There is only a month left before the official launch of Intel new "Arrow Lake" CPUs. Now, we have a new leak revealing what appear to be the final specs for Intel's Core Ultra 200 'Arrow Lake' desktop CPUs series. According to Benchlife, Intel is preparing to release five SKUs. Although there is no KF version of the Core Ultra 9 285K yet, the new CPUs include: Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, Core Ultra 7 265K, Core Ultra 7 265KF, Core Ultra 5 245K, and Core Ultra 5 245KF. These processors will also be accompanied by new Z890 chipset motherboards.

The "K" model will have Xe-LPG-based integrated graphics, while the "KF" model will require a discrete GPU. Intel plans to expand its Arrow Lake lineup in early 2025 with non-K models. These new CPUs are expected to offer increased performance compared to their 13th and 14th generation predecessors. The new architecture aims to eliminate stability issues and reduce real-world power consumption.

TrendForce's latest reports reveal that the second quarter of 2024 saw a significant increase in demand for enterprise SSDs due to the increased deployment of NVIDIA GPU platforms and rising storage needs driven by AI applications, along with a surge in demand from server brands. The surge in demand for high-capacity SSDs for AI applications—coupled with suppliers' inability to adjust capacity in the first half of the year—resulted in a supply shortage that drove average enterprise SSD prices up by more than 25% QoQ. This price increase led to a revenue growth of over 50% for suppliers.

Looking ahead to the third quarter, demand from North American CSP customers continues to rise, and server brands show no signs of slowing down their orders, further boosting procurement volumes of enterprise SSD. With supply shortages persisting into the third quarter, TrendForce forecasts a 15% increase in contract prices compared to the previous quarter, with supplier revenues expected to grow by nearly 20%.

SK hynix unveiled an enhanced Accelerator-in-Memory based Accelerator (AiMX) card at the AI Hardware & Edge AI Summit 2024 held September 9-12 in San Jose, California. Organized annually by Kisaco Research, the summit brings together representatives from the AI and machine learning ecosystem to share industry breakthroughs and developments. This year's event focused on exploring cost and energy efficiency across the entire technology stack. Marking its fourth appearance at the summit, SK hynix highlighted how its AiM products can boost AI performance across data centers and edge devices.

Booth Highlights: Meet the Upgraded AiMX
In the AI era, high-performance memory products are vital for the smooth operation of LLMs. However, as these LLMs are trained on increasingly larger datasets and continue to expand, there is a growing need for more efficient solutions. SK hynix addresses this demand with its PIM product AiMX, an AI accelerator card that combines multiple GDDR6-AiMs to provide high bandwidth and outstanding energy efficiency. At the AI Hardware & Edge AI Summit 2024, SK hynix presented its updated 32 GB AiMX prototype which offers double the capacity of the original card featured at last year's event. To highlight the new AiMX's advanced processing capabilities in a multi-batch environment, SK hynix held a demonstration of the prototype card with the Llama 3 70B model, an open source LLM. In particular, the demonstration underlined AiMX's ability to serve as a highly effective attention accelerator in data centers.

ASUS today announced the Wireless Mouse MD102, an ergonomic mouse that's available in three hues - White, Oat Milk, and Dark Gray. It offers almost-silent mouse clicks, versatile dual-mode 2.4 GHz wireless and Bluetooth connectivity, plus adjustable DPI for precise control. ASUS Wireless Mouse MD102 is built to last, featuring switches with a 10-million-click lifespan and gaming-grade 100% PTFE mouse feet.

Comfort and aesthetics
ASUS Wireless Mouse MD102 has an ergonomic design supporting the palm for comfortable computing experiences. Offering a distinct look in three hues: White, Oat Milk, and Dark Gray - it perfectly complements laptops such as ASUS Vivobook and Zenbook.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, IPC solutions, and storage devices, today unveils the new BIOSTAR Radeon RX 580 White graphics card, designed to deliver smooth 1080p gaming performance in a sleek, modern white aesthetic. Crafted to dominate the mid-range market, the RX 580 White edition GPU from BIOSTAR is an ideal choice for casual gamers, offering seamless performance for popular gaming titles at full HD resolution. Its stylish appearance makes it a standout centerpiece in any build, especially those with a clean, solid white look.

The BIOSTAR Radeon RX 580 White is equipped with the AMD Radeon RX 580 GPU, featuring 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and 2048 Stream Processors. It comes with BIOSTAR's unique FPS dual-heatpipe cooler design, ensuring optimal cooling during intense gaming sessions. The card supports Radeon FreeSync Technology, DirectX 12, and Vulkan, enhancing gaming performance and ensuring smooth gameplay across various titles. Its PCI Express 3.0 x16 bus interface offers efficient connectivity, while AMD XConnect and HDR Ready features enhance the overall visual experience, delivering crisp, vibrant graphics for gamers.

One of the most popular SATA SSD brands, the Crucial MX500, has a vulnerability in its firmware version M3CR046. Apparently, specific ATA packets issued from the host can trigger a buffer overflow in the drive, cause data leaks. The vulnerability has been chronicled as CVE-2024-42642. At this point we're not sure if older versions of firmware for the MX500 are affected. M3CR046 happens to be the latest firmware version we could see in the Crucial Storage Executive app, which means the company is still working on a firmware update.

Cyberpunk 2077 has historically been a challenging game to run, although a number of optimizations and updates throughout the game's life cycle have improved quality of life and visuals greatly. The latest Cyberpunk PC patch 2.13, released on September 12, aims to improve both the base game and the Phantom Liberty expansion with the introduction of AMD's Fidelity FX Super Resolution with Frame Generation.

The addition of FSR 3 comes almost a year after the game gained support for NVIDIA's competing DLSS 3.5 and AMD claims that Frame Generation and FSR 3 can boost frame rates by upwards of 300% at higher resolutions with less of a quality penalty than previous versions. Cyberpunk's performance gains are likely less drastic, though, since even AMD says its Fluid Motion Frames 2 only achieves a 78% performance boost. Performance claims aside, FSR 3 and frame generation should make playing Cyberpunk 2077 on devices like the Steam Deck more viable, since the Steam Deck doesn't have the benefit of AMD Fluid Motion Frames built into the AMD drivers like Windows devices do.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today unveils the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% empowering gamers with ultimate control and personalization, shattering the boundaries of the traditional keyboard experience. Building on the success of the award-winning BlackWidow V4 75%, this new wireless, hot-swappable gaming keyboard combines Razer HyperSpeed and 4K Hz Razer HyperPolling technology with an onboard OLED display for ultimate customizability. Along with its immersive features, this ensures that the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% offers an unparalleled gaming keyboard experience.

"The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is the result of our relentless pursuit of gaming excellence," said Barrie Ooi, Head of Razer's PC Gaming Division. "With its hot-swappable design, Razer HyperSpeed wireless technology, and a built-in OLED display, this keyboard empowers gamers to create a setup that truly reflects their style and gain more control than ever before."

Intel's upcoming Core Ultra 200 "Arrow Lake-S" desktop processors will herald a new wave of overclocking memory kits as the architecture is expected to support even higher memory speeds than the current 14th Gen Core. The product page of an ASRock Z890 motherboard lists out maximum memory speeds for various DIMM configurations. The most overclocker-friendly config—1 single-rank DIMM per channel—sees ASRock mention support for DDR5-9200+ (OC). The fastest DDR5 OC memory kits in the market are DDR5-8600, and over the Summer, JEDEC announced standardization of high frequency DDR5 configurations, including the likes of DDR5-8800. Such high frequencies require the DIMM to feature a clock driver.

Those looking for high capacity memory configurations have big reason to cheer. For two single-rank DIMMs per channel, or one dual-rank DIMM per channel, the motherboard's product page mentions an OC speed of DDR5-6800+. This should be a boon for those wanting large memory capacities such as 96 GB or 128 GB using dual-rank DIMMs at reasonably high speeds. Even the densest memory configuration, two dual-rank DIMMs per channel, has a maximum OC speed of DDR5-5800+. This should allow users to approach the platform's maximum memory capacity, such as 256 GB using four 64 GB dual-rank DIMMs, or 192 GB using four 48 GB DIMMs, but at much higher speeds that what the current platforms are capable of.

Rise and shine - Capcom's latest action-adventure game, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, heads to the cloud at launch next week. It's part of nine new titles joining the extensive GeForce NOW library.

Dead Rising Coming Soon
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster returns with modern graphics. More than just a remaster, this Deluxe Remaster is a full graphical overhaul of the first game in the zombie-slaughtering action series Dead Rising. The remaster has also been fully voiced, supports auto-saves and has various other quality-of-life features. One day, the peaceful town of Willamette, Colorado, found itself put under quarantine by the U.S. army. Frank West, a freelance journalist, smells a scoop and finds his way into the only shopping mall in town. Unfortunately, the mall has turned into a living hell, crawling with countless zombies. Help will arrive in 72 hours, so it's up to him to find out the truth behind this incident before it's too late. Witness the unmatched mayhem and freedom when Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster launches on Wednesday, Sept. 19. Stream it with a GeForce NOW Priority or Ultimate membership for longer gaming sessions and higher frame rates.

XMG is introducing the XMG APEX 17 MAX, its first gaming laptop featuring AMD's high-end processors from the Dragon Range series. This classic 17.3-inch laptop combines a Ryzen 9 7945HX with NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4070 or 4060, along with a 165 Hz WQHD display offering 100% DCI-P3 and sRGB color space coverage. The 'MAX' suffix has always signified maximum CPU performance in XMG's APEX series laptops. While the APEX 17 MAX (M24) no longer features a socketed processor like earlier models, it is powered by the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX, the laptop version of the Zen 4 desktop CPU AMD Ryzen 9 7950X. Both are built on the same 'Raphael' processor die, manufactured in a 5 nm process, offering 16 fully-fledged cores and 32 threads. This powerhouse CPU is paired with either an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 or 4060, both delivering up to 125 watts of graphics performance (115 W TGP plus 10 W Dynamic Boost).

The display lid of the 17.3-inch XMG APEX 17 MAX, measuring 402 x 265 x 28.6 mm and weighing 2.85 kg, is made of aluminium for enhanced stability. The IPS panel features a classic 16:9 format with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels, covering 100% of both the DCI-P3 and sRGB color spaces. It has a 165 Hz refresh rate, 330 nits of brightness, and supports AMD FreeSync. The display also offers a power-saving 60 Hz mode, allowing for extended battery life from the 73 Wh battery, which is internally screw-fastened and therefore replaceable. Additionally, the iGPU-only mode, selectable via the Control Center, enhances battery efficiency by completely deactivating the NVIDIA dGPU after a system restart, allowing the system to rely solely on the energy-efficient AMD iGPU. A MUX switch also enables users to switch the internal display connection between the dGPU and iGPU.

Silicon Power (SP) is excited to announce the release of its latest high-performance memory solution, the StudioPro CFexpress 4.0 Type-B memory card. Carefully designed to meet the needs of professional photographers, filmmakers, and content creators, this card offers unparalleled performance and reliable durability, supporting the demands of 4K and 8K video recording with extreme speeds and huge capacities up to 2 TB.

PCIe Gen 4x2 Interface for Superior Performance
Equipped with an advanced PCIe Gen 4x2 interface, the StudioPro CFexpress 4.0 Type-B memory card easily manages 4K and 8K workflows with industry-leading speeds. Lightning-fast read speeds up to 3,500 MB/s and write speeds up to 3,100 MB/s ensure rapid data transfer and reduced waiting times during post-production. From high-frame-rate sports action to intricate wildlife scenes, these speeds capture smooth and uninterrupted recording, making it an essential tool for professionals seeking top-tier performance across demanding shooting environments.

Samsung's foundry plans have again hit a major setback. The company notified staff at its Taylor, Texas facility that it was temporarily removing workers from the site because it is still experiencing challenges with 2 nm semiconductor yields, delaying mass production timelines from late 2024 to 2026. The Taylor site had been anticipated as the flagship facility for Samsung's sub-4 nm production, allowing access to potential customers near the facility. While Samsung has moved rapidly in terms of process development, its yields for advanced nodes have outstripped them, the company's yields for sub-3 nm processes hover around 50%, with Gate-All-Around (GAA) technology witnessing yields of only 10-20%, significantly lower than neighboring competitor TSMC's 60-70% for corresponding nodes.

The yield gaps that the company is experiencing have exacerbated the gap in market share, with TSMC capturing 62.3% of the global foundry market share in Q2 versus Samsung's 11.5%. The company is struggling to gain share despite efforts by Chairman Lee Jae-yong - including visits to component suppliers ASML, and Zeiss - and these yields put at risk as much as 9 trillion won in U.S. CHIP Act potential subsidies that are dependent upon operational milestones.

Elgato, a brand of Corsair, today announced the launch of Stream Deck Studio in collaboration with Bitfocus, pioneers in professional broadcast software. A truly modern, hyper-customizable control surface that's set to redefine how pro broadcasters interact with their tools, Stream Deck Studio takes the form of a sleek 19-inch console with 32 LCD keys and two rotary dials. Slotting seamlessly into universal studio racks, it consolidates the controls of legions of hardware and software in ways that ensure remarkable ease of use without sacrificing advanced broadcast functionality.

Elgato launched Stream Deck in 2017. Shortly after, seeing how it simplified content creator workflows, Bitfocus developed Companion, custom software that repurposed Stream Deck for use in traditional broadcast settings. Both companies observed wide adoption of Stream Deck and Companion, validating the potential for a more tailored solution. Subsequently, Elgato and Bitfocus co-developed Stream Deck Studio.

Other World Computing (OWC), a trusted leader in delivering high-performance, secure, and sustainable technology solutions that enhance and extend the life of Macs and PCs, today announced the launch of the Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD - ready for pre-order today (shipping in October). Designed to maximize the performance of Mac and PC devices with Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4 Thunderbolt 3, and USB4, this groundbreaking SSD sets a new benchmark with revolutionary speeds exceeding 6000 MB/s—making it up to twice as fast as Thunderbolt 4 and USB4.

"Intel's innovative Thunderbolt 5 technology sets a new standard for performance and simple connectivity, and OWC's Envoy Ultra SSD is a perfect example of how this technology can be harnessed to meet the needs of today's most demanding users," said Larry O'Connor, Founder and CEO, Other World Computing (OWC). "OWC continues to push the boundaries of what's possible, delivering a solution that not only leverages the full potential of Thunderbolt 5 but also opens up new possibilities for professionals and creatives alike."

ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual solutions, launches the ColorPro VP2776T-4K, the company's first Thunderbolt 4 monitor. This monitor enables creative professionals to accelerate workflows with rapid data transfer and offers complete connectivity through its docking station. In addition to Thunderbolt 4, the VP2776T-4K delivers exceptional color precision with 98% DCI-P3, 100% sRGB color coverage, and Delta E < 2 accuracy, while offering stunning clarity with 4K UHD resolution and HDR 400.

Oscar Lin, General Manager of the Monitor Business Unit at ViewSonic, stated, "ColorPro monitors are renowned for delivering industry-leading color accuracy and visual performance, making it the preferred choice for creative professionals. Building on the success of the VP2776, we've taken the VP2776T-4K to the next level by incorporating Thunderbolt 4 technology, providing the speed and versatility that today's videographers, animators, and 3D designers need to elevate their craft
effectively without interruption."

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NVIDIA quietly released a variant of the GeForce RTX 4070 featuring slower 20 Gbps GDDR6 memory, replacing the 21 Gbps GDDR6X that the original RTX 4070 comes with. Wccftech has access to a GALAX branded RTX 4070 GDDR6, and put it through benchmarks focused on comparing it to a regular RTX 4070. Memory type and speed are the only changes in specs, the core-configuration isn't changed, nor is the GPU clock speed. Wccftech's testing shows that the RTX 4070 GDDR6 measures within 0-1% slower than the RTX 4070 (GDDR6X) at 1080p and 1440p resolutions; while the difference between the two is about 2% at 4K Ultra HD.

Wccftech's test-bed is comprehensive, with 27 game tests, each across 3 resolutions; and 7 synthetic tests. The synthetic tests are mainly part of the 3DMark test suite, including Speed Way, Fire Strike, Time Spy, Port Royal, and their presets. Here, the RTX 4070 GDDR6 is nearly identical in performance, with a 0-0.2% delta with the RTX 4070 GDDR6X. In the game tests, performance varies by resolution. 1080p has 0-1% performance delta, with the only noteworthy outliers being "Metro Exodus" (extreme preset), where the RTX 4070 GDDR6 loses 4.2%, and "Alan Wake 2," where it loses 2.3%.

Samsung is implementing a major workforce realignment to improve operations and increase efficiency. According to a report from Reuters, Samsung has instructed its global subsidiaries to reduce marketing and sales staff by 15% and management personnel by 30% by the end of this year. Of its 267,800 employees worldwide, 147,000 are based overseas, and Samsung's global layoff plan is expected to impact all regions, including Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa. The exact motivation behind the layoffs is unclear; one source cites the slowdown in global demand for tech products as a factor, while another suggests Samsung is aiming to increase profits by cutting costs.

Dell is also implementing significant measures, with plans to lay off at least 12,500 employees, approximately 10% of its total workforce. Dell is striving to become "leaner" by overhauling its sales divisions and adopting paperless operations with the help of AI. Job cuts are expected to continue overseas, with U.S. staff members expecting their turn soon. Dell has declined to confirm any numbers regarding the layoffs, particularly those concerning their employees.

ASUS and GIGABYTE have registered a large number of Intel Z890 motherboards with the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). For ASUS, the registrations suggest that these will be released on October 10, followed by an official market launch on October 24. ASUS has added no less than 29 Z890 motherboards to its ROG MAXIMUS, ROG STRIX, TUF GAMING, PRIME, and other series, while GIGABYTE has added 18 models to both its AORUS and non-AORUS series.

ASUS Z890 Motherboards

• ROG MAXIMUS Series
  • ROG MAXIMUS Z890 EXTREME
  • ROG MAXIMUS Z890 FORMULA
  • ROG MAXIMUS Z890 APEX
  • ROG MAXIMUS Z890 APEX ENCORE
  • ROG MAXIMUS Z890 HERO
  • ROG MAXIMUS Z890 DARK HERO
  • ROG MAXIMUS Z890 HERO BTF

AGON by AOC - one of the world's leading gaming monitor and IT accessories brands - announces the expansion of its G4 series with four new models designed to cater to a wide range of gaming preferences and budgets. The new line-up includes the 27-inch (68.6 cm) curved AOC GAMING C27G4ZXU, CQ27G4X, and the flat-model Q27G4XF, as well as the larger variant, the 31.5-inch (80 cm) curved AOC GAMING CQ32G4VE, offering a versatile selection of displays with high refresh rates and responsive panels, perfect for entry-level and budget-conscious gamers looking to elevate their gaming experience.

Curved immersion and lightning-fast refresh rates
The AOC GAMING C27G4ZXU leads the pack with its impressive 280 Hz refresh rate on a 27-inch curved Fast VA panel. This Full HD (1920x1080) monitor features a 1500R curvature for enhanced immersion, an up to 1 ms GtG response time, and 0.3 ms MPRT for crystal-clear motion. With a contrast ratio of 4000:1 and 300 nits brightness, it delivers vivid visuals and deep blacks, letting users enjoy visually rich games as well as competitive titles, striking a perfect balance for casual and enthusiastic gamers. The C27G4ZXU also includes built-in speakers and a 4-port USB 3.2 hub for convenient connectivity for gaming peripherals. For users looking for the same specifications (except speakers and the USB hub) with a simpler stand or to use with VESA mounts for example, AGON by AOC offers the AOC GAMING C27G4ZXE (launched June 2024).

Synnex Technology International is a major Hong Kong-based distributor of PC components, which also retails directly. PC enthusiasts in Hong Kong have been trying to avail replacements for their Intel Core i9-14900K processors under Intel's laid down procedure, including extended warranties for the processor, which has been hit by the notorious physical degradation issue. A customer sent in their i9-14900K to find that they are not getting a replacement chip, because Synnex ran out of chips to send customers as replacements.

The retailer sent in a template response that the chip sent by the customer cannot be repaired or replaced, but the customer can avail a cash refund of HKD $4,200 (around $540), which is close to the street price of the processor. The processor itself has been running out of stock in many places, partly because inventory in the channel is being directed toward honoring warranty claims. The only practical way to honor a processor warranty claim is replacement, since there is very little that can be repaired by a distributor (except maybe the stock cooler). HKEPC reports that the user took Synnex up on its offer for refund, sold everything in their machine except the SSD, and is now planning to build a new machine based on the Ryzen 9 9950X.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced the ROG Strix Platinum PSU series, the ideal power supplies for gaming PC setups. These high-efficiency units, available in 1200-watt, 1000-watt, and 850-watt versions, raise the bar with lower connection temperatures, intelligent wattage delivery, ATX 3.1 with Intel lab testing and a sizeable 10-year warranty.

Smart design, efficient operation
The ROG Strix Platinum PSU series is ready to power any rig a user can assemble, no matter what kind of graphics card they put under the hood. That's where the patented GPU-First intelligent voltage stabilizer (IVS) comes into play. It ensures that even an overclocked graphics card always has the stable power flow it needs to perform at peak capacity during intense gaming sessions, providing up to 45% more stable flow to the GPU than without the stabilizer. And if users prefer a conventional CPU-focused voltage sensor, they can disconnect the Strix Platinum IVS cable.

ASUS today announced ExpertBook BM1, a durable, reliable and versatile laptop designed to meet the demands of the dynamic world of modern business and work. ExpertBook BM1 boasts a robust feature set, including an AMD Ryzen 7 processor with AMD Radeon graphics, up to 64 GB of memory and generous storage options - all encased in a lightweight 1.4 kg design. Its vibrant display with a tall 16:9 aspect ratio enhances the visual experience. Designed for seamless connectivity, it supports up to Wi-Fi 6E and offers a comprehensive range of I/O ports. Additionally, ExpertBook BM1 is built to military-grade durability standards and incorporates an eco-conscious design, reflecting the ASUS commitment to sustainability and accountability.

ExpertBook BM1 is designed to elevate business performance, offering the speed and responsiveness required to meet today's challenges, enabling effortless multitasking, advanced data management, and optimized workflows. Equipped with up to an AMD Ryzen 7 processor with AMD Radeon graphics, it provides the powerful performance necessary to accomplish any task. With up to 64 GB of memory and generous storage capacity, this business laptop is prepared for even the most demanding workloads, ensuring quick access to critical information. ExpertBook BM1 also prioritizes connectivity with support for Wi-Fi 6E and a wide range of I/O ports. Additionally, its military-grade durability ensures it can handle various tasks seamlessly, making ExpertBook BM1 an ideal choice for modern professionals.

Samsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced it has begun mass production of its one-terabit (Tb) quad-level cell (QLC) 9th-generation vertical NAND (V-NAND).

With the industry's first mass production of QLC 9th-generation V-NAND, following the industry's first triple-level cell (TLC) 9th-generation V-NAND production in April this year, Samsung is solidifying its leadership in the high-capacity, high-performance NAND flash market.

ASUS today announced Zenbook S 14 (UX5406), one of the thinnest and most portable 14-inch new-era ASUS AI PCs on the market, blending performance with sophistication. The premium Zenbook S 14 showcases a new functional aesthetic, and has been completely redesigned inside and out. The chassis features the new, innovative ASUS Ceraluminum, a high-tech ceramic hybrid material available in a range of nature-inspired colors. This industry-first material offers exceptional strength, effortlessly resisting scratches and wear.

Zenbook S 14 is powered by up to the latest AI-enabled Intel Core Ultra 9 processor (Series 2) and Intel Arc graphics, delivering up to 48 NPU TOPS. Advanced CNC milling enables the integration of an ultraslim vapor chamber in the ultra-quiet ambient cooling system—unique for such a thin device—ensuring up to 28-watt CPU TDP performance with minimal noise. The functional design features a dedicated Copilot key and an enlarged 16:10 seamless touchpad that supports smart gestures.

Intel is expected to launch its next-generation Core Ultra 200 "Arrow Lake-S" desktop processors on October 24, 2024, and since these chips introduce the new Socket LGA1851, they launch alongside new motherboards. The first wave of Core Ultra 200 series processors will be "K" or "KF" SKUs targeting gamers and enthusiasts, and the first compatible motherboards will be based on the premium Intel Z890 chipset. Intel is reportedly being extra careful not to repeat the "Raptor Lake" fiasco that saw motherboards power its 13th- and 14th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" processors with elevated voltages, causing their irreversible physical degradation over time. To this effect, Intel is reportedly getting its motherboard partners to ship their Intel Z890 chipset motherboards with Intel Default Power Profile out of the box.

A motherboard-level Power Profile dictates the processor base power (PL1), maximum turbo power (PL2), and IccMax values. We don't know these values for "Arrow Lake-S," particularly its top Core Ultra 9 285K part; but to illustrate what Default Power Profile out of the box means, we have to look at "Raptor Lake-S." For a Core i9-14900K, the Performance Power Profile—which is what Intel Z690 and Z790 motherboards enable out of the box—provide a PL1 of 125 W, PL2 of 253 W, and IccMax of 307 W, which is what Intel considers stock for this processor model.

Valve is excited to announce Steam Families is now available for all users. Steam Families is a collection of new and existing family-related features. It replaces both Steam Family Sharing and Steam Family View, giving you a single location to manage which games your family can access and when they can play. To get started, you can create a Steam Family and then invite up to 5 family members. You can manage your family from your Steam Client, mobile device or web browser. By joining a Steam Family, each member gains access to the following Steam features:

Family Sharing: When you join a Steam Family, you automatically gain access to the shareable games that your family members own, and they will also be able to access the shareable titles in your library. The next time you log in to Steam, this new 'family library' will appear in the left column as a subsection of your games list. You maintain ownership of your current titles and when you purchase a new game it will still show up in your collection. Best of all, when you are playing a game from your family library, you will create your own saved games, earn your own Steam achievements, have access to workshop files and more. Family Sharing enables you to play games from other family members' libraries, even if they are online playing another game. If your family library has multiple copies of a game, multiple members of the family can play that game at the same time. Family Sharing is a feature that developers may opt their games out of for technical or other reasons at any time. Visit the Steam Store to see a list of games that currently support Family Sharing.

GameMax, an emerging brand of PC gaming components including gaming cases and power supply units, is thrilled to introduce the innovative N80 panoramic dual-chamber chassis. The GameMax N80 features an innovative design that's both functional and aesthetic that's unlike most panoramic cases today. The GameMax N80 features a split dual chamber design creating two compartments with independent cooling. The opening between the lower and upper chambers allows colder fresh air to enter the upper chamber which greatly improves cooling compared to typical case designs. The N80 also features a panoramic curved clear glass panel providing a view of the interior.

NVIDIA has released its latest GeForce WHQL Game Ready drivers, version 561.09, which brings optimizations for FINAL FANTASY XVI and God of War Ragnarök games, including support for DLSS 3 technology. It also adds launch support for EA SPORTS FC 25 and Frostpunk 2 games. The new GeForce 561.09 WHQL Game Ready drivers also add new GeForce Optimal Settings for Black Myth: Wukong, F1 Manager 2024, and Star Wars Outlaws games. Unfortunately, it does not fix any previously seen gaming bugs, but it does add several general bug fixes, including a fix for GeForce Experience where Performance Monitoring overlay could stop refreshing GPU information, a fix for NVIDIA App, where game filters may be missing when invoking the NVIDIA Overlay in-game, and a fix for performance issues in some workloads with Chaos V-Ray. Interestingly, there are no listed open issues with the latest driver either.

DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce 561.09 WHQL Game Ready

AMD today released early driver support for the Radeon 800M series integrated graphics of Ryzen AI 300 series mobile processors to use AMD Fluid Motion Frames 2 (AFMF 2), and Variable Graphics Memory (VGM) technologies. The two technologies receive optimization for the RDNA 3.5 graphics architecture driving the iGPU of the "Strix Point" silicon on which the Ryzen AI 300 series processors are based on. AFMF 2 is the second generation of AMD Fluid Motion Frames, a technology that lets you nearly double frame-rates on any Direct3D 11 or later game, without the gaming having explicit support for a frame generation technology, such as FSR 3 Frame Generation. AFMF operates out of the game's graphics pipeline, which adds a tiny bit of system latency. AFMF 2 seeks to reduce this latency.

Variable Graphics Memory (VGM) is another interesting feature that builds on top of the UMA (unified memory architecture) implementation of AMD processors with iGPUs. Depending on a 3D application's demands, the technology dynamically allocates up to 75% of the system memory as video memory for the iGPU, while ensuring the game doesn't run into unintentional performance bottlenecks arising from paging main memory if too much of it is used up by the iGPU. For VGM to work, a system needs at least 16 GB of main memory. VGM is not meant to be confused with the shared memory area that the processor allots to the iGPU by default (which ranges between 512 MB and 2 GB), it's designed to augment to this by eating into the system memory.

Oracle today announced the first zettascale cloud computing clusters accelerated by the NVIDIA Blackwell platform. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) is now taking orders for the largest AI supercomputer in the cloud—available with up to 131,072 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs.

"We have one of the broadest AI infrastructure offerings and are supporting customers that are running some of the most demanding AI workloads in the cloud," said Mahesh Thiagarajan, executive vice president, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. "With Oracle's distributed cloud, customers have the flexibility to deploy cloud and AI services wherever they choose while preserving the highest levels of data and AI sovereignty."

The $8.5 billion in CHIPS Act assistance intended for Intel from the US government is expected to be delayed due to the company's ongoing financial struggles. According to a Bloomberg report, the Department of Commerce rejected the initial allocation request, requiring Intel to meet specific objectives and complete a comprehensive due diligence process before the funds are released.

Intel has committed to remaining engaged in discussions despite the additional requirements, though it encountered regulatory and timing challenges. The terms of the funding include $8.5 billion in direct assistance to Intel, along with $11 billion in low-cost credit, and a 25 percent tax credit worth up to $100 billion for Intel's investments in Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio, and Oregon.

Iodyne, a company dedicated to providing Pro users with the best technology, announced its Pro Mini external solid-state drive sporting unique features like the dual AirJet cooling system. This technology allows the drive to maintain sustained performance without the thermal throttling that plagues other portable SSDs. The Pro Mini can deliver speeds of 3 GB/s, up to two times the sustained throughput of standard professional SSDs, even with active encryption and internal RAID protection.

The drive features a triple-anodized machined aluminum chassis and hardened glass protection with a customizable 2.1" E-paper display. Offered with 4 TB or 8 TB capacities, the iodyne Pro Mini offers versatile connectivity, including a bus-powered USB-C port that automatically detects the connection type and adjusts its speed accordingly, supporting up to 40 Gb/s Thunderbolt connections. Security is another point where this product stands out with the use of Passkeys instead of passwords, along with enterprise-grade encryption and hardware-accelerated RAID-6 data protection. The Pro Mini also incorporates an integrated Bluetooth beacon for location tracking.

In a statement shared with Call Of Duty news website Charlie Intel, Activision confirms that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be sticking with a single global launch around October 25, 2024, with no early access benefits. As a result, players who are eager to try out what the Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 narrative campaign's complex storytelling has in-store for us, will have to wait until its official release. Activision are going to be focusing on a massive global launch for all game modes on October 25.

Unlike Black Ops 6, previously released Call Of Duty titles granted early access to the campaign mode for players who pre-order the title, with access to multiplayer matches for everyone during the official launch of the game.

The $699.99 MSRP of the Sony PlayStation 5 Pro is a source of outrage on social media, but what if we told you that the new premium console is in fact cheaper than what the PlayStation 3 cost at launch for even its cheapest variant? Sony launched the PlayStation 3 in 2006, with its cheapest variant that came with a 20 GB hard drive, at $499, in the US. A premium variant with a 60 GB HDD cost $599. Both models included a Blu-ray drive, as physical media was the prevalent mode of game distribution. In comes inflation. $599 in 2006 money is approximately $930 in today's money, while $499 (2006) in today's money is approximately $780.

Even the cheapest variant of the PlayStation 3 cost 11% more at launch than the PlayStation 5 Pro, adjusted by inflation, while the premium variant cost 24% more. The PlayStation 5 Pro is digital-only, and lacks an optical drive, which can be purchased separately for $80. Adding this cost, the PS5 Pro with a separately purchased optical drive costs exactly as much as the base model PlayStation 3 with 20 GB HDD did, back in 2006, adjusted by inflation.

EasySMX, the leading manufacturer of gaming peripherals, is proud to announce the launch of the EasySMX X20 Gaming Controller, designed to meet the demands of both casual and competitive gamers. Packed with industry-leading features, the X20 delivers unparalleled precision, customization, and speed across multiple platforms, ensuring every gamer has the competitive edge needed to excel. The EasySMX X20 brings a new level of precision and control, offering features that cater to a wide range of playstyles and game genres. Whether it's the rapid action required in FPS titles or the precise control needed in racing games, the X20 ensures you stay ahead of the competition.

Stephen, CEO of EasySMX, emphasized the company's vision for the X20, stating:"The X20 represents our commitment to meeting the needs of today's gamers. With unparalleled customization, speed, and comfort, we're providing a controller that can be adapted to every playstyle. Whether you're looking for quick trigger responses or full control over your thumbstick angles, the X20 delivers the flexibility you need to dominate any game."

NVIDIA GeForce board partners are preparing a silent launch of a variant of the GeForce RTX 4070 with slower 20 Gbps GDDR6 memory in place of the 21 Gbps GDDR6X that's standard to the RTX 4070, which results in a 5% reduction in memory bandwidth. It turns out that other specs, such as GPU clocks or core-configuration aren't changed to compensate for the reduced memory bandwidth. ASUS is among the first board partners with an RTX 4060 GDDR6 card, the ASUS DUAL RTX 4070 GDDR6, which was briefly listed on Newegg for $569, before it went out of stock. This is reported by VideoCardz as being the same price as the regular ASUS DUAL RTX 4070 with GDDR6X.

ASUS isn't the only NVIDIA board partner with an RTX 4070 GDDR6, Wccftech spotted a GALAX branded card that comes with the model string "RTX 4070 D6 1-click OC." Its retail box features a large specs-sheet on the front face that clearly mentions GDDR6 as the memory type. NVIDIA's move to re-spec the RTX 4070 with 20 Gbps GDDR6 was originally seen as a move to reduce its costs, letting the card be sold closer to the $500-mark. It remains to be seen if real-world prices settle down below those of the original RTX 4070 cards.

SambaNova Systems, provider of the fastest and most efficient chips and AI models, announced SambaNova Cloud, the world's fastest AI inference service enabled by the speed of its SN40L AI chip. Developers can log on for free via an API today — no waiting list — and create their own generative AI applications using both the largest and most capable model, Llama 3.1 405B, and the lightning-fast Llama 3.1 70B. SambaNova Cloud runs Llama 3.1 70B at 461 tokens per second (t/s) and 405B at 132 t/s at full precision.

"SambaNova Cloud is the fastest API service for developers. We deliver world record speed and in full 16-bit precision - all enabled by the world's fastest AI chip," said Rodrigo Liang, CEO of SambaNova Systems. "SambaNova Cloud is bringing the most accurate open source models to the vast developer community at speeds they have never experienced before."

Infineon Technologies AG today announced that the company has succeeded in developing the world's first 300 mm power gallium nitride (GaN) wafer technology. Infineon is the first company in the world to master this groundbreaking technology in an existing and scalable high-volume manufacturing environment. The breakthrough will help substantially drive the market for GaN-based power semiconductors. Chip production on 300 mm wafers is technologically more advanced and significantly more efficient compared to 200 mm wafers, since the bigger wafer diameter offers 2.3 times more chips per wafer.

GaN-based power semiconductors find fast adoption in industrial, automotive, and consumer, computing & communication applications, including power supplies for AI systems, solar inverters, chargers and adapters, and motor-control systems. State-of-the art GaN manufacturing processes lead to improved device performance resulting in benefits in end customers' applications as it enables efficiency performance, smaller size, lighter weight, and lower overall cost. Furthermore, 300 mm manufacturing ensures superior customer supply stability through scalability.

MSI is thrilled to introduce a groundbreaking feature on its X870(E) series motherboards. This innovative is designed with gamers and professionals in mind, provides the extra power required for AI computing and GPU-intensive applications. The supplemental PCIe Power feature, equipped with an integrated 8-pin PCIe power connector, delivers additional power for GPUs demanding higher wattage, ensuring they can achieve their peak performance. Paired with the ATX 3.1 power standard, which can hold up to a 2.5x power excursion for enhanced reliability and better power delivery, this feature ensures stable, efficient, and sustained performance, even under heavy loads. Whether gaming or tackling complex applications, this supplemental PCIe Power offers unmatched reliability and stability for the most demanding environments.

What is Supplemental PCIe Power?
Think of it as an extra battery pack for your motherboard. The system's 12 V power on the 24pin power connector from the motherboard basically handles all the PCIe interface, fans and RGB extensions. Still, the supplemental PCIe power ensures everything runs smoothly when your PC is pushed to the limit—like when running very intensive graphical games or maximizing all the fan dissipation for extreme performance.

AMD officially launched the Radeon RX 7800M mobile graphics, which fills the rather vast gap that exists between its flagship Radeon RX 7900M, and the mid-range RX 7600M XT. This is the first official outing of the "Navi 32" GPU on the mobile platform. The RX 7800M maxes out the "Navi 32," enabling all 60 compute units, however, it does not max out the memory bus. The RX 7800M comes with 12 GB of 18 Gbps GDDR6 memory across a 192-bit wide memory bus. This means that only three out of four memory cache dies (MCDs) of the "Navi 32" are enabled, giving the chip 48 MB of Infinity Cache.

The RX 7800M essentially has the GCD core configuration of the desktop RX 7800 XT, but with the memory and cache configuration of the desktop RX 7700 XT. The 60 CU give it 3,840 stream processors, 120 AI accelerators, 60 ray accelerators, 240 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. The GPU comes with a Game Clocks frequency of 2145 MHz, while the memory ticks at 18 Gbps (432 GB/s memory bandwidth). AMD has given the RX 7800M a total graphics power (TGP) value of 180 W, which makes it fit for performance-segment gaming notebooks and mobile workstations. For reference, the RX 7900M comes with a TGP range of 180-200 W.

SK hynix Inc. announced today that it has developed PEB110 E1.S (PEB110), a high-performance solid-state drive (SSD) for data centers. With the advent of the AI era, customer demand for high-performance NAND solutions such as SSDs for data centers, as well as ultra-fast DRAM chips including high bandwidth memory (HBM), is growing. In line with this trend, the company has developed and introduced a new product with improved data processing speed and power efficiency by applying the fifth-generation (Gen 5) PCIe specifications.

SK hynix expects to meet diverse customer needs with a more robust SSD portfolio following successful mass production of PS1010 with the introduction of PEB110. The company is currently in the qualification process with a global data center customer and plans to begin mass production of the product in the second quarter of next year, pending qualification. PCle Gen 5, applied to the new product, provides twice the bandwidth of the fourth generation (Gen 4), enabling PEB110 to achieve data transfer rates of up to 32 gigatransfers per second (GT/s). This enables PEB110 to double the performance of the previous generation and improve power efficiency by more than 30%.

Intel has reportedly delayed the launch of its next-generation Core Ultra 200K series "Arrow Lake-S" desktop processors by a week. Originally slated for an October 17, 2024 launch, these chips are now releasing on October 24, according to HKEPC. There's no reason cited for the delay, it probably has to do with retailer stocking. The delay isn't significant. The Core Ultra 200K introduce a new CPU socket, the LGA1851, which means these chips need to launch alongside new motherboards based on the Intel 800-series.

The initial wave of processors is expected to include only SKUs targeting overclockers and enthusiasts. These include the Core Ultra 9 285K (8P+16E), the Core Ultra 7 265K (8P+12E), and the Core Ultra 5 245K (6P+8E), and their "KF" variants that lack integrated graphics. It's also expected that the first wave of compatible motherboards will only come with the premium Intel Z890 chipset, which supports CPU overclocking. Intel will likely expand its processor model selection, along with more affordable chipsets, such as the B860, around the 2025 International CES.

Over the years, Destiny 2's popularity has waxed and waned, once peaking at over 300,000 players per month and subsequently settling at around 35,000 players, with annual updates often resulting in an influx of returning and new players. Now, according to a blog post from Bungie, the developer claims that Destiny 2 will adopt a new content delivery strategy and look to a combination of non-linear narratives and new game formats, like "rogue-likes or survival shooters" for future content updates.

In the blog post celebrating the Destiny franchise's 10th anniversary, Bungie details how the company will be moving away from large, yearly explanations containing one-shot stories. Instead, with the new content delivery strategy, which Bungie calls Codename: Frontiers, the free-to-play RPG will get two expansions per year and four major free content updates every year.

Quersus, one of the leading European ergonomic chair manufacturers, proudly announces an exceptional collaboration with Audi, the renowned German premium car manufacturer. Together, they present two exclusive Quersus models under the Audi license: the Quersus VAOS Audi RS Q e-tron and the Quersus ICOS Audi. These chairs embody the essence of innovation and design, combining superior comfort with cutting-edge automotive aesthetics.

The Quersus VAOS Audi Gaming Chair: Inspired by the design of the Audi RS Q e-tron, victorious in the 2024 Dakar Rally, this gaming chair reflects the spirit of competition and advanced technology. Its bold lines echo the dynamic design of Audi's off-road prototype vehicle. The Quersus ICOS Audi Office Chair: Inspired by the design of the Audi single-seater study, this ergonomic hybrid office chair with a sporty curve embodies the innovation and pursuit of performance of Audi vehicles. Its modern design, blending sobriety and character, revolutionizes the look of any workspace.

Mojang has revealed that the Minecraft's annual mob vote (a feature that allows players to pick the next creature added to the game) tradition is coming to an end as part of a new game update structure, following TikTok war propaganda-inspired posters by players fed-up with the tradition.

On September 9, via a post on its blog, Mojang announced that its annual news livestream, Minecraft Live, is discarding the mob vote feature and is now being split up into several smaller, more-focused broadcasts, which will occur twice a year. Mojang also revealed that free content updates would be released more often, abandoning the traditional annual larger updates and sticking to smaller updates like this year's Armored Paws update.

Valve's latest arena shooter Deadlock has been generating hype for a long time, with recent concurrent player counts exceeding 170,000 at one point, according to SteamDB. More recently, however, reports indicate that cheaters are already invading Deadlock, despite the fact that the game is still in invite-only public alpha testing.

As shown in a recent Reddit post containing a kill-cam video from Deadlock, a supposed cheater very brazenly appears to use a wall hack to track an enemy through a wall and pre-emptively dodge an attack. In the clip, the gamer who spotted the alleged infraction, this isn't even the first time they have encountered the same cheater in-game, and there are countless reports on both Reddit and the Deadlock forum reporting similar experiences.

Over the last four years since the launch of PS5, we've worked hard to continuously evolve the console experience and deliver the great games our players expect from us. Today, I'm incredibly proud to announce the next step in that evolution and welcome PlayStation 5 Pro to the PlayStation family - our most advanced and innovative console hardware to date.

We developed PS5 Pro with deeply engaged players and game creators in mind - as many have asked for a console that runs even higher fidelity graphics with smoother frame rates at 60 FPS. We achieved this on PS5 Pro with several key performance features.

• Upgraded GPU: With PS5 Pro, we are upgrading to a GPU that has 67% more Compute Units than the current PS5 console and 28% faster memory. Overall, this enables up to 45% faster rendering for gameplay, making the experience much smoother.
• Advanced Ray Tracing: We've added even more powerful ray tracing that provides more dynamic reflection and refraction of light. This allows the rays to be cast at double, and at times triple, the speeds of the current PS5 console.
• AI-Driven Upscaling: We're also introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-driven upscaling that uses a machine learning-based technology to provide super sharp image clarity by adding an extraordinary amount of detail.

Cytrence, a leading innovator in automation and robotic tooling, proudly announces the official launch of Cytrence Kiwi, the first advanced KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) device over USB 3. Designed to revolutionize how engineers, IT professionals, and tech enthusiasts manage their multi-device setups, Kiwi offers unmatched performance and flexibility, establishing itself as truly one-of-a-kind in the industry.

Kiwi offers a host of innovative features, including:

• Cross-Device Control: Use your laptop or PC's keyboard and mouse to control another device seamlessly.
• Ultra-fast Video Performance over USB 3 SuperSpeed
• Compact Design: Weighing only 25 grams and fitting into the palm of your hand, Kiwi is portable and easy to use in any environment.

Today, AMD announced "Advancing AI 2024," an in-person and livestreamed event on October 10, 2024 to showcase the next-generation AMD Instinct accelerators and 5th Gen AMD EPYC server processors, as well as Networking and AI PC updates, in addition to highlighting the Company's growing AI solutions ecosystem. AMD executives and AI ecosystems partners, customers and developers will join Chair and CEO Dr. Lisa Su to discuss how AMD products and software are reshaping the AI and high-performance computing landscape. The live stream will start at 9:00 a.m. PT/12:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 10

xMEMS Labs, developers of the foremost platform for piezoMEMS innovation and creators of the world's leading all-silicon micro speakers, today announced collaboration with SOUNDPEATS to equip its all-new Capsule3 Pro+ TWS earbuds with its Cowell micro speaker. Cowell is the world's smallest full-range, all-silicon, solid-state speaker that delivers precise, high-fidelity, high-resolution audio, phase consistency, and high-frequency extension.
Capsule3 Pro+ are the first product from SOUNDPEATS to leverage xMEMS' solid-state micro speakers, and, as a result, excel in sound quality and elevate the user listening experience.

The Capsule3 Pro+ TWS earbuds use xMEMS' Cowell as the tweeter for exceptional high-frequency response and a 12 mm dynamic driver for mid-bass production. With the dual speakers working in tandem, the earbuds deliver well-balanced sound with both powerful bass and pristine high-frequency details - that overcome the typical sound quality limitations of TWS earbuds. Consumers can also expect a more comfortable and ergonomic fit with the Capsule3 Pro+ TWS earbuds due to the integration of xMEMS' compact hardware.

Corsair today announced an update to its award-winning low-noise RMx series of power supplies with ATX 3.1 compliance, a native ATX 12V-2x6 connector, a manual fan speed control knob, and other improvements. Boasting Gold-certified efficiency (up to 91%) and an A+ noise rating from Cybenetics, the new RMx series includes fully modular, ultra-flexible embossed cables that simplify cable routing even in the most challenging of PC builds. Cooled by a 140 mm Fluid-Dynamic Bearing fan with a magnetic dome structure and a manual fan override knob, the RMx series remains one of the quietest and most reliable power supplies available.

"We're pleased to launch the new RMx Series with an entirely new electrical design that includes a six-layer PCB for better thermal and electrical performance, an upgraded fan, and full ATX 3.1 compliance," said Jon Gerow, Director of Power Supply Research and Development at Corsair. "We're also happy to announce it achieved the Cybenetics Gold rating for efficiency and the A+ rating for audible noise." Each RMx power supply features 100% Japanese electrolytic capacitors and delivers its rated power output at a 50°C ambient temperature, ensuring reliable power and longevity even under high-stress conditions.

NETGEAR, Inc., the leading provider of innovative and secure solutions for people to connect and manage their digital lives, today expanded its portfolio of high-performance WiFi 7 devices with the introduction of the Nighthawk M7 Pro Mobile Hotspot (MR7400). Based on NETGEAR's nearly 30 years of pioneering network expertise, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon SDX75 chipset and running on AT&T's reliable 5G network, the M7 Pro provides flexible, high-speed connectivity for consumers and businesses anywhere, anytime.

Whether it's working remotely, staying in touch with family and friends, or enjoying entertainment on the go, having a reliable, secure and fast internet connection anywhere can make a huge difference in productivity, convenience, and satisfaction. The Nighthawk M7 Pro Mobile Hotspot conveys the benefits of WiFi 7 and 5G technology, which offer faster speeds, lower latency, and better coverage than ever before. The M7 Pro provides a strong, reliable connection with 5G speeds of up to 6 Gbps. With tri-band WiFi 7 and dual-band concurrent operation, it unleashes aggregated WiFi speeds of up to 5.8 Gbps.

AMD is about to extend its mobile CPU lineup with the introduction of new Ryzen AI APUs, which are going to include the Krackan Point series which has been greatly expected. These CPUs are aimed at mainstream platforms and are targeted to bring performance, AI capabilities, and memory support to a new level. Krackan Point is supposed to be a cheaper alternative to the premium Strix Point series. Jack Huynh, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Computing and Graphics Business Group of AMD confirmed at IFA 2024 that Krackan will be released to the mass market early in 2025.

One of the highlights is the support for LPDDR5X-8000 memory, this feature is expected to place the Krackan Point APUs close to AMD's Strix Halo series and compete directly with Intel's Lunar Lake processors. The XDNA2 Neural Processing Unit and also the certification of AMD for Microsoft Copilot+PC will be the advantages of this enhancement of the product.

Today, AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) opened a new engineering design center in Serbia, with offices in Belgrade and Nis, strengthening its presence in the Balkans region. The new design center will employ highly skilled software engineers focused on the development of software technologies optimized for AMD leadership compute platforms, including the AMD ROCm software stack for AMD Instinct data center accelerators and AMD Radeon graphics cards. The center was established through an agreement with HTEC, a global technology services company.

"Software plays a critical role in unlocking the capabilities of our leadership AMD hardware. Our new design center will be instrumental in enabling both the design and deployment of future generations of AMD Instinct and Radeon accelerators to help make end-to-end AI solutions more accessible to customers around the world," said Andrej Zdravkovic, senior vice president and chief software officer at AMD. "Our investments in Serbia are a testament to the Balkan region's strong engineering talent, and we are excited to collaborate with HTEC, local universities and the vibrant ecosystem in Belgrade and Nis as we deepen our presence in the region over the coming years."

Toshiba Electronic Components Taiwan Corporation (Toshiba) announces the Mx11 family of helium-sealed high-capacity HDDs. The Mx11 family includes the MG11 Series, which provides capacities of up to 24 TB using conventional magnetic recording (CMR), and the MA11 Series which offers up to 28 TB capacities with shingled magnetic recording (SMR).

The new Mx11 family is designed to deliver new levels of density and power efficiency to customers tasked with controlling (or managing) operational costs while meeting the relentless demands of data growth. Built on a common architecture, both products feature a 10-disk, helium-sealed, standard 3.5-inch 7,200rpm design that leverages Toshiba's innovative flux control microwave assisted magnetic recording (FC-MAMR) technology. Engineered for higher performance and 24/7 reliability, the Mx11 family is designed with a 1GiB buffer, a workload rating of 550 TB per year, an MTTF/MTBF of 2.5 million hours, and an AFR of 0.35%.

Synopsys, Inc. today announced the industry's first complete UCIe IP solution operating at up to 40 Gbps per pin to address the increased compute performance requirements of the world's fastest AI data centers. The UCIe interconnect, the de facto standard for die-to-die connectivity, is critical for high-bandwidth, low-latency die-to-die connectivity in multi-die packages, enabling more data to travel efficiently across heterogeneous and homogeneous dies, or chiplets, in today's AI data center systems.

Synopsys' 40G UCIe IP supports both organic substrate and high-density, advanced packaging technologies to give designers the flexibility to explore the packaging options that best fit their needs. The complete Synopsys 40G UCIe IP solution, including PHY, controller, and verification IP, is a key component of Synopsys' comprehensive and scalable multi-die solution for fast heterogeneous integration from early architecture exploration to manufacturing.

Motherboard vendors have been sporadically announcing their new premium- and high-end motherboards based on the AMD X870E and AMD X870 desktop chipsets, however, we've had a hard time finding or ordering these online. It turns out that although AMD allowed its motherboard partners to tease or announce their products based on the new chipset models, their market availability is timed.

Apparently, you should be able to buy these motherboards starting September 30, 2024. In the run-up to their availability, various online retailers have put up these motherboards at fairly high prices. Motherboards based on the cheaper AMD X870 are typically priced above $250, while those based on the top X870E start around $325. It is widely rumored that the mid-range AMD B850 will launch early next year. Until then, you always have the option of older AMD B650 chipset motherboards. If you want to pair these with newer Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" processors, you can take advantage of the UEFI BIOS Flashback feature.

Sony is widely expected to announce its new premium PlayStation 5 Pro game console later today. The PlayStation Twitter handle posted that a PlayStation 5 technical presentation hosted by Mark Cerny (PlayStation systems lead architect) would stream later today, without specifying PlayStation 5 Pro. The announcement stream will be rather brisk, spanning only 9 minutes, but it seems enough for Cerny to provide a detailed rundown of what to expect from the PS5 Pro, since this is a premium variant of the existing PS5 generation, and not a "PlayStation 6." The PlayStation 5 Pro is being designed to offer 4K Ultra HD gameplay at native, or near-native resolution, with added eye-candy, thanks to its significantly updated graphics processor.

Sony and its exclusivity stuff has made the minds behind the Bloodborne on PC, tired of their promises. With their fed-up switch turned on, Bloodborne modders are working tirelessly to liberate another Sony title from console exclusivity. The gaming community is tired of waiting for Sony to release the PC Port of this game and have taken things into their own hands, once again, just like they did with Bloodborne.

The modders are trying their utmost best to make Read Dead Redemption run as stable as possible on PC with various updates. Over the past few years, we've many of our beloved games go under the chain and lock of the Playstation console exclusivity on their way to PC. And the results are not so great. While it's proven to be incredible additions to the console, they still haven't released any official ports for AAA games like Bloodborne. All these, pushed us gamers to the wall, and we certainly had to take laws into our hands, and we ended up bringing an emulator that could finally run Bloodborne on PC.

A long time before the debates, the director of God of War, Cory Barlog, already had his eyes set on the Venom-famed actor Tom Hardy to play Kratos in a live-action adaptation of the God of War game. In a video that aired six years ago, Cory Barlog expressed his thoughts on who should play Kratos on the silver screen. God of War is one of the most popular gaming titles, making waves since 2005.

Now, the God of War team is planning a live-action adaptation. Although it's still underway, the debate is fierce with some suggesting ex-WWE superstar Dwayne Johnson for his masculine looks and aggressive temperament, and others, the God of War's Kratos' voice actor Christopher Judge. Some even suggest Jason Momoa plays the role.

Black Myth: Wukong is undoubtedly 2024's best-selling game, so far. Released in August 2024 and gaining 18M sales within two weeks, PC and PS5 users have been enjoying this game since its release, and Xbox gamers have just been sitting at the back seat missing out on all the fun. Now, GameStop has taken advantage of the situation, offering two options to the Series S users.

GameStop posted on X, offering Series S users a trade in price of $272.50 in exchange for their Xbox S, which is not far off from the price of a new Xbox Series S, $289.99. With no release date for the game on Xbox, players on the Series S might be tempted to jump ship. Either the gamers remain patient and wait for the game to come to the console, or they trade in their Series S, and perhaps use credit to purchase a PS5 and enjoy the game that has been making waves in the gaming community recently.

Rambus Inc., a premier chip and silicon IP provider making data faster and safer, today announced the industry's first HBM4 Memory Controller IP, extending its market leadership in HBM IP with broad ecosystem support. This new solution supports the advanced feature set of HBM4 devices, and will enable designers to address the demanding memory bandwidth requirements of next-generation AI accelerators and graphics processing units (GPUs).

"With Large Language Models (LLMs) now exceeding a trillion parameters and continuing to grow, overcoming bottlenecks in memory bandwidth and capacity is mission-critical to meeting the real-time performance requirements of AI training and inference," said Neeraj Paliwal, SVP and general manager of Silicon IP, at Rambus. "As the leading silicon IP provider for AI 2.0, we are bringing the industry's first HBM4 Controller IP solution to the market to help our customers unlock breakthrough performance in their state-of-the-art processors and accelerators."

Apple today announced a groundbreaking new lineup of AirPods models and features. The new AirPods 4 are the most advanced and comfortable headphones Apple has ever created with an open-ear design, and today, customers can choose between two distinct models: AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). AirPods Max now come in midnight, starlight, blue, purple, and orange, and offer USB-C charging for more convenience. This fall, AirPods Pro 2 will introduce the world's first end-to-end hearing health experience, delivering active Hearing Protection, a scientifically validated Hearing Test, and a clinical-grade Hearing Aid feature.

AirPods 4 and AirPods Max will be available to pre-order starting today, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 20. New hearing health features will be available this fall for AirPods Pro 2 users in more than 100 countries and regions.

Apple today announced iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, built for Apple Intelligence, the easy-to-use personal intelligence system that understands personal context to deliver intelligence that is helpful and relevant while protecting user privacy. The iPhone 16 lineup also introduces Camera Control, which brings new ways to capture memories, and will help users quickly access visual intelligence to learn about objects or places around them faster than ever before. The powerful camera system features a 48MP Fusion camera with a 2x Telephoto option, giving users two cameras in one, while a new Ultra Wide camera enables macro photography. Next-generation Photographic Styles help users personalize their images, and spatial photo and video capture allows users to relive life's precious memories with remarkable depth on Apple Vision Pro. The new A18 chip delivers a huge leap in performance and efficiency, enabling demanding AAA games, as well as a big boost in battery life.

iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will be available in five bold colors: black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine. Pre-orders begin Friday, September 13, with availability beginning Friday, September 20.

Apple today introduced iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, featuring Apple Intelligence, larger display sizes, new creative capabilities with innovative pro camera features, stunning graphics for immersive gaming, and more—all powered by the A18 Pro chip. With Apple Intelligence, powerful Apple-built generative models come to iPhone in the easy-to-use personal intelligence system that understands personal context to deliver intelligence that is helpful and relevant while protecting user privacy. Camera Control unlocks a fast, intuitive way to tap into visual intelligence and easily interact with the advanced camera system. Featuring a new 48MP Fusion camera with a faster quad-pixel sensor that enables 4K120 FPS video recording in Dolby Vision, these new Pro models achieve the highest resolution and frame-rate combination ever available on iPhone. Additional advancements include a new 48MP Ultra Wide camera for higher-resolution photography, including macro; a 5x Telephoto camera on both Pro models; and studio-quality mics to record more true-to-life audio. The durable titanium design is strong yet lightweight, with larger display sizes, the thinnest borders on any Apple product, and a huge leap in battery life—with iPhone 16 Pro Max offering the best battery life on iPhone ever.

iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be available in four stunning finishes: black titanium, natural titanium, white titanium, and desert titanium. Pre-orders begin Friday, September 13, with availability beginning Friday, September 20.

Mobilint, an edge AI chip company led by CEO Dongjoo Shin, is set to make waves at the upcoming AI Hardware & Edge AI Summit 2024 in Silicon Valley. The three-day event, starting on September 10th, will showcase Mobilint's latest innovations in AI chip technology. The company will demonstrate live demos of its high-efficiency SoC 'REGULUS' for on-device AI and high-performance acceleration chip 'ARIES' for on-premises AI.

The AI Hardware Summit is an annual event where global IT giants such as Microsoft, NVIDIA, Google, Meta, and AMD, along with prominent startups, gather to share their developments in AI and machine learning. This year's summit features world-renowned AI experts as speakers, including Andrew Ng, CEO of Landing AI, and Mark Russinovich, CTO of Microsoft Azure.

According to new information from Tom's Hardware, AMD has announced plans to unify its consumer-focused gaming RDNA and data center CDNA graphics architectures into a single, unified design called "UDNA." The announcement was made by AMD's Jack Huynh, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Computing and Graphics Business Group, at IFA 2024 in Berlin. The goal of the new UDNA architecture is to provide a single focus point for developers so that each optimized application can run on consumer-grade GPU like Radeon RX 7900XTX as well as high-end data center GPU like Instinct MI300. This will create a unification similar to NVIDIA's CUDA, which enables CUDA-focused developers to run applications on everything ranging from laptops to data centers.

Jack HuynhSo, part of a big change at AMD is today we have a CDNA architecture for our Instinct data center GPUs and RDNA for the consumer stuff. It's forked. Going forward, we will call it UDNA. There'll be one unified architecture, both Instinct and client [consumer]. We'll unify it so that it will be so much easier for developers versus today, where they have to choose and value is not improving.

TrendForce reports that NAND Flash prices continued to rise in 2Q24 as server inventory adjustments neared completion and AI spurred demand for high-capacity storage products. However, high inventory levels among PC and smartphone buyers led to a 1% QoQ decline in NAND Flash bit shipments. Despite this, ASP increased by 15% and drove total revenue to US$16.796 billion, a 14.2% growth compared to the previous quarter.

All NAND Flash suppliers returned to profitability starting in the second quarter and are expanding capacity in the third quarter to meet strong demand from AI and server markets. However, weaker-than-expected PC and smartphone sales in the first half of the year are likely to constrain NAND Flash shipment growth.

Polish computer memory brand Goodram is launching a new external SSD called the HX200. Thanks to its parameters, the drive will interest a wide range of users, from mobile professionals to gadget lovers and those who store gigabytes of data in the form of photos, videos and documents.

With its unique colour, the drive will appeal to female users who appreciate style and elegance in their daily use of technology. The launch of the HX200 is manufacturer's next step towards providing innovative solutions combining functionality and aesthetics.

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is almost here, and from the looks of it, it's going to be a massive hit in the gaming industry if done to the finish without any hiccups. Not even true fans of the Stalker series would have been able to anticipate the massive map size of the Stalker 2 game. And the most interesting past is, it's all handcrafted and is not created using any procedural generation, as revealed by technical producer Evegeniy Kulik in an interview.

The game will feature a 64 square kilometers world, divided into 20 regions, each with different enemies, anomalies and people. As we all know, Stalker 2 is nearing release, and from what we can see, PlayStation players are going to miss out, as the game is slated for release on PC and Xbox. Despite the challenging development period due to the war, the team has cemented the game's title as a true gem in the making, causing us gamers to have nothing but respect towards GSC Game World for their dedication and effort. Just wait to see how hard these developers have worked in creating this game's open world - very uniquely.

MSI is excited to announce the launch of its latest innovation, a 34-inch 21:9 Ultra-Wide QHD (UWQHD) productivity monitor, designed to meet the demands of both professionals and casual gamers. This cutting-edge monitor combines exceptional performance, ample screen real estate, and advanced features to enhance productivity and entertainment experiences alike.

Be productive with the 34-Inch Ultra-Wide Display & Type-C 98 W Power Delivery
The 34-inch 21:9 UWQHD display offers a massive workspace, perfect for multitasking, content creation, and immersive gaming. The wide aspect ratio allows users to view more content side by side, reducing the need for multiple monitors and providing a seamless experience for video editing, design work, and office tasks. Simplify your workspace with the monitor's Type-C 98 W power delivery and display function. With a single cable, users can power their devices, transmit data, and output video, making it an ideal solution for a clutter-free and efficient desk setup.

Intel over the weekend released the latest version of Arc GPU Graphics Drivers. Version 101.5989 Beta comes with Game-On optimization for "Arena Breakout: Infinite," "Deadlock," "NBA 2K25," "Test Drive: Unlimited Solar Crown," and "Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2." The drivers should prove especially important for "Deadlock," where Intel claims performance improvements of up to 17% at 1080p, and up to 13% at 1440p. In "Test Drive: Unlimited Solar Crown," you can expect up to 19% performance improvements in both the 1080p and 1440p resolutions. "Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2" players can expect up to 7% performance improvements at 1080p, and up to 8% improvements at 1440p. Intel hasn't included any fixes with this release, but identified a handful new issues. Grab the drivers from the link below.

DOWNLOAD: Intel Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.5989 Beta

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Ultimate Ears, a brand of Logitech, today announced the addition of MINIROLL to its portable BluetoothⓇ speaker portfolio. The new speaker features a hookable silicone strap for quick and secure attachment to a bike, boat, bag, or even belt loop. With its compact size, lightweight build, and river rock-inspired design, MINIROLL is a go-anywhere speaker that can accompany users from one activity to the next, enabling a seamless audio experience along the way.

"MINIROLL started with a consumer ask. We heard our fans loud and clear: they wanted a speaker that could strap in and go anywhere to keep up with their active lifestyles," said Jonah Staw, general manager of Ultimate Ears. "This led our design and engineering teams to build our most portable speaker, showing how passionate consumers can drive innovation."

TSMC has reportedly managed to produce yields at its Arizona facility that are on par with yields back home in Taiwan, making its expansion efforts successful. According to Bloomberg, TSMC did a trial production, a multi-month effort, to produce N4 node wafers with low defect rates. With wafers now in TSMC's labs for testing, it is reported that Arizona facility yields have achieved parity with their Taiwanese facilities back home. This indicates that TSMC's efforts to expand in the US are so far considered a success, as advanced chipmaking is a very complex process that is only done by a few makers and in very few locations. With TSMC expanding in the US now and proving that its technology can work on US soil, the company has a green light to start volume production in the first half of 2025.

However, this is only the beginning of TSMC's Arizona expansion. The Taiwanese giant plans to have a second fab operational by 2028 and produce 2 nm and 3 nm chips in the state. Additionally, there will be a third facility for 2 nm and more advanced nodes in Phoenix, bringing the total value of TSMC's US expansion efforts to $65 billion, with $6.6 billion from the CHIPS Act grants and $5 billion in loans from the US government. If upcoming fabs follow the lead of the first facility, US-based production needs will possibly be satisfied.

The Netherlands government announced additional export controls on advanced chipmaking equipment on Friday. This decision, which specifically targets ASML's DUV immersion lithography tools, has drawn sharp criticism from Beijing. The new regulations, aligning with similar restrictions imposed by the US last year, will require additional licensing for the export of ASML's 1970i and 1980i models. China's Commerce Ministry swiftly responded to the announcement, expressing dissatisfaction with what it perceives as unwarranted restrictions on trade. In a statement released Sunday, the ministry accused the United States of leveraging its global influence to pressure allies into tightening export controls, describing it as an attempt to maintain "global hegemony" in the semiconductor industry.

The Chinese government urged the Netherlands to reconsider its position, calling for a balance between security concerns and the preservation of mutually beneficial economic ties. Beijing emphasized the importance of safeguarding the "common interests" of businesses in both countries and warned against potential damage to Sino-Dutch cooperation in the semiconductor sector. Dutch Trade Minister Reinette Klever defended the decision, stating it was made "for our safety." However, this move could have significant implications for ASML, which has already faced restrictions on exporting its most advanced systems to China. ASML receives as much as 49% of its revenue from China, meaning that additional export regulations could significantly reduce revenues if licenses aren't approved.

Electronic Arts Inc. confirmed a series of new and exclusive multi-year marketing partnerships and in-game integrations with some of the biggest names in football. This includes exclusive marketing and licensing partnerships with two Italian giants, AS Roma and SSC Napoli, as well as exclusive marketing partnerships with Fenerbahçe SK, Galatasaray S.K., FK Bodø/Glimt and Argentinian league Liga Profesional de Fútbol (LPF), which contributes towards the 700+ clubs and 30+ leagues available in EA SPORTS FC 25.

These partnerships contribute towards an unrivaled level of authenticity in EA SPORTS FC 25, brought to life through a roster of players from the biggest clubs and leagues from around the world. Additionally, the new formats of the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League will all feature exclusively in FC 25 Career and Tournament modes to bring a fresh game experience to players.

Today, 2K announced that NBA 2K25, the latest iteration of the top-selling NBA video game simulation series, is now available worldwide on PlayStation 5 (PS5 ), PlayStation 4 (PS4), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. NBA 2K25 for New Gen features major gameplay updates powered by ProPLAY, new competitive modes in MyTEAM and The City, the return of nostalgic fan-favorite features, new role-playing experiences across MyCAREER, MyNBA, The W, and more. NBA 2K25 New Gen is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and, for the first time, PC.

"NBA 2K25 has finally arrived, building off community feedback and bringing players the ultimate basketball proving grounds where they can showcase their skills and Ball Over Everything," said Greg Thomas, President at Visual Concepts. "With the debut of thrilling new competitive modes in The City and MyTEAM, alongside enhanced features and tutorials for beginners, NBA 2K25 offers an unparalleled experience for both seasoned veterans and newcomers. There has never been a better time to step onto the court."

Valerion, an innovator in premium 4K RGB laser projectors, debuted at IFA 2024, unveiling its flagship VisionMaster MAX at the ShowStoppers @ IFA event. From Sep 6-9, Valerion will showcase its VisionMaster series featuring the ProVision Engine. "With the Valerion VisionMaster Max, we have developed a product that takes the home theater experience to a new level. With our advanced technology and outstanding design, we offer a new dimension of film enjoyment accessible to everyone from movie fans to gamers. We are excited to share this innovation with the world and allow everyone to bring cinema quality right home," says Andy Zhao, Founder and CEO of Valerion and AWOL Vision.

The VisionMaster Max aims to revolutionize home entertainment with its ProVision Engine technology. As the first lifestyle RGB laser projector with a professional-grade lens system powered by the AI-SoC MT9618, it offers true cinematic visuals with advanced smart features. Experience 4K brilliance with 3000 ISO lumens, 110% Rec.2020 color gamut, and ultra-high contrast of 15,000:1. The ISF-certified calibration, IMAX Enhanced, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+ ensure perfect image quality, delivering deep blacks and vibrant colors.

AMD in an interview with Tom's Hardware, confirmed that its next generation of gaming GPUs based on the RDNA 4 graphics architecture will not target the enthusiast graphics segment. Speaking with Paul Alcorn, AMD's Computing and Graphics Business Group head Jack Huynh, said that with its next generation, AMD will focus on gaining market share in the PC gaming graphics market, which means winning price-performance battles against NVIDIA in key mainstream- and performance segments, similar to what it did with the Radeon RX 5000 series based on the original RDNA graphics architecture, and not get into the enthusiast segment that's low-margin with the kind of die-sizes at play, and move low volumes. AMD currently only holds 12% of the gaming discrete GPU market, something it sorely needs to turn around, given that its graphics IP is contemporary.

On a pointed question on whether AMD will continue to address the enthusiast GPU market, given that allocation for cutting-edge wafers are better spent on data-center GPUs, Huynh replied: "I am looking at scale, and AMD is in a different place right now. We have this debate quite a bit at AMD, right? So the question I ask is, the PlayStation 5, do you think that's hurting us? It's $499. So, I ask, is it fun to go King of the Hill? Again, I'm looking for scale. Because when we get scale, then I bring developers with us. So, my number one priority right now is to build scale, to get us to 40 to 50 percent of the market faster. Do I want to go after 10% of the TAM [Total Addressable Market] or 80%? I'm an 80% kind of guy because I don't want AMD to be the company that only people who can afford Porsches and Ferraris can buy. We want to build gaming systems for millions of users. Yes, we will have great, great, great products. But we tried that strategy [King of the Hill]—it hasn't really grown. ATI has tried this King of the Hill strategy, and the market share has kind of been...the market share. I want to build the best products at the right system price point. So, think about price point-wise; we'll have leadership."

AMD is readying a major update to its category-defining Ryzen Z-series SoCs, with the new Ryzen Z2. Designed for handheld game consoles, the Ryzen Z-series chips are typically power-optimized variants of its mobile processors designed for ultra-low board footprint, allowing PC OEMs to build handheld game consoles with them. Facing competition from Intel's upcoming Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake-MX" SoCs in this segment, AMD is readying the Ryzen Z2 chip. The Z2 is based on the 4 nm "Strix Point" silicon, which gives it a significantly updated iGPU, as well as a higher core-count CPU.

Perhaps the biggest sub-system performance uplift console designers can expect from the Ryzen Z2 is graphics—AMD has given the "Strix Point" a larger iGPU with 16 compute units in place of 12 on "Phoenix," which is a 33% increase in just numerical terms. Then there's also the update to the newer RDNA 3.5 graphics architecture, which incorporates several architecture-level performance and battery-efficiency improvements. It's also better optimized for LPDDR5 memory. With CPU, AMD has given "Strix Point" a heterogeneous multicore setup with four "Zen 5" and eight "Zen 5c" cores. At this point, we don't know if all 12 cores are enabled on the Z2. ASUS is designing its next generation of ROG Ally consoles powered by the Ryzen Z2, and its designers hint that the console should be able to offer over 1 hour of "Black Myth: Wukong" gameplay on a full charge of battery—something current-gen ROG Ally X powered by the Z1 doesn't.

Team Asobi's Astro Bot was released for PlayStation 5 on September 6, 2024, and it received many positive reviews and critics from fans. Recently, Team Asobi president Nicholas Doucet explained that he directly approached God of War's Cory Barlog and Eric Williams about getting Kratos' cameo for the game. And was surprised to see they were excited about what he was going to do with Kratos in Astro Bot.

Cory Barlog explained that for a dramatic game like the God of War IP, you have to be very careful with the world, and he was excited to see what Team Asobi would do with Kratos in Astro Bot, something different from the way it is in God of War at least. Nicholas said their expectations were to get 50 cameos, but they were shocked that they almost got everyone. The PlayStation partners expressed their support for Astro Bot and were excited to see their characters used in the game.

The gaming community has been on fire since the release of Black Myth: Wukong, which has been making waves since its release, quickly gaining immense success. Gamers don't seem to have had enough of the smash hit yet. But a very worthy competitor that may even challenge out-of-league games like Black Myth: Wukong will soon be out there globally for a death battle with these very popular AAA titles.

One Piece Fighting Path, developed by China Mobile Games And Entertainments Group (CMGE), is a mobile game released on Android around four years ago. Yes you saw right, in 2020. And for the fact that this game still has quite a lot of hype from mobile players, having been only released in China, it shows the great potential of the game, if released globally.

When it comes to live service games, it's not a new thing to hear of shutdowns, commercial issues, low player counts and player downturns. We've seen many games that have ended up the same way as Concord in the past, but now, it seems the record has been broken by Concord, the fastest game to get shutdown, and with a tech giant behind it.

Sony saw its 8 years of development and thousands to millions of dollars of investments crash within 11 days after its release. And it's kind of shocking because Firewalk started developing the game 8 years ago, in 2016. But when you realize that the 11 days Concord stayed in the market is actually shorter than other games who got shut down after their release, it's pretty shocking.