In DF Direct Weekly #288, the team reviews the solid PC performance of Phantom Blade Zero, discusses Apple’s new OLED MacBook Pro and iPad Mini with mixed reactions, examines rumors about a Switch 2 Lite, and highlights AMD’s impressive FSR 4.1 upscaling advancements for handheld gaming. They also reflect on the 10-year legacy of the PlayStation 4 Pro and celebrate the support from their Patreon community that enables their detailed technical coverage.
In this 288th edition of DF Direct Weekly, the team discusses the performance and technical aspects of Phantom Blade Zero on PC. The game, built on Unreal Engine 5, runs well on mid-range hardware like the Ryzen 5 5600X and RTX 4060, maintaining above 60 fps at 1440p with DLSS enabled. However, the game has a lengthy shader compilation process and some odd latency behavior related to Nvidia Reflex and frame generation. The ray tracing implementation also differs notably from the console versions, suggesting additional effects beyond hardware Lumen. Despite some stuttering issues, overall, the PC port is considered solid and worth playing.
The conversation then shifts to Apple’s latest hardware announcements, including a new OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro with a 2000-nit 120Hz display and touch input, which is a modest upgrade over the previous miniLED models. The team debates the utility of the touchscreen feature on a laptop and expresses some concern about potential thermal throttling due to the device being lighter. They also discuss the new iPad Mini, which features an OLED HDR display but disappointingly only supports 60Hz refresh rate—a decision seen as poor product segmentation given the device’s premium positioning and price.
Next, the hosts examine rumors about a potential Switch 2 Lite model using Samsung’s new 8LPU+ 8nm process node, which offers modest performance and power efficiency improvements over the existing 8nm. They are skeptical about this being the right fit for Nintendo’s next handheld, preferring a more advanced process node for significant gains. The discussion includes insights into the current Switch 2 hardware and recent improvements like a replaceable battery in new models, though the OLED screen quality remains similar to the original Switch’s panel, disappointing those hoping for a major display upgrade.
The show also highlights AMD’s new FSR 4.1 upscaling technology optimized for handhelds like the ROG Ally X20. Tests reveal substantial performance improvements and superior image quality compared to FSR 3, particularly in games like Resident Evil Re:Verse and Horizon Forbidden West. The new scaler allows for lower base resolutions while maintaining visual fidelity, delivering up to 35% performance gains in some cases. This advancement is seen as a significant step forward for handheld gaming performance and image quality, though some frustration remains due to the lack of support for older devices like the Z1 Extreme.
Finally, the episode reflects on the 10-year anniversary of the PlayStation 4 Pro and Digital Foundry’s Patreon launch. The PS4 Pro is remembered as an important stepping stone for 4K gaming and HDR adoption, despite some hardware limitations such as CPU bottlenecks causing inconsistent performance in certain games. The team discusses the impact of checkerboard rendering and temporal upscaling techniques introduced by the Pro, which paved the way for modern approaches to 4K gaming on consoles. They also express gratitude for the ongoing support from their Patreon community, which has been vital for sustaining their work and fostering a positive environment for detailed technical discussion.