Latest news with #HDR
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Let's Talk About Why Some Folks Are Really Unhappy With The Switch 2's Screen
Ever since we learned the Switch 2 would have an LCD screen instead of a fancier OLED panel, discourse around Nintendo's latest console has often turned sour when it comes to its display. Of course, once folks were able to get the new hardware in their hands, the Switch 2 revealed itself to be packing an impressively bright and vibrant LCD. Those do exist; they're still not as great as fancy as an OLED, but liquid crystal display tech is still more than capable of meeting and exceeding expectations for producing a quality image in 2025. But now a new controversy over the Switch 2's display has emerged, this time wielding scary terms like 'ghosting' and 'refresh rate,' as critiques spread asserting that fast-paced games look blurry in motion and concerns rise from some arguing that the HDR display packed in with Nintendo's new hybrid console isn't really HDR. Are they right? Kind of, yeah! Should you regret your decision to buy a Nintendo Switch 2? Probably not! Let's talk. I'm sorry to tell you that video games are an illusion. Mario isn't actually moving when he jumps. As you probably already know, GPUs crunch out one image at a time and these images, when played very fast, create the illusion of motion. We're seeing several images of Mario, with each image showing him in a slightly different location. And our screen needs to display those images cleanly, at a rapid, matching pace. That's a very brisk and incomplete explanation of how video games deliver the visuals we know and love, but it's more or less how it all works. The way the image gets delivered to your eyes relies on coordination between how fast the GPU can pump out images and how often your monitor refreshes, which is measured in Hertz. Should those things be out of sync in some way, you'll spot some screen tearing, which is when there's a mismatch between how many images the GPU spits out per second and how many times the monitor refreshes too (in case you didn't know, all monitors are actually turning on and off at very fast speeds that give the illusion of staying on). But we can also measure the refresh rate in milliseconds, and that's where we can really lock into some specificity and understand what's going on. The lower the millisecond response time, the cleaner the motion of something moving across the screen looks. Ratchet that response time up and things start to look a little blurry in motion. 120Hz is a swell refresh rate for a gaming display. The problem with the Switch 2, however, is that the millisecond response time of its screen is a bit slow compared to those of many other gaming displays on the market. Compounding the problem is that we actually can't fully test the Switch 2's screen as efficiently as we can other displays. The Switch 2 doesn't allow for external video input. So, as PC Mag's Will Greenwald discusses in his breakdown of the latest Switch controversy, folks have been taking to measuring how quickly pixels change color on the Switch 2 screen using optical sensors and cameras, among other tools. This is technically not the same thing as measuring the refresh rate as mentioned above, but it does offer insight into how fast the screen performs. Objectively, the Switch 2's screen might have some shortcomings, but your experience with it is subjective. The results of these tests revealed a 17.1 millisecond response time on the Switch 2 in a best case scenario, and a 33.3 ms response time at worst. As Greenwald mentions, gaming displays should ideally aim for below 10 ms. So no, it's not just in people's heads. Maybe they're being picky! But in reality, the Switch 2's response time isn't great compared to other gaming displays. Knowing that fact, though, shouldn't keep you from having fun with your console. By 2025, many are likely familiar with what High Dynamic Range is: an expansion of how just how bright or dark a screen can display colors. An HDR display (with a signal to match) looks far more vivid and lifelike than an SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) screen does. And it's awesome. To my eyes, HDR is more of an upgrade than 4K resolution could've ever dreamed of being. But comparing the Switch 2's HDR to a fancier HDR screen is sort of like comparing organic food to certified organic food. Technically speaking, the Switch 2's brightness range at less than 1,000 nits falls short of what is needed to portray a true HDR image. So it's got a Higher Dynamic Range than SDR, but is arguably not true HDR. Yeah, you know what? Nothing's ever good enough for you. Let's just burn the whole thing down—sorry, I dunno where that came from. Silly me. No, as anyone who's seen a Switch 2 in person can attest, the screen looks great! Games look bright and colorful as we'd expect them to. Sure, if you have a serious eye for detail and you're a numbers nerd, you may feel the screen could've hit higher benchmarks. And sadly, hooking your Switch 2 up to a better display via the dock doesn't seem to fix the problem as, according to PC Mag, external display output of the Switch 2 seems to stay true to what its internal screen can display. Coming from someone who has formative, joyous memories of GTA IV, Halo 3, Mass Effect, and BioShock from my old Xbox 360 hooked up to an old, tiny, somewhat faulty CRT in the corner of a basement, inferior tech doesn't always mean an inferior experience. Objectively, the Switch 2's screen might have some shortcomings, but your experience with it is subjective. So tune all the noise out if it upsets you, enjoy another lap on Mario Kart World and stop thinking about all this ms-time and HDR nonsense. . For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Android Authority
11 hours ago
- Android Authority
Google Photos won't downgrade your edited HDR pictures to SDR anymore
Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR HDR photos in Google Photos now keep their full dynamic range and HDR metadata when edited with tools like Photo Unblur and Magic Eraser. The app now has an 'Ultra HDR' tool for brightening images. SDR photos can now be enhanced to HDR. Google is rolling out some improvements to how high dynamic range (HDR) and standard dynamic range (SDR) images are edited in the Photos app. The update will keep HDR photos from getting downgraded to SDR. Google is also updating a couple of its HDR tools. In the past, if you used editing tools like Photo Unblur or Magic Eraser, a copy of your HDR picture would be created in SDR. As Google explained in 2024, this was because its editing tools were 'developed for SDR images, with models expecting SDR images as inputs and producing SDR images as outputs.' However, the tech giant has now made improvements to these tools so your photos maintain their quality. According to Google, your HDR pictures will now 'keep their full dynamic range and crucial HDR metadata even after editing with features like Photo Unblur, Magic Eraser, and Portrait Light.' As a result, the contrast and highlights in your images will remain intact. Google Photos also has a new 'Ultra HDR' tool for adjusting a photo's brightness. Meanwhile, the previous HDR is getting renamed to 'Tone.' The company says the rename is meant to reflect the real purpose of the tool. Furthermore, it was announced that you'll be able to turn SDR images into HDR photos. This means you can give your old SDR photos more visual pop with deeper contrasts and brighter highlights. This is a timely update as it follows news that Google is unpausing the Ask Photos rollout. Ask Photos is an AI-powered feature designed to answer questions about the contents of your photo library. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Phone Arena
11 hours ago
- Phone Arena
Google Photos just got an update that changes how HDR photos are edited
Google has rolled out a new update for the Photos app that improves how both HDR and SDR images are edited. The goal is to help users keep more of the original detail in their photos, especially when editing images taken in high dynamic range. Photos shot in HDR now keep their full dynamic range and HDR metadata, even after using editing tools like Photo Unblur, Magic Eraser, or Portrait Light. This means the contrast and brightness in the photo should still look accurate after editing, which wasn't always the case before. Google is also adding a new tool called "Ultra HDR" that lets users control how bright an image appears. At the same time, the previous "HDR" slider has been renamed to "Tone," which better describes its role in adjusting contrast and exposure. These changes should make the editing process a bit clearer for users who want to fine-tune their photos. The new "Ultra HDR" and "Tone" tools in Google Photos. | Images credit — PhoneArena One of the more notable changes is the ability to enhance SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) photos to appear more like HDR. This feature uses machine learning to boost highlights, deepen contrast, and improve the overall clarity of older photos or those not originally taken in HDR. While it doesn't turn them into true HDR files, the result is designed to look more vivid on compatible screens. When comparing this to the Photos app on iOS, Google's approach offers more manual control. On iPhones, HDR processing happens automatically with limited editing tools afterward. Apple does preserve HDR metadata, but it doesn't let users convert SDR to HDR or adjust the look of HDR photos to the same extent. In that sense, Google's update gives users more flexibility in how their photos appear. These improvements follow a broader trend of using AI in mobile photo editing, especially on Pixel devices. While some features like Magic Editor aim to make big changes to a photo, this HDR update is more about keeping photo quality consistent after minor edits. In my opinion, this update adds more options without changing how the app works at its core. Some users may need time to get used to the renamed tools, but for those with HDR-capable displays, these improvements could make a noticeable difference in how photos look after editing. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
High-speed rail project that links with Brightline West to Vegas making progress
The High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency has selected HDR for design and engineering services for a segment of California's high-speed rail system between Victorville and Palmdale. The California train line between the Victor Valley and Antelope Valley will span about 54 miles and will connect with Brightline West's planned high-speed rail project and station in the Victor Valley. The Brightline West project includes 218 miles of track, with a main passenger station in Las Vegas and stops in Apple Valley, Hesperia and Rancho Cucamonga. In July 2024, High Desert representatives, including Victorville Mayor Elizabeth Becerra, a member of the joint agency, gave their support to the project, the Daily Press reported. Becerra, along with her fellow board members, signed "landmark agreements" with union labor representatives to construct, operate, and maintain the future multimillion-dollar High Desert Corridor High-Speed Rail Project. Barstow tourism summit sparks buzz: Is Inland Empire the next big travel destination? The east-west High Desert rail corridor will improve connectivity with California's planned high-speed rail network and open access to housing, jobs and cultural opportunities previously out of reach, HDR officials stated. With proposed speeds of up to 180 miles per hour, the High Desert rail service project will provide a fast connection from a multimodal transportation hub in Los Angeles County's Antelope Valley to the future Brightline West high-speed rail station in San Bernardino County, HDR said. Eventually, the rail network will connect Southern California to the northern half of the state, Las Vegas and beyond. 'The High Desert Corridor will improve connectivity and accessibility for millions of travelers, generate billions in economic activity, and open new opportunities for the whole region,' said HDR Project Manager Girair Kotchian. 'It's a privilege to be involved with such a momentous project for Southern California.' Under a five-year contract, the HDR-led team will provide a wide range of engineering services for the authority, including rail design, systems and station integration, operations and maintenance facility design, systems planning, bridge design, right of way coordination, environmental support services, stakeholder coordination, risk management, procurement support, and contract administration, among others. 'Delivering the engineering and advisory services associated with the High Desert Corridor requires a multidisciplinary team that can maximize a broad array of opportunities and tackle diverse challenges with resilience, technical expertise and unwavering focus,' said HDR Global Transit Director Matt Tucker. 'We have an exceptional team gathered with world-class expertise in large-scale transit corridors. This is great news for Southern California and the future of high-speed rail in the United States.' The Antelope Valley to Victor Valley project is completing environmental documentation and preliminary engineering. Construction of the project is expected in the early 2030s, HDR stated. Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@ Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Victor Valley to Palmdale high-speed rail project hires HDR for design
Gizmodo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
This 15″ Travel Monitor Is Nearly Free, Amazon Clears Out Its Stock With an Early Prime Day Deal
Portable monitors have quickly become a necessity for anyone who wishes to have an extra screen on the go, and now they're one of the best-selling items in the Electronics section on Amazon. If you've ever shelled out cash for a 15-inch 1080p portable monitor, you'll be well aware that the price usually ranges between $60 and $150, with the $60 price mark usually being set for the biggest sale days such as Black Friday or Prime Day. But Amazon has just released a deal that's hard to swallow: the Yxk portable monitor is now only $47, down from $59 (which is already down from its $82 original price). See at Amazon The Yxk portable monitor boasts a 15.6-inch full HD IPS display with a 1920×1080 resolution. This screen delivers sharp visuals and vibrant colors which is a great option if you're looking to add a second display to your laptop, desktop or even game console. The 178-degree viewing angle ensures that the picture remains clear and consistent from almost any position which is especially useful if you're sharing your screen during meetings or presentations. The monitor also comes with HDR support and a low blue light mode to decrease eye fatigue. Only 1.43 pounds in weight and just 0.31 inches thick, this travel monitor is designed for traveling and everyday portability. It slips perfectly into a laptop sleeve or backpack and you can take it to work or business trips. The built-in kickstand makes it simple to deploy anywhere and the angle is adjustable to fit your workspace. Regarding connectivity, it has two full-size USB-C ports and a mini HDMI port which allow you to connect to a lot of devices. Regardless of whether you're using a laptop, Mac, Android phone, PlayStation, Xbox or Switch, you can begin with one cable alone. To connect via USB-C, your host device will need to be Thunderbolt 3.0/4.0 or USB 3.1 Type-C DP Alt Mode compatible. At $47, this deal is truly exceptional: It's rare to see a portable monitor with these features at such a low price. See at Amazon
