RuggON, a global provider of rugged computing solutions, announces the launch of the SOL 7, a groundbreaking 12-inch fully rugged tablet and the first powered by Intel Arrow Lake processors. Designed for high-performance computing in demanding environments, the SOL 7 delivers next-generation AI capabilities, robust durability and seamless connectivity for critical sectors including public safety, automotive applications, warehousing, logistics, and agricultural.

Unmatched AI Performance with Intel Arrow Lake
Powered by the latest the latest Intel Core Ultra 5/7 processor with integrated Intel AI Boost, the SOL 7 enables powerful on-device AI for real-time analytics, image recognition, and rapid decision-making. Equipped with a suite of data capture tools including optional 2D barcode scanner with OCR, NFC reader with FIDO2 security, smart card reader, fingerprint reader and UHF RFID reader, the SOL 7 empowers field professionals to operate smarter, faster, and more securely.

Microsoft has confirmed it's developing a next-gen Xbox console with AMD as Xbox president Sarah Bond shared this news in a 60-second YouTube video promising to offer "an Xbox experience not tied to one store or limited to a single device." Bond announced Microsoft is teaming up with AMD for a "strategic multi-year partnership." This collaboration will involve co-engineering silicon "across a range of devices, including our next-generation Xbox consoles for your living room and your hands." The two companies will also join forces to build the next generation of Xbox Cloud Gaming. Microsoft is making it crystal clear that its next-gen Xbox platform will focus on multiple devices and won't be tied to its own store for games.

"This is all about creating a gaming platform that stays with you so you can enjoy the games you like on different devices wherever you want—giving you an Xbox experience not restricted to one store or linked to a single device," Bond explains. "That's why we're working with the Windows team to make sure Windows becomes the top platform for gaming". This comes right after Microsoft announcement of its partnership with ASUS to roll out two Xbox Ally handhelds in the coming months. These devices will feature a new full-screen Xbox interface running on Windows allowing Xbox Ally devices to access other platforms like Steam.

In a market reshaped by the compute demands of AI, Arteris, Inc. (Nasdaq: AIP), a leading provider of system IP for accelerating semiconductor creation, today announced an expansion of its multi-die solution, delivering a foundational technology for rapid chiplet-based innovation. "In the chiplet era, the need for computational power increasingly exceeds what is available by traditional monolithic die designs," said K. Charles Janac, president and CEO of Arteris. "Arteris is leading the transition into the chiplet era with standards-based, automated and silicon-proven solutions that enable seamless integration across IP cores, chiplets, and SoCs."

Moore's Law, predicting the doubling of transistor count on a chip every two years, is slowing down. As the semiconductor industry accelerates efforts to increase performance and efficiency, especially driven by AI workloads, architectural innovation through multi-die systems has become critical. Arteris' expanded multi-die solution addresses this shift with a suite of enhanced technologies that are purpose-built for scalable and faster time-to-silicon, high-performance computing, and automotive-grade mission-critical designs.

NVIDIA has released the latest version of its GeForce Game Ready drivers, version 576.80 WHQL. The new drivers fix a couple of gaming and general bugs, and are Game Ready drivers which means these bring day-0 support for Remedy Entertainment's co-op multiplayer game, FBC: Firebreak, which includes full ray tracing, DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, DLSS Frame Generation, DLSS Super Resolution, DLSS Ray Reconstruction, and NVIDIA Reflex. It also adds support for REMATCH, coming with DLSS 4 With Multi Frame Generation support, and support for DOOM: The Dark Ages' new update, which adds path tracing and DLSS Ray Reconstruction. The new drivers also add support for 46 new and updated NVIDIA app DLSS overrides, and 4 new Optimal Playable Settings profiles.

NVIDIA also fixed several gaming and general bugs, including stability issues in games like Dune: Awakening, EA Sports FC 25, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Marvel Rivals, Gray Zone Warfare, Forza Horizon 5, and others, a well as some general bugs including GeForce RTX 5090 FE acoustic improvements for idle and low loads, and fix for an issue where certain DisplayPort 1.4 monitors may display random black screen flicker when connected to DisplayPort 2.1 graphics card.

DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce 576.80 Game Ready WHQL

GIGABYTE, the world's leading computer brand, announces the availability of the MO27Q2A QD-OLED gaming monitor, the brand's first QHD 280 Hz OLED display. Featuring a blazing-fast 280 Hz refresh rate, 0.03 ms GtG response time, and VESA ClearMR 15000 certification, the MO27Q2A delivers ultra-smooth motion and competitive speed for next-gen gaming.

Built with a 27" 2560×1440 OLED panel, the MO27Q2A supports DisplayHDR True Black 400, offers 99% DCI-P3 color gamut, Delta E<2 color accuracy, and reaches up to 1000 nits peak brightness with HDR Peak 1000 Mode, delivering stunning contrast and vibrant visuals. The monitor is also G-SYNC Compatible and supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, ensuring smooth and tear-free gameplay.

TerraMaster, a leading innovator in storage solutions, proudly announces the launch of D4 SSD, a 4-bay all-flash direct-attached storage (DAS) enclosure designed for media creators, filmmakers, and professionals seeking unparalleled speed and flexibility. With USB4 support delivering up to 40 Gbps bandwidth, the D4 SSD offers exceptional performance and seamless integration with NAS systems, including the forthcoming TerraMaster F4 SSD All-Flash NAS, easily expand the storage space of NAS to meet users' diverse storage needs.

The D4 SSD utilize the USB4 protocol with support for up to 40 Gbps data transfer bandwidth. When equipped with four M.2 SSDs (such as Samsung 990PRO 4 TB) and configured as RAID 0 via macOS Disk Utility, it achieves read/write speeds of up to 3224 MB/s. In single-disk operation, read speeds can reach 1608 MB/s. Fully compatible with Thunderbolt 3/4/5 and USB4/3.2/3.1/3.0 protocols, the D4 SSD offers exceptional cross-platform compatibility.

Marvell Technology, Inc., a leader in data infrastructure semiconductor solutions expanded its custom technology platform with the launch of the industry's first 2 nm custom Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), designed to boost the performance of custom XPUs and devices powering cloud data centers and AI clusters. Combining advanced custom circuitry and software from Marvell with core SRAM and cutting-edge 2 nm process technology, Marvell custom SRAM delivers up to 6 gigabits of high-speed memory while significantly reducing memory power consumption and die area at comparable densities.

Custom SRAM is the latest Marvell innovation designed to enhance memory hierarchy performance within accelerated infrastructure. Marvell previously introduced its CXL technology for integration into custom silicon to add terabytes of memory and supplemental compute capacity to cloud servers and unveiled custom HBM technology that increases memory capacity by up to 33% while reducing the space and power required for dense high-bandwidth memory (HBM) stacks inside XPUs.

Corsair today launched the Multi Frame Pegboard for Platform:4, a smart vertical expansion that clears clutter off your desk and keeps gear within easy reach. Designed to attach seamlessly to the Platform:4 desk, this versatile add-on creates new space for storing, organizing, and displaying everything from streaming hardware to tools and collectibles.

Featuring two pegboards, three adjustable shelves, and 13 included hooks, the Multi Frame Pegboard is all about flexibility. Its sturdy aluminium 3060 T-channel rails follow a universal standard, supporting a wide range of aftermarket accessories. Included t-nuts and adapters make it easy to mount Elgato gear like the Key Light and Flex Arm, or even your own 3D-printed hardware. Horizontal and vertical rails allow hardware to be mounted exactly where it's needed, and shelves can be repositioned to match each user's setup.

AMD today formally launched a slew of new hardware for workstations. These include the new Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9000 "Shimada Peak" line of high core-count processors, and the Radeon AI PRO 9000 line of graphics cards that cover a range of use-cases spanning from edge AI acceleration to professional visualization. The Threadripper 9000 series is based on the "Zen 5" microarchitecture, and "Shimada Peak" is a variant of the "Turin" MCM powering 5th Gen EPYC processors, which comes with workstation-relevant I/O. Meanwhile, the Radeon AI Pro 9000 series is based on the same RDNA 4 graphics architecture powering the Radeon RX 9000 series gaming graphics cards.

The Ryzen Threadripper 9000 series comes with CPU core counts of up to 96-core/192-thread, with an IPC uplift from the "Zen 5" microarchitecture over the previous Threadripper 7000 series "Storm Peak" processors powered by "Zen 4." More than IPC, workstation users should benefit greatly from the architecture's full 512-bit FPU data-path, offering significant increases in performance of applications that leverage the AVX-512 instruction set. AMD also fine-tuned the IOD (I/O die) to support increased memory speeds of DDR5-6400 (native), AMD EXPO profiles, and CKD. With these changes, and minor increases in clock speeds for certain SKUs, AMD is promising a 16% uplift in performance over the Threadripper 7000 series predecessors in workstation benchmarks, and a significant 25% increase in SPEC Workstation AI and ML benchmarks (comparing identical core-counts and frequency).

The developer of the Lossless Scaling utility has released version 3.1, introducing both visual enhancements and significant performance improvements, up to 2x in "Performance Mode" depending on hardware and settings. Although there may be a slight dip in image fidelity, users with older graphics cards or integrated solutions will appreciate the ability to boost frame rates without lowering resolution. In addition to this new mode, the v3.1 update improves timestamp filtering for sharper details during rapid motion and refines border handling to eliminate jagged edges. Ghosting and object flicker have been reduced, and smarter interface detection keeps menus and heads‑up displays stable under scaling. Frame generation is powered by LSFG, while scaling options include LS1, AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution, NVIDIA Image Scaling, Integer Scaling, Nearest Neighbor, xBR, Anime4K, Sharp Bilinear and Bicubic CAS.

Version 3.1 also expands localization support to include Finnish, Georgian, Greek, Norwegian, Slovak, and even the constructed language Toki Pona, reflecting the tool's growing international audience. Developed and maintained by a single creator, Lossless Scaling competes directly with proprietary upscalers, such as NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR, without requiring dedicated machine-learning hardware and is offered at a one-time price of $6.99. Its built‑in algorithms are tailored to different content types: LS1 or AMD FSR is recommended for modern games, Integer Scaling or xBR works best for pixel‑art titles, and Anime4K excels with cartoons or anime. For optimal results, users should cap their game at a stable frame rate to provide the utility with sufficient resources to operate and run their titles in windowed mode on Windows 10 version 1903 or later.

A new version of Plasma is here, and it feels even more like /home, as it becomes smoother, friendlier and more helpful. Plasma 6.4 improves on nearly every front, with progress being made in accessibility, color rendering, tablet support, window management, and more. As this is going to be a long read, let's get right into it…

Window Management
Plasma already offers Virtual Desktops to help organize your windows and activities; and customizable Tiles you can stick windows to so they don't overlap, allowing you to see everything important at a glance.

More confirmations regarding the final release of the Intel Arc "Battlemage" B770 GPU have landed, this time with the update of the popular AIDA64 tool. Just days after support for BMG-G31 GPUs, supposedly the SKUs behind the higher-end B770 and B750 models, has landed in the open-source Mesa driver, diagnostic tools are next. In the latest AIDA64 beta version 7.99.7817, FinalWire has added an interesting "GPU information for Intel Battlemage (BMG-G31)" section as a feature update. This means that the tool can now officially recognize Intel's upcoming GPUs and allow users to perform diagnostics. Additionally, the tool also supports the now finalized PCI Express 7.0 controllers and devices, as PCI-SIG has ratified the final specifications of the PCIe Gen 7 standard.

With this confirmation, higher-end Intel Arc B770 and B750 GPUs are getting more credibility for an actual release. We expect to hear more about it in the coming weeks as the rumored Q4 launch nears. Earlier rumors suggest that Intel will pair 32 Xe2 cores for the B770 model with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus. Will Intel satisfy the needs of Arc graphics gamers who have been waiting for a higher-end card remains to be seen. Drop your expectations in the comments, and let us know.

GAMDIAS, a global leader in high-performance gaming hardware, proudly announces the launch of the ATHENA P3, a cutting-edge mid-tower chassis engineered for gamers and PC enthusiasts who demand uncompromising airflow and expansive hardware support. Continuing the legacy of the ATHENA series, the ATHENA P3 features a mesh-dominant front panel with dual solid bar accents, delivering both strong airflow performance and a bold, streamlined design. "Our design philosophy with the ATHENA P3 was to merge premium airflow with visual appeal and builder-friendly features," said Stimson Wang, CEO of GAMDIAS Technology. "This case reflects our pursuit of high-performance computing with seamless aesthetics and thoughtful design elements that elevate any gaming setup."

AIRFLOW-OPTIMIZED DESIGN WITH GAP BRIDGING BRACKET AND HIGH-PERFORMANCE FANS
Built for superior thermal performance, the ATHENA P3 is equipped with three 140 mm PWM ARGB intake fans at the front and a single 140 mm PWM ARGB exhaust fan at the rear, delivering optimized airflow straight out of the box. At the heart of its design is a gap-bridging front bracket, uniquely developed to seal airflow leaks between the mesh panel and the fan mounts—ensuring consistent, focused cooling efficiency. The case also includes a pre-installed 8-port PWM ARGB hub for streamlined control of fans and lighting through motherboard synchronization or the dedicated LED button. A seamless tempered glass side panel offers a clean, unobstructed view of your build, showcasing its cooling power and craftsmanship.

Synopsys, Inc. announced today its ongoing close collaboration with Samsung Foundry to power the next generation of designs for advanced edge AI, HPC, and AI applications. The collaboration between the companies is helping mutual customers achieve successful tape-outs of their complex designs using Synopsys' 3DIC Compiler and Samsung's advanced packaging technologies with fast turnaround time. Mutual customers can improve power, performance and area (PPA) with certified EDA flows for SF2P process, and minimize IP integration risk with the high-quality portfolio of IP on Samsung's most advanced process technologies.

"The adoption of Edge AI applications is driving the need for advancements in semiconductor technologies to enable complex computational tasks, improve efficiency, and expand AI capabilities across various industries and applications," said John Koeter, senior vice president for the Synopsys IP Group. "Together with Samsung Foundry, we're enabling the most advanced AI processors across a broad spectrum of use cases from high-performance AI inference engines for data centers to ultra-efficient Edge AI devices like cameras and drones, all optimized for development on sub-2 nm Samsung Foundry process technologies."

EPOS today announced a new and improved IMPACT 100 Series. A key addition to the expansion of the IMPACT Next Generation portfolio is to include a quality entry-level headset with expectational performance for its cost. Designed to meet the needs of call centric workers with upgraded leatherette earpads, great audio and an ultra-light weight design of just 76 grams for comfortable all-day usage. Coming with a full certification package for leading UC providers, the IMPACT 100 Series provides enterprise grade performance across platforms.

Key features include:

• Professional quality and affordable audio for everyone: Get exceptional value for money with this entry-level headset certified for Microsoft Teams and leading UC platforms.
• Ultra-light design for all-day comfort: The lightest stereo headset in its category at only 76 grams, it features a slim, soft silicone headband and leatherette earpads.

The US Navy Exchange (NEX) store has become a surprising platform for acquiring NVIDIA's RTX 50-series graphics cards at their manufacturer's suggested retail prices. A Reddit user, known as Accomplished-Feed123, shared that by combining various store promotions and credit card rewards, they managed to purchase a GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition for just $1,900, which is significantly below the typical retail price. Savvy shoppers have long discovered open‑box electronics and gaming hardware bargains there. On this occasion, the Reddit user noticed several "largeish brown boxes" hidden behind a locked display that usually houses Apple products.

Those boxes contained multiple RTX 5070 and RTX 5080 cards, along with a single RTX 5090, all priced at their suggested MSRPs of $550, $999, and $1,999, respectively. A quick online search of the part numbers confirmed that the top‑end card was indeed the Founders Edition model. After applying applicable discounts and card rewards, Accomplished‑Feed123 walked away, paying only $1,900 out of pocket. Access to NEX is restricted to active and retired military members and their families, operating under the motto "You Serve, You Save." However, many consumers may know someone eligible for these benefits. Other branches of the US armed forces maintain similar exchange stores, though GPU availability and pricing may differ by location.

Leading provider of advanced AI solutions AAEON has released a new addition to its AI Inference Server product line, the MAXER-5100 - the world's first 8L AI inference server equipped with two integrated GPUs. The MAXER-5100's default model comes with the 24 core, 32 thread 14th Generation Intel Core i9 processor 14900K and two onboard NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada GPUs. Meanwhile, a barebone SKU is available, accommodating up to 65 W CPUs from across the 12th, 13th, and 14th Generation Intel Core processor lines as well as PCIe slots for other compatible GPUs, per project need.

Given the processing power and AI performance the system offers, the MAXER-5100 is primarily positioned as a central server for the management of multiple edge devices, particularly with its Certificate Authority (CA) support granting additional security for smart infrastructure, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing applications. Moreover, the MAXER-5100's use of a zero-trust secure tunnel and onboard TPM 2.0 allows for encrypted data transmission between the server and multiple edge devices, as well implement over-the-air updates and remote diagnostics.

Sharkoon today announced the SKILLER SGK50 S4 Gen 2 series keyboards. With the SKILLER SGK50 S4 Gen 2, our bestselling keyboard has been given an update. The Gen 2 version has everything that our SGK50 series has always had, including hot-swap switches and keycaps, as well as a stylish coiled cable. In addition, the keyboard is now fully customizable using the open-source software VIA and QMK, and there is improved sound thanks to the polycarbonate plate and double-layer silicone damping.

The SKILLER SGK50 S4 Gen 2 is fully designed for gaming, which is why the popular Gateron Yellow linear switches are already pre-installed. Any switch with 3 or 5 pins can be used with the SKILLER SGK50 S4 Gen 2, allowing you to enjoy experimenting with switches to achieve the optimal typing feel. The required hot-swap tools are already included with the keyboard. The SKILLER SGK50 S4 Gen 2 catches the eye with its compact form factor that is 60 percent of a full 3-block keyboard. Nevertheless, thanks to the double assignment of keys for important commands, a layout with full functionality can be relied on.

Intel appears set to retain its familiar 48 PCIe lanes while delivering a significant memory speed boost with the upcoming "Nova Lake‑S" desktop platform. Hardware leakers have shared fresh details indicating that Intel will allocate 24 PCIe 5.0 lanes directly from the CPU, with an additional four DMI Gen 5 lanes connecting to the chipset. The chipset itself will provide eight PCIe 5.0 lanes alongside sixteen PCIe 4.0 lanes, matching the total lane count of current-generation parts. For storage and peripherals, the new platform will support eight SATA 3.0 ports along with a wide assortment of USB options. Fourteen USB 2.0 ports will cover legacy devices, while five USB 3.2 ports at 20 Gbps, 10 at 10 Gbps, and 10 more at 5 Gbps. The CPU's PCIe lanes can be configured in multiple ways to suit different use cases: one 16-lane slot paired with two 4-lane connections, two 8-lane slots plus two additional 4-lane links, or a four-by-four configuration supplemented by two extra 4-lane connections.

Memory support is where Nova Lake‑S will shine. Whereas the current Arrow Lake-S lineup handles DDR5-6400 natively and may reach 9200 MT/s when overclocked, Nova Lake-S will offer 8000 MT/s out of the box in a one-DIMM per channel, single-rank configuration. This enhancement is expected to provide a performance boost for data-intensive tasks and games, where the rumored 52-core top-of-the-line SKU will need all the possible bandwidth to feed so many cores. A new LGA 1954 CPU socket and motherboard design will be required, although it remains unclear whether the improved memory speed stems from a redesigned on-die integrated memory controller or advanced motherboard trace layouts and power delivery systems. Partners have received preliminary specifications, but no engineering samples or motherboard prototypes have appeared in public benchmarks or regulatory filings as of yet.

Gearbox and 2K today opened Borderlands 4 pre-orders, with the rather unexpected $69.99 base game price resulting in a simultaneous sigh of relief following the gaming industry's recent move towards $80 AAA games. Following the pre-order launch, Borderlands 4's Steam page revealed the game's minimum system requirements as a bit of a mixed bag. According to the Steam page, the new looter shooter will only run on an AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, but this seems to largely be related to VRAM, since the minimum requirements also mentions that 8 GB is the minimum VRAM amount. An SSD and an eight-core CPU—listed as the AMD Ryzen 2700X or Intel Core i7-9700—will also be mandatory for Borderlands 4. Even the recommended specifications for Borderlands 4 are rather moderate, with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 and Radeon RX 6800 XT making the cut.

In addition to the reasonable PC specs, news also broke about an ECHO-4 Collector's Edition, a curious edition to the line-up of special edition bundles for Borderlands 4 that seems to be exclusive to GameStop for now. The Echo-4 Collector's Edition bundle is a host of physical Borderlands 4 memorabilia, including a cloth map of Kairos, an eight-inch Echo-4 figure with LED lights, a Vault symbol necklace, a card with five SHiFT codes for Borderlands 4 golden keys, and four double-sided lithography art prints—all for $149.99. The one glaring omission from the Echo-4 bundle is an actual game key for Borderlands 4. That is clearly labelled as "sold separately" on the GameStop page.

Cadence today announced an expansion of its collaboration with Samsung Foundry, including a new multi-year IP agreement to broaden Cadence memory and interface IP solutions in Samsung Foundry's SF4X, SF5A and SF2P advanced process nodes. Furthering their ongoing technology collaboration, the companies are leveraging Cadence's AI-driven design solutions and Samsung's advanced SF4X, SF4U and SF2P process nodes to deliver high-performance, low-power solutions for AI data center, automotive—including advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS)—and next-generation RF connectivity applications.

Cadence's AI-driven design solutions and comprehensive portfolio of IP and silicon solutions enhance designers' productivity and accelerate time to market (TTM) for leading-edge SoCs, chiplets and 3D-ICs on advanced Samsung Foundry processes. "We support a full portfolio of IP, subsystems and chiplets on the Samsung Foundry process nodes, and our latest multi-year IP agreement strengthens our ongoing collaboration," said Boyd Phelps, senior vice president and general manager of the Silicon Solutions Group at Cadence. "By combining Cadence's AI-driven design and silicon solutions with Samsung's advanced processes, we're delivering the leading-edge technologies our mutual customers need to innovate and bring their products to market faster."

SHADOW, the Global leader in high-performance cloud computing, is proud to announce the launch of Neo, a brand-new cloud gaming PC offering designed to deliver next-level RTX experiences for gamers, creators, and professionals alike. Neo will officially roll out in Europe and North America starting June 16, 2025.

Building on the success of the company's previous offers, Neo replaces its widely adopted "Boost" tier and delivers major performance leaps—up to 150% more in gaming and 200% more in pro software performance. All existing Boost users are being upgraded to Neo at no additional cost while new users rates will start at $37.99 per month.

As a laptop user, some days you just want more screen space to get more done efficiently. That kind of relatable experience has been sparking innovation for years with the Intel customer engineers who work side-by-side with PC-maker Lenovo in China. Their newest co-engineered laptop design, the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable, an Intel Core Ultra processor-powered AI PC, goes on sale June 19 with the world's first rollable laptop screen. It's able to vertically expand from 14 inches up to 16.7 inches with either a hand motion or the push of a button. It adds nearly 50% more screen space, all with the power of on-device AI and Microsoft Copilot+.

Everyday Benefits of This AI PC
This laptop minimizes the need for constant scrolling or multiple screens. Excel spreadsheets go from 39 visible lines of information to 66 lines when the screen rolls out. Coders will appreciate the enhanced vertical display that shows more lines. Multitasking and on-the-road presentations are easier as dual 16:9 displays fit on top of each other. And vertical apps like Instagram and TikTok are more easily seen on the portrait display.

Today, 2K and Gearbox Software announced that Borderlands 4 is now available for pre-order. The next installment in the critically and commercially-successful franchise that started a new genre of games will launch worldwide on September 12, 2025 via PlayStation 5 (PS5), Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store. It will also be coming to Nintendo Switch 2 later in 2025.

"I've been blown away by how high the team at Gearbox have raised the bar for Borderlands 4," said David Ismailer, President of 2K. "The development team crafted a premium AAA adventure that evolves the series' gameplay and storytelling in new ways, while delivering on the quintessential Borderlands looter-shooter experience fans know and love."

Rumors of Intel's "Nova Lake-S" processors are increasing, meaning that the design is nearing completion. Expected to arrive in the second half of 2026, Nova Lake‑S will offer configurations ranging from mainstream quad‑core models to a flagship with 52 cores. Initial information suggests that Intel will employ a tile-based design, separating LPE cores from P-Cores and E-Cores to optimize flexibility and yield. At the top of the lineup is the rumored Core Ultra 9 model, possibly designated 385K. It will combine 16 P-cores, 32 E-cores, and four LPE-cores for a total of 52 cores, as previously rumored. With a TDP of 150 W, it will be the most powerful SKU Intel prepared for this generation. Below the flagship, Intel appears to be planning a Core Ultra 7 SKU with 14 P-cores, 24 E-cores, and four LPE cores, totaling 42 cores.

The Core Ultra 5 series may include three variants: a 28-core version with eight P-cores, 16 E-cores, and four LPE-cores; a 24-core version with eight P-cores, 12 E-cores, and four LPE-cores; and an 18-core model with six P-cores, eight E-cores, and four LPE-cores. Entry-level Core Ultra 3 parts would feature either a 16-core configuration with four P-cores, eight E-cores, and four LPE-cores, or a 12-core option with four P-cores, four E-cores, and four LPE-cores, both targeting a 65 W power envelope. All desktop SKUs are expected to feature four LPE cores on a separate die, suggesting a multi-tile package similar to Meteor Lake. Power demands will range from 65 W in entry-level segments to 150 W for high-end parts. Intel is reportedly preparing a new LGA 1954 socket even as it readies an Arrow Lake-S refresh for late 2025. Intel has also reportedly designated Xe3 "Celestial" for graphics rendering and Xe4 "Druid" for media and display duties.

MONTECH proudly announces the release of its newest air cooler, the NX400. Built for gamers, creators, and PC performance enthusiasts, the NX400 redefines the single-tower category with a precision-optimized heatsink, a newly developed static pressure fan, and premium features designed for effective thermal control. At the core of the NX400 is its refined heat sink, 52 fins engineered in precise alignment with the heat pipes to optimize airflow efficiency. This high-density structure ensures faster heat dissipation under intense CPU workloads, making it ideal for gaming and workstation-class performance.

Cooling power is further elevated by the newly developed E28 fan, a 28 mm-thick, high-static-pressure fan tuned for air cooling applications. Available in both ARGB and non-RGB versions, the E28 combines strong airflow with reduced turbulence, enabling the NX400 to deliver exceptional cooling. Vibration damping is managed through premium corner-covered footpads, ensuring stable operation and noise reduction even under full fan speeds. Up top, the glossy striped cover brings a sleek, professional finish, adding visual appeal without overpowering in style.

Intel is breathing new life into the Socket LGA1700 platform by giving it its fourth processor model generation, under the Core 100-series branding. These chips are based on the "Bartlett Lake-S" microarchitecture, but are designed to capture value price points. The main target of these chips are the gaming PC crowd. "Bartlett Lake-S" is a derivative of "Raptor Lake" but with the E-core clusters physically absent, and the chips only having "Raptor Cove" P-cores. A marketing slide for a new entry-level chip came to light, the Core 5 120F.

The Intel Core 5 120F is probably being designed for a sub-$150 price-point. The company's marketing material makes it abundantly clear that gamers that want maxed out 1080p AAA gaming experiences are the target audience of this chip. Core 5 120F comes with a 6-core/12-thread CPU, with six "Raptor Cove" P-cores, and no E-cores. The company didn't specify L2 cache size, but these are likely 1.25 MB per core. The six cores share an 18 MB L3 cache. It's highly likely that this particular silicon is physically similar to the "Alder Lake" H0 die, which also lacks any E-core clusters, physically only has six P-cores, and an 18 MB L3 cache. The Core 5 120F ticks at 2.50 GHz base frequency, with a 4.50 GHz maximum boost. It features a 2-channel DDR5 memory interface, supporting DDR5-4800 native memory speed, with support for up to 192 GB memory. The chip comes with 65 W processor base power.

Monitor brand KOORUI proudly presents the 34E6UC, a 34-inch ultra-wide curved display designed to elevate both productivity and entertainment. A 34-inch ultra-wide WQHD curved monitor designed to meet the growing demand for hybrid work tools and immersive digital experiences.

As remote work and home entertainment become popular trends, consumers are seeking display solutions that support seamless multitasking, vivid visuals, and ergonomic comfort. According to IDC, demand for ultra-wide monitors has grown over 15% year-over-year, driven by professionals, gamers, and digital creators.

GAMEMAX, an emerging brand of PC gaming components including gaming cases and power supply units, is proud to unveil the CLAW 360 and CLAW 460, two bold new entries in its desktop case lineup that bring aggressive design, exceptional airflow, and future-proof compatibility to gamers and creators alike. Designed for gamers and creators seeking standout style and serious thermal performance, both models debut the Bold New GAMEMAX Identity—featuring a claw-inspired front panel, exclusive sculpted ventilation mesh, and the all-new GAMEMAX brand logo. The compact CLAW 360 will launch first, followed by the full-sized CLAW 460 in the coming month.

The CLAW 360 is a compact microATX case that doesn't compromise on performance. Supporting GPUs up to 420 mm (NVIDIA 50 Series Ready), 240 mm ATX PSUs, 175 mm air coolers, and 360 mm radiators, it's designed for users who demand high performance in a smaller footprint. With support for up to 12x 120 mm fans and 4 pre-installed ARGB/PWM fans connected to a built-in controller, it delivers superior thermal performance and vivid lighting. The vertical airflow layout ensures efficient cooling even during intense gaming or workloads. The front I/O panel includes a high-speed USB Type-C Gen 2 port and USB 3.0, while an integrated, height-adjustable GPU support bracket prevents sag and adds durability to long-term builds.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of edge computing solutions, motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices, is excited to introduce the AI-NONXS Developer Kit, a high-performance edge AI development platform engineered to accelerate edge AI deployment for system integrators and AI software developers. Designed to support NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX and Orin Nano series modules, the AI-NONXS Developer Kit empowers users to efficiently build and deploy AI-powered solutions across a broad range of real-world applications. From smart manufacture, smart retail, and automated warehouses to smart cities, transportation, and smart agriculture, the AI-NONXS provides the computing power, flexibility, and reliability required for advanced edge systems.

The AI-NONXS Developer Kit comes with a comprehensive set of industrial-grade interfaces, including 4 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, 1 Micro-USB port, dual Gigabit Ethernet (1 x 1GbE and 1 x 2.5GbE with optional Power over Ethernet), and RS232/422/485, CANBUS, TPM (opt.), audio Line-Out/MIC-In and Speaker out. It operates within a wide temperature range of -20°C to 60°C and supports a flexible power input range of 12 V to 20 V, ensuring reliable performance in harsh environments. For visual input and expansion capabilities, the kit includes HDMI 2.1 (for Orin NX) or HDMI 1.4 (for Orin Nano), dual MIPI CSI connectors, and three M.2 slots (Key-M, Key-E, and Key-B) for storage, wireless communication, and modular upgrades.

Make your PSU ready for more GPUs—get a free 16-pin to Dual 8-pin Adapter Cable with select MSI Power Supplies. Don't miss out on this exclusive offer! MSI MPG A1250GS PCIE5 and MPG A1000GS PCIE5 are built to handle AI PCs with ease. Advanced thermal solutions ensure cool, stable, and efficient operation, even under heavy loads, giving you the reliability and durability you need for gaming, streaming, or AI-powered tasks. The efficiency of your power supply significantly impacts overall power consumption. The Gold certification stands out as a reliable benchmark for energy efficiency, ensuring that your power supply delivers lower energy consumption and operates at higher efficiency levels.

TrendForce's latest research reveals that despite ongoing macroeconomic challenges, both buyers and sellers remain bullish on the OLED monitor panel market. Following a remarkable 132% YoY growth in 2024, this strong momentum is expected to carry over into 2025. As a result, TrendForce has revised its 2025 OLED monitor panel shipment forecast upward from 2.8 million to 3.4 million units—raising the annual growth rate from 40% to 69%.

While the broader panel market is feeling the strain of the U.S.'s reciprocal tariffs, the OLED monitor segment has been relatively insulated and continues to exhibit strong growth. One key driver is the high acceptance of OLED monitors among gaming enthusiasts, encouraging brands to expand their OLED gaming product lines. In parallel, Korean panel makers are increasingly shifting their focus toward OLED monitors.

AMD began rolling out its latest AGESA ComboAM5 microcode for Socket AM5 platforms, as confirmed by an ASUS BIOS update for its ROG Crosshair X870E Hero motherboard. The company will likely get motherboard vendors and prebuilt OEMs to release BIOS updates with the new AGESA 1.2.0.3e microcode for both AMD 600-series and AMD 800-series chipset motherboards. Version 1.2.0.3e patches a security vulnerability with the firmware TPM (fTPM) component needed to establish a hardware root of trust. This is also a minimum system requirement for Windows 11. The vulnerability discovered by Trusted Computing Group, involves an OOB (out of bounds) read method that could compromise the root of trust.

Interestingly, the ASUS change-log mentions that AGESA 1.2.0.3e introduces support for an "upcoming CPU." We know from older reports that this upcoming CPU is the Ryzen 9000G "Gorgon Point" desktop APU. These processors are based on the 4 nm "Gorgon Point" monolithic silicon, which is a revision of "Strix Point," similar to how "Hawk Point" was to "Phoenix Point." There are no changes to the IP of either the CPU complex, or the iGPU, or even the NPU, but updates to their clock speeds or boosting algorithm. The CPU consists of two CCX, one with four "Zen 5" cores sharing a 16 MB L3 cache; and the other with eight "Zen 5c" cores sharing an 8 MB L3 cache. The iGPU is based on the RDNA 3.5 graphics architecture, and comes with 16 compute units. The NPU is based on XDNA 2, and offers at least 50 AI TOPS, giving the chip Microsoft Copilot+ local acceleration capability. The PCIe complex is Gen 4, and the main PEG interface is narrowed down to PCI-Express 4.0 x8.

On June 10, Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs expanded its list of strategic export-controlled customers to include Huawei and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC). The ministry announced that this decision followed a review meeting focused on preventing the proliferation of arms and other national security concerns. Moving forward, any Taiwanese exporter must obtain formal government approval before shipping semiconductors, lithography machines, or related equipment to Huawei or SMIC. TSMC immediately confirmed its full compliance. Company representatives reminded stakeholders that no orders have been fulfilled for Huawei since September 2020 and pledged to enhance internal verification procedures to block any unauthorized transactions. These steps build on one‑billion‑dollar penalty, imposed after investigators determined that two million advanced AI chiplets had been supplied for Huawei's Ascend 910B accelerator without proper clearance.

For Huawei and SMIC, this latest measure compounds the challenges created by existing US export controls, which prohibit both companies from sourcing many US-origin technologies and designs. The two Chinese giants will accelerate efforts to develop domestic alternatives, yet true semiconductor independence remains a distant goal. Designing and building reliable extreme ultraviolet lithography systems demands years of specialized research and highly precise manufacturing capabilities. Scaling production without foreign expertise could introduce costly delays. In response, Chinese research institutes report that the country's first homegrown EUV lithography machines are slated to enter trial production in the third quarter of 2025. Meanwhile, state‑backed partners are racing to develop advanced packaging tools to rival those offered by ASML. Despite these initiatives, experts warn that catching up with global leaders will require substantial time and continued investment.

AMD is looking to introduce the Ryzen 7 9700F 8-core/16-thread processor to target a price-point well under $300, possibly around $250. Naming convention dictates that the processor will lack integrated graphics. Given that AMD hasn't released 65 W variants of its Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" processors, instead giving the 9700X a 65 W TDP out of the box, but with a motherboard BIOS-based "105 W mode" that improves boost frequency residency, the 9700F will likely have either the same or slightly lower clock speeds than the 9700X, a 65 W TDP, and likely even lack this "105 W mode." The idea for AMD would be to offer a decent alternative to the Core Ultra 5 245K.

The Ryzen 7 9700F will be based on the "Granite Ridge" MCM, with one 4 nm CCD that has eight "Zen 5" CPU cores, each with 1 MB of dedicated L2 cache, and sharing a 32 MB on-die L3 cache. The 9700X comes with 3.80 GHz base frequency that boosts up to 5.50 GHz, so the 9700F either sticks with these clock speeds with a 65 W power limit to offer performance resembling the 9700X out of the box, or a 100 MHz lower boost frequency out of the box, but with unlocked multipliers.

In a joint briefing this week, KAIST's Memory Systems Laboratory and TERA's Interconnection and Packaging group presented a forward-looking roadmap for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) standards and the accelerator platforms that will employ them. Shared via Wccftech and VideoCardz, the outline covers five successive generations, from HBM4 to HBM8, each promising substantial gains in capacity, bandwidth, and packaging sophistication. First up is HBM4, targeted for a 2026 rollout in AI GPUs and data center accelerators. It will deliver approximately 2 TB/s per stack at an 8 Gbps pin rate over a 2,048-bit interface. Die stacks will reach 12 to 16 layers, yielding 36-48 GB per package with a 75 W power envelope. NVIDIA's upcoming Rubin series and AMD's Instinct MI500 cards are slated to employ HBM4, with Rubin Ultra doubling the number of memory stacks from eight to sixteen and AMD targeting up to 432 GB per device.

Looking to 2029, HBM5 maintains an 8 Gbps speed but doubles the I/O lanes to 4,096 bits, boosting throughput to 4 TB/s per stack. Power rises to 100 W and capacity scales to 80 GB using 16‑high stacks of 40 Gb dies. NVIDIA's tentative Feynman accelerator is expected to be the first HBM5 adopter, packing 400-500 GB of memory into a multi-die package and drawing more than 4,400 W of total power. By 2032, HBM6 will double pin speeds to 16 Gbps and increase bandwidth to 8 TB/s over 4,096 lanes. Stack heights can grow to 20 layers, supporting up to 120 GB per stack at 120 W. Immersion cooling and bumpless copper-copper bonding will become the norm. The roadmap then predicts HBM7 in 2035, which includes 24 Gbps speeds, 8,192-bit interfaces, 24 TB/s throughput, and up to 192 GB per stack at 160 W. NVIDIA is preparing a 15,360 W accelerator to accommodate this monstrous memory.

Welcome to the middle of June and to those that celebrate, happy midsummer. This week is jam crammed full of new releases, kicking off with a large-scale real-time modern warfare tactics game as our major release. If that's too complex for you, then maybe a spot of fishing is more your thing? Alternatively, we have some first-person shooter action from Finland or a new Diablo like game, if action is more of your thing. If that's not it, some 5v5 footie might be more of your cup of tea or how about a laid back MMORPG? Don't forget the other four games that might tickle your fancy, as some of them are quite big releases as well.

Broken Arrow / This week's major release / Thursday 19 June
Broken Arrow is a large-scale real-time modern warfare tactics game that combines the complexity of joint-forces wargaming with action-packed real-time tactics gameplay. Featuring over 300 realistic military units and technologies, each battle offers an immersive experience with endless replayability. Steam link

AMD late Friday released the latest version of AMD Software Adrenalin drivers. Version 25.6.2 Beta comes with optimization for "The Alters" and "FBC: Firebreak." It also adds FSR 4 support for "The Alters," "Delta Force," "Dragonkin: The Banished," and "RoadCraft." The drivers fix a handful new issues. To begin with an issue that causes Oculus Rift S HMD to put out a green tint on Radeon RX 7000 series GPUs has been fixed. Stuttering and lower than expected performance noticed when using alt+tab to switch windows and streaming with Discord on machines with multiple monitors has been fixed.

An intermittent application crash or driver timeout observed when playing "Marvel's Spider-Man 2" with ray tracing enabled on Radeon RX 9060 XT has been fixed. An application crash observed when first launching "The Last of Us Part I" on RX 9060 XT has been fixed. Lower than expected performance when playing "Warhammer 40,000: Darktide" on RX 9070 series GPUs has been fixed. Grab the drivers from the link below.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Software Adrenalin 25.6.2 Beta