More individual readings are being unlocked on NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50 series "Blackwell" graphics cards, as the modding community has started exploring GDDR7 temperature monitoring on a per-module basis. Interestingly, the modding community is diverse this time, including contributions from Brazilian GPU repair specialist Paulo Gomes, MSI Afterburner developer "Unwinder," Overclock.net member "asder00," HWiNFO creator Martin "Mumak" Malík, and Linux code developer "olealgoritme." By joining forces, the team managed to create a plugin for MSI Afterburner that provides access to individual, per-module GDDR7 temperature readings.

This new Hotspot.dll plugin, which previously only provided access to the hidden "Blackwell" GPU die, is now updated to handle GDDR7 temperature readings, unlocking the GDDR7 thermal sensors hidden inside memory ICs. For example, on the GeForce RTX 5090 GPU, there are 16 GDDR7 memory modules, each with a 2 GB capacity. Since there are 16 chips, the tool can read 16 temperature sensors and provide 16 individual readings. However, some GDDR7-equipped "Blackwell" GPUs use a clamshell memory configuration, meaning the GDDR memory is on both sides of the PCB. For example, in the case of the RTX PRO 6000 "Blackwell", this would mean only half the measurement points, as the GDDR7 memory is present in 16 locations on both sides of the PCB, for a total of 32 memory modules.

When we previously reported on the soft mod that enables Linux to run on the Sony PlayStation 5, it was limited to very early firmware versions, limiting its appeal to those who were likely already modding their consoles. Thanks to a new update documented on the project's GitHub page, PS5-Linux-loader now has support for PlayStation 5 consoles up to firmware version 6.02. Granted, this is still a very old firmware version, dating back all the way to October 2022. Still, this is beyond what the developer, Andy Nguyen, had initially promised.

Like the previous higher firmware versions, Linux supports the internal M.2 slot with firmware version 5.00, 5.02, 5.10, 5.50, 6.00, and 6.02 although. In addition to the newer firmware versions, the PS5 Linux project now also has working drivers for the built-in WLAN chip, making using Linux on the PS5 a lot less of a hassle. The developer notes in the GitHub repo that loading Linux on the more recent firmware versions requires use of a different exploit and that there is no chance that newer firmware versions will be supported in the future, "so don't ask."

Valve's recent launch of the Steam Controller was successful from day one, and the company is now releasing something for the modding community to begin their adventures. Today, Valve has released 3D CAD files, providing modders with a 3D model for their needs. This means anyone can now access Steam Controller and Puck drawings in STP and STL formats, along with engineering drawings that highlight critical features and areas to avoid when modding. This allows anyone to design accessories with known clearances. The community's efforts should soon bear fruit, as Valve recognizes that its community is full of enthusiasts with a wealth of expertise who create new accessories daily. This will include 3D prints from creative individuals, as well as potential accessories to enhance the Steam Controller experience for some users.

Yesterday, Valve reassured customers that a restock of the Steam Controller is happening soon, as the initial release was so successful that the entire stock sold out in just 30 minutes. The demand has been exceptional, even for a controller priced at $99. The site experienced such a high volume of traffic that the payment processing system froze, causing many customers to encounter errors before both the website and payment processor resumed functioning. To prepare, some customers loaded their Steam Wallets with funds days in advance, but the high demand still prevented them from securing a unit immediately. For those who managed to purchase one, congratulations. However, those who didn't are turning to resellers, who are charging about $300 for the controller. Valve is reassuring customers not to worry, as another stock drop is coming soon. With the 3D files now in the hands of the modding community, we should start seeing some interesting designs on social media.

Playmaji, the company responsible for the Polymega retro game console has shared a significant update on the Polymega front, covering both a hardware revision to the Base Unit and the imminent launch of the new Polymega Remix peripheral. The Base Unit has been almost completely redesigned internally after a rough year of production challenges. The revised hardware brings more CPU cores, higher clock speeds, double the RAM, more internal storage, and quieter operation compared to the original PM01. Exact specs haven't been shared yet, but Playmaji says the new system is several times more powerful than what it's replacing. The most immediate benefit is improved N64 emulation performance. Anyone with an existing pre-order gets automatically upgraded to the new hardware at no extra cost. New pre-orders for the revised Base Unit are expected to open in early summer.

The bigger news is the Polymega Remix, which has completed mass production and is already on its way from the factory. Remix is a USB peripheral aimed at retro collectors who want the Polymega disc and cartridge digitization capabilities without buying the full console. You connect it to a Windows 11 PC, laptop, or PC gaming handheld, launch the free Polymega App, and use it to rip your physical games, CDs, and cartridges directly via Element Modules sold separately. Once digitized, the games are playable through the app at home or on the go. Intel Macs are also supported at launch, with iOS, Android, and Apple Silicon planned down the line. Remix pre-orders opened April 16 at $199, with shipping expected in May.

PMM is a mouse mod maker that provides commercially available custom ultra-light shells for popular gaming mice, like the Razer Viper V3 Pro and the Endgame Gear OP1 8K, often shaving off upwards of 15 g from the stock weight. The latest mouse on the PMM mod radar is the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike, which weighs in at a hearty 60 g in stock form. The custom shell designer revealed in a post on X that an ultra-light G Pro X2 Superstrike shell is in development, asking for community feedback on a target weight and design in the process.

Throughout the thread, there are implications that the mouse modder may be able to get the mouse weight as low as 35 g, with PMM going so far as to comment that 39 g may even be possible with a solid shell with no weight-reduction holes. Replies to comments also indicate that a final weight as low as 29 g—over 50% reduction from stock—may be possible, if somewhat challenging, while 33 g would be "ambitious" while also retaining the battery. PMM also suggests that a mod kit with a different battery position could solve the forward weight bias that some users have complained about. It will likely be a while before PMM actually launches a mod kit for the Superstrike, since the design process involves 3D scanning an existing mouse and then optimizing the design from there.

Nexus Mods is one of the more prolific mod sites on the internet, housing mods for everything from Skyrim and Fallout New Vegas to Stardew Valley and Subnautica. While the mod platform has a native Windows application, called Vortex, the development team behind Nexus Mods recently confirmed in a 2026 development roster that, as part of an effort to modernize Vortex, the mod application, it will get support for the Valve Steam Deck and Steam Machine in 2026. The blog post announcing future Linux support explicitly states that Nexus Mods will only be focusing on "vanilla Steam hardware," and that it will not be officially supporting any other Linux distributions. Currently, Linux users have to download and manually install mods, the traditional way, usually by moving the mod files into the correct game library folders. Official Linux support in Vortex would not only make mods easier to install, but it may streamline the modding experience altogether and make mods easier to maintain on Linux or SteamOS.

While Vortex will not officially support any other Linux distributions, the development team notes that Vortex is open-source and invites Linux developers and gamers to add support for their distribution of choice. According to Nexus Mods, Vortex is used by over 1.4 million users every month, so there is likely to be at least one passionate developer who will add support for other major distributions. Other priorities for 2026 also include improving malware protections, specifically scanning files before they are downloaded onto user PCs and have a chance to do harm; reducing friction for creators on the platform, including streamlining the mod upload form and developing a new mod upload API. Vortex will also get a new UI, with the aim of "streamlining navigation, simplifying game management, and introducing more intuitive controls for load orders."

Corsair (Nasdaq: CRSR) is excited to announce the FRAME 4000D LCD RS ARGB, a premium mid-tower case featuring a fully functional XENEON EDGE 14.5" LCD Touchscreen. Building on the success of the award-winning FRAME 4000D, this upgraded version delivers improved airflow, enhanced connectivity, and reinforced steel panels while showcasing the flexibility of the FRAME Modular Case System. Additionally, LCD Mounting Kits are available to let builders integrate a XENEON EDGE 14.5" LCD Touchscreen into their existing FRAME 4000D or FRAME 5000D case.

Built-in Style
The integrated XENEON EDGE 14.5" LCD Touchscreen display offers a crisp 2560x720 native resolution and a bright AHVA panel that remains clear at any angle. It is ideal for real-time system monitoring, iCUE Widgets, or use as a secondary Windows display. Five-point multitouch ensures intuitive control, and the screen comes pre-installed and pre-wired in the side panel, ready to use out of the box. Easily connect the display to your GPU with the included HDMI or DisplayPort over USB Type-C cables for a quick, seamless setup.

There are software BIOS mods, such as the ASUS XOC BIOS that relaxes software-level power limits, letting ASUS RTX 5090 cards pull "up to 2000 W" of power; and then there are hardware mods, using power shunts directly on the card, which bypass hardware-level power limits. Der8auer discovered something in the middle for the ROG Matrix RTX 5090. This card has two ways you can power it—a conventional 12V-2x6 power connector on the top, and a detachable BTF (GC-HPWR) gold-finger that lets you pair the card with ASUS BTF motherboards that have a power delivery slot along the PEG x16 slot. ASUS made the BTF gold finger on the ROG Matrix RTX 5090 detachable so you can use the card on regular, non-BTF motherboards.

Der8auer learned that by shorting a few sense pins in the BTF gold finger while the card is connected to a 12V-2x6 power source raises the power limit drawn from the connector to 750 W, a 150 W increase over the 600 W (continuous) design limit of the connector. This 750 W isn't exactly an "excursion," because the increased power draw isn't happening within the power spike intervals defined in the PCIe 5.1 CEM specification, but rather, lengthier periods of continuous power draw above 600 W. There are, of course, a couple of catches. You'll need a PSU with fairly high power output and +12 V rail(s) connected to the 12V-2x6, a durable connector, and because the BTF gold finger is being modified, not only is the power source a 12V-2x6 connector, but also the card isn't directly slotted into the PCI-Express x16 slot, rather a PCIe Gen 5-capable riser cable is needed. At this point we don't know if the mod works with other ASUS RTX 5090 BTF cards, such as the ROG Astral RTX 5090 BTF.

Cooler Master, a global leader in PC components and tech lifestyle solutions, today announced the QUBE 540, a compact case for today. The QUBE 540 offers orientation flexibility, so you can build a vertical or horizontal system that fits your desk or shelf. Inside, a modular interior lets you tailor the layout to your components and airflow preferences.

The QUBE 540 keeps the clean, geometric design language of the QUBE series while raising the bar on practical adaptability. It fits comfortably in limited spaces such as small apartments and dorm rooms, and it looks at home in creator studios and living areas. The case ships in two colors, Moonstone and Stardust Iron, giving users options that blend with modern setups and room aesthetics. Builders can set airflow paths, adjust GPU clearance, and position core components for a tidy, quiet system that reflects their style.

It has been over six years since we last covered an update for Microsoft PowerToys. PowerToys date all the way back to the Windows 95 era, offering a set of utilities for power users to enhance and streamline their Windows experience for greater productivity. Modern PowerToys, initially released in 2019, are a collection of tools and apps that allow users to customize the user interface and user experience. The latest PowerToys update, version 0.95.0, introduces features like automatic switching between light and dark modes in the Windows 11 UI, depending on the time of day. Users can schedule light mode to be active during the day and have the tool automatically switch to dark mode when the sun sets.

Another notable improvement is the speed enhancement of the Command Palette, reducing latency by hundreds of milliseconds in real-world scenarios. Additionally, the Peek function, which allows users to preview files without opening apps, is now accessible by simply pressing the space key on your keyboard. For those eager to apply these changes, the Find My Mouse highlight can be made fully transparent and adjusted using a built-in slider. Other features, such as ignoring shortcut conflicts and unassigning shortcuts, are also available.

Previously, we reported on CD Projekt Red's confirmation that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt would be getting one last hurrah before the launch of The Witcher 4, with the final update slated to introduce support for mods on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S and cross-platform mods. This last update was scheduled to launch before the end of 2025, but according to a new update, those plans have been delayed.

No reason was given for the change in plans, with the game studio simply explaining that "the rollout is now shifting to 2026," and apologizing for the delay. When the cross-platform mod support update lands, it will be the only way for console gamers to access mods for The Witcher 3, however, PC players will still be able to install mods from other platforms. Ostensibly, this will be the final game update for The Witcher 3, and since there is no mention of support for Nintendo Switch mods, it's safe to assume that Switch gamers will be stuck using unofficial workarounds to convert and install mods for The Witcher 3.

A Russian technician and modder known as VIK-on has posted a hands-on video showing how Chinese workshops are converting GeForce RTX 4090 gaming cards into AI-focused accelerators by doubling their memory. Using an MSI RTX 4090 Suprim as a donor, VIK-on removed the AD102 GPU package and the card's 12 2 GB GDDR6X chips, then placed those parts onto a custom clamshell PCB that accepts memory on both sides. The builders pair the board with a blower-style cooler, designed for multi-GPU racks, and load modified firmware so that the system recognizes the larger capacity. The method mixes factory-level board work with careful firmware changes and advanced soldering. You can purchase a brand-new custom PCB that includes clamshell memory support and has most passive components pre-installed. You can see it in the third picture below, the upper PCB is the newly bought one, the bottom one is the original. However, the GPU and memory must be reflowed or hand-soldered, which requires expensive tools and expertise.

Firmware mods, some of which trace back to techniques used for salvaging cards with faulty memory channels, are adapted to enable the GPU to accept the new layout. Shops often harvest GDDR6X chips from defective cards or purchase modules at a low cost, which reduces expenses, but the conversion process is still not trivial. Published price notes indicate that the clamshell kit costs roughly $140 in China, and the total cost of the parts for a DIY upgrade is near $430 before shipping.
Converting large numbers of consumer cards for AI reduces the supply for gamers, and stripped or modified boards can resurface on the second-hand market, surprising buyers. Additionally, modified cards may not meet reliability standards or all warranty rules. They can even malfunction under sustained workloads. Therefore, it is better to skip going after a customized GPU to save yourself the hassle of compatibility issues; however, the point that it can be done remains.

Many classic PC games remain beloved for their unforgettable stories, characters, and gameplay. But as technology advances, their visuals struggle to keep up, making it harder for the original gamers who played them, or new generations, to appreciate their magic. NVIDIA RTX Remix, a modding platform for RTX AI PCs, was built to change that. By reimagining the graphics of these timeless classics with cutting-edge path tracing, we're allowing longtime fans to relive their favorite adventures in stunning detail, while introducing a new wave of players to the games that defined an era.

Today, we've released a new RTX Remix update through NVIDIA app, adding an advanced particle system that enables modders to enhance traditional fire and smoke effects, as well as more fantastical effects, like those in Portal. Check out our official documentation to see the full release notes.

NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5090 GPU comes with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory by default. However, Chinese modders have experimented with equipping large memory capacities before, especially with the last-generation RTX 4090, which comes in at 96 GB of GDDR6X. This time, the current-generation top-end "Blackwell" consumer GPU, the RTX 5090, gets not double, not triple, but quadruple the memory capacity in the latest mod. According to @I_Leak_VN, the GPU has an astonishing 128 GB of GDDR7 memory and is priced at $13,200. That is over six times the MSRP, for a four times memory increase.

The big-picture question is what is done to the GPU to support this much memory. Currently, no GDDR7 memory modules are surpassing 24 Gbit, or about 3 GB per module, with the smaller capacity ones coming at 16 Gbit, or 2 GB per module. The largest configuration that a dual-sided, sandwiched approach to the PCB modding could support is 96 GB. That is exactly how NVIDIA's ProViz RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell GPU gets its 96 GB GDDR7 capacity. However, given that there are no 4 GB GDDR7 modules, we can only assume that some serious PCB modification was made to accommodate all the modules. Most likely, a PCB riser, tucked away somewhere, or any other interesting solution could be at play. You can take a look at NVIDIA-SMI output, which clearly shows the 128 GB capacity below.

When Lofree released the Flow Lite low-profile mechanical keyboard in September 2024, it solved many of the problems that users of the original Flow had, including introducing a new configuration software. While this was an improvement over the complete lack of remapping or macro creation on the Flow, the Flow Lite's Lofree Key Mapper driver was still Windows-only, meaning Linux and macOS users had to resort to a Windows virtual machine or simply live with the fact that their premium keyboard was not customizable. Now, however, after promising an OS-agnostic web driver shortly after the launch of the Flow Lite—and then seemingly abandoning its development along the way—Lofree has announced the Lofree Key Mapper Web, which officially allows users to create macros, edit the key map, and play with lighting effects all without installing any software on their machines.

In addition to the new online configuration platform, Lofree has also added new lighting effects to the Flow Lite via the web app. The web app should run on any web browser that supports the WebHID API, much like the likes of VIA and Keychron Launcher. For now, it seems as though the web configurator very much resembles the downloadable Lofree Key Mapper application, which means it likely comes with the same limitations, although Lofree has acknowledged the limitations and said it will be expanding features and working to add things like Mod Tap and an Any key. It also says in its announcement on Reddit that the development team is taking community feedback to implement future features. Lofree Key Mapper Web is available at lofree.tech/home, and it is compatible with all versions of the Lofree Flow Lite. It's unclear if other Lofree keyboards, like the Lofree Edge will be compatible with the Key Mapper Web.

GravaStar, a global leader in cyberpunk-inspired tech gear, today announced the official launch of its highly anticipated Mercury Nova RX 9070 XT graphics card, created in collaboration with renowned hardware brand Yeston. The card is now available worldwide starting July 17, 2025, at 8:00 AM EST.

Combining the latest AMD RDNA 4 architecture with GravaStar's iconic sci-fi design language, the Mercury Nova RX 9070 XT delivers extreme gaming performance in an unmistakable chassis. Designed for gamers, custom PC builders, and collectors who demand both power and personality, this GPU is a bold new entry in the high-performance graphics card category.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has just turned 10, and CD Projekt Red announced earlier this week that it would be celebrating the game's 10th anniversary with a set of Special Edition Xbox controllers and a slew of live events and memorabilia. Following those announcements, CD Projekt Red has confirmed that it has at least one more content update planned for The Witcher 3. The next, and seemingly the last, The Witcher 3 patch is slated to more or less unify the game's modification scene, bringing cross-platform mod support to the open-world fantasy RPG. CDPR has not confirmed an exact date for the cross-platform mod support update, stating only that it will be available "later this year."

According to a new support page detailing the cross-platform mod support, modders will now be able to publish their mods for The Witcher 3 on a platform called mod.io, which will allow players and modders to upload and download mods across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This will be the only way for consoles to access mods for The Witcher 3, however PC players will still be able to use services like Steam Workshop and Nexus Mods, if they prefer. Unlike with third-party sites, like Nexus Mods, any mods published on mod.io will need to comply with certain guidelines laid out by both the console makers, Sony and Microsoft, and the CD Projekt Red Fan Content Guidelines and User Agreement. For this reason, the mod selection available on consoles will be less expansive than what's available on PC, where restrictions are less of a concern. In a technical sense, the only restrictions modders will face when using mod.io is that any console mods that use scripts will need to be made with CDPR's REDkit mod tools. Meanwhile, texture packs and other bundles can be created using any other tools.

Hey, Crewmates! We are ecstatic to announce that Badlands Crew is out now! Strap yourselves in and prepare for a chaotic ride into the lawless Badlands. A wasteland of opportunity awaits you. It's time to build your very own Battle Wagon swarming with weapons—select, name and train your crew members, and tactically challenge enemy factions in the unforgiving Badlands. Save innocent survivors scattered throughout the lawless Badlands in the aftermath of a devastating apocalypse. Do you have what it takes to Build, Evolve and Fight to survive?

A MESSAGE FROM RUNNER DUCK
We started Runner Duck as just two people at the very end of 2016, releasing Bomber Crew on a tight schedule only 10 months later. It really means a lot that people have enjoyed our games enough that we've been able to carry on making them, now as a team of four. Badlands Crew takes the game further than ever before—bigger and bolder with more gameplay and creative possibilities, and just far more ambitious. However, in other ways, Badlands Crew takes us back to our roots with Bomber Crew, with it being so direct and visceral in its action. It has been a long road, and the biggest learning experience of our game development careers building Badlands Crew to be such a large, expansive game. We're really proud of what we've put together, and how the game has ended up!

If Nightdive Studios were a home, it would be built upon the foundation of System Shock. As one of the studio's formative projects, the Kickstarter campaign for its acclaimed System Shock remake put Nightdive on the map. But it wasn't System Shock that inspired Nightdive's creation, rather its sequel, System Shock 2. With the recently announced June 26, 2025, release date for System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster fast approaching, some have wondered: why a remaster instead of a full remake? To answer this, let's look back at Nightdive's origins, remasters as a form of preservation, and the many enhancements that make System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster a worthy tribute to a beloved classic!

Where It All Began
"Like many others, my first experience with System Shock was the sequel," begins Nightdive Founder and CEO Stephen Kick, who recounts being introduced to the game while eating lunch with his friends at school. After sharing how much he loved Half-Life, his friend Marshall suggested giving System Shock 2 a try. "The next day, he came back to the table and handed me the Big Box. That night, I installed the game and was instantly captivated. Every aspect of it congealed into an unforgettably immersive experience that still gives me chills every time I think about it."

A new Steam Deck mod is here, and the performance improvements that it brings to the table appear to be quite promising, thanks to the magic of frame generation. The gaming handheld is not exactly the most performant in terms of raw GPU performance, so technologies such as AMD's FSR 3 undoubtedly improve the gaming experience on the Deck by quite a substantial degree. Dubbed Decky Framegen, the plugin utilizes AMD FSR 3 to generate frames without having to go about rendering them, thereby increasing FPS quite a lot.

As of right now, this plugin allows gamers to employ frame generation in unsupported games such as Final Fantasy XVI, Witcher 3, Hogwarts Legacy, and a few others. Deck Wizard's detailed video reveals that the plugin does quite a good job, allowing for playable framerates in several titles. However, the games which are unable to manage 30 FPS are unlikely to benefit much, owing to the issues surrounding input lag. Moreover, a few graphical glitches here and there are also to be expected, which is something that many purists might not entirely be willing to deal with. Considering that Valve recently shot rumors of an AMD Ryzen Z2-powered Steam Deck 2 being in the works, there is no denying that those holding out for hardware improvements, still have a fair amount of waiting to do.

GeForce NOW is expanding mod support for hit game Baldur's Gate 3 in collaboration with Larian Studios and mod.io for Ultimate and Performance members. This expanded mod support arrives alongside seven new games joining the cloud this week.

Level Up Gaming
Time to roll for initiative—adventurers in the Forgotten Realms can now enjoy a range of curated mods uploaded to mod.io for Baldur's Gate 3. Ultimate and Performance members can enhance their Baldur's Gate 3 journeys across realms and devices with a wide array of customization options. Stay tuned to GFN Thursday for more information on expanding mod support for more of the game's PC mods at a later time.

Modders never rest. From one wild experiment to the next, nothing can escape the relentless creativity—sometimes for no reason and often with excess—of a modder. PenBar, a Chinese entity, has introduced a new janky-looking gaming laptop dubbed the BBook AI Original Edition, which is basically a Sony PlayStation 5 stuffed into a laptop-shaped enclosure with a display slapped on top.

Unsurprisingly, the whole project required a substantial number of modifications. Even then, there is barely any true laptop functionality in the product. For starters, the system cannot be used unless plugged into a wall, and for good reason - there is no battery inside. Oh and also, the keyboard doesn't work during gaming. And neither does the mouse. But at least, there is indeed an entire PlayStation 5 inside, with exactly the same specifications, of course.

God of War Ragnarök has been one of the most highly anticipated PC launches in recent history, although the launch has been somewhat controversial. After launching on PC via Steam and Epic Games on September 19, players discovered that the single-player narrative-driven action-adventure game would require an online PSN account in order to play. This account requirement somewhat predictably resulted in significant backlash, which, in turn, resulted in a third-party mod to remove the account requirement.

Shortly after the launch of God of War Ragnarök, the game's Steam page became inundated with negative reviews because of the PlayStation Network account required to play the game. Less than a week after launch, God of War's rating on Steam is a solid "Mixed," with only 69% positive reviews. That is compared to Metacritic's user reviews that place the PS5 version of the game at 8.1/10. Shortly after the review bombs started, though, a free mod called NoPSSDK appeared on Nexus Mods and GitHub that removes the PSN account requirement from God of War Ragnarök.

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

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

Gabriel Ferraz, maintainer of the TechPowerUp SSD database and content creator, recently published an article that shows the relationship between SLC (Single-Level Cell) cache technology and its performance impact on SSDs. Using a Pichau Aldrin Pro 2 TB SSD featuring an Innogrit IG5236 controller and YMTC 128-layer TLC NAND, Gabriel has uncovered both the advantages and potential drawbacks of this feature. The article reveals that with SLC cache enabled, which acts as a high-speed buffer, the SSD achieved remarkable write speeds of up to 6.5 GB/s, but only until 691 GB had been written. Beyond that, speeds dropped to 2.2 GB/s and then to 860 MB/s as the drive filled up.

Disabling the SLC cache delivers more consistent performance results that are 2.1 GB/s across the whole capacity of the SSD, but with lower peak performance. Testing also examined the impact on power consumption and efficiency. With the SLC cache active, the SSD consumed approximately 5 W of power while achieving over 3000 MB/s bandwidth. Disabling the cache reduced power consumption but at the cost of halving the bandwidth to around 1900 MB/s, resulting in lower overall efficiency. Maximum power consumption with cache enabled peaked at 7.3 W, compared to a lower figure when operating in constant TLC mode. Below, you can see some performance benchmarks published on The Overclock Page.