MSI introduced the GeForce RTX 5050 Shadow 2X OC graphics card. At the time of this writing, this is MSI's only custom RTX 5050 graphics card model. The card is a premium factory-overclocked product, and is likely to be priced above the $249 NVIDIA MSRP for the RTX 5050. It is 19.6 cm in length, and 12 cm in height, while being strictly 2 slots thick. The card offers factory-overclocked speeds of 2602 MHz boost compared to 2570 MHz reference. The RTX 5050 is cooled by an aluminium fin-stack heatsink that appears to use a single nickel-plated copper heat pipe bent in an S-shape.

The heatsink is ventilated by a pair of premium MSI TorX 5.0 fans. This fan is used by MSI in many of its premium custom-design cards, it features a partially webbed impeller that's designed to maximize axial airflow. The card draws power from a single 8-pin PCIe power connector. Display outputs include three DisplayPort 2.1b and one HDMI 2.1b. Based on the 5 nm "GB207" silicon, the RTX 5050 features 2,560 CUDA cores across 20 SM, 80 Tensor cores, 20 RT cores, and 8 GB of 20 Gbps GDDR6 memory across a 128-bit wide memory interface (320 GB/s memory bandwidth). The company didn't reveal pricing.

Alongside everyone else, Gigabyte Launched three graphics cards based on the GeForce RTX 5050 GPU today, with the GeForce RTX 5050 GAMING OC 8G topping the line-up, followed by the GeForce RTX 5050 WINDFORCE OC 8G and the GeForce RTX 5050 OC Low Profile 8G. The Gaming OC comes with a larger heatsink and three fans, as well as a gimmicky sliding side plate that reveals the "game on" slogan on the card. The Windforce OC gets to make do with a smaller heatsink and two fans, although both cards are equipped with Gigabyte's hawk fans, Both cards also sport 8 GB of 20 Gbps GDDR6 memory and a pair of DP 2.1b and HDMI 2.1b outputs, as well as a single 8-pin power connector.

The OC Low Profile on the other hand is quite a different beast, largely due to its low-profile design and although it sports the same memory as the larger cards, it only gets one DP 2.1b output, as the second DP output is of the older 1.4b flavour, which is most likely related to it not being mounted straight to the PCB, but there's also a pair of HDMI 2.1b ports on this card. The card obviously has a smaller heatsink, but Gigabyte has still kitted it out with a copper contact plate for the GPU and a copper heatpipe. The smaller fans are said to be lubed with a graphene nano lubricant that is meant to extend the fan life by 2.1 times. The card also sports an 8-pin power connector and Gigabyte supplies a low-profile bracket.

Cable Matters, a leading innovator in connectivity solutions, proudly announces the release of its new USB4 20 Gbps 3-Port Switch-an advanced upgrade to its popular 2-port model. This next-generation switch is designed to meet the needs of professionals, content creators, and tech enthusiasts who rely on high-speed, multi-device workflows.

The 3-port USB-C switch empowers users to effortlessly toggle between up to three host devices while maintaining top-tier performance: support for up to 8K video at 30 Hz, 20 Gbps data transfer speeds, and 140 W Power Delivery for charging the device in use. Ideal for use with USB-C or Thunderbolt 4 monitors and docking stations, this switch delivers a unified, efficient workspace experience.

Primemas Inc., a fabless semiconductor company specializing in chiplet-based SoC solutions through its Hublet architecture, today announced the availability of customer samples of the world's first Compute Express Link (CXL) memory 3.0 controller. Primemas has been delivering engineering samples and development boards to select strategic customers and partners, who have played a key role in validating the performance and capabilities of Hublet compared to alternative CXL controllers. Building on this successful early engagement, Primemas is now pleased to announce that Hublet product samples are ready for shipment to memory vendors, customers, and ecosystem partners.

While conventional CXL memory expansion controllers are limited by fixed form factors and capped DRAM capacities, Primemas leverages cutting-edge chiplet technology to deliver unmatched scalability and modularity. At the core of this innovation is the Hublet—a versatile building block that enables a wide variety of configurations.

Colorful announced today its GeForce RTX 5050 line of graphics cards covering the iGame, Colorfire Meow, and Colorful Battle AX series with pricing starting at 2099 yuan (approximately $292 USD), a "little bit" higher than NVIDIA MSRP of $250. The iGame series includes two models: a three-fan version named iGame GeForce RTX 5050 Ultra W OC 8 GB measuring 300.5 × 120 × 50 mm, and a more compact dual-fan version (iGame GeForce RTX 5050 Ultra W DUO OC 8 GB) measuring 231 × 120 × 49 mm. Similarly, the Battle AX series comes with two variants of NVIDIA's RTX 5050 GPUs: the three-fan version measures 301.4 × 120 × 50 mm, while the dual-fan version is 231 × 120 × 48.9 mm. These cards feature an all-black design with reddish-transparent elements characteristic of the Battle AX series.

For those looking for an even more compact entry-level graphics card, Colorful's Colorfire Meow presents itself with a white and orange theme, sporting a dual-fan design and measuring 229.9 × 115.5 × 48.9 mm. All Colorful GeForce RTX 5050 graphics cards seem to use 90 mm ball-bearing fans; however, the exact pricing and specifications weren't disclosed by Colorful yet.

xMEMS Labs, Inc., inventor of the world's first monolithic silicon MEMS air pump, today announced the expansion of its revolutionary µCooling fan-on-a-chip platform into XR smart glasses, providing the industry's first in-frame active cooling solution for AI-powered wearable displays.

As smart glasses rapidly evolve to integrate AI processors, advanced cameras, sensors, and high-resolution AR displays, thermal management has become a major design constraint. Total device power (TDP) is increasing from today's 0.5-1 W levels to 2 W and beyond, driving significant heat into the frame materials that rest directly on the skin. Conventional passive heat sinking struggles to maintain safe and comfortable surface temperatures for devices worn directly on the face for extended periods.

Corsair today launched the RS-R Series of ARGB cooling fans, featuring a reverse rotor design that delivers a clear, unobstructed view of vibrant RGB lighting when used as intake fans. Ideal for use in fishbowl-style cases like the Corsair 3500X and 6500X, RS-R fans offer powerful cooling with simple daisy-chained connections for hassle-free setup. Incorporating the latest fan technologies, RS-R Series fans are perfect for PC builders seeking precise PWM cooling and vibrant lighting, with eight individually addressable RGB LEDs per fan.

RS-R Series fans are easy to install, with streamlined cable management allowing each fan to connect in sequence, reducing cable clutter and terminating with a single 4-pin PWM connector and one +5V ARGB header. This setup provides dynamic lighting without unnecessary complexity, while giving full control of fan speeds and lighting to the motherboard's software with no additional controller required.

INNO3D, a leading manufacturer of high-end multimedia components and innovations is proud to unveil its latest additions to the GeForce RTX 50 Series lineup: the INNO3D GeForce RTX 5050 GPUs. Powered by NVIDIA's highly efficient Blackwell architecture, these state-of-the-art graphics cards deliver exceptional performance and a suite of industry-leading features.

INNO3D has enhanced both the design and performance of its standout cooler series, featuring the sleek TWIN X2 and TWIN X2 OC models. Meanwhile, the RTX 5050 receives a small form factor upgrade with the single-fan COMPACT edition. These strategic enhancements underscore INNO3D's dedication to delivering extraordinary visual experiences, continuing to push the limits of graphics innovation for gamers and creators alike.

ZOTAC Gaming today unveiled its GeForce RTX 5050 line of graphics cards. The series includes the RTX 5050 Solo, which is likely to be priced at the $250 NVIDIA MSRP, followed by the RTX 5050 Twin Edge, the overclocked RTX 5050 Twin Edge OC, and the RTX 5050 Twin Edge OC White Edition. The RTX 5050 Solo comes with NVIDIA reference clock speeds of 2.51 GHz boost and 20 Gbps (GDDR6 effective) memory, and uses a simple extruded aluminium heatsink with a 70 mm fan. The Twin Edge and Twin Edge OC cards come with a premium aluminium fin-stack heatsink, with two 70 mm fans to ventilate them. The regular Twin Edge sticks to reference clock speeds, while the Twin Edge OC and Twin Edge OC White Edition offer 2602 MHz boost overclocked speeds. All four models come with single 8-pin PCIe power inputs. The company didn't reveal pricing of the Twin Edge series cards.

Skullcandy is bringing a seismic shift to the gaming audio scene with the launch of the Crusher PLYR 720—the first gaming headset to feature Skullcandy's patented Crusher multi-sensory bass technology and an open-back design for an unmatched immersive experience. The Crusher PLYR 720 fuses Skullcandy's fan-favorite multi-sensory bass, THX Spatial Audio, and open-back acoustics to deliver an entirely new way to experience your favorite games. Explosions rumble through your chest, engines growl with depth, you can hear a creeping enemy with pinpoint accuracy, and every impact shakes you.

The open-back acoustics and advanced positional tuning mean the audio creates a realistic, expansive soundstage. The signature dual Crusher drivers, acting as sensation drivers, provide the best immersive acoustics for gamers. The result gives gamers a heightened level of hearing and sensation that allows them to feel what is happening in the game before they see or hear it. Unlike haptic headphones on the market, Crusher PLYR 720's bass drivers fire directly into your head and ears—not just around them—delivering a more natural, visceral sound you can truly feel. It's less like controller rumble and more like adding an adjustable subwoofer to your gameplay.

NVIDIA today formally launched the GeForce RTX 5050 mid-range gaming GPU for desktops and laptops. The desktop GeForce RTX 5050 graphics card starts at $249, while notebooks with RTX 5050 discrete GPUs should start at around $999. Availability of both are slated for "the second half of July 2025", although NVIDIA did not specify a date. The RTX 5050 is designed for 1080p AAA gaming with medium-thru-high settings. The card offers DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, which should unlock higher performance, letting you dial up the eye-candy.

The desktop GeForce RTX 5050 debuts the "GB207" silicon, which it maxes out, enabling all 20 SM present on the chip, for 2,560 CUDA cores, 80 Tensor cores, 20 RT cores, 80 TMUs, and an unspecified ROP count. The GPU is clocked at 2.31 GHz (base) with 2.57 GHz boost. The memory, on the other hand is 8 GB in size, and uses older-generation GDDR6 memory type, across a 128-bit wide memory bus. The company didn't specify memory speed. Other features include a 130 W TGP, which makes it possible for AIC partners to build cards with 6-pin PCIe power connectors, although we expect most cards to feature 8-pin PCIe. The card comes with the latest set of NVENC and NVDEC video accelerators, and the latest display engine.

Other World Computing (OWC), a trusted leader in high-performance storage, memory, connectivity, software, and accessories that empower creative and business professionals to maximize performance, enhance reliability, and streamline workflows, today announced the launch of the OWC Express 4M2, a four-slot NVMe M.2 SSD USB4, Thunderbolt compatible enclosure offering improved performance, thermal protection for today's high performance drives, as well as expanded compatibility for an improved near-silent operation.

The Express 4M2 is made for the most demanding work. It's built to keep up whether you're backing up footage on set, editing 8K video, or sorting through thousands of high-res photos. It supports up to four NVMe M.2 SSDs (2230, 2242, or 2280) and achieves real-world speeds up to 3200 MB/s - and, with flexible RAID options, i.e., 0, 1, 4, 5, and 1+0, users can create the setup that works best for their workflow. Whether that's max performance, redundancy, or a mix of both. And even when things get intense… multi-camera offloads, long editing sessions, big batch processing, the aluminium shell and smart fans keep it cool and quiet so you're not dealing with slowdowns, overheating, or distracting noise. It's fully compatible with USB4, Thunderbolt, and USB-C, so whether you're working on a Mac or PC, it fits right in and works seamlessly, with no fuss.

CTL, a global cloud-computing solution leader for education and enterprise, announced today the introduction of the new CTL Chromebook PX121E. The PX121E is a K-12 student's everyday computing companion, with next-gen processing and a 12.2" display that delivers up to 30% more viewing area to empower tomorrow's immersive learning experiences.

"With the rich set of Google Workspace online tools, photo and video usage, and increasingly AI-infused applications, K-12 students need larger screen sizes for better viewing of today's online curriculum. And, larger screen sizes can reduce eye strain," explained Jeremy Burnett, VP of Technology for CTL. "The CTL Chromebook PX121E incorporates the latest Intel N-Series N150 Processor and is built to go the distance with automatic updates to 2035."

IBM and RIKEN, a national research laboratory in Japan, today unveiled the first IBM Quantum System Two ever to be deployed outside of the United States and beyond an IBM Quantum Data Center. The availability of this system also marks a milestone as the first quantum computer to be co-located with RIKEN's supercomputer Fugaku—one of the most powerful classical systems on Earth. This effort is supported by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), an organization under the jurisdiction of Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)'s "Development of Integrated Utilization Technology for Quantum and Supercomputers" as part of the "Project for Research and Development of Enhanced Infrastructures for Post 5G Information and Communications Systems."

IBM Quantum System Two at RIKEN is powered by IBM's 156-qubit IBM Quantum Heron, the company's best performing quantum processor to-date. IBM Heron's quality as measured by the two-qubit error rate, across a 100-qubit layered circuit, is 3x10-3 (with the best two-qubit error being 1x10-3)—which is 10 times better than the previous generation 127-qubit IBM Quantum Eagle. IBM Heron's speed, as measured by the CLOPS (circuit layer operations per second) metric is 250,000, which reflects another 10x improvement in the past year, over IBM Eagle.

ASRock Industrial proudly presents its latest lineup of edge AI server boards - IMB-XA1901, IMB-X1902, and IMB-X1900 series designed to empower next-generation industrial, edge AI, and high-performance computing with robust power, reliable scalability, and AI-optimized architecture with Intel AMX. Supporting Intel Xeon 6 and Xeon W processors, these motherboards deliver exceptional performance with up to 86 cores, high-speed DDR5 memory, extensive PCIe Gen 5 expansions for up to four graphic cards, and IPMI remote management. Whether deployed in demanding AI workloads, smart manufacturing, or edge server environments, these motherboards provide the computing power and industrial reliability required to accelerate intelligent transformation.

IMB-XA1901 Series: flagship edge AI platform for ultimate performance
The IMB-XA1901, IMB-XA1901-10G stand as the highest-performance models in the lineup, supporting Intel Xeon 6700P/6500P/6700E Series processors optimized for performance and efficiency, delivering up to 1 TB of eight channel ECC DDR5 6400 MHz memory. For expansion, the boards offer two PCIe Gen 5 x16 slots, three PCIe Gen 5 x8 slots and dual MCIO interfaces with PCIe Gen 5 x8, supporting up to 4pcs of graphic cards for AI acceleration. They also include two 1GbE LAN ports, two 10GbE LAN ports (IMB-XA1901-10G), and a dedicated IPMI LAN port for remote management. Integrated with the ASPEED AST2600 BMC controller, the boards enable comprehensive remote monitoring and control over critical systems. Storage configuration includes two M.2 Key M slots for NVMe SSD, two U.2 ports, and two SATA 3 ports, providing a massive storage capacity. I/O connectivity includes two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, two COM ports, and one VGA for display. Built on the ATX form factor (12 x 9.6 x 1.4 inches), the boards are well-suited for AI training/inference servers, edge data centers, and industrial automation systems that demand performance, expandability, and centralized control.

Logitech G, a Logitech brand and global leader in gaming technology, and motorsport icon McLaren Racing, today announced a multi-year renewal and expansion of their long-standing partnership. This renewed partnership with McLaren Racing builds on the success of Logitech McLaren G Challenge, the world's premier racing tournaments, to now also include a portfolio of official gaming wheels, pedals, racing seats, and headsets, all designed to deliver the most authentic and immersive sim racing experience possible.

"When two pioneers from different worlds come together, they don't just collaborate, they redefine what's possible. That's exactly what happened when we partnered with McLaren Racing, one of the most iconic names in motorsport," said Robin Piispanen, GM of Logitech G's SIM and PRO Categories. "What began as a shared passion for performance and innovation quickly evolved into a powerful force shaping the future of racing, both on the grid and in the world of esports."

NVIDIA is rumored to have advanced the launch date of its GeForce RTX 5050 mid-range GPU to July 1, 2025. It was earlier reported that the RTX 5050 would launch by the end of July. MEGAsizeGPU, a reliable source with NVIDIA leaks, says that NVIDIA informed AICs of the advancement, and that no cards will be ready to ship on that date. We are not quite sure what NVIDIA's strategy with the RTX 5050 is. The RTX 5060 launch was eclipsed by Computex, back in May. There are no major press events planned in July. One idea would be to announce the card and have AICs make it available to purchase as soon as they can, so the company could cover some ground over the mid-Summer.

The GeForce RTX 5050 is rumored to be based on the "GB207" silicon, the company's smallest chip implementing the "Blackwell" graphics architecture. This chip is rumored to physically has 20 SM, which the RTX 5050 maxes out, for 2,560 CUDA cores, 80 Tensor cores, 20 RT cores, 80 TMUs, and an unknown number of ROPs. It's expected to offer 8 GB of GDDR6 memory (either 18 Gbps or 20 Gbps), across a 128-bit wide memory bus. NVIDIA is looking to target a sub-$250 price-point with the RTX 5050, to compete with the Intel Arc B580.Update 14:44 UTC: Turns out the RTX 5050 was announced today, with availability "in the second half of July".

Noctua today introduced its next-generation flagship 120 mm fan, the NF-A12x25 G2. Building upon the success of the original NF-A12x25, the G2 version introduces a refined blade geometry and a novel motor design. These advancements lead to a significant boost in performance-to-noise efficiency, allowing the NF-A12x25 G2 to achieve superior results across various applications, including water cooling radiators, heatsinks, and case fan setups.

"The first-generation NF-A12x25 set a new benchmark for 120 mm fans and has become one of the most successful Noctua fans of all time, so we're excited to be able to offer another significant performance boost over this renowned model," says Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). "Using the same motor and aerodynamic design approach as the 14 cm G2 model, the new NF-A12x25 G2 has been further refined in virtually all respects, which enables it to further push the envelope in terms of performance-to-noise efficiency."

NVIDIA is preparing to launch the China-specific GeForce RTX 5090DD graphics card in August 2025, Benchlife reports. The SKU came to light last week bearing internal codename "PG145-SKU40," and being based on the ASIC "GB202-240-K#-A1." It has the same shader count as the regular RTX 5090, with 21,760 CUDA cores across 170 SM, but with a truncated memory sub-system, with 24 GB of 28 Gbps GDDR7 across a 384-bit wide memory interface, for 1,344 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The card's TGP (total graphics power) remains unchanged from the regular RTX 5090, at 575 W. The idea behind GeForce RTX 5090DD is to comply with U.S. export-controls on GPUs with dual-use as AI accelerators.

ATP Electronics, a global leader in specialized storage and memory solutions, has once again achieved a breakthrough in extending the endurance of its industrial 3D triple level cell solid state drives (3D TLC SSDs). The N651Si/N651Sc Series now boasts an unparalleled 11,000 program/erase (P/E) cycles endurance - an unprecedented 120% leap from its initial published endurance of 5,000 cycles, making these solutions the highest-endurance industrial native TLC SSDs built on 512 Gb integrated circuits (IC) package.

This remarkable achievement is made possible through ATP's outstanding capabilities that extend the inherent qualities of the NAND flash. The use of prime NAND package, strict NAND IC characterization, 100% NAND screening and validation capabilities, as well as ATP's proprietary firmware, specialized hardware configurations, and own-developed technologies made this extraordinary feat possible.

ASUS has confirmed that its GeForce RTX 5090 BTF Edition can draw nearly 1,900 W without any signs of overheating, thanks to a robust metal power connector that holds up under pressure. In a series of controlled stress tests led by Tony Yu, General Manager of ASUS China, the BTF v2.5 proprietary GC-HPWR connector remained well within safe temperature limits, outperforming the conventional plastic 16-pin 12VHPWR/12V-2x6 alternative. The latest Back-to-the-Future update introduces a detachable GC-HPWR adapter, giving users the flexibility to switch between ASUS's metal connector and the standard 16-pin plug. ASUS supplies a small extraction tool that makes it easy to swap connectors, overcoming the original design's limitation of a permanently attached GC-HPWR adapter and ensuring wider compatibility with existing motherboards, as well as non-BTF-supported boards.

In the first trial, the card drew approximately 670 W, roughly matching the RTX 5090's typical maximum, and the GC-HPWR connector stabilized between 30°C and 35°C over ten minutes. ASUS engineers rated the metal connector for up to 1,000 W continuous operation, and the results confirmed a comfortable safety margin for maximum load. Tony Yu even increased the draw to 1,300 W, yielding a peak connector temperature of 38°C. In a final extreme test, the load was set to 150 A, driving total consumption above 1,900 W. Even under these conditions, the metal connector held at about 41°C, while the power cables reached roughly 70°C, demonstrating the adapter's superior thermal performance. Yu's experiments also showed that the GC-HPWR and 16-pin connectors can share the power load. At a 200 A setting, each connector supplied around 1,200 W to 1,400 W from separate power lines. Although ASUS plans to ship retail RTX 5090 cards with a single connector, this test suggests a possible path for future ultra-high-power GPUs designed for extreme overclockers.

CD Projekt Red has officially announced that Cyberpunk 2077's next update, Update 2.3, will be delayed to an as-yet an undetermined date. In a post on X, the game studio revealed that the next major update to Cyberpunk 2077 was supposed to land as soon as June 26, but the developer says it will "need some more time to make sure we're happy with it." CDPR also clarified that the scope of the next update will be similar in scope to update 2.2, which launched in December 2024.

Cyberpunk 2077's Update 2.2 addressed a lot of issues in the game and introduced a host of new features, too, including extended vehicle customization, a new photo mode, and a substantial number of character customization options. The exact contents of Update 2.3 have not yet been disclosed, but the hint that the scope will be similar to Update 2.2 suggests that the next update, ostensibly the game's last major update, will likely feature similar quality-of-life changes, bug fixes, and minor in-game upgrades or cosmetics. Unfortunately, those who were hoping for a meatier update with more playable content or story may need to look elsewhere.

Samsung's Exynos 2500 SoC has appeared on Geekbench, this time giving us a clearer indication of what to expect from the upcoming SoC that will power the next generation of Samsung flagship smartphones. There are three total runs that have appeared on Geekbench, putting forward anywhere between 2303 and 2356 points in the single-core Geekbench 6 benchmark and 8062 and 8076 points in the multicore benchmark. Meanwhile, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite in the current-generation Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra manages a single-core score of 2883 and a multicore score or 9518 on the same Geekbench 6 benchmark. Samsung recently made the Exynos 2500 public, with the spec sheet revealing a Samsung Xclipse 950 GPU paired with 10 Arm Cortex CPUs (1× Cortex-X5, 2× Cortex-A725 at 2.74 GHz, 5× Cortex-A725 at 2.36 GHz, and 2× Cortex A520 at 1.8 GHz).

The new SoC is reportedly the first chip to use Samsung's 3 nm GAA process, and leaks suggest that Samsung may be using the new SoC across its entire next-gen global smartphone line-up, starting with the launch of the Galaxy Z Flip 7. This would be a stark departure from previous releases, where the US versions of the Galaxy S line-up featured Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, with the international Galaxy S smartphones packing the in-house Exynos designs. In recent years, however, Samsung has pivoted to using Snapdragon SoCs across all regions.

Microsoft is letting Xbox Insiders try out a new library in the Xbox PC app on Windows that brings together games from Steam, Battle.net, Xbox, and Game Pass in one central spot. Once you install a supported title, it automatically shows up in your library and in the recent games list, so you don't have to hunt through different launchers. You can also hide any storefront you don't use in the app's settings to keep your view clean. Before the holidays, Microsoft will roll this feature out to handhelds like the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X, so you can carry your entire collection on the go. Over time, more PC storefronts will be added, making the Xbox PC app an even more complete hub for your games. To get started, just download the Xbox Insider Hub on your PC, join the PC gaming preview, and you'll see the combined library appear in your Xbox app.

1047 Games, the developer behind Splitgate and the recently announced follow-up, Splitgate 2, has just announced a round of layoffs to an undisclosed number of "valued 1047 Games team members," according to an announcement on LinkedIn. The studio says that the decision was made at a time when the company is "redirecting resources to build the best game for our players." In addition to the job cuts, 1047 Games's co-founders, Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian, are not receiving salaries at this time. The announcement claims that the studio is working on the next phase of Splitgate 2 and using community feedback to perfect the gameplay experience.

Adding insult to injury, the company's CEO was recently criticized online for wearing a hat that said "Make FPS Great Again" to the Summer Game Fest event shortly after releasing Splitgate 2, which faced a somewhat negative reception because of generic battle royale gameplay mechanics and aggressive monetization tactics. Currently, the game has a "Mixed" review rating on Steam just over a month after its initial launch into Early Access. According to an X post by Proulx, he was unaware of the game's aggressive monetization and $80 launch bundles, which were also part of the reason the game was heavily criticized at launch. The first Splitgate game also had a somewhat mixed response at its initial Beta launch in 2019, so it would not be surprising to see the game and developer bounce back from this hit, however, some of the original Splitgate community seems to have been burned by the rocky launch and CEO's recent statements.

Intel's next generation Core Ultra 300-series "Nova Lake-HX" enthusiast mobile processor is expected to debut a new BGA package, the BGA2540. This was sniffed out from shipping manifests of prototype boards of the processor. Although not socketed, mobile processors tend to carry forward package sizes and pin maps across generations, to simplify notebook mainboard and cooling solution designs for OEMs. Over the past several generations, the enthusiast notebook segment of mobile processors from Intel, designated by "-HX" in the codename, have meant notebook-friendly BGA variants of the maxed out "-S" segment silicon, with the highest core counts on the by the company in the client segment.

We've known from older reports that the maxed out desktop "Nova Lake-S" sees a significant increase in core counts, with a core configuration of 16 P-cores, 32 E-cores, and 4 low power island E-cores, a 3-tiered hybrid processor topology similar to "Meteor Lake." Intel is looking to at processor base power values as high as 150 W for its top Core Ultra 9 K-series SKUs. It's very likely that this silicon will be carried over with either the same or similar core-count to "Nova Lake-HX," which is why Intel is needing a larger package for mobile. The desktop "Nova Lake-HX" will require a motherboard change, as the processor is expected to debut the new LGA1954 socket.

AI PCs are a new class of laptops designed to deliver AI-enhanced experiences—from productivity to creativity—that adapt to users' needs and enhance people's lives. For HP's Intel-based AI PCs, Intel contributed more than just hardware like its Intel Core Ultra processors. Intel worked closely with HP to co-engineer and optimize hardware platforms for AI workloads. By fine-tuning performance across the central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU) and neural processing unit (NPU), Intel helped HP benchmark and validate real-world use cases, ensuring selected AI applications run efficiently on HP devices.

HP's latest AI PCs for business users—including the EliteBook X, EliteBook Ultra (announced in January at CES 2025) and EliteBook 8 (unveiled in March at HP Amplify)—are examples of how Intel's software and platform teams worked closely with HP to optimize performance and AI readiness on Intel Core Ultra-based systems. "We are delighted by the exceptional results Intel's Client Software team and HP's Commercial Personal Systems team achieved for the recent release of Intel Core Ultra 200V series devices," said Carla Rodriguez, vice president and general manager of the Client Software Ecosystem in the Client Computing Group at Intel.

Instructions per clock is a metric used to define and compare CPU architecture performance usually. However, enthusiast colleagues at ComputerBase had an idea to test the IPC improvement in GPUs, comparing it across current and past generations. NVIDIA's Blackwell-based GeForce RTX 50 series faces off against the Ada Lovelace-based RTX 40 generation, while AMD's RDNA 4-powered Radeon RX 9000 lineup challenges the RDNA 3-based RX 7000 series. For NVIDIA, the test used RTX 5070 Ti and 4070 Ti SUPER, aligning ALU counts and clock speeds and treating memory bandwidth differences as negligible. For AMD, the test matched the RX 9060 XT to the RX 7600 XT, both featuring identical ALUs and GDDR6 memory. By closely matching shader counts and normalizing for clock variations, ComputerBase isolates IPC improvements from other hardware enhancements. In rasterized rendering tests across 19 popular titles, NVIDIA's Blackwell architecture delivered an average IPC advantage of just 1% over the older Ada Lovelace.

This difference could easily be attributed to normal benchmark variance. Ray tracing and path tracing benchmarks showed no significant IPC uplift, leaving the latest generation essentially on par with its predecessor when normalized for clock and unit count. AMD's RDNA 4, by contrast, exhibited a substantial IPC leap. Rasterized performance improved by around 20% compared to RDNA 3, while ray-traced workloads enjoyed a roughly 31% gain. Path tracing results were even more extreme, with RDNA 4 delivering nearly twice the FPS, a 100% increase over its predecessor. These findings suggest that NVIDIA's performance improvements primarily stem from higher clock speeds, increased execution unit counts, and enhanced features. AMD's RDNA 4 represents a significant architectural advance, marking its most notable IPC gain since the original RDNA launch.

Lenovo unveiled its new Lenovo Chromebook Plus (14", 10), the world's first Chromebook powered by MediaTek Kompanio Ultra processor and exclusive Google AI features for hybrid AI functionality. Designed for professionals, students and creators, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus (14", 10) sets a new standard for Chromebooks in many categories, including 50 TOPS for supercharged performance, the capability to handle AI features both on device and via cloud and quad speakers and Dolby Atmos for a truly captivating multimedia experience.

"Our society has embraced the freedom of hybrid and remote work, but that freedom demands the workforce and their devices to be productive regardless of location and to do more in less time," said Benny Zhang, Executive Director and General Manager of Chromebooks in Lenovo's Intelligent Devices Group. "The Lenovo Chromebook Plus (14", 10) delivers the most powerful AI capabilities ever on a Chromebook. Whether you are an executive needing AI performance through the day, an artist wishing to create outside the studio, or an everyday user looking to browse, learn or play, this premium device is your perfect everyday companion."

Thermaltake has launched the WAir CPU Cooler a cooling solution for workstations that handle demanding tasks like 3D rendering and AI processing. This cooler supports Intel LGA4677 and AMD sTR5/SP6 sockets and is capable of delivering up to 500 W TDP cooling capacity. It measures 143.2 x 115 x 165 mm (L x W x H) and has a single-tower design with aluminium fins. Thermaltake WAir cooler features six 6 mm diameter heat pipes connected to a large nickel plated copper base with high-quality solder paste between heat pipes and heat sinks to enhance thermal conductivity.

The WAir uses two upgraded TOUGHFAN 14 Pro units. Each fan is 140.8 x 140.8 x 26.4 mm in size and runs at speeds from 500 to 1500 RPM controlled by PWM. Users can adjust the fan positions to fit different memory module heights. The fans have liquid crystal polymer (LCP) blades that help reduce vibration at top speeds. Each fan delivers up to 83.4 CFM airflow with 1.86 mm-H₂O static pressure and 24.4 dBA noise levels. The fans connect with 4-pin PWM connectors and offer 50,000 hours of operational life. Thermaltake didn't provide exact pricing and availability for the WAir CPU cooler series.

An AMD research team has introduced a game-changing approach to procedural tree creation that runs entirely on the GPU, delivering both speed and flexibility, unlike anything we've seen before. Showcased at High-Performance Graphics 2025 in Copenhagen, the new pipeline utilizes DirectX 12 work graphs and mesh nodes to construct detailed tree models on the fly, without any CPU muscle. Artists and developers can tweak more than 150 parameters, everything from seasonal leaf color shifts and branch pruning styles to complex animations and automatic level-of-detail adjustments, all in real-time. When tested on an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX, the system generated and pushed unique tree geometries into the geometry buffer in just over three milliseconds. It then automatically tunes detail levels to maintain a target frame rate, effortlessly demonstrating stable 120 FPS under heavy workloads.

Wind effects and environmental interactions update seamlessly, and the CPU's only job is to fill a small set of constants (camera matrices, timestamps, and so on) before dispatching a single work graph. There's no need for continuous host-device chatter or asset streaming, which simplifies integration into existing engines. Perhaps the most eye-opening result is how little memory the transient data consumes. A traditional buffer-heavy approach might need tens of GB, but AMD's demo holds onto just 51 KB of persistent state per frame—a mind-boggling 99.9999% reduction compared to conventional methods. A scratch buffer of up to 1.5 GB is allocated for work-graph execution, though actual usage varies by GPU driver and can be released or reused afterward. Static assets, such as meshes and textures, remain unaffected, leaving future opportunities for neural compression or procedural texturing to further enhance memory savings.

Rapidus Corporation, a manufacturer of advanced logic semiconductors, today announced a strategic collaboration with Siemens Digital Industries Software for semiconductor design and manufacturing processes for the 2 nm generation. Rapidus will collaborate with Siemens to jointly develop a process design kit based on the Calibre platform, the industry-standard verification solution that enables highly accurate and efficient physical verification, manufacturing optimization and reliability assessment from semiconductor design through to fabrication, while continuing to further its design and verification ecosystem.

This collaboration supports the manufacturing for design (MFD) concept advocated by Rapidus to achieve high yield and short turnaround time from the early stages of manufacturing. Further, Rapidus and Siemens EDA will build a reference flow that holistically supports design, verification and manufacturing from front-end to back-end. This reference flow provides a smooth development environment for Rapidus' Rapid and Unified Manufacturing Service (RUMS).

ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual solutions, introduces its new USB-C video conferencing monitors—VG41V Series, featuring Windows Hello facial recognition for secure, instant login to digital workspaces. Available in 24-inch and 27-inch Full HD, as well as 27-inch QHD models, the new series is designed for everyday professional use, eliminating virtual meeting setup complexities while enhancing productivity across diverse workspaces.

Optimized Meeting Experience with Intuitive Features
With facial recognition via Windows Hello, professionals can securely log in to their devices in seconds. Building on this ease of access, the VG41V Series' built-in high-quality 5MP webcam comes with adjustable tilt for optimal framing and includes a sliding lens cover that protects users' privacy when the camera is not in use.

The GeForce RTX 5090 flagship graphics card may be a hot commodity in Asia due its dual-use in AI acceleration farms, and in the US it may be saddled with crippling import tariffs, besides unethical retail practices, but gamers in Europe have it good. ComputerBase.de reports that their price-tracker has detected RTX 5090 cards briefly available at prices lower than MSRP—a first for the RTX 5090 anywhere in the world.

The MSI RTX 5090 Ventus 3X OC was launched as an MSRP-priced card listed at USD $1,999. German retailer Mindfactory.de had the card listed at €1,999 including VAT, which would make this lower than the MSRP and street prices of RTX 5090 in the US and Asia. Hours later, the retailer corrected the price to €2,600. The general trend with graphics card pricing seems to be that EEA (European Economic Area) countries currently have the best pricing on graphics cards, due to their lower import tariffs than the US, relatively rare scalper gray-marketing, and lower demand cards like RTX 5090 for use-cases other than gaming or professional graphics.

Intel GPUs, both iGPUs and Arc, on Linux, can achieve a surprising 20% performance boost by taking direct action within their own graphics stack. The company has long incorporated security mitigations into its open-source Compute Runtime to protect against vulnerabilities like Spectre, but these safeguards have carried a hidden cost. With the introduction of a build-time option named NEO_DISABLE_MITIGATIONS, Intel now allows users to compile the Compute Runtime without these extra checks, thereby reclaiming up to 20% in OpenCL and Level Zero workloads. Behind the scenes, Intel's engineers have been testing unmitigated builds on GitHub for months, and the results have been clear: disabling these driver-level mitigations can significantly speed up shader compilation, AI-driven upscaling routines, and physics simulations that rely on GPU compute.

Intel's confidence in disabling these checks stems from the fact that modern Linux kernels already address Spectre vulnerabilities comprehensively at the operating system level. To keep users informed, the Compute Runtime build will emit a warning if it detects a kernel lacking the necessary patches, ensuring transparency about any residual risk. Canonical's Ubuntu team has partnered with Intel to introduce this enhancement in its upcoming 25.10 release. But make no mistake, this is Intel's initiative: the company is driving the performance improvements, publishing unmitigated binaries upstream, and coordinating with distribution partners to make the change broadly available. Security teams at Intel have analyzed the potential attack surface and concluded that the performance gains far outweigh the minimal risk, especially given that Intel's own builds have been running unmitigated without incident.

AMD's next generation UDNA graphics architecture, which succeeds the current RDNA 4, will power the GPU of next generation Xbox and PlayStation consoles, VideoCardz reports. This would put the consoles a generation ahead of the Radeon RX 9000-series, and ready to take on some astoundingly complex AAA titles such as GTA 6. Kepler_L2, a reliable source with hardware leaks, has a some generational performance gain projections for UDNA over RDNA 4.

UDNA is expected to provide a 20% gain in raster performance per CU over RDNA 4, assuming other factors are comparable, such as memory and host platform. UDNA is also expected to offer a 2x ray tracing performance gain over RDNA 4. Kepler_L2 clarified that by this he means a halving in the frame-time incurred in having ray tracing enabled, compared to RDNA 4. What's emerging from these leaks is that the semi-custom SoCs powering next-generation consoles will be contemporary in terms of the architecture of its various IP blocks from AMD. Given that UDNA powers the GPU, the CPU could be equally advanced, based on at least "Zen 5" or "Zen 6," a significant upgrade over the "Zen 2" powering current consoles. There could be other inclusions, such as an NPU.

Intel is reportedly rethinking its marketing strategy as the business prepares for an overhaul. Intel's CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, is preparing to lay off Intel's marketing division and outsource the entire marketing effort to Accenture, a business consulting and professional services company. As one of the largest service companies, Accenture will utilize AI to extract information and design new marketing campaigns for Intel, thereby bypassing Intel's internal marketing department. As Oregon Live reports, the final decision will be made on July 11, when the marketing department employees will receive the final notification of their layoff.

This strategic restructuring is all part of an effort to better connect with customers, as Intel's previous marketing campaigns failed to do so. This has been evident in the company's recent trend of declining revenues and market share losses, as AMD and NVIDIA have managed to secure a significant share of revenues in both the data center and client spaces. Late last week, Accenture reported it is consolidating its services in Strategy, Consulting, Song, Technology, and Operations into a singular unit called Reinvention Services. "AI can help us analyze large amounts of information faster, automate routine tasks, personalize customer experiences, and make smarter business decisions," said management to Intel's marketing department, adding that "Our goal is to empower teams with more time to focus on strategic, creative and high-impact work by automating repetitive or time-consuming tasks." If the July 11 verdict comes as a green light for Accenture outsourcing, this Reinvention Services unit will be the new Intel marketing operator, alongside AI for some basic tasks.

In another breakthrough in single-board computing, AAEON has released the de next-RAP8, the world's smallest board featuring embedded 13th Generation Intel Core Processors, measuring just 3.31" x 2.17" (84 mm x 55 mm). Available with a choice of the Intel Core i7-1365UE, Intel Core i5-1335UE, or Intel Core i3-1315UE, all at 15 W, the de next-RAP8 can leverage up to 10 cores and 12 threads. The board also boasts up to 16 GB of LPDDR5x system memory and Intel Iris Xe graphics.

Designed for drone and robotics applications, the de next-RAP8 hosts two Intel-based RJ-45 ports, one for 2.5GbE and one for 1GbE speeds, alongside two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports on its rear I/O. Rounding off its physical ports are an HDMI 1.2a port and a 12 V DC Jack. The board adds to these with a relatively dense set of pin headers and connectors. Given the board's target application fields being robotics and drones, the most notable inclusions are an 8-bit GPIO, four USB 2.0, and two RS-232/422/285 signals, all of which are available via a 40-pin header on the board's CPU-side. For more industrial use, the de next-RAP8 offers SMBus/I2C as an optional function.

Colorful Technology Company Limited, a leading brand in gaming PC components, gaming laptops, and HiFi audio products, proudly introduces the SMART 900 AI Mini PC - a powerful, compact system designed to accelerate AI-driven content creation. Engineered for students and professionals, the SMART 900 combines cutting-edge performance with a sleek industrial design, pushing the boundaries of what a mini-PC can deliver.

At its core is the new Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor, built on the advanced Zen 5 architecture. With 16 cores and 32 threads, a turbo frequency of up to 5.1 GHz, and 80 MB of cache, it delivers desktop-class performance in a 4-liter form factor. The integrated Radeon 8060S graphics, based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture with 40 compute units, offer GPU performance rivaling discrete mobile GPUs. For AI tasks, a dedicated 50 TOPS NPU provides outstanding acceleration for machine learning and generative workloads. The SMART 900 is built for creators on the move. It features a rich set of connectivity options including 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB 4.0, 2x USB 2.0, and a high-speed SD 4.0 card slot - making high-resolution image and video transfer seamless and efficient.

Welcome to the halfway point of 2025 and it's the slowest week of new releases we've had in a while, with this week's major release being a JPRG from SEGA. This is followed by another Asian game, but in a very different style, some zombie killing, but in a cute Asian way, another RPG, but about teenagers, a 25th anniversary remaster of a classic and finally a 2.5D platformer.

Persona5: The Phantom X / This week's major release / Thursday 26 June
The Persona series, which has sold over 23.5 million copies worldwide, welcomes its first mobile/PC release with its newest entry. Featuring a brand-new story and a cast of captivating new characters, the world of P5X offers an experience that both Persona5 fans and newcomers alike can enjoy. Steam link

Thanks to a new comparison video from the YouTube channel MxBenchmarkPC, the Paris Tech Demo by Scans Factory is put through its paces on an RTX 5080, running side by side in Unreal Engine 5.6 and version 5.4 with hardware Lumen enabled. That way, we get to see what Epic Games has done with the hardware optimization in the latest release. In GPU‑limited scenarios, the upgrade is immediately clear, with frame rates jumping by as much as 25% thanks to better utilization of graphics resources, even if that means the card draws a bit more power to deliver the boost. When the CPU becomes the bottleneck, Unreal Engine 5.6 really pulls ahead, smoothing out frame-time spikes and delivering up to 35% higher throughput compared to the older build. Beyond the raw numbers, the new version also refines Lumen's visuals. Lighting feels more accurate, and reflections appear crisper while maintaining the same level of shadow and ambient occlusion detail that developers expect.

Unreal Engine 5.6 was officially launched earlier this month, just after Epic Games wrapped its Unreal Fest keynote, where it teased many of these improvements. Hardware-accelerated ray tracing enhancements now shift more of the Lumen global illumination workload onto modern GPUs, and a Fast Geometry Streaming plugin makes loading vast, static worlds feel seamless and stutter-free. Animators will appreciate the revamped motion trails interface, which speeds up keyframe adjustments, and new device profiles automatically tune settings to hit target frame rates on consoles and high‑end PCs. To showcase what's possible, Epic teamed up with CD Projekt Red for a The Witcher IV tech demo that runs at a steady 60 FPS with ray tracing fully enabled on the current-gen PlayStation 5 console. If you're curious to dive in, you can download Unreal Engine 5.6 Paris - Fontaine Saint-Michel Tech Demo today and explore it for yourself on your PC.

NetEase Games and 24 Entertainment (Lin'an) Studio today unveiled Blood Message, a cinematic, single-player, linear story-driven action-adventure currently in development for PC and consoles. Powered by Unreal 5 Engine and enhanced with proprietary tools and technologies by the studio, Blood Message is NetEase Games' first AAA single-player title, blending brutal survival combat with profound Eastern storytelling.

Blood Message introduces a forgotten odyssey of loyalty and survival where players join Dunhuang's uprising, taking control of a nameless messenger and his young son in this immersive third-person action-adventure. Caught in the crossfire of a righteous uprising and driven by loyalty to both family and country, players will embark on a perilous eastward journey to deliver a message that holds the fate of their war-torn homeland. Amidst the shifting sands of history, they will etch a final tale of loyalty.

ASUS Republic of Gamers today announced ROG NUC (2025), the world's first sub-three-liter gaming mini PC powered by Intel Core Ultra 9 processors (Series 2), supporting up to 96 GB of RAM and equipped with the latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU. Designed to cater to gamers and creators, this compact powerhouse pushes the boundaries of power and portability, delivering up to 4X faster rendering performance compared to previous models and redefining the capabilities of a mini PC.

Unmatched performance
At the heart of the new ROG NUC (2025) is an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor (Series 2), reaching boost speeds of up to 5.4 GHz and supporting up to 96 GB of high-speed DDR5-6400 MT memory. Engineered with 24-core hybrid architecture, an integrated NPU, and a powerful GPU, this cutting-edge processor ensures seamless real-time rendering and effortlessly handles the demanding gaming and creative workloads.

NVIDIA's upcoming GB300 NVL72 "Blackwell Ultra" rack-scale systems are reportedly going to get a humanoid robot assembly, according to sources close to Reuters. As readers are aware, most of the traditional manufacturing processes in silicon manufacturing, PCB manufacturing, and server manufacturing are automated, requiring little to no human intervention. However, rack-scale systems required humans for final assembly up until now. It appears that Foxconn and NVIDIA have made plans to open up the first AI-powered humanoid robot assembly plant in Houston, Texas. The central plan is that, in the coming months as the plant is completed, humanoid robots will take over the final assembly process entirely removing humans from the manufacturing loop.

And this is not a bad thing. Since server assembly typically requires lifting heavy server racks throughout the day, the humanoid robot system will aid humans by doing the hard work, thereby saving workers from excessive labor. Initially, humans will oversee these robots in their operations, with fully autonomous factories expected later on. The human element here will primarily involve inspecting the work. NVIDIA has been laying the groundwork for humanoid robots for some time, as the company has developed NVIDIA Isaac, a comprehensive CUDA-accelerated platform designed for humanoid robots. As models from Agility Robotics, Boston Dynamics, Fourier, Foxlink, Galbot, Mentee Robotics, NEURA Robotics, General Robotics, Skild AI, and XPENG require models that are aware of their surroundings, NVIDIA created Isaac GR00T N1, the world's first open humanoid robot foundation model, available for anyone to use and finetune.

OXS, a pioneer in gaming audio technology, today proudly unveils the launch of the A2 ANC Gaming Headset, a cutting-edge addition to the world of gaming accessories. Featuring a 40 mm neodymium driver and Xspace spatial audio technology, the A2 ANC seamlessly bridges the worlds of gaming, work, and everyday listening with immersive sound and unparalleled versatility. The OXS A2 ANC Wireless Gaming Headset is available from the OXS Website and Amazon US / Amazon UK in black and white colorways at MSRP $129.99 / £129.99

Precision-engineered for clarity, ultra-low latency, and adaptive noise cancellation, the Storm A2 enhances every aspect of audio engagement. Whether deep in battle or settling into a music session, less than 20 ms latency ensures fluid, responsive gameplay while advanced Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) eliminates distractions. When focus shifts, intuitive ANC ON and Passthrough modes adjust to changing environments—perfect for work, travel, or on-the-go listening.

Samsung has achieved better production results for its advanced memory technology, according to Sedaily, as cited by TrendForce. The company's sixth-generation 10 nm DRAM, called 1c DRAM, now shows yield rates of 50-70% in testing. This represents a significant improvement from last year's results, which were below 30%. Samsung takes a different path from its rivals, while SK Hynix and Micron stick with 1b DRAM technology for HBM4 products, Samsung opts to create the newer 1c DRAM. This choice comes with more risk; however, it might bring bigger rewards, as the improved production rates enable Samsung to expand its manufacturing operations. The company plans to increase 1c DRAM production at its Hwaseong and Pyeongtaek facilities with expansion activities expected to begin before the end of this year.

These developments also support Samsung's HBM4 production schedule since the company aims to begin mass production of HBM4 products later this year. Yet, experts in the field point out that the product is still in its early stages and needs ongoing monitoring. Samsung planned to begin mass-producing sixth-gen 10 nm DRAM by late 2024. Instead, the company chose to remake the chip's design. This decision caused delays of more than one year however it was made to achieve better performance and yields. The new DRAM products will be manufactured at Samsung's Pyeongtaek Line 4 facility as these chips will serve both mobile and server applications. Separately, HBM4-related production will take place at Pyeongtaek Line 3.

Intel's high-end "Arrow Lake" processors have just become significantly more affordable, with the Core Ultra 7 265K and 265KF now priced below $250 US at major American retailers. In recent weeks, Intel has officially reduced its suggested retail prices from $399 to $309 and from $384 to $294, and retailers have pushed the savings even further. Today, shoppers can pick up the unlocked Core Ultra 7 265K for $239.99 and the graphics-disabled 265KF for $229.99 at Micro Center, reflecting a roughly 40 percent discount off launch pricing. In addition to these cuts, Micro Center is bundling the 265K with an ASUS Z890 AYW Gaming Wi-Fi motherboard and a 32 GB G.Skill Ripjaws S5 DDR5-6000 memory kit for $499, saving buyers approximately $70 compared to purchasing the components separately. Newegg's deal includes a free 16 GB Patriot Viper Venom DDR5-6400 kit with the 265K, while Amazon's Spring Bundle features two full-price PC games, Dying Light: The Beast and Civilization VII, plus software licenses valued at $159.

Internationally, similar markdowns are appearing across Intel's Arrow Lake‑S lineup. In the UK, LambdaTek lists the Core Ultra 9 285 K at £481.18, the 265K at £234.04, and the 265KF at £230.97. The mid-range Core Ultra 5 245 K and 245KF both dip under £220. With their 20 cores and strong multithreaded performance, the Core Ultra 7 265K and 265KF now stand out in the sub‑$250 segment, especially when bundled with motherboards, memory, and games. Consumers should balance these productivity gains against expected Arrow Lake gaming results and keep an eye on AMD's upcoming 3D V‑Cache processors, which promise to intensify competition in the under‑$300 market later this year.

Next-generation consumer and automotive audio is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and market drivers such as generative AI-based audio processing, immersive soundscapes, and advanced infotainment in software-defined vehicles demand stepped-up audio DSP performance. However, a single DSP can no longer meet escalating compute needs, while multiple DSPs pose significant programming challenges.

Today, OEMs and SoC vendors must perform all multicore hardware design and software development on their own while facing increased time-to-market pressures. At the same time, programmers are grappling with the complexity of software-based synchronization of shared memory regions and the proper partitioning of tasks across the multicore cluster. This can result in designs falling short of performance expectations.

AMD is giving finishing touches to the Ryzen 5 9600X3D processor, which could improve the company's standing in the mid-range, against Intel's Core i5-14600K and Core Ultra 5 245K. This came to light when AMD inadvertently leaked the SKU in its processor support list for the recently launched Radeon AI R9700 graphics card. The Ryzen 5 9600X3D will likely be a 6-core/12-thread processor based on the "Granite Ridge" silicon with 3D V-Cache memory. The processor is based on the latest "Zen 5" microarchitecture.

3D V-Cache is 64 MB of stacked cache on top of the 32 MB on-die cache, for a total of 96 MB last-level cache. Clock speeds of the 9600X3D could end up similar to those of the 9600X, given that AMD has changed the way the L3D (3D V-Cache die) stacks with the CCD (CPU complex die), inverting them, such that the L3D serves as a base tile for the CCD on top, giving the 9600X3D similar thermal and overclocking characteristics to the regular 9600X. The introduction of 3D V-Cache could significantly improve the gaming performance of the 9600X3D over the 9600X, giving gamers in the sub-$300 processor market segment a compelling alternative to the i5-14600K and the 245K.