STACK #247 May 2025

TECH FEATURE

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internet connectivity, and, in most cases, a compatible controller. Xbox Game Pass support is also on its way to select new LG TV models via WebOS in 2025, whereas you can already enjoy a selection of 35 free-to-play games – if you have a suitable controller – via NVIDIA GeForce Now on select LG and Samsung models. HDMI 2.1 The main benefits of HDMI 2.1 go straight to gamers, with provision for ultra-high bandwidth 120fps in both 4K and 8K, plus ALLM and VRR support. You’ll find HDMI 2.1 in all the top new 2025 TV models. HDR (High Dynamic Range) This represents the range of light tones to dark tones – or highlights to shadows – that a screen can display. Newer TVs and game consoles support it, allowing for a vastly improved visual experience. HDR10 is the most standard format, which is a “one size fits all” adjustment, while Dolby Vision and the less common HDR10+ offer creators frame-by-frame control of light and dark and are more commonly found on visual content such as movies and TV shows.

Into gaming and looking to upgrade yourTV to a shiny new 2025 model?You’re in for a treat! Features aimed squarely at gamers now come as standard on many models – but what do all those acronyms and buzzwords mean? As always, we’re here to explain… Words Bec Summer GAME ON WITH THE LATEST TV TECH

ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) This very handy feature automatically kicks the TV into its game mode – if it has one – when a game system signal is detected, then adjusts the settings for optimal performance. ALLM can also adjust settings for high quality picture when cinema content is detected. New 2025 models from Samsung, LG, TCL, and Hisense all offer support for ALLM. AMD FreeSync Premium Pro puts an end to choppy gameplay and broken frames with fluid, artefact free performance at virtually any framerate. There are three levels, all featuring tear free vision with low latency. AMD FreeSync Premium adds support for low framerate compensation and a refresh rate of at least 120Hz at minimum FHD resolution, while AMD FreeSync Premium Pro also adds low latency in both SDR and HDR. Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL all offer support for AMD FreeSync tech in many of their latest TVs. A brilliant advancement in bringing top gaming performance to everybody, AMD FreeSync tech

Game mode You’ll find a setting named ‘Game Mode’, ‘Game Master’, or similar on almost all recent TVs. Why? Well, there’s a slight delay between video going into the TV and the result appearing onscreen – all of the picture-tweaking cleverness that modern TV’s do takes time. While perfect for other content, this isn’t great for gaming, as it can cause a delay between your controller input and the action onscreen. However, Game Mode switches off most picture processing, making response times as fast as possible for smoother gaming. Some new TV’s, such as the new Samsung OLED S95F and Neo QLED QN90F now have AI game modes for consoles, which optimise settings for the type of game you’re playing. Others, including LG’s latest, have their own Game Optimiser, providing a central hub just for gamers. Game streaming What if we told you that you could play top notch games such as the latest from Xbox without owning a console? Well, you can! Several 2025 model televisions, including Samsung’s OLED S95F and Neo QLED QN90F range offer support for Xbox Game Pass streaming – you’ll just need a subscription,

VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) Designed to improve your gaming performance, VRR can eliminate screen tearing or picture stuttering – caused by the input being different to the frame rate of the display – by adjusting the screen’s frame rate to match that of the content you’re viewing. Measured in hertz, the number is how many times per second the screen refreshes, and the big news is that many 2025 TVs now support up to 165Hz VRR, meaning even better quality gaming if your PC or console is capable of such high-end output. If you opt for a TV from Samsung’s new OLED S95F and Neo QLED QN90F range, or the new Hisense U8QAU or U7QAU , you’re ready to go. Slightly lower peak levels of VRR are still very desirable, such as the 144Hz game mode found on most new and recent TVs..

32 MAY 2025

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