Thursday, May 15th 2025

Today's Reviews

Cases
Graphics Cards
Motherboards
Mouse
NAS
PSUs
SSD

Valve Denies Steam Data Leak Was a System Breach, Calls It Old SMS Cache

Valve Corporation pushed back on reports of a massive Steam user data sale. The company says that what surfaced online was not evidence of a breach of Steam's systems but rather an archive of older SMS messages. Security outlet BleepingComputer reported that a hacker was offering roughly 89 million records for about $5,000. Those records allegedly included one-time passcodes sent to Steam users by text message along with their phone numbers. According to Valve, all of the codes were expired by the time they landed in the hacker's hands, and none of the files included any passwords, payment details, or direct ties between phone numbers and Steam accounts. Valve's statement reads, "This was not a breach of Steam systems. The data consisted of older text messages containing one-time codes valid for only 15 minutes and the phone numbers they were sent to. There is no account information, passwords, payment information or other personal data in that cache."

The company also reminded users that whenever an SMS code is used to change a Steam email address or password, they will receive confirmations by email and through Steam's secure messaging system. The incident prompted speculation that third-party messaging provider Twilio might have been hacked. A user on X, formerly Twitter, suggested that Twilio was to blame, but both Valve and a Twilio spokesperson denied the claim. Twilio said it found no evidence that its infrastructure was involved, and Valve confirmed it does not use Twilio for Steam authentication texts. Valve says users do not need to change their passwords or phone numbers, but it encourages everyone to enable the Steam Mobile Authenticator for stronger protection. The company's security team is still investigating how these historical messages were exposed.

AVerMedia & CAMO Partner for Next-Gen Mobile Type-C Streaming

AVerMedia Technologies, Inc., a pioneer in digital video and audio convergence, is thrilled to announce its latest collaboration with CAMO Studio, the powerful and intuitive streaming app developed by Reincubate. This partnership brings together AVerMedia's newly launched GO-Series—a lineup of ultraportable Type-C streaming gear—and CAMO's cutting-edge mobile streaming software to deliver the ultimate on-the-go content creation experience.

This collaboration highlights the synergy between AVerMedia's ELITE GO (GC313Pro) and the CAMO Studio App for iPad/Tablet—offering a truly laptop-free streaming solution for creators, gamers, and professionals who want to broadcast directly from handheld consoles, phones, or tablets.

This $56 Full Coding Package Won't Be Around Forever

If you want to learn to code, then take a look at this bundle that pairs Microsoft Visual Studio Pro 2022 with the Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle. It's a comprehensive introduction to programming paired with an industry-standard tool for mobile and desktop app development. It's on sale for $55.97. Visual Studio Pro is a 64-bit IDE from Microsoft that handles larger workloads and supports multiple languages and platforms. It's ideal for cross-platform app development with.NET MAUI and web UI creation using Blazor. It also supports development, debugging, and testing for.NET and C++ apps on Linux.

Advanced coding support tools like IntelliCode help you write code faster by predicting variable names and functions. CodeLens gives you insights into your codebase, including recent changes and test results. Real-time collaboration is easier with Live Share, so you can work together with other developers seamlessly. The other half of this bundle contains over 100 hours of instruction for beginner developers. It is comprehensive and non-linear, so you can start with the language that you want to learn. There are courses for Python 3, C++, MySQL, JavaScript, and more.

A lifetime license for Microsoft Visual Studio Pro 2022 and Lifetime Access to the Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle is now available for $55.97 (reg. $1,999).

Alphacool Unveils Core-series Radeon RX 9070 XT Water Block

Alphacool International GmbH, based in Braunschweig, has been a pioneer in PC water cooling technology for over 20 years. With one of the most comprehensive product portfolios in the industry and over 20 years of experience, Alphacool is now expanding its portfolio with the new Core RX 9070 XT graphics card water coolers with Backplate.

The GPU water coolers have been completely redesigned. Precise adjustments to the spacing between the cooler and the PCB, along with optimized water flow simulations and extensive practical testing, have resulted in significant improvements to the cooler base and jetplate. These enhancements ensure maximum cooling performance for the newest AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT generation. The GPU water coolers feature a precisely machined copper base with high-quality chrome plating for exceptional durability and a smooth surface. The design is further complemented by robust brass fittings with a nylon cover, ensuring maximum safety and reliability.

Antec Announces Vortex View AIO CPU Coolers

Antec Inc., a global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories, proudly announces the launch of the Antec Vortex View, an advanced All-in-One (AIO) liquid cooler engineered for enthusiasts who demand both performance and personalization. The Vortex View sets a new benchmark for cooling design and user interaction, featuring a 360° rotatable 5-inch IPS display, that delivers crisp system stats, real-time performance metrics, and custom visuals—viewable from any angle. Whether mounted vertically or horizontally, the display adjusts seamlessly to fit the setup.

The Vortex View is also tuned for platform-specific thermal performance, ensuring optimal cooling across both AMD and Intel configurations based on mounting direction. Behind the display is an integrated addressable backglow, designed to subtly illuminate surrounding components and fully controllable through the iUnity software platform.

Sharkoon Unveils OfficePal K30W Series Keyboards

The OfficePal K30W put the focus on quietness and efficiency. Thanks to its scissor switches and the slim notebook profile with extra keys, this is the ideal keyboard for any kind of office environment. At the same time, the wireless operation with a long battery life ensures freedom of use and trouble-free portability between the office and working from home. And it doesn't matter if you work with a Windows PC or a Mac—the OfficePal K30W can do both.

Thanks to its scissor switches, the OfficePal K30W is extra quiet and therefore ideal in open-plan office environments where everyone can work undisturbed. The slim notebook-style profile and the adjustable height using the fold-out feet help make even hours of use easy and relaxing for the wrists. To simplify working with lists and figures, the OfficePal K30W has a full layout with a number pad and four extra keys with additional functions.

Intel Forecasts Foundry Break‑Even in 2027 as 14A Node Debuts

Intel says its struggling Foundry division will finally break even in 2027, just as its advanced 14A process comes online. The announcement came during the J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media & Communications Conference, where CFO David Zinsner outlined the plan to offset years of quarterly losses. Intel has been pouring billions of dollars into new fabs and equipment as it races to keep pace with TSMC and Samsung. Its first milestone is the 18A process, whose first product, codenamed Panther Lake, will arrive in client PCs late in 2025, with volume production following in 2026. Intel also plans to use 18A for its next Xeon "Clearwater Forest" server chips and offer it to a small set of external partners to prove the technology's readiness. "We have to start by using our own chips," Zinsner explained. "Once we show that Panther Lake and Clearwater Forest perform as expected, we'll see more interest from outside customers for 18A, 18A‑P, and then 14A."

He acknowledged that initial adoption is low, but expressed confidence that proven performance will drive committed volume. A key part of the strategy is the use of High‑NA EUV lithography at 14A. Zinsner admitted this will raise equipment costs at first, but he believes the improved transistor density and power efficiency will more than make up for the investment, boosting margins and factory utilization. Intel's path to break even also incorporates revenue from mature nodes such as Intel 16/12, advanced packaging services, and collaborations with UMC and Tower. Under its "smart capital" model, the company will balance internal wafer demand with third‑party work, maintaining flexibility and cost discipline. With a relatively modest external revenue target (for a cash-bleeding foundry), low to mid single‑digit billions per year, Intel Foundry aims to reach break‑even in 2027 and move into sustained profitability soon afterward. By 2027, Intel 14A node and ehnaced the 1.8 nm-class 18A-P(T) node will also complement these break-even efforts.

ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs and Handheld Console Win 2025 Red Dot Design Awards

ZOTAC is excited to announce that our premiere products have been affirmed with the prestigious Red Dot Design Award, once again reaffirming our commitment to feature innovation and hardware design that subverts convention and push the limit. In this article, we will introduce our award-winning products, and invite our product design team to provide further insight on the design process.

For ZOTAC GAMING's 50 Series GPUs, our design team have gone above and beyond in making this iteration of GeForce RTX graphics cards stylish, elegant, and definitely robust. Our Product Design & Development Manager, Surf Wong, has this to say on the design of our newest series: "With the 50 Series GPUs, we had the idea to lean in on the aesthetics of modern PC cases," he commented. "Seeing that more and more brands are coming up with fish-tank cases and other sleek designs for the purpose of displaying the internals, we thought, "why not design something that will match and make it even the centerpiece of the PC?"
Wednesday, May 14th 2025

Today's Reviews

CPU Coolers
Gaming PC
Graphics Cards
Headphones
Memory
Monitors
Motherboards
Notebooks
SSD
PNY GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Epic-X RGB Plus OC Review

PNY GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Epic-X RGB Plus OC Review

The PNY GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Epic-X RGB Plus OC combines strong performance with whisper-quiet acoustics, even during demanding gameplay. It keeps temperatures impressively low and features a clean design with an excellent RGB implementation.

Boulies Launches EP300 Ergonomic Chair Series

UK based premium office and gaming chair specialist, Boulies, today proudly introduces its EP300 ergonomic chair that combines functionality, comfort and durability to provide optimal support and a great sitting experience for users. The perfect addition for any workspace, it can be tailored to individual needs thanks to its variety of adjustable features.

Engineered for a tailored seating experience, the Boulies EP300 features a Multi Tilt Mechanism to help users get a comfortable and ergonomic sitting posture with a 360° swivel. Built for durability and adjustments, the tilt mechanism provides long-lasting support whilst adapting to unique needs. The backrest can be easily adjusted to lean forwards or backwards (recline 90°-109°), offering the ideal balance between focus and relaxation and able to switch between work and play - covering a full day and evening. Furthermore, Boulies engineers the backrest to perfectly align with the spine's natural curve to help reduce strain on the back during long hours of sitting.

addlink Teases Its Upcoming PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSDs With Speeds Up to 14,000 MB/s

Ahead of next week's Computex 2025 show, Taiwanese hardware manufacturer addlink is teasing some of its upcoming products. We've learned that they plan to release new PCIe Gen 5 x4 NVMe 2.0 SSDs. The addlink G57 (without heatsink) and G57H (with heatsink) M.2 2280 models are presented as capable of delivering speeds of 14,000 MB/s for both read and write operations, thanks to a new 6 nm PCIe Gen 5 controller. The series consists of 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB models, and we can speculate that the advertised 14,000 MB/s speeds will likely be available only on the 4 TB variant (following the current trend with other manufacturers). These devices use 3D NAND Flash memory and LPDDR4 (for DRAM cache), featuring LDPC ECC, SLC Cache, SMART and TRIM support, and thermal control. The products will be backed by a 5-year limited warranty. Beyond these details, we'll have to wait a few more days for TechPowerUp team to visit addlink's booth at Computex for more technical information.

addlink will also showcase at Computex 2025, alongside the aforementioned products, a wide range of storage and memory devices including various SSDs, USB drives, and DDR5 memory modules with speeds up to 8,400 MB/s (CUDIMM) and 6,400 MB/s (UDIMM). Those who can't wait until Computex can explore these products on addlink's virtual showcase. We're seeing a welcome trend with the latest and upcoming PCIe Gen 5 NAND Flash storage devices for consumers in terms of performance levels, with the bar being raised to 14,000 MB/s or even higher. Just today, Sandisk launched its highly anticipated WD_BLACK SN8100 NVMe internal SSD, capable of delivering speeds up to 14,900 MB/s and capacities up to 8 TB. Earlier this week, Kingston released the FURY Renegade G5 with speeds up to 14,800/14,000 MB/s read/write and over 2 million IOPS.

Leaked AMD "Sound Wave" Arm-based APU Linked to "Microsoft Surface (2026)" Lineup

Late last month, data miners unearthed a wide variety of unannounced AMD Ryzen processor IPs. A "Sound Wave" product category received less attention, but Team Red's curious codename has reemerged in the middle of May. Thanks to fresh Kepler L2 theorizations, this mysterious mobile APU family has a potential end destination. Leaks from 2024 suggested that company engineers were working on an unusual Arm-based processor branch. AMD is cozily well-versed in all things x86, but an alleged present day diversification—into Arm (x64) territories—has confounded a fair few industry watchdogs.

In a tangential conversation—forking off from speculative "Zen 6" and PlayStation 6 APU chatter—Kepler L2 reckons that Team Red "Sound Wave" chips will be deployed in 2026, possibly within a refreshed Microsoft Surface lineup. Current-gen Arm-based offerings—leveraging Qualcomm Snapdragon X processors—have generated mixed user impressions (press and public alike). Microsoft and Qualcomm's "Windows on Arm" (WoA) platform partnership was elevated earlier on in May (with cheaper options), but troublesome hardware-to-software compatibility issues have reportedly caused some rifts in this relationship. As of last week, evaluators seemed to be poking around with NVIDIA's rumored Arm-based "N1" chip series on Windows. In theory, AMD's futuristic "Sound Wave" designs could do battle with (claimed) Team Green and MediaTek collaborative efforts.

Icy Dock Intros New ToughArmor EX PCIe 4.0 Mobile Rack Enclosure

The ICY DOCK ToughArmor EX MB601V4KW-B features a Tough-Cover IPX6-rated water-resistant front panel, providing superior protection against dust, splashes, and harsh environmental elements. Designed for military, field, and edge applications, this rugged enclosure supports one 2.5" U.2/U.3 NVMe SSD (up to 15 mm height) and fits into a standard external 3.5" drive bay - ideal for deployments where durability, mobility, and reliability are essential.

Engineered with full-metal construction and fan-less design, the MB601V4KW-B delivers PCIe Gen 4.0 transfer speeds up to 64 Gbps via a direct U.2 (SFF-8639) interface, making it well-suited for high-speed workflows such as AI model training, data logging, and industrial system caching. Drive-level security and protection are reinforced through a 2-segment keylock and EMI grounding, ensuring safe and stable operation in sensitive environments.

ASUS Makes Every Day a Snow Day - Fully Introduces GeForce RTX 50 Series White Editions

Our diverse lineup of GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards is getting even larger with the arrival of new White Editions. With these high-performance, cutting-edge cards, you'll be able to keep your frost-hued battlestation color coordinated. Check out the snazzy new White Edition offerings from ROG, TUF Gaming, and Prime.

Max out your snow-white rig with peak power from ROG Astral
If you want the most power possible in a ravishing white graphics card, consider the ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5090 White Edition 32 GB and ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5080 White Edition 16 GB. These VRAM-loaded cards comprise the top of the power stack. They both feature a quad-fan design for more airflow than last-gen's flagship cards, our patented vapor chamber tech, and eight heatpipes for incredible heat dissipation. These cards also swap out thermal paste for a premium phase-change thermal pad, enhancing the longevity of the graphics card's thermal interface material.

GAMEMAX Unveils Latest Innovations at Computex 2025

GAMEMAX, an emerging brand of PC gaming components including gaming cases and power supply units, is thrilled to join COMPUTEX 2025 with a bold message - Ready to hunt. GAMEMAX's latest innovations and products aims to empower builders of all levels - from first-time builders to seasoned enthusiasts. At this year's COMPUTEX, GAMEMAX will unveil its latest innovations across three key categories: PC Cases, Power Supply Units, and Cooling. Designed to push boundaries in style, power, and performance, every product reflects the brand's mission to fuel the hunt for the ultimate build.

PC Cases: Bold Designs, Next-Level Functionality
GAMEMAX introduces a versatile range of PC cases designed to meet the needs of every type of builder. GAMEMAX will also exhibit its recent releases including the LEADER 2, BLADE CONCEPT, N90, and T20 cases.

Samsung Foundry Reportedly Making Significant Progress with 2 nm GAA Evaluation Phase

South Korean semiconductor insiders and analysts believe that Samsung's Foundry business is catching up with a main rival. Earlier this month, TSMC leadership openly discussed an unprecedented demand for 2 nm wafer products. Industry moles believe that the Taiwan's top chipmaker is still ahead of contenders in nearby nations. As a result of an alleged leading and comfortable position, TSMC is reportedly upgrading its state-of-the-art facilities with brand-new equipment—indicating a push into 1.4 nm fields. According to a fresh Chosun Biz news article, Samsung engineers are in the process of narrowing the gap between their 2 nm Gate-All-Around (GAA)—also known as SF2—manufacturing node process and TSMC's equivalent technology.

Last month, leaks suggested SF2 trial yields passing the ~40% mark—in comparison, a ~60% figure was uttered by TSMC insiders. Chosun Biz's sources claim that the South Korean foundry team is close to getting their "2 nm process performance evaluation" into a crucial final stage. Yesterday's report posits that NVIDIA and Qualcomm are in the equation; these VIP clients are purportedly considering SF2 as a "second channel" option. Chosun Biz reckons that Team Green is sizing up Samsung Foundry flagship tech for next-gen commercial and enterprise GPUs. Meanwhile, the San Diego-based smartphone processor specialist could be eyeing up SF2 (for a future AP). The latest inside track info points to 2 nm GAA trial production runs breaking beyond aforementioned (approximate) 40% yield rates. TSMC 2 nm wafer charges are reportedly greater than expected, so big industry players are allegedly investigating "cheaper" non-Taiwanese production avenues.

Qualcomm & HUMAIN to Develop State-of-the-Art AI Data Centers

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a technology leader enabling connected intelligent computing, and HUMAIN, a national artificial intelligence (AI) champion advancing Saudi Arabia's goals for AI, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the intent to enter a strategic collaboration for the development of next-generation AI data centers, infrastructure and cloud-to-edge services to meet the rapidly growing demand for AI across the globe, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The MOU was signed during the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh, which was held during the official visit of President of the United States Donald Trump to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The data centers and supporting ecosystem are intended to provide both government and enterprise organizations with access to high-performance and power efficient CPU and AI cloud infrastructure and cloud-to-edge services. These offerings will enable the deployment of AI solutions that can make real-time predictions and decisions, in addition to significantly increasing the availability and value of advanced AI-enabled applications.

AMD Teases "Not Available For Purchase" Radeon RX 9060 XT Reference Card Design

In an almost uncanny case of recent history repeating itself, AMD has kicked off another RDNA 4 new product teaser campaign. Today's reminder—regarding Jack Huynh's upcoming Computex presentation—included a promotional render of a stubbier dual-fan Radeon RX 9000 Series card design. Casting our memories back to late January (2025), Team Red rolled out an ill-timed advertisement—not long after the official delay of Radeon RX 9070 XT and non-XT cards. Despite denying the existence of "Made-By-AMD" (MBA) reference designs, AMD staffers were likely enraged by Chinese black market channel offerings of alleged "real deal examples." Days after first wave RDNA 4's March 6 global launch, a triple-fan specimen was outed.

Throughout early Q2, insiders and members of the Chiphell forum have played around with Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 MBA cards. The latter unit (see photo below) seems to utilize a dual-fan configuration in a fairly long enclosure format. Team Red's latest promo post likely points to a forthcoming unveiling of Radeon RX 9060 XT partner models, but curious industry observers will be wondering whether the shorter reference design actually exists in real life. As per usual, a tiny disclaimer claims otherwise: "Artistic Render. Not Available For Purchase." So far, leaks have suggested the presence of Acer, ASUS, GIGABYTE, and XFX custom options during introductory proceedings. Today's refresher outlined upcoming new product categories and partner contributions: "join AMD on May 21 as we reveal what's next in gaming, AI PCs, and more. (Our) SVP and GM of Computing and Graphics Group, along with industry leaders and partners showcase what is built to power the next level."

ASUS Republic of Gamers Announces Strix OLED XG32U Gaming Monitors Series

ASUS Republic of Gamers today announced the ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWMG and XG32UCWG, the world's first 4K WOLED gaming monitors featuring TrueBlack Glossy film, an anti-reflective panel coating designed to significantly cut down on ambient reflections. A one-tap FHD mode in each monitor configures it for esports, unlocking an astounding 480 Hz for the XG32UCWMG and 330 Hz for the XG32UCWG. Plus, the integrated OLED Care Pro suite and Neo Proximity sensor help safeguard the panels by minimizing the risk of burn-in. Both monitors have a new ultra-compact space-saving stand that frees up desk space.

Exceptional OLED performance in any environment
Developed exclusively for ROG, the TrueBlack Glossy film pairs a zero-haze optical layer with an advanced anti-reflective stack, resulting in a 38% drop in ambient reflections versus previous-generation glossy WOLED panels. This keeps black hues truly black, even under fluorescent lights or studio spotlights, and helps prevent eye strain even after prolonged viewing. Additionally, the ASUS Clear Pixel Edge algorithm removes red-green fringing on text and fine lines, so spreadsheets, lines of code, and creative timelines appear pin-sharp.

AMD & HUMAIN Reveal Formation of $10 Billion Strategic Collab, Aimed at Advancing Global AI

AMD and HUMAIN, Saudi Arabia's new AI enterprise, today announced a landmark agreement to build the world's most open, scalable, resilient, and cost-efficient AI infrastructure, that will power the future of global intelligence through a network of AMD-based AI computing centers stretching from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States. As part of the agreement, the parties will invest up to $10B to deploy 500 megawatts of AI compute capacity over the next five years. The AI superstructure built by AMD and HUMAIN will be open by design, accessible at scale, and optimized to power AI workloads across enterprise, start-up and sovereign markets. HUMAIN will oversee end-to-end delivery, including hyperscale data center, sustainable power systems, and global fiber interconnects, and AMD will provide the full spectrum of the AMD AI compute portfolio and the AMD ROCm open software ecosystem.

"At AMD, we have a bold vision to enable the future of AI everywhere—bringing open, high-performance computing to every developer, AI start-up and enterprise around the world," said Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO, AMD. "Our investment with HUMAIN is a significant milestone in advancing global AI infrastructure. Together, we are building a globally significant AI platform that delivers performance, openness and reach at unprecedented levels." With initial deployments already underway across key global regions, the collaboration is on track to activate multi-exaflop capacity by early 2026, supported by next-gen AI silicon, modular data center zones, and a developer-enablement focused software platform stack built around open standards and interoperability.

Vastarmor Updates its Radeon RX 9070 XT Super Alloy Design with Zany Rainbow "Ultra" Edition

Roughly a month ago, Vastarmor debuted its "Super-less" Radeon RX 9070 XT Alloy SKU. The Chinese manufacturer's barebones spin-off—derived from a triple-fan flagship design—was stripped of fancy ARGB trimmings. Additionally, this sober-looking alternative option was deemed unworthy of sporting 3.1 GHz boost clock credentials—instead, making do with a mere 3010 MHz setting. A brand-new "Super Alloy Ultra" model retains elite-tier membership; as demonstrated by a recently published specification sheet. The Vastarmor design team has opted into using a louder and wider color palette; clearly demonstrated by their fresh RX 9070 XT Super Alloy Ultra's zany pearlescent rainbow-spectrum shroud setup. Unfortunately, this bright aesthetic treatment did not extend to the new flagship's backplate. The AIB's Super Alloy White option was appropriately decorated; on the front and back. Vastarmor's latest offering is not expected to break retail barriers beyond Chinese markets. ASRock's premium Radeon RX 9070 XT Taichi OC card is—perhaps—the closest to being a visually "eccentric" option for global audiences. Fittingly, its factory overclocked talents include a 3.1 GHz boost clock.

"The Slormancer" Exits Early Access Phase - Devs Celebrate Milestone Transition to v1.0

The Slormancer is now out of Early Access. Hello everyone! We're two indie devs who started this project over 8 years ago as a hobby. We've always been huge fans of hack'n'slash games so we decided to do one. We started from the bottom: watching YouTube tutorials on how to move sprites, draw pixel art, or generate dungeons procedurally. From there things escalated slowly. Four years later, The Slormancer launched in Early Access, and to our surprise, it found more success than we ever hoped for. That allowed us to go full-time and keep building the game we always wanted to play.

The Slormancer is now officially out of Early Access. Our game is the result of countless hours of work, but it was made possible thanks to the incredible support, feedback, and passion of our player community throughout its development. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of this adventure! Fight hordes of enemies led by The Slormancer, an evil warlock from the past, in an absurd yet epic Action RPG! Experience fast-paced gameplay, loads of shiny loot, tons of collectibles, countless hours of content, and carefully crafted pixel art.

AMD Ryzen AI Max "Strix Halo" APUs Reportedly On Sale as Individual Parts in China

Officially, AMD Ryzen AI Max "Strix Halo" mobile processors are only available in complete systems—e.g. laptops, notebooks, and mini desktop PCs. Upon learning about this release status, DIY enthusiasts were left disappointed. After all, these impressively potent all-in-one solutions have picked up considerable praise pre- and post-launch. Team Red's "Strix Halo" flagship—the Ryzen AI Max+ 395—is the subject of much online debate, but cost of entry is steep. Under normal circumstances (i.e. no leveraging of promotional discounts), potential buyers are looking at $2000+ pre-built systems.

Separate BGA packages have turned up for sale in China—specifically on Goofish; Alibaba's second-hand trading platform. A past weekend VideoCardz investigative piece covered these curiosities. At this stage in time, viable custom motherboard designs are not yet widely distributed—effectively making individual "Strix Halo" units expensive paperweights. At the time of writing, seller "The Eraser in My Mind" offers the best Ryzen AI Max+ 395 deal: 3998 RMB (~$555 USD). This Suzhou-based trader also lists Ryzen AI Max PRO 390, and 380 SKUs. Product descriptions indicate that some of these processors are already powering mysterious handheld gaming devices (likely regional exclusives). Four Goofish accounts are displaying the same set of images; distinctive Team Red branding and "Made in Taiwan" tags are clearly visible across specimens—mostly mounted on plastic transport trays.

Final Nintendo Switch 2 Specifications Surface: CPU, GPU, Memory, and System Reservation

With the launch scheduled for June 5, Nintendo has quietly confirmed the final technical details for its next-generation hybrid console, the Switch 2, clarifying the specifications of the "custom NVIDIA processor" at its core and specifying exactly how much horsepower developers can access. The Switch 2's SoC is officially labeled the NVIDIA T239, a custom iteration of the Ampere architecture rather than a repurposed Tegra. It contains eight Arm Cortex‑A78C cores running a 64‑bit ARMv8 instruction set, with cryptography extensions enabled and no support for 32‑bit code. Each core features 64 KB of L1 instruction cache and 64 KB of L1 data cache. Six cores are available for game development, while two are reserved for system tasks. Clock speeds reach 998 MHz in handheld mode and 1,101 MHz when docked, and the CPU can theoretically burst to 1,700 MHz for demanding operations or future updates.

Graphics are powered by a full Ampere‑based GPU with 1,536 CUDA cores. Clock speeds top out at 1,007 MHz in docked mode and 561 MHz in handheld mode, delivering approximately 3.07 TeraFLOPS when docked and 1.71 TeraFLOPS in portable use. As with the CPU, a portion of GPU resources is allocated to operating system functions, slightly reducing the amount available for applications. Memory capacity has increased from 4 GB of LPDDR4 in the original Switch to 12 GB of LPDDR5X in the new model, split across two 6 GB modules. Peak bandwidth measures 102 GB/s docked and 68 GB/s handheld. Of the total, 3 GB are reserved for system functions and 9 GB are dedicated to games and applications. Nintendo has also introduced a dedicated File Decompression Engine for LZ4‑compressed data, offloading asset unpacking from the CPU to improve loading times without overheating the chipset. The console ships with 256 GB of UFS storage, expandable via microSD Express up to 2 TB, and features a 7.9‑inch, 1080p LCD that supports HDR10 and up to 120 Hz variable refresh rate in handheld mode. Although HDMI VRR is not yet available, the internal display fully supports it.

Lenovo Unveils New Generation of AI PC Desktops and Monitors

Lenovo unveiled its new generation of business devices for modern workplaces, featuring a comprehensive selection of AI-powered ThinkCentre M Series Gen 6 desktops and the ThinkVision T Series Gen 40 monitors. Designed to address the needs of businesses of all sizes, the ThinkCentre family of desktops combine performance and reliability in different form factors, including tower, compact and all-in-one (AIO), while the ThinkVision T Series monitors blend outstanding display, connectivity, and manageability.

"Nearly half of businesses believe that AI-powered devices boost employee productivity, and 90 percent of those are already piloting, planning or exploring AI-powered PC rollouts, according to a recent Lenovo and IDC global survey of IT decision-makers. AI has and will continue to reshape the future of work, and Lenovo is proud to lead the way with a new generation of AI desktop PCs and monitors that meet the changing needs of businesses in this new era," said Johnson Jia, senior vice president of Intelligent Devices Group's Global Innovation Center at Lenovo. "Our latest ThinkCentre M Series Gen 6 desktops and ThinkVision T Series Gen 40 monitors power businesses of all sizes with scalable performance to unlock next-gen AI productivity and creativity."

Flow Computing Parallel Processing Unit (PPU) Architecture Achieves End-to-End CPU Operations in Alpha Testing

Flow Computing, the pioneer in licensing on-die, ultra-high-performance parallel computing solutions to CPU vendors of all architectures - today announced it has successfully achieved a critical milestone in Flow's development roadmap towards commercializing its parallel processing ecosystem. Capable of increasing any CPU architecture by up to 100X, the company has been actively developing a compiler that enables source code to take advantage of its acclaimed Parallel Processing Unit (PPU) architecture - that compiler today entered Alpha testing.

Through the first target compilations, it has been determined that simple parallel workloads consist of a massive amount of loops in RISC-V CPU models without PPU assistance. Whereas in RISC-V CPU models incorporating the PPU, the amount of these loops is significantly reduced by recompiling the existing code, demonstrable proof that it is indeed possible to achieve a significant performance boost with a PPU-enhanced CPU design at up to 100X performance.

GameSir Reveals T7 Pro Floral Xbox/PC Controller - Available to Pre-order

Embrace style and performance with the GameSir T7 Pro Floral, featuring a stunning floral-patterned matte shell. Its semi-transparent design and dynamic RGB lighting create a mesmerizing visual experience. Designed for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10/11 and Steam, it delivers an ultra-smooth, low-latency gaming experience. Now available for pre-order on gamesir.com and Best Buy.

Built to Last. Engineered to Perform.
Using GameSir non-contact magnetic Hall Effect technology to ensure the sticks never wear down in their lifetime and provide an ultra lifespan of up to 5 million cycles, the T7 Pro Floral prevents stick drift and ensures reliable, durable stick performance. At the same time, GameSir's precision-tuned Hall Effect analog triggers offer unparalleled smoothness and responsiveness. With 2-stage trigger stops, gamers can toggle the triggers to a short pull position. Whether you need precise linear control or ultimate responsiveness, the T7 Pro Floral gives you the competitive edge you need.

ASUS France Previews ROG Astral White Edition Graphics Card Design

Earlier this month, the global ASUS website was updated with a slew of new graphics card product pages. The most striking examples—TUF Gaming and PRIME White Editions—appeared online with little PR fanfare. Fast-forward to the start of this week; with the ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) France social media account teasing already revealed models, alongside a surprise pale spin-off of a hot topic flagship. The manufacturer's air-cooled Astral GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 models were debuted during CES 2025. Since then, various special edition variants have attracted additional press and community attention—most notably, a spectacularly expensive Gold-plated MENA region-exclusive.

The French ASUS office's (May 12) message implied that company leadership had paid close attention to PC hardware community feedback. As a result of these requests, a new marketing campaign—bearing a "Stay Frosty, Play Flawlessly" slogan—is pushing alternate designs. As interpreted by the usual media outlets, the brand seems to be teasing an imminent launch: "you asked for it. We delivered. ASUS GeForce RTX 50 Series White Edition graphics cards are coming soon." Given the current lay of the land, next week's Computex trade event will serve as an ideal platform for White Edition showcasing—as hinted by an appropriate hashtag. ASUS is expected to unveil its (already leaked) portfolio of custom Radeon RX 9060 XT cards, but any in advance hype would break signed NDAs.

Official Intel Account Teases Higher-End Arc "Battlemage" B770 GPU

Intel's official X/Twitter account has started replying to fans asking for a more powerful GPU, teasing the long‑rumored Arc "Battlemage" B770. Over the past week, users who replied to Intel's Arc PRO announcement asking about the B770 have received brief but intriguing responses like "stay tuned," "we're just getting started," and "more to come." On the surface, these could be generic marketing lines. But with NVIDIA gearing up to launch the RTX 5060 and AMD expected to unveil the RX 9060 XT next week, the timing feels deliberate—and perhaps a sign that Intel plans its own midrange contender. Clues are already stacking up. Shipping manifests from Intel's Vietnam assembly plant—the same facility that produced limited‑run B570 and B580 cards—show a batch of BMG‑G31 GPUs en route. Tipster OneRaichu has said the Arc B770 may feature 24 to 32 Xe2 compute units, a 256‑bit memory bus, and up to 16 GB of GDDR6 memory.

Those specifications would position the B770 as a serious rival to NVIDIA's RTX 5060 and AMD's RX 9060 XT in both gaming and compute tasks. Beyond Battlemage, Intel's next‑generation Xe3 "Celestial" architecture is reportedly deep into pre‑silicon validation. Whether Intel opts to reveal the Arc B770 at Computex in late May or in a standalone livestream, the recent social media exchanges have already done their job by building excitement among enthusiasts. Community reaction has been enthusiastic. Many fans hope to see Intel hit the price target of, ideally, under $300. If Intel can deliver strong real‑world gaming performance at an attractive price and ensure wide availability, the Arc B770 could become the breakout midrange card that shifts the balance in this highly competitive segment.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia & NVIDIA Announce Building of AI Factories in the Region

NVIDIA and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have announced partnerships to transform the country into a global powerhouse in AI, cloud and enterprise computing, digital twins and robotics. During a state visit today with U.S. President Donald Trump and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang said that the effort will harness sovereign AI infrastructure and expertise to propel Saudi Arabia to the ranks of global hyperscale AI leaders. "AI, like electricity and internet, is essential infrastructure for every nation," Huang said. "Together with HUMAIN, we are building AI infrastructure for the people and companies of Saudi Arabia to realize the bold vision of the Kingdom."

"Our partnership with NVIDIA is a bold step forward in realizing the Kingdom's ambitions to lead in AI and advanced digital infrastructure," said Tareq Amin, CEO of HUMAIN. "Together, we are building the capacity, capability and a new globally enabled community to shape a future powered by intelligent technology and empowered people."

Sandisk Launches WD_BLACK SN8100 PCIe Gen 5.0 NVMe SSD

Setting a new standard for client SSDs, Sandisk today unveiled the powerful WD_BLACK SN8100 NVMe SSD with PCIe Gen 5.0 technology, a cutting-edge internal SSD delivering speeds up to 14,900 MB/s and capacities up to 8 TB, for high-performance gaming, content creation and artificial intelligence (AI) workloads.

With the evolution of gaming graphics, high-quality 4K and 8K content and AI applications, today's gamers and professionals need solutions to help maximize the performance of their PCs. The Sandisk WD_BLACK SN8100 NVMe PCIe Gen 5.0 SSD is built for hardcore PC gamers looking to add the most advanced combination of speed and reliability to their rig for peak performance and for professionals needing a top-of-the-line PC storage solution for intensive workflows and AI applications. In addition to blistering speeds, the new PCIe Gen 5.0 SSD is also 100% more power efficient than Sandisk's high-performance PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD.

MiTAC Computing Deploys Latest AMD EPYC 4005 Series Processors

MiTAC Computing Technology Corp., a subsidiary of MiTAC Holdings Corp. and a leading manufacturer in server platform design, introduced its latest offering featuring the AMD EPYC 4005 Series processors. These updated server solutions offer enhanced performance and energy efficiency to meet the growing demands of modern business workloads, including AI, cloud services, and data analytics.

"The new AMD EPYC 4005 Series processors deliver the performance and capabilities our customers need at a price point that makes ownership more attractive and attainable," said Derek Dicker, corporate vice president, Enterprise and HPC Business, AMD. "We're enabling businesses to own their computing infrastructure at an economical price, while providing the performance, security features and efficiency modern workloads demand."

MediaTek Launches Dimensity 9400e Mobile Platform

Today, MediaTek unveiled its latest chipset in the flagship space, the MediaTek Dimensity 9400e. Featuring the company's advanced All Big Core architecture, the Dimensity 9400e is the latest addition to MediaTek's family of flagship-class processors, providing a wider variety of options and functionality for device makers, and delivering exceptional performance and energy efficiency for outstanding artificial intelligence, connectivity, imaging, and gaming for users.

"With the launch of the MediaTek Dimensity 9400e, we are expanding our family of leading mobile platforms to ensure both device makers and users can select from a larger range of flagship experiences than ever before," said Dr. Yenchi Lee, General Manager of MediaTek's Wireless Communications Business Unit. "We remain committed to exceeding expectations in top-tier performance, energy efficiency, and AI capabilities by combining powerful hardware with advanced MediaTek-driven technologies."

SteelSeries Intros Arctis GameBuds Ultra-Limited-Edition in New 'GLORANGE' Color

From the creator of the groundbreaking line of Arctis Nova headsets and Arctis GameBuds, SteelSeries, the original esports brand that fuses gaming and culture, today introduces an ultra-limited-edition 'Glorange' colorway of their award-winning Arctis GameBuds.

The role that gaming plays in moving culture forward is essential and SteelSeries set out to push boundaries and solve problems for those living a "gaming lifestyle" in today's rapidly changing world. The goal was simple, reinvent the world's number one premium gaming headset - within a pair of gaming earbuds. Whether the pain the points are related to the fact that gamers couldn't connect to a PS5 or Xbox via Bluetooth, or the status quo was poor gaming audio quality and bad microphone communications in traditional earbuds, or the inability to utilize a single pair of earbuds across multiple platforms, or fatigue and poor battery life from all-day use, the introduction of SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds solve multiple problems for gamers.

Zotac Readies Magnus EA Mini PC Powered by Ryzen AI Max "Strix Halo"

Zotac is ready with the Magnus EA (2025) mini PC powered by AMD Ryzen AI Max "Strix Halo" line of processors. It was inevitable for "Strix Halo" to make its way into gaming-capable mini PCs, given its small PCB and cooling footprint for the kind of hardware chops on offer—up to 16 "Zen 5" CPU cores, and a powerful iGPU with up to 40 RDNA 3.5 compute units that makes it capable of 1440p AAA gaming; besides full Microsoft Copilot+ capability with a 50 TOPS-class NPU. The Magnus EA comes in a similar 140 mm-class 1U chassis as the 2025 Magnus One that's expected to be built on Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" processors, which is noticeably thinner than the 2025 Magnus EN, which combines a Core Ultra 200H "Arrow Lake-H" processor with GeForce RTX 50-series "Blackwell" mobile discrete GPUs. Zotac is expected to unveil the Magnus EA, the 2025 Magnus EN, and the 2025 Magnus One at Computex, later this month.

Samsung Prepares Hybrid Bonding for HBM4 to Slash Thermals and Boost Bandwidth

At the recent AI Semiconductor Forum in Seoul, Samsung Electronics revealed that it will adopt hybrid bonding in its upcoming HBM4 memory stacks. This decision is intended to reduce thermal resistance and enable an ultra‑wide memory interface, qualities that become ever more critical as artificial intelligence and high‑performance computing applications demand greater bandwidth and efficiency. Unlike current stacking methods that join DRAM dies with tiny solder microbumps and underfill materials, hybrid bonding bonds copper‑to‑copper and oxide‑to‑oxide surfaces directly, resulting in thinner, more thermally efficient 3D assemblies. High‑bandwidth memory works by stacking multiple DRAM dies on top of a base logic die, with through‑silicon vias carrying signals vertically through each layer. Traditionally, microbumps routed horizontal connections between dies, but as data rates increase and stack heights grow, these bumps introduce significant electrical and thermal limitations.

Hybrid bonding addresses those issues by allowing interconnect pitches below 10 micrometers, which lowers both resistance and capacitance and improves overall signal integrity. SK hynix has taken a different path. The company is enhancing its molded reflow underfill (MR‑MUF) process to produce 16‑Hi HBM4 stacks that comply with JEDEC's maximum height requirement of 775 micrometers. The company believes that if its advanced MR‑MUF technique can achieve performance on par with hybrid bonding, they will avoid the substantial capital investment needed for the specialized equipment that true 3D copper bonding requires. The cost and space demands of hybrid bonding equipment are significant. Specialized lithography and alignment tools occupy more clean‑room real estate, increasing capital expenditures. Samsung may mitigate some of these costs through Semes, its in‑house equipment subsidiary, but it remains uncertain whether Semes can deliver production‑ready hybrid bonding systems in time for mass production. If Samsung successfully qualifies its HBM4 stacks using hybrid bonding, which it plans to begin manufacturing in 2026, the company could gain a competitive edge over Micron and SK hynix.

AMD Splits Instinct MI SKUs: MI450X Targets AI, MI430X Tackles HPC

AMD is gearing up to expand its Instinct MI family in the latter half of 2026 with two purpose‑built UDNA‑based accelerators. These new models, MI430X UL4 and MI450X, will cater respectively to high‑precision HPC tasks and large‑scale AI workloads. The MI430X UL4 is designed for applications that rely heavily on double‑precision FP64 floating‑point performance, such as scientific simulations, climate modeling, and others. It features a large array of FP64 tensor cores, ensuring consistent throughput for tightly coupled compute jobs. Because a dedicated UALink switch from partners like Astera Labs or Broadcom won't be available at launch, AMD has chosen a four‑GPU point‑to‑point mesh configuration for the MI430X UL4. This limited scale‑up approach keeps latency low and synchronization tight, making it ideal for small cluster deployments. On the AI side, the MI450X embraces Ethernet‑based Ultra Ethernet for scale‑out.

With UEC‑ready switches already on the market, this open‑standard networking solution lets users build expansive AI farms across dozens or even hundreds of nodes. By relying on established Ethernet technology instead of the new UALink ecosystem, AMD provides customers with immediate, hardware‑accelerated networking for both inference and training. While UALink promises an open, vendor‑neutral accelerator-to-accelerator fabric, its progress has been slow. Committee reviews and limited investment in switch silicon have delayed switch availability. Broadcom, viewed as the primary UALink switch supplier, has been cautious about its commitment, given expected lower volumes compared to Ethernet alternatives. AMD's acceleration segmentation addresses these realities. The MI430X UL4 delivers high‑precision compute in compact GPU meshes. The MI450X offers large‑scale AI connectivity via Ethernet. Should UALink switch development catch up in the future, AMD could revisit native GPU‑to‑GPU fabrics.

Rambus Delivers Industry-Leading Client Chipsets for Next-Generation AI PC Memory Modules

Rambus Inc., a premier chip and silicon IP provider making data faster and safer, today announced the availability of complete client chipsets for next-generation AI PC memory modules, featuring two new Power Management ICs (PMICs) for client computing. PMICs are critical to efficiently power memory modules providing breakthrough levels of performance for advanced computing applications. The two new Rambus industry-leading PMICs are the PMIC5200, for LPDDR5 CAMM2 (LPCAMM2) memory modules and the PMIC5120, which supports DDR5 CSODIMMs and CUDIMMs.

These PMICs, alongside the Client Clock Driver (CKD) and Serial Presence Detect Hub (SPD Hub), comprise a complete chipset offering to enable memory modules for AI PC notebooks, desktops and workstations. Further, with the addition of these new PMICs, Rambus now offers complete memory interface chipsets for all JEDEC standard DDR5 and LPDDR5 memory modules for both servers and clients.

Valve Launches SteamOS Compatibility Rating, Over 18,000 Games Verified

Valve is rolling out a new SteamOS Compatibility rating system to cover every device running SteamOS, not just the Steam Deck. This Steam Deck Verified program extension arrives as Lenovo's Legion Go S, running SteamOS, prepares to ship to customers. Valve hopes the added visibility will help players decide which games will work smoothly on their hardware. Under this system, a game and all its middleware, including launchers, anti‑cheat tools, and so forth, must be fully supported on SteamOS to earn the "SteamOS Compatible" label. Titles not meeting these requirements will be marked "SteamOS Unsupported." Valve emphasizes that this initial rollout focuses solely on basic compatibility. It does not yet include performance benchmarks or input testing, since hardware variations can lead to very different frame rates and control experiences.

Valve expects to award SteamOS Compatible ratings to over 18,000 games at launch. Developers who have already gone through the Steam Deck Verified process do not need to take any additional steps. An automated system will convert existing Steam Deck test results into SteamOS ratings. Games that have not been tested before will enter the same community‑driven evaluation queue, with both Steam Deck and SteamOS results published together once testing finishes. For players using SteamOS on devices other than the Steam Deck, the Steam Store and Steam Client will clearly display the new compatibility badges. If you are browsing on a Legion Go S or any other supported device, you will see the SteamOS Compatible or Unsupported icon alongside the existing Steam Deck Verified icon. On non‑SteamOS platforms, these labels will not appear, and the store will function as it does today. Valve plans to update the Steam client's interface and publish the initial batch of compatibility data in the next few weeks.

Intel Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.6793 Beta Released

Intel today released the latest version of its Arc GPU Graphics Drivers. Version 101.6793 Beta comes with optimization for "DOOM: The Dark Ages" and "Japanese Drift Master." The drivers also fix a handful of issues. To begin with, a bug specific to the Arc B-series that causes color corruption in "The Last of Us Part I" has been fixed. Blue flickering artifacts noticed in "DOOM Eternal" with ray tracing enabled, has been fixed. Flickering black boxes seen in "The Last of Us Part II" has been fixed for Arc A-series discrete GPUs, and the iGPUs of Core Ultra Series 2 processors. Grab the drivers from the link below.

DOWNLOAD: Intel Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.6793 Beta
Tuesday, May 13th 2025

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Upcoming Hardware Launches 2025 (Updated May 2025)

Upcoming Hardware Launches 2025 (Updated May 2025)

This article serves as a continuously updated summary of currently known leaks and official announcements regarding upcoming hardware releases in 2025 and beyond. We cover and keep track of developments for Intel Panther Lake, Nova Lake, AMD Zen 6, NVIDIA's and AMD's upcoming GPUs, DDR6 and GDDR7 memory, chipsets and more.
G-Wolves Hati-R Pro 8K Review

G-Wolves Hati-R Pro 8K Review

Essentially, the 25 g Hati-R Pro 8K is a slightly smaller Hati-R 8K. Equipped with PixArt's PAW3395 sensor and Huano switches for the main buttons, the Hati-R Pro 8K is exclusively designed for fingertip grip, supports 8000 Hz wireless polling, and can be configured through a web driver.

The Precinct, a Neon-Noir Action Sandbox Game Launches on PC and Consoles

Kwalee and Fallen Tree Games are proud to announce the launch of The Precinct, a neon-noir action sandbox game now available on PC (via Steam and the Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Players can step into the sirens-soaked streets of Averno City today for $29.99/€29.99/£24.99 across all platforms. Set in a crime-ridden 1980s America, The Precinct casts players as rookie officer Nick Cordell Jr., tasked with restoring order in a city torn apart by gangs, corruption, and decay. Patrol the streets, respond to dynamic crimes, and deal with everything from petty infractions to high-stakes heists in an ever-evolving sandbox experience.

To mark the launch, a new launch trailer showcases the game's high-octane action, blending in-engine cinematic footage with explosive gameplay. From street chases and shootouts to bank heists, traffic stops, and arrests, it's time to serve justice in a city on the edge. Steam players can also snag The Precinct as part of several exclusive bundles, joining forces with games like Shadows of Doubt, Police Simulator: Patrol Officers, and Deliver At All Costs. Each bundle includes a 10 percent discount, offering great value for players eager to dive into these gripping, crime-filled worlds.

AMD Radeon "GFX13+" Target Found in Code Update; Linked to UDNA/RDNA 5 Architecture

Closer to the start of 2025, Kepler L2 shared "PlayStation 6" inside track info. The venerable leaker—of mostly AMD behind-the-scenes details—theorized that Sony's sixth-gen home console was based around an early fork that branched off from a mysterious "GFX13" GPU architecture. Earlier today, this target identifier has appeared again. Kepler L2's latest investigations have pulled the "GFX13+" target from kernel-level codebase updates. Data miners have often pulled compelling pre-release tidbits from official repositories; AMD's software engineering team open-source developments are quite visible. Over a year ago, similar detective work connected the "GFX12" IP to RDNA 4—nowadays, better known as the Radeon RX 9000 graphics card family. Despite Team Red's official insistence that RDNA 4 was a priority on desktop platforms, supposed discrete mobile variants were leaked last month. In addition, RDNA 3.5 seems to be a mainstay for at least another generation of integrated graphics solutions.

Looking beyond these current-gen graphics architectures, AMD leadership has already previewed a "unified" path forward. Last September's announcement revealed the convergence of RDNA (gaming) and CDNA (enterprise) GPU technologies: dubbed "UDNA." Present day leaks do mention a far out "RDNA 5" line (also "Navi 5x"), but in the same sentence as "UDNA." Kepler L2 commented on the (screen captured) presence of "ENABLE_WAVEFRONT" and "ENABLE_WAVEGROUP" kernel code properties: "I think it's related to SWC (Streaming Wave Coalescer/pseudo out-of-order execution). Each SIMD takes multiple wave32/wave64 (a wavegroup) as inputs and reorders the work items of each wave to reduce execution divergence." Fresh rumors suggest the distant RDNA 5/UDNA avenue being good enough to expand into higher-end gaming card territories. So far, RDNA 4 has hit a ceiling with Navi 48 GPU-powered Radeon 9070 XT offerings.

Labyrinth Of The Demon King Out Now on PC & Consoles

Hello everyone! It's finally time—the gates have opened to the Labyrinth Of The Demon King. The game is out now, and to celebrate we've debuted a brand-new launch trailer (see below). Labyrinth Of The Demon King has been an incredible labor of love by the developer—J. R. Hudepohl—and we've extremely excited to finally be able to share it with everyone. The game is out now on Steam, GOG, Switch, PS4 + PS5, and Xbox platforms—there's a 20% discount which will be active for the first 2 weeks.

We'd also like to thank PC Gamer for their glowing review of the game: 81/100! For a first time developer, this is a remarkable achievement. As a reminder, demo save data will not carry over to the main game. We've added a section on the main steam page as a reminder for this for new users as well. Thank you all for your tremendous support, and we hope you enjoy the game! If you do (and we certainly hope you do!) be sure to leave a review—it helps us and the developer a lot. You'll hear from us (Top Hat Studios) again soon—until then, enjoy all the Labyrinth Of The Demon King has to offer! Thank you all again for your support for during development; it feels unreal that the game is finally releasing.

UK Store Lists Lenovo Laptops Equipped with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile GPUs

NVIDIA's unannounced GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile graphics card has emerged in almost finalized form. According to fresh reports, Laptops Direct UK listed Lenovo's "Legion 5 15IRX10" 15.1-inch (£1349.97) and "LOQ 15IRX10" 15.6-inch gaming (£1149.97) laptop models; the "83LY000AUK" and "83JE000CUK" SKUs (respectively) seem to be equipped with Team Green's truly entry-level "Blackwell" GPU. Both product descriptions hype up the GeForce RTX 5050 8 GB GPU as offering "high-level graphics performance" and being capable of taking "your visuals to new heights." Officially, this "cheapest" mobile model is supposed to be a secret—going back to late last year, leaks revealed the entire laptop-oriented GeForce RTX 50-series product stack.

Unfortunately, the latest NDA-busting disclosure coincides with similar news regarding desktop relatives. Both lines of GeForce RTX 5060 cards are due for launch next week; expertly timed with Computex 2025 events. Given NVIDIA's apparent stealthy approach, VideoCardz posits that GeForce RTX 5050 Desktop and Mobile products could be introduced in a low-key manner. So far, the firm's manufacturing partners have inadvertently let slip very basic information. The Laptops Direct leak did not include overly-detailed specifications, but momomo_us stumbled upon another unnamed example—suggesting the selection of GDDR7 VRAM. Mid-March whispers seemed to link the GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile model's destiny to this advanced memory standard.

ETH Zurich Researchers Discover New Security Vulnerability in Intel Processors

Computer scientists at ETH Zurich discover new class of vulnerabilities in Intel processors, allowing them to break down barriers between different users of a processor using carefully crafted instruction sequences. Entire processor memory can be read by employing quick, repeated attacks. Anyone who speculates on likely events ahead of time and prepares accordingly can react quicker to new developments. What practically every person does every day, consciously or unconsciously, is also used by modern computer processors to speed up the execution of programs. They have so-called speculative technologies which allow them to execute instructions on reserve that experience suggests are likely to come next. Anticipating individual computing steps accelerates the overall processing of information.

However, what boosts computer performance in normal operation can also open up a backdoor for hackers, as recent research by computer scientists from the Computer Security Group (COMSEC) at the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at ETH Zurich shows. The computer scientists have discovered a new class of vulnerabilities that can be exploited to misuse the prediction calculations of the CPU (central processing unit) in order to gain unauthorized access to information from other processor users.

Update:: Intel released a security advisory regarding CVE-2024-45332, accompanied by a public announcement, and provided TechPowerUp with the following statement:
"We appreciate the work done by ETH Zurich on this research and collaboration on coordinated public disclosure. Intel is strengthening its Spectre v2 hardware mitigations and recommends customers contact their system manufacturer for the appropriate update. To date, Intel is not aware of any real-world exploits of transient execution vulnerabilities.", Intel spokesperson

Zotac's Upcoming Next-Gen Gaming Zone Handheld Features Linux-Based OS

Zotac is set to unveil the next generation of its Gaming Zone handheld at Computex in Taiwan later this month, following its initial entry into the portable gaming PC market last summer. This upcoming device will feature the powerful AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor and, surprisingly, will run on a custom Manjaro Linux-based operating system specifically designed for handheld devices as reported by Liliputing. This represents a departure from using Windows or adopting Valve's SteamOS, which powers the popular Steam Deck.

The next-gen Zotac Gaming Zone will boast a 7-inch OLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate. Inside, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 Strix Point chip makes a big leap in performance compared to the first version (the first-gen Zotac Gaming Zone featured an AMD Ryzen 7 8840U Hawk Point processor with an 8-core Zen 4 CPU and 12-core RDNA 3 graphics). It has 12 Zen 5 CPU cores and 16 RDNA 3.5 GPU compute units. It also comes with a better NPU to handle AI tasks. Other features include LPDDR5x memory, a PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD slot (M.2 2280), Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, two USB4 ports and a 48.5Wh battery.

EA Reveals F1 25 Global Launch Times & PC Spec Requirements

F1 25: Everything You Need to Know: Launch times, PC specs, achievements, soundtrack & much more. It's almost time to hit the grid. Here's your one-stop-shop on all of the key information, content and advancements we've made to this year's game. Pre-Load Timings: first-off, let's get F1 25 onto your console/PC. If you've pre-ordered, you can download the game to your system from the dates below.

Launch Timings
The big day is fast approaching, Iconic Edition players can hit the track from as early as May 27. Check out the timings below for both Iconic and Standard Edition. Additionally, EA Play members can trial F1 25 for 5 hours from May 27, and EA Play Pro members will have full access to the Iconic Edition from the same date. Leave your mark on the world of racing in F1 25, the official video game of the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship, featuring a revamped My Team mode, the thrilling third chapter of Braking Point, and more!

AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT "Updated" Spec Leak Indicates PCIe 5.0 x16 Interface

Late last week, Amazon's prematurely published product pages provided an early insight into XFX's alleged implementation of a 3320 MHz boost clock—90 MHz above AMD's speculated reference setting for not-yet-official Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB and 8 GB graphics cards. A couple of hours ago, momomo_us shared a fresher set of leaked specifications. The tenured PC tech industry observer outlined two separate tranches of unnamed hardware clocks—presumably linked to factory overclocked Radeon RX 9060 XT variants: "up to 3320 MHz, Game: 2780 MHz" and "up to 3290 MHz, Game: 2700 MHz." As interpreted by VideoCardz, these numbers align with older RDNA 4 rumors—previously, insiders claimed that Team Red's Navi 44 GPU was capable of clocking higher than the larger "Navi 48" sibling. According to their investigative article: "new information (indicates) that the RX 9060 XT's game clock is actually higher than the boost clock of the RX 9070 (non-XT)...The highest boost clock reported for the RX 9060 XT so far is 3320 MHz, which significantly exceeds the RX 9070 XT's 3100 MHz found on its fastest variants."

The latest momomo_us bulletin contains mostly repeated information, but graphics card analysts were confounded by the mentioning of a PCIe 5.0 x16 bus Interface. Prior disclosures have theorized the utilization of PCIe 5.0 x8; as listed within TechPowerUp's GPU database entry. VideoCardz weighed in with some credence: "small GPUs like Navi 44 typically don't require wider interfaces, as performance gains are minimal. However, with PCIe 5.0, using only 8 lanes would result in slightly reduced performance on PCIe 4.0 systems, something already seen with the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB variant. By choosing a wider interface, AMD may be attempting to avoid similar issues." Leading up to AMD's debuting of first wave RDNA 4 gaming cards, opposing speculators fought over the company's selection of PCIe 4.0 or PCIe 5.0 standards. A public delivery of finalized Radeon RX 9060 XT specifications is likely due on May 21, during Computex 2025.

Mafia: The Old Country Director Details Gameplay Systems, Outlines Benefits of Unreal Engine 5 Toolset

Hey everyone, Mafia Game Director Alex Cox here. On behalf of the team at Hangar 13, we were thrilled to unveil our Gameplay Trailer for Mafia: The Old Country. With so many in-game details to pore over, I wanted to take this opportunity to offer some extra insights into all of the exciting action we just revealed. Here's a breakdown on some of the finer details we've packed into each scene of the trailer. As our protagonist, Enzo Favara, rides out after receiving orders from Don Torrisi, you may notice the striking contrasts between the various environments of 1900s Sicily on display. From dirt roads flanked by rural villages to dark catacombs, ornate mansions, and more, the game's distinctive setting includes a wide variety of richly detailed locales—all authentically overlapping in a way unique to this rapidly changing time period. We were spoiled for choice when deciding which visually stunning vistas would serve as the lifelike backdrop for our gritty crime drama.

Following Enzo as he descends into an ancient cistern, you'll get a closer look at Mafia: The Old Country's grounded, era-appropriate combat - including a brutal showcase of Enzo's stiletto blade in action. After quietly dispatching the guard outside, Enzo distracts the next patrolling enemy before burying a knife in his neck. Spotting another guard nearby, he hurls his blade, silently killing him from range - a moment too late as others are alerted. Even as the situation erupts into a tense firefight, this encounter highlights how gameplay blends stealth with guns-blazing combat. Each approach complements the other, creating a scrappier, more resource-strapped experience. Enzo may have missed two shots, but with the help of his knife and an explosive lantern, he clears the room using only four bullets. A core pillar of Mafia: The Old Country's combat design is the idea that "every bullet counts"—so think twice about relying solely on your firearms!

ASRock Rack Announces Support for AMD EPYC 4005 Series Processors

ASRock Rack Inc., the leading innovative server company, today announced support for the newly launched AMD EPYC 4005 Series processors across its extensive lineup of AM5 socket server systems and motherboards. This announcement reinforces ASRock Rack's commitment to delivering cutting-edge performance, broad platform compatibility, and long-term value to customers in data centers, growing businesses, and edge computing environments.

Built on the AMD 'Zen 5' architecture, the AMD EPYC 4005 Series features up to 16 SMT-enabled cores and supports DDR5 memory speeds up to 5600 MT/s, delivering class-leading performance per watt within constrained IT budgets. As AI becomes embedded in everyday business software, AMD EPYC 4005 Series CPUs provide the performance headroom needed for AI-enhanced workloads such as automated customer service and data analytics while maintaining the affordability essential for small businesses. The series expands the proven AMD EPYC portfolio with solutions purpose-built for growing infrastructure demands.

Intel Arc Xe4 "Druid" GPU Development Activity Spotted by Data Miner

The status of Intel's Arc Xe2 "Battlemage" generation is still an unknown quantity—recent leaks have alluded to a repeat rollout of existing GPU designs, albeit in the field of productivity. Team Blue has hinted about upcoming second-gen professional-grade cards, but tech enthusiasts are still fantasizing about more potent gaming options. Certain industry watchdogs reckon that Intel's graphics division has moved onto getting Arc Xe3 "Celestial" discrete solutions out of the door. Sections of a speculated C-series could act as natural gap fillers; taking the place of "absent" B750 and B770 options. These theories were buoyed earlier on in May; with insiders linking "Celestial" to a pre‑silicon validation platform.

Since late last year, it has been very quiet on the Arc Xe4 "Druid" development front; older "Visual Compute" roadmaps (now completely irrelevant) alluded to a 2025+ launch of fourth-gen designs. x86deadandback has stumbled on new-ish evidence of Xe4 "behind-the-scenes" movement—yesterday's social media post included a (data mined) screenshot of Dawn LUCI CQ activities (dated "Jan 16"). At the time, company engineers seemed to be actively working on "Gen 15/Xe4" (aka "Druid"). x86deadandback's update aligns with official (December 2024) statements—back then, Tom "TAP" Petersen confirmed that his hardware colleagues had polished off "Xe3 IP," and were already shifted onto "the next thing."

Vultr Cloud Platform Broadened with AMD EPYC 4005 Series Processors

Vultr, the world's largest privately-held cloud infrastructure company, today announced that it is one of the first cloud providers to offer the new AMD EPYC 4005 Series processors. The AMD EPYC 4005 Series processors will be available on the Vultr platform, enabling enterprise-class features and leading performance for businesses and hosted IT service providers. The AMD EPYC 4005 Series processors extend the broad AMD EPYC processor family, powering a new line of cost-effective systems designed for growing businesses and hosted IT services providers that demand performance, advanced technologies, energy efficiency, and affordability. Servers featuring the high-performance AMD EPYC 4005 Series CPUs with streamlined memory and I/O feature sets are designed to deliver compelling system price-to-performance metrics on key customer workloads. Meanwhile, the combination of up to 16 SMT-capable cores and DDR5 memory in the AMD EPYC 4005 Series processors enables smooth execution of business-critical workloads, while maintaining the thermal and power efficiency characteristics crucial for affordable compute environments.

"Vultr is committed to delivering the most advanced cloud infrastructure with unrivaled price-to-performance," said J.J. Kardwell, CEO of Vultr. "The AMD EPYC 4005 Series provides straightforward deployment, scalability, high clock speed, energy efficiency, and best-in-class performance. Whether you are a business striving to scale reliably or a developer crafting the next groundbreaking innovation, these solutions are designed to deliver exceptional value and meet demanding requirements now and in the future." Vultr's launch of systems featuring the AMD EPYC 4245P and AMD EPYC 4345P processors will expand the company's robust line of Bare Metal solutions. Vultr will also feature the AMD EPYC 4345P as part of its High Frequency Compute (HFC) offerings for organizations requiring the highest clock speeds and access to locally-attached NVMe storage.

MSI Reportedly Readying "Claw 7 A2HM" Handheld; Debates Rage Over Choice of APU

MSI's European spare parts website has listed a rear plate that can fit on its previous and current generation 7-inch handheld gaming PCs. Eagle-eyed investigators noted the presence of a third unannounced option within a compatible device list: "Claw 7 A2HM (MS-1T41)." In addition, observers noticed that the Japan Audio Society had granted certification back in February. These discoveries have fired up online debates once again; regarding a theorized AMD Ryzen Z2 APU-powered portable gaming device. An early 2025 leak suggested MSI's preparing of an unusual Claw model; apparently breaking away from their "traditional" selection of Intel SoCs. Last month, Haze2K1 reiterated their belief that the manufacturer would eventually release a new handheld with Ryzen Z2 Extreme silicon onboard. Given the complete lack of a "AI" tags/branding, MSI's speculated "Claw A2HM" SKU could arrive with a less potent NPU (or completely disabled). Current-gen marketing campaigns have hyped up the Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+'s Copilot+ credentials; driven by Team Blue's "Lunar Lake" Core Ultra 7 258V all-in-one processor.

Very recently, the Taiwanese tech firm introduced a "Polar Tempest Edition" 8-inch flagship spin-off—industry experts posit that MSI is attempting to elevate the Claw 8 AI+'s profile, following a reportedly stuttery early 2025 global rollout. Closer analysis of the "officially" leaked "A2HM" identifier points to a possible "Arrow Lake-H" visitation. As outlined by VideoCardz, this handheld could be based around some sort of Intel Core Ultra 200H chip. Elaborating on their thought process, the online publication commented: "this platform does not use Xe2 GPU cores but instead features Alchemist+ or Xe-LPG+, which is also said to deliver solid gaming performance thanks to XMX core support. Arrow Lake-H also lacks a powerful NPU, which means it doesn't meet the criteria for Copilot+ PC, so Core 200H makes sense." Three months ago, Team Blue's Robert Hallock revealed "big plans" involving futuristic "Arrow Lake-H" and "Panther Lake" portable gaming products. Given recent-ish certification to retail release timelines, handheld enthusiasts could be sizing up MSI's "Claw 7 A2HM" by late summer.

Samsung Display Unveils Advanced R&D Achievements at Display Week 2025

Samsung Display announced on May 13 that it will take part in Display Week 2025, held from May 13 to 15 at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California. The event, hosted by the Society for Information Display (SID), brings together display companies and experts from around the world to share cutting-edge technologies and R&D achievements.

Samsung Display is set to unveil a range of next-generation display technologies, including the industry's first non-cadmium 400-nit EL-QD and a 5,000 pixels-per-inch (PPI) RGB OLED on Silicon (OLEDoS) at Display Week 2025, reinforcing its leadership in cutting-edge panel technology. The company will also highlight its leadership in OLED innovation through a range of future-oriented technologies, including organic photodiodes (OPD), advanced sensors capable of measuring biometric data such as heart rate and blood pressure directly from light generated by a panel touched by a patient, and a high-resolution microdisplay that delivers 5,000 PPI in a compact 1.4-inch form factor.

Lost Twins 2 Co-Op Demo Available Now on Xbox & PC

Hi everyone! I'm Fawad Asghar, one of the developers at Playdew, a small indie studio based in Pakistan. I'm thrilled to share that the co-op demo for Lost Twins 2 is now live on Xbox Series X|S, Windows Store, and Steam. Whether you're a seasoned puzzle pro or someone who just wants to hang out and explore a cozy game with a friend, the co-op mode in Lost Twins 2 was designed with you in mind.

Play Together, Your Way
In Lost Twins 2, players guide separated siblings Abi and Ben through a whimsical, shifting world. But in co-op, it's not just about solving puzzles—it's about solving them together. While making the co-op mode, the focus was on the flexibility for all skill levels. One player can take the lead while the other supports, or both can play equally—it's up to you. There's no pressure, no fail states, and no "wrong" way to play. The design encourages collaboration without frustration, making it perfect for partners, siblings, or friends of any age.

US Senators Push to Geotrack High-End GPUs in New Chip Security Bill

US lawmakers are moving forward with a proposal requiring high-performance graphics cards and AI processors to carry built-in geotracking technology to keep sensitive chips out of hostile hands. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas introduced the Chip Security Act on May 12, 2025. Under this legislation, the Commerce Department would have the authority to mandate location-verification features in any device subject to US export controls, with manufacturers given six months after enactment to comply. The bill applies to a broad set of products classified under export control classification numbers 3A090, 4A090, 4A003.z, and 3A001.z. That includes everything from advanced AI accelerators and rack-scale servers to certain gaming graphics cards like NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5090. Manufacturers would be required to embed hardware or firmware capable of reporting each device's physical location back to a centralized registry maintained by the Commerce Department.

Exporters must also notify the Bureau of Industry and Security immediately if a unit is diverted, tampered with, or appears at an unauthorized location. To keep pace with evolving security threats, the legislation calls for a joint one-year study by the Commerce Department and the Department of Defense on potential new tracking and safeguard mechanisms. Following that, the two departments would conduct annual reviews for three years. If they determine that additional measures are warranted, they would have two years to draft and finalize rules that outline new requirements and present a detailed implementation roadmap to Congress. NVIDIA has noted that its current architectures are not built for post-sale tracking, and adding such a capability could delay product launch schedules and increase development costs. AMD and Intel are likely to face similar obstacles, as integrating secure location-verification may require redesigning sensitive intellectual property and altering established supply-chain processes.

GIGABYTE Teases AORUS GeForce RTX 5090 Stealth Card Design; Featuring Hidden Power Connector

Late last week, Gigabyte introduced brand-new AORUS Stealth ICE X870 and B850 motherboards—utilizing reverse-connector layouts. The manufacturer's "Project STEALTH" seems to be gaining a larger presence; extending to a proprietary enclosure design. Industry observers noticed the inclusion of a semi-mysterious GeForce RTX 5090 custom card (briefly mentioned in official PR material); a promo render showcased an AORUS RTX 5090 MASTER ICE-esque unit. By reading in-between the lines and analyzing marketing imagery, VideoCardz reckons that this special card will sport a hidden power connector system—likely existing under the "Project STEALTH" banner.

Going back to 2023, a second iteration of the GeForce RTX 4090 WINDFORCE model was configured with a curious non-traditional power input placement (see example below). In recent times, Sapphire's Radeon RX 9070 XT and non-XT Nitro+ flagship cards have attracted plenty of praise—courtesy of a well-regarded hidden compartment. Gigabyte could be teasing an upcoming full reveal of its "AORUS RTX 5090 MASTER STEALTH ICE" graphics card; perhaps lined up for next week's Computex showcase. Hopefully, a forthcoming unveiling will demonstrate an innovative solution.

Supermicro Announces New MicroCloud Servers Powered by AMD EPYC 4005 Series Processors

Supermicro, Inc., a Total IT Solution Provider for AI, Cloud, Storage, and 5G/Edge, is announcing that a number of Supermicro servers are now shipping with the latest addition to the AMD based EPYC 4000 series CPUs, the AMD EPYC 4005 Series processors. These servers are optimized to deliver a powerful balance of performance density, scalability, and affordability. Supermicro will feature its new Supermicro MicroCloud multi-node solution, a 10-node CPU and a 5-node CPU + GPU version, in a 3U form factor, ideal for organizations seeking to optimize space, energy, and cost of their IT infrastructure. Supermicro's MicroCloud product family targets dedicated hosting markets where sharing the chassis, power, and cooling are desired while still maintaining physical separation.

"Supermicro continues to deliver first-to-market innovative rack-scale solutions for a wide range of use cases, with the addition of our new Supermicro MicroCloud multi-node solution that feature the latest AMD EPYC 4005 Series processors, designed to optimize the needs of on-premises or cloud service providers who need powerful but cost-effective solutions in a compact 3U form factor," said Mory Lin, Vice President, IoT/Embedded & Edge Computing at Supermicro. "These servers offer up to 2080 cores on a standard 42U rack, greatly reducing data center rack space and overall TCO for enterprise and small medium businesses."

NVIDIA DLSS 4 Comes to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, DOOM: The Dark Ages and Empyreal

More than 700 games and applications feature RTX technologies, and each week new games integrating NVIDIA DLSS, NVIDIA Reflex, and advanced ray-traced effects are released or announced, delivering the definitive PC experience for GeForce RTX players. From today, DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation is multiplying frame rates in DOOM: The Dark Ages, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and Empyreal. And Deedlee Doo! Carkour! is available now with DLSS Frame Generation and DLSS Super Resolution.

DOOM: The Dark Ages Launches Today, Featuring DLSS 4 With Frame Generation & Ray Tracing
The long-awaited, much-anticipated DOOM: The Dark Ages has received universal acclaim from reviewers, and is now available in Early Access for those who purchased the Premium Edition or our GeForce RTX 50 Series bundle! Witness the creation of a legend as the Slayer takes on all of Hell and turns the tide of the war, now or on May 15th when DOOM: The Dark Ages launches globally, enhanced by RTX technology.

Giga Computing Supports AMD EPYC 4005 Series Processors on GIGABYTE Entry-level Enterprise Platforms

Giga Computing, an industry innovator and leader in enterprise hardware and advanced cooling solutions, today announced software support for GIGABYTE platforms using AMD EPYC 4005 Series processors. These entry-level systems hit a cost point needed for small business customers and hosted IT service providers.

Already in the marketplace, nine GIGABYTE servers and motherboards support both AMD EPYC 4005 and 4004 Series processors from the AMD AM5 platform. At Computex 2024, AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su announced support for Socket AM5 through 2027, and GIGABYTE will provide the go-to-launch updates coinciding with AMD announcements for the AM5 platform. Customers looking for the update only need to visit the respective GIGABYTE product page and go to the support tab where a BIOS update is available to download.

NVIDIA Wins Multiple COMPUTEX Best Choice Awards

NVIDIA today received multiple accolades at COMPUTEX's Best Choice Awards, in recognition of innovation across the company. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 GPU won the Gaming and Entertainment category award; the NVIDIA Quantum-X Photonics InfiniBand switch system won the Networking and Communication category award; NVIDIA DGX Spark won the Computer and System category award; and the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 system and NVIDIA Cosmos world foundation model development platform won Golden Awards. The awards recognize the outstanding functionality, innovation and market promise of technologies in each category. Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, will deliver a keynote at COMPUTEX on Monday, May 19, at 11 a.m. Taiwan time.

GB200 NVL72 and NVIDIA Cosmos Go Gold
NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 and NVIDIA Cosmos each won Golden Awards. The NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 system connects 36 NVIDIA Grace CPUs and 72 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs in a rack-scale design. It delivers 1.4 exaflops of AI performance and 30 terabytes of fast memory, as well as 30x faster real-time trillion-parameter large language model inference with 25x energy efficiency compared with the NVIDIA H100 GPU. By design, the GB200 NVL72 accelerates the most compute-intensive AI and high-performance computing workloads, including AI training and data processing for engineering design and simulation. NVIDIA Cosmos accelerates physical AI development by enabling developers to build and deploy world foundation models with unprecedented speed and scale.

MSI Introduces Server Platforms with AMD EPYC 4005 Processors for SMB Workloads

Today, MSI announced a lineup of entry-level servers and server motherboards powered by AMD EPYC 4005 Series Processors. Featuring up to 16 cores based on the Zen 5 architecture, these platforms deliver the performance, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness that small businesses, new business owners, and system integrators need to build reliable infrastructure, all within limited IT budgets and space footprints.

"We see this launch as a way to make enterprise-grade compute more accessible to smaller organizations," said Danny Hsu, General Manager of MSI's Enterprise Platform Solutions. "By pairing AMD EPYC 4005 Series Processors with MSI's proven hardware design, we're delivering practical, scalable server solutions built for real-world business scenarios—from private cloud and storage to web hosting and office IT systems."

Intel and Shell Advance Immersion Cooling in Xeon-Based Data Centers

As AI and high performance computing (HPC) increase the need for powerful data center infrastructure, IT operators are seeking more efficient, scalable and sustainable thermal cooling solutions. Liquid cooling is increasingly popular and expected to account for 36% of data center thermal management revenue by 2028, according to the Dell'Oro Group. However, the adoption and proliferation of liquid immersion cooling, known for its superior performance, has been hindered by a lack of certified immersion solutions that are proven and readily deployable.

In collaboration with Shell Global Solutions (US) Inc., Intel addresses this challenge by validating a full immersion solution for data centers supported by hardware from Supermicro and Submer. This first-of-its-kind solution—Intel Data Center Certified for Immersion Cooling—sets a new industry standard1 for cooling efficiency and long-term performance with the first immersion solution for 4th Gen and 5th Gen Intel Xeon processors.

AMD Announces EPYC 4005 "Grado" Zen 5 Server Processors for Socket AM5

AMD today announced the EPYC 4005 series server processors in the Socket AM5 package, codenamed "Grado." These chips come with core-counts of up to 16-core/32-thread, letting enterprise users optimally utilize their Windows Server 2005 Datacenter Edition 16-core license in dedicated server scenarios. These chips offer superior value to competing Intel Xeon E-2400 series and Intel 6300 series processors that only offer up to 8 P-cores, suboptimally utilizing the 16-core license of Windows Server 2005 Standard- and Datacenter editions.

At the silicon level, "Grado" is essentially identical to the "Granite Ridge" MCM powering the Ryzen 9000 series client desktop processors. The processor has two 4 nm "Zen 5" CCDs, and a 6 nm I/O die. The IOD has ECC memory support unlocked, and memory speeds have been increased to DDR5-5600, compared to DDR5-5200 on the IOD of the previous generation EPYC 4004 "Raphael." The processor supports up to 192 GB of ECC DDR5 memory across a 2-channel (4 sub-channel) memory interface. The "Zen 5" CPU cores are identical in features to "Granite Ridge" client and "Turin" server processors, and up with a full 512-bit data path for the AVX-512 implementation. Processor models range from 6-core/12-thread to 16-core/32-thread.

Frogwares The Sinking City Remastered Available Now

Explore the eldritch horrors, remastered in Unreal Engine 5 to offer the ultimate Lovecraftian experience. Free for existing owners. The Sinking City Remastered is out now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, fully rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5 to deliver the ultimate Lovecraftian experience!

What's New in the Remastered Edition?
  • Full visual overhaul with Unreal Engine 5 lighting and effects
  • 4K textures and enhanced level of detail
  • Photo Mode to capture your descent into madness
  • Support for DLSS, FSR, and TSR upscaling
  • And more!

EIZO Releases ColorEdge CG3100X 30.5-inch DCI 4K Monitor with HDR Workflow

EIZO Corporation today introduced the 30.5-inch ColorEdge CG3100X color management monitor - the latest in EIZO's lineup of DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) resolution monitors for post-production, joining the ColorEdge PROMINENCE CG1 and CG319X. The new CG3100X features HDR (High Dynamic Range) workflow support in editing and post-production environments, as well as USB Type-C for streamlined connectivity.

High brightness is crucial in modern editing and post-production workflows to support HDR and ensure consistent display of colors and highlights in video content. The CG3100X features a high brightness of 500 cd/m², up from 350 cd/m² in the CG319X, while delivering highly detailed images in DCI 4K. This ensures optimal display of highlights in 4K content, meeting the technical requirements of today's creators. Additionally, the monitor boasts a high contrast ratio of 1800:1 for producing true blacks and rendering shadows in high detail.

KeysOff Mother's Day Sale: Big Discounts on Genuine Software

KeysOff celebrates Mother's Day with its seasonal special sale. Get great prices on discount genuine software, so you can gift a software upgrade to the most powerful operating systems and productivity software. Get genuine Office 2021 Professional Plus at just $39.20. The latest Windows 11 Pro can be had at just $14.91. Get a combination of the two at just $51.26. Buy multi-PC packs or check out our other editions of Windows and Office on offer, to save even more!

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QNAP Launches QSW-1000 Series 8-Port Full 2.5GbE Multi-Gig Switch

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading computing, networking, and storage solutions innovator, today launched the QSW-1108-8T-R2, a 8-port Multi-Gig unmanaged switch that supports 2.5GbE high-speed connectivity. Delivering a smooth and stable wired network for Wi-Fi 6/6E, the QSW-1108-8T-R2 also enhances file backup, media streaming, and gaming experiences. With a compact, fanless design, it fits easily into any workplace, making it effortless to build an efficient desktop networking environment.

"The QSW-1108-8T-R2 is an affordable option for upgrading to 2.5GbE," said Ronald Hsu, Product Manager of QNAP, adding "Its small form factor, 30% smaller than previous models, makes it easy to connect multiple computers, NAS devices, and gaming consoles, while keeping your home or studio network clean and organized."

Intel Partner Prepares Dual Arc "Battlemage" B580 GPU with 48 GB of VRAM

If you recall NVIDIA's GTX TITAN Z GPU with two GPU dies and an impressive 6 GB of memory, it was a big deal at the time and quite an interesting engineering solution. Today, thanks to sources close to VideoCardz, we learn that Intel's Arc "Battlemage" B580 could get the next dual GPU, dual VRAM treatment. According to the source, an unnamed Intel add-in board partner is preparing to launch a GPU with two B580 dies and 48 GB of VRAM. This means that the 24 GB VRAM version of the Arc B580 we saw in EEC filings is basically confirmed, and that some models will be out for display very soon. While the BMG-G21 chip offers up to 20 Xe cores and 2,560 shader units, a dual BMG-G21 configuration will yield 40 Xe cores and 5,120 shader units working in tandem with 48 GB of VRAM.

Clearly, this model is mostly tailored to AI enthusiasts. No game (thankfully) requires 48 GB of VRAM for now, but it is still nonetheless an interesting solution to see. It has been a while since we got something like a TITAN Z, even in high-end form factors. There is a rumored Intel Arc PRO A60/B60 card carrying a B580 die with 24 GB of VRAM, tailored for local AI workloads and professional visualization. This GPU could be the base for the newly rumored dual B580, 48 GB SKU from an unnamed Intel AIB partner. We expect to hear more details at Computex, which is now just a week away!

Report: Customers Show Little Interest in AMD Instinct MI325X Accelerators

AMD's Instinct MI325X accelerator has struggled to gain traction with large customers, according to extensive data from SemiAnalysis. Launched in Q2 2025, the MI325X arrived roughly nine months after NVIDIA's H200 and concurrently with NVIDIA's "Blackwell" mass-production roll-out. That timing proved unfavourable, as many buyers opted instead for Blackwell's superior cost-per-performance ratio. Early interest from Microsoft in 2024 failed to translate into repeat orders. After the initial test purchases, Microsoft did not place any further commitments. In response, AMD reduced its margin expectations in an effort to attract other major clients. Oracle and a handful of additional hyperscalers have since expressed renewed interest, but these purchases remain modest compared with NVIDIA's volume.

A fundamental limitation of the MI325X is its eight-GPU scale-up capacity. By contrast, NVIDIA's rack-scale GB200 NVL72 supports up to 72 GPUs in a single cluster. For large-scale AI inference and frontier-level reasoning workloads, that difference is decisive. AMD positioned the MI325X against NVIDIA's air-cooled HGX B200 NVL8 and HGX B300 NVL16 modules. Even in that non-rack-scale segment, NVIDIA maintains an advantage in both raw performance and total-cost-of-ownership efficiency. Nonetheless, there remains potential for the MI325X in smaller-scale deployments that do not require extensive GPU clusters. Smaller model inference should be sufficient for eight GPU clusters, where lots of memory bandwidth and capacity are the primary needs. AMD continues to improve its software ecosystem and maintain competitive pricing, so AI labs developing mid-sized AI models may find the MI325X appealing.
Monday, May 12th 2025
Formula V Line Crystal Z8 Floe Review

Formula V Line Crystal Z8 Floe Review

The Formula V Line Crystal Z8 Floe is equipped with a whopping six ARGB PWM fans while also giving you the option to convert it to an airflow-focused build thanks to the mesh front panel. All that sounds great and enough to warrant a close look. Read on to find out how it fares!

Sudokoo x TechPowerUp SuperUser SuperCool Thermal Upgrade Giveaway: The Winners!

Sudokoo and TechPowerUp brought our readers from the United States the SuperUser SuperCool Thermal Upgrade Giveaway. Up for grabs were five of Sudokoo's premier AIO liquid CPU coolers and tower-type air coolers. Specifically, the Sudokoo Proteus 360 is a flagship AIO CLC with features such as a large true-color display that can be made to put out just about any information; and a compound fan that's designed to minimize cable clutter; while the SK700V Digital is a heavy air-type cooler with a top-plate that has an LED segment display that puts out useful system monitoring info. We thank our readers for the response. Without further ado, here are the Winners!

The following two winners get a Sudokoo Proteus 360, each:
  • Omar S.
  • devouredrage
The following three winners get a Sudokoo SK700V Digital air CPU cooler, each:
  • Mwardx2My
  • Juuso O.
  • redstormpopcorn
Huge congratulations to the five of you! TechPowerUp and Sudokoo will return with more such interesting Giveaways!

SATA-IO Publishes "AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9000 WX-Series" Page

In the weeks leading up to Computex 2025, industry watchdogs have noticed an uptick of next-gen Ryzen Threadripper PRO processor inside info leaks. AMD leadership is expected to introduce "Shimada Peak" 9000WX CPUs during a May 21 on-stage presentation. Despite the company's continued delivery of "silent treatment," external partners and other associates have alluded to an imminent arrival of Zen 5-based workstation-grade processors—very likely positioned as natural successors to Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7000WX (Zen 4) options. As of May 6, the Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO) website has produced another "official leak." The independent/non-profit body's recent publication of a dedicated "AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9000 WX-Series Processors" page was highlighted by VideoCardz. "Shimada Peak's" certification seems to pave the way for a looming launch; perhaps shortly after a rumored unveiling in Taipei, Taiwan. Processor technology observers reckon that a non-PRO 9000X series will arrive at a later date—so far, succeeding generation Threadripper leaks have not outlined an adjacent High-End Desktop (HEDT) line. Unfortunately, SATA-IO's latest repository update does not contain any additional supportive info.

"Directorate Novitiate" Story Elements Previewed by Devs - Early Access Version Due This Summer

Trust is dangerous. Love is deadly. Today, Nesting Games unveiled the narrative trailer for Directorate Novitiate, an ambitious urban fantasy action RPG set to launch in Early Access this summer. The trailer introduces Kana Luna, known in the shadows as Mercury, a young assassin torn between two worlds: her everyday life and the secret, magical criminal empire of the Directorate. Set against the shadows of 2006 Los Angeles, Mercury faces a spiraling web of lies, betrayal, and supernatural threats.

With quiet intensity and stylized noir visuals, the trailer teases Mercury's double life. By day, she's a daughter and friend; by night, an assassin navigating a secret war between Syndicates. As the mysterious Constellation Killer closes in, Mercury faces impossible choices between loyalty, survival, and her own humanity. It's 2006, Los Angeles: The seedy supernatural underworld is on the verge of war, with Mercury caught in the crosshairs. Face overwhelming magical forces, discover the horrors hiding in plain sight, track a serial killer, and grapple with difficult choices and dangerous secrets.

NVIDIA GeForce 576.40 WHQL Drivers Released

NVIDIA today released the latest version of its GeForce Game Ready drivers. These drivers come with optimization for "DOOM: The Dark Ages," and "New World: Aeternum." The drivers also add G-SYNC support for almost a dozen new monitor models, listed below. There is a rather short list of game-specific bug fixes with this release. To begin with, the drivers address random stability issues with "Monster Hunter Wilds." Also addressed is an issue specific to the RTX 50-series "Blackwell" GPUs, where in "Dead Space Remake," the shadows exhibit a random flicker.

Among the general issues fixed with this release is incorrect color saturation observed on RTX 50-series GPUs when the game is being rendered at a resolution lower than the display's native resolution. Another bug specific to the combination of RTX 50-series GPUs with ASUS PG32UQXR/ASUS ROG PG248QP/ASUS ROG PG32UCDM displays that causes these displays to boot to a black screen, has been fixed. A bug that causes certain LG TVs to exhibit a stutter at lower refresh rates with G-SYNC enabled, has been fixed. Grab the drivers from the link below.

DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce 576.40 WHQL

MAXSUN Registers Multiple GeForce RTX 5050 8 GB SKUs; Mostly Spanning iCraft Card Range

Earlier today, an unannounced graphics card report focused on Maxsun's alleged registering of custom Arc Xe2 B580 24 GB graphics card models. Olrak29 has uncovered additional intriguing entries—filed with the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC)—that provide much-needed and fresh insight into the rumored lowest section of NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50-series of "Blackwell" gaming GPU family. In a similar manner, (around mid-February) ZOTAC inadvertently revealed the "general" existence of a GeForce RTX 5050 cards. We have not heard much about this "entry-mainstream" tier in recent times; an incomplete set of specifications was leaked over two months ago.

Maxsun's May 12 (today) logging of an intimidating number of "new" SKUs spans across multiple generations (going back to the GTX 1000 era) and product ranges. Keen-eyed observers have noted the presence of multiple GeForce RTX 5050 identifiers—mostly varying shades of iCraft. "TR" tags could indicate forthcoming Terminator models. The Chinese AIB's existing Transformer lines were (normally) associated with "TF" designations—a smattering of these are present within today's EEC filing. NVIDIA and its board partners are not expected to unveil GeForce RTX 5050 hardware at next week's Computex trade event—instead, GeForce RTX 5060 (non-ti) 8 GB cards (starting at $299) will be a main focus for prospective budget-conscious gamers.

Zen Studios Introduces Tomb Raider Pinball FX Expansion - Coming to PC, VR & Consoles on June 19

If you've ever wanted to raid ancient tombs or explore Croft Manor—but with pinballs flying everywhere - you're in for something special. Tomb Raider Pinball arrives in Pinball FX on PC and consoles—on June 19, including two awesome new tables: Adventures of Lara Croft and Secrets of Croft Manor. But why is this an amazing crossover, you may ask? At their core, both Tomb Raider and pinball are about quick reflexes, careful planning, and that rush you get when you finally pull off the impossible. Whether you're dodging traps in a crumbling tomb or trying to save a ball rolling toward the drain, it's that same exciting mix of precision and chaos. But there's more to pinball than just keeping that silver ball alive. Each table tells a story that makes it unique. Let's see what lies behind the ramps and rails of these two beauties!

Adventures of Lara Croft is all about Lara's classic expeditions—from Peru's jungles to Egypt's pyramids, from the Great Wall to the frozen caves of Tibet. Along the way, you'll face off against familiar foes like Mark Willard, Werner Von Croy, or Natla and the Atlanteans. While exploring these remarkable locations and fighting your way through your enemies, you can even play a special third-person shooting mode with Lara's iconic dual pistols. There's a lot to discover while you explore this world, choosing your missions from the globe pictured above: massive Tomb Multiballs, tricky trap ramps, dangerous pits, and finally, the Survivor Wizard Mode that pulls moments from the Survivor Trilogy for one final showdown. It's pure, distilled Tomb Raider adventure mixed with the excitement of pinball.

ASUS ROG RTX 5090 Astral Dhahab OC Edition Fashioned with Pure Gold; Cheapest Price is ~$6.7K

Not long after the launch of its "standard" Astral GeForce RTX 5090 (air-cooled) flagship card, ASUS ROG unveiled a gaudy golden alternative. According to a past weekend VideoCardz news report, the brand's extremely special "Astral RTX 5090 Dhahab OC Edition" has finally settled on retail shelves in the Middle East. During preview events, ASUS did not let slip any pre-release pricing details—industry watchdogs theorized numbers well above the regular "OC" version's (then) $3000+ tag. A Jensen Huang-signed specimen was auctioned off—for charity—during NVIDIA's GTC 2025 conference week. The latest investigations have unearthed varying costs of ownership; VideoCardz found listings across MENA (Middle-East and North Africa) territories.

The cheapest example was priced at $6700, while a "jaw-dropping" entry was discovered going for ~$10,600. The online publication's detective work concluded that price variations were dependent on differing conditions within each country. An ASUS-authored "Certificate of Authenticity" demonstrates the use of a key premium material; 6.5 grams of "999 Gold Fineness." Official grading indicates the very best purity of this precious metal—largely reserved (and prized) by prime Middle Eastern markets. ASUS is reportedly working on a (presumably) less expensive GeForce RTX 5080 variant—enabled via the selection of lesser silicon, rather than a downgraded level of decoration. Special edition ASUS ROG Astral enthusiasts—outside of MENA—could be eyeing up a DOOM prequel-themed option.

Aledia to Showcase FlexiNova at Display Week 2025 — A Customizable MicroLED Platform for Next-Gen Screens

At Display Week 2025, Aledia, the leader in nanowire and 3D silicon-based microLED display technology, will showcase FlexiNOVA - a new product-ready platform built on its proprietary nanowire microLED technology and designed to scale production of next-gen displays. With its first industrial chip format now defined and available for sampling in 6 V and 9 V variants starting in H2 2025, FlexiNova empowers OEMs and display makers to integrate microLEDs into devices as diverse as smartwatches, automotive dashboards, luxury TVs and ultra-high-resolution monitors while maximizing power efficiency.

To bring microLED to mass production, performance alone isn't enough—industrial viability is key. Until now, microLEDs have mostly stayed in the lab due to high costs and manufacturing challenges for chips smaller than 30 µm. FlexiNOVA removes these barriers, making it easier for manufacturers to transition to microLED displays, which are brighter, more energy-efficient and have a longer battery life than OLED and LCD. What makes FlexiNOVA stand out is its flexibility: chip size, shape and power usage can be tailored to product needs without sacrificing performance.

DeepComputing Announces Availability of Its DC-ROMA RISC-V AI PC

DeepComputing has just unveiled "the world's first" RISC-V AI PC, available now for the developer community. This machine, called the DC-ROMA RISC-V AI PC, is built on Framework's modular laptop platform and powered by ESWIN Computing's advanced EIC7702X SoC with 8 SiFive P550 CPU cores. The system comes pre-installed with Ubuntu Desktop 24.04 LTS and beside the RISC-V CPU it sports a powerful 40 TOPS NPU, vector processing cluster (12-bit-wide vector 8-core), support for 8K @50 FPS video encoding, and capacity for up to 64 GB LPDDR5 memory and NVMe storage (up to 1 TB). All this makes it suitable for serious development work and AI experimentation.

According to DeepComputing's CEO Yuning Liang, the AI PC was created "to empower developers who believe in local-first AI, open innovation, and sustainable computing" and represents "a foundational step toward a more open and privacy-respecting digital future."

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 Remastered Provides Plenty of Nostalgia

Among my many endeavors as a teenager, from learning to drive and how to play guitar, one stood alone on a mountain of impossibilities: landing an Ollie. It would come in time after a lot of practice and many bumps and scrapes. From there I'd move on to landing Shov Its, pulling off the occasional Manual, landing an Ollie down some stairs, and grind on a few curbs. The kick-flip, though, remains elusive to this day. Among the many things skateboarding taught me, like perseverance and how to "walk it off," it also taught me how to look at the world around me, in a different way. Where someone would just see an empty parking lot, I would see endless possibilities of curb grinds. Stairs? I bet I could Ollie down them. That rail? Not a chance.

This is what the Tony Hawk games dialed up to 11, creating elaborate levels loosely inspired by real-world locations, encouraging you to examine its surroundings and assemble your own "run" while pulling off tricks you could only dream of. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4, launching July 11 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Steam, PlayStation 4|5, Nintendo Switch 1|2, and day one with Game Pass, brings us back to this world with some of the most elaborate levels the series has ever put out, now with a significant boost in overall quality and playability—the game has never felt more fun.

Lenovo Reveals Legion GeForce RTX 5070 & 5060 Ti Custom Card Designs

Certain Lenovo Legion pre-built gaming rigs are equipped with intriguing custom graphics card designs; reportedly not available to purchase as (separate) retail packages. As mentioned back in March, the system integrator's Legion 9000K gaming systems were configurable with slick metallic GeForce RTX 5090D and GeForce RTX 5080 options. At the time, Lenovo China hinted about a forthcoming GeForce RTX 5070 offering; also making use of a CNC-machined metal shroud and backplate. Since then, VideoCardz has kept a watchful eye on new product developments—an early April "official" leak suggested an eventual arrival of lower-end GeForce RTX 50-series "Blackwell" Legion models.

As of late last week, Lenovo China's social media accounts have unveiled cheaper Legion 7000K and GeekPro pre-built systems. These new-gen gaming PCs house the brand's fresh GeForce RTX 5070 12 GB (as promised) and GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB custom cards. VideoCardz reckons that company engineers have adhered to NVIDIA's reference specifications, so potential customers will be considering non-overclocked hardware. The Legion 7000K—starting at 11,999 RMB (~$1658 USD)—traditionally-proportioned enclosure can accommodate a longer card design; as demonstrated by promo shots. The tastefully ARGB-lit Legion GeForce RTX 5070 card's oblong format (2.5-slot) utilizes only two fans. In contrast, Lenovo's compact GeekPro—starter price: 7199 RMB (~$995 USD)—case seems to be formed around a stubbier graphics card volume; still large enough to be dual-fan. Its ridged backplate aesthetic brings previous-gen XFX to mind.

MSI Teases EdgeXpert MS-C931 - an NVIDIA DGX Spark-based Desktop AI Supercomputer

MSI IPC, a global leader in industrial computing and AI-driven solutions, is set to unveil its latest innovations at COMPUTEX 2025, held from May 20 to 23 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center. Visitors can explore MSI IPC's cutting-edge technologies at Booth J0506, Hall 1, 1F.

Introducing the EdgeXpert MS-C931: A Desktop AI Supercomputer
MSI IPC will unveil the EdgeXpert MS-C931, a desktop AI supercomputer built on the NVIDIA DGX Spark platform. Powered by the NVIDIA GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip, the EdgeXpert MS-C931 delivers 1,000 AI TOPS FP4 performance, equipped with high-speed ConnectX 7 networking, 128 GB unified memory, and support for large language models. Designed for AI developers and researchers, it is ideal for applications in education, finance, and healthcare industries.

Pimax Launches SLAM-Tracked Micro-OLED VR Headsets

Pimax, a leader in high-end virtual reality technology, announced the launch of the Dream Air SE alongside an update to the Dream Air. Designed for portability and stunning micro-OLED visuals like Dream Air, the Dream Air SE features such as integrated audio, inside-out tracking, hand and eye-tracking—at an accessible price point.

Dream Air: World's Smallest Full-Feature 8K VR Headset
Pimax introduced the Dream Air in December 2024 as the world's smallest 8K resolution VR headset. Now, the updated Dream Air takes immersive VR experiences to the next levels, with upgrades across visuals, optics, tracking, and ergonomics:
  • Sony Micro-OLED Panels: 3840 x 3552 pixels per eye, delivering over 27 million lifelike pixels. Upgraded Sony panels enhance brightness, color depth, and detail, with a wider 20° chief ray angle for stunning visuals.
  • Advanced Optics: Next-gen pancake lenses offer edge-to-edge clarity, minimal glare, and a perfect field of view for total immersion.
  • Comprehensive Tracking: Includes Tobii-powered eye-tracking (120 Hz refresh), inside-out tracking, hand-tracking, and controller support. Users can choose SLAM or Lighthouse versions for ultimate flexibility.
  • Integrated Audio: Built-in audio delivers rich, immersive soundscapes.
  • Ergonomic Design: Lightweight and versatile, featuring a self-tightening headstrap, adaptable halo strap, and universal compatibility for extended comfort.

MSI Officially Unveils Claw 8 AI+ "Polar Tempest Edition A2VM" 2 TB Handheld

Last December, MSI announced the launch of its Intel "Lunar Lake" APU-powered Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ PC gaming handhelds. Almost two months later, international buyers were left puzzled by a seemingly staggered new product rollout. Despite proudly exhibiting finalized "Sandstorm-colored" units at CES 2025, North American buyers missed out on experiencing a (semi-promised) mid-January release. By March, the brand had fired up its new-gen Claw device marketing campaign again. It is not clear whether MSI shipped a lot of stock to international markets, but fresh news reports indicate an upcoming arrival of their "Polar Tempest Edition" 2 TB variant. As disclosed by Notebookcheck, this special model popped up momentarily earlier on last month.

Re-upped listings point to a potential mid-July launch; starting prices in the US are hovering around the $999 mark. Amazon Germany is accepting orders; €1107.21 (including VAT) grants access to MSI's slightly redecorated Core Ultra 7 258V-powered flagship. The manufacturer's dedicated product page states: "(our) Polar Tempest Edition features a new color scheme and MSI's custom-formulated polyurethane coating, evoking ice-blue crystals on a snow-white landscape." Despite Intel's recent boosting of "Lunar Lake" integrated graphics solution performance, the Claw 8 AI+ (and its 7-inch sibling) face strong "next-gen" competition. ASUS seems to be readying a ROG Ally sequel—according to leaks, this portable PC will make use of AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor. A distant "third-gen" MSI Claw design could be equipped with futuristic Intel gaming chipsets; in "Arrow Lake-H" or "Panther Lake" form.

Intel Partner Flags 24 GB Arc B580 Variants in EEC Filing Ahead of Computex

Maxsun's parent company has quietly registered new 24 GB versions of Intel's Arc B580 graphics card with the EEC. While regulatory filings often cover placeholder or speculative hardware, this submission lines up with ongoing rumors about a high-memory "Battlemage" model aimed at both gamers and professionals. Back in December and January, Intel launched the Arc B580 and B570 GPUs, bringing the Battlemage architecture to desktops just a few months after "Lunar Lake" appeared on laptops. Those first cards came with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory, a surprisingly generous amount for graphics cards selling under $300, and they helped establish Intel as a real contender in the mainstream GPU market. Since then, chatter about a 24 GB version has never died down. The story gained weight when board partner Sparkle briefly hinted at such a variant and then retracted the comment under NDA obligations. Further fueling speculation, a Sparkle representative in China discussed the planned "B580 24 GB" during a March social-media exchange.

Now, Maxsun's EEC filing lists two models called "iCraft 24G" and "iCraft 24G OC," and those names match what Sparkle first mentioned. There's no guarantee these cards will actually hit store shelves, but the matching details and timing suggest Intel may be testing the waters for a memory-heavy Arc B580. That would make sense given recent leaks about an Arc PRO A60 workstation card also packing 24 GB of memory. Under the hood, the Arc B580's BMG-G21 chip offers up to 20 Xe cores and 2,560 shader units, putting it in the same ballpark as NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4060. With Computex just days away, Intel will finally reveal whether these high-memory Arc B580 cards, or perhaps even bigger Battlemage-based workstation GPUs, are coming our way. Additionally, enthusiasts are keeping an eye on the rumored Arc B770, which is expected next quarter and likely to be detailed at Computex alongside Intel's broader Battlemage and upcoming Xe3 "Celestial" roadmap.

Cash Cleaner Simulator Devs Celebrate Successful Launch on Steam

The Cleanest Launch Ever! Hey Cleaners! What a launch! We're incredibly grateful for the support you've shown us—your reviews, your Discord messages, your bug reports, and your amazing vibes. Thanks to your quick feedback, we were able to jump on a few issues right away and already pushed out a hotfix. Welcome to the most satisfying job simulator you never knew you wanted! Grab your gloves, turn up the music, and get ready to clean, sort, and pack stacks of dirty money. It's part oddly satisfying cleaning sim, part fever dream. And yes, every single banknote is physics-simulated, because why not?

But that's not all
We're already working on a new patch coming next week! And once again, it's based entirely on your feedback. So if you spot something weird or have a cool idea, now's a great time to share it. Every message helps! Also…you've already left 300 reviews on Steam. That's HUGE. Early reviews make a big difference in visibility. They help new players find the game through "New & Trending" and other Steam features. If you haven't posted review yet and feel like supporting us, just a few words go a long way. You can always edit it later too. We read everything! That includes the comments under your reviews. Your voice matters and truly helps shape the game's future. Thank you.

XFX & Acer Radeon RX 9060 XT Graphics Cards Leaked by Retailers - Starting at "$450"

As reported last week, webstores have mistakenly listed unannounced board partner Radeon RX 9060 XT graphics cards. At the time, only model names and identifiers (SKUs) were inadvertently leaked out—roughly a fortnight ahead of a speculated official unveiling at Computex 2025. By the end of last week, VideoCardz had picked up fresh intel from its readership—Amazon had published XFX Swift Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB GDDR6 (triple-fan) and 8 GB GDDR6 (dual-fan) pre-launch prices and basic specifications. These NDA-busting pages have been removed, but the online publication has preserved crucial details. AMD's alleged reference boost clock for this GPU class is 3230 MHz, but XFX is reportedly tuning matters up to 3320 MHz. Considering that Swift is XFX's casual/entry-level product grade, higher end options could be overclocked beyond that figure.

Amazon.com revealed (likely placeholder) prices: $519.99 for the XFX Radeon RX 9060 XT OC 16 GB Gaming Edition (triple fan), and $449.99 for its twin-fan sibling. Team Red is expected to introduce official guide prices (MSRP) next week; possibly during a May 21 presentation. As discussed by VideoCardz, the leaked XFX numbers are a tad too steep—relative to main competition; NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5060 Ti family. Starting at $429 for 16 GB GDDR7 VRAM, and $379 for 8 GB GDDR7 VRAM. momomo_us has gathered additional evidence of Radeon RX 9060 XT custom card prices; the intrepid industry watcher pointed out an unnamed Swiss e-tailer's listing of two Acer Nitro SKUs. The overclocked 16 GB and 8 GB models were inadvertently marked with 556.70 and 508.30 CHF (respectively) price tags, including regional VAT. Converting to (USD) ~$660 and ~$603, respectively. VideoCardz noted that these offerings are about 20 - 27% cheaper than Acer's already launched Radeon RX 9070 (non-XT) cards.

PlanetPlay & UN Research Reveals Gamers' Shift to Greener Habits

Data drawn from a new in-game poll called Play2Act showed evidence that gaming has the potential to incentivize greener habits among gamers. 79 percent of those respondents who had played games with green messages or environmental content reported making at least one positive behavioural change after playing these games. Among these players, 47 percent report reducing their environmental impact through energy use or public transport, while 34 percent report making greener consumption choices.

Launched in September 2024, Play2Act is a poll embedded in popular games, designed to explore the role of games in tackling the climate and nature crises. The initiative was developed by PlanetPlay, a not-for-profit platform that contributes to environmental action through games, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Bethesda Announces Global Release Times for DOOM: The Dark Ages

Stand And Fight as the super weapon of gods and kings, shred enemies with devastating favorites like the Super Shotgun while also wielding a variety of new bone-chewing weapons, including the versatile Shield Saw. Players will stand and fight on the demon-infested battlefields in the vicious, grounded combat the original DOOM is famous for. Take flight atop the new fierce Mecha Dragon, stand tall in a massive Atlan mech, and beat demons to a pulp with the newly enhanced glory kill system. Only the Slayer has the power to wield these devastating tools of mayhem.

Hell's forces are almost at the gates! Meet them at the ready when DOOM: The Dark Ages launches May 15 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Steam, and PlayStation 5. Lead the charge in id Software's biggest DOOM game yet with our Pre-Launch Checklist (see below). Prepare to unleash your inner Slayer with details on preloading, Early Access timing, PC specifications and more.

Kingston Releases FURY Renegade G5 M.2 NVMe Gen 5 SSD

Kingston FURY, the high-performance division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, announces its PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 SSD, Kingston FURY Renegade G5 for gaming and high-power users seeking maximum performance.

Kingston FURY Renegade G5 allows users to unleash the full capability of their system by leveraging the latest PCIe Gen 5 x 4 controller and 3D TLC NAND to reach extreme speeds up to 14,800/14,000 MB/s read/write and over 2M IOPS. Kingston FURY Renegade G5 is optimized for performance PC and workstations to eliminate storage bottlenecks and significantly reduce load times, making it the ideal drive for when you're deep in high-intensity gaming, editing, or a data-heavy workflow.

AMD EPYC "Venice" Leak: 2 nm Zen 6 and Zen 6c to Offer Up to 256C/512T and 1 GB of L3 in a Single Socket

AMD is preparing to set a new data-center performance bar with its upcoming 6th-generation EPYC "Venice" processors, built on the latest "Zen 6" and "Zen 6C" core designs and the industry's first 2 nm-class node from TSMC. Leaked engineering diagrams and forum reports suggest Venice will offer additional core scalability, memory capacity, and cache productivity for demanding server workloads. At the heart of the Venice platform lies a multi-chip module design featuring up to eight Core Complex Dies (CCDs) arrayed around one or more central I/O dies (IODs). In its Zen 6 configuration, each CCD houses 12 "classic" cores, yielding a maximum of 96 cores and 192 threads per socket. The cache per CCD is rumored to reach 128 MB of shared L3, double that of its predecessor, delivering up to 1 TB of L3 cache in a fully populated eight-CCD package.

For customers prioritizing raw thread count over per-core performance, the Zen 6C variant pushes the envelope to 256 "dense" cores and 512 threads by leveraging a leaner core design and higher CCD count. Despite the density boost, each Zen 6C core maintains 2 MB of L3 cache, preserving latency benefits even at scale. Memory bandwidth also receives a major uplift: Venice will support both 16-channel (SP7) and 12-channel (SP8) DDR5 configurations, accommodating up to 6 TB of system RAM per socket. The number of PCIe Gen 5 lanes is still unknown, but it could be well over 128 lanes, which the past 5th-generation EPYC CPUs had. Thermal and power targets differentiate the two sockets: SP7 models are expected to reach TDPs around 600 W, up from 400 W on current Zen 5 chips, while SP8 parts aim for 350-400 W to suit more moderate-density racks. This tiered approach will let hyperscalers and enterprise customers balance performance, efficiency, and cooling infrastructure, especially at the scale that hyperscalers have. A projected launch date is scheduled for late 2025 or early 2026.

ESR to Launches the World's First Magnetic Wireless Mouse on Kickstarter

ESR, the world's No. 1 brand in MagSafe accessories, launches its latest breakthrough—the ESR MagMouse Wireless Mouse—on Kickstarter. The campaign which went live on April 28, 2025 has already smashed its funding goal with well over 700 backers already! MagMouse was unveiled at CES 2025, instantly capturing widespread attention and praise for its innovative design and outstanding performance. The MagMouse officially is available now on Kickstarter, with early backers gaining access to a Super Early Bird price of $24/£20, which is a 32% discount on its original price of $36/£28.

The MagMouse officially is available now on Kickstarter, with early backers gaining access to a Super Early Bird price of $24/£20, which is a 32% discount on its original price of $36/£28. Designed with modern mobility in mind, the MagMouse is the world's first magnetically attachable mouse with a built-in fast-charging cable, engineered for people who work, study, and create on the go. By combining portability, functionality, and an innovative design, MagMouse embodies ESR's mission "Tech Made Easier," reimagining what a wireless mouse can be and how it can simplify working on the go.

Samsung Launches 500 Hz Odyssey OLED G6 27-inch Gaming Monitor

Samsung Electronics today announced the global launch of the Odyssey OLED G6, the world's first 500 Hz OLED gaming monitor. The Odyssey OLED G6 will first be available in Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, followed by a phased rollout to additional global markets later this year. Building on its six-year leadership in the global gaming monitor market and two-year leadership in OLED gaming displays, Samsung is once again expanding the boundaries of gaming performance with the Odyssey OLED G6.

"Samsung continues to lead the gaming monitor industry with breakthrough innovations that redefine how games are experienced," said Hoon Chung, Executive Vice President of Visual Display (VD) Business at Samsung Electronics. "With the Odyssey OLED G6, the world's first 500 Hz OLED gaming monitor, we are pushing gaming performance, visual quality and immersion to entirely new heights—delivering the next evolution of display technology for gamers around the world."

QNAP Unveils TDS-H2489FU R2 24-Bay Dual-CPU U.2 NVMe All-Flash NAS

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading computing, and storage solutions innovator, today announced the launch of the next-generation flagship 24-bay U.2 NVMe all-flash rackmount NAS, the TDS-h2489FU R2. The TDS-h2489FU R2 offers powerful and stable computing performance, robust networking, and scalable storage capability to meet enterprise demands for high workloads, multitasking, and low latency in applications such as virtualization, high-performance computing (HPC), data centers, AI/ML computing, AI Big Data storage, and 3D rendering.

"As enterprises face the rapid growth of data and increasingly demanding workloads, they need more than just performance. They require a stable platform that supports mission-critical operations," said Alex Shih, Product Manager of QNAP, adding "The TDS-h2489FU R2 is purpose-built for high-load, multitasking applications, empowering IT teams to handle virtualization, AI model training, or post-production editing with ease. We aim to help enterprises maximize the benefits of all-flash storage in data centers and high-efficiency collaborative environments, accelerating digital transformation and innovation."

NVIDIA's Unreleased TITAN ADA: 18,432 Cores and 48 GB GDDR6X in Early Tests

Overclocking expert Roman "Der8auer" Hartung has managed to get his hands on a prototype of the NVIDIA TITAN ADA, a flagship design that never saw the light of day. Despite its absence from store shelves, the TITAN ADA prototype reveals a blend of workstation-level ambition and cutting-edge gaming power. Enthusiasts have long whispered about a true TITAN successor in the "Ada Lovelace" lineup, and now we finally have concrete evidence of what that card could have delivered. Inside this beast sits a fully enabled AD102 GPU, boasting all 144 streaming multiprocessors and delivering 18,432 CUDA cores, about 12 percent more than the retail RTX 4090. NVIDIA equipped the card with a staggering 48 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus to match this raw compute potential, twice the capacity of any other consumer Ada GPU. The prototype uses a large quad-slot, flow-through cooler in the classic beige TITAN color to keep everything cool.

Unlike conventional layouts, the TITAN ADA's PCB is split into three sections: a rotated main board flanked by a separate daughterboard for the PCIe interface. This unusual arrangement precedes the vertical board designs that would later appear on Founders Edition cards in the RTX 50 Series. Dual 16-pin power connectors suggest NVIDIA originally aimed for a total board power well above 600 watts, yet Der8auer's tests topped out near 450 watts, likely due to the prototype's early vBIOS and older driver builds. Benchmark results confirm the card's full AD102 configuration. In synthetic graphics tests, it ran roughly 15 percent ahead of the RTX 4090, and in real-world gaming scenarios, popular titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Remnant 2 saw performance uplifts ranging from 10 to 22 percent. These figures place the TITAN ADA comfortably between the 4090 and the new RTX 5090 in both speed and efficiency.

Intel Sunsets "Deep Link" Technology Suite, Ending Future Development and Support

Intel is officially stepping back from its Deep Link suite of technologies. The confirmation came through a company representative on GitHub, confirming that active development has ceased. This follows a period when Intel quietly stopped highlighting Deep Link in newer offerings, such as its "Battlemage" GPUs. While the features might still work for those currently using Deep Link, don't expect any future updates or official assistance from Intel's support channels. If you cast your mind back to late 2020, you might recall Intel launching Deep Link. The core idea was to get Intel CPUs and their dedicated Arc GPUs working more effectively in tandem. To tap into this, you needed a specific setup: an 11th, 12th, or 13th Generation Intel CPU alongside an Arc Alchemist GPU. The package featured key tools: Dynamic Power Share for optimizing power between the CPU and GPU, Stream Assist to offload streaming to integrated graphics, Hyper Encode for faster video encoding, and Hyper Compute to accelerate AI tasks using OpenVINO.

These were designed to give a leg up to applications like OBS, DaVinci Resolve, and Handbrake. However, the writing may have been on the wall for Deep Link. Intel's "Meteor Lake" chips, which arrived in late 2023, weren't on the compatibility list, hinting that development had already wound down. Getting these features to perform reliably wasn't always straightforward, with users, like the one on GitHub who raised the initial question, reporting difficulties even with supported hardware. A user tried running Core Ultra 200S with Battlemage in OBS, facing issues not by the software, but by Intel's drivers. The general thinking is that Intel might have viewed Deep Link as a bit of a niche feature, possibly concluding that the continued effort and investment, especially with the need for validation with each software vendor, wasn't paying off. As for what's next, Intel hasn't announced a direct successor to these specific integrated features.
Sunday, May 11th 2025

This Week in Gaming (Week 20)

Welcome to the 20th week of 2025 and this week's AAA release is a prequel of what might be one of the most famous PC first person shooter games out there. This is followed by a weird cowboy game, cops and gangs in the 1980s, another minecraft clone, but with more weapons, some old school fighting and finally a bit of limbo, no not the dance, the other kind. There's also a couple of extra games that look pretty good this week.

DOOM: The Dark Ages / This week's AAA release / Thursday 15 May
As the super weapon of gods and kings, shred enemies with devastating favorites like the Super Shotgun while also wielding a variety of new bone-chewing weapons, including the versatile Shield Saw. Players will stand and fight on the demon-infested battlefields in the vicious, grounded combat the original DOOM is famous for. Take flight atop the new fierce Mecha Dragon, stand tall in a massive Atlan mech, and beat demons to a pulp with the newly enhanced glory kill system. Only the Slayer has the power to wield these devastating tools of mayhem. Steam link, Our Performance Review
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