What do you prefer if you play on a mobile phone?Or do you not care?I do care, I prefer tap more. But I also understand that it may be less convenient for other people.

Editors note: This article, originally published on November 15, 2023, has been updated.To understand the latest advance in generative AI, imagine a courtroom.Judges hear and decide cases based on their general understanding of the law. Sometimes a case like a malpractice suit or a labor dispute requires special expertise, so judges send court clerks to a law library, looking for precedents and specific cases they can cite.Like a good judge, large language models (LLMs) can respond to a wide variety of human queries. But to deliver authoritative answers that cite sources, the model needs an assistant to do some research.The court clerk of AI is a process called retrieval-augmented generation, or RAG for short.How It Got Named RAGPatrick Lewis, lead author of the 2020 paper that coined the term, apologized for the unflattering acronym that now describes a growing family of methods across hundreds of papers and dozens of commercial services he believes represent the future of generative AI.Patrick LewisWe definitely would have put more thought into the name had we known our work would become so widespread, Lewis said in an interview from Singapore, where he was sharing his ideas with a regional conference of database developers.We always planned to have a nicer sounding name, but when it came time to write the paper, no one had a better idea, said Lewis, who now leads a RAG team at AI startup Cohere.So, What Is Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)?Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) is a technique for enhancing the accuracy and reliability of generative AI models with facts fetched from external sources.In other words, it fills a gap in how LLMs work. Under the hood, LLMs are neural networks, typically measured by how many parameters they contain. An LLMs parameters essentially represent the general patterns of how humans use words to form sentences.That deep understanding, sometimes called parameterized knowledge, makes LLMs useful in responding to general prompts at light speed. However, it does not serve users who want a deeper dive into a current or more specific topic.Combining Internal, External ResourcesLewis and colleagues developed retrieval-augmented generation to link generative AI services to external resources, especially ones rich in the latest technical details.The paper, with coauthors from the former Facebook AI Research (now Meta AI), University College London and New York University, called RAG a general-purpose fine-tuning recipe because it can be used by nearly any LLM to connect with practically any external resource.Building User TrustRetrieval-augmented generation gives models sources they can cite, like footnotes in a research paper, so users can check any claims. That builds trust.Whats more, the technique can help models clear up ambiguity in a user query. It also reduces the possibility a model will make a wrong guess, a phenomenon sometimes called hallucination.Another great advantage of RAG is its relatively easy. A blog by Lewis and three of the papers coauthors said developers can implement the process with as few as five lines of code.That makes the method faster and less expensive than retraining a model with additional datasets. And it lets users hot-swap new sources on the fly.How People Are Using RAGWith retrieval-augmented generation, users can essentially have conversations with data repositories, opening up new kinds of experiences. This means the applications for RAG could be multiple times the number of available datasets.For example, a generative AI model supplemented with a medical index could be a great assistant for a doctor or nurse. Financial analysts would benefit from an assistant linked to market data.In fact, almost any business can turn its technical or policy manuals, videos or logs into resources called knowledge bases that can enhance LLMs. These sources can enable use cases such as customer or field support, employee training and developer productivity.The broad potential is why companies including AWS, IBM, Glean, Google, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oracle and Pinecone are adopting RAG.Getting Started With Retrieval-Augmented GenerationTo help users get started, NVIDIA developed an AI Blueprint for building virtual assistants. Organizations can use this reference architecture to quickly scale their customer service operations with generative AI and RAG, or get started building a new customer-centric solution.The blueprint uses some of the latest AI-building methodologies and NVIDIA NeMo Retriever, a collection of easy-to-use NVIDIA NIM microservices for large-scale information retrieval. NIM eases the deployment of secure, high-performance AI model inferencing across clouds, data centers and workstations.These components are all part of NVIDIA AI Enterprise, a software platform that accelerates the development and deployment of production-ready AI with the security, support and stability businesses need.There is also a free hands-on NVIDIA LaunchPad lab for developing AI chatbots using RAG so developers and IT teams can quickly and accurately generate responses based on enterprise data.Getting the best performance for RAG workflows requires massive amounts of memory and compute to move and process data. The NVIDIA GH200 Grace Hopper Superchip, with its 288GB of fast HBM3e memory and 8 petaflops of compute, is ideal it can deliver a 150x speedup over using a CPU.Once companies get familiar with RAG, they can combine a variety of off-the-shelf or custom LLMs with internal or external knowledge bases to create a wide range of assistants that help their employees and customers.RAG doesnt require a data center. LLMs are debuting on Windows PCs, thanks to NVIDIA software that enables all sorts of applications users can access even on their laptops.An example application for RAG on a PC.PCs equipped with NVIDIA RTX GPUs can now run some AI models locally. By using RAG on a PC, users can link to a private knowledge source whether that be emails, notes or articles to improve responses. The user can then feel confident that their data source, prompts and response all remain private and secure.A recent blog provides an example of RAG accelerated by TensorRT-LLM for Windows to get better results fast.The History of RAGThe roots of the technique go back at least to the early 1970s. Thats when researchers in information retrieval prototyped what they called question-answering systems, apps that use natural language processing (NLP) to access text, initially in narrow topics such as baseball.The concepts behind this kind of text mining have remained fairly constant over the years. But the machine learning engines driving them have grown significantly, increasing their usefulness and popularity.In the mid-1990s, the Ask Jeeves service, now Ask.com, popularized question answering with its mascot of a well-dressed valet. IBMs Watson became a TV celebrity in 2011 when it handily beat two human champions on the Jeopardy! game show.Today, LLMs are taking question-answering systems to a whole new level.Insights From a London LabThe seminal 2020 paper arrived as Lewis was pursuing a doctorate in NLP at University College London and working for Meta at a new London AI lab. The team was searching for ways to pack more knowledge into an LLMs parameters and using a benchmark it developed to measure its progress.Building on earlier methods and inspired by a paper from Google researchers, the group had this compelling vision of a trained system that had a retrieval index in the middle of it, so it could learn and generate any text output you wanted, Lewis recalled.The IBM Watson question-answering system became a celebrity when it won big on the TV game show Jeopardy!When Lewis plugged into the work in progress a promising retrieval system from another Meta team, the first results were unexpectedly impressive.I showed my supervisor and he said, Whoa, take the win. This sort of thing doesnt happen very often, because these workflows can be hard to set up correctly the first time, he said.Lewis also credits major contributions from team members Ethan Perez and Douwe Kiela, then of New York University and Facebook AI Research, respectively.When complete, the work, which ran on a cluster of NVIDIA GPUs, showed how to make generative AI models more authoritative and trustworthy. Its since been cited by hundreds of papers that amplified and extended the concepts in what continues to be an active area of research.How Retrieval-Augmented Generation WorksAt a high level, heres how an NVIDIA technical brief describes the RAG process.When users ask an LLM a question, the AI model sends the query to another model that converts it into a numeric format so machines can read it. The numeric version of the query is sometimes called an embedding or a vector.Retrieval-augmented generation combines LLMs with embedding models and vector databases.The embedding model then compares these numeric values to vectors in a machine-readable index of an available knowledge base. When it finds a match or multiple matches, it retrieves the related data, converts it to human-readable words and passes it back to the LLM.Finally, the LLM combines the retrieved words and its own response to the query into a final answer it presents to the user, potentially citing sources the embedding model found.Keeping Sources CurrentIn the background, the embedding model continuously creates and updates machine-readable indices, sometimes called vector databases, for new and updated knowledge bases as they become available.Retrieval-augmented generation combines LLMs with embedding models and vector databases.Many developers find LangChain, an open-source library, can be particularly useful in chaining together LLMs, embedding models and knowledge bases. NVIDIA uses LangChain in its reference architecture for retrieval-augmented generation.The LangChain community provides its own description of a RAG process.Looking forward, the future of generative AI lies in creatively chaining all sorts of LLMs and knowledge bases together to create new kinds of assistants that deliver authoritative results users can verify.Explore generative AI sessions and experiences at NVIDIA GTC, the global conference on AI and accelerated computing, running March 18-21 in San Jose, Calif., and online.

Dear Trailblazers, greetings from the Honkai: Star Rail dev team! Its been a while, but today were thrilled to bring you more information about version 2.7, A New Venture on the Eighth Dawn which launches on December 4, the last chapter before the Astral Express sets its sights on the mysterious realm of Amphoreus, known as the Eternal Land. This update closes our chapter in Penacony and paves the way for a new story in version 3.0.In the previous story arc, Black Swan suggested the Crew venture to Amphoreus a realm so enigmatic that even the Aeon of the Trailblaze, Akivili, never managed to reach. Curious yet cautious, Miss Himeko the Navigator decides to gather any available intel about this destination. Meanwhile, the Crew makes a final stop in Penacony, reuniting with old friends and creating lasting memories in one last farewell before they set forth on their next daring journey.Old friends returning to the spotlightThe memories of that performance at the Penacony Grand Theater feel as vivid as yesterday. Its not just the Astral Express or Penacony thats awakened from its dream Sunday has, too. Reflecting on it, theres something deeply stirring about sharing the stage with Mr. Sunday once more. Stepping down from his role as the head of the Oak Family, hes chosen to Descend to the mortal realm and walk their lands. See what this world is truly like. Casting aside blessings from both Harmony and Order, Sunday is setting out to pursue his vision of a utopia as a mere mortal. This time, he returns to Penacony, thanks to the aid of a secretive Pepeshi called Wonweek, with one wish: to give a final, unforgettable performance before embarking on his new journey. Accordingly, his robe and hood serve not only to give him a fresh appearance but also to hide his true identity for his last dance in the Planet of Festivities.As a 5-star Imaginary character, Sunday has unique Support capacities, and his Skill causes an ally to immediately take action and increase their DMG dealt. If that ally has a Summon, then both the ally and the Summon can immediately take action and further improve the DMG Boost effect. When Sunday uses his Ultimate, he regenerates Energy for one ally, and makes that ally and its Summon The Beatified. A halo is bestowed on the ally who becomes The Beatified and increases their CRIT DMG.Another character soon to arrive is Fugue, who we know as our old friend Tingyun. Once a tactful foxian girl, she now finds her name, appearance, and even identity stolen. Fate, however, has left her a slender thread of hope, though the mark of Destruction still stirs restlessly within her. Tingyun barely escaped death after her encounter with Phantylia during version 1.2s main storyline and was saved only by the intervention of Madam Ruan Mei from the Genius Society, who granted her a second chance at life. Recently, Himeko and Welt visited Madam Ruan Mei and took it upon themselves to bring Miss Tingyun home, renewing her journey back to where she belongs.Fugue is a 5-star Fire character who is skilled at supporting one ally to reduce Toughness regardless of the enemys Type Weaknesses. While Fugue is on the field, enemy targets are afflicted with the Cloudflame Luster state. When Cloudflame Luster is reduced to zero, the target takes Break DMG once again. Moreover, when teammates attack Weakness Broken enemy targets, they deal Super Break DMG. And thats not all Fugue can use her Technique to increase ally characters Break Effect. When she uses her Ultimate, she deals Fire DMG to all enemies, and this instance of attack ignores Weakness Type to directly reduce all enemies Toughness.Additionally, the limited 5-star characters General Jing Yuan and Firefly, will return in the first and second halves of the version 2.7 warp event respectively. Their formidable support makes them invaluable allies for your future journeys.More gameplay features for version 2.7 and beyondBeyond new characters and storylines, version 2.7 also offers Trailblazers a truly immersive experience. Step aboard the Astral Express new Party Car a place where elegance and nostalgia blend seamlessly. Guests are welcomed to a spacious reception area, set against a sleek marble bar and accompanied by a classic bartending robot. With the vast Cosmos as your view, you can savor a drink with the Express Crew or reflect quietly by the window, letting the scenery stir your thoughts.View and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageAscend the stairs, and youll find the Trailblazers very own quarters. In the Cosmic Home Dcor Guide event, transform a once-empty storage room into a personal haven, with areas like a cozy bedroom and bathroom. As you gather furniture using Express Funds earned from tasks, your space takes shape piece by piece, mirroring your journey through the stars.View and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageAnd theres more exciting news: the Relic system will also be receiving an update in version 3.0. Youll be able to choose a Relics Main Stat and Subsidiary Stats using specialized tools during synthesis! By using a certain amount of the new item, Wishful Resin, alongside Self-Modeling Resin, you can set both the Main and Sub Stats for a Relic simultaneously.Last but not least, before we take a bow, Pom-Pom discovered something special while tidying up the storage boxes for the Trailblazer! From the version 2.7 update until the end of version 3.2, Trailblazers can claim a Gift of the Express, allowing them to select one regular 5-star character of their choice. Our trailblazing expedition continues with old friends and new allies alikelets set off together and keep fighting side-by-side!That concludes our insights on version 2.7. Stay tuned, as there are still more surprises waiting in the wings. I hope you are excited, because our old ally Herta, the renowned master of the eponymous Herta Space Station, is clearly fully prepared for the adventures that lie ahead when version 2.7 launches on December 4.

The great Hong Kong filmmaker Johnnie To is broadly known for his riveting gangster dramas, with operatic gun fights, tense drama, and conflicted characters. But To is a skilled filmmaker in many different genres, and one of my favorite films of his is the excellent romantic comedy Dont Go Breaking My Heart, which he co-directed with frequent collaborator Wai Ka-fai. Its one of the best love triangle movies ever, and its a perfect movie to get cozy and watch with someone you have a crush on this holiday season. And if you want to watch it, the clock is ticking: Its leaving Netflix Dec. 1, and theres currently no other way to watch it theres no way to rent or purchase it digitally, no other streaming service has it, and physical releases range from exorbitantly expensive to difficult to find.Starring three gorgeous and charming people (a great foundation for a romance), Dont Go Breaking My Heart follows Chi-yan (Gao Yuanyuan), a recently single financial analyst who finds her heart pulled between two competing suitors: a CEO (Louis Koo) who stood her up, and an architect (Daniel Wu) she helps get back on his feet after going through a rough time.Both men are charming and suave, but offer different attributes as prospective partners Koos CEO is more removed emotionally but offers financial stability, while Wus architect is full of romantic yearning, but hes still picking up the pieces of his life. Its understandable why the choice is difficult this isnt your typical one good option, one bad love triangle story (and To uses the background of a financial crisis to cleverly portray finding a life partner as an act of comparison shopping in the free market of dating). Individual viewers will have their own preference for which partner she chooses, but you could see her being content with either of them. They also end up working, at different times, in the building across from where Chi-yan works. That leads to one of Dont Go Breaking My Hearts most charming touches: The characters flirt by putting up sticky notes on the large glass windows of their buildings, making smiley faces and sending messages to each other. The glass windows are also a great opportunity for one of the age-old rom-com tropes: Mix-ups and miscommunications leading to hijinks.The movies frequently funny, too, with sight gags, laugh-out-loud dialogue, and physical comedy galore. Part His Girl Friday, part Playtime, and all fun, Dont Go Breaking My Heart is an excellent example of a generational director working at the height of his powers and absolutely nailing a genre.Dont Go Breaking My Heart is streaming on Netflix through Nov. 30.

Arcane has come to an end but the closing out of Vi, Jinx, Caitlyn, Jayce, and Viktors stories is more like a beginning than an ending. According to Riot Games, Fortiche, and Netflix, the shows finale didnt arrive because its getting canceled; rather, its because it was simply the end of this particular story. But its certainly not the end to animated collaborations between Riot Games and Fortiche set in the League of Legends universe. And while there hasnt been an official announcement of a new show just yet, there are plenty of new projects in the works.According to Arcane showrunner and co-creator Christian Linke, Fortiche and Riot are bouncing around ideas about all kinds of other projects in the League of Legends world that could provide the basis for a new animated series. We have over 160 champions in our game. Theres tons of them where Im like, I want to know their story, Linke said in an interview with Polygon. Now is the time, luckily, that we also can start thinking about that and dream big. So we have a slate of different projects were exploring, nothings in production yet, but were really building stories of all these different tonalities and they should be very different. They should not feel just like, OK, they should be their own style, their own tone. So thats the next step for us.But for Linke, the appeal of a new show isnt just getting to venture into a new corner of League lore, its also getting to explore an entirely different tone than that of Arcane. We havent done enough yet for the whimsical tone of League; Arcane is pretty dark, Link said. But theres a lot of fun characters. Theres the Lulus, the Teemos, the Amumus, the Poppies, the Tristans. What do we do for those? And I think I would definitely want to take things [in a new show] into the extremes, like the different genres. What are we going to do in horror? What are we going to do in more abstract, more artistic things? Thats the real power of animation. Youre not grounded by what reality is. So we should take advantage of that.Of course, when exactly well get to see Riot and Fortiche take jump into these new genre and settings remains a mystery. Arcane famously took nearly a decade to pull off, and while we likely wont have to wait that long for a new show, its still likely to be at least a few years before Netflix returns to Runeterra.

Switzerland-born, Texas-based weaver Anya Molyviatis creative journey was shaped by her fascination with natural and built spaces, particularly their impact on human perception. After studying sustainable architecture in California, she eventually traveled to Taos, New Mexico. While there, Molyviatis apprenticed with a master weaver, refining her techniques and deepening her focus on material research.It was a transformative time, and the artist realized that this pursuit was more than a hobby, it was her calling. It felt like everything aligned when I touched the loom for the first time, Molyviatis says. Through weaving, I found a profound way to heighten sensory experiences using textures, colors, and fibers to transform spaces.Anya MolyviatisMolyviatis sought out makers and workshops that aligned with her vision, but none fully resonated with the innovative approach the artist had in mind. Utilizing weaving as a tool with untapped potential, she formed her eponymous studio in 2021. Her works continue to garner interest because they each offer a tactile quality that todays modern environments lack.There are an array of notebooks and sketch pads scattered around the studio, because Molyviatis writes down or sketches ideas as soon as they come to her. Writing by hand allows her to connect with concepts in a physical way, the antithesis of getting lost in a multitude of computer files.Every element that is a part of the craft tells stories of the landscapes they come from. Its why Molyviatis can often be found outdoors. When I need to switch off from work and reset, I turn to nature swimming and hiking are my go-to activities, she notes. These experiences are vital for someone like me, who spends most of the day in a studio surrounded by looms, yarns, and creative thoughts. The rhythm of nature is grounding, and it provides a needed contrast to the intense focus that weaving demands.Today, Anya Molyviatis joins us for Friday Five!Photo: Akihisa Masuda courtesy of World Architecture1. Teahouses by Terunobu FujimoriIve been a longtime admirer of Fujimoris work, particularly his ability to incorporate traditional Japanese building techniques in such a playful and imaginative way. I love how he invites people from all walks of life to help construct his tea houses, creating a communal experience around his architecture. What fascinates me most is his thoughtful approach to how we experience a space. Fujimori designs his teahouses to alter your usual way of entering, making the journey into the space an integral part of the experience. Whether its climbing a ladder or navigating a unique doorway, these subtle shifts in how you enter transform your relationship with the space itself. His work, whether set in a remote wilderness or an urban landscape, always evokes a sense of wonder, blending tradition with a dreamlike quality. Fujimori masterfully infuses magic into his designs in a way that is both elegant and approachable, sparking curiosity and, most importantly, bringing a smile to everyone who encounters his work. To me, thats incredibly powerful.Photo: Courtesy of Dazed2. Lauren Bowkers Unseen LabWhen I began diving into the endless possibilities of color exploration and experimenting with creating my own compounds, I discovered the work of Lauren Bowkers Unseen Lab, and it had an enormous impact on me. Bowker stands out as one of the few who has built her lab from the ground up, maintaining full ownership of her innovative work. A chemist and textile designer, she masterfully merges these fields, continuously pushing the boundaries of whats possible in design, especially with an emphasis on creativity and environmental awareness. Her work makes the future feel hopeful and tangible. Im deeply inspired by how she consistently redefines the potential of textile and color innovation. I aspire to create work that, like hers, brings the future into the present.3. Jay NelsonJay Nelson was one of the first designers I encountered who approaches architecture with such beauty and authenticity. I love his work its uniquely his, and I admire how he repurposes old cars using reclaimed redwood trees. I almost had the chance to intern for him, but I couldnt make it out to San Francisco because I was finishing my architecture apprenticeships and thats when I discovered weaving! Nelson is a true craftsman, and I love his laid-back energy. Whether its his homes, installations, or adventure mobiles, you can feel his zest for life in every project. His work awakens a sense of adventure and makes you want to step into his world. When a designer can inspire you in that way, its truly powerful. His creations have a poetic elegance that goes beyond the typical adventure aesthetic, and I also admire how he collaborates with brands like Patagonia.Photo: Courtesy of Tokion4. Brian Eno Light BoxesBrian Enos visionary work with light and sound has profoundly influenced me. As a child, I was inspired by his light boxes, which led me to create a few of my own. Ive always been captivated by his ability to animate color; whether in music or visual art, both embody the same vibrational energy. His paintings feel musical, while his music carries a painterly quality. Enos deep understanding of sensory design continually inspires my creative process. Although I havent yet watched Gary Hustwits documentary Eno, I anticipate that it will deepen my connection to his ethos. The essence of his work emerges from the simplicity and power of presencean aspect that has significantly shaped my artistic journey as I strive to find presence in my creations. Ultimately, it revolves around the power of connection and vibrations.The photo above is from one of my favorite exhibitions featuring his light boxes. In 2014, Eno created a series of six light box pieces that explore the relationship between musical compositions and seamlessly generated colorscapes produced by interwoven LED lights. His artwork serves as an exploration of time manipulation, possessing neither a beginning nor an end; it reflects form without needing physical rendering. For Eno, light painting and sound design are inseparable, encouraging us to remain still and present in the moment. As he articulated, If a painting is hanging on a wall, we dont feel that were missing something by not paying attention to it. Yet with music and video, we still have the expectation of some kind of drama. My music and videos do change, but they change slowly, in such a way that it doesnt matter if you miss a bit.Photo: Courtesy of Puro Diseno5. Playlab Inc x Merrell Wander WheelOne exhibition that Im completely captivated by is Merrells Wander Wheel. Known as the worlds leading outdoor footwear brand, Merrell takes its mission of connecting people with the outdoors to new heights with this interactive art installation. The Wander Wheel, open to the public for one weekend (September 27-29, 2024), transforms Studio 525 in Chelsea into an immersive, nature-inspired journey. Created in collaboration with PLAYLAB, INC., this installation allows visitors to explore four distinct natural environments from around the world without ever leaving New York City.As an artist whose work and conceptual approach to weaving is grounded in merging natural environments with interior spaces, this project resonates with me deeply. Its both stunning and incredibly clever, speaking to the intersection of nature and art in a way that few things do.Works by Anya Molyviatis:Submerge Exhibition 2024 \\\ Photo: Courtesy of SCAD MOAElevate Exhibition \\\ Photo: Anya MolyviatisElevate Exhibition \\\ Photo: Anya Molyviatis

In a world dominated by mass production, Beautiful City by Sofa Alvarado of Studio Fi stands as a tribute to the lost art of craftsmanship. This collection of 17 meticulously handcrafted pieces is a love letter to architectural detail and an ode to the artisans of yesteryear who brought character and soul to our built environment. Alvarados vision channels the beauty of artisanal work into something tangible, emphasizing process over utility. Each piece captures the essence of architectural history, reinterpreted through a modern lens to create something entirely new and unexpected. The collection is as much an architectural exploration as it is a design masterpiece.Like a miniature, imaginary city, these one-of-a-kind creations draw inspiration from architectural elements that have been smoothed over in modern times. The collection is an eclectic mix of eras and forms, blending modern geometry with symbolic remnants of historical architectural styles. With each passing decade, the subtlety and complexity of these details have slowly disappeared, but this collection brings them back into the spotlight.Handcrafted from metal and wood, each piece is painstakingly shaped using artisanal patterns, custom molds, and even homemade tools that achieve the intricate details that define them. This tailor-made process embraces slow design, where quality reigns over quantity. Because the identity of feeling has been known and proven to be linked to color, each edition is also characterized by specific tones.In Beautiful City, Alvarado and Studio Fi invite us to pause, look closely, and appreciate the beauty in architectural details we often overlook. These pieces challenge us to rethink what we consider luxury, reminding us that true value also lies in artistry, not just function. Its a reminder that the fading art of artisanal craftsmanship can be revived, one handcrafted piece at a time.To learn more about Beautiful City by Sofa Alvarado of Studio Fi, visit sofialvarado.com.Photos by Alfredo J. Martiz J.

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The HEART framework revolutionised UX design, but its time for an upgrade. With a small tweak, we can use the EARTH frameworkContinue reading on UX Collective

Amazon has kicked off its Black Friday sales well before the day itself, but that isnt stopping it from delivering some absolutely wild discounts. The AOC Agon PRO AG276QZD2 is one of these deals, and it's great for gamers with a discerning eye. Its a 27-inch, 1440p gaming monitor that uses a 240Hz QD-OLED panel. When OLED technology hit the gaming monitor market just a few years ago, it was very expensive and had some big drawbacks. Thats been changing rapidly, and this deal highlights that. You can snag this killer gaming monitor for just $400 at Amazon, a price that would have been practically unthinkable even last year. AOC Agon PRO AG276QZD2 27" OLED Tournament Gaming Monitor 2560x1440, 240Hz 0.03ms, G-SYNC, PS5 Xbox Switch Compatible, Glossy, Black $399.99 at Amazon $599.99 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $399.99 at Amazon $599.99 Save $200.00 Late last year, I had the chance to test out AOCs Agon Pro AG276QZD for IGN (which is owned by the same parent company as Lifehacker). It was a stunning monitor with a fast OLED panel offering sharp 1440p visuals and all-around great value even when it was going for around $749. Since then, AOC introduced the Agon PRO AG276QZD2, which swaps the WOLED panel for a slightly more vibrant QD-OLED one. While I havent had a chance to test this variant yet, Ive generally seen QD-OLED displays proving themselves just as good or better than WOLED ones.There are two big perks for OLED gaming monitors like this. OLED has effectively infinite contrast, which makes game visuals look outright stunning. OLED pixels are also very fast, so even in the thick of intense action, visuals remain sharp without blurry ghosting trails or unsightly pixel overshoot. Pair that with the 240Hz refresh rate of the Agon Pro AG276QZD2, and you can expect to see your games in a whole new light. Youll also get a wide color gamut, making your games appear all the more vibrant.It would be enough just to get such a great display for $400, but the AOC Agon PRO AG276QZD2 is also stylishly built, with a thin panel, RGB backlighting, a two-port USB hub, and even five-watt speakers. And with two HDMI ports and two DisplayPort connections, you can set this display up with a bunch of different gaming systems without having to juggle cables.