Kalakshar US

If you had told me five years ago that playing PC games over the cloud would soon look  indistinguishable from using a powerful rig, I would have called you a fool. But after diving into NVIDIA’s new RTX 5080-powered GeForce Now servers for several hours, I think we’ve reached a major milestone for cloud streaming. From a New Jersey server almost a thousand miles away from my Atlanta-area home, I was able to play Cyberpunk 2077 in 4K at 170 fps (with NVIDIA’s DLSS 4 frame generation) and Overwatch 2 at a blistering fast 360 fps in 1080p. I genuinely couldn’t tell the difference between this souped-up GeForce Now server and my own RTX 5090-powered desktop.

That got me thinking: What’s the point of investing thousands in a desktop when cloud streaming can look this good for $20 a month? That’s the price for GeForce Now’s top-end Ultimate plan, which is required to use the RTX 5080 servers. And if you don’t need that level of power, you can also get a pretty solid gaming experience with the $10 Performance plan, which is restricted to 1,440p/60 fps at best.

Cyberpunk 2077 on GeForce Now

During my testing, I was constantly astounded by how sharp every game looked. The neon lights and reflective surfaces of Cyberpunk’s Night City lit up my Alienware OLED monitor. A few minutes into my first session, I completely forgot I was streaming the game. There were none of the video compression artifacts or occasional stuttering I’ve seen on other streaming services. Hell, I was even able to rip through several Overwatch 2 matches without noticing much lag. I only noticed a bit of latency when I turned on multi-frame generation while playing Cyberpunk in 4K — that pushed my frame rate up to 160 fps from 70 fps, but those interpolated frames made everything feel more sluggish.

We’ve clearly come a long way from Microsoft and Sony’s foray into game streaming for consoles. I’ve used Xbox offering on and off over the years, and while it’s typically been easy to use, it always felt a bit low-res (it tops out at 1080p/60 fps) and filled with blotchy video compression. Even today, it’s obvious you’re getting a second-rate experience. Sony’s streaming for PS Plus Premium subscribers can now reach up to an admirable 4K/60 fps for some PS5 titles, and it also turned the PlayStation Portal into a more viable handheld. But Sony’s cloud gaming seems more useful for letting you play older PS3 games, instead of giving you a complete gaming experience untethered from its core console business.

Overwatch 2 on GeForce Now

GeForce Now has always had a technological advantage over the competition, as it’s easy for NVIDIA to stuff servers full of high-end GPUs. But it’s lagged behind a bit when it comes to usability, since playing games involves connecting to your accounts on storefronts like Steam, followed by downloading and installing those titles in a remote connection window. It’s not as easy as hitting a button on the Xbox Windows app. GeForce Now is clearly aimed at PC gamers who already have large collections of games and are used to suffering through the indignities of Steam’s interface.

For those players, NVIDIA’s latest upgrades have turned GeForce Now from a “nice to have” service to something that could be essential. There’s the raw power inherent in the leap to RTX 5080-level GPUs, which leads to higher frame rates and the ability to lean into demanding features like ray tracing. The actual “Blackwell” GPU hardware NVIDIA is using in its servers also sports a whopping 48GB of VRAM, a major leap from the 16GB of VRAM the consumer-grade RTX 5080 cards are stuck with. Technically, you could see better performance in GeForce Now compared to running a 5080 locally.

NVIDIA has also bumped its resolution and frame rate limits up to 5K/120 fps (which is currently only supported by one LG monitor), 4K/240 fps and 1080p/320 fps. That covers the gamut of people who want the highest quality possible, to those who demand the most frames for fast-paced shooters. 

And in an effort to make cloud gaming look a bit less like you’re just streaming video, NVIDIA has also developed “Cinematic Quality Streaming” features, including support for better color depth with 4:4:4 chroma subsampling. There are also “AI-powered” video filters to help make text clear, as well as support for AV1 encoders for efficient streaming that can adapt to network changes.

If you’re stuck with an aging video card, it may make more sense to subscribe to GeForce Now Ultimate for $20 a month, instead of shelling out $1,200 or more for a genuine RTX 5080. 

As usual for cloud streaming, though, the Achilles heel of GeForce Now is its exorbitant bandwidth demands. NVIDIA bumped up its maximum video bitrate to 100Mbps, which can add up to 45GB of bandwidth over an hour. You’ll need a beefy internet connection to stream games without slowing down the internet for everyone else in your home, and you can just give up on the idea entirely if you’re restricted by bandwidth caps. If you’ve been thinking of an excuse to upgrade to an uncapped gigabit internet connection, this is it.

Streaming Cyberpunk 2077 in 4K consumed 29.5GB over an hour of gameplay. GeForce Now hovered between 60Mbps and 80Mbps for most of the session, but it occasionally peaked to 100Mbps. I’ve got a reliable AT&T fiber connection in the suburbs, but I’d definitely be worried if I was still using a finicky cable internet in Brooklyn, where the overall bandwidth is shared with everyone on your cable node. A single GeForce Now session could take down internet speeds for your entire block, or you could find yourself without enough bandwidth to play smoothly during peak usage.

It’s also worth noting that GeForce Now also doesn’t support every PC game out there. You can access more than 4,000 recent titles, but you may run into issues trying to find obscure older games. NVIDIA is expanding its streaming library a bit with a new “Install to Play” feature, which lets you install some games in persistent cloud storage. I was able to set up and play 1000xResist without any trouble, and I’m hoping more indie titles will be added eventually.

The need for killer bandwidth and the reality of shoddy internet infrastructure are the biggest issues holding cloud gaming back from truly replacing local play. If my normally stable internet goes down, that means no gaming at all. And the same is true if NVIDIA’s servers get slammed. For most people, picking up a console or gaming PC will simply be more reliable.

Even with those caveats, GeForce Now still makes a compelling case for gaming away from your main rig. Perhaps you’re itching to put a dent in your Steam library while on vacation, or you just want to keep playing Mafia: The Old Country on your couch. It’s all possible, as long as your internet holds up.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nvidias-geforce-now-with-rtx-5080-gpus-is-a-cloud-gaming-revelation-130000231.html?src=rss 

Nikon has unveiled its first cinema camera developed in collaboration with the company it acquired last year, RED. The Nikon ZR (the “R” is for “RED” I imagine) is a camera that neither company could have made on its own, marrying RED’s color science and video codecs with Nikon’s advanced subject detect AF and in-body stabilization. It will go up against other creator-oriented models like Canon’s new C50 and the Sony FX3 but at a much lower price. 

Nikon’s mirrorless cameras are known for their high dynamic range and the company is leaning into that for the ZR. It has a partially stacked 24MP sensor with a Dual Base ISO of 800/6400 that promises 15+ stops of dynamic range for high low-light sensitivity and greater detail in shadows and highlights. Though it doesn’t quite match the C50’s 7K resolution, it will output 12K RAW 6K video at 60 fps, or 4K at 120 fps. 

The internal RAW format used will be RED’s new R3D NE and a log format called Log3G10 with the same color science as RED’s high-end cinema cameras (so it can match those in post). That’s a lighter codec designed exclusively for Nikon, but the ZR also supports Nikon’s N-RAW format along with ProRes/ProRes RAW and H.265. If you want to apply RED’s LUTs, you can load and monitor up to 10 at a time.

Nikon focused on audio as well, offering 32-bit float internal audio recording and Nokia’s OZO surround sound tech via three built-in high-performance mics. You can choose from five pickup patterns including front (super directional), front, all directions, rear and stereo (binaural) for any situation from interviews to vlogging to ASMR. 

The ZR comes with subject tracking hybrid phase-detect autofocus, making it more palatable for content creators than any RED camera that has ever existed. That includes AI tracking of people (eyes, head and body) along with animals and vehicles, with nine types total. It also has five-axis in-body stabilization with 7.5 stops of smoothing, something palpably lacking in Canon’s new C50. Another key feature is digital focus-breathing compensation.  

Since the ZR has no viewfinder, Nikon made the screen as big, bright and sharp as possible. It’s a 4-inch 16:10 display with 1,000 nits of brightness and full DCI-P3 HDR color coverage, with 3070K dots of resolution, one the highest of any camera display. Meanwhile, the tiny 540 gram (1.2 pound) body dissipates heat well enough to allow 6K 60 fps RAW recording for up to 125 minutes at 25C (77F) temperatures. It supports audio capture through a the digital hotshoe or a 3.5mm input and has a USB-C port for charging, data transfers and webcam/streaming, along with a headphone input. The HDMI port is unfortunately a small and flimsy Micro HDMI type, however. 

For its capabilities, the Nikon ZR looks like a stunning bargain. It starts at $2,200 for the body only without accessories, which is nearly half the price of the Sony FX3 and $1,700 cheaper than Canon’s C50. Shipping is expected to start on October 20, 2025. It supports any Nikon (or third-party) Z mount lens or F mount glass with an adapter. Nikon also unveiled the $339 ME-D10 digital shotgun mike that’s compatible with the camera’s 32-bit float audio. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/nikons-zr-is-its-first-cinema-camera-co-designed-with-red-110022972.html?src=rss 

As the Pumpkin Spice approaches, it’s time for a bunch of new iPhones. Welcome to a special edition of the Engadget newsletter, breaking down everything Apple announced in the last 24 hours. What’s notable this year is, of course, the iPhone Air. Launching alongside the base iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, it’s an intriguing new flavor of iOS.

The iPhone Air: It’s a brave choice to label the new superslim phone with the same suffix as the game-changing MacBook Air. Barring the slimmer profile and accompanying compromises, it’s not as surprising as it could have been. Early rumors suggested it might have arrived without a single port, with wireless charging and WiFi alone.

Instead, the iPhone Air (no 17) is an engineering marvel. With a body thickness of just 5.6mm and made of spacecraft-grade titanium, it also has Ceramic Shield 2 on both sides, which helps make it more durable than any previous iPhone.

It features the same A19 Pro chip as the iPhone 17 Pro, along with Apple’s N1 chip for wireless connectivity and the new C1X modem, which is reportedly twice as fast as the C1 introduced with the iPhone 16e.

Compromises had to happen, though. Apple kept the iPhone Air thin in part by going for a single 48-megapixel camera, but it did try to make it as versatile as possible. It has a large two-micrometer quad-pixel sensor that excels in low light, along with an optical quality 2x telephoto. Apple says it’s “the equivalent of four lenses in their pocket,” but well, why doesn’t the base iPhone 17 have it? It also seems a bit weak compared to the S25 Edge (Samsung’s super-thin smartphone) and its 200MP main camera.

Worried that a thin battery means precarious battery life? Apple claims the iPhone Air will get “all-day” battery life thanks in part to hardware designed to cram more battery into smaller designs and software like Adaptive Power Mode. To assuage those concerns, Apple made a new super-slim MagSafe battery pack to boost how long it lasts.

There’s also an intangible appeal to the ‘first’ of a new Apple product. I remember upgrading a year into my iPhone 7 contract to get the first iPhone without a home button. The iPhone X is a good comparison to make, perhaps. Both the iPhone X and iPhone Air have the same price: $999.

— Mat Smith

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Our first impressions and hands-ons at the Apple iPhone 17 event

iPhone Air hands-on: The super-sleek precursor to Apple’s upcoming foldable

iPhone 17 Pro hands-on: The unibody and camera plateau feel more significant in person

Apple Watch Series 11 hands-on: Feels and looks the same, but real changes are deeper

Apple AirPods Pro 3 hands-on: Impressive ANC improvements

The iPhone 17 Pro is redesigned to house its biggest battery ever

New thermals, new cameras, new color!

So, if the iPhone Air grabs the headlines, what about the pro model? Apple’s most powerful iPhone now has the A19 Pro chipset and comes with 6.9- (iPhone 17 Pro Max) and 6.3-inch (iPhone 17 Pro) screen sizes. Glass has been replaced with Ceramic Shield 2, which makes the iPhone 17 Pro more durable than ever.

A new rear camera setup includes a new 48MP telephoto lens, which can shoot up to 8x “optical quality” zoom at 12MP and 4x at its full resolution. Both the wide and ultrawide sensors are 48MP too, for resolution parity across them all. The iPhone 17 Pro series starts at $1,099 for a 256GB model and will be available for pre-order starting Friday, September 12.

Continue reading.

The iPhone 17 has a better screen and better durability

With base storage up to 256GB.

Arriving in four colorways, the iPhone 13 has improvements in power efficiency, a smoother screen and a new selfie cam. This might be the most intriguing update: The company has improved the selfie camera to be a “center stage” front camera, with better stabilization, a wider field of view and a new larger square sensor. Because it’s square, you won’t have to rotate your iPhone when you want to take a photo or video in landscape mode.

Continue reading.

AirPods Pro 3 have better noise cancellation and health-tracking features

Live translation is built into the buds.

Yes, we have an update to Apple’s AirPods Pro — arguably, the Apple hardware I’ve used the most over the last three years. I even bought a standalone USB-C charging case. The company has improved the wireless buds in some major ways. The big features include a heart rate sensor that can hook into iOS workout apps (and third-party apps) and a new live translation feature (a la Pixel Buds) that converts foreign languages on the fly and even lowers audio of the speaker so you can better hear the translation. They’ll support English, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish at launch. The buds themselves are a bit smaller to fit more ears, and there are now five tip sizes, up from three.

No feature yet to make people who talk to you while wearing AirPods less insufferable. The AirPods Pro 3 cost $249, and pre-orders are open right now.

Continue reading.

Apple launches the Watch Series 11, Ultra 3 and SE

Something for everyone?

The Series 11 is twice as scratch-resistant as previous Apple Watches and now even has 5G connectivity. The watch will monitor for high blood pressure using improved algorithms and the built-in heart rate monitor. If the watch identifies patterns of hypertension, you’ll get an alert in the Health app. The biggest upgrade may be up to 24 hours of battery life on a single charge.

The Ultra 3 has a bigger display, satellite connectivity, and emergency SOS. The Watch Ultra 3’s new 3D printed case has even smaller bezels, while the display technology has been tweaked (LTPO3) to improve off-angle viewing.

The Apple Watch SE is getting an update with a new always-on display, optional 5G, the improved S10 chip and support for gestures like double tap and wrist flick. The Apple Watch SE will also provide sleep apnea notifications and the new Sleep Score feature that’s available on Series 11 watches. The Apple Watch Series 11 starts at $399, the Ultra 3 starts at $799 and the SE starts at $249.

Continue reading.

The Apple news you might have missed

Apple isn’t making any carbon-neutral claims with its Series 11 smartwatch

The iPhone Air is a great advertisement for the iPhone 17

All of the new iPhones start with 256GB of storage. Finally.

iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26 and macOS 26 will be released on September 15

Apple acquiesced to my Apple Watch SE 3 demands (mostly)

How to pre-order the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro ahead of their September 19 release date

Apple gives iPhone 14 and 15 owners an extra free year of satellite connectivity

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-hands-on-with-the-iphone-air-iphone-17-pro-airpods-pro-3-and-more-111101338.html?src=rss