The UEFI Forum today announced the release of the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) 2.11 specification and the Platform Initialization (PI) 1.9 specification. The goal of these specification updates is to streamline user implementation by providing increased compatibility across hardware architectures, including security updates, algorithm support and improving alignment implementation guidance.

"We have created a vibrant firmware community, and these specification updates provide maintenance and enhancement of fundamental capabilities in order to help increase the momentum of the UEFI specifications and add value to the ecosystem," said Mark Doran, UEFI Forum President. "The latest specifications continue the UEFI Forum's commitment to developing standards for all significant CPU architectures as underscored by additions such as the new LoongArch support in the PI 1.9 specification."

Recent testing has revealed that latest NVIDIA App v1.0 software utility may significantly impact gaming performance, with benchmarks from Tom's Hardware showing frame rate drops of up to 15% in certain games when the new NVIDIA App is installed alongside graphics drivers. The performance issues appear to be linked to the application's overlay features, particularly its game filters and photo mode capabilities, which seem to affect system resources regardless of whether users actively engage with them. Gamers primarily interested in the app's video capture and optimization features can restore regular performance levels by disabling these problematic overlay functions. In the meantime, NVIDIA issued the following statement on its GeForce forums in the "Game Filters and Performance in NVIDIA App" thread:

NVIDIA Official StatementWe are aware of a reported performance issue related to Game Filters and are actively looking into it. You can turn off Game Filters from the NVIDIA App Settings > Features > Overlay > Game Filters and Photo Mode, and then relaunch your game.

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

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

The Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation (SPEC), the trusted global leader in computing benchmarks, today announced the availability of the SPECworkstation 4.0 benchmark, a major update to SPEC's comprehensive tool designed to measure all key aspects of workstation performance. This significant upgrade from version 3.1 incorporates cutting-edge features to keep pace with the latest workstation hardware and the evolving demands of professional applications, including the increasing reliance on data analytics, AI and machine learning (ML).

The new SPECworkstation 4.0 benchmark provides a robust, real-world measure of CPU, graphics, accelerator, and disk performance, ensuring professionals have the data they need to make informed decisions about their hardware investments. The benchmark caters to the diverse needs of engineers, scientists, and developers who rely on workstation hardware for daily tasks. It includes real-world applications like Blender, Handbrake, LLVM and more, providing a comprehensive performance measure across seven different industry verticals, each focusing on specific use cases and subsystems critical to workstation users. SPECworkstation 4.0 benchmark marks a significant milestone for measuring workstation AI performance, providing an unbiased, real-world, application-driven tool for measuring how workstations handle AI/ML workloads.

AMD has silently disabled the loop buffer feature in its Zen 4 processor architecture through an AGESA microcode update. This development, first reported by the website Chips and Cheese, affects the entire Ryzen 7000 series processors and related EPYC models. The loop buffer, a power-optimization feature capable of storing 144 entries (72 per thread with SMT enabled), was implemented for the first time in AMD's Zen 4 architecture but has been notably absent from the newer Zen 5 design. The feature's primary function was to allow the processor's front end to power down while maintaining operational efficiency. The change was discovered when testing an ASRock B650 PG Lightning motherboard paired with a Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor. Hardware performance monitoring showed the loop buffer was active in BIOS version 1.21 (AGESA 1.0.0.6) but ceased to function after updating to BIOS 3.10 with AGESA 1.2.0.2a.

In a performance test conducted by Chips and Cheese, we learned that there is no significant impact from the feature's deactivation, suggesting the existing op cache provides sufficient bandwidth for optimal processor operation. AMD's architectural design has historically relied on its op cache for similar functionality. The feature appeared experimental, given the lack of documentation and the absence of programming guides for loop buffer optimization. Unlike competitors Intel and Arm, who have extensively documented their loop buffer implementations, AMD's approach appeared less developed. While the exact reasoning behind the deactivation remains unclear, disabling undocumented features is a step in the right direction, mainly as future Zen architecture iteration doesn't rely on a loop buffer, as seen with Zen 5.

Turn Black Friday into Green Thursday with a new deal on GeForce NOW Ultimate and Performance memberships this week. For a limited time, get 50% off new Ultimate or Performance memberships for the first three months to experience the power of GeForce RTX-powered gaming at a fraction of the cost. The giving continues for GeForce NOW members: SteelSeries is offering a 30% discount exclusively to all GeForce NOW members on Stratus+ or Nimbus+ controllers, perfect for gaming anytime, anywhere when paired with GeForce NOW on Android and iOS devices. To redeem the discount, opt in to GeForce NOW rewards and look out for an email with details. Enjoy this exclusive offer on its own - it can't be combined with other SteelSeries promotions. It's not a GFN Thursday without new games - this week, six are joining the over 2,000 titles in the GeForce NOW library.

Plus, the Steam Autumn Sale is happening now, featuring stellar discounts on GeForce NOW-supported games. Snag beloved publishers' top titles, including Nightingale from Inflexion Games, Remnant and Remnant II from Arc Games, and Cult of the Lamb and The Plucky Squire from Devolver - and even more from publishers Frost Giant Studios, Metric Empire, tinyBuild, Torn Banner Studios and Tripwire. The sale runs through Wednesday, Dec. 4.

BioWare has released the new Title Update 3 for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, fixing some bug issues and bringing some "quality of life" changes. Unfortunately, it does not bring any major graphics or performance improvements, so hopefully those will have to wait for the new update.

According to the changelog, the new update fixes several quest issues, issues where enemies and companions could get stuck, issues seen with the Skill Tree nodes, and various other crashes. The update also fixes several "pop-in" issues, camera stutter issues, and extremely bright VFX issues, but do not expect any major graphics or performance improvements.

JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in the development of standards for the microelectronics industry, today announced the publication of JESD230G: NAND Flash Interface Interoperability Standard. JESD230G introduces speeds of up to 4800 MT/s, as compared to 400 MT/s in the first version of JESD230 published in 2011. Also, JESD230G adds a separate Command/Address Bus Protocol (SCA), delivering enhanced throughput and efficiency by allowing hosts and NAND devices to take maximum advantage of the latest interface speeds. JESD230G is available for free download from the JEDEC website.

"JEDEC is excited to release JESD230G," said David Landsman, Distinguished Engineer at Western Digital and Chair of the JEDEC NAND TG. He added, "This version of JESD230 further advances the capabilities of NAND flash devices to meet the growing demands of their expanding range of applications and continues the JEDEC tradition of building interoperable ecosystems through open industry standards."

We know that NVIDIA's latest "Blackwell" GPUs are fast, but how much faster are they over the previous generation "Hopper"? Thanks to the latest MLPerf Training v4.1 results, NVIDIA's HGX B200 Blackwell platform has demonstrated massive performance gains, measuring up to 2.2x improvement per GPU compared to its HGX H200 Hopper. The latest results, verified by MLCommons, reveal impressive achievements in large language model (LLM) training. The Blackwell architecture, featuring HBM3e high-bandwidth memory and fifth-generation NVLink interconnect technology, achieved double the performance per GPU for GPT-3 pre-training and a 2.2x boost for Llama 2 70B fine-tuning compared to the previous Hopper generation. Each benchmark system incorporated eight Blackwell GPUs operating at a 1,000 W TDP, connected via NVLink Switch for scale-up.

The network infrastructure utilized NVIDIA ConnectX-7 SuperNICs and Quantum-2 InfiniBand switches, enabling high-speed node-to-node communication for distributed training workloads. While previous Hopper-based systems required 256 GPUs to optimize performance for the GPT-3 175B benchmark, Blackwell accomplished the same task with just 64 GPUs, leveraging its larger HBM3e memory capacity and bandwidth. One thing to look out for is the upcoming GB200 NVL72 system, which promises even more significant gains past the 2.2x. It features expanded NVLink domains, higher memory bandwidth, and tight integration with NVIDIA Grace CPUs, complemented by ConnectX-8 SuperNIC and Quantum-X800 switch technologies. With faster switching and better data movement with Grace-Blackwell integration, we could see even more software optimization from NVIDIA to push the performance envelope.

In an exclusive interview with Hot Hardware, Intel acknowledged that its recently launched Core Ultra 200 desktop processors, codenamed "Arrow Lake," have significant performance issues. However, Intel announced that a set of fixes are being developed. As our review confirmed, the launch of these new processors fell short of both consumer expectations and Intel's own projections, particularly in gaming performance, despite showing promise in productivity, content creation, and some AI workloads. In a discussion during a recent livestream, Intel's Robert Hallock, VP and general manager of client AI and technical marketing, addressed these concerns head-on, describing the Arrow Lake launch as "disastrous" and attributing the underwhelming performance to inadequately optimized systems.

Robert HallockI can't go into all the details yet, but we identified a series of multifactor issues at the OS level, at the BIOS level, and I will say that the performance we saw in reviews is not what we expected and not what we intended. The launch just didn't go as planned. That has been a humbling lesson for all of us, inspiring a fairly large response internally to get to the bottom of what happened and to fix it.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced that new ROG Maximus Z890 Apex motherboards have been used to achieve 5 world records, 19 global first-place records and 31 first-place records. In the hands of some of the world's premier professional overclockers, the Maximus Z890 Apex has coaxed dazzling performance out of the latest Intel Core Ultra processor (Series 2) lineup and the latest high-performance memory kits.

Veterans of the overclocking scene will not be surprised to learn that these records were achieved with an Apex motherboard on the bench. This series has an undeniable pedigree. Since the very first model, ASUS has designed Apex motherboards for the singular purpose of helping the world's most talented overclockers shatter barriers on their way to new records.

Gigabyte, the world's leading computer brand, proudly announces that the AORUS Z890 series motherboards are now officially available for purchase. Designed to maximize the performance of the latest Intel Core Ultra processors, the groundbreaking D5 Bionic Corsa technology was introduced along with advanced thermal management and optimized power design on these boards. GIGABYTE's continuous partnership with HWiNFO further enhances the boards with real-time monitoring of CPU vCore power phase outputs and efficiency. With these powerful boards now on sale, users can enjoy unmatched performance and seamless customization, making them the ideal platform for enthusiasts and professionals.

D5 Bionic Corsa is the core technology for AORUS Z890 series motherboards, which leverages AI-enhanced innovations across software, hardware, and firmware to boost DDR5 memory speeds to an unprecedented 9500+ MT/s. The AI SNATCH Engine, powered by advanced AI overclocking models, optimizes configurations for DDR5 XMP memory and CPUs, enabling up to 20% faster speeds. With XMP AI BOOST and CPU AI BOOST, users can achieve world-class overclocking performance with just one click. The AI-driven PCB Design enhances signal integrity by reducing reflection by 28.2%, while HyperTune BIOS fine-tunes the Memory Reference Code (MRC) for peak performance. The VRM Thermal Balance mechanism ensures heat dissipation across the VRM with a heatpipe design, while optimized PWM firmware balances current output for superior stability.

Renesas Electronics Corporation, a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced a collaboration with Intel resulting in a power management solution that delivers best-in-class battery efficiency for laptops based on the new Intel Core Ultra 200V series.

Collaborating closely with Intel, Renesas has developed an innovative new customized power management IC (PMIC) that covers the entire power management needs for this newest generation of Intel processors. This advanced and highly integrated PMIC, combined with a pre-regulator and a battery charger, offers a complete solution for PCs leveraging the new Intel processor. The three new devices work together to provide a purpose-built power solution targeted at client laptops, particularly those running AI applications that tend to consume a lot of power.

Right on schedule, and as we reported earlier this month, Wayfinder has exited its long, tumultuous Steam Early Access period, and, almost immediately after the full release, the game saw a significant spike in player count—at least compared to its recent player count. Wayfinder released to the general public today, and since its full launch, it has gained at least 100 additional positive reviews. Meanwhile, the initial player count only spiked by around 2,000 concurrent players, and the game's all-time Steam review score barely budged from its overall mixed rating.

Wayfinder's 1.0 release seems to be off to a slow start, especially compared to its 24,000+ peak concurrent player count, which it achieved back when it was still slated to be a free-to-play online MMO released under Warframe developer Digital Extremes's publishing wing. Since then, however, Airship Syndicate has drastically changed the nature of Wayfinder, turning it into a co-op (or single-player) dungeon crawler ARPG that's loud and proud about being microtransaction-free. In the Wayfinder 1.0 update, Airship Syndicate also added a whole new area for players to explore and a new movement mechanic, which should dramatically increase the verticality of the game and the diversity of combat encounters.

Asetek SimSports - the manufacturer of sim-racing hardware based in Aalborg, Denmark - is today proud to launch a state-of-the-art product, the Invicta Steering Wheel. Inspired by real-life Formula racing cars, the Invicta Steering Wheel has been designed and crafted with supreme performance and immersion in mind. Asetek's long history of innovation, engineering excellence, and real-life racing experience and gaming expertise combine to make the ultimate steering wheel.

The Invicta Steering Wheel offers maximum rigidity from a CNC-milled aluminium chassis and carbon fiber front plate, all while keeping the design sleek and lightweight. Indeed, the Invicta Steering Wheel weighs in at just 1.5 kilograms for an unmatched weight to performance scale in this category. Light and strong, the Invicta Steering Wheel ensures users never miss a grain of detail on the racetrack and can take full advantage of the feedback from their simulator.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, is proud to announce the launch of X3D Turbo Mode, a revolutionary BIOS feature designed to maximize gaming performance on X870E, X870, and 600 series motherboards with AMD Ryzen 7000 X3D and Ryzen 9000 series processors.⁠

GIGABYTE X3D Turbo Mode is a cutting-edge BIOS feature that pushes the boundaries of gaming performance. Empirical testing demonstrates that this innovative BIOS feature delivers tangible benefits to gamers, with performance increases of up to 35% for incoming Ryzen 9000 X3D processors and an astounding 20% for Ryzen 9000 non-X3D processors. Moreover, X3D Turbo Mode's unique optimization parameters allow even Ryzen 9000 non-X3D processors to achieve similar gaming performance levels as their Ryzen X3D counterparts. Experience smoother gameplay, higher frame rates, and reduced latency by GIGABYTE's BIOS wizardry-X3D Turbo Mode.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the exclusive launch of the Viper Mini Signature Edition in a new color, White. This new release continues to redefine state-of-the-art gaming technology with a stunning new color and exquisite craftsmanship.

The Viper Mini Signature Edition in White is a pinnacle of gaming elegance and performance, tailored for gamers who seek a lighter design to match their white battlestations. With a growing trend of full white minimalist setups, the Signature Edition was crafted to be the purest masterpiece for our most hardcore fans.

AMD has unveiled its latest EPYC processors, codenamed "Turin," featuring Zen 5 and Zen 5C dense cores. Phoronix's thorough testing reveals remarkable advancements in performance, efficiency, and value. The new lineup includes the EPYC 9575F (64-core), EPYC 9755 (128-core), and EPYC 9965 (192-core) models, all showing impressive capabilities across various server and HPC workloads. In benchmarks, a dual-socket configuration of the 128-core EPYC 9755 Turin outperformed Intel's dual Xeon "Granite Rapids" 6980P setup with MRDIMM-8800 by 40% in the geometric mean of all tests. Surprisingly, even a single EPYC 9755 or EPYC 9965 matched the dual Xeon 6980P in expanded tests with regular DDR5-6400. Within AMD's lineup, the EPYC 9755 showed a 1.55x performance increase over its predecessor, the 96-core EPYC 9654 "Genoa". The EPYC 9965 surpassed the dual EPYC 9754 "Bergamo" by 45%.

These gains come with improved efficiency. While power consumption increased moderately, performance improvements resulted in better overall efficiency. For example, the EPYC 9965 used 32% more power than the EPYC 9654 but delivered 1.55x the performance. Power consumption remains competitive: the EPYC 9965 averaged 275 Watts (peak 461 Watts), the EPYC 9755 averaged 324 Watts (peak 500 Watts), while Intel's Xeon 6980P averaged 322 Watts (peak 547 Watts). AMD's pricing strategy adds to the appeal. The 192-core model is priced at $14,813, compared to Intel's 128-core CPU at $17,800. This competitive pricing, combined with superior performance per dollar and watt, has resonated with hyperscalers. Estimates suggest 50-60% of hyperscale deployments now use AMD processors.

A new rumor circulating via VideoCardz reveals alleged Cinebench R23 rendering scores for the upcoming AMD Ryzen 9 9800X3D CPU series. The lineup supposedly includes 8-core, 12-core, and 16-core models, all featuring Zen5 architecture and 3D V-Cache technology. The leak consists of Cinebench R23 benchmark scores, however, there are no screenshots, so it should be treated with caution as it comes from CodeCommando, a relatively new source with only one verified leak to his name—the Ryzen 9000 slides that emerged shortly before AMD's official announcement.

Comparing the results posted from CodeCommando with TechPowerUp review data of the previous generation, the picture presents itself in a promising way for the upcoming AMD CPUs. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D is around 10% faster in single-core and 17% faster in multi-core compared with Ryzen 9 7950X3D, while Ryzen 7 9800X3D seems to be 20% faster in single-core and 28% faster in multi-core than Ryzen 7 7800X3D. These initial benchmark results show notable performance gains for the 8-core SKU, with both X3D models demonstrating higher multi-core scores than their non-X3D counterparts. While the 9800X3D shows slightly lower single-core performance than the 8-core 9700X, it exceeds the 9700X in multi-core tests. This multi-core advantage likely comes from a higher TDP, though specific power specifications haven't been revealed yet.

The leaks and rumors surrounding Intel's upcoming Arrow Lake desktop CPU line-up are starting to heat up, with recent rumors tipping the existence of the Core Ultra 9 285K as the top-end chip in the upcoming launch. A new set of Geekbench 6 scores spotted by BenchLeaks on X, however, suggests the Core Ultra 9 285 non-K variant of this CPU might lag its Ryzen 9 counterparts significantly.

The Geekbench 6 test results, which were apparently achieved on an ASUS Prime Z890-P motherboard, reveal performance that falls short of even the current-generation AMD Ryzen 7 9700X, never mind any of the Ryzen 9 variants. The Geekbench 6 multicore score came in at an unimpressive 14,150, while the single-core score was a mere 3,081, falling short of the likes of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X, which scored up to 19,381 and 3,624 in multi- and single-core tests, respectively. However, there appears to be more to this story—namely an odd test configuration that could heavily skew the test results, since the "stock" Intel Core Ultra 9 285K scores significantly higher in the Geekbench 6 charts than this particular 285 seems to.

Since its inception, Razer Synapse has been designed with the goal of empowering gamers and elevating their experience; with core functions like key remapping and macro creation, Synapse enables users to create personally tailored setups to make Razer peripherals truly their own. For years, Synapse has been constantly innovating to meet evolving user needs. And now, as the Vice President of Software at Razer, it is with great pleasure and excitement that I am able to announce the official full rollout of Razer Synapse 4.

What's new with Synapse 4
In this latest evolution, after nearly a year of intensive beta testing, Synapse 4 has redefined performance and usability, ensuring that all users will be able to enjoy a more reliable and intuitive experience on the platform.

Apple recently launched the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max with the company's new A18 Pro SoC, and in its presentation, Apple claimed the new SoC offered up to 20% faster gaming performance than the previous generation. While this may be true in certain scenarios, recent testing in Alien Isolation has revealed that the A18 Pro's GPU still has some shortcomings when it comes to gaming.

According to the tests run by MrMacRightPlus, the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is barely able to maintain 30 FPS in Alien Isolation when running at its native 2868×1320 pixel resolution. While Alien Isolation is a AAA title that was ported to the iPhone, it is still a 10-year-old game, meaning it should be fairly easy to run. Lowering the in-game resolution, however, results in a substantial improvement to the A18 Pro's performance, with the game reaching 60 FPS after the change. This 30 FPS limitation may not all be down to a lack of performance from the A18 Pro SoC, though.

As AI continues to revolutionize industries, enterprises are increasingly in need of infrastructure that is both cost-effective and available for rapid development and deployment. To meet this demand head-on, Intel today launched Xeon 6 with Performance-cores (P-cores) and Gaudi 3 AI accelerators, bolstering the company's commitment to deliver powerful AI systems with optimal performance per watt and lower total cost of ownership (TCO).

"Demand for AI is leading to a massive transformation in the data center, and the industry is asking for choice in hardware, software and developer tools," said Justin Hotard, Intel executive vice president and general manager of the Data Center and Artificial Intelligence Group. "With our launch of Xeon 6 with P-cores and Gaudi 3 AI accelerators, Intel is enabling an open ecosystem that allows our customers to implement all of their workloads with greater performance, efficiency and security."

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the organization that oversees Bluetooth technology, announced the release of Bluetooth Channel Sounding, a new secure, fine-ranging feature that promises to enhance the convenience, safety, and security of Bluetooth connected devices. By enabling true distance awareness in billions of everyday devices, Bluetooth Channel Sounding opens countless possibilities for developers and users alike.

"Bluetooth technology has become an ingredient of everyday life," said Neville Meijers, CEO, Bluetooth Special Interest Group. "When connected devices are distance-aware, a range of new possibilities emerge. Adding true distance awareness to Bluetooth technology exemplifies the ongoing commitment of the Bluetooth SIG community to continuously enhance our connection with our devices, one another, and the world around us."

AMD's Ryzen processors have received a significant performance upgrade, thanks to the recent Windows 11 24H2 update. This development addresses initial disappointments with the Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" series performance, particularly in gaming applications. The update, which improves branch prediction capabilities, has resulted in substantial gains for both the Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" and Ryzen 7000 "Zen 4" CPU lineups. According to tests by Hardware Unboxed, Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" CPUs have shown double-digit performance increases across multiple game titles, a boost typically seen only between generational upgrades.

Interestingly, contrary to AMD's initial claims, the performance gains are not limited to the Zen 5 architecture. The Ryzen 7000 "Zen 4" processors have also benefited from the update, with minimal performance differences observed between comparable Zen 5 and Zen 4 models after the update. This development marks a crucial turning point for AMD, addressing earlier criticisms and narrowing the gap between reported and expected performance figures. As users install the Windows 11 24H2 update, they can expect enhanced gaming experiences across a wide range of titles, highlighting the complex interplay between hardware capabilities and software optimization in modern computing. Below are the results from Hardware Unboxed benchmarks.