JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in the development of standards for the microelectronics industry, today announced the publication of its highly anticipated High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) DRAM standard: HBM4. Designed as an evolutionary step beyond the previous HBM3 standard, JESD270-4 HBM4 will further enhance data processing rates while maintaining essential features such as higher bandwidth, power efficiency, and increased capacity per die and/or stack, because the higher bandwidth enables the higher data processing rate.

The advancements introduced by HBM4 are vital for applications that require efficient handling of large datasets and complex calculations, including generative artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing, high-end graphics cards, and servers. HBM4 introduces numerous improvements to the prior version of the standard, including:

Apple is preparing to update its Vision Pro headset lineup with two new models. The first one, known inside the company as Vision Pro 2, will use Apple's upcoming M5 chip, which should boost performance and improve battery life. Apple also plans to make this model lighter and less expensive than the current version, which starts at $3,499 for 256 GB of storage in the US. Although Apple has not shared exact numbers, the goal is to address feedback about the headset feeling front-heavy, as it currently weighs between 600 g and 650 g, depending on the headband setup. Apple engineers are experimenting with lighter alloys and a revised seal and cushion design that should be more comfortable during long sessions to reach those weight targets. The aim is to bring the Vision Pro closer to the weight of competitors like Meta's Quest 3, which is about 515 g. Lowering the price will be another challenge, especially since the Vision Pro is built entirely in China, where supply chain pressures have been growing.

Alongside Vision Pro 2, Apple is developing a second headset specifically for wired connection to a Mac. This version will likely use a high-bandwidth cable such as Thunderbolt or a custom connector to stream the Mac's display with low latency. The current Vision Pro can already extend a Mac screen over Wi-Fi. Still, professionals in areas like surgical planning and flight simulation need consistent performance, which only a wired link can provide. Apple's enterprise team positions this model as a niche tool for pro users rather than a consumer device. However, Apple's big dream remains true: augmented reality glasses that overlay graphics on transparent lenses. CEO Tim Cook has made this a top priority, believing it is essential to stay ahead in spatial computing. The company is focused on shrinking the optics and improving light transmission, two key issues on the path to making real AR glasses a reality.

Hey Module Makers, and welcome to a special edition of the Modulus Dev Log! We've got big news: the Modulus demo is officially live! If you've been waiting to dive into our factory automation sandbox, now's the perfect time to jump in, start optimizing, and let those conveyor belts roll. But today, we're not just celebrating the demo launch, we're also taking a look back at how Modulus has evolved throughout development. From early prototypes to the design choices that shaped the demo, we're pulling back the curtain on what it takes to bring a game like this to life. As well as introducing you to some of the team.

Award-winning developer Happy Volcano (You Suck at Parking, The Almost Gone) and publisher Astra Logical are proud to announce the first-ever demo for Modulus, a factory automation game where players build every piece from the ground up with building-block modules. Cut, color, stamp, and assemble these modules to design an impressive factory with your own creative twist. There are no fixed recipes in Modulus. Players produce each construct from the very modules they manufacture, resulting in a highly personalized approach to factory-building. Witness these structures rise and construct in real time, with each block becoming a visible part of the design. The more complex the buildings, the more advanced the modules must become.

The power of Xbox is now in your hands—anywhere, anytime. The new Designed for Xbox: Backbone One Xbox Edition transforms your phone into the ultimate companion for gaming on mobile. Enjoy your games with an enhanced D-pad for precise control and magnetic adapters that secure your phone in place, even with your phone case on. Quickly access your Xbox dashboard with a single press of the Xbox button and jump straight into games like Halo Infinite and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. All this, with a look that captures the classic Xbox design, featuring a stunning translucent green inspired by the original Xbox.

Stream with cloud gaming and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, play natively, or use remote play from your Xbox console or PC—wherever you are. Designed for low-latency and responsive controls, Backbone One Xbox Edition keeps you in the game. The Backbone app unifies your gaming experience, connecting your favorite titles, streaming services, and social features into one intuitive hub. And to kickstart your adventure, each purchase includes one month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at no cost (for new members only), unlocking hundreds of games ready to play on the go.

Following the highly anticipated unveiling of its first product lineup at FS Weekend 2025, Meridian GMT is excited to announce that full product details for the Sierra Plus Flight Controls, Tango Plus Throttle Quadrant, and X-Ray Flight Controller are now live on the official website. Flight simulation enthusiasts can now explore in-depth specifications, features, and availability information for these innovative devices.

The initial feedback from both the industry and community has been phenomenal and better than I could have asked for, says Nicki Repenning, Founder of Meridian GMT. and I completely understand the ones who raised doubts. I've got a lot to prove, and their doubts are warranted until I do.

The first MSI Claw was designed for ergonomic comfort and seamless gaming across platforms like Steam, Ubisoft, and Xbox. It even handled mobile games effortlessly. Now, thanks to valuable feedback from our community, we've made significant improvements in both hardware and software for the next generation—introducing the Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+, powered by the latest Intel Lunar Lake processor for enhanced performance and efficiency.

Key Upgrades Based on Community Feedback
1) Enhanced Connectivity with Dual Thunderbolt 4 Ports. Both the Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ now feature two Thunderbolt 4 ports, allowing you to connect an external SSD without unplugging the power cord. This ensures greater flexibility and seamless gameplay.

CSTM creations worthy of the Dark Lord. Into these keyboards, we poured his malice, his cruelty, and his will to dominate all life. Customize like the shapeshifter Sauron himself on the new Drop + The Lord of the Rings Black Speech CSTM80 and CSTM65. Enshrouding these pre-builts in their own shadows of Mordor are our all-new Black Speech CSTM Decorative Cases—featuring exclusive artwork and magnetic detachability for easy customization.

Officially licensed MT3 Black Speech Keycaps
Speaking that same shadow into existence is our officially licensed MT3 Black Speech Keycap set - showcasing legends written in the same sinister scrawl found on The One Ring, as well as extra accent keys from our Magma Kit. CSTM components to conquer any desk—Marching for Mordor alongside our exclusive Black Speech accessories is a whole legion of enthusiast components; including Gateron switches, customizable gasket mounting, case foam, case weights, and more...

Last week, we got a leaked picture of AMD's reference/OEM/Made by AMD (MBA) design of the Radeon RX 9070 XT in China. However, we have a non-XT card on the menu today, with the reference design also pictured in China. We already know that AMD is not releasing any MBA reference designs of its latest Radeon RX 9000 series GPUs based on the RDNA 4. However, the Chinese black market is the place to be when it comes to finding these MBA cards, probably manufactured in high double-digit or low tripe-digits of units. AMD usually has one of its AIB partners manufacture these for OEM integrated system distribution or partner testing/software optimization.

Pictured below is the Radeon RX 9070 non-XT GPU with an all-black shroud. Unlike official renders, this design is much more toned down. The official render shows a black/gray color combination with an LED-illuminated Radeon logo. However, the official version appears with only a simple aesthetic, without a hint of LED illumination. The card wasn't pictured running, but we assume that there is no LED illumination. Below, you can compare the pictured/leaked Radeon RX 9070 GPU with the official render.

What's better than first-person sprayer PowerWash Simulator? A second PowerWash Simulator! That's right, we're thrilled to finally be able to talk about the next soap-erior sequel in our beloved franchise, PowerWash Simulator 2, coming in 2025 to Steam, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and Epic Games Store. Available to wish list now on your platform of choice. Those of you who are eagle-eyed Game Pass fans may have enjoyed the original already, but for those unfamiliar with the concept, let me give you the rinse. PowerWash Simulator is what it says on the tin: find yourself in a mess, clean it up, build your business, become deeply immersed in soothing satisfaction, and indulge in some fascinating lore, including a mayor, a cat and… aliens?

That sounds random, but this game has been so beloved (by over 17 million of you!) that we wanted to give you more. Design Director Dan Chequer tells us a little more about why a sequel was the natural next step. "PowerWash Simulator has exceeded our expectations by taking off in the incredible way it has. Although we've added a huge amount of incredible content to the original game, we built and designed the game over four years ago when we never expected it to become so large. As a result, it has some technological limitations keeping us from adding new and interesting features. So, it made sense to start discussing where we could go from here."

Cooler Master, a global leader in PC components and tech lifestyle solutions, today announced a new range of products that enhance cooling efficiency, offer streamlined form factors, and deliver reliable power for diverse computing needs. From the space-conscious Ncore 100 Air case to updates in the MasterLiquid and Hyper series, Cooler Master continues its focus on performance-driven, user-friendly designs.

"We're excited to introduce a fully integrated lineup that supports PC builders at every level," said Jimmy Sha, CEO of Cooler Master. "From the compact Ncore 100 Air case to our latest MasterLiquid and Hyper coolers, SickleFlow Edge fans, and the MWE Gold V3 PSU, each product underscores our goal of blending performance, reliability, and style into every build."

ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual and EdTech solutions, has been honored at the prestigious iF Design Award 2025 for its outstanding design excellence. The company earned accolades for its Mac-compatible 5K monitor, 16-inch 16:10 portable monitors, and ViewShare wireless screen casting kit, showcasing its dedication to innovation, sustainability, and user-centric design.

ViewSonic has been honored at the iF Design Award 2025 for its outstanding design excellence
"We're thrilled to see our focus on user-centric innovation—like the ColorPro monitor's stunning 5K clarity for creative professionals, portable monitors for productivity on the go, and ViewShare for seamless collaboration—recognized for the eighth consecutive year at the iF Design Award," said Bonny Cheng, COO at ViewSonic. "Our goal is to deliver comprehensive solutions across business, education, and entertainment while prioritizing sustainability."

Commemorate The Last of Us franchise with a brand-new controller; here's a first look at the DualSense wireless controller—The Last of Us Limited Edition. Created in close collaboration with the creative team at Naughty Dog, this striking design features glossy trophy icons printed across the surface that call back to key moments, characters, and events from The Last of Us Part I and The Last of Us Part II.

To share more about the controller's design and inspiration, here's Head of Studio and Head of Creative Neil Druckmann and Graphic Designer Megan Mehran from Naughty Dog: "We were excited by the chance to memorialize The Last of Us franchise in a controller that fans and our own team would love. We wanted to ensure that both installments of The Last of Us are represented, via trophy icons printed in black gloss across the controller body. Among the trophies, three particular images will immediately stand out for TLOU fans: The firefly, moth, and wolf. Players will recognize the Fireflies' iconic spray-painted logo that originated in Part I, while the moth and wolf represent the intertwining lives and duality between Ellie and Abby in Part II."

Codasip, the European RISC-V leader, announced that it has been selected to provide a general purpose, high-end processor as part of the large-scale European supercomputing project Digital Autonomy with RISC-V in Europe (DARE).

DARE is set to build a supercomputing compute stack, featuring high-performance and energy-efficient RISC-V-based processors and accelerators designed and developed in Europe. The European Union has committed 240 million Euros in funding for the first 3-year program phase. The selected partners will leverage hardware/software co-design to achieve competitive performance and efficiency.

Colebrook Bosson Saunders (CBS), the leader in workplace ergonomics, is announcing the newly relaunched Flo monitor arm for future-ready, ergonomic, modern workstations. This revamped version demonstrates the brand's design innovation, insight into workplace well-being, and industry-leading commitment to sustainability.

"Productivity gains from rapidly advancing technology come with a greater need to care for the health and wellbeing of workers," commented Cecil Huang, Senior Marketing Manager - APMEA of CBS. "To deliver this, the reimagined Flo leverages our signature innovation in design, working with the latest screens to optimize ergonomics in modern workstations."

Today, at MWC 2025, Lenovo unveiled groundbreaking advancements in hybrid AI with integrated devices and solutions to empower creators, professionals, and enterprises. The new offerings exemplify Lenovo's vision of Smarter AI for all and showcase how end-to-end AI can offer seamless creation, connection, and collaboration. The range of technology launched at MWC—from new device form factors to affordable edge inference—show the maturity and versatility of Lenovo's AI portfolio while linking bold innovation with real-world impact.

"We believe in the power of convergence: bringing together AI models, data, and computing power—running on devices, on the edge, and in the cloud—to build AI solutions for customers," said Lenovo CEO and chairman Yuanqing Yang, who delivered a keynote address at MWC. "This convergence drives stronger ecosystem connectivity, unleashing the power of AI to augment human creativity to turn ideas into reality."

AheadComputing today announced it has secured $21.5M in seed funding to rapidly develop and commercialize its breakthrough microprocessor architecture designed to meet the new, unique computing demands across AI, cloud, and edge devices. The funding was led by Eclipse, with participation from Maverick Capital, Fundomo, EPIQ Capital Group, LLC, and legendary CPU architect and current Tenstorrent CEO Jim Keller, who developed cutting-edge semiconductors for Apple, AMD, Tesla, and Intel.

Today, general-purpose computing faces unprecedented challenges due to the rapid expansion of AI and machine learning workloads. A recent report found that 82% of organizations experienced performance issues with their AI workloads over the past year, primarily due to bandwidth shortages and data processing limitations. While specialized accelerators dominate headlines, they rely heavily on general-purpose processors for critical tasks before, after, and in-between AI operations. Existing architectures have struggled to keep pace with the demands of these emerging workloads, creating a bottleneck in compute performance that impacts industries ranging from cloud to edge computing. AheadComputing addresses this critical gap by providing innovative solutions designed to transform how general-purpose computing meets modern demands.

Press outlets have spotted two new B650M motherboard models on ASRock's product site; the B650M Pro X3D and B650M Pro X3D WiFi (6E). According to the manufacturer's descriptions, both are advertised as: "optimized for AMD Ryzen X3D processors, delivering superior stability, compatibility, and enhanced performance, making it ideal for gaming and creating." The "Pro X3D" SKUs have not launched at retail, so pricing information is not available at the time of writing. ASRock could publish a dedicated press release in the near future, but we are looking at a very quiet reveal. Curiously, the Taiwan-based motherboard and graphics card specialist has seemingly "downcycled" its fairly new B850M Pro "Race Sport" RS board design.

VideoCardz's coverage of the Pro X3D series includes a handy image comparison tool. When lined up against each other (visually), the B650M Pro X3D and B850M Pro RS designs are nigh identical. Two of the images (below) show a minor difference in printed-on model names. As expected, the ASRock website comparison tool reveals only minor disparities between respective specification sheets. The standard B850M Pro RS variant is currently on sale for $148 (normally $180). The B650M Pro X3D (non-WiFi 6E) equivalent could arrive at retail with a slightly lower price point. ASRock has signalled that its "Pro X3D" mainboard series will only be available within certain regions. According to VideoCardz, a comprehensive global rollout is not planned.

Synopsys, Inc. today announced the expansion of its industry-leading hardware-assisted verification (HAV) portfolio with new HAPS prototyping and ZeBu emulation systems using the latest AMD Versal Premium VP1902 adaptive SoC. The next generation HAPS-200 prototyping and ZeBu-200 emulation systems deliver improved runtime performance, better compile time and improved debug productivity. They are built on new Synopsys Emulation and Prototyping (EP-Ready) Hardware that optimizes customer return on investment by enabling emulation and prototyping use cases via reconfiguration and optimized software. ZeBu Server 5 is enhanced to deliver industry-leading scalability beyond 60 billion gates (BG) to address the escalating hardware and software complexity in SoC and multi-die designs. It continues to offer industry-best density to optimize data center space utilization.

"With the industry approaching 100s of billions of gates per chip and 100s of millions of lines of software code in SoC and multi-die solutions, verification of advanced designs poses never-before seen challenges," said Ravi Subramanian, chief product management officer, Synopsys. "Continuing our strong partnership with AMD, our new systems deliver the highest HAV performance while offering the ultimate flexibility between prototyping and emulation use. Industry leaders are adopting Synopsys EP-Ready Hardware platforms for silicon to system verification and validation."

Going back a year, we started hearing about an OpenAI proprietary AI chip project—this (allegedly) highly ambitious endeavor included grand plans for a dedicated fabrication network. TSMC was reportedly in the equation, but indirectly laughed at the AI research organization's ardent requests. Fast-forward to the present day; OpenAI appears to be actively pursuing a proprietary GPU design through traditional means. A Reuters exclusive report points to 2025 being an important year for the company's aforementioned "in-house" AI chip—the publication believes that OpenAI's debut silicon design has reached the finalization stage. Insiders have divulged that the project is only months away from being submitted to TSMC for "taping out." The foundry's advanced 3-nanometer process technology is reported to be on the cards. A Reuters source reckons that the unnamed chip features: "a commonly used systolic array architecture with high-bandwidth memory (HBM)...and extensive networking capabilities."

Broadcom is reportedly assisting with the development of OpenAI's in-house design—we heard about rumored negotiations taking place last summer. Jim Keller's tempting offer—of creating an AI chip for less than $1 trillion—was ignored early last year; OpenAI has instead assembled its own internal team of industry veterans. The October 2024 news cycle posited that former Google TPU engineers were drafted in as team leaders, with a targeted mass production window scheduled for 2026. The latest Reuters news article reiterates this projected timeframe, albeit dependent on the initial tape going "smoothly." OpenAI's chip department has grown to around forty individuals with recent months, according to industry moles—a small number relative to the headcounts at "Google or Amazon's AI chip program."

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

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

Intel's Platform Engineering and Client Segments groups are actively looking into ways of reducing computer e-waste, and (in parallel) enhance product repairability. The company's newly proposed "Modular PC Design" is set to take a "sustainable approach" across three key modularity levels: factory, field and user. Team Blue's blog post goes into great detail about revised laptop and mini-PC designs—with the "right-to-repair" movement serving as a major influence. Many "consumer activists and environmental groups" have advocated for improvements in personal computer design—Intel appears to be listening, but a firm release timeline has not been set.

Intel's proposed new standards will revolve around repairability and upgradability—as explained in their blog: "the right-to-repair emphasizes the importance of being able to fix and upgrade PCs on one's own. Improving repairability requires fundamental changes starting from the design methodology." Team Blue's Modular PC program—for laptops—breaks away from the tradition of utilizing an "all-in-one motherboard." A reference diagram shows off three internal modules: a motherboard package and two "universal" left and right I/O units. These separate boards can be: "utilized across various platforms or market segments leads to cost savings by streamlining the duration of the design cycle and minimizing the engineering investment required. The I/O boards for Premium Modular designs are engineered to be common between the fan-less Thin & Light system, which operates within a 10 W power envelope, and the premium fanned designs, which function within a 20 W (single fan) and 30 W (dual fan, Wi-Fi only SKU) power envelope." Framework recently celebrated its fifth year of operation—its modular laptop designs have seemingly "inspired" a few copycats.

NVIDIA has unveiled a radical graphics card prototype that never reached production, offering insight into its design process. In a YouTube video called "Designing the Founders Edition | GeForce RTX 5090", NVIDIA showcases an unreleased design that would have occupied four PCIe slots, featuring a "three-thirds flow-through" cooling system with an unconventional three-fan stair-step configuration. NVIDIA ultimately rejected the quad-slot concept as impractical for most computer systems.
Engineers refined the cooling approach for the RTX 50-series, developing a more streamlined "two-thirds flow-through" design that maintains thermal performance while reducing the card's footprint to two PCIe slots.

Technical challenges emerged during development, particularly in connector design. The team struggled to create a ribbon cable supporting high-bandwidth UHBR20 DisplayPort 2.1b and HDMI 2.1b connections. Their solution involved infusing glass fibers into the cable, enabling support for three DisplayPort and one HDMI connector. Critical engineering focus was placed on the liquid metal thermal interface material. Extensive stress testing ensured reliability across various orientations, with particular attention to preventing oxidation. Given the electrically conductive nature of liquid metal, an air-tight seal around the GPU die became crucial to prevent potential hardware failure.

TeamSpeak, the veteran voice communication platform, has launched TeamSpeak 6 (TS6), marking its most significant update in years. The release introduces screen-sharing capabilities, a modernized interface, and simplified server hosting options as the company adapts to evolving user expectations. The new version offers screen sharing at 1440p/60 FPS without subscription fees, contrasting with Discord's premium-only approach to high-quality screen sharing. TeamSpeak's interface update maintains its core functionality while adopting a more contemporary design. Server hosting options now include direct purchasing through myTeamSpeak accounts, with rental prices starting at $3.99 monthly for five slots. Users can still self-host servers on their hardware, a feature unavailable on Discord's platform.

Improvements include channel user previews, expanded language support, and various bug fixes targeting stability issues. The update addresses performance optimization and user interface consistency across the platform. Despite these updates, TeamSpeak faces significant market challenges. While it maintains advantages in audio latency and quality—factors valued in competitive gaming—adoption hurdles remain. Early user feedback indicates concerns about certain features, including image sharing and cross-channel communication tools. The platform's self-hosting capabilities continue to appeal to privacy-conscious users seeking alternatives to centralized services. However, competing with Discord's established social features and free core services presents ongoing challenges for TeamSpeak's market position. Nonetheless, competition is appreciated, and constant improvements of TeamSpeak software are much valued.

During our CES 2025 Alphacool booth visit, Alphacool has showcased its newest update in the Eiswolf AIO watercooling lineup, tailored specifically for NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50 series "Blackwell" GPUs. The updated design features a GPU waterblock with an integrated pump and a radiator connected via quick-disconnect links, simplifying installation and maintenance. Alphacool continues its use of TPV hoses from the Enterprise Solution series, known for their durability and heat resistance, thanks to their EPDM/PP construction. These hoses, commonly used in servers and workstations, are free of plasticizers and paired with connectors from the same series to ensure robust performance. The GPU waterblock also includes an LED matrix display, demonstrated at the booth showing "RTX 5090," which reflects the GPU it cools. Designed with aesthetics in mind, the block incorporates an acrylic body with a top coat, illuminated by RGB lighting to suit various setups.

Cooler Master, a global leader in PC components and tech lifestyle solutions, today announced the Ncore 100 Air, a small form factor (SFF) PC case crafted for gamers, content creators, and SFF enthusiasts. Designed to streamline PC building and upgrading, the Ncore 100 Air features an open, tool-less design, an innovative expandable design and compatibility with the latest hardware, ensuring users can easily keep up with their performance needs while enjoying a sleek, minimalistic look.

The Ncore 100 Air builds on Cooler Master's commitment to empowering users to create high-performance PCs in small spaces. Designed with modern users in mind, this case delivers the perfect blend of power, versatility, and minimalism, supporting the latest GPUs, ITX motherboards, and SFX power supply units while maintaining an efficient thermal layout.