficult, and it took about five minutes to complete. Once set up, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 can be used like a Smart TV, providing access to popular apps like Netflix and Hulu, as well as bundled access to a variety of public television channels (though most of these channels aren’t particularly interesting). If you’re only using the Odyssey as a monitor, these features may not matter to you. However, if you’re looking for a multipurpose display for a studio apartment, entertainment room, or bedroom, these features are quite useful, effectively turning the Odyssey into a 32-inch Smart TV. You can even use the Odyssey to play games without any device connected, as it includes a Wi-Fi connection and has support for game streaming services like Amazon Luna and Xbox Cloud Gaming. Bluetooth is supported as well, and you can pair Bluetooth-capable controllers with the display. The monitor ships with a remote control, too, which can be used to adjust the volume, access Smart TV apps, and change monitor settings. Personally, I love monitors that come with remote controls — they’re much easier to use than the joysticks most monitors have on their bezel (though the Samsung also has a joystick as a back-up menu control). Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry There’s more. Samsung also provides a decent Windows app for adjusting monitor settings. While most competitors offer similar apps, only a handful — primarily LG and BenQ gaming and entertainment displays — also have a remote. If you don’t want to use the Smart TV features, you can mostly ignore them, though they never completely disappear and can at times prove confusing. I more than once accidentally found myself launched into the monitor’s home screen, which immediately began blaring a low-budget reality TV show from one of the included free channels. It doesn’t help that Samsung’s manual offers little explanation of what the monitor’s many features accomplish. Getting back to basics: Samsung Odyssey OLED G8’s menus provide the usual range of image quality adjustments. There are options to adjust color saturation, color temperature, color gamut, and gamma, as well as gaming features like an on-screen crosshair and a dark equalizer to enhance shadow detail in dark games. My one nitpick is with the color temperature settings, where Samsung uses vague labels like “warm” and “cool” instead of more precise numerical presets. Still, the Odyssey offers more image quality options overall than most gaming monitors. If you’re looking for a multipurpose display for a studio apartment, entertainment room, or bedroom, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8’s features are quite useful. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 connectivity Flip the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 around, and you’ll find a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports as well as a single DisplayPort 1.4. All of these inputs can handle the monitor’s 4K resolution at its maximum refresh rate of 240Hz. I would’ve liked one additional video input, but the three is likely fine for most people. You can connect a computer over DisplayPort alongside an Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. One of the HDMI ports supports an Audio Return Channel (ARC). This is a handy feature that makes the Odyssey easier to use alongside home theater equipment that also supports ARC, like soundbars, as it eliminates the need for a separate audio cable. Most monitors don’t support ARC, though a few — like the Alienware AW3225QF — do. The monitor also offers some USB connectivity, but only in the form of two USB-A ports, driven by a USB-B upstream port. Unfortunately, USB-C is not available, which is a downside since USB-C is a convenient way to connect a laptop. To be fair, though, most of Samsung’s closest competitors — including the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE-B and Alienware AW3225QF — also lack USB-C. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 speakers Samsung boasts about the Odyssey OLED’s built-in speaker system, claiming it will “take gaming to the next level.” Unfortunately, the monitor doesn’t live up to this promise. While the speakers are loud, they produce a muddy, harsh, and metallic sound quality that makes listening to music genuinely unpleasant. The audio improves somewhat at moderate volumes, but it’s still nothing special. Most of Samsung’s competitors offer even worse speakers or omit them entirely. A notable exception is LG’s Ultragear 32GS95UB-E, which features a “pixel sound” speaker system that vibrates the display panel itself. It’s good enough that some users might be content using it instead of external speakers. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 SDR image quality The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 has (surprise!) a Samsung QD-OLED panel. This is a known quantity at this point, as PCWorld has reviewed more than a dozen QD-OLED monitors in the past year, and all deliver excellent SDR image quality with a few notable downsides. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Brightness is among those downsides, and the Odyssey is an especially poor performer in this area. Its maximum sustained SDR brightness of only 206 nits is lower even for an OLED monitor: Most alternatives hit about 250 nits. With a brightness of 206 nits, the Odyssey is adequate for most situations, especially if the monitor is used in a room with blinds, curtains, or other forms of light control. At higher brightness settings, it may even appear quite bright in this situation. However, if you plan to use the monitor in a space with little or no light control, such as near bright windows, it could be an issue. That’s unfortunate, as the Odyssey includes Smart TV features and could be a great option for use as a small TV in a studio apartment. In that case, though, its limited brightness could be a drawback. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Contrast, on the other hand, is a strong point of the Odyssey, as it offers an effectively infinite contrast ratio. This is achieved through the panel’s ability to reach a luminance of zero nits when displaying dark images, providing an immersive, lifelike, and striking picture quality that’s far superior to less expensive monitors using conventional LED backlights. However, readers with strong opinions about OLED panels should be warned that this monitor uses an aggressive matte coating to reduce glare and reflections. It’s effective at providing a legible, almost paper-like image, but also dampens the perceived contrast, especially in brightly lit environments. This is a matter of personal preference. I tend to favor matte coatings over glossy ones for computer monitors. However, I know some people have strong preferences in the opposite direction. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Color gamut is a traditional strength of QD-OLED monitors, thanks to the “QD” (Quantum Dots) panel technology, which significantly expands the range of colors the display can produce. The Samsung Odyssey is no exception, offering a very wide color gamut comparable to other QD-OLED monitors and superior to monitors using LG’s WOLED panel. A wide color gamut results in vivid, vibrant, and saturated colors in games and movies, but it’s also great for content creation, as it allows you to see a broader range of colors than what is typically possible with less capable monitors. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Surprisingly, Samsung’s color accuracy was somewhat lacking, at least at its default settings. While the monitor’s color will generally look realistic, it’s not as precise as some competitors. Gamers likely won’t notice any issues, but content creators may want to manually adjust the monitor’s settings or use calibration software for more accurate results. On a positive note, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 performed well in gamma and color temperature tests. It achieved a nearly perfect gamma curve of 2.2, which is impressive, as many OLED monitors tend to slightly miss the mark, often producing a gamma of 2.3, which makes images appear a bit darker than they should. The Odyssey also had a default color temperature of 6800K, which is only slightly cooler than our target of 6500K. Also, as mentioned, the monitor offers multiple gamma and color temperature settings. It’s easy to adjust both to suit your needs and preferences. The monitor’s 4K resolution contributes to excellent sharpness. While QD-OLED monitors can suffer from subpixel rendering issues, which cause pixelation and aliasing around small fonts and some high-contrast edges, 4K resolution mitigates this problem. You might still notice it if you lean in when viewing small fonts in a spreadsheet, but it’s not a frequent concern, and the monitor’s image looks razor sharp. Overall, the Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED delivers great image quality. While it underperforms in brightness and color accuracy, it excels in gamma and color temperature and generally matches the impressive image quality of other 32-inch OLED monitors. It’s an especially good option for people who want a multi-purpose OLED display, as the Odyssey has the color gamut, sharpness, and image quality options necessary to work well for both PC games and Photoshop. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 HDR image quality The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 supports HDR10+ but, unlike most competitors, the monitor’s marketing doesn’t claim any level of VESA DisplayHDR Certification. That seems foreboding, but the Odyssey OLED G8 performs fairly well for a QD-OLED monitor — after a bit of trial-and-error. Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry Matthew Smith / Foundry I measured a maximum sustained brightness of 779 nits in a 10 percent window, meaning just 10 percent of the display was lit by an HDR image, with the rest of the display completely dark. This is a good level of brightness for a QD-OLED monitor and shows the Odyssey can deliver bright, punchy highlights. A flash of lightning or an exploding car will look gorgeous on this monitor. However, the Odyssey’s HDR brightness dipped quickly as a larger portion of the display was lit. As a result, scenes that demand a high level of luminance across the entire display can look dull and dim. LG’s WOLED panel, found in the Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP and LG Utlragear 32GS95UE-B, has a notable advantage here. I also had to tease out the Odyssey’s performance. It has several HDR settings and, at default, its brightness was rather low: just 337 nits in a 10 percent window. You’ll need to use the monitor’s Peak Brightness mode, as well as its Active tone mapping mode, to achieve the best brightness results. Still, the monitor’s overall HDR performance is good for an OLED display and will typically deliver a bright, punchy image in HDR content. However, I’d recommend an LG WOLED over the Odyssey monitor if you plan to use HDR more often than not. Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 motion performance Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G8 offers a refresh rate of up to 240Hz at 4K resolution. That’s an excellent refresh rate for a 4K monitor, though also typical for an OLED display: Many 32-inch 4K OLED competitors have the same refresh rate. Motion clarity is excellent at 240Hz. The monitor’s high refresh rate, paired with OLED’s low pixel response times, keeps motion blur to a minimum. Fast moving objects are easy to see and the silhouettes of distant enemies will stand out on the horizon. It’s not perfect: Small fonts can still be impossible to read at speed, for example. Still, motion clarity is great and only defeated by alternatives with even higher refresh rates, like the Alienware AW2725QF. Adaptive sync is supported, as well, though here the monitor runs into a few issues. First up: Samsung’s marketing is unclear. The monitor is prominently sold as G-Sync Compatible. However, the monitor’s menu system lists support for AMD FreeSync, with no mention of Nvidia’s G-Sync. This isn’t a huge concern because, in my testing, the monitor worked with both AMD and Nvidia hardware. Still, it’s an odd oversight. I also experienced an infrequent but notable bug when using Adaptive Sync. The monitor would sometimes display a garbled line of digital static at the bottom edge of the display when Adaptive Sync was turned on. Flipping the mode on and off, or rebooting my PC, could fix it, though it could take several tries. This is not a new problem for Samsung: A look at Reddit shows occasional user complaints of a similar issue with older Odyssey monitors. Should you buy the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8? The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 is yet another excellent 32-inch QD-OLED monitor. It delivers a vibrant, saturated, and immersive image alongside excellent motion clarity. However, the monitor’s defining feature is actually its software, which includes Samsung’s Tizen OS and a buffet of Smart TV features that make the OLED G8 useful in situations where you’d otherwise want to buy a small television. The monitor’s overall image quality doesn’t stand out from the competition though, and its software features might annoy PC users who just want a monitor to act like a monitor. I recommend the Odyssey OLED G8 if you need a versatile display that will be used to watch movies and streaming TV as often as it’s used to play games or for productivity. Read...

Oh, how time flies! The 2024 gaming year is almost over and we’ve seen numerous exciting releases already, but there’s still a lot to come in the final months ahead. It is, after all, the holiday quarter and publishers will be going all out as we head into December. Here are some of the most interesting and most important games still to come. Not only might they achieve decent sales, but they might even end up being gaming highlights — so keep an eye on them! Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment Not a full-fledged game but important nonetheless: the Vessel of Hatred major expansion pack for Diablo IV will be releasing on October 8, expanding the game with a new region called Nahantu as well as an additional class called the Spiritborn. It’ll also add some exciting new mechanics to the game, such as switching between different elements. The story of Diablo IV will also be expanded with another chapter that looks extremely exciting. The first trailer for the expansion rightly gave many gamers goosebumps. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Microsoft Microsoft Microsoft A new Call of Duty is, of course, one of the biggest and most important releases of the year. Black Ops 6 will be releasing on October 25 and will once again offer an action-packed campaign, gripping shooter battles, and a fantastic zombie mode — a real feast for fans of the series. Dragon Age: The Veilguard Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Electronic Arts The next installment in the Dragon Age series has been almost ten years in the making, and it’s finally arriving on October 31. Fans who have been itching since the big cliffhanger in Dragon Age: Inquisition will finally get the much-awaited resolution they’ve been waiting for. This Dragon Age entry was originally called Dragon Age: Dreadwolf after the antagonist Dreadwolf. But while Dreadwolf will still play a major role, EA felt it was more important to emphasize the role of the Veilguard — our protagonist Rook and his companions, who are tasked with defending the fate of the world against evil forces. The Veilguard excitingly takes us to Tevinter for the first time, a place that’s legendarily oozing with blood magic and slavery. The gameplay, on the other hand, looks much more action-packed than expected (to the chagrin of fans). We’re curious to see how the game will be received. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Microsoft Microsoft Microsoft Bigger, farther, better: on November 19, Aerosoft will be releasing a new version of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the ultimate experience for flight simulation fans. Not only will we be able to experience the entire world in more aircraft with improved visuals, but we’ll also be able to climb out of the cockpit and walk around with our characters. In addition, the 2024 version introduces new professions that further enhance the experience, and the game will be playable on weaker hardware thanks to cloud-based worldbuilding. Anyone who already owns Microsoft Flight Simulator can carry over all their purchased content into the sequel, meaning almost nothing stands in the way of a successful release. Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl IDG IDG IDG Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl has had an eventful history and numerous postponements. However, the developers aren’t to blame — they’ve been working on this project with a lot of passion for several years, only to be hit hard by the war in Ukraine. Nevertheless, Stalker 2 is still set to release this year on November 20. The game will take us back to the radioactive zone around Chornobyl with a hard-hitting role-playing experience where you don’t level up and instead progress solely by exploring the game world. For fans of the first Stalker game, this should be just the right kind of challenge. However, we hope the release won’t suffer from any serious technical problems, given how much the devs have endured. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Bethesda Bethesda Bethesda A new Indiana Jones game? With next-gen graphics and an adventurous story? Developed by Bethesda? Bring it on! That’s what many of us thought when Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was first announced, and it’s finally releasing on December 9. Not only do we get to control Indy through a new adventure, but we can also wield a whip in proper style to fend off enemies and solve puzzles. For fans of the films and fans of great action-adventure games, this one should be a real highlight this year. InZOI Krafton Krafton Krafton Fans of life-sim games probably already know of InZOI, but in case you haven’t heard of it: InZOI promises to give The Sims 4 a run for its money. Not only does it offer beautiful graphics, an extensive character creator, and lots of exciting ideas, the base game will also have many features that are currently only available as add-ons for The Sims. InZOI may just offer the best bang for your buck as far as life-sims go, and it’s high time that The Sims had some serious competition. South Korean developer Krafton seems well on their way with this title. No specific release date has been given for InZOI yet, but the publisher recently stated that it should at least be launched in Early Access by the end of the year. Our fingers are crossed! Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Konami Konami Konami Last but not least, we have the remake of Metal Gear Solid 3 that’s expected to come out this year as Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. Although no exact release date has been given, the game looked pretty good in its first gameplay videos, so it shouldn’t be far away. In this remake, we once again slip into the skin of Agent Snake, who’s on a secret mission and sneaks through levels using camouflage, disguises, and other stealth tactics. With Unreal Engine 5, the graphics are better than ever and gameplay should be fun for fans and newcomers alike. Assassin’s Creed Shadows Ubisoft Ubisoft Ubisoft What if Assassin’s Creed went to Japan? It’s a long-cherished dream for many series fans, and it’s finally happening with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Though it was originally due for a November 15 release, Ubisoft recently just postponed it to February 11, 2025. In this entry, we’ll be able to roam Japan as stealthy shinobi and assassinate enemies from the shadows while also dealing out direct combat as powerful samurai. Which of the two protagonists will you play? It’s entirely up to you. The setting combined with the freedom of play and the beautiful, atmospheric game world could make Assassin’s Creed Shadows one of the most memorable spin-offs in the series. Read...

Trying to find the balance between pure engineering and entertainment has been a very difficult balancing act over the years in Formula 1, but many in the sport think we seeing the signs of change as the cost cap takes effect on track. Read...