Understanding Shadow Boost: A Feature Of Asus Monitors

Shadow Boost is an Asus monitor feature that enhances image details in dark areas, brightening scenes without over-exposing bright areas. It is designed to improve overall viewing while also making it easier to spot enemies hidden in dark areas of the map. However, some users have reported issues with the feature, such as problems with image settings not saving and inconsistent brightness.

How does shadow boost work?

ASUS Shadow Boost technology is designed to enhance image details in dark areas, brightening scenes without over-exposing bright areas. It is a feature of some of the company's gaming monitors, including the TUF Gaming VG249Q1A, VG27AQ, VG24VQE, and VG289Q1A.

Shadow Boost works by automatically brightening dark areas of the game, making it easier to spot enemies hidden in shaded areas of the map. It does this without overexposing brighter areas, maintaining overall viewing quality. This feature is designed to give gamers a competitive advantage, particularly in first-person shooters and battle royale games where spotting enemies in dark areas can be crucial.

While Shadow Boost can be helpful in certain situations, some users have reported issues with it. Some find that it washes out the image and makes everything look too light. There have also been reports of problems with settings not saving, and inconsistencies when switching Shadow Boost on and off.

To use Shadow Boost effectively, it is recommended to have a shortcut key to turn it on and off, as digging through the on-screen display (OSD) settings during gameplay can be impractical. Additionally, users should be aware that leaving Shadow Boost on at its highest setting can result in an unwanted increase in brightness for dark colours.

What are the benefits of shadow boost?

The benefits of Shadow Boost technology are that it enhances image details in dark areas, brightening scenes without over-exposing bright areas. This improves overall viewing while also making it easier to spot enemies hidden in dark areas of the map. It subtly adjusts the brightness of the screen where it senses dark hues, allowing you to peek into the shadows and identify your enemies.

However, some users have reported issues with the Shadow Boost feature, including washed-out colours and brightness issues. One user reported that their monitor's image was too bright when they first booted up their PC in the morning, but after restarting their computer, the settings returned to normal. Another user reported that the Shadow Boost feature washed out the image, making it look "light" and "crappy".

Despite these issues, the Shadow Boost feature can be beneficial for gamers, especially in first-person shooter games, as it allows them to see hidden enemies and improve their performance.

How to adjust shadow boost settings?

To adjust your shadow boost settings on an Asus monitor, you will need to access the on-screen display (OSD) settings menu. From there, you can toggle the Shadow Boost option on or off and adjust the settings.

Shadow Boost is a feature that enhances image details in dark areas, brightening scenes without overexposing brighter areas. It is designed to improve overall viewing and make it easier to spot enemies hiding in dark areas of a map in video games.

The specific steps to access the OSD settings menu may vary depending on your monitor model, but you can usually access it by pressing the menu button on your monitor and then navigating to the "Image" or "Gaming" menu.

Once you have accessed the Shadow Boost settings, you will be able to adjust the level of shadow boost or choose from a few presets. On some models, you can dynamically adjust black levels, while on others, you can choose from three select presets.

It is recommended to leave Shadow Boost off unless you specifically want to increase the brightness of darker scenes. The OLED panel on some Asus monitors provides deep and true-to-life black levels, so increasing the brightness may not be necessary.

Additionally, keep in mind that leaving Shadow Boost on may add brightness to your screen, which some users may find undesirable. There is currently no shortcut to quickly turn it on or off, so you will need to adjust the settings through the OSD menu.

How does shadow boost compare to similar technologies?

Shadow Boost is a feature of some Asus gaming monitors that enhances image details in dark areas, brightening scenes without over-exposing bright areas. It improves overall viewing while also making it easier to spot enemies hidden in dark areas of the map. It is designed to give gamers a competitive advantage, allowing them to see more clearly in dark areas of their games.

Similar technologies offered by other companies include Nvidia's GeForce Now and Blade's Shadow cloud gaming services. These services allow users to stream games from a remote, high-powered PC to their own device. They offer improved performance and responsiveness compared to local hardware, and eliminate the need for users to constantly update their gaming PCs as games become more demanding.

In terms of platform support, Shadow Boost is limited to Asus monitors, whereas GeForce Now and Shadow support a wider range of devices, including PC, Mac, Android, and iOS. GeForce Now also supports Nvidia Shield devices. Shadow Boost does not require a subscription or additional hardware, whereas GeForce Now and Shadow require a subscription and/or additional hardware to use their services.

When it comes to stream quality, Shadow Boost offers enhanced details in dark areas without overexposing bright areas. GeForce Now currently tops out at 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second, while Shadow claims to be able to run games at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second, or 1080p resolution with a 144Hz refresh rate. However, it is important to note that the actual performance of these streaming services may vary depending on the user's internet connection and hardware.

In summary, Shadow Boost is a feature specific to Asus monitors that enhances visibility in dark areas of games, while GeForce Now and Shadow are cloud gaming services that offer improved performance and responsiveness compared to local hardware. Shadow Boost offers superior stream quality in terms of resolution and frame rate, but the actual performance may vary depending on the user's setup.

How does shadow boost affect colour accuracy?

Shadow Boost is a feature on some ASUS monitors that enhances image details in dark areas, brightening scenes without over-exposing bright areas. It improves overall viewing while also making it easier to spot enemies hidden in dark areas of the map.

Some users have reported issues with the shadow boost feature, such as inconsistent brightness and washed-out images. One user reported that the image on their monitor was too bright when they booted up their PC in the morning, but after restarting their computer, the settings returned to normal. Another user mentioned that the shadow boost feature washed out the image, making it look too light and affecting colour accuracy.

To address these issues, users have suggested disabling the shadow boost feature and adjusting other display settings, such as contrast and colour temperature, to achieve the desired image quality.

ASUS monitors with Shadow Boost are designed to enhance visibility in dark areas of games without affecting the overall brightness of the display. However, in practice, the results may vary, and some users have found that it affects colour accuracy and image quality. It is important to calibrate the monitor and adjust the display settings to achieve the desired image quality and colour accuracy when using the Shadow Boost feature.

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