Beijing has doubled down on its push for semiconductor self-sufficiency with the establishment of a new $47.5 billion investment fund to accelerate growth in the domestic chip sector. The fund, officially registered on May 24th under the name "China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund Phase III", represents the largest of three state-backed vehicles aimed at cultivating China's semiconductor capabilities. The announcement comes as tensions over advanced chip technology continue to escalate between the U.S. and China. Over the past couple years, Washington has steadily ratcheted up export controls on semiconductors to Beijing over national security concerns about potential military applications. These measures have lent new urgency to China's quest for self-sufficiency in chip design and manufacturing.

With a war chest of 344 billion yuan ($47.5 billion), the "Big Fund" dwarfs the combined capital of the first two semiconductor investment vehicles launched in 2014 and 2019. Officials have outlined a multipronged strategy targeting key bottlenecks, focusing on equipment for chip fabrication plants. The fund has bankrolled major projects such as flash memory maker Yangtze Memory Technologies and leading foundries like SMIC and Huahong. China's homegrown chip industry still needs to catch up to global leaders like Intel, Samsung, and TSMC. However, the immense scale of state-directed capital illustrates Beijing's unwavering commitment to developing a self-reliant supply chain for semiconductors—a technology viewed as indispensable for economic and military competitiveness. News of the "Big Fund" sent Chinese chip stocks surging over 3% on hopes of fresh financing tailwinds.

The highly anticipated AORUS 16X, a brand-new 16-inch AI gaming laptop unveiled by the world's leading computer brand, GIGABYTE, is now available. Powered by the latest Intel Core 14th gen HX processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series laptop GPU, AORUS 16X sets a new standard for performance. Equipped with GIGABYTE AI Nexus technology, it optimizes power management and gaming performance while enhancing generative AI applications. Boasting patented innovations like the 4-sided Super-slim Bezel design and supporting Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, it creates a cinematic audiovisual experience unparalleled in its class. It holds the TÜV Rheinland Eye Comfort Certification and Pantone Validated color accuracy certification, which provide high comfort and confidence for extended use.

The AORUS 16X is powered by the latest Intel Core i9 processor 14900HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 dedicated graphics card. With a maximum graphic power of up to 140 W, it provides unmatched performance for gaming and creative tasks. The inclusion of NVIDIA Advanced Optimus technology (DDS) ensures seamless switching between integrated and dedicated graphics for optimal performance. Additionally, the WINDFORCE Infinity Cooling technology features the Icy Touch design and 0dB Cooling, enabling efficient heat dissipat ion during heavy loads, or maintaining a noise-free environment during low loads.

Global semiconductor capacity is expected to increase 6.4% in 2024 to top the 30 million *wafers per month (wpm) mark for the first time after rising 5.5% to 29.6 wpm in 2023, SEMI announced today in its latest quarterly World Fab Forecast report.

The 2024 growth will be driven by capacity increases in leading-edge logic and foundry, applications including generative AI and high-performance computing (HPC), and the recovery in end-demand for chips. The capacity expansion slowed in 2023 due to softening semiconductor market demand and the resulting inventory correction.

TrendForce investigations reveal a significant leap in the DRAM industry for 3Q23, with total revenues soaring to US$13.48 billion—marking 18% QoQ growth. This surge is attributed to a gradual resurgence in demand, prompting buyers to re-energize their procurement activities. Looking ahead to Q4, while suppliers are firmly set on price hikes, with DRAM contract prices expected to rise by approximately 13-18%, demand recovery will not be as robust as in previous peak seasons. Overall, while there is demand for stockpiling, procurement for the server sector remains tentative due to high inventory levels, suggesting limited growth in DRAM industry shipments for Q4.

Three major manufacturers witnessed Q3 revenue growth. Samsung's revenue increased by about 15.9% to US$5.25 billion thanks to stable demand for high-capacity products fueled by AI advancements and the rollout of its 1alpha nm DDR5. SK hynix showcased the most notable growth among manufacturers with a 34.4% increase, reaching about US$4.626 billion and significantly narrowing its market share gap with Samsung to less than 5%. Micron's revenue rose by approximately 4.2% to US$3.075 billion—despite a slight drop in ASP—supported by an upswing in demand and shipment volumes.

AMD has released the latest version of the Adrenalin software, the version 23.9.1 WHQL. The new AMD Software Adrenalin Edition 23.9.1 WHQL adds support for Radeon RX 7700 and RX 7800 series graphics cards which will be available as of today, as well as adds support for AMD Radeon Anti-Lag, Radeon Boost, and AMD HYPR-RX features.

The AMD Radeon Anti-Lag+ initially supports 12 games, including Apex Legends, Overwatch 2, Dying Light 2, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Resident Evil 4, Ghostwire: Tokyo, Fortnite, Last of Us: Part 1, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Resident Evil 3, and Borderlands 3, with more promised in the coming months. It also adds support for AMD HYPER-X, a one click solution which combines AMD Radeon Anti-Lag+, Boost, and Radeon Super Resolution to achieve improved performance and latency reduction.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Software Adrenalin 23.9.1 WHQL for AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT and RX 7800 XT
DOWNLOAD: AMD Software Adrenalin 23.9.1