The WAN Show: Watchdogs Runs at 792p... & New Noctua Fans - May 16th, 2014

The WAN Show episode from May 16th, 2014 covers a diverse mix of technology policy, gaming, hardware announcements, and industry discussion. It opens with Linus and the team addressing the broader context of internet policy and the so called internet fast lane, explaining how it would affect users who cannot pay for priority access and using analogies such as Toronto's toll highways to illustrate congestion and cost dynamics. The conversation then pivots to Watch Dogs, focusing on game resolution debates, including the 900p target on PlayStation 4, 792p on Xbox One, and the broader point that resolution is only one part of the visual fidelity of a title. The crew argues that Ubisoft chose to pursue a strong overall experience rather than chasing extra pixels, emphasizing gameplay, scale, and graphics polish as essential to next-gen perception. A sponsor segment for Squarespace and Asus G750JZ hardware interrupts the flow, followed by a rapid discussion of the integration and value of sponsoring a tech show. The team returns to the Watch Dogs topic, debating how resolution impacts perceived quality on large displays and how the two new generation consoles compare in terms of upscaling and native output. They reflect on how both platforms try to balance performance and visual fidelity, and the community response to such tradeoffs is framed as a natural outcome of platform limitations and developer choices. The Noctua segment introduces new fans and color options, highlighting the company’s engineering-driven approach, premium packaging, and the potential for a broader product line including industrial-grade fans and IP67 protection. The hosts discuss the design philosophy at Noctua, praising the willingness to invest in quality and the long lead times that can accompany ambitious product refreshes, while noting affordability challenges and packaging as an essential brand signal. The discussion also covers practical hardware considerations such as fan aesthetics, modularity, and the possibility of color customization, positioning Noctua as a premium but highly desirable option for enthusiasts who value performance and quiet operation. A separate topic explores Xbox One updates and changes that reduce the perceived unfairness of its initial policies, including the loosening of mandatory Kinect bundling and changes to online subscription requirements, with a broader commentary on how Microsoft is responding to consumer demand and competitive pressure. The segment on FreeSync versus G-Sync provides a detailed comparison of open versus licensed adaptive sync standards, contemplating the implications for future monitor adoption, licensing, and cross-vendor compatibility, and the host expresses optimism about adaptive sync becoming a standard feature across DisplayPort 1.2a and future connectors. The show then broadens to industry-wide considerations, discussing the role of display resolution in a world of evolving technology, with particular attention to 8K readiness on DisplayPort 1.3 and the potential impact on gaming and professional use. In the closing portions, the hosts share lighthearted banter about the office setup, Palmer’s desk, and production quirks, ending with reflections on the evolving landscape of PC gaming, hardware sponsorships, and the ongoing push toward higher fidelity experiences. The overall takeaway is that resolution is a number, but user experience depends on a constellation of factors including frame rate, input latency, display technology, and the quality of the software experience being delivered, and that industry players must balance innovation with accessibility and open standards.

Topics · technology · gaming · hardware · policy · display