As CES 2025 approaches, a surfeit of OEMs are introducing new gaming displays with innovative new features. MSI clearly does not wish to be left out either, hitting the scene with the MAG 321CUPDF. The 31.5-inch curved monitor also happens to the first of its kind to sport dual-mode functionality, which basically means the monitor can switch between high-refresh rate and high-resolution modes.

To be precise, the MSI MAG 321CUPDF supports 4K at 160 Hz, and 1080p at a maximum of 320 Hz. This allows the monitor to be an excellent fit for fast-paced gaming, as well as visually immersive titles which can take advantage of the added visual fidelity. If MSI's claims are anything to go by, the monitor will also sport decent color reproduction capabilities, thanks to its 97% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

Synopsys, Inc. today announced the industry's first Ultra Ethernet IP and UALink IP solutions, including controllers, PHYs, and verification IP, to meet the demand for standards-based, high-bandwidth, and low-latency HPC and AI accelerator interconnects. As hyperscale data center infrastructures evolve to support the processing of trillions of parameters in large language models, they must scale to hundreds of thousands of accelerators with highly efficient and fast connections. Synopsys Ultra Ethernet and UALink IP will provide a holistic, low-risk solution for high-speed and low-latency communication to scale-up and scale-out AI architectures.

"For more than 25 years, Synopsys has been at the forefront of providing best-in-class IP solutions that enable designers to accelerate the integration of standards-based functionality," said Neeraj Paliwal, senior vice president of IP product management at Synopsys. "With the industry's first Ultra Ethernet and UALink IP, companies can get a head start on developing a new generation of high-performance chips and systems with broad interoperability to scale future AI and HPC infrastructure."

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Dell laptops are widely considered to be among the best, and the company shows no signs of getting complacent. According to a fresh new leak, Dell is gearing up to announce new 16- and 18-inch workstation laptops, dubbed the Dell Pro Max 16 Plus and the Dell Pro Max 18 Plus. Of course, the naming scheme likely couldn't get any worse, but the leaked specifications certainly do seem enticing.

First and foremost, the laptops will be powered by Intel's upcoming Arrow Lake-HX CPUs, paired with up to an impressive 256 GB of CAMM2 memory. The graphics will be handled by NVIDIA RTX 5000-class GPUs, and the entire system will boast a 170 W and 200 W TDP for the 16- and 18-inch variants respectively. The 18-inch Dell Pro Max will be able to accommodate up to a whopping 16 TB of SSD storage, whereas the 16-inch Dell Pro Max will boast up to 12 TB of SSD storage.

AMD's recently launched Strix Point lineup of high-end APUs boast truly impressive performance, even when configured with lower TDPs. As time goes on, more and more hardware brands are hitting the market with Strix Point-powered devices, and unsurprisingly, Aoostar does not wish to sit on the sidelines either.

The company has teased a yet-to-be announced mini PC, with Strix Point at its heart. Powered by the powerful Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APU, the system will likely offer excellent performance, considering that Aoostar refuses to skimp on its cooling system. Thankfully, that does seem to be case, since Aoostar claims the upcoming mini PC will boast a vapor chamber cooling setup allowing the HX 370 to run at its maximum of 54 watts. For those out of the loop, here is a rundown of the HX 370's specifications: 12-core setup with 8 Zen 5c cores and 4 Zen 5 cores, Radeon 890M iGPU based on RDNA 3+, and a 50 TOPS XDNA 2 NPU to justify the "AI" branding.

Creative Technology proudly announces the launch of the Creative Pebble Nova, a premium desktop speaker that expands the well-loved Pebble series. With its unique angled design and exceptional audio performance, the Pebble series has earned a loyal following among audio enthusiasts. The latest Pebble Nova builds on this success, representing a significant step toward a more premium range, featuring an elegant design and stunning audio quality that outshines its price point.

Star-Quality Sound
Designed to impress, the latest Pebble Nova not only delivers pristine audio but also serves as a captivating centerpiece for any space. Boasting a coaxial driver design, the Pebble Nova aligns the tweeter and woofer for seamless, rich sound across the full audio spectrum. For an even better audio experience, pair it with the Sound Blaster X5 for high-fidelity audio streaming that captures every detail. The iconic 45° elevated drivers also work to direct sound right to the user's ears, creating a personal and immersive listening experience. Plus, with the included stand, users can elevate the speakers for better audio projection and a sleeker look.

Advantech, a leading global provider of industrial edge AI solutions, is excited to introduce its GPU server SKY-602E3 equipped with the NVIDIA H200 NVL platform. This powerful combination is set to accelerate the offline LLM for manufacturing, providing unprecedented levels of performance and efficiency. The NVIDIA H200 NVL, requiring 600 W passive cooling, is fully supported by the compact and efficient SKY-602E3 GPU server, making it an ideal solution for demanding edge AI applications.

Core of Factory LLM Deployment: AI Vision
The SKY-602E3 GPU server excels in supporting large language models (LLMs) for AI inference and training. It features four PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, delivering high bandwidth for intensive tasks, and four PCIe 5.0 x8 slots, providing enhanced flexibility for GPU and frame grabber card expansion. The half-width design of the SKY-602E3 makes it an excellent choice for workstation environments. Additionally, the server can be equipped with the NVIDIA H200 NVL platform, which offers 1.7x more performance than the NVIDIA H100 NVL, freeing up additional PCIe slots for other expansion needs.

GALAX introduced the GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 3X, a custom-design RTX 4080 SUPER graphics card that appears to be its most affordable product based on the GPU. It's positioned a notch below the SG, ST, EX Gamer, and HOF series. The card features a sporty, multi-layered plastic cooler shroud, and a triple-fan setup. The cooling solution is no more than 3 slots thick, and features what looks like two aluminium fin stacks on either ends of a set of heat pipes.

The PCB only covers two-thirds the length of the card, and so all of the airflow from the third fan, and some of it from the second one, go through the heatsink, and out back from a cutout in the backplate. The fans lack any kind of lighting, the only lighting is an illuminated GeForce RTX logo on top. The card lacks any factory overclocking, but GALAX includes a software-based "1-click OC" mode. The RTX 4080 SUPER maxes out the "AD103" silicon, enabling at 10,240 CUDA cores, 80 RT cores, 320 Tensor cores, 112 ROPs, and 320 TMUs present on the silicon, besides the full 64 MB L2 cache available. The GPU is wired to 16 GB of 23 Gbps GDDR6X memory across a 256-bit wide memory interface, yielding 736 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

TrendForce's latest investigations found that the enterprise SSD market experienced significant growth in 3Q24, driven by robust demand from AI-related applications. Prices surged as suppliers struggled to keep pace with market needs, pushing overall industry revenue up by an impressive 28.6% QoQ. Demand for high-capacity models was especially strong, fueled by the arrival of NVIDIA's H-series products and sustained orders for AI training servers. As a result, the total procurement volume for enterprise SSDs rose 15% compared to the previous quarter.

Looking ahead to 4Q24, TrendForce forecasts a slowdown in enterprise SSD revenue as procurement demand begins to cool. Total procurement volume is expected to dip, with the peak buying period behind and server OEM orders being slightly revised downward. As shipment volume declines, overall industry revenue is also projected to decrease in the fourth quarter.

Update 2.2 is the fruit of a close collaboration between CD PROJEKT RED and Virtuos, a studio known for its work on many well-known AAA games for consoles and PC. It is available to all owners of Cyberpunk 2077 on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

As part of Update 2.2, players will access new character customization options - including new variants of cosmetic cyberware, tattoos, makeup options, and more. That's not the only thing players can now modify - all luxury or sports cars that have partnered with Rayfield now have access to exclusive CrystalCoat technology, meaning players can swap out the colors of select rides. Changes have also been made to Photo Mode, which now boasts additional features - including improved camera modes, the ability to spawn up to three additional characters in the scene, increased camera range, and new lighting options. Players will also be able to enjoy the presence of Johnny Silverhand in the passenger seat as they drive through the city of dreams. On top of it all, Update 2.2 also brings a number of technical improvements and more secrets to Night City.

Refurbished Steam Decks have been a more affordable way to get into the handheld gaming PC space for a while now, but Valve just announced that it has now added the OLED version of the Steam Deck to its official refurbished device line-up. Now, you can get your hands on a Steam Deck OLED for as little as $439 for the 512 GB variant or $519 for the 1 TB version—a healthy $110 and $130 cheaper compared to new units, respectively.

Valve claims the refurbished Steam Deck units—generally customer returns—are functionally identical to new stock units, and it says that there is a strict inspection and testing process for all returned Steam Decks that go into the refurbished program. The only material difference between factory new and refurbished units are "cosmetic defects to be small blemishes or scratches (on the plastic casing, not the screen) generally caused from normal handling of the unit," and these will obviously vary from device to device. In case anything goes wrong, Valve offers the same warranty and support for the refurbished units as it does for its factory new Steam Decks. Unfortunately, the refurbished Steam Deck OLEDs are only available in Canada, the EU, the UK, and the US. Other regions are stuck with regular MSRP Steam Decks or third-party refurbished or used handheld consoles.

Renowned for its groundbreaking innovations in computing technology, GIGABYTE Technology continues to spearhead advancements that redefine the industry. From January 7 to 10, 2025, GIGABYTE will participate in CES, showcasing its latest breakthroughs in high-performance computing and personal computing solutions. Under the theme "ACCEVOLUTION," GIGABYTE's booth will present a diverse range of cutting-edge technologies. Highlights include:

• Rack-scale cluster computing solution for large-scale data centers
• AI servers supporting next-generation "superchips"
• Advanced cooling technologies that optimize energy efficiency and performance
• Workstations tailored for smaller-scale workloads
• Mini-PCs, embedded systems, and in-vehicle platforms designed for endpoint deployment and commercial applications

Marvell Technology, Inc., a leader in data infrastructure semiconductor solutions, today announced that it has pioneered a new custom HBM compute architecture that enables XPUs to achieve greater compute and memory density. The new technology is available to all of its custom silicon customers to improve the performance, efficiency and TCO of their custom XPUs. Marvell is collaborating with its cloud customers and leading HBM manufacturers, Micron, Samsung Electronics, and SK hynix to define and develop custom HBM solutions for next-generation XPUs.

HBM is a critical component integrated within the XPU using advanced 2.5D packaging technology and high-speed industry-standard interfaces. However, the scaling of XPUs is limited by the current standard interface-based architecture. The new Marvell custom HBM compute architecture introduces tailored interfaces to optimize performance, power, die size, and cost for specific XPU designs. This approach considers the compute silicon, HBM stacks, and packaging. By customizing the HBM memory subsystem, including the stack itself, Marvell is advancing customization in cloud data center infrastructure. Marvell is collaborating with major HBM makers to implement this new architecture and meet cloud data center operators' needs.

GameMax, an emerging brand of PC gaming components including gaming cases and power supply units, proudly announces the GS SFX Gold Series power supply units featuring ATX 3.1 and PCIe 5.1 standards. The GameMax GS SFX Gold Series features native 12V-2x6 connectors for the latest NVIDIA RTX graphics cards. The GS SFX Gold Series is available in 650 W, 750 W, and 850 W models—all of which are available in black and white colors to color-match your PC build!

The circuit design features advanced Active PFC, Half-Bridge LLC Resonance, Synchronous Rectification, and DC-DC topology to ensure high performance and efficiency particularly to the +12V rail for graphics cards. The GS SFX Gold Series PSU's FMD-F161E131B microcontroller intelligently manages the fan with a stop/start function, enabling the fan to stop below 20% load for silent 0 dBA operation.

After the fiasco surrounding the cancelled press previews and delayed upcoming launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows, it appears that Ubisoft is doing something of a redemption tour in order to garner hype for the latest installment in the Assassin's Creed franchise. Previously, news about AC Shadows's simultaneous console and Steam launch was quite positively received. Now, Ubisoft has given us a full overview of what's to come regarding the combat mechanics in Assassin's Creed Shadows. While the weapons and unit types in Shadows are certainly interesting, perhaps the most important take-away is that timing will be an important aspect to combat.

One of the most important mechanics behind Assassin's Creed Shadows's combat seems to be the character and weapon choices. The samurai, Yasuke, and the shinobi, Naoe, will supposedly come with their own versions of stealth, defensive, and offensive attacks, and each will have their own weapons, to bring some diversity to the gameplay of each character. It looks like each of the different weapon classes will be locked to either character and play style. At launch, Naoe will have three weapons to choose from, and Yasuke will have a broader selection of five weapons to choose from.

Keychron, known for its often reasonably priced, customizable mechanical keyboards, has announced the second iteration of the K8 QMK. The new TKL (80%) keyboard sports updated internal materials for added sound dampening. The new K8 QMK is available with the usual selection of mechanical switch types and two different frame designs, catering to different market segments. Compared to the original K8 Wireless, the K8 Wireless V2 has updated Bluetooth connectivity, QMK support, and new, custom Keychron switches.

The new Keychron K8 QMK V2 shares many similarities with its predecessor, including the same $99 starting price, although there are some differences that are likely to make V2 an attractive option for mechanical keyboard enthusiasts. The biggest physical change is the move from shine-through OEM profile ABS keycaps to shine-through double-shot Cherry profile PBT keycaps, which are bound to be a mixed bag in enthusiast communities. On the one hand, many enthusiasts prefer the sound of ABS keycaps, but the Cherry profile is often highly regarded for comfort and ergonomics. While the external physical changes are mostly rather moderate, the internals have been significantly more impressive, with QMK firmware—and Keychron Launcher customization support—being the most important of the functional changes. That QMK support apparently comes at a cost, though, since the new Keychron K8 QMK V2 comes with the same battery capacity but significantly lower battery life when connected wirelessly, despite the move from Bluetooth 5.1 to Bluetooth 5.2. Keychron claims that the K8 QMK V2 can last up to 190 hours on Bluetooth without backlighting and up to 100 hours with the backlighting at its lowest brightness. Meanwhile, the original K8 is capable of up to 240 hours with the backlight off, with RGB backlighting coming in lower than the new K8 QMK V2, at up to 72 hours with the backlight enabled. The K8 QMK V2 also has new inner foam layers for sound dampening, which might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it helps provide more customization options.

PNY announced the addition of the CS2150 M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 5 x4 SSD to its lineup of solid-state drives. The CS2150 leads the way in advanced storage technology, utilizing the NVMe PCIe Gen 5 x4 interface to achieve exceptional data transfer speeds. With sequential read speeds reaching up to 10,300 MB/s and write speeds up to 8,600 MB/s, this groundbreaking solution elevates computing performance to new heights. Perfect for professionals, tech enthusiasts, content creators, and anyone demanding top-tier storage performance, the CS2150 sets a new standard for speed and efficiency.

Enhanced Gameplay with Microsoft DirectStorage
PNY's CS2150 SSD harnesses the power of Microsoft DirectStorage, a revolutionary Windows 11 feature that accelerates game load times and enhances image quality. Combined with the legendary PNY XLR8 Gaming DDR5 DRAM and a high-performance graphics card like the PNY GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16 GB XLR8 Gaming VERTO EPIC-X RGB Overclocked Triple Fan, you'll enjoy faster load times and smoother gameplay, giving you more time to spend immersed in the world of gaming.

The MeLE QuieterDL is a freshly launched mini PC with a footprint that is barely larger than a smartphone. The system is available to purchase on Amazon, starting at $159.99. At that price, it is hardly fair to expect powerhouse performance, although the QuieterDL mini PC does live up to its name by sporting a fanless design.

At its core, the system is powered by an Intel N100 CPU. The processor is by no means a screamer, but its quad-core setup with a maximum clock speed of 3.4 GHz should be enough for most day-to-day tasks that are sufficiently lightweight such as managing emails, casual web browsing, and content consumption. The system can be specced with either 4 GB or 8 GB of LPDDR4 RAM, while storage configurations range from 128 GB to 512 GB of NVMe storage, which, thankfully, can be upgraded to a maximum of 4 TB down the line courtesy of its M.2 2280 slot.

Fanless mini PCs are far from hard to find on the internet, although such systems seldom sport impressive hardware. That is to be expected, considering that powerful components require admirable cooling setups that are difficult to achieve in a passively cooled mini PC. However, Onlogic appears to be poised to tackle that trend by introducing the ML1000G-42 mini PC.

The system, boasting a rather compact 14.2 x 6.1 x 10.7 mm chassis, sports an 8-core Ryzen 7 8840U "Hawk Point" APU paired with up to 96 GB of DDR5-5600 memory. The product is mostly targeted at industrial use, which can be easily deduced from its external design. However, there is nothing specific about this system that outright prevents office users from using this as their daily driver. After all, there is hardly a scarcity of mini PC enthusiasts who prefer fanless systems.

Today, at Lattice Developers Conference 2024, Lattice Semiconductor expanded its edge to cloud FPGA innovation leadership with the launch of exciting new hardware and software solutions. The new Lattice Nexus 2 next-gen small FPGA platform and the first device family based on the platform, Lattice Certus -N2 general purpose FPGAs, offer advanced connectivity, optimized power and performance, and class-leading security. Lattice also announced new mid-range FPGA device capacity options - Lattice Avant 30 and Avant 50 - and new versions of Lattice design software tools and application-specific solution stacks to help accelerate customer time-to-market.

"At Lattice, we are proud to lead technological advancements in low power, small form factor FPGAs, ensuring our customers have the optimal devices, tools, and solutions to design groundbreaking applications that are power efficient, fast, and secure," said Esam Elashmawi, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, Lattice Semiconductor. "From the edge to the cloud across a variety of industries, FPGAs stand at the forefront of innovation, and we're committed to delivering versatile and robust small and mid-range FPGA solutions that enable our customers and partners to unlock their full potential."

Nearly five years after Dauntless first launched on consoles and the Epic Games Store, the free-to-play co-op ARPG finally launched on Steam on December 5, although things haven't gone particularly smoothly since then. Less than a week after the Steam launch, the Steam reviews of Dauntless are already in "Overwhelmingly Negative" territory, with SteamDB citing just 19.21% positive reviews. The negative reviews seem to stem from the changes the game's developer, Phoenix Labs, made to the game when it was launched on Steam.

As part of the new Awakening update and launch on Steam, changes were made to a few key gameplay mechanics, and those changes have not been well received by the community. Additionally, progression has been reset for all players, new and old, forcing players to replay quests they've already completed and re-level weapons they had already mastered. The Awakening update also introduced Canisters, a sort of loot box monetization system that offers in-game cosmetics and can only be accessed in the season pass or by purchasing Platinum, the game's premium currency. Basically all of the posts on the Dauntless subreddit after the update are complaints about the changes to the game's mechanics or about players feeling slighted over the deletion of past progression. Players are also upset that the removal of a swathe of weapons has negatively affected build diversity and made players feel like they wasted their time thoroughly learning the game's mechanics and tuning builds. The developer seemingly tried to mitigate the removal of these weapons by adding new abilities, but that doesn't seem to have been enough to compensate for the decreased build diversity. Yet more complaints stem from apparent performance degradations on both PS5 and Xbox Series consoles. Worse still, those same performance degradations appear to be quite random, with some players saying that their performance has remained the same throughout the update.

China has announced the development of its latest quantum system, combining the Xiaohong-504, a 504-qubit superconducting quantum chip, with the Tianyan-504 quantum computer. The breakthrough comes from China Telecom Quantum Group (CTQG), which will use the new supercomputer to boost national telecommunications security. The Xiaohong-504 chip reportedly demonstrates impressive specifications in critical areas including qubit lifetime, gate fidelity, and circuit depth, comparable with established quantum platforms such as IBM. The first Xiaohong-504 processor is scheduled for delivery to QuantumCTek, a quantum technology company based in Anhui Province, where it will begin extensive testing of kilo-qubit measurement and control systems.

While the Tianyan-504 represents a major achievement, it currently ranks behind some international competitors in terms of qubit count. Atom Computing's 1,180-qubit prototype was revealed in late 2023, and IBM's 1,121-qubit Condor processor maintains the lead in raw qubit numbers. The development of the Tianyan-504 was a collaborative effort between CTQG, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and QuantumCTek. The system will be integrated into the Tianyan quantum cloud platform, which has already demonstrated significant international reach since its launch in November 2023, attracting more than 12 million visits from users across over 50 countries. Rather than focusing solely on achieving quantum supremacy, the Tianyan-504 project aim is developing infrastructure for large-scale quantum systems.

KIOXIA America, Inc. today announced that the cryptographic module used in KIOXIA CM7 Series PCIe 5.0 NVMe Enterprise SSDs has been validated to meet Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-3, Level 2 for cryptographic modules.

The FIPS 140-3 standard specifies a set of security requirements of the Cryptographic Module Validation Program administered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), used as a security metric for federal agencies to procure validated IT equipment. Companies and federal agencies may prefer or may now be required to deploy newer, more stringent government standards - which SSDs validated to FIPS 140-3 requirements would meet. Compared to the previous FIPS 140-2 requirements, 140-3 provides higher standards for SSDs, including a stronger authentication method and updated implementation guidance.

TSMC (TWSE: 2330, NYSE: TSM) today announced its net revenue for November 2024: On a consolidated basis, revenue for November 2024 was approximately NT$276.06 billion, a decrease of 12.2 percent from October 2024 and an increase of 34.0 percent from November 2023. Revenue for January through November 2024 totaled NT$2,616.15 billion, an increase of 31.8 percent compared to the same period in 2023.

The Biden-Harris Administration has given Micron Technology up to $6.165 billion in direct funds through the CHIPS Incentives Program to back the company's manufacturing growth. The money will allow Micron to execute its plan announced in October 2022 by investing about $100 billion into Clay, New York fab, and $25 billion into Idaho over 20 years aiming to boost the United States' advanced memory manufacturing from under 2% to around 10% by 2035. This large investment aims to make the U.S. economy stronger by creating a home supply of cutting-edge DRAM chips, moreover it is expected to create approximately 20,000 job across the U.S. Micron plans to spend about $50 billion before 2030 focusing on making more advanced memory semiconductor technology.

Also, the Department of Commerce has put pen to paper on a first draft of terms with Micron. This could lead to funding of up to $275 million to upgrade its Manassas, Virginia plant. The $2 billion investment project aims to bring Micron's 1-alpha technology back to U.S. The 1-alpha process was launched in 2021 and is used for the latest LPDDR5 DRAM chips. This would boost monthly wafer production and create over 400 factory jobs. At its busiest, the project could generate up to 2,700 jobs in the local area.

AMD today announced the expansion of the AMD Versal adaptive system-on-chip (SoC) portfolio with the introduction of the Versal RF Series that includes the industry's highest compute performance in a single-chip device with integrated direct radio frequency (RF)-sampling data converters.

Versal RF Series offers precise, wideband-spectrum observability and up to 80 TOPS of digital signal processing (DSP) performance in a size, weight, and power (SWaP)-optimized design, targeting RF systems and test equipment applications in the aerospace and defense (A&D) and test and measurement (T&M) markets, respectively.

Phanteks introduces the NEXLINQ ecosystem, a next-gen solution for enhanced cooling, fan and lighting control, and refined system aesthetics. Featuring the new Linq 6 connector, NEXLINQ simplifies cable management and elevates DIY PC builds. The ecosystem includes the NEXLINQ Hub, M25 Gen 2 Fans, and Glacier One 360M25 G2 AIO Liquid CPU Cooler, delivering ultimate performance and customization. Fully compatible with the G400A chassis and future products, NEXLINQ offers a seamless, optimized setup for gamers and PC enthusiasts.

The Phanteks NEXLINQ Hub, with the Linq 6 connector and NEXLINQ App, simplifies fan and lighting control across your system. The hub streamlines connectivity, reducing cable clutter, while the app offers an intuitive interface for fine-tuning fan speeds and lighting effects. With support for CPU/GPU temperature-based fan RPM adjustments and customizable RGB effects, users can easily personalize and optimize their builds. The Phanteks M25 Gen 2 Fans boost cooling efficiency with a daisy-chained unified fan frame and Linq 6 connector, ensuring fast, clean connections and reducing cable clutter. Designed for optimal airflow, they excel at cooling radiators and heatsinks under heavy loads. With options for regular or reverse airflow, users can fine-tune thermal performance. The fans also feature integrated D-RGB lighting, delivering dynamic, infinity mirror style visual effects.

Phanteks is excited to introduce the G400A, a next-generation mid-tower chassis that builds on the success of the P400A. Designed with gamers and PC builders in mind, the G400A delivers exceptional airflow, efficient cable management, and a clean, modern aesthetic. Its redesigned, spacious interior supports the largest graphics cards and enhances cooling potential, making it ideal for high-performance builds.

With up to 10 fan mounts, support for 140 mm fans, and space for a 360 mm top radiator, the G400A is engineered to handle demanding systems. A sleek, cable-free rear-side connector layout further ensures a neat, organized build while maximizing airflow. The G400A offers robust cooling, ample space, and modern aesthetics, making it the ideal choice for gamers and creators seeking a versatile,
high-performance PC case.

Introducing the CAC-2501 Thunderbolt 5 Certified 8K240Hz Data 80/120 Gbps EPR 240 Watt Cable M/M 1 m / 3.28ft: Unparalleled Speed and Power in One Cable. Revolutionize your tech experience with the groundbreaking Thunderbolt 5 Certified Cable. This 1-meter powerhouse delivers 80 Gbps data transfer speeds, 8K240Hz video support, and up to 240 W of charging—all packed into a sleek, durable design.

Whether you're pushing the boundaries of creativity, gaming at ultra-high resolutions, or demanding robust power for your devices, Thunderbolt 5 is engineered to exceed expectations. With universal compatibility across Thunderbolt 3, 4, and USB-C devices, this cable is your gateway to the next generation of performance. Stay connected, stay ahead. Dive into the features and discover why Thunderbolt 5 is the cable you've been waiting for.

CES 2025 is less than a month away and leaks about AMD Strix Halo APUs are starting to emerge. Today we have confirmation via a leaked Geekbench Vulcan test that AMD will launch the Ryzen AI MAX+ PRO 395 w/ Radeon 8060S "Strix Halo" APU. Information reveals that this APU is equipped with 16 Zen 5 cores with 32 threads, a 3 GHz base frequency (4.4 GHz max), and a boost up to 5.1 GHz. It sports a 32 MB L3 cache per CCD for a total of 64 MB since it uses a dual CCD chip design. The TDP should be between 55-130 W. Moreover, the "PRO" in the product naming suggests that AMD could release non-PRO models at a later date.

The integrated Radeon 8060S iGPU adopts the RDNA 3.5 architecture with 40 computing units and was tested using an AMD reference board design codenamed AMD MAPLE-STXH and 64 GB of memory scoring 67,004 points in the Geekbench Vulkan test. This initial result is lower than AMD Radeon RX 7600 RDNA 3 discrete entry-level products (despite having more cores 40CU vs 32CU), and higher than NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050. However, since the benchmark was run on an evaluation platform without optimized drivers and more likely using an early test sample product, we can expect the actual performance of the Radeon 8060S iGPU to be higher.

Microsoft has finally opened the iron gate guarding the Windows 11 upgrade for systems running incompatible hardware, including systems lacking TPM 2.0. This is excellent news for users who are rocking older systems or have been without the TPM 2.0 module in their system but want to upgrade to the newer OS release. Microsoft opened an official support page, noting that "Installing Windows 11 on a device that doesn't meet Windows 11 minimum system requirements isn't recommended. If Windows 11 is installed on ineligible hardware, you should be comfortable assuming the risk of running into compatibility issues. A device might malfunction due to these compatibility or other issues. Devices that don't meet these system requirements aren't guaranteed to receive updates, including but not limited to security updates."

However, an interesting disclaimer appears once a user tries to install Windows 11 on a PC that doesn't meet minimum requirements:

MicrosoftThis PC doesn't meet the minimum system requirements for running Windows 11 - these requirements help ensure a more reliable and higher quality experience. Installing Windows 11 on this PC is not recommended and may result in compatibility issues. If you proceed with installing Windows 11, your PC will no longer be supported and won't be entitled to receive updates. Damages to your PC due to lack of compatibility aren't covered under the manufacturer warranty. By selecting Accept, you are acknowledging that you read and understand this statement.

Quobly, a leading French quantum computing startup, has reported that FD-SOI technology can serve as a scalable platform for commercial quantum computing, leveraging traditional semiconductor manufacturing fabs and CEA-Leti's R&D pilot line.

The semiconductor industry has played a pivotal role in enabling classical computers to scale at cost; it has the same transformative potential for quantum computers, making them commercially scalable and cost competitive. Silicon spin qubits are excellent for achieving fault-tolerant, large-scale quantum computing, registering clock speeds in the µsec range, fidelity above 99% for one and two-qubit gate operations and incomparably small unit cell sizes (in the hundredths of 100 nm²).

Kioxia Corporation, a world leader in memory solutions, today announced the development of OCTRAM (Oxide-Semiconductor Channel Transistor DRAM), a new type of 4F2 DRAM, comprised of an oxide-semiconductor transistor that has a high ON current, and an ultra-low OFF current, simultaneously. This technology is expected to realize a low power DRAM by bringing out the ultra-low leakage property of the InGaZnO transistor. This was first announced at the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) held in San Francisco, CA on December 9, 2024. This achievement was jointly developed by Nanya Technology and Kioxia Corporation. This technology has the potential to lower power consumption in a wide range of applications, including AI and post-5G communication systems, and IoT products.

The OCTRAM utilizes a cylinder-shaped InGaZnO vertical transistor (Fig.1) as a cell transistor. This design enables the adaptation of a 4F2 DRAM, which offers significant advantages in memory density compared to the conventional silicon-based 6F2 DRAM.

MSI is excited to unveil the MPG 321URXW QD-OLED, a premium gaming monitor with a stunning silver-white design. Designed for gamers who value both exceptional performance and aesthetic elegance, this 32-inch display effortlessly combines power and style. It's an ideal choice for high-end white custom PCs or the PS5, setting a new benchmark for premium gaming setups. This monitor is truly a masterpiece of design and performance, created for those who appreciate both cutting-edge technology and aesthetic excellence.

Cutting-Edge QD-OLED Technology
MSI continues to innovate with the integration of QD-OLED panel technology, offering an unparalleled visual experience. This advanced display technology provides richer, more vibrant colors, deeper contrasts, and superior brightness that enhance every detail. With its 4K resolution, a lightning-fast 0.03 ms response time, and a 240 Hz refresh rate, the MPG 321URXW ensures that every game runs smoothly and without interruption. Whether it's fast-paced action or immersive open-world exploration, the visuals are further elevated by HDR1000 and HDR True Black, which deliver exceptional brightness and deep, true-to-life blacks. This combination allows gamers to experience more dynamic lighting, sharp contrast, and vivid color accuracy, transforming gameplay into a cinematic experience.

Taiko Audio, a Dutch high-end audio manufacturer, has unveiled what might be the most over-engineered music server ever created—the Extreme Server. With a starting price of €28,000 (US$29,600), this meticulously crafted device embodies either the pinnacle of audio engineering or the epitome of audiophile excess. The Extreme's most distinctive feature is its unique dual-processor architecture, using two Intel Xeon Scalable 10-core CPUs. This unusual configuration isn't just for show—Taiko claims it solves a specific audiophile dilemma: the impact of Roon's music management interface on sound quality. By dedicating two processors to Roon and Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 interface, they've made Roon's processing "virtually inaudible", addressing a concern most music listeners probably never knew existed.

Perhaps the most striking technical achievement is the server's cooling system, or rather, its complete absence of conventional cooling. Taiko designed a custom 240 W passive cooling solution with absolutely no fans or moving parts. The company machined the CPU interface to a mind-boggling precision of 5 microns (0.005 mm) and opted for solid copper heat sinks instead of aluminium, claiming this will extend component life by 4 to 12 years. The attention to detail extends to the memory configuration, where Taiko takes an unconventional approach. The server uses twelve 4 GB custom-made industrial memory modules, each factory pre-selected with components matched to within 1% tolerance. According to Taiko, this reduces the refresh rate burst current by almost 50% and allows for lower operating temperatures. The PSU that powers the PC is a custom 400 W linear power supply, an in-house development designed specifically for the Extreme's unique needs. It combines premium Mundorf and Duelund capacitors for sonic neutrality, Lundahl chokes selected by ear, and extensive vibrational damping using Panzerholz (a compressed wood composite) for durability, low temperature operation, longevity, and exceptional sound quality.

Google Quantum AI lab has announced a huge advancement in quantum computing with its new Willow processor. The chip demonstrated remarkable error correction capabilities and computational power beyond traditional supercomputers, including ExaFLOP machines such as Frontier and El Capitan. In research published in Nature, Google's team showed that Willow can exponentially reduce error rates as more qubits are added to the system—a feat known as operating "below threshold" that has been a major challenge in quantum computing since 1995. Using arrays of quantum bits in increasingly larger grids, the team successfully cut error rates in half with each expansion. The chip's performance is particularly recorded in random circuit sampling (RCS), where Willow completed calculations in under five minutes. Something like that would take today's fastest supercomputer approximately ten septillion years to solve—a timespan far greater than the universe's age.

Manufactured at Google's specialized facility in Santa Barbara, the 105-qubit Willow chip also achieved impressive coherence times, with qubits maintaining their quantum states for up to 100 microseconds—five times longer than previous generations. Dr. Hartmut Neven, who founded Google Quantum AI in 2012, emphasized that the breakthrough brings quantum computing closer to scaling into more complex systems for data processing. Potential applications include discovering new medicines, designing more efficient batteries for electric vehicles, and accelerating fusion energy research. The next challenge for Google's quantum team is demonstrating a "useful, beyond-classical" computation that addresses practical applications. While Willow has shown superior performance in benchmark tests, researchers are now focused on developing algorithms that can tackle commercially relevant problems that are impossible for traditional computers to solve.

FinalWire Ltd. today announced the immediate availability of AIDA64 Extreme 7.50 software, a streamlined diagnostic and benchmarking tool for home users; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Engineer 7.50 software, a professional diagnostic and benchmarking solution for corporate IT technicians and engineers; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Business 7.50 software, an essential network management solution for small and medium scale enterprises; and the immediate availability of AIDA64 Network Audit 7.50 software, a dedicated network audit toolset to collect and manage corporate network inventories.

The new AIDA64 update introduces SensorPanel Core template, AVX2 accelerated benchmarks for Intel Arrow Lake processors, and supports the latest graphics and GPGPU computing technologies by AMD, Intel and NVIDIA.

Itch.io, the popular developer-friendly indie game marketplace, has revealed that the site has been taken down by a seemingly erroneous IP protection request by none other than Funko Pop, the pop culture collectible maker. According to Itch.io, the bizarre take-down happened as a result of Funko's automated IP protection provider, and it happened despite Itch.io taking action to prevent the take-down. The site has since been restored, with the offending page removed, but it took more than a little effort on the part of Itch.io's management. The whole situation seems to have been caused by poor communication on the part of Itch.io's domain registrar, Iwantmyname, since that's where the decision to remove the entire site, instead of just the offending page, seems to have originated.

According to posts on X by BrandShield, Funko's IP protection partner, the company's automated system flagged an apparent phishing attempt by an Itch.io subdomain, prompting BrandShield to request the removal of the offending subdomain, notifying both Itch.io and Iwantmyname. Itch.io says that it then removed the offending page and sent an e-mail confirming that it had taken the requisite action, but that e-mail apparently went unread, leaving Itch.io without a site for what appears to be around eight hours. Eventually, someone at Iwantmyname was able to address Itch.io's communications regarding the take-down, and the site was restored in the morning of Monday, December 9.

It looks like the much maligned Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will officially join the likes of Foamstars in not-quite-abandonware purgatory after the upcoming Season 4 content update. The new update, titled "Season 4, Episode 7: Control" will be the game's penultimate episode, releasing on December 10. Episode 7 will add a long-promised offline mode to the game, as well as a new character, Deathstroke. In the same blog post announcing the arrival of the infamous DC villain, Rocksteady Studios and Warner Bros also announced that Season 4 will officially be the game's final season, with Episode 8: Balance, scheduled for 14 January 2025 being the final episode in the game's live service lifetime. As of the release of Episode 8, Rocksteady will no longer provide any more content updates to the game, although the silver lining is that online co-op will still be available. Co-op will notably not be available in the offline mode, suggesting that when the game's servers are inevitably shut down, there will be no co-op gameplay available.

Rocksteady and Warner Bros. will continue to sell Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, seemingly at full retail price, and all past seasons' content will become available, even in offline mode after the end of Season 4. This is a similar approach taken by Square Enix with Foamstars, when the developer announced last week that it would also stop supporting the PS5 game, despite leaving the online play servers and in-game items shop available after halting further development and support of the game.

MacBook Pro users have long demanded the benefits of OLED screens - an upgrade that has been rumored innumerable times in the past. A recently leaked report from the market analysis firm Omdia claims that the MacBook Pro is set to feature an OLED screen by 2026, whereas the MacBook Air will receive the update in 2027.

However, considering that a similar timeframe has been rumored multiple times in the past, this fresh leak may not sound so enticing. That said, the roadmap does contain some information that is fascinating to say the least. According to Omdia, OLED MacBook Pros will no longer be burdened by the infamous notch, instead opting for a punch-hole camera setup. Now of course, as MacRumors points out, this could easily mean that Apple will use the pixels around the punch-hole to make it function something like the iPhone's dynamic island, which may not be welcomed by everyone.

Today China announced an investigation into NVIDIA for possible violations of antitrust laws. This is apparently in retaliation for the recent U.S. embargo on semiconductor exports, Reuters reported. China's State Administration for Market Regulatory Affairs (SAMR) did not provide specific details about the antitrust violations however it said they may allegedly be linked to NVIDIA's acquisition of Mellanox Technologies in 2020. NVIDIA once dominated China's AI market with over 90% of the market share, however, it now generates just 17% of its revenue from the region, down from 26% two years ago. The decline in income is a direct result of U.S. export controls as NVIDIA was forced to develop Chinese-specific chip versions.

The investigation on NVIDIA mirrors China's 2013 antitrust probe against Qualcomm's local subsidiary for overcharging and abusing market position in wireless communication standards. The investigation resulted in a $975 million fine which Qualcomm agreed to pay. Recently, the United States announced additional export restrictions adding 140 Chinese companies from the semiconductor industry including chip equipment manufacturers. Shortly after, China announced a ban on exports of key minerals (gallium, germanium, and antimony) while Chinese industry associations urged domestic companies to avoid U.S.-made chips.

Altec Lansing, the leading global audio electronics company, today announces the official launch of its latest headphone lineup, including the Sport Active TWS, Nanobuds ANC 2.0, Nanophones 2.0, the Clip TWS and the Comfort Q 2.0. These dynamic headphones feature sport-focused earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC), available in open-ear or clip-on designs, as well as classic over-ear headphones that offer a comfortable fit with a modern flair.

For those always on the move, Altec Lansing's new headphones blend premium sound quality, innovation and unbeatable value to suit every lifestyle. The new Sport Active TWS earbuds come with a sleek, ultraslim charging case and feature an open-ear design, allowing users to enjoy their music while remaining aware of their surroundings. Additionally, the clip-on version ensures a secure, customized fit for active users.

Over the past few months, we've seen an explosion of magnetic NVMe SSD enclosures on the market and now Akasa has joined the fray with its own take on the topic and the accessory maker has of course added its own twists to the storage enclosure. The AK-ENU3M2-08 as it's known as, houses a standard M.2 2230 NVMe SSD and it's compatible with Apple's range of iPhones for direct video capture to the drive in ProRes 4K resolution and it does of course attach to the MagSafe connector on recent iPhones.

However, what makes the Akasa product stand out is the inclusion of a supercapacitor, which the company says takes 5-6 minutes to charge and it's included as a data loss safeguard in case of a sudden power loss. That said, it's a bit hard to figure how useful this would be in real world scenarios, since if the drive lost power, it most likely also lost its data connection to the host device. Another neat feature is that Akasa allows for 100 W USB PD passthrough, something we haven't seen on similar devices. The downside is the 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 data interface, which is slower than some competing devices, but the other features might make up for the slower speed, depending on your use case. No pricing was announced.

Just in time for Christmas, we're delighted to announce the release of two hotly anticipated products that we think will look great under the tree. One of them might even fit in a stocking if you push hard enough. Introducing Raspberry Pi 500, available now at $90, and the Raspberry Pi Monitor, on sale at $100: together, they're your complete Raspberry Pi desktop setup.

Integral calculus
Our original mission at Raspberry Pi was to put affordable, programmable personal computers in the hands of young people all over the world. And while we've taken some detours along the way - becoming one of the world's largest manufacturers of industrial and embedded computers - this mission remains at the heart of almost everything we do. It drives us to make lower-cost products like the $15 Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, and more powerful products, like our flagship Raspberry Pi 5 SBC. These products provide just the essential processing element of a computer, which can be combined with the family television, and second-hand peripherals, to build a complete and cost-effective system.

During the prestigious IEDM 2024 conference, NVIDIA presented its vision for the future AI accelerator design, which the company plans to chase after in future accelerator iterations. Currently, the limits of chip packaging and silicon innovation are being stretched. However, future AI accelerators might need some additional verticals to gain the required performance improvement. The proposed design at IEDM 24 introduces silicon photonics (SiPh) at the center stage. NVIDIA's architecture calls for 12 SiPh connections for intrachip and interchip connections, with three connections per GPU tile across four GPU tiles per tier. This marks a significant departure from traditional interconnect technologies, which in the past have been limited by the natural properties of copper.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of NVIDIA's vision is the introduction of so-called "GPU tiers"—a novel approach that appears to stack GPU components vertically. This is complemented by an advanced 3D stacked DRAM configuration featuring six memory units per tile, enabling fine-grained memory access and substantially improved bandwidth. This stacked DRAM would have a direct electrical connection to the GPU tiles, mimicking the AMD 3D V-Cache on a larger scale. However, the timeline for implementation reflects the significant technological hurdles that must be overcome. The scale-up of silicon photonics manufacturing presents a particular challenge, with NVIDIA requiring the capacity to produce over one million SiPh connections monthly to make the design commercially viable. NVIDIA has invested in Lightmatter, which builds photonic packages for scaling the compute, so some form of its technology could end up in future NVIDIA accelerators

Steam has set a new record of over 39 million concurrent players, breaking its earlier record of over 38 million set back in September. Some of the recently launched games like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Marvel Rivals, and Path of Exile 2 are doing quite well.

As spotted by DSOGaming, the newest Steam record for concurrent players is set at 39,205,447. It took around three months to break the previous record of over 38 million concurrent players set back in September. When it comes to the list of most played games in the last 24 hours, Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 are still holding the top two places, but some recently launched games are also doing quite well.

Global sales of total semiconductor manufacturing equipment by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are forecast to set a new industry record, reaching $113 billion in 2024, growing 6.5% year-on-year, SEMI announced today in its Year-End Total Semiconductor Equipment Forecast - OEM Perspective at SEMICON Japan 2024. Semiconductor manufacturing equipment growth is expected to continue in the following years, reaching new records of $121 billion in 2025 and $139 billion in 2026, supported by both the front-end and back-end segments.

"Three consecutive years of projected growth in investments in semiconductor manufacturing reflect the vital role our industry plays in underpinning the global economy and advancing technology innovation," said Ajit Manocha, SEMI president and CEO. "Since our July 2024 forecast, the outlook for 2024 semiconductor equipment sales has brightened, especially with stronger-than-expected investments from China and in AI-related sectors. Together with our forecast extension through 2026, it highlights the robust growth drivers across segments, applications, and regions."

ASRock, the global leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, mini PCs, gaming monitors and power supply units, today launches its latest Phantom Gaming OLED series, featuring three high-performance models: PGO32UFS, PGO27QFS, and PGO27QFV. Equipped with cutting-edge OLED panel technology, these monitors deliver outstanding visual quality and exceptional performance, providing an unparalleled viewing experience for gamers.

PGO32UFS: Innovative Dual-Mode Large Screen Offering Speed and Clarity
The PGO32UFS features a 32-inch flat WOLED screen with UHD resolution and a native 240 Hz refresh rate for stunning image clarity and smooth motion. Its unique Dual-Mode function allows gamers to switch seamlessly to a 480 Hz refresh rate at FHD resolution, catering to both ultra-high-definition and ultra-high-speed gaming scenarios. Additionally, its stand integrates ASRock's patented Wi-Fi antenna technology, supporting the latest Wi-Fi 7 connectivity with up to 7dBi peak gain, significantly enhancing network stability and providing a low-latency gaming environment. To ensure sustained performance during extended use, the PGO32UFS features ASRock's exclusive heatsink technology combined with graphene film and a four-sided ventilation design, effectively reducing panel temperature and preventing image retention.

In addition to the TITAN and GUARDIAN SKUs announced earlier this month, Sparkle is working on several other SKUs. The roadmap includes the low-profile version of the Arc B570, as well as the Arc B580 ROC OC Ultra, which is expected to come with a 2,800 MHz GPU factory overclock and 210 W TBP, both coming next year.

According to the roadmap, Sparkle plans to release the B580 ROC OC Ultra version in February 2025, and this one will be a part of Sparkle's ROC Luna series, featuring an all-white design. As said, it gets a 2,800 MHz GPU factory-overclock, which is 60 MHz higher than the Sparkle Arc B580 TITAN OC. It also has a slightly higher 210 W TBP. Sparkle included a small picture showing a 2.5-slot thick design with a dual-fan cooler. Additional roadmap also confirms the launch of the Arc B570 Low-Profile version, which will feature a lower 170 W TBP and a three-fan cooler, similar to what we have seen from GUNNIR lately.

Today at the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) 2024, Intel Foundry unveiled new breakthroughs to help drive the semiconductor industry forward into the next decade and beyond. Intel Foundry showcased new material advancements that help improve interconnections within a chip, resulting in up to 25% capacitance by using subtractive ruthenium. Intel Foundry also was first to report a 100x throughput improvement using a heterogeneous integration solution for advanced packaging to enable ultra-fast chip-to-chip assembly. And to further drive gate-all-around (GAA) scaling, Intel Foundry demonstrated work with silicon RibbonFET CMOS and with gate oxide module for scaled 2D FETs for improved device performance.

"Intel Foundry continues to help define and shape the roadmap for the semiconductor industry. Our latest breakthroughs underscore the company's commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology developed in the U.S., positioning us well to help balance the global supply chain and restore domestic manufacturing and technology leadership with the support of the U.S. CHIPS Act," says Sanjay Natarajan, Intel senior vice president and general manager of Intel Foundry Technology Research.

TechPowerUp partners with PC case, cooling, and power brand Chieftec to announce the Winter 2024 Mega Giveaway, for our readers in the EU. Chieftec has been in the industry for over 30 years, specializing in server, workstation, and commercial desktop hardware, but is now looking to expand in the DIY gaming PC space. The company brings its expertise in case design, power, and cooling, to the gaming PC space, and has a comprehensive lineup of cases, CPU coolers, fans, and power supplies, catering to a broad range of prices. Today, we have as many as six prizes from the Chieftec lineup, open to our readers in the European Union.

Up for grabs are a Chieftec Iceberg 360 RGB AIO liquid CPU cooler; a Chieftec Iceberg 360 Black AIO liquid CPU cooler; a Chieftec APEX E-ATX mid-tower case, a Chieftec M2 Micro-ATX tower case; a Chieftec PowerPlay 1200 W power supply; and a Chieftec Atmos 850 W power supply.

For more information, and to participate, visit this page.

About a month ago, we reported about the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D "Zen 5" processor with 3D V-Cache that is flying off the shelves, with scalpers trying to make a profit from buying the retail inventory. The processor continues to face widespread availability issues more than a month after its launch, though the company assures consumers that relief is on the horizon. "We are working diligently to get as much supply to market as possible, with more processors being shipped every week," an AMD spokesperson told Tom's Hardware. "We expect availability to get better as shipments ramp throughout the quarter." The CPU is not only hard to find but also proves to be one of the most sought-after processors on Amazon.

The supply shortage has created opportunities for scalpers, who are listing the processor at prices reaching $1,000—more than double its retail price. Even established retailers like Walmart have listed the chip at inflated prices, approaching $800. Adding to consumers' challenges, some third-party sellers have posted fraudulent listings, making it crucial for buyers to verify seller credibility. While major retailers like Amazon, Newegg, Best Buy, and B&H Photo maintain the official $479 price point when in stock, securing a unit at this price has proven challenging for most consumers. As the holiday season is here, AMD's promised production ramp-up is much needed, as gamers have been planning their upgrade months in advance and are in dire need of pushing the performance of their systems up another notch.

A few days ago, we published a report about Intel's 18A yields being at an abysmal 10%. This sparked quite a lot of discussion among the tech community, as well as responses from industry analysts and Intel's now ex-CEO Pat Gelsinger. Today, we are diving into known information about Intel's 18A node and checking out what the yields of possible products could be, using tools such as Die Yield Calculator from SemiAnalysis. First, we know that the defect rate of the 18A node is 0.4 defects per cm². This information is from August, and up-to-date defect rates could be much lower, especially since semiconductor nodes tend to evolve even when they are production-ready. To measure yields, manufacturers use various yield models based on the information they have, like the aforementioned 0.4 defect density. Expressed in defects per square centimeter (def/cm²), it measures manufacturing process quality by quantifying the average number of defects present in each unit area of a semiconductor wafer.

Measuring yields is a complex task. Manufacturers design some smaller chips for mobile and some bigger chips for HPC tasks. Thus, these two would have different yields, as bigger chips require more silicon area and are more prone to defects. Smaller mobile chips occupy less silicon area, and defects occurring on the wafer often yield more usable chips than wasted silicon. Stating that a node only yields x% of usable chips is only one side of the story, as the size of the test production chip is not known. For example, NVIDIA's H100 die is measuring at 814 mm²—a size that is pushing modern manufacturing to its limits. The size of a modern photomask, the actual pattern mask used in printing the design of a chip to silicon wafer, is only 858 mm² (26x33 mm). Thus, that is the limit before exceeding the mask and needing a redesign. At that size, nodes are yielding much less usable chips than something like a 100 mm² mobile chip, where defects don't wreak havoc on the yield curve.

AAEON's UP brand, most known for its pioneering developer board portfolio, has released the UP Xtreme i14 Edge, a Mini PC equipped with Intel Core Ultra processing, Intel Arc graphics, and 64 GB of LPDDR5 system memory. The PC is primarily geared towards applications requiring high performance computer vision, such as smart traffic monitoring and AI-assisted commercial security systems, but given the serial communication options available on the PC, the UP Xtreme i14 Edge would be just as suitable for the remote monitoring and control of industrial setups.

Outside the integrated CPU, GPU, and NPU of its Intel Core Ultra SoC, a key standout feature of the UP Xtreme i14 Edge is the fact it offers double the system memory of its predecessor, at 64 GB, as well as substantial upgrades to available display outputs. The UP Xtreme i14 Edge offers two HDMI 2.1 ports with Fixed Rate Link (FRL) technology for high bandwidth and improved display output quality. In addition to this, the system also contains one DP 1.2 port and a DP 1.4 interface via its USB Type-C port, giving users simultaneous 4K displays at 144 Hz.

The gaming performance of Intel's latest Core Ultra 200-series "Arrow Lake-S" desktop processors missed the mark by quite a bit, ending up slower than the 14th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" processors. Adding pressure to Intel is AMD's recent launch of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which extends the company's leadership in gaming performance, ending up to 12% faster than the top Core Ultra 9 285K at gaming (1080p). The company then announced that it has identified possible reasons why gaming performance of "Arrow Lake" ended up below expectations, and that it's working on a microcode-level update to the processor.

A discussion in the ASUS ROG Forums sheds light on what this microcode update could be. Allegedly, it's called the Intel 0x114 Microcode Update, and you can expect it soon in a beta UEFI firmware update from ASUS and other motherboard vendors, which makes it possible that we see a public release of the microcode either by yearend, or in Q1-2025. There's still no word on the extent of gaming performance gain from this microcode, but if we were to speculate, Intel wouldn't bother with such an update if it didn't at least bring "Arrow Lake" to the same gaming performance level as "Raptor Lake," if not higher.

Welcome to week 50 and Lucia, alternatively Freddy week if that's something that's celebrated in your part of the world. This week's AAA title will bring back childhood memories for many of you, at least if you're old enough to remember Dr Jones. As for the rest of this coming week's new releases, we have a spoiled cat, some people trying to survive the apocalypse, a bunch of people playing with swords, a hungry elevator and some ruins in need of repair.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle / This week's AAA title / Monday 9 December
Uncover one of history's greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them - Indiana Jones. You'll become the legendary archaeologist in this cinematic action-adventure game from MachineGames, the award-winning studio behind the recent Wolfenstein series, and executive produced by Hall of Fame game designer Todd Howard. Steam link

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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