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I think this is as close as we’ve gotten to smartphones being able to replace digital cameras.
I spent some time in Slovenia this week with Honor, and captured some stunning landscape shots of Lake Bled (one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen) using nothing but one of thebest camera phones– the new Honor Magic 7 Pro.
It’s not a secret that I have always considered theSamsung GalaxyS24 Ultra as the ultimate camera phone, especially thanks to the latest advancements in AI imaging tools. But more recently I’ve been questioning the quality of this camera the more that I’ve gotten to use alternatives from competitors, including some of thebest iPhones for photography.
I decided to putHonor’s new Magic 7 Proto the test during my time in Slovenia, with a camera phone shootout against my current smartphone, the S24 Ultra. To keep things fair, I used the same aspect ratio when shooting these images and the same resolution wherever possible. Take a look at the 100% unedited image sliders (move the slider to see the full image) and galleries below for the results of this ultimate camera phone shootout.
The Honor Magic 7 Pro only has a 50MP main camera, compared with the 200MP main camera on my Samsung S24 Ultra. However, the Honor Magic 7 Pro benefits from a larger aperture at f/1.4, compared with Samsung’s f/1.7, meaning it can take in much more light.
Honor also seems to have the upper hand against Samsung when it comes to the telephoto camera, with a 200MP f/2.6 72mm periscope lens with the intelligent AI Super Zoom, compared with the S4 Ultra’s 50 MP f/3.4 111mm periscope lens. Both phone cameras offer 100x zoom, and I was eager to put this to the challenge.
As you can see from the image galleries above, both of these are exceptional camera phones (though the beautiful Slovenian landscapes certainly help). I found that my Samsung S24 Ultra produced the sharpest unedited results in most cases, though only by a fraction, whereas the Honor Magic 7 Pro produced the best final image with AI enhancements made for more vibrant colours and hues.
The Super Zoom on the Honor Magic 7 has amazing potential, but I don’t think it’s quite there yet. You can blatantly tell that AI has been used to fill in the gaps, and I think the result looks more like an abstract painting for now than a real image.
The verdict:I think if you’re someone who likes to edit and tweak images yourself for the best result then the S24 Ultra offers the best starting point with RAW capabilities. But if you’re looking for a shot that’sInstagram-ready from the get-go then Honor’s Magic 7 Pro takes the crown.
In the PS5 vs. Xbox Series X debate, it’s a battle of design, specs, games and price
The Sony PlayStation 5 brings a bevy of must-play exclusive titles, such as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and God of War: Ragnarok. The system features quick load times, in addition to high-resolution visuals and fluid frame rates. The DualSense controller features innovative haptics, but the console itself can be unwieldy. And even the PS5 Slim model doesn’t entirely rectify its design issues. But it does sport a larger hard drive.
For
Incredibly fast SSD
Wildly inventive DualSense controller
Gorgeous 4K visuals
Against
Massive, unwieldy design
Controller may feel too big for some
The Xbox Series X is the most powerful game console currently available, featuring detailed graphics, fluid frame rates and rapid load times. The device also sports a fantastic game library, with backwards compatibility going back to the original Xbox. With the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription service, the Series X could be the centerpiece of a robust gaming ecosystem, but first-party exclusives are a mixed bag.
For
The only Xbox you need
Lots of power
Games load very fast
Against
Few quality exclusives
Large and heavy
It’s now almost four years since the launch of the ninth console generation, and thePS5vsXbox Series Xbattle rages on with fanboys on both sides eager to declare their chosen machine the superior hardware. Each machine’s lifecycles is more than halfway done (we’ll be talkingPS6and the next Xbox soon), but the battle continues.
As our reviews explain, we were impressed with both consoles at launch, and over the last few years, things have only gotten better as both have been upgraded via system updates to iron out some of the initial kinks and add new features. Naturally, this has come alongside a slew of excellent games, with cross-platform games available on both, as well as those all-important exclusive titles that can’t be played on any other console.
If you have the luxury of buying both consoles, you’ll have everything you need for an epic gaming setup. But if you can only choose one, you’ll want to find out which one is best for you. That’s why we’re comparing the two consoles head-to-head, and without spoiling the results, even more than four years after release, it continues to be a very close contest between these two high-quality current-gen consoles.
Read on to discover how each system fares as we make our verdict on the PS5 vs. Xbox Series X debate.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Horizon: Forbidden West, God of War Ragnarök
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Halo Infinite, Starfield, Forza Horizon 5
Backwards Compatibility
Almost all PS4 games, including optimized PS4 Pro titles
All Xbox One games / Select Xbox 360 and original Xbox games
CPU
8-core 3.5 GHz AMD Zen 2
8-core, 3.8 GHz AMD Zen 2
GPU
10.3 teraflop AMD RDNA 2
12.0 teraflop AMD RDNA 2
RAM
16 GB GDDR6
16 GB GDDR6
Storage
825 GB custom SSD; 1TB (PS5 Slim)
1 TB custom NVMe SSD
Resolution
Up to 8K
Up to 8K
Frame Rate
Up to 120 fps
Up to 120 fps
Optical Disc Drive
4K UHD Blu-ray (Standard PS5 only)
4K UHD Blu-ray
While the specs are handy to know, they only tell part of the story when it comes to performance. As such, this section isn’t scored. However, we can say that the Xbox Series X has more powerful hardware, in terms of both GPU and SSD. Check out the performance section to see how this hardware performs in action.
The Xbox Series X slightly edges the PS5 in terms of raw power, but the PlayStation just got a major weapon to fight back in the form of thePS5 Pro…
During the PS4 and Xbox One generation both PlayStation and Xbox launched more powerful hardware in 2016 (PS4 Pro and Xbox One X) typically referred to as “mid-gen upgrades”. These functioned as interstitial machines to hold gamers and developers over until the PS5 and Xbox Series X generation began in 2020.
However, this time around, it looks like onlySonyhas opted to repeat strategy with its freshly launched PS5 Pro landing 2024. This suped-up PS5 packs a more powerful GPU (with 67% more Compute Units), additional RAM (an extra 2GB DDR5) and a jumbo-sized 2TB hard drive. Plus uses a new AI-upscaling tool, PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR). It’s not just the most powerful PlayStation hardware around, but also the most powerful console, period.
It makes tangible improvements to a whole bunch of thebest PS5 gamesfrom blockbuster exclusives likeMarvel’s Spider-Man 2andDemon’s Souls, to cross-platform releases such asStar Wars Jedi: SurvivorandDragon’s Dogma 2. The PS5 Pro now offers the best visual fidelity and performance level across many of the biggest games of this console generation.
However, all this extra horsepower comes with a steep price. The PS5 Pro costs a whopping $699 at launch, $200 more than the base PS5 or Xbox Series X and more than double the cost of theXbox Series S(though the power disparity between the two is big). Furthermore, the PS5 Pro doesn’t include a disc drive so prepare to pay an extra $79 if you want to play physical PS5 game discs as you’ll need to purchase a separate attachable disc drive.
While the MSRP of a PS5 Pro is higher than I’d like, it’s still a fantastic machine for the most dedicated gamers, and that’s why I gave it an Editor’s Choice award in myPS5 Pro reviewand would recommend it to those who aren’t constrained by a budget. So, if raw power is your determining factor when picking between PS5 and Xbox Series X, I suggest forking out for a PS5 Pro.
(Editor’s note: I’m not going to count this section in the final scorecard as the Xbox Series X doesn’t have an equivalent to the PS5 Pro so it would be an unfair comparison.)
Both the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X cost $499 apiece. Since the two systems are very similar, this category would seem to be a tie at first glance. However, the standard PS5 and Xbox Series X are not the only variants available. There’s also the $399 PS5 Digital Edition and the $299 Xbox Series S.
The PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition are identical, save for a 4K Blu-ray physical disc drive in the former. The latter has no disc drive, as the name suggests. On the other hand, theXbox Series Shas significantly different hardware from the Xbox Series X: a less powerful GPU, a smaller SSD, less RAM and so forth.
As such, both consoles have cheaper variants, and both the PS5 Digital Edition and the Xbox Series S have legitimate applications: the former for digital diehards, the latter for casual players or secondary setups. Still, since the Xbox Series S isn’t merely a variation on the Series X, but rather its own separate console, it’s a different proposition compared to the PS5 Digital Edition.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X game library are shaping up nicely. And four years post-launch, we have largely moved beyond cross-generation titles. The PS5 boasts a bevy of high-quality exclusives, some of which are available on the PS4, while the Xbox Series X is a little weaker in this area. However, the gap is closing thanks to Microsoft’s game-changing acquisitions of ZeniMax media and Activision-Blizzard this generation giving their exclusive library a huge boost. But there’s an added wrinkle thatsomeof these titles are also on PS5.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales(Image credit: Sony)
At present, it’s hard to deny that the PS5 has the more exciting game selection. In terms of first-party titles, the PS5 launched withSpider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon’s Souls, Sackboy: A Big Adventure and the surprisingly delightfulAstro’s Playroom, and things have only got stronger from there.
Over the past four years, we’ve seen the arrival ofRatchet & Clank: Rift Apart,Returnal,Gran Turismo 7,Horizon Forbidden Westand the mightyGod of War: Ragnarok. Plus, throw inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2andFinal Fantasy 16which launched only on PS5 in 2023, and 2024 started strong withThe Last of Us Part II Remasteredfollowed byHelldivers 2,Final Fantasy VII Rebirth,Stellar BladeandRise of the Ronin. Then we gotSilent Hill 2andAstro Bot, which both found their way into my personal GOTY rankings.
Compare and contrast with the Xbox Series X, which didn’t have any exclusive titles at launch. Instead, Microsoft released a list of 30 “optimized for Xbox Series X/S” titles, including fan favorites like Gears 5, Ori and the Will of the Wisps and Forza Horizon 4. While the Xbox Series X optimizations are indeed impressive, not all of these games are brand new, and they’re all available on Xbox One, PC or both.
(Image credit: Sega)
A handful of semi-exclusive Xbox Series X titles, such asMicrosoft Flight Simulator,Halo InfiniteandForza Horizon 5all showed off what the system is capable of, though. But things improved further in 2023 with the (underrated, in my opinion)Starfieldand Forza Motorsport 8 leading the charge.
There was alsoRedfallin the spring, but the less said about that one, the better.Senua’s Saga: Hellblade IIwas another disappointing release that felt more like a tech demo to showcase the power of the Series X than a fully fleshed game. But at least Xbox ended 2024 with a flourish in the form ofIndiana Jones and the Great Circle,one of the year’s stand-out releases. But its status as an exclusive won’t last long. It’s heading over to PS5 in Spring 2025.
Beyond that, both consoles are well-stocked with third-party titles, likeElden Ring,Assassin’s Creed Mirage,EA Sports FC 25,Star Wars Jedi Survivor,Dragon’s Dogma 2,Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty,Metaphor: ReFantzioand lots more. Strong third-party parity is likely to continue throughout the generation. Both systems also have excellent backwards compatibility features, although I’ll get to that below.
(Image credit: Xbox)
It’s also worth mentioningXbox Game Pass Ultimate, to which Sony doesn’t currently have a perfect answer. This $17-per-month subscription service lets you download more than 100 games across a variety of genres, and play them on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC and even Android.
Sony, meanwhile, has thePlayStation Plus Premiumtier, which offers hundreds of games to download and/or stream from the PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5 and PSP platforms. The functionality is not nearly as refined asGame Pass, but the raw game library is bigger, so take it for what it’s worth.
Of course, both systems will also have some interesting games coming down the line. But restricting ourselves to what we can play and review right now, the PS5 has the stronger lineup, but the Xbox Series X is quickly making up ground on this front.
Winner:PS5
PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Performance
Comparing PS5 and Xbox Series X performance is difficult at present, as We does not have the specialized equipment required to measure resolution and frame rate in great depth.
Bearing that in mind, I compared two games qualitatively across both systems: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition. The former is a huge open-world title, where it’s easy to measure load times as you fast travel from one distant point of the map to another. The latter is a fast, frenetic action game, where any drop in framerate is immediately noticeable.
First: Sony’s ambitious claims about the PS5’s load times aren’t exaggerated, as far as I can tell. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla went from the main menu into the game in less than a minute; fast travel took less than 10 seconds from point to point. However, while the Xbox Series X took longer to load the game initially (almost a minute), fast travel time was exactly the same.
Gameplay-wise, if you handed me an ambiguous controller and put either the PS5 or Xbox Series X version of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla on a screen in front of me, I honestly wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Both systems ran the game at 4K at 60 frames per second (although I understand that the 4K isprobably upscaledin both cases), and neither one seemed to have any major difference in animation fluidity, lighting, etc. Texture pop-in seemed a little more noticeable on the Xbox Series X, although that may have just been the area I was in.
Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition told a similar story, although this time, I was able to discern some slight differences in the lighting. While both the PS5 and Xbox Series X offer ray tracing, the Xbox Series X’s ray tracing in this game was a little richer, offering greater contrasts between light and shadow, particularly in the game’s early, eerie red-and-purple landscapes. (Digital Foundryfound the same thing, with some stats to back it up.) The Xbox Series X also seemed a little bit smoother when I turned on the 120 fps performance mode, although again, I’d be hard-pressed to tell the two titles apart if I didn’t know which one was in front of me.
Evaluating performance with these two games is difficult, however, because they were both designed with PS4 and Xbox One in mind rather than PS5 and Xbox Series X exclusively. While I can also talk about how impressive games like Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Gears 5 looked, they’re not possible to compare directly.
For now, I can say that the two consoles both perform extremely well, although the PS5 has slightly shorter loading times.
Winner:PS5
PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Design
For the most part, whether you like a console’s design comes down to personal preference. But my personal preference is that I cannot stand how the PS5 looks.
Not only is the system comically large; but it’s also a pain to switch from vertical to horizontal configuration, and the standard version sports an ugly, asymmetrical design. Even after sitting under my TV for three years, the PS5 still looks awkward. Adding to my frustrations, the front panel is prone to fingerprints and the “power” and “disc eject” buttons are indistinguishable, which is a minor gripe but annoying.
Last year, Sony released a redesigned version of the PS5 console that was dubbed thePS5 Slimby online commentators — although Sony has never officially given it that branding.
It shrinks the size of the console by some 30%, which at the very least makes it a slightly less cumbersome console to fit into your entertainment center. However, the overall design aesthetic is the same, so it’s just a smaller version of an already unattractive console.
(Image credit: Sony)
It also packs a few additional upgrades including a larger SSD (now 1TB instead of 825GB), and an external disc drive that is detachable. That means you can buy a Digital Edition and add an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive at a later date, so long as you’re willing to pay $99 for one.
Unfortunately, the PS5 Slim also comes with afew downgrades, most noticeable is that a vertical stand is no longer included as standard. While you get a basic horizontal stand in the box, if you want to securely place your PS5 console upright you’ll need to spend an additional $25, or buy a cheaper third-party alternative, if you’re willing to risk compatibility issues.
The Xbox Series X, on the other hand, is still pretty bulky but manages its space much better. Rather than looking like an oversized router, the Xbox Series X is a sleek black box that looks, at least in its vertical form, kind of like a small tower PC. It has a clearly defined power button, as well as a pairing button to make wireless connections painless.
Microsoft has also launchedthree new models of Xboxin 2024. While one is merely a recolor of the Xbox Series S 1TB, the others are full-featured Xbox Series X consoles. The first packs a new Robot White look but lacks a disc drive, and the other is the Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition.
As the name suggests it’s the Xbox Series X console we know but with a nifty new cosmetic-themed design (Microsoft describes it as featuring a “silver, grey, and green celestial effect”) and the largest stock hard drive on Xbox console to date. With 2TB of storage, you can store literally dozens of new AAA games.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
The only big advantage the PS5 has over the Xbox Series X is the presence of a USB-C port — which is a big deal, especially as more accessories get USB-C adapters. But even if the Xbox Series X design is much more conservative, it’s also much more sensible overall. And even the PS5 Slim cannot tip the needle in Sony’s favor here.
Winner:Xbox Series X
PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Controller
Another area in which theXbox Series X plays it safe, to its credit, is in its controller. The Xbox Series X controller is nearly identical to the Xbox One model, save for textured grips and shoulder buttons, an improved D-pad and a new “share” button in the center.
It’s a smart upgrade for one of the best controllers ever made. Still, the fact that it runs on AA batteries instead of a built-in rechargeable unit feels positively archaic, and also pasts a lot of cost onto the end-user, whether they choose to buy AAs or rechargeable packs.
The PS5 DualSense, on the other hand, is a big departure from the DualShock 4, with a two-tone color scheme and much bigger grips. It also adds a variety of new features: extremely sensitive haptics and a built-in mic among them.
The haptic feedback is impressive, mimicking the feel of objects rolling around in a box, or putting up realistic resistance when you push a trigger. However, the DualSense still has a ton of wasted space (particularly in the touchpad), and the enjoyment you’ll get from the haptics is a matter of personal preference.
PS5 owners looking to level up their gaming might also want to consider investing in theDualSense Edge. It’s a highly customizable version of the standard DualSense sporting metallic back buttons, swappable sticks and a sturdier design. All these new upgrades come at the hefty price of $120, and the controller’s already weak battery life takes a hit. You can expect around five hours from a full charge of the Edge.
Winner:Tie
PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Backwards compatibility
Both the PS5 and the Xbox Series X have excellent backwards compatibility features, but there’s no denying that the Xbox reaches further back into Microsoft’s library. Not only is the Xbox Series X compatible with just about every Xbox One game; it’s also compatible with many Xbox 360 and original Xbox games. While it doesn’t include every stab Microsoft’s ever taken at backwards-compatible games (the Xbox 360 still plays many original Xbox games that the Series X can’t), it’s an impressive effort with zero friction.
The PS5 can play just about every PS4 game on the market, but compatibility doesn’t go back any further than that unless you count the ability to stream a very small selection of PS3 games via PlayStation Plus Premium. Still, it’s not quite the same as playing games you already own directly on a console (and depending on the strength of your internet connection may not be viable).
Winner:Xbox Series X
PS5 vs Xbox Series X: Cloud gaming
Cloud gaming isn’t a huge issue for either the PS5 or the Xbox Series X, since you can simply download games and play them natively on either platform. But as cloud gaming grows over the next few years, it’s good to know where each company stands at the outset of this console generation.
The PS5 has the PlayStation Plus revamp, which lets you stream a variety of PS3 titles, as well as some PS4 titles, to PlayStation consoles and PCs. It costs $10 per month for a tier that includes streaming capabilities.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate(Image credit: Microsoft)
The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, as discussed above, costs $15 per month, and lets you stream games to Android, iOS, non-gaming PCs and even Xbox consoles.
While the PlayStation Plus revamp has some potential, Xbox Cloud Gaming is currently a much more refined and functional service.
Winner:Xbox Series X
PS5 vs Xbox Series X: Verdict
PS5
Xbox Series X
Price (10)
8
8
Games (20)
19
15
Performance (15)
13
12
Design (10)
6
8
Controller (10)
7
7
Backwards compatibility (10)
7
9
Cloud gaming (5)
3
4
Total (80)
63
63
At this point in their lifecycle, both PS5 and Xbox Series X represent an excellent investment. The Xbox Series X has a slight edge when it comes to raw power, design and backward compatibility, but the PS5 is the leader in arguably the most important category of all as it boasts a game library that Xbox simply cannot match at present.
Perhaps the key determining factor between the two comes down to whether you want access to a more comprehensive game subscription service. Xbox Game Pass simply cannot be matched for its value and the fact that flagship exclusive land on the service day one. Meanwhile, if you don’t mind buying new games ala carte, then PS5 is the clear winner as its library of exclusives is of the highest quality.
Plus, the PS5 also offers access to next-gen virtual reality tech via thePS VR2headset accessory. Currently, Microsoft does not have an equivalent VR product of its own for Xbox users.
From having used both consoles extensively over the last few years, my gut feeling is that they have more similarities than differences, and whichever one you get should be more than sufficient to power your gaming for the next few years. Of course, you could always justbuild a gaming PC— but that’s a different story.
Now that thePS5 Prois in the hands of gamers everywhere, the list of PS5 Pro enhanced games continues to grow. Around launch,Sonydetailed 50+ titles that have dedicated modes that make use of everything the upgraded console has to offer.
As Sony revealed the PS5 Pro, it was made clear that plenty of currently available PS5 games will receive updates to coincide with the launch of the PS5 Pro, and now that it’s out, we’re happy to confirm that this is indeed true. Thanks to thePS5 Pro specs, it’s no surprise that games such asMarvel’s Spider-Man 2look and feel better than ever, leveraging AI-driven upscaling and improved raytracing. Now that the dust has settled on the PS5 Pro launch, we’ve even been able to spend time with many of the upgraded games, and feel confident offering some recommendations on thePS5 Pro games to play first.
Before you seek outwhere to buy a PS5 Pro, however, you’ll want to know what games have received upgrades, which is where we come in. In this article, we’ll cover every PS5 Pro game confirmed so far, including a look at what’s set to change in each title. As more games are unveiled in the future, we’ll be sure to update this list.
PS5 Pro games list – confirmed PS5 Pro-enhanced titles
(Image credit: Sony / Guerrilla)
Given that there are now over 50 PS5 Pro enhanced games, and with each developer handling things slightly differently, the list below represents just a small slice of the headline games that have received beefy PS5 Pro updates since launch:
Alan Wake 2 –Performance Mode now offers 4K at the same fidelity as the base PS5’s Quality Mode. The PS5 Pro Quality Mode however, will target raytracing.
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows –will exhibit an enhanced ray-traced global illumination technology. Improved fidelity thanks to expanded GPU capabilities, and leveraging of PSSR. As perthe PS Blog.
Demon’s Souls –4K image-like quality at 60 frames per second.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 –benefits from the power of the PS5 Pro, PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) and new ray tracing technology, allowing improved framerates.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard –The game’s Fidelity and Performance modes both see improvements on the hardware, including improved resolution in 30FPS Fidelity and 60FPS Performance modes.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth –The new Enhanced Mode* developed especially for PS5 Pro combines the characteristics of the existing Performance Mode and Graphics Mode to offer players a new visual experience.
F1 24 –F1 24 is upgrading its Quality mode to add new ray tracing effects that shined particularly on rain-soaked courses and made the tracks feel more realistic and immersive. As per thePS Blog.
Gran Turismo 7 –now able to support ray tracing during races, which was previously impossible. This allows not only for car surfaces to show full reflections of other cars, but also for a car to reflect its own parts, greatly enhancing realism and immersion throughout the whole game.
Hogwarts Legacy –Players are able to experience crisper, richer, higher resolution graphics, leveraging PSSR on all visual modes.
Horizon Forbidden West –you can now enjoy a visual quality that matches or surpasses the Quality mode on the regular PlayStation 5, but now at 60 FPS – double the framerate.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 –Spider-Man 2 finds a new default Performance Pro mode, which marries the crisp 4K resolution and ray tracing features of Fidelity mode with the speedy 60 frames per second of Performance mode.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 –PSSR technology allows for the trees and the lush vegetation of the game’s iconic jungle terrain to become more vivid, and enhances the sense of realism of infiltrating through a natural environment
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart –new default Performance Pro mode, which marries the crisp 4K resolution and ray tracing features of Fidelity mode with the speedy 60 frames per second of Performance mode.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered –new default Performance Pro mode, which marries the crisp 4K resolution and ray tracing features of Fidelity mode with the speedy 60 frames per second of Performance mode.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales –new default Performance Pro mode, which marries the crisp 4K resolution and ray tracing features of Fidelity mode with the speedy 60 frames per second of Performance mode.
Resident Evil 4 Remake –the game runs at a higher framerate, making the dynamic action even more intense. Resident Evil 4 also uses the power of PS5 Pro for ultra-high-resolution technology, painting vividly realistic imagery brimming with detailed environments and more natural and beautiful visual effects than ever before.
Resident Evil Village –added 120fps gameplay to provide the best possible user experience on PS5 Pro.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor –In Quality Mode, the game offers its highest-ever console resolution at 2160p. At the same time, Performance Mode continues to deliver a solid 60 fps—but now with higher resolutions and the added visual depth of ray tracing for reflections and ambient occlusion.
Stellar Blade –4K resolution at 50fps or more, with smoother gameplay, and you’ll notice an improvement in grain and detail in the game in PSSR upscale mode. Plus, the HFR (high framerate) option is supported, allowing you to enjoy a fluid gaming experience at 80 fps (120hz display support required).
The Crew Motorfest –more objects on-screen – decals, vegetation, crowds – all running at 60fps.
The First Descendant –expanding the ray tracing feature by leveraging PS5 Pro’s superior GPU performance and enhanced ray tracing architecture.
The Last of Us Part I –new PS5 Pro-specific enhanced rendering mode that takes advantage of improved graphics processing, rendering 1440p, then upscaling to 4K via PSSR super resolution. This mode maintains the 60 fps target, offering an ideal balance of framerate and resolution.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered –new PS5 Pro-specific enhanced rendering mode that takes advantage of improved graphics processing, rendering 1440p, then upscaling to 4K via PSSR super resolution. This mode maintains the 60 fps target, offering an ideal balance of framerate and resolution.
Lies of P –“Quality Mode benefits from more than a 30 percent increase in FPS, delivering smoother, more fluid gameplay. Additionally, Performance Mode now supports full native 4K resolution, allowing players to enjoy stunning visuals without sacrificing responsiveness,” – Lies of P director Jiwon Choi inan interview with Eurogamer.
Lords of the Fallen– the PS5 Pro enhanced version of the action role-playing game (RPG) allows players to experience a “40% increase in pixel density over the base PlayStation 5 console, resulting in a sharper image and finer details.
Zenless Zone Zero –native 4K resolution and 60 FPS simultaneously with the average frame rate increasing by nearly ten frames. Update arrives December 18, 2024.
And now, the full list, as previously confirmed on thePS Blogahead of the PS5 Pro launch.
Alan Wake 2
Albatroz
Apex Legends
Arma Reforger
Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Baldur’s Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
EA Sports College Football 25
Dead Island 2
Demon’s Souls
Diablo IV
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Dying Light 2 Reloaded Edition
EA Sports FC 25
Enlisted
F1 24
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Fortnite
God of War Ragnarök
Hogwarts Legacy
Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
Kayak VR: Mirage
Lies of P
Lords of the Fallen
Madden NFL 25
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Naraka: Bladepoint
NBA2K 25
No Man’s Sky
Palworld
Paladin’s Passage
Planet Coaster 2
Professional Spirits Baseball 2024-2025
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil Village
Rise of the Ronin
Rogue Flight
Star Wars: Jedi Survivor
Star Wars: Outlaws
Stellar Blade
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown
The Callisto Protocol
The Crew Motorfest
The Finals
The First Descendant
The Last of Us Part I
The Last of Us Part II Remastered
Until Dawn
War Thunder
Warframe
World of Warships: Legend
Zenless Zone Zero
The games above have received dedicated PS5 Pro versions, andare even be labeled separately to indicate as such. There’s also a whole host of PS4 and PS5 games that’ll benefit from what Sony is calling PS5 Pro Game Boost (as per thePS Blog):
“With the PS5 Pro version of the Game Boost feature, you can enjoy faster and smoother frame rates in some of the PS4 and PS5 console’s greatest games.”
This is said to apply to at least 8,500 PS4 and PS5 titles, so there are plenty of changes and upgrades on the way to the games you already own if you do choose to pick up a PS5 Pro. In addition, PS5 Pro will significantly enhance PSVR 2 games according to Mark Cerny.
As part of the initial PS5 Pro technical presentation, we saw a few games running on the new hardware, highlighting the differences relative to the base PS5 console. Each enhanced game benefits from the new specs in different ways, but they all pull from the improvements below:
Upgraded GPU with 67% more compute units and 28% faster memory; resulting in 45% faster rendering
Advanced ray-tracing
AI-driven upscaling known as PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR)
2TB SSD
PS5 Pro Game Boost
Optional disc-drive
VRR and 8K gaming support
(Image credit: PlayStation)
In ourPS5 Pro review, we came to the conclusion that the main attraction is really “the convergence of graphical fidelity and performance with games now able to tap into the PS5 Pro’s hardware and features to shine in both ways – at the same time”. This boosted graphical fidelity is, more often than not, on par with the Quality Modes of the base PS5, but with a much smoother experience thanks to 60FPS or higher. This best of both worlds approach is really going to be the key difference moving forward, though it’s likely that we’ll see developers experiment further with higher end graphical settings that focus on ray tracing, or make use of the hardware’s new AI-boosted upscaling.
Speaking on ray tracing, there have been significant advancements for many of the games now enhanced by the PS5 Pro. In our PS5 Pro review, we were impressed by the ray tracing across the board, noting that “you can now enjoy some of the best ray-tracing PS5 has to offer in a performance mode, targeting 60 frames per second, which is truly special in games likeMarvel’s Spider-Man 2.” So far, we’re looking at games that have already come out as well, so moving forward we’re excited to see what the PS5 Pro’s ray tracing capabilities can achieve as games get bigger and better looking across the board.
One thing that is immediately surprising when taking the PS5 Pro out of the box is its size and weight relative to the base model, especially the one that launched with a disc drive back in 2020. The PS5 Pro is much lighter than you’d expect, and its sleek design and black vented sides really stand out alongside the all white of the PS5’s faceplates. Under the hood, you now get 2TB of storage as standard, meaning that you can hold more games on your hard drive without having to swap things out for new releases.
While the technical upgrades and visual changes are indeed exciting, it’s also vital to point out the price jump between the base PS5 and the PS5 Pro. For $699.99, you do not get a disc drive, or even a vertical stand, something that really represents a sting in the tail for an otherwise enticing mid-generation upgrade. Our review concludes that “If you’ve a keen eye for detail, are a PlayStation fanatic who wants to be at the bleeding edge of the brand’s console and wants the most performant PlayStation console going, or you’re a graphics obsessive who wants the best experience going, or are a PS5 user with a new 120Hz-capable gaming TV or PS5 monitor, then the gaming experiences provided by the PS5 Pro are going to be very tempting indeed. For everyone else, it’s just going to be too expensive.”
PS5 Pro games: FAQs
Will new games be PS5 Pro-enhanced?
While we’ll have to wait and see what upcomingPS5 gameslikeDeath Stranding 2do with the new PS5 Pro technology, it’s highly likely that first-party games will offer some form of PS5 Pro version. This was how things worked with the PS4 Pro, so expect there to be boosts to upcoming games likeMarvel’s Wolverine, andGhost of Tsushima 2. In terms of third-party, PS5 Pro enhancements will come on a case by case basis. Some games will lean into the PS5 Pro’s features, even offering separate PS5 Pro-labelled versions, while others may focus on a more general PS5 offering.
How much does the PS5 Pro cost?
The PS5 Pro launched on November 7, 2024, and currently retails for $699.99. This is a significant step up from the base console, especially when you consider that you won’t get a disc drive or a vertical stand with it.
What games can we look forward to on PS5 Pro?
Now that the PS5 Pro is out, we’ve spent some time with the currently available list of enhanced games. Looking ahead, Monster Hunter Wilds is sure to offer a smoother experience on PS5 Pro when it launches in January. Beyond that, it’sDeath Stranding 2andGhost of Yoteithat’ll most likely show off the next level of PS5 Pro enhancements, especially the latter, which is being developed by Sony first party studio Sucker Punch.
What are the best PS5 Pro games to play on the new console?
In my opinion, the best PS5 Pro games are currently Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, andAlan Wake 2. The former introduces the new Performance Pro Mode, increasing the fidelity available while running the game at variable refresh rates. The results are extremely impressive, and immediately felt during the game’s opening fight with Sandman. Alan Wake 2 is significantly enhanced by the PS5 Pro as well, with the Performance Mode now able to match the Quality Mode on the base PS5, all while maintaining a smooth framerate.
Opinion | Mario Kart 9 could do so much more when it comes to tracks themed after the Nintendo’s most iconic series
(Image credit: Nintendo)
One of my favorite tracks in Mario Kart 8 is Hyrule Circuit. The inventive course cuts through Hyrule Castle which houses the Master Sword at its center, and instead of featuring the standard gold coin collectibles and Piranha Plant hazards, it stays on theme by swapping them out with Rupees and Deku Babas. It’s such a playful and engaging circuit that beautifully plays homage to one of Nintendo’s most iconic and enduring series, The Legend of Zelda.
Last week, that very racetrack was front of mind when I clapped eyes on the tailend of theSwitch 2first-look trailer. Because not only did Nintendo at last show off the long-awaited new console, but it also appeared to teaseMario Kart 9playing on its display. While we’re still awaiting an official announcement, I can’t help but hope the next racing game taps into what makes the likes of Hyrule Circuit so magical. With Nintendo’s extensive repertoire, there’s so much more potential to get creative and deliver more tracks that celebrate its most beloved game series.
Hyrule Circuit is by no means the only example of a themed track in Mario Kart 8. Another personal favorite is the one set in the world of Animal Crossing, which features a host of different villagers, familiar stores, and four different seasonal variations – which loads in at random each time you race through it. Mute City based on the F-Zero series is yet another example, and there’s also a neat Splatoon-themed Battle Stage, but there’s so much scope for Nintendo to deliver more themed tracks in Mario Kart 9.
With such a rich tapestry of games making up Nintendo’s storied history, there’s no shortage of series to draw. Over Christmas, my sister and I even waxed lyrical about which game characters we’d love to see as new racers in a theoretical Mario Kart 9, as well as what games would make for perfect circuit fodder. Just imagine, for example, a track based on Paper Mario that captures its playful paper-y style and sense of humor. The recent re-release of A Thousand Year Door – aka one of thebest GameCube gamesof all time – provides the perfect excuse to design a course around the classic RPG, and it would undoubtedly be a real delight to speed through. Some of the biggest upcoming Switch games we know about, such as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, also beg to be paid homage to on the tarmac. I mean, a track themed around Samus and the Metroid series?Yes please.
And what about everyone’s favorite pink puffball Kirby? With so many games under his belt, there’s no end of possibilities when it comes to designing a racetrack that pays homage to one of Nintendo’s most beloved characters. So much fun could be had incorporating his signature copy abilities in the item boxes, or working in some of the famous foes in Kirby’s platforming adventures. Heck, if I had it my way, Kirby would also be a new racer, complete with a little star car modelled after his own racing game, Air Ride. I could go on and on with ideas, with everything from Pokemon to Pikmin and Starfox to Fire Emblem, which just speaks to how much fun Nintendo could and should have with its tracks in the next installment.
Honestly, I’m still kind of reeling over the fact that Mario Kart 9 could finally speed onto consoles in the future. It’s been such a long time since we’ve had a new instalment, with Mario Kart 8 originally coming out all the way back in 2014 on the Wii U. After it got the Deluxe port over to the Switch some years later, 48 additional tracks have since been added to round out the experience, with nostalgic circuits and more recent racetracks plucked from various Mario Kart iterations across console generations. As my go-to game to play with my sister, I’ve lost count of the amount of hours I’ve sunk into the racer over the years.
But even if Mario Kart 8 continues to be one of thebest racing gamesaround, a new entry feels well overdue, and I can’t think of a better way to kick things off for the Switch 2. If that does end up happening, as the recent trailer seems to suggest, I hope we see Nintendo seize the opportunity to make the most of its history and iconic series in whatever Mario Kart 9 ends up being. If more tracks like Hyrule Circuit come our way, you better believe I’ll be revving up my engine to be the first one at the starting line of the new entry.
In a newblog post,Microsoftreports that it has reached a new phase in the gradual rollout ofWindows 1124H2. Compatible systems will be automatically updated to the latest release. Launched in October, Windows 11 24H2 has been plagued by a handful of jarring problems, includinggame-breaking bugs,persistent caches, and broken HDR. Recent patches have addressed most of these issues, and Microsoft is now confident enough to initiate automatic 24H2 updates for mainstream consumers. Note that this does not apply to managed systems.
The initial rollout began for Copilot+ PCs in June of last year. If you don’t own an “AI PC,” 24H2 launched as early as October but was marred by bugs and glitches, most of which have been fixed per Microsoft’s blog. So, if your PC wasn’t on the latest release, it will automatically be updated to 24H2. Note that this only applies to eligible devices running Windows 11 Pro/Home on the 23H2/22H2 builds, which no organization can manage.
After checking Microsoft’s bug log, we found that many problems had been resolved. However, the potential for newer bugs still exists. Users can defer the update by up to five weeks using the “Pause Updates” feature in the “Windows Update” tab in “Settings.” If you’re eager to update, select the “Check for updates” option in the same tab to see if the update is available for your device.
Microsoft is aware of issues that have not been resolved, such as the Failure to install 24H2 on specific Asus devices, the camera’s unresponsiveness on a handful of systems, unexpected behavior with wallpaper applications, etc. Note that affected devices will be put on a “safeguard hold” until these issues have been resolved.
Copilot PCs will get the most out of this update with the infamous Recall feature and other AI goodies. Sadly, these features will continue rolling out in phases for select devices under the Windows Insider Program. The good news is that Windows 11 24H2 promises faster update times and better performance for AMD’s Ryzen CPUs. Intel mandates the installation of specific Windows 11 24H2 patches for optimal performance with Arrow Lake processors, even though our testing shows little to no improvements.
I didn’t understand theXPan mode on a OnePlus phonewhen I first tried it out. In fact, I didn’t like it at all, and passed it off as a silly gimmick to promote OnePlus’s partnership with Hasselblad, which at the timewasn’t quite living up to expectations.
Recently I’ve been using theOnePlus 13, and think it has one of the best cameras on any OnePlus phone yet, so I challenged myself to give XPan another try. I soon discovered I had been completely wrong about it.
Not a history lesson
Hasselblad and Fujifilm’s XPan camera was first introduced in 1998, when it was the first dual-format 35mm camera you could buy, enabling you to take full 65:24 aspect ratio panoramic photos, in addition to standard format photos. Hasselblad promoted the XPan camera using the tagline, “For a world less square,” and you can read more about its history and impact on its website.
OnePlus entered into a partnership with Hasselblad in 2022 and the OnePlus 9 was the first phone to showcase the pair’s efforts. The XPan mode arrived on it in a software update soon after release, and it is hidden under the More menu in the camera app to this day, if you want to find it for yourself. After that, you can drag it down to the main camera option bar if you’re really keen. I wasn’t keen, but I gave it a shot.
XPan has changed a little for the OnePlus 13. You can shoot ultra-wide 15mm equivalent photos, 23mm wide photos, or 73mm zoomed in photos. It seems to shift away from the “pure” XPan experience, but in doing so it has made the mode more accessible. The interface is unique too, with a custom overlay to give it that unique XPan camera look, plus the screen flashes into a negative when you tap the shutter button, just like if you were taking a “real” photo.
I don’t take panoramic photos very often, and for a start I couldn’t get my head around using the XPan mode. I’mnot the only one, and the more I read,watched, and learnedabout the actual XPan camera, the more I not only discovered how challenging it is to get to grips with the format, but also how rewarding it can be when you experiment with it, and how dramatic photos taken with it can look.
I was getting sucked in.I love this quotefrom photographer Matthias Jambon-Puillet in a piece about XPan cameras, “Cursed to desire one, cursed to break the bank buying one, cursed to realize that you have no real-life use for it.” It’s very true. XPan’s potential is exciting, but there’s no truly obvious use case for XPan mode on the OnePlus 13, as most people will just use the wide-angle camera in the app instead of it. But XPan was calling me, and as I didn’t have to fork out for a real XPan camera to test it, I went out to take photos.
A photo taken using the XPan mode on the OnePlus 13.
Image credit: JJ Davies/ Hasselblad Xpan
I took some, then some more, andmore againas I began to fall for the vision of the world it can create. Get it right, and photos can be gloriously cinematic, serene or moody, or dramatic and exciting. I began to learn how XPan photos require different framing techniques, andlooking at your environment in a new wayto find out if an XPan photo works. It doesn’t work in all situations, just like a 1:1 aspect ratio photo isn’t always right, but when you even partially get it right the result looks very cool indeed.
Should I just use XPan, then?
Image credit: JJ Davies/ Hasselblad Xpan
Should this stop you trying XPan out? Absolutely not. Shoot photos for your own enjoyment as well as for posting on social media. Not everyone will “get” XPan anyway. I’m the first to admit I didn’t get it at all, but I’m very pleased to also say I’ve seen the error of my ways. It’s another reason to get the OnePlus 13, a phone that continues to impress me more than two months into using it every day.
Can the new content creator-friendly DJI Flip surpass the budget king DJI Neo from 2024?
DJI Flip (left), DJI Neo (right), not to scale (Image credit: DJI)
DJI Flip
A drone like we’ve never seen before, with unique folding propellor design and decent 4K video capabilities, but it’s quite a leap in price from the Neo.
For
Multi-use functionality
Several flight-control options
Sub-250g folding design
Against
Image quality is good but not great
Not as agile as the Mini 4 Pro
Not great in wind
DJI Neo
DJI’s cheapest 4K drone can be flown safely multiple ways thanks to propellor guards; for selfies, FPV, but it’s tiny and has limited camera performance.
For
Small and lightweight
Easy to use
Multiple flight control options
Against
Only shoots photos in JPEG
4K video fixed at 30fps
Expensive to add on goggles and FPV controller
TheDJI Fliparrives just a few months after the 2024DJI Neoto provide yet another option for folks out to buytheir first drone. We’re here to work out if the Flip is a better buy. It’s more expensive, but also a lot more capable. So should you spend the extra?
DJI’s Flip drone roughly combines the ease of use of the Neo with the superior camera and flight skills of theDJI Mini 4K. And there are some other bonuses to boot.
There is one mode the DJI Neo has that the Flip lacks, though — FPV, where you use a motion controller and a headset to fly in a more acrobatic style.
As such, the DJI Flip is clearly a better content creator drone, but the DJI Neo provides a taste of all flavors of the drone hobby.
We’re going to dig a little deeper into all areas in which the DJI Neo and DJI Flip excel, to work out which is the better buy for you.
We’d also be remiss not to mention theHoverAir X1 Pro, another excellent tiny drone with propellor guards for closeup flight and auto-tracking features.
The DJI Flip is a pricier package – here’s a photo of it taken during our in-depth review.
1. DJI Flip vs DJI Neo: Price and Availability
DJI Flip with DJI RC-N3 controller: $439
DJI Neo: starts at $199, increases in price if you want controller
The DJI Neo is roughly four months older than the DJI Flip. It was announced in September 2024, compared to January 2025 for the Flip.
DJI’s Neo is substantially cheaper, but it’s not quite as simple as it may appear at first.
There’s also a Neo FPV-friendly combo for £449, which adds the Goggles N3 headset and RC Motion 3 controller.
You have a couple more options when buying the DJI Flip. There’s a bundle with the RC 2 controller (with baked in screen) for $639. Or the classic Fly More combo with that RC 2 controller, two additional batteries, charger and bag for $779.
The DJI Flip and DJI Neo to scale – as you can see the Neo (top) is much smaller, although the Flip propellors can fold away when not in use.(Image credit: DJI)
DJI Neo: 135g, tiny 130×157×48.5 mm, 22GB internal storage only
The DJI Flip is much larger than the DJI Neo, but not in a way that will significantly hinder how you can use it. A DJI Flip measures 233×280×79 mm, but when the propellors are folded back down for storage it’s just 136×165x62mm. That’s fairly close to the 130×157×48.5 mm of the Neo. It doesn’t fold, and doesn’t really need to at that size.
The Neo is a lot lighter too, at 135g. But as the DJI Flip just scoots in at under the 249g limit for unregistered drones, it’s not much of a practical concern. And that includes the blade guards typically left off of weight calculations in these mini-size drones.
You will need to bring your own microSD card for the Flip, though. It has just 2GB internal storage — basically an emergency solution should you forget your card.
The DJI Neo has 22GB onboard storage, but there’s no way to expand upon that. It’s less restrictive than it might sound given the short battery life of the drone, but does mean you’ll need to clear out space regularly.
The DJI Neo can be used a selfie drone and for mega fun and immersive FPV flight.
3. DJI Flip vs DJI Neo: Flight Modes
DJI Flip: active person-tracking, intelligent flight moves, better wind resistance and speed
DJI Neo: active person-tracking, intelligent flight moves, FPV flight
DJI made the Flip and Neo to cater for the kind of person who wants a drone to act like a virtual camera person. They can both lift off from your hand, and support an active person-tracking mode that follows you around.
This is perfect forYouTubeB-roll, an affordable way to give your videos a very expensive look. Both drones support the following “intelligent modes,” which program the movements relative to your subject: Follow, Dronie, Circle, Rocket, Spotlight, Helix and Boomerang.
You can also control these drones manually, although in the US at least DJI makes it a little trickier to get a good deal for a Neo bundle that includes a controller.
This is more a sign the DJI Neo is a truebeginner’s drone, where the DJI Flip is a more focused tool for content creators. For example, it has better wind resistance than the Neo, rated at 10.7m/s versus 8m/s speeds.
The Flip is not ideal on this front thanks to its drag-increasing blade guards, but is nevertheless an upgrade. It’s also an all-round more powerful drone than the Neo.
It can reach ascent and descent speeds of 5 m/s in its tracking modes, compared to 2m/s with the Neo. And when flying horizontally it can maintain speeds of up to 12m/s (26mph), compared to 8m/s (17mph) in the Neo.
The Neo can actually get to a speedy 16m/s, but only if you use manual FPV control. This is where the DJI Neo gets a major upper hand on the Flip. Pair it with the Goggles N3 and RC Motion 3 controller (or FPV Remote Controller 3) and you have a recipe for about as much fun as you can have with a smaller drone. As long as it’s not too windy — a tiny drone like the Neo can’t compete with too much wind.
You can fly freely, perform tricks and acrobatics. Tooled up like this, the DJI Neo is much like a smallerAvata 2, and makes the DJI Flip seem staid and boring in comparison. It’s made to stay horizontal consistently, and move in a much more measured way.
However, you can use the Flip in a slightly wider array of environments, thanks to its improved sensor array.
The DJI Flip has front and downward sensors, the Neo instead relies on its camera.(Image credit: DJI)
4. DJI Flip vs DJI Neo: Sensors and battery life
DJI Flip: front and downward sensors, up to 28 minutes flight time
DJI Neo: No sensors, up to 18 minutes flight time
The DJI Neo’s flight sensor array is as simple as they come. It uses its camera to look out for obstacles, and that’s it.
A Flip has both its camera and infrared sensors for both forward motion and underneath the drone. This makes it far better-suited for flying at night.
DJI says you shouldnotuse the Neo for night flying — and owners have had mixed success with their attempts. The key is basically to lift off somewhere with enough light for the sensor system to navigate, and not hang about too long in the dark to avoid the sensor system getting hopelessly lost. But the DJI Flip is rated for navigation in light conditions down to 15 lux, matching theDJI Mini 4 Pro.
Neither drone is meant to be used over water — a natural enemy for the non-water-resistant drone — but the DJI Flip is going to fare better thanks to its improved sensor array. Don’t get cocky, though, as these sensors do not too well with reflective surfaces, and the Flip manual states “DO NOT fly over water.” You’ve been warned.
The larger size of the DJI Flip allows for a much larger battery, 3,110mAh versus 1,435 mAh, and despite the Neo’s lower weight the Flip still provides much better flight time. It can fly for up to 31 minutes (28 min hovering) while the Neo is only rated for 18 minutes.
Having multiple batteries is going to be even more important with the DJI Neo. And it’s not made for more ambitious shoots anyway. It has a shorter transmission range of up to 7km, versus 13km. Not that it’s likely, or sensible, these limits will realistically be tested in normal use — and transmission range for the video preview naturally far shorter.
What’s more important is they both support the same O4 transmission system when using a controller, allowing for a video feed of up to 1080p/60. This matches the more expensive DJI Mini 4 Pro.
The Flip has a superior gimbal-mounted camera unit to the fixe camera of the Neo.(Image credit: DJI)
DJI Neo: No gimbal, 1/2-inch 12-megapixel sensor, 4K 30p video
The DJI Flip has a clearly superior camera to the DJI Neo, on a few fronts.
First up, it has a 3-axis gimbal system capable of providing proper physical stabilization, where the Neo relies on electronic stabilization (EIS). Not only is the gimbal approach less likely to cause image distortions, it means the Flip doesn’t have to eat into its usable sensor area for stabilization – EIS crops into the sensor to leave a motion compensation buffer on the outside, shrinking the amount of sensor actively used in the final footage.
The DJI Flip has a larger and much higher camera sensor too, a 1/1.3-inch 48-megapixel sensor. The Neo has a 1/2-inch 12-megapixel one. Both cameras can record at up to4Kresolution, but the DJI Flip’s image quality is better, and its frame rate options far superior. It can record at up to 60fps withHDR, and there’s a 100fps slo-mo 4K mode.
The Neo is limited to 4K at 30 frames per second, and can only reach 60fps at Full HD. It’s not nearly as serious a video shooter at the Flip, which also has a D-Log flat profile for better color grading flexibility, and much higher maximum video bitrate. The Neo taps out at 75Mbps, the Flip at 150Mbps. But then again you wouldn’t want to have to deal with too high a bit-rate in the Neo when your storage is limited to 22GB.
Both cameras can shoot vertical video, despite the lack of a camera gimbal that can physically move the sensor by 90-degrees. They simply have the pixels to spare. The DJI Neo can hack 1080p at Full HD vertical (60fps). The DJI Flip can shoot at up to 2.7k, although the frame rate is limited to max 30fps.
Early Verdict
(Image credit: DJI)
The DJI Flip easily beats the DJI Neo for content creators. It has a much higher-quality camera, videographer-friendly shooting modes and microSD support so you don’t keep having to flush the internal memory.
DJI’s Neo shines for folks who don’t want to spend much at all, and will be happy with controlling it via phone app rather than a dedicated controller. A proper controller is an option, but the base Neo kit doesn’t include one. Cost is key with a Neo.
There’s one part of the Neo that shouldn’t be ignored, though: FPV. It can become an acrobatic drone in a manner the Flip just can’t. It’s mounds of fun, although that FPV package costs more than double the cost of the Neo alone.
Expect to get the full lowdown during a Nintendo Direct on April 2.
Nintendo
As the world turns, so do the console generations. The Nintendo Switch is over seven years old, so it’s due for a refresh. Nintendo Switch 2 rumors have been swirling for years, but now we have some signs of life. The company officially revealed the sequel to its most successful home console ever in a brief trailer on January 16.
The Switch 2 looks functionally very similar to the original system, albeit with a larger display, magnetic Joy-Cons and a sleeker design. The company also reaffirmed that the upcoming console will be backwards compatible with Switch games.
While the reveal did confirm some rumors and have a few interesting details for those who were paying close attention, Nintendo is still largely keeping its cards close to its chest. We’ll have to wait until a special Nintendo Direct on April 2 for all the juicy information. Annoyingly, that date is a Wednesday and not a Two-sday.
The rumor mill had heavilysuggested that Nintendo would pull back the curtain on the Switch 2 on January 16, and that turned out to be the case.
The company hasn’t changed the core form factor. It’s a portable console with detachable Joy-Cons. The Switch 2 can be placed in a dock for big-screen gaming. There are some significant differences from the original console, however.
The most obvious one is that the next-gen Joy-Cons will no longer slide into place mechanically. Instead, they’ll attach to the main unit magnetically. There is a small connector that’s likely used to charge the controllers and perhaps remove the need to link them via Bluetooth. It’s unclear at this point if Joy-Cons from the original system will be compatible with the Switch 2.
One other big (and very welcome) change is the addition of a second USB-C port on the top of the device. That should make it much easier to plug in accessories while the Switch 2 is docked. It’s great to see that Nintendo has kept the headphone jack as well. Let’s just hope that Bluetooth headphone support is live from the jump this time and Nintendo doesn’t leave everyonewaitingfour yearsfor that feature.
The kickstand is getting an upgrade as well. As with the Switch OLED, it spans the length of the console. But, according to the trailer, this one looks fully adjustable, so you can tweak the viewing angle to one that works for you.
However, there are still a great many unknowns regarding the upcoming console. We don’t really know the specs yet, or what type of display it uses. We also don’t know anything about battery life, the UI or launch games. We’ll likely learn a whole lot on April 2.
It’s highly unlikely that Nintendo will release the console before the dedicated Direct on April 2, and not only because that’s at the start of Nintendo’s next financial year. However, accessory manufacturer Genki, which has been a major source of leaks in recent months,claims the console will be released in April.
In any case, we should learn the release date during the April 2 Direct if we haven’t already by then.
When can I try the Nintendo Switch 2?
Nintendo is planning a worldwide roadshow to let gamers go hands-on with the console. These events start in New York and Paris on April 3-6, with others taking place throughout the following two months. That lends credence to some suggestions that Nintendo will release the Switch 2 in June.
Ticket registration for the Switch 2 Experience events in the US (in New York, Los Angeles and Paris)starts on January 17 at 3PM ETand will remain open until January 26. A Nintendo Account is required to sign up. Nintendo will randomly select the recipients of the free tickets.
The full list of Nintendo Switch 2 Experience events is as follows:
Everything we’ve seen and so far about this console has been fairly, well, traditional. It looks like the original Switch, but better. That’s awesome, but will there be any of that unpredictable Nintendo magic? Maybe! There are two puzzling additions that folks can’t make hide nor hair of.
Keen eyes will have noticed a new button on the bottom of the right Joy-Con. It it not yet clear what this does. Could it initiate voice chat during gameplay? Could it calibrate the controllers? Could it create a room-sized hologram of Bowser in your living room? We’ll have to wait and see.
Now onto the updated Joy-Cons. There appears to be a new sensor on the connecting side of each controller. It looks awhole lot like an optical sensor, which is what a computer mouse uses. This has led to speculation that players will be able to flip the Joy-Con over and use it like a mouse. Of note: the trailer shows the Joy-Cons moving along a flat surface, connector side down and looking suspiciously like a mouse.
But why would anyone even want this? I can think of three words. NewMario Paint.
Isthe Nintendo Switch 2backwards compatible?
The company confirmed in November 2024 that theNintendo Switch 2 will be backwards compatible.It will also feature access to Nintendo Online, so users will be able to play all of those old retro titles.
In the initial Nintendo Switch 2 press release, Nintendo reiterated that physical and digital Switch games will work on the new system. However, it noted that “certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2.” More details about which games those are will be revealed later.
What about specs?
The rumors regarding specs are all over the place, so it’s tough to pin down. We know one thing for sure: It’ll be more powerful than the ancient Switch hardware, which was already antiquated back in 2017. One analyst allegedly got a hold of a spec sheet from theKorean United Daily Newsthat said the Switch 2would boast an eight-core Cortex-A78AE processor, 8GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal eMMC storage. This tracks for me, as these specs are about as underpowered in 2024 as the original Switch was in 2017. However, some reportsdo indicate that the consolewill include 12GB of RAM.
Another source suggests that the eight-core CPU will be packaged inside an NVIDIA-producedTegra239 SoC (system on a chip). Given the current Switch runs on an NVIDIA chip, that makes a lot of sense. The CPU will be more powerful, but it’s the Switch 2’s new GPU that will be a major differentiator. It’s all-but-confirmed that the Switch 2 will support DLSS, NVIDIA’s “deep learning supersampling” upscaling tech, which would allow the console to render games at a low resolution internally while outputting a high-resolution image. (Fun fact: We actually wrote abouthow perfect DLSS was for the Nintendo Switch 2when the technology was announced alongside the RTX 20 series back in 2018.)
There are still questions about the Switch 2 and DLSS: Will the system supportnewer DLSS features like frame generation? Will existing games be automatically tidied up by NVIDIA’s algorithm? Regardless of the exact implementation, DLSS upscaling will be a huge leap over the rudimentary techniques available to Nintendo Switch developers.
As for the display, there are many conflicting rumors. Early reports from solid sources suggested the Switch 2 would have an 8-inch display LCD display. The Switch 2’s display certainly looks larger than that of the original Switch in a side-by-side comparison in the reveal trailer.
Some analysts have suggested this would be an OLED screen, while others have said it would be aMini-LED display. A Mini-LED display is basically an LCD display that has a backlight made of (surprise!) mini-LEDs rather than edge lighting. This allows for local dimming, making the blacks more black. I’m hedging my bets here. I think it’ll be a standard LCD, to cut costs, with an OLED or Mini-LED model coming later down the line. However, Mini-LED screens are slightly cheaper than OLED displays, so that’s certainly a possibility at launch.
As for resolution, recent reporting suggests that the console will output 1080p in handheld and 4K when docked. That’s much better than the OG Switch. Meanwhile, it’s not yet clear if the Switch 2 will deliver performance or visual upgrades to original Switch games.
How much will the Nintendo Switch 2 cost?
We don’t have too much information regarding price but we do have plenty of history to work with. The original Nintendo Switch launched at $300, which is pretty much the “magic number” when it comes to Nintendo console releases in recent years. The Wii U also came in at $300.
However, there are plenty of rumors circulating that Nintendo could be upping the asking price for the Switch 2. Numerous outletshave reported it’ll be $400, or potentially even more expensive. However, the same analysts who say the console will be $400 were also fairly certain it would be out by the end of 2024 and, well, that didn’t happen.
Dipping back into history, there is some precedence for a price uptick. The GameCube was $200 and the Wii was $250. The Wii U and Switch increased to $300 and, well, numbers like to go up. A $400 price tag would make it nearly as expensive as a PS5 and Xbox Series X. That would also put it at the same price as the 256GB LCD Steam Deck.
Again, we should get confirmation of the price during the April 2 Nintendo Direct.
Do we know about any launch games?
Not so much. The reveal trailer offered a peek at a new Mario Kart game. Nintendo releasedMario Kart 8on the Wii U over a decade ago and it’s been milking that cash cow ever since, having sold more than 64 million copies of the game across that console and the Switch. It’s definitely time for a new entry!
It’s certainlybeen a long time sincewe’ve gotten a proper 3D Mario adventure as well, so a new one could be a launch title. That would be one heck of a system seller. Other than that, your guess is as good as mine. Past as prologue, we can expect something from Ubisoft and an off-the-wall title like1-2-Switch.
If there’s a gimmick or hook involved with the console, we’ll also get a game that takes advantage of that. A dual release ofMetroid Prime 4, just likeBreath of the WildandTwilight Princessbefore that, is also a possibility.
It’s all but nailed on that we’ll learn much more about the Switch 2 launch lineup during the April 2 Nintendo Direct. You’ll definitely want toset your Alarmofor that one.
PlayStation Plus users unite overThe Simpsons Hit & Runcoming to Sony’s subscription service and we totally agree.
Released onPC,PlayStation2,NintendoGameCube andXbox, 2003’sThe Simpsons Hit & Runis a cult classic game, perhaps even for those who don’t care much for the popular and long-running animated sitcom that is the source of its inspiration.
The Simpsons Hit & Runisn’t a perfect game, not by a long stretch, as indicated by itsscoreof 76 on Metacritic. However, there was something special about this game, which was considered to be a family-friendly version ofGrand Theft Autoat the time of its release.
This cult classic not only captured the essence of the animated sitcom but most importantly, it was good old, silly fun and is still a fantastic game to play today. As such, while there seems to be no sign of an official remake or remaster, fans would love to seeThe Simpsons Hit & RunonPlayStation Plus.
Asreported byPush Square, a list compiled by gamers on the Implicit Conversions Discord channel putsThe Simpsons Hit & Runat the top of a list of games that users would love to see on PS Plus.
The Simpsons Hit & Runtopped the likes ofGTA: Vice City Stories,God of War: Ghost of Sparta,Silent Hill 2(the original game), and more.
I don’t know all the ins and outs of why Activision, who ownsThe Simpsons Hit & Runlicense, hasn’t revived this fan-favourite game. Perhaps it could be due to licensing issues with Disney, the company that now owns the rights to the TV series.
All I know for sure, whether it’s on PlayStation Plus, a remaster or a remake, ifThe Simpsons Hit & Runwas revived today in any shape or form, it would no doubt prove to be a massive hit with fans.
It’s a smart upgrade for one of the best controllers ever made. Still, the fact that it runs on AA batteries instead of a built-in rechargeable unit feels positively archaic, and also pasts a lot of cost onto the end-user, whether they choose to buy AAs or rechargeable packs.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
