HWiNFO has been updated to version v8.16, which brings several new improvements and fixes, as well as adds enhanced support for next-generation AMD CPUs and APUs, as well as next-generation Intel GPUs. While it does not specify any models, it is clear that it gets support for AMD's upcoming Kraken Point and Strix Halo APUs, as well as Intel's upcoming Battlemage GPUs.

In addition, the new HWiNFO v8.16 also improves support for Intel Lunar Lake, adds reporting of number of NPU tiles, adds support for Cybenetics Powenetics PMD (Power Measurements Device), enhances sensor monitoring on MSI's Z890, B860, and H810 series motherboards, enhances reporting of CUDIMM CKD parameters, NGU clock, and drive letter, and improves reporting of V/F curve settings, among other things. You can check out the full release notes below.

Thanks to its extensive adjustment options for ergonomic seating, the OfficePal C40 is the ultimate executive chair for the office or working from home. Whether it's the chair height, the seat depth or the height of the backrest, a full range of adjustments are available for the right sitting position. The combination of a mesh backrest and an upholstered seat base ensures comfort even after long periods of use.

Work Comfortably for Hours
With the combination of a sturdy mesh backrest and a padded seat base, the OfficePal C40 will allow you to work comfortably and relaxed for hours at a time.

At AAEON Technology, we recognize growing demand for secure and reliable industrial systems. In collaboration with Canonical, AAEON Technology validates Ubuntu Pro across our Intel-based industrial systems. Each unit comes with a preinstalled Ubuntu image, an Ubuntu Pro license sticker, and 10 years of Canonical-backed updates for ongoing security and maintenance. "This collaboration means our customers benefit from cutting-edge hardware paired with the secure, long-term support offered with Ubuntu Pro enabled. With ongoing updates, they're always protected, allowing them to focus on their core goals," said Victor Lai, Managing Director at AAEON.

Ubuntu Pro provides enterprise-level security, compliance, and long-term stability for industrial and edge applications. It meets strict regulatory standards while delivering high performance in demanding environments.

QNAP Systems, Inc. today reaffirmed its commitment to product reliability and customer satisfaction by announcing long-term support (LTS) for its QTS 5.2 and QuTS hero h5.2 operating systems. This initiative is part of QNAP's rigorous software product version lifecycle management policy, which is designed to help users effectively manage their IT infrastructure with predictability and ease.

"As technology evolves, so does the need for a stable and reliable IT environment," said Tim Lin, Product Manager of QNAP. "By providing long-term support for QNAP NAS operating systems, we ensure that our users can continue to depend on QNAP products for their critical data storage needs without concern for frequent major upgrades or compatibility issues."

The latest update to CPU-Z, the popular system information and diagnostic tool, has rolled out comprehensive support for upcoming processor architectures from both AMD and Intel, along with new memory standards. Among the notable additions is support for AMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which builds upon AMD's successful 3D V-Cache technology and is scheduled to launch tomorrow. The update also covers Intel's "Arrow Lake" processors, including both HX and H series variants. The Arrow Lake lineup integration spans multiple performance tiers, from the flagship Core Ultra 9 285HX down to the mainstream Core Ultra 5 series. The H-series mobile processors, including the Core Ultra 9 285H and various Ultra 7 and Ultra 5 models, are also fully supported.

Additionally, CPU-Z now recognizes Intel's complete Raptor Lake refresh, covering an extensive range of processors across different power segments. This includes the Core 7 series (160HL through 150U), Core 5 series (130HL through 120U), and Core 3 series (100HL through 100U), catering to various computing needs from high-performance to energy-efficient applications. The update extends beyond processors to support CUDIMM ((Clocked Unbuffered DIMM) DDR5 memory. CUDIMMs represent a modified DDR5 memory featuring an integrated Client Clock Driver (CKD) that generates its clock signal to minimize noise and jitter at speeds of 6400 MT/s and above, ensuring better stability and data integrity than traditional DDR5 modules.

DOWNLOAD CPU-Z 2.12 here.

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

The NVIDIA app is the essential companion for gamers and creators with NVIDIA GPUs in their PCs and laptops. Our initial beta release in February was the first step in our journey to modernize and unify the NVIDIA Control Panel, GeForce Experience and RTX Experience. A new update, available now in-app and from our website, further enhances the NVIDIA app beta, adding G-SYNC controls, RTX HDR multi-monitor support, driver rollback, and more.

Whether you're a gaming enthusiast or a content creator, the NVIDIA app simplifies the process of keeping your PC updated with the latest GeForce Game Ready and NVIDIA Studio drivers, enables quick discovery and installation of NVIDIA applications like GeForce NOW and NVIDIA Broadcast, allows you to adjust GPU options, record gameplay, monitor real-time statistics via an on-screen display, enhance games with HDR and filters, and so much more.

At Razer, innovation is in our DNA. We consistently push boundaries to create features that not only enhance the gaming experience but also often set new industry standards. Today, I'm excited to share an update on one of our latest innovations—Razer Snap Tap—initially introduced on the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro line, is now extending across more devices, including the now-available Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%.

Innovation at the Core of Razer
Razer has always been at the forefront of gaming technology, introducing features ahead of their time. These innovations typically stir robust debates but ultimately pave the way for new standards within the gaming industry. Razer Snap Tap is no exception. Following its successful introduction, we've observed others in the industry follow and implement similar technology, validating our leadership in gaming innovation, and cementing the Razer Advantage.

Gaming giant Valve appears to be venturing into uncharted territory. Recent findings on SteamDB have revealed that the company may be working on integrating ARM architecture and Android app support into its ecosystem. A mysterious application, codenamed "ValveTestApp3043620," has been spotted with an update that includes interesting changes. The update features new tags for several popular games, including Left 4 Dead 2, Garry's Mod, and Kerbal Space Program. These tags, such as "proton-arm64" and "proton-arm64e," indicate that Valve is testing a version of Proton specifically designed for ARM64-based systems. Proton, Valve's brainchild developed in partnership with CodeWeavers, is the magic behind running Windows games on Linux systems. By extending this technology to ARM64, Valve could be paving the way for PC gaming on portable Arm-based devices, potentially signaling a new hardware strategy.

The plot thickens with mentions of "proton_experimental" and "proton-arm64ec-vanguard" in the changelog, hinting at ongoing tests and experimental builds. Additionally, references to Waydroid, a tool enabling Android apps on Linux, suggest that Valve's ambitions may extend beyond gaming, possibly aiming to broaden software accessibility of its platform. This development has sparked speculation about the possibility of Steam games running on Android smartphones and tablets or even a possible Arm-powered version of the Steam Deck. However, a more likely scenario could be testing for Windows support on Arm-based chips. The timing of these experiments aligns with recent announcements of laptops featuring Qualcomm's ARM64-based Snapdragon X CPUs. These devices can run Windows-based games through Microsoft and Qualcomm's emulation layer, Prism. If Valve's Proton can provide superior performance or more stable emulation for Windows-based games on Arm devices, it could position itself as a strong competitor to Prism.

Intel has officially started shipping the "0x129" microcode update for its 13th and 14th generation "Raptor Lake" and "Raptor Lake Refresh" processors. This critical update is currently being pushed to all OEM/ODM partners to address the stability issues that Intel's processors have been facing. According to Intel, this microcode update fixes "incorrect voltage requests to the processor that are causing elevated operating voltage." Intel's analysis shows that the root cause of stability problems is caused by too high voltage during operation of the processor. These increases to voltage cause degradation that increases the minimum voltage required for stable operation. Intel calls this "Vmin"—it's a theoretical construct, not an actual voltage, think "speed for an airplane required to fly". The latest 0x129 microcode patch will limit the processor's voltage to no higher than 1.55 V, which should avoid further degradation. Overclocking is still supported, enthusiasts will have to disable the eTVB setting in their BIOS to push the processor beyond the 1.55 V threshold. The company's internal testing shows that the new default settings with limited voltages with standard run-to-run variations show minimal performance impact, with only a single game (Hitman 3: Dartmoor) showing degradation. For a full statement from Intel, see the quote below.

RPCS3, the popular PlayStation 3 emulator, has been updated to improve compatibility with upcoming AMD Zen 5 CPUs. The update addresses low performance and crash issues when running on Zen 5 CPUs by treating those processors as Zen 4. While this doesn't boost performance, it significantly improves stability. Users are encouraged to download the latest version (RPCS3 v0.0.32-16742 or newer) to benefit from this fix. Since 2023, RPCS3 has shown notable FPS improvements across various CPU types, including lower-end models.

If you're not familiar with RPCS3, it was founded by programmers DH and Hykem in May 2011. The emulator was publicly released in June 2012, quickly gaining attention from the open-source community and PlayStation enthusiasts. Today, RPCS3 is co-developed by new lead developers EladAsh and kd-11, along with many GitHub contributors.

In a statement for Tom's Hardware, Intel has announced a two-year warranty extension for its 13th and 14th Generation Core processors. This decision comes in response to widespread reports of crashes and instability affecting a broad range of models, from high-end flagship chips to mid-range offerings. The extension effectively increases the standard warranty period from three to five years for most boxed processors, with even the limited-edition models seeing an increase from one to three years. This move aims to reassure customers and mitigate concerns about potential long-term damage to affected chips. Intel has identified excessive voltage as the root cause of the problem, which has led to unexpected system crashes and blue screens of death (BSODs), particularly during gaming and other demanding tasks.

The company plans to release a microcode update by mid-August to prevent further degradation in unaffected processors. However, this update will not resolve issues in chips that have already experienced problems, and users with malfunctioning processors will need to seek replacements. The tech giant has faced criticism for its delayed response to the issue, which has plagued users for months. In its statement, Intel also addressed concerns about Via Oxidation, clarifying that while this separate issue was discovered in 2022, it is not the cause of the current instability problems. The company claims to have implemented fixes and enhanced screening procedures for Via Oxidation by early 2023, with affected chips reportedly removed from the supply chain by early 2024.

ASUS has had issues with customer support, as reported following last month's investigation by Gamers Nexus. However, they are now promising several fixes. If you've been wrongly denied a warranty repair or charged for unnecessary service, ASUS wants you to email them at "executivecare@asus.com" using a predefined template (see below). It also promises to respond within a week and apologizes for past negative experiences, citing customer feedback as an opportunity for improvement. These cases will be handled directly by ASUS staff.

Getting into a bit more details, after criticism, ASUS executives met with Gamers Nexus staff face to face and agreed to a list of promises.

Corsair today announced a new iCUE partnership with GIGABYTE, making it the latest motherboard manufacturer to support Corsair iCUE lighting control software. This collaboration enables compatible Corsair products to seamlessly support native lighting synchronization within GIGABYTE Control Center (GCC) and iCUE.

Corsair iCUE software, which allows users to monitor and customize performance and coordinate lighting effects across their setup, will support lighting customization on compatible GIGABYTE motherboards (support for GIGABYTE hardware comes via an SDK implementation and requires GCC to be installed). This will help create a more immersive and flexible lighting experience than was previously possible, empowering users to unlock new possibilities for how their systems look.

The AlmaLinux OS Foundation, the nonprofit that stewards the community-owned and governed open-source CentOS alternative AlmaLinux, today announced the general availability of AlmaLinux 8.10. This latest release brings updates to security and data protection, and improvements in web-console and system roles to automate operations and ensure consistency in intricate IT settings.

The release continues to enhance system availability, reliability, and recovery processes, alongside improving virtual machine snapshot functions in hybrid cloud scenarios. New system roles have been introduced to streamline the creation and administration of logical volume manager (LVM) snapshots for better data backup and recovery processes. Performance, scalability, and reliability continue to be the focus of updates in the 8.10 version to aid developers in application development and management.

The ROCCAT brand is officially reaching the end of its life today, as Turtle Beach has confirmed that ROCCAT will not be a separate brand anymore but rather integrated under the covers of Turtle Beach. Turtle Beach has noted: "We want to bring a greater level of integration to our family of products across console, PC and simulation. We felt that time and resources would be best spent focusing under a single brand and creating a range of products that matter most to gamers." ROCCAT was acquired by Turtle Beach in 2019 for $14.8 million to strengthen the company's positioning in the PC accessories market. At the time, ROCCAT's lineup of gaming keyboards, mice, headsets, and other peripherals complemented Turtle Beach's console-oriented product mix.

In a FAQ posted on its website, Turtle Beach also added: "While we'll be retiring the ROCCAT brand, many of its iconic product lines like the Vulcan, Kone, Burst and Sense will transition under the Turtle Beach brand. Our commitment to PC products remains as strong as ever and we have several ground-breaking new products to introduce as well as Turtle Beach-branded versions of popular existing ROCCAT products sticking around." For product support, the same teams are handling any customer support, and the company has merged them into a single new website, which handles tech and customer questions at support.turtlebeach.com. For returns, the company also takes care of ROCCAT products. The ROCCAT Swarm software will continue to work, even with Swarm II scheduled for a debut this year in Spring. From now on, all products will be under a single brand but will target the same audience. Turtle Beach will also rebrand the social media channels from ROCCAT to Turtle Beach PC. Refer to the FAQ posted on the official company website for more inquiries.

ASUS today announced BIOS updates enabling support for next-gen AMD Ryzen processors on ASUS AM5 X670, B650 and A620 motherboards, as well as support for existing Ryzen 7000 and 8000 series processors. These updates are necessary to enable compatibility with these processors. BIOS updates for ASUS AM5 motherboards also add support for existing Ryzen 7000 and 8000 series processor.

The updates can be accessed on the ASUS BIOS update page for the models listed below.

According to the latest report from The Verge, Microsoft is currently testing a new AI-driven chatbot designed to automate support tasks for its Xbox gaming platform. As the report notes, Microsoft is experimenting with an animated AI character that will assist in answering Xbox support inquiries. The Xbox AI chatbot is connected to Microsoft's Xbox network and ecosystem support documentation. It can answer questions and process game refunds from the Microsoft support website, all aiming to provide users with simple and quick assistance on support topics using natural language, drawing information from existing Xbox support pages. Training on Microsoft's enterprise data will help Microsoft reduce the AI model's hallucinations and instruct it to do only as intended.

As a result, the chatbot's responses closely resemble the information Microsoft provides to its customers to automate support tasks. Recently, Microsoft has expanded the test pool for its new Xbox chatbot, suggesting that the "Xbox Support Virtual Agent" may soon handle support inquiries for all Xbox customers. The development of the Xbox chatbot prototype is part of a broader initiative within Microsoft Gaming to introduce AI-powered features and tools for the Xbox platform and developer tools. The company is also reportedly working on providing AI capabilities for game content creation, gameplay, and the Xbox platform and devices. However, Xbox employees have yet to publicly confirm these more extensive AI efforts for Microsoft Gaming, likely due to the company's cautious approach to presenting AI in gaming. Nevertheless, AI will soon become an integral part of gaming consoles.

Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring today. It's important we note that some updates made to these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you're aware when updates are coming to your device. Details can be found below!

New Features and Experiences
We have exciting news! Alpha Skip-Ahead users can expect something new coming to their Xbox Update Preview.

Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta)
Xbox Insiders can preview Mouse and Keyboard support while playing via cloud gaming on supported browsers (Edge and Chrome) and the Xbox App on Windows PCs for users enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview. Note: Users on browser will need to enable Preview features on their browser to gain access to the feature. This is done by clicking on your profile picture at xbox.com/play and then select Settings and then enable "Preview features."

Obsidian Entertainment's Alpha Protocol was removed from Valve's Steam store back in 2019, due to an expiration of music rights. The Irvine, California-headquartered developer has worked quietly on a re-release of their third-person sci-fi espionage ARPG (originally launched back in 2010) alongside Sega and GOG. A DRM-free version is now available to purchase on CD Projekt's digital distribution platform—in upgraded form; involved parties have sought to improve performance on modern PCs. An achievements system has been added, along with support for all sorts of present day controller inputs (PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox). A cloud save feature has been implemented as well, but more goodies could be on the way—as teased in Raycevick's featurette (viewable below).

The team at GOG has admitted (to PC Gamer) that it took longer than expected to get Alpha Protocol relaunched—the "very long release" is the product of half a year of work. Zuzanna Rybacka—Communication Specialist at GOG/Projekt—stated that the game's relaunch is part of their initiative of: "going back to our core, to bringing back classics…basically, our point (is) to not let all those games that would go to perish, and make them accessible for younger generations." The store's main message/vibe of "Good Old Games" has been diluted in recent years, due to a platforming of very modern titles—GOG started to pivot back to that core philosophy two years ago, with a "return to its roots." The reappearance of Alpha Protocol is only one example of their fortified campaign to bring back classic games.

Today, Microsoft announced that Windows 10 version 21H2 will reach its end-of-support date for Enterprise and Education editions on June 10, 2024. Following this date, organizations that are still running this version of Windows will no longer receive technical support, security patches, or bug fixes from the Redmond giant. If they seek help from Microsoft in troubleshooting their systems, users of Windows 10 21H2 will get advisory to upgrade to the next supported version, with Windows 11 being in the upgrade path pipeline. Alternatively, they can upgrade to the newer Windows 10 version 22H2, which will receive support until October 14, 2025. It's important to note that support for the Home and Pro editions of Windows 10 21H2 has already ended in June 2023.

The end of support applies to all variants of Windows 10 21H2, including Enterprise, Enterprise multi-session, Education, and IoT Enterprise. Businesses and schools still utilizing Windows 10 21H2 should plan their upgrades promptly. However, they may face challenges as Windows 11 has higher system requirements compared to Windows 10, such as requiring a UEFI BIOS, Secure Boot, DirectX 12 compatible graphics, and a TPM 2.0 security chip. While the Enterprise and Education editions have somewhat relaxed specifications, meeting all these criteria may necessitate hardware upgrades for some organizations, in addition to the operating system migration. If not possible, some organizations may go the Linux-based route of installing lightweight operating systems to keep their PC's lifecycle running.

AMD Linux engineers have been working on "GFX1150" and "GFX1151" targets for a while—official references to "Strix 1/Strix Point" and "Strix Point Halo" have appeared several times on official development channels. Phoronix's head honcho—Michael Larabel—monitors these activities with keen interest, his latest finding indicates that Team Red is preparing open-source RadeonSI/RADV driver support for the GFX1151 IP. Their MESA 24.1 update merges in GPU enablement for possible high-end "Strix Point Halo" laptop processors—tech tipsters believe that these chiplet variants could sport up to sixteen Zen 5 CPU cores and forty RDNA 3.5 GPU cores.

AMD's enablement of the "GFX1150/Strix Point" GPU appeared online late last month—these monolithic laptop chips are alleged to sit below "Strix Point Halo" in Team Red's product hierarchy. Insiders suggest that the best configurations could house twelve Zen 5 CPU cores and sixteen RDNA 3.5 GPU cores. Phoronix posited that the "RDNA 3 refresh" graphics solution: "is just rumored for select APUs, while ultimately we'll see where this GFX 11.5.1 IP is found if for some further upgraded APU or something more special. In any event the open-source Linux driver support is coming together." According to official product roadmaps, the initial batch of "Strix Point" mobile chips are expected ship later this year—representing a proper next-gen upgrade over current "Hawk Point" offerings.

Sony's second generation virtual reality headset—PlayStation VR2—is a very neat bit of kit, but many VR gaming enthusiasts believe that its potential is being wasted to some degree. Presently, VR2 is locked into the Sony PlayStation 5 console ecosystem, yet efforts to break this exclusive cycle started many months ago—modders have been working on PC platform support. The "iVRy VR" project is a notable endeavor—its leader outlined a bumpy development road on Reddit late last year: "PS VR2 can now be used for SteamVR on Windows. I wrote the driver some months ago, but the project has been delayed due to hardware or GPU driver hacks necessary to get the headset driven correctly by the GPU." Things are back on track according to iVRy's latest social media posts: "Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order running on Sony PS VR2, using UEVR and iVRy Driver for SteamVR (Windows). Use your device as a SteamVR VR Headset for your PC." The latest rumblings from Sony indicate that iVRy's crowdfunded efforts could be usurped in 2024.

First-party support on PC platforms has been teased by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE)—a freshly published PlayStation Blog article reveals that a conversion team is tinkering away in the background: "PlayStation VR2 launched one year ago, backed by a 40+ game launch window lineup which included all-new experiences like Horizon Call of the Mountain and Pavlov, as well as PS VR2-compatible titles such as Gran Turismo 7 and Resident Evil Village... We're pleased to share that we are currently testing the ability for PS VR2 players to access additional games on PC to offer even more game variety in addition to the PS VR2 titles available through PS5. We hope to make this support available in 2024, so stay tuned for more updates." Company representatives have insisted, in the past, that their second generation VR headset is exclusive to PlayStation 5—The Verge has "reached out to Sony to clarify exactly what "access additional games on PC" means and whether the support will be limited to certain games. We'll update you accordingly."

Building on our previously announced support of the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT, XTX and Radeon PRO W7900 GPUs with AMD ROCm 5.7 and PyTorch, we are now expanding our client-based ML Development offering, both from the hardware and software side with AMD ROCm 6.0. Firstly, AI researchers and ML engineers can now also develop on Radeon PRO W7800 and on Radeon RX 7900 GRE GPUs. With support for such a broad product portfolio, AMD is helping the AI community to get access to desktop graphics cards at even more price points and at different performance levels.

Furthermore, we are complementing our solution stack with support for ONNX Runtime. ONNX, short for Open Neural Network Exchange, is an intermediary Machine Learning framework used to convert AI models between different ML frameworks. As a result, users can now perform inference on a wider range of source data on local AMD hardware. This also adds INT8 via MIGraphX—AMD's own graph inference engine—to the available data types (including FP32 and FP16). With AMD ROCm 6.0, we are continuing our support for the PyTorch framework bringing mixed precision with FP32/FP16 to Machine Learning training workflows.

An Open Image Denoise 2.2 release candidate was released earlier today—as discovered by Phoronix's founder and principal writer; Michael Larabel. Intel's dedicated website has not been updated with any new documentation or changelogs (at the time of writing), but a GitHub release page shows all of the crucial information. Team Blue's open-source oneAPI has been kept up-to-date with the latest technologies—not only limited to Intel's stable of Xe-LP, Xe-HPG and Xe-HPC components—the Phonorix article highlights updated support on competing platforms. The v2.2 preview adds support for Meteor Lake's integrated Arc graphics solution, and additional "denoising quality enhancements and other improvements."

Non-Intel platform improvements include updates for Apple's M-series chipsets, AArch64 processors, and NVIDIA CUDA. OIDn 2.2-rc: "adds Metal device support for Apple Silicon GPUs on recent versions of macOS. OIDn has already been supporting ARM64/AArch64 for Apple Silicon CPUs while now Open Image Denoise has extended that AArch64 support to work on Windows and Linux too. There is better performance in general for Open Image Denoise on CPUs with this forthcoming release." The changelog also highlights a general improvement performance across processors, and a fix that resolves a crash incident: "when releasing a buffer after releasing the device."