Category: iPhone

Photographing with a pro camera has never been this easy

I’ve loved animals for as long as I can remember, and I always want to capture them in all their glory. But to do that, I need a fast camera that I can use as an extension of myself.

Enter the Canon EOS R5 Mark II: perhaps the easiest pro-level camera to use money can buy right now. Canon has made professional photography more accessible with its flagship.As I noted in my Canon EOS R5 Mark II review, it took me less than a minute to start shooting. Straight out of the box, the EOS R5 Mark II is a beast.

But it’s the camera’s 45MP Stacked CMOS sensor, 1,054 autofocus points and 30fps burst shooting that make it outstanding. Not only is the camera easy to use but it also takes gorgeous photos that appear true to life with faithful color reproduction.

Having tested the EOS R5 Mark II for two weeks, it came very close to dethroning theSony A1 IIas my favorite wildlife camera — and there’s a very big feature behind that reasoning. Let me show you.

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Stacked to the brim

Let’s talk about the Canon EOS R5 Mark II’s 45MP Stacked CMOS sensor: what does that mean? The first-gen EOS R5 did not have a stacked sensor, so the EOS R5 Mark II’s stacked nature enables speedier readouts to minimize rolling shutter distortions by improving light collection efficiency.

And boy is it good. The EOS R5 Mark II takes incredible sharp photos, and it retains lots and lots of detail, enabling you to create extreme crops for large format printing or putting the focus on a specific part. Combine that with the EOS R5 Mark II’s 30fps burst capabilities and you’ve got yourself a winner.

Utilizing two imaging processors (DIGIC Accelerator and DIGIC X), the camera captures up to 191 raw images (and 15 frames in pre-capture) at shutter speeds of 1/32,000s — that’sveryfast. This means that you can rely on its autofocus system and follow a subject while keeping the shutter button pressed, and you’ll get plenty of impressive shots, as you can see in the gallery above.

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Upscale me to the moon

But the reason you’re reading this article is because of my headline where I talk about one feature that has changed how I take photos. And it’s one I haven’t seen on any other camera (yet). It’s called 180MP in-camera upscaling.

Here’s the technical bit: it enhances resolution by 4x by extrapolating the image’s EXIF data, creating stills up to 180MP from the original 45MP image. The 45MP image already gives you lots of resolution for extreme cropping but having a whoppingone hundred and eighty megapixelsat your disposal changes the game.To demonstrate this, I took a photo of a swan and then upscaled it (which ate into my CFExpress card’s memory), which you can see in the gallery above.

While the original files have retained a lot of detail, the upscaled version shows more in the tiny water droplets on the swan’s head.

The first photo is the original 45MP file, the second is a crop of the 45MP file, the third is an upscaled crop, and the fourth is an extreme upscaled crop. While the original files have retained a lot of detail, the upscaled version shows more in the tiny water droplets on the swan’s head.

This is an invaluable features for all types of photography: landscape, portraits, weddings, what-have-you. For wildlife too — if you’re shooting in burst, you can select a range of images to upscale at once. This also means that if you take a photo you don’t think is sharp or high-res enough, in-camera upscaling will save you some grief.

The EOS R5 Mark II is unique, and it has made me wish every camera had this feature — but that would make Canon’s offering ‘just another camera’ and I wouldn’t want that either.

Be my eyes

Here are a couple more photos for you to feast your eyes on. Remember the 1,054 focus points I mentioned earlier? The EOS R5 Mark II uses that many to accurately track birds, animals, humans and vehicles. I was highly impressed by how quickly the camera locked onto both subjects in the gallery above.

I especially love the first shot of the pigeon. While I’m proud of the artistic composition, it wouldn’t have been possible without the EOS R5 Mark II tracking the pigeon in flight. I’m almost tempted to print it out and put it up on my wall.

And that second photo of the squirrel? Funny story: I couldn’t actuallyseethe squirrel with my eyes (yes, even with my prescription glasses on). I could hear it squeaking so I pointed the camera in the direction of the sound and voila: within milliseconds, the EOS R5 Mark II had found the little rodent. It worked better than my own eyes did — nowthatblows my mind.

The EOS R5 Mark II is a ridiculously good camera. Its 180MP in-camera upscaling feature could come in clutch for a lot of pro shooters. It’s one of the best full frame cams worth the premium, and it thoroughly impressed me regardless of what or who I photographed.

A big perk of having a laptop is being able to take it anywhere, whether that’s your favorite cafe, a quiet spot in the park, or wherever you feel most comfortable. But if you want to keep working for hours without interruptions, you’ll need to keep it charged. That can be tricky when there aren’t any power outlets around. Luckily, there’s a simple fix: use a compatible power bank. The only problem? Not all power banks are capable of charging a laptop.

Unlike smartphones, earphones, and other small devices, laptops need much more power to charge. Most laptops require between 16 to 20 volts, while many power banks designed for phones only provide 5 volts. That’s why the first thing to do is check your laptop’s voltage requirement, which is usually listed on the adapter. Then, choose a power bank that meets that requirement.

Laptops consume varying amounts of power depending on the model and how they’re being used. On average, most laptops draw between 30 and 70 watts per hour. Gaming laptops, though, typically require more. So, to charge a laptop, you need a power bank that can deliver an output of at least 50W. If you want to charge it quickly, you should look for a power bank with even higher output.

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Get the right power bank

Most modern-day laptops can charge via USB-C, and if yours does too, you can likely use a high-output power bank to keep it charged. But if you have an older model or one that uses a different charging connector, you’ll need a power bank that’s compatible with your laptop. You could also get a power bank with an AC outlet, which lets you use your laptop’s original charger. 

Another key thing to consider is your power bank’s capacity. It should be at least double your laptop’s battery size. So, if your laptop has a 5,000 mAh battery, for instance, you’ll need a 10,000 mAh power bank to charge it more than once. And if you plan to charge your other devices, like your phone, it’s best to go with a higher-capacity power bank. 

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Once you have a power bank that works with your laptop, using it is simple. Just plug it into your laptop and press its power button to start charging. To get the most out of it, it’s best to charge the power bank fully before you head out.

While using your laptop on battery or a power bank, adjusting a few settings can help it last longer. Lower the brightness, turn off the features you don’t need, and fine-tune the power settings. These tweaks can extend battery life and keep you working longer without needing to plug in.

Set to debut on the first AMD chipset MPOWER motherboard from MSI, the B850MPOWER.

Seasoned PC DIYers have always had to wear dexterity-stifling gloves or put up with pricked fingers when upgrading a motherboard or putting together a new PC build – until now. MSI showcased a series of motherboard design tweaks at Computex 2025, including a feature dubbed ‘PinSafe Design’ which enables users to “avoid injury caused by sharp pins during the assembly process.”

The concept here isn’t difficult to grasp, unlike a traditional prickly motherboard. MSI’s mobo manufacturing arm appears to be adopting a far tidier component soldering technique, which results in elegantly flat pads on the reverse of the PCB, rather than forests of spikes.

Admittedly, this isn’t the greatest of technological achievements, Nevertheless, there might have been some component strength, reliability, or stability concerns preventing such a manufacturing change. So we have a baby step here, which should be welcomed as long as the finished product doesn’t suffer in any way compared to a traditional design.

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Other touted PinSafe Design benefits

Saving your fingers from pricks and lacerations isn’t the only benefit of PinSafe Design, according to MSI. Likely the result of fevered brainstorming, threaded with some thin strands of truth, MSI says that the PinSafe Design boosts system stability and ESD protection. We think the lack of protruding pins might also give foreign objects less chance of getting caught or jammed between contacts, reducing the potential to create shorts.

MSI’s first MPOWER motherboard for AMD processors

The above PinSafe Design looks set to debut on MSI MPOWER series motherboards, designed for enthusiasts and overclockers. MSI is preparing new MPOWER boards, and the B850MPOWER sample we saw was actually the firstAMD-based motherboardfrom MSI to use this set of features.

Standard MPOWER features include; leveraging the Dragon Alliance collaboration with memory brands, using only 2x DIMM slots for reliable DDR5 overclocking, and the equipping of the EZ Dashboard which integrates power, reset, clear CMOS, and a debug LED on the board for simpler troubleshooting.

If you compare any modern laptop, like the Asus Zenbook Duo, and a smartphone, like the iPhone 16, you will find a lot of similarities in terms of what they can be used for. For instance, both devices can be used to access social media platforms, work on documents, join meetings, and more. Another thing that you will find common in laptops and smartphones these days is the use of USB-C technology. Interestingly, the technology has become a standard lately. As a result, it’s no longer limited to smartphones and laptops, but you’ll also find it on external hard drives, keyboards, mice, and more.

If both your smartphone and laptop support USB-C charging, you might wonder if you can use your USB-C laptop charger to charge your smartphone. You’ve probably had this thought when you have lost your smartphone’s USB-C charger and are now looking for something to charge it. The short answer is yes, you can charge your smartphone with a USB-C laptop charger, but before you do so, there’s an important thing that you need to take care of.

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Is it safe to use a USB-C laptop charger for a phone?

You can use your USB-C laptop charger to charge your smartphone, but only if the charger supports USB-C PD charging. The availability of this technology allows the charger to talk with your smartphone about the maximum power it requires. It’s kind of like your smartphone saying to the charger, “Hey bro, I only need 20 W,” and the charger going along with it.

Unfortunately, not all the USB-C chargers come with PD technology. If you use a USB-C laptop charger that doesn’t feature PD technology to charge your smartphone, you might eventually end up damaging your device’s battery. Luckily, you can easily find out if your laptop charger supports PD technology.

Usually, you’ll have a PD logo embedded on your laptop charger. If it’s not there, you can check the charger specification to confirm if it supports PD charging. Alternatively, you can check the output specification on the back of your charger. If you find multiple voltages embedded on your charger, like 5 V, 9 V, and 20 V, then it also means that your laptop charger supports PD charging.

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There are two main advantages of charging your smartphone with a laptop USB-C charger. First, it ensures that you don’t have to purchase a separate charger for your smartphone. Second, and the most important, advantage is the high power rating of laptop chargers. Let’s say your smartphone is capable of charging at 65 W, but you have a mobile charger that’s capable of only charging at 45 W; then you won’t be able to charge your smartphone at its maximum capacity. A laptop charge, in this case, will provide the maximum power required by your smartphone, i.e., 65 W.

In partnership with a Japanese art studio, MSI has created a beautifully designed lacquered lid for its Prestige 13 AI+ Ukiyo-e Edition laptop. I checked it out in person on the Computex show floor.

TAIPEI—At MSI’sComputex 2025booth, one of the most head-turning products on the show floor caught my eye: a lacquered-finishedlaptoplid that looks like beautiful hand-painted art.

MSI has partnered with Japanese art studio Okadaya to create limited-edition lacquered print laptops in theukiyo-estyle, a recognizable genre of Japanese art, for its Artisan Collection.

The Prestige 13 AI+ Ukiyo-e Edition will be the flagship laptop for this endeavor. However, due to the extra steps required in manufacturing to apply the artwork, MSI can only produce a few hundred per month for the time being. The effect is beautiful in person; read on for photos, video, and more of my impressions.

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A Genuinely Gorgeous Laptop Lid

While I saw a few different designs at the booth, the main piece of art (and that which will occupy this Prestige model’s lid) is Hokusai’s iconic wood block print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa. This highly recognizable piece is a natural pick for this collection’s debut.

While the art and clarity level are fantastic, the glossy finish inherent in this lacquer process sings in person. Hokusai’s art has a pleasant reflectiveness, particularly in its darker portions; the gloss black finish is lovely. The wave is vibrantly colored, too—perhaps more saturated than I’m used to seeing on this piece, but it’s effective.

The gloss also extends to the keyboard, as seen in the photo above, and the laptop package will include a mouse. If you can get your hands on one, this system will undoubtedly be a fingerprint magnet, but it sure is nice to look at.

MSI also showed off another design, but the matter of which of its laptops this artwork will appear on has not yet been settled.

MSI can only produce so many of these units to begin with, and I imagine the reception will determine how much longer MSI will continue to create them. Regardless, since this release also kicks off MSI’s Artisan Collection brand, it’s likely the laptop maker will continue down this path for the near future.

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It’s Beautiful on Paper, Too

Measuring just 0.7 inches thick and weighing only 2.2 pounds, MSI’s first Ukiyo-e Edition laptop is anultraportable laptopthrough and through. MSI also outfitted this Prestige with an array of parts to live up to its beauty.

Having “AI” in the name, the laptop is naturally a Copilot+ PC, housing up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V processor backed by as much as 32GB of memory and an M.2 SSD with an unspecified capacity. This is all accessed through a 13.3-inch, 2,880-by-1,800-pixel OLED screen in 16:10 aspect ratio.

A Small Wave (of Laptops)

We sometimes hesitate to share limited-edition laptop designs, but the final effect here is too exciting to pass up. MSI wasn’t able to share too many details about the creation process. I imagine Okadaya also wants to keep its cards close to its chest, but the booth contained a walkthrough of the general method, seen below.

You can see the stages evolve through the series of in-progress lids, starting with applying silver-white ink to the lacquerware magnesium alloy lid. Then, the process applies blue ink, followed by dabs of gold powder to create the accents. Finally, the method applies black line ink to create definition.

This process presumably has a more frequent failure rate using this delicate method than regular laptop manufacturing, contributing to the slower and lighter production rate. If you love the idea (I certainly appreciate the end product), keep your eyes peeled for availability and prices, which MSI haven’t revealed yet.

With Nintendo’s new handheld, gamers might need to rely on a Switch capture card again. A Nintendo Today video suggests that the maximum video capture length will again be 30 seconds. A more powerful console hasn’t resulted in upgrades to gameplay recording.

Nintendo Switch 2 home menu (Nintendo of America, Nintendo Today! app)

BolsteredNintendo Switch 2 specsshould lead to improved performance in games. Unfortunately, some capabilities haven’t matured since the original handheld. A newNintendo Today videorevealed that video captures are still limited to 30 seconds. Among other drawbacks, the restriction makes creating gameplay guides for fellow players difficult.

The latest clip in the Nintendo Today app focused onHome Menusound effects. However, viewers also caught a glimpse of how gamers will capture screenshots and videos. From the brief help menu, it appears that the process is virtually identical to the experience on the Switch. To take a screenshot, gamers press the capture button on the Joy-Con. Holding the same button saves a clip of the last 30 seconds of gameplay. Then, players can shorten the video further before saving it in the Nintendo Switch Album.

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Nintendo Switch 2 video recording guide (Image source: Nintendo of America, Nintendo Today! app)

Nintendo’s previous console continuously stores 30 seconds of video in the background. The process uses a ring buffer, which holds the data in the console’s RAM. Content creators would often turn to a Switch capture card to create longer videos. The length of the recordings was partially due to how Nintendo divided system resources. With the Switch 2 specs including a faster processor and more RAM/storage, some gamers hoped to avoid additional costs.

Recently, buyers learned that the Switch 2 would ship with 12 GB of LPDDR5 memory. That’s a massive improvement from the 4 GB of RAM the original handheld offers. On the other hand, the latest console devotes 3 GB of its memory to its OS. The obvious culprit isGameChat, which may take up much of the remaining memory. Video recording, another helpful feature for sharing gameplay experiences, will also have to compete for resources.

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What’s unclear is the quality of the Switch 2 screenshots and video clips. It would lessen some disappointment if it’s higher than the first console’s 720p limit.

Typically, you would use an HDMI cable to connect a streaming device, laptop, or gaming console to a single display. But what if you want to show that same content on multiple TVs or monitors? That’s where an HDMI splitter can help. It is a tiny device that takes input from a single source and delivers it to multiple displays simultaneously. It has a single HDMI input port and multiple HDMI output ports.

As you can imagine, HDMI splitters can be incredibly useful in certain situations. For instance, in a classroom where multiple TVs are needed, an HDMI splitter can display the same content across all screens from a single source. Similarly, if you’re setting up a multiplayer gaming station, an HDMI splitter can help provide each player a separate screen while receiving input from a single console. However, an HDMI splitter is not ideal for setting up dual monitors. That’s because it only duplicates content, meaning you’ll see the same thing on both the displays, rather than extending your desktop across two screens.

Make sure you don’t confuse an HDMI splitter with an HDMI switch. While a splitter sends a single input to multiple displays, an HDMI switch does the exact opposite. It lets you connect multiple input devices to a single display. This is especially useful when your TV or monitor only has a single HDMI port. Instead of constantly unplugging and reconnecting devices, you can connect them all via an HDMI switch and change inputs as needed.

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How to use HDMI splitters and do they affect quality?

Using an HDMI splitter is fairly straightforward. You first need to connect your source device, be it your laptop, gaming console, or a streaming box, to the input port of the HDMI splitter. Then connect the TVs or monitors to the splitter’s output ports. If the HDMI splitter requires external power, plug in its power source. Finally, turn on the source device and all connected displays. You should now see the same content on all the screens. 

Most HDMI splitters do not degrade audio or video quality, so you are unlikely to experience any drop in picture or sound quality. That said, you need to ensure that the splitter you use can handle the resolution and the screen refresh rate of your source device. For instance, even if you have mastered your 4K TV settings and want to play PS5 but the splitter only supports 1080p, you won’t be able to game in 4K. 

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The displays you use also matter. If you are using two TVs that support different resolutions, the HDMI splitter will default to the lower resolution on both screens. Similarly, you need to ensure that the HDMI splitter you’re using supports features like HDR and Dolby Atmos. Plus, the cables you use to connect your input and output devices also play a critical role. To ensure the best performance, you need to pick high-quality, compatible HDMI cables.