Tuesday, September 17th 2024

Today's Reviews

Cases
CPU Coolers
Graphics Cards
Harddisks
Keyboards
Memory
Monitors
Mouse
Notebooks
PSUs
Speakers
Colorful iGame Loong Edition DDR5-7200 32 GB CL32 Review

Colorful iGame Loong Edition DDR5-7200 32 GB CL32 Review

The Year of the Loong (Dragon) is upon us, and Colorful is taking the iGame DDR4 series to the next level with its DDR5 debut. The Colorful iGame DDR5-7200 memory kit is aimed at PC enthusiasts and gamers who are looking for great performance on their Intel systems. Follow along as we test this memory kit and see how it stacks up to the competition!

Logitech G Introduces the G915 X Series - The Most Advanced Low-Profile Gaming Keyboard Ever Built

Logitech G, a brand of Logitech and leading innovator of gaming technologies and gear, announced today at Logi Play the Logitech G915 X Gaming Keyboard. Standing at an incredible 23 mm high, this is one of the Company's thinnest low-profile wireless gaming keyboards. Combining the latest gaming technology with a meticulously crafted design and premium materials, the new G915 X is a flagship gaming keyboard with a sleek and modern aesthetic and a premium gaming experience for the most discerning gamers and high-end users.

"When the G915 LIGHTSPEED keyboard was released in 2019, it was a revolutionary and award-winning gaming keyboard that introduced many players to the joys of low-profile gaming. Since then, we have listened carefully to our G915 customers on what enhancements they would like to see in the next generation, and today we're excited to announce G915 X, with the features players love and the improvements most requested," said Arnaud Perret-Gentil, Head of PC Gaming, Logitech G.

Logitech G Launches the Next Generation of PRO Series Mice and Keyboard

Logitech G, a brand of Logitech, announced at Logi PLAY the launch of its latest PRO Series gear, designed to meet the demands of elite esports athletes and competitive gamers. The new lineup includes the PRO X SUPERLIGHT 2 DEX Gaming Mouse, the PRO 2 LIGHTSPEED Gaming Mouse, and the PRO X TKL RAPID Gaming Keyboard.

"We pour a lot into our PRO Series products, focusing on innovations that deliver immediate performance gains by forming deep partnerships with pros to meet their exacting needs. This research and design practice not only allows us to identify and create product breakthroughs but also serves as a performance test bed that ultimately serves the entire gaming community," said Chris Pate, Head of PRO Series Product Development at Logitech G. "With our new PRO X SUPERLIGHT 2 DEX, our new ambidextrous PRO 2 LIGHTSPEED, and our first magnetic analog rapid trigger keyboard, the PRO X TKL RAPID, we're meeting gamers' needs for the highest performance gear possible."

Ditch Your Old Job and Work in IT by Studying for CompTIA Certifications

This training course bundle helps you prepare for fifteen CompTIA certifications for less than $50! While any role in IT typically lands on the higher-paying end of the salary spectrum, you'd be surprised that companies struggle to find skilled talent. If you're interested in joining this field for greater opportunities or just for how lucrative it is, it's smart to beef up your resume with certifications employers value.

Many roles might require a formal degree, like support specialists or project managers, but you could also land an IT role simply by earning a CompTIA certification. Study and prepare for those tests with this 15-course CompTIA training bundle, which is on sale for only $49.99 (reg. $585) for life. With so much variety in the IT industry, you have plenty of positions to consider when you decide to switch from your dull 9-5 to a job in tech. Learn to become a debugging expert like Grace Hopper or a cloud-based engineer to join companies like Google or Salesforce.

Ready to work in IT? Grab lifetime access to this 15-course CompTIA training bundle for $49.99 (reg. $585). No coupon is needed to secure this deal.

Logitech G Unveils ASTRO A50 Gen 5, Now Featuring PLAYSYNC Audio

Logitech G, a brand of Logitech and leading innovator of gaming technologies and gear, introduced today at Logi Play the Logitech G ASTRO A50 5th Generation Wireless Gaming Headset and Base Station. It joins its bigger brother, the A50 X, to form the new A50 family of high-performance gaming headsets with advanced feature sets for multi-platform gamers.

The A50 Generation 5, now with PLAYSYNC AUDIO, is based on the same architecture as our award-winning A50 X, offering a streamlined and versatile feature set tailored for multiplatform gamers. The new PLAYSYNC AUDIO feature is designed specifically for players who want to use USB for seamless audio switching between console and PC platforms and don't require HDMI video switching.

Logitech G Unveils Racing Series, Setting a New Standard in Sim Racing

Logitech G, a brand of Logitech and leading innovator of gaming technologies and gear, announced today at Logi Play the new Racing Series, marking an important milestone in Logitech G's simulation racing heritage. The Racing Series brings unprecedented innovation and customization to drivers, letting them fine-tune their gear setup and equipment levels to match their driving style.

"We've heard from numerous sim racers that their setup should mirror the car they're driving, whether it's tackling gravel in a rally car, drifting with burning rubber, or navigating an open-wheeler with precision," said Richard Neville, head of SIM product engineering, Logitech G. "Each of these disciplines requires distinct steering input styles to achieve peak performance and the best feel, which is why the steering wheel shapes in these vehicles vary greatly. We developed the RS system specifically for motorsport enthusiasts who want to play their way."

Logitech G Introduces the Official Gaming Gear of the Genshin Impact Adventure

Logitech G, a brand of Logitech and leading innovator of gaming technologies and gear, in partnership with the world's popular open-world adventure role-playing game, Genshin Impact, announced at Logi Play a multi-year global partnership that starts with the introduction of the official Genshin Impact PC gaming gear collection.

This global partnership will unite two leading brands with a shared love of gaming, capabilities, and passion for play to deliver several exciting product and gaming collaborations. The partnership also includes a multi-year roadmap for future product collaborations, promising many more exciting releases to come.

SMART Modular Technologies Introduces Flash Memory Drives with SEU Mitigation

SMART Modular Technologies, Inc. ("SMART"), a division of SGH and a global leader in memory solutions, solid-state drives, and advanced memory, announces a proprietary technology to mitigate the adverse impact of single event upsets (SEUs) in high-reliability flash-memory based systems. SMART Modular's MP3000 NVMe SSD products with SEU mitigation reduce annual failure rates from as high as 17.5k/Mu (million units) to less than 10/Mu and can save hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential service costs by helping to ensure hundreds of hours of uninterrupted uptime, especially important for tough-to-repair remote deployments.

"Our industry standard SATA and PCIe NVMe boot drives can slash annual failure rates by as much 99.7% by recovering from soft errors due to single event upsets," states Satya Iyer, SMART's vice president of specialty memory. "In networking and telecom applications in remote and hard-to-service locations, SEU mitigation and the ability to recover from soft errors can make the difference for systems that require 24/7 uptime."

NVIDIA DLSS 3 Comes To Even More Games, Including God of War Ragnarök and FINAL FANTASY XVI

More than 600 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. This week, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, Enotria: The Last Song, FINAL FANTASY XVI, and God of War Ragnarök all launch with day-one support for DLSS 3, maximizing frame rates for GeForce RTX gamers! And Frostpunk 2 arrives September 20th with DLSS 3. Read on to learn more.

God of War Ragnarök Arrives September 19th, Supporting DLSS 3 & Reflex
From Santa Monica Studio and brought to PC in partnership with Jetpack Interactive comes God of War Ragnarök, an epic and heartfelt journey that follows Kratos and Atreus as they struggle with holding on and letting go. The sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War (2018), God of War Ragnarök picks up with Fimbulwinter well underway. Kratos and Atreus must journey to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as Odin's forces in Asgard prepare for a prophesied battle that will end the world. Along the way, they will explore stunning, mythical landscapes, and face fearsome enemies in the form of Norse gods and monsters. As the threat of Ragnarök grows ever closer, Kratos and Atreus must choose between the safety of their family and the safety of the realms.

LG Launches New MyView Smart Monitor With Curved Ultrawide Screen

LG Electronics (LG) is launching its latest LG MyView Smart Monitor (model 34SR60QC), a 34-inch display with a unique form factor and a range of features for better productivity and entertainment experiences. This marks the company's first smart monitor featuring a curved, 21:9 aspect ratio UltraWide screen, offering an expansive desktop display solution for customers seeking improved workflow, enhanced viewing immersion, or both. The 34SR60QC is available in the U.S. for $329.99 exclusively at LG.com.

The newly-released LG MyView Smart Monitor boasts a 34-inch WQHD (3,440 x 1,440) resolution VA panel, delivering 300 nits of brightness, a wide viewing angle and 99 percent coverage of the sRGB color gamut. These specifications, combined with the screen's 21:9 format, make the LG MyView an excellent 'side-by-side' desktop companion for office workers, developers and other digital professionals.

AGON by AOC Expands Gaming Horizons with New G4 Series Monitors

AGON by AOC, North America's premier gaming monitor brand and display specialist, is excited to unveil its latest innovation, the AOC G4 series of gaming monitors. Experience next-level performance, stunning visuals, and immersive gameplay with this state-of-the-art collection. The G4 series includes several standout models with more on the horizon.

AOC C27G4H
The AOC C27G4H is a 27-inch curved gaming monitor designed to elevate the gaming experience with its 1500R curvature, enhancing the field of vision and reducing eye strain. Boasting a high-performance 180 Hz refresh rate and a lightning-fast 0.5 ms (MPRT) response time, this monitor ensures ultra-smooth visuals ideal for competitive gaming and fast-paced action. The VA panel delivers vibrant images with a dynamic contrast ratio of 3000:1, providing deep blacks and bright whites for stunning visuals. Equipped with AdaptiveSync technology, the AOC C27G4H offers seamless gameplay with no tearing or stuttering. Its ergonomic design features tilt, swivel, and height adjustment options, and VESA compatibility for versatile mounting solutions. This monitor is perfect for gamers seeking superior performance and immersive visuals.

Micron Expands SSD Portfolio With New Crucial P310 2280 Gen 4 SSD

Micron Technology, Inc., today announced the availability of the Crucial P310 2280 Gen 4 NVMe solid-state drive (SSD), which offers two times faster performance than Gen 3 SSDs and 40% faster performance than Crucial's P3 Plus, giving gamers, students and creatives a boost in speed when they boot and use data-intensive applications. With capacities up to 2 terabytes (TB) and read and write speeds of 7,100 and 6,000 megabytes per second (MB/s) respectively, the P310 2280 SSD enables more customers than ever to gain access to gaming performance without paying gaming prices. This launch expands Micron's P310 portfolio to address PCs, laptops and PlayStation 5, closely following the July launch of its award-winning Crucial P310 2230 SSD, which is targeted at users of handheld gaming consoles and mini PCs.

"Micron's Crucial P310 2280 SSD delivers blazing fast gaming-level speeds, allowing users to do it all faster — from gaming to booting Windows to running multiple creative apps at the same time — without compromising on quality," said Jonathan Weech, senior director of product marketing for Micron's Commercial Products Group. "Architected with our advanced 3D NAND technology and optimized to deliver the utmost power efficiency, the 2280 SSD empowers everyone from gamers to creatives to squeeze more out of their battery life when using data-rich apps."

PowerA Unveils the Next Generation of FUSION Controllers for Xbox

PowerA, a division of ACCO Brands and a global leader in enhancing interactive entertainment with officially licensed gaming accessories, proudly announces the expansion of its renowned FUSION Line with two new controllers designed for gamers seeking an edge: the FUSION Pro Wireless Controller for Xbox Series X|S with Lumectra and the FUSION Pro 4 Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S. These controllers offer pro-level gameplay, combining cutting-edge features with PowerA's signature design and functionality, starting at just $69.99.

The first ever FUSION Pro Wireless Controller for Xbox and PC delivers an unparalleled gaming experience, featuring stunning Ghost RGB LED lighting, intuitive customization options, and pro-grade enhancements like Hall Effect thumbsticks and triggers, low-latency wireless connectivity, and four advanced mappable buttons. Meanwhile, the FUSION Pro 4 Wired Controller offers a premium build with highly anticipated features such as Hall Effect thumbsticks and triggers, and Dual Rumble Motors, all at a budget-friendly price. Both controllers include the new patent pending Quick-Twist adjustable height thumbsticks allowing gamers to adjust the height of either thumbstick with a simple twist. No need to manage removable parts. Both controllers are available now at PowerA.com, Amazon, and major retailers where gaming accessories are sold, with MSRPs of $149.99 and $69.99, respectively.

Seagate Announces Game Drive External SSD Officially Licensed by PlayStation for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4

To deliver additional storage capacity options to PS5 and PS4 console users, Seagate Technology Holdings plc today announced its officially licensed PlayStation Game Drive External SSD. The new external SSD will further expand Seagate's popular line of storage for gamers. The new Game Drive External SSD is officially licensed by PlayStation for PS5 and PS4 console gamers needing additional fast and large capacity storage and comes with 1 TB and 2 TB capacity options.

For PS4 console players looking to build a massive library of readily accessible games, the drive eliminates the need to redownload files and spend time freeing up space. For PS5 console players, it's designed for gamers who are looking for additional storage for recording gameplay sessions or want to keep their collection of PS4 titles. To ensure seamless game transfers, the drive features a high-speed USB 3.2 Type-C interface. It also comes with USB-C to USB-A and USB-C to USB-C cables for easy plug-and-play use.

CORSAIR Custom Lab Drops Stunning Artist-Designed Peripherals With Artist Series Collection

Corsair, a world leader in high-performance gear for gamers and content creators, today announced a fantastical new lineup for the ever-growing Corsair Custom Lab: the Artist Series Collection. Three stunning new peripheral sets are available exclusively on the Corsair webstore for a limited time, specially crafted by talented artists. Players can show off their passion for gaming - and their favorite creators - as they deck out their desktops in an explosion of imagination, creativity, and self-expression.

INTRODUCING THE ARTIST SERIES: WHERE ART MEETS GAMING
Corsair Custom Lab is an all-encompassing custom builder that empowers users to fashion their setups with unique designs that fit their personal style. Its gallery of gaming gear includes the K65 PLUS WIRELESS Keyboard, the M75 WIRELESS RGB Mouse, and the MM300 Mouse pad line. Corsair has collaborated with illustrative powerhouses Nacho Customz, Elina Clevergull, and Yunzhen Ho to create a limited-edition Artist Series drop that inspires all gamers to creatively express themselves. In the Corsair Custom Lab, every gamer can sign their deskscape with a distinctive style; and now, Corsair's three featured artists present even more showstopping designs to choose from.

AMD AGESA 1.2.0.2 Update Fixes Ryzen 9000 Series Inter-Core Latency Issues

According to new latest testing, the latest AGESA (AMD Generic Encapsulated Software Architecture) update, version 1.2.0.2, promises a significant boost in performance for AMD Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" processors. This update is targeting one of the most crucial aspects of multi-core processing: inter-core latency. The AGESA 1.2.0.2 update addresses challenges initially reported in AMD's Zen 5 architecture, particularly in scenarios demanding rapid communication between multiple cores. Early reports suggest a remarkable reduction in inter-core latency by up to 58%. According to Overclock.net testing, older AGESA 1.2.0.1A showed the cross-CCD latency at around 180 ns. However, with the new AGESA 1.2.0.2 BIOS, the latency is seemingly around 75 ns.

Interestingly, the update has arrived on the ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E motherboard, with BIOS version 2401. BIOS updates with the latest AGESA 1.2.0.2 are still rolling out, so it will be interesting to see further testing and possible improvements. It could be that the cross-CCD latency has just been reported badly, so final testing will conclude the latency increase from Zen 4 to Zen 5 debate.

Biwin Introduces DW100 RGB DDR5 9200 MT/s CL42 CUDIMM

BIWIN unveils the DW100 RGB DDR5 OC CUDIMM, innovative CUDIMM technology that delivers the fastest speed of 9200 MT/s with an ultra-low CAS latency of CL42. Biwin DW100 RGB DDR5 OC CUDIMM brings high-end features including peak speeds, advanced thermal management, and customizable RGB lighting for a superior memory upgrade that gamers dream of.

Designed for high-speed computing, this module leverages the expertise of the Biwin OC Lab to deliver top-tier overclocking performance. At the core of the lab's innovation is the advanced manufacturing process that meticulously selects the finest semiconductor materials to meet extreme performance standards.
Monday, September 16th 2024

Today's Reviews

Cases
CPU Coolers
Gaming PC
Headphones
Memory
Motherboards
Other
PSUs
SSD
HYTE Y70 Review

HYTE Y70 Review

With the Y70, HYTE introduces its largest chassis, offering enhanced space and further refinements compared to the Y40 and Y60. It’s available in multiple colors, like red, and also comes in a few limited-edition designs. The Y70 skips the touchscreen of the Y70 Touch, making it a more affordable choice.
Warhammer 40000: Space Marine 2 Handheld Performance Review

Warhammer 40000: Space Marine 2 Handheld Performance Review

Warhammer 40000: Space Marine 2 comes 13 years after the original game, putting you once again in the boots of Demetrian Titus, swapping Orcs with huge hordes of Tyranids. The game looks pretty solid on a high-end PC but how does it run on Steam Deck and ROG Ally? Read our handheld performance review and find out.

Pat Gelsinger Writes to Employees on Foundry Momentum, Progress on Plan

All eyes have been on Intel since we announced Q2 earnings. There has been no shortage of rumors and speculation about the company, including last week's Board of Directors meeting, so I'm writing today to provide some updates and outline what comes next. Let me start by saying we had a highly productive and supportive Board meeting. We have a strong Board comprised of independent directors whose job it is to challenge and push us to perform at our best. And we had deep discussions about our strategy, our portfolio and the immediate progress we are making against the plan we announced on August 1.

The Board and I agreed that we have a lot of work ahead to drive greater efficiency, improve our profitability and enhance our market competitiveness—and there are three key takeaways from last week's meeting that I want to focus on:
  • We must build on our momentum in Foundry as we near the launch of Intel 18A and drive greater capital efficiency across this part of our business.
  • We must continue acting with urgency to create a more competitive cost structure and deliver the $10B in savings target we announced last month.
  • We must refocus on our strong x86 franchise as we drive our AI strategy while streamlining our product portfolio in service to Intel customers and partners.
We have several pieces of news to share that support these priorities.

AMD Outs Adrenalin Preview Driver for GoW Ragnarok and Frostpunk 2

AMD today released a preview driver that provides optimization for a couple of new games, and fixes a few issues. Preview Driver version 24.20.11.01 adds optimization for "God of War: Ragnarök," "Frostpunk 2," and the DirectX 11 mode of "Sims 4." It also extends Radeon Boost support for "Final Fantasy XVI." HYPR-Tune support is extended to "Black Myth: Wukong," "God of War Ragnarök," and "Creatures of Ava." HYPR-Tune now autoconfigures Anti-Lag 2 in "Ghost of Tsushima Directors Cut."

The drivers also address intermittent driver crashes when playing "Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2," including crashes when loading maps on RX 5000 series GPUs. Driver crashes on "Final Fantasy XVI" have also been fixed. The bug that causes overly dark shadows in "Black Myth: Wukong" with medium-high global illumination settings, has been fixed. AV falling out of sync during AV1 codec playback has been fixed.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Software Adrenaling Preview Driver 24.20.11.01

Intel to Produce Custom AI Chips and Xeon 6 Processors for AWS

Intel Corp. and Amazon Web Services. Inc., an Amazon.com company, today announced a co-investment in custom chip designs under a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar framework covering product and wafers from Intel. This is a significant expansion of the two companies' longstanding strategic collaboration to help customers power virtually any workload and accelerate the performance of artificial intelligence (AI) applications.

As part of the expanded collaboration, Intel will produce an AI fabric chip for AWS on Intel 18A, the company's most advanced process node. Intel will also produce a custom Xeon 6 chip on Intel 3, building on the existing partnership under which Intel produces Xeon Scalable processors for AWS.

Intel Awarded Up to $3B by the U.S. Administration for Secure Enclave

The Biden-Harris Administration announced today that Intel Corporation has been awarded up to $3 billion in direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act for the Secure Enclave program. The program is designed to expand the trusted manufacturing of leading-edge semiconductors for the U.S. government.

The Secure Enclave program builds on previous projects between Intel and the Department of Defense (DoD) such as Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes - Commercial (RAMP-C) and State-of-the-Art Heterogeneous Integration Prototype (SHIP). As the only American company that both designs and manufactures leading-edge logic chips, Intel will help secure the domestic chip supply chain and collaborate with the DoD to help enhance the resilience of U.S. technological systems by advancing secure, cutting-edge solutions.

GameSir Launches the T7 Wired Games Controller

GameSir, a leading brand in gaming peripherals, proudly introduces its T7 wired controller. Featuring Hall Effect sticks and triggers, the T7 controller guarantees durability and precise handling for gamers. Compatible with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One X|S, Windows 10/11 and Steam, the T7 blends functionality and style with its three colour choices too.

Equipped with GameSir non-contact magnetic Hall Effect technology, the controller's sticks are designed to remain wear-free throughout their lifetime. This advanced technology ensures an impressive lifespan of up to 5 million cycles, effectively preventing stick drift and guaranteeing reliable, durable performance for gaming on Xbox, PC, and Steam. Precision-tuned Hall Effect analogue triggers are also built-in, which offer a consistent, smooth pull. This feature is particularly beneficial for racing games, providing the confidence needed to enjoy a seamless and responsive gaming experience. The precision of these triggers ensures that every input is accurate, enhancing overall gameplay.

Koss Unveils its Next Generation of Porta Pro Wireless Headphones

Koss Corporation (NASDAQ Symbol: KOSS), the U.S. based high-fidelity Stereophone manufacturer and creator of the world's first SP3 Stereophone in 1958, celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the Koss Porta Pro with the introduction of the next generation Koss Porta Pro Wireless Bluetooth Headphones.

The evolutionary Koss Porta Pro Wireless combines the legendary sound and the iconic design of the Koss Porta Pro Classic headphones with the convenience and freedom of true wireless, with Bluetooth.

MSI Z890 and X870 Motherboards Spotted at an Australian Retailer Starting at $385

Intel is set to launch its Arrow Lake processors on October 24th, likely alongside the official release of the Z890 motherboards. Meanwhile, AMD is expected to launch its new X870 and X870E motherboards on September 30th. Ahead of these dates, we've already seen many of them showcased at Computex, however, today an Australian retailer listed several MSI motherboards, including one Z890 model (MSI Z890 Carbon WiFi) and three X870/X870E models (MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi, MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi, and MSI PRO X870-P WiFi).

MSI Z890 Carbon WiFi
This is a mid-range motherboard, however without an official spec sheet, we're left trying to decipher details from the pictures. From what we can see, it offers a solid set of features, including USB 3.2, USB Type-C ports, BIOS Flash, Clear CMOS, and Smart Buttons. The board itself includes an 8-pin PCI-E connector and at least three M.2 slots. Currently, there is no information about its retail price.

MSI Intros GeForce RTX 4070 GDDR6 Ventus Series Graphics Cards

MSI today joined ASUS and GALAX in quietly launching GeForce RTX 4070 graphics cards with 20 Gbps GDDR6 memory replacing the standard 21 Gbps GDDR6X on the regular RTX 4070. The company launched these cards under its value custom-design Ventus series. There are four models in all—the smaller Ventus 2X, the larger Ventus 3X, and their OC variants featuring a minor factory overclock. The box-art of these cards displays "GDDR6" next to the memory size, so you know what you're buying. Their model numbers have the extension "E1" (eg: MSI RTX 4070 Ventus 2X E1), as an additional marker for the GDDR6 memory type.

The Ventus 2X card features a dual-fan cooling solution. It measures 24.2 cm in length, 12.5 cm in height, and is strictly 2 slots thick. The regular variant features a 2475 MHz GPU Boost frequency, while the OC variant offers 2505 MHz. The MSI Center app unlocks higher 1-click OC speeds on both cards. The Ventus 3X comes with a longer triple-fan cooling solution that measures 30.8 cm in length, 12 cm in height, and like the Ventus 2X, is strictly 2 slots thick. The regular Ventus 3X offers 2475 MHz boost frequency, while the Ventus 3X OC offers 2505 MHz. The Ventus 2X meets NVIDIA's SFF-Ready card requirements, while the Ventus 3X misses this by a whisker, of just 4 mm. Testing by Wccftech shows that there is barely a 1-2% performance delta between the RTX 4070 GDDR6 and the original RTX 4070 at 1440p (the card's intended resolution), and although the cards are launching at prices similar to the original RTX 4070, the cheaper memory type could let NVIDIA partners reduce street prices over time.

Intel Royal Core Successor Rumored to be Codenamed Cobra Core

Intel's future processor microarchitectures and their constituent CPU cores have hit the rumor-mill. The "Lion Cove" P-core is now current-gen, as products based on the Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" processor, which implements it, have been announced. "Lion Cove" will also be the main workhorse of "Arrow Lake," and Intel's Xeon 7 P-core server processors. The core ditches Hyper-Threading, but introduces a double-digit percent IPC gain over "Raptor Cove." The thunder of "Lion Cove" was stolen by the new "Skymont" E-core during the "Lunar Lake" technical presentations, as it offers nearly the same IPC as "Raptor Cove," at much lower power, and is held back by a lack of HTT and its inability to operate at high clock speeds that "Raptor Cove" can. We predict "Skymont" is shaking things up at Intel, and will have an impact on the way the company's future CPU cores are designed—to place greater emphasis on power and die-area to achieve IPC growth targets with each generation.

The successor to "Lion Cove" is codenamed "Royal Core." This would be the first time in over five years (since "Sunny Cove") that Intel's P-core codename doesn't use "Cove," signaling a departure from that naming scheme. The first iteration of "Royal Core" will power Intel's "Nova Lake" microarchitecture that succeeds "Lunar Lake." A slightly updated version of this core, codenamed "Royal Core 1.1," will power the "Beast Lake" microarchitecture, which likely falls in the lineage of "Arrow Lake," if not being a direct successor to it. An alleged Intel employee's work project description revealed "Cobra Core," a CPU core that succeeds "Royal Core," although the codename of its parent microarchitecture hasn't been revealed. Microarchitectures such as "Beast Lake," and its successor implementing "Cobra Core" are slated for much later into the decade, and we don't expect them to see the light of the day till at least 2026-27, if not later.

CORSAIR is Set to Acquire Fanatec Sim Racing

Corsair is delighted to announce that they have signed a definitive agreement with Endor AG to acquire the Fanatec Sim Racing product line. This includes the existing employees at Endor who manage and operate the Fanatec product line. The headquarters will remain in Landshut and continue to develop future Fanatec Sim Racing products. The transaction is expected to close imminently.

Fanatec is widely celebrated for bringing the thrilling world of Sim Racing into many homes and racing centres, building a huge following of loyal and passionate enthusiasts. Known for its high-quality hardware and innovations in the Sim Racing industry, Fanatec has set the benchmark for immersive racing experiences. Its dedicated Sim Racing products include force-feedback steering wheels, pedals, shifters, and complete cockpits for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC-based racing simulators.

ASUS Intros XG-C100C V3 10GbE PCIe NIC

ASUS over the weekend introduced the XG-C100C V3, a client-segment 10 GbE PCIe network interface card. The card features a ubiquitous RJ-45 connector that supports 803.2an (10 Gbps), and slower standards, such as 5 GbE, 2.5 GbE, 1 GbE, and 10/100 Mbps. The single-slot, half-height (low-profile) card features a PCI-Express 3.0 x4 host interface, and uses a Marvell AQtion AQC113 controller, with a heatsink. The card features dual-color link/activity LEDs. OS support includes Windows 11, Windows 10, and most recent desktop Linux distributions. The company didn't announce pricing.

AAEON Release GENESYSM-ADN6, a Slim Mini PC Designed for the Edge

AAEON, a global leader in embedded computing, has introduced the GENESYSM-ADN6, a slimline SubCompact System powered by Intel Core Processor N-series CPUs. Measuring just 178 mm x 134.1 mm x 43 mm, the GENESYSM-ADN6 is a compact option built to satisfy demand for mini PCs suitable for smart retail, industrial automation, and edge gateway applications. The PC's connectivity and scalability clearly align it with the latter of these vertical markets, with a standout feature being its three LAN ports, configured for Intel Ethernet Controller I226 running at 2.5GbE speed. Alongside this is extensive expansion options for Wi-Fi, 5G, and additional storage through the system's M.2 2230 E-Key, M.2 3052 B-Key, and mSATA slots respectively.

In addition to its compact size, the GENESYSM-ADN6 is well-suited to deployment in industrial settings, with a wide power input range of 9 V to 36 V and fanless operation. Moreover, the system boasts two COM ports for RS-232/422/485, with the option of two additional ports for RS-232. Elsewhere, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, an 8-bit GPIO, and SMBus/I2C are available for integrating sensors, actuators, and other peripheral devices, making it an excellent option when it comes to PLCs, robotic arms, and SCADA systems. The system's interfaces are bolstered by high-bandwidth, SODIMM-based DDR5 system memory for expedited data processing and optional TPM 2.0 for added data security.

Interview with AMD's Senior Vice President and Chief Software Officer Andrej Zdravkovic: UDNA, ROCm for Radeon, AI Everywhere, and Much More!

A few days ago, we reported on AMD's newest expansion plans for Serbia. The company opened two new engineering design centers with offices in Belgrade and Nis. We were invited to join the opening ceremony and got an exclusive interview with one of AMD's top executives, Andrej Zdravkovic, who is the senior vice president and Chief Software Officer. Previously, we reported on AMD's transition to become a software company. The company has recently tripled its software engineering workforce and is moving some of its best people to support these teams. AMD's plan is spread over a three to five-year timeframe to improve its software ecosystem, accelerating hardware development to launch new products more frequently and to react to changes in software demand. AMD found that to help these expansion efforts, opening new design centers in Serbia would be very advantageous.

We sat down with Andrej Zdravkovic to discuss the purpose of AMD's establishment in Serbia and the future of some products. Zdravkovic is actually an engineer from Serbia, where he completed his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in electrical engineering from Belgrade University. In 1998, Zdravkovic joined ATI and quickly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a senior director. During his decade-long tenure, Zdravkovic witnessed a significant industry shift as AMD acquired ATI in 2006. After a brief stint at another company, Zdravkovic returned to AMD in 2015, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a unique perspective on the evolution of the graphics and computing industry.
Here is the full interview:

AMD EPYC 4124P Quad-core Overclocked to 6.70 GHz on Desktop Motherboard

AMD released its EPYC 4004 series Socket AM5 processors for small-business servers, which come in unique core and clock speed configurations not found on the client Ryzen series, such as 4-core/8-thread and the 28-lane PCIe Gen 5 I/O die. The EPYC 4124P is such a processor, and it turns out that the chip works on regular AM5 desktop motherboards, but with a special BIOS. Sergmann and Darkgregor built such contraptions, put it under liquid nitrogen cooling, and embarked on an overclocking adventure. They achieved a 6.70 GHz bench-stable all-core overclock, a huge upgrade from the 3.80 GHz base frequency. With this, the user was able to break many benchmark records for native quad-core processors (i.e. processors with 4 cores that aren't higher core-count chips with cores disabled in the BIOS).
Sunday, September 15th 2024

Asgard Intros Thor DDR5-9600 48 GB CUDIMM Memory

Asgard joined the ranks of V-Color to unveil its first high-frequency DDR5 memory, the Thor DDR5-9600. V-Color recently launched its DDR5-9200 memory, and Asgard one-upped it with DDR5-9600. Both these are CUDIMMs—UDIMMs that feature a client clock driver (CKD) component. These modules feature the highest bins of DDR5-9600 chips from SK Hynix. The advertised speed of DDR5-9600 is achieved using timings of 44-56-56-136, and a scorching DRAM voltage of 1.50 V. The module includes an XMP 3.0 profile to enable these settings on an Intel platform. With a single-rank configuration and 24 GB module density, the dual-channel kit gives you 48 GB. Asgard revealed that it is working on a DDR5-10000 kit. The company didn't announce US availability.

AMD Confirms FidelityFX Super Resolution 4.0 will be AI-powered, Focused on Efficiency

According to Tom's Hardware, AMD has confirmed that its upcoming FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 (FSR 4.0) graphics upscaling solution will harness the power of AI for frame generation and frame interpolation. This update marks a significant shift from the company's previous analytical-based approaches, as revealed by Jack Huynh, AMD's senior vice president and general manager of the Computing and Graphics Business Group. Initially, FSR4's primary focus is addressing the persistent challenge of battery life in handheld gaming devices. Huynh emphasized the need for extended playtime, stating, "I need to play a Wukong for three hours, not 60 minutes." To achieve this, AMD has been working on AI-based upscaling techniques for nearly a year. As a reminder, FSR 1.0 used spatial upscaling, version 2.0 used temporal upscaling, and FSR 3.0 also used temporal upscaling with optional frame generation.

While the initial context for FSR4 centers on handheld devices, AMD's work with developing open-source, architecture-agnostic algorithms suggests broader applications. FSR4 might be compatible with a wide range of GPU solutions, including non-handheld devices, benefiting desktop and laptop users as well. This move to AI-based technology aligns AMD with competitors like Intel, who have implemented similar approaches in their XeSS technology, and NVIDIA with its DLSS solution. Although the release date for FSR4 remains unannounced, its year-long development suggests it may be nearing completion. However, as with previous upscaling solutions, widespread adoption in games may take time following its release.

ASUS Zenbook DUO (2024) and ASUS ProArt PZ13 Laptops Win Silver at IDEA 2024

ASUS today announced that the Zenbook DUO (2024) (UX8406) and ProArt PZ13 (HT5306) laptops won Silver Awards in the Consumer Technology category at the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) 2024. Additionally, eight more ASUS products were named as finalists, marking 2024 as the company's most successful year at IDEA. This strong showing underlines the company's dedication to redefining user experiences through innovative design that balances aesthetics and technological excellence.

ASUS Zenbook DUO (2024) also earned a spot in the permanent collection of the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, highlighting the ingenuity of the world's first AI-powered 14-inch dual-screen laptop. The museum, a longstanding partner of the IDEA awards, adds select award-winning products to its permanent collection every year.

This Week in Gaming (Week 38)

Welcome to the second half of September and what is nothing but a jam packed week of new game releases. The week kicks off with an almost two-year old PlayStation game that has something to do with Norse mythology gets launched on PC, although it does come with the DLC included and it's not capped at 60 FPS. As for the rest of this week's new games, we have a packed week starting with a lot of spell casting, another PlayStation game, but this time we're taking a JRPG of the highest rank, which is followed by a souls-like RPG game. Next up we have Dr Dr, which oddly enough isn't German at all, followed by another highly anticipated game that involves frozen punks. If there's nothing you like this week, you're most likely not a gamer.

God of War Ragnarök / This week's AAA release / Thursday 19 September
The sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War (2018), God of War Ragnarök picks up with Fimbulwinter well underway. Kratos and Atreus must journey to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as Odin's forces in Asgard prepare for a prophesied battle that will end the world. Along the way, they will explore stunning, mythical landscapes, and face fearsome enemies in the form of Norse gods and monsters. As the threat of Ragnarök grows ever closer, Kratos and Atreus must choose between the safety of their family and the safety of the realms. Steam link
Saturday, September 14th 2024

Beyerdynamic Extends its Wireless In-ear and Over-ear Headphone Series

At this year's IFA, beyerdynamic, celebrating its 100th anniversary extended its portfolio of audio products with three brand-new models: the AMIRON 100 and AMIRON 300 in-ear models, and the AVENTHO 300 over-ear wireless headphones. All three products feature ANC technology and high-quality drivers, covering the everyday needs of users who value sound quality and functionality in various scenarios—at home, during remote work, while commuting, or enjoying outdoor sports.

The AMIRON 100 is a lightweight, in-ear headphone offering high-quality sound, active noise cancellation (ANC), and Bluetooth 5.3 with LC3 codec. Weighing just 4.15 g per earpiece (without the included five silicone ear tips in sizes XS to XL), it ensures a comfortable fit and features automatic play/pause functionality. The battery lasts up to eight hours (six hours with ANC), with an additional 19 hours from the charging case. A 15-minute charge in the case provides another three hours of use.
Friday, September 13th 2024

Today's Reviews

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Gaming PC
Memory
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ASUS Unveils ProArt Displays, Laptops and PC Solutions at IBC 2024

ASUS today announced its participation in the upcoming IBC 2024, showcasing the theme A Glimpse into Tomorrow's Tech.Visitors to the ASUS booth (Hall 2 Booth #A29 RAI Amsterdam) will be able to enjoy the ProArt Masters' Talks featuring industry experts from renowned companies Adobe, NVIDIA and Scan Computers, as well as professional filmmaker Bas Goossens, professional senior trainer Leon Barnard, and co-founder and CEO of Redshark Media, Matt Gregory.

As well, through the full run of IBC from September 13-16, 2024, ASUS will highlight a range of cutting-edge technology ideal for professionals, including ProArt Display PA32KCX, the world's first 8K Mini LED professional monitor; ProArt Display OLED PA32UCDM, which brings 4K QD-OLED to creators; ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV, featuring a stunning 5120 x 2880 resolution for unparalleled clarity; and ProArt Display PA32UCE and PA27UCGE, the latest 4K monitors with built-in calibration. The latest ASUS AI-powered laptops and workstations will also be on show.

Silicon Motion's SM2508 PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD Controller is as Power Efficient as Promised

The first reviews of Silicon Motion's new PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD controller, the SM2508 are starting to appear online, and the good news is that the controller is as power efficient as promised by the company. Tom's hardware has put up their review of a reference design M.2 SSD from Silicon Motion and in their testing, equipped with 1 TB of Kioxia's 162-layer BiCS6 TLC NAND. It easily bests the competition when it comes to power efficiency. In their file copy test, it draws nearly two watts less than its nearest competitor and as much as three watts less than the most power hungry drive. It's still using about one watt more than the best PCIe 4.0 drives, but it goes to show that the production nodes matters, as the SM2508 is produced on a 6 nm node, compared to 12 nm for Phison's E26.

We should point out that the peak power consumption did go over nine watts, but only one of the Phison E26 drives managed to stay below 10 watts here. The most power hungry PCIe 5.0 SSD controller in the test, the InnoGrit IG5666 peaks at nearly 14 watts for comparison. Idle power consumption of the SM2508 is also very good, still drawing more than the PCIe 4.0 drives it was tested against, but far less than any of the other PCIe 5.0 drives. What about performance you ask? The reference drive places itself ahead of all the Phison E26 drives when it comes to sequential file transfers, regardless if it's to or from the drive. Random read IOPS also places right at the top, but it's somewhat behind when it comes to random writes, without being a slow drive by any means. Overall we're looking at a very promising new SSD controller from Silicon Motion with the SM2508 and TPU has also received a sample that is currently undergoing testing, so expect a review here soon.

Intel Core Ultra 200 Arrow Lake CPUs Specifications Leaked

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.

AI Demand Drives Enterprise SSD Contract Prices Up by 25% in Q2 and Boosts Supplier Revenues by Over 50%

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 Presents Upgraded AiMX Solution at AI Hardware and Edge AI Summit 2024

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 Announces Wireless Mouse MD102

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.
Thursday, September 12th 2024

BIOSTAR Announces Radeon RX 580 White Graphics Card

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.

Crucial MX500 SSD Firmware M3CR046 Vulnerable to Buffer Overflow Attacks

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.
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