Latest news with #VESA
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
ViewSonic XG275D-4K Monitor Review
The gaming monitor market is getting very interesting, with brands pushing the limits of display technology and introducing new options for high frame rates and 4K resolution. But the ViewSonic XG275D-4K monitor is doing something a bit different, and it's rather astounding. This 27-inch monitor allows users to switch between 4K resolution at 160Hz and Full HD at 320Hz with a single button press, addressing the common dilemma gamers face when choosing between visual fidelity and competitive performance. At $499.99, it positions itself as a cost-effective alternative to purchasing two separate displays for different gaming scenarios, and honestly, it is one of my favourite monitors of the year so far. Out of the box, the monitor is relatively unassuming but carries forward the ViewSonic style we've come to appreciate at CGM. The ViewSonic XG275D-4K monitor features a standard matte black chassis with minimal bezels, giving it a clean, modern appearance. ViewSonic has implemented a pragmatic stand design with a reduced footprint, creating more desk space for keyboard and mouse placement—a practical consideration for competitive gamers who need room to manoeuvre. The stand offers comprehensive adjustment options, including height adjustment up to 130 mm, bidirectional pivot, ±45 degrees of swivel, and -3 to 20 degrees of tilt. These movement ranges accommodate various sitting positions and desk setups. For those preferring alternative mounting options, the monitor includes 75×75 mm VESA compatibility, so you can wall mount the monitor or use a monitor arm to get it off your desk should you wish. The screen comes with an anti-glare hard coating (3H) that effectively minimizes reflections in bright environments. RGB lighting on the rear panel adds visual flair, similar to what we've seen on other ViewSonic gaming monitors. Thankfully, the lighting is subtle enough that it doesn't overwhelm the setup, allowing users to customize the appearance to match their gaming environment. The monitor features a 27-inch Fast IPS panel with a native 4K UHD resolution (3840 x 2160). But as I teased earlier, there's something special about the XG275D-4K—this display has the ability to operate in two distinct modes, which ViewSonic refers to as 'Dual Mode.' Users can select between native 4K resolution at 160Hz or Full HD (1080p) at an impressive 320Hz refresh rate. This means you can push visuals to their limit on your new GPU at 4K, then swap to 1080p to maximize frame rate in an esports title like League of Legends—something very useful for any kind of competitive play. The panel delivers a peak brightness of 300 to 350 nits (specifications vary slightly between sources), a static contrast ratio of 1,000:1, and support for HDR10. While these specifications won't match those of high-end HDR displays, they provide acceptable dynamic range for most gaming applications. I found it performed well when displaying deep blacks and bright colours in games like Doom Eternal. However, since it's an IPS display, you won't get the rich, inky blacks that OLED panels can deliver. That said, what the XG275D-4K does deliver is solid for most people's needs. Colour performance is respectable, with the panel covering 94 percent of DCI-P3, 91 percent of NTSC, and 99 percent of the sRGB colour spaces. However, I didn't find it as accurate as some of the professional screens we use at CGM. For gaming, it was more than enough, but for colour-dependent work, it wasn't quite as precise as I would personally prefer. The 10-bit colour depth—achieved via 8-bit + FRC technology—helps create smooth gradients with minimal banding, making the monitor suitable for both gaming and light creative work. The ViewSonic XG275D-4K boasts a 0.5 ms MPRT (Moving Picture Response Time) and a 2 ms grey-to-grey (GtG) response time, promising minimal motion blur during fast-action sequences. The monitor supports both AMD FreeSync Premium and NVIDIA G-Sync technologies, ensuring tear-free gaming experiences regardless of graphics card preference. The monitor also includes a 24.5-inch esports setting, which scales down the usable display area to provide a more focused field of view. This allows competitive gamers to keep all on-screen action within their immediate vision, potentially improving reaction times in fast-paced games. I was surprised by how interesting I found this mode. While it's not a feature I think most average gamers will take advantage of, it's a great addition, and I have to commend ViewSonic for the foresight to include it. I have to say, there are plenty of reasons to consider this monitor—and they go well beyond just gaming. The central selling point of the ViewSonic XG275D-4K monitor is its switchable refresh rate technology, but how you use that flexibility is what makes it so exciting. With a dedicated button press, users can toggle between 4K at 160Hz or Full HD at 320Hz. This functionality eliminates the previous need for gamers to purchase separate monitors for different types of games. Even content creators can jump between the modes without requiring additional displays. And because it's so easy to activate, it's a feature that can actually be used whenever you need it. In 320Hz mode, the display becomes particularly suitable for competitive gaming genres like first-person shooters, where fluid motion and reduced input lag can provide a competitive edge. Switching to 4K mode at 160Hz offers the sharp, detailed image quality that enhances visually rich single-player games and content creation. A DisplayPort 1.4 input provides similar capabilities for PC connections. One particularly useful addition is the USB-C port with 65-watt power delivery and DisplayPort Alt Mode support. This allows users to connect and charge laptops or other compatible devices while using the monitor, reducing cable clutter for those who switch between work and gaming on different devices. Audio capabilities include dual 2W stereo speakers and a 3.5 mm audio jack for headphone connection. While the built-in speakers won't replace dedicated audio equipment, they offer a convenient option for casual use. For those who prefer a clean desk setup with minimal cables, the built-in speakers will work in a pinch. However, they are a bit quiet and lack the depth to deliver a nuanced audio experience. For anyone serious about gaming or PC audio, I would always recommend treating the monitor's speakers as a last resort. As with most ViewSonic monitors, the on-screen display is navigated via a joystick control with directional inputs (up, right, down, left, centre/power), which is typically more intuitive than the multi-button configurations found on some competing models. Physical controls also include a dedicated dual-mode button for quickly switching between refresh rate and resolution presets. It worked as expected—nothing to write home about. That said, when it came to changing settings, I have to say it delivered where it needed to. It felt responsive and didn't cause any frustration when I needed to make quick adjustments. At $499.99, the ViewSonic XG275D-4K occupies the mid-range of gaming monitors. This pricing is particularly competitive, considering users effectively receive two display configurations in one unit—a 4K panel for content consumption and detail-oriented games, and a high-refresh Full HD monitor for competitive gaming. You'd be hard-pressed to find another monitor at this price point that delivers the same range of features. And while I would have liked to see a slightly higher peak brightness, the XG275D-4K delivers where it counts most for its intended purpose. For gamers who enjoy a variety of titles—from fast-paced competitive shooters to visually rich single-player adventures—the ViewSonic XG275D-4K offers a flexible solution without requiring multiple specialized displays. At $499.99, the ViewSonic XG275D-4K provides fantastic value for anyone looking to upgrade their setup while staying budget-conscious. The feature set on offer makes it one of the best monitors you can buy for the price, hands down.
Digital Trends
14-05-2025
- Digital Trends
Apple Pro Display XDR monitor review: the best Mac monitor will cost you
Apple Pro Display XDR MSRP $6,988.00 Score Details 'The Apple Pro Display XDR blazes with the ultimate in HDR, at a price.' Pros Spectacularly luxurious design The best build quality in a monitor Superior HDR support Extremely accurate image fidelity Wide viewing angles Perfect macOS integration Cons Incredibly expensive Some blooming in bright images Contrast falls behind mini-LED and OLED Stand price hard to swallow Table of Contents Table of Contents Specs Design Connectivity and features Image quality – sharpness Image quality – fidelity Competition Still the best monitor for Macs, although few will buy it It might seem a little weird to review a monitor that's been on the market for over five years, but then again, it's the Apple Pro Display XDR I'm talking about. Apple hasn't been in a hurry to upgrade its monitors lately, with its only other monitor, the Studio Display, first going on sale in 2022. The primary reason I'm reviewing the Pro Display XDR is that it seems like a natural mate for Apple's most recent Macs, and I often see new Mac buyers wondering if they should buy an Apple monitor to go with it. Recommended Videos And in fact, despite their age, both monitors remain two of the best monitors made today — and both are also very expensive. The Studio Display starts at $1,599 with a simple stand, and the Pro Display XDR is even pricier at $4,999 without a stand or VESA connector. Opt for the stand and you'll spend an extra $999. Yet in a way, the Pro Display XDR, while far more expensive than most people will want to spend, could be considered the relative bargain of the two when compared to its most direct competitors. And independent of price, the Pro Display XDR is a truly spectacular monitor for anyone who might need its awesome image quality. Specs Apple Pro Display XDR Screen size 32 inches Panel type FAFD IPS Resolution 6K (6016 x 3384) Peak brightness 1,600 nits HDR HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG Contrast ratio 1,000,000:1 Response time Not defined Color gamut 1.073 billion colors (true 10-bit) Refresh rate 60Hz Curve No Speakers None Ports 1 x upstream USB-C with Thunderbolt 3 3 x downstream USB-C Adjustments 30 degrees tilt 120mm height Dimensions (HxWxD) 28.3 inches (width) x 16.2 inches (height) x 1.1 inches (depth) Weight 16.49 pounds List price $4,999+ By itself, the Pro Display XDR costs $4,999 with the standard glass. That's a lot. Opting for the nano-textured glass brings the price to $5,999. But you can't stop there. If you want to use a VESA standard mount, you can choose the VESA adapter for $199. If not, then you'll need the Pro Stand that costs a rather insane-sounding $999. That makes the most expensive Pro Dispay XDR cost $6,988. Wow. The thing is, Apple aimed the Pro Display XDR at reference-level monitors that can cost as much as $20,000 or more. In that respect, even the most expensive configuration is a relative bargain. Since its introduction in 2019, though, several other monitors have been released that challenge the Pro Display XDR in one or more metrics. At the same time, no less costly monitor can match the Pro Display XDR across the board. So whether it's egregiously expensive or relatively affordable is something I'll touch on in the competition section below. Design You might be tempted to think that a monitor released over five years ago will look dated, and you'd be wrong. The Pro Display XDR is a stunning monitor in every respect, showing off Apple's meticulous attention to detail that makes its hardware so consistently excellent. If Apple releases a new model anytime soon, I doubt that it will look very different. In fact, I hope it doesn't. First, it looks like an Apple product. With the Pro Display XDR sitting next to (or rather, over) a Mac Studio, for example, you see two distinct products that are obviously made for each other. That's pretty amazing, considering that the Mac Studio was first released almost three years after the monitor. The design has Apple's usual minimalism that somehow exudes elegance, likely due to the use of aluminum throughout with not a speck of plastic combined with Apple's usual design cohesiveness. That along makes it stand out from most other monitors. The Pro Display XDR just looks more like its design matters than the typical monitor. Look around the back and you see the same sort of 'cheese grater' effect made up of a lattice pattern machined into the aluminum. That helps dissipate heat and avoids the need for a fan, and monitors with these specifications can get hot. The construction functions to keep the monitor perfectly silent, which matches nicely with the almost perfectly-silent Mac Studio. The patter is also similar to the exterior design of the Mac Pro, meaning it matches up well with that Apple desktop as well. Second, the design is incredibly functional. My review unit came with the Pro Stand, and yes, that's a ridiculously expensive product. But, it's also incredibly well-made and works better than most stands you can buy today. It's all-metal, like the Pro Display XDR itself, and it connects to the monitor using a unique mechanism where strong magnets suck the connector into place before everything mechanically snaps together. That makes the connection feel really cool and modern in addition to being drop-dead simple. The VESA adapter connects the same way. And then the stand is incredibly smooth, raising and lowering the monitor by up to 120mm total, tilting in a 30-degree arc, and rotating between landscape and portrait with one finger while holding the monitor firmly in place. I'll note that Apple built in a rotation mechanism that requires the monitor to be at its highest point before rotating — thus avoiding the potential to knock an edge against something, which I've run into the on some other monitors. It's a nice feature. Of course, it makes for a very tall display that I couldn't even easily fit fully in a frame. Yes, $999 is a lot to spend on a stand. But this isn't your typical stand. Is that incredible design enough to justify spending almost $7,000? Almost certainly not. But, as we'll see, that's not really what you're paying for. It's just a nice perk. I'll also note that once again, I'm as impressed as always with Apple's packaging. That might seem like a trivial thing, but unpacking monitors is almost always a painful process. Most often, various parts are scattered around a Byzantine construction that requires pulling things apart and complicates putting the monitor itself together. That's just not the case with the Pro Display XDR — just like it's not the case with any of Apple's products. The box is easy to open, everything is neatly organized, the monitor is easy to take out, and as mentioned above, the method of attaching the display to the monitor is downright satisfying. And I know that boxing the monitor back up will be drop-dead simple. It's just another thing that makes you feel like you got your money's worth. Connectivity and features In terms of connectivity, the Pro Display XDR isn't nearly as functional as some other monitors. It's not meant to serve as a central hub to connect all of your various computing parts. It's not like the Dell UltraSharp 32 4K USB-C Hub monitor, which has a very long name with 'hub' literally included because, in fact, that's what it is. It includes a host of various connections along with a built-in keyboard-video-monitor (KVM) switch, and it allows you to connect multiple PCs and various peripherals without needing an external dock or hub. That's just not the Pro Display XDR. Instead, it has just four USB-C ports, one upstream Thunderbolt 3 for connecting to a PC and three downstream USB-C ports for connecting various peripherals. That's as close to a 'hub' as you'll get with this monitor. The upstream Thunderbolt 3 provides up to 96 watts of power, which is enough to keep a MacBook Pro running well enough (as long as it's not pushing an M4 Max chipset too hard). And per Apple's usual design aesthetic, the ports are flush with the back of the monitor and in a simple line. Personally, I prefer the setup, because the mini-wiring closets on some monitors are located on the bottom and are a pain to access. Another significant hardware difference between the Pro Display XDR and the Studio Display (not to mention some other monitors) is that the Studio Display has an excellent six-speaker audio system that's the best I've seen on a monitor. When I'm using it, I'm able to put away my external speakers and use the built-in audio exclusively — it's that good, something I have yet to see on another monitor. The Pro Display XDR, on the other hand, has no speakers whatsoever. It's exclusively an image-only solution, which fits its primary focus but is something to keep in mind. In terms of controls, the Pro Display XDR is exactly like the Studio Display. There are no external controls at all, and no on-screen display (OSD) like you'll find on most monitors. There's not even a power button. Everything is controlled via software running on the connected PC. And, that matters a lot, because there's no standalone utility, either. Clearly, Apple monitors are made for macOS machines, where you get a full set of software control within the standard macOS Settings. This is a monitor that is simply not a great choice for Windows users, because you lose virtually all functionality in Windows. You can't even change the brightness. In macOS settings, you'll find several options you can configure. As usual, there's Apple's True Tone, which changes the white point to match ambient lighting, and automatic brightness that also enhances the content black level. The Pro Display XDR has dual ambient light sensors, one on the front and one on the back, to ensure a precise match between the display and ambient light conditions. Most important, perhaps, are the various presets. These change the monitor's characteristics to fit specific reference workflows. The presets range from the default that utilizes the full brightness for displaying HDR content do presets for various types of video work and for photographers. Image quality – sharpness The Pro Display XDR is built around a 32-inch 16:9 panel running at a very high 6K (6016 x 3384) resolution for 218 PPI. It uses IPS LCD technology, with a full-array local dimming (FALD) backlight with 576 blue LEDs compared to the usual IPS side lighting. That means it's not quite the same as a mini-LED display that has thousands of mini-LEDs for very fine local dimming zones, but Apple utilizes several proprietary components to minimize blooming while providing extremely high sustained and peak brightness for high dynamic range (HDR) content. While there's more blooming than modern min-LED (and OLED) displays, it's still manageable in all but very dark environments. And the point of the XDR (Extreme Dynamic Range) moniker is that the Pro Display XDR provides incredibly bright and accurate display of HDR images and video. I'll start by discussing the 6K resolution, because that matters a lot when matching up to macOS PCs. Simply put, Apple has long done a great job of producing excellent text as well as sharp images, thanks to its strict approach to HiDPI (High Dots Per Inch) support. macOS is very precise with its scaling, where it wants to produce content with integer-based scaling (e.g., 2x) and not non-integer scaling (e.g., 1.5x). It assumes a base resolution for each device, and then scales the resolution to match the native resolution. On the Pro Display XDR, that means it assumes a base resolution of 3008 x 1692 which it then scales at 2x to make use of the full 6K resolution. By avoiding non-integer scaling, Retina sharpness is maintained no matter what scaling you choose to make the UI larger or smaller (all the way up to the full 6K where everything becomes very tiny). In order to get the full effect, you need both Retina-level sharpness and a usable resolution that allows for integer scaling. At 32 inches, the Pro Display XDR's 6K resolution falls in the Retina sweet spot at 218 PPI, and the 3008 x 1692 base resolution is quite usable. If the display was 4K (3840 x 2160), which is just 137 PPI, then the base resolution would be 1920 x 1080 and it wouldn't be Retina quality. It would also make the workspace feel more cramped on such a large display. But, scaling it up to something more usable like 2560 x 1440 would require 1.5x scaling, which would result in blurriness. So, the Pro Display XDR's 6K resolution is very much on purpose. The same is true with the Studio Display's 5K resolution at a screen size of 27 inches. It's why that monitor also works better with macOS machines than 4K 27-inch monitors, which would suffer from the same compromises. Image quality – fidelity Apple has taken care to produce a monitor that will display content as accurately as possible, and at the widest possible angles. The custom timing controller, synchronized pixel switch and LED modulation, and a superior polarizer combine to maximize color accuracy and minimize reflectivity. I reviewed the nano-texture glass that manages to almost eliminate reflections without hampering contrast or reducing color dynamics. If you check out the Apple Pro Display XDR white paper, you can dig into the details of the screen's design. You'll find that a tremendous amount of work was put into each of the six 'layers' that make up the display, with various techniques used to ensure optimal uniformity throughout. The result is a monitor that produces a reliable image that can be used for the most exacting reference work. That all might sound a bit like a marketing blurb, but the point is, while the Pro Display XDR is almost five years old, it remains a monitor that's laser-focused on image fidelity — something professional creators demand. To a non-creator like myself, I found the display incredibly bright, dynamic, and with very high contrast that's not quite at the level of mini-LED or OLED's inky blacks but is still excellent. It's better for watching HDR content than any other monitor I own, including a 32-inch 4K OLED monitor that's currently sitting on my desk that's not nearly as bright. Of course, I'm not this monitor's target user, and I couldn't spend that much money only for watching HDR TV shows and movies. But I would sure wish I could. However, if I was a professional creator who works with HDR content, then I would very much appreciate the superior HDR performance. And that's where the Pro Display XDR shines the most (no pun intended). When you mate the sustained 1,000-nit HDR brightness with the peak of 1,600 nits, along with all the attention to image fidelity, you get a monitor that professionals can use to do their best work. I'll mention the cheese grater venting on the back, because running HDR content at such high brightness generates a lot of heat — and these vents keep things cool without need a fan. When I used my Datacolor SpyderPro colorimeter for objective testing, I got very good results that don't necessarily blow other monitors out of the water. One reason is because the Pro Display XDR's primary advantage, as discussed at length immediately above, is about providing consistent quality across the entire display that closely matches the source as possible. A simple colorimeter test doesn't necessarily reflect everything that makes the Pro Display XDR so great. Starting with brightness, colorimeters test SDR video by default, because HDR content is by definition more sporadic and inconsistent and thus harder to measure. So, the 520 nits shown here using the default preset of 'P3-1600 nits' reflects almost exactly the 500 nits that Apple specifies for SDR video. That's similar to the mini-LED display on the MacBook Pro 16, which is only slightly brighter in SDR at 585 nits. This preset is the one that's intended for general content including HDR, so HDR content will sustain at 1,000 nits and peak at 1,600 nits. The 'P3-500 nits' is for when you will only be working with SDR content, and then the other presets, of which these are just a subset, are intended to precisely match various reference models for specific kind of work. So, the brightness is set at a particular point and can't be changed. The Pro Display XDR's contrast ratio is very good, well above the 1,000:1 to 1,500:1 ratio you'll find with most IPS displays, but it falls short of mini-LED and OLED. That's to be expected, and I suspect that whatever replaces the Pro Display XDR in Apple's lineup will be one of those technologies (if not something even more advanced like micro-LED). Color gamut support is excellent for both sRGB and DCI-P3, the latter of which will matter most to video producers. The AdobeRGB coverage is very good, but OLED is much better. It's good enough for professional creators, especially when you consider the devotion to image fidelity and consistency. The colors are also very accurate in most presets, with only the 'Digital Cinema (P3-DCI)' coming in above the 1.0 or less that's considered indistinguishable to the human eye. And Gamma is pretty much perfect in each preset. Brightness (nits) Contrast Gamut (sRGB/AdobeRGB/DCI-P3) Accuracy (DeltaE) Gamma P3-1600 nits (default) 520 4,700:1 100% / 88% / 100% 0.78 2.2 P3-500 nits 511 4,640:1 100% / 88% / 100% 0.77 2.2 HDR video – P3 101 4,600:1 100% / 89% / 100% 0.78 2.3 Digital Cinema (P3-DCI) 47 2,170:1 100% / 88% / 100% 1.49 2.2 Photography 165 3,700:1 100% / 88% / 100% 0.79 2.2 Competition When the Pro Display XDR was introduced, its high price was very easy to justify against the $20,000+ reference monitors that were its only competition. At that point, mainstream mini-LED and OLED monitors weren't common, and few monitors were introduced with such high resolutions. Today, things have changed a bit. You can get a variety of 27- and 32-inch monitors with some combination of high resolution, high brightness, deep contrast, and wide colors, including with a small variety of 5K and 6K monitors that optimally match macOS HiDPI support. The challenge is finding a monitor that offers the full package. The Dell UltraSharp U3224KB comes closest right now. It's a 31.5-inch 6K Black IPS display with 221 PPI of sharpness, so it hits the Retina sweet spot. It has superior contrast over standard IPS, although not nearly that of the Pro Display XDR, mini-LED, or OLED panels. And it has 10-bit color that's likely to be quite accurate. It also includes features that the Pro Display XDR lacks, like decent built-in speakers and a 4K webcam, with a more reasonable price of around $3,000. I will be reviewing that monitor soon, and so will be able to provide a head-to-head comparison. But the one thing the Dell monitor does not have is the Pro Display XDR's extremely bright HDR support, making it less attractive for creators who work with HDR content. There are several 5K 27-inch monitors available that will provide the right combination of size and resolution, but those are only IPS and so not great for HDR. The Asus ProArt PA32UCG is a 4K 32-inch mini-LED display that matches the Pro Display XDR's brightness, but it's not going to match up as well with macOS HiDPI support. Both Asus and LG have announced upcoming 6K 32-inch displays, with the LG UltraFine 6K also looking like an IPS Black model. All of these monitors will fall in the range of $1,000 to $3,000, making them much more affordable. The bottom line is that depending on your needs, you have (or will soon) more options in a 6K 32-inch display than were available when the Pro Display XDR was introduced. Many of them will be a lot more accessible to typical Apple users. None of them, though, will provide the same combination of resolution, image quality, and HDR support that the Pro Display XDR provides — at its very high price. Still the best monitor for Macs, although few will buy it I'm in love with the Pro Display XDR. It's the highest-quality monitor I've ever used, with a mouth-watering design that's as easy to use as it is flexible. It has gorgeous image quality, including incredibly sharp text (really important for me as a writer) in a very large display size, and it's the best HDR monitor I've ever used. Of course, it's also more expensive than I would ever spend with my own money. As much as I love it, I simply don't have $7,000 to spend. So, like most Mac users, I wouldn't buy it. But if you're a professional whose livelihood depends on your producing color-accurate work, including lots of HDR content, then that money will be well spent. And, surprisingly, it represents something of a bargain, while also integrating tightly into the macOS ecosystem.
Tom's Guide
14-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
I replaced my desktop tower with the AceMagic F3a mini PC for 7 days — here are my pros and cons
Bored of the standard metallic or plastic box mini PCs adorning your desk? It seems like once the M4 Mac mini came out, every company has been given tacit permission to offer some pretty bog-standard aesthetics. Enter the AceMagic F3A, and we have an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370-armed mini PC with a touch of flair thanks to that small, cheeky line of RGB lighting that gently pulses around the system like a halo. This all comes together nicely with the impressively powerful AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 under the hood to make this a great system addition for your day-to-day and even some gaming. Performance-wise, this is pretty zippy, and with that FSR frame generation support that comes from AMD, you can even pull off some 1080p gaming at medium settings! That's not to say it comes without problems, though, and these come down to some of the decisions made by AceMagic here. It starts with the choice of RAM sticks, which the F3A opts for SO-DIMM sticks over your more traditional LPDDR5X memory you'd find next to a laptop chip. This is the reason why it's slightly slower than the similarly-specced-but-more-expensive Minisforum EliteMini. Maybe it was done for cost-cutting purposes? But this does mean some small moments of hitching — given that these cheaper sticks are around 30% slower on average. And the second is the port selection. Given how good the integrated graphics are in this system for doing creative work on Photoshop, I would've loved an SD card slot, but no such luck here. On top of that, compared to some of the more port-generous PCs I've dabbled with, this is on the lower end in terms of variety. So, where does this leave the F3A? For what you get at $809, it's a great little system that will last you a while, whether as a living room PC or a small addition to the desk (or even sneakily attaching it to the back of your monitor via the VESA mounting plate). To many, this is a solid shout for one of the best mini PCs you can get. AceMagic F3A Price $809 CPU AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 RAM 32 GB Storage 1TB Ports (front) 2x USB4, 4x USB 3.2 Type-A, 2x 2.5 GB Ethernet, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 2.0, 3.5mm headphone jack Connectivity Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 Size 5.8 x 5.8 x 2.2 inches Weight 2.2 pounds Firing it up and popping it next to my TV for the whole living room PC setup, I started to fall in love with some ot the best qualities of the AceMagic F3A. Like I said, one of the more frustrating elements of mini PCs to me is that they all look the same. Either you're getting a basic plastic cube or a basic aluminum cube, which is what makes the F3A a breath of fresh air. Yes, the build quality is plasticky, and if you are to feel it, it does have a little bit of a cheapness to it. But people don't touch their PCs that much, and this does indeed exude a premium aesthetic that takes pride of place next to your TV or atop your desk. And if you're looking to hide it effectively into your setup, you can absolutely do so with the included VESA mounting accessories. But I'd recommend not doing so as the smooth pulse of that subtle RGB lighting gives it a nice playful nature, too! And speaking of playful… The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 chip inside here is a solid performer across CPU and GPU-intensive tasks. Effective thermal management both keeps the fan volume low while ensuring a good sustained speed across the SSD loading speeds and the chipsets power. Benchmark AceMagic F3A Mac mini M4 Minisforum EliteMini AI370 Geekbench 6 single-core 2982 3838 2894 Geekbench 6 multicore 14894 14838 14964 Geekbench AI CPU (Quantized score) 5941 6321 5982 HandBrake encoding test (transcoding 4k video into 1080p mm:ss) 03:12 04:33 03:52 When firing up Photoshop and Premiere Pro, it was capable of handling pretty intense RAW photo edits and neural filters, while maintaining strong render speeds during complex 4K edits. Pretty good for the price. Then when you turn your attention to gaming, you'll be pleasantly surprised at what you can pull off. Benchmark AceMagic F3A Minisforum EliteMini AI370 3DMark Fire Strike 8504 8976 3DMark Time Spy 3655 3944 3DMark Steel Nomad 539 582 3DMark Night Raid 30826 32630 Of course, without a dedicated GPU, you're not going to get anything outstandingly special here. But the integrated graphics combined with AMD's FidelityFX tech (FSR) is able to play AAA games like Cyberpunk 2077 at low-to-medium settings 1080p with over 60 FPS of frame rate speeds. In fact, this amount of power inside a small box like this gives me serious Steam Box vibes — the tiny Valve console I always wanted… But more to come on that little experiment. But it is a bit of a mixed bag for a couple of reasons here, which namely create a couple of frustrations surrounding the ways you would want to use this system. To clarify — this isn't that there aren't plenty of ports here. Rather, it's just a strange selection. Most people at home don't need a second Ethernet port. It's ideal for connecting to a local server in a business, but if you're using this as a home PC, chances are you'll never touch either of these and use the Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. So what is actually missing? Well, while I appreciate the two USB4 slots on here, where's the SD card slot? The AMD chip is great for photo edits and encoding footage, so why aren't they making it super easy to transfer the footage? Normally, when you see laptops that use the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, they'll use LPDDR5X RAM — smaller mobile sticks of the OG RAM you'll find in desktops that pack plenty of speed. However, for cost reasons (I assume), AceMagic has opted for SO-DIMM cards — an older standard of RAM that has got a DDR5 upgrade, but is still 30% slower on average than your LPDDR5X variant. The end result is that you can come across some hitches in multitasking performance. If you have Chrome open with 20+ tabs, Photoshop open and running a Neural filter and try to fire up Apple Music at the same time, you can start to feel it under pressure with some sluggish window transitions. When I saw the lighting fire up, I wanted this to be phenomenal. What you get instead in the AceMagic F3A is a solid mini PC at a price that provides decent value for money. The integrated graphics' gaming performance gives this a good all-purpose proposition, while the CPU speeds and encoding capabilities provide solid strength in most productivity cases. But just don't put too much stress on that slower RAM, and make sure you evaluate what ports you need first before buying.
Daily Record
07-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Amazon slashes £500 off 'excellent quality' UHD 4K TV that's 'good for gaming'
The TV is almost half price and boasts 4K ultra HD, perfect for high-powered games and home cinema experiences Most of us, for our sins, spend hours a day in front of the telly. Whether it's catching up on our favourite shows, binging the latest streaming release, watching a blockbuster at home or playing video games, the TV is a staple in many homes. When it comes time to upgrade the TV, it can be a tricky decision. Shoppers question how big it really needs to be, how powerful it should be to run everything nice and smoothly, and what to look for to get the clearest picture possible. Shoppers can now save £500 on a powerful LG 55-Inch 4K UHD Smart TV for £609, down from £1,099 on Amazon - 45% off a brand new TV. The smart functionality lets buyers browse and watch any streamer or terrestrial channel at the push of a button, and the crisp 4K UHD display is a dream for gamers. The 55-inch TV, which comes with a stand, has everything one would need as it has a smart webOS platform with Freeview Play, Netflix, Disney+ and many more. It also has responsive gaming and advanced features for next-gen consoles - an ideal buy for gamers. The advanced LG a8 AI Processor 4K means shoppers are getting advanced processing and the best out of their entertainment with enhanced pictures and sounds. According to the brand, the TV has 2.3 times improved graphics, 1.5 times faster AI performance, and 1.8 times quicker processing speed than previous models. The remote control is easy to function, as it has a simple point-and-scroll button to find the best thing to watch, voice command, and streaming service shortcuts to all the main apps—saving people time when they want to lie back and pop on their favourite show. The TV also comes with all the essential features such as four HDMI plugs, two USB sockets, and support for terrestrial TV and external speakers. With an extra wide viewing angle, shoppers can invite friends around for the next football match and know that everyone will have great picture quality from any position. If this isn't quite what shoppers want and they'd prefer another brand, they could try a cheaper option with the Samsung 32-inch HD Hospitality HDR Smart TV for £229 from Debenhams. The black set comes with a built-in 10w stereo, speakers, smart functions including browser, it's VESA wall mountable and is said to provide an exceptional visual experience. For a more expensive buy, shoppers could get the HISENSE 100-inch Smart 4K Ultra HD TV with Amazon Alexa for £1,889 from Currys. This TV also has a wide viewing angle, allows shoppers to stream content from Netflix, Disney+, and NOW and has a quad-core 4 K processor that uses AI among many other high-class features. The LG 55-Inch TV has been rated highly on Amazon with a 4.3 out of 5-star rating. One reviewer wrote: 'Exceptional picture quality. The OS is fast and fully featured. The screen is insanely thin, so moving it around is nerve-racking, but once situated, it really does look great. The price was also exceptional, at least £200 cheaper than anywhere else I looked. Especially good for gaming as well.' Another said: 'Huge improvement over my old TV. Excellent detailed picture… Sound is also much better. Many features and smart operation. I would recommend a reduced price without breaking the bank.' Not everyone had this view, however, as one person shared: 'The remote controller is a nightmare.' Another said: 'Legs are over a meter apart, so may not fit everyone's TV unit.' 'Brilliant picture and crisp sound - very happy,' said another shopper.
The Citizen
01-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
NWU Vaal FC and VESA clash in local derby
SEDIBENG.- NWU Vaal FC and Vaal Elite Sports Academy (VESA) will lock horns in the Gauteng Development League (GDL) derby. This much-anticipated match will take place at NWU Vaal grounds on Saturday (3 May). These two sides will compete in Stream B. To date, NWU Vaal FC was relegated from the GDL Stream A last season after finishing at the bottom of the log. However, VESA has been campaigning in Stream B for quite some time now. As things stand, Resa is the only team in Sedibeng that still holds on to their Stream A status. Speaking to Sedibeng Ster Sport, Tebello Kheswa, who is the Head of Development, was confident that NWU Vaal will bounce back to where they belong, which is Stream A. He told Sedibeng Ster Sport it is a work in progress and it is one game at a time until the end of the season. In fact, last season, NWU Vaal FC competed with Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns, SuperSport United, among other highly competitive teams in Stream A. Kheswa said it was not easy competing against those teams, taking into consideration their level of play. He told Sedibeng Ster Sport that it was difficult to cope with the demanding schedule, especially travelling. Back to the local derby, Kheswa was confident that his side would walk away with three points. 'It is not going to be an easy game, but we are more than ready because we want to play in Stream A. This is where we belong, regardless of our challenges. I think this time around we will be ready to compete against those high-profile academies,' he concluded. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
