In actively verifying its next-generation CAMM2 (Compression Attached Memory Module 2) memory modules, global memory leader Team Group Inc. today announced two specifications: consumer-grade CAMM2 DDR5 7200 MHz and industrial-grade CAMM2 DDR5 6400 MHz. These new products provide expanded options for the memory market, delivering faster data transfer speeds, enhanced performance, and greater user flexibility.

The consumer-grade CAMM2 memory from Team Group operates at DDR5 7200 MHz CL34-42-42-84 under manual overclocking, delivering exceptional performance. Compared to the default JEDEC specification, the module offers write, copy, and read speeds of up to 108,000 MB/s, 106,000 MB/s, and 117,000 MB/s, respectively, while reducing overall latency to 55ns. The module delivers smoother performance when running large applications, gaming, or multitasking. The potential to achieve ultra-high frequencies of 8000-9000 MHz in the future further underscores its superior capabilities. In addition, Team Group Industrial is developing an industrial-grade CAMM2 memory, optimized for DDR5 6400 MHz, which is designed for industrial control, edge computing, and AI applications, providing robust support for high-performance computing and real-time data processing. The module will play a critical role in the development of technologies such as smart manufacturing, autonomous driving, and smart cities by improving both performance and reliability.

TrendForce's latest investigations reveal that the combined market share of the top five SSD module makers in the retail sector has surged from 59% in 2022 to 72% in 2023, reinforcing a trend of larger companies expanding their dominance. These major players are leveraging their scale to negotiate more favorable prices for NAND Flash, boosting their competitive edge and ensuring they have sufficient resources to stock up in preparation for market shifts.

TrendForce reports that shipments of branded SSDs in the retail market reached 180 million units in 2023, marking a YoY growth of 3.7%. Reflecting on the SSD market for that year, it appeared that many PCs purchased during the pandemic had entered their typical replacement cycle.

At Snapdragon Summit, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform, the most powerful and world's fastest mobile system-on-a-chip ever. Our flagship mobile platforms are now taking on the Elite name, showcasing the remarkable progress it represents for the industry. This platform debuts industry leading technologies such as the second generation custom-built Qualcomm Oryon CPU, Qualcomm Adreno GPU and enhanced Qualcomm Hexagon NPU, all of which deliver game changing performance improvements.

These innovations empower the Snapdragon 8 Elite to transform user experiences with their devices - making on-device multi-modal generative AI applications a reality on smartphones powered by Snapdragon. These technologies also fuel many other experiences across camera capabilities, with our most powerful AI-ISP, as well as next level gaming, super-fast web browsing and more.

TrendForce's latest findings reveal that NAND Flash products have been impacted by weaker-than-expected seasonal demand in the second half of 2024, leading to a decline in wafer contract prices in Q3. This downward trend is projected to deepen, with prices expected to drop by more than 10% in Q4.

Enterprise SSDs are the only segment likely to see modest price growth—supported by stable order momentum—with contract prices forecast to rise by 0-5% in Q4. However, PC SSDs and UFS will see more cautious procurement strategies from buyers, as weaker-than-expected sales of end products drive buyers to adopt a conservative approach. As a result, TrendForce projects overall NAND Flash contract prices will decline by 3-8% in Q4.

Today at HP Imagine, HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) announced the company's newest innovations, including next-gen AI PCs, AI-enabled video conferencing solutions, and a scalable GPU performance sharing solution for AI developers - all designed to transform the future of work.

"HP is deeply ambitious in its commitment to reshape the way people work, fostering growth, nurturing creativity, and unleashing limitless innovation," said Alex Cho, President of Personal Systems at HP Inc. "We're bringing AI to life and delivering powerful new experiences through our next-gen AI PCs, advanced audio and video solutions, and innovative AI development platform."

Logitech announced the launch of MX Creative Console, a new product category that allows digital creators to focus on their artistry. With instant access to essential controls and ultimate customization, the MX Creative Console streamlines workflows and automates repetitive tasks.

"Digital creativity is undergoing a massive transformation, constantly evolving the way people create. The MX Creative Console is designed to help people redefine their workflow, enabling them to work smarter and faster," said Anatoliy Polyanker, general manager of the MX Business Unit at Logitech. "With the latest additions to the Logitech MX Ecosystem, the MX Creative Console and recently-announced MX Ink, we are tapping into the key trends of democratizing digital creation, 3D design and spatial computing, and AI-enabled workflows."

Lexar, the globally renowned storage brand, attended IFA 2024, where it hosted a product launch event and workshops showcasing its innovative new industry-leading catalog, including Portable SSDs, memory cards, DRAM, and other innovative products.

Marking IFA's centennial in 2024, the 'Creation' theme underscores storage's integral part in driving innovation. Under the 'Memory Creates Endless' theme, Lexar set up a 'Journey of Memory' booth area, displaying groundbreaking storage products tracing back to a century ago. This vividly showcased how the evolution of storage technology has influenced and empowered creators. Through this technological evolution, Lexar has remained at the forefront, consistently delivering products and services that exceed users' expectations.

Acer today unveiled two new projectors in its eco-friendly Vero product line; the Acer Vero PD2528ic and the Acer Vero PD2328. Both projectors are designed to equip businesses and consumers with high-performance, energy-efficient technology, making these excellent choices for those looking to reduce their ecological footprint.

Stunning Image and Color Projection with Gen 4 LED Lighting Technology
The latest Gen 4 LED light source enhances the brightness of the new Acer PD2 Series projectors by up to 18.5% compared to the previous generation, allowing for high-light output of up to 3,700 ANSI lumens and making them great options for home cinema or meeting room setups. These deliver excellent color performance with support for 120% of the REC 709 color space and offer 1.5 times wider coverage compared to traditional lamp-based projectors. Plus, their 0.65-inch DMD chip power their high and dynamic contrast ratios of 50,000:1 for vibrant visuals and image quality, even when showing low-light frames.

TrendForce reports that memory module makers have been aggressively increasing their DRAM inventories since 3Q23, with inventory levels rising to 11-17 weeks by 2Q24. However, demand for consumer electronics has not rebounded as expected. For instance, smartphone inventories in China have reached excessive levels, and notebook purchases have been delayed as consumers await new AI-powered PCs, leading to continued market contraction.

This has led to a weakening in spot prices for memory products primarily used in consumer electronics, with Q2 prices dropping over 30% compared to Q1. Although spot prices remained disconnected from contract prices through August, this divergence may signal potential future trends for contract pricing.

Latest reports indicate that sanctioned Chinese PC hardware manufacturer DeepCool's products have appeared on major US online marketplaces under the brand "Shaking Tank," as revealed by YouTuber Greg Salazar on social media platform X. This comes two months after the US State Department sanctioned DeepCool for alleged business with Russian firms involved in the Ukraine conflict, barring US sales and imports of their products. Despite this, retailers like Amazon and Newegg list apparent DeepCool products under the Shaking Tank brand. These listings show product renders with the DeepCool logo blurred or removed. Fan hubs previously displaying the DeepCool emblem now show blank spaces, and product packaging has obscured identifying marks. Examples include the DeepCool AK620 and LS720 models, now advertised as ShakingTank AK620 and LS720.

The nature of this rebranding still needs to be clarified. While DeepCool adopting a new name to bypass sanctions would likely face severe legal consequences, more plausible explanations include a reseller rebranding remaining inventory or retailers clearing sanctioned stock. This situation questions trade sanctions' effectiveness and enforcement in the global marketplace, leaving consumers uncertain about DeepCool's future in the US market and potential impacts on international trade regulations.

Primate Labs, the developer behind the popular Geekbench benchmarking suite, has launched Geekbench AI—a comprehensive benchmark tool designed to measure the artificial intelligence capabilities of various devices. Geekbench AI, previously known as Geekbench ML during its preview phase, has now reached version 1.0. The benchmark is available on multiple operating systems, including Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS, making it accessible to many users and developers. One of Geekbench AI's key features is its multifaceted approach to scoring. The benchmark utilizes three distinct precision levels: single-precision, half-precision, and quantized data. This evaluation aims to provide a more accurate representation of AI performance across different hardware designs.

In addition to speed, Geekbench AI places a strong emphasis on accuracy. The benchmark assesses how closely each test's output matches the expected results, offering insights into the trade-offs between performance and precision. The release of Geekbench AI 1.0 brings support for new frameworks, including OpenVINO, ONNX, and Qualcomm QNN, expanding its compatibility across various platforms. Primate Labs has also implemented measures to ensure fair comparisons, such as enforcing minimum runtime durations for each workload. The company noted that Samsung and NVIDIA are already utilizing the software to measure their chip performance in-house, showing that adoption is already strong. While the benchmark provides valuable insights, real-world AI applications are still limited, and reliance on a few benchmarks may paint a partial picture. Nevertheless, Geekbench AI represents a significant step forward in standardizing AI performance measurement, potentially influencing future consumer choices in the AI-driven tech market. Results from the benchmark runs can be seen here.

Law firm, Abington Cole + Ellery, is investigating a potential class action lawsuit against Intel due to instability issues in their 13th and 14th Gen CPUs. Intel has acknowledged the problem, stating that elevated operating voltage caused by a microcode algorithm is resulting in instability. While Intel promises a patch, it won't prevent damage already done to affected chips.

Intel has offered to replace damaged CPUs, which could potentially undermine the basis for a lawsuit if the company is honoring this commitment effectively. However, user experiences with Intel's RMA service vary widely, with some reporting smooth replacements and others facing delays or complications. Intel claims to support all affected customers, including those with tray processors, but advises contacting system vendors for pre-built systems.

VIA Technologies, Inc., a leading innovator in the development of embedded platforms and systems, today announced the launch of three new high-performance edge AI solutions: the SOM-5000, VAB-5000, and ARTiGO A5000. These platforms are designed to meet the growing demand for intelligent edge computing across a wide range of industrial, commercial, and consumer applications.

"These new platforms represent a significant leap forward in edge AI technology," said Epan Wu, General Manager, VIA Intelligent Solutions. "With their advanced processing capabilities and versatile connectivity options, the SOM-5000, VAB-5000, and ARTiGO A5000 enable our customers to develop innovative and efficient edge AI applications."

Newegg Commerce, Inc., a leading global e-commerce company specializing in computers and consumer electronics, today announced that its CPU Trade-In program is now live on Newegg.com. As the latest addition to the GPU Trade-In program launched last year, Newegg's CPU Trade-In program enables customers to trade their used CPUs in exchange for credit toward an entirely new CPU from Newegg.

About the CPU Trade-In Program
A CPU, often referred to as the brain of a computer, enables PCs to process data and operations. When new units become available, users frequently opt to upgrade their system's CPU with newer, faster models capable of accommodating increasingly sophisticated software and programs. Newegg's trade-in program allows customers to trade in their existing aged CPUs for credit toward a new CPU.

Cixin Technology, a Chinese tech firm, has introduced the Cixin P1 (CP8180), the region's first AI-centric consumer processor. This new chip aims to disrupt domestic markets by capitalizing on the growing AI PC trend, featuring up to 45 TOPS. According to IT Home, Cixin needed 15 months of research and development, 4 months for production, and 3 months of testing for their first CPU.

The Cixin P1 utilizes ARM-based architecture, similar to Qualcomm's successful Snapdragon X Elite CPUs. Built on a 6 nm process, the chip boasts a 12-core ARM CPU configuration, with eight performance cores and four efficiency cores, with a maximum frequency of 3.2 GHz.

Femtosense, in partnership with ABOV Semiconductor, today launched the AI-ADAM-100, an artificial intelligence microcontroller unit (AI MCU) built on sparse AI technology to enable on-device AI features such as voice-based control in home appliances and other products. On-device AI provides immediate, no-latency user responses with low power consumption, security, operational stability, and low cost compared to GPUs or cloud-based AI.

The AI-ADAM-100 integrates the Femtosense Sparse Processing Unit 001 (SPU-001), a neural processing unit (NPU), and an ABOV Semiconductor MCU to provide deep learning-powered AI voice processing and voice-cleanup capabilities on-device at the edge. With language processing, appliances can implement "say what you mean" voice interfaces that allow users to speak naturally and express their intent freely in multiple ways. For example, "Turn the lights off", "Turn off the lights," and "Lights off" all convey the same intent and are understood as such.

TrendForce reports that while the enterprise sector continues to invest in server infrastructure—especially with the rising adoption of AI driving demand for enterprise SSDs—the consumer electronics market remains lackluster. This, combined with NAND suppliers aggressively ramping up production in the second half of the year, is expected to push the NAND Flash sufficiency ratio up to 2.3% in the third quarter, curbing the blended price hike to a modest 5-10%.

This year, NAND Flash prices saw a robust rebound as manufacturers kept production in check during the first half, helping them regain profitability. However, with a noticeable ramp-up in production and sluggish retail demand, wafer spot prices have dropped significantly. Some wafer prices are now over 20% below contract prices, casting doubts on the sustainability of future price hikes.

TrendForce reports that a recovery in demand for general servers—coupled with an increased production share of HBM by DRAM suppliers—has led suppliers to maintain their stance on hiking prices. As a result, the ASP of DRAM in the third quarter is expected to continue rising, with an anticipated increase of 8-13%. The price of conventional DRAM is expected to rise by 5-10%, showing a slight contraction compared to the increase in the second quarter.

TrendForce notes that buyers were more conservative about restocking in the second, and inventory levels on both the supplier and buyer sides did not show significant changes. Looking ahead to the third quarter, there is still room for inventory replenishment for smartphones and CSPs, and the peak season for production is soon to commence. Consequently, it is expected that smartphones and servers will drive an increase in memory shipments in the third quarter.

At Computex, Realtek was showing off a new 5 Gbps switch platform which is set to bring much more affordable high-speed Ethernet switches to the consumer market. At the core of the new switch platform sits Realtek's RTL9303 which is an eight port 10 Gbps switch controller. This was released a few years ago as a low cost 10 Gbps switch IC, but as it still required third party PHYs, it never really took off. The RTL9303 is built around an 800 MHz MIPS 34Kc CPU and supports up to 1 GB of DDR3 RAM as well as 64 MB of SPI NOR Flash for the firmware.

When combined with Realtek's RTL8251B 5 Gbps PHY, the end result is a comparably low-cost 5 Gbps switch. According to Ananadtech, Realtek is expecting a US$25 price per port, which is only about $10 more per port than your typical 2.5 Gbps switch today, even though some are as little as US$10 per port. When combined with a Realtek RTL8126 PCIe based 5 Gbps NIC which retails from around US$30, 5 Gbps Ethernet looks like a very sensible option in terms of price/performance. Admittedly 2.5 Gbps Ethernet cards can be had for as little as $13, but they started out at a higher price point compared to what 5 Gbps NICs are already selling for. Meanwhile, 10 Gbps NICs are still stuck at around US$80-90, with switches in most cases costing at least US$45 per port, but often a lot more. 5 Gbps Ethernet also has the advantage of being able to operate on CAT 5e cabling at up to 60 metres and CAT 6 cabling at up 100 metres, which means there's no need to replace older cabling to benefit from it.

FlexEnable, the leader in the development and production of flexible organic electronics for active optics and displays, today announced that the world's first mass-produced consumer product incorporating organic transistor technology has started shipping. The device, called Ledger Stax, is a secure crypto wallet developed by French company and market-leader Ledger. FlexEnable partnered with display manufacturing companies DKE (Shanghai) and Giantplus (Taiwan) to realise Ledger's design for a credit card-sized product with an E Ink display uniquely wrapped around a 180-degree bend.

Ledger Stax features a display radius of curvature never before achieved in an e-paper display product, made possible by the use of highly flexible organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs), comprising organic materials and process IP developed, supplied and licensed by FlexEnable.

TrendForce reveals that the DRAM industry experienced a 5.1% revenue increase in 1Q24 compared to the previous quarter. This growth—reaching US$18.35 billion—was driven by rising contract prices for mainstream products, with the price increase being more significant than in 4Q23. As a result, most companies in the industry continued to see revenue growth.

The top three suppliers experienced a decline in shipments in the first quarter, demonstrating the industry's off-season effect. Additionally, downstream companies had higher inventory levels, which led to a significant reduction in procurement volume. As for ASP, the top three suppliers continued to benefit from contract price increases seen in 4Q23. With inventory levels still healthy, there was a strong intention to raise prices.

AMD has reached a significant milestone, capturing a record-high share of the X86 CPU market in the first quarter of 2024, according to the latest report from Mercury Research. This achievement marks a significant step forward for the chipmaker in its long battle against rival Intel's dominance in the crucial computer processor space. The surge was fueled by strong demand for AMD's Ryzen and EPYC processors across consumer and enterprise markets. The Ryzen lineup's compelling price-to-performance ratio has struck a chord with gamers, content creators, and businesses seeking cost-effective computing power without sacrificing capabilities. It secured AMD's 23.9% share, an increase from the previous Q4 of 2023, which has seen a 19.8% market share.

The company has also made major inroads on the data center front with its EPYC server CPUs. AMD's ability to supply capable yet affordable processors has enabled cloud providers and enterprises to scale operations on AMD's platform. Several leading tech giants have embraced EPYC, contributing to AMD's surging server market footprint. Now, it is at 23.6%, a significant increase over the past few years, whereas AMD was just above 10% four years ago in 2020. AMD lost some share to Intel on the mobile PC front due to the Meteor Lake ramp, but it managed to gain a small percentage of the market share of client PCs. As AMD rides the momentum into the second half of 2024, all eyes will be on whether the chipmaker can sustain this trajectory and potentially claim an even larger slice of the x86 CPU pie from Intel in the coming quarters.Below, you can see additional graphs of mobile PC and client PC market share.

Audio-Technica U.S. Incorporated, recently announced the formation of a new logistical operations company, Technica Logistics Inc. The announcement was made by Mr. Manabu Aoki, Audio-Technica Director and CEO/President of Audio-Technica U.S. Inc., and underscores A-T's long-term strategic business plan for ongoing growth and expansion in the coming years. "This new company is formed to supply enhanced service to our customers and consumers," stated Aoki. "This change will take advantage of Audio-Technica's past experience and success in warehouse and distribution operations, as well as its unprecedented dedication to customer support and service."

Technica Logistics Inc. will begin operation on April 1, 2024, and Mr. Michael Fuller, who has been with Audio-Technica for over 15 years, has been named as the Managing Director. The company plans to have approximately 40 employees throughout the U.S. and will have its headquarters at the Audio-Technica campus in Stow, Ohio, and the mailing address at 4701 Hudson Drive, Stow, OH.

InnoGrit's low-wattage 12 nanometer IG5666 controller popped up on the T-FORCE GE PRO PCIe 5.0 SSD series earlier in the year, but attention has turned to another consumer-grade design. Parent company—Yingren Technology—is not well known outside of China, although its InnoGrit brand has started to make inroads within Western markets. The enterprise-level YRS900 PCIe 5.0 SSD controller was announced last September—this open-source RISC-V-based solution was designed/engineered to "align with U.S. export restrictions." According to cnBeta and MyDrivers reports, a new YRS820 controller has successfully reached the mass production phase. This is a PCIe 5.0 consumer-grade controller, likely derived from its big sibling (YRS900).

According to InnoGrit presentation material, their new model is based on: "RISC-V instruction architecture, adopts a 4-channel PCIe 5.0 interface, is equipped with 8 NAND flash memory channels, supports NVMe 2.0 protocol, has an interface transmission rate of 2667MT/s, can be paired with 3D TLC/QLC, and supports a maximum capacity of up to 8 TB." Company representatives stated that the YRS820 controller is destined to be fitted on high-end consumer parts—the AI PC market segment is a key goal, since the YRS820 is able to: "accelerate data processing for specific applications and have high stability, consistency and security." cnBeta highlighted some anticipated performance figures: "YRS820 achieves sequential read 14 GB/s, sequential write 12 GB/s, random read and random write up to 2000K IOPs and 1500K IOPs respectively." InnoGrit did not reveal a release timetable, since their latest consumer-grade controller is going through a validation process. The company is currently collaborating with domestic NAND flash memory and DRAM manufacturers, as well as other industry bodies.

Today, Optoma, the No. 1 4K UHD and DLP brand worldwide and in the Americas in projection technology,¹ introduced the Optoma UHZ55, a lightning-fast, long-lasting smart UHD laser projector. The UHZ55 laser projector joins the company's line of award-winning true 4K resolution projectors, including its predecessor, the popular UHZ50, and is designed for all home entertainment and home office needs. With 3,000 lumens, a 2,500,000:1 contrast ratio, easy installation features, and Optoma's DuraCore laser light source, the new UHZ55 delivers razor-sharp images and lights-on viewing for all of your home entertainment, gaming, and work-from-home needs.

The UHZ55 boasts four times the standard refresh rate at 240 Hz at 1080p for a smooth and fluid PC gaming experience on par with the fastest gaming monitors, and an ultra-quick 16.9 ms response time in 4K at 60 Hz for next-gen console 4K immersive gaming.