Cherry Americas, part of the global leader in computer input devices, today announced the launch of an exciting new lineup of computer microphones and accessory products, the CHERRY UM Microphone Series, for streaming and office use. The new product line marks a major expansion of CHERRY's product portfolio into the world of sound and microphones.

A pioneer and pacesetter in computer, office and gaming input devices and accessories and the world leader in mechanical key switches, CHERRY is expanding its audio portfolio with three stylish new microphones for work and entertainment. The CHERRY UM Microphone Series offers anyone from beginners to pro streamers the opportunity to enhance their setups with distinctive designs and the best possible audio recording quality. The new product line fits perfectly into contemporary computing environments where communication and collaboration take place remotely, and podcasts and live streams are part of our daily lives.

CORSAIR, a world leader in high-performance gear for gamers and content creators, today launched a new entry in its acclaimed HS gaming headset lineup: the HS65 WIRELESS. This fashionably lightweight headset boasts two ways to connect to your games via low-latency 2.4 GHz wireless or Bluetooth, giving you the versatility to listen across all your systems and devices. Available in black or white, the HS65 WIRELESS offers advanced audio personalization with Sonarworks SoundID, for sound tailored to you.

The HS65 WIRELESS creates dynamic personal audio with integrated Sonarworks SoundID technology. Conveniently accessible in CORSAIR iCUE software, SoundID uses a quick sound test to find your unique listening preferences and create a personalized audio EQ profile that fine-tunes your audio experience. Combine that with Dolby Audio 7.1 surround sound on PC and Mac, and you have professional-grade sound, without paying a premium.

The PC industry has been hit hard by the current market conditions and economic downturns, as the entire industry has seen sales of new PCs drop to new lows. Equally so, the PC motherboard makers have experienced a crash in sales, where collectively, they delivered ten million units less in 2022 compared to 2021. Thanks to the information by DigiTimes, we have information that major motherboard makers, ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and ASRock, have seen their sales plummet to new lows and reflect how much of a drop the market experienced in the middle of economic uncertainty that the year 2022 brought.

In 2021, ASUS delivered more than 18 million motherboard units; in 2022, it is down to 13.6 million, representing a 25% difference. GIGABYTE shipped 11 million units in 2021, whereas in 2022, the company delivered around 9.5 million motherboards. GIGABYTE has experienced the smallest drop with "only" 14% lower sales. MSI used to deliver 9.5 million motherboards in 2021, and in 2022 its sales plummeted by 42% to 5.5 million units. The worst drop in sales is the one by ASRock, where the company saw its sales go from around 6 million units in 2021 to just 2.7 million units in 2022. This is the report's most significant recorded drop, equaling 55% lower sales in 2022.

This week's big AAA game is yet another console port—a PS5 port in this case—that should hopefully have impressive graphics on the PC as well. However, there's a second big release this week that'll be available on all major platforms. We also have some other interesting releases to look forward to and as it's week seven, we decided to throw in seven games in the list this time.

Returnal / This week's AAA title / Wednesday 15 February
Break the cycle as this award-winning third-person shooter brings bullet hell action to PC. Selene's roguelike odyssey arrives with a suite of arresting graphical and performance-based enhancements to ensure an unforgettable journey. This includes the full Returnal experience, complete with Suspend Cycle, Photo and Co-op Modes, as well as the Tower of Sisyphus included from day one.

The global PC market has been experiencing a demand downtrend after the cooling down of COVID-19 in 2022. The market saw its shipments decline 15% YoY in 2022 and is expected to see another high single-digit decline in 2023, according to Counterpoint Research's data. However, among all the PC sub-sectors, Arm-based laptops are expected to show a comparatively resilient demand throughout the coming quarters thanks to Apple's success with the MacBook series, increasing ecosystem support and vanishing performance gap with x86 offerings.

Dell, the global PC conglomerate, is reportedly cutting the number of its employees. The alleged move is a direct response to the economic downturn caused by declining demand for PCs, which is Dell's primary source of revenue. According to Bloomberg Intelligence, Dell is laying off about 5% of its global workforce, representing 6,650 employees from its offices. As the source notes, Dell is going under re-evaluation of its operations, and the employee headcount reduction is the affected area that will benefit the company an estimated 700 million to one billion US Dollars, as analysts predict.

IDC notes that shipments of Dell PCs have experienced the most significant decline of 37% in Q4 of 2022, compared to the same period in 2021. And given a considerable downturn, Dell's 55% of revenue from PCs is poorly affected. The company is now joining others in big tech in performing layoffs to keep profits afloat.

Antec Inc., leading provider of high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself market, broadens its Gold series with three models offering 650 W, 750 W or 850 W. The 80 PLUS GOLD rating and modular cabling make the Neo Eco Gold Modular a great and affordable choice to Antec's range of industry-leading power supplies. They are now commercially available from 109 € (suggested retail price including VAT).

The brand-new NeoECO Gold Modular series was born ready for the best DIY-PC experience, and it also serves exceptional performance and outstanding stability. Featuring 100% full modular design and 80 PLUS Gold certification, the NeoECO Gold Modular series keeps the PC hardware installation convenient and clean. It provides highly efficient power to your system and reduces your electricity bills.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition, the epitome of gaming mouse technology. Built as a result of years of meticulous craftsmanship and engineering, the Viper Mini Signature Edition is an ultra-high-end, hyper-lightweight wireless performance gaming mouse that is turbocharged with Razer's best-in-class technologies.

Engineered for the gamers that dare to want it all, the Viper Mini Signature Edition is the pinnacle of gaming mouse performance. Weighing an astonishing 49 grams, gamers can experience true perfection with a master-grade gaming peripheral packed with our best-in-class technologies, all in one perfect form.

Samsung Electronics today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and the fiscal year 2022. The Company posted KRW 70.46 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 4.31 trillion in operating profit in the quarter ended December 31, 2022. For the full year, it reported 302.23 trillion in annual revenue, a record high and KRW 43.38 trillion in operating profit.

The business environment deteriorated significantly in the fourth quarter due to weak demand amid a global economic slowdown. Earnings at the Memory Business decreased sharply as prices fell and customers continued to adjust inventory. The System LSI Business also saw a decline in earnings as sales of key products were weighed down by inventory adjustments in the industry. The Foundry Business posted a new record for quarterly revenue while profit increased year-on-year on the back of advanced node capacity expansion as well as customer base and application area diversification.

According to HKEPC, AMD is set to introduce two versions of the A620 chipset for its lower-end motherboards, providing a lower barrier of AM5 entry for users on a smaller budget. As the new source notes, AMD is going to use its Promontory 21 (PROM21) module for A620 motherboards, the same one used on B650 and X670 models. However, for the first time, we are hearing about Promontory 22 (PROM22), a module that will allow A620-based motherboards to start at 125 US dollars—a promise made by AMD in its marketing slides (which you can see below). Two A620 chipsets will enable users to choose basic functionality or some additional features on a reasonable budget.

With PROM21 going inside all chipset SKUs, it carries silicon functionality disabled by AMD to create different categories. However, the PROM22 is a new silicon that doesn't need bells and whistles of the high-end boards inside a feature-deprived chipset like A620. This drives down AMD's costs, making it easier for vendors to adjust pricing. We have to wait for the launch and see how much of this will be fulfilled, so stay tuned for further updates.

IK Multimedia releases iRig Stream Mic Pro, combining a professional multi-pattern condenser microphone and 24-bit, 96 kHz audio interface for iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac and PC into a single ultra-portable solution for music and content creation. iRig Stream Mic Pro makes it easier than ever for users to share their voice and music.

Multi-pattern Condenser Microphone
With dual mic capsules, iRig Stream Mic Pro offers selectable cardioid, figure 8, omnidirectional or stereo pickup patterns. These patterns range from noise-rejecting to immersive audio, so whether it's recording a podcast, interview, instrument or ensemble, the sound signal is crisp, clear and detailed with easily adjustable gain and selectable high-pass filter.

Due to the various major events that affected the global economy and politics, the overall demand for consumer electronics made a sharp downward turn in 2022, and global shipments of notebook (laptop) computers began to fall over the quarters. TrendForce's latest analysis finds that global shipments of notebook computers (from ODMs) reached just around 186 million units for 2022, showing a YoY drop of 24.5%. As for 2023, the outlook on the performance of the notebook computer market remains uncertain at this moment. TrendForce expects the YoY decline to moderate to about 7.8%, but shipments are projected to total only 171 million units.

Because market demand was anemic in 4Q22, promotional activities related to the traditional year-end peak season did not generate a lot of sales momentum. Looking at regional markets, notebook brands (PC OEMs) slashed prices in the US and China, but their sales results still did not meet expectations. This development was mainly attributed to factors such as high inflation suppressing consumers' disposable income. Since the sales results for 4Q22 were lackluster, efforts to get rid of the existing stockpile of whole devices might continue through 2Q23. Furthermore, order placements from channels are going to be much more restrained.

Laptop memory has been a controversial topic for many years. Its proprietary standard, SO-DIMM, has shown signs of aging as the decades-old JEDEC standard didn't adapt to other expanding capacities and speed trends. Today, JEDEC and Dell think that the future of laptop memory is in the new CAMM standard that both companies are working on. The introduction of CAMM comes from Dell, whose Senior Distinguished Engineer Tom Schnell is working on it. "We have unanimous approval of the 0.5 spec," said Mr. Schnell for PCWorld. One of the problems that SO-DIMM is facing is the capacity and speed issue, where the current DDR5 SO-DIMM memory stops at around 6400 MT/s. CAMM, on the other hand, starts from that speed and works its way up to offer higher capacities as well.

With Dell introducing CAMM in its laptops, it had no intentions of creating a proprietary solution but rather an expandable and upgradable memory platform with various benefits. With JEDEC's involvement in finalizing this, the CAMM standard is slowly on its way to becoming a viable option for different laptop manufacturers. Dell's Tom Schnell didn't reveal what companies are in the process of creating the final specification; however, we know that 32 of them are present, including Apple. If others join, the standard could take over future laptop designs and offer higher speeds and higher capacities, especially in the mobile workstation space where it matters. Below is an example of a CAMM memory module with a patent showing the SO-DIMM (upper left) versus CAMM (lower right) and CAMM's smaller trace path. With smaller tracing, the latency is also going down, so the new standard will bring additional efficiency. Additionally, devices that are based on LPDDR memory could have an upgrade path with the installment of CAMM.

Three weeks into the new year and another week without any big game releases, although SEGA/Atlus is about to release updated versions of Persona 3 and 4, which ends up being the most well known game releases this coming week. That said, there are a couple of other potentially interesting games coming out, so check out the full list for more details on those.

WW2 Rebuilder / Monday January 16
It's 1945. It's the end of World War II, the war that left a mark. Now people like you have to leave their hometowns to rebuild their countries. Motivated by different reasons, they get set on the same quest - to repair and renovate places completely destroyed during the war.

TrendForce's latest analysis of the DRAM market finds that the inventory pressure on suppliers remain significant due to the persistently weak demand for consumer electronics. Among the top three DRAM suppliers, only Samsung has seen a slight drop in inventory level thanks to its highly competitive pricing strategy. To prevent DRAM prices as a whole from making another sharp dive, a few suppliers such as Micron have been cutting production. Therefore, the QoQ decline in DRAM prices are projected to shrink to around 13~18% for 1Q23. However, the slump will have yet to reach the bottom at that time. Regarding the QoQ changes in the prices of the major categories of DRAM products for 1Q23, PC DRAM and server DRAM are projected to again register a drop that is near 20%. Conversely, mobile DRAM will experience the smallest price decline because its profit margin is ready the thinnest.

Audio-Technica today announced the release of its ATH-M50xSTS and ATH-M50xSTS-USB streaming headsets. These models are the world's first headsets specifically developed to address the needs of live-streaming content creators. Based on the critically acclaimed ATH-M50x professional monitor headphones and incorporating technology from the iconic 20 Series microphones, the ATH-M50xSTS and ATH-M50xSTS-USB deliver full-spectrum, studio-quality for users and listeners on the receiving end.

The headsets are equipped with the same 45 mm large-aperture drivers to provide exceptional clarity throughout an extended frequency range, with deep, accurate bass response. The streaming headsets come with two sets of distinct earpads: M50x earpads that stress audio quality and sound isolation; mesh and leatherette earpads that emphasize breathability and comfort.

HYTE, the PC components, peripherals, and lifestyle brand of iBUYPOWER, today, released its new mid-tower case, the Y40. Y40 is HYTE's second case to defy industry standards by removing the corner pillar and providing a completely unobstructed view of the inside of the case.

Continuing the design ID of its predecessor, the Y60, the HYTE Y40 will feature a two-piece panoramic tempered glass design for a clear view of the system, but in a more traditional PC case shape. The tempered glass side panel can easily be removed via a now tool-less tab located at the back of the panel while the front piece takes on a more stationary role. The tower form of Y40 will feel familiar to consumers yet, remains unique in both feature set and architecture.

Client SSDs constituted a major driver of demand bit growth in the NAND Flash market for the past two years as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were spurring procurement activities related to working and studying from home. TrendForce currently projects that the attach rate of client SSDs among notebook computers will reach 92% in 2022 and around 96% in 2023. However, the demand surge related to the pandemic is subsiding, and the recent headwinds in the global economy have caused a demand freeze in the wider consumer electronics market. Hence, among the major application segments of the NAND Flash market, client SSDs are going to experience the most significant demand slowdown. This, in turn, will constrain demand bit growth as well. TrendForce projects that for the period from 2022 to 2025, the YoY growth rate of NAND Flash demand bits will remain below 30%.

The average NAND Flash content of client SSDs has already surpassed 500 GB this year. Quotes for 512 GB SSDs have fallen sharply and come to a level that is roughly comparable to the quotes that were given for 256 GB SSDs half-a-year ago. In fact, quotes for 512 GB SSDs are also near the level for HDDs with the same capacity. On the other hand, upgrading to 1 TB or higher for notebook SSDs could be challenging for PC OEMs mainly because the licensing fee for the Windows OS has a positive correlation with device specifications. Therefore, an increase in SSD capacity will raise the cost of a whole notebook computer. With PC OEMs being less keen on adopting SSDs that are 1 TB or higher, growth in the average NAND Flash content of client SSDs will also be more limited in the future.

GIGABYTE, the world's leading computer brand, is known for its stylish and high-performing motherboards, graphics cards, gaming monitors, and more. The award-winning products are praised by worldwide consumers for their class-leading build quality and performance. What makes GIGABYTE products even more impressive is their friendly designs based on a thorough understanding of user needs and expectations. These ingenious designs are primed to make the products easier to assemble and upgrade for a much-enhanced user experience.

GIGABYTE's Intel-based Z790 series and AMD AM5-based X670, B650 gaming motherboards are equipped with tech that makes PC building and upgrades as easy as possible. The DIY-friendly PCIe EZ-Latch design allows users to easily detach the graphics card from the PCIe slot with a quick-release mechanism; the M.2 EZ-Latch makes installing M.2 SSDs effortless thanks to the screwless design. These latest-gen motherboards also support Intel XMP and AMD EXPO overclocking memory modules for maximum compatibility, and GIGABYTE BIOS comes packaged with pre-installed profiles to help users get greater performance with ease.

Global market intelligence firm TrendForce reports that the revenue generation momentum of the global IC design industry slowed down in 3Q22. The main factors behind this development were the Russia-Ukraine military conflict, the recent COVID-19 lockdowns in China, the ongoing inflation, and clients undergoing inventory corrections. The total revenue of the global top 10 IC design houses came to US$37.38 billion for 3Q22, showing a QoQ decline of 5.3%. Qualcomm remained first place in the ranking of the global top 10 IC design houses by revenue for 3Q22. Broadcom returned to second place by overtaking NVIDIA and AMD, who slipped to third and fourth respectively due to weakening demand for PCs and cryptocurrency mining machines.

Regarding US-based IC design houses that were in the top 10 group for 3Q22, Qualcomm recorded a QoQ increase for the sales of smartphone SoCs and 5G modem chips. It also made gains in the automotive electronics market by expanding its collaborations with partners in the automotive industry. As a result, Qualcomm's 3Q22 revenue figures for mobile and automotive offerings reflected QoQ increases of 6.8% and 22.0% respectively. The revenue growth of these two major product categories offset the marginal decline in the revenue for RF front-end chips. Qualcomm's IC design revenue as a whole climbed up by 5.6% QoQ to US$9.90 billion for 3Q22. The company sat firmly at the top of the ranking.

Team Group's creator series T-CREATE launches three DDR5 memory products: T-CREATE EXPERT DDR5 Desktop Memory, T-CREATE CLASSIC DDR5 Desktop Memory, and T-CREATE CLASSIC DDR5 Laptop Memory, comprehensively tailored for creators' demands. Equipped with a variety of frequency specifications from 5,200 to 6,400 MHz and a maximum storage capacity of 32 GB per module, the newly launched products offer a smooth experience for creators working on 4K/8K ultra-high-resolution video editing, professional 3D illustration software and system, as well as multitasking on their desktop computers and laptops.

Specifically built for heavy and complicated processing needs, T-CREATE EXPERT DDR5 Desktop Memory comes in ultra-high frequency options of 6,400 MHz and 6,000 MHz. Paired with low latency specifications, it features unprecedentedly exceptional performance and robust stability to fully support the complex operations and computing demands in professional 3D rendering and long-form super-high resolution video editing. Creators can ensure authenticity and optimal quality in each frame.

Redemption Reapers, the dark fantasy tactical RPG developed by Adglobe and published by Binary Haze Interactive (ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights,), sneaks into striking distance and prepares for launch on Steam for Windows PC, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in February 2023. Redemption Reapers is being brought to life by industry luminaries, including tactical RPG veteran Masayuki Horikawa (Fire Emblem series director and scenario/level designer; Kingdom Hearts III planning), as well as a star-studded voice cast featuring Kyle McCarley (13 Sentinels: Aegis of Ruin, NieR: Automata), Allegra Clark (Apex Legends, Dragon Age: Inquisition), David Lodge (Persona 5, Final Fantasy XV), and Lucien Dodge (Fire Emblem: Three Houses, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel series).

Hope fades across the land following the sudden appearance of the ruthless Mort armies. Efficient as they are brutal, the macabre forces descend upon civilizations, leaving destruction in the wake of their nightly raids. As entire nations fall to the Mort onslaught, the Ashen Hawk Brigade, a contingent of mercenaries specializing in surprise tactics, band together to fight back against the invading legions.

Welcome to a new addition to TechPowerUp! where we give you an overview of new games that are set to launch in the coming week. This will be a weekly feature and it'll contain a short blurb about each game, some screenshots and maybe a video as well. We're open to feedback about this format and we'll make adjustments as we go along.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition / This week's AAA title / Wednesday December 14
Enhanced with the power of next-gen consoles and modern PC hardware in mind, the upcoming release of CD Projekt Red's award-winning role-playing game will feature dozens of visual, performance, and technical enhancements over the original. These include ray tracing support, faster loading times on consoles, as well as a variety of mods integrated into the experience, among many others. Along with new additional content inspired by The Witcher series from Netflix, these will be covered next week in a dedicated REDstreams event on Twitch, where the studio will present gameplay from the next-gen version of the game.

Ghost Story Games, the development studio led by game creator Ken Levine, today announced that Judas, an all-new single-player, narrative first-person shooter is in development for the PlayStation 5 computer entertainment system, Xbox Series X|S console systems, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. The new project was revealed at The Game Awards 2022 as a world premiere unveiled by Geoff Keighley. In conjunction with the project reveal, Ghost Story Games has launched the official pages for Judas on Steam and the Epic Games Store where fans can now add the game to their Wishlist.

"We founded Ghost Story Games to build upon the legacy of System Shock 2, BioShock, and BioShock Infinite," said Ken Levine, President & Creative Director. "With Judas, we've created an entirely new world and set of characters while exploring different approaches to single-player, narrative first-person shooters."

Global video game publisher Good Shepherd Entertainment has revealed a new partnership to adapt series creator Mike Mignola's Hellboy franchise, published by Dark Horse Comics. Developed by Upstream Arcade, Hellboy Web of Wyrd is an upcoming roguelite action-adventure game in development for all major gaming consoles and PC. It features an original storyline crafted in collaboration with Mignola, as well as the renowned voice talents of Lance Reddick as Hellboy himself. Mignola has also designed the game's unique key art.

"Adapting the Hellboy comics to a game is a dream project for all of us. The opportunity to create something authentic—that's something we take very seriously," said Amanda Kruse, Publishing Director at Good Shepherd Entertainment. "Our partnership with Mike Mignola and the creative team at Dark Horse has been inspiring. The support and trust they've given us has allowed Upstream Arcade to bring their vision to life. Hellboy Web of Wyrd is a bold new work we are excited to share with fans of the comics and action-adventure games alike."