Xbox One X/S will support AMD FreeSync and 1440p resolution in upcoming update

Gamers who own the Xbox One X and Xbox One S will soon be able to benefit from the FreeSync technology from AMD. It is supposed to be included in an upcoming update, although the exact date of that particular update's release is yet to be announced. Meanwhile, the latest update for the console is expected to include support for 1,440p gaming.

Displays compatible with FreeSync will have the added visual benefit of lesser tearing and stuttering when playing with gaming monitors. This is because AMD's FreeSync technology allows the monitors to set their refresh rate in sync with the Microsoft console. The innovation is somewhat similar to Nvidia's G-Sync.

Both these technologies are already available for PC gamers, and so the addition of 1,440p will set an experience not unlike those provided by powerful gaming PCs.

G-Sync and FreeSync are likely successors of a video rendering technique called Vsync or "virtual synchronization." Video cards with Vsync are able to set games' refresh rate to a predetermined frame rate, usually the default refresh rate of the monitor. The result is video output that is smoother and provides less stuttering. However, it should be noted that some machines with less power cannot afford to run some games at a fixed refresh rate, so some users sacrifice this smoothing feature and turn it off to gain more performance.

Vsync has not been adopted into consoles before, and so it is expected that FreeSync will provide Xbox One S and Xbox One X games with a much smoother gameplay experience with tearing reduced or even eliminated.

Meanwhile, Microsoft also plans to add a "low-latency" mode on future gaming displays. These TVs will detect if a game is being played, and will switch to low-latency mode if so. This automatic switching is particularly useful for Xbox owners who use their consoles for both gaming and video streaming (via Netflix, for example).

News
Almost half of UK adults plan to attend church this Christmas, new poll finds
Almost half of UK adults plan to attend church this Christmas, new poll finds

Churches across the UK are expecting fuller pews this Christmas, as new research suggests a significant rise in the number of people planning to attend services and church-run events over the festive season.

ACNA panel recommends archbishop stand trial
ACNA panel recommends archbishop stand trial

The Board of Inquiry issued a short statement on Friday stating that there was “probable cause to present” ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood “for trial for violation of Canon 2 of this Title.”

Controversial US bishop to give BBC Christmas message
Controversial US bishop to give BBC Christmas message

The BBC has invited Bishop Mariann Budde, the US bishop who challenged President Donald Trump at an inauguration service in January, to give a Christmas message.

Australian church leaders stand in solidarity with Jewish community after Bondi Beach terrorist attack
Australian church leaders stand in solidarity with Jewish community after Bondi Beach terrorist attack

Christian leaders in Australia have expressed their solidarity with the country's grief-stricken Jewish community after a deadly terrorist attack on Bondi Beach in Sydney on Sunday night.