With the debut of PCIe 4.0 standard, SSD manufacturers have started launching a new generation of storage devices, with unseen speeds before. Today's PCIe 4.0 SSDs can reach up to 8.0 GB/s reads and writes, all thanks to the bandwidth-heavy PCIe protocol. However, enterprise workloads are always requiring more and more bandwidth to satisfy their needs. Data is being moved in immense quantities and faster hardware is always welcome. The previous PCIe 4.0 standard is about to kneel to its successor - PCIe 5.0 protocol. Having double the amount of bandwidth, the new standard is set to bring unseen speeds.

The PCIe 5.0 protocol offers 32 GT/s per lane, making up to 64 GB/s in the full x16 implementation. However, when it comes to SSDs, as they use x4 lanes, it will increase the maximum speed to 16 GB/s, doubling the previous bandwidth. Silicon Motion, the maker of NAND flash controllers, has announced that the company is going to debut a PCIe 5.0 controller next year. "We are excited about enterprise-grade PCIe Gen5 controller, which we will have taped out early next year and sample in the second half of 2022", said Wallace Kuo, chief executive of Silicon Motion, during a conference call. Launching just in time to pair with Intel's Sapphire Rapids Xeon processors that support the PCIe 5.0 protocol, Silicon Motion is probably expecting to grab its market share there.

Valve has recently been ordered to pay 4 million USD in damages after they knowingly infringed on patents owned by Ironburg Inventions with the Steam Controller rear grip button design. Ironburg Inventions is the IP-holding arm of controller manufacturer SCUF who was acquired by Corsair in late 2019. Valve was warned by Ironburg Inventions in 2014 that their Steam Controller infringed on their patent relating to rear-side control surfaces. Valve ignored the warning and went on to produce 1.6 million units before discontinuing the device in 2019. The Jury awarded Ironburg Inventions 4 million USD in damages and found that Valve willfully infringed on Ironberg's patents which opens them up to further litigation. Corsair has published a statement on the case which can be found below.

OtterBox unveiled a full portfolio of gaming products that will bridge the gap between console and mobile gaming experiences. Designed for Xbox, OtterBox is bringing to market new accessories to complement controller + smartphone gaming in addition to gaming-specific smartphone accessories.With the advent of 5G and innovative new cloud-based platforms such as cloud gaming (beta) with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, gaming is changing in unprecedented ways. Smartphone gaming is evolving to merge mobility with the elegance of a console experience. The OtterBox Gaming portfolio enables you to enjoy your favorite titles around the house or anywhere on the go without compromising your competitive advantage.

"Gaming is one of the unique spaces where everyone has the opportunity to compete and connect, especially as we are physically distanced. This connection is enhanced with advances in cloud gaming and fast 5G networks," said OtterBox CEO Jim Parke. "OtterBox is the best in the world at providing trusted mobile accessories, and we're better positioned than anyone to deliver a premium gaming experience. This portfolio and our accessories designed for Xbox marks a major entry into the gaming market for us."

In the upstream semiconductor industry, the major foundries such as TSMC and UMC are reporting fully loaded capacities, while in the downstream, the available production capacity for OSAT is also lacking, according to TrendForce's latest investigations. Given this situation, suppliers of NAND Flash controller ICs such as Phison and Silicon Motion are now unable to meet upside demand from their clients. Not only have many controller IC suppliers temporarily stopped offering quotes for new orders, but they are also even considering raising prices soon because the negotiations between NAND Flash suppliers and module houses over 1Q21 contracts are now at the critical juncture. The potential increases in prices of controller ICs from outsourced suppliers (IC design houses) are currently estimated to be the range of 15-20%.

With regards to the demand side, demand has risen significantly for eMMC solutions with medium- and low-density specifications (i.e., 64 GB and lower), for which NAND Flash suppliers have mostly stopped updating the NAND Flash process technology, while maintaining support with the legacy 2D NAND or the 64L 3D NAND process. This is on account of strong sales for Chromebook devices and TVs. As older processes gradually account for a lowering portion of bit output proportions from NAND Flash suppliers, these companies are exhibiting a lowered willingness to directly supply such eMMC products to clients. As a result, clients now need to turn to memory module houses, which are able to source NAND Flash components and controllers, to procure eMMC products in substantial quantities.

SteelSeries, the leader in gaming peripherals, today announces its acquisition of KontrolFreek, the industry leader in high-performance controller accessories. This acquisition bolsters SteelSeries' already strong presence in the console gaming market, and further equips it for success in the next generation of consoles. This is SteelSeries' second major acquisition this year, after purchasing A-Volute, creators of Nahimic and the leading independent developer of 3D sound solutions for gaming, in April.

For nearly two decades, SteelSeries has been a frontrunner in the gaming industry, offering high-quality gaming peripherals to pro and enthusiast gamers across PC and console. Its SteelSeries Engine software platform has millions of daily users and is integrated with popular games and applications. Over the years, the company has built a strong brand and has leveraged this to outpace category growth globally. The award-winning Arctis line of gaming headsets redefined the category and is the new standard of excellence in gaming audio hardware. KontrolFreek is the creator of globally-renowned Performance Gaming Gear, including Performance Thumbsticks, Precision Rings, Performance Grips, Gaming Cables, and other high-quality products for PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and PC. KontrolFreek's controller accessories give gamers solutions that increase precision, accuracy and response time, regardless of platform.

Tech innovator GELID Solutions unveils the latest 5-channel RF Remote ARGB controller. The AMBER5 is a product of GELID Solutions GAMER product line. The AMBER5 controls up to 5 fans, strips or other Addressable RGB (ARGB) devices and boasts 366 vivid lighting presets spanning a carefully selected collection of pre-programmed RGB modes and dynamic effects. It comes with the 21-key RF (Radio Frequency) Remote to provide reliable and responsive remote control in the range of 8 meters. For stable power output, the SATA power connectivity is utilized which delivers up to 85 W maximum power and supports ARGB devices with up to 120 LEDs onboard to lit up and control on each channel.

The AMBER5 also supports a passthrough ARGB Sync/Hub Mode via the ARGB Sync Cable equipped with the standard 3-pin ARGB connector (ASUS Aura) and VDG connector (GIGABYTE/AORUS RGB Fusion) compatible to all modern motherboards featuring RGB. You are free to use the controller presets or switch to your own presets designed in your favorite RGB software. The AMBER5 can be installed inside or outside your PC just in seconds thanks to the built-in magnet. Additionally, the adhesive Sticky Pad is also included to facilitate installation in aluminium-made or non-metallic PC chassis.

Thanks to our most recent Steam client update, all games currently using the Steam Input API are now fully compatible with the new PS5 controller - with no developer updates required, it just works.

Full support for the LED, trackpad, rumble and gyro features are available for players to configure in games such as Death Stranding, No Man's Sky, Horizon: Zero Dawn and more. This support is now available for players opted into the public beta Steam desktop client with platform wide support targeted to ship after further testing.

Buoyed by the success of its modular professional gamepad, the ESWAP PRO CONTROLLER, Thrustmaster is thrilled to be adding to the product's ecosystem with the launch of the ESWAP LED CRYSTAL PACKS, available in two different eye-catching colors: orange or blue. Featuring impressive changes both in terms of the modules' outward appearance and inner workings, Thrustmaster is once again making a big impression on the industry, and doubling down on its commitment to helping all gamers in their quest toward the upper echelons of multiplayer gaming rankings.

The ESWAP LED CRYSTAL PACKS feature next-generation (NXG) analog mini-sticks: the ESWAP S5 NXG MINI-STICK MODULE. These new mini-sticks ensure enhanced precision and a longer lifespan in relation to previous Thrustmaster mini-sticks. Gamers will enjoy better physical resistance (+33%), improved re-centering precision (+66%), and double the lifespan for the built-in mini-stick buttons (+100%), compared with previous mini-sticks in Thrustmaster's range of gamepads. For gamers who don't necessarily want to buy a complete new pack of modules, Thrustmaster is pleased to also be offering the ESWAP S2 NXG MINI-STICK MODULE, available for purchase individually: a next-generation (NXG) replica of the ESWAP Classic Mini-Stick Module, for a great fit with every gamer's needs.

The latest Steam Client Beta update has added initial support for the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller and Xbox Series X/S controllers. The DualSense 5 is supported but advanced features such as rumble, trackpad, and gyro are not yet implemented, it is unknown if Steam will receive full support for these options. The Xbox Series X/S controller should have much better compatibility with this beta fixing an issue with the gamepad appearing twice. This feature is currently in beta and will likely roll out to all users shortly.

Phison Electronics, the industry leader in flash controller technology, is delivering the storage industry's fastest PCIe Gen 4x4 NVMe SSD solution, its second generation PS5018-E18 (E18) PCIe 4.0 controller. The E18 succeeds the PS5016-E16 released in late 2019.

Phison designed the new E18 from the ground up on the efficient TSMC 12 nm process node. This provides SSD manufacturers with a state-of-the-art controller solution in an increasingly competitive field. The controller utilizes Phison's proprietary CoXProcessor 2.0 technology, an innovative SSD architecture that enables E18 to deliver exceptional performance and power efficiency. Phison architecture is also primed for AI-assisted storage, where its distributed architecture uses many small cores to perform the workload in parallel. The E18 is ideal for gamers, content creators, and computing enthusiasts, which demand the best experience. This ultra-low latency is possible only with NVMe SSDs.

Phison was first to market with a PCI-Express gen 4.0 client-segment NVMe SSD controller, the E16 series, which let it bag design wins with several DIY gaming PC SSD manufacturers. Not to be left behind by PCIe gen 4.0 controllers by its competitors, such as SMI, Marvell, Samsung, etc., offering higher performance than the E16, the company is designing a newer generation controller for high-performance client-segment SSDs, under the E18 family. TweakTown has access to early performance figures of a drive in production with this controller. The CrystalDiskMark screenshot shows the drive's sequential transfer rates to be 7381.21 MB/s reads, and 7025.86 MB/s sequential writes, making the E18 among the fastest PCIe gen 4.0 x4 NVMe SSD controllers known.

Silicon Motion has recently launched three new PCIe 4.0 NVMe controllers for performance, mainstream, and value SSD applications. The new portfolio of controllers includes the SM2264 for performance, SM2267 for mainstream, and SM2267XT for value DRAM-less SSDs. The high-end SM2264 performance-optimized controller offers speeds of up to 7,400 MB/s sequential reads and 6,800 MB/s sequential writes which will compete with the Phison E18 controller and proprietary controllers from Samsung and Western Digital. The controller will be produced on TSMC's 12 nm node and supports 8 NAND channels along with LPDDR4/DDR4 DRAM.

The more value-focused SM2267 and SM2267XT controllers will offer strong performance rivaling high-end PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSDs. The two controllers both offer sequential read speeds of 3,900 MB/s and sequential write speeds of 3,500 MB/s with support for 4 NAND channels. They will both be manufactured on a 28 nm node for cost reductions and have entered mass production with the main difference between the two controllers being the exclusion of DRAM support on the SM2267XT. Consumer products featuring the new controllers should be available in the coming months.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the immediate availability of the Razer Kishi Universal Gaming Controller for iPhone, an iOS version of the mobile accessory that won two Best of CES awards in January. Featuring clickable analog thumbsticks, an array of face and multi-function buttons, and an 8-way D-pad, the Kishi for iPhone makes available Razer's award-winning controller hardware to Apple users for the very first time.

"As crossplay becomes further entrenched in the gaming world, the Razer Kishi offers a level playing field for mobile gamers," said Head of Marketing and Sales, Growth Peripherals for Razer, John Moore. "The Razer Kishi for iPhone extends that equity to Apple Arcade's extraordinary collection of titles, ensuring that no matter where you game, victory is always within your grasp."

The DualSense controller is the official controller for the upcoming PlayStation 5 console and features various improvements over it's incumbent the DualShock 4. The DualSense controller features improved haptic feedback, adaptive triggers for L2 / R2, a new "Create" button to replace "Share", and an integrated microphone array. In a new hands-on leak of the controller, we can see the reported battery capacity of 1560 mAh which represents an increase of 56% over the DualShock 4's 1000 mAh battery. The DualShock 4 pales in comparison to the Xbox One Controller with a capacity of 4200mAh from its 2 AA batteries. The jury is still out on whether or not this capacity increase will offer a tangible battery life improvement considering all the new features.

Anker has recently unveiled the PowerCore Play 6K mobile gaming controller with support for Android and IOS devices. The PowerCore Play 6K features an integrated 6,700 mAh battery bank which can charge devices at up to 15 W via the USB Type-A or USB Type-C ports. The battery bank can be fully recharged in just 3 hours and should offer a significant boost to phone battery life while gaming. The controller also features an integrated fan to keep your device cool along with a built-in kickstand and grips. The PowerCore Play 6K supports phones ranging from 5.7 to 6.45 inches long and is now available on Amazon for 35 USD with an 18-month manufacturer warranty.

Mad Catz Global Limited, the leading innovators in gaming hardware, is excited to announce shipping of two new console products, the EGO Arcade FightStick and the C.A.T. 7 Controller, each boasting multi-format compatibility, stunning designs and a high-specification feature set.

Leading the charge is a triumphant return to fighting game controllers in the form of the EGO Arcade FightStick. Legendary for their dominance in the category, the EGO is a long-awaited return to a fan-favorite Mad Catz range.

NACON the French video game and peripheral company has recently announced a new licensing agreement with Microsoft to create officially licensed accessories for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. NACON announced the partnership during a recent online event where they also announced their upcoming games and upcoming mobile gaming accessories. NACON already sells a relatively popular range of controllers for PS4, PS3, and PC so this agreement is a logical next step for the company.

NACONHaving already sold over 3 million officially licensed PlayStation 4 controllers, NACON is immensely proud to announce they have entered into a licensing agreement with Microsoft to create and distribute official accessories designed for Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC.

Microsoft is preparing to launch its xCloud game streaming service in September as part of Xbox Game Pass. The new service is positioned to take on Google Stadia, GeForce NOW, and Amazon's upcoming game streaming service. Accessory makers are busy preparing new products to coincide with the launch, 8Bitdo is adapting it's popular SN30 Pro retro NES controller in a new partnership with Xbox to create the Sn30 Pro controller specifically designed for Microsoft's Project xCloud.

The new Bluetooth controller is compatible with all Android phones and tablets and is officially licensed as Microsoft Project xCloud compatible. The built-in battery provides 18 hours of use and can be juiced up via the USB-C port. The controller comes with an optional mount to attach a phone to the controller. The Sn30 Pro is now available for pre-order via Amazon for 44.99 USD and is expected to ship on September 21st.

Thermaltake, the leading PC DIY premium brand for Cooling, Gaming Gear, and Enthusiast Memory solutions, is excited to introduce a new All-in-one liquid cooler, the Thermaltake ARGB TH120/240/360 AIO. Besides the fancy ARGB fans that would draw people's attention, the quality of the product would also surprise the users with its affordable pricing. The glossy surface of the copper base plate guarantees high performance and impressive heat extraction. The top-quality pump, hidden in the glowing ARGB water block, ensures excellent coolant circulation that would keep the copper plate always cool.

The large surface radiator combined with the radiator fans dispatches heat in a highly efficient way. On the high-static pressure designed radiator fans are the 16.8 million color LEDs that are ready to sync with 5 V RGB capable motherboards from ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and ASRock, allowing users to show off their creativity. Users can also control the lighting effects of the fans through the Smart Fan Controllers that are attached to the ARGB TH120/240/360 AIO. Looking for an easy and cost-effective all-in-one solution to cool down the CPU? ARGB TH120/240/360 AIO.

Lamptron today unveiled its flagship fan- and lighting controller for gaming PCs, the CU135. The set consists the main control unit that you can tuck behind your case's motherboard tray; a display module that you install right under your graphics card (along the plane of the motherboard); and an RF remote control. The main control unit takes in either one 4-pin Molex or one SATA power connection for power, and puts out six each of high-power 4-pin PWM fan headers (36 W per channel), and 3-pin addressable-RGB lighting headers. It also takes in six 2-pin thermal diodes (included in the package), along with a proprietary connection for the display module.

The multi-color 7.84-inch LCD touchscreen display lets you view fan-speeds and temperatures across all six zones on the home screen. Using this touchscreen, you can also draw up fan-curves for each of the six zones, set color and lighting patterns for each of the six lighting zones, read temperatures from the six external sensors. The included RF remote control lets you do all this, without having to reach up to your case. The CU135 can also take in 3-pin ARGB connection from your motherboard, so you can copy lighting profiles over from your control software. The control module measures 121.5 mm × 72.5 mm × 21 mm (WxHxD), while the display module measures 360 mm × 70 mm × 12.5 mm, taking up 3 expansion slots inside the case. You can find other places for the module (such as your desk top). The company didn't reveal pricing.

SteelSeries, the worldwide leader in gaming and esports peripherals, today announces the Nimbus+ Wireless Gamepad Controller for Apple devices. The Nimbus+ builds on the wildly popular original Nimbus controller, adding a bevy of new features, including clickable joysticks, new Hall effect triggers, and a new 50-hour battery. Purchase of Nimbus+ also includes the new Nimbus+ iPhone Mount which allows users to attach their iPhone directly onto the controller, allowing them to play games more comfortably.

Designed specifically for gaming on Apple devices, the Nimbus+ brings console-quality game controls to iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and Apple TV. With an ergonomic design, ultra-responsive triggers and buttons, and a range of Apple connectivity options, Nimbus+ is the best solution to help bring gaming on Apple devices to the next level.

Thermaltake, the leading PC DIY premium brand for Cooling, Gaming Gear, and Enthusiast Memory solutions, is excited to introduce a new all-in-one liquid cooler, the Thermaltake TH120/TH240 ARGB AIO. This high-quality AIO features stunning ARGB fans set at an affordable price point, giving consumers more value for their money. The glossy surface of the copper base plate guarantees high performance and impressive heat extraction.

The top-quality pump, hidden in the glowing ARGB water block, ensures excellent coolant circulation that would keep the copper plate always cool. The large surface radiator combined with the radiator fans dispatches heat in a highly efficient way. On the high-static pressure designed radiator fans are the 16.8 million color LEDs that are ready to sync with 5 V RGB capable motherboards from ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and ASRock, allowing users to show off their creativity. Users can also control the lighting effects of the fans through the Smart Fan Controllers that are attached to the TH120/TH240 ARGB AIO. Looking for an easy and cost-effective all-in-one solution to cool down the CPU? The TH120 and TH240 ARGB.

The Google Stadia controller launched alongside Google Stadia 6 months ago and was touted as the controller for all platforms with integrated ultra-low latency features. However, PC users could not take advantage of the ultra-low latency features which connects the Stadia controller directly to your Wi-Fi router. PC users have instead had to connect their controller to their PC with a USB Type-C cable. Some users report that this will increase compatibility on obscure systems by offloading the input handling to Stadia's servers.

"Starting this week, you can now use the Stadia Controller to play wirelessly on your laptop and desktop. You no longer need to connect your Stadia Controller physically to your computer to play your favorite games. You'll be able to link your Stadia Controller and Stadia.com through your Wi-Fi network and play without a USB-C cable connection."

In a recent driver update for the Oculus Quest references to the upcoming "Oculus Jedi" controllers were discovered by Gerald McAlister. The "Oculus Jedi" controllers are expected to complement the next-generation "Del Mar" standalone VR headset. In an analysis of the drivers UploadVR discovered several key changes in the new design.

When the new "Oculus Jedi" drivers are compared to the existing Oculus Touch controller firmware it is revealed that new controllers will retain the original inputs and layout of the Touch controllers with a thumbstick, index trigger, grip trigger, A/X button, B/Y button, and a system/menu button. The Jedi controller may receive a tracking update with faster controller polling and a new ICM-426-series TDK chip. The updated IMU should greatly reduce noise and improve resolution of tracking to allow more precise positioning of the controller. Other improvements may include updated an updated haptics driver and analog finger sensing like what is found on the Valve Index.

An Amazon listing was discovered for a limited edition Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One controller by KitGuru, however it has since been taken down. Cyberpunk 2077 was originally intended to launch April 16th but is now delayed until September, however many branded products were ready for this April release as seems the case with this controller. The Amazon listing for the controller listed a release date of May 4th and had no pre-order or pricing information.

We can expect the controllers release to be pushed back four months to coincide with the September game launch. The controller itself takes many design cues from the game in its own design, the controller features a rugged grey and black metallic design with red accents. The texture gives a worn look to the controller and the words "no future" are scratched into the handle. The box features the now iconic yellow backdrop found in most marketing for the game.