According to the reputable German publication ComputerBase, ViewSonic is preparing to launch an absolute unit of a gaming monitor at CES 2025, which is scheduled to take place in January of next year. The monitor is expected to sport an OLED panel, along with a peak refresh rate of a whopping 520 Hz. The product is also rumored to boast a resolution of 2560 x 1440, which should allow for decent pixel density considering its 27-inch size.

Like many other monitors available currently on the market, yet another unnamed ViewSonic OLED monitor will also boast dual-mode capabilities. Simply put, the monitor will give its user the option to toggle between a high-refresh rate mode with lower resolution, and a high-resolution mode, likely 4K, but with a lower refresh rate. No other details are known at this point, so interested folks will have to wait till next month to know more.

iFixit, the company known for publishing tear-down guides and repairability ratings as well as selling official spare parts and components for various electronics brands, has added Microsoft's Xbox consoles to its growing range of official spares. The repair advocacy company today announced in a blog post that Xbox Series X and Series S spares will now be available through iFixit, replete with DIY repair guides for all the spares sold on the online shop. As is typical of iFixit, the goal—aside from the obvious profit motives—is to promote right to repair and DIY repair in order to keep electronics in service for longer, reducing the amount of e-waste that ends up on the trash heap.

The official iFixit Xbox partnership will include both the disc and digital-only versions of the Series consoles, and the parts list is quite extensive, including everything from big-ticket items, like the motherboard assembly and built-in power supply to less obvious things, like the rubber feet and Wi-Fi modules. Xbox controller spares are also available in the Microsoft Repair Hub, and the list of controller spares looks comprehensive, too. Curiously, iFixit will offer both Microsoft's official Series X/S replacement joysticks and Gulikit TMR Electromagnetic joystick modules, which are a drift-resistant upgrade to the stock joysticks.

More developers than you think are self-taught, and you can easily teach yourself how to code with this bundle of coding e-courses and Microsoft Visual Studio Pro. You could build a portfolio and start a new career, freelance, or know how to create apps and websites. If you purchase everything separately and not on sale, it would cost you $1,999, but it's only $55.97 on StackSocial for Cyber Week.

The 15 coding e-courses cover front-end development with HTML, JavaScript, Vuex, and React and back-end development with Python, Ruby on Rails, Java, C++, and SQL so you can create websites or desktop applications. Or, maybe you're interested in mobile apps with Flutter, Swift, and Kotlin, data science and machine learning, or DevOps engineering with AWS or Azure.

Through December 8 at 11:59 p.m. PT, get this bundle of Microsoft Visual Studio Pro and 15 coding e-courses on sale for $55.97 (reg. $1,999) on StackSocial. Supplies are limited, so act while they're still available.

It's no secret that 2024 hasn't been kind to live-service games, with recent months seeing games like XDefiant and Concord shut down—although not always without reason—so it's a bit refreshing to see the recently released Marvel Rivals hit what can only be described as a home run. Not only is the game already at "Mostly Positive" in terms of Steam reviews, the free-to-play hero shooter also managed to draw in massive amounts of players in its first week on Steam. According to SteamDB, Marvel Rivals peaked at 444,286 concurrent players a mere two and a half hours after its launch on Friday, December 6.

The game launched on the same day as Path of Exile 2, which had an equally successful launch, despite its Early Access fee and some serious technical hiccups along the way. These two games have not been the norm, although Marvel Rivals signals that gaming properties based on Marvel characters may have finally found their audience. In previous years, both Marvel's Midnight Suns and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy made their own impacts, scoring big with both reviewers and audiences. Of course, neither of the aforementioned games garnered quite the player count as Marvel Rivals, but that's likely simply due to the free-to-play nature of Rivals.

Path of Exile 2 today released in Early Access on Steam and consoles, and, despite the game's $29.99 Early Access pricing, it has already managed to amass a peak player count of over 458,920 players on Steam alone. While this is undoubtedly good news for the developer and publisher, the increased server load has apparently already caused problems, resulting in excessive queue times to get into game sessions. At the time of writing, the game has only been available to play for a little over four hours, and the player count is only beginning to plateau now.

According to the Path of Exile X account, the development team has been hard at work trying to stem the bleeding, as it were. So far, the Path of Exile website has been down several times due to the high traffic, preventing players from claiming their Steam keys. Additionally, and somewhat hilariously, this outage has also affected the "Early Access Live Updates" site that was meant to be a resource for gamers to keep track of work the live service team was doing to try and deal with the high launch-day volumes.

It's no secret that Ubisoft hasn't had the best year, with the gaming giant having had to shut down multiple live-service and single-player games this year as a result of disappointing player counts and sales figures. Now, according to a series of rumors, Ubisoft is in talks with Chinese conglomerate Tencent with the intention of a buy-out. Curiously, though, Yves Guillemot, who currently sits as CEO of Ubisoft, wants to sell at least some of the Guillemot family's shares to Tencent, effectively giving Tencent a controlling stake in Ubisoft, but the Guillemot family wants to do so without losing control of the company it helped found.

According to Reuters, inside sources claim that the Guillemot family, who are the founding shareholders and currently have a controlling stake in Ubisoft, would like to maintain a controlling position in the company after whatever potential buyout deal is being discussed. Apparently, the Guillemot Family's desire for continued control has thus far been a sticking point for Tencent, who has as yet opted not increase its stake in the French game developer and publisher, instead holding out for a more favorable deal. Tencent already has around a 10% stake in Ubisoft, but the inside sources claim that Tencent wants greater control over the company before agreeing to a buyout of Guillemot shares.

The annual Game Awards is just around the corner, with the opening night scheduled for December 12, and gaming industry big-shots have teased that there are big announcements coming. One such announcement is the reveal of the second Borderlands 4 trailer, which is all but confirmed for The Game Awards, thanks to Randy Pitchford, CEO of Gearbox Software. We already know the game is planned for release sometime in 2025, but fans are itching to know more about what's to come from the looter shooter that dominated the early 2010s. Around the same time, Andy Robinson, CEO of Video Game Chronicle, teased that he is "Expecting a VERY big Game Awards next week," going on to hype up his followers with "Fire up the hype train."

Pitchford, who has a reputation for being very active on X, recently posted a not-so-subtle confirmation that Gearbox was working on a new trailer for Borderlands 4. Without revealing much more, Pitchford teased that the next trailer would start where the first left off, suggesting that we may find out more about whom the cybernetic arm at the end of the teaser trailer belongs to. So far, prevailing fan theories and speculation around the owner of said arm propose that it is a hint at the return of Gaige, a playable character, and fan favorite, from Borderlands 2. This is a plausible guess, since the Borderlands franchise is known for bringing back characters from previous games, and it wouldn't be the first time we will have seen a former playable character turn NPC.

GPD recently updated its Win 4 gaming handheld with Strix Point APUs, and has now seemingly turned its attention to the Win Max 2. The system is available on Indiegogo, with an estimated shipping time set for sometime this December. The Strix Point update will not only bring improved performance to the table, but also enhance overall energy efficiency, which is crucial for such compact form factors.

The Win Max 2 is now available with AMD's latest Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APU "Strix Point" APU, although a "Hawk Point" variant with a Ryzen 7 8840U is also available. The Strix Point APU outperforms the Hawk Point APU in almost every possible way, with the 12-core HX 370 pulling ahead of the 8-core 8840U by almost 45% in multithreaded benchmarks. In graphics performance, the story is much the same, with the Radeon 890M iGPU leading the 780M by almost 25% in synthetic benchmarks.

Just a few days ago, we reported on a leaked teaser for GEEKOM's upcoming QS1 Pro mini PC. The system is set to mark GEEKOM's foray into the world of Arm-based PCs, likely in a bid to take on Apple's Mac mini. However, if a recent leak is to be believed, the QS1 Pro may have a tough time pulling that off.

The leaked specifications, courtesy of a Spanish publication, reveal that the QS1 Pro will feature the Snapdragon X1E-80-100 SoC - the second-fastest member of the X Elite family, slotting in below the 84-100 SKU. The X1E-80-100 boasts 12 Oryon cores, along with a 3.8 TFLOPs Adreno GPU. Interestingly, the leaked specs claim GPU performance of up to 4.6 TFLOPs, which is either a typo, or an indication that an X1E-84-100 variant will be available.

Today, NYXI officially announces the global launch of the NYXI Flexi Wireless Game Controller, designed to deliver a seamless and customizable gaming experience across multiple platforms. The NYXI Flexi stands as a strong competitor to other modular design controllers on the market, offering exceptional versatility, precision, and durability.

Customizable Gamepad Layouts
Switching between different gamepad layouts can be frustrating for multi-platform gamers. NYXI Flexi Wireless Game Controller solves this challenge with its innovative swappable components. Gamers can easily adapt the controller to their preferred style with features like swappable ABXY keycaps, interchangeable D-pad & left joystick. Whether you favor an Xbox layout, Switch button configuration, or Playstation controller joystick placement, the Flexi offers seamless customization for an unparalleled gaming experience.

Thanks to the discovery of VideoCardz, we get a glimpse of MAXSUN's latest Arc 580 GPU with not only a GPU but extra room for two additional M.2 SSDs. The PCIe connector on the Intel Arc B580 has x16 physical pins but runs at PCIe 4.0 x8 speeds. Intel verified it runs only x8 lanes instead of the full x16 slot, leaving x8 lanes unsued. However, MAXSUN thought of a clever way to put the leftover x8 lanes to good use by adding two PCIe x4 M.2 SSDs to thelatest triple-fan iCraft B580 SKU. Power delivery for the M.2 drives comes directly from the graphics card, which is made possible by the GPU's partial PCIe lane utilization. This configuration could prove particularly valuable for compact builds or systems with limited motherboard storage options.

Interestingly, the SSD pair appears to have its own thermal enclosure, which acts as a heatsink. Having constant airflow from the GPU's fans, the M.2 SSD configuration should be able to maximize the full bandwidth of the SSDs without thermals throttling the SSD read/write speeds. The design follows in the footsteps of AMD's Radeon Pro SSG, which introduced integrated storage in workstation cards with PCIe 3.0 M.2 slots. Back then, it was mainly a target for workstation users. However, MAXSUN has envisioned gamers unusually expanding their storage space now. The pricing of the card and availability date remains a mystery.

The CXL Consortium, an industry standard body advancing coherent connectivity, announces the release of its Compute Express Link (CXL) 3.2 Specification. The 3.2 Specification optimizes CXL Memory Device monitoring and management, enhances functionality of CXL Memory Devices for OS and Applications, and extends security with the Trusted Security Protocol (TSP).

"We are excited to announce the release of the CXL 3.2 Specification to advance the CXL ecosystem by providing enhancements to security, compliance, and functionality of CXL Memory Devices," said Larrie Carr, CXL Consortium President. "The Consortium continues to develop an open, coherent interconnect and enable an interoperable ecosystem for heterogeneous memory and computing solutions."

Cooler Master, a global leader in PC components and tech lifestyle solutions, today announced the launch of the MasterFrame Series, an innovative line of PC cases that redefines customization, performance, and artistry in PC design. This adaptable series introduces a bold reimagining of what a PC case can be—blending premium aesthetics with unparalleled functionality.

With its dynamic exo-structure and artist-inspired interchangeable panels, the MasterFrame Series offers a platform for limitless creativity. Whether building high-performance setups, creating content, or showcasing personal style, the MasterFrame empowers users to design PCs as unique as they are.

Intel has released the latest version of its Arc GPU Graphics Drivers, the version 101.6319 Beta. Surprisingly, the product compatibility list still does not include support for the new Arc Battlemage B500 series graphics cards, so we expect yet another driver release when they become officially available. It also does not fix any bugs, and the known issues list is the same as with the previous WHQL drivers release. On the other hand, the Arc GPU Graphics Drivers version 101.6319 Beta adds Game On Drivers support for Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, Marvel Rivals, and Path of Exile 2 on Intel Arc A-series GPUs and Intel Core Ultra with built-in Intel Arc GPUs.

DOWNLOAD: Intel Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.6319 Beta

Lexar, a leading global brand of flash memory solutions, is thrilled to announce two new portable SSDs - the SL300 and the ES3, designed for everyday users and business professionals looking for speed, efficiency, and security in their data storage solutions. These workhorse drives boast speeds up to 9.5 times faster than traditional HDDs, with read speeds reaching 1050 MB/s and write speeds of 1000 MB/s, ensuring significantly faster data transfers and super-fast backups.

Equipped with built-in double-layer graphite sheets, the ES3 and SL300 effectively conduct heat to keep the drive cool during intensive tasks. Its sleek and sturdy design is not only durable but also features drop-resistance up to 2 meters, providing added protection against accidental falls. With plug-and-play compatibility via a 2-in-1 USB-C/USB-A cable, users can effortlessly connect these drives to their PC, Mac, tablet, smartphone, and more. Additionally, the SSDs come with Lexar DataShield 256-bit AES encryption software to safeguard files, along with access to the Lexar Recovery Tool to help recover accidentally deleted data.

Welcome to XYZ, we are pleased to announce our arrival to the market and first appearance at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025, taking place in Las Vegas from January 7-10, 2025. We invite you to visit us at our booth 41047 and 41447, located in South Hall 3 of the Las Vegas Convention Center, where we will be showcasing our new products for the next generation of PC enthusiasts and Gamers at all levels.

Since our origins as a development team and manufacturer, we have focused on developing innovative products that prioritize quality, performance and aesthetics. It is only now, in 2024, that we have decided to showcase worldwide, thanks to XYZ, our goal to help our users reach new levels of excellence through our products, while ensuring cost and efficiency. We adopt and develop our products to enhance the user experience, designing solutions that meet the real needs and requirements of our users while bringing to bear our best knowledge and experience in doing so. At CES 2025, we will present our latest innovations, fusing design, performance and quality while maintaining cost and efficiency based on our XYZ philosophy.Visit the XYZ PC Gear Website to discover the brand, our portfolio of PC gaming hardware; and be sure to check us out at CES 2025!

The World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization has unveiled its latest projections for the global semiconductor market, highlighting robust growth expectations for 2024 and 2025.

2024: A Year of Strong Rebound
In its updated fall forecast, WSTS has revised its 2024 projections upward, anticipating a significant 19.0% year-over-year growth in the semiconductor market. The global market value for 2024 is now estimated to reach $627 billion, reflecting improved performance in second and third quarter of 2024, particularly in the computing sector.

We have already confirmed that Intel is continuing the development of Arc gaming GPUs beyond the current Xe2 "Battlemage" series, with the new Xe3 "Celestial" architecture in the works. However, thanks to PCWorld's The Full Nerd podcast, Tom Petersen of Intel confirmed that the Xe3 IP has been finished, and the hardware teams are already working on the next Xe4 "Druid" GPU IP. "Our architects are way ahead of us, and they are already working on not the next thing but the next thing after the next thing," said Petersen, adding: "The way I would like to comment is our IP that's kind of called Xe3, which is the one after Xe2, that's pretty much baked, right. And so the software teams have a lot of work to do on Xe3. The hardware teams are off on the next thing, right. That's our cadence, that we need to keep going."

The base IP of next-generation Xe3 "Celestial" GPUs is done. That means the basic media engines, Xe cores, XMX matrix engines, ray tracing engines, and other parts of the gaming GPU are already designed and most likely awaiting trial fabrication. The software to support this Xe3 is also being developed while Intel's team is working on enabling more optimizations for the Xe2 "Battlemage" architecture, which we previewed recently. We assume that Intel's Xe GPU will now follow a stricter cadence of releases, with SKUs getting updated much faster, given that a lot is prepared for the future.

Valve's headquarters is cooking something big, as the company has unveiled new branding guidelines for "Powered by SteamOS" as it prepares to expand SteamOS support for third-party handhelds and PCs. The branding guidelines include various cases. First in line is for games, which can carry a "Steam" logotype, showing that the game is available and runs on Steam. Next up is the "Steam Included" logo, which officially certifies that a hardware product comes with the Steam client pre-installed. To display this logo, manufacturers must comply with Valve's Steam Client Distribution Agreement and integrate the Steam client in its approved form—either as a bootloader or fully compiled software. What we are most interested in is the "Powered by SteamOS" logo, which certifies that a hardware device runs SteamOS as its primary operating system and launches directly into SteamOS when powered on, requiring hardware manufacturers and partners to use the official Steam system image either provided directly by Valve or developed in close partnership with Valve.

The "Steam Compatible" logo certifies that a third-party input peripheral has been reviewed by Valve and meets their established compatibility criteria for use with Steam on PCs, with manufacturers receiving licensing rights after Valve's verification of the device's implementation. Finally, the "Steam Play Here" logo identifies brick-and-mortar establishments with access to Steam games through the Steam PC Café Server, including commercial PC cafés, university computer labs, libraries, and trade shows, allowing these locations to promote their Steam gaming capabilities through window displays and interior signage, with all participating venues required to operate under the official Steam PC Café system guidelines.

TSMC is reportedly negotiating with NVIDIA to manufacture advanced "Blackwell" GPUs in its Arizona facility. First reported by Reuters, this partnership could mark another major shift in AI chip production toward US soil. The discussion centers around TSMC's Fab 21 in Phoenix, Arizona, specializing in 4 nm and 5 nm chip production. NVIDIA's Blackwell GPUs utilize TSMC's 4NP process technology, making the Arizona facility a technically viable production site. However, the proposed arrangement faces several logistical challenges. A key issue is the absence of advanced packaging facilities in the United States. There is Amkor that planned to do advanced packaging, but it's only scheduled to begin packaging in 2027. TSMC's sophisticated CoWoS packaging technology is currently available only in Taiwan. This means that chips manufactured in Arizona would need to be shipped back to Taiwan for final assembly, potentially increasing production costs.

While alternative solutions exist, such as redesigning the chips to use Intel's packaging technology or focusing on gaming GPU production in Arizona, these options present their own complications. Intel's packaging methods would likely increase costs, and the current absence of graphics card manufacturing infrastructure in the US makes domestic gaming GPU production less practical. Both TSMC and NVIDIA have declined to comment on the ongoing negotiations, as this is confidential information unknown to the public. Interestingly, TSMC's Arizona facility has already attracted a few more US firms for domestic manufacturing, like Apple, rumored to manufacture its A16 Bionic chip and AMD with high-performance designs, likely either EPYC or Instinct MI chips.

Fractal and TechPowerUp partner to bring you the 2024 Holiday Giveaway, which has been going strong for over a week now, but entries close in 2 days! Open to our readers from the US and Canada, the Giveaway puts two of the company's best pieces of hardware up for grabs. The first winner gets a Fractal Refine gaming chair, and gets to choose between dark or light mesh; or dark or light fabric trims. The second winner gets a Fractal North XL, a spacious mid-tower case that can take E-ATX motherboards, and enthusiast-segment graphics cards, besides modern liquid cooling solutions. The winner gets to pick between Charcoal and Walnut or White and Oak, TG or Mesh side panel trims.

For more details and to participate, visit this page.

ASUS today announced an innovative lineup of high-quality and versatile mainstream display options designed for gaming, content creation, hybrid work, entertainment, and more at CES 2025. These include a superfast ROG Strix gaming monitor, versatile ASUS ZenScreen monitors, and cutting-edge ProArt displays. ROG Strix gaming monitors are designed for gamers who demand the best in terms of image quality, refresh rate, response time, and overall performance—and the new ROG Strix XG32UCG ticks all of the above. This exceptional gaming monitor features a 31.5-inch 4K Fast IPS panel with dual 4K @ 160 Hz and FHD @ 320 Hz modes.

The ASUS ZenScreen range is represented by three versatile displays at CES 2025: ZenScreen Smart MS32UC, ZenScreen MB27ACF, and ZenScreen MB169CK. ZenScreen Smart MS32UC boasts embedded Google TV and the latest AI features to put productivity and entertainment front and center, making it perfect for small-space living by giving users everything they need on a single screen. Meanwhile, the 27-inch ZenScreen MB27ACF includes a host of accessories that enable users to configure it to suit various work setups. Perfect for those working remotely or from a co-working space, this innovative monitor allows users to create their own productivity corner. For flexibility, the ultra-lightweight ZenScreen MB169CK portable screen offers rich connectivity options, making it great for on-the-go productivity.

The updated Seasonic series is a well-established member of Seasonic's comprehensive product lineup, catering to a broad spectrum of PC enthusiasts and system builders. Following the newest trends in graphics card design, the units in this family comply with the latest ATX 3.1 and PCIe Gen 5.1 standards. The CORE GX ATX 3 series can be purchased in four output variants, ranging from 1000 W to 650 W, in both black and white colors. Aiming for easy installation and clutter-free cable management, these 80 Plus Gold certified units of the Seasonic's CORE GX family follow a fully modular design equipped with color-matching cables featuring a braided pattern.

Built with the well-recognized Seasonic quality, these power supplies are solid performers for a large range of applications. A 120 mm hydro dynamic bearing fan is combined with Seasonic's Smart and Silent Fan Control to ensure the optimal cooling performance at the lowest possible noise emission level. The Seasonic CORE GX ATX 3 power supplies are backed by Sea Sonic's 7-year worldwide manufacturer's warranty.

It's been public knowledge for a while now that Lenovo is planning an imminent successor to its Legion Go handheld that has proven rather popular among handheld gamers. Previous leaks and rumors indicated that the Legion Go S 8ARP1, as it will apparently be named, will be a more affordable version of the current Legion Go. Now, thanks to Roland Quandt, Windows Central, and WinFuture, more details about the upcoming Legion Go S have leaked, including images of the device, supposed specifications, and a potential price.

According to the leaks, the new affordable handheld gaming PC will feature some substantial hardware changes, including a slightly smaller eight-inch display, this time with a much lower 1920 × 1200p resolution and a slightly lower 120 Hz refresh rate. Gone, too, are the Nintendo Switch-style detachable controllers, with the Legion Go S instead featuring a white unibody design. What's more interesting than the leaked images of the Legion Go S or the hardware changes—detachable controllers or not, the Legion Go is still intended to be used as a handheld—is the new AMD APU that will seemingly power the Go S. The as-yet unannounced AMD Ryzen Z2G looks like it will be an odd core configuration featuring an AMD Radeon 680M iGPU and Zen 3+ cores. Ultimately, the APU seems like it will put the Legion Go S somewhere between the current-generation Legion Go and devices featuring the AMD Ryzen Z1 (non-extreme), which is a good place to be if Lenovo hopes to compete with the likes of the Steam Deck OLED, which will seemingly cost around the same as the Legion Go S, depending on which region you are in.

The "Rubin" architecture succeeds NVIDIA's current "Blackwell," which powers the company's AI GPUs, as well as the upcoming GeForce RTX 50-series gaming GPUs. NVIDIA will likely not build gaming GPUs with "Rubin," just like it didn't with "Hopper," and for the most part, "Volta." NVIDIA's AI GPU product roadmap put out at SC'24 puts "Blackwell" firmly in charge of the company's AI GPU product stack throughout 2025, with "Rubin" only succeeding it in the following year, for a two-year run in the market, being capped off with a "Rubin Ultra" larger GPU slated for 2027. A new report by United Daily News (UDN), a Taiwan-based publication, says that the development of "Rubin" is running 6 months ahead of schedule.

Being 6 months ahead of schedule doesn't necessarily mean that the product will launch sooner. It would give NVIDIA headroom to get "Rubin" better evaluated in the industry, and make last-minute changes to the product if needed; or even advance the launch if it wants to. The first AI GPU powered by "Rubin" will feature 8-high HBM4 memory stacks. The company will also introduce the "Vera" CPU, the long-awaited successor to "Grace." It will also introduce the X1600 InfiniBand/Ethernet network processor. According to the SC'24 roadmap by NVIDIA, these three would've seen a 2026 launch. Then in 2027, the company would follow up with an even larger AI GPU based on the same "Rubin" architecture, codenamed "Rubin Ultra." This features 12-high HBM4 stacks. NVIDIA's current GB200 "Blackwell" is a tile-based GPU, with two dies that have full cache-coherence. "Rubin" is rumored to feature four tiles.

Forza Motorsport, Xbox Studios's cinematic 2023 live-service racing sim, is getting a nice visual upgrade in an upcoming update (titled Update 15) shortly after the first anniversary of its release. On December 9, Forza Motorsport will get Ray-Traced Global Illumination (RTGI), making the racing game and all its shiny cars look more realistic. RTGI will be available for all PC versions of Forza Motorsport as of December 9—as long as the game is up-to-date that is—although it will need to be manually enabled in the game's graphics settings. After being enabled, RTGI will apply to both gameplay rendering and in-game cinematics, as well as the built-in photo mode.

While Forza Motorsport's minimum recommended GPU specification is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060, you will need at least an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 20-series or AMD RX 6000-series graphics card to take advantage of RTGI, with the game's developer, Turn 10, recommending an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 or better for high graphics and RTGI settings. For the uninitiated, RTGI helps increase realism by simulating how light interacts with surfaces and materials, more accurately rendering indirect lighting and shadows in-game. In NVIDIA's blog post announcing the updated visuals for Forza Motorsport, it recommends using the RTGI in conjunction with DLSS Super Resolution or DLAA to get the highest frame rates. Forza Motorsport is available for PC on Steam (currently 50% off), the Microsoft Store, and PC Game Pass

AI is fundamentally changing technology - from the PC to edge and cloud—and redefining the way we work, create and collaborate. Next-generation technologies will empower workers through powerful new tools that enhance productivity and make intelligent, personalized computing more accessible than ever. At CES 2025, Intel will show how it's advancing what's possible on the AI PC—for on-the-go professionals and enthusiasts - by designing for the needs and experiences of tomorrow with breakthrough efficiency, no-compromise compatibility and an unmatched software ecosystem. Intel will also showcase the latest automotive innovations as the industry embraces software-defined connected electric vehicles powered by AI.

JONSBO today introduced the TH line of all-in-one liquid CPU coolers. These feature conventional cylindrical pump-blocks capped with an LED 7-segment display that puts out CPU temperature, framed by an ARGB diffuser. The highlight with these coolers are their included compound fans. A compound fan is a single frame with multiple impellers (fanlets), which reduces the cable clutter that comes with having multiple individual fans. It takes in a single cable for the 4-pin PWM and 3-pin ARGB connections. The sides of the frame and the impeller hubs feature ARGB diffusers.

There are four models in the JONSBO TH-series depending on the color and radiator size—the TH-240 Black, the TH-360 Black, the TH-240 White, and the TH-360 White. Each 120 mm fanlet in the compound fan turns at speeds ranging between 700 and 2,400 RPM, pushing between 21.46 and 62.40 CFM of airflow; at between 21.3 and 37.3 dBA of noise output. The company didn't put out static pressure numbers. Among the CPU socket types supported are LGA1851, AM5, LGA1700, and AM4. The company didn't reveal pricing.

For better or worse, generative AI has been a disruptive force in many industries, although its reception in video games has been lukewarm at best, with attempts at integrating AI-powered NPCs into games failing to impress most gamers. Now, Google's DeepMind AI has a new model called Genie 2, which can supposedly be used to generate "action-controllable, playable, 3D environments for training and evaluating embodied agents." All the environments generated by Genie 2 can supposedly be interacted with, whether by a human piloting a character with a mouse and keyboard or an AI-controlled NPC, although it's unclear what the behind-the-scenes code and optimizations look like, both aspects of which will be key to any real-world applications of the tech. Google says worlds created by Genie 2 can simulate consequences of actions in addition to the world itself, all in real-time. This means that when a player interacts with a world generated by Genie 2, the AI will respond with what its model suggests is the result of that action (like stepping on a leaf resulting in the destruction of said leaf). This extends to things like lighting, reflections, and physics, with Google showing off some impressively accurate water, volumetric effects, and accurate gravity.

In a demo video, Google showed a number of different AI-generated worlds, each with their own interactive characters, from a spaceship interior being explored by an astronaut to a robot taking a stroll in a futuristic cyberpunk urban environment, and even a sailboat sailing over water and a cowboy riding through some grassy plains on horseback. What's perhaps most interesting about Genie 2's generated environments is that Genie has apparently given each world a different perspective and camera control scheme. Some of the examples shown are first-person, while others are third-person with the camera either locked to the character or free-floating around the character. Of course, being generative AI, there is some weirdness, and Google clearly chose its demo clips carefully to avoid graphical anomalies from taking center stage. What's more, at least a few clips seem to very strongly resemble worlds from popular video games, Assassin's Creed, Red Dead Redemption, Sony's Horizon franchise, and what appears to be a mix of various sci-fi games, including Warframe, Destiny, Mass Effect, and Subnautica. This isn't surprising, since the worlds Google used to showcase the AI are all generated with an image and text prompt as inputs, and, given what Google says it used as training data used, it seems likely that gaming clips from those games made it into the AI model's training data.

Today we're excited to launch the 3DMark DirectStorage feature test. This feature test is a free update for the 3DMark Storage Benchmark DLC. The 3DMark DirectStorage feature test helps gamers understand the potential performance benefits that Microsoft's DirectStorage technology could have for their PC's gaming performance.

DirectStorage is a Microsoft technology for Windows PCs with PCIe SSDs that reduces the overhead when loading game data. DirectStorage can be used to reduce game loading times when paired with other technologies such as GDeflate, where the GPU can be used to decompress certain game assets instead of the CPU. On systems running Windows 11, DirectStorage can bring further benefits with BypassIO, lowering a game's CPU overhead by reducing the CPU workload when transferring data.

Square Enix just announced the final season of Foamstars, the colorful, unique 4v4 PvP party shooter for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. After the new season, which will run from December 13, 2024, to January 17, 2025, Square Enix will stop providing seasonal updates to Foamstars, effectively marking the end of the game's live service. It won't be the end of Foamstars entirely, though, since the game and its servers will remain live after the final season ends—with all previous seasons' content available, to boot. Still, without additional content coming, the future of Foamstars is uncertain, and many are already asking how long the game will remain interesting to players, especially in a genre that has so many alternatives.

In order to stem the inevitable player exodus and attract new players, despite the effective discontinuation of development, Square Enix is planning a series of in-game events it calls the Foamstars Cup. Along with the new season, Square Enix will also introduce customizable character shots and a handful of other enhancements. Foamstars went free-to-play earlier this year, shortly after its launch, likely as a move to attract new players, but the effective abandonment of the game by Square Enix is something of an indication that even this wasn't enough to justify further development of the game beyond what Square Enix is promising after this final season.

GeForce NOW is wrapping a sleigh-full of gaming gifts this month, stuffing members' cloud gaming stockings with new titles and fresh offers to keep holiday gaming spirits merry and bright. Adventure calls and whip-cracking action awaits in the highly anticipated Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, streaming in the cloud today during the Advanced Access period for those who have preordered the Premium Edition from Steam or the Microsoft Store. The title can only be played with RTX ON - GeForce NOW is offering gamers without high-performance hardware the ability to play it with 25% off Ultimate and Performance Day Passes. It's like finding that extra-special gift hidden behind the tree.

This GFN Thursday also brings a new limited-time offer: 50% off the first month of new Ultimate or Performance memberships - a gift that can keep on giving. Whether looking to try out GeForce NOW or buckle in for long-term cloud gaming, new members can choose between the Day Pass sale or the new membership offer. There's a perfect gaming gift for everyone this holiday season. GFN Thursday also brings 13 new titles in December, with four available this week to get the festivities going. Plus, the latest update to GeForce NOW - version 2.0.69 - includes expanded support for 10-bit color precision. This feature enhances image quality when streaming on Windows, macOS and NVIDIA SHIELD TVs - and now to Edge and Chrome browsers on Windows devices, as well as to the Chrome browser on Chromebooks, Samsung TVs and LG TVs.

NVIDIA announced today it is opening its first Vietnam research and development center, signaling its confidence in the country's bright artificial intelligence future. The company is collaborating with the Vietnamese government to establish its new Vietnam Research and Development Center focused on AI. NVIDIA will use the R&D center to focus on software development, capitalizing on the country's strong talent pool of STEM engineers, and to engage industry leaders, startups, government agencies, universities and students to accelerate the adoption of AI.

"We are delighted to open NVIDIA's R&D center to accelerate Vietnam's AI journey," said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. "With our expertise in AI development, we will partner with a vibrant ecosystem of researchers, startups and enterprise organizations to build incredible AI right here in Vietnam."

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Mozilla's entire advocacy team was caught in a round of layoffs, leading to speculation that Mozilla would be giving up its advocacy entirely, shifting to a more commercial focus. Now, with the announcement of Mozilla's new branding, aside from updating the brand's look, it seems as though the Firefox company wants to reassure users of its software that it is still dedicated to its mission to "keep the internet free, open, and accessible." The new branding strategy includes a new logo, typeface family, new icons, a T. rex mascot, and new colors.

The new branding push from Mozilla sees the brand move an appearance seemingly inspired by both its history and the text-based OS interfaces of the early years of computing. For the rebranding, Mozilla partnered with design firm JKR (Jones Knowles Ritchie), and the new branding features a cutesy DOS-style flag that doubles as a T. rex, hinting to past Mozilla logos. In the announcement of the rebranding, boldly titled "Reclaim the internet: Mozilla's rebrand for the next era of tech," Mozilla emphasizes that the new look is meant to convey the company's intention throughout its whole ecosystem of products. It seems as though Mozilla is trying to remind everyone that it's work towards a more open internet extends beyond just the advocacy team it recently laid off.

Your favorite shows, movies, series, live TV, and games are in your space on the screen of your AGON by AOC Q27G4XY SMART GAMING MONITOR. The AGON by AOC Q27G4XY 27" SMART GAMING MONITOR is a pioneer in this field, bringing the convenience of Google TV to your monitor screen. This 27" QHD 2560x1440 WLED monitor, featuring a 180 Hz refresh rate, 1 ms GtG response time, AMD FreeSync, NVIDIA G-SYNC, and HDR10, combined with Google TV, delivers an immersive gaming and streaming experience—ideal for any dorm room!

Google TV
When you're done gaming, there's no need to switch devices. The AGON by AOC Q27G4XY Smart Gaming Monitor, powered by Google TV's built-in operating system, brings all your entertainment to one place. Instantly browse movies, shows, live TV, sports, and more across your favorite apps. Google TV brings together everything you stream on one screen, so you can find what to watch without jumping from app to app. Not sure what to watch? Just ask Google Assistant and search across apps with your voice to find what you're looking for. Finding your next watch is now as easy as ever.

IonQ, a leader in the quantum computing and networking industry, today announced the delivery of IonQ Forte Enterprise to its first European Innovation Center at the uptownBasel campus in Arlesheim, Switzerland. Achieved in partnership with QuantumBasel, this major milestone marks the first datacenter-ready quantum computer IonQ has delivered that will operate outside the United States and the first quantum system for commercial use in Switzerland.

Forte Enterprise is now online servicing compute jobs while performing at a record algorithmic qubit count of #AQ36, which is significantly more powerful than the promised #AQ35. With each additional #AQ, the useful computational space for running quantum algorithms doubles. A system with #AQ36 is capable of considering more than 68 billion different possibilities simultaneously. With this milestone, IonQ once again leads the industry in delivering production-ready systems to customers.

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, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Marvel Rivals launch with DLSS 3, Path of Exile 2 enters Early Access with day-one support for DLSS Super Resolution, and the Delta Force PC Global Open Beta kicks-off, also with day-one DLSS Super Resolution support. On December 9th, Forza Motorsport's next update introduces support for immersive Ray-Traced Global Illumination lighting. And in the near future, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2's next update introduces support for DLSS 3 Frame Generation.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Launching With DLSS 3 & Ray Tracing
Uncover one of history's greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on December 6th with the game's Digital Premium Edition Advanced Access launch, followed by its general release on December 9th. Step into the shoes of Indiana Jones and embark on a single-player, narrative-driven journey that spans the globe during the height of the legendary archaeologist's career. From the hallowed halls of the Vatican and the sunken temples of Sukhothai to the pyramids of Egypt and the snowy peaks of the Himalayas.

GPD's 6-inch Win 4 gaming handheld has been updated with AMD's latest Strix Point offering, less than a year after the recent Hawk Point upgrade. Potential customers now have the option to splurge on a system with the Ryzen AI 9 370 HX APU paired with 32 GB of LPDDR5X-7500 memory and up to 2 TB of solid-state storage.

For those out of the AMD loop, here is a quick refresher on the Ryzen AI 9 370 HX - 12 cores (8x Zen 5c + 4x Zen 5), Radeon 890M iGPU with 16 RDNA 3.5 CUs, and a 35 W TDP as configured by GPD. According to GPD's claims, the Strix Point update allows the system to perform significantly better, even edging ahead of a 45 W RTX 2050 Mobile in synthetic benchmarks.

Broadcom Inc. today announced the availability of its 3.5D eXtreme Dimension System in Package (XDSiP) platform technology, enabling consumer AI customers to develop next-generation custom accelerators (XPUs). The 3.5D XDSiP integrates more than 6000 mm² of silicon and up to 12 high bandwidth memory (HBM) stacks in one packaged device to enable high-efficiency, low-power computing for AI at scale. Broadcom has achieved a significant milestone by developing and launching the industry's first Face-to-Face (F2F) 3.5D XPU.

The immense computational power required for training generative AI models relies on massive clusters of 100,000 growing to 1 million XPUs. These XPUs demand increasingly sophisticated integration of compute, memory, and I/O capabilities to achieve the necessary performance while minimizing power consumption and cost. Traditional methods like Moore's Law and process scaling are struggling to keep up with these demands. Therefore, advanced system-in-package (SiP) integration is becoming crucial for next-generation XPUs. Over the past decade, 2.5D integration, which involves integrating multiple chiplets up to 2500 mm² of silicon and HBM modules up to 8 HBMs on an interposer, has proven valuable for XPU development. However, as new and increasingly complex LLMs are introduced, their training necessitates 3D silicon stacking for better size, power, and cost. Consequently, 3.5D integration, which combines 3D silicon stacking with 2.5D packaging, is poised to become the technology of choice for next-generation XPUs in the coming decade.

Today, AMD released the latest version of the AMD Software Adrenalin drivers, version 24.12.1 WHQL. This new release brings optimization for games like Marvel Rivals, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Slitterhead, Delta Force, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. It also extends AMD HYPR-Tune support to enable in-game technologies like AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution and AMD Radeon Anti-Lag 2. Automatic configuration for AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution with frame generation has been added for Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, MechWarrior 5: Clans, and Red Dead Redemption 2. The latest AMD Software Adrenalin drivers also fixed problems and performance issues with Ollama and LM Studio, The Crew Motorfest, Monster Hunter: World and Fortnite.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Software Adrenalin 24.12.1 WHQL

NVIDIA today released the latest version of its GeForce Game Ready drivers. Version 566.36 WHQL comes with Game Ready optimization for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Delta Force, Marvel Rivals, Path of Exile 2, Forza Motorsport RT Global Illumination update, and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 DLSS 3 Frame Gen update. This release also includes optimal settings that can be applied using GeForce Experience or the NVIDIA App, for Farming Simulator 25, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Game crashes noticed in Forza Horizon 5 and God of War: Ragnarok, after updating to R565 drivers, have been fixed.

DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce 566.36 WHQL

Intel's Foundry business is the company's current pain point and probably the reason why the company board of directors forced out ex-CEO Pat Gelsinger. However, the new interim co-CEO, David Zinsner, confirmed that the foundry plan would remain the same. At the UBS technology conference, Zinsner indicated that the company's core strategy remains unchanged and reiterated the forecasts shared in October, highlighting optimism about growth in its PC and server segments. This is a healthy sign that Intel will not lose its foundry subsidiary, which, even though difficult to operate, could be Intel's silver lining with growth opportunities ahead.

Yesterday, we covered the choice of Lip-Bu Tan as Intel's next CEO. However, the new co-CEO, Zinsner, stated, "I'm not in the process, but I'm guessing that the CEO will have some capability around foundry as well as on the product side." A new CEO would be left with a lot of work that, apparently, no one so far can finish. There are speculations that Intel's 18A node is yielding 10% of usable silicon, while Intel's head of foundry business, Naga Chandrasekaran, has noted that 18A node is going through evolution phases to improve final yields and remain profitable, noting that "there's nothing fundamentally challenging on this node now. It is about going through the remaining yield challenges, defect density challenges."

Intel Corporation today announced that Eric Meurice, former president, chief executive officer and chairman of ASML Holding N.V., and Steve Sanghi, chairman and interim chief executive officer of Microchip Technology Inc., have been appointed to Intel's board of directors, effective immediately. Both will serve as independent directors.

"Eric and Steve are highly respected leaders in the semiconductor industry whose deep technical expertise, executive experience and operational rigor make them great additions to the Intel board," said Frank D. Yeary, interim executive chair of the Intel board. "As successful CEOs with proven track records of creating shareholder value, they will bring valuable perspectives to the board as the company delivers on its priorities for customers in Intel Products and Intel Foundry, while driving greater efficiency and improving profitability."

With the Senza Under Desk PC, ARCTIC is launching a remarkable new product on the market. The innovative Senza Under Desk PC, available in three versions, impresses with its discreet under-desk mounting, high performance, and completely passive cooling. A complete PC that integrates perfectly into any working environment and ensures a tidy, efficient setup.

The ideal solution for modern offices and home office
"The Senza was developed to optimize the workplace. With our Under Desk PC, we have created a computer that is inaudible and invisible and offers maximum comfort and performance."—Magnus Huber, CEO

EIZO Corporation today unveiled the FlexScan FLT, the world's most power-efficient monitor, embodying EIZO's vision for the future of monitor design, work style, and sustainability. The FLT is a lightweight, 23.8-inch monitor with Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution designed for business users.

For more than 30 years, EIZO has led the development of power-efficient, ergonomic, and eco-conscious monitors with its FlexScan series for business enterprise. In 2023, the company accelerated its efforts to achieve carbon neutrality across the entire value chain by 2040, as part of its "Transition to Net Zero" plan, aiming to realize a low-carbon society. The FLT, or "Future-Leading Technology," was designed with this vision in mind. It embodies the philosophies driving FlexScan's evolution and paves the way to a future that EIZO envisions with coming generations of its monitors. Its sustainability-focused approach, robust functionality, and sleek design reflect EIZO's commitment to continuous innovation - not just for today's challenges, but for a brighter tomorrow.

The Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation (SPEC), the trusted global leader in computing benchmarks, today announced the availability of the SPECworkstation 4.0 benchmark, a major update to SPEC's comprehensive tool designed to measure all key aspects of workstation performance. This significant upgrade from version 3.1 incorporates cutting-edge features to keep pace with the latest workstation hardware and the evolving demands of professional applications, including the increasing reliance on data analytics, AI and machine learning (ML).

The new SPECworkstation 4.0 benchmark provides a robust, real-world measure of CPU, graphics, accelerator, and disk performance, ensuring professionals have the data they need to make informed decisions about their hardware investments. The benchmark caters to the diverse needs of engineers, scientists, and developers who rely on workstation hardware for daily tasks. It includes real-world applications like Blender, Handbrake, LLVM and more, providing a comprehensive performance measure across seven different industry verticals, each focusing on specific use cases and subsystems critical to workstation users. SPECworkstation 4.0 benchmark marks a significant milestone for measuring workstation AI performance, providing an unbiased, real-world, application-driven tool for measuring how workstations handle AI/ML workloads.

In case you're wondering why Intel went with TSMC 3 nm to build the Compute tile of its "Arrow Lake" processor, and the SoC tile of "Lunar Lake," instead of Intel 3, or even Intel 20A, perhaps there's more to the recent story about Broadcom voicing its disappointment in the Intel 18A foundry node. The September 2024 report didn't specify a number to what yields on the Intel 18A node looked like to spook Broadcom, but we now have some idea as to just how bad things are. Korean publication Chosun, which tracks developments in the electronics and ICT industries, reports that yields on the Intel 18A foundry node stand at an abysmal 10%, making it unfit for mass-production. Broadcom validated Intel 18A as it was prospecting a cutting-edge node for its high-bandwidth network processors.

The report also hints that Intel's in-house foundry nodes going off the rails could be an important event leading up to the company's Board letting go of former CEO Pat Gelsinger, as huge 2nd order effects will be felt across the company's entire product stack in development. For example, company roadmaps put the company's next-generation "Clearwater Forest" server processor, slated for 2025, as being designed for the Intel 18A node. Unless Intel Foundry can pull a miracle, an effort must be underway to redesign the chip for whichever TSMC node is considered cutting-edge in 2025.

The price of a single Bitcoin has officially passed 100,000 US Dollar, making it a new record for the first implementation of digital cryptocurrency. The surge above 100,000 US Dollars comes a few hours after Jerome Powell, Chair of the Federal Reserve of the United States, made comments that "people use Bitcoin as a speculative asset. It's like gold, it's just like gold—only it's virtual, it's digital." At the time of writing, the price of Bitcoin is equivalent to 102,725 US Dollars, with market capitalization of 2.04 trillion US Dollars. Interestingly, at an all time high range, Bitcoin managed to hit the $103,587 point, which is a bit higher than the current price.

At TechPowerUp, we made numerous posts about Bitcoin, and we recall celebrating its jump to $20,000 in 2020. Today's pricing makes it hard to believe just how far the cryptocurrency has managed to go, with large institutions launching their own crypto-tracking ETFs.

GameSir, a pioneer in gaming peripherals, introduces the X3 Pro mobile gaming controller, a groundbreaking device designed to redefine the mobile gaming experience. With an integrated 900 mm² cooling plate, Hall Effect sticks, dual rumble motors, and detachable components, the X3 Pro combines cutting-edge technology with exceptional customization options for gamers seeking peak performance. The GameSir X3 Pro Mobile Gaming Controller is available for $79.99/£79.99 on Amazon, Amazon UK and the GameSir Official Website

Designed for compatibility with Android devices and iPhone 16/15 series, the X3 Pro controller sets a new standard for mobile gaming. The built-in cooling system, powered by advanced Peltier technology, delivers efficient heat dissipation with a maximum cooling power of 12 W. This ensures smartphones remain cool even during prolonged sessions in high-temperature conditions, providing uninterrupted, smooth gameplay.

ADATA Technology, the world's leading memory brand, has launched the new SC740 external SSD. The SC740 features an industry first built-in USB-C transfer cable and corresponding storage clip while combining fast read/write speeds of up to 1,050/1,000 MB/s with a generous capacity of up to 2000 GB. The SC740 makes large file access a breeze and provides ample storage space. It is compatible with Android, macOS, Windows, and other operating systems, and supports file transfer and Apple ProRes video recording on the latest iPhone 16 series smartphones, providing an efficient and convenient storage solution for the modern digital lifestyle.

The SC740 external SSD has a built-in USB-C transfer cable and features innovative cable stowage. Users no longer need to worry about forgetting to bring a cable when traveling. Just snap the cable into the retaining clip on the rear casing, and it transforms immediately into a convenient carrying handle. In addition to the integrated casing and transfer cable, the SC740 external SSD also conforms to the 1.22-meter MIL-STD-810G 516.6 drop and shock resistance standard, effectively protecting data security. The SC740 adopts ADATA's most popular and classic design elements. A contrasting blue and black color scheme is fashionable and sporty whether traveling, filming outdoors, or at the office. The SC740 is the most convenient and reliable storage option for consumers.

Ubisoft this week announced that XDefiant would be joining the recently axed Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. As of December 3, the free-to-play first-person shooter will no longer be available to download, and no new players will be allowed to create an account. On June 3, 2025, XDefiant's servers will officially be shut down, making the game unplayable for old and new players alike. Along with the announcement of the closure, the development team behind XDefiant will also see significant changes, with 277 developers being laid off as a result of the shut-down, according to Stephen Totilo on BlueSky.

The remaining development team will be kept on to manage the game throughout its sunsetting until June 2025. It's not really a surprise that XDefiant is shutting down, despite the game's executive producer vehemently denying the allegations of the same as recently as October this year. While the exact reason for the game's closure wasn't revealed, news broke about XDefiant's struggles soon after its March 2024 launch, and it appears that the staunch competition in the space and the difficulties of monetizing a free-to-play game, even one that tries to break the mold, was just too much for XDefiant and its developer team.

Lexar Enterprise, a new division of Lexar Americas, announced today that its range of OEM products is now available through DigiKey. With this strategic partnership with DigiKey, Lexar Enterprise is prepared to offer its comprehensive line of memory and storage products to expand its presence throughout North America.

Lexar Enterprise offers an expansive portfolio of embedded memory solutions, including eMMC, UFS, LPDDR4/4x and LPDDR5, SD, uSD, DIMMs, SSDS, and ePOP, with temperatures including commercial, industrial, and automotive grade. These Lexar Enterprise products and more are available worldwide. Lexar Enterprise products now available through DigiKey include eMMC, LPDDR4/4x, SD, uSD, and others added quarterly as we innovate for the embedded memory market. All Lexar Enterprise products undergo a rigorous testing process to ensure excellent performance and compatibility.

Folks who admire their MacBook Pros can be divided into two broad categories that cannot see eye to eye - those who hate the touch bar, and those who think it did no harm. Either way, Apple felt it was best to send it the way of 3D Touch, after facing constant criticism over its lack of reliability.

To be fair, the touch bar was never a bad idea. It was entirely Apple's implementation and lack of usability updates that made it a chore to use. However, there remain people who miss its presence, as it was somewhat useful when scrubbing through videos or throwing in emojis every now and then. For such people, ENIAC technology has started a kickstarter campaign that promises to bring back the utility - and woes - of the infamous touch bar.

According to a recent report by seasoned industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the M5-powered iPad Pro is set to enter mass-production towards the latter half of next year. This falls in line with previous information that came courtesy of supply chain sources.

Apple revealed the M4 SoC alongside the OLED iPad Pro refresh in May of this year, which was quite a surprise considering that this was the first time Apple chose to unveil a new M-series SoC in an iPad instead of a Mac. This trend appears poised to continue, with the 2025 iPad Pro as well. Interestingly, Apple is seemingly switching up its release schedule yet again, barely managing to stick to a uniform 12-month cycle. The M3 followed the M2 after almost 16 months, while the M4 replaced the M3 in just 6 months.

ORICO, an industry-leading brand in data storage solutions, proudly announced MiniMate, an external SSD for Mac mini 2024. It is set to revolutionize the storage
experience for Mac mini users, especially for graphic designers, video editors, creators and influencers.

Easy-to-Get Storage Expansion Solution
MiniMate offers many nice capacity options ranging from 512 GB to 8 TB. This is an optimal choice for those who prefer Mac mini's base model at a premium price, and desire a flexible and scalable storage expansion for lots of inspiration. As creative professionals, content creators, and businesses continue to generate more data, MiniMate dramatically overcomes capacity limitations and enhances their productivity.

MSI has unveiled a new 31.5-inch 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor with a 240 Hz refresh rate, dubbed the MPG 322URX. The monitor, targeted squarely at gamers, boasts a respectable set of features and performance. MSI claims 99% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut, which might make the monitor suitable even for professional use as well.

As mentioned previously, the 31.5-inch display is plenty expansive for most use cases, and utilizes the QD-OLED display technology. This allows the monitor to have an impressive maximum brightness, which MSI claims to be 1,000 nits at a 3% APL along with an HDR True Black 400 rating. Unsurprisingly, the inherent benefits of OLED panels are all present, including excellent contrast ratios facilitated by true blacks, and near-instantaneous response times. MSI offers a three-year warranty on the panel, which is good enough considering industry standards.

SK Hynix plans to produce its 6th generation high-bandwidth memory chips (HBM4) using TSMC's 3 nm process, a change from initial plans to use the 5 nm technology. The Korea Economic Daily reports that these chips will be delivered to NVIDIA in the second half of 2025. NVIDIA's GPU products are currently based on 4 nm HBM chips. The HBM4 prototype chip launched in March by SK Hynix features vertical stacking on a 3 nm die., compared to a 5 nm base die, the new 3 nm-based HBM chip is expected to offer a 20-30% performance improvement. However, SK Hynix's general-purpose HBM4 and HBM4E chips will continue to use the 12 nm process in collaboration with TSMC.

While SK Hynix's fifth-generation HBM3E chips used its own base die technology, the company has chosen TSMC's 3 nm technology for HBM4. This decision is anticipated to significantly widen the performance gap with competitor Samsung Electronics, which plans to manufacture its HBM4 chips using the 4 nm process. SK hynix is currently leading the global HBM market with almost 50% of market share, most of its HBM products been delivered to NVIDIA.

The search for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Intel has begun following Pat Gelsinger's departure on Monday. And it is not exactly an easy role to be filled. The tech giant's board is primarily considering external candidates to lead the company through one of its most challenging periods. Among the potential successors is Lip-Bu Tan, a former Intel board member and semiconductor industry veteran. Tan, who previously served as CEO of Cadence Design, left Intel's board in August 2023 after disagreements with Gelsinger over the company's strategic direction. Despite these past tensions, Intel's board has reportedly recently approached Tan to gauge his interest in the position. The search for new leadership is extremely difficult, considering the requirements and massive problems the new CEO would face.

Coming at a critical moment for Intel, which has experienced significant financial challenges under Gelsinger's tenure, the new CEO would need to get the Foundry business to pick up and maintain a solid product roadmap. The company's revenue dropped to $54 billion in 2023, marking a nearly one-third decline since Gelsinger took the helm in 2021. Analysts project Intel's first annual net loss since 1986 this year, with long-term signs of recovery. Gelsinger's exit, which came after the board presented him with the option to retire or be removed, reflects growing impatience with the pace of his ambitious turnaround strategy. The company has appointed CFO David Zinsner and senior executive Michelle Johnston Holthaus as interim co-CEOs while the search committee works to identify a permanent replacement.

At AWS re:Invent, Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com, Inc. company, today announced the general availability of AWS Trainium2-powered Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) instances, introduced new Trn2 UltraServers, enabling customers to train and deploy today's latest AI models as well as future large language models (LLM) and foundation models (FM) with exceptional levels of performance and cost efficiency, and unveiled next-generation Trainium3 chips.

"Trainium2 is purpose built to support the largest, most cutting-edge generative AI workloads, for both training and inference, and to deliver the best price performance on AWS," said David Brown, vice president of Compute and Networking at AWS. "With models approaching trillions of parameters, we understand customers also need a novel approach to train and run these massive workloads. New Trn2 UltraServers offer the fastest training and inference performance on AWS and help organizations of all sizes to train and deploy the world's largest models faster and at a lower cost."

This was bound to happen sooner rather than later—desktop mini-PC designer GEEKOM, which specializes in mini-PCs powered by mobile processors, teased its first product powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor. This marks one of the first consumer desktop with Windows 11 Arm. The company hasn't put out specs for the desktop, but it should go up against the base model of the Apple Mac Mini M4 in use-case—as a slick and efficient everyday desktop for Internet and office productivity. The GEEKOM desktop has a very Mac Mini-like product design. The front features a power button in the right place, next to a 4-pole headset jack, and a couple of type-A USB 3.x ports. The side appears to have a multi-format card reader. There are no pics of the rear I/O.

AEWIN is glad to launch our new member of AEWIN Network Expansion Modules, the NCT401. Built upon Intel XL710-BM1 LAN Controller and Intel X557-AT4 PHY, it provides quad port 10GbE RJ45 with two pairs of Gen 3 bypass. It is with AEWIN standard Expansion Module form factor of PCIe x8 connection. The front-access design makes NCT401 easy to maintain/service and it is compatible with various kinds of AEWIN existing Network Appliances providing great flexibility to tailor specific configurations for target workload effortlessly.

DPDK (Data Plane Development Kit) is supported to improve package forwarding for better efficiency. Along with implementing DPDK, Dynamic Device Personalization (DDP) enables programmable packet-processing pipeline which is optimized for specific workloads on demand. With these features, performance for network edge workloads can be enhanced which is perfect for solutions of Communications, Cloud and Networking.

Intel today released the latest version of its Arc GPU Graphics Drivers. Version 101.6314 WHQL don't seem to include support for Arc "Battlemage" B500 series GPUs yet (which will probably go live with the product availability). There's no Game On game-optimization payload, either. The release, however, fixes a handful important issues. For Arc A-series "Alchemist" discrete GPUs, lower than expected performance in Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Studio, has been fixed. For Core Ultra processors with Arc Graphics, the drivers fix texture corruption on water surfaces in "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6." They also fix texture corruption issues with "Minecraft Bedrock" that show up when changing antialiasing settings.

DOWNLOAD: Intel Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.6314 WHQL

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AAEON, a leading provider of industrial and embedded computing solutions, has released the MXM-ACMA-PUC, a new system-level product line incorporating 13th Generation Intel Core processing with an embedded Intel Arc GPU. While this is not the company's first product to feature a GPU from the new Intel Arc series, it is AAEON's first product that uses the technology in a readily deployed system-level edge computer.

The MXM-ACMA-PUC can support a range of 13th Generation Intel Core CPUs, up to 35 W, with the system's default processor being the 16 core, 24 thread Intel Core i7-13700TE. For enhanced machine learning and AI workload management, the system contains an integrated MXM-ACMA module, which offers either an embedded Intel Arc A370E or Intel Arc A350E GPU, ideal for boosting compute power for AI workloads.

NETGEAR, the leading provider of award-winning connected products designed to simplify and improve people's lives, today expanded its unlocked 5G mobile router lineup with the launch of the NETGEAR Nighthawk M3 Mobile Hotspot Router (MH3150). The new product meets the growing demands for accessible and powerful Wi-Fi coupled with advanced security features anywhere, anytime.

NETGEAR launched the world's first unlocked 5G mobile router and has continued to innovate, improving on-the-go connectivity experiences customers have come to enjoy. The Nighthawk M3 follows in the same vein, delivering 2.5 Gbps over 5G[1] with the capacity to reach a maximum aggregated Wi-Fi speed of up to 3.6 Gbps. Additionally, the M3 features in-home performance mode which boosts Wi-Fi coverage up to 1,000 sq ft when the device is plugged in, and the battery is removed.

MAXSUN and Intel introduced their latest collaboration, the MAXSUN Intel Arc B580 Series Graphics Cards. Both models come with 12 GB of VRAM, ensuring smooth gameplay and efficient creative workflows.

Two Options for Every Need
The MAXSUN Intel Arc B580 Series features two models:

• MAXSUN Intel Arc B580 iCraft 12G (MSRP: $259)
• MAXSUN Intel Arc B580 Milestone 12G (MSRP: $249)

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading brand of performance overclock memory and PC components, in partnership with ASRock and Splave, a world-class extreme overclocker, have set a new world record for DDR5 memory frequency speed at DDR5-12666. As one of the world's top overclockers, Splave pushed the boundaries of memory speed to the absolute extreme limits using G.SKILL DDR5 memory, ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF motherboard, and Intel Core Ultra 9 285K desktop processor under extreme liquid nitrogen (LN2) cooling.

This DDR5-12666 world record achievement demonstrates the exceptional overclockability of G.SKILL DDR5 memory with the latest Intel Core Ultra 200 K-series desktop processors on the ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF motherboard. The overclock record has been submitted to and validated by HWBOT and CPU-Z, refer to the following links and screenshot to see the record submission: HWBOT | CPU-Z Validator

Team Group Inc.'s gaming brand T-FORCE launched the highly anticipated XTREEM CKD DDR5 8800 2x24GB Desktop Memory, designed with advanced Client Clock Driver (CKD) technology to enhance data transfer stability. With overclocking capabilities reaching up to 9600 MT/s, this memory module redefines overclocking potential with the groundbreaking CUDIMM platform, delivering exceptional performance and setting new industry milestones.

In close collaboration with leading motherboard manufacturers, the T-FORCE XTREEM CKD DDR5 is designed for stability at an exclusive frequency of 9600 MT/s on 2 DIMM motherboards. Featuring a premium 2 mm-thick aluminium alloy heat spreader and high thermal conductivity silicone, it significantly improves heat dissipation by 10%. Its CNC cutting technology, matte sandblasting, and black anodizing processes create a refined, understated aesthetic. Paired with the iconic T-FORCE logo, it offers gamers a product combining high performance and premium design. Utilizing patented IC classification and verification technology, the module integrates a power management chip for stable power consumption. It also supports on-die ECC for error detection and correction, ensuring exceptional system stability.

AMD today announced that it will be hosting a press conference as a part of the official CES 2025 Media Days. The press conference will take place on Monday, Jan. 6 at 11 a.m. PST at the Mandalay Bay. AMD senior vice president and general manager of the Computing and Graphics Group Jack Huynh, along with other AMD executives will be joined by partners and customers to discuss how AMD is expanding its leadership across PCs and gaming, and highlight the breadth of the company's high-performance computing and AI product portfolio. The keynote will be available to livestream on the AMD YouTube Channel, with replay available after the conclusion of the livestream event.

Kioxia Corporation, a world leader in memory solutions, today announced that its Universal Flash Storage (UFS) Ver. 4.0 embedded flash memory devices designed for automotive applications have received Automotive SPICE (ASPICE) Capability Level 2 (CL2) certification. Kioxia is the first company to be awarded this distinction for automotive grade UFS Ver. 4.0 certification.

Automotive SPICE (Software Process Improvement and Capability dEtermination), based on the ISO/IEC 33000 series of standards, is an internationally recognized framework for assessing and improving software development processes, specifically tailored to the automotive industry. Achieving ASPICE CL2 certification signifies that Kioxia has implemented structured processes for project management and software development, ensuring consistent quality and traceability. This certification is a testament to Kioxia's capability to meet the stringent software development and quality standards that automotive manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers demand in automotive grade UFS Ver. 4.0 devices, further solidifying its leadership in the embedded memory market for automotive applications.

A prominent maker of smartphone and computer accessories, Satechi, has introduced yet another product to its lineup. The Satechi Mini NVMe SSD enclosure boasts an impressively compact design, with USB-C connectivity that allows it to be used with PCs, Macs, smartphones, etc. Interestingly, the product features a read-only mode, thanks to its physical write protection switch.

Owing to its diminutive form factor, the NVMe enclosure can only accommodate M.2 2230 drives. Satechi claims speeds of 10 Gbps, which is decently fast for most use cases, and a maximum capacity of 2 TB. Somehow, Satechi has also managed to pack active cooling into the product, which can spin up to a claimed 10,000 RPM when needed, thereby mitigating the woe of thermal throttling when the drive hits 50° C.