Qualcomm has announced its latest mid-range offering, dubbed the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4. Compared to its predecessor, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, the improvements on the CPU side are rather modest, with Qualcomm claiming an 11% improvement. The CPU, now based on TSMC N4, packs four ARMv9-based Cortex-A720 P-cores, along with four Cortex-A520 E-cores, making it an 8-core system as tradition. On the GPU side, however, a substantial 29% improvement has been asserted, although the specifics remain under wraps as of this writing.

The chipset can be paired with up to 16 GB of LPDDR5-3200 memory, and displays up to FHD+ at 144 Hz are supported. INT4 support is also present the new NPU, which should allow for decent on-device AI capabilities. Gaming performance should also witness a decent jump, thanks to the aforementioned GPU improvement, paired with Game Super Resolution (upscaling) and Frame Motion Engine (frame generation, every other frame). For connectivity, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4, and 5G (mm Wave, sub-6 GHz) are present. Up to 200 MP single-camera systems are supported, with Snapdragon's LLV (Low Light Vision) technology, Of course, being a budget segment SoC, it would be futile to expect high-end photography capabilities. As for videography, 4k30 and 1080p120 are supported, along with HLG and HDR10.

AAEON an industry-leading provider of embedded solutions, has announced the latest addition to its 3.5" subcompact Board product line, the GENE-MTH6. Equipped with Intel Core Ultra processors and up to 96 GB DDR5 via SODIMM, the GENE-MTH6 is well-equipped to utilize the platform's Intel Arc Graphics and integrated NPU to execute complex AI and machine learning workloads on the edge.

AAEON is primarily marketing the board for smart city use, with applications such as smart traffic, environmental monitoring, and AI-powered surveillance applications being noted as particularly suitable. The GENE-MTH6's environmental specifications also make the board versatile in where it can be deployed, with a 9 V to 36 V power input range with ERP support being a key feature.

Simply NUC, a global leader in customized computing solutions, proudly announces the launch of the NUC 14 Essential - Mill Canyon, designed to deliver powerful yet affordable performance for everyday computing needs. Whether used in retail kiosks, collaborative workspaces, streaming environments, or digital signage, the Mill Canyon NUC offers the flexibility and reliability required for modern applications.

The NUC 14 Essential is powered by the latest Intel N-series processors with Twin Lake technology, offering a range of options ensuring top-tier performance across various workloads. Mill Canyon delivers the performance needed for day-to-day operations without breaking the budget, featuring up to 8-core Intel Core 3 processors, 16 GB DDR5 memory, and support for up to 8 TB of NVMe and 2 TB SATA storage.

Today marks the launch of the new ASUS Vivobook Pro 15 (N6506CU), the latest version of this high-performance 15.6-inch laptop designed for pro creators and pro gamers.

ASUS Vivobook Pro 15 offers seamless creativity and gaming with cutting-edge components: up to the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 processor (Series 2) with a built-in 13 TOPS NPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU with a low-latency MUX switch, 24 GB DDR5 RAM, and a 2 TB PCIe SSD. It boasts advanced ASUS IceCool Pro cooling technology that enables up to a 125-watt combined thermal design power (TDP).

Acer today announced the expansion of its Copilot+ PC offering across its laptop and desktop portfolio. These include the thin-and-light Swift Go 14 AI and Swift Go 16 AI laptops, value-oriented Aspire 14 AI laptops, sleek and stylish Aspire S AI and Aspire C AI all-in-one (AIO) desktops, and powerful Revo Box AI mini PC. All new products are equipped with the latest processors with integrated neural processing units (NPU) for performance to power AI-driven workloads.

The new Acer Copilot+ PCs harness the power of AI to boost productivity and creativity. The Swift Go 16 AI and Swift Go 14 AI laptops and the Aspire C AI AIOs are powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series processors to deliver ultimate AI capabilities that boost productivity and efficiency for mobile professionals. The Aspire S AI and Revo Box AI feature Intel Core Ultra processors (Series 2), helping people breeze through intensive workloads efficiently.

Acer today announced refreshes to the well-rounded Swift Go series and the eco-friendly Aspire Vero 16 laptops, combining enhanced computing performance, power efficiency, stunning displays, and sustainable designs in the evolving AI PC era. The Swift Go 14 and Swift Go 16 laptops offer seamless productivity and adaptability in any work environment, with streamlined AI task execution and multi-day battery life, wrapped in ultra-thin and light designs. Available with 3K OLED or 2K IPS touch display configurations, these laptops deliver striking visuals to complement their eye-catching exteriors.

The Aspire Vero 16, a carbon-neutral laptop and the world's first to incorporate bio-based oyster shell material, now features a chassis made from a combination of more than 70% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic and bio-based material. The bold innovation from Acer offers a sustainable laptop option without compromising performance or durability. All the new laptop devices are equipped with Intel Core Ultra 200H series processors and built-in Intel Arc graphics built-in, engineered to scale accelerated AI performance and maximize efficiency for work and creation. Mobile workers will also appreciate the new Acer Connect 5G mobile Wi-Fi and Acer Wave D7 Wi-Fi dongle, providing high-speed internet connections anywhere, anytime.

Acer today launched the new Nitro Blaze 8 and Nitro Blaze 11 handheld gaming devices, designed to elevate mobile gaming experiences with cutting-edge performance and versatile features. Powered by AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processors, 16 GB of LPDDR5X memory, and up to 2 TB of storage, the Nitro Blaze series boasts lightning-fast performance and responsiveness. Their WQXGA touch panels (8.8-inch or 10.95-inch) featuring Radeon Super Resolution and AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution technology, ensure fluid image quality. The dedicated Acer Game Space application simplifies managing and accessing popular games and applications on handheld gaming PCs.

The new Nitro Mobile Gaming Controller enhances the mobile gaming experience by enabling users to game anywhere and anytime with its foldable design. It supports fast charging to allow uninterrupted gaming sessions while powering mobile devices quickly.

GIGABYTE Technology, one of the top global manufacturers of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, proudly announces the launch of its cutting-edge B860 series motherboard, featuring the groundbreaking D5 Bionic Corsa technology and innovative AI-Driven capabilities that set new standards for memory performance and user-friendly experience.⁠

Infinite Memory Performance with AI-Driven Optimization
Building on the success of our Z890 series, the B860 AORUS motherboards achieve remarkable DDR5 speeds of up to 9466 MT/s on 4DIMM slot configurations. This exceptional performance is powered by our proven D5 Bionic Corsa technology, ensuring optimal memory efficiency across the entire lineup. D5 Bionic Corsa boasts four key technologies from software, hardware to firmware side. The AORUS AI SNATCH and AI SNATCH Engine present AI-overclocking for ultimate performance, while AI-Driven PCB Design and HyperTune BIOS deliver AI-design for signal enhancement on motherboards.
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GIGABYTE Technology, one of the top global manufacturers of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, today unveils its groundbreaking B850 and B840 series motherboards, introducing a new era of performance optimization and EZ-friendly design for the latest AMD Ryzen processors with full-line PCIe Gen 5 x16 graphics cards support.⁠

D5 Bionic Corsa: Redefining Memory Overclocking
At the heart of GIGABYTE's new B850/ B840 motherboard series lies the innovative D5 Bionic Corsa technology, a game-changing approach to memory performance. This breakthrough technology has achieved remarkable up to 8600 MT/s DDR5 speeds, setting a new standard for memory overclocking. Through the intelligent AORUS AI SNATCH software, users can now effortlessly enhance their system's performance with unprecedented ease. The AI-powered EXPO AI BOOST feature eliminates the traditional time-consuming trial and error process, delivering optimized memory profiles that balance performance and stability with just a few clicks.

Here are some of the first pictures of ASRock's upcoming Live Mixer series motherboards based on mid-range chipsets from AMD and Intel. The Live Mixer brand of motherboards has a similar positioning in ASRock's product stack as Steel Legend, but with a variation in product design, and a mid-range onboard audio solution that uses audio codecs such as the ALC1200 or ALC4080. There's nothing that particularly stands out in this audio solution (no fancy amp circuits or exotic I/O). The B850 Live Mixer Wi-Fi is an ATX board based on the AMD B850 chipset. This is essentially a re-brand of the popular B650, but with out-of-the-box support for the latest Ryzen 9000 series processors, including the 9000X3D series. The board offers three M.2 NVMe slots, one of which is Gen 5, and the others Gen 4. The WLAN solution is very likely Wi-Fi 6E.

Next up, is the ASRock B860 Live Mixer Wi-Fi. This Socket LGA1851 motherboard is based on Intel's mid-range chipset for its "Arrow Lake" processors, the Intel B860. Much like the previous generation B760, it is expected to lack CPU overclocking support. This board visually looks a lot similar to its AMD B850-based sibling, you could almost confuse the two if you're not looking at the CPU socket. You get three M.2 NVMe slots here, too; one of which is Gen 5, and doesn't eat into the x16 PEG slot. We expect this board to offer Wi-Fi 6E, just like the B850 Live Mixer Wi-Fi. Lastly, there's the B860M Live Mixer Wi-Fi, a Micro-ATX variant of this board, with mostly the same feature-set, it's just that the third M.2 slot is without a heatsink; and the second PCIe slot is physically x8 instead of x16, which shouldn't matter since the slot is likely electrical x4 on both motherboard models. Intel and AMD are expected to debut the B850 and B860 in January.

- CTL, a global cloud-computing solution leader for education and enterprise, announced today the introduction of two new 14" Chromebooks for enterprise: the CTL Chromebook Plus Enterprise PX141G Series and the CTL Chromebook Enterprise PX141E Series. Featuring an included Chrome Enterprise Upgrade license, these new Chromebooks offer professionals the speed, power, and connectivity they need for daily on-the-go productivity. Easy ChromeOS device manageability combined with CTL's life cycle services reduces the burden on IT departments.

"With an included Chrome Enterprise Upgrade license, these Chromebooks can be deployed instantly to serve in any number of enterprise applications, such as retail, healthcare, and front-line workers, for example. As a leader in the ChromeOS space, we know our customers will appreciate the design, performance, and, in the Chromebook Plus model, the enhanced AI and cybersecurity capabilities of this next-generation device," said Jason Mendenhall, CEO of CTL.

Microsoft is introducing Windows 365 Link, a compact cloud PC for business users. The device costs $349 and measures just 120 x 120 x 30 mm, making it smaller than Apple's Mac mini. The compact size comes from the fanless cooling design and the fact that the device doesn't have local storage capabilities. This small computer has quite a variety of connectivity options, including one USB-C, three USB-A ports, HDMI, DisplayPort, and Ethernet connections, supports two 4K monitors, and has Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E wireless capabilities. The specific hardware details are not yet revealed by Microsoft.

It requires Windows 365 with Microsoft Intune and Entra ID, and it works with 365 Frontline, Enterprise, and Business editions. As with other cloud-based solutions, Microsoft will lock some of the security options, "features like Secure Boot, the dedicated Trusted Platform Module, Hypervisor Code Integrity, BitLocker encryption, and the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint detection and response sensor can't be turned off, further helping to secure the device". Microsoft plans to launch the device in April 2025, with early previews in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Businesses interested in testing the device can contact their Microsoft account team before December 15, 2024, to join the preview program.

With over 250 million devices sold globally, Amazon expands its Fire TV lineup with a brand-new Omni Mini-LED Series and refreshed 4-Series—plus, the new Soundbar Plus Series.

Since launching Fire TV 10 years ago, we've been on a mission to make TVs more intelligent, accessible, and connected. Our approach is unique: We put content—not apps—at the center of the experience, and make it incredibly easy to find something to watch, including with just your voice. What started with the first Fire TV device in 2014 has evolved into a versatile lineup of devices, from Cubes and Sticks to smart TVs made by some of the world's strongest TV brands including Panasonic, Hisense, Toshiba, and TCL. And it's no understatement to say customers love Fire TV—customers around the world have purchased well over 250 million Fire TV devices.

Synaptics Incorporated today launched the Veros Seamless Intelligent Connectivity brand with high-performance systems on chip (SoCs) for Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth, and 802.15.4. Signifying leadership and innovation, Veros encapsulates decades of field-hardened technology and IoT connectivity expertise. It encompasses Synaptics' entire wireless portfolio of proven solutions characterized by superior performance, interoperability, coexistence, power efficiency, and bill of materials integration.

The new high-performance SoCs, the SYN4383 and SYN43756E, add to Veros by explicitly targeting devices that demand the highest Wi-Fi throughput and range with seamless network interoperability. The SYN4383 extends Synaptics' award-winning "Triple Combo" Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/802.15.4 series with real simultaneous dual-band (RSDB) operation and greater system integration. The SYN43756E fortifies Synaptics' widely adopted 2x2 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combo SoCs with a 6E Wi-Fi band and LE Audio.

Apple today introduced the new iPad mini, supercharged by the A17 Pro chip and Apple Intelligence, the easy-to-use personal intelligence system that understands personal context to deliver intelligence that is helpful and relevant while protecting user privacy. With a beloved ultraportable design, the new iPad mini is available in four gorgeous finishes, including a new blue and purple, and features the brilliant 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display. A17 Pro delivers a huge performance boost for even the most demanding tasks, with a faster CPU and GPU, a 2x faster Neural Engine than the previous-generation iPad mini, and support for Apple Intelligence. The versatility and advanced capabilities of the new iPad mini are taken to a whole new level with support for Apple Pencil Pro, opening up entirely new ways to be even more productive and creative. The 12MP wide back camera supports Smart HDR 4 for natural-looking photos with increased dynamic range, and uses machine learning to detect and scan documents right in the Camera app.

The new iPad mini features all-day battery life and brand-new experiences with iPadOS 18. Starting at just $499 with 128 GB—double the storage of the previous generation—the new iPad mini delivers incredible value and the full iPad experience in an ultraportable design. Customers can pre-order the new iPad mini today, with availability beginning Wednesday, October 23.

Acer today announced its entry into the handheld gaming space with the launch of the new Acer Nitro Blaze 7 (GN771). The device combines cutting-edge technology and a compact design to always bring next-level gaming and entertainment within reach. Acer's first-generation handheld AI gaming PC features an AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor, with Ryzen AI that optimizes performance and responsiveness across a wide range of games and applications.

The design allows users to easily slip the device into their bags or pockets for instant playing time on the go. It features a 7-inch Full HD (FHD) IPS display with a touch interface, plus AMD FreeSync Premium technology, and a blazing-fast 144 Hz refresh rate. This allows players to experience enhanced visuals and responsive controls while playing their favorite AAA titles. The system runs on Windows 11 and features the new Acer Game Space application which supports the addition of games from multiple platforms.

Colorful Technology Company Limited, a leading brand in gaming PC components, gaming laptops, and Hi-fi audio products, is proud to announce the CVN Z790D5 ARK FROZEN motherboard for the 14th Gen, 13th Gen, and 12th Gen Intel Core processors. The motherboard supports DDR5 memory and comes with four PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots for high-speed NVMe SSDs.

The design of the CVN Z790D5 ARK FROZEN is inspired by the powerful CVN-class battleships. The motherboard features a titanium gray color from the heat sinks to the PCB finish. The motherboard features a 14+1+1 digital power phase design with 90 A high-spec DrMOS VRMs with tantalum polymer capacitor to support high-end Intel Core i9 processors with ease. The CVN Z790D5 ARK FROZEN motherboard comes with a 2.5 GbE Ethernet port and Wi-Fi 6E with Bluetooth 5.3. The motherboard has single PCIe 5.0 X16 slot that's backward compatible with PCIe 4.0 devices such as the latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series graphics cards. There's also a bottom PCIe 4.0x4 slot for add-in devices such as RAID controllers, capture cards, and others.

Dynabook Americas, Inc., the gold standard for long-lasting, professional-grade laptops, today unveiled its latest Copilot-enhanced professional laptops - the all-new 14-inch Tecra A40-M and 16-inch Tecra A60-M. Engineered with Intel Core Ultra processors (Series 1) these new Windows 11 Pro laptops fuse cutting-edge hardware with advanced AI to redefine productivity and performance for modern professionals and educators.

"These new Tecra laptops exemplify Dynabook's commitment to delivering premium, cutting-edge solutions that empower professionals and educators," said James Robbins, General Manager, Dynabook Americas Inc. "With the integration of Intel's latest Core Ultra processors and Copilot AI capabilities, these laptops set new standards for efficiency, security, and user experience in the business and education sectors."

CTL, a global cloud-computing solution leader for education and enterprise, announced today the introduction of the new CTL Chromebook PX141E Series. This series equips educators, staff, and students with the powerful performance and connectivity they need for all-day productivity. Easy ChromeOS device manageability combined with CTL's lifecycle services reduces the burden on IT departments.

"We are excited to refresh our product line with the next-generation 14" Chromebook. As the new powerhouse performer in our Chromebook lineup, we know our education and enterprise customers will appreciate the upgraded power, Wi-Fi, memory, and storage to support all day teaching and learning, while new conveniences such as the webcam privacy shutter and additional USB-A port enhance useability," said Erik Stromquist, CEO of CTL.

MSI introduced the PRO B650-A WIFI, a feature-rich entry-mainstream Socket AM5 motherboard under its PRO series. Built in the standard ATX form-factor, the board features a 6-layer PCB, and includes heatsinks for all its M.2 slots, The board draws power from a 24-pin ATX and two 8-pin EPS power connectors and uses a 14+2+1 phase VRM solution that's capable of even the top 170 W TDP Ryzen 9 chips. The CPU socket is wired to four DDR5 DIMM slots, a PCI-Express 4.0 x16 slot, and two M.2 NVMe Gen 4 slots. The board's third M.2 Gen 4 slot is wired to the B650 FCH.

The MSI PRO B650-A WIFI offers a fairly premium onboard audio solution driven by a Realtek ALC4080 CODEC. USB connectivity includes a 20 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 type-C port, three 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 type-A, four 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1, and a few USB 3.2 and USB 2.0 ports by internal headers. Display outputs include HDMI and DisplayPort. Networking connectivity includes a 2.5 GbE interface driven by a Realtek 8125B controller, and an AMD/Mediatek sourced WLAN module with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Besides the three M.2 Gen 4 slots, you get four SATA 6 Gbps ports. The board supports USB BIOS Flashback. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Lenovo announced the ThinkCenter Neo Ultra, a compact high-performance desktop meant for power users and creative professionals. This desktop is larger than what would qualify as a mini-PC, with its 3.6 L volume, but is significantly smaller than a tower. Despite its compact size, it comes with a full-featured I/O. The desktop is powered by Intel's 14th Gen Core vPro "Raptor Lake Refresh" platform, and uses a custom form-factor desktop motherboard based on Intel Q670 chipset that supports various commercial desktop features under vPro. The processor and memory are socketed and hence user upgradeable.

Processor options range from the Core i5-14500 (6P+8E), going all the way up to the Core i9-14900 (8P+16E), including vPro and regular SKUs; and energy-efficient "T" SKUs. Memory options range from 16 GB (1x 16 GB) up to 64 GB (2x 32 GB) DDR5-4800. The sole graphics option is an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 desktop GPU, all four of its display connectors are directly wired out on the rear I/O. There are two M.2-2280 Gen 4 slots, storage options range from 1x 256 GB Gen 4, to 2x 1 TB Gen 4. Networking connectivity include 2.5 GbE and Wi-Fi 6E. USB ports include a 20 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen2x2 type-C on the front-panel, two 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2, and four additional USB 3.2 type-A ports at the back. The case measures 195 mm x 191 mm x 108 mm, and depending on the configuration, can weigh around 3.5 kg.

MSI IPC is proud to announce the launch new industrial lite box product, the MS-C918. It is designed to meet the diverse needs of modern businesses with a focus on cost-effectiveness, ease of use, and portability. MS-C918 is meticulously designed for non-critical environments. This midterm longevity support is ideal for businesses that require robust and dependable computing solutions without the need for extended industrial-grade lifespans.

Providing a service life of around three years, making them suitable for applications that do not demand the extended durability of high-end industrial-grade products. This midterm support is perfect for businesses that anticipate regular updates or technology refresh cycles, ensuring that the devices remain relevant and efficient over their expected use period.

Intel's upcoming Core Ultra "Arrow Lake-S" desktop processor introduces a new socket, the LGA1851, alongside the new Intel 800-series desktop chipset. We now have some idea what the 151 additional pins on the new socket are used for, thanks to a leaked platform map on the ChipHell forums, discovered by HXL. Intel is expanding the number of PCIe lanes from the processor. It now puts out a total of 32 PCIe lanes.

From the 32 PCIe lanes put out by the "Arrow Lake-S" processor's system agent, 16 are meant for the PCI-Express 5.0 x16 PEG slot to be used for discrete graphics. Eight are used as chipset bus, technically DMI 4.0 x8 (these are eight lanes that operate at Gen 4 speed for 128 Gbps per direction of bandwidth). There are now not one, but two CPU-attached M.2 NVMe slots possible, just like on the AMD "Raphael" and "Granite Ridge" processors. What's interesting, though, is that not both are Gen 5. One of these is Gen 5 x4, while the other is Gen 4 x4.

MINISFORUM, a leading manufacturer of high-quality Mini PCs, is proud to announce the release of its latest product, the UM890 Pro. This powerful Mini PC is designed with the latest generation AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor, utilizing the cutting-edge Zen 4 architecture, providing enhanced performance for multitasking, gaming, and creative work.

The UM890 Pro is equipped with the Cold Wave 2.2 cooling system, ensuring the PC's stability and robust connectivity capabilities. It also supports quick disassembly, making it easy to upgrade and maintain. With DDR5 dual-channel memory, speeds up to 5600 MHz, and a maximum capacity support of 96 GB, the UM890 Pro offers exceptional performance. Additionally, it can install two M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 SSD solid-state drives simultaneously, with a maximum capacity support of 8 TB, effectively enhancing storage performance and boosting system responsiveness.

MAINGEAR, the leader in premium-quality, high-performance gaming PCs, today unveiled its all-new 16-inch ML-16 series of gaming laptops designed to deliver next-level productivity and gaming performance at home and on the go. Collaboratively engineered for impressive speed, seamless multitasking, and long-lasting battery life, ML-16 laptops from MAINGEAR are equipped with the all-new and highly efficient Intel Core Ultra 7 (155H) processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 or 4070 Mobile GPUs.

The ML-16 series is built for gamers who demand peak performance and mobility without compromising on either. Equipped with the latest, premium mobile 28-watt processors from Intel and a powerful cooling system, ML-16 laptops ensure optimal reliability even with intense CPU loads, allowing gamers to push them hard without reaching their limits. With a large 80-Wh battery, the ML-16 offers hours of uninterrupted productivity. At the same time, a dedicated turbo mode allows users to select between three power modes, providing enhanced flexibility for different use scenarios.