TechPowerUP NEWS

[NextPowerUP]

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Commerce publicly announced two new notices of intent—as reported by Tom's Hardware (https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/semiconductors/the-us-government-will-distribute-dollar500-million-from-the-chips-act-to-fund-randd-for-packaging-technology-and-a-research-institute), this involves the latest distributions from the CHIPS Act's $11 billion R&D budget: "$300 million is to be made available across multiple awards of up to $100 million (not including voluntary co-investment) for research on advanced packaging, while another $200 million (or more) is set aside to create the CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute. Companies will have to compete for the funds by filing an application." The Act's primary $39 billion tranche is designated to new construction endeavors, e.g. the founding of manufacturing facilities (https://www.techpowerup.com/318013/tsmc-delays-launch-of-arizona-phase-2-facility).

A grand total of $52 billion was set aside for the CHIPS Act in 2022, which immediately attracted the attention of several semiconductor industry giants. Companies with headquarters outside of North America were allowed to send in applications. Last year, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, made some controversial statements regarding his company's worthiness of government funding. In his opinion, Team Blue is due the "lion's share (https://www.techpowerup.com/312368/intel-wants-more-than-its-fair-share-of-chips-act-money)" due to his operation being a USA firm—the likes of TSMC and Samsung are far less deserving of subsidies.https://tpucdn.com/img/Mxv7fRiwPogiMpra_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/Mxv7fRiwPogiMpra.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/yOwO3rZlE3KYXNj4_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/yOwO3rZlE3KYXNj4.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/3uzCB9p0NALqwCTb_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/3uzCB9p0NALqwCTb.jpg)

Read full story (https://www.techpowerup.com/318590/u-s-chips-act-outlines-usd-500-million-fund-for-research-institutes-packaging-tech-development)

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[NextPowerUP]

Ken Mendoza, Promotion Producer at Capcom, said: "Hi PlayStation Blog readers! We are very excited to share the newest trailer for Dragon's Dogma 2 (https://www.dragonsdogma.com/2/en-us/) revealed today during State of Play. In this article we will be diving deeper into some of the information revealed in it: the brand new Warfarer vocation, the vocation maisters, and the mysterious dragonsplague."

Introducing the Warfarer vocation
Wield a greatsword, chant high-level magick, and deceive enemies with illusions. The Warfarer is a vocation that allows you to engage in combat while switching between the weapons of other vocations. The Warfarer is a vocation exclusive to the main character, the Arisen. Warfarers can use all weapon types and learn the core skills of all vocations. It is the "ultimate vocation," so to speak. Some vocations excel at close combat, or are skilled at support, and the Warfarer can utilize the strengths of each vocation as the situation demands. The Warfarer has the potential to release powerful combos, such as using Trickster skills to deceive enemies and open opportunities to chant powerful attack magick. However, the Warfarer is not an all-mighty vocation. Their basic stats are not high, and they must carry many weapons in order to use their various skills. They will require the player's skill to exploit strengths in different situations, or else the vocation will remain a lesser version of each of the respective vocations. Only those who have honed their skills and adaptability will be able to bring out the full potential of this vocation.https://tpucdn.com/img/MmBXHhscgR1rNvfA_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/MmBXHhscgR1rNvfA.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/qFdTiAQz9OrAq9d8_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/qFdTiAQz9OrAq9d8.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/1HE0jl1WDtS4mZ6v_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/1HE0jl1WDtS4mZ6v.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/kA60LmiU0IcQaoZ7_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/kA60LmiU0IcQaoZ7.jpg)
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[NextPowerUP]

CaseKing.de has started to sell a gigantic Lamptron ST060 (https://www.caseking.de/lamptron-st060-dual-120-mm-towerkuehler-6-zoll-display-schwarz-luls-381.html) dual-tower CPU air cooler for €299.90 (~$325) with VAT added. Many PC hardware news sites have predicted that this sizable—153 × 152 × 120 mm (W x H x D)—cooling solution is worthy of taking on similarly proportioned competition (https://www.techpowerup.com/review/deepcool-assassin-iv-dual-tower-cpu-air-cooler/). CaseKing's listing includes some hype material: "(the ST060) offers extremely high cooling performance thanks to its six heat pipes and two PWM RGB fans. With a 260 W TDP, the cooler is also very quiet and has immense cooling reserves for overclocked CPUs and, despite its size, can be installed even with the mainboard installed." The integrated 6-inch 1920x1080 screen is the ST060's other selling point—DeepCool's (recently TPU reviewed (https://www.techpowerup.com/review/deepcool-ak620-digital/10.html)) AK620 dual-tower cooler sports a large-ish top-mounted mini monitor, although its functionality is quite limited. Lamptron states that their new model is prepped for full AIDA64 integration; a license for this software suite is bundled in.

The integrated screen requires connection to USB Type-A and HDMI ports—perhaps a major annoyance—fortunately mini USB to USB and HDMI cables are included in the box. Additionally, software and digital instructions are uploaded onto a bundled USB-A flash drive. The base Lamptron ST060 model is joined by ARGB equipped alternatives—CaseKing has a product page for a black fan version (LAMP-ST060AB (https://www.caseking.de/lamptron-st060-dual-120-mm-towerkuehler-argb-mit-6-zoll-display-schwarz-luls-382.html), also priced at €299.90), but it is not available to purchase yet. Tom's Hardware believes that a white fan model (LAMP-ST060AW) is also incoming—they documented some basic aesthetic differences: "In addition to the fans being different, the ARGB versions have a silver heatsink as opposed to the black heatsink on the regular version." Lamptron's ST060 air cooler appears to be an Intel socket-centric product, with support for LGA1366, LGA1200, LGA115x, LGA1700, and LGA2011. Team Red enthusiasts will be disappointed about compatibility being limited to AM4. Overclocking.com (https://en.overclocking.com/lamptron-is-not-dead-and-announces-a-st060-ventirad/) expressed surprise regarding Lamptron's re-emergence with new products—many assumed that the company was in a dormant state for a long time.https://tpucdn.com/img/xvqhN0e7j3VNpws0_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/xvqhN0e7j3VNpws0.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/pCI6M3Qob1sP2Av2_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/pCI6M3Qob1sP2Av2.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/vYqueFQ8hP3kkcd3_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/vYqueFQ8hP3kkcd3.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/DNuPxn8GtPG6juL0_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/DNuPxn8GtPG6juL0.jpg)

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[NextPowerUP]

On February 8 Arrowhead Game Studios (https://www.arrowheadgamestudios.com/aboutarrowhead/games/) invites you to customize your Helldiver, drop into hell, wipe out infestations, and repeat the victorious process. Have you ever watched the anonymous soldiers of a sci-fi movie get obliterated by aliens and thought to yourself, "I could do better"? Helldivers 2 (https://store.steampowered.com/app/553850/HELLDIVERS_2/) is Arrowhead Game Studios' invitation to brave players dying to experience the chaotic fun of facing seemingly impossible odds. For the uninitiated, Helldivers 2 (https://www.playstation.com/en-gb/games/helldivers-2/) is a full sequel that maintains the 4-player cooperative essence of the 2015 top-down PS4 entry, while adding modern over-the-shoulder third-person gunplay and deeper customization options. I recently had a chance to suit up and drop into a hands-on session with Helldivers 2 on PS5, and lived to share this debriefing. I teamed up with three other Helldivers to learn the ropes and emerged with a whetted appetite for eliminating space bugs and murderous Automatons. Let's dive in.

Action sci-fi gunplay
Helldivers 2 is bursting with customization options and strategic depth, but shooting lots of enemies is your bread and butter. Arrowhead managed to translate the frenetic top-down energy of Helldivers into a smooth third-person shooter. Weapon recoil feels powerful yet predictable enough to maintain your accuracy. I specifically loved watching Automaton's armor dent and shatter off as I punched them full of sniper rounds. Players have options when it comes to gunplay. Hold the Square button to switch between single, burst, and autofire. Press L2 to shoulder your weapon and zoom in with R2. Click R3 button to aim-down-sights for even deeper precision and immersion. The direction buttons are used for quick actions, like switching to grenades by pressing right or pressing for a life-restoring stim. Remember to save a few 'nades to close up bug nests or destroy enemy factories. The moment-to-moment action is tight and reliable, which is key when all hell inevitably breaks loose.https://tpucdn.com/img/BA3r3XnRIA1NXs8c_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/BA3r3XnRIA1NXs8c.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/sefBDqNjQ15rgfWq_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/sefBDqNjQ15rgfWq.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/bKxPEiZWD4m5Dxit_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/bKxPEiZWD4m5Dxit.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/2XtuJKSsr3PLhX2h_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/2XtuJKSsr3PLhX2h.jpg)
Read full story (https://www.techpowerup.com/318740/helldivers-2-gameplay-strategies-previewed-ahead-of-january-8-launch)

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[NextPowerUP]

With the advent of high-resolution video and surveillance systems, the demand for stable performance (Sustained Performance) and Power Loss Protection in SSD storage devices continues to rise among video recording equipment and surveillance system integrators. Therefore, Phison Electronics (8299TT), a leading provider of NAND controllers and NAND storage solutions, today announced the launch of specialized SSD storage solutions for video and surveillance systems, including the mid-high-range S12DI and the cost-effective S17T SSD solutions.

With the advent of high-resolution video and surveillance systems, the demand for stable performance (Sustained Performance) and Power Loss Protection in SSD storage devices continues to rise among video recording equipment and surveillance system integrators. Therefore, Phison Electronics (8299TT), a leading provider of NAND controllers and NAND storage solutions, today announced the launch of specialized SSD storage solutions for video and surveillance systems, including the mid-high-range S12DI and the cost-effective S17T SSD solutions.https://tpucdn.com/img/h9rvd1rOE0VcuZCn_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/h9rvd1rOE0VcuZCn.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/XjnytMkdAVqrq5mc_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/XjnytMkdAVqrq5mc.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/BO6n7ZnJkLi8Trrb_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/BO6n7ZnJkLi8Trrb.jpg)
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[NextPowerUP]

PNY Technologies, a global leader in memory and storage solutions, has expanded its enterprise portfolio through a strategic partnership with VAST Data, the AI data platform company. This collaboration underscores PNY's commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions to meet the evolving needs of enterprises integrating AI and HPC into their core processes. This partnership leverages the VAST Data Platform's DataStore capabilities, enhancing PNY's enterprise offerings with unparalleled performance, scalability, and cost efficiency. This move reinforces PNY's position as a key player in the enterprise market.

Key highlights of the partnership include:

Revolutionary Solutions: PNY now offers VAST Data's innovative data platform, known for its simplicity and transformative performance, serving data to the world's most demanding supercomputers.
Unmatched Scalability: VAST Data's industry-disrupting DASE architecture enables businesses to enjoy nearly limitless scale as their data sets and AI pipelines grow, allowing them to adapt to the changing demands of today's increasingly data-driven world.
Cost-Effective Data Management: VAST Data and PNY will empower enterprises to achieve significant cost savings through improved data reduction (VAST Similarity), infrastructure efficiency and simplified management.
Enhanced Data Analytics: The VAST DataBase facilitates deeper insights from both structured and unstructured data, accelerating decision-making and enables data-driven innovation across various business functions.
Exceptional Customer Support: PNY extends its commitment to exceptional customer support to VAST Data solutions, providing reliable technical assistance and guidance.

https://tpucdn.com/img/NoNsD2KJkMsnk9JP_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/NoNsD2KJkMsnk9JP.jpg)
Read full story (https://www.techpowerup.com/318728/pny-expands-enterprise-portfolio-with-innovative-vast-data-platform)

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[NextPowerUP]

Thermaltake, a leading PC DIY brand for premium hardware solutions, is proud to unveil the TT100 S Bag and the TT100 M Bag offered in black, red, and grey variations, along with the TT100 Frame Pouch available in black and red. Designed with modern style, functionality, and volume, and completely matching all Brompton folding bicycles, the TT100 series waterproof bag is ready to lead a new bicycle lifestyle. Now come new additions in compact sizes and various colors, making your urban commuting portable and personalized!

Thermaltake TT100 S Bag & M Bag
Following the release of the backpack, the TT100 Series waterproof bag now expands its range with the introduction of the TT100 S Bag and the TT100 M Bag, available in black, red, and grey. The latest additions maintain the series' signature aerodynamic appearance, with the distinctive angled cut that minimizes the bicycle's wind resistance, enabling smoother rides and increasing rider safety. The bags also come with appealing laser-cut with 3M reflective printing, presenting a modern urban style and enhancing night riding safety.https://tpucdn.com/img/1t43VuNClLDsjt5j_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/1t43VuNClLDsjt5j.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/srOXjW2ueT47hD8G_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/srOXjW2ueT47hD8G.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/juA9UKU3qTjQDwSm_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/juA9UKU3qTjQDwSm.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/uXs0fqHSX4E0u6r1_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/uXs0fqHSX4E0u6r1.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/ZQ2xg4TftJsGuZvF_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/ZQ2xg4TftJsGuZvF.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/6x38t0BedLy9tHhv_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/6x38t0BedLy9tHhv.jpg)
Read full story (https://www.techpowerup.com/318727/thermaltake-launches-the-tt100-series-waterproof-bag-in-compact-sizes-and-new-colors)

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[NextPowerUP]

A series of price cuts on Best Buy for the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti (8 GB) sees the card now drop to $344, down from its $399 MSRP, reports VideoCardz. This new low price puts it within just $15 of the recently launched AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT. For the vast majority of gamers playing at 1080p, this is great news. In our testing (https://www.techpowerup.com/review/sapphire-radeon-rx-7600-xt-pulse/), the RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB is on average 18% faster than the RX 7600 XT in gaming without ray tracing; and a staggering 45% faster with ray tracing enabled. Both the RTX 4060 Ti and the RX 7600 XT are recommended by their makers for maxed out gaming at 1080p, including with ray tracing. Best Buy has the cheapest RTX 4060 Ti in the market right now, with the Gigabyte RTX 4060 Ti Gaming OC listed at $344.

Both the RTX 4060 Ti and the RTX 4060 appear to be designed to withstand a great degree of price cuts, to compete against the RX 7600 XT and RX 7600. The RTX 4060 Ti, much like the RX 7600 XT, features a small ASIC, and just four GDDR6 memory chips for its 128-bit memory bus, a simpler 8-lane PCIe interface; and in our opinion, a simpler VRM design than the RX 7600 XT. The bill of materials would boil down to the ASIC costs; while the RTX 4060 Ti uses a 188 mm² silicon built on the newer 5 nm node; the RX 7600 XT uses a larger 204 mm² albeit based on the older 6 nm node.https://tpucdn.com/img/oSG2OOOEbOOfUEtG_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/oSG2OOOEbOOfUEtG.jpg)

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[NextPowerUP]

AMD is readying the new 800-series motherboard chipset to launch alongside its next-generation Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" desktop processors that implement the "Zen 5" microarchitecture. The chipset family will be led by the AMD X870E, a successor to the current X670E. Since AMD isn't changing the CPU socket, and this is very much the same Socket AM5, the 800-series chipset will support not just "Granite Ridge" at launch, but also the Ryzen 7000 series "Raphael," and Ryzen 8000 series "Hawk Point." Moore's Law is Dead goes into the details of what sets the X870E apart from the current X670E, and it all has to do with USB4.

Apparently, motherboard manufacturers will be mandated to include 40 Gbps USB4 connectivity with AMD X870E, which essentially makes the chipset a 3-chip solution—two Promontory 21 bridge chips, and a discrete ASMedia ASM4242 USB4 host controller; although it's possible that AMD's QVL will allow other brands of USB4 controllers as they become available. The Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" are chiplet based processors just like the Ryzen 7000 "Raphael," and while the 4 nm "Zen 5" CCDs are new, the 6 nm client I/O die (cIOD) is largely carried over from "Raphael," with a few updates to its memory controller. DDR5-6400 will be the new AMD-recommended "sweetspot" speed; although AMD might get its motherboard vendors to support DDR5-8000 EXPO profiles with an FCLK of 2400 MHz, and a divider.https://tpucdn.com/img/IWtxwgIUUtD43mzm_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/IWtxwgIUUtD43mzm.jpg)
Read full story (https://www.techpowerup.com/318719/amd-readies-x870e-chipset-to-launch-alongside-first-ryzen-9000-granite-ridge-cpus)

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[NextPowerUP]

Welcome to February proper, a week that brings one fairly big AAA release, followed by a few lesser titles. We have sparky tales, a remake by MicroProse, dungeons, inquisitors and a space based RPG game for you, none of which can be considered major releases, but might still be fun to play.

Helldivers 2 (https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/helldivers-2/) / This week's AAA release / Thursday 8 February
Helldivers 2 is a 3rd person squad-based shooter that sees the elite forces of the Helldivers battling to win an intergalactic struggle to rid the galaxy of the rising alien threats. From a 3rd person perspective, players use a variety of weapons (pistols, machine guns, flamethrowers) and stratagems (turrets, airstrikes, etc.) to shoot and kill the alien threats. Players can also aim down the sights for a more accurate 1st person camera view. Combat is accompanied by frequent sprays of blood and dismemberment as players exterminate the alien forces or players and squad mates are hit by environmental explosions or friendly fire. Enemy encampments and battlefield environments depict bloodstains and dismembered corpses.https://tpucdn.com/img/RHnKE9gSgk2wdnFP_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/RHnKE9gSgk2wdnFP.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/7pVe6ZfiSY0zHOZH_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/7pVe6ZfiSY0zHOZH.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/VmLyaA3tlPq7QeSr_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/VmLyaA3tlPq7QeSr.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/SoTJreBx2huiYkKV_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/SoTJreBx2huiYkKV.jpg)
Read full story (https://www.techpowerup.com/318697/this-week-in-gaming-week-6)

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[NextPowerUP]

It's been one year since IBM integrated Red Hat storage product roadmaps and teams into IBM Storage. In that time, organizations have been faced with unprecedented data challenges to scale AI due to the rapid growth of data in more locations and formats, but with poorer quality. Helping clients combat this problem has meant modernizing their infrastructure with cutting-edge solutions as a part of their digital transformations. Largely, this involves delivering consistent application and data storage across on-premises and cloud environments. Also, crucially, this includes helping clients adopt cloud-native architectures to realize the benefits of public cloud like cost, speed, and elasticity. Formerly Red Hat Ceph—now IBM Storage Ceph (https://www.ibm.com/products/ceph)—a state-of-the-art open-source software-defined storage platform, is a keystone in this effort.

Software-defined storage (SDS) has emerged as a transformative force when it comes to data management, offering a host of advantages over traditional legacy storage arrays including extreme flexibility and scalability that are well-suited to handle modern uses cases like generative AI. With IBM Storage Ceph, storage resources are abstracted from the underlying hardware, allowing for dynamic allocation and efficient utilization of data storage. This flexibility not only simplifies management but also enhances agility in adapting to evolving business needs and scaling compute and capacity as new workloads are introduced. This self-healing and self-managing platform is designed to deliver unified file, block, and object storage services at scale on industry standard hardware. Unified storage helps provide clients a bridge from legacy applications running on independent file or block storage to a common platform that includes those and object storage in a single appliance.https://tpucdn.com/img/yFRjLS4ImT1PpgB4_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/yFRjLS4ImT1PpgB4.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/dHO8MRCjPQakKEJV_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/dHO8MRCjPQakKEJV.jpg)
Read full story (https://www.techpowerup.com/318657/ibm-storage-ceph-positioned-as-the-ideal-foundation-for-modern-data-lakehouses)

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[NextPowerUP]

Ken Levine (Creative Director, Ghost Story Games (https://www.ghoststorygames.com/)), creator of the BioShock series, unpacks how Judas (https://www.ghoststorygames.com/games/judas/) will be an experience where players influence how relationships and the story unfold: "Characters have always been the driving force in every game we've ever made. Whether fighting beneath the ocean to assassinate Andrew Ryan or escaping a city in the sky with Elizabeth, these personalities have always been at the heart of our stories. But what if you could choose between who to befriend and who to stab in the back? With Judas (coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S), we wanted to craft an experience where these decisions and how the story unfolds is up to you. Because you, as Judas, are the driver of every event in a story with a new cast of characters to get to know—and change—in ways you haven't experienced before in our games.

In Judas, we give you a whole new world to explore: the corridors of the Mayflower, a spacefaring city whose citizens are trained to spy on one another and tear each other apart for the slightest offense. Where machines control every aspect of business, art, and government. The ship's leaders tried to turn you into something you're not: a model citizen. And you sparked a devastating revolution to tear it all down. Do you want to fix what you broke or leave it all to burn? That's a decision only you can make."https://tpucdn.com/img/XEdgYInUKMbHi9NQ_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/XEdgYInUKMbHi9NQ.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/LGX4F3weT34e2zfy_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/LGX4F3weT34e2zfy.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/XVEVHGZkW76vt1cz_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/XVEVHGZkW76vt1cz.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/fIumwAYgYsoKMHwg_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/fIumwAYgYsoKMHwg.jpg)
Read full story (https://www.techpowerup.com/318655/bioshock-creator-discusses-judas-story-elements)

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[NextPowerUP]

AMD's December 2023 launch of new Instinct series accelerators (https://www.techpowerup.com/316466/amd-delivers-leadership-portfolio-of-data-center-ai-solutions-with-amd-instinct-mi300-series) has generated a lot of tech news buzz (https://www.techpowerup.com/318351/amd-instinct-mi300x-released-at-opportune-moment-nvidia-ai-gpus-in-short-supply) and excitement within the financial world (https://www.techpowerup.com/315350/amd-instinct-mi300x-could-become-companys-fastest-product-to-rake-usd-1-billion-in-sales), but not many folks are privy to Team Red's MSRP for the CDNA 3.0 (https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/?architecture=CDNA+3.0&sort=generation) powered MI300X (https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/radeon-instinct-mi300x.c4179) and MI300A models. A Citi report has pulled back the curtain, albeit with "projected" figures—an inside source claims that Microsoft has purchased the Instinct MI300X 192 GB model for ~$10,000 a piece. North American enterprise customers appear to have taken delivery of the latest MI300 products (https://www.techpowerup.com/318153/amd-instinct-mi300x-gpus-featured-in-laminiai-llm-pods) around mid-January time—inevitably, top secret information has leaked out to news investigators. SeekingAlpha (https://seekingalpha.com/news/4061277-amds-35b-ai-guidance-is-sandbagged-citi-says)'s article (based on Citi's findings) alleges that the Microsoft data center division is AMD's top buyer of MI300X hardware—GPT-4 is reportedly up and running on these brand new accelerators.

The leakers claim that businesses further down the (AI and HPC) food chain are having to shell out $15,000 per MI300X unit, but this is a bargain when compared to NVIDIA's closest competing package—the venerable H100 SXM5 80 GB (https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/h100-sxm5-80-gb.c3900) professional card. Team Green, similarly, does not reveal its enterprise pricing to the wider public—Tom's Hardware (https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/nvidias-h100-ai-gpus-cost-up-to-four-times-more-than-amds-competing-mi300x-amds-chips-cost-dollar10-to-dollar15k-apiece-nvidias-h100-has-peaked-beyond-dollar40000) has kept tabs on H100 insider info and market leaks: "over the recent quarters, we have seen NVIDIA's H100 80 GB HBM2E add-in-card available for $30,000, $40,000, and even much more at eBay. Meanwhile, the more powerful H100 80 GB SXM with 80 GB of HBM3 memory tends to cost more than an H100 80 GB AIB." Citi's projection has Team Green charging up to four times more for its H100 product, when compared to Team Red MI300X pricing. NVIDIA's dominant AI GPU market position could be challenged by cheaper yet still very performant alternatives—additionally chip shortages have caused Jensen & Co. to step outside their comfort zone (https://www.techpowerup.com/318521/nvidia-faces-ai-chip-shortages-turns-to-intel-for-advanced-packaging-services). Tom's Hardware reached out to AMD for comment on the Citi pricing claims—a company representative declined this invitation.https://tpucdn.com/img/jMteImXUu1gjDm0l_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/jMteImXUu1gjDm0l.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/7bnrVGnKTkOxPwCd_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/7bnrVGnKTkOxPwCd.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/WHlexq00bgwT5bE9_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/WHlexq00bgwT5bE9.jpg)

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[NextPowerUP]

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 (https://www.openimagedenoise.org/) has not been updated with any new documentation or changelogs (at the time of writing), but a GitHub release page (https://github.com/OpenImageDenoise/oidn/releases/tag/v2.2.0-rc) 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."https://tpucdn.com/img/WaoJPpJQcRilGGX4_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/WaoJPpJQcRilGGX4.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/3CzB1hzSoLwVxuNN_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/3CzB1hzSoLwVxuNN.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/QfiUDY6sUVgOI3TM_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/QfiUDY6sUVgOI3TM.jpg)

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[NextPowerUP]

Sony Interactive Entertainment's State of Play confirming the title of the game, DEATH STRANDING 2: ON THE BEACH (https://www.kojimaproductions.jp/en/death-stranding-2), arriving exclusively on PlayStation 5 in 2025. In Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, embark on an inspiring mission of human connection beyond the UCA. Sam—with companions by his side—sets out on a new journey to save humanity from extinction. Join them as they traverse a world beset by otherworldly enemies, obstacles and a haunting question: should we have connected? Step by step, legendary game creator Hideo Kojima changes the world once again.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach sees Norman Reedus, Léa Seydoux, and Troy Baker return to Hideo Kojima's genre defying universe. They will be joined by Elle Fanning, Shioli Kutsuna, and Academy Award-winning film director George Miller. Hideo Kojima is joined by longtime collaborator Yoji Shinkawa who will direct character and mechanical design, with Ludvig Forssell and Kyle Cooper reprising their roles as musical director and title designer, respectively. In conjunction with the release of the new Death Stranding 2: On The Beach trailer, be sure to visit the PS5 Game Hub to add the game to your wishlist and stay tuned for more information (https://www.playstation.com/games/death-stranding-2-on-the-beach)!https://tpucdn.com/img/80Vtg2k2Lj81WSsP_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/80Vtg2k2Lj81WSsP.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/60Vfv0YIbYJ8zau5_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/60Vfv0YIbYJ8zau5.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/eiDCFNtQZmu18c82_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/eiDCFNtQZmu18c82.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/TMp7ls9P1lmK5gdI_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/TMp7ls9P1lmK5gdI.jpg)
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[NextPowerUP]

Cristiano Renno Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm, discussed the successful launch of his company's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile platform during a January 31 Earnings Call (https://d1io3yog0oux5.cloudfront.net/_467591aa2270c1556f366853367c3bee/qualcomm/db/773/7380/file/QCOM-USQ_Transcript_2024-01-31_Q1FY24_Final.pdf)—expectations have been set high for the flagship smartphone chipset: "(bringing) a new standard for on-device gen AI experiences for premium smartphones and powers all through flagship Android devices launched and launching this fiscal year." Amon highlighted Samsung's recently rolled out Galaxy S24 Ultra range, that makes use of a special "For Galaxy" Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (https://www.techpowerup.com/318142/qualcomm-announces-snapdragon-8-gen-3-mobile-platform-for-galaxy-s24-series) SoC. Industry watchdogs have continued to question Samsung's reliance on third-party processor solutions (including MediaTek Dimensity (https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a34-12074.php) parts), despite having access to plenty of "worthy" in-house technology. Their flagship Exynos 2400 (https://semiconductor.samsung.com/processor/mobile-processor/exynos-2400/) chip has been deployed with the Galaxy S24 Plus range, but Qualcomm Snapdragon-equipped devices offer better performance and efficiency.

The picky segment of Samsung's smartphone userbase will be pleased to hear about a renewed agreement between it and Qualcomm, which includes a trickling down to mid-range offerings—Amon made a big announcement during the late January conference call: "We're also announcing that we extended a multi-year agreement with Samsung relating to Snapdragon platforms for flagship Galaxy smartphone launches starting in 2024. The extended agreement demonstrates the value of Snapdragon 8, our technology leadership and our successful long-term strategic partnership with Samsung. In the quarter, we also announced the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 mobile platform, which brings leading gen AI capabilities to high-tier Android smartphones and is a category leader in both experiences and performance." Going forward, Samsung is likely sticking with its current operating model of peppering a mix of Snapdragon and Exynos chipsets throughout its Galaxy Z, S and A product ranges.https://tpucdn.com/img/iRTtBlZzZbotVXAD_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/iRTtBlZzZbotVXAD.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/KatOouaHbKtRdCq7_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/KatOouaHbKtRdCq7.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/dAc8VD46FrFf3Ytd_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/dAc8VD46FrFf3Ytd.jpg)

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[NextPowerUP]

SK Hynix has unveiled ambitious High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) roadmaps at SEMICON Korea 2024. Vice President Kim Chun-hwan announced plans to mass produce the cutting-edge HBM3E within the first half of 2024, touting 8-layer stack samples already supplied to clients. This iteration makes major strides towards fulfilling surging data bandwidth demands, offering 1.2 TB/s per stack and 7.2 TB/s in a 6-stack configuration. VP Kim Chun-hwan cites the rapid emergence of generative AI, forecasted for 35% CAGR, as a key driver. He warns that "fierce survival competition" lies ahead across the semiconductor industry amidst rising customer expectations. With limits approaching on conventional process node shrinks, attention is shifting to next-generation memory architectures and materials to unleash performance.

SK Hynix has already initiated HBM4 development for sampling in 2025 and mass production the following year. According to Micron, HBM4 will leverage a wider 2048-bit interface compared to previous HBM generations to increase per-stack theoretical peak memory bandwidth to over 1.5 TB/s. To achieve these high bandwidths while maintaining reasonable power consumption, HBM4 is targeting a data transfer rate of around 6 GT/s. The wider interface and 6 GT/s speeds allow HBM4 to push bandwidth boundaries significantly compared to prior HBM versions, fueling the need for high-performance computing and AI workloads. But power efficiency is carefully balanced by avoiding impractically high transfer rates. Additionally, Samsung is aligned on a similar 2025/2026 timeline. Beyond pushing bandwidth boundaries, custom HBM solutions will become increasingly crucial. Samsung executive Jaejune Kim reveals that over half its HBM volume already comprises specialized products. Further tailoring HBM4 to individual client needs through logic integration presents an opportunity to cement leadership. As AI workloads evolve at breakneck speeds, memory innovation must keep pace. With HBM3E prepping for launch and HBM4 in the plan, SK Hynix and Samsung are gearing up for the challenges ahead.https://tpucdn.com/img/4rkoGeOeUdKM2hAN_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/4rkoGeOeUdKM2hAN.jpg)

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[NextPowerUP]

Good evening Kindred, in our recent Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 (https://www.paradoxinteractive.com/games/vampire-the-masquerade-bloodlines-2/about) stream, we shared exciting news about the game and our first extended gameplay trailer. On the stream, The Chinese Room (TCR) Community Manager Josh Matthews was joined by Alex Skidmore, Project Creative Director at TCR, who shared insights on the game, the narrative background, and how the game plays. If you missed the stream, you can check it out below. The gameplay stream contains several spoilers, and if you wish to avoid them, there are sections marked in the video timeline, or you can watch the trailer version of the gameplay video, which does not contain any major spoilers.

Matthews and Skidmore highlight an early-game mission, discussing why the player character, Phyre, infiltrates an abandoned warehouse to uncover clues about the mysterious mark on their hand. Players must choose their actions wisely, whether confronting the court's secret keeper like Willem or meeting unruly ghouls and illusions that cloud the environment. Acting as "The Sheriff" of the Court, Phyre's choices impact how the world perceives them and bring them closer to uncovering Seattle's secrets.https://tpucdn.com/img/odN0eRjPe54GDxa0_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/odN0eRjPe54GDxa0.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/BLIhLuQ09fEqOYVp_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/BLIhLuQ09fEqOYVp.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/yZfuXRTYmtOboyYo_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/yZfuXRTYmtOboyYo.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/Ij9INMu4noV6cyZj_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/Ij9INMu4noV6cyZj.jpg)
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[NextPowerUP]

MSI released an intriguing AMI BIOS update on January 31 for their Intel 700 and 600 chipset mainboards—hardware tipster chi11eddog noticed (https://twitter.com/g01d3nm4ng0/status/1753025654440824924) this quiet announcement and proceeded to get his Z790 Carbon MAX WIFI (https://www.techpowerup.com/313824/msi-announces-updated-z790-max-and-b760-gaming-motherboards-with-optional-usb4-support) motherboard running on beta version 7D89v1B1 (https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MPG-Z790-CARBON-WIFI/support). This preliminary release enables "capacity support up to 256 GB" for DDR5 Memory—chi11eddog noted that you previously had to jump through several hoops to get this configuration in working order: "As per a friend in the industry, before this, it needs to disable Above 4G/Resizable BAR/remapping to support 256 GB on Intel systems. MSI has fixed this. No need to disable Above 4G/Resizable Bar."

His MSI Z790 test platform featured an Intel Core i9-14900K CPU and 256 GB (4 x 64 GB) DDR5-4800 (https://www.kingston.com/datasheets/KSM48R40BD4TMM-64HMR.pdf) of memory—Wccftech's reportage (https://wccftech.com/msi-256-gb-ddr5-memory-support-intel-700-600-motherboards-easy-compatibility/) proposes some extra tests: "it would be interesting to see what the maximum speeds are supported when using high-capacity memory kits but for those who prefer capacity over speed, well the solutions are now out there." The Compression Attached Memory Module (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compression_Attached_Memory_Module#:~:text=Compression%20Attached%20Memory%20Module%20(CAMM,introduc ed%20by%20JEDEC%20in%201997.) (CAMM) standard has been adopted by the laptop memory segment, and manufacturers are believed to be transferring technological innovations to desktop form factors. Upcoming 64 GB DDR5 modules offer twice the capacity over the best previous-gen solutions. The proliferation of non-binary DIMM kits—from 24 to 48 GB—in 2023 brought (total) desktop memory capacities to a maximum of 192 GB.https://tpucdn.com/img/AI5puITs4D8RG9Lb_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/AI5puITs4D8RG9Lb.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/FbxB475PgDYK7wgn_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/FbxB475PgDYK7wgn.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/NdyMwOLUk2q92geT_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/NdyMwOLUk2q92geT.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/6PR1Izd0pDHDsDGr_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/6PR1Izd0pDHDsDGr.jpg)

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[NextPowerUP]

An interesting Intel document leaked out (https://www.techpowerup.com/318068/detailed-intel-arrow-lake-s-platform-specifications-leaked-confirms-native-thunderbolt-4-support) last month—it contained detailed pre-release information that covered their upcoming 15th Gen Core Arrow Lake-S desktop CPU platform, including a possible best scenario 8+16+1 core configuration. Thorough analysis (https://www.techpowerup.com/318127/intel-15th-generation-arrow-lake-s-could-abandon-hyper-threading-technology) of the spec sheet revealed a revelation—the next generation Core processor family could "lack Hyper-Threading (HT) support." The rumor mill had produced similar claims in the past, but the internal technical memo confirmed that Arrow Lake's "expected eight performance cores without any threads enabled via SMT." These specifications could be subject to change, but tipster—InstLatX64 (https://twitter.com/InstLatX64/status/1752988686797463960)—has uprooted an Arrow Lake-S engineering sample: "I spotted (CPUID C0660, 24 threads, 3 GHz, without AVX 512) among the Intel test machines (https://intel-gfx-ci.01.org/tree/drm-tip/IGT_7700/bat-arls-1/boot0.txt)."

The leaker had uncovered several pre-launch Meteor Lake SKUs last year—with 14th Gen laptop processors hitting the market recently, InstLatX64 has turned his attention to seeking out next generation parts. Yesterday's Arrow Lake-S find has chins wagging about the 24 thread count aspect (sporting two more than the fanciest Meteor Lake Core Ultra 9 processor)—this could be an actual 24 core total configuration—considering the evident lack of hyper-threading, as seen on the leaked engineering sample. Tom's Hardware reckons that the AVX-512 instruction set could be disabled via firmware or motherboard UEFI—if InstLatX64's claim of "without AVX-512" support does ring true, PC users (demanding such workloads) are best advised to turn to Ryzen 7040 (https://www.techpowerup.com/311309/amd-ryzen-7040-series-phoenix-apus-surprisingly-performant-with-avx-512-workloads) and 8040 series processors, or (less likely) Team Blue's own 5th Gen Xeon "Emerald Rapids (https://www.techpowerup.com/317454/avx-512-doubles-intel-5th-gen-emerald-rapids-xeon-processor-performance-up-to-10x-improvement-in-ai-workloads)" server CPUs.https://tpucdn.com/img/Nt3knpke3HuyV88C_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/Nt3knpke3HuyV88C.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/4nO6HdigShXpZ4kg_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/4nO6HdigShXpZ4kg.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/8hZheKY7nZT3iGUm_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/8hZheKY7nZT3iGUm.jpg)

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[NextPowerUP]

Hi everyone, I'm Samar, Associate Game Director at Vertigo Games (https://vertigo-games.com/metro-universe-expands-with-vr-prequel-metro-awakening-launching-in-2024/). We couldn't be more excited to reveal our next project, Metro Awakening (https://metroawakening.com/), during today's State of Play. We're proud to say that, with the support of Deep Silver, for the last two and a half years we've been working to bring the post-apocalyptic world of Metro to PS VR2, Meta Quest 2+3 and Steam VR 2024. The best video games take us out of our world by putting us in the boots of someone else. They let us experience that world through their eyes. The Metro series continually strives to achieve this. Inspired by the internationally best-selling novels by Dmitry Glukhovsky, Metro 2033, Metro: Last Light, and Metro Exodus delivered immersive first-person experiences at release. These games put players in the heart of a desperate battle for survival after nuclear Armageddon. Metro Awakening is an all-new Metro game made exclusively for VR, and powered by the immersive features of PS VR2 and its Sense controllers.

It's an origins story, set before the events of Metro 2033, that both offers a whole new angle for Metro fans, and a fantastic starting point for seasoned VR players ready to put on the gas mask. Set in 2028, the all-new story is penned by series creator Dmitry Glukhovsky. You play as Serdar, a doctor searching for his wife amongst the claustrophobic, irradiated metro tunnels of post-apocalyptic Moscow. As Serdar ventures deeper into the Metro his courage and sanity will be tested by the supernatural forces he encounters, and will set in motion the events that lead to his spiritual awakening as something else entirely…https://tpucdn.com/img/2QE7ku687UjhtFJA_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/2QE7ku687UjhtFJA.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/EHxzivLNvdcNdqXm_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/EHxzivLNvdcNdqXm.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/fLsOPfPrPaFgpacQ_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/fLsOPfPrPaFgpacQ.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/EDXSE04FP1hZBMi3_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/EDXSE04FP1hZBMi3.jpg)
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[NextPowerUP]

Intel has begun rolling out software binaries compiled with support for upcoming Advanced Performance Extensions (APX) and Advanced Vector Extensions 10 (AVX10) instruction set extensions in their Clear Linux distribution, ahead of any processors officially supporting these capabilities launching. Clear Linux is focusing first on optimized APX and AVX10 versions of foundational software libraries like glibc and Python. This builds on Clear Linux's existing support for optimized x86-64-v2, v3, and v4 code paths, leveraging the latest microarchitectural features of each Intel CPU generation. The rationale is to prepare Clear Linux to fully leverage the performance potential of next-generation Intel Xeon server processors, code-named Granite Rapids, expected to launch later this year.

Granite Rapids will introduce AVX10.1/512 instructions as well as the new APX capabilities, which are currently not well documented. By rolling out APX/AVX10 support in software now, Clear Linux aims to have an optimized ecosystem ready when the new processors officially ship. Initially, APX and AVX10 support is being added using the existing GCC compiler. Still, Clear Linux notes they will transition to using the upcoming GCC 14 release with more mature support for these instruction sets. The goal is to eventually have many Clear Linux packages compiled with APX/AVX10 code paths to maximize performance on future Intel CPUs. This continues Clear Linux's strategy of leveraging Intel's latest hardware capabilities in software.https://tpucdn.com/img/p6FvkHY0D9BVIMD2_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/p6FvkHY0D9BVIMD2.jpg)

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[NextPowerUP]

Steam Next Fest is here and we're thrilled to have you join us to play the first-ever public demo of Stormgate (https://store.steampowered.com/app/2012510/Stormgate/)! The Steam Next Fest demo includes full access to the current closed beta phase, codenamed "Elephant." (Each Stormgate playtest build is named after a classic RTS unit, in alphabetical order.) Here are some key insights into the current game state and what you can look forward to during the playtest.

How to Play With Friends
While our party system is still under construction, you can easily play with friends by creating custom games, either public or private, and sharing the Lobby ID. Crush that smack-talkin' Major Galt together in our 3P co-op map, WRECK HAVOC!https://tpucdn.com/img/UKcT1u8klN6Q0byp_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/UKcT1u8klN6Q0byp.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/BQops3dpIcex0Nsb_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/BQops3dpIcex0Nsb.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/ez1sPUWzdKiFWSHP_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/ez1sPUWzdKiFWSHP.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/ByRZiUkEZSVkfg1L_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/ByRZiUkEZSVkfg1L.jpg)
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[NextPowerUP]

Sennheiser has launched its brand-new open-back HD 490 PRO reference studio headphones, purpose-built for producing, mixing and mastering. The circumaural, dynamic headphones feature highly precise sound reproduction and a very wide and realistic sound stage. This superior accuracy and range give producers, mixing and mastering engineers, as well as musicians, the transparency they need for critical mixing decisions and for confidently resolving any panning placement issues. The HD 490 PRO (https://www.sennheiser.com/en-us/catalog/products/headphones/hd-490-pro/hd-490-pro-700286) and HD 490 PRO Plus (https://www.sennheiser.com/en-us/catalog/products/headphones/hd-490-pro/hd-490-pro-plus-700287) (includes additional accessories) are available now.

"If you compare today's music productions with that of ten, 20 years ago, you will notice how the massively increased computing power and complex parameter automation have changed the way in which music is made," shares Jimmy Landry, Category Market Manager for MI at Sennheiser. "In every genre, engineers and music creators are continuously pushing boundaries, creating extremely complex mixes that can be prone to so-called 'audio blind spots'. Mixes can be crowded and muddy, with too many instruments sitting at the same position and their frequencies competing. For the engineer or musician, it becomes difficult to hear each individual instrument or voice distinctly. This goes to show the importance of a good pair of studio headphones."https://tpucdn.com/img/HsfJQvsSoLtKLi3o_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/HsfJQvsSoLtKLi3o.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/LKtQ2B1KYXFCMupU_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/LKtQ2B1KYXFCMupU.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/3AvYah0W6uP4HWAJ_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/3AvYah0W6uP4HWAJ.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/SOqpzPnZnEFveVnn_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/SOqpzPnZnEFveVnn.jpg)
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[NextPowerUP]

AGON by AOC—one of the world's leading gaming monitor and IT accessories brands - expands its AOC GAMING line-up by adding a QHD model to their G4 series, successor to their award-winning G2 series. The 27" (68.6 cm) AOC GAMING Q27G4X features a Fast IPS panel, high sharpness thanks to its QHD (2560x1440) resolution, an impressive 180 Hz refresh rate, up to 1 ms GtG response time, and Adaptive-Sync for a competitive-level gaming experience. Its stealth-aircraft-inspired design, makes the recently introduced G4 line sleeker than ever. Sitting at today's sweet spot in terms of size and resolution with a great value proposition, the Q27G4X will surely attract a variety of mainstream and aspiring competitive gamers. Thanks to the Fast IPS panel with accurate colours and wide viewing angles, the Q27G4X excels at day-to-day tasks, too.

Monitors can outlast many other PC components, so choosing a future-proof, attractive gaming monitor proficient for any work, study, or gaming task one can throw at it, should be a no-brainer. The AOC GAMING Q27G4X is a perfect candidate thanks to its 27" Fast IPS panel that combines high colour accuracy and a large gamut coverage with a high refresh rate of 180 Hz and low response times up to 1 ms GtG. Thanks to its 10-bit panel, the monitor achieves a large gamut by reproducing 1.07 billion colours. Certified with VESA DisplayHDR 400, the Q27G4X can receive HDR10 signal and reproduce HDR content, upping the game and video visuals with extra brightness and punchy colours. Greater clarity in text as well as sharper edges and details in games are ensured thanks to its 109 ppi pixel density. Current mainstream GPUs are already capable of achieving high refresh rates on QHD resolution for most contemporary games, allowing users to enjoy a smoother gaming experience from day one. The benefit of rich and true colours will shine when watching movies or playing games but also when producing content such as light image/video editing or whilst livestreaming.https://tpucdn.com/img/PrFglXsXOFnOI6sn_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/PrFglXsXOFnOI6sn.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/ESssRneNzSMv63Jr_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/ESssRneNzSMv63Jr.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/b01YqxwGK9w2vc72_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/b01YqxwGK9w2vc72.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/WKEymEPdbyGhYprr_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/WKEymEPdbyGhYprr.jpg)
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[NextPowerUP]

Officially, support for resizable BAR on the Intel platform begins with the 10th Gen Core "Comet Lake," and for AMD, the Ryzen 3000 "Zen 2." It is a PCI-SIG feature that allows the software to see the entire amount of video memory on your graphics card as a single contiguous addressable block, rather than through 256 MB apertures—a workaround for the original PCI Express specification as the industry was transitioning to it from AGP. The PCI-SIG had introduced resizable BAR way back during the PCI-Express 2.0 specification (late 2000s), although none of the GPU or platform vendors of the time bothered to implement it. Resizable BAR is known to have a positive impact on performance for modern GPUs from NVIDIA and AMD; although its most profound performance impact is on the Intel Arc "Alchemist" GPUs, which suffer a large performance penalty without it.

ReBarUEFI by xCuri0 is a UEFI DXE driver mod, which requires you to know how to (https://github.com/xCuri0/ReBarUEFI/wiki/Adding-FFS-module) modify the UEFI firmware of your motherboard. The ReBarUEFI mod calls for a motherboard that implements UEFI, the older legacy BIOS won't do. The industry transitioned to UEFI in the early 2010s, roughly around the time of Intel "Sandy Bridge." UEFI DXE drivers provide basic support for the various hardware on your system. The ReBarUEFI driver informs software that the platform is capable of resizable BAR. Some motherboards may require you to enable the "Above 4G Decode" setting. The author claims that users on platforms as old as 2nd Gen Core "Sandy Bridge" have had success in getting resizable BAR to work.https://tpucdn.com/img/dT1effPVL6WtN51g_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/dT1effPVL6WtN51g.jpg)

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[NextPowerUP]

According to Financial Times, a regional court in Düsseldorf, Germany, created a significant setback for Intel on Wednesday, issuing an injunction prohibiting sales of some of its processors due to allegations they infringe on a patent held by R2 Semiconductor. R2, a technology firm based in Palo Alto, California, accused Intel of violating its patent related to processor voltage regulation. The ruling applies to Intel's 10th, 11th, and 12th generation Core processors, known as Ice Lake, Tiger Lake, and Alder Lake, as well as its Ice Lake Xeon server SKUs. Newer processors generations (13th, 14th, etc.) don't infringe the patent. Even though Intel noted that it plans to appeal the decision, the ramifications could extend beyond the company itself. Industry experts warn the court order could lead to a sweeping ban on products containing the disputed Intel chips, including laptops and pre-built PCs from major manufacturers like HP and Dell. R2 has waged an ongoing legal fight across multiple jurisdictions to defend its intellectual property.

After initially filing suit against Intel in the United States, R2 shifted its efforts to Germany and other European countries after its patent was invalidated stateside. Intel strongly denied R2's patent infringement claims, alleging the company's entire business model relies on extracting legal settlements through serial litigation. Intel believes the injunction serves only R2's financial interests while harming consumers, businesses, and the economy. The two firms traded barbs in official statements about the case. R2's CEO, David Fisher, rebuffed Intel's characterization of his company, saying it has only targeted Intel for infringement of its clear IP rights. As the war of words continues, the practical impact of the German court's decision remains uncertain, pending Intel's appeal. However, the preliminary injunction demonstrates the massive financial consequences at stake in battles over technological patents.https://tpucdn.com/img/BIjtdn37Q0PPpZdq_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/BIjtdn37Q0PPpZdq.jpg)

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[NextPowerUP]

Retailer specific discounts are creating quite the pileup of graphics card options between the $300 to $500 mark. With enough time spent finding the right deal, you could potentially buy a much faster graphics card that you'd planned for, at a given price. Hot on the heels on a recent Best Buy deal that brought the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB down to $344, or within just $15 of the Radeon RX 7600 XT, we're hearing about a couple of Newegg deals that see the Radeon RX 7700 XT down to just $353, or $9 more than the RTX 4060 Ti, and $24 more than an RX 7600 XT.

At $353, the RX 7700 XT changes the game, as it is a firmly 1440p-class GPU, compared to the 1080p-class RTX 4060 Ti and RX 7600 XT. In our testing, the Radeon RX 7700 XT is an incredible 17% faster than the RTX 4060 Ti at 1080p for just $9 more; and 19% faster than it at 1440p. Compared to the RX 7600 XT, the RX 7700 XT is a staggering 39% faster at 1080p, and 44% faster at 1440p. Even with ray tracing enabled, the RX 7700 XT dominates the RTX 4060 Ti. At 1080p with ray tracing enabled, the RTX 4060 Ti averages just 2% faster than the RX 7700 XT, but at 1440p, the RX 7700 XT in fact ends up 14% faster than the RTX 4060 Ti thanks to its much heavier SIMD engine, and 50% higher memory bandwidth. The Newegg deal doesn't even cover a cheap custom design, but the mighty PowerColor RX 7700 XT Hellhound and Fighter.https://tpucdn.com/img/t1VnkVo5H67cYbIr_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/t1VnkVo5H67cYbIr.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/UrRRMk08yS2G5GCX_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/UrRRMk08yS2G5GCX.jpg)

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[NextPowerUP]

ZOTAC USA Inc., a leading manufacturer of innovative gaming hardware solutions, is thrilled to announce the market launch of three new MEK HERO pre-built Gaming PCs: the MEK HERO A7647S, A7647STI, and A7748S built using the latest ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER Twin Edge OC, ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER Trinity OC White Edition, and ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER Trinity Black Edition Graphic Cards. These are teamed up with AMD Ryzen 5 7600 and Ryzen 7 7700X processors, offering stunning 4K graphics for unprecedented gaming performance with AI-accelerated DLSS 3.5 and Real-Time Ray Tracing, bringing gamers an immersive gaming experience. This new series of MEK HERO offers 3 years of warranty coverage, specifically for the included ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 40 SUPER Series Graphics Card component.

The MEK HERO A7647S, A7647STI, and A7748S Gaming PCs feature 16 GB DDR5 system memory and NVMe M.2 SSD storage, elevating PC gaming and the visual content creation process to new heights. Each MEK HERO Gaming PC undergoes meticulous assembly and hand-testing in the United States, ensuring the highest build quality. Crafted for optimal performance, durability, and an unmatched experience, MEK HERO Gaming PCs with GeForce RTX 40 SUPER Series Graphics Cards are tailored to meet the demands of hardcore gamers and content creators alike.https://tpucdn.com/img/UghoeumEEcbdH6lq_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/UghoeumEEcbdH6lq.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/4B39xKfePfkI6Eph_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/4B39xKfePfkI6Eph.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/EhYSULoxpsYfLBKH_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/EhYSULoxpsYfLBKH.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/5WVEcRWTe5AK5hoa_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/5WVEcRWTe5AK5hoa.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/mCCPBtQyBp45jDkw_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/mCCPBtQyBp45jDkw.jpg)
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[NextPowerUP]

The World AI Cannes Festival (WAICF) is set to be the epicenter of artificial intelligence innovation, where the globe's top 200 decision-makers and AI innovators will converge for three days of intense discussions on groundbreaking AI strategies and use-cases. Against the backdrop of this premier event, GIGABYTE has strategically chosen to participate, unveiling its exponential growth in the AI and High-Performance Computing (HPC) market segments.

The AI industry has witnessed unprecedented growth, with Cloud Service Providers (CSP's) and data center operators spearheading supercomputing projects. GIGABYTE's decision to promote its GPU server portfolio with over 70+ models, at WAICF is a testament to the increasing demands from the French market for sovereign AI Cloud solutions. The spotlight will be on GIGABYTE's success stories on enabling GPU Cloud infrastructure, seamlessly powered by NVIDIA GPU technologies, as GIGABYTE aims to engage in meaningful conversations with end-users and firms dependent on GPU computing.https://tpucdn.com/img/uZfgH2e9IHkfEN6S_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/uZfgH2e9IHkfEN6S.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/kWiVQEIIHcnxhqcn_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/kWiVQEIIHcnxhqcn.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/v4wLWoEaEUJM83Gj_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/v4wLWoEaEUJM83Gj.jpg)
Read full story (https://www.techpowerup.com/318855/gigabyte-highlights-its-gpu-server-portfolio-ahead-of-world-ai-festival)

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[NextPowerUP]

The games industry rumor mill has been generating plenty of Microsoft Xbox conjecture over the past week or two—it all kicked off when Tango Gameworks/Bethesda's Hi-Fi Rush (https://www.techpowerup.com/307616/microsoft-xbox-marketing-exec-responds-to-accusations-of-unsatisfactory-hi-fi-rush-sales) and Rare's Sea of Thieves were linked to possible launches (https://www.techradar.com/gaming/xbox/microsoft-is-considering-launching-a-number-of-xbox-exclusive-games-on-playstation-its-claimed) on Sony's PlayStation 5 home console. High profile tipsters—including Giant Bomb's Jeff Grubb and Game File's Stephen Totilo—have produced plenty of noise about the Xbox Game Studios catalog going multiplatform. Bethesda's open-space action RPG Starfield (2023), upcoming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (https://www.techpowerup.com/318069/bethesda-presents-indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle) game (courtesy of developer MachineGames), and The Coalition's Gears of War series are counted as another set of big first party titles on the alleged "offering table." Microsoft Games chief, Phil Spencer, responded to all of the noisy chatter with a February 5 social media announcement (https://twitter.com/XboxP3/status/1754598552548904973): "We're listening and we hear you. We've been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox. Stay tuned."

This declaration prompted noted leakster, Nate the Hate (https://twitter.com/NateTheHate2/status/1754971162465976648), to reveal his own deck of insider cards: "People are making wild assumptions that EVERY first party Xbox game is going multiplatform—which is not the case. Nor is Microsoft going to exit the (home console) hardware industry. The (rumored) multiplatform approach is a slight shift in strategy, in which SOME titles go multiplatform. Microsoft will keep high profile games exclusive." Wccftech noted that Nate has a solid Xbox leak track record—concentrating mostly on his history of revealing Starfield information (pre-official announcement). The highly-prized Call of Duty series will remain a multiplatform prospect (https://www.techpowerup.com/311311/microsoft-and-sony-co-sign-agreement-to-keep-call-of-duty-on-playstation-for-a-decade) for the next decade—involved parties agreed on a legal stipulation that was presented during Microsoft's hard fought acquisition battle, for the Activision, Blizzard + King group. Additional "big" IPs could be introduced on rival hardware during next week's Xbox "business update" event, but Nate the Hate's latest claim has tempered expectations somewhat.https://tpucdn.com/img/BcxB7AkNWm1jeVku_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/BcxB7AkNWm1jeVku.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/8KRGmcfdJNt53VUF_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/8KRGmcfdJNt53VUF.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/aaF9yAWREA7BgiMc_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/aaF9yAWREA7BgiMc.jpg) https://tpucdn.com/img/esGeKZK0lH6b4OkJ_thm.jpg (https://www.techpowerup.com/img/esGeKZK0lH6b4OkJ.jpg)

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