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Chromecast Ultra can enable your TV’s game mode to reduce Stadia latency

There are a number of steps to streamline your home setup for Stadia. On televisions, enabling game mode works to reduce latency, and Google is now rolling out a Chromecast Ultra setting to automatically turn on that optimization.

Found on most TVs today, game mode disables video processing and allows for faster response times. In fact, turning it on is one of Google’s “Pro tips” to reduce Stadia latency.

Given that the preference is often buried in television menus, Google added a Chromecast Ultra setting to “Automatically enable game mode” when Stadia is being casted. The functionality is otherwise disabled when you’re just watching video, but the entire setting can also be disabled.

When you cast your game from your device to your Chromecast-enabled TV, the game mode setting automatically turns on. This setting enables a mode on your TV to decrease latency during gameplay. Note: This feature is only available on compatible TVs.

We first spotted it last week on an Ultra enrolled in the Preview Program. Firmware version 1.42.180348 is widely rolling out to all Ultra dongles in recent days. That toggle in Google Home settings is switched on by default. If this version is not yet available on your device, join the beta channel.

Google automating game mode for Stadia on the Chromecast Ultra, and not requiring users to turn it on every time they want to play, contributes to making the streaming service much more of a seamless experience.

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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com

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