We can enhance it. We have the power.
One of the great perks of PC gaming is the ability to adjust resolution and add anti-aliasing. Getting the best visuals out of your gaming products has been the goal of gamers for decades. Unfortunately, console gamers have long been at the mercy of developers and affordable hardware regarding gaming visuals. However, with the assistance of the mCable, console gamers can now add even greater detail to their beloved games using nothing more than an HDMI cable.
The mCable Gaming Edition by marseille isn’t just any ordinary HDMI cable though. This cable has built-in tech that not only adds anti-aliasing to HD displays, but enhances visual clarity, improves the focus of images, and does so without adding any lag. These effects do vary from game to game however, so let’s start right there.
First and foremost, the mCable works best with images in 480p, 720p, and 1080p. Unfortunately, you won’t notice any visual enhancements when playing games that offer 4k resolution. It would seem that the processing power hits its limit at that point, and visual enhancements are bypassed completely.
Textures are greatly smoothed out in Windwaker
Still, these effects work absolute wonders on various systems. By utilizing the GCHD by Eon Gaming and combining it with the enhanced imagery of the mCable, the GameCube has never looked better. Every game that I tried utilizing the mCable and 480p display looked much cleaner, and colors were vibrant. It’s as though the resolution is bumped up from 480p to 720p. This is a crazy feat for such a simple cable to pull off, however it works and it works well.
The Xbox 360 and PS3 also look much sharper when utilizing the mCable. I found that games like Demon’s Souls and Metal Gear Solid 4 looked much more pronounced when using the mCable. Visuals are much cleaner, and textures appear to pop out at you more. While the effects aren’t quite as dramatic as they are on a 480p resolution, the effects are certainly noticeable and greatly appreciated.
Bet your mom’s HDMI can’t do that.
This isn’t necessarily what you would want to use with all of your retro setups, however. I tested the mCable with the SNES Classic and had mixed feelings about the results. While the effects are still in use, the more rounded visuals almost make some games look plastic. This may not be an issue for all gamers, however, those that enjoy the charm of the original display may not quite favor the mCable’s magic here.
When pairing up the mCable with the Xbox One or PS4, you may also find some mixed results. Indeed, the effects of the mCable are more subtle for games that render in 1080p. That being said, they are certainly still present, and generally, I found them favorable for most games. All around, I found that textures are more pronounced when using the mCable, and are a nice touch for games like Bloodborne.
The Nintendo Switch also tends to benefit from the use of the mCable as well. Games like Mario Odyssey and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe already look terrific, however, the mCable certainly helps to clean visuals up even more and really make these games shine.
What’s the catch?
There are some setbacks, however. As mentioned before, the mCable is at it’s best when paired with a game that renders natively at 480p, 720p, or 1080p. Games that tend to upscale to a higher resolution don’t receive as much benefit, and while the mCable certainly does it’s part to round out textures, it’s far less noticeable.
Since the mCable is actively processing the digital images on display, the effects of HDR are lost. I was a bit disappointed when I went to play Horizon Zero Dawn, but noticed how much dimmer the game was all around. At that point, one has to decide which they prefer more – enhanced visuals or enhanced lighting. Also, while the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X allow users to set the native console resolution to 1080p, it’s a bit of a setback. This is something that would be an easier enhancement for those that own a base PS4 or Xbox One.
The effects may not be as dramatic as pictured on the box…but they are definitely noticeable
The promise of enhanced visuals with lag free, real-time processing does live up to expectations. I found there to be absolutely no difference for input between a basic HDMI and the mCable. This will come as good news for fans of fighting games and first-person shooters alike. Truly, the marseille team did a great job of not only programming a graphical processor into a small HDMI device but having all of this occur while keeping lag minimal.
Final thoughts.
All in all, Marseille’s mCable is a very dynamic device. It offers greater visual fidelity to console games and lives up to the promise of a lag free experience. I personally found that the mCable is at it’s best when paired with a GameCube/Xbox/PS2, or even the PS3/Xbox 360. These effects also enhance many modern games as well and serves as an extra layer of icing on the cake. The mCable is absolutely perfect for those devoted to getting the best visual experience from their games. While it is a pricey option, and the effects may not be quite as obvious across all games and platforms, it’s certainly a device worthy of praise and a great option for enhancing game visuals.
Summary
All in all, Marseille’s mCable is a very dynamic device. It offers greater visual fidelity to console games and lives up to the promise of a lag free experience.
