Microsoft and AMD have announced the first ever Surface laptop with AMD FreeSync technology. The 15-inch laptop combines the power of AMD together in what appears to be the world’s lightest-ever FreeSync-compatible device.

This comes off the back of a multi-year co-engineering effort between AMD and Microsoft, combining world-class computer and graphics performance, delivering a superior experience to professionals, businesses and gamers on the go.

The display is a 15-inch 2496×1664 on an LCD panel, running at 60 Hz.

The Microsoft Surface 3 packs its own semi-custom “Ryzen Surface Edition” chips, something that Microsoft is calling “the fastest processor for any laptop in its class”. Not only will it last for 11.5 hours according to Microsoft, but it also has a removable hard drive and can charge up to 80% in just under an hour.

For more information, see the AMD press release and the Microsoft press release.

The introduction of Acer ConceptD series of monitors in the US turned a few heads. IT News covers more detail on the launch of these monitors.

Acer’s ConceptD series of monitors are designed for creative types, give the best performance to graphic designers and filmmakers because of their colour accuracy and resolution. Both the CP7271K P and the CP3271K P both work with HDR content and are PANTONE validated. Each model boasts a 4K IPS panel too.

The Acer ConceptD CP7271K P offers its users DisplayHDR 1000 on the 27-inch IPS display and the 3840×2160 monitor has a 4ms (GtG) response time too. What’s more, it features NVIDIA G-SYNC Ultimate and a variable refresh rate of 144 Hz when overclocked. While this has clearer been designed for professional usage, there’s also the potential for it to double up as a gaming monitor too.

The ConceptD CP3271K P was making headlines earlier in the year but has since been introduced into the US market. This design monitor is more of an entry-level one compared to the CP7271K P, but doesn’t exactly skimp on the detail as it offers a 1ms VRB response time, with G-SYNC compatibility. VRB stands for Visual Response Boost, Acer’s own brand of motion blur reduction.

Acer ConceptD CP7271K P

• 27-inch IPS Display
• 144Hz at 3840×2160
• 4ms GtG Response Time
• NVIDIA G-SYNC Ultimate

Acer ConceptD CP3271K P

• 27-inch IPS Display
• 144Hz at 3840×2160
• 4ms VRB
• NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible

A steadfast monitor fan (gouki201) has noticed and tipped off Blur Busters about BenQ’s new gaming monitor. The XL2746-B may be a direct competitor to Acer’s XF272 X, although with the added benefit of BenQ ZOWIE DyAc (Dynamic Accuracy) technology, used to reduce eye tracking motion blur.

https://t.co/KGF7t2ivmc
Finally!! BenQ new gaming monitor is coming!!

Here come new one called "XL2746"
I think it should just like XF272 X + DyAc tech?

Very exiting about this one!
BenQ Zowie very long time no got a new machine.@pcmonitors @BlurBusters @HardwareUnboxed pic.twitter.com/RYqq26dRPi

— gouki201 (@gouki201) October 4, 2019

Looking back to BenQ Zowie designs, such as the XL2740, the new monitor will likely be a 27-inch panel. It was also 1920×1080 running at 240 Hz, with a 1ms GtG response.

The XL2476-B would be a fantastic addition should it sport all the same specifications and perhaps, could even come in at a QHD resolution. Any kind of G-SYNC or FreeSync compatibility would also be a huge benefit.

DyAc is an ultra-bright voltage-boosted strobe backlight (300 nits strobed, typical) designed to reduce motion blur without as much brightness loss of most strobe backlight modes. Historically, the BenQ monitors ending in zero do not have DyAc, while ending in 5 and 6 has DyAc (the BenQ XL2735, BenQ ZOWIE XL2546). , while the non-DyAc BenQ models tend to not have extra brightness.

Therefore, based on historic BenQ ZOWIE numbering nomenclature, we predict that the XL2746 will be 27″ 1080p DyAc.

EVE is a company known for crowdfunding and crowd-developing technology. It developed a rival to the Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 and have now turned its attention towards a gaming monitor. Based on community input, the monitor has been making development decisions and have shared the specifications of it with Tom’s Hardware.

The EVE Spectrum reportedly uses the same panel as the LG UltraGear 27GL850-B, a 1ms IPS monitor that runs at 2560×1440. It has a 144 Hz refresh rate, overclockable to 165 Hz, and has a brighter backlight, different polarizer treatment for higher contrast and DisplayHDR 400 support with FreeSync 2 and G-SYNC Compatibile.

In the article, EVE CEO Konstantinos Karatsevidis has said that the monitor will also have it’s own blur-fighting feature which works similarly to ASUS’s ELMB (Extreme Low Motion Blur) backlight strobing technology.

Eve Spectrum

• 27-inch IPS Display
• 2560×1440 at 144 Hz (165 Hz overclock)
• 1ms GtG Response Time
• NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible & FreeSync 2
• Motion Blur Reduction mode

Samsung, the south Korean technology giant seems to set to unveil and launch a new lineup of devices featuring bezel-less designs under the name Zero Bezel.

The trademark was registered with EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office) earlier in October, and is an application from the company that is categorized as Class 9, which includes televisions, computer screens and LED displays.

While most new Samsung products already feature rather thin bezels, such as the Samsung Space Monitor, and certain TVs, this should be an obvious step-forward in sleek design for their products.

According to GizmoChina, Samsung could look to unveil these new products at CES 2020, and while the main focus could be TV, there’s no limit in where these new Zero Bezel design could take place.

Perhaps we could be seeing some of the new Zero Bezel designs in the next gaming monitors, only time will tell.

There have been a few smartphones over the last couple of years that are Better Than 60 Hz.

Now, it seems to be kicking off a bit of a trend as some of the bigger phone makers are now heading towards higher than 60 Hz.

You can test your phone’s refresh rate, too!

ASUS ROG Phone 2 — 120 Hz

Blur Busters covered this back in July, the ROG Phone was lucky enough to work off its predecessor’s design and could build upon the positive steps it had already taken. The ROG Phone 2 has a 1080p OLED screen and a 120 Hz refresh rate. It also packs a 240 Hz touch screen sampling rate. View on Amazon

OnePlus 7 Pro / OnePlus 7T Pro / OnePlus 7T — 90 Hz

Perhaps the maker who would finally make high refresh rate screens go mainstream, OnePlus is a brand that has been going from strength to strength and features a 90 Hz refresh rate on all three of its new 7 series phones. View on Amazon

Oppo Reno Ace — 90 Hz

The Oppo Reno Ace is another phone that is gaining in popularity, not only because it sports a 90 Hz screen, but also because it’s rocking the most up-to-date phone specs on the market, and a quad-rear camera. View on Amazon. Coming Soon on Amazon.

ASUS ROG Phone — 90 Hz

Computer manufacturer, well known for monitors and it’s gaming brand, ROG, their first power smartphone had a 90 Hz display. The spec is a little dated now, but the phone still packs a rather hefty punch. View on Amazon

Razer Phone 2 — 120 Hz

Picking up where the original Razer Phone left off, the gaming peripheral manufacturer decided to go into the world of smartphones again with Razer 2, and we’re glad they did. The 5.7-inch screen has a 120 Hz frequency running on its IGZO display. View on Amazon

Sharp Aquos R3 — 120 Hz

Sharp’s Aquos R3 is another competitor and was announced quite a while back in 2018. The R3 has a 6.2-inch IGZO panel with a 3120×1440 resolution and 120 Hz. It also has HDR10 support and a rather good list of specifications. Coming soon on Amazon

Sharp Aquos Zero 2 — 120 Hz / 240 Hz

The new flagship from Sharp is the Aquos Zero 2 and it features a 6.4-inch OLED screen with a simulated 240 Hz refresh rate (120 Hz refresh rate real) via a low-persistence strobing mode. It also weighs in at just 143 grams, features a solid list of specs, have dual cameras on the back too. Coming soon on Amazon

Potential High Refresh Rates in Future

Apple iPhone 12

Apple launched 120 Hz iPads, although they are still not yet compatible with TestUFO like all Android phones now are.The 2020 version of the iPhone is supposedly going to have a display that is capable of up to 120 Hz. The reliable tipster, “Ice universe” first made mention of it back in July.

Apple is considering a switchable 60Hz/120Hz refresh rate screen on the iPhone in 2020, and is discussing with Samsung and LG. pic.twitter.com/4aoU303umu

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) July 21, 2019

Google Pixel 4

XDA has confirmed that the Google Pixel 4 will have a 90 Hz display. They apparently found the source code in Android 10 confirming the high frequency display.

Samsung Galaxy S11

The Galaxy S10 and S10+ were released earlier this year featuring standard 60 Hz screens, but due to Samsung manufacturing a lot of their own panels, we think it’ll only be a matter of time before Samsung wheels out the next iteration in their smartphone lineup with 120 Hz or more.

The gaming monitor market was shipping about 5 million units in 2018 and since then, is expected to more than double by 2023, to over 10 million units.

Apparently, this is largely due to the success of Samsung, which took first place in the global gaming monitor market in the first half of this year.

Samsung’s market share has risen 5 percent from the same point last year, giving it an overall market share of almost 18%. It’s quite an achievement considering Samsung only entered the gaming monitor market in 2016.

The CRG5, which Blur Busters has covered before, is an industry-first 240 Hz curved monitor with a VA panel, running at 1920×1080 with G-SYNC Compatibility.

This and many others, are a sign of Samsung’s willingness to enter the market and compete at the very highest level.

Razer has introduced the world’s first laptop to feature an optical mechanical keyboard on the Razer Blade 15 Advanced.

Rather than each key having a switch activated underneath it, the new Razer Blade 15 Advanced optical mechanical keyboard uses infrared lights to detect when each key is pressed.

This should offer greater precision and speed when compared to conventional laptop keyboards, and hopefully when compared to mechanicals too.

The keyboard hasn’t lost the satisfying click either, so the tactile feedback is still present and will serve as a notification for when the key is pressed. The keyboard also comes with N-key rollover with anti-ghosting too.

The Razer Blade 15 Advanced features a 9^th Gen Intel Core i7, with graphics up to GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q. It has a 15.6-inch full HD or 4K OLED display.

Razer has also announced that it will be expanding the Blade Pro 17 range of its laptops by moving more towards esports, offering the Blade Pro 17 with a 240 Hz full HD display. The 17.3-inch display has selected models from 120 Hz all the way up to 240 Hz and features a range of specifications fit for gamers.

Phillips has introduced its new 34-inch Curved UltraWide monitor, in the new 346B1C. This is supposedly designed for business and professional users and sports a 100 Hz refresh rate. The 34-inch 3440×1440 monitor has a VA panel and features a 5ms GtG response time with a 1500R curvature.

Normally, such monitors are marketed to the gaming industry. Many professionals have found ultrawide gaming monitors extremely useful for document and spreadsheet work. Phillips have noticed this market, and are bringing this technology to a wider professional audience.

Editor Added Note — Chief Blur Buster Mark sometimes uses an ultrawide to do business accounting, spreadsheet and database work, by the way! There is some useful sense in Phillips’ decision to market ultrawides for business.

Philips 346B1C

• 34-inch VA Curved Display
• 3440×1440 at 100 Hz
• 5ms GtG Response Time
• 1500R Curve

Xiaomi, the Chinese electronics company known better for its smartphone technologies, has teased two monitors into the market on Weibo. While many gaming monitors are now indeed manufactured in China for other mainstream manufacturers, this is a pure Chinese manufacturer.

The 34-inch Mi Surface Curved Display and the 23.8-inch Mi Display are two monitors that come into the scene, with the former using Samsun’s SVA panel, and the latter using an IPS panel. The 34-inch has a 1500R curvature running at 3440×1440, and has AMD FreeSync up to 144 Hz refresh rate. It also provides a 4ms GtG response time. The stand is attached to the display via magnets in a snap-on fashion.

The 23.8-inch Mi Display sports an IPS panel as mentioned, but runs at 1920×1080 with a 6ms GtG response time. The monitor doesn’t feature any G-SYNC or FreeSync capabilities, and comes in at a 60 Hz refresh rate.

Xiaomi has the potential to eventually become a formidable force in gaming monitors in some parts of this world, should their smartphone presence be anything to go by. Xiaomi smartphones has boomed into the European market.

Xiaomi 34-inch Mi Surface Display

• 34-inch SVA Curved Display
• 3440×1440 at 144 Hz
• 4ms GtG Response Time
• AMD FreeSync

Xiaomi 23.8-inch Mi Display

• 23.8-inch IPS Display
• 1920×1080 at 60 Hz
• 6ms GtG Response Time

Riot Games held the League 10-Year Kickoff livestream and in it, announced new plans for existing games League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics. The livestream was to commemorate ten years in the scene with League of Legends, as it was first launched on October 27, 2009.

In the livestream, Riot announced a fighting game, a tactical multiplayer first person shooter, a card game, an esports management sim, an RPG, mobile versions of its current games, League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics, and finally, a few updates for their current games.

The full stream can be seen here:

Watch League 10-Year Kickoff – League of Legends from Riot Games on www.twitch.tv

The Fighting Game

Some may already know the existence of a fighting game at Riot, thanks to the news from EVO a while back, but in the livestream, Riot confirmed that the fighting game will take place in the League of Legend universe. Codenamed “Project L”, showed Ahri and Darius battling it out but the developers said that users shouldn’t expect anything soon.

The Shooter

The shooter, “Project A”, looks like some kind of mix between Overwatch, Counter-Strike and Rainbow 6. It’s definitely more of a cartoon-like version with each character having special abilities and powers, while maintaining a focus on core gun play. Riot has said that it will deal with FPS annoyances such as peekers advantage, lag problems and cheating with the game, which is set on a “near-future Earth”.

The Card Game

Not to be outdone by the likes of Hearthstone, Gwent, Magic and everything else, Riot also announced a card game. Legends of Runeterra is set in the League of Legends universe and will aim to offer player far more accessibility by allowing them to buy cards directly rather than gambling on expansion packs.

The Management Game

Taking management to a new level, players will be able to manage a professional League of Legends esports team. Much as you would manage a regular sports team, this game seems to be rather similar. There’s not much known about it as of yet, but is schedule for release in 2020.

The RPG

Riot also teased an RPG game during the stream called “Project F”. Players will be able to explore the land of Runeterra in what looked like some kind of action RPG style. Perhaps something to compete with the likes of Diablo or Path of Exile?

Finally, Riot also teased a trailer for its upcoming animated TV series, Arcane. It also spoke about 2020 being the year of the mobile, where both Teamfight Tactics would have cross-play with PC, while League of Legends brings with it, the Wild Rift, a MOBA game reimagined for mobiles and console.

According to an article on TFT Central, a new model from Acer has appeared on taobao, showing the Acer XB273 U which offers a 27-inch IPS display, running at 2560×1440 with a 165 Hz refresh rate. It seems to have G-SYNC compatibility, giving it variable refresh rate support from AMD and NVIDIA.

The listing also shows a 1ms GtG response time with HDR400 too. Should this monitor hit the Western market, it would be a fantastic addition to Acer’s XB Predator range, and could tick a lot of boxes that people are after in the 1440p gaming range.

Acer XB273 U

• 27-inch IPS Display
• 2560×1440 at 1165 Hz
• 1ms GtG Response Time
• G-SYNC Compatibility

Razer has now joined the monitor market with its first gaming monitor, the Razer Raptor 27 — a 27-inch 144Hz gaming monitor with AMD FreeSync variable refresh rate.

The Raptor 27 offers a WQHD resolution of 2560×1440 on an IPS panel with HDR support. The official site states that the Raptor 27 has a 1ms response rate with Ultra Low Motion Blur (ULMB)

The Raptor also offers the Razer Chroma customizable RGB lighting, a 90-degree tilt as well as the option to connect headphones up to the monitor.

It has built-in cable management and what Razer describes as a bezel-less viewing area. It seems that for most gamers, it might tick all the right boxes. It’s coming in at around $699 MSRP .

Razer Raptor 27

• 27-inch IPS Display
• 2560×1440 at 144 Hz
• 1-7ms GtG Variable Response Time
• AMD FreeSync with G-SYNC Compatibility

Rift S Firmware Update

A brand-new firmware update for Oculus Rift S recently come out and adds with it, a few interesting updates. The 9.0 firmware gives users the Rift S Passthrough+, a feature that allows users to see their surroundings in black and white while the headset is on.

When you reach the border of your playable area, you’ll also see the wireframe outline. This makes it easier to see what’s surrounding you when you get too close to the edges.

Oculus Quest Movies In Bed

The Oculus Quest will also receive a “Lights Out” mode which will let users use the headset in the dark, meaning VR movies in bed can now be a thing! The Quest is also getting over 50 new apps added to its portfolio too.

VR on Upcoming Next Generation XBOX Console

Microsoft’s foray into the world of virtual reality could be coming soon and with its next console, Project Scarlett coming soon. The patents that have appeared online according to WindowsCentral, say that there could be a stylus, boundary mat and motion controller all in the works. The stylus looks particularly interesting and could allow gamers to use the pen in the air, to focus on and make adjustments for drawing-type games.

Apple Acquires IKinema

Finally, Apple has reported acquired a special effects studio called IKinema, a company that has used motion-tracking work to live-animate body movements of digital characters.

TechCrunch first broke the news announcing the acquisition, and although this doesn’t necessarily mean that Apple will start breaking into the realms immediately, but could signify plans for the future.

NVIDIA has released its latest Game Ready Driver, including support for 7 new G-SYNC Compatible monitors. The new drivers are adding ReShade Filters to the GeForce experience, Image Sharpening to the NVIDIA Control Panel and G-SYNC to Ultra Low-Latency Rendering.

The new update also includes support for the new GTX 1660 Super, something that NVIDIA states ius an “excellent 1080p gaming performance”.

Hitting Alt+F3 in game to load up NVIDIA Freestyle will give you the ability to adjust the look and feel of your gameplay in real-time using the post-process filters. With Alt+F2, NVIDIA Ansel will give you the chance to capture in-game photos with a huge level of customization.

ReShade will allow you to “inject” post-processing customization into games to sharpen detail, add ambient occlusion shadowing, depth of field, and much more, giving the game an improved look and feel. ReShade filters can be used in Ansel and Freestyle games using the GeForce Experience UI.

Adding ReShade filters to your “Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Ansel” folder will let you activate the shaders through Ansel or Freestyle in a supported game. So far, these new features within the Game Ready Driver have support for over 650 games, the list of which, can be found here.

No Filter

Posterize Filter

The new drivers add a standalone feature built into the NVIDIA Control Panel which will allow you to improve image clarity across the board. It can be adjusted on a per-game basis or can be added globally, and you can also use your GPU to render at a lower resolution and scale your monitor’s native resolution to improve the performance of the game.

This means that NVIDIA will upscale the graphics to fit your monitor’s native resolution, while rendering at a lower resolution to allow for better performance.

NVIDIA introduced NULL, the NVIDIA Ultra Low Latency mode, which makes games respond a little quicker than usual. With the latest driver, NVIDIA has now enabled NULL to work with G-SYNC and G-SYNC Compatible monitors, eliminating the choice gamers previously had to make between V-SYNC and low response.

In addition to a host of other changes, updates for certain games and more, NVIDIA has also added newly validated G-SYNC Compatible display support for the following monitors:

• Acer CG437K P
• Acer VG272U P
• Acer VG272X
• AOC 27G2G4
• ASUS XG279Q
• Dell AW2720HF
• Lenovo Y27Q-20

AOC has launched a brand-new curved gaming monitor with a 34-inch display running on a VA panel. The AOC CU34G2X has a 1500R curvature and runs at 3440×1440.

Not only does it offer a refresh rate of 144 Hz, but it also has AMD FreeSync and G-SYNC Compatibility.

AOC’s website in China shows that the monitor also has HDR10 input source support, and mentions a 1ms MPRT frequency, that is achievable thanks to AOCs “MBR”, or Motion Blur Reduction mode.

Samsung has announced three new monitors that will be coming at some point in the future, two from the SR65 series, and one from the UR55 series. While they may not immediately seem like gaming monitors, depending on price, could be interesting additions to any kind of line-up.

The U28R55 is a 4K, 28-inch monitor with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. It runs on an IPS panel and supports AMD FreeSync and a 4ms GtG response time. In terms of visuals, the monitor has a three-sided bezel-less design too.

The other two monitors being released, are Samsung’s S27R650 and the S24R650. Both of these monitors are IPS panels, running at 1920×1080 with 5ms GtG response times. These ones, however, do feature 75 Hz refresh rates, and the inclusion of AMD FreeSync. The only different between the two R650 models is the size difference, where one is a 24-inch and the other, a 27-inch.

Samsung U28R55

• 28-inch IPS Display
• 3840×2160 at 60 Hz
• 4ms GtG Response Time
• AMD FreeSync
• Link: Samsung Site

Samsung S24R650

• 24-inch IPS Display
• 1920×1080 at 75 Hz
• 5ms GtG Response Time
• AMD FreeSync
• Link: Samsung Site

Samsung S27R650

• 27-inch IPS Display
• 1920×1080 at 75 Hz
• 5ms GtG Response Time
• AMD FreeSync
• Link: Samsung Site

BenQ released the EX2780Q a few weeks ago with the HDRi feature, the “i” standing for intelligence.

What this feature does is supposedly enhances HDR content by combating the overexposure in bright areas as well as improving the colour and contrast, ultimately giving the images a more dynamic look. This may be akin to a real-time PhotoShop style filter built into the monitor.

According to the official site, the Intelligent clarity adjustment satisfies you with the clear and realistic details in the darkness by maintaining onscreen clarity.

Blur Busters has yet to test this feature out on the monitor, but it’s one that does sound intriguing, and when paired with the specs of the EX2780Q, could make it a rather interesting monitor.

This 27-inch IPS display runs at 2560×1440 and has a 144 Hz refresh rate. The monitor features a 5ms GtG response time and has AMD FreeSync support. It also has a bezel-less design, promoting a larger onscreen space, speakers, a volume wheel on the monitor, 5-key navigator on the back, and finally, a remote control too.

Nixeus, the American technology company, has today announced a brand new monitor heading into the gaming world in the NX-EDG34. The EDG34 is a 34-inch Curved gaming monitor with a 144 Hz refresh rate, running at 3440×1440 on a VA panel.

The monitor comes standard with AMD FreeSync and has a 4ms GtG refresh rate. The monitor has 178-degree vieeing angles and 1500R curvature. The top and sides have very thin bezels, and the EDG34 comes with two DisplayPorts 1.4 and two HDMI 2.0 ports for multiple PC connections.

Nixeus is supposed to start shipping late November or early December and can already be pre-ordered.

Nixeus EDG34

• 34-inch Curved VA Display
• 3440×1440 at 144 Hz
• 4ms GtG Response Time
• AMD FreeSync
• 1500R Curvature

MSI has revealed its Optix MAG161 at the recent CES 2020, as it first became an Honoree, winning a CES 2020 Innovation Award. While some of the details have been kept under wraps thus far, the portable monitor is something of an impressive add-on.

Not only does the monitor provide the ability for mobile gaming on the go, it also represents the direction of gaming monitors, with slim panels and housings.

The Spanish site El Chapuzas Informatico seems to have revealed a little more information on the MAG161, calling it a 1920×1080 15.6-inch screen with a 3ms GtG response time. But

What we do know for a fact is that the monitor is a 240 Hz IPS panel and is expected to be officially launched during CES in 2020. There, we’ll likely find out pricing, as well as the other details related to the monitor.