TechPowerUp and Team Group T-Force, the brand of expertly crafted memory and SSD products for gamers and PC enthusiasts, brought you the 2024 Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) Giveaway. Up for grabs were two of the company's best DDR5-8000 memory kits, and an M.2 Gen 4 NVMe SSD. Up for grabs were a T-Force Xtreem ARGB DDR5-8000 48 GB (2x 24 GB) CL38 memory kit, a T-Force Xtreem White DDR5-8000 32 GB (2x 16 GB) CL38 kit; and a T-Force G70 PRO 2 TB M.2 NVMe Gen 4 SSD with heatsink. The Giveaway was open worldwide. The entries are in, and we have the winners!

• Jason from the United States wins the T-Force Xtreem ARGB Black DDR5-8000 48 GB (2x 24 GB) CL38 memory kit
• Rami from the United Arab Emirates wins the T-Force Xtreem White DDR5-8000 32 GB (2x 16 GB) CL38 memory kit
• Marcelo from Brazil wins the T-Force G70 PRO 2 TB Gen 4 NVMe SSD with Heatsink

A Huge Congrats to the Winners. Get ready to live life at 8000 MT/s! TechPowerUp and Team Group will return with more such interesting Giveaways!

Steam's monthly hardware and software surveys provide a decent picture of what hardware and software gamers rely on to play their favorite games—at least those on Valve's game platform. Since the launch of Windows 11, it has been a somewhat reliable way to track the adoption of the new Windows version, and, as the official cut-off for Windows 10 support draws near, one would expect Windows 11 to pick up steam, especially among gamers, where Windows is the dominant OS. The results of the November Steam Survey are in, and while not much has changed on the hardware front, it seems like Microsoft is indeed wearing gamers down when it comes to Windows 11 adoption. Despite seeing a decent uptick in Windows 11 installations, the overall Windows market share dropped, even if almost imperceptibly, while Linux and macOS both saw a slight uptick in adoption among Steam gamers. As expected, Windows remained the dominant platform for gamers, but Windows 11, specifically, saw growth of 4.18%, while Windows 10 lost 4.15%, which is almost an exact 1:1 match, indicating that gamers are largely staying on Windows when they finally decide to move on from Windows 10. Overall, Windows lost 0.05% market share, compared to Linux, which gained 0.03% and macOS, which grew by 0.02%.

Valve's SteamOS Holo was the most popular Linux version in the survey, but it, too, slid by 0.28%. Of course, the hardware split for Linux is representative of the software side of things, which is to say: It's mostly just Steam Decks. As expected, most of the video cards and CPUs in the Linux results were AMD GPUs, with well over 36% of the sampled Linux gamers using AMD GPUs, even disregarding the obvious bias introduced by the AMD-powered Steam Deck hardware. The most popular NVIDIA GPU on Linux systems running Steam is currently the GeForce RTX 3060, at a mere 1.46% of the market share. Meanwhile, on Windows side, 5.03% of gamers are using the GTX 3060, with the next most popular GPU being the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU, at 4.92%.

Marvel Rivals is set to launch on PlayStation 5 at the end of this week, Friday, December 6, and Sony has finally revealed some of the technical details that will ship with the upcoming PvP shooter. On the base-model PS5, Marvel Rivals will supposedly run at a stable 60 FPS at 1440p resolution, with UE5 Lumen Global Illumination and Chaos Destruction tech. Meanwhile, High Frame Rate mode will deliver 120 FPS, likely dropping the maximum resolution and quality settings to reach the higher frame rate, although Sony neglects to mention the resolution in this mode.

The PS5 Pro steps things up somewhat, thanks to the improved processing power and AI enhancement features. On PS5 Pro, Marvel Rivals will run at up to 4K and 60 FPS in Pro Mode, with an optional 120 FPS High Frame Rate Mode promising higher frame rates and resolutions than on the base PS5, although again there are no specific resolutions quoted here. The PS5 Pro also adds Lumen Reflections, which is a ray tracing implementation that allows for better, more accurate reflections off of a wide variety of surfaces, theoretically enhancing things like water effects, diffuse reflections, and indoor and outdoor lighting, making all the aforementioned more realistic. In addition to improved visuals and performance, PS5 and PS5 Pro players will get access to two special skins as in-game purchases or PlayStation Plus add-ons, namely Peni Parker's VEN#M skin and a PlayStation-exclusive Scarlet Spider skin for Spider-Man.

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GOG (Good Old Games) recently announced its Preservation Program, an initiative to support and maintain old and abandoned games to ensure that they still function on modern hardware. Today, with the announcement of the removal of Warcraft: Orcs and Humans and Warcraft II from the GOG Store in the coming weeks, the GOG Preservation Program both hits its first hiccup and proves why it's necessary. On X today, GOG announced that the two aforementioned Warcraft games will soon disappear from the GOG store, becoming officially unsupported and essentially becoming abandonware.

According to the post, both Warcraft II and Orcs and Humans will no longer be available from the GOG store as of December 13, 2024, however, GOG will continue to ensure that the game remains compatible with modern hardware as part of the GOG Preservation Program. Additionally, while they will no longer be purchasable on GOG, the offline installation files will still be available to download after the games are removed from the GOG store, meaning even if players lose their installation or backed-up game installers, they will be able to recover their game.

Today, the Khronos Group, an open consortium of industry-leading companies dedicated to creating advanced interoperability standards, has announced the release of Vulkan 1.4, the latest version of its cross-platform 3D graphics and compute API. Vulkan 1.4 integrates and mandates support for many proven features into its core specification, expanding the functionality that is consistently available to developers, greatly simplifying application development and deployment across multiple platforms.

"Vulkan 1.4 is a developer-driven update that enhances Vulkan's value as a stable, reliable framework for creating graphics-intensive applications on any platform," said Tom Olson, outgoing Vulkan Working Group Chair. "As I step down, I'm proud to see the groundwork we've laid through our roadmaps come to fruition. Our roadmap milestone plans have empowered developers with new levels of flexibility and performance, setting Vulkan on a path for continued innovation and broader adoption in the years to come."

The Biden administration is rolling out a third major export control package aimed at China's semiconductor industry, as per a report from Reuters. Estimated to affect 140 companies, including China's chip equipment maker Naura Technology Group, Piotek, and Huawei Technologies, the effort aims to limit China's access to advanced chip making technology. In particular, technology that could be used in military products and artificial intelligence. Important sanctions include export controls to specific chip equipment manufacturers, blocking the delivery of high-performance memory chips and the addition of several semiconductor investment companies to the list of export-restricted entities.

The package expands U.S. regulatory authority through foreign direct product rules. It regulates chip manufacturing equipment manufactured around the world with U.S. technology, Japan and the Netherlands are exempt. However, the rules could have an impact on manufacturers outside U.S. such as those based in Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and non-U.S. firms (i.e. ASML) due to the complexity of the technological and supply chain. This continues the Biden administration's strategy to limit China's semiconductor capabilities and comes just weeks before the Trump administration made changes. When asked about US new restrictions Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular press conference on Monday that such behavior undermines the international economic and trade system, and disrupts global supply chains. China will take measures to protect companies' rights and interests.

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) today announced that CEO Pat Gelsinger retired from the company after a distinguished 40-plus-year career and has stepped down from the board of directors, effective Dec. 1, 2024. Intel has named two senior leaders, David Zinsner and Michelle (MJ) Johnston Holthaus, as interim co-chief executive officers while the board of directors conducts a search for a new CEO. Zinsner is executive vice president and chief financial officer, and Holthaus has been appointed to the newly created position of CEO of Intel Products, a group that encompasses the company's Client Computing Group (CCG), Data Center and AI Group (DCAI) and Network and Edge Group (NEX). Frank Yeary, independent chair of the board of Intel, will become interim executive chair during the period of transition. Intel Foundry leadership structure remains unchanged.

The board has formed a search committee and will work diligently and expeditiously to find a permanent successor to Gelsinger. Yeary said, "On behalf of the board, I want to thank Pat for his many years of service and dedication to Intel across a long career in technology leadership. Pat spent his formative years at Intel, then returned at a critical time for the company in 2021. As a leader, Pat helped launch and revitalize process manufacturing by investing in state-of-the-art semiconductor manufacturing, while working tirelessly to drive innovation throughout the company."

Apparently, AMD's next-generation gaming graphics card is closer to launch than anyone in the media expected, with mass-production of the so-called Radeon RX 8800 XT poised to begin later this month, if sources on ChipHell are to be believed. The RX 8800 XT will be the fastest product from AMD's next-generation, and will be part of the performance segment, succeeding the current RX 7800 XT. There will not be an enthusiast-segment product in this generation, as AMD looks to consolidate in key market segments with the most sales. The RX 8800 XT will be powered by AMD's next-generation RDNA 4 graphics architecture.

There are some spicy claims related to the RX 8800 XT being made. Apparently, the card will rival the current GeForce RTX 4080 or RTX 4080 SUPER in ray tracing performance, which would mean a massive 45% increase in RT performance over even the current flagship RX 7900 XTX. Meanwhile, the power and thermal footprint of the GPU is expected to reduce with the switch to a newer foundry process, with the RX 8800 XT expected to have 25% lower board power than the RX 7900 XTX. Unlike the "Navi 31" and "Navi 32" powering the RX 7900 series and RX 7800 XT, respectively, the "Navi 48" driving the RX 8800 XT is expected to be a monolithic chip built entirely on a new process node. If we were to guess, this could very well be TSMC N4P, a node AMD is using for everything from its "Zen 5" chiplets to its "Strix Point" mobile processors.

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are working together to standardize "Low Power Double Data Rate 6 (LPDDR6) - Processing in Memory (PIM)" technology according to a report from Business Korea. This collaboration seeks to accelerate the development of low power memory products. The cooperation is still in its early stage, the companies initial work is focused on registering the standard with the Joint Electron and Device Engineering Council (JEDEC). Discussions are underway to determine technical requirements, specific characteristics of LPDDR with PIM, such as "internal bandwidth"—the data transfer rate within the memory, unlike the "external bandwidth" between the processor and memory in traditional systems. According to a Samsung Electronics representative, the two companies are in the process of developing a timeline for standardization.

This partnership is notable given how Samsung and SK hynix compete in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market. SK hynix beat Samsung in profits reporting 7.3 trillion won in the third quarter, while Samsung made 3.86 trillion won. However, the rise of AI with its increased demand for more memory has shaken up the scene pushing for teamwork instead of wasting resources in developing completely different and unstandardized products. Both firms see PIM technology as a way to grow, previous attempts to independently develop PIM products include Samsung's HBM and LPDDR5-PIM and SK hynix's GDDR6-PIM.

Santa Clara, CA: Tenstorrent is announcing that it has closed over $693M in its Series D funding round at a pre-money valuation of $2B. Samsung Securities and AFW Partners led the round, which was oversubscribed due to strong demand from investors. Samsung and AFW both have deep relationships with Tenstorrent, and a strong history of investing in pioneering technology companies.

In addition to the leads, many notable investors joined the round including XTX Markets, Corner Capital, MESH, Export Development Canada, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan, LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group, Fidelity, Baillie Gifford, Bezos Expeditions, and more.

Zyxel Networks, a leader in delivering secure, AI-powered cloud networking solutions, has announced four new Wi-Fi 7 access points (APs), adding further strength to its industry-leading range and providing customers of all sizes with even more ways to tailor wireless connectivity to meet the needs of their users. The new access points join three existing models, making Zyxel Networks' Wi-Fi 7 portfolio the most extensive and comprehensive in the industry, providing options to suit every size and type of organization.

When it comes to Wi-Fi performance, antenna design is crucial to signal strength, coverage and reliability. Offering speeds of between 6500 Mbps and 12300 Mbps, Zyxel Networks' four new Wi-Fi 7 APs are designed to provide the best possible user experience across different use-case scenarios.

• The NWA110BE and NWA210BE come with internal antennas, making them ideal for ceiling mount and simple, general purpose Wi-Fi environments.
• Designed for more complex Wi-Fi environments, the WBE510D has dual-optimized antennas and can be ceiling or wall mounted. Network admins can easily adjust the radio pattern without compromising performance.
• The WBE630S provides advanced capabilities for the most challenging and crowded environments, with smart antennas that intelligently shape signal patterns to mitigate interference.

A significant fix has been submitted to the Linux kernel 6.13-rc1 that addresses prolonged boot times affecting older AMD processors, specifically targeting "Zen 1" and "Zen 2" architectures. The issue, which has been present for approximately 18 months, could cause boot delays ranging from several seconds to multiple minutes in extreme cases. The problem was discovered by a Nokia engineer who reported inconsistent boot delays across multiple AMD EPYC servers. The most severe instances showed the initial unpacking process taking several minutes longer than expected, though not all boots were affected. Investigation revealed that the root cause stemmed from a kernel modification implemented in June 2023, specifically related to CPU microcode update handling.

The technical issue was identified as a missing step in the boot process: Zen 1 and Zen 2 processors require the patch buffer mapping to be flushed from the Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) after applying CPU microcode updates during startup. The fix, submitted as part of the "x86/urgent" material ahead of the Linux 6.13-rc1 release, implements the necessary TLB flush for affected AMD Ryzen and EPYC systems. This addition eliminates what developers described as "unnecessary and unnatural delays" in the boot process. While the solution will be included in the upcoming Linux 6.13 kernel release, plans are in place to back-port the fix to stable kernel versions to help cover most Linux users on older Zen architectures.

A recently discarded NVIDIA graphics card prototype has emerged from an unexpected source—a dumpster. Reported by VideoCardz citing an anonymous tipster from Reddit, the new GPU is identified as an experimental RTX 4090 variant, and has very unique design features and engineering choices. The recovered prototype shares core specifications with the retail RTX 4090 Founders Edition, featuring identical PG147 SKU 330 board architecture and power specifications of 450 W typical draw with a 600 W peak capacity. However, technicalities reveal some differences, particularly in its BIOS version (95.02.01.22.01) and operating frequencies, with a 2115 MHz base clock and 2355 MHz boost clock running approximately 5% lower than the regular Founders Editions model.

Most intriguingly, the prototype implements an interesting triple-fan cooling solution, distinguished by a concealed middle fan integrated within the heatsink structure. This design element aligns with previous industry speculation about NVIDIA's development of an 900 W-capable Founders Edition card. However, the discovered unit maintains standard RTX 4090 branding without any "Ti" or "TITAN" designations, which we previously associated the massive heatsink with. Further analysis suggests the prototype's distinctive three-section PCB layout was likely developed to accommodate additional processing cores and memory components, pointing to NVIDIA's exploration of more powerful variants that ultimately never reached production.

AMD has silently disabled the loop buffer feature in its Zen 4 processor architecture through an AGESA microcode update. This development, first reported by the website Chips and Cheese, affects the entire Ryzen 7000 series processors and related EPYC models. The loop buffer, a power-optimization feature capable of storing 144 entries (72 per thread with SMT enabled), was implemented for the first time in AMD's Zen 4 architecture but has been notably absent from the newer Zen 5 design. The feature's primary function was to allow the processor's front end to power down while maintaining operational efficiency. The change was discovered when testing an ASRock B650 PG Lightning motherboard paired with a Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor. Hardware performance monitoring showed the loop buffer was active in BIOS version 1.21 (AGESA 1.0.0.6) but ceased to function after updating to BIOS 3.10 with AGESA 1.2.0.2a.

In a performance test conducted by Chips and Cheese, we learned that there is no significant impact from the feature's deactivation, suggesting the existing op cache provides sufficient bandwidth for optimal processor operation. AMD's architectural design has historically relied on its op cache for similar functionality. The feature appeared experimental, given the lack of documentation and the absence of programming guides for loop buffer optimization. Unlike competitors Intel and Arm, who have extensively documented their loop buffer implementations, AMD's approach appeared less developed. While the exact reasoning behind the deactivation remains unclear, disabling undocumented features is a step in the right direction, mainly as future Zen architecture iteration doesn't rely on a loop buffer, as seen with Zen 5.

Intel's upcoming Arc "Battlemage" graphics card lineup has been exposed through a recent ASRock specification sheet leak, showcasing the company's latest products for the discrete GPU market. The leak details two models, the B580 and B570, with the B570 making a first appearance in the rumor section. The B580, positioned as the flagship model we already covered, features 20 Xe2-Cores and comes equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit interface, capable of reaching bandwidth speeds of up to 456 GB/s. Its slightly lower-spec sibling, the B570, sports 18 Xe2-Cores and 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit interface, delivering 380 GB/s bandwidth. In ASRock's case, both cards will be factory-overclocked, with the B580 reaching speeds of 2.8 GHz and the B570 hitting 2.6 GHz.

The new graphics cards are designed to operate on a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface. Both models will support modern display standards, including DisplayPort 2.1 and HDMI 2.1. Intel has scheduled the official unveiling of the Battlemage series for December 3, with cards expected to hit shelves on December 12. While the B570's pricing remains under wraps, the B580's rumored $249 price tag suggests Intel is making a serious play for the mid-range market segment. This aggressive pricing strategy, combined with the card's promising specifications, indicates Intel's determination to establish itself as a legitimate mid-range competitor in the discrete GPU segment, which NVIDIA and AMD have long dominated.

FunkyIT scored an ASRock Arc B580 Steel Legend 12 GB "Battlemage" graphics card that they previewed on their channel. The card appears fairly large, considering that Intel is positioning the B580 to be an upper-mid range GPU, if we go by the naming convention of the previous "Alchemist" generation, and the A580. The ASRock Steel Legend product features a large, aluminium dual fin-stack cooler featuring a trio of fans, and what looks like a metallic, dual-tone cooler shroud and backplate combo. The PCB underneath is a little over half the length of the card, which means nearly half the heatsink's airflow passes through the card and out large cutouts in the backplate.

The card draws power from a pair of 8-pin PCIe power connectors, a combination rated for up to 375 W power delivery. Previous leaks suggest that the ASRock B580 Steel Legend features RGB lighting in the form of a large Steel Legend ornament on top of the card, and the three fans each feature RGB LED lighting. FunkyIT also showed off the retail box of the card. There's no change in the Intel Arc main branding, but attention is given to the Intel XeSS technology logo, which mentions "AI Upscaling." The XMX cores, which are the main AI acceleration hardware on discrete Arc GPUs, get their own separate branding on the box. Intel isn't just going after gamers, but also creators, and AI acceleration markets. "Play, Create, Generate," reads the box.

In Q1 2025, AMD is expected to expand its Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" desktop processor family with new 65 W processor models, alongside the introduction of the new cost-effective AMD B850 motherboard chipset. The B850 is expected to be a single-chip solution, just like the X870, but makes PCIe Gen 5 optional for the x16 PEG slot. You still get at least one Gen 5 M.2 NVMe slot. USB4 is made optional for this chipset model, too. The B850, hence, is essentially a rebadged B650. CPU and memory overclocking are supported, so you can expect features like "X3D Boost" to carry over from the X870 series motherboards. Videocardz scored clear images of one of the first production AMD B850 chipset motherboards, the GIGABYTE B850M AORUS Elite Ice. This particular variant comes with integrated Wi-Fi 6E, and the "Ice" denotes a white PCB, along with white slots and connectors. You can expect variations of this board with black PCB, and other wireless networking solutions, or lacking one altogether.

The Micro-ATX board appears feature-packed, including an easy ejection lever for the PCIe x16 slot. It draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS power connectors. Expansion slots include what is very likely a Gen 4 PCI-Express x16 slot, a Gen 4 x4 (physical x16) PCIe slot, and the space between them being dominated by an M.2 SSD heatsink that very likely conceals a Gen 5 M.2 slot wired to the CPU, and a Gen 4 M.2 slot that's either wired to the CPU (since there's no discrete USB4 controller), or the FCH. USB connectivity consists of 20 Gbps USB 3.2 for a few type-C ports (including a type-C header), and a combination of 10 Gbps and 5 Gbps USB 3.x ports.

Minisforum is a brand that is quite well-regarded by folks who are passionate about SFF/Mini PCs. Their latest offering, the UM870 Slim, continues to uphold that tradition, but with a relatively affordable price. With dimensions of 130 mm x 127 mm x 50 mm, the UM870 Slim boasts a volume of just 0.82 liters, staying true to its "Slim" moniker.

The UM870 Slim is powered by a 54 W Ryzen 7 8745H APU rocking 8 Zen 4 cores and 16 threads. This APU is basically a Ryzen 7 8845HS, but without the AI capabilities made possible by the XDNA NPU. The aforementioned 0.82 liter chassis means that the UM870 Slim lacks the luxury of discrete graphics, and relies on the integrated Radeon 780M GPU instead. Unlike some of its competitors, the UM870 Slim misses out on OCuLink support, which would've allowed for significantly faster eGPU connections as compared to USB4.

AOOSTAR has introduced yet another member to its impressive lineup of mini PCs, dubbed the Gem 12 Pro Max. From the outside, the design mostly resembles the typical look and feel that one can expect from mini PCs of the modern age. However, the built-in display and fingerprint scanner do quite a good job of setting the product apart from the rest.

At its core, the GEM 12 Pro Max is powered by a 75 W Ryzen 7 8845HS "Hawk Point" APU with 8 cores and 16 threads, with performance that is in the same league as the Ryzen 7 7840HS. The integrated Radeon 780M iGPU takes care of the graphics side of things, since the compact footprint of the system lacks the luxury of discrete graphics which is nothing out of the ordinary for mini PCs. Thankfully, the system also rocks quite a beefy cooling solution.

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Welcome to the first week of December and the first of advent for those that celebrate it. This week's AAA release is the 2024 release of a FPS shooter that first saw life back in 1998, but under a new developer and publisher. If this isn't your cup of tea, then you can try your luck in beating humans, demolishing things, surviving a bullet hell, finding your lost memories or pretending to be a superhero.

Delta Force / This week's AAA title / Thursday 5 December
Delta Force is back! The iconic series returns as the definitive free-to-play modern team-based tactical shooter and featuring three distinct gameplay modes: large-scale PvP warfare, intense extraction shooter action, and a remake of the legendary Black Hawk Down campaign. Steam link

Taiwanese political officials have agreed to discuss transferring TSMC's advanced 2 nm chip technology to allied democratic nations, but only after establishing the main mass production launch in late 2025 in Taiwan. This new stance comes amid growing international pressure and recent comments from upcoming US president Donald Trump about semiconductor manufacturing. The announcement by National Science and Technology Council Minister Cheng-Wen Wu marks a notable departure from earlier statements by Economic Affairs Minister J.W. Kuo, who had previously emphasized legal restrictions on transferring leading-edge process technology overseas. Interestingly, these different positions aren't so different from one point: timeline of node deployments. As TSMC produces latest nodes in Taiwan, overseas production will lag by a generation or two.

TSMC plans to implement its 2 nm technology in US facilities by 2030. The company's Arizona facility, Fab 21, will begin with less advanced N4 and N5 processes in early 2025 and progress to 3 nm technology by 2028. However, this timeline could face pressure for acceleration, mainly if new trade policies are implemented. Industry analyst Dan Nystedt points out significant challenges in transferring advanced chip production. Integrating research and development with manufacturing processes in Taiwan provides crucial advantages for initial production ramps, making simultaneous mass production launches in multiple locations technically challenging. Simply put, there aren't enough capable engineers, scientists, and factory workers capable of doing what TSMC accomplishes in Taiwan.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, announced a groundbreaking update to its X3D Turbo Mode feature, providing users with an intuitive new method to activate advanced gaming performance optimization directly through the AORUS AI SNATCH software.

Users can now easily enable the X3D Turbo Mode with a streamlined process:

• Run live update on GCC to get the latest AORUS AI SNATCH version B24.11.19.01
• Navigate to the flag icon in the lower-left corner
• Click the flag icon to activate X3D Turbo Mode
• Confirm the pop-up window by clicking "OK"
• System will automatically restart to activate the feature

For users who wish to cancel the action, a "Discard" button is available to immediately halt the process.

Germany is set to invest €2 billion in the semiconductor industry after recent setbacks, according to TrendForce via Liberty Times citing Bloomberg. The German government's new funding is in response to the chip sector's problems, including Intel's delay of the Magdeburg factory and global disruptions in the semiconductor supply chain. The investment will support 10 to 15 projects from wafer production to microchip assembly to strengthen Germany's and Europe's microelectronics ecosystem. This is in line with the European Chips Act which aims to increase the EU's global production capacity to 20% by 2030.

Intel's €30 billion Magdeburg factory delay and other cancelled chip projects from Wolfspeed and ZF Friedrichshafen AG have created uncertainty in the German market. The Ministry of Economic Affairs is now calling for new applications for funding, with up to €3 billion available. The timing of the semiconductor investment follows the global supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic and the increasing geopolitical tensions between the US, China and Taiwan. Germany is following a broader trend of governments investing in local semiconductor production to increase technological independence and economic resilience. The funding is subject to budget reallocation with the new government after February 2025 elections. In the first round of subsidies from the European Chips Act, Germany allocated resources to two key initiatives: Intel's investment and a collaborative project between Infineon and TSMC in Dresden.

ADLINK Technology Inc., a global leader in edge computing, has introduced the all-new Mini PC EMP-100. The smallest of its kind of the series (just 13 x 10.7 x 2.8 cm), this fanless PC and Dual 4K Media Player is robust and extremely versatile. It includes an Intel Celeron N6210/J6412 processor; IoT connectivity (Single GbE LAN and Optional Wi-Fi 6/BT 5.2 module); an M.2 2280 Key M for optional storage and Key E for optional Wi-Fi/BT modules; and two HDMI output ports. This combination plus adaptable function expansion makes it truly multipurpose.

Exceptional Media player
The EMP-100 Series was developed to support sophisticated digital signage with Dual 4K UHD display for clear and vibrant content; interactive kiosks; and the development of IoT and AI applications in the smart retail sector - enhancing the customer experience and boosting commercial engagement. The fanless design can be operated continuously in a broad range of temperatures and significantly reduces maintenance.

Acrosser Technology, a leader in edge computing platforms and embedded computers, is proud to announce the NSA-50A1 Desktop Network Appliance, an entry-level customer premises equipment (CPE) designed for growing businesses and network providers. Powered by the Intel Atom C3338R Processor, the NSA-50A1 addresses the rising demand for edge security computing driven by the widespread adoption of mobile devices and their diverse applications.

This user-friendly device is the perfect solution for LAN security gateways, firewalls, and data collection and processing, making it an ideal choice for work-from-home networks, retail point-of-sale systems, and edge computing deployments.

The Biden administration is set to announce new, targeted restrictions on China's semiconductor industry, focusing primarily on emerging chip manufacturing equipment companies rather than broad industry-wide limitations. According to Bloomberg, these new restrictions are supposed to take effect on Monday. The new rules will specifically target two manufacturing facilities owned by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) and will add select companies to the US Entity List, restricting their access to American technology. However, most of Huawei's suppliers can continue their operations, suggesting a more mild strategy. The restrictions will focus on over 100 emerging Chinese semiconductor equipment manufacturers, many of which receive government funding. These companies are developing tools intended to replace those currently supplied by industry leaders such as ASML, Applied Materials, and Tokyo Electron.

The moderated approach comes after significant lobbying efforts from American semiconductor companies, who argued that stricter restrictions could disadvantage them against international competitors. Major firms like Applied Materials, KLA, and Lam Research voiced concerns about losing market share to companies in Japan and the Netherlands, where similar but less stringent export controls are in place. Notably, Japanese companies like SUMCO are already seeing the revenue impacts of Chinese independence. Lastly, the restrictions will have a limited effect on China's memory chip sector. The new measures will not directly affect ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), a significant Chinese DRAM manufacturer capable of producing high-bandwidth memory for AI applications.

According to the latest information from Videocardz, the Intel Arc Battlemage announcement and launch could be closer than expected. The official announcement for two first SKUs, the Arc B580 and the Arc B570, is apparently scheduled for December 3rd, with availability and first reviews coming on December 12th.

Intel is expected to announce and launch two mid-range SKUs, the Arc B580 and the Arc B570, and has yet to give any information on the rest of the lineup, including higher-end as well as entry-level SKUs. The Arc B580 SKU has been leaked recently and is said to feature 20 Xe2-cores with a GPU clock of 2.8 GHz. The board comes with 12 GB of 19 Gbps GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit memory interface and needs two 8-pin power connectors. The price is said to be set at around $250, according to rumors and listings spotted earlier. The second SKU, the Arc B570, is rumored to pack 18 Xe2-cores, while the rest of the information is still unknown.

In Win Development Inc. (InWin), a recognized innovator in the PC industry and multiple recipient of prestigious international design awards, has officially launched its limited-edition 11th generation Signature Chassis, "Infinite." First unveiled earlier this year at Computex in Taipei, the highly anticipated release is now available to the public.

Observe the Curve. Crafted with Skilled and Confidential Techniques
Infinite redefines PC chassis design with a remarkable leap in artistry, showcasing the largest 180-degree curved glass ever integrated into a PC chassis. Achieving the perfect wrap-around curve was a notable feat of engineering and technical craftsmanship, requiring the glass to be twisted in opposite directions. Meticulous attention to detail and newly developed techniques were employed to shape each sheet over its custom mold. At 6 mm thick, the glass underwent a chemical strengthening process, complemented by a protective film layer to prevent shattering and enhance safety.