AGON by AOC - the world's leading gaming monitor brand - announces the new G42 series of gaming monitors under the mainstream AOC GAMING category, comprising the 23.8-inch (60.5 cm) 24G42E, 24.5-inch (62.2 cm) 25G42E, and 27-inch (68.6 cm) 27G42E. These new models are equipped with the latest-generation Fast IPS panels, which can deliver 180 Hz refresh rates and up to 1 ms GtG response times, making competitive-grade gaming performance more accessible than ever before. Today, thanks to the G42 series, gamers shouldn't settle with monitors below 180 Hz, triple of the common 60 Hz standard.

Making high performance the new standard
Building upon the success of AOC GAMING's G4 series, which includes the fully ergonomic G4X models and the pared-down G4XE variants, the new G42 series further streamlines the formula to bring 180 Hz gaming to an even broader audience.

Based on the MindFactory sales data for January 2025, we have seen AMD push a significant share of sales and revenue at the German PC hardware store. However, an interesting observation lies in the details. AMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU was the best-selling SKU at 8,390 units sold. An entire AM5 platform recorded sales of 18,410 units, which puts the eight-core X3D SKU on the top, with 46% of consumers on the AM5 platform going with this CPU. The rest of the AMD Ryzen 9000 series performed poorly, with other SKUs reaching only up to 3% of AM5 socket sales. This means that out of 100% "Zen 5" units sold, the leading Ryzen 7 9800X3D SKU captured 87% of sales. The AMD Ryzen 9000 series is performing exceptionally only due to its only available AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D SKU selling 46% of the AM5 volume.

Among standard Ryzen 9000 series SKUs, the Ryzen 7 9700X achieved 640 units in sales, while the Ryzen 5 9600X, Ryzen 9 9950X, and Ryzen 9 9900X recorded 250, 230, and 180 units respectively. These figures suggest significantly lower market penetration for non-X3D variants in the retail channel. The data points to a clear market preference for gaming-optimized processors, indicating AMD's strategic focus on X3D variants—despite their higher manufacturing costs and retail premiums—is likely to continue. While MindFactory's sales data represents just one retailer in the German market, the overwhelming consumer preference for the 9800X3D over standard Zen 5 SKUs signals that consumers are ready to pay a premium for more performance and that the X3D effect reflects positively on the sales.

If you want to learn to code, then take a look at this bundle that pairs Microsoft Visual Studio Pro 2022 with the 2025 Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle. It's a comprehensive introduction to programming paired with an industry-standard tool for mobile and desktop app development. It's on sale for $49.97.

Visual Studio Pro is a 64-bit IDE from Microsoft that handles larger workloads and supports multiple languages and platforms. It's ideal for cross-platform app development with.NET MAUI and web UI creation using Blazor. It also supports development, debugging, and testing for.NET and C++ apps on Linux.

A lifetime license for Microsoft Visual Studio Pro 2022 and Lifetime Access to the 2025 Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle is now available for $49.97 (reg. $1,999).

German PC hardware retailer MindFactory sold an astonishing 25,625 AMD and Intel CPUs in January 2025. However, an honor falls to AMD this time, as Team Red has managed to capture as much as 92.16% (23,615) of all units sold by this retailer. Not only did it leave Intel with 7.84% (2010) of total units sold, AMD also beat Intel in average selling price, where AMD managed to keep ASP at 320 Euros, while Intel buyers were considering some less expensive CPU SKUs at 290 Euros. This has resulted in AMD's revenue share recording 93.45% at 8,300,674 Euros, while Intel left a smaller mark at 6.55% or 581,959 Euros. The best-selling CPU was AMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D, sold in 8,390 units in January.

A detailed analysis of socket distribution reveals AMD's AM5 platform's overwhelming dominance, securing 18,410 units or 71.84% of total sales. The mature AM4 platform maintains a significant market presence with 5,205 units (20.31%), showing strong continued demand for AMD's previous-generation socket. Intel's LGA 1700, compatible with 12/13/14th generation processors, accounted for 1,745 units (6.81%), while their older platforms showed minimal market penetration. The LGA 1851 socket, supporting Intel's latest Core Ultra 200S processors, managed just 185 units (0.72%), with legacy LGA 1200 and LGA 1151 sockets trailing at 55 (0.21%) and 25 (0.1%) units respectively. AMD's latest platform market performance suggests strong consumer confidence in AM5's upgrade path and performance capabilities. This dramatic market share capture by AMD represents one of the most significant shifts in the desktop CPU market in recent years, particularly notable given the higher average selling prices at which AMD CPUs are now sold.

Elgato is proud to unveil Wave Link 2.0, the latest evolution of its powerful audio management software, which introduces incredible new features and major quality-of-life improvements. Highlights include Voice Focus, an integrated tool that ensures crisp vocals in any space, and One-Click Audio Routing for easy setup and customization. Overall, Wave Link 2.0 redefines audio management by addressing several universal challenges content creators and digital professionals face.

Voice Focus, a tool developed in collaboration with ai|coustics, brings cutting-edge vocal enhancements to Elgato Wave mic and audio interface users. By leveraging ai|coustics' advanced machine learning technology, the tool removes unwanted noise, room reverb, and echo—while isolating the user's voice and elevating it to professional quality standards. Designed for users who may not have the knowledge or patience to configure audio effects, Voice Focus delivers studio-grade results in seconds. Whether streaming, podcasting, or meeting, everyone sounds professional—even in spaces with poor acoustics.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro and Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition, its premium Xbox controllers, are now available in a stunning new White colorway. White brings a fresh new look to Razer's latest Pro controllers for the perfect blend of elegance and performance. The new lineup appeals to the competitive console and PC gamers who want a clean look to match their gaming setups.

Combining lightning-fast inputs, optimization for esports, and tournament-ready performance, the White Wolverine V3 lineup will allow players to express their individual style without compromising their competitive edge. Stay one step, one shot, and one level above the competition with the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro—the definitive wireless esports controller. Officially licensed by Xbox, play like the world's best on console and PC with speed, control, and precision that helps you clutch up for the win.

AMD today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024. Fourth quarter revenue was a record $7.7 billion, gross margin was 51%, operating income was $871 million, net income was $482 million and diluted earnings per share was $0.29. On a non-GAAP basis, gross margin was 54%, operating income was a record $2.0 billion, net income was a record $1.8 billion and diluted earnings per share was $1.09.

For the full year 2024, AMD reported record revenue of $25.8 billion, gross margin of 49%, operating income of $1.9 billion, net income of $1.6 billion, and diluted earnings per share of $1.00. On a non-GAAP basis, gross margin was a record 53%, operating income was $6.1 billion, net income was $5.4 billion and diluted earnings per share was $3.31.

Audio-Technica, a leading innovator in transducer technology for over 60 years, is expanding its headphone offerings with the new R-Series line of professional open-back models. The former flagship ATH-R70x has been upgraded to the new ATH-R70xa, and is joined by the new ATH-R50x.

ATH-R70xa
The ATH-R70xa is Audio-Technica's new flagship pair of professional open-back reference headphones. Whether mixing, mastering, or creating, the ATH-R70xa is the perfect production tool, delivering accurate and dependable reference across stereo, surround, and immersive formats. This enhanced version of the ATH-R70x delivers the natural and balanced sound of its predecessor but with refined accuracy and detail, providing a heightened listening experience with precise imaging and depth for realistic sound staging. While the ATH-R70x utilized damping and its acoustic design for added low-frequency emphasis, the fully open-back sound of the ATH-R70xa relies solely on the performance of the driver—each diaphragm movement translates directly into sound without reliance on acoustic cavities or resonance for frequency enhancement and minimizing distortion.

During yesterday's "Battlefield Labs" announcement, Electronic Arts revealed the full extent of its international multi-team development setup—dubbed "Battlefield Studios." According to their recent presentation, franchise originator—DICE (Stockholm)—is working alongside Ripple Effect (formerly DICE Los Angeles), Motive (Montreal) and Criterion (Guildford). EA's British studio is best known for its past work—most notably (going back nearly twenty-five years ago) the Burnout series and newer Need for Speed titles. The Surrey-based outfit appears to be completely devoted to working on the next Battlefield entry's single-player component—older press releases hinted about a new Need for Speed project. Around autumn 2023, Vince Zampella (Battlefield franchise overseer) announced that the majority of Criterion's team had shifted over to working on a next-gen Battlefield title, while a smaller "core group" would: "continue on what's next for Need for Speed."

Almost a year ago, Criterion and EA celebrated the Need for Speed franchise's thirtieth anniversary—a press release focused mainly on roadmapped content for Need for Speed Unbound (2022). The game was updated with a final chunk of post-release content last November. Eurogamer took it upon themselves to investigate Criterion's current internal formation, given that support duties have concluded on the NFS Unbound project. The online publication received a response from EA's top-most Battlefield developer. Zampella said in a statement to Eurogamer: "the Need for Speed team at Criterion are joining their colleagues working on Battlefield...As a company, it was important to us to take the last year to listen to our Need for Speed community and use their feedback to create content for Unbound...With an increased understanding of what our players want in a Need for Speed experience, we plan to bring the franchise back in new and interesting ways."

Scientists have made a big step forward in data storage technology, they've managed to improve the manufacturing process for 3D NAND flash memory. This type of storage technology stacks memory cells on top of each other to obtain higher data density. A team of experts from Lam Research, the University of Colorado Boulder, and Princeton Plasma Physics Lab came up with a better way to etch (the process of carving holes into alternating layers of silicon oxide and silicon nitride) by using hydrogen fluoride plasma. This new method cuts vertical channels through silicon-based materials twice as fast as before achieving 640 nanometers in just one minute.

The team found out that mixing in certain chemicals like phosphorus trifluoride helps the etching process. They also learned that some byproducts can slow down etching, but adding water can help fix this problem. "The salt can decompose at a lower temperature when water is present, which can accelerate etching", said Yuri Barsukov, a former PPPL researcher now working at Lam Research. This breakthrough is important as the need for data storage received a huge boost with the rise of AI programs, that need tons of storage.

Let's be honest, Helldivers: Super Earth is worth it. No matter what "it" is. All Helldivers share this belief, and fanatical loyalty is expected from all citizens of Super Earth. But the Helldivers need to demonstrate their allegiance. They need to look like the democratic disciples they are inside, and the only way we know to properly show it off is with the gear from our next Warbond: Servants of Freedom which launches on February 6.

So what does true devotion to Democracy look like?
Hellbombs. It looks like Hellbombs. They really send a message: liberation is big, loud, and happening all around you. It gets the spirit of democracy soaring, and gets a lot of other things soaring, too, like buildings, Bile Titans, and Automaton industrial sites. Now, imagine you've got that kind of freedom strapped to your back. That's the B-100 Portable Hellbomb, a beacon of democratic truth in a convenient backpack format, which can be easily activated by you or a helpful teammate. Just be sure to drop the pack and clear the area once it's active, because the B-100's got a ten-second countdown that can't be canceled.

A South Korea-based hardware enthusiast—Harukaze5719—has discovered a curious listing of ZOTAC's GeForce RTX 5090 SOLID OC model on a Chinese auction site (asking price: ~$4175 USD). This finding was shared with their audience, via a social media post—a screenshot was accompanied by harukaze5719's short and succinct message: "OMG..." Officially, NVIDIA and its board partners cater to the Chinese hardware market with a restricted variant of the flagship "Blackwell" GPU—GeForce RTX 5090D. Despite under-the-hood nerfing, this region-exclusive model still offers enviable performance (when pushed).

The "full fat" GeForce RTX 5090 GPU appears to be an even hotter commodity—with demand (at launch) exceeding far exceeding supply. ZOTAC's South Korean branch warned potential customers about difficult conditions almost two weeks ahead of Blackwell's market debut on January 30. Harukaze5719 has likely expressed semi-personal frustration over apparent South Korea market-destined ZOTAC stock turning up for sale in China. So-called "Chinese GPU shopping tourists" could have made the journey to a South Korean PC hardware store, with their sole objective being the acquisition of GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards. Tom's Hardware has gathered various related tidbits from Japanese and Taiwanese news sources—where local TV coverage explored the events of last week's launch event.

We know how much you've been waiting for this moment, we're thrilled to unveil the gameplay trailer for RoadCraft! Just imagine stepping into a world where you're the one turning disaster zones into thriving landscapes with cutting-edge technology and teamwork to make it happen. Sounds like a dream, doesn't it? In RoadCraft, you're at the helm of a disaster recovery company specializing in restoring areas devastated by natural calamities. With advanced simulation powered by Saber Interactive's new engine, every material, vehicle, and terrain reacts with realistic physics, making each task feel immersive and rewarding.

Launching May 20th, 2025
This first look showcases breathtaking environments brought to life with stunning visuals and realistic physics. Whether you're clearing debris, rebuilding roads, or restoring vital infrastructure, you've got everything you need to tackle challenges with creativity and precision. And with co-op gameplay for up to four players, it's all about coming together and rebuilding as a team.

Japan's central government will adjust its control over cutting-edge chips and quantum computer-related technology—a Japan Times news article proposes that new regulations will come into effect by the end of May. The report suggests that the nation's governing body is expanding its list of export-controlled items to include: "advanced chips, lithography equipment and cryo-coolers needed for the manufacture of quantum computers." The publication has gathered this information from revised foreign exchange laws. According to economy ministry officials, companies will be required to apply for external trade licenses—extra measures are being put in place to prevent the export of cutting-edge items to foreign military organizations. The updated terms are viewed as another step in tightening the supply of advanced semiconductor products to mainland China. Recent global events have paved the way for a new wave of AI chip-related restrictions.

Naturally, China has expressed concern regarding upcoming changes—they anticipate problems affecting supply chains and normal commercial exchanges between enterprises. According to the Japan Times report, the Ministry of Commerce in Beijing: "hopes Japan will make sure the measures don't hinder the economic and trade development between the two countries." The two nations have enjoyed a cordial semiconductor-centric trade relationship, skewed more in favor of Japan. Industry watchdogs believe that Chinese manufacturers have generated significant demand for Japanese-made production equipment. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has updated its documents. According to the latest report, 42 new entities worldwide have been added to a list of: "foreign companies and organizations that would be subject to export oversight on any dual-use items. The additions come into effect on Feb. 5, it said. A total of around 110 Chinese companies, research institutions and other entities are on the list."

Welcome back, friends! Happy to be here with more news, games, and updates. Speaking of news, we had lots of it in the 2025 Developer_Direct—with a little "everything you see is coming to Game Pass" spice. Here's what you missed (watch the presentation below, after the jump)! So many games to look forward to, plus a few surprise "you can play them right now" messages. Now let's get to even more games for Game Pass!

Available Today—Far Cry New Dawn (Cloud, Console, and PC)—February 4
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Dive into a transformed, vibrant, post-apocalyptic Hope County, Montana, 17 years after a global nuclear catastrophe. Lead the fight against the Highwaymen as they seek to take over the last remaining resources.

At the end of January, Samsung Electronics released their financial results for the fourth quarter and the fiscal year 2024. Smartphone tech watchdogs paid close to attention to the South Korean giant's accompanying earnings call. The recently released Galaxy S25 smartphone family is, exclusively, powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipsets—insiders believe that Samsung opted out of utilizing proprietary chip designs (for this generation) due to missed production goals. Late last year, inside sources pointed to the foundry's allegedly problematic 3 nm Gate-All-Around (GAA) process node. Follow-up reports suggest that Samsung engineers have moved onto developing a 2 nm manufacturing process, possibly linked to a re-designed Exynos 2500 flagship mobile processor.

Brian Ma, a technology industry analyst, extracted relevant information from Samsung's recent earnings meeting—several press outlets have picked up on his brief social media post. The IDC employee stated: "Samsung System LSI just mentioned in its earnings call that it's optimizing Exynos 2500 and 'aiming' to secure design wins for mobile models scheduled for release in 2H" The rumor mill has proposed that new "Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Fold 7" smartphone models are currently in the development pipeline—coincidental timing indicates that the two devices could launch later in 2025, potentially with next-gen flagship Exynos SoCs onboard. Tipsters reckon that the Exynos 2500 is configured with a 10-core cluster, and its integrated graphics solution will be an AMD RDNA 3.5-enabled Xclipse 950 model.

Extas1s is a prominent name in the rumor arena, who has provided trustworthy information in the past. Joining hands with HandleDeck, the duo recently made an interesting claim of Valve secretly working on a Steam Console of sorts, or perhaps some sort of eGPU for the Steam Deck. To back up their claims, the duo cited the fact that Valve is putting quite a lot of effort into drivers for AMD's soon-to-be released Radeon RX 9070 GPUs, and since those are desktop-only parts, a stationary console that will allow Valve to lock horns with Sony and Microsoft is likely in the works.

However, it appears that the duo may have rushed to a conclusion instead of considering the facts on the table. GamingOnLinux, who was quick to respond to the claims made by HandleDeck and Extas1s, stated that Valve working on AMD drivers for future hardware is nothing out of the ordinary, adding that Valve invests in a "lot of different areas for Linux", and not just the areas that concern their own products, which is absolutely true. This time around, the speculations arose when a Valve developer commented that Mesa drivers support for RDNA 4 cards should be good enough.

PNY Technologies today announced the latest additions to their USB Type-C flash drive lineup, headlined by the extreme-performance PRO Elite V3 that delivers read speeds up to 1,000 MB/s and write speeds up to 800 MB/s, and offers storage options ranging from 256 GB - 2 TB. The expanded Type-C portfolio also includes the ultra-compact Elite-X Fit and Elite models, providing a storage solution for all Type-C and high-performance portable needs without requiring a Type-C adapter.

Extreme Storage Solution—PRO Elite V3 Type-C
The PRO Elite V3 leads PNY's latest generation of Type-C USB storage solutions, crafted for professional content creators, designers, and gamers demanding high performance while working with large files and resource-demanding applications. With extreme read speeds up to 1,000 MB/s and write speeds up to 800 MB/s, users can safely transfer their valuable content at blazing fast speeds up to 265 times faster than standard USB 2.0 flash drives. A huge storage size increase of up to 2 TB provides professional users ample space to store large project files, 4K video collections, and extensive gaming libraries on a single storage device.

Transreflective LCD, or TCLD displays are far from commonly available. As the name suggests, these panels can combine the advantages of both reflective, as well as backlit technologies. E-Ink displays, which are also reflective, have their own set of advantages for workloads with primarily static elements. However, E-Ink displays have always suffered with motion, owing to their low refresh rate. This is where traditional displays reign supreme, and transreflective screens allow for the best of both worlds, depending on the workload.

The Hybri monitor by the Taiwanese brand HANNspree is one such offering, and sports a 1080p 23.8-inch panel with a refresh rate of 75 Hz. This allows for perfectly smooth videos and motion, unlike the vast majority of E-Ink displays. HANNspree claims that the monitor's power draw plummets by around 80% when the backlight is turned off, which is to be expected. When switched on, the backlight provides 50 nits of brightness, and the monitor should work fine without it when ambient light is above 1000 lx. The 4-in-1 adjustable stand allows for swivel, tilt, height, adjustments and pivot functionality. Overall, at a price of $899, the Hybri TLCD monitor should be a decent choice for coding, writing, and office use, especially for those folks who care about reducing eye strain over long workdays. The monitor is already available in Taiwan, with no word on an EU/US release yet.

Late last month, NVIDIA claimed that 16-pin power connector issues were a thing of the past. The controversial 12VHPWR connection standard has fueled many online debates—prompting investigations from several prominent press outlets. Following NVIDIA's latest "safety" declaration—likely by coincidence—PCM Hong Kong reported another melting incident, affecting two cables and a power supply unit. The publication's hardware reviewer was recently engaged in the "full-load" testing of GeForce RTX 5090D and RTX 5080 graphics cards. Last week's evaluation session was interrupted by notable test system instabilities—upon downing tools, the PCM staffer discovered that their 1200 W PSU had given up the ghost. Additionally, two 16-pin cables had melted at both ends—initial detective work pointed to a GeForce RTX 4090 sample card being the main culprit.

VideoCardz and UNIKO's Hardware kept close tabs on PCM's next steps—online interactions, over the past weekend, spurred a re-evaluation of circumstances. According to PCM's latest update, they noticed burn marks on the GeForce RTX 4090 test unit—the two GeForce RTX-50-series cards did not exhibit any physical damage. Post-analysis, the reviewer now suspects that an SSD failure could be the route cause. They were happy to report that all involved RTX cards have survived, and that their test platform has been re-equipped with 12V-2x6 cables. An amended VideoCardz article proposes that everything came down to a simple human error.

SteamDolls, the debut stealth-meets-action platformer delight by French-Belgian studio The Shady Gentleman, will launch February 11th at 1pm EST / 10am PST / 6pm UTC into Steam Early Access. A new trailer has been released as well, officially revealing the launch date.

Play as the bloodthirsty, witty, and just a bit kooky Whisper (played by David Hayter) and balance both stealth and brutality as you make your way through a comic book-inspired steampunk city on the verge of anarchy. A free demo also remains available, featuring the intro sequence the game. The game will be available in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish at launch, and contain about 6 chapters of the game, totaling an estimated 5-7 hours of content. The game's developers are hoping to gather player feedback to improve mechanics, balancing, and content leading up to the 1.0 launch.

Our next Developer Livestream is now confirmed for Wednesday, February 5 at 10:30am PST (18:30 UTC). Follow our official Twitch channel to receive a notification when our panel of Jorg, Seb, and Martial go live to discuss the future development plans for Microsoft Flight Simulator and answer the most frequently asked questions the community submitted to our web form over the past few weeks. As always, the panel will also answer live questions from Twitch viewers, so be sure to tune in if you didn't have a chance to pre-submit a question!

Thank you to everyone who has downloaded the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Sim Update 1 pre-release beta test build! Since its launch in January, our team has been very carefully reading your feedback and bug reports on the forums. A new pre-release build with more fixes and improvements is coming soon for beta testers. If you would like to enroll in the beta to help test the next major release of MSFS 2024, you can find instructions (for PC-MS Store, PC-Steam, and Xbox Series X|S) here.

Overclockers UK (OcUK)—a well-known PC hardware retailer—has revealed estimated timeframes for renewed stock of GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 graphics cards. Late last week, its various web presences informed potential customers about anticipated lead times. The company's blog disclosed that: "due to incredibly high demand and limited stock, all 50 Series cards sold shortly after launch with some pre-orders taken in restricted quantities." New GeForce RTX 5090 stock is expected to arrive at the OcUK warehouse in about three to sixteen weeks. The British store reckons that they will receive GeForce RTX 5080 cards in two to six weeks time. TechPowerUp picked up on various online predictions—a week before the market launch of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50-series GPUs—pointing to extremely low numbers of forthcoming launch stock. An OcUK employee disclosed that their inventory—of GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards—was in single digits.

OcUK's dedicated RTX 50-series blog includes an apology—apparently their webstore experienced an outage shortly before launch time. They also informed customers about external factors affecting the re-opening of order books: "we have no plans to take pre-orders for any 50 Series cards until we have greater clarity on availability and have fulfilled the pre-orders we have taken." VideoCardz has discovered an informative post on the Megekko.nl discussion forum—where a new member has shared insider information. Board partners and suppliers are complaining about difficult conditions, according to the leaker's sources—they believe that ASUS and MSI have been forced into releasing forthcoming RTX 5090 stock via a staggered batch system (see screenshot below). The Verge has reached out to NVIDIA for comment—regarding shortages at launch—their request was not entertained.

AMD is planning a media event to formally launch the Radeon RX 9070 series next-generation graphics cards some time in late-February 2024, VideoCardz reports. The company could simultaneously announce the flagship Radeon RX 9070 XT, its second-best RX 9070, and new stuff on the software side, such as FSR 4, although availability dates of each could vary. Availability of at least the top RX 9070 XT could be expected in March, the report says. Both the RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 are being prepared by AMD as performance-segment products, where they probably go up against SKUs from NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5070 series. Given the rather minor performance uplift the RTX 5080 yielded over its previous generation predecessor, the performance segment is in for some competition.

The Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 are both based on the 4 nm "Navi 48" silicon, which reportedly features 64 compute units for 4,096 stream processors, and a new generation AI accelerator that's both faster and more capable than the one introduced with RDNA 3. There is expected to be a significant uplift in the ray tracing performance, too, reducing the performance cost of enabling ray tracing in games. FSR 4 is expected to leverage the AI acceleration capabilities of RDNA 4 for its super resolution algorithm. Both SKUs are expected to have all 64 CU enabled, but differ in clock speeds. Both are expected to feature 16 GB of older GDDR6 memory across a 256-bit wide memory interface. As for the media event, we gathered from our post-CES roundtable with AMD that the event will at least be an online presentation.

With Monster Hunter Wilds launching on February 28th, MSI is thrilled to announce a special promotion starting this week. Gamers can prepare for this exciting release by earning exclusive rewards with the purchase of select MSI gaming monitors.

Monster Hunter Wilds—A Thrilling Adventure Awaits & Enhanced gaming experience with MSI Monitors
Dive into the world of Monster Hunter Wilds, where brave hunters confront colossal creatures in untamed wilderness. From exploring lush forests to battling fierce monsters in breathtaking landscapes, every quest promises an unforgettable adventure for gamers seeking excitement and challenge. MSI's premium gaming monitors are designed to bring every detail of Monster Hunter Wilds to life. With cutting-edge features and industry-leading performance, these monitors provide gamers with an immersive and seamless experience that matches the intensity of the hunt.

3M is expanding its commitment to the semiconductor industry by joining the US-JOINT Consortium, a strategic partnership of 12 leading semiconductor suppliers. The consortium drives research and development in next-generation semiconductor advanced packaging and back-end processing technologies anchored by a new cutting-edge facility in Silicon Valley.

"As the demands of AI and other high performance computing technologies increase, suppliers must work together to provide comprehensive solutions to tough challenges on increasingly shorter timelines." said Steven Vander Louw, 3M's president of display and electronics product platforms. "The companies in the US-JOINT Consortium represent US and Japanese innovation leaders in a range of advanced packaging technologies. 3M is pleased to join the consortium in order to bring our decades of materials science expertise, across more than 50 technology platforms, to help address these challenges."

Keychron, the innovative leader in keyboard technology, announces the UK availability of two new additions to its acclaimed lineup: the Keychron Q6 Max Full-Size Wireless Keyboard and the Keychron K5 Max QMK Wireless Custom Mechanical Keyboard ISO Layout Collection. These models redefine premium keyboard design, offering unmatched versatility, durability, and performance for work, gaming, and creativity.

For users seeking a full-size layout, the Keychron Q6 Max, is a wireless QMK/VIA keyboard that brings a powerful combination of functionality and sound quality. Constructed from the same 6063 aluminium, the Q6 Max exudes refinement through a CNC-machined body, paired with double-gasket mounting and reinforced multi-layer acoustic foam (IXPE, PET, and Latex) for premium typing acoustics.

One of AMD's key announcements at its 2025 International CES keynote was the Ryzen 9000HX line of processors, codenamed "Fire Range." A successor to the 7000HX "Dragon Range," this is essentially a BGA package of the "Granite Ridge" MCM, which combines one or two "Zen 5" CCDs with a client I/O die. The processor lacks an NPU and has a basic iGPU, but is meant for enthusiast segment gaming notebooks and portable workstations, as it's meant to be paired with discrete GPUs, taking advantage of the package's lavish 28 PCIe Gen 5 lanes. The Ryzen 9 9955HX3D stands out in the series as the only model with 3D V-Cache, making it possibly the fastest mobile processor for gaming notebooks—faster than even the "Arrow Lake-HX," given how the desktop 9800X3D compares to the Core Ultra 9 285K at gaming.

Notebook OEM Dream Machines put out a press release which specifies that the first notebooks powered by the 9955HX3D will ship either toward the end of March, or early-April 2025. "Fire Range" is known to have scored design wins from several popular notebook OEMs, which means the chips could have a good run at the markets this generation. Notebooks powered by the 9955HX3D and discrete GPU options that include the GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU and the RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU, are expected to be priced around €2,530 and €3,860, respectively.

Google Security Research team has just published its latest research on a fundamental flaw in the microcode patch verification system that affects AMD processors from "Zen 1" through "Zen 4" generations. The vulnerability stems from an inadequate hash function implementation in the CPU's signature validation process for microcode updates, enabling attackers with local administrator privileges (ring 0 from outside a VM) to inject malicious microcode patches, potentially compromising AMD SEV-SNP-protected confidential computing workloads and Dynamic Root of Trust Measurement systems. Google disclosed this high-severity issue to AMD on September 25, 2024, leading to AMD's release of an embargoed fix to customers on December 17, 2024, with public disclosure following on February 3, 2025; however, due to the complexity of supply chain dependencies and remediation requirements, comprehensive technical details are being withheld until March 5, 2025, allowing organizations time to implement necessary security measures and re-establish trust in their confidential compute environments.

AMD has released comprehensive mitigation measures through AGESA firmware updates across its entire EPYC server processor lineup, from the first-generation Naples to the latest Genoa-X and Bergamo architectures. The security patch, designated as CVE-2024-56161 with a high severity rating of 7.2, introduces critical microcode updates: Naples B2 processors require uCode version 0x08001278, Rome B0 systems need 0x0830107D, while Milan and Milan-X variants mandate versions 0x0A0011DB and 0x0A001244 respectively. For the latest Genoa-based systems, including Genoa-X and Bergamo/Siena variants, the required microcode versions are 0x0A101154, 0x0A10124F, and 0x0AA00219. These updates implement robust protections across all SEV security features - including SEV, SEV-ES, and SEV-SNP - while introducing new restrictions on microcode hot-loading capabilities to prevent future exploitation attempts.

G.Skill International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading brand of performance overclock memory and PC components, is announcing the release of high-speed, low-latency DDR5-6800 CL32 memory specification with large kit capacity of up to 96 GB (2x 48 GB), as well as DDR5-6400 CL28 32 GB (2x 16 GB) high-performance memory specification. These new memory specifications will be available under the G.SKILL Trident Z5 Royal, Trident Z5 RGB, and Ripjaws M5 RGB series, with Intel XMP 3.0 memory overclock profile support.

As G.SKILL continues to push memory performance to higher limits, an ideal memory solution for overclocking enthusiasts who are looking for both large capacity and high performance is born at DDR5-6800 CL32-42-42 at up to 96 GB (2x 48 GB). This new specification has been validated on both Intel Z790 and Z890 platforms. Please refer to the screenshots below for Memtest validation on the ASUS ROG Maximus Z890 Hero motherboard with the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K desktop processor, and the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero motherboard with the Intel Core i9-14900K desktop processor.

Club3D today introduced the CAC-1093, a DisplayPort 2.1 DP54 VESA-certified cable. The cable can handle DisplayPort 2.1 with UHBR13.5, and the ability to handle bandwidth of 54 Gbps, over a cable length of 3 m (9.84 feet). This lets you have resolutions as high as 8K @ 120 Hz with DSC 1.2 and forward error correction, and 32 audio channels. The cable comes with gold-plated connectors and 26 AWG OD. It is tested to be fully bidirectional (you can install it either way for the same functionality). The company didn't reveal pricing.

ASUS is proud to announce that ASUS AI POD, featuring the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 platform, is ready to ramp-up production for a scheduled shipping date of March 2025. ASUS remains dedicated to providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions and software services, encompassing everything from AI supercomputing to cloud services. With a strong focus on fostering AI adoption across industries, ASUS is positioned to empower clients in accelerating their time to market by offering a full spectrum of solutions.

Proof of concept, funded by ASUS
Honoring the commitment to delivering exceptional value to clients, ASUS is set to launch a proof of concept (POC) for the groundbreaking ASUS AI POD, powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell platform. This exclusive opportunity is now open to a select group of innovators who are eager to harness the full potential of AI computing. Innovators and enterprises can experience firsthand the full potential of AI and deep learning solutions at exceptional scale. To take advantage of this limited-time offer, please complete this surveyi at: forms.office.com/r/FrAbm5BfH2. The expert ASUS team of NVIDIA GB200 specialists will guide users through the next steps.

Manli Technology Group Limited is proud to announce the Manli GeForce RTX 5080 graphics card. Gear up for game-changing experiences with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 and AI-powered DLSS 4. Built with NVIDIA Blackwell and equipped with blistering-fast GDDR7 memory, it lets you run the most graphically demanding games and creative applications with stunning fidelity and performance. With NVIDIA Studio you can bring your creative projects to life faster than ever.

Manli Design
There are 10,752 CUDA cores onboard powering the RTX 5080. It also has 16 GB of memory, and GDDR7 memory speeds of up to 30 Gbps, with 5th Gen Tensor Cores, AI TOPS 1801.

According to widespread user reports from Chinese tech forums and Reddit communities, multiple RTX 5090 and 5090D graphics cards are failing permanently after standard driver installation. The issue affects both the standard RTX 5090 and the export-modified 5090D variant released for the Chinese market on January 30th. Users report consistent failure patterns: upon initial driver installation, displays go dark, and systems permanently lose the ability to detect the GPU through both DisplayPort and HDMI interfaces. Hardware failures have been documented across multiple board partners, with Colorful, Manli, and Gigabyte cards showing identical symptoms. Third-party vendor reports sometimes indicate potential IC burn damage, suggesting hardware-level failure rather than recoverable software issues.

Some investigations point to PCIe Gen 5 implementation as a possible root cause. The RTX 5090 series represents NVIDIA's first fully Gen 5-compliant GPU architecture, introducing new signal integrity challenges. Some users report temporary mitigation by forcing PCIe 4.0 mode in BIOS settings, though this workaround remains unverified. Additional complications arise from modern motherboard designs that share PCIe lanes between M.2 storage and graphics slots. The failure pattern appears consistent across both domestic and international markets. On r/ASUS, users report identical detection failures persisting through CMOS resets and system rebuilds. Chinese forum documentation shows systematic failures across multiple board partner implementations, suggesting a fundamental architecture or driver compatibility issue rather than isolated manufacturing defects. NVIDIA has not issued official guidance on the failures.Below are screenshots of the reported user problems:

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the most powerful GeForce GPU ever made, bringing game-changing capabilities to gamers and creators. Tackle the most advanced models and most challenging creative workloads with unprecedented AI horsepower. Game with full ray tracing and the lowest latency. The GeForce RTX 5090 is powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and equipped with 32 GB of superfast GDDR7 memory, so you can do it all.

Manli Design
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 GPUs bring game-changing capabilities to gamers and creators. The RTX 5090 enables new experiences and next-level graphics fidelity. Multiply performance with NVIDIA DLSS 4, generate images at unprecedented speed. Clock speed has been boosted to 2407 MHz.

The European Commission has paid Intel €515.55 million ($536 million) in interest following the partial annulment of a 2009 antitrust fine. The payment comes after the General Court of the European Union overturned most of the original €1.06 billion penalty in 2022, leaving only €376 million of the fine intact. The court's ruling found significant flaws in the Commission's economic analysis of Intel's market practices between 2002 and 2007. At issue were Intel's volume-based rebates to computer manufacturers, which the Commission had claimed prevented fair competition with AMD in the x86 processor market. The General Court determined that regulators failed to adequately demonstrate the anti-competitive effects of these pricing strategies. EU antitrust commissioner Teresa Ribera confirmed the interest payment, which reimburses Intel for capital held by regulators during the 13-year legal proceedings.

The case began in 2009, with the Commission ruling that Intel had used its market position to restrict competitor access through targeted rebate programs in years prior. Intel challenged this decision in 2014, leading to multiple appeals before the 2022 judgment. The resolution establishes new parameters for proving anti-competitive behavior in the EU's tech sector oversight. The court's emphasis on rigorous economic analysis impacts ongoing and future competition cases, particularly regarding evaluating complex pricing mechanisms in the technology sector. The payment concludes one of the EU's longest-running competition law cases, though Intel continues to face regulatory scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions. The case's outcome has prompted discussion about the Commission's approach to economic evidence in competition proceedings and the duration of EU antitrust investigations. At the time of financial issues, more than half a billion US Dollars will help Intel resolve internal crises significantly.

Report with market evolution powered by AI—The global artificial intelligence (AI) chips market size is estimated to grow by USD 902.6 billion from 2025-2029, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of over 81.2% during the forecast period. Increased focus on developing AI chips for smartphones is driving market growth, with a trend towards convergence of AI and IoT. However, dearth of technically skilled workers for ai chips development poses a challenge. Key market players include Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Baidu Inc., Broadcom Inc., Cerebras, Fujitsu Ltd., Google LLC, Graphcore Ltd., Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Intel Corp., International Business Machines Corp., MediaTek Inc., Microchip Technology Inc., NVIDIA Corp., NXP Semiconductors NV, Qualcomm Inc., SambaNova Systems Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., SenseTime Group Inc., Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd., and Tesla Inc.

Today, Planar, a global leader in visualization technology, announced an expansion of the popular Planar DirectLight family with the launch of the Planar DirectLight Slim Series. Featuring an ultra-thin, narrow width form factor, the new fine pixel pitch MicroLED video wall display accommodates curved and space-constrained applications that benefit from its unique form factor, including control rooms, broadcast studios, virtual production, extended reality, simulation and training, research and more.

Offering an installation depth of less than two inches, the new Planar DirectLight Slim Series is ideal for tightly curved video walls with the solution's reduced width delivering minimal colorshift compared to other LED displays. The series is also well-suited for flat video walls in tight spaces as a result of its minimum depth and front serviceability. Models feature MicroLED technology and are available in 0.9, 1.2, 1.5 and 1.8 millimeter pixel pitches with a maximum brightness of 1,600 nits and a unique 4:9 aspect ratio to support deployment versatility and vibrant viewing experiences.

AMD on Monday released Unreal Engine plugins for FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) 3.1.3 and AMD Anti-Lag 2 through its GPUOpen initiative. Both plugins support the latest Unreal Engine 5.5, and can be picked up by game developers to integrate with their ongoing projects or be released as updates to their released games. FSR 3.1.3 succeeds the FSR 3.1.1 major release that had introduced Anti-Lag 2 support among a dozen other updates. The latest FSR version adds Unreal Engine 5.5 support, besides a minor update to the way FSR handles UseDistortionTexture commands. Meanwhile, the Anti-Lag 2 plugin for Unreal Engine 5.5 is being released as part of the latest v2.0.2 release of the technology. There are no other changes. AMD FSR 3.1.3 plugin for Unreal Engine 5.5 can be accessed here, and the Anti-Lag 2 plugin for UE 5.5 here.

A former chairman of Sony Interactive Entertainment USA—Shawn Layden—has shared his views regarding current and future PlayStation product landscapes. In an interview conducted by podcaster Reece Reilly (of KIWI TALKZ), the American businessman was asked about Microsoft's recent-ish release of all-digital Xbox home consoles. Layden believes that Sony will not copy its main rival's homework—the heavily rumored "PlayStation 6" could launch in two forms: with an optical drive, or without. The ex-SIE boss commented about a potential disc-less future platform: "I don't think Sony can get away with it now...I think Xbox has had more success in pursuing that strategy, but Xbox is really most successful in their business in a clutch of countries: the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa. Coincidentally enough—all English-speaking countries."

The current day PlayStation 5 family—consisting of standard, slim, and Pro models—is this generation's market leader; having established a huge international userbase (roughly 65 million units, back in September 2024). Layden cites these numbers as a guideline for the makeup of a new-gen model: "Sony, which is the number one platform in probably 170 countries around the world, has an obligation or a responsibility to say: 'If we go discless, how much of my market is not able to make that jump?' Can users in rural Italy get a decent connection to enjoy games?" He thinks that his former colleagues are making very careful considerations, given the complicated nature of catering to a diverse audience: "which part of your market will be damaged by going to disc-less market? I'm sure they're doing their research on it. And there will be a tipping point, where there's some percentage where you can say, 'Okay that's fine, we can turn our back on that part of the market.' But Sony's market is globally so huge, I think it would be hard for them to go fully disc-less, even with the next generation."

Civilization VII global release timing—from Early Access to launch, find your Civ VII start time on our global release map! Sid Meier's Civilization VII is almost here! Check out when you can start playing. Whether you're jumping in for early access or waiting for launch, use this map to find your Civilization VII release time around the globe. Are you ready for one more turn?

The award-winning strategy game franchise returns with a revolutionary new chapter. Sid Meier's Civilization VII is a turn-based strategy game that empowers you to build the greatest empire the world has ever known! In Civilization VII, your strategic decisions shape the unique cultural lineage of your evolving empire. Rule as one of many legendary leaders from throughout history and steer the course of your story by choosing a new civilization to represent your empire in each Age of human advancement.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes that Apple's headset design department has cancelled a long-gestating project. Development of the company's augmented reality (AR) smart glasses—allegedly codenamed "N107"—ceased not long ago, according to the journalist's insider network. At first, Apple's augmented reality engineering team supposedly envisioned the (regular/normal-sized) glasses being powered via a direct connection to a wearer's iPhone. Gurman reckons that the smartphone-connected system was a mega-drainer of batteries, due to the onboard chipset being a bit of a power hog. Apple proceeded to experiment with a glasses-linked up-to-Mac concept—reportedly, company leadership canceled the project after rejecting the inelegant personal computer-powered solution.

Apple's AR smart glasses could have competed with a similar next-gen offering, upon a rumored 2027 launch—Meta's "Orion" solution is still in a concept phase. Leaked feature set information indicates functionality akin to Xreal's One AR series, albeit with a required connection to a compatible Mac computer. The Apple headset department has struggled (allegedly) with the development of various concepts—going far back as 2017, according to several of Gurman's reports. Two years ago, he heard whispers about the AR/VR team labelling their N107 project as a "hopeless" prospect. By Mid-2024, industry leaks indicated an end of development for the "expensive Vision Pro 2" mixed reality headset.

NVIDIA's flagship GeForce RTX 5090 demonstrated flexibility in power compatibility, while its sibling, the RTX 5080, struggled with stricter requirements. Recent tests by a German tech outlet, ComputerBase, reveal that the RTX 5090 can operate with three 8-pin PCI power connectors instead of the recommended four, albeit with a performance trade-off. However, the RTX 5080 fails to boot when using only two 8-pin connectors. The RTX 5090, with a default TDP of 575 W, officially requires a 600 W 12V-2×6 connector or an adapter with four 8-pin PCI cables. However, tests on the ASUS ROG RTX 5090 Astral and Zotac RTX 5090 Solid show the GPU boots even with three 8-pin cables, capping its TDP at 450 W—matching the three connectors' 150 W-per-cable spec. Performance losses are modest: benchmarks indicate a 5% drop in average FPS at 450 W compared to full power.

In contrast, the RTX 5080's 360 W TDP proves less forgiving. Attempts to run the Founders Edition and Zotac RTX 5080 AMP Extreme Infinity with two 8-pin connectors (300 W total) resulted in failure: the screen remained blank, and the card refused to initialize. NVIDIA's firmware appears to lack a lower power-limit threshold for the RTX 5080, unlike the 5090, which automatically adjusts when detecting insufficient power delivery. This requirement forces users to adhere strictly to the three 8-pin or 12V-2×6 power connectors. While the RTX 5090 offers flexibility for users upgrading from older systems, the RTX 5080's limitations may frustrate owners of less powerful PSUs. For the RTX 5090, the 5% performance penalty at 450 W may be a reasonable trade-off for avoiding costly PSU upgrades, but RTX 5080 users have no such recourse. Verifying power supply compatibility, as underpowered setups risk instability or hardware damage, is a must, and when your $2000+ GPU runs, you should at least power it properly. This experiment is more a "for science" type of run.

Many gamers aren't that concerned about the size of their graphics card. A wide range of today's most popular PC cases offer plenty of elbow room, even for unabashedly large cards like our new ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5090. That said, there's a community of gamers who are always on the lookout for cards that deliver the performance they need in a more compact profile. Some have their eye on a space-saving small-form-factor (SFF) chassis. Others need a slimmer heatsink that leaves their secondary PCIe x16 slot accessible, perhaps to leave room for a capture card. Whatever your needs, the Prime GeForce RTX 5080 is ready for the occasion.

Slim and trim for your SFF PC
In the past, building a petite gaming PC involved double and even triple-checking component sizes to ensure compatibility. Today, the process is much easier thanks to the NVIDIA GeForce SFF-Ready program, which simplifies the process of building a space-saving PC by labeling SFF-Ready cases and graphics cards. When you select a chassis and a GPU that are both SFF-Ready, you can be confident they'll be compatible, and you'll have a streamlined building experience. Just 50 mm thick and 304 mm long, the 2.5-slot Prime GeForce RTX 5080 fits comfortably within NVIDIA's recommended form factor guidelines for SFF PCs so that you can build your space-saving PC with confidence.

AMD is set to share its fourth-quarter results on Tuesday, Feb. 4 facing opportunities and problems in the fast-changing AI chip market as investors are expected to look closely at AMD's AI strategy. Reuters reports that experts think AMD's revenue will increase by over 22% to $7.53 billion. They expect its data center part to make up more than half of total sales at $4.15 billion. Yet, investors still worry about how AMD stands in the AI race. TD Cowen experts and Omdia believe AMD could sell $10 billion worth of AI chips this year, this is twice what AMD itself thinks it will sell, which is $5 billion. However, the scene is getting more complex with Big Tech firms like Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta making their own special chips for AI work. This move to custom chips, along with NVIDIA's strong market position and its popular CUDA software, makes things tough for AMD. The high costs of switching chipmakers also make it hard for AMD to grow its share of the market, however, the ongoing increase in AI spending by tech giants could help balance out these problems. Investors see "customer silicon and NVIDIA as the AI chip market going forward," said Ryuta Makino, analyst at AMD investor Gabelli Funds.

Supply chain issues make AMD's position more difficult as TSMC is boosting its advanced packaging ability to fix bottlenecks, while NVIDIA's production increase of its new "Blackwell" AI chips might restrict AMD's access to manufacturing resources. Yet, AMD's business has some good news, its personal computer unit should grow by almost 33% to $1.94 billion catching up to Intel.

Khronos introduced version 1.4 of its Vulkan graphics API last December—at the time, industry watchdogs believed that this iteration was prepared with NVIDIA "Blackwell" GPU conformance in mind. A mid-January leak indicated that the GeForce RTX 5090 SKU was already present on the Vulkan API's support list. Recent official additions—of GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5070 GPUs to the cross-platform API's compatibility registry—suggest an imminent launch at retail; insiders reckon that the 5070 Ti will arrive on February 20.

Last week, HWiNFO's development team revealed that they were readying an incoming build (8.21) with support for Team Green's GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU. Their "upcoming changes" list did not include the lower-specced GeForce RTX 5070 (non-Ti)—online speculation posits that this model will launch later on in February. The GeForce RTX 5070's inclusion on the latest Vulkan API conformance list is an encouraging sign. VideoCardz spent its weekend searching for any entries alluding to GeForce RTX 5060 Ti or GeForce RTX 5060 (non-Ti) SKUs—they discovered zero evidence. The developers at Khronos are likely keeping these lower-end models under a "confidential" category.

Today, the storied Battlefield franchise known for uncompromising all-out warfare and world-class gameplay for over two decades, announced the most ambitious community testing program in franchise history - Battlefield Labs. The work on the next Battlefield experience is entering a critical phase in development that will benefit from collaboration with the community like never before.

Sign Up for Battlefield Labs Are Now Open
The first phase of Battlefield Labs testing will go live in the coming weeks, and sign up to players is available now at battlefield.com/labs. Initial tests will include an invited group of players and servers located in Europe and North America ahead of plans to expand invitees and server locations in the future.

Mundfish Studio and Focus Entertainment are excited to celebrate the release of Atomic Heart's third DLC "Enchantment Under the Sea"! Available as part of the Atomic Pass, this DLC gets back to exploring the aftermath of the campaign's main storyline by leaving Limbo behind and taking players back to explore Facility 3826. There, they'll be introduced to a new underwater Neptune Research Center, new weapons and glove abilities as well as new sea-dwelling threats! Atomic Heart is out now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. Benefit from discounts up to 67% on the Standard and Premium Editions, as well as all the game's DLCs on PlayStation, Xbox and Steam.

Look for answers in the depths of Facility 3826
"Enchantment Under the Sea" goes back to the spectacular combat gameplay that made Atomic Heart one of the highlights of 2023! Meet an eclectic cast of new and returning characters, and dive into the underwater Neptune Research Center with a Twin at your side to regain what was lost and find a way to save Mankind from a dismal future. This new adventure will even take you back to familiar locations that have changed beyond recognition like the flying city of Chelomey, now under the crushing rule of a familiar, formerly-friendly huge Robogirl.

Last month, Sony Japan announced an upcoming retirement of Blu-ray Disc media and other physical media formats. On January 23, the company's Recording Media department addressed its "valued customers" via a short press release. At some point in February (2025), production of "Blu-ray Disc media, MiniDiscs for recording, MD data for recording, and MiniDV cassettes" will cease. Reports from late January suggest that the Recording Media division's last factory will face closure in the coming weeks, signalling the end of commercial supplies. Additionally, Sony disclosed that no "successor models" will be released. Naturally, fans of optical media formats did not welcome Sony's announcement regarding the retirement of these products.

Rival manufacturers have taken the opportunity to offer their fares—fresh news reports have pointed to an interesting Verbatim Japan office-issued press release. The Taiwanese storage specialist and I-O Data pushed out a joint statement, assuring that they: "will live up to the trust of customers through stable supply and continued sales of optical discs in the Japanese market." The two companies appear to be seizing the moment, but their announcement did not name or shame Sony: "the domestic optical disc market is currently at a major turning point, with some manufacturers withdrawing from manufacturing and sales businesses and other trends that are shrinking the supply system. Under these circumstances, Verbatim Japan is working closely with I-O DATA to continue to provide high-quality optical discs to the Japanese market, with stable supply as its top priority."

Bohemia awaits! Good things come to those who wait…Kingdom Come: Deliverance II pre-load is available NOW on all platforms! A thrilling story-driven action RPG, with a rich open world, set in 15th century Medieval Europe. Experience the ultimate medieval adventure—through the eyes of young Henry—as you embark on a journey of epic proportions. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II releases on 4 February 2025 on PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.

Steam Deck Verified
Take Henry's journey on the go and experience medieval Bohemia wherever you may roam. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is officially playable on Steam Deck. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a gripping tale of revenge, betrayal and discovery. Embark on an epic journey from a humble blacksmith's forge to the court of Kings. From bustling city streets to lush forests, discover this open-world Medieval Europe through an unforgettable adventure filled with action, thrill and wonder.

GALAX has introduced its new-generation Hall of Fame (HOF) graphics card to the Chinese hardware market. This ultra high-end custom design is based on NVIDIA's brand new "Blackwell" GeForce RTX 5080 GPU—this (almost) all-white model is adorned with a signature "Plus-X" crown-like structure, loudly proclaiming (via ARGB) its placement in GALAX's product stack. Several press outlets have expressed disappointment about the Hong Kong-based manufacturer not selecting GeForce RTX 5090D internals for their first unveiling of new HOF designs in 2025. According to a weekend VideoCardz report, the GALAX GeForce RTX 5080 HOF OC LAB Plus-X Edition model houses a striking white 12-layer PCB, with a 14+6+6 phase power design. Additionally, the card features a 70A high-current DR-MOS power stage. GALAX's previous-gen GeForce RTX 4080 HOF OC LAB Plus-X design sported two 16-pin power connectors—in contrast, its successor is reliant on a single 16-pin input.

A dedicated product page—with full specifications—has not appeared on the manufacturer's website, so VideoCardz guesstimated the card's maximum TDP rating. 400 W could be the default power, as seen on many AIB model spec sheets. GALAX has specced its latest HOF OC LAB Plus-X Edition with a dual BIOS system—their overclocked "P-Mode" takes the boost clock up to 2730 MHz. The card's air cooling solution consists of two 102 mm fans, positioned either side of a central 92 mm unit—the GALAX "Frost Ring Blades" are advertised as offering quiet operation, combined with maximizing air flow. GALAX has—once again—implemented its "Hyper Boost" system—the triple-fan cooling solution can be set to operate at maximum RPMs; enabled via an I/O bracket-mounted switch. The manufacturer has seemingly taken inspiration from ZOTAC—GALAX's new model sports a Safety Light-esque error detection system. The GeForce RTX 5080 HOF OC LAB Plus-X Edition is not available for sale in China, at the time of writing.

Hello everyone! The time has finally arrived... Foundation has officially left Early Access, and version 1.0 is available now! After 6 years of new features, bug fixes, and improving the game with the help of your feedback, we are proud to finally wrap up Foundation's incredible journey in Early Access! Since the last major update, we have worked tirelessly to deliver the game we envisioned and the game you want to play.

Foundation is a grid-less, laid-back medieval city-building game with a focus on organic development, monument construction and resource management. Foundation combines free-building tools and procedural generation to create the ultimate organic city-building experience. Assign jobs, create production chains, establish trade. In Foundation, your creations come to life! The full release comes with a large number of changes. So many, in fact, that it may seem like a whole new game! If you want to know what's new, grab a medieval drink and some snacks while the game updates, and we'll take a look through the patch notes.

Late last week, Team Blue's gaming division celebrated a new milestone—their social media account released a 20-second-long video that swept across a large sprawl of modern titles. The accompanying message boasted: "we've hit the mark on 150+ games with XeSS support, with more on the way! Experience peak gaming for yourself with Intel XeSS AI upscaling today." Intel's launch of Arc "Alchemist" discrete graphics cards marked a more mainstream introduction for their proprietary Xe Super Sampling (XeSS) technology. Earlier in 2022, Xe LP-based iGPUs and Iris Xe MAX discrete GPUs were the first pieces of Team Blue hardware to be enabled with XeSS support.

XeSS 2 was introduced last December—during the official unveiling of Intel's Arc B580 "Battlemage" graphics card—but not enough time has elapsed to gain widespread support. VideoCardz's weekend sleuthing revealed only two compatible titles—in contrast, Team Blue's first-gen super sampling upscaler support list now numbers 159. Since late last year, PC gamers have been snapping up wallet-friendly Arc B580 models. Another—slightly cheaper—XeSS 2-enabled product arrived last month; with the release of Arc B570 cards. We hope that the number of (XeSS 2) supported titles increases, in parallel with the rising popularity of Battlemage GPUs.

ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual solutions, is unveiling the world's first rack-mount All-in-One control box (LD-SCB-023) at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2025. Seamlessly integrating power and control systems, the LD-SCB-023 boosts energy efficiency and simplifies operation. The company is also introducing the 3rd generation foldable All-in-One LED display (LDS138-151) with a patent-pending design. Emphasizing integration, efficiency, and adaptability, these advanced solutions meet the growing demand for impactful large-scale presentations across diverse industries.

"ViewSonic is breaking new ground in LED display adoption by solving challenges related to complex installation, limited accessibility, and extensive maintenance," said Dean Tsai, General Manager of Projector & LED Display Business Unit at ViewSonic. "Our user-centric innovations, including the pioneering rack-mount All-in-One control box and upgraded foldable displays, redefine adaptability in LED display technology. By expanding the all-in-one core competence, we streamline installation, simplify operation, and enhance durability. These advancements reflect our commitment to empower businesses to fully leverage LED displays for effective communication and branding."

The recently released DeepSeek-R1 model family has brought a new wave of excitement to the AI community, allowing enthusiasts and developers to run state-of-the-art reasoning models with problem-solving, math and code capabilities, all from the privacy of local PCs. With up to 3,352 trillion operations per second of AI horsepower, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs can run the DeepSeek family of distilled models faster than anything on the PC market.

A New Class of Models That Reason
Reasoning models are a new class of large language models (LLMs) that spend more time on "thinking" and "reflecting" to work through complex problems, while describing the steps required to solve a task. The fundamental principle is that any problem can be solved with deep thought, reasoning and time, just like how humans tackle problems. By spending more time—and thus compute—on a problem, the LLM can yield better results. This phenomenon is known as test-time scaling, where a model dynamically allocates compute resources during inference to reason through problems. Reasoning models can enhance user experiences on PCs by deeply understanding a user's needs, taking actions on their behalf and allowing them to provide feedback on the model's thought process—unlocking agentic workflows for solving complex, multi-step tasks such as analyzing market research, performing complicated math problems, debugging code and more.

When High-Flyer, the hedge fund behind DeepSeek, debuted its flagship model, DeepSeek R1, the tech world went downward. No one expected Chinese AI companies can produce high-quality AI model that rivals the best from OpenAI and Anthropic. While there are rumors that DeepSeek has access to 50,000 NVIDIA "Hopper" GPUs, including H100, H800, and H20, it seems like Huawei is ready to power Chinese AI infrastructure with its AI accelerators. According to the South China Morning Post, Chinese cloud providers like SiliconFlow.cn are offering DeepSeek AI models for inference on Huawei Ascend 910B accelerators. For the price of only one Yuan for one million input tokens, and four Yuan for one million output tokens, this economic model of AI hosting is fundamentally undercutting competition like US-based cloud providers that offer DeepSeek R1 for $7 per million tokens.

Not only is running on the Huawei Ascend 910B cheaper for cloud providers, but we also reported that it is cheaper for DeepSeek itself, which serves its chat app on the Huawei Ascend 910C. Using domestic accelerators lowers the total cost of ownership, with savings passed down to users. If Western clients prefer AI inference to be served by Western companies, they will have to pay a heftier price tag, often backed by the high prices of GPUs like NVIDIA H100, B100, and AMD Instinct MI300X.

TechPowerUp today released the latest version of TechPowerUp GPU-Z, the graphics sub-system information and monitoring utility for PC gamers and enthusiasts. The latest version 2.62.0 introduces full support for NVIDIA "Blackwell" generation of GPUs, which should cover not just the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 that were recently released, but also preliminary support for upcoming SKUs such as the RTX 5070 Ti, and RTX 5070. Support is also added for the NVIDIA H200 NVLink compute GPU, and RTX 5000 Ada Generation Embedded pro-vis graphics card. Subvendor detection for Maxsun has been fixed. Grab GPU-Z from the link below.

DOWNLOAD: TechPowerUp GPU-Z 2.62.0

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AMD's upcoming Instinct MI400 accelerator series, scheduled for 2026 introduction, is set to incorporate a new Multimedia IO Die (MID) architecture alongside significant compute density improvements. According to recent patches discovered in AMD-GFX mailing lists, the accelerator will feature a dual Active Interposer Die (AID) design, with each AID housing four Accelerated Compute Dies (XCDs)—doubling the XCD count per AID compared to the current MI300 series. Introducing dedicated Multimedia IO Dies is a new entry in AMD's accelerator design philosophy. Documentation reveals support for up to two MIDs, with each likely paired to an AID, suggesting a more specialized approach to multimedia processing and interface management.

Specifications from the Register Remapping Table (RRMT) implementation indicate sophisticated die-to-die communication pathways, with support for local and remote transactions across XCDs, AIDs, and the new MIDs. The system enables granular control over eight potential XCD configurations (XCD0 through XCD7), suggesting that AMD can scale compute up and down with SKUs. While AMD has yet to release detailed specifications for the MI400 series, separating multimedia functions into dedicated dies could optimize performance and power efficiency. As the 2026 launch window approaches, AMD will spend the remaining time refining the software stack and ROCm support for its next-generation accelerator based on UDNA architecture. Since designing an accelerator is a year-long effort from the physical implementation standpoint, we expect the Instinct MI400 design to be finalized by now. All left is silicon bring-up, software optimization, and mass production, likely at TSMC's facilities.

Intel's Core Ultra 7 255H "Arrow Lake" processor has demonstrated impressive performance improvements in recent PassMark benchmarks, achieving a 32% higher single-core score compared to its "Meteor Lake" predecessor. The Arrow Lake-H chip recorded 4,631 points in single-threaded tests, significantly outpacing the Core Ultra 7 155H's 3,500 points while delivering a 15% overall improvement in CPU Mark ratings. The performance leap comes from Intel's architectural overhaul, implementing "Lion Cove" performance cores alongside "Skymont" efficiency cores on TSMC's N3B process node. This combination enables the 255H to achieve higher boost frequencies while maintaining the same core configuration as its predecessor—six P-cores, eight E-cores, and two Low Power Efficiency (LPE) cores.

Notable in this iteration is the absence of Hyper-Threading, resulting in 16 threads compared to the 155H's 22 threads. Arrow Lake-H maintains Intel's heterogeneous structure, incorporating up to eight Xe-LPG+ graphics cores derived from the Alchemist architecture. The neural processing unit (NPU) capabilities remain consistent with Meteor Lake, delivering 13 TOPS of INT8 performance. This positions the chip below Lunar Lake's 45 TOPS. Despite performance improvements, market success will largely depend on system integrators' ability to deliver compelling devices at competitive price points, particularly as AMD's Strix Point platforms maintain strong positioning in the $1,000 range. The battle of laptop chip supremacy is poised to be a good one in the coming quarters, especially as more Arm-based entries will force both Intel and AMD to compete harder.

Today, OpenAI has announced a new ChatGPT feature called "Deep Research," which is capable of performing complex, multi-step research processes entirely on its own. Using so-called agents, which are autonomous bots working on top of the AI model, this feature searches the web and curates all needed information. This agentic behavior was trained on real-world browser usage, accompanied by Python code execution. Deep search, like OpenAI's o1 and o3 models, uses reinforcement learning, which steps back to "think" and creates a chain of thought before delivering users an answer to their question. Depending on the topic, deep research can take 5 to 30 minutes to search the web, crawl through data, and compile it in a reader-friendly manner.

Regarding benchmarks of its performance, OpenAI put out a lot of interesting comparisons and evaluations. Compared to all previous models, deep research gives these models additional context to help AI with more information. Thus, in evaluation benchmarks like Humanity's Last exam, deep research scored 26.6%, whereas o1 and o3-mini scored 9.1 and 13%, respectively. Other evaluations showed a modest improvement, while concrete comparisons were made in UX, business, and medical research. Turning the deep research feature on delivered more information every time, and you can see it for yourself here.

AAEON an industry-leading provider of embedded solutions, has announced the latest addition to its 3.5" subcompact Board product line, the GENE-MTH6. Equipped with Intel Core Ultra processors and up to 96 GB DDR5 via SODIMM, the GENE-MTH6 is well-equipped to utilize the platform's Intel Arc Graphics and integrated NPU to execute complex AI and machine learning workloads on the edge.

AAEON is primarily marketing the board for smart city use, with applications such as smart traffic, environmental monitoring, and AI-powered surveillance applications being noted as particularly suitable. The GENE-MTH6's environmental specifications also make the board versatile in where it can be deployed, with a 9 V to 36 V power input range with ERP support being a key feature.

Report on how AI is redefining market landscape - The global NAND flash market size is estimated to grow by USD 26.4 billion from 2025-2029, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of almost 6.5% during the forecast period. Growing investments in fabrication facilities is driving market growth, with a trend towards rise in number of strategic partnerships and acquisitions. However, fluctuations in demand and supply poses a challenge. Key market players include ADATA Technology Co. Ltd., Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Flexxon Pte Ltd., Greenliant Systems, Hyperstone GmbH, Infineon Technologies AG, Innodisk Corp., Kingston Technology Co. Inc., Kioxia Corp., Macronix International Co. Ltd., Micron Technology Inc., Renesas Electronics Corp., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., Shenzhen Longsys Electronics Co. Ltd., Silicon Motion Technology Corp., SK hynix Co. Ltd., Toshiba Corp., Transcend Information Inc., and UDISYS Ltd.

addlink Technology Co., Ltd., a pioneer in digital storage solutions, is thrilled to unveil the P21 USB SSD, a cutting-edge portable storage device that combines exceptional speed, robust durability, and sleek design. Experience extremely fast data transfers with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 technology, delivering speeds up to 2050 MB/s. The P21 is perfect for handling large 4K videos, high-resolution photos, or extensive game libraries in seconds, empowering users with efficiency and ease.

Equipped with a USB Type-C interface, the P21 is compatible with a wide range of devices, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, gaming consoles, and professional cameras. Whether you're editing videos, backing up data, or gaming, it even could record All new 4K 120hz apple ProRes video with iPhone 16 the P21 seamlessly integrates into your digital ecosystem.

Apple is off to a great start in 2025, thanks to a record-breaking fourth quarter. Net revenue soared to a whopping $124.3 billion - the highest ever for the Cupertino giant - with iPhones driving 55.6% of revenue. Macs and iPads, as usual, appear to be a drop in the bucket compared to iPhones, with $8.98 and $8.088 billion in net sales respectively. Services witnessed commendable growth, adding $26.34 billion to Apple's pile.

Of course, this does not mean that the grass is all green for the company. Apple Intelligence witnessed a tumultuous launch, suffering from multiple setbacks and lukewarm reviews. Tim Cook does believe that there is still a lot of innovation on the table for the iPhone, which he revealed in a recent interview. Considering that the company is widely rumored to be preparing a major redesign for the iPhone, along with a brand-new Air/Slim variant, it does appear that this year will turn out to be quite an interesting one for iPhone enthusiasts.

CalDigit has unveiled a brand-new Thunderbolt 5 dock dubbed the Element 5. The features on offer are pretty decent, which is to be expected considering that the product starts at a cool $249.95 in the US. The hub rocks a total of nine ports, along with up to 90 watts of passthrough to keep connected devices alive. As the title mentions, the Element 5 hub utilizes the shiny new Thunderbolt 5 standard, allowing for excellent transfer speeds and capabilities.

The hub sports four Thunderbolt 5 ports, sporting up to a maximum bandwidth of 120 Gb/s. Dual USB-C (10 Gbps) and triple USB-A (10 Gbps) ports are also on offer, and the included 180-watt power supply allows for the aforementioned 90 watts of passthrough. As expected from a CalDigit product, the hub sports an attractive design on the exterior, and should boast decent build quality as well. Its predecessor, the CalDigit Element Thunderbolt 4 hub, received mostly positive reviews, which surely does inspire confidence in the Element 5 as well.

Welcome to February, also known as the shortest month of the year. This week's AAA release brings you some open-world medieval knight action. The rest of the week is pretty low-key, kicking off with a rather odd action-puzzle game which is followed by a new take on the vampire genre. Up next is some musical combat, some more knights, although this time we're back in Camelot and the week is finished off with a paranormal point-and-click adventure.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II / This week's AAA release / Tuesday 4 February
Diving back into the heart-pounding world of 15th Century Bohemia (Central Europe), Kingdom Come: Deliverance II picks up where its predecessor left off, thrusting players into the shoes of Henry, the steadfast son of a blacksmith, embroiled in a tumultuous tale of vengeance, betrayal, and self-discovery. In this gripping sequel, players will traverse a meticulously crafted medieval landscape, from the humble confines of a blacksmith's forge to the grandeur of royal courts, all while navigating the treacherous currents of a kingdom torn apart by civil war. Steam Link

It's not every day that we witness a famous NSA whistleblower voice their disappointment over modern gaming hardware. Edward Snowden, who likely needs no introduction, did not bother to hold back his disapproval of NVIDIA's recently launched RTX 5090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5070 gaming GPUs. The reviews for the RTX 5090 have been mostly positive, although the same cannot be said for its affordable sibling, the RTX 5080. Snowden, voicing his thoughts on Twitter, claimed that NVIDIA is selling "F-tier value for S-tier prices".

Needless to say, there is no doubt that the RTX 5090's pricing is quite exorbitant, regardless of how anyone puts it. Snowden was particularly displeased with the amount of VRAM on offer, which is also hard to argue against. The RTX 5080 ships with "only" 16 GB of VRAM, whereas Snowden believes that it should have shipped with at least 24, or even 32 GB. He further adds that the RTX 5090, which ships with a whopping 32 GB of VRAM, should have been available with a 48 GB variant. As for the RTX 5070, the security consultant expressed desire for at least 16 GB of VRAM (instead of 12 GB).

A recently leaked slide from the Taiwanese company Chaintech has seemingly confirmed the launch dates for the RTX 5060 and RTX 5060 Ti GPUs. Previous leaks have hinted at an early Q2 launch for the mid-range gaming GPUs, in both 8 GB and 16 GB VRAM flavors. Chaintech's slide does not reveal any specifications regarding the GPUs, although we do have a pretty good idea of what the upcoming GPUs will bring to the table.

As per recent leaks, the RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti are both expected to sport the GB206 GPU, paired with 8 or 16 GB of VRAM on a 128-bit bus. Despite employing the speedy new GDDR7 standard, there is no denying that 8 GB of VRAM is far from sufficient for a comfortable ray-traced gaming experience in 2025, perhaps even less so in the near future. Considering that the Arc B580 ships with 50% more VRAM, the entry-level RTX 5060 is more than likely to be hard sell for many people, unless, of course, the RTX 5060/Ti somehow pulls off impressive performance uplifts.