Friday, May 30th 2025

Today's Reviews

Cases
CPU Coolers
Headphones
Keyboards
Memory
SSD

Lisuan Unveils G100, China's 6 nm GPU Targeting RTX 4060-Level Performance

Lisuan Technology announced this week on its official WeChat channel that it has successfully powered on its prototype G100 graphics card. The company describes the G100 as China's first domestically designed 6 nm GPU, marking a significant milestone in its effort to challenge established industry players. With the first silicon now operational, Lisuan is moving into driver development, software validation, and broader system integration testing. Although Lisuan has provided few formal specifications, rumors indicate that SMIC is fabbing the G100 die, currently the only Chinese foundry capable of producing a 6 nm node under US export restrictions. Rumors describe the performance as being on par with NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4060 in mid-range gaming tests, alongside generous onboard memory, efficient power consumption, and support for DirectX 12, Vulkan 1.3, and OpenGL 4.6. If accurate, these features could position the G100 for both gaming and general-purpose GPU workloads.

Founded in late 2021 by a team of former Silicon Valley engineers with more than 25 years of collective chip-design experience, Lisuan Technology is among the youngest entrants in China's graphics-chip sector. It follows Biren Technology (established in 2019) and Moore Threads (established in 2020) in their pursuit of a homegrown alternative to foreign GPU offerings. Beijing's push for semiconductor self-sufficiency has encouraged such ventures, and Lisuan insists its TrueGPU architecture is fully developed in-house rather than licensed from outside sources. The G100 was initially slated for a 2023 launch but encountered financial headwinds that nearly forced Lisuan into bankruptcy in 2024. A $27.7 million capital injection from the parent company, Dongxin Semiconductor, kept development on track through tape-out and early risk-production trials. Lisuan now plans to ship small volumes of G100 cards in the third quarter of 2025, with mass availability more likely in 2026.
Thursday, May 29th 2025

Microsoft Shifts Xbox Gaming Handheld Ambitions to Third-Party Windows Handhelds, Postpones 2027 Launch Plans

We've reported on Microsoft's development of a custom Xbox gaming handheld a number of times, with Microsoft Gaming head, Phil Spencer, recently confirming a foray into hardware was in the works. Now, though, it seems as though Microsoft has shelved the idea for the meantime, instead putting its weight behind developing and optimizing Windows for third-party gaming handhelds, like the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go. According to Windows Central, Microsoft is still planning on developing its own Xbox gaming handheld, but that product will no longer launch alongside the Xbox Series X|S as previously planned.

According to the report, a recent internal announcement at Microsoft indicated that Microsoft will be shifting its development teams to focus on its partner devices. One such device is the rumored Xbox-branded ASUS ROG Ally handheld, which is supposedly targeting a late 2025 launch. It seems as though Microsoft's renewed efforts would have it optimizing both the Windows base layer and the Xbox software components that are to be used on current and future gaming handheld hardware. It's almost certain that Microsoft has an uphill battle, now that Valve has officially released SteamOS for third-party gaming handhelds, and there is speculation that the sizeable performance and efficiency gap between Windows and SteamOS may be to blame for Microsoft's sudden shift in strategy. Now, it seems as though Microsoft's Xbox Series X|S successor is still planned to launch in 2027, but the Xbox handheld will likely launch after that.
Dave2D battery life benchmarks SteamOS vs Windows

Nintendo Seemingly Blocks Video Streaming Apps On Switch 2

It looks as though the uphill battle that is the Nintendo Switch 2 launch is not over yet. While backwards compatibility with the original Switch game library, consisting of 122 first-party games and over 15,000 third-party games, was a major highlight for those eager for a Switch 2, it seems as though it isn't as cut-and-dry as simply loading the games onto the Switch 2. Nintendo has been testing the entire game library in order to inform Switch 2 buyers what they'll be able to play at launch. According to a recently updated Nintendo support article, the Switch 2 will ditch support for video streaming sites Crunchyroll, Hulu, Niconico, and Abema, as well as manga and comic reader, InkyPen, and the Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04 VR Kit.

While a number of other titles Nintendo tested seemingly won't work immediately like Fortnite, for which there is a Switch 2 version planned, Nintendo is drawing a line between apps that won't work at launch but will be fixed at a later date, and apps that will not work on the Switch 2. As for the aforementioned video streaming apps, Nintendo says that they "Cannot be used on Nintendo Switch 2," while the Labo VR Kit will likely need a physical design revision for the Switch 2, since the original kit was designed for hardware compatibility with the first-gen Switch. It's unclear if video streaming and other media consumption apps, like Crunchyroll and Hulu, will be blocked from the Switch 2 entirely, or if the developers and publishers could work around the new Switch 2 hardware to publish updated versions. The hybrid console form factor of the Switch and Switch 2 theoretically make Nintendo's consoles uniquely suited to video streaming, since they can be docked, and consoles like the Sony PS5 and Xbox Series X|S are both capable of operating as standalone home theater systems. It only makes sense for Nintendo to compete in the same regard, but without the apps to support such use cases, the Switch 2 cannot do that. Currently, the Switch 2 is slated to become widely available on June 5, with pre-orders already available—and largely sold out—in some regions.

Dell Technologies Delivers First Quarter Fiscal 2026 Financial Results

Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) announces financial results for its fiscal 2026 first quarter. The company also provides guidance for its fiscal 2026-second quarter and full year.

First-Quarter Summary
  • First-quarter revenue of $23.4 billion, up 5% year over year
  • First-quarter operating income of $1.2 billion, up 21% year over year, and non-GAAP operating income of $1.7 billion, up 10%
  • First-quarter diluted EPS of $1.37, flat year over year, and non-GAAP diluted EPS of $1.55, up 17%

AMD Ryzen 9000G APUs Appear in Gigabyte AM5 Motherboard Leak

It seems as though an official international launch for the elusive AMD Ryzen 9000G APUs might still be on the cards for later this year, after all. While an announcement was expected at Computex 2025, along with a full-scale retail launch later this year, AMD was suspiciously quiet about its CPUs at the electronics trade show. Now, it looks as though Gigabyte has seemingly started preparing its B650 motherboard line-up for the arrival of AMD's Ryzen 9000G APUs.

On Gigabyte's B650 Gaming motherboard memory compatibility page, the hardware maker seems to have replaced any mention of Ryzen 9000 series CPUs with "Ryzen 9000 G-series CPUs," altogether. It's unclear whether this change means the same memory compatibility table will apply for both AMD Ryzen 9000 and 9000G CPUs, but that seems to be the case. At any rate, this leak suggests that previous rumors claiming a Q4 launch may have been correct. Those same leaks suggested that the Ryzen 9000G APUs would feature AMD Zen 5 CPU cores paired with AMD RDNA 3.5 iGPUs, with the top-spec iGPU likely being capable of running at least some lighter-weight games and e-sports titles. As it stands, the iGPUs found in recent AMD Ryzen CPUs are merely there for basic video output and diagnostic purposes, while the G-series APUs are generally intended for use without a dedicated GPU. It seems reasonable to expect AMD to launch at least one variant in the AMD Ryzen 9000G APU series equipped with the Radeon 890M, which also powers some of the most popular Windows gaming handhelds on the market.

GameSir Announces Nova 2 Lite Controllers & Opens Up Pre-orders

Introducing the GameSir Nova 2 Lite wireless game controller—compatible with Switch, PC, Android, iOS and Steam via Bluetooth, wired, and wireless dongle connections. Co-designed with the fighting game champion and our brand ambassador, XiaoHai, the Nova 2 Lite delivers champion-grade quality—truly Champions for You. Whether you're exploring new ways to game or aiming to level up, the Nova 2 Lite offers a fresh take on competitive control—perfect for beginners and beyond. Now available for pre-order on gamesir.com.

Precise Execution. Instant Response.
GameSir Nova 2 Lite features ultra-low latency buttons and sticks, delivering pro-level input performance. Combined with a 1000 Hz polling rate, your commands are registered almost instantly, minimizing lag and giving you a competitive edge. What's more, it's equipped with a mechanical circular D-pad, expertly tuned by XiaoHai. Designed for quick reactions and accuracy in every direction, this D-pad elevates your gaming experience with superior responsiveness.

Client Interest in Samsung Foundry Reportedly Buoyed by Nintendo Switch 2 SoC Production Deal

The Nintendo Switch 2 hybrid console is due to launch globally next Wednesday (June 4). The highly anticipated next-gen handheld is powered by a custom NVIDIA processor. To the surprise of many industry watchdogs, both parties have semi-recently disclosed a couple of technical details regarding their fruitful hardware collaboration. Historically, Nintendo has guarded many aspects of its past generation hardware. Throughout the 2020s, data miners and leakers have unearthed plenty of pre-release information—leading to theories about the Switch 2 chipset's origins. During the Switch 1 era, TSMC was the chosen manufacturing partner. NVIDIA's off-the-shelf Tegra X1 mobile SoC powered the first wave of Nintendo Switch (2017) devices, in 20 nm form. A 2019 revision resulted in Switch Lite and (refreshed) Switch models being equipped with a more efficient 16 nm solution, also present within 2023's premium OLED variant.

Since then, Switch 2's alleged NVIDIA Tegra T239 SoC was linked to a Samsung 8 nm node process. Earlier this month, extremely brave Chinese leakers produced "full die shot" evidence of South Korean foundry origins. Bloomberg insider news articles have implied that Samsung Semi's mature 8 nm FinFET node is better suited—rather than an equivalent TSMC product—for the Switch 2's custom NVIDIA chipset. Unnamed sources have mentioned critical factors; namely stable production and process compatibility. Industry moles reckon that Samsung leadership is actively and aggressively pushing for a longer Switch 2 chipset production deal. Renewed terms could include a future die shrink; pre-launch analysis indicates a sizeable 207 mm² footprint. Beyond foundry biz negotiations, additional murmurs suggest company executives dangling an OLED panel supply agreement. Industry experts have viewed Samsung's key entry—into the gaming console chip market—as a seismic development. A DigiTimes article dives into a so-called "tripartite cooperation"—involving Nintendo, NVIDIA, and the South Korean semiconductor giant. The Samsung Foundry has floundered and struggled in recent times, but is keen to catch up with its arch rival. Fresh rumors have AMD and Sony considering Samsung's chip making channels; possibly with futuristic PlayStation hardware in mind.

505 Games Previews Wuchang: Fallen Feathers - Describes "Soulslike" Combat System

From the first moment you step into the brutal lands of Shu, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers makes one thing clear: survival isn't gifted, it's earned. Throughout your journey, you'll need to master an arsenal of weapons, spells, and abilities to overcome the harrowing challenges of this Soulslike action-RPG set in the waning years of the Ming dynasty. With the July 24 launch fast approaching, we're giving PlayStation players a closer look at some of the game's most defining tools of survival, power, and identity. We'll highlight just a few of the devastating weapons, arcane spells, and unique abilities you'll wield as you carve your legacy through ruin and revelation. These tools don't just shape your playstyle, they shape the legend of Wuchang herself.

A diverse arsenal of blades and brutality
Each weapon in Wuchang is tied to a piece of the game's world building, from sacred relics to myth-imbued prototypes. Every blade tells a story, and every strike leaves a mark. The Dragoncoil Lance, a Deluxe Edition spear, is a striking silver-white weapon featuring a traditional design. A coiled dragon motif wraps around the junction of the shaft and spearhead, symbolizing the wielder's courage and valor. Weapons in Wuchang each have their own unique skills, and with the Vortex Thrust skill for the Dragoncoil Lance, you can unleash shockwaves with devastating force, making it ideal for punishing multiple enemies at once.

Palit's GeForce RTX 5090 Tornado Concept Design Gets Jensen's Approval

A fair few partner-produced items—exhibited at last week's Computex 2025 trade event—were blessed with Jensen Huang's signature. Not long after concluding his keynote presentation, the ever intrepid NVIDIA boss spent time on the showroom floor. The TechPowerUp crew stumbled upon an autographed example at the Palit booth: Pandora NXNano mini AI PC. Due to mitigating circumstances, we did not capture any shots of a nearby special prototype flagship graphics card. The Taiwanese manufacturer proudly showcased a "GeForce RTX 5090 Tornado" dual-fan/dual-slot design; its all-metal housing aesthetic recalls an older vintage of Team Green's Founder Edition line.

Several media outlets have examined this compelling prospect; at least from a safe distance. Palit did not allow any hands-on experiences. A first party-developed "double flow-through cooling solution" serves as a main inspiration for the Tornado engineering team. The GeForce board partner's implementation of an angled 12v-2x6 power connector is another borrowed element. According to VideoCardz's expert opinion, NVIDIA has supplied a reference PCB. Palit is best known for making budget-friendly (mostly plastic) options, so their Tornado card concept represents a compelling breakaway from normal patterns. Despite gaining an important official endorsement; several rival products were similarly decorated with Huang's autograph.

AnythingLLM App Best Experienced on NVIDIA RTX AI PCs

Large language models (LLMs), trained on datasets with billions of tokens, can generate high-quality content. They're the backbone for many of the most popular AI applications, including chatbots, assistants, code generators and much more. One of today's most accessible ways to work with LLMs is with AnythingLLM, a desktop app built for enthusiasts who want an all-in-one, privacy-focused AI assistant directly on their PC. With new support for NVIDIA NIM microservices on NVIDIA GeForce RTX and NVIDIA RTX PRO GPUs, AnythingLLM users can now get even faster performance for more responsive local AI workflows.

What Is AnythingLLM?
AnythingLLM is an all-in-one AI application that lets users run local LLMs, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems and agentic tools. It acts as a bridge between a user's preferred LLMs and their data, and enables access to tools (called skills), making it easier and more efficient to use LLMs for specific tasks.

ASRock Acknowledges Ryzen CPU Failures Linked to Motherboard BIOS, Offers Warranty Replacement

ASRock has finally acknowledged that the mysterious AMD Ryzen "processor deaths" plaguing its mid- and high-end motherboards weren't caused by defective AMD chips or stray debris but rather overly aggressive Precision Boost Overdrive settings in its BIOS. After more than 100 reports of Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Ryzen 9 9950X CPUs going dark on boards like the X670E Taichi and B650E Steel Legend, the company rolled out BIOS version 3.25 to dial back the Thermal Design Current and Electrical Design Current limits and apologized for initially blaming memory quirks and socket contaminants. ASRock will repair or replace affected motherboards free of charge (including shipping), though users whose CPUs have already failed must seek warranties through their retailer or AMD.
"No, we're not saying it's an AMD issue. We found that it should be related to our BIOS setting — that's the PBO settings, Precision Boost Overdrive. More technically, we adjusted two main settings in PBO. One is TDC (Thermal Design Current) and the other is EDC (Electrical Design Current). We found that our original values for these two settings might have been too high. So now, with BIOS version 3.25, we lowered the PBO values. We believe this can solve the problem."—Chris Lee, ASRock VP of Motherboard Business

Latest AMD Linux Radeon Drivers Grants RX 9060 XT & AI PRO R9700 SKU Support

AMD's "Radeon Software for Linux 25.10.1" release notes mention the introduction of support for three important ASIC SKUs: RX 9060 XT, AI PRO R9700, and RX 9070 GRE. Two of these models are still awaiting release; the TechPowerUp team spent time with demonstration samples at the recently concluded Computex 2025 trade show. Coincidentally, the special v25.10.1 update became available on the same day as Team Red's big (May 21) presentation. During that day's proceedings, the company committed themselves to providing ROCm support for freshly unveiled graphics products.

Interestingly, it has taken a number of weeks to get the China market exclusive Radeon RX 9070 GRE 12 GB card up and running under Linux environments. GPU industry watchers are still wondering whether this mid-range option will trickle out to global markets; akin to the staggered trail made by the RDNA 3 generation's Radeon RX 7900 GRE (around early 2024). Team Red's open-source software team has readied support almost two weeks ahead of the launch of Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB and 8 GB models. The workstation-grade Radeon AI PRO R9700 32 GB model is expected to arrive at some point in July.

Apple Overhauls its Operating Systems, Adopts Year-Based Version Labels

Apple will introduce a significant change to its software naming at WWDC 2025, replacing sequential version numbers with names based on the year following each release. This adjustment will apply across all of Apple's operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS and visionOS. Under the new plan, iOS 18 will be rebranded as "iOS 26," while iPadOS 19 will become "iPadOS 26," macOS 16 will adopt "macOS 26," and watchOS 13 will shift to "watchOS 26." Apple TV's operating system will appear as "tvOS 26," and the Vision Pro headset will run "visionOS 26." By choosing the upcoming year rather than the current one, Apple intends to align its naming convention with its customary fall release schedule. Apple hopes that this change will simplify its ecosystem and help users and developers recognize the connection among updates across devices.

At the same time, Apple plans to unveil a refreshed user interface design, internally named "Solarium." All platforms will share a brighter palette and more consistent layout elements, making transitions between iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other devices feel more natural. New features expected this fall include an AI-powered battery optimization mode, an intelligent health assistant, live translation capabilities for AirPods, and innovative input options such as a bidirectional Arabic-English keyboard and a digital calligraphy tool for Apple Pencil. This naming strategy echoes earlier choices by Samsung and Microsoft. In 2020, Samsung branded its Galaxy S line with the year of release, while in the 1990s, Microsoft used calendar years for Windows 95 and Windows 98. Apple's approach differs in that it names software for the year ahead, much like how automakers market their upcoming models and could roll forward in future releases as "27" and beyond.

Spray Paint Simulator Out Now on PC & Consoles

Hello friends! We are absolutely thrilled to share that our game, Spray Paint Simulator, is out now on Steam! It's been a long journey from forming our studio, to the initial idea for Spray Paint Simulator, and now, its release, and we couldn't be more proud. After months of creating a game that we had loads of fun making, we're very excited to be able to share it with the world.

In the past, we've always made games for other people, so creating something ourselves has been both exciting and a little scary. When you launch a title, there's always a mixture of sheer joy and nerves after putting it out there. We're grateful for the support from our publisher and the many players who have helped us shape the game into something we're eager for people to play. We've done our best to listen to player feedback and create a game we hope will be enjoyed by many. We can't wait to see what players come up with during their time with the game. We hope that you enjoy it!

Intel Nova Lake-S Socket Dimensions Turns Up in Shipping Doc; Possibly Compatible w/ Current Cooling Solutions

Last month, NBD shipping documents linked Intel's next-gen "Nova Lake‑S" (aka "NVL‑S") desktop processor family to an LGA 1954 socket type. Given Team Blue's track record, consumers are not overly enthused by the prospect of another change in mounting profiles. Famously, the current-gen Core Ultra "Arrow Lake-S" CPU series required a fresh slate of motherboards design—centered around LGA1851. Fortunately, a late March-authored shipping manifest has indicated that a successor will leverage nigh identical dimensions. This intriguing leak was shared on social media by Ruby_Rapids—they happily surmised: "the package size of FCLGA1954 is 45×37.5 mm, too. Today's coolers are mechanically compatible with Nova Lake-S."

Despite leveraging a greater number of pins, the supposed LGA 1954 footprint could grant support for cooling solutions that were designed during the eras of LGA1851 and LGA1700. Naturally, a shift into next-gen Team Blue desktop processor territories will necessitate a fresh swath of mainboards. In sharp contrast, AMD enthusiasts remain happy about the AM5 socket's long-term prospects. According to official company timelines, Core Ultra "Nova Lake‑S" processors are "on track" for a loose 2026 launch window. 2 nm manufacturing details were leaked last month; indicating TSMC's involvement.

Report: PC and Tablet Shipment Forecast Increases Despite Tariff Uncertainty

After recording strong results in the first quarter of 2025, IDC is increasing its traditional PC forecast for 2025—this comes despite the significant impact that US tariffs have had on its trading partners' market sentiment. Global PC volume is now expected to reach 274 million in 2025, growing +4.1% over the prior year. Beyond 2025, IDC forecasts a slight contraction in 2026 due in part from volume stabilization following Windows 11 migration and to a more difficult comparison given a stronger market in 2025.

"The 90 day pause and tariffs exemption applied to personal computers, combined with a definite level of uncertainty on what will happen after the 90 day pause, is motivating PC manufacturers to seize the moment and ship larger than anticipated volumes in the US," said Jean Philippe Bouchard, research VP with IDC's Worldwide PC Trackers. "However, expectations of worsening macroeconomic conditions around the world and in the US characterized by upward pressures on prices and degrading consumer sentiment, will impact the PC market in the second half of 2025. Nonetheless, IDC expects commercial demand for PCs to be healthy in 2025 as the Windows 11 migration continues steadily."

EA Reportedly Closes Cliffhanger Games; Black Panther Project Canceled

Throughout the Spring season, Electronics Arts (EA) has reduced development team numbers across several of its international first-party game development studios. According to a fairly fresh IGN news report, another North American operation has been shutdown. Cliffhanger Games was working on a triple-A Black Panther intellectual property, with Marvel's full approval—as teased back in mid-2023. IGN's inside sources have leaked an email—allegedly authored by Laura Miele, EA Entertainment's president—that was addressed the latest round of layoffs at Cliffhanger Games, and unspecified "mobile and central teams." Apparently these adjustments are necessary; Miele (reportedly) believes that these changes will: "sharpen our focus and put our creative energy behind the most significant growth opportunities...These decisions are hard. They affect people we've worked with, learned from, and shared real moments with. We're doing everything we can to support them—including finding opportunities within EA, where we've had success helping people land in new roles." In recent times, company leadership had openly discussed a move away from licensed IP projects. Supposedly, Miele's email mentions a focus on core EA franchises going forward: The Sims, Skate, Battlefield, and Apex Legends.

eXtas1s, a somewhat unreliable source of inside track info has weighed in with related news. The Spanish leaker shared an offbeat claim: "I have learned that around 400 more layoffs are coming at EA, the total closure of Codemasters HQ, and that those developers will be integrated into EA Sports (F1), and a new Need For Speed that is already in development." Going back to late April, EA declared that an unspecified number of layoffs were underway at Codemasters. Earlier this month, the long-running British racing game specialist had stopped working on the popular WRC franchise. Since then, NACON—a French publication house—has picked up the FIA World Rally Championship license. Within the same time period, an official announcement outlined the cancelation of two unannounced projects at Respawn Entertainment. Prior to cessations, the Los Angeles, California-based outfit was working on two "early stage" titles—insider reports suggested that one of these mystery IPs was some sort of nascent Titanfall title. Interestingly, Respawn's leader—Vince Zampella—is steering the next Battlefield game. Several EA studios have been roped into a multipronged production approach.

LIAN LI Introduces the HYDROSHIFT II LCD-C Series AIOs

LIAN LI Industrial Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of chassis and PC accessories, announces the launch of the HYDROSHIFT II LCD-C series AIOs. Designed with side-mounted, flexible tubing and a compact radiator, the new AIO provides a clean, nearly tubeless appearance while maximizing compatibility with various case layouts. The HYDROSHIFT II features a sleek, cable-free pump block with a mounting screw cover and a unique latch-in-place design that simplifies installation and enhances maneuverability. It also features a 2.1" round LCD display with full L-Connect 3 integration and offers three versatile control modes: Offline, Wireless, and USB-Streaming.

Minimalist Tubing, Maximum Flexibility
The HYDROSHIFT II LCD-C refines the series' signature clean aesthetic with a more compact radiator and a redesigned side-mounted tube design, achieving a nearly tubeless look and maximizing compatibility. The flexible server-grade corrugated tubing ensures smooth bends around the radiator without compromising flow or internal diameter. A sliding tube clamp allows for precise tube alignment directly over the CPU block and can be secured to 140 mm fan brackets to lock the tubes in place. For builds with limited clearance, the clamp can be removed to optimize space. Paired with a newly redesigned 400×122×24 mm radiator, the HYDROSHIFT II LCD-C offers broad case compatibility while maintaining effective heat dissipation in a wide range of PC setups. The HYDROSHIFT II also features a sleek, cable-free pump block design with a clean mounting screw cover, complemented by an innovative latch-in-place mounting mechanism that holds the block securely while users screw it down—making installation easier and more manageable.

Square Enix Explores the Legacy & Modernizations of their Dragon Quest Franchise

Dragon Quest is the beloved series that's widely credited for founding the entire JPRG (Japanese role-playing game) genre. Every year, fans around the world (usually) celebrate Dragon Quest Day on May 27-the release date of the very first game in 1986. And so: Happy (belated) Dragon Quest Day! Whether this is your first time hearing about the series or you're a longtime fan, it's the perfect day to step into the world of these amazing games! So, celebrate with us as we tell you all about the wonders of Dragon Quest.

Introducing Legendary Creators
The Dragon Quest franchise was brought to life by a trio of legendary creators. Yuji Horii is the visionary game designer and creator of the series and has shaped its direction since the original title's release in 1986. The distinctive character designs were crafted by the late Akira Toriyama, the world-renowned manga artist. Complementing visuals and storytelling is the iconic music composed by the late Koichi Sugiyama. Together, these three pioneers established a legacy that continues to inspire RPGs today, and each of their specific elements have become the defining traits of the Dragon Quest experience.

AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB Graphics Card Geekbenched; Leaked Results Suggest 25-31% Faster Than RX 7600 XT

Just over a week ago, the Radeon RX 9060 XT graphics card became official; introduced as the fastest gaming GPU option for "under $350." It represents the second wave of AMD's RDNA 4 GPU generation, but definitive verdicts are not expected until a lifting of review embargoes—likely happening the day before retail release: June 4. Evaluation samples are very likely in the possession of media outlets and influencers; as evidenced by pre-launch benchmark results appearing within the Geekbench Browser database. A nondescript Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB model was put through OpenCL and Vulkan wringers, via "Geekbench 6.2.2 for Windows AVX2." Overall tallies are 109315 and 124251, respectively. The test rig consisted of Team Red's Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU, a Gigabyte X870E AORUS MASTER motherboard, and 32 GB of DDR5-8000 RAM.

Geekbench results are not the best indicators of gaming performance on modern PC platforms, but semi-useful data can be compared to figures generated by predecessors and current-gen siblings. Quick analysis points to the benchmarked Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB sample pulling ahead of its RDNA 3-based elder—the Radeon RX 7600 XT—by 25 to 31%. Stepping up against the Radeon RX 7700 XT 12 GB model, the plucky new candidate trails by 14% in OpenCL stakes and 12% in Vulkan. Naturally, a performance gulf exists between the Radeon RX 9070 16 GB (non-XT) card and its forthcoming smaller sibling—almost a +23% difference in OpenCL, and roughly +32% in Vulkan. Crucially, other Geekbench Browser entries suggest that NVIDIA's competing GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16/8 GB and RTX 5060 8 GB designs hold slight advantages in terms of OpenCL numbers. AMD's Navi 44 XT GPU-powered card nudges just beyond the RTX 5060's overall Vulkan result. A clearer picture of Radeon RX 9060 XT's standing will be painted next week; stay tuned for TechPowerUp's inevitable in-depth analyses of board partner specimens.

GeForce NOW Native App Ready To Go on Steam Deck

GeForce NOW is supercharging Valve's Steam Deck with a new native app—delivering the high-quality GeForce RTX-powered gameplay members are used to on a portable handheld device. It's perfect to pair with the six new games available this week, including Tokyo Xtreme Racing from Japanese game developer Genki.

Stream Deck
At the CES trade show in January, GeForce NOW announced a native app for the Steam Deck, unlocking the full potential of Valve's handheld device for cloud gaming. The app is now available, and gamers can stream titles on the Steam Deck at up to 4K 60 frames per second—connected to a TV—with HDR10, NVIDIA DLSS 4 and Reflex technologies on supported titles. Plus, members can run these games at settings and performance levels that aren't possible natively on the Steam Deck. To top it off, Steam Deck users can enjoy up to 50% longer battery life when streaming from an RTX gaming rig in the cloud.

xMEMS Extends µCooling Fan-on-a-Chip Technology to Data Centers SSDs

xMEMS Labs, Inc., the pioneer of monolithic MEMS-based solutions, today announced the expansion of its revolutionary µCooling fan-on-a-chip platform into AI data centers, bringing the industry's first in-module active thermal management solution to high-performance optical transceivers. Originally developed for compact mobile devices, xMEMS µCooling now provides targeted, hyper-localized active cooling for dense, thermally-challenged environments inside 400G, 800G, and 1.6T optical transceivers—a critical yet underserved category in next-gen AI infrastructure.

Unlike conventional cooling approaches that target high-power (kilowatt) processors and GPUs, µCooling focuses on smaller, thermally stressed components that large-scale cooling systems can't reach, such as optical transceiver DSPs, that operate at 18 W TDP or higher. These components introduce thermal challenges and increasingly limit transceiver performance and reliability as data rates scale.

HP Reports Fiscal 2025 Second Quarter Results

HP Inc. and its subsidiaries ("HP") announced fiscal 2025 second quarter net revenue of $13.2 billion, up 3.3% (up 4.5% in constant currency) from the prior-year period. "In Q2, we delivered solid revenue growth, led by strong Commercial performance in Personal Systems and continued momentum behind our future of work strategy," said Enrique Lores, President and CEO, HP Inc. "While results in the quarter were impacted by a dynamic regulatory environment, we responded quickly to accelerate the expansion of our manufacturing footprint and further reduce our cost structure. These decisive actions strengthen our foundation and position us to deliver long-term sustainable growth."

"In light of the increased macroeconomic uncertainty, we have adjusted our outlook to reflect moderated demand and the net impact of trade-related costs," said Karen Parkhill, CFO, HP Inc. "We are executing targeted mitigation strategies, and assuming current conditions remain, we expect to fully offset these costs by Q4."

TechPowerUp GPU-Z v2.66.0 Released

TechPowerUp today released the latest version of TechPowerUp GPU-Z, the popular graphics sub-system information, monitoring, and diagnostic utility. Version 2.66.0 introduces support for a number of new GPUs. On the NVIDIA front, we've added support for GeForce RTX 5060, RTX 5070 Ti Mobile, RTX 5070 Mobile, RTX 5060 Mobile, RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell, and Quadro RTX 5000 (TU104-B). Over on the AMD side, we've added support for the upcoming Radeon RX 9060 XT, and Radeon Pro W7900 Dual Slot. Grab the latest version from TechPowerUp GPU-Z from the link below.

DOWNLOAD: TechPowerUp GPU-Z v2.66.0

ZOTAC Silently Upgraded Its ZBOX E-Series Mini-PCs with GeForce RTX 5060 Ti and Intel Core Ultra 7

ZOTAC silently added a new MAGNUS Mini-PC to its ZBOX E-Series that features a desktop-class GeForce RTX 5060 Ti GPU with 16 GB of GDDR7 with 128-bit bus interface paired with Intel Core Ultra 7 255H (16 Cores, 2 GHz up to 5.1 GHz) processor. The MAGNUS came in a compact 2.65 liters small form factor measuring 210 mm x 203 mm x 62.2 mm and is equipped with 16 GB of pre-installed DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM RAM that can be expanded up to 96 GB by using DDR5-6400 CSODIMM or DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM modules. The storage consist of a 1 TB M.2 NVMe SSD along with one more M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 slot available for expansion. The system supports up to four displays simultaneously through one HDMI 2.1 port and two DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, with the highest resolution being 7680 x 4320 at 60 Hz (120 Hz at 4K). The unit sports dual 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi 7 wireless networking (dual SMA antenna connectors available), along with Bluetooth 5.4, five USB 3.2 and two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and 8-channel audio support through HDMI.

The system comes with active cooling and an external 330 W power supply. ZOTAC offers multiple SKUs for the Magnus E-Series Mini-PC, including pre-configured models (ZBOX-EN75060TC-W4B/W5B) with Windows OS, 16 GB DDR5 memory, and 1 TB M.2 NVMe SSD pre-installed, as well as a barebone model (ZBOX-EN75060TC) that allows users to configure their own memory and storage options.

Nokia Brings Wi-Fi 7 to All With Launch of Beacon 4 and 9 Home Devices

Today, Nokia launched two new Wi-Fi 7 gateways designed to deliver, reliable, ultra-fast broadband to every corner of the home. Nokia's entry level Beacon 4 and mid-tier Beacon 9 offer gigabit speeds over Wi-Fi - essential for supporting the expanding demands of streaming, online gaming, video, smart home, and security applications in the home.

As XGS-PON and 25G PON services grow, Wi-Fi upgrades are essential to delivering multi-gigabit speeds into homes. Nokia's new Beacon 4 and 9 are designed specifically for this purpose, allowing service providers to offer an affordable, best-in-class Wi-Fi 7 experience for the masses. Incorporating Wi-Fi 7's full capabilities, the dual-band Beacon 4 gateway delivers 3.6Gbs speeds over Wi-Fi while the tri-band Beacon 9 gateway delivers blazingly fast 9.4Gbs speeds that help eliminate slowdowns and buffering issues. Both Beacons are powered by its Corteca software which allows operators to create and monetize better broadband experiences.

Alphacool Announces ES Barbed fittings, QDCs and MCX Manifold

Alphacool International GmbH, based in Braunschweig, has been a pioneer in PC water cooling technology for over 20 years. With one of the most comprehensive product portfolios in the industry and over two decades of experience, Alphacool is now expanding its portfolio with the new barbed fittings and quick disconnect couplings (QDCs) designed for TPV tubing.

The new components are engineered to meet the high demands of enterprise and server environments. With robust construction, easy handling, and compatibility with TPV tubing, these fittings ensure secure and efficient operation even under continuous load. The straight and angled barbed fittings offer flexible routing options, while the QDCs allow for tool-free disconnection and reconnection of water loops, simplifying maintenance and system upgrades.
Wednesday, May 28th 2025
Phylina S480 Max Review

Phylina S480 Max Review

Weighing just 41 g, the ambidextrous, solid-shell Phylina S480 Max comes with PixArt's latest PAW3950 sensor, Huano main button switches, and 8000 Hz polling in both wired and wireless operation. What's more, the lightweight rodent has a light price too, just $69.99.

NVIDIA Announces Financial Results for First Quarter Fiscal 2026

NVIDIA today reported revenue for the first quarter ended April 27, 2025, of $44.1 billion, up 12% from the previous quarter and up 69% from a year ago.

On April 9, 2025, NVIDIA was informed by the U.S. government that a license is required for exports of its H20 products into the China market. As a result of these new requirements, NVIDIA incurred a $4.5 billion charge in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 associated with H20 excess inventory and purchase obligations as the demand for H20 diminished. Sales of H20 products were $4.6 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 prior to the new export licensing requirements. NVIDIA was unable to ship an additional $2.5 billion of H20 revenue in the first quarter.

AMD Reportedly Discontinues B650 Motherboard Chipset, Insider Predicts Q3'25 Stock Depletion

Yesterday, members of the Bobantang discussion board disclosed intriguing insider knowledge. According to recent industry murmurs, AMD has informed motherboard manufacturing partners about the discontinuation of B650 chipset production. Chinese media outlets have jumped on this alleged revelation, with Western counterparts quickly joining in on the fun (hours later). ITHome and Unika's Hardware were the first channels to parse info from the Bobantang forum. Since a 2022 launch, Team Red's mid-range B650 board design has remained a firm favorite for many budget-conscious owners of Ryzen 7000 (plus 8000G and 9000) series desktop processors. A "direct" successor—B850—reached retail at the start of this year, but higher price points combined with relatively minor feature set advantages have discouraged a lot of buyers. The likes of ASUS, ASRock, Colorful and Sapphire have released (or previewed) new B650 chipset-based mainboard products in 2025—mostly in microATX form factors.

A Bobantang member has prophesized two major trends—the first being: "after AMD's B650 chip production line is shut down, its inventory is expected to be large. According to Team Red, the B650M series inventory sales plan will probably end in the third quarter (of 2025)." A second claim was outlined: "it is expected that the digestion time of the tail end stock of AMD's B650 series motherboard will be longer, at least there will be inventory to sell in the second quarter (of this year), but the inventory of B650M chips will become more and more scarce as time goes by." PC hardware watchdogs propose a fall in B850 pricing; likely expertly timed to occur shortly after the complete depletion of predecessor stock—by the fourth quarter of this year.

Saber Interactive Announces World War Z VR - Launching on August 12

The swarms are back for more in World War Z VR! Coming to Meta Quest and Steam VR on August 12. World War Z VR is a new first-person experience designed from the ground up to capture the series' legendary scale and action for long-time fans and VR enthusiasts alike. The gameplay mechanics of the original World War Z game have been fully reimagined for VR to deliver a gripping sense of realism and excitement with each moment.

Take on hordes of undead across vast environments in three unique locations: New York, Tokyo, and Marseille. Customize your challenge to suit your playstyle with a variety of characters, weapons, perks, and difficulty settings to choose from. A special bundle that includes both the new World War Z VR and the original World War Z is also available to pre-order today!

Xiaomi Envisions Proprietary Chipset Designs Being Deployed in non-Flagship Mobile Devices

Last Thursday, Xiaomi revealed its proprietary XRING O1 3 nm mobile chipset. After months of rumors, the Chinese firm's highly anticipated first-party chip design was introduced during their special "A New Beginning" event—held in Beijing. During this multipronged product launch celebration, company leadership disclosed the underpinnings of their first-ever flagship processor. According to official descriptions, Xiaomi's pivotal XRING O1 SoC is built on: "a cutting-edge second-gen 3 nm process with 19 billion transistors, features a 10-core CPU and 16-core Immortalis-G925 GPU, delivering flagship performance with industry-leading power efficiency. It also integrates Xiaomi's fourth-gen ISP and a 6-core NPU offering 44 TOPS for advanced AI processing." Days prior to important ceremonies in China, a joint statement—issued by Qualcomm—detailed an extended Snapdragon chipset supply agreement. The XRING O1 processor line will drive forthcoming Xiaomi 15S Pro smartphones and Pad 7 Ultra tablets; reserved for initial "domestic market" launches. Qualcomm's current flagship offerings are technically superior to Xiaomi's fresh effort, but an ever-shifting political landscape could affect future shipments.

Lu Weibing—a company president and partner—has outlined a vision for XRING's eventual expansion beyond a flagship/high-end product tier. Last week's intro firmly positioned the 3 nm part as premium option that will power suitably expensive Android-based mobile devices. Weibing acknowledged that his team has jumped into the deep end: "(for) this platform capability, it is most difficult to work on smartphone flagship SoC, it has high power consumption demand and its technology is extremely complicated. If you can, then you should have the ability to work on flagship smartphone SoC. (Once you) move to work on other chips, it won't be that difficult." Industry moles posit that Xiaomi's XRING division is already a formidable force, in terms of staff headcounts and experience. The department could be absorbing some inspiration from Apple; namely their custom C1 modem chip. The firm's president painted a picture of things to come: "so we want to focus on the flagship SoC, and then we want to make a capable modem for the future. We have to work on 4G and 5G parts—together with 3G—leading to a complete matrix. So that is what we need to do at this stage." Early leaks have indicated the existence of a binned version of the XRING O1 SoC; present within early Xiaomi Pad 7 Ultra tablet samples. In theory, these compromised chips could be deployed in unannounced cheaper products.

AMD Acquires Enosemi - Taking Steps to Accelerate Co-Packaged Optics Innovation for AI Systems

Last week, welcomed the Enosemi team to AMD, marking the next key step in our rapidly evolving AI strategy. Enosemi has collaborated with us as an external development partner on photonics, and this acquisition extends that successful relationship. Now as part of AMD, the team will help us immediately scale our ability to support and develop a variety of photonics and co-packaged optics solutions across next-gen AI systems.

The elite team of experts and PhD-level talent at Enosemi, based in Silicon Valley, has a proven track record of building and shipping photonic integrated circuits in volume, a unique feat that few select teams have accomplished. Their depth of experience, technical rigor, and track record of execution make them an ideal fit for AMD as we push deeper into high-performance interconnect innovation.

ASRock Motherboard Team Believes That Overly Fierce PBO Settings Have Damaged Ryzen 9000 CPUs

Earlier this month, Bryan Bilowol—of Tech YES City fame—was taken aback by the unexpected "death" of his Ryzen 9 9950X processor, at the alleged hands of an ASRock X870 Steel Legend motherboard. Throughout early 2025, widespread news reports and community tracking efforts have largely implicated ASRock boards. AMD's highly popular Ryzen 7 9800X3D gaming CPU has "fallen victim" on numerous occasions, but a smaller number of incidents have affected non-3D V-Cache equipped Ryzen 9000 "Granite Ridge" models. The Taiwanese manufacturer and Team Red have investigated these problems, and have released fixes via BIOS updates. Despite these efforts, unhappy owners have experienced CPU failures in Q2'25. Following the uploading of initial findings and theories, Bilowol promised further reports. Fortunately, a sit-down—with ASRock's motherboard team—happened late last week, at Computex 2025. At the time of writing, the company has not published an official statement regarding their latest findings or fixes. Tech YES City shared a couple of compelling details in a May 26 YouTube upload (viewable below).

Commenting on the Ryzen 9000 CPU failure situation, Bilowol relayed important ASRock material: (the motherboard team) told me it had to do with the EDC and TDC, which is the electric design current as well as the thermal design current. Essentially, they're saying it's an ampage problem that exists with the precision boost overdrive (PBO) settings. In particular, these mid-range and high-end motherboards—say for instance a B650E or an X670E Taichi or even a B850 Steel Legend—have the ability to run Ryzen 9000 series CPUs at their maximum PBO settings out of the box. What's happening here is ASRock told me they were implementing these settings to what they believe was too aggressive for what the CPUs were able to handle, at least for earlier samples. However, they do promise me that these issues have been fixed with their latest BIOS updates that they're rolling out for these mid-range and high-end motherboards. They also told me that the lower-end boards, say for instance, an A620 HDV or something like that, shouldn't be affected by this issue simply because those PBO settings have been deliberately tuned down, due to the motherboard in question not being a high-end model." Three months back, ASRock's Japanese branch accused the PC hardware community of spreading "misinformation." Hopefully, the latest batch of fixes will bring an end to all Ryzen 9000 CPU + high-end/mid-range ASRock mainboard controversies.

Rainbow Six Siege X's UX Director Talks About Accessibility Features

Rainbow Six Siege X is launching on June 10, kicking off a new evolution of the tactical first-person shooter with new content and major updates. To help players prepare, we've published details on the Siege X PC & console specs, and in this article, we're diving deep into accessibility. The Siege team has long had accessibility in their sights as a priority, as you'll see in our interview with User Experience Director Sébastien François. He describes the team's embrace of accessibility throughout the years, shares details on how they've been preparing for Siege X, and offers insights into their future. Read on to learn more.

What is the Siege team's goal or guiding philosophy when it comes to accessibility?
Sébastien François: Siege is a tactical competitive shooter with a strong esports scene, which presents its own set of challenges compared to a single-player game, but we do not want to compromise on accessibility. We want as many players as possible to be able to engage with our unique gameplay elements with comfort, so they can enjoy the full extent of what the Siege experience has to offer. This is an integral part of our design process, and an important focus for our ongoing efforts to improve the game season after season.

NVIDIA Plans 800 V Power Infrastructure to Drive 1 MW AI Racks

AI infrastructure buildout is pushing data center desings beyond the limits of conventional power delivery. Traditional in-rack 54 V DC distribution was designed for racks drawing tens of kilowatts and cannot scale to the megawatt requirements for next-generation AI facilities. At GTC and Computex 2025, NVIDIA introduced a comprehensive solution: an end-to-end 800-volt high-voltage DC (HVDC) infrastructure that will support 1-megawatt AI racks and beyond, with deployments planned to begin in 2027. Cooling and cabling already place immense strain on rack designs. NVIDIA's current GB200 and GB300 NVL72 systems can draw up to 132 kW per rack—significantly more than the 50 to 80 kW that most data halls were built to handle. If rack power rises to the 700 kW to 1 MW range under a 54 V distribution, it would require roughly 64 U of chassis space devoted solely to copper busbars, which is almost the entire rack, and about 200 kg of copper per rack. For a 1 GW installation, that adds up to nearly half a million metric tons of copper.

NVIDIA's 800 V HVDC architecture eliminates multiple AC-to-DC and DC-to-DC conversion stages by consolidating them into a single grid-edge rectifier. From a 13.8 kV AC feed, power is converted directly to 800 V DC and then routed through row-level busways to each rack. Compact DC-DC modules in the rack step down the voltage for the GPUs. Fewer power supply units mean fewer fans, lower heat output, and a simpler electrical footprint. Beyond scalability, 800 V HVDC offers up to 5 percent gains in end-to-end efficiency and a 45 percent reduction in copper usage. This results in lower electricity costs and reduced infrastructure buildout costs. To drive industry adoption, NVIDIA has partnered with leaders across the power ecosystem. Silicon and power-electronics specialists such as Infineon, MPS, Navitas, ROHM, STMicroelectronics, and Texas Instruments are contributing components. System integrators, including Delta, Flex Power, Lead Wealth, LiteOn, and Megmeet, are developing power shelves. Data-center infrastructure companies Eaton, Schneider Electric, and Vert iv are standardizing protective devices at every boundary from the power room to the rack. Below you can compare the traditional rack system in the top to the newly proposed variation in the middle and the bottom part of the image. Thanks to HardwareLuxx, we can even see how it looks in reality.

Intel Mesa Driver Updated with Unannounced Arc Xe2 "Battlemage" GPU Identifiers

Back in January, keen trackers of internal Team Blue developments stumbled upon encouraging signs of new Arc Xe2 "Battlemage" graphics card activity. Fast-forward to Computex 2025; where Intel and involved board partners unveiled Pro-grade B60 and B50 workstation card products. In the interim, rumors of a canceled "BMG-G31" GPU-based gaming series turned up online. Leading up to last week's important trade event, Team Blue's social media accounts were actively engaging with the community—mostly answering queries regarding a speculated Arc Xe2 "B770" model. According to secretive show floor banter, higher-end B-series gaming graphics cards could be lined up for a fourth quarter launch (this year).

Freshly discovered "BMG" identifiers were highlighted by Lasse Kärkkäinen—this latest tip-off was directed at GawroskiT, Haze2K1 and x86deadandback. At various points in 2024 and 2025, these veteran industry observers have unearthed crucial "Battlemage" inside track information. Team Blue's Mesa graphics driver for Linux was updated late last week; Kärkkäinen's attention was drawn by 0xe220, 0xe221, 0xe222 to 0xe223 device codes. These IDs seemingly exist in a separate category, distinct from "BMG-21." Intel's B580 and B570 cards are based on "Battlemage" BMG-21 GPU die foundations. According to Wccftech's expert opinion: "at least two of these listings belong to Intel's recently-unveiled Battlemage 'ARC Pro' variants...The rest of the two device IDs will belong to newer models, and the one we anticipate to be unveiled is the Arc B770, since Intel 'indirectly' confirmed its release at Computex, but this will occur in the latter part of the year, presumably at Intel Innovation 2025." Inevitably, the Arc Xe2 "Battlemage" family will be succeeded by "Celestial"—recent leaks have suggested development of Xe3 reaching a pre-silicon validation phase.

PowerColor's RX 9070 XT Red Devil Special Edition Features Magnetic Swappable Backplates

PowerColor has introduced a new twist to its Red Devil lineup with the Radeon RX 9070 XT Special Edition, which features swappable magnetic backplates known as "Devil Skins." While the GPU itself remains identical in terms of specifications and cooling design to the existing Red Devil variants, this new edition focuses on user customization by allowing aesthetic changes without altering performance. Customers will receive the "Onyx Devil Skin" with the card, and although no additional skins have been confirmed, more options are likely to follow. Interestingly, these magnetic skins are expected to be compatible with other RX 9000-series Red Devil models, making it an easy and cost-effective upgrade for existing owners. Visually, the card maintains the sharp, angular look typical of the Red Devil line. However, PowerColor has moved toward a cleaner and more uniform finish compared to some of its past, more dramatic designs. Pricing and availability for the Special Edition have not been announced yet. The last picture shows the regular backplate on the Red Devil RX 9070 XT, so you can see the comparison between the two.

Microsoft's "Copilot for Gaming" Beta Trial Available Now on Mobile Platforms

At Xbox, we want to help you spend more time playing the games you love, to be there when you need some help—and out of the way when you don't. Copilot for Gaming (Beta) is designed to do just that, and starting today, you can begin testing this new feature as it starts rolling out to the beta version of the Xbox app for mobile devices.

Copilot for Gaming is the ultimate gaming sidekick, making gaming with Xbox more seamless and personalized. In this early version of the feature for mobile, you'll be able to access Copilot for Gaming on a second screen, without distracting you from your core gameplay experience. The companion knows what game you're playing and understands your Xbox activity, so it can answer any questions about the games you're interested in, provide links to more information when its response includes web sources, or answer questions based on your account, play history and achievements.

Acer Nitro AI Laptops Spotted with GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile GPU Specs

NVIDIA's oft-leaked GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile 8 GB GPU did not make a debut appearance at last week's Computex trade show. Given the very recent launch of GeForce RTX 5060 8 GB laptops, truly cost-conscious buyers will need to wait patiently for the next wave of even cheaper portable "Blackwell" hardware. Mid-way through the month, a British e-tailer inadvertently published pre-launch prices. Lenovo's least expensive option—utilizing a GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile card—sported a (likely placeholder) tag of £1149.97 (inc. VAT). So far, a lot of pre-release information has been sourced from official websites or webstores.

Yesterday, VideoCardz shared another NDA-buster—courtesy of Acer's "Predator and Nitro Gaming Laptop GPU Power Specifications page." At the time of writing, offending items are no longer present within this list. Prior to removal, three configurable Nitro AI laptop models (16, 16S, and 18) were visible with GeForce RTX 5050 specifications (alongside RTX 5060, 5070 and 5070 Ti options). Only clock speed and TGP data points were logged by the notorious investigator (see below). Currently, TechPowerUp's GPU database entry contains speculative information—a "GB207" GPU identifier was unearthed a while ago, but some insiders reckon that Team Green's GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile design will be based on "GB206" silicon. Additionally, debates continue to rage over the selection of GDDR7 or GDDR6 VRAM. So far, all launched tiers of NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50-series have emerged with GDDR7 memory modules.

Pwnage Launches Zenblade V2 Hall Effect Gaming Keyboards

Pwnage, a leader in precision gaming peripherals, is proud to announce the launch of the Zenblade 65 V2, a high-performance Hall Effect keyboard designed for gamers and creators who demand total control, zero latency, and a personal edge. Shipping begins May 28th, with preorders now live at https://pwnage.com.

Introducing the ZenBlade 65 V2
Featuring exclusive Nyomi artwork and performance-tuned internals powered by Pwnage's custom next-gen ZENITH chip. With 8,000 Hz polling, Rapid Trigger support and advanced Pro key customization, it delivers input speeds that redefine what it means to feel "in sync" with your gear. The Zenblade V2 launches with the limited edition Nyomi colorway, inspired by Pwnage's original character Nyomi - a symbol of strength, resilience and self-mastery. The keyboard includes exclusive keycaps featuring Nyomi, an individually numbered collector's card, and a striking CNC-machined aluminium chassis with a two-tone finish.

Intel "Diamond Rapids" Xeon to Debut on 9,324-Pin LGA9324 Socket

Intel's upcoming "Diamond Rapids" Xeon processors are going to debut on a remarkably large new LGA9324 socket, according to a recently leaked photograph shared by hardware leaker HXL on X. The image appears to show a socket with 9,324 contact points, and when auxiliary debug pins are included, the total connection count may exceed 10,000. If this turns out to be accurate, it would surpass Intel's current flagship LGA7529 and AMD's SP5 sockets in raw pin density. Earlier reports indicated that Diamond Rapids will require Intel's next-generation Oak Stream platform, which in turn will use this upgraded socket. Within Intel's roadmap, the seventh-generation Xeon family is intended to replace the existing Granite Rapids lineup in both Advanced Performance (AP) and Scalable Performance (SP) segments. Prototype coolers from Dynatron suggest Intel plans to offer two sub-families: higher-end AP variants similar to the Xeon 6900P and a slightly less demanding SP series, potentially with a reduced pin count.

To put this evolution in context, the current LGA7529 platform supports up to 128 performance cores, 12 channels of DDR5 memory, and power envelopes up to 500 watts. A roughly 30 percent increase in pin count should allow Diamond Rapids to expand I/O bandwidth, add memory channels, increase thermal design power, and possibly accommodate more cores. Visually, the new socket appears to be nearly five times the size of Intel's LGA1851 socket, used by Arrow Lake desktop processors. Under the hood, Diamond Rapids is expected to use the Panther Cove-X core architecture, a server-optimized counterpart to the Coyote Cove design found in Nova Lake. These CPUs are reportedly being fabricated on Intel's 18A process node, with high-volume manufacturing anticipated by late 2025 or early 2026.

Boxelware Launches First Demo of Aquapark Tycoon on Steam - With Pirates Aboard!

Just in time for the start of outdoor pool season, developer studio Boxelware is opening the gates to Aquapark Tycoon, at least for a sneak peek! From now on, players can dive into the refreshing fun and try out the new tycoon game from the indie developer - known for its successful debut title Avorion - through an extensive demo.

The demo of Aquapark Tycoon offers plenty of fun for all fans of the genre! Players can prove their skills as aquapark managers and design a water park entirely to their own vision: from pools for young and old to spectacular slides and a wellness area featuring a wide range of saunas.

NACON Launches Revosim RS Pure Bundle, Reveals Full Sim Racing Lineup

NACON, a world leader in gaming accessories, is delighted to announce the availability of its first Direct Drive Revosim RS PURE bundle on nacongaming.com. Several additional accessories will be released between now and the end of 2025. Presented at Bigben Week 2025, these products are designed to enrich the Revosim ecosystem. Players will be able to add a hybrid gearbox (classic H-box/sequential gearbox), a clutch pedal, a loadcell handbrake and a new wheel, all compatible with products in the RS PURE range.

"This RS PURE bundle embodies our desire to offer gamers a high-performance steering wheel, adapted to the demands of modern sim racing," says Sébastien Waxin, Head of Racing at NACON "Thanks to our combined expertise as a publisher of racing games and designer of gaming accessories, we have designed a product true to our commitments: to provide quality equipment, to accompany gamers in their passion for gaming, and now sim racing."

HPE Expands Its Aruba Networking Wired and Wireless Portfolio

Hewlett Packard Enterprise today announced expansions of its HPE Aruba Networking wired and wireless portfolio, along with new HPE Aruba Networking CX 10K distributed services switches, which feature built-in programmable data processing units (DPU) from AMD Pensando to offload security and network services to free up resources for complex AI workload processing.

The new expansions from HPE Aruba Networking include:
  • The HPE Aruba Networking CX 10040 is HPE's latest distributed services switch -- also known as a "smart switch" -- that doubles the scale and performance of the previous networking and security solution.
  • Four new HPE Aruba Networking CX 6300M campus networking switches, which provide faster data speeds for enterprise IoT, AI, or high-performance computing with a more compact footprint.
  • New Wi-Fi 7 access points (APs) and capabilities for AI-driven indoor and outdoor connectivity that deliver the highest quality of service for data, voice, and video communications.

In Advance of F1 25's Launch, EA Recommends Latest Graphics Driver Updates

Hey racers, we know you're all excited to get your hands on the game this week—we can't wait to see what you think. In early testing, we have identified that the vast majority of game crashes on PC are resolved by making sure that graphics drivers are up-to-date. So that you have the best possible experience playing the game from lights-out, we recommend making sure this is the case before you load up F1 25 for the first time.

Yeston Reveals Radeon RX 9060 XT Game Ace 16 GB Model

Roughly a month ago, Yeston introduced its new generation Game Ace design along with a mysterious no. 207 mascot. The Chinese manufacturer is best known for creating bright and sparkly graphics cards, but a couple of darker products have emerged from their HQ. Their latest offering—finished in varying tones of pink, purple and black—was debuted with GeForce RTX 50-series hardware. At the start of this week, the 2025 Game Ace lineup welcomed a new member. Yeston's social media accounts introduced a custom Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB model: "the black and purple cyberpunk RX 9060 XT Game Ace launched today. Would he be your choice?" In a reply to a follower's question, a company rep confirmed that the better known Sakura and Sakura Atlantis backplate/shroud designs are currently reserved for higher-end Radeon RX 9070 XT and non-XT options (within the RDNA 4 family). Game Ace will probably not escape the confines of Navi 44 (XT) hardware.

Unsurprisingly, the Yeston Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB Game Ace SKU exhibits only minor visual differences, when compared to its "Blackwell" GPU-based relatives. We are looking at a fairly typical triple-fan + three 6 mm heat pipes cooling solution. A single 8-pin power connector is visible in some of Yeston's promotional renders. According to ITHome's inspection of specifications: "the boost frequency and game frequency under standard mode (STD) are 3230 MHz and 2620 MHz respectively, and the VAR mode further overclocks to 3230 MHz and 2780 MHz." Despite claiming that their freshly unveiled Game Ace model has reached launch status, the AIB likely has to conform with official AMD decree. Team Red's board partners will be releasing Radeon RX 9060 XT cards on June 5.

NVIDIA Blackwell a Focal Point in AI Factories; As Built by Dell Technologies

Over a century ago, Henry Ford pioneered the mass production of cars and engines to provide transportation at an affordable price. Today, the technology industry manufactures the engines for a new kind of factory—those that produce intelligence. As companies and countries increasingly focus on AI, and move from experimentation to implementation, the demand for AI technologies continues to grow exponentially. Leading system builders are racing to ramp up production of the servers for AI factories—the engines of AI factories—to meet the world's exploding demand for intelligence and growth. Dell Technologies is a leader in this renaissance. Dell and NVIDIA have partnered for decades and continue to push the pace of innovation. In its last earnings call, Dell projected that its AI server business will grow at least $15 billion this year.

"We're on a mission to bring AI to millions of customers around the world," said Michael Dell, chairman and chief executive officer, Dell Technologies, in a recent announcement at Dell Technologies World. "With the Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA, enterprises can manage the entire AI lifecycle across use cases, from training to deployment, at any scale." The latest Dell AI servers, powered by NVIDIA Blackwell, offer up to 50x more AI reasoning inference output and 5x improvement in throughput compared with the Hopper platform. Customers use them to generate tokens for new AI applications that will help solve some of the world's biggest challenges, from disease prevention to advanced manufacturing.

DDR5 Price Uptrend Weakens, Overall DRAM Prices to Cool Down in Q3 2025

The memory market starts to show a slowdown after months of steady price hikes according to TrendForce's latest memory spot price trend report. DDR5 memory prices, which had been going up consistently, are now stabilizing as they've hit fairly high levels that sometimes go beyond contract prices. While DDR5 still sees small price increases compared to DDR4, buyers and traders are growing more wary and leaning towards DDR4 products. The common DDR4 chips (i.e., DDR4 1Gx8 3200 MT/s) saw a big 12.8% rise this week going from $2.18 to $2.46, but industry experts think these big price jumps will ease off in the third quarter.

NAND flash memory prices are cooling off after big jumps since late February. NAND flash chip costs have shot up, but customers are losing interest as more products flood the market. This change in supply and demand is showing up in the numbers - 512 GB TLC chips dipped by 0.18% this week to $2.73, as buyers take a "wait and see" approach. The big picture hints that the memory market might be settling down after months of steep price hikes. Nevertheless, major North American cloud providers' AI investments drive enterprise SSD demand surge, creating a supply shortage and supporting up to 10% quarterly price increases in Q3 2025.

Inno3D Intros GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 Frostbite Pro Graphics Cards

Inno3D unveiled its new iChill GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 Frostbite Pro graphics cards targeting PC enthusiasts with DIY liquid cooling loops. These cards come with factory-fitted full-coverage water blocks. Perhaps their most interesting feature is that the blocks make the card single-slot. The blocks are supplied by Alphacool, and come with tail-ended ports for liquid cooling fittings. The blocks come with chrome-finish nickel-plated copper as their primary material, with POM acetal tops that have a carbon-fiber print vinyl decal. These are what set the new Frostbite Pro series apart from the older RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 Frostbite series that Inno3D launched at CES earlier this year, which come with water blocks that have top-oriented fitting ports, and clear acrylic tops.

Given that most air-cooled RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 cards come with PCBs that are barely two-thirds the length of the cards themselves to make room for the air cooling solution to have a flow-through region, the Inno3D iChill RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 Frostbite Pro cards are very compact, with under 20 cm of lengths, but with some length being added from the tail-ended fittings and tubing. These cards would have been suitable for 3U rackmount builds if not for the positioning of the power connector. The 12V2x6 connector points upward along the top, as they are in most air-cooled gaming graphics cards, and not toward the tail-end. Both cards are expected to offer factory overclocked speeds that are at least as high as the iChill Frostbite series.

AGON by AOC Unveils New UHD 240 Hz QD-OLED AGON PRO AG276UZD Monitor

AGON by AOC - the world's leading gaming monitor brand - announces the AGON PRO AG276UZD, a new 26.5-inch (67.31 cm) QD-OLED gaming monitor that brings UHD (3840x2160) resolution to the widely favored 240 Hz format. Building upon the success of the highly popular AG276QZD2, this new AGON PRO model combines ultra-sharp visuals with an exceptional 240 Hz refresh rate and a lightning-fast 0.03 ms GtG response time, delivering outstanding clarity for both competitive esports and professional content creation.

QD-OLED performance in UHD
The AG276UZD features the latest (3rd gen) QD-OLED panel technology with a glossy finish, combining the benefits of ultra-high refresh rates with the visual clarity of UHD resolution. This unique pairing in the AOC portfolio is ideal for immersive gaming experiences - from expansive open-world adventures to richly detailed role-play games - where visual clarity and lifelike colors are key for deep player engagement. With 166 PPI (pixels per inch), text and UI elements appear crisp and clear, creating an advantage in games where reading information quickly is crucial.

D-Link Unveils the New DBR Router & Access Point

D-Link Corporation, a global leader in networking solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of its latest DBR Series, which includes the DBR-600-P and DBR-700 business routers, as well as the DBR-X3000-AP smart access point. This new series delivers powerful, secure, and easy-to-manage networking tailored specifically for small business environments such as startups, retail shops, satellite offices, and educational facilities with fewer than 100 users.

With the growing demands of hybrid work and decentralized operations, many small businesses face challenges in establishing a stable and secure network without dedicated IT resources. The DBR Series addresses these challenges by offering streamlined deployment, reliable performance, and centralized management. Each product in the series embodies D-Link's unwavering commitment to high-quality, Made-in-Taiwan craftsmanship, which stands for trusted engineering, meticulous manufacturing, and product reliability. This quality standard reflects Taiwan's globally respected technology ecosystem and reinforces the durability and integrity of the DBR series.
Tuesday, May 27th 2025

Today's Reviews

Cases
CPU Coolers
Graphics Cards
Headphones
Keyboards
Memory
Monitors
Mouse
Multimedia
NAS
PSUs
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 8 GB Review

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 8 GB Review

The GeForce RTX 5060 8 GB is NVIDIA's newest release. It is built using the same chip as the RTX 5060 Ti, but only comes with an 8 GB VRAM option. In our review we run it through all our tests, including 1440p and 4K with and without ray tracing, and we also recommend optimal settings for certain demanding games.
Lian Li Lancool 217 Review

Lian Li Lancool 217 Review

The Lian Li Lancool 217 shines in the spotlight, much like the Lancool 207, its baby brother. With extremely good cooling performance, a thoughtful and functional engineering design coupled with a compellingly solid feature set, it really is a no brainer. Especially for the asking price.

Sapphire China Opens Up Radeon RX 9060 XT 16/8 GB Card Pre-orders, Starting at $347

Prior to AMD's official unveiling of the Radeon RX 9060 XT series, Sapphire's Computex booth teased a forthcoming lineup of custom graphics card options. Hours later, the TechPowerUp crew inspected freshly wall-mounted specimens. To the surprise of many, the Hong Kong-based manufacturer is readying a premium Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB NITRO+ SKU for launch time (on June 5). The usual suspects—in PULSE and PURE guises—were also exhibited within the walls of the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Centre. Not long after the closing of ceremonies, Sapphire China's JD.com store has opened up pre-orders for six launch day products.

Yesterday, a VideoCardz investigative piece delved into pre-release price points (including VAT). Keen potential customers can secure finalized retail units via a deposit system; demanding a 50 RMB (~$7 USD) upfront fee. Unsurprisingly, the largest tag is affixed to Sapphire's triple-fan 16 GB NITRO+ model—3299 RMB (~$458 USD). This top-tier option sits 800 RMB above Team Red's suggested guideline. The AIB's barebones dual-fan Radeon RX 9060 XT PULSE 8 GB package adheres to official MSRP: 2499 RMB (~$347 USD). Their PULSE 16 GB model sits almost in the middle of the lineup—in terms of pricing—at 2899 RMB (~$402 USD). VideoCardz believes that another PULSE color/finish variant will emerge, at some point post-launch—bringing the total number of items up to seven distinct products.

NVIDIA DLSS 4 Comes to F1 25 and More Games

More than 700 games and applications feature RTX technologies, and each week new games integrating NVIDIA DLSS, NVIDIA Reflex, and advanced ray-traced effects are released or announced, delivering the definitive PC experience for GeForce RTX players.

As of today, DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation is now available in Avowed, EVERSPACE 2, F1 25, STORROR Parkour Pro, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, Torque Drift 2, and Wreckfest 2, multiplying frame rates for GeForce RTX 50 Series gamers, and enabling other GeForce RTX gamers to accelerate performance with DLSS Frame Generation and DLSS Super Resolution. Additionally, Game of Thrones: Kingsroad and Revenge of the Savage Planet are available now with DLSS Super Resolution.

Corsair Launches New Corsair ONE i600 PC

Corsair, a leading global developer and manufacturer of high-performance gear and technology for gamers, content creators, and PC enthusiasts, is proud to launch the Corsair ONE i600 PC, the latest compact powerhouse PC in the award-winning Corsair ONE PC line. Building on the success of the Corsair ONE i500, the new i600 delivers even more power, efficiency, and thermal performance—perfect for creators, AI developers, and gamers who demand cutting-edge capability in a space-saving form factor.

The Corsair ONE i600 takes performance to a new level with the GeForce RTX 5080 graphics with 16 GB VRAM and Intel Core Ultra 9 processor—both kept cool by individual 240 mm liquid coolers that deliver quiet operation and brilliant performance. Equipped with 64 GB DDR5 memory and 4 TB NVMe SSD storage, the Corsair ONE i600 minimizes load times, streamlines AI workflows, and delivers seamless 4K gaming experience—encased in a sleek aluminium chassis that complements any modern setup.

Funcom Outlines Dune: Awakening Release and Pre-Loading Times

Greetings Sleepers, we're less than two weeks away from launch of Dune: Awakening (and head start is even closer!). It's time to grab your Fremkit, put on your stillsuit, and start getting ready. The first thing you need to know is exactly when you can start playing. Dune: Awakening will first be available in head start on June 5th for those who have pre-ordered either the Deluxe or Ultimate Edition. Pre-ordering either edition, or the base edition, will also unlock the Terrarium of Muad'Dib pre-order reward.

Official launch is June 10th, at which point pre-orders (and the Terrarium of Muad'Dib reward) will no longer be available for purchase. The base, Deluxe, and Ultimate Editions will be available for regular purchase from that point onwards. The game will unlock for play on Steam at 16:00 CEST / 10am EDT, both on June 5th and June 10th. For other regions, we've included a map above with some select locations to help you figure out when it will be available in your area. Pre-load will be available to all pre-order owners 24 hours before head start on June 4th, but please be aware that pre-ordering the base edition does not grant head start access.

G.Skill OC World Cup 2025 Grand Final - CENS Wins OC Champion Title Again

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading brand of performance overclock memory and PC components, is pleased to announce that CENS from Germany has once again claimed the title of OC Champion and the grand cash prize of $10,000 USD in the OC World Cup 2025 extreme overclock competition held live at Computex 2025. After an intense series of extreme overclocking challenges, CENS emerged victorious, demonstrating unmatched overclocking knowledge and technical skill with liquid nitrogen cooling, using the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 285K processor and ASUS ROG Maximus Z890 Apex motherboard. This is his second consecutive OC Champion title, after his victory last year at the OC World Cup 2024.

Exhilarating Competition with G.SKILL DDR5 24 GB Modules
This year at the live competition, the contestants are only allowed to use G.SKILL's high-performance 24 GB DDR5 module. It gave the contestants a new challenge to explore the 24 GB module's overclocking behavior and benchmarking potential. These 24 GB modules, built with SK hynix ICs, showcased exceptional headroom on Intel Z890 chipset platforms, allowing CENS to achieve up to DDR5-10266 CL32 2x24GB for benchmarking under LN2 cooling. At the same time, Seby, a rival overclocker contestant in the G.SKILL OC World Cup 2025, achieved DDR5-12666, which was the fastest memory frequency validation throughout the live competition.

CXMT Reportedly Diversifying Manufacturing Footprint with HBM3 - Could Expand DDR5 Production

The rising profile of ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) has supposedly attracted international scrutiny as-of-late. Despite dealing in commercial memory product lines—currently DDR5, DDR4, LPDDR5 and LPDDR4X—the Chinese manufacturer could be stepping up its game in the near future. According to a fresh DigiTimes Asia news report, the nation's "top DRAM supplier" could be freeing up production capacity—in favor of enterprise-grade third-gen High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM3). Industry moles believe that a major sacrifice will be made; namely CXMT's DDR4 line. Despite an alleged early 2025 ramping up of related activities, the firm's factories could refocus on new endeavors by mid-2026. Additionally, insiders reckon that company leadership is shifting commercial priorities: "by year-end 2025, DDR5 is expected to make up more than 60% of CXMT's output, alongside LPDDR4/5."

The move into more advanced memory technologies is reportedly the result of government instruction. DigiTimes outlined a new strategy: "as CXMT scales up, it's also shifting rapidly to DDR5. The company only began mass-producing DDR4 in late 2024, yet it's already expected to issue an end-of-life (EOL) notice by the third quarter of 2025. The speed of this pivot and retooling has surprised many across the industry. Industry sources say the sudden shift is policy-driven, as Beijing pushes key chipmakers to accelerate alignment with national goals, especially around AI and cloud infrastructure." Murmurs of CXMT's forthcoming exit from DDR4 production have spread across local chip making businesses; causing a sudden doubling of Nanya-branded 8 Gb DDR4 chip prices in China. The manufacturer's early journey into DDR5 territories looked promising on paper—around January 2025—but the latest DigiTimes report disclosed inside track info regarding troubled quality and yield issues. In particular, initial samples have reportedly exhibited unstable performance when crossing a 60°C (140°F) threshold.

Qualcomm & Xiaomi Extend Collaboration with Multi-Year Agreement

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and Xiaomi Corporation are celebrating 15 years of collaboration and have executed a multi-year agreement. The relationship between Qualcomm Technologies and Xiaomi has been pivotal in driving innovation across the technology industry and the companies are committed to delivering industry-leading products and solutions across various device categories globally.

"Qualcomm Technologies has always been one of Xiaomi's most trusted and vital partners, supporting our journey from a startup to a global technology leader. We look forward to continuing the next 15 years of our collaboration and leveraging Qualcomm's cutting-edge Snapdragon platforms and technologies to deliver even more innovative and high-quality products to our customers worldwide," said Lei Jun, CEO of Xiaomi.

ASRock Showcased Radeon RX 9070 XT "Taichi White" OC Concept Card with Built-in LCD Panel

ASRock revealed its Radeon RX 9070 XT Taichi OC flagship card at CES 2025—at the time, TechPowerUp staffers quickly realized that this design was outfitted with a 12V-2x6 power connector. Up until early 2025, this connection standard was mostly associated with NVIDIA GeForce 40 and 50-series graphics cards. ASRock and Sapphire have taken the unusual step of deploying premium RDNA 4 GPU-based models that sport 12V-2x6 connectors; breaking away from a traditional usage of 8-pin power delivery channels. The Radeon RX 9070 XT Taichi OC SKU arrived with a new aesthetic; consisting of various gunmetal gray shades, gear graphics, and ARGB lighting zones. Visitors to the company's Computex 2025 booth were dazzled by plethora of new products—most notably: brand-new Radeon RX 9060 XT models.

Unfortunately, TPU's photographer did not notice a very special current-gen Taichi spin-off. Apparently, the Taiwanese manufacturer has absorbed some inspiration from a nearby rival's "Spectral White" line: PowerColor. ASRock's "Taichi White 16 GB OC Concept Card" seems to stick with existing overclocked Radeon RX 9070 XT specifications (including a 3.1 GHz boost clock), but the firm's engineering team has integrated an LCD information window. This built-in-display was not powered up—for obvious reasons—but industry watchdogs reckon that (speculative) finalized retail examples will demand higher prices of entry, due to this extra provision. Company representatives—in attendance at last week's Computex event—have disclosed only a bare minimum of details. Top brass could be weighing up Taichi White's future; with an escape beyond concept phases—maybe in limited edition form.

Owlcat Games Announces Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy

Lord Captains! We are proud to announce that our new Warhammer 40,000 game is on its way! Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy is already in development, and we urge you not to miss it. Prepare for a completely new story unfolding in the Calixis Sector. By the decree of the Holy Inquisition, you have been chosen for a perilous mission that will dictate the future of the Calixis Sector. Become an agent of the Holy Golden Throne and hunt down all those who would dare stray from the Emperor's light. Hold fast to your duty, eradicate the enemies of the Imperium and battle the horrors of the void in the long-anticipated Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy!

Explore the Warhammer 40,000 universe like you've never seen it before! Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy is an upcoming turn-based CRPG with a unique and thrilling narrative that follows the shadowy agents of the Inquisition. Take on the mantle of an Inquisitor, and use every tool at your disposal to root out corruption, sedition and heresy, bringing the Emperor's wrath to those who would see the Imperium fall. Hunt down clues, investigate mysteries, and uncover vile conspiracies.

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9060 XT PCB Design Spotted During Factory Tour

During a recent Gigabyte Nan-Ping factory tour, members of the media/press encountered trays of brand-new bare motherboards and graphics cards. HWCooling's Jan Olšan noticed the presence of a not-yet-launched RDNA 4 product. Fortunately, the manufacturer granted photo access (two examples are below). A full report outlined multiple products and production pipelines, but Olšan's scoop serves as a nice preview of things to come. We anticipate TechPowerUp's W1zzard de-shrouding of numerous custom Radeon RX 9060 XT designs, early on next month. Prior to the publication of comprehensive evaluations, HWCooling's article provided an early insight: "a wild Radeon RX 9060 XT appears…take note of the graphics card in the top-right corner of the first lot of PCBs—this is likely the first publicly shown PCB of the Radeon RX 9060 XT, which, technically speaking, may still be under NDA. So enjoy this privileged look at the exposed Navi 44 chip."

Olšan linked the factory specimen to a freshly revealed design: "the card will go on sale June 5, with reviews a day earlier. Its design matches AMD's official renderings, and its identity is further pointed at by the unusual three display connectors. This should be the PCB for the Gaming version of the card, or more specifically, the Gaming OC model with three fans. The cooler will significantly overhang the PCB, with a pass-through window under the last fan." Last week, the TechPowerUp team spent hands-on time with Gigabyte's premium Radeon RX 9060 XT Gaming OC SKU. Prior to Computex 2025, product registration information pointed to the Taiwanese manufacturer readying Gaming OC 16 GB and 8 GB variants. Curiously, the company's RDNA 4 custom card portfolio is represented by a lone ultra-premium AORUS ELITE flagship option and various triple-fan Gaming OC models.

10th Anniversary Celebrations Continue - Special Edition The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Xbox Controllers

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt celebrates its 10th anniversary this month, and we at CD Projekt Red have commemorated the milestone by collaborating with the Xbox team to create a tempered and battle-ready controller for players looking to expand their witcher's toolkit. Embark on the path with the Xbox Wireless Controller - The Witcher 3 10th Anniversary Special Edition and Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 - Core The Witcher 3 10th Anniversary Special Edition. This is such a special moment for both our teams, and we wanted to share some insight into how Geralt's journey brought this design to life.

Our team has put great care into representing the style of The Witcher 3 and Geralt himself, headlined by the wolf medallion iconography at the center of the controller. The medallion acts as a constant for Geralt, one that allows him to adventure and warns him of lurking dangers, and we want players to connect with these controllers in the same way. We love how the design fits the layout of the controller, with the wolf's head coming below the Xbox button and between the other inputs with its glowing red eyes. It's very ominous and epic at the same time!

Oddsparks: An Automation Adventure Launches in Full on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox

The wait is over! Oddsparks: An Automation Adventure, the cozy-meets-complex blend of automation and real-time strategy, is out now on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, delivering its complete and most polished version yet. Developed by Massive Miniteam and published by HandyGames, Oddsparks invites players to explore strange fantasy worlds, tame the terrain, and build sprawling logistics systems using a delightful crew of Sparks, tiny, oddball helpers that carry, craft, clean, and even defend your base.

From towering trains to botanical production lines, from base defense battles to sandbox-style customization, Oddsparks 1.0 is automation unleashed.

Intel Arc Xe2 B770 "Battlemage" dGPU Reportedly Lined Up for Q4'25 Launch

In the run-up to Computex 2025, Intel sent out mixed messages about the future of Arc Xe2 "Battlemage" desktop graphics cards. A combination of first-party teasers and "official leaks" (courtesy of AIBs) indicated an (eventual) introduction of professional B-series products. PC hardware enthusiasts were looking forward to a possible unveiling of higher-end gaming cards; the rumor mill has floated a "B770" option in recent times. Industry observers detected further encouraging pre-release signs; a "B750" identifier was discovered on Intel Japan's website—likely existing as placeholder material. Team Blue's social media account drummed up additional hype, prior to the commencement of last week's key trade event.

The TechPowerUp crew and other media outlets did not stumble upon any Intel Arc Xe2 B750 or B770 specimens at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center. According to a mid-visit Tweakers.net article, several unnamed figures (likely board partner company representatives) divulged inside track knowledge during Computex 2025. The online publication outlined a smattering of details: "sources close to Intel confirm the existence of the Arc B770 video card. According to them, the introduction is planned for the second half of this year. The card is expected to appear in the fourth quarter, although the planning can of course still change. Intel is working on an Arc B770 video card based on the 'Battlemage' architecture. Tweakers was able to confirm this with multiple sources during Computex. So far, Intel has only released lower-positioned B570 and B580 video cards with this architecture." Now defunct product roadmaps had the "Battlemage" series wrapped up by 2024, but delays and other factors have allegedly caused major timeline slippages. An industry expert claimed that a larger "BMG-G31" GPU development project was closed down at some point late last year, but fresher production activities have generated renewed beliefs that the "Battlemage" gaming line will expand beyond "cheaper" tiers.

Turtle Beach's New Wave of Designed for Xbox & Officially Licensed by Nintendo Gaming Headsets & Controllers Are Now Available

Leading gaming accessories maker Turtle Beach Corporation (Nasdaq: TBCH) today announced the brand's new officially licensed by Nintendo and Designed for Xbox gaming headsets and controllers are now available globally. For gamers on the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, and Nintendo Switch - OLED Model systems, these new accessories include the Turtle Beach Recon 70 and Turtle Beach Airlite Fit wired gaming headsets, as well as the Turtle Beach Rematch Invincible Mario and Turtle Beach Rematch Super Mario Star wireless controllers. For gamers on Xbox and Windows PC, there are two new Designed for Xbox wired controller options, including the Turtle Beach Afterglow Wave RGB controller and Turtle Beach Rematch Core controller—each available in five different colorways.

"Our latest Designed for Xbox and officially licensed by Nintendo gaming accessories reinforces Turtle Beach's ongoing leadership in gaming headsets and controllers," said Cris Keirn, CEO, Turtle Beach Corporation. "These exciting new products deliver top features and strengthen our best-selling lineups with new entry-level and mid-range options at attractive price points." All new gaming headsets and controller model—16 in total - are globally available directly from www.turtlebeach.com and at participating retailers. Expanded details for each of Turtle Beach's new gaming headsets and controllers are below:

Framework Dives Deep into Desktop's Power Supply Design - Collaborated with FSP

We're close to the finish line on Framework Desktop development. We're now at the end of the DVT2 phase where we complete validation and finalize firmware and drivers. With that, we're continuing our deep dive series, this time digging into the semi-custom 400 W Power Supply we integrated into the product. This may sound mundane, but it's one of the more complex parts of the product. To align to our product philosophy, we used a standard FlexATX form factor. That means both that you can bring your own compatible power supply or re-use the one we designed in the future with any other ATX-compatible system. If you're bringing your own, make sure to pick one that can handle at least 32.5 A on the 12 V rail.

Although the "peak" power demand of the AMD Ryzen AI Max processor is 140 W, it can actually pull hundreds of watts in millisecond-level bursts. Because there is no battery in the Framework Desktop to absorb this, we sized up the Power Supply to handle it and maximize performance. We worked with FSP, one of the biggest power supply makers in Taiwan and the manufacturer behind many other brands, to build a compact, high-efficiency, quiet design. We actually started with one of their higher wattage off the shelf power supplies, down-rated it to 400 W to focus on efficiency while allowing higher peak load, and customized it from there. We modified a few areas to optimize it for the core Framework Desktop use cases.

PowerColor "REVA" Graphics Card Series Debuted at Computex 2025

The majority of PowerColor coverage—emerging from Computex 2025—focused on custom Radeon RX 9060 XT graphics cards. The usual staple of Reaper and Hellhound options were showcased in Taiwan, but a brand-new family made an appearance. As highlighted by Shroud/syurarara (a YouTuber), a whole corner of the brand's booth was dedicated to a lone demonstration unit. Not much context was provided, beyond a logo and an accompanying mascot/icon/protagonist. Shroud shared a couple of tidbits: "apparently a new PowerColor model will be released in the future! It's a mix of white and gray. The name of the new graphics card hasn't been decided yet, but the female character's name is apparently REVA."

Given the lack of specifications and little explanation (provided by company representatives), PowerColor could jump-start a full-blown marketing campaign in the near future. Their brand-new REVA graphics card series seems to be semi-related to the familiar Hellhound IP; observers noticed the presence of two Hellhound emblem-branded cooling fans on the Computex sample/prototype. Despite having an almost direct line to a source at (or adjacent to) PowerColor, VideoCardz did not get an inside scoop on REVA. Their news report opined that the white/gray card could leverage Radeon RX 9070 XT (or non-XT) hardware, and be lined up for a possible global release.

Square Enix's DRAGON QUEST I & II HD-2D Remake Releases October 30, Pre-orders Now Open

We're excited to announce that DRAGON QUEST HD-2D Remake launches October 30, 2025, for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store on Windows. Read on to learn a little more about the game and how to get it.
What is DRAGON QUEST I & II HD-2D Remake?

DRAGON QUEST I & II HD-2D Remake reimagines the first two DRAGON QUEST games with the beautiful HD-2D visual style featured in titles like OCTOPATH TRAVELER series, TRIANGLE STRATEGY, LIVE A LIVE and, of course, DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake.

NACON Confirmed as Official WRC Games Franchise Publisher - Starting in 2027

WRC Promoter has confirmed that the publishing of games based on the FIA World Rally Championship will return to French publisher NACON. The agreement covers the development and publishing of the official WRC games and eSports competitions, granting NACON exclusive rights for PC and consoles for six seasons, from 2027 through 2032.

As part of this strategic partnership, NACON will begin development of an all-new WRC game series, aiming to deliver an immersive experience that faithfully reflects the reality of the championship and meets the expectations of both rally enthusiasts and new players. The games will feature the official rallies, vehicles, teams, drivers, and sponsors among the many anticipated content elements. This project represents a complete reboot of the franchise, based on an entirely fresh vision, and marks an ambitious new chapter in the brand's development.

MSI Launches the New MAG Power Supply

MSI has announced its new MAG series power supply units - the MAG A1000GLS PCIE5. Available in four wattages - 1000 W, 850 W, 750 W, and 650 W - all models are ATX 3.1 ready and support up to 220% total power excursion. Backed by triple Gold efficiency certifications from 80 Plus, CYBENETICS, and PPLP, these PSUs deliver clean, efficient power.

The "S" stands for Silent, highlighting high performance with lower temperatures and noise, within this series, even the maximum wattage of 1000 W achieved an A sound level with a 230 V input. Compared to previous MAG power supplies, these models feature an enhanced sound design that incorporates a 135 mm FDB (Fluid Dynamic Bearing) fan and optimize fan curves for more efficient and quieter. They also inherit the silent-focused design found in the MEG and MPG series.

Preparing Windows for the Quantum Age: Microsoft Hardens Windows 11 Preview with New Encryption

To defend regular users from bad actors wielding quantum computing power like Majorana 1, Windows 11 Insider Preview now includes built-in support for post-quantum cryptography (PQC), giving developers and security teams early access to algorithms designed to withstand the capabilities of future quantum computers. Available in Canary Channel Build 27852 and above, this update integrates two new schemes, ML-KEM for key exchange and ML-DSA for digital signatures, directly into the Cryptography API: Next Generation (CNG) and certificate management functions. ML-KEM addresses the "harvest now, decrypt later" threat model, in which adversaries collect encrypted data today to decrypt it once quantum hardware has advanced. Microsoft offers three levels of ML-KEM security: a Level 1 option that produces 800-byte ciphertexts and a 32-byte shared secret; a Level 3 configuration with 1,184-byte ciphertexts and the same 32-byte secret; and a Level 5 tier that increases ciphertext size to 1,568 bytes while keeping the shared secret at 32 bytes. These parameter sets allow organizations to balance performance and protection according to their threat models and operational requirements.

Sparkle Readies Passive, Blower, and Water-Cooled Arc Pro B60

Sparkle has quietly revealed that it will offer three versions of its upcoming Arc Pro B60 graphics card, designed to meet the varying needs of professional users. The first model employs a familiar blower‐style cooler that exhausts heat from the rear of the chassis, while a fully passive variant relies on cooling from case/server/workstation fans. A liquid‐cooled edition, set for a later release, promises the lowest possible temperatures under sustained load. At its core, the Arc Pro B60 is powered by Intel's new workstation‐class "BMG-G21" GPU, featuring 160 XMX AI engines capable of delivering 197 TOPS at INT8 precision, 20 Xe cores, 20 ray‐tracing units, and a peak graphics clock of 2,400 MHz. It is equipped with 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit interface, yielding up to 456 GB/s of bandwidth, and the card's dual-encoder Xe media engine supports modern codecs, including AV1.

All three cooling configurations share a total board power of 200 W supplied via a single 8-pin PCIe connector and include four DisplayPort 2.1 outputs capable of driving displays at up to 8K resolution at 120 Hz with HDR and Display Stream Compression. The blower and passive models were pictured in Sparkle's press release, showing a compact 289×120×42 mm, a two-slot design that should fit most workstations, while the details of the water-cooled version remain mysterious until closer to its debut. No pricing information is available for now.
Monday, May 26th 2025

Today's Reviews

Cases
CPU Coolers
Graphics Cards
Harddisks
Headphones
Keyboards
Memory
Monitors
Motherboards
Mouse
PSUs
SSD
MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Wi-Fi Review

MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Wi-Fi Review

If you want the benefits of X870E on AMD's Socket AM5 platform, then the MSI X870E Tomahawk is one of the cheapest options around. But what does it offer over X870 and B850 boards, especially those that cost a fair bit less?

Intel Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.6795 Beta Released

Intel today released the latest version of the Arc GPU Graphics Drivers. Version 101.6795 Beta comes with optimization for "Dune: Awakening," "Elden Ring Nightreign," and "F1 25." The drivers also improve performance of Arc B-series "Battlemage" discrete GPUs in "Monster Hunter Wilds," with up to 9% seen at 1080p and 6% seen at 1440p. The drivers don't fix any game-specific, application-specific, or Graphics Software-specific bugs with this release, but identified a few new issues that it added to its "Known Issues" list, and will release fixes for in future releases. Grab the drivers from the link below.

DOWNLOAD: Intel Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.6795 Beta

80 Plus Ruby Sets 96.5% Peak Efficiency Benchmark for Server Power Supplies

Data centers have quietly become the engines of the modern world, processing everything from social media updates to critical financial transactions. Yet, as their workloads grow, so does their appetite for power. The data center power supplies are powering these massive compute clusters, which are wasting a great deal of power converting AC to DC. A few months back, CLEAResult silently introduced 80 Plus Ruby, a new certification that raises the bar for server power supply efficiency and offers a path to greener data center operations. Data centers account for about 0.4% of US electricity use, but that figure could climb to 12% by 2028 as AI and cloud services expand. Under the Ruby standard, power supplies must achieve at least 96.5% efficiency at 50% load and maintain at least 90% efficiency at 5% and 100% loads. These thresholds apply across common voltages, including 230 VAC, 277 VAC, 480 VAC, and 380 VDC.

Unlike earlier certifications, Ruby also specifies minimum power-factor values: at 5% load, a PSU must deliver 90% efficiency with a power factor of at least 0.90, and at 20% and 50% loads, it must hit 95% and 96.5% efficiency, respectively, each with a power factor no lower than 0.96. Delta Electronics has already put three of its high-wattage power supplies through the Ruby certification process. Its 5,500 W redundant models, built for AI servers, achieved up to 97.5 percent efficiency and a power factor above 0.96. With global regulations from ENERGY STAR to the EU's ErP directive tightening efficiency rules, 80 Plus Ruby is getting real and immediate backing from power regulators and power supply makers.

AI Demand Fuels Enterprise SSD Growth; 3Q25 NAND Flash Prices Likely to Rise Further

TrendForce's latest investigations reveal that continued AI investments by major North American CSPs are expected to drive a significant increase in enterprise SSD demand in the third quarter of 2025. The enterprise SSD market is likely to shift toward undersupply with finished product inventory levels remaining low, supporting a potential price increase of up to 10% QoQ.

TrendForce notes that earlier this year, suppliers adopted a conservative production strategy as they gradually brought the NAND Flash market back into supply-demand balance. However, the introduction of new U.S. reciprocal tariff policies in early April disrupted the market's momentum in Q2 and introduced volatility into price trends. Although some PC manufacturers accelerated shipments in Q2, it failed to substantially boost overall demand for NAND Flash products. Meanwhile, persistent weakness in the retail market has prompted suppliers to tighten capacity controls even further.

GIGABYTE Releases TRX50 Motherboard BIOS Update Supporting Latest AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9000 and PRO 9000 WX-Series Processors

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, today announced the availability of BIOS updates for its TRX50 motherboard lineup, bringing full support for AMD's latest launched Ryzen Threadripper 9000 series and Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9000 WX-series processors. The new firmware enables users to take full advantage of AMD's cutting-edge TSMC 4 nm processors on GIGABYTE's premium TRX50 platform.

The updated BIOS versions, featuring Combo-AGESA 1.0.0.0 or later version, are now available for download from GIGABYTE's official website. Compatible motherboards include the TRX50 AERO D and TRX50 AI TOP models, both engineered to deliver exceptional performance with the new AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9000 series and Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9000 WX-series processors.

Prototype NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 with Four 16-Pin Connectors Pictured

What if NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5090 GPU had access to not one but four 16-pin power connectors? Not only would it draw much less power per connector, thus avoiding overheating of the connector in some cases, but the power coming into the GB202 could theoretically scale to 2,400 Watts. This is precisely what NVIDIA tested with its latest leaked GeForce RTX 5090 GPU engineering sample. Pictured below is a PCB that was destroyed after testing. Around the edges of the card, you can spot several USB headers, pin test points, and diagnostic connectors. These features are standard on development samples but are removed from retail models. On the I/O bracket, there are five display outputs, which are more than what you usually find on a gaming card. This suggests NVIDIA was testing output strength and signal quality under different loads. Since we can't see the back side of the board, it's unclear if the chip itself is from the GeForce RTX 5090 series or the RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell variant. However, it is most likely a super early sample of RTX 5090 before volume production began.

NVIDIA Issues vBIOS Update to Fix RTX 5060 (Ti) Reboot Black Screens

NVIDIA has quietly released a firmware patch for its GeForce RTX 5060 and RTX 5060 Ti graphics cards to fix a frustrating blank-screen issue that appears when users restart their systems. Interestingly, this reboot glitch affects only the RTX 5060 and RTX 5060 Ti models built on NVIDIA's GB206 silicon. Other RTX 50-series cards and the older RTX 20, RTX 30, and RTX 40 generations do not show this behavior. While NVIDIA has not revealed exactly what went wrong, providing a vBIOS patch suggests the issue lies in its own firmware code. This update is delivered as a vBIOS upgrade rather than a traditional driver, and it must be applied manually using NVIDIA's new GPU UEFI Firmware Update Tool v2.0. The problem seems to come from the way the RTX 5060 series vBIOS communicates with certain motherboard BIOS or UEFI implementations.

On systems booting in Legacy (CSM) mode or those lacking full UEFI support, users sometimes encounter a black screen on reboot even if the operating system and drivers are correctly installed. NVIDIA's utility first checks if you need the update, then walks you through the flashing process step by step. Because flashing firmware always carries some risk, especially if your power goes out mid-update, NVIDIA recommends that only those experiencing blank screens should proceed. Before you start, power down your PC completely, make sure you have the latest BIOS from your motherboard maker and switch to UEFI boot mode. If you still cannot get any display, try plugging it into your integrated graphics or a second GPU so you can run the update tool. After closing all your applications and pausing any pending OS updates, follow the on-screen prompts to apply the vBIOS fix. If your motherboard does not support UEFI mode, contact your graphics card vendor for a legacy firmware version.
Loading more posts, please wait... Load more news posts
May 30th, 2025 02:51 CDT change timezone

New Forum Posts

Popular Reviews

Controversial News Posts