We are days away from the official November 7 launch of AMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU with 3D V-Cache, and we are already seeing some estimates of the speedup compared to the last-generation Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU. According to a Geekbench submission discovered by Everest (Olrak29_) on X, the upcoming AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D has been spotted running at a clock speed of 5.46 GHz. This is a 260 MHz increase from the official boost frequency of 5.2 GHz, which indicates overclocking has been applied. If readers recall, the last generations of X3D processors had overclocking disabled, and this time, things are looking different thanks to the compute die being placed on top of SRAM. AMD attributes this to CCD being closer to the heat spreader instead of memory and allowing it to spread heat more effectively, ensuring a stable overclock.

Regarding performance, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D outperforms its predecessor, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, by an impressive 24% in the single-core Geekbench v6 test and 23.61% in the multicore test. The last generation CPU scored 2,726 points in single-core and 15,157 points in multicore tests, while the new Zen 5 design has managed to produce 3,473 points in single-core and 19,216 in multicore tests. These results are approximately 24% improvement over the Zen 4, suggesting that the Zen 5 architecture benefits greatly from better SRAM bandwidth and capacity. While these results only come from synthetic benchmarks, they give us a picture of what to expect from this CPU. We have to wait for more real-world test cases to fully conclude the improvement factor.

Zyxel Networks, a leader in delivering secure and cloud-powered networking solutions, is launching its new XGS1935 series of Lite-L3 smart managed switches to meet the growing connectivity and sustainability needs of small businesses.

The XGS1935 series delivers improvements in energy efficiency and carbon emission reductions, while providing hassle-free and affordable 10GbE migration with high-performance switching technology.

GlobalFoundries faces a $500,000 fine from the US Commerce Department for breaching export controls by shipping $17.1 million worth of chips to SJ Semiconductor (SJS), a blacklisted Chinese firm affiliated with Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC). The company made 74 unauthorized shipments between February 2021 and October 2022, delivering nearly 5,700 wafers. The chipmaker attributed the violation to a data entry error in its Oracle trade management system, where SJS was incorrectly recorded under a direct customer's shipping details. While SJS had previously handled GlobalFoundries' chips as a third-party assembly provider, both SJS and SMIC were placed on the Entity List in 2020 due to suspected military ties.

GlobalFoundries received a significantly reduced fine due to its voluntary disclosure and cooperation avoiding a potential fine of up to $34.2 million. "GlobalFoundries' voluntary self-disclosure (VSD) and extensive cooperation throughout the investigation resulted in a significant reduction in the monetary penalty, which is the main incentive of our VSD policies," said John Sonderman, director of the Office of Export Enforcement (OEE) within the Commerce Department. The incident comes as the company anticipates $1.5 billion in CHIPS Act funding for manufacturing expansion. For comparison, the department previously fined Seagate $300 million in April 2023 for shipping $1.1 billion worth of drives to Huawei.

SK hynix announced the first 48 GB 16-high HBM3E in the industry at the SK AI Summit in Seoul today. During the event, news came out about newer plans to develop their next-gen memory tech. Reuters and ZDNet Korea reported that NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang asked SK hynix to speed up their HBM4 delivery by six months. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won shared this info at the Summit. The company had earlier said they would give HBM4 chips to customers in the second half of 2025.

When ZDNet asked about this sped-up plan, SK hynix President Kwak Noh-Jung gave a careful answer saying "We will give it a try." A company spokesperson told Reuters that this new schedule would be quicker than first planned, but they didn't share more details. In a video interview shown at the Summit, NVIDIA's Jensen Huang pointed out the strong team-up between the companies. He said working with SK hynix has helped NVIDIA go beyond Moore's Law performance gains. He stressed that NVIDIA will keep needing SK hynix's HBM tech for future products. SK hynix plans to supply the latest 12-layer HBM3E to an undisclosed customer this year, and will start sampling of the 16-layer HBM3E early next year.

Even as AMD is giving final touches the 2nd generation Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor for gaming handhelds with a wacky 3+5 CPU core-configuration, some manufacturers like OneXPlayer couldn't wait, and went ahead to implement the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 mobile processor with a cTDP of 15 W. On the upside, the HX 370 is better kitted out than the Z2 Extreme, having all 12 cores enabled (4+8), but on the downside, it lacks much of the power optimization AMD put into the Ryzen Z2 Extreme. The OneXFly F1 Pro implements the Ryzen AI HX 370, and packs a 7-inch Full HD 144 Hz touchscreen. It was recently benchmarked by One-Netbook, where it yielded some surprising results, including a 58 FPS average frame-rate in "Black Myth Wukong" with low settings.

Kovan Yang set a new memory frequency record of DDR5-12196 (6097.6 MHz). This was possible with an Intel Core Ultra 7 265K with 2P+0E configuration running at a low 400 MHz, an MSI MEG Z890 Unify-X motherboard, and a single Kingston FURY Renegade 24 GB CKD module. The sub-timings achieved were 48-120-120-127-2. Not much else is known about the feat, such as the cooling or DRAM voltages used. The 5°C CPU temperature reading in the CPU-Z validation page suggests that an extreme cooling solution is being used. The Core Ultra "Arrow Lake-S" processor and Z890 platform, when paired with CUDIMMs (DDR5 DIMMs with client clock drivers) yield extreme memory overclocking capabilities, with several initial memory OC records breaching the 12000 MT/s mark. The HWBOT page can be accessed here, and the CPU-Z Validation page here.

Polartherm, the latest name in Thermal Interface Materials, has launched to deliver high performance Thermal Pastes at an accessible price point. Formulated for DIY Builders, PC Gamers and everyday users to achieve efficient heat transfer between critical components.

With today's processors and graphics cards requiring more power and operating much closer to their thermal limits every degree counts. Polartherm has entered the market to enable everyone to get the most from their cooling solutions, by offering products that provide high quality, straightforward application and durability at competitive prices.

GEEKOM, a Taiwanese tech company also known as the Green Mini PC Global Leader, just released its first model powered by an Intel Alder Lake-N series SoC. The GEEKOM Mini Air12 Lite is a tiny desktop PC with an Intel N100 quad-core processor, DDR4-3200 RAM, a PCIe Gen 3 SSD, and support for dual displays. The mini PC is now available on Amazon and GEEKOM's official website.

The Mini Air12 Lite measures 135.5 x 115.5 x 34.5 mm (0.5L) and weighs about 1 kilogram. It features a single SO-DIMM slot which supports up to 16 GB of DDR4-3200 MHz memory, and an M.2 2280 slot that can accommodate a PCIe 3.0 or SATA SSD of up to 1 TB. The mini PC runs on a licensed copy of Windows 11 Pro out of the box.

ASUS today announced the TUF Gaming A2 SSD enclosure for gamers seeking a superfast and reliable storage solution. The enclosure features USB-C 3.2 Gen 2x2 connectivity to deliver data transfer speeds of up to 20 Gbps—twice that of TUF Gaming A1. With IP68-rated water- and dust-resistance plus durability that meets U.S. MIL-STD-810H standards, TUF Gaming A2 keeps the SSD safe in almost any environment. Additionally, its silicone-rubber exterior provides superior on-the-go protection for the SSD. The Q-Latch mechanism allows for easy, tool-free SSD installation, while an efficient thermal management system ensures outstanding cooling to ensure consistent performance. With broad compatibility across PC, Mac, mobile devices, and the latest game consoles, TUF Gaming A2 is perfect for anyone looking to maintain an extensive library of games.

Exceptional SSD performance
TUF Gaming A2 doubles the data transfer speeds of its predecessor, TUF Gaming A1, with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 connectivity delivering up to 20 Gbps of bandwidth. Even though the latest AAA titles often exceed 100 GB in size, it takes just 90 seconds to transfer an entire game from the SSD to a console such as ROG Ally, or to any other popular gaming platform. When it comes to installing or removing the M.2 SSD, the innovative Q-Latch makes it easy, without requiring specific tools. The latch design employs a simple locking mechanism to secure the drive, so there's no need for screws. Additionally, TUF Gaming A2 features both PCIe NVMe and SATA interfaces, and can accommodate various 2242/2260/2280 SSD form factors while providing up to 4 TB of storage capacity.

Shuttle is expanding its successful XPC slim product line to include four new Mini-PC Barebones: DS50U, DS50U3, DS50U5 and DS50U7. These models embrace modern technology and offer impressive performance while taking up minimal space. In a compact 1.3-liter format and with a thermally optimized, fanless chassis, the new devices are perfect for use in noise-sensitive environments.

Each model in the range has a soldered processor and is optimized specifically to suit different requirements:

• DS50U - The entry-level model: Equipped with an Intel Celeron processor of the 12th generation (Celeron 7305) and up to 64 GB of DDR5 RAM.
• DS50U3 - The sprinter: With an Intel Core i3 processor of the 13th generation (Core i3-1315U) and support for up to 96 GB of DDR5 RAM.
• DS50U5 - The powerful model: Powered by an Intel Core i5 processor of the 13th generation (Core i5-1334U), also designed for up to 96 GB of DDR5 RAM.
• DS50U7 - The record holder: The most powerful model in this range with an Intel Core i7 processor of the 13th generation (Core i7-1355U) and up to 96 GB of DDR5 RAM.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announces the Razer Viper V3 Pro Sentinels Edition. This special edition mouse, created in collaboration with Sentinels, one of the most renowned and successful esports teams in VALORANT, combines cutting-edge technology with iconic design, offering fans and gamers alike a piece of competitive gaming history. This follows the Viper V3 Pro's celebrated status as the #1 mouse in VALORANT on Prosettings.net for three consecutive months (August - October 2024), following its launch in April this year emphasizing its dominance in the esports scene.

A Winning Collaboration
Sentinels, known for their triumph at VCT 2024 Masters Madrid and consistent top performances, brings a legacy of success and resilience to this partnership. The Viper V3 Pro Sentinels Edition, featuring the team's striking red color scheme and logo, symbolizes the spirit and determination of a champion. "Partnering with Razer to create the Viper V3 Pro Sentinels Edition has been an exhilarating experience," said Rob Moore, CEO of Sentinels. "This collaboration represents our commitment to equipping our players and fans with the best gaming tools available."

AMD and Fujitsu Limited today announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to form a strategic partnership to create computing platforms for AI and high-performance computing (HPC). The partnership, encompassing aspects from technology development to commercialization, will seek to facilitate the creation of open source and energy efficient platforms comprised of advanced processors with superior power performance and highly flexible AI/HPC software and aims to accelerate open-source AI and/or HPC initiatives.

Due to the rapid spread of AI, including generative AI, cloud service providers and end-users are seeking optimized architectures at various price and power per performance configurations. From end-to-end, AMD supports an open ecosystem, and strongly believes in giving customers choice. Fujitsu has worked to develop FUJITSU-MONAKA, a next-generation Arm-based processor that aims to achieve both high performance and low power consumption. With FUJITSU-MONAKA, together with AMD Instinct accelerators, customers have an additional choice to achieve large-scale AI workload processing to whilst attempting to reduce the data center total cost of ownership.

The holiday season is here! MSI's Ultra Connect to New ERA Steam Code Promotion is your gateway to free Steam codes with our latest, most powerful products. Don't miss out - join now and gear up for an unforgettable gaming holiday!

About EZ-DIY Features - Motherboard, Liquid Cooling, PC Case
MSI has unveiled a new lineup of DIY-friendly products designed to simplify PC building for everyone, from beginners to experienced enthusiasts. The X870 (E) & Z890 motherboards come equipped with the EZ M.2 CLIP II, which enables quick, tool-free M.2 SSD installation, along with the EZ PCIe Release for easy and secure graphics card removal at the push of a button. The MAG CORELIQUID I series liquid cooling system features a universal UNI Bracket compatible with both Intel and AMD sockets. Its pre-installed fans simplify cable management to just one cable, while optional cable covers provide a clean and personalized look. Additionally, MSI's MAG PANO series PC cases offer tool-free panels on the front, side, and top, ensuring unrestricted access for adding side fans or radiators. MSI's user-friendly lineup aims to make PC building smoother, faster, and more enjoyable for everyone.

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading computing, networking, and storage solutions innovator, has launched an industrial-grade 16-port full 10GbE L2 managed switch, the QSW-IM3216-8S8T. The rugged industrial case provides eight 10GbE SFP+ fiber and eight 10GbE RJ45 Multi-Gig ports, allowing flexible rackmount, desktop, or wall-mounted installations. It can connect NAS, SNMP, and AV-over-IP devices, making it ideal for deployment in a range of environments to achieve factory automation, smart manufacturing, and meet the diverse needs of smart cities, automotive industry, and traffic monitoring.

"Targeting the Industry 5.0 market which implements AI smart manufacturing, the QSW-IM3216-8S8T assists users in building reliable and secure high-speed 10GbE network infrastructure within an economical budget," said Jerry Deng, Product Manager of QNAP, adding "we also recommend pairing it with the TS-i410X Industrial NAS to create a high-speed data transmission and storage solution for smart factories."

As we entered November, Valve just finished processing data for October in its monthly update of Steam Hardware and Software Survey, showcasing trend changes in the largest gaming community. And according to October data, AMD's discrete GPUs are not exactly in the best place. In the top 20 most commonly used GPUs, not a single discrete SKU was based on AMD. All of them included NVIDIA as their primary GPU choice. However, there is some change to AMD's entries, as the Radeon RX 580, which used to be the most popular AMD GPU, just got bested by the Radeon RX 6600 as the most common choice for AMD gamers. The AMD Radeon RX 6600 now holds 0.98% of the GPU market.

NVIDIA's situation paints a different picture, as the top 20 spots are all occupied by NVIDIA-powered gamers. The GeForce RTX 3060 remains the most popular GPU at 7.46% of the GPU market, but the number two spot is now held by the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU at 5.61%. This is an interesting change since this NVIDIA GPU was in third place, right behind the regular GeForce RTX 4060 for desktops. However, laptop gamers are in abundance, and they are showing their strength, placing the desktop GeForce RTX 4060 in third place, recording 5.25% usage.

According to DigiTimes, NVIDIA is reportedly targeting the high-end segment for its first consumer CPU attempt. Slated to arrive in 2025, NVIDIA is partnering with MediaTek to break into the AI PC market, currently being popularized by Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD. With Microsoft and Qualcomm laying the foundation for Windows-on-Arm (WoA) development, NVIDIA plans to join and leverage its massive ecosystem of partners to design and deliver regular applications and games for its Arm-based processors. At the same time, NVIDIA is also scheduled to launch "Blackwell" GPUs for consumers, which could end up in these AI PCs with an Arm CPU at its core.

NVIDIA's partner, MediaTek, has recently launched a big core SoC for mobile called Dimensity 9400. NVIDIA could use something like that as a base for its SoC and add its Blackwell IP to the mix. This would be similar to what Apple is doing with its Apple Silicon and the recent M4 Max chip, which is apparently the fastest CPU in single-threaded and multithreaded workloads, as per recent Geekbench recordings. For NVIDIA, the company already has a team of CPU designers that delivered its Grace CPU to enterprise/server customers. Using off-the-shelf Arm Neoverse IP, the company's customers are acquiring systems with Grace CPUs as fast as they are produced. This puts a lot of hope into NVIDIA's upcoming AI PC, which could offer a selling point no other WoA device currently provides, and that is tried and tested gaming-grade GPU with AI accelerators.

Early benchmark results have revealed Apple's newest M4 Max processor as a serious competitor to Arm-based CPUs from Qualcomm and even the best of x86 from Intel and AMD. Recent Geekbench 6 tests conducted on the latest 16-inch MacBook Pro showcase considerable improvements over both its predecessor and rival chips from major competitors. The M4 Max achieved an impressive single-core score of 4,060 points and a multicore score of 26,675 points, marking significant advancements in processing capability. These results represent approximately 30% and 27% improvements in single-core and multicore performance, respectively, compared to the previous M3 Max. This is also much higher than something like Snapdragon X Elite, which tops out at twelve cores per SoC. When measured against x86 competitors, the M4 Max also demonstrates substantial advantages.

The chip outperforms Intel's Core Ultra 9 285K by 19% in single-core and 16% in multicore tests, surpassing AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X by 18% in single-core and 25% in multicore performance. Notably, these achievements come with significantly lower power consumption than traditional x86 processors. The flagship system-on-chip features a sophisticated 16-core CPU configuration, combining twelve performance and four efficiency cores. Additionally, it integrates 40 GPU cores and supports up to 128 GB of unified memory, shared between CPU and GPU operations. The new MacBook Pro line also introduces Thunderbolt 5 compatibility, enabling data transfer speeds up to 120 Gb/s. While the M4 Max presents an impressive response to the current market, we have yet to see its capabilities in real-world benchmarks, as these types of synthetic runs are only a part of the performance story that Apple has prepared. We need to see productivity, content creation, and even gaming benchmarks to fully crown it the king of performance. Below is a table comparing Geekbench v6 scores, courtesy of Tom's Hardware, and a random Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-00-1DE) run in top configuration.

Just last week, AMD announced the arrival of its upcoming Ryzen 9000 series of CPUs with 3D V-Cache for November 7. However, we might be in for a treat, as AMD could be preparing Threadripper 9000WX/X series of CPUs with 3D V-Cache. According to VideoCardz, the ASUS Pro WS WRX90E-SAGE SE board appears to include an intriguing feature in its settings—there's a configuration option related to 3D V-Cache control, though this setting currently doesn't have any practical application with the available Threadripper 7000WX and 7000X processors. The presence of this setting hasn't been officially documented by ASUS, showing that this feature could indeed end up in future iterations of Threadripper processors, namely the 9000WX/X series.

AMD currently offers 3D V-Cache treatment in its high-end Genoa-X CPUs, with up to 96 cores and 192 threads, and 1,152 MB of L3 cache. These CPUs were praised for their capabilities in the high-performance computing sector, performing calculations at unprecedented rates thanks to the massive cache size and bandwidth. If AMD decides to opt-in for the HEDT market with 3D V-Cache, we might see an appearance with the upcoming Threadripper generation. However, right now, it is only speculation based on undocumented features in ASUS's high-end board. Even if these CPUs are planned, we are not near their launch as the priority is launching and shipping the consumer-oriented Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU on November 7.

Other World Computing (OWC), a trusted leader in delivering high-performance, secure, and sustainable technology solutions that enhance and extend the life of Macs and PCs, today announced the full compatibility of its OWC Thunderbolt 5 innovations—including its OWC Envoy Ultra SSD and OWC Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) Cables—with the latest Mac mini powered by the new M4 Pro chip and MacBook Pro powered by the M4 Pro and M4 Max family of chips. With these cutting-edge OWC solutions, Apple users are empowered to unlock the full potential of Thunderbolt 5, and enjoy a new era of speed, reliability, and connectivity.

"Thunderbolt 5 unlocks a new world of possibilities for users, and OWC is proud to be at the forefront of this exciting evolution," said Larry O'Connor, CEO and Founder, Other World Computing (OWC). "With the Envoy Ultra SSD and our Thunderbolt 5 cables, we're giving Mac Mini and MacBook Pro users the speed, reliability, and power they need to push their workflows further than ever before - whether they're editing 8K video, managing massive data sets, or just staying connected on the go." He continued, "And, don't blink - because OWC is set to roll out even more Thunderbolt 5 innovations, including the powerful OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub, set for release in November."

ORICO, an industry-leading brand in data storage solutions, is proud to announce the launch of Dual-Bay Dock for both an M.2 SSD and a SATA HDD, featuring up to 30 TB hybrid storage and two-way data duplication. The dock greatly streamlines the workflow of professionals, enterprises, DIY PC assemble teams and more who need to move and manage extensive data.

Unlike another drive dock, this ORICO dock brings complete compatibility and multi-functionality. It supports an 8 TB M.2 SSD and a 22 TB HDD (total of 30 TB). For professionals, it effectively addresses the hardware upgrade from hard drives to solid-state drives while enabling the fast transfer of hot data to cold data, and provides users with great convenience in cross-protocol data backup.

SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-Jung, during his keynote speech titled "A New Journey in Next-Generation AI Memory: Beyond Hardware to Daily Life" at SK AI Summit in Seoul, made public development of the industry's first 48 GB 16-high - the world's highest number of layers followed by the 12-high product—HBM3E. Kwak also shared the company's vision to become a "Full Stack AI Memory Provider", or a provider with a full lineup of AI memory products in both DRAM and NAND spaces, through close collaboration with interested parties.

Welcome to the first full week of the month of November, which means colder and darker weather for the northern hemisphere, also known as a perfect time to play some games. This week things are a tad slower and this week's major release is a VR version of a famous franchise that takes place inside a metro system. This is followed by some touch typing, slugs made out of metal, roller coasters, loads of ants and finally some post-apocalyptic strategy. As always, this is just a small selection of what launches this coming week.

Metro Awakening / This week's major release / VR game / Thursday 7 November
Metro Awakening is a story-driven first person adventure built for VR that blends atmospheric exploration, stealth and combat in the most immersive Metro experience yet. Don your gas mask, brave the crippling radiation and venture into the depths of the Metro where threats haunt your every step. Steam link

Windblown has not even been out in Steam Early Access for a week, and already community feedback is changing the new roguelike. According to an announcement on Steam, Motion Twin will be changing a game mechanic thanks to an overwhelming amount of feedback from the community. The feature in question is Sudden Death, which is somewhat similar to the old Borderlands mechanic, in the sense that it puts players into a downed state when they lose all their health in co-op mode. Except, in Windblown, it's up to the downed player's teammates to revive them by defeating 10 enemies. While Sudden Death isn't usually an issue in standard missions, it becomes problematic during boss fights, when there is only one enemy to defeat. Obviously, this makes it difficult for the remaining players to complete the mission and resuscitate their fallen compatriots.

Fortunately, Motion Twin confirmed in a recent Steam Store news post that it plans to address the difficulty introduced by the feature, although it's not clear that the planned fix will actually solve the problem for everyone who has complaints about it. Motion Twin says it will not remove Sudden Death from Windblown, instead opting to tweak it, admitting that the current state of the feature "feels harsh and maybe even unfair". Motion Twin says that, despite wanting to address the feedback, it wants to maintain the tension and teamwork that Sudden Death brings to the game.

The gaming industry is about to get massively disrupted. Instead of using game engines to power games, we are now witnessing an entirely new and crazy concept. A startup specializing in designing ASICs specifically for Transformer architecture, the foundation behind generative AI models like GPT/Claude/Stable Diffusion, has showcased a demo in partnership with Decart of a Minecraft clone being entirely generated and operated by AI instead of the traditional game engine. While we use AI to create images and videos based on specific descriptions and output pretty realistic content, having an AI model spit out an entire playable game is something different. Oasis is the first playable, real-time, real-time, open-world AI model that takes users' input and generates real-time gameplay, including physics, game rules, and graphics.

An interesting thing to point out is the hardware that powers this setup. Using a single NVIDIA H100 GPU, this 500-million parameter Oasis model can run at 720p resolution at 20 generated frames per second. Due to limitations of accelerators like NVIDIA's H100/B200, gameplay at 4K is almost impossible. However, Etched has its own accelerator called Sohu, which is specialized in accelerating transformer architectures. Eight NVIDIA H100 GPUs can power five Oasis models to five users, while the eight Sohu cards are capable of serving 65 Oasis runs to 65 users. This is more than a 10x increase in inference capability compared to NVIDIA's hardware on a single-use case alone. The accelerator is designed to run much larger models like future 100 billion-parameter generative AI video game models that can output 4K 30 FPS, all thanks to 144 GB of HBM3E memory, yielding 1,152 GB in eight-accelerator server configuration.

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 right now.

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.

This is the lowest price that's ever been offered for learning to code with Visual Studio Pro, but it won't last long: $55.97 (reg. $1,999).

Microsoft will allow home users to extend security support for Windows 10 beyond its October 2025 end-of-life date for a $30 fee per year. This marks the first time the Redmond giant has offered such an option to individual consumers, as extended security updates were previously available only to business and education customers. While the extension will maintain essential security patches, users won't receive new features, bug fixes, or technical support from Microsoft. This decision affects millions of Windows 10 users worldwide who may be unable or unwilling to upgrade to Windows 11, either due to hardware limitations or personal preference. While Microsoft strongly encourages users to transition to Windows 11, which offers enhanced security features and AI capabilities, many older computers don't meet the newer operating system's stricter hardware requirements.

The company will begin enrollment for the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program closer to the 2025 deadline. Microsoft will also continue providing Security Intelligence Updates for Microsoft Defender Antivirus through at least October 2028, offering an additional layer of protection for Windows 10 users. This move can be interpreted as Microsoft's acknowledgment of the significant number of users still running Windows 10 and the potential security risks of leaving them unprotected. Using an ESU package from an official source like Microsoft is always better than sourcing them from third-party like 0patch offers, and it is a welcome addition for millions of PCs running Windows 10 today.

Apple and Samsung are reportedly in the fray to acquire Intel, according a spectacular rumor cited by Moore's Law is Dead. This would put the list of companies looking to acquire Intel at 3—Apple, Samsung, and Qualcomm. All three are Arm licensees, with unique characteristics. Apple currently has an Arm-based SoC hardware division that makes custom chips for all its devices, including Macs. Samsung would go on to be an overseas parent company for an American heritage company like Intel, but something like this is not unheard of when you consider examples such as Boston Dynamics being acquired by Hyundai Motors, or Westinghouse Nuclear's acquisition by Japan's Toshiba, before changing hands to Canadian Bookfield Partners. Then there's Qualcomm—the American company is having a bit of a falling out with Arm, and the prospect of owning the x86 IP should be tempting.

Intel retains large amounts of market-share in both the PC processor and server processor markets, however, the company's stock price has been on a downward trend for several quarters now, causing its valuation to drop to levels where any of the other big tech companies can afford to buy it out. The company spent close to $10 billion on a GPU architecture project spanning not just a contemporary graphics architecture to power the integrated graphics solutions of its PC processors, but also discrete gaming GPUs; and most importantly, an AI GPU architecture under the "Ponte Vecchio" project. Intel's Xe-HP AI GPU missed its performance targets or was too late to the market, leaving Intel with a gaping hole that it could only fill with a slew of cost-cutting measures. It doesn't help that Intel Foundry is losing its edge, and none of the logic tiles of Core Ultra "Arrow Lake" processor is made on an Intel foundry node.

In actively verifying its next-generation CAMM2 (Compression Attached Memory Module 2) memory modules, global memory leader Team Group Inc. today announced two specifications: consumer-grade CAMM2 DDR5 7200 MHz and industrial-grade CAMM2 DDR5 6400 MHz. These new products provide expanded options for the memory market, delivering faster data transfer speeds, enhanced performance, and greater user flexibility.

The consumer-grade CAMM2 memory from Team Group operates at DDR5 7200 MHz CL34-42-42-84 under manual overclocking, delivering exceptional performance. Compared to the default JEDEC specification, the module offers write, copy, and read speeds of up to 108,000 MB/s, 106,000 MB/s, and 117,000 MB/s, respectively, while reducing overall latency to 55ns. The module delivers smoother performance when running large applications, gaming, or multitasking. The potential to achieve ultra-high frequencies of 8000-9000 MHz in the future further underscores its superior capabilities. In addition, Team Group Industrial is developing an industrial-grade CAMM2 memory, optimized for DDR5 6400 MHz, which is designed for industrial control, edge computing, and AI applications, providing robust support for high-performance computing and real-time data processing. The module will play a critical role in the development of technologies such as smart manufacturing, autonomous driving, and smart cities by improving both performance and reliability.

Apple today announced financial results for its fiscal 2024 fourth quarter ended September 28, 2024. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $94.9 billion, up 6 percent year over year, and quarterly diluted earnings per share of $0.97. Diluted earnings per share was $1.64,1 up 12 percent year over year when excluding the one-time charge recognized during the fourth quarter of 2024 related to the impact of the reversal of the European General Court's State Aid decision.

"Today Apple is reporting a new September quarter revenue record of $94.9 billion, up 6 percent from a year ago," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "During the quarter, we were excited to announce our best products yet, with the all-new iPhone 16 lineup, Apple Watch Series 10, AirPods 4, and remarkable features for hearing health and sleep apnea detection. And this week, we released our first set of features for Apple Intelligence, which sets a new standard for privacy in AI and supercharges our lineup heading into the holiday season."

Intel Corporation today reported third-quarter 2024 financial results.

"Our Q3 results underscore the solid progress we are making against the plan we outlined last quarter to reduce costs, simplify our portfolio and improve organizational efficiency. We delivered revenue above the midpoint of our guidance, and are acting with urgency to position the business for sustainable value creation moving forward," said Pat Gelsinger, Intel CEO. "The momentum we are building across our product portfolio to maximize the value of our x86 franchise, combined with the strong interest Intel 18A is attracting from foundry customers, reflects the impact of our actions and the opportunities ahead."

Even post-spooky season, GFN Thursday has some treats for GeForce NOW members: a new batch of 17 games joining the cloud in November. Catch the five games available to stream this week, including Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the highly anticipated next installment in BioWare's beloved fantasy role-playing game series. Players who purchased the GeForce NOW Ultimate bundle can stream the game at launch for free starting today.

Unite the Veilguard
In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, take on the role of Rook and stop a pair of corrupt ancient gods who've broken free from centuries of darkness, hellbent on destroying the world. Set in the rich world of Thedas, the game includes an epic story with meaningful choices, deep character relationships, and a mix of familiar and new companions to go on adventures with. Select from three classes, each with distinct weapon types, and harness the classes' unique, powerful abilities while coordinating with a team of seven companions, who have their own rich lives and deep backstories. An expansive skill-tree system allows for diverse character builds across the Warrior, Rogue and Mage classes.

Corsair is excited to infuse its MGX magnetic switch technology into a competitive tenkeyless form-factor with the all-new K70 PRO TKL keyboard. Replete with sought-after features such as FlashTap and Rapid Trigger, the K70 PRO TKL is ready to dominate the competitive gaming scene. The K70 PRO TKL debuts all-new Corsair MGX Hyperdrive magnetic switches that harness Hall-effect sensors for ultra-fast magnetic activation. The K70 PRO TKL features Rapid Trigger, which accelerates actions by registering and resetting keys instantly, outpacing even the best mechanical switches. Combined with the ability to customize actuation distance from an ultra-sensitive 0.1 mm to a deep 4.0 mm, the K70 PRO TKL adapts to every playstyle.

The K70 PRO TKL also offers FlashTap as an option. A brand new SOCD system that enables users to perform esports-grade character movement, FlashTap revolutionizes in-game movement, with modes that prioritize the first or last key pressed. Used in conjunction with Rapid Trigger, FlashTap makes rapid-strafing and move-mirroring in games faster than ever before. Users can instantly switch from casual to pro with Game Mode. In one button, settings optimize, easily mispressed keys lock, RGB lighting turns static, and Rapid Trigger activates for instant input registration.

Electronic Arts Inc. and BioWare announced today that Dragon Age: The Veilguard is now available for PlayStation 5 (also enhanced for PS5 Pro), Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam (Steam Deck Verified), EA app and Epic Games Store. This bold, heroic adventure is built to deliver on what the series is best known for: rich storytelling, fantasy worldbuilding, companions & fellowship, and a world where you matter. The next installment in BioWare's beloved franchise has captivated critics worldwide, with outlets such as IGN and GamesRadar+ proclaiming it "deserves its place in the RPG pantheon" and is "A true return to RPG form for BioWare" in their 9/10 and 4.5/5 reviews.

In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Solas, the Dread Wolf, wants to tear down the Veil that separates Thedas from the world of demons, restoring his people's immortality and glory - even at the cost of countless lives. But his ritual goes awry, and his worst fears are realized, as two of his most ancient and powerful adversaries are released. Players will step into the role of Rook, a fully-customizable protagonist who must rise up and unite their companions to stop these two powerful deities on a journey that will span across Thedas' bustling cities, lush tropics, boreal forests, fettered swamps and deepest depths.

JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in standards development for the microelectronics industry, today announced the publication of PS-007A LPDDR5 CAMM2 Connector Performance Standard. The connector, referred to as "LP5CAMM2," is designed to offer a standardized modular LPDDR5 solution with ecosystem support, unlike the traditional LPDDR5 memory-down approach. Developed by JEDEC's JC-11 Committee for Mechanical Standardization, PS-007A is available for free download from the JEDEC website.

As compared to a DDR5 SODIMM connector, benefits of the LP5CAMM2 connector include:

• Better signal integrity (SI) and improved radio frequency interference (RFI)
• To enable a module solution with lower power consumption and increased battery life
• 50% form factor reduction with the similar Z height

Today, the Department of Commerce and Natcast, the operator of the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), announced the expected location for the first CHIPS for America research and development (R&D) flagship facility. The CHIPS for America Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Accelerator, an NSTC facility (EUV Accelerator), is expected to operate within NY CREATES' Albany NanoTech Complex in Albany, New York, supported by a proposed federal investment of an estimated $825 million. The EUV Accelerator will focus on advancing state of the art EUV technology and the R&D that relies on it.

As a key part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda, CHIPS for America is driven by the growing need to bolster the U.S. semiconductor supply chain, accelerate U.S. leading-edge R&D, and create good quality jobs around the country. This proposed facility will bring together NSTC members from across the ecosystem to accelerate semiconductor R&D and innovation by providing NSTC members access to technologies, capabilities, and critical resources.

MSI is thrilled to introduce the upcoming AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, an innovation built on the Zen 5 architecture and featuring AMD's groundbreaking 3D V-Cache technology. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is designed for peak performance with improved IPC and superior power efficiency compared to the previous generation, promising an exhilarating leap in computing power.

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D integrates seamlessly with the AM5 socket ecosystem, providing users access to PCIe Gen 5 bandwidth and high-speed DDR5 memory support. Built on a 4 nm process, this processor establishes a new performance, power efficiency, and responsiveness benchmark, ideal for intensive gaming and content creation. MSI's X870(E) motherboards are fully compatible with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, featuring a robust lineup from MEG X870E GODLIKE to MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI. MSI's X870(E) motherboards and AMD's latest processors unlock peak gaming performance for users.

Today, AMD unveiled new desktop computing products, delivering enhanced performance for gamers. The lineup features the new AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Desktop processor, based on the "Zen 5" architecture and utilizing 2nd Gen AMD 3D V-Cache technology.

With the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor, AMD has re-engineered its cutting-edge on-chip memory solution with 2nd Gen AMD 3D V-Cache technology. The 64 MB cache memory has been relocated below the processor, which puts the core complex die (CCD) closer to the cooling solution to help keep the "Zen 5" cores cooler, delivering high clock rates and providing up to an average 8% gaming performance improvement compared to our last-gen generation and up to an average 20% faster than the competition. This revolutionary change in placement allows for extreme overclocking of the processor. It's the first X3D processor to be fully unlocked, empowering enthusiasts and gamers to push its performance to new limits.

Cervoz, a global leader in industrial-grade modules, proudly introduces its latest PCIe low-profile USB 3.2 expansion series—the MEC-USB-PL. Purpose-built to meet the rapidly growing demands for industrial connectivity, the MEC-USB-PL series is designed to offer unmatched flexibility and scalability, supporting up to 8 ports per card with both USB Type-A and Type-C connectors. The series delivers a robust and future-proof solution for a wide range of industrial applications, enabling seamless integration into modern, data-intensive operations.

Engineered for Industrial Performance and Reliability
The MEC-USB-PL series combines high port density with versatile configurations. Available in both 4-port and 8-port configurations, it allows industrial users to optimize connectivity setups based on specific needs. The 4-port model (MEC-USB-PL004) is ideal for applications needing focused, high-speed data transfer across devices, while the 8-port models (MEC-USB-PL008 and MEC-USB-PL008C) offer extensive connectivity. The MEC-USB-PL008C's mixed supporting of USB Type-A and Type-C enables compatibility across both legacy and modern devices.

AMD is about to launch the Ryzen 7 9800X3D 8-core/16-thread processor with 3D V-cache on November 7, 2024, and it is widely expected to extend AMD's leadership with gaming performance. Hoang Anh Phu, a reliable source with PC hardware leaks, says that the 9800X3D comes with a launch price that's $30 higher than the 7800X3D, which had launched at $450. This would put the 9800X3D at $480. At this price, the 9800X3D is priced $80 higher than the Core Ultra 7 265K, and exactly $100 less than the Core Ultra 9 285K. It would also launch about $40 higher than the current street price of the Core i9-14900K, and $120 higher than the Core i7-14700K. The 9800X3D is also a whopping $150 pricier than the Ryzen 7 9700X.

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D remains the fastest PC processor for gaming; neither Intel's limited-edition Core i9-14900KS nor the latest Core Ultra 9 285K could beat it. The 9800X3D has three things going for it—firstly, it's the new "Zen 5" microarchitecture and the IPC uplift that comes with it; secondly, it has a 500 MHz higher base frequencies, and 200 MHz higher maximum boost frequencies than the 7800X3D; and lastly, AMD has inverted the way it stacks the 3D V-cache die with the CPU complex die (CCD), with the CCD now stacking on top of the L3D, which is expected to give the 9800X3D thermal behavior similar to non-X3D processors such as the 9700X.Update 14:29 UTC: This is confirmed by AMD's official announcement, which just went live.

If you want a stylishly modern glass look for your hardware, then the AK6 RGB is just what you need! This eye-catching ATX case not only puts the focus on the hardware, but also on a good airflow. This is thanks to four pre-installed addressable RGB fans along with a specially designed intake of air through a side panel. In addition, the AK6 RGB is equipped with modern connectivity, broad BTF mainboard compatibility, and plenty of space for components.

Stylish Glass Look
A special highlight of the AK6 RGB is the modern look of the tempered glass, which forms a continuous window around the front and side of the case.

Shuttle is expanding its XPC Barebone range with the new XH610G2, a compact Mini-PC in a 4.7-liter format (dimensions: 25 × 20 × 9.5 cm). The device offers outstanding flexibility because it's possible to integrate either two PCI-Express cards in a single-slot format or one dual-slot card. Thanks to a PCIe-x16-5.0 and a PCIe-x1-3.0 slot, users can customize the Mini-PC in a variety of ways and add powerful components.

The XH610G2 supports Intel Core desktop processors of the 12th, 13th and 14th generation (LGA1700) and offers a solid performance base with up to 96 GB of DDR5 RAM. Graphics and multimedia connectivity is guaranteed by two HDMI 2.0b ports and one DisplayPort 1.4. A 2.5 Gbit/s Ethernet port and a 1 Gbit/s Ethernet port is available to provide a network connection.

Samsung Electronics today reported financial results for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2024. The Company posted KRW 79.1 trillion in consolidated revenue, an increase of 7% from the previous quarter, on the back of the launch effects of new smartphone models and increased sales of high-end memory products. Operating profit declined to KRW 9.18 trillion, largely due to one-off costs, including the provision of incentives in the Device Solutions (DS) Division. The strength of the Korean won against the U.S. dollar resulted in a negative impact on company-wide operating profit of about KRW 0.5 trillion compared to the previous quarter.

In the fourth quarter, while memory demand for mobile and PC may encounter softness, growth in AI will keep demand at robust levels. Against this backdrop, the Company will concentrate on driving sales of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and high-density products. The Foundry Business aims to increase order volumes by enhancing advanced process technologies. Samsung Display Corporation (SDC) expects the demand of flagship products from major customers to continue, while maintaining a quite conservative outlook on its performance. The Device eXperience (DX) Division will continue to focus on premium products, but sales are expected to decline slightly compared to the previous quarter.

During Alphabet's Q3 earnings call, CEO Sundar Pichai announced that AI now generates more than a quarter of the company's new code, marking a significant milestone for AI advancement and for the tech giant. This development comes alongside impressive financial results, with the company reporting $88.2 billion in revenue, representing a 15% year-over-year increase. Implementing AI in code generation has raised concerns, though Google maintains rigorous safety protocols. Every AI-generated code segment undergoes thorough review by human (natural intelligence) engineers before deployment, ensuring quality and security standards are met. This hybrid approach helps Google balance productivity with reliability. The tech giant's commitment to AI development extends beyond code generation.

Recent achievements include the revolutionary AI Overviews feature, which has undergone significant optimization. Through optimizing hardware solutions and technical improvements, Google has managed to reduce query costs by over 90% while simultaneously doubling the capacity of their custom Gemini models. Google's AI push has also garnered prestigious recognition, with DeepMind researchers Demis Hassabis and John Jumper receiving the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their groundbreaking AlphaFold project. Former Google researcher Geoff Hinton also achieved Nobel recognition in Physics. The impact of Google's AI integration is evident across its product ecosystem, with Gemini models now powering seven platforms that each serve over two billion monthly users. Google Maps recently joined this elite group, while the company has expanded its AI capabilities to external developers through partnerships with platforms like GitHub Copilot to help developers write code with AI assistance.

ASRock, the global leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, mini PCs, and gaming monitors, announced today that its AM5 series motherboards are fully compatible with the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor, maximizing its impressive gaming performance. This allows PC enthusiasts worldwide to be among the first to experience the exceptional capabilities brought by the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the first model released in the 9000X3D processor series. ASRock AM5 motherboards will continue to receive updates to ensure seamless compatibility with upcoming Ryzen 9000 Series X3D processors, delivering outstanding performance for gaming enthusiasts.

Users can download and install the latest AGESA 1.2.0.2a BIOS from the ASRock website or use the BIOS Flashback and Instant Flash features for an easy upgrade. ASRock recommends updating to the latest BIOS version promptly to ensure optimal system compatibility and performance.

The launch of Intel's "Arrow Lake-S" Core Ultra 200S series of desktop processors has been a bit of a disappointment for gamers, given a slight regression in the new generation's gaming performance. While excelling in productivity tasks, these CPUs are not seemingly the top choice for gamers. According to data from Mindfactory, one of Germany's largest retailers, Intel's Arrow Lake CPUs didn't account for even one Intel-powered CPU sale since the October 24 launch. This is a massive contradiction to US-based retailers like Amazon and Newegg, which sold out their Arrow Lake stock swiftly. However, the German retailer paints a different picture.

In terms of units sold, there were 730 AMD CPU units sold, while only 40 Intel. AMD accounted for 94.81% of that week's sales, with an average selling price of 267 Euros and Intel's average selling price of 388 Euros per unit. It is worth pointing out that this information is only based on one week of sales and should not be a general guide for Intel Arrow Lake sales in Germany. We are still left to see how many units will be sold in the coming weeks, especially with the upcoming holiday season. Below is the picture from TechEpiphany on X, showing all the sold units and their quantity.

According to a recent Reuters report, OpenAI is continuing with its moves in the custom silicon space, expanding beyond its reported talks with Broadcom to include a broader strategy involving multiple industry leaders. Broadcom is a fabless chip designer known for a wide range of silicon solutions spanning from networking, PCIe, SSD controllers, and PHYs all the way up to custom ASICs. The company behind ChatGPT is actively working with both Broadcom and TSMC to develop its first proprietary AI chip, specifically focused on inference operations. Getting a custom chip to do training runs is a bit more complex task, and OpenAI leaves that to its current partners until the company figures out all details. Even with an inference chip, the scale at which OpenAI works and serves its models makes financial sense for the company to develop custom solutions tailored to its infrastructure needs.

This time, the initiative represents a more concrete and nuanced approach than previously understood. Rather than just exploratory discussions, OpenAI has assembled a dedicated chip team of approximately 20 people, led by former Google TPU engineers Thomas Norrie and Richard Ho. The company has secured manufacturing capacity with TSMC, targeting a 2026 timeline for its first custom-designed chip. While Broadcom's involvement leverages its expertise in helping companies optimize chip designs for manufacturing and manage data movement between chips—crucial for AI systems running thousands of processors in parallel—OpenAI is simultaneously diversifying its compute strategy. This includes adding AMD's Instinct MI300X chips to its infrastructure alongside its existing NVIDIA deployments. Similarly, Meta has the same approach, where it now trains its models on NVIDIA GPUs and serves them to the public (inferencing) using AMD Instinct MI300X.