TechPowerUP NEWS

NVIDIA briefly updated its online marketplace with the latest stock of GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 Founders Edition SKUs, available at MSRP pricing. However, the entire stock was depleted in just minutes after the initial listing, suggesting that gamers have been trying to get their hands on MSRP-priced GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 GPUs but were able to do so only for a few minutes as the listing disappeared shortly thereafter. The flagship GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition was listed at its Euro-designated MSRP of €2,099, while the high-end GeForce RTX 5080 Founders Edition GPU was listed at its €1,059 MSRP. Both GPUs were listed at 10:01 am, but the RTX 5090 FE was gone by 10:08 am, just seven minutes after listing. For the RTX 5080 FE, the listing disappeared at 10:20 am when the stock was gone. The mid-range RTX 5070 FE was also listed but stayed online for a few hours before disappearing.

For buyers interested in purchasing these GPUs at MSRPs, there is virtually no option besides the NVIDIA Marketplace. Any third-party storefronts, where NVIDIA's official AICs are listing these GPUs, are posting listings that go well above €3,000. The card rarely dips below that price, and the median price listing, according to ComputerBase, suggests that the number now floats at €3,566. Any listing near MSRP is a definite premium for gamers who want to get their hands on an already expensive GPU, meaning that they don't have to pay for inflated pricing caused by the GDDR7 memory shortage and NVIDIA's current production tactics. There haven't been any NVIDIA Marketplace updates since the beginning of December, meaning that nearly two full months have passed since the last "drop."[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

Xiaomi has officially released the G Pro 27Qi (2026) gaming monitor for the global market. The G Pro 27Qi is a 16:9, 1440p e-sports gaming monitor with AMD FreeSync support and a 180 Hz refresh rate. The G Pro 27Qi features an IPS panel with a mini LED backlight. According to Xiaomi, the G Pro 27Qi is capable of 2000 nits peak brightness and a 1000:1 contrast ratio. It has 1152 local dimming zones, sports a VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification, and it uses a custom engine for scene recognition, and the local dimming features three levels and can be disabled if you like. The display is currently available from [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...], although it looks like the price may go up to AUD699 at some point. It currently does not seem to be listed on the US storefront, with the [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...], although with half the peak brightness.

Xiaomi also claims a 1 ms GTG pixel response time as well as 100% coverage of the sRGB color gamut, and 99% coverage of the Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 color gamuts. The display includes a calibration report, and Xiaomi says each display is calibrated to have delta-E values below 1, which makes it adequate for certain creative tasks alongside gaming. Physically, the G Pro 27Qi features a height-, tilt-, and swivel-adjustable stand with a portrait mode as well. It has a bit of that gaming design language on the back, with an RGB ring on the back panel, although overall the stand doesn't look too garish. For input, it features dual HDMI 2.0 ports and dual DisplayPort 1.4 ports as well as a 3.5 mm audio combo jack. It also has a built-in flip-out headphone holder in the top right corner, which is a nice touch.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

Xbox made waves not too long ago with the hyper-customizable Adaptive Controller that features remappable physical buttons, 19 3.5 mm jacks for additional accessories, and switchable profiles for different games and use cases. With its latest patent, Sony looks to at least be considering going in a different direction with its adaptive controller design. A [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...], spotted by [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...], details a controller design with virtually no physical inputs, where players can configure their own layouts—no more arguments about offset vs in-line thumb sticks—and the layouts could potentially adapt to the user's needs.

The prospective controller's main objective would be to replace physical buttons with touch surfaces and optical sensors, which would be able to sense when the player interacts with the controller, but also when the player's hand, thumb, or finger approaches the controller. The controller would use user-defined profiles dictating the layout of the face buttons, D-Pad, and even virtual analog sticks—there is even mention of automatic user identity detection to access those profiles. Sony also explains that you could combine multiple control schemes on the same side of the controller and even adjust the size of each of the button groups to better suit different hand sizes, shapes, and levels of dexterity. Owing to the touch-sensitive control surfaces, the controller would also be able to recognize gestures like swipes, pinches, and slides. It's unclear whether this controller design will make it into a future PlayStation controller design, although given many gamers' aversion to non-tactile inputs in video games, interest is likely to be low aside from the obvious accessibility benefits.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

The Finalmouse Centerpiece is a 65% Hall effect keyboard with transparent keycaps and a display under those keycaps, and it captured the imagination of many a gamer and keyboard nerd when it was first announced back in 2022. Since then, the keyboard has been affected by multiple delays, and even since production has been underway, there have been plenty of complaints about the speed at which the company can get out pre-orders. Those same complaints have just been met with a response that effectively calls customers impatient and appears to dismiss their concerns.

In a recent Discord message, shared by [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...], Finalmouse effectively confirms that production of the Centerpiece keyboard is slow, telling buyers who have expresses concerns over the pace of delivery that Finalmouse "was not founded to chase calendars, appease impatience, or shave meaning from creation in order to meet an arbitrary date," explaining further down that "each unit is completed and shipped only when it meets the standard we set—not the standard demanded by noise, deadlines, or convenience." He also goes on to say that there will likely be further delays thanks to the imminent Chinese New Year celebrations, which routinely result in production line shutdowns across large swathes of the Chinese production industry as workers head home to celebrate the festivities. This response was largely met with skepticism, with many calling out the focus on quality and craftsmanship, alleging that Finalmouse has a reputation for delivering gaming mice with poor QC.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

Apex Legends is currently free to play on all major gaming platforms, but that will apparently change later this year. EA and Respawn Entertainment just [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] that Apex Legends will officially end support for the Nintendo Switch 1 on August 4, 2026. The announcement goes on to clarify that Season 29 will be the final update for the aging handheld gaming platform. All features, including premium currency purchasing and spending will be available until the Switch 1 servers shut down on August 4.

EA says that any progress, in-game items, and premium currency balances will continue to be tied to individual player accounts, and those same accounts will be accessible via the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game. Apex Legends will also continue to receive the same content updates as the rest of the game's platforms until the servers are taken offline. Players can also transfer all of their game progress—except for premium currency—to another platform via the [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]. Apex Legends has been playable on the Nintendo Switch since March 2021, and it has been available on the Switch 2 since August 2025.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

Highguard [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...], with the PvP raid shooter rapidly earning itself a reputation for its underwhelming gameplay that was riddled with pacing issues and more than a few performance issues. One of the biggest complaints about Highguard's gameplay was that the 3v3 gameplay format combined with the looting mechanics and the vast map meant that gameplay felt stagnant. Fast-forward to the end of the launch week, and the developer, Wildlight Entertainment, has [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] that it hopes will assuage complaints from those who prefer a more action-packed game.

The new 5v5 queue is still an experimental playlist, and it will be available for testing for the weekend following the update. Players will have four additional lives in 5v5 mode, and respawn times are slightly longer. It will not replace the 3v3 playlist, and the developer notes that the game's performance will likely take a hit in 5v5 mode. On the topic of performance, the patch also adds optimizations to animation performance, projectiles, draw submission times, and more for both console and PC. Overall framerate should be improved across the board to varying degrees depending on the system hardware. In addition to the new mode, the aforementioned performance tweaks, a motion blur toggle for PC and console, and an anisotropic materials toggle for consoles, there is also a new base construct for players to take advantage of. The Soul Well, a mysterious, "dark relic from a lost age," is an ancient temple with two generators, a rear keep, an underground fortress, and a tall central altar for a better vantage point to defend all of it from enemies. Soul Well will be added to all gameplay rotations as of the January 30 update. A short gameplay overview for the Soul Well follows.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

Even though the 12vHPWR connector problem was ostensibly somewhat corrected by the introduction of the 12v-2x6 revision to the standard, [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] of both connectors have continued, with the latest documented case coming by way of an [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] by streamer @jessickyeah. The GPU in question was an MSI NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming Trio, and in the video, you can see the top-most right wire in the GPU power cable smoking and bubbling. The meltdown happened mid-game, and the excess heat generated by the unbalanced load seems to begin affecting the connector on the GPU as well. The outcome of the event was never made public, but it's safe to assume the GPU would have eventually been taken out of commission if the PC had not been turned off.

Judging by previous posts on the streamer's account, the RTX 4090 seems to have been in use since at least March 2025, confirming once again that [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...], that doesn't mean that a meltdown isn't possible. Currently, NVIDIA's recommendation to avoid potential issues is to avoid third-party extension cables and ensure that GPU power cables are properly seated. Some cable, GPU, and PSU brands have started addressing the issues with the connector by adding indicators to ensure proper cable insertion or by actively monitoring the cable itself for abnormal power balance.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

Believe it or not, NVIDIA launched its first SHIELD TV in 2015, marking nearly a decade of continuous support for the platform. In an interview with Ars Technica, Andrew Bell, NVIDIA's senior VP of hardware engineering, reassured the company's loyal fan base that they have no plans to abandon the SHIELD TV anytime soon, promising ongoing updates in the years to come. Bell expressed frustration with the limited updates typically provided for phones and tablets, saying, "Early on when we were building SHIELD TV, we decided we were going to support it for a long time." He recalled a conversation with CEO Jensen Huang about the duration of support, to which Huang responded, "For as long as we shall live."

As NVIDIA enters the second decade of supporting the SHIELD TV, they continue to produce the 2019 version, featuring the NVIDIA Tegra X1+ processor, 3 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of storage. There was once talk within the gaming community and among NVIDIA engineers about venturing into making a gaming console. "Pretty much everybody who worked at NVIDIA in the early days really wanted to make a game console," Bell confirmed. However, the complexity of building a console, which requires not just a GPU but also a CPU, an OS, games, and a user interface, deterred the company from pursuing this path.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

Ahead of the game's official launch,[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] that Borderlands 4 would go live without a built-in photo mode, with the game's creative director promising that the feature would ship "in an update after the game launches." Now, nearly five months after the game's original launch, Gearbox has [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...], along with a slew of new content in what is being called the game's first major update. The photo mode feature allows players to reposition the camera, change the FoV and DoF, and add a variety of visual filters before taking their snapshot. Additionally, players can make tweaks to the scene itself, like changing the time of day, adding or removing player characters, summons, and NPCs, and a toggling damage numbers on or off to taste.

Photo mode isn't all that landed in the January 29 update, including a number of fixes to make quest and challenges track accurately and communicate progress more clearly. The major update also ushered in a sizeable rework to Harlowe's Zero-Point action skill and increased dedicated drop levels for Ultimate Vault Hunter mode. The changes made to Harlowe's Zero-Point action skill are in the name of making it "feel more satisfying and better balanced relative to Harlowe's other trees," and the change amounts to the base skill getting the benefits of the previous inertia augment and increasing the slam damage, status effect chance, and status effect damage from the Inertia augment. Amon and Vex also received small tweaks to make them deal slightly more damage in certain situations and behave more predictably overall.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

In light of the at-the-time recent success of the Steam Deck, Sony's PlayStation Portal handheld remote game streaming device seemed less than inspiring to much of the gaming community. However, it seems to have been successful enough that Sony is planning a refreshed version of the gaming handheld. According to notable industry insider and frequent leaker, [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...], the updated version of the Sony PlayStation Portal will launch at some point in 2026, and the leaker later clarifies that the new handheld will [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...], instead of the LCD screen found on the current version.

The leaker also had some insights about the [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] that will ostensibly compete with the likes of the Valve Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Xbox Ally, with a comment in the thread indicating that the standalone gaming handheld will be powered by AMD's [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...], as opposed to RDNA 4 from the current RX 9000 GPUs and RDNA 3.5 found in Strix Halo and other iGPUs. Additionally, the leak also verifies previous information that indicated the portable game console would have fewer than 40 CUs, with [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] for the upcoming handheld.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

Windows 11 may not be the most beloved version of Microsoft's OS to date, but Microsoft's PowerToys is a favorite UI tweaking tool among power users, and for good reason. The latest feature to debut in PowerToys is a docked top bar—called the Command Palette Dock—which is part of the Command Palette feature set. The Command Palette Dock is an optional, configurable dock that can be pinned to any screen edge and be used to display a number of extensions and widgets. In the [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...], the PowerToys team shows off features like a system monitor, file browser, and a clipboard history—all of the existing PowerToys Command Palette extensions should work in the Command Palette Dock, according to Microsoft. The dock functions similarly to that of the Windows Task Bar, in the sense that it shows a small shortcut icon, with more information available via a pop-up when clicked.

The Command Palette Dock is part of the previously introduced Command Palette, which is effectively Windows's version of KDE's Krunner or macOS Spotlight, and the Command Palette Dock is, likewise, a feature on many Linux distributions and on Apple's macOS. It's also unclear if the PowerToys Dock will become quite as customizable as the docks in KDE, which allows you to add secondary docks to different screen edges and change the icons and display styles of each of the extensions in the dock. PowerToys has previously played host to features that eventually made it to Windows 11, like the updated window tiling UI, for example. It's thus entirely possible that some version of the top bar and command palette may become part of Windows itself in the not-too-distant future. As for now, though, the feature is still in the testing and hasn't even been added to PowerToys yet. It will likely be launched soon after feedback is gathered by development build testers.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

The standard CPU complex die (CCD) chiplet based on AMD's next-generation "Zen 6" microarchitecture is poised to feature a 50% increase in CPU core counts. This would be the first time that AMD has increased core-counts of its CCDs containing full-sized CPU cores capable of sustaining high clock speeds. It had developed CCDs with high core counts using compacted cores with lower clock speed limits until now. The standard "Zen 6" CCD is expected to come with a similar die-size to the current "Zen 5" CCD, with a rumored die size of 76 mm², which is slightly larger than the 71 mm² of the "Zen 5" CCD.

The "Zen 6" CCD is expected to pack 12 CPU cores, all part of a single CPU core complex (CCX). All twelve cores share a 48 MB L3 cache. Both the CPU core counts and L3 cache size hence see a 50% increase over "Zen 5." AMD is building the "Zen 6" CCD on TSMC N2 (2 nm nanosheet) process node, which evidently offers a massive increase in transistor densities over the current TSMC N4P (4 nm FinFET) on which the "Zen 5" CCD is made. With an eye on Intel's pivot towards a cache rebalancing in favor of large last-level caches on some of its premium Core Ultra 400 "Nova Lake-S" desktop processors, AMD is expected to give the "Zen 6" CCD full 3D V-Cache capability, and the company's next X3D processors could come with L3 caches of 144 MB per CCD for up to 288 MB of L3 cache on the desktop AM5 socket.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

AutoFull, a leading brand in the esports peripheral equipment industry known for its professional-grade gaming furniture and player-driven design philosophy, has launched the new and upgraded AutoFull M6 Ultra 2.0 gaming chair, the latest evolution of its flagship ergonomic gaming throne designed for gamers, creators and hybrid workers seeking uncompromising comfort and performance. The AutoFull M6 Ultra 2.0 gaming chair is available now from AutoFull US website at $599.99 (RRP $899.99) and £599.99 (RRP £999) on the UK website.

The AutoFull M6 Ultra 2.0 builds on the success of the original M6 Ultra with next-generation comfort technology and extensive adjustability, positioning it as a premium solution for long gaming sessions, competitive esports, professional streaming and everyday work. Designed to transition seamlessly between gaming, work and leisure, the chair delivers precision support across the entire body while maintaining a luxurious, stable and durable construction.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

ASRock is closely monitoring recent discussions regarding the performance and behavior of AMD Ryzen 9000 series processors on ASRock AMD platforms. In response to these reports, we have implemented comprehensive internal reviews and rigorous verification processes. We have been working in seamless coordination with AMD continuously to further validate system performance across a wide range of hardware configurations, while optimizing BIOS and enhancing overall system stability.

ASRock deeply values user feedback as a cornerstone of our continuous improvement. Customers experiencing technical difficulties or seeking further assistance are encouraged to contact the ASRock Technical Support Department. We remain committed to delivering high-performance products that meet the highest standards of quality and performance.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] has officially entered the gaming mouse market with the [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...], signaling a technically focused expansion following the brand's recent innovations in mechanical keyboard design.

Weighing approximately 49 grams, the mouse maintains structural rigidity without aggressive shell perforation. Its internal layout is tuned to a 50:50 balanced weight distribution, helping preserve sensor alignment during rapid hand movements.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]