There are now first rumors about the new Radeon RX 7000. But instead of a new graphics card, AMD needs a technology that Nvidia has been offering for a long time, says MeinMMO author Benedikt Schlotmann.

The AMD rumor now suggests that the new “Radeon RX 7000” graphics cards are supposed to provide significantly more performance than the current high-end models such as the RX 6900 XT or the RTX 3080/90 from Nvidia. At least that is reported by a well-known leaker (via GameStar.de).

But instead of a new powerful graphics card, interested graphics card buyers mainly need a DLSS alternative. Because Nvidia is still ahead of AMD here, thanks to the successful technology DLSS.

And this technology is so good and offers such added value that I wish for such a technology for AMD graphics cards in the long term as well.

For me, it is clear: If AMD wants to become a real competitor to Nvidia in the graphics card sector again, they need the DLSS feature.

Nvidia’s DLSS offers a significant performance boost for graphics cards

What is DLSS anyway? With Nvidia DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), the game is calculated internally at a lower resolution and scaled up to a higher resolution such as 4K using a AI algorithm to increase the FPS.

With the upgrade to DLSS 2.0, the technology has experienced an enormous boost. Our colleagues at GameStar are quite taken with the advantage (via GameStar.de)

What does DLSS bring? With DLSS, there is a simple way to significantly increase the FPS while maintaining quality. This is especially helpful when the graphics card is already heavily loaded. With the RTX 3060, the performance gain is up to 30%.

You can see how big the performance differences are in this YouTube video, for example. The gain is sometimes 20 – 30 FPS:

DLSS is especially worthwhile when high resolutions are to be reached, while the frame rate is below 60 FPS.

Even when very high FPS are wanted for competitive gaming or fast monitors, it is worth turning on DLSS.

Laptops with RTX graphics cards also benefit from DLSS. Because the mobile graphics chips are weaker than the desktop graphics cards.

That’s why DLSS is an important factor: This additional performance gain is especially important for gamers interested in ray tracing.

Ray tracing makes shadows and lighting look much more realistic. However, the technology also requires accordingly more performance from the graphics card. Here, DLSS can compensate for the performance loss due to ray tracing. For example, an RTX 3060 or an RTX 3060 Ti benefits from this.

DLSS is also important for the future, as more games want to support this ray tracing, making the technology increasingly relevant in the long term. With Nvidia, you already get DLSS and ray tracing support with the smallest RTX 3000 graphics card (RTX 3060).

Gamers benefit without ray tracing: Even games without ray tracing achieve significantly higher FPS with DLSS than without:

• Outriders does not offer ray tracing, but players benefit greatly from the DLSS feature (via GameStar.de)
• Some players use the advantage of DLSS in CoD Warzone to benefit from higher FPS.

Additionally, DLSS is already supported by some game engines. Nvidia had released a plugin for the Unreal Engine, allowing any developer to integrate DLSS into their game (via GameStar.de).

The Unity Engine is also expected to receive DLSS soon (via GameStar.de). Games like Valheim or Fall Guys, which are based on it, will benefit from this.

AMD has introduced an alternative – release date unknown

What is AMD’s solution? AMD wants to offer a similar technology with FidelityFX Super Resolution to close a gap. Because so far, buyers interested in ray tracing performance and DLSS have to purchase an RTX graphics card.

FidelityFX Super Resolution is supposed to support more than 40 games, including World of Warcraft: Shadowlands.

When is FidelityFX Super Resolution coming? AMD stated a few months ago that FidelityFX Super Resolution will likely not arrive until the end of 2021 (via GameStar.de). Therefore, there is still no official release date for the feature.

Additionally, we currently do not know how powerful AMD’s DLSS alternative really is. So far, there are no independent tests or benchmarks that provide reliable data.

That’s why this is important for AMD: In the combination of DLSS and ray tracing, Nvidia is currently unmatched. Anyone who wants to use ray tracing to its full extent currently cannot avoid Nvidia.

However, if AMD can provide a corresponding alternative that can convince gamers, then interested buyers will indeed have alternatives on the market. Already with the RX 6800 (XT) or the RX 6700 X, AMD has shown that it is competitive in the graphics card sector. Because AMD’s success in the hardware market is therefore particularly beneficial for PC gamers:

• AMD is again offering GPUs in the high-end range, giving interested parties more options.
• The success of AMD means competition for Nvidia again. This should also lead to falling prices in the long term.

In the processor market, AMD is already putting pressure on competitor Intel. Sales data, for example on Amazon, show how in demand Ryzen processors are currently. If AMD manages to find a strong solution for ray tracing, then two brands would again compete for dominance in the graphics card sector. This would certainly be good for gaming hardware.

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The constant sitting in the home office and gaming is causing problems for the body. MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann has now bought a seat cushion for 40 euros that makes his everyday life in the home office and while gaming much easier. He reports from his practical test of the orthopedic seat cushion from Feela.

This is my situation: Due to Corona, many users are turning to gaming in their free time and spending even more time in front of the PC at work than usual. For me, my entire day is also spent at or near the desk due to Corona. I enjoy working and gaming on my desktop computer and also spend a lot of time at the desk when I read.

This means that on particularly long days, I sit in one place for almost 12 hours. And that has taken its toll after some time: I had severe pain in my hips and back, could no longer sit and had to lie down a lot. In a lying position, I could neither work properly nor play a few rounds in the evening – but over the long term, that’s not a solution.

My doctor recommended rest, sports, and a better work situation so that my hips and back would be less strained. Additionally, I was advised to see a physiotherapist.

But I wanted to tackle the situation with my workplace immediately.

This is how I proceeded: I had mainly two ideas to improve my work situation:

• Either I invest in a new height-adjustable desk. Then I can work standing and relieve my body. 
• Alternatively, I look for a better seat to at least find some relief.

A height-adjustable desk quickly costs over 350 euros. In the area of seat cushions, the prices are somewhat more reasonable. They start at 15 euros and go up to about 50 euros. At 50 euros, I found my pain threshold: The cushion is currently a better option for me than buying a new desk right away. Unfortunately, height-adjustable desks are not cheap and tend to cost 350 euros or more.

Last year, as a freelancer, I couldn’t advance extensive funds for an expensive desk or a good office chair. Since I take my time for expensive purchases, I needed a quick interim solution. For about 40 euros, the cushion was just right for me. Meanwhile, I can also apply for purchases for the workplace from my employer.

A desk for 450 euros that aims to solve your desk problems has already been presented to you on MeinMMO.

I felt better immediately with a new cushion

This is the product I chose: After some searching, I decided on the orthopedic cushion from the German manufacturer Feela. It currently costs 39.99 euros. This cushion has significantly eased my working day with immediate effect.

These are the advantages: Inside the cushion, there is viscoelastic polyurethane. This is a material that can adapt to pressure. When I sit on the cushion, the material adapts to my buttocks.

The cover of the cushion can be removed and is washable. The cushion is also equipped with an anti-slip surface. This allows me to use the cushion on very smooth surfaces without it sliding around.

The cushion is available in three different firmness levels for different body weights:

• Hard: 80 – 130 kg
• Medium: 60 – 100 kg
• Soft: 50 – 80 kg

I chose the soft variant, which corresponds to my weight.  

The cushion also offers a cutout for the tailbone. This is a bone that continues the spine. The cutout prevents the bone from resting directly on the hard chair, which is very comfortable.

Here are the disadvantages:

• The cushion is quite hard even at the softest firmness level. While I sit extremely comfortably on my cushion, my girlfriend, who has a similar body weight, finds the cushion at the lowest firmness level already too hard and uncomfortable.
• The cover of the cushion attracts lint. Pet hair and lint accumulate on the cover after some time. This is somewhat annoying in the long run but does not diminish the seating quality.
• There is no real transport option for the cushion. If you want to take the cushion with you, for example, to use it on the tram or store it otherwise, there is no viable option here.
• Although the cushion has a carrying strap, there is no bag for storage. I have to keep the cardboard box to be able to pack the cushion every time.

This is why I bought the cushion: Since I sit a lot and regularly at the desk, I needed an improvement in my everyday life. Personally, the seat cushion has made my daily life easier because I no longer sit stiffly in front of the desk and no longer have a hard seating surface under me.

With the cushion, I can now sit at the desk for several hours in a row without my hips hurting badly. Instead of sitting stiffly at my workstation, my cushion encourages me to move on the seat and reposition myself regularly. This way, I can once again game and work without my butt complaining about it.

An alternative to the seat cushion would be a professional office chair like from Herman Miller, which MeinMMO had in the editorial office and could test for you:

More on the topic

Aeron Chair “Gaming Edition” in Review – What can the 1,500-Euro Chair do?

von Leya Jankowski

However, the product does not replace physiotherapeutic treatment. If you have severe back problems, be sure to see a doctor and get advice before purchasing a cushion or other medical products. Because depending on the problems, such a product can lead to larger issues. 

Another recommended investment for my workplace was a desk lamp for 30 euros. In this article, you can find out why the lamp is also among the things I recommend for the home office.

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For 129 €, there is the BenQ ScreenBar Plus, an LED desk lamp with an elegant design that attaches to the monitor. But who should buy a lamp for such a high price? We at MeinMMO examined the product in a long-term test over 6 months.

This is the idea of the ScreenBar Plus: The ScreenBar Plus is about 45 cm long and made of aluminum alloy, attached to the monitor via a clip – similar to a webcam. On an Acer Predator XB270HU monitor (69 cm), the ScreenBar Plus occupies two-thirds of the space above the monitor and does not look out of place at all, but rather looks quite stylish and bathes the area beneath it in either cool or warm light.

A cable runs from the ScreenBar, which splits into two further cables:

• A USB cable about 70 cm long connects to the computer, which serves as the power source
• The other cable connects to the control element of the device: The “Desktop Dial” is a round device that can be placed on the desk. This is used to turn the lamp on, adjust the warmth and brightness of the light, or leave the decision to an automatic sensor

The 3 advantages of the BenQ ScreenBar Plus compared to a regular lamp

The idea of the ScreenBar is to offer the user three advantages compared to a regular desk lamp:

• On one hand, the lamp takes no extra space on the desk and looks elegant and tidy
• The lamp also does not block the view of the screen, it cannot get in the way
• It does not create reflections on the screen that are perceived as annoying

The big promise of the lamp: Relief for the eyes

The essential promise of the BenQ ScreenBar Plus is to enable the best possible work at the monitor, excluding any impairment from suboptimal lighting.

The company advertises with the implicit promise: Actually, one should take regular breaks to protect the eyes while working. But top lighting also brings relief for the eyes.

This is how the ScreenBar Plus performs for a gamer

This is how the device performed in our practical test: We tested the BenQ ScreenBar Plus for 6 months.

The setup and mounting of the lamp are really child’s play. No tools or any specific knowledge is required. The lamp simply clips onto the monitor. The only obstacle can be a webcam that needs to be adjusted if the lamp takes up the space previously occupied by the webcam.

No software needs to be installed.

During our practical test, we experienced issues with the lamp only twice in 6 months. The USB cable was a bit loose: reconnecting the lamp ended the blinking of the warning function on the Desktop Dial.

The lamp can be adjusted within two parameters via the Desktop Dial:

• The light temperature ranges from a warm 2700K to a cool, almost sterile 6500K.
• The brightness of the lamp can be regulated in 8 levels.

The operation of the Desktop Dial is a bit unusual at first. Because to turn the lamp on, you need quite a bit of pressure on the control dial: “Just turning it on” isn’t possible.

I need my index finger and middle finger and have to apply concentrated pressure in the center of the dial for the monitor to light up. Adjusting the temperature and brightness is effortless. However, most of the time I trust the light intensity and temperature to the auto-sensor. It provides a pleasant, medium-cool light that allows me to work or game well.

Especially in text-heavy games that invite playing until half-past two in the morning, the ScreenBar Plus was used.

Who needs such an expensive lamp? I asked myself that at first as well. Because anyone who works a lot on the computer probably types blind and does not need lighting to see which keys he hits on the keyboard.

Those who work or play in daylight will not need the lamp anyway.

But indeed, the “eye protection” effect should not be underestimated. When I pursue my hobby, gaming, in an otherwise dark room and the monitor is the only light source, after a few hours my eyes are strained, and I notice it when I game late into the night, that I am no longer 16 and can’t handle it as easily anymore.

If I have a night gaming session and activate the lamp, I feel noticeably more rested in the morning. This is an effect that is difficult to measure, but eye care is an important topic for people who spend a lot of time at the computer, whether they are gaming or working.

During the 6 months, I never found the lamp disturbing or foreign. After just a few seconds, you no longer notice that something is different from usual; instead, you find it completely normal that there is now light where you would usually sit in the dark, unless some light effect in the game itself was going off.

For people who use a desk lamp and find the light from the lamp distracting, the BenQ ScreenBar Plus could indeed be a useful addition.

If someone has played without a lamp at night in the dark and suffers from feeling like they have been hit by a truck the next morning, they might consider buying the lamp. However, they need to discipline themselves to actually turn on the lamp when it gets dark. Because this impulse “light on” needs to be trained when you are used to gaming in the dark for years.

Ultimately, the lamp is a luxury item for gamers, just like a good keyboard, an ergonomic mouse, or a decadent gaming chair: But for the gamer who already has everything, it is an ideal gift. If necessary, also from oneself for oneself.

Is there a cheaper alternative to the ScreenBar Plus? Yes, there is. If you want a monitor lamp but do not want to spend 130 €, an E-reading lamp is a good choice.

MeinMMO author Benedikt Schlotmann has thoroughly tested the affordable alternative for the monitor lamp: For him, the bargain for 30 Euros is his most important gaming purchase in recent years.

The ScreenBar Plus from BenQ contributes to more pleasant gaming, especially when doing long sessions in MMOs. There are other gimmicks that help prevent typical issues faced by gamers, such as a special mouse:

Why a vertical mouse for 20€ was my best gaming purchase

The ScreenBar Plus was provided to us by BenQ for testing.

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