How to transfer files from Android to your PC

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It’s an age-old story. File meets computer, computer wants to introduce file to its smartphone, computer can’t find the right feature for that. Transferring files (even things like high-res photos) between PC and mobile devices is often a pain, yes, but it’s not impossible. In fact there are a few different ways to do it.

In this guide, we’ll teach you exactly how to transfer files from Android to your PC, whether you want to use a software or more traditional hardware solution.

Wi-Fi transfer app

If your computer is connected to a nearby wireless network, one of the easiest ways to transfer files to a mobile device is to set up wireless transfer. These services specialize in porting information through your wireless network and onto a mobile device. Once set up, these services are quick, simple, and reliable, so long as your wireless internet connection is stable.

In fact, there are so many transfer services available, one of the hardest parts may be finding the right one for your PC. If you use an Android or iOS device, you will want to take a look at Portal, an app from Pushbullet. Once you download the app from your device’s respective app store and scan the website’s QR Code, you can push pictures, videos, and other files through the site and onto your mobile phone. It’s especially easy with Google Chrome because you can just drag and drop files to instantly transfer them from one device to another.

Another common solution is Filedrop, which is free for all systems except iOS (where it costs $3). Like Portal, Filedrop pairs with Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android devices, and then lets you quickly transfer files with a simple drag-and-drop method.

An alternative for Apple users is Airdrop, a proprietary piece of software that works between all Macs and iOS devices without requiring you to download any additional software — here’s how to use it.

Cloud storage service

Most of the best cloud storage providers offer a reasonable alternative to Wi-Fi transfer apps. You also don’t actually need Wi-Fi for every step when using a cloud sharing service. Simply fire up your favorite browser, register for a cloud service such as Google Drive or Dropbox (but which is best?) and then upload your files. Afterward, you can download the app for your phone and — as long as you have a Wi-Fi or data connection — access the same information.

The information will remain floating in the cloud, but it’s accessible from either destination. This is useful for when you need to transfer data between different platforms, and it makes it easy to share said info with friends and coworkers.

However, both drag-and-drop transfers and cloud services have some security issues. If you’re not using a secure wireless network, then data theft is a possibility. Be smart about your transfers and sensitive information — we recommend enabling two-step verification and using a unique password (store it in a password manager) on all your cloud storage accounts.

Pair via Bluetooth

Bluetooth still has a lot of benefits in a Wi-Fi dominated age, and though pairing isn’t as quick or easy as using cloud storage, you can do it without the need of Wi-Fi. Turn on Bluetooth on your PC and mobile device, then look on your computer to see if it detects any nearby device. Try checking the “Devices and Printers” panel if there’s no automatic connection.

Most PCs will then move onto a confirmation task, where you have to type in a code or compare numbers. This will allow the computer to pair with your mobile device. The device should then appear in your list of connected drives when you look at your menu or file browser. On many PCs, you can select “Send a File” from the Bluetooth menu by clicking on the Bluetooth logo in the bottom-right corner of your screen. You can also manage Bluetooth devices more directly from the Devices and Printers panel, if necessary.

Bluetooth is a reliable method because most devices offer Bluetooth connectivity, and once paired, it’s easy to automatically pair again. If you have a very old computer and a newer mobile device, however, there may be some trouble with matching protocols — there’s also the possibility that your computer may not have Bluetooth. Although you could purchase a Bluetooth adaptor, that doesn’t exactly help you transfer those files right now.

Try an NFC connection

NFC stands for near field communication. It’s a data transfer technology that many phones and some computers now possess. With Android Beam, look into enabling NFC transfers. This protocol requires your devices to be physically close — hence the frequent “bump” and “tap” apps — but it’s still safer when compared to wireless transfers.

That said, it’s a bit more time-consuming and often limited. Apple, for example, only uses NFC for payment purposes.

Even if you can’t establish an NFC connection directly with your PC, take a look at external hard drives and similar devices that can use NFC. This may be an easy way to quickly transfer data to and from your PC using an intermediary device. Plus, you get an external hard drive to use in other situations — these are our favorites.

Stick with email

Ahh, email. Solid, dependable, sensible, and not at all exciting. Nonetheless, it’s often handy when you need to transfer files from your desktop to a nearby tablet or smartphone. Not everyone has the fancy apps, services, and connectivity listed above. That’s where email can be a lifesaver. You’ll need to login to your email account on both devices, but that’s not much of a hardship for a relatively quick and painless way of transferring files.

It’s easier than a lot of other options, and most mobile devices are now smart enough to open attachments in a readable form, especially if you use a PDF. Thanks to OneDrive and Office 365, you may also be able to open and edit Word docs directly within your email client.

There are ways to use Office for free too.

When all else fails, try a USB drive

While the commonplace USB drive has recently fallen out of favor due to wireless functionality and the aforementioned cloud, sometimes the best option is still using a flash drive or an external hard drive to move your files. Not only is setting up a USB connection safer than transferring your data wirelessly, it’s ideal when you want to save a lot of content and transfer it all at once to multiple devices without weighing down your wireless network.

The key is picking out the right USB device to use. Many Android devices, for example, use USB On-The-Go, which can pair with compatible USB storage devices and allows for quick transfers between your PC and Android device.

Another alternative to consider is a wireless media reader. These are external hard drives that use SD cards or USB drives that can create their own hotspot, thus giving you a plethora of connection options for both your PC and mobile devices. You won’t even need a wireless network nearby — just think of them as a jack-of-all-trades for moving content around.

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Portable USB-C chargers, dimming kits, durable flashlights, and more are all discounted today

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

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“Human computing” has appeared in economic science in 2003 as a description of the calculation process. “Human computing” is expected to use only human mind resources and it was meant as a force that should beat a computer. The official “crowdsourcing” name was taken from English, where crowd – “crowd” and sourcing – “use of resources”. Crowdsourcing was first formulated in Wired magazine in 2006 and provided the idea of mobilizing the resources of individuals through IT. It used to solve the problems of science, business and society.

In March 2017 ABBYY launched a project to translate Coursera’s online educational courses from English to Russian. The project involves over 5000 people: professionals, ordinary people with good English and it really increased efficiency and helped create a unique product, Max Polyakov says in his scientific work.

One of the best examples is Wikipedia. The project lacked resources for advertising, and even a business model. Thousands and even millions of participants connected to the Internet took part in the process of adding information to the encyclopedia. As a result, Wikipedia became one of the most visited sites in the world.

Most sophisticated example is the AirBnB rental network. The founders of the service connect all those who rent out housing and who want to rent it. Thus customers have created their own content and advertise the AirBnB business.

Crowdsourcing is an effective process of interaction between society and technology. It helps solve the most complex tasks by spending less and attracting whole continents to cooperate. Often such projects use the principles of gamification. This is borrowed from games, which try to involve participants in the deep levels of the research or business process. Gamification works mostly with young audiences that have been using computers since childhood and hanging out in games all the time. Gamers can literally rise businesses to the top of the market. “And it applies not only to the entertainment industry but also serious scientific research, where for example participants decode the human genome or trying to find new variants of protein synthesis,” Max Polyakov clarifies in his scientific work.

Low cost of does not mean unprofessionalism. Participants can be highly educated and curious. Furthermore, such projects can have people as business consultants, engineers, writers, designers and scientists.

Сrowdsourcing can be extremely effective to improve the brand of a company and increase the involvement of their customers. In his research Max Polyakov argues that companies will be able to accumulate ideas, opinions, strategies, new employees and become closer to their clients. These ideas were proven by cases like MacDonald’s, Starbucks, SAS and others. Certainly, the future lies behind common decisions and teamwork.

HP DreamColor Z27X G2 Studio Monitor Review

Riley Young/Digital Trends

What do 80 percent of Academy Award-nominated visual effects have in common? According to HP, they use a DreamColor display. HP even won an award in 2015 from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science for its professional-grade display technology.

But how good is it, really? To find out, we took HP’s new, second-generation DreamColor monitor for a spin, and let our in-house video team see what difference it made. It didn’t win us any Academy Awards, but its color precision impressed.

Don’t judge a book by its cover

The HP DreamColor Z27X G2 doesn’t look all that special. If anything, it seems a bit outdated, with thick bezels, a heavy posterior, and pronounced menu buttons. It’s not ultrawide, curved, or even 4K. But unlike most monitors that lean on those newer trends, every feature of the DreamColor Z27X is included primarily on the suggestion of the animators and videographers that make up its target audience.

That’s right — with the second-generation of the DreamColor, HP actually spoke with the people that used its product for serious work and brought a lot of those requested features into its newest version. Some of these will be more specific than the average person will know what to do with, including integrated workflow tools like a built-in KVM switcher, an adjustable refresh rate, and an assortment of markers and masks for live video broadcasting.

Even against monitors like the Samsung CF791 or the BenQ PD3200U, the DreamColor Z27X G2 Studio dominates.

One of the most useful features is the built-in calibration tool, which is packed into the bump in the top bezel of the screen. You can schedule to automate the calibration to happen whenever’s most convenient for you, and then put it on a routine maintenance schedule. That’s one less thing to distract you from your work, our video team that particularly helpful on a daily basis.

HP also threw in niceties like a single-cord Thunderbolt 3 connection and a sturdier VESA mounting bracket. These make it easier to integrate the monitor into your current setup, regardless of the other tech you use.

Color that hits the mark

None of the bells and whistles matter, of course, if the display quality doesn’t hold up.

The DreamColor Z27X G2 Studio is a 27-inch, 2,560 x 1440 matte display with a 16:9 aspect ratio. But more importantly, its display performance is great — especially in color gamut. Colors are vivid and vibrant, showing 100 percent of the sRGB color scale and 99 percent of the AdobeRGB scale. Even against monitors like the Samsung CF791 or the BenQ PD3200U, the DreamColor dominates. That is particularly important for photographers, animators, and videographers, and our video team noticed the vivid colors right off the bat.

Using a third-party calibration tool, we brought the average color error down to an impressive 0.95.

On the other hand, we felt that an average color error of 2.81 was a bit high for a monitor like this. Using a third-party calibration tool, we brought that down to an impressive 0.95, which is closer to what we expected. HP obviously assumes that people spending $2,000 on a professional-grade monitor will calibrate it, though we still would have liked to see better accuracy right out of the box.

The DreamColor isn’t all the bright, reaching a maximum of just 220 nits. That’s low, even compared to monitors a quarter the price — and it’s something our video team noticed working in our brightly lit office. Clearly, HP thinks that videographers will be using this monitor in a darkened room.

Know what you’re getting into

If it isn’t painfully clear by now, the DreamColor Z27X is not a display we’d recommend to the average buyer — or even the average professional. If you are gamer, you’ll want something with a higher refresh rate. If you want something for watching media, you’ll probably want a brighter, 4K screen. Even if you’re professional photographer, you can probably find something far cheaper that still has an accurate display.

But if you fit into the niche group of people who need a tool tailor-made for visual arts, the DreamColor is a monitor crafted for exactly what you do. Who knows? Maybe you’ll win an Academy Award.

Editors’ Recommendations

• BenQ EX3501R ultrawide monitor review
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• The best monitor you can buy
• The best monitors for photo editing
• The best ultrawide monitors of 2018

Best Samsung Galaxy S9 Accessories

Keep your Samsung Galaxy S9 protected and functional with these great accessories!

The Samsung Galaxy S9 is another outstanding phone released in 2018 — if you own one you know how fast and capable this phone is.

Whether you’ve already got one in your pocket, or you’re still debating whether to upgrade to the S9, you should also think about investing in some quality accessories to keep your phone in mint condition and improve the storage capabilities and battery life.

Here are the best accessories for the Galaxy S9.

• Samsung Alcantara Cover
• Spigen Rugged Armor Case
• Whitestone Dome Glass Tempered Glass Screen Protector
• Samsung Gear VR
• Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Charging Convertible Stand
• Anker PowerCore+ 26,800 mAh battery pack
• Samsung microSD EVO+ 256GB

Samsung Alcantara Cover

Samsung is one of the few phone makers that really does a great job of supporting their own devices with a solid line of cases. We’ve featured a number of Samsung’s cases in our round up of the best cases for the Galaxy S9, but we’ve highlighted the Alcantara Cover here because it was a fantastic option for the Note 8 and should be equally stellar with the S9.

Alcantara is a lightweight material that’s as rugged as the plastic and rubber cases, but offers a very unique look and feel that compliments Samsung’s tall devices. This case deftly covers the edges of the screen but leaves the bottom open for the charging port, headphone jack, and speaker. Get your from Amazon starting at just $27.45.

See at Amazon

Spigen Rugged Armor Case

There’s going to be a ton of third-party case options for the Galaxy S9, but for our money you won’t find a better value than the slim Rugged Armor case from Spigen.

Made of flexible TPU, this case offers a precisely designed shell to keep your S9 protected without adding unnecessary bulk. It’s thin enough to allow wireless charging while still protecting the camera and fingerprint sensor on the back and prevents the display from sitting flush on a table. Get this minimalist case for $12 on Amazon.

See at Amazon

Whitestone Dome Glass Tempered Glass Screen Protector

Not all screen protectors are created equal. If you’re afraid of damaging the Galaxy S9’s curved screen, you should consider the Whitestone Dome Glass screen protector.

This brand burst onto the scene with the Galaxy S8, offering the best coverage with a tempered glass screen protector we’ve seen. Using a unique liquid adhesion technique that involves uses a UV curing light to ensure a perfect installation.

Now, the downside is the price. At $45, it’s by far the most expensive screen protector you can buy, but it’s a well-reviewed screen protector that’s backed by a limited lifetime warranty. If you’re concerned about protecting your phone around those curved edges, this is the screen protector you want.

See at Amazon

Samsung Gear VR

While mobile-powered VR is not as flashy as the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, you’d be remiss to ignore just how awesome the Samsung Gear VR is with the latest Samsung phones. Last year’s updated version of the Samsung Gear VR will work excellently with the Galaxy S9 and is available for just $110 on Amazon.

Powered by Oculus technology, the Gear VR (2017) comes with a fantastic touch controller that will let you interact and play with a ton of great games via the Oculus app. If you’re debating between upgrading your phone or investing in virtual reality this year, get the Gear VR along with your Galaxy S9 and settle that debate the right way.

See at Amazon

Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Charging Convertible Stand

If you’ve got the option to wirelessly charge your phone, you may as well take full advantage, right? Any true Samsung fan will love the design of this convertible wireless charging pad. Made by Samsung, this pad supports Fast Charge technology (of course) and ships with its won Samsung Fast Charge wall adapter — and you can never have enough of those.

Regularly sold for up to $90, you can snag one of these bad boys for $40 on Amazon.

See at Amazon

Anker PowerCore+ 26,800mAh Battery Pack

It’s always a smart idea to back up your new phone with an extra boost of juice, and there are few better battery packs than Anker’s PowerCore+.

Anker has packed in 26,000mAh into a sleek package that’s small enough to easy stash in a backpack or even slip in your pants pocket. it features three USB ports so you can charge multiple devices at one time. Featuring

Get yours for roughly $70.

See at Amazon

Samsung microSD EVO+ 256GB

The Galaxy S9 has carried on Samsung’s tradition of allowing expandable storage via microSD, so why not take advantage? You can get Samsung’s 128GB card for just $38 or go all out with the 256GB card for $97. Both cards feature read speeds up to 95MB/s and write speeds up to 90MB/s, meaning they will be able to handle whatever you throw at it.

Whichever you go with, you can be sure that it’ll give you all the storage space you desire so you never have to delete photos and videos.

See at Amazon

What accessories will you be getting?

What must-have accessories are at the top of your list when you’re buying a new phone such as the Galaxy S9? Let us know in the comments!

Update July 29, 2018: Lots of price drops across all our picks! These are still the best accessories for the Samsung Galaxy S9.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

• Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!
• Galaxy S9 review: A great phone for the masses
• Complete Galaxy S9 and S9+ specs
• Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S8: Should you upgrade?
• Join our Galaxy S9 forums

Amazon
Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint

Become an Excel whiz with this bundle of training courses!

Microsoft’s Excel, the spreadsheet tool in its Office suite, has an incredible amount of depth that most people never touch. Figures and graphs are what Excel is usually used for, but there’s so much more potential if you have the correct knowledge.

Master Microsoft Excel for just $39! Learn more

Whether it’s PivotTables, Pivot Charts, macros, or powerful formulas, in-depth Excel training to automate spreadsheets and solve complex problems can be quite expensive. There’s a lot of content to cover, and there are many questions to answer.

If you’re interested in extensive spreadsheet training, Android Central right now has a Microsoft Excel course that includes over 28 hours of content spread over nine courses. Instead of paying the regular price of $1,066, you’ll instead pay just $49. That’s 96 percent off the regular price!

Use code DIGITALWEEK50 for an extra 50% off — you pay just $24.50 Learn more

Access to this course remains open forever, so even if you don’t have the time at this moment, you can jump in whenever you’d like. At just $49 for extensive Excel training, how can you go wrong?

The Philips Hue smart dimming kit has dropped to $28 right now

Easy dimming.

The Philips Hue smart dimming kit is down to $27.98 on Amazon. This is a price we haven’t seen on this kit since August last year. It usually sells for $35 and only drops to around $32 when it drops at all.

This kit is a simple way to get into smart dimming. It comes with the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch and one compatible light bulb. The switch can control up to ten lights wirelessly if you decide to expand it. The switch itself is battery-powered and wireless too, so you can adhere it wherever you please without the struggles that come with wiring other dimmer switches.

With the Hue Bridge (sold separately), you can connect up to 50 lights and 10 dimmer switches together for total home lighting automation. But for anyone without a massive home or someone who needs just a handful of lights to work together, the dimmer switch will work great all on its own. Users give it 4.5 out of 5-star ranking on Amazon.

See on Amazon

Leaked Images Depict 6.5-inch ‘iPhone X Plus’ and 6.1-inch LCD iPhone Dummy Units

Serial mobile leaker Benjamin Geskin today shared images depicting what he claims are dummy units of Apple’s upcoming 6.5-inch “iPhone X Plus” and mid-tier 6.1-inch LCD iPhone.

Images of iPhone dummy units have become something of an annual tradition in the rumor mill and these pictures come at the expected time in the yearly iPhone cycle, just a couple of months ahead of Apple’s usual September-October launch timeframe.

2018 iPhone X Plus (6.5-inch) and iPhone (6.1-inch) Dummy Models. pic.twitter.com/QrgkT6u0vS

— Ben Geskin (@VenyaGeskin1) July 29, 2018

Dummy units are usually based on chassis design schematics sourced from the Chinese supply chain, and like previous years, these images conform with details we already know.

Apple is expected to launch two flagship OLED iPhones this year that measure in at 5.8 and 6.5 inches. The latter model shown in the leaked images features the same vertically oriented dual-lens rear camera as the current iPhone X. One uncorroborated report claimed the 6.5-inch iPhone will use a triple-lens camera setup, but that’s actually something that’s been rumored for the 2019 iPhone lineup.

Apple is also expected to debut a lower-cost 6.1-inch device that features an LCD display to keep the price tag more affordable. As predicted, the 6.1-inch dummy unit in the images has slightly larger bezels to accommodate the lower-spec LCD panel.

As a mid-range device, the 6.1-inch model will feature some iPhone X features including Face ID, but Apple is planning to make other compromises apart from the screen to keep the cost down. The single-lens rear camera shown in the images is the most obvious of these. Apple is also believed to be using aluminum for the frame of the 6.1-inch device instead of steel.

While the current iPhone X is limited to Space Gray and Silver, well-connected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the next-generation iPhone X models will be available in Black, White, and Gold. The 6.1-inch model however could come in a wide array of colors, including red, blue, orange, gray, and white.

Kuo believes the 6.1-inch LCD device will be priced at around the $700 to $800 mark, similar to the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus. RBC Capital Markets analyst Amit Daryanani believes Apple will sell the iPhone X Plus at $999, the price of the current iPhone X, while the next-generation iPhone X could sell for $899.

Related Roundup: 2018 iPhonesTag: Ben Geskin
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G-Sync vs. FreeSync

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

If you’ve ever experienced screen tearing in a PC game, you know how annoying it can be. An otherwise perfectly-rendered title totally ruined by gross horizontal lines and stuttering. You can turn on V-Sync, but if you don’t have a high-end system, it can put a huge dent in your performance.

Both Nvidia and AMD have stepped up to try and solve the issue while preserving framerates, and both manufacturers have turned to adaptive refresh technology for the solution. But let’s break it down to show which is a better option for you.

Performance

G-Sync and FreeSync are both designed to smooth out gameplay, reduce input lag, and prevent screen tearing. They have different methods for accomplishing these goals, but what really sets them apart is that one is closely guarded, and the other is openly shared. While Nvidia’s G-Sync is enabled by including a chip in the construction of the monitor, FreeSync uses the video card’s functionality to manage the refresh rate of the monitor using the Adaptive Sync standard built into the DisplayPort standard.

The result is a difference in performance.

Users have noted that although tearing and stuttering are reduced with FreeSync enabled, some monitors exhibit another problem: Ghosting. As objects move on the screen, they leave behind a bit of the image of their last position like a shadow. It’s an artifact that some people don’t notice at all, and really annoys others.

There are a lot of fingers being pointed at what might be causing it, but the physical reason for it is power management. If you don’t apply enough power to the pixels, your image will have gaps in it, too much power, and you’ll see ghosting. It’s hard to balance the adaptive refresh technology with proper power distribution.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Both FreeSync and G-Sync also start to suffer when the framerate isn’t consistently syncing within the monitor’s refresh range. G-Sync can show problems with flickering at very low framerates, and while the technology usually compensates to fix it, there are exceptions. FreeSync, meanwhile, has stuttering problems if framerate drops below a monitor’s stated minimum refresh rate. Some FreeSync monitors have an extremely narrow adaptive refresh range, and if your video card can’t deliver frames within that range, problems arise.

Most reviewers who’ve compared the two side-by-side seem to prefer the quality of G-Sync, which does not show stutter issues at low framerates, and thus smoother in real-world situations.

Selection

One of the first differences you’ll hear people talk about when it comes to adaptive refresh technology, besides the general rivalry between AMD and Nvidia, is the difference between a closed and an open standard. While G-Sync is proprietary Nvidia technology, and requires the company’s permission and cooperation to use, FreeSync is free to use, and implementing it is a goal of the program, not a way to make money. Thus, there are more monitors available with FreeSync support.

On the other hand, G-Sync has been around longer, and it’s also managed by Nvidia, the current leader in GPU manufacturing. That may prevent AMD’s lead in compatible monitors from extending, but right now it still has the upper hand.

Either way, you can’t mix and match between the two technologies. While the monitors themselves will work irrespective of the brand of graphics card, the FreeSync and G-Sync features specifically require a same-brand GPU.  You have to choose whether you want to go with Nvidia or AMD, and then purchase a monitor and GPU accordingly.

If you go the Nvidia route, the module in the monitor is going to handle a lot of the heavy lifting involved in adjusting the refresh rate. That’s going to be reflected in the price you pay for the monitor, since each manufacturer has to pay Nvidia for the hardware. The upside is that the technology has been readily available since early 2014, so it’s available in monitors as cheap as $350, like the Acer Predator XB241H.

The G-Sync module also does most of the heavy lifting, so as long as your monitor is compatible, you can use lower end cards. Nvidia lists the compatible options, which range from the Titan X and 1080 Ti all the way down the 1050, which retails for as little as $150.

Asus
Asus

You won’t end up paying much extra for a monitor with FreeSync. There’s no premium to the manufacturer to include it, unlike G-Sync. As such, FreeSync in the mid hundreds frequently come with a 1440p display and a 144Hz refresh rate (where there G-Sync counterparts might not), and monitors without those features can run as low as $160.

You’ll also need a card that supports FreeSync. As with G-Sync, you have the option of purchasing an Nvidia card AMD offers cards at many different price points, from their top-of-the-line RX Vega 64, retailing at almost $900, all the way down to their RX 400 series, and all are FreeSync capable.  For $100, you can install an Rx 460, and AMD even manufactures processors with integrated graphics that support FreeSync.

Conclusion

Without any other components, you should expect to spend at least $500 on a G-Sync compatible monitor and graphics card, more if you want to step up to a graphics card that can actually handle 4K gaming. For a little more than $400, you can get into the base level of FreeSync’s compatibility, with the aforementioned VG245H and a card like the Radeon RX 550 that will squeeze out 1080p gaming with decent performance.  The good news with AMD is that, up to the RX 580 (which is a great card for 1440p gaming), price points are comparable to Nvidia cards.  That means you’ll be able to get an equally powerful GPU without the G-Sync premium.

Given the price gap, you might wonder why anyone would prefer G-Sync. The answer is simple — it’s superior. Nvidia’s adaptive refresh technology just delivers more consistent overall performance. It’s also worth noting that, when it comes to high performance and 4K gaming, Nvidia video cards are currently the performance king. Going with FreeSync, and thus buying an AMD Radeon card, might mean purchasing hardware that delivers less bang for your buck.

Ultimately, both of these technologies largely accomplish their goals and deliver an experience that’s superior to V-Sync. Your choice will depend on whether you prefer value or a top-notch gaming experience.

Editors’ Recommendations

• What is G-Sync? If you’re a gaming fan, you’ll want to know
• Samsung 2018 QLED TVs update adds FreeSync, but limits refresh rates
• The best gaming monitors
• Asus ROG Swift PG279Q review
• The best ultrawide monitors of 2018

Pokémon Go vs. Ghostbusters World: Which should you play this fall?

Pick your favorite franchise and go crazy

With the release of Ghostbuster World just around the corner, you may be wondering what game you should devote your time to Pokémon Go or Ghostbusters World, after all, there is only so much outdoor video gaming you can do in a day isn’t there? Having played an early build of Ghostbusters at Comic-Con this week we thought we would take the time to lay out the similarities and differences in the games to help you choose what’s right for you.

An Overview

Pokémon Go is a real-world based mobile game where you walk the world collecting Pokémon, battling in raids, collecting stuff from Pokestops, small digital signposts based on real-world landmarks, and trading and sharing with friends as you play. There is obviously a lot more to the game which will get into in moment but that is the gist of it. Its popularity stems from the nostalgia of the Pokémon franchise, as well as the health benefits of walking around to hatch eggs.

Ghostbusters is a real-world mobile game but this time you get to battle ghosts from the original movie franchise as well as the games, cartoons and comic books that make up the lore. While feeling very similar to Pokémon Go in some ways, essentially they are both “Catch a thing in AR” games, they are some very clear differences that may make people who didn’t enjoy Pokémon Go think about playing Ghostbusters.

The Game Map

Ghostbusters has a world map that is plugged directly into Google Maps new Gaming APIs giving the game a very high degree of accuracy, so high in fact it can use the 3D models from Google Maps to show the buildings around you. This adds quite a lot of immersion to the game as well, making you physically move around buildings to find the ghosts that inhabit the world before you can engage them.

Pokémon Go, on the other hand, uses a flat map that, although it does show you the streets and outlines of buildings, does let the Pokémon spawn anywhere on that map, including in lakes and rivers. The flatness does help with seeing large areas however and it is nice to see to see Pokestops and Gyms off in the distance, giving you a goal to reach. Pokémon Go also has the added bonus of weather effects which mirror the real world, so if it is raining in your town, it’s raining in Pokémon Go too. Not only does this add bonuses to your Pokémon but it adds a really immersive touch to an otherwise fairly mundane map.

Augmented Reality

The use of augmented reality is sometimes considered a gimmick but with games that are based out in the real world, they make you feel a part of the game in such a unique way. In Pokémon Go, the AR allows you to see the Pokémon you are trying to catch in the world around you but without any true interaction. Pokémon Go has been around for a while now, before the release of ARCore so the Pokémon seem to float in space as opposed to being connected to their surroundings. This may change however as Niantic, the makers of Pokémon Go, have recently been working on some awesome occlusion technology that will incorporate real-world objects into AR with more realism than ever before.

Ghostbusters World is built from the ground up with Google’s ARCore and Apple’s ARKit in mind. Before you start any battle with a ghost you scan the world with a PKE meter. This is just a fancy way of allowing the camera to detect the floor, but it fits so perfectly within the framework of the game it made me chuckle each time I did it. Because of the more advanced AR technology, the ghosts feel, ironically, more tethered to the real world. When you the ghosts fly around they never sink under the floor and they cast a glow on it as they fly over. Even the trap, when you roll it out runs along the floor in a convincing way adding depth to the game. When you play the games side by side you can really see the advancements using ARcore and ARkit have brought to these types of games.

Portals/Pokestops

Real-World games need something visible in the real world for a player to go to and interact with. In Pokémon Go, they use Pokestops and gyms that have been created using Niantics other game, Ingress, portal data. These portals were added by players when the game first came out and was used to populate both games with that physical link the Land of the Real. The Pokestop and gym system works very well in my eyes, especially as they give me points to walk to, creating a healthy goal as I play. I use the Pokestops to map out my walks through my town to maximize both my walking and my Pokemoning.

Ghostbusters World offers portals as well though I’m unsure where they are going to get the data to have them widespread around the physical world, after all, they don’t access to Niantics data. I wonder if the Google Maps API offer information on local landmarks that might be used to create the portals. Dimension Portals will be even more important in GBW as the missions actually involve moving to the doors to complete them. With no step tracking, it feels less likely that I will walk between stops for missions, after all, I can drive around and complete more missions quicker right? I think I will exercise less with Ghostbusters.

Combat

Let’s face it, combat in Pokémon Go is pretty stale. You spin a ball and throw it at a Pokémon and hope to catch it. Even the gyms are the barest minimum of combat compared to the game it is based on. I’m sure I’m not the only person who had hoped for a more well-rounded combat system but we got what we got and we put up with it.

Combat in Ghostbusters World is a little more in depth, you actually get to choose weapons that are best suited to the ghost you fight as well as being able to counter there attacks and use special attacks to reduce their stamina. This makes capturing a ghost feel a lot more satisfying, even sliding the trap out and pulling the ghost in, takes timing and a little work to accomplish. Then there is PvP. Though I didn’t get a chance to play with the PvP in my hands-on the developer did say that we would be fighting each other using ghosts we have caught in the game, which sounds like a whole heap of fun to be had in a group while waiting for the Raids.

More: Hands-on with Ghostbusters World

Raids

Ghostbusters Worlds raids are going to be a lot of fun. While Pokémon Go raids are enjoyable to meet a group of like-minded people to take down a big bad there is little in the way of actual teamwork needed, a quick chat about what Pokémon types to use and you are good to go. The actual Raid itself is no different to the normal gym battle, it just has more people.

Ghostbusters raid, on the other hand, feels more like a boss fight in a video game —There are separate attack phases and little marshmallow people attack you! —and communication will be key. By actually talking to the people you raid with you can coordinate attack and defense to take down whichever terrible ghosts they use to terrorize your neighborhood, and they actually do terrorize your neighborhood, you have to chase them around to fight them.

So which should you play?

Now remember I have been playing Pokémon Go from day ne and have only spent an hour on Ghostbusters World but for my money, I think Pokémon Go may become relegated to special event days and signing in to get my streaks once a day when Ghostbusters World hits the Play store. I really enjoyed my time with it and it just feels more like a full game rather than a step counter with some game mechanics.

Maybe the nostalgia of Ghostbusters is stronger for me than the nostalgia of Pokémon but I think I want to be the one you’re gonna call, rather than be the one who catches them all.

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