TechPowerUP NEWS

[NextPowerUP]

Galacticare is a hospital management game in a weird and wacky sci-fi universe. In a colorful world rife with death and disease, design and manage perfectly functioning hospitals orbiting volcanic planets, deep-space graveyards, and psychic alien deities! With an offbeat narrative that twists together a ragtag group of eccentrics, the game takes you on a journey beyond managing a hospital.

From your assistants - a dejected AI bureaucrat and Medi, a tireless janitorial robot - to the variety of consultants you'll hire and bring along on your journey, the characters will grow beside you as you progress deeper through the story.
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This Week in Gaming (Week 13)
Lucky number 13 is also the last week of March and this time around there are a lot of new releases, some of which are highly anticipated console ports, least not courtesy of an HBO TV show, but it doesn't stop there. We also have a WWI strategy game, a slow pace environmental strategy game, a game where you fight bugs and a rather different fishing game in this week's lineup. In fact, it's such a busy week of releases that we've thrown in a few extra games, just because we can.

The Last of Us Part I / This week's AAA title / Tuesday 28 March
Experience the emotional storytelling and unforgettable characters in The Last of Us, winner of over 200 Game of the Year awards. In a ravaged civilization, where infected and hardened survivors run rampant, Joel, a weary protagonist, is hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie out of a military quarantine zone. However, what starts as a small job soon transforms into a brutal cross-country journey.
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AMD Hybrid Phoenix APU Comes With Performance and Efficiency Cores
According to the latest leak, AMD's upcoming Phoenix accelerated processing units (APUs) could feature a hybrid design, featuring Performance and Efficiency cores. While there are no precise details, the latest AMD processor programming guide, leaked online, clearly marks these as two types of cores, most likely standard Zen 4 and energy-efficient Zen 4c cores.

These two set of cores will features a different feature set, and the latest document gives software designers guidelines. Such hybrid CPU design, similar to ARM's BIG.little architecture, will allow AMD to be more competitive with Intel's similar P- and E-core design, allowing it to achieve certain performance levels while also maintaining power efficiency.
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NVIDIA Enables More Encoding Streams on GeForce Consumer GPUs
NVIDIA has quietly removed some video encoding limitations on its consumer GeForce graphics processing units (GPUs), allowing encoding of up to five simultaneous streams. Previously, NVIDIA's consumer GeForce GPUs were limited to three simultaneous NVENC encodes. The same limitation did not apply to professional GPUs.

According to NVIDIA's own Video Encode and Decode GPU Support Matrix document, the number of concurrent NVENC encodes on consumer GPUs have been increased from three to five. This includes certain GeForce GPUs based on Maxwell 2nd Gen, Pascal, Turing, Ampere, and Ada Lovelace GPU architectures. While the number of concurrent NVDEC decodes were never limited, there is a limitation on how many streams you can encode by certain GPU, depending on the resolution of the stream and the codec.
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Microsoft Denies Strategic Removal of PlayStation 5 Games From Development
Microsoft has been quick to respond to a backlash from gamers who have been angered by reports of the company's prevention of a PlayStation 5 version of Redfall being developed by an internal studio - Arkane. The game's creative director, Harvey Smith, has been busy with press duties this week and might have slipped up by revealing too much about the Xbox Division's directives. In an interview with IGN France, Harvey stated that Microsoft held a policy of "no PlayStation 5" in the times following an acquisition of ZeniMax (parent group of Bethesda Softworks) in 2021. He elaborated on the regime change: "They came in and they said 'we're focusing on Xbox, PC and the Game Pass." Smith indicated that he embraced the decision since it was: "one less platform to worry about, one less complexity."

A Microsoft spokesperson provided a statement to Eurogamer: "We haven't pulled any games from PlayStation. In fact, we've expanded our footprint of games that we've shipped on Sony's PlayStation since our acquisition of ZeniMax, and the first two games we shipped after closing were PlayStation 5 exclusives. We did the same thing since our closing of Minecraft as we extended the reach of that franchise. All of the games that were available on PlayStation when we acquired ZeniMax in March 2021 are still available on PlayStation, and we have continued to do content updates on PlayStation and PC. We have always said that future decisions on whether to distribute ZeniMax games for other consoles will be made on a case-by-case basis."
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Intel LGA 7529 Socket Photographed Again, Comparisons Show Gargantuan Physical Footprint
A set of detailed photos has been uploaded to a blog on the Chinese Bilibili site, and the subject matter is an engineering sample of a motherboard that features Intel's next generation LGA 7529 socket. Specifications and photos relating to this platform have cropped up in the past, but the latest leak offers many new tidbits of information. The Bilibili blogger placed a Sapphire Rapids Xeon Processor on top of the the new socket, and this provides an interesting point of reference - it demonstrates the expansive physical footprint that the fifth-generation platform occupies on the board.

This year's Sapphire Rapids LGA 4677 (Socket E) is already considered to be a sizeable prospect - measuring at 61 × 82 mm. The upcoming Mountain Stream platform (LGA 7529) is absolutely huge in comparison, with eyeball estimates placing it possessing rough dimensions (including the retention arm) of 66 × 92.5 mm. The fifth generation platform is designed to run Intel's Granite Rapids and Sierra Forest CPUs - this family of Xeons featuring scalable microarchitecture is expected to launch in 2024. The code name "Avenue City" has been given to a reference platform that features a dual socket configuration.
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(PR) Intel Co-Founder Gordon Moore, the Man Behind Moore's Law, Dies at 94
Intel and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation announced today that company co-founder Gordon Moore has passed away at the age of 94. The foundation reported he died peacefully on Friday, March 24, 2023, surrounded by family at his home in Hawaii. Moore and his longtime colleague Robert Noyce founded Intel in July 1968. Moore initially served as executive vice president until 1975, when he became president. In 1979, Moore was named chairman of the board and chief executive officer, posts he held until 1987, when he gave up the CEO position and continued as chairman. In 1997, Moore became chairman emeritus, stepping down in 2006.

During his lifetime, Moore also dedicated his focus and energy to philanthropy, particularly environmental conservation, science and patient care improvements. Along with his wife of 72 years, he established the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which has donated more than $5.1 billion to charitable causes since its founding in 2000.
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Revamp Your Productivity with KeysOff Mid-Season Sale
Spring-clean your IT setup. Small businesses and home-offices, it's time to upgrade hardware and get the latest Windows 11 and Office 2021 to supercharge your productivity. Get them at the prices extremely large organizations pay. Get Genuine Windows 11 Pro at just $10.45, and the top-of-the-line Office 2021 Professional Plus at $26.25. Better yet combine the two at just $32.99. Got more than one PC? Check out great deals on multi-PC packs for your preferred editions of Windows and Office. Also check out great deals on the system utilities you may want!

Buy Windows 10 Pro at $7.35 | Buy Windows 10 Home at $7.25 | Buy Windows 11 Pro at $10.45 | Buy Windows 11 Home at $10.25 | Buy Office 2021 Professional at $26.25 | Buy Office 2019 Professional Plus at $24.25 | Buy Office 2016 Professional Plus at $20.25 | Buy Windows 10 Pro + Office 2021 Professional Plus at $29.99 | Buy Windows 10 Pro + Office 2019 Professional Plus at $27.99 | Buy Windows 11 Pro + Office 2021 Professional Plus at $32.99 | Buy Windows 11 Pro + Office 2019 Professional Plus at $30.99 | Buy Windows 10 Pro 2-PC at $12.45 | Buy Windows 10 Pro 5-PC at $34.18 | Buy Windows 10 Home 2-PC at $12.41 | Buy Windows 11 Pro 2-PC at $20.65 | Buy Windows 11 Home 2-PC at $20.48 | Buy Office 2021 Professional Plus 2-PC at $41.25 | Buy Office 2021 Professional Plus 3-PC at $58.25 | Buy Office 2021 Professional Plus 5-PC at $69.25

Please use the coupon code SKK50 on the following items to avail the prices you see here.
Buy Windows 10 Enterprise 2019 LTSC at $9.14 | Buy Windows 10 Enterprise 2021 LTSC at $12.81 | Buy Office 2021 Home and Business for Mac at $90.34 | Buy Project Professional 2021 at $33.82
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[NextPowerUP]

For those unfamiliar with Jelly Key, I highly encourage going through our previous coverage of the Vietnamese artisan's works wherein we've seen several different examples of highly detailed themes which get put to life on your keyboard courtesy artisan keycaps that use a resin pour over a layer-by-layer assembly incorporating individually molded tiny pieces. In particular, we've covered a keycap before from a previous 8-Bit Series and that is probably my favorite theme from Jelly Key to date. This time round, we have a new group buy that builds upon the previous work called 8-Bit Series—Gaismas Kingdom. The company was kind enough to provide a prototype keycap to examine and show off here for interested users.

This happens to be another of Jelly Key's fascinating Droplet profile keycaps in the so-called Izchili theme. I immediately thought of Amiga games the minute I had this in my hands, and please note that the final keycaps should be done to an even higher standard of finish. The current group buy is set to end in a few hours so those who are eager to buy one need to decide sooner than later! These are available in four designs, four keycap profiles including the naked profile that doesn't have a resin pour, and 11 sizes while costing $55-105 each. There are further discounts and free shipping for those buying multiple keycaps and TechPowerUp readers also get a nice 5% discount code: 5p-w02hfav. See past the break for photos of my prototype space bar keycap, including under the microscope.
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(PR) Deceive Inc. Out Now, Launch Trailer Puts Spotlight on Tripwire's Extraction Shooter
Developer Sweet Bandits Studios and Publisher Tripwire Presents announced that DECEIVE INC., the highly-anticipated multiplayer FPS title that blends stealth and spycraft elements with intense action, launches this week with cross-play support on PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store), the PlayStation 5 computer entertainment system, and Xbox Series X|S console system.

DECEIVE INC. deploys players into the world of high-stakes subterfuge, working for a private corporation with a complete monopoly over the international espionage market. Disguise yourself as anyone you meet in an instant, access state-of-the-art gadgets the rest of the world can only dream of, and possess skills that would make Hollywood super spies jealous. But you are not alone. Rival spies are after the same objective and every single one of them is as skilled, cunning, and well-equipped as you are. Blend in, alone or with your team, grab the objective, and break out. In the end, only the right actions and skills will get you that paycheck.
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AMD FSR 3 FidelityFX Super Resolution Technology Unveiled at GDC 2023
AMD issued briefing material earlier this month, teasing an upcoming reveal of its next generation FidelityFX at GDC 2023. True to form, today the hardware specialist has announced that FidelityFX Super Resolution 3.0 is incoming. The company is playing catch up with rival NVIDIA, who have already issued version 3.0 of its DLSS graphics enhancer/upscaler for a small number of games. AMD says that FSR 3.0 is in an early stage of development, but it is hoped that its work on temporal upscaling will result in a number of improvements over the previous generation.

The engineering team is aiming for a 2x frame performance improvement over the existing FSR 2.0 technique, which it claims is already capable of: "computing more pixels than we have samples in the current frame." This will be achieved by generating a greater number of pixels in a current frame, via the addition of interpolated frames. It is highly likely that the team will reach a point in development where one sample, at least, will be created for every interpolated pixel. The team wants to prevent feedback loops from occurring - an interpolated frame will only be shown once, and any interpolation artifact would only remain for one frame.
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(PR) SMART Modular Technologies Releases New PCIe NVMe Solid State Drives
SMART Modular Technologies, Inc. ("SMART"), a division of SGH and a global leader in memory solutions, solid-state drives and hybrid storage products announces the introduction of its new T6CN family of PCIe NVMe SSD products which is part of the SMART RUGGED portfolio. T6CN SSDs are designed to fit between very high-performance datacenter SSDs and highly secure, ruggedized SSDs for military, industrial, and telecom applications. Competitively priced, the T6CN is available in M.2 2280, E1.S and U.2 form factors. All of which provide compatibility with PCIe Gen 4.0 NVMe technology, delivering faster read, write, data transfer and operating speeds compared to current SSD technology.

The SSDs capacity ranges from 960 GB to 3,840 GB for the M.2, 960 GB to 7680 GB for the E1.S, and 960 GB to 16,360 GB for the U.2 version. T6CN offers speeds up to 3,500/s Sequential Read and 3,200 MB/s Sequential Writes and is compliant with NVMe v1.4 specifications. Gen 4.0 based technology runs exponentially faster than the speed of SATA III.
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UK CMA Provisionally Approves Microsoft's Proposed Acquisition of Activision Blizzard
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) regulatory body has today delivered its provisional approval of Microsoft's proposed purchase of the Activision Blizzard group, but has added that it will conduct further reviews into the topic of whether the buyout will have any detrimental effect on competition in the area of cloud gaming services: "where the CMA is continuing to carefully consider the responses provided in relation to the original provisional findings. The CMA's merger investigation continues, and it remains due to issue its final report by 26 April 2023."

The antitrust watchdog's stance looks to have changed in a significant way since February, when it declared that Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard had the potential to "harm U.K. gamers". New evidence has been presented to the CMA in recent weeks, and its members have moved to provisionally conclude that: "overall, the transaction will not result in a substantial lessening of competition in relation to console gaming in the UK."
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Gigabyte B650 AM5 Motherboard Joins the $125 Crowd
Despite the fact that AMD promised that $125 AM5 are coming, there aren't many such motherboards on the market. The newest addition is the Gigabyte B650M K, which is now available at $124.99. Gigabyte's B650M K will be joining the previously available ASRock B650M-HDV/M.2 microATX motherboard, which was the first B650-based motherboard available at $125.

Same as the ASRock motherboard, the Gigabyte B650M K is also a micro-ATX motherboard with the same 8+2+1 VRM, but features four DIMM slots with support for up to 128 GB of DDR5-6400+ memory. Unfortunately, it apparently features two PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots, rather than a PCIe 5.0 x4, and comes with a single PCI-Express 4.0 x16 slot (in addition to the PCIe 3.0 x1). The rest of the specifications include Realtek's Audio, Realtek 2.5 Gb Ethernet, couple of USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, Type-A, and USB 2.0/1.1 ports, as well as DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1 outputs. Bear in mind that both of these are $139.99 motherboards, discounted down to $124.99, so hopefully, we'll see more of these $124.99 motherboards soon.

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Remnant 2 Gets New Gameplay Trailer
Gearbox Publishing and Gunfire Games have released a new gameplay trailer from Remnant 2, showing pre-alpha footage, with multiple Archetypes and locations. As this is a pre-alpha footage, it might not represent the final gameplay experience, so you can expect more changes before it launches later this Summer.

The new gameplay trailer is set in Yaesha, one of the locations in the game, and shows several Archetypes, or classes, including the Gunslinger, the Handler, and the Challenger. In case you missed it earlier, Remnant 2, as described by the developer, will "pit survivors of humanity against new deadly creatures and god-like bosses across terrifying worlds."
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[NextPowerUP]

Kioxia, at the 2023 China Flash Market conference (CFM), unveiled its next-generation enterprise SSD powered by 2nd Gen XL-NAND flash memory that promises up to 13.5 GB/s of sequential reads on drives with PCIe Gen 5 x4 interfaces. This puts it higher than the 12-12.5 GB/s offered by the first crop of Gen 5 SSDs, and a 118% over its current crop of Gen 4 x4 SSDs. The drive also offers up to 9.7 GB/s of sequential writes.

4K random-access performance is of a lot more importance to enterprise customers, and here, the drive is said to offer up to 3 million IOPS random reads, with up to 1.06 million IOPS sequential writes. All this comes at a slightly reduced read-latency of 27 µs, compared to 29 µs for the previous generation. Kioxia also expects PCIe Gen 5 and CXL 1.0 to be the prominent I/O interfaces for enterprise SSDs from now until the end of 2025. It's only with 2026 that we could see the emergence of PCIe Gen 6 in the enterprise space, promising a doubling in interface bandwidth.

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Elden Ring Update 1.09 Brings Ray Tracing
FromSoftware and Bandai Namco have released a new major patch for Elden Ring, implementing ray tracing on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X, as well as adding some gameplay improvements and fixing some bugs. Unfortunately, the game still does not support any upscaling technologies, so there is no support for DLSS or FSR, meaning that those ray tracing effects will have a rather high impact on frame rates.

The ray tracing patch for Elden Ring was announced back in November last year, and it certainly took a while before it was implemented. As detailed earlier, the ray tracing update for Elden Ring adds ambient occlusion and ray traced shadows, but does not include ray traced reflections.
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(PR) MINISFORUM Unveils Mini PCs with Dual Ethernet Ports and Intel i7-12650H CPU
The long-waiting dual Ethernet ports MINISFORUM mini PCs are finally here! MINISFORUM releases its NAB6 mini PCs. For processors, NAB6 uses Intel i7-12650H CPU. i7-12650H has 10 cores (6 performance-cores and 4 efficient-cores) and 16 threads with 24 MB cache, doubling the cache size of i5-12450H. More over, its boost clock is 4.7 GHz. It can easily handle office work. Thanks to the Intel 12 gen iGPU, it supports quad 4K displays.

Design wise, MINISFORUM uses the white chassis with the logo on the top for their intel chip mini PCs as always and it looks very clean and simple. The chassis is designed to be very upgrade friendly as well. Simply press the top plate with hand and the plate will pop up immediately for users to upgrade its RAM and SSD. No other tools are needed. For the cooling part, NAB6 uses the brand new active SSD heat sink design and side cooling vent. It can effectively dissipate heat from RAM and SSD.
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[NextPowerUP]

We are pleased to announce our great experiment - Dolphin is coming to Steam! Our store page is now live, and you can visit it with the handy widget below. However, due to how Steam works, you won't be able to download the emulator through Steam just yet. Feel free to wishlist us to be notified when Dolphin is available to download on Steam! Dolphin is an emulator for the big N's 6th and 7th generation consoles, featuring enhancements such as increased resolution, save states, and netplay.

When we launch on Steam, we'll have a feature article detailing the process and features of the Steam release. We're pleased to finally tell the world of our experiment. This has been the product of many months of work, and we look forward to getting it into users' hands soon! You can continue the discussion in the forum thread of this article.
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Ubisoft Announces Forward Live Event, Latest Company to Withdraw from E3 2023
Ubisoft has reversed its February decision to be a presence at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, instead it will be holding a separate event in the city with coincidental timing. Ubisoft spokesperson Heather Haefner yesterday provided a statement to The Verge: "E3 has fostered unforgettable moments across the industry throughout the years. While we initially intended to have an official E3 presence, we've made the subsequent decision to move in a different direction, and will be holding a Ubisoft Forward Live event on June 12 in Los Angeles. We look forward to sharing more details with our players very soon."

Ubisoft had previously confirmed its attendance in a statement to Games Industry.biz earlier this year: "E3 is a special moment for our industry and we are excited to showcase our strong line-up in Los Angeles in June. We are still finalizing the details of our plans and look forward to sharing more soon." CEO Yves Guillemot has also hinted in the recent past that he wanted the company to attend E3 2023, but this was prior to the whole event being given the go ahead by co-organizers Entertainment Software Association and ReedPOP. E3 2023 is set to be the first in-person Electronic Entertainment Expo event held since 2019.
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Forza Horizon 5 Gets DLSS 3 Update
NVIDIA has announced that Forza Horizon 5 has finally got the DLSS 3 and NVIDIA Reflex update. Last week, DLSS 2 was available for Deceive Inc. and Tchia!, and DLSS 2 is also coming to Gripper, The Last of Us Part I, and Smalland: Survive The Wilds next week.

According to NVIDIA, with the DLSS 3 update, Forza Horizon 5 can now run at over 120 frames per second at 4K/UHD resolution on RTX 40 series, including the RTX 4070 Ti. According to the NVIDIA benchmark, the game was running on Intel Core i9-12900K, 32 GB of RAM and at Super Resolution Performance Mode with maximum settings and extreme ray tracing mode. With DLSS 3, even the RTX 4070 Ti hits an average of 125.2 frames per second.
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Oppo and OnePlus Commit to Staying in Key European Markets for 2023, Deny Rumors of Future Withdrawal
Smartphone specialists Oppo and OnePlus have responded to the rumors of both companies exiting several European markets, as well as the UK. In a joint statement provided to Android Authority the message was a promise to stay put in 2023: "OPPO and OnePlus are committed to all the existing European markets. We had a great start in 2023 with the successful launches of several products in Europe and have a line-up of upcoming products for the rest of the year. As always, OPPO and OnePlus will continue to provide more innovative products and the best-in-class service for users moving forward."

Starting yesterday, industry tipsters issued posts about Oppo and OnePlus withdrawing from markets in Europe, with more immediate exits from key territories - France, Germany, Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The cited reasons for exiting the aforementioned markets include a massive slowdown in regional sales and legal cases levied by competitors in regard to patent infringements on Oppo's part. The lawsuits that were levied by Nokia have resulted in a number of Oppo and OnePlus devices being banned from sale in Germany.
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(PR) Lenovo's Latest Line-up of New Yoga Laptops Empower Creators from Inspiration to Expression
Creating, consuming and collaborating in a hybrid world just got easier with Lenovo's latest generation of Windows 11 Yoga laptops that deliver impressive performance, incredible versatility, and easy mobility in a sleek and portable design:

"We know that digital content creators continue to embrace the hybrid lifestyle to create anytime, anywhere, from making videos to designing graphics on the move," says Jun Ouyang, Lenovo's vice president and general manager of the Consumer Business Segment, Intelligent Devices Group. "Lenovo's latest new premium Yoga Pro laptops are made for creators. Combining performance and portability, including an impressive new Mini-LED PureSight Pro display and an upgraded keyboard, creators will revel in the exceptional user experience to create whenever inspiration strikes."
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[NextPowerUP]

Cooler Master, the global frontrunner in PC components and peripherals, proudly reveals the triumphant entries of the Case Mod World Series 2022. This annual contest, which began in 2009, continues to captivate the imagination with trailblazing custom PC creations from artists across the globe.

This year's winner of the Best Tower Mod category is Timeplay who wowed the judges with a breathtaking Cosmos C700M mod that redefined the classic Full Tower case in an ITX form factor. In the Best Scratch Build category, Keir Graham took home the top honors with his PowerCore build—a remarkable custom liquid-cooled system that showcased both intricate detail and ingenious design.
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(PR) Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 Core Now Available in Vibrant Red or Blue
Introducing the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 - Core, now in red and blue. We expanded the core version of the Xbox Elite Series 2 lineup to give gamers more options to play like a pro. Play in style with just the components you need to unleash your best game. The new, vibrant red and blue color schemes of the core version of Xbox Elite Series 2 are sure to make a statement amongst your friends while delivering key performance-focused benefits.

Turn on a dime with adjustable tension thumbsticks where inches are the difference. Make split seconds count with hair trigger locks and stay on target with wrap-around rubberized grips. Enjoy limitless customization with exclusive button mapping options to find your groove. Perfect your game day prep with assignable custom profiles so you can dominate regardless of playbook or sport.
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(PR) With Security Copilot, Microsoft brings the power of AI to cyberdefense
Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday announced it is bringing the next generation of AI to cybersecurity with the launch of Microsoft Security Copilot, giving defenders a much-needed tool to quickly detect and respond to threats and better understand the threat landscape overall. Security Copilot will combine Microsoft's vast threat intelligence footprint with industry-leading expertise to augment the work of security professionals through an easy-to-use AI assistant.

"Today the odds remain stacked against cybersecurity professionals. Too often, they fight an asymmetric battle against relentless and sophisticated attackers," said Vasu Jakkal, corporate vice president, Microsoft Security. "With Security Copilot, we are shifting the balance of power into our favor. Security Copilot is the first and only generative AI security product enabling defenders to move at the speed and scale of AI."
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Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Previewed in Gameplay Demonstration, Development Cycle is Complete
Nintendo is ramping up publicity efforts for its upcoming sequel to Breath of the Wild, which was a ratings and sales smash upon launching in Spring 2017 for the Japanese company. Tears of the Kingdom is the latest addition in the long running Legend of Zelda series and is set for release on May 12. In a newly released video that clocks in at a generous 13 and a bit minutes in length, the game's producer Eiji Aonuma demonstrates multiple aspects of gameplay - including Link's new abilities, refined combat systems, weapon crafting, vehicle building via puzzle mechanics and the transition from sky to land areas.

Aonuma-san starts off the video presentation by announcing that the development cycle for Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has been completed (reached gold status in industry terms). The game is due to launch internationally in mid-May, so it is encouraging that the development team is, allegedly, not tinkering under the hood until the very last minute. Tears of the Kingdom has been delayed since it was first teased at E3 2019 - development began in 2017 following the completion of its predecessor, Breath of the Wild. Nintendo initially announced an estimated release window in 2022, but presumably due to world changing events, the game was pushed back to Q2 2023.
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Huawei Reportedly Develops Chip Design Tools for 14 nm and Above
Amid the US sanctions, Chinese technology giant Huawei has reportedly developed tools to create processors with 14 nm and above lithography. According to Chinese media Yicai, Huawei and its semiconductor partners have teamed up to create replacement tools in place of US chip toolmakers like Cadence, Synopsys, and Mentor/Siemens. These three companies control all of the world's Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools used for every step of chip design, from architecture to placement and routing to the final physical layout. Many steps need to be taken before making a tapeout of a physical chip, and Huawei's newly developed EDA tools will help the Chinese industry with US sanctions which crippled Huawei for a long time.

Having no access to US-made chipmaking tools, Huawei has invested substantial time into making these EDA tools. However, with competing EDA makers supporting lithography way below 14 nm, Huawei's job still needs to be completed. Chinese semiconductor factories are currently capable of 7 nm chip production, and Huawei itself is working on making a sub-7 nm EUV scanner to aid manufacturing goals and compete with the latest from TSMC and other. If Huawei can create EUV scanners that can achieve transistor sizes smaller than 7 nm, we expect to see their EDA tools keep pace as well. It is only a matter of time before they announce adaptation for smaller nodes.

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(PR) Nintendo Switch OLED Model The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Edition Launches on April 28
The Nintendo Switch - OLED Model - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Edition system, featuring a special design from the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom game, will launch on April 28!* Available at a suggested retail price of $359.99, this sleek new edition bears a design which appears in the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom game, including the familiar Hylian Crest from the Legend of Zelda series on the front of the dock.

Plus, two accessories - a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (MSRP $74.99) and a Nintendo Switch carrying case (MSRP $24.99), both with designs from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - will release separately on May 12, the day the game launches. The new hardware and these legendary new accessories were announced in a new presentation featuring series producer Eiji Aonuma demonstrating new gameplay from the upcoming title, which can be viewed here. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom game, the new hardware and the two themed accessories are all now available for pre-order. Please check with your local retailer for further details.
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(PR) Tachyum To Use UCIe Interconnect Standards In Prodigy 2
Tachyum announced today it has strengthened its presence in the Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express (UCIe) organization that develops and supports the chiplet ecosystem and in-package innovations. The UCIe community fosters collaboration among leaders in semiconductors, packaging, IP suppliers, foundries, and cloud services.

UCIe 1.0 is an open specification guiding the interconnection between chiplets within a package to ensure communication and functionality. Chiplet-based design increases density and capability compared to standard printed circuit-boards (PCBs), and enables much smaller, lower-cost solutions that consume less power. UCIe specification addresses the die-to-die I/O physical layer, die-to-die protocols, and software stack currently served by PCI Express (PCIe) and Compute Express Link (CXL) industry standards. UCIe ultimately extends the PCIe standard to in-package interconnects and allows the potential to bring CXL into in-package integration.
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[NextPowerUP]

The new NV7 marks the beginning of a brand-new series of Phanteks chassis. The NV Series envisions a chassis that supports the system components aesthetically and with excellent cooling performance. The new NV series brings beauty and usability together, creating a perfect balance of form and function. Alongside the release of the NV7, Phanteks also introduces the new D30 DRGB fans. Combining premium D-RGB lighting with the 30 mm thick and aerodynamic fan blades inspired by the ultimate T30 fan, the D30-120 makes for a true premium D-RGB fan for modern systems.

The Phanteks NV7, with its unmistakable purpose design, highlights the system components with the motherboard at its center. One defining design element of the NV7 is its strong and defining outer frame that captures and accentuates the hardware components. With a clean design from all sides, the NV7 allows you to place your system freely without the traditionally messy rear side. The glass panels offer a near-seamless view of the inside to further focus on the system components.

[Editor's note: Our in-depth review of the NV7 case is now live]Read full story

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(PR) Philips Introduces SuperWide Monitor 45B1U6900C with Comprehensive USB-C Docking Station
The Philips 45B1U6900C combines a dual-monitor setup in a single display. The Philips 45B1U6900C is equipped with a large, 44.5" (113 cm diagonal) screen with Double QHD (5120 x 1440) resolution and several other features that are designed to aid professionals' multitasking, such as: USB-C docking with an RJ45 (Gigabit Ethernet) input, a 32:9 SuperWide aspect ratio, and a curvature of 1500R with viewing angles of 178/178 degrees.

Instead of having two separate monitors, the Philips 45B1U6900C's 44.5" screen and 32:9 SuperWide aspect ratio allow professionals to easily open multiple windows side-by-side, without a bezel in the middle dividing the content abruptly. The 32:9 aspect ratio also helps to have an extra-wide perspective for working with timeline-based software such as video or audio editors. In addition, the monitor's curved VA panel produces wide, 178°/178° viewing angles and crisp, high-contrast imagery, while the 1500R curvature creates an overall more immersive experience.
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Intel Releases New Arc Pro 31.0.101.4092 WHQL Graphics Driver
Intel's Arc Pro A40, A30, and Arc Pro A30M for laptops were announced back in August last year, these are still only available to OEMs, and it appears that Intel is not focused on driver updates for its Arc Pro series as it is for its gaming Arc series graphics card lineup. The latest Arc Pro 31.0.101.4092 WHQL driver is the first driver update in 4 months.

The previous driver was released back in December last year, and while we do not know how popular Intel Arc Pro series is, since there are currently only two desktop and one mobile graphics card, four months are still a long time between driver updates. The latest one focuses on certification for professional applications, including various Autodesk software, Siemens, Vectorworks, Dassault Systèmes Solidworks, and others. It also includes several fixes for some of those applications.
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(PR) HP Boosts Gaming Solutions for Awe-Inspiring Experiences
Today at the Amplify Partner Conference, HP Inc announced its latest line-up of gaming hardware and software designed to bring gamers everything they need to enjoy the games they love. The new OMEN Transcend 16 Laptop, OMEN 16 Laptop, Victus 16 Laptop, and a vast range of stunning OMEN monitors offer casual, hobbyist, lifestyle, and hardcore gamers the power and flexibility to play and work hard. To bring everything together, new enhancements in OMEN Gaming Hub offer a variety of performance and personalization features.

People everywhere seek devices that can adapt to hybrid play and work. Sixty-two percent of gamers prefer a PC that fits their entire life instead of being used for gaming only. With a billion new gamers entering the space in the last seven years and 84 percent of them using games to connect with others with similar interests, gaming devices enable access to countless games and corresponding communities.
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[NextPowerUP]

REDMAGIC is proud to launch the first generation of its 4K gaming monitor. With an ultra-fast refresh rate of 160 Hz, its display is designed for gamers who demand amazing visual quality and performance. Introduced as a "Dive into the gaming reality", the 27-inch gaming monitor features over 2000 mini-led lights with a 16:9 aspect ratio. It delivers 99% DCI-P3 with a HDR VESA-certified display 1000, and equipped with a dedicated anti-glare feature.

"At REDMAGIC, we believe in providing gamers worldwide with the ultimate e-Sports experience. We strive to deliver high-quality gaming equipment, using professional solutions to optimize the user experience. Our objective is to expand our focus beyond peripherals to other e-sports categories, making multi-terminal gaming more professional and enjoyable for gamers. It is our commitment to provide innovative and high-quality products to the gaming community that we value user feedback and take it seriously in the design and development of our products," said the REDMAGIC team.
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Valve Discontinuing Steam Support on Windows 7/8/8.1 as of 2024
Valve has confirmed that its Steam platform will no longer support the Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 operating systems as of January 1st, 2024. Valve discontinued support for Windows XP and Windows Vista back in 2019.

Valve says that after that date, the Steam Client will no longer run on those versions of Windows and users will need to update to a more recent release. The reason behind such a move, according to Valve, is that the newest features in Steam rely on an embedded version of Google Chrome which no longer functions on older versions of Windows, and that the future of Steam will require Windows features and security updates only present in Windows 10 and above.

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be quiet! Light Wings ARGB Fans Get New White Color
be quiet!, the German manufacturer for premium PC components, s extending its fan portfolio with Light Wings White. Based on the award-winning Light Wings fan series, Light Wings White offers a new white color option for users looking to build color-oriented systems.

All Light Wings White fans offer high-performance, low-noise operation with ARGB illumination and are equipped with one LED ring at the fan's inlet and another narrow LED ring at the outlet. They are available in four different triple-pack versions: 120 mm, 120 mm high-speed, 140 mm, and 140 mm high-speed.
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(PR) Gamdias Introduces CHIONE P3 All-in-One Liquid Cooler with IPS Display
Introducing the CHIONE P3 high-performance liquid cooler - the next-generation cooling solution designed to offer top-notch performance on any setup. The CHIONE P3 AIO features a highly customizable IPS LCD display to show off your own style, a high-performance motor pump to offer extreme cooling, and fine-tuned AEOLUS M3 PWM fans to provide superior airflow. Available with 360 mm and 240 mm radiator sizes, the CHIONE P3 is the ultimate cooling solution for gamers and enthusiasts.

PERSONALIZED LCD DISPLAY
Equipped with a customizable IPS LCD display, the CHIONE P3 allows you to monitor your system performance statistics in real-time, while also personalizing the screen with any images or animated GIFs as the background. The pump head features a stunning ARGB lighting ring with pre-installed lighting modes for a dazzling display of lighting effects.
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[NextPowerUP]

Following the exodus of many high profile companies within the gaming and entertainment industries, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has announced the cancellation of E3 2023. The event was to be held on June 13th through the 16th at the Los Angeles Convention Center, and would have been the first in-person E3 in 4 years, the last in-person event having been in 2019. In an email sent out to members the ESA stated that E3, "remains a beloved event and brand," but that the 2023 event, "simply did not garner the sustained interest necessary to execute it in a way that would showcase the size, strength, and impact of our industry." The email ends with no mention of the event's future.

ESA has issued an official public statement from Kyle Marsden-Kish, Global VP of Gaming, on the cancellation:

This was a difficult decision because of all the effort we and our partners put toward making this event happen, but we had to do what's right for the industry and what's right for E3. We appreciate and understand that interested companies wouldn't have playable demos ready and that resourcing challenges made being at E3 this summer an obstacle they couldn't overcome. For those who did commit to E3 2023, we're sorry we can't put on the showcase you deserve and that you've come to expect from ReedPop's event experiences.

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(PR) GeForce NOW Gets 23 New Games in April
New "Marvel's Midnight Suns" reward is now available along with 11 new games this week, plus an update on the GeForce NOW partnership with Microsoft. It's another rewarding GFN Thursday, with 23 new games for April on top of 11 joining the cloud this week and a new Marvel's Midnight Suns reward now available first for GeForce NOW Premium members.

Newark, N.J., is next to complete its upgrade to RTX 4080 SuperPODs, making it the 12th region worldwide to bring new performance to Ultimate members. GeForce NOW on SHIELD TV is being updated for a more consistent experience across Android and TV devices. Update 6.00 has begun rolling out to SHIELD TV owners this week. Plus, work is underway to bring the initial batch of Xbox first-party games and features to GeForce NOW.
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(PR) ASUS ROG Teams Up With ACRONYM for ROG Flow Z13-ACRNM RMT02 Tablet
ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced the second project in its ongoing collaboration with ACRONYM, a leading technical apparel company, to create the ROG Flow Z13-ACRNM RMT02 - bringing together the world of fashion, art, tech, Web3 and gaming in a powerful tablet.

Available for sale worldwide starting April 3, 2023, the device features pro-level specs, including an Intel Core i9-13900H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU. Containing that outsized power is a tablet-sized chassis that's designed to encourage portability and real-world use. The beautifully intricate, custom-machined aluminium creates rigidity. An ingeniously designed integrated carry system uses a versatile strap that lets the device become its own transport system and allows use in multiple modes. Rubber holds are inset to provide grip in every orientation, and the corners are reinforced to keep the machine safe from accidental bumps or drops.
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(PR) Retro JRPG Live A Live Coming to Steam and PlayStation Consoles in April, Demo Version Available Now
LIVE A LIVE, originally only released for the Super Famicom in Japan, is being revived on Steam and PlayStation consoles! Experience this legendary RPG, brought to life in the same HD-2D visual style as OCTOPATH TRAVELER. Meet seven heroes, each with their own unique abilities and lives to live across different time periods. Experience their stories in any order you choose, uncovering shocking developments along the way

Featuring remastered music from original composer Yoko Shimomura and produced by Takashi Tokita (the director of the original game), this remake retains everything that players loved about the original while also being accessible to newcomers.
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The Last of Us Part I Patch Released to Address Crashes and Shader Compilation Issues
Naughty Dog has released its first v1.0.1.5 patch for the PC version of The Last of Us Part I, which fixes several performance issues that plagued PC users since the launch. The PC port of game leaves much to be desired, with a lot of reported crashes, optimization issues, and general gameplay issues, which led to a rather low rating on Steam.

Naughty Dog has already released an official statement over at Twitter, acknowledging issues and scrambling to fix them. "The Last of Us Part I PC players: we've heard your concerns, and our team is actively investigating multiple issues you've reported. We will continue to update you, but our team is prioritizing updates and will address issues in upcoming patches."

Update: The Last of Us Part I v1.0.1.6 Patch has been released on Steam, fixing several other issues. You can check out the full release notes below.
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Microsoft Aims to Modernize its Upcoming Windows 12 with Modular Design
Insider sources at Microsoft have spoken of continued efforts to modernize the core of its operating system, with the work-in-progress Windows 12 cited as the ideal candidate for substantial updates. The engineering team is reported to be integrating a modular design, which will allow for a reduced operating system footprint - similar in principle to ChromeOS. According to Windows Report article the operating system development team is hard at work on a spiritual successor to the abandoned Windows Core OS project. Their newest effort is reported to be called "Windows CorePC" and Microsoft is aiming to hit the same goals it set for its Windows 10X edition, which was cancelled in mid-2021, but they will also target native support for legacy applications on devices that require necessary access.

Windows Core OS was shutdown after years of development and internal testing - it was hoped that a modular Universal Windows Platform-first (UWP-F) operating system would be more lightweight and gain stronger security features, as well as greater access to regular updates. The inside sources stated that Windows Core OS will not be developed any further, at least not for desktop computer purposes. The Microsoft team is anticipating that its new CorePC project will lead onto new configurations of Windows that feature a capability of scaling up and down depending on hardware variations. Windows PCs and devices, in some user case scenarios, do not require full breadth of legacy Win32 application support. CorePC will enable different configurations of Windows to be installed on a custom basis.
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ASUS ROG Debuts its RTX 4090 XG Mobile GPU in China and Japan
ASUS ROG has started selling its RTX 4090 XG Mobile external graphics card in China and Japan this week. Japanese customers are being charged a cool $3000 for the pint-sized powerhouse external GPU, and Chinese buyers are getting a slightly better deal at $2700. It should be noted that this eGPU is the (GN21-X11) mobile variant of the GeForce RTX 4090, and not the full fat desktop version. The newly updated XG Mobile enclosure can only be connected to an ASUS Flow laptop, which limits the scope of compatibility to an already very expensive range of devices. The proprietary connection standard will keep customers in the ASUS ROG mobile hardware ecosystem - but their higher end laptop models can be configured with the very capable GeForce RTX 4070 mobile GPU, so the RTX 4090 XG Mobile seems to appeal to a very small buying niche.

The XG Mobile interface uses the PCIE Gen 3 x8 standard of connection, and the GPU has access to a dedicated 63 GB/s of bandwidth. This beats the Thunderbolt 4 standard of 40 Gb/s, by a 57% margin. The enclosure acts as a docking station - its features include an up to 2.5 Gbit Ethernet, a single HDMI 2.1 port, one DisplayPort 1.4 with G-Sync support and three USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (3x Type-A + 1x Type-C). ASUS ROG has engineered the docking station/enclosure to be as compact as possible (21.7 cm x 16.5 cm x 3.26 cm), when compared to competing products from other manufacturers. The whole package weighs in at 1.3 kg, which will ensure decent portability for gamers on the move.
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[NextPowerUP]

Apple's yet to be announced hybrid VR/AR headset is facing another setback and industry insiders are reckoning that the first iteration of the device will not be unveiled at the WWDC 2023 keynote - starting June 5. An industry analyst has been posting their theories via social media, and based on insider information believes that Apple is delaying production of the hybrid headset to late 2023. Ming-Chi Kuo's proposes this situation: "Apple isn't very optimistic about the AR/MR headset announcement recreating the astounding "iPhone moment," the mass production schedule for assembly has been pushed back by another 1-2 months to mid-to-late 3Q23. The delay also adds uncertainty to whether the new device will appear at WWDC 2023, as the market widely expects. Furthermore, due to the delay in mass production for assembly, the shipment forecast this year is only 200,000 to 300,000 units, lower than the market consensus of 500,000 units or more."

Internal hands-on sessions at Apple HQ have apparently brought to light major user issues with the mixed reality headset, and that feedback has caused a loss in confidence in launching the product in a "ready enough" state, especially in time for summer. Kuo concludes his theory: "The main concerns for Apple not being very optimistic regarding the market feedback to the AR/MR headset announcement include the economic downturn, compromises on some hardware specifications for mass production (such as weight), the readiness of the ecosystem and applications, a high selling price (USD 3,000-4,000 or even higher)."
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(PR) Remaster of Savant Announced, Ascent Anniversary Edition Incoming for this Summer
Celebrate 10 Years Of Savant Ascent & check out our new game!
HERE WE GO! We couldn't let Savant - Ascent's 10 Year Anniversary go uncelebrated! Today, we are officially announcing Savant - Ascent Anniversary Edition, a complete remaster of the game! Check out the trailer for yourself and join the final ascent. More details below.

New Everything!
There are some huge upgrades! Not only will the game feature suped up versions of the original bosses, but NEW bosses will put you through some truly intense battles as you ascend!
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3DMark Gets AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 2 (FSR 2) Feature Test
UL Benchmarks today released an update to 3DMark that adds a Feature Test for AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 2 (FSR 2), the company's popular upscaling-based performance enhancement. This was long overdue, as 3DMark has had a Feature Test for DLSS for years now; and as of October 2022, it even got one for Intel XeSS. The new FSR 2 Feature Test uses a scene from the Speed Way DirectX 12 Ultimate benchmark, where it compares fine details of a vehicle and a technic droid between native resolution with TAA and FSR 2, and highlights the performance uplift. To use the feature test, you'll need any GPU that supports DirectX 12 and FSR 2 (that covers AMD, NVIDIA, and Intel Arc). The FSR 2 Feature Test is being released as a free update.

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(PR) Klas Announces an Innovative Compute Module to Revolutionize Edge Deployments
Klas, a global leader in edge intelligence solutions, launched a new rugged compute module, the VoyagerVM 4.0, powered by the new Intel Xeon D embedded processor (formerly known as Ice Lake D). The innovative design integrates the newest edge compute technology and exposes an expansion interface to support more agile, and open edge deployments.

The rugged design of the VoyagerVM 4.0 allows it to operate continuously in power constrained and austere environments with wide-ranging ambient temperatures with no impact to performance. Its compact size makes it the ideal edge computing platform for heavy-industry, autonomous vehicles, smart transportation, and military applications.
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(PR) XGIMI's MoGo 2 Projector Series Now Available
XGIMI, a leading design and industry-awarded projector and laser TV brand, today announced the availability of its latest smart portable projector, the XGIMI MoGo 2 series consisting of the MoGo 2 Pro and MoGo 2 projectors. The MoGo series can be pre-ordered on the XGIMI website and on Amazon. The MoGo 2 Pro will retail for $599 and the MoGo 2 will retail for $399, with full availability, including at Best Buy, beginning on April 25th.

To bring users a better portable projection experience, XGIMI has upgraded its MoGo product range, featured in the brand new MoGo 2 Series - which includes the MoGo 2 and MoGo 2 Pro. The new series is aimed at busy urban professionals and young families, and offers significant improvements in screen brightness, screen clarity and speaker performance, as well as the new Intelligent Screen Adaption 2.0 (in the MoGo 2 Pro), which allows for a complete hassle-free setup process for first-time projector users.
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(PR) Thermaltake Unveils the New Toughpower GF A3 ATX 3.0
Thermaltake, the leading PC DIY premium brand for Case, Cooling, Gaming peripherals, and enthusiast memory solutions, is excited to introduce the latest Toughpower GF A3 Gold series. Designed with Intel ATX 3.0 compliance, a native PCIe Gen 5.0 12+4pin modular interface, and 80 PLUS Gold efficiency, the Toughpower GF A3 is ready to fully support the newest-gen hardware. This PSU comes with the dimensions of 150 mm (W) x 86 mm (H) x 140 mm (D), and it has five watts to choose from, including 1200 W, 1050 W, 850 W, 750 W, and 650 W. Additionally, the Toughpower GF A3 Gold series meets Intel voltage regulation standards, which strengthens power stability and reliability.

The Intel ATX 3.0 specification of the Toughpower GF A3 allows for a 200% power excursion and a 60% low load efficiency, allowing steady power to your GPU. The native PCIe Gen 5.0 12VHPWR connector can power up the latest high-end graphics cards with a single cable. To smoothly supply power for hardware, the Toughpower GF A3 Gold series is equipped with superior Japanese 105°C/221°F main electrolytic capacitors, high amperage single +12V rail, and DC to DC design, which supports the highest durability, stability, and compatibility. Furthermore, the Toughpower GF A3 Gold series is built with industry-grade protections, such as OCP (Over Current Protection), OVP (Over Voltage Protection), UVP (Under Voltage Protection), OPP (Over Power Protection), SCP (Short Circuit Protection), OTP (Over Temperature Protection), to ensure hardware safety.
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EA to Lay Off Six Percent of Workforce in Restructuring Move
Electronic Arts is getting ready to lay off upwards of six percent of its workforce, as the company restructures its game portfolio. The company had some 12,900 employees globally in March 2022 according to Games Industry.biz and should as such be laying off some 775 employees. This is far less than we've seen from other companies and it won't affect all of EA's subsidiaries equally. The EA CEO—Andew Wilson—sent out a memo to the company employees that have been posted publicly on EA's website. It seems like EA will make the cuts fairly quickly, as the company is expected to be done informing affected employees sometime early in its next fiscal year, which starts on April first.

It's unclear exactly where EA will be making the cuts and according to Games Industry.biz the company has already trimmed some 200 employees that were working in support, most of them specifically supporting Apex Legends. That said, Apex Legends, EA Sports FIFA 23 and The Sims are the only games mentioned in the announcement, so presumably those titles are safer than others. At the same time, TPU spoke to a contact at a different EA subsidiary and there had been no mention of any redundancies there and the person in question works on another successful series of games. We'll have to wait and see if EA drops any projects the company is working on or if some titles end up being discontinued earlier than expected, due to lack of support from the teams that built the games. Regardless, EA is about to re-focus on what should be its more successful titles, which may or may not be a successful strategy for the company.

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(PR) Report: ASP of NAND Flash Products Will Continue to Fall 5~10% in 2Q23, Whether Prices Continue to Decline in 2H23 Will Depend on Demand
Although NAND suppliers have continued to roll back production, there is still an oversupply of NAND Flash as demand for products such as servers, smartphones, and notebooks is still too weak. Therefore, TrendForce predicts that the ASP of NAND Flash will continue to fall in 2Q23, though that decline may shrink to 5~10%. The key to supply and demand returning to a market equilibrium lies in whether NAND suppliers can cut back on production even more. TrendForce believes if demand remains stable, then the ASP of NAND Flash will have an opportunity to rebound in 4Q23; if demand is weaker than expected, then ASP will take longer to recover.

Client SSD: Currently, PC OEM's have managed to liquidate most of their component inventory, and are now gearing up in preparation for mid-year sales events. Suppliers are cutting prices to clear out their inventories of PCIe Gen 3 SSDs, which are gradually being phased out. Meanwhile, prices of PCIe Gen 4 SSDs continue to face downward pressure due to a slow intake of new customer orders. The continuous decline of QLC products in 1Q23 has also dragged down the prices of TLC products, and there is relatively little room for prices to keep falling in 2Q23. While it still remains unclear whether or not demand will recover, TrendForce projects that the prices of PC client SSDs will drop 5~10% in 2Q23.
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[NextPowerUP]

ASUS today announced Chromebox 5 (CN67), a computer that combines exceptional performance with a contemporary design. The Red Dot Design Award-winning ASUS Chromebox 5 features a slim chassis that houses an efficient thermal solution for reliability, along with a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with up to 32 GB DDR4 3200 memory, and Intel Iris Xe graphics. In addition to the expected DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI ports, ASUS Chromebox 5 also includes versatile Thunderbolt 4 connectivity for speedy data transfers, power delivery, and a connection to external displays. ASUS Chromebox 5 can support up to four 4K displays for stunning visuals and efficient productivity, and is the first Chromebox to feature an optional integrated 15-watt Qi-certified wireless charger that allows users to charge supported devices such as smart phones and earbuds simply by placing them on the top cover. With full support for Android apps from Google Play, ASUS Chromebox 5 allows users to easily download and experience all their favorite apps. The compact chassis can be stood on its side, laid flat, or VESA-mounted on a vertical surface, allowing ASUS Chromebox 5 to be used in a variety of environments, including schools, offices, and retail.

Lightning-fast Thunderbolt 4
Thunderbolt 4 brings Thunderbolt connectivity to USB-C at speeds of up to 40 Gbps, along with DisplayPort 1.4 support. It's even compatible with USB4 to create one compact port that does it all—delivering the fastest, most versatile connection to any dock, display, or data storage device.
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AMD Releases The Last of Us Part 1 Optimized Radeon Software
AMD today released an off-branch version of AMD Software Adrenalin that comes with optimization for "The Last of Us: Part 1." This driver is technically a beta, and is not a part of the regular release trunk for Adrenalin. It comes with the version number 22.40.43.05. Besides the sole game optimization, the driver does not pack any "fixed issues" load. The company did, however, identify a few new issues with this release, which it acknowledged in the list below.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Software The Last of Us Part 1 Optimized Drivers
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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Priced at $600
NVIDIA has reportedly set the retail MSRP of its upcoming GeForce RTX 4070 "Ada" graphics card at USD $600. This would put its starting price at anywhere between $170-200 cheaper than the RTX 4070 Ti. We know from reports of different review NDAs for "MSRP" and "non-MSRP" RTX 4070 custom-design graphics cards, that there is an emphasis from NVIDIA's side to ensure that every board partner has cards to sell at MSRP (this $600 price). The rather large price-gap between the RTX 4070 and RTX 4070 Ti should carve out room for premium custom-design RTX 4070 cards without treading too close to the cheapest RTX 4070 Ti.

The GeForce RTX 4070 is reportedly based on the same AD104 silicon as the RTX 4070 Ti, albeit heavily cut down, with just 46 out of 60 streaming multiprocessors being enabled, which work out to just 5,888 CUDA cores, compared to the 7,680 present on the silicon. Other specs include 46 RT cores, 184 Tensor cores, 184 TMUs, and possibly 64 ROPs. The memory sub-system is unchanged from the Ti, you reportedly get 12 GB of 21 Gbps GDDR6X memory across a 192-bit wide memory interface, with 504 GB/s of memory bandwidth on tap. NVIDIA is planning to launch the RTX 4070 in mid-April.

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(PR) CHIEFTEC Launches ATX 3.0 Polaris Pro Series Power Supply
Delivering Higher Efficiency and Performance with its Polaris Pro series (Model Nr PPX-1300FC-A3), CHIEFTEC has responded to the rapidly growing demand from the market for ATX 3.0 solutions through the expansion of its very successful and renowned Polaris Series. The CHIEFTEC Polaris Pro Series features advanced thermal control with a 135 mm fluid dynamic bearing fan and utilizes a specially calculated fan curve for high performance, low noise, and superior reliability.

With Zero-RPM fan mode for silent operation at low loads, maximum power output of 1300 W and an 80 Plus Platinum certified efficiency, the Polaris Pro was developed according to the latest ATX 3.0 standard, with a native PCI-E Gen 5 connector (600 W rating). Thus the this power supply will run seamlessly in combination with the latest graphics cards of the 4000 series.
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Galax HOF Extreme 50 PCIe 5.0 SSD Spotted in China
Galax is joining the PCIe 5.0 SSD crowd with its newest HOF Extreme 50 SSD that has been launched in China, and should come to the rest of the markets soon. The Galax HOF Extreme 50 will be only available in 1 TB and 2 TB capacities, and comes with thick heatsink with active cooling via PWM fan.

As it is the case with all other PCIe 5.0 SSDs currently on the market, the HOF Extreme 50 is based on Phison E26 controller paired up with Micron 232-layer 3D NAND flash and up to 4 GB of LPDDR4 DRAM cache. The Galax HOF Extreme 50 is not the fastest Phison E26-based PCIe 5.0 SSD announced, as Gigabyte Aorus Gen 5 1000, MSI Spatium M570 Pro, and Crucial T700, are coming and reaching up to 12 GB/s (12.4 GB/s for the Crucial T700).
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[NextPowerUP]

Terra Nil is now available now!
Terra Nil is a game about transforming barren lifeless landscapes into thriving, vibrant ecosystems. Turn dead soil into fertile grassland, clean polluted oceans, plant sprawling forests, and create the ideal habitat for animals to call home. Then recycle your buildings and leave no trace that you were ever there. Terra Nil is an intricate environmental strategy game about transforming a barren wasteland into a thriving, balanced ecosystem. Bring life back to a lifeless world by purifying soil, cleaning oceans, planting trees, and reintroducing wildlife, then leave without a trace.

A reverse city builder
Use advanced eco-technology to purify the soil, creating plains, wetlands, beaches, rainforests, wildflowers, and more—then efficiently recycle everything you've built, leaving the environment pristine for its new animal inhabitants.
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(PR) Insurgency: Sandstorm Content Update 1.14 and Operation: Accolade Available Now
Hello Sandstorm community! Welcome to Operation: Accolade, the update where we are privileged to bring you content inspired by the fantastic submissions we received to our mapping and cosmetic community contests! We want to acknowledge the work everyone put in by bringing their ideas to life in Insurgency: Sandstorm!! KUDOS to you! You all really brought in the thunder!

Also, we are reminiscing on Sandstorm's 4th birthday we recently celebrated on stream. 4 years is a big achievement, and we feel lucky to still be going strong after all these years. Of course, we can't forget about Insurgency's 9 year anniversary that happened back in January, too! We were joined on stream by some of the OG devs at New World who gave us the inside scoop on what development was like in those days. Without further ado, get ready to dive in and read what we have in store for Operation: Accolade!
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Dragon Age: Dreadwolf Development Team Bolstered With Mass Effect Staff, Ex-BioWare Veteran Added as Consultant
BioWare is working quietly on new entries in its long running Dragon Age and Mass Effect franchises, and not many details have been revealed about either game. Dragon Age: Dreadwolf was announced three years ago via a teaser trailer, but the gaming public knows little about the gameplay, lore or visual presentation. The Dreadwolf team has been expanded according to Gary McKay, general manager at BioWare - one of several details he divulged in a partially published interview conducted by GamesBeat. The game is in a post-production phase of development, and McKay confirmed via a blog update that Dreadwolf had reached an alpha milestone in September of 2022: "Now, for the first time, we can experience the entire game, from the opening scenes of the first mission to the very end. We can see, hear, feel, and play everything as a cohesive experience."

Select members of the Mass Effect team have been shifted over to help with late stage production on the fantasy RPG title: "Our studio is focused on creating the best Dragon Age: Dreadwolf while the core Mass Effect team continues their pre-production work." McKay also confirms that a former BioWare veteran has been re-introduced to the team, albeit in an external capacity: "We continue to iterate and polish Dreadwolf, focusing on the things that matter most to our fans. As we further connect this new experience with the series' legacy Mark Darrah will join the team as a consultant, bringing with him years of experience working on Dragon Age."
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(PR) EK-NUCLEUS AIO DARK is Introduced as the Black Sheep of the NUCLEUS AIO Range
EK, the leading computer cooling solutions provider, is expanding its Nucleus AIO portfolio with a brand-new model, EK-Nucleus AIO Dark. EK constantly pushes the envelope of available products, trying to make something for everyone. This AIO retains the shape of the original model but offers a price-competitive, all-black, non-RGB option for people whose budget or taste doesn't allow for additional FPS otherwise harnessed from RGB lighting #joke.

EK-Nucleus AIO Dark Series
The EK-Nucleus AIO Dark is an all-black all-in-one liquid cooling solution for modern AMD and Intel CPUs. It comes without any RGB on the fans or the pump-block unit. Unlike the standard model, it doesn't have a shroud over the end tanks that hides the fittings on the radiator, or the aluminium shroud across the radiator. These cost-saving measures allowed EK to offer a fully performance-oriented yet budget-friendly AIO solution.
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DirectX 12 API New Feature Set Introduces GPU Upload Heaps, Enables Simultaneous Access to VRAM for CPU and GPU
Microsoft has implemented two new features into its DirectX 12 API - GPU Upload Heaps and Non-Normalized sampling have been added via the latest Agility SDK 1.710.0 preview, and the former looks to be the more intriguing of the pair. The SDK preview is only accessible to developers at the present time, since its official introduction on Friday 31 March. Support has also been initiated via the latest graphics drivers issued by NVIDIA, Intel, and AMD. The Microsoft team has this to say about the preview version of GPU upload heaps feature in DirectX 12: "Historically a GPU's VRAM was inaccessible to the CPU, forcing programs to have to copy large amounts of data to the GPU via the PCI bus. Most modern GPUs have introduced VRAM resizable base address register (BAR) enabling Windows to manage the GPU VRAM in WDDM 2.0 or later."

They continue to describe how the update allows the CPU to gain access to the pool of VRAM on the connected graphics card: "With the VRAM being managed by Windows, D3D now exposes the heap memory access directly to the CPU! This allows both the CPU and GPU to directly access the memory simultaneously, removing the need to copy data from the CPU to the GPU increasing performance in certain scenarios." This GPU optimization could offer many benefits in the context of computer games, since memory requirements continue to grow in line with an increase in visual sophistication and complexity.
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[NextPowerUP]

There is a tradition with April Fools' Day in the tech industry, and while it is not the most jovial industry around, some of those that show up each year are quite funny. To be honest a few could actually work and would probably sell like hotcakes.

The usual suspects have already come up with their own and some of them were a bit early this year, including be quiet! and Razer. There are quite a few good ones, and here is the lineup of some of those that caught our attention. We will probably add a few more, and feel free to add the ones that you caught in the comments section.
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URCDKeys Freshens Up Your IT Setup This Spring with a Brisk Sale on Genuine Software
URCDKeys is here to help you update your IT setup this Spring, to prepare for the gaming season ahead this Summer. Get jaw-dropping deals on Genuine Software you need, to set up your new next-generation hardware PCs, or update the ones you have. Get Genuine Windows 11 Pro at just $20.19. Windows 10 Pro can be had at just $14.13. Every home PC needs productivity software, choose from our selection of Genuine Office 2021, Office 2019, and Office 2016 based on what you need, save even more by choosing from our curated combos.

Please use the coupon code TPUP on the following items to get the prices mentioned here.

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Buy Office 2016 Professional Plus at $26.14 | Buy Office 2019 Professional Plus at $47.48 | Buy Office 2021 Professional Plus at $60.48 | Buy Office 2019 Home and Student at $32.79 | Buy Office 2019 Home and Business for Mac at $78.82

Buy Windows 10 Pro + Office 2016 Professional Plus at $40.26 | Buy Windows 10 Pro + Office 2019 Professional Plus at $58.49

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Cyberpunk 2077 Experiences Sales Boost, CD Projekt Rakes in Almost $222 Million in Revenue
CD Projekt has revealed that 2022 was its second-best year in terms of financial results - it cites an uptick in sales of action role-playing shooter Cyberpunk 2077 as the main reason behind the nice boost to its earnings - around $222 million in revenue, leading to about $80 million in net profit. The Cyberpunk intellectual property has expanded beyond the scope of the video games format and onto the small screen - evidently a combination of the Netflix anime series adaptation and continued efforts into polishing and expanding the game has spread a positive word of mouth. The company states: "In 2022 CD PROJEKT RED carried out intensive work on Cyberpunk 2077, which resulted in successive updates and the next-gen console edition of the game. An important event was the well-received Netflix premiere of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. It attracted many new players to the game, and convinced many others to revisit Night City."

Adam Kiciński, CEO of CD PROJEKT was buoyed by these results and set expectations for continuations in both fields in the future: "The popularity of the series and the positive reception of the update, released a week before the premiere, had a notable effect on Cyberpunk sales and general sentiment around the game, as evidenced by gamers' reviews. This is a clear sign that deeper involvement in our franchises and expanding their reach is the right way to go. Another important event supporting the Cyberpunk franchise will be the release of Phantom Liberty - a large expansion scheduled for this year."
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CHIPS Act Requirements Untenable According to Silicon Manufacturers in South Korea and Taiwan
Silicon manufacturers in South Korea and Taiwan have questioned the requirements outlined in the United States Chips and Science Act - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol spoke on Thursday March 30, and said that there was a growing concern within companies Samsung Electronics Corporation and SK Hynix Inc. with regard to criteria for new U.S. semiconductor subsidies. Excess profit sharing is one area of contention, as the U.S. government will expect dividends to be paid under special conditions. The companies are also reluctant to meet the requirements of submitting detailed information about fab capacity and yield estimates. Leaders are pointing to the potential sensitive nature of exposing too much confidential corporate strategy to bodies in the USA, and sources within Samsung and SK Hynix are worried that budgetary planning information will be revealed in minute detail.

The CHIPS Act grants a $52 billion pool of research and manufacturing funds, and subsidies would be sourced from it. SK Hynix's parent group is considering an application in order to gain access to funding via the CHIPS Act, the SK Group has formed plans to invest $15 billion of its own money into the U.S. chip manufacturing sector - a North American location for an advanced chip packaging plant is being decided upon. Samsung has invested a substantial $25 billion into its Texas operation, so is eligible to receive U.S. government subsidies as well.
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Biostar Launches the A620MP-E Pro AMD A620 Chipset Based Motherboard
Biostar also announced a single AMD A620 chipset based motherboard today in the shape of the A620MP-E Pro, which is yet another microATX based board. Here we're looking at four DDR5 DIMM slots, a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, two PCIe 4.0 x1 slots, one PCIe 3.0 x1 slot, a single PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 NVMe slot and even a E Key M.2 slot for WiFi cards, which is actually something of a step up from the competition. Internal connectivity consists of four SATA 6 Gbps ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C header and one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A header.

The rear I/O is home to DisplayPort 1.4, an HDMI port, two USB 2.0 ports, a PS/2 port, four USB 3.2 Gen 1 5 Gbps ports, a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet jack powered by Realtek, three audio jacks, WiFi antenna connectors and a BIOS update button. Sadly the audio side is once again utilising the old Realtek ALC897 codec. Biostar has kitted out the VRM's with a heatsink, even though it's a very minimal heatsink. Overall Biostar has done a much more impressive job than MSI here, despite being considered a more budget oriented brand.

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MSI Reveals a Single AMD A620 Chipset Based Motherboard
Unlike its competitors, MSI has only revealed a single AMD A620 chipset based motherboard today and it's extra underwhelming, even though none of the boards are exactly what we'd call appealing. The Pro A620M-E only sports a pair of DDR5 DIMM slots and it has a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot and a single PCIe 3.0 x1 slot, as well as a single PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 NVMe slot. Internal connectivity is equally sparse, with a single USB 3.2 Gen 1 5 Gbps header and four SATA 6 Gbps ports.

Around the back you'll find an HDMI 2.1 port, a VGA port, two PS/2 ports, four USB 3.2 Gen 1 5 Gbps ports, two USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet jack and three audio jacks behind the ancient Realtek ALC897 audio codec. MSI appears to have gone for potentially slightly better power regulation than its competitors, but it's hard to tell from just looking at the board, but you don't get a VRM heatsink here. The chipset heatsink also looks like something from 20 years ago, but hopefully the AMD A620 chipset doesn't run too hot. This should hopefully be a very affordable board, but judging by ASUS' pricing for its A620, it might not be under $100.

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ASUS Unveils Three AMD A620 Chipset Based Motherboards
It appears that the microATX form factor is the way to go when it comes to AMD A620 chipset based motherboards and ASUS has no less than three new models, although one is technically with or without WiFi. The new models are the TUF Gaming A620M-Plus, the TUF Gaming A620M-Plus WiFi and the Prime A620M-A. All three boards sport six layer PCBs with what appears to be fairly basic power regulation, although ASUS doesn't mention how many phases either model has on its product pages. All boards feature a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot and two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots, as well as two M.2 NVMe slots that support PCIe 4.0 x4 based drives. All models also have four DDR5 DIMM slots, four SATA 6 Gbps ports and front panel connectors for a 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port and two 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports.

Around the back is where things differ a bit, as the TUF boards have two DisplayPort 1.4 and one HDMI port, as well as two 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, a PS/2 port and a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port courtesy of a Realtek chip, as well a BIOS FlashBack button. The Prime board on the other hand replaces one DisplayPort output with a VGA connector for some reason and gets to make do with Gigabit Ethernet. The connectivity options aren't what we'd call impressive, but appears to be par for course compared to ASUS' competitors' products. Pricing appear to be in the range of €139-169.

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Sony PlayStation VR2 Suffers First Month Low Unit Sales, Price Cut Predicted
Industry analysts have been busy with reviews of the PlayStation VR2 headset's launch sales figures, and have concluded that the numbers are a big disappointment according to findings published in a Bloomberg article. The research firm IDC is predicting that the PS VR2 is unlikely to break above 270,000 unit sales - timed from its launch this year on February 22 to the end of March. This is a substantial shortfall when lined up against the expected sales figures - Sony was reported to have an estimate of 2 million units sold going into the next financial year, but it was cutback to 1.5 million in the recent past. Francisco Jeronimo, IDC's Vice President of data and analytics cites a number of factors for the sluggish start: "Consumers around the world are facing rising costs of living, rising interest rates and rising layoffs - VR headsets are not top of mind for most consumers under the current economic climate."

Gamers were surprised by the higher than expected pricing for the PlayStation VR2 headset - at an MSRP of $550 it exceeds the asking price of the PlayStation 5 - and the home console is a necessary component in hosting the VR2's functionality. The virtual reality device has been a critical darling, although reviewers have been quick to question the price tag. It has been praised for an impressive specification and feature set, which includes dual 2,000 x 2,040 OLED displays, class leading eye-tracking tech and innovative Move wand controllers. The analysts share similar views about the high MSRP - Jeronimo predicts that Sony will need to take drastic action in order to right its sales ship: "I suspect a price cut on the PS VR2 will be needed to avoid a complete disaster of their new product." A price cut would perhaps appeal to a more mainstream buyer, coupled with the PlayStation VR2 being part of an ultra familiar gaming brand, but VR headset manufacturers as a whole are experiencing a slowdown in sales. Gamers were slow to adopt the first iteration of Sony's virtual headset, and that pattern appears to be repeating for the new model.

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[NextPowerUP]

In Path of Exile: Crucible, you'll learn about the ancient titans who once shaped the primordial surface of Wraeclast. If you're powerful enough, you will earn the ability to forge their power onto your weapons. Our April expansion introduces the Crucible challenge league, nine new Vaal Skills, Atlas Gateways, over ten new Unique Items and improvements to Breach, Abyss, Passive Tree Masteries, the Saboteur, the Pathfinder, Ruthless and much more!

In Path of Exile: Crucible, you'll learn about an ancient race of titans who once shaped the primordial surface of Wraeclast. In this league, you will earn the ability to forge their power onto your weapons.
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NVIDIA Ramps Up Battle Against Makers of Unlicensed GeForce Cards
NVIDIA is stepping up to manufacturers of counterfeit graphics card in China according to an article published by MyDrivers - the hardware giant is partnering up with a number of the nation's major e-commerce companies in order to eliminate inventories of bogus GPUs. It is claimed that these online retail platforms, including JD.com and Douyin, are partway into removing a swathe of dodgy stock from their listings. NVIDIA is seeking to disassociate itself from the pool of unlicensed hardware and the brands responsible for flooding the domestic and foreign markets with so-called fake graphics cards. The company is reputed to be puzzled about the murky origins of this bootlegging of their patented designs.

The market became saturated with fake hardware during the Ethereum mining boom - little known cottage companies such as 51RSIC, Corn, Bingying and JieShuoMllse were pushing rebadged cheap OEM cards to domestic e-tail sites. The knock-off GPUs also crept outside of that sector, and import listings started to appear on international platforms including Ebay, AliExpress, Amazon and Newegg. NVIDIA is also fighting to stop the sale of refurbished cards - these are very likely to have been utilized in intensive cryptocurrency mining activities. A flood of these hit the market following an extreme downturn in crypto mining efforts, and many enthusiast communities have warned against acquiring pre-owned cards due to the high risk of component failure.
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(PR) Compute and Storage Cloud Infrastructure Spending Stays Strong as Macroeconomic Headwinds Strengthen in the Fourth Quarter of 2022, According to IDC
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Enterprise Infrastructure Tracker: Buyer and Cloud Deployment, spending on compute and storage infrastructure products for cloud deployments, including dedicated and shared IT environments, increased 16.3% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2022 (4Q22) to $24.1 billion. Spending on cloud infrastructure continues to outgrow the non-cloud segment although the latter had strong growth in 4Q22 as well, increasing 9.4% year over year to $18.7 billion. For the full year, cloud infrastructure grew 19.4% to $87.7 billion, while non-cloud grew 13.6% to $66.7 billion. The market continues to benefit from high demand, large backlogs, rising prices, and an improving infrastructure supply chain.
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(PR) ASRock Launches its AMD A620 Chipset Motherboards
Leading global motherboard manufacturer ASRock proudly announces its new series of AMD A620 motherboards. The latest AMD A620 platform aims at a more budget-friendly market while still offering a wide variety of features, such as DDR5 memory support, multiple M.2 slots for NVMe storage devices, and WiFi 6E for daily tasks as well as gaming.

To maximize the affordability of the AMD A620 platform, ASRock offers four models, including both 4 and 2 DIMMs motherboard layout options. If 4 DDR5 memory is a must for your next build, the A620M Pro RS will definitely be the number one choice. It offers a luxurious amount of USBs including Type-C for both front and rear panels, 3 M.2 Key-M onboard and 2 of which support PCIe Gen 4 x4 to give multiple storage options. With a 6-layer PCB and Dr.MOS for Vcore design, A620M Pro RS can fully support the latest AMD Ryzen 7000 Series Processors. A620M Pro RS also comes with a WiFi 6E variant the A620M Pro RS WiFi, an all-rounder choice for wireless environments.
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(PR) Gigabyte Announces its First AMD A620 Chipset Based Motherherboards
GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions today unveiled the latest AMD A620 series motherboards with optimal memory performance and all-round features. With the perfect support of the latest AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors, GIGABYTE A620 motherboards deliver the most competitive AM5 platform for users to enjoy performance flexibly and affordably.

Enhanced by GIGABYTE exclusive layout design and BIOS setting, the A620 lineup can achieve optimal memory performance of DDR5 EXPO/XMP overclocking up to DDR5-6400, which exerts the utmost value and performance of the AM5 platform. Boasted with comprehensive features, GIGABYTE A620 motherboards can best fit users' needs and budget, and become the best choice for users who plans on stepping up to the latest AM5 platform.
Meanwhile, GIGABYTE's A620 motherboards boast the innovative PCIe EZ-Latch technology to simplify the upgrade of graphics cards, and to avoid accidental damage to the surrounding components. By GIGABYTE exclusive Q-Flash Plus feature, users can update the BIOS without installing any processor, memory, or even graphics card, making it possible for users to easily enjoy the benefits brought about by the new BIOS code and processors. Further with GIGABYTE GCC software platform, GIGABYTE delivers the competitive A620 platform with user-friendly features and multiple form factor options which covers Micro ATX to Mini ITX.
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Colorful Preparing Special Edition GeForce RTX 4090 iGame LAB
A special edition of the Colorful GeForce RTX 4090 has been spotted online, the Colorful RTX 4090 iGame LAB. This will be a special limited edition graphics card designed specifically for overclocking. Spotted over on Bilibili.com, the Colorful RTX 4090 iGame LAB will be only made in 300 units and looks similar to the Colorful iGame Vulcan version, just in white color. The card is a result of Colorful's in-house overclocking team and will apparently have binned GPUs, which means it could reach higher clocks.

Since there is no Colorful RTX 4090 iGame KUDAN version, the iGame LAB will take the flagship place. According to the specifications the RTX 4090 iGame LAB will still feature a single 16-pin power connector which means it will still be limited to 600 W. The specifications also mention the 2625 MHz Boost GPU clock. Unfortunately, there is no word on global availability or will it be limited to China only.

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[NextPowerUP]

AQIRYS, the trending Romanian gaming brand, announces the launch of the newest gaming keyboard in the portfolio, ALUDRA, and the updated version of the original model, ALUDRA TKL. Designed to deliver a pro-level gaming experience, quietness, and future upgrade possibilities, the revealed models appeal to all gamers looking for unconventional, remarkable setups.

Named after a blue supergiant star in the constellation Canis Major, the ALUDRA keyboard fuses exceptional design with the updated version of one of the best mechanical switches available to deliver performance and a richer, more silent gaming experience in a full-size form factor. Rated for 80 million keystrokes and retaining the unmistakable silky smooth typing feeling, the Gateron G PRO 2.0 Red switches installed on the ALUDRA provide a more stable linear response. In addition, they are just as quiet as the previous version, only this time factory lubricated and improved to reduce wobbliness, increase durability and enhance backlight transmission.
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[NextPowerUP]

As it turned out that ASUS ROG Ally handheld console is not actually an April Fools' Day prank, more details have started to appear about this Steam Deck competitor, and these first details looks pretty promising. According to the Dave2D video, showing the prototype unit in full details, the ASUS ROG Ally will indeed be based on a 4 nm custom AMD APU, featuring Zen 4 CPU and RDNA3 iGPU, so we are most likely looking at a custom AMD Phoenix APU.

The video had a few nice pictures of the pre-production PCB as well as the cooling setup as well as details on the screen, and some performance of the ASUS ROG Ally. The ROG Ally measures at 280 x 133 x 39 mm and weighing 608 grams. This makes it shorter, narrower, thinner, as well as lighter, compared to the Steam Deck. It also comes with 7-inch display, but this time around, it is a 500 nits, 1920x1080 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and 5 ms response time, which makes it much better compared to the Steam Deck.
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(PR) be quiet! Light Wings White Colorway PWM Fans Introduced, Following Community Requests
be quiet! Light Wings White: New color option for award-winning ARGB fans. Stylish, powerful, versatile fans now also available in white
be quiet!, the German manufacturer for premium PC components, s extending its fan portfolio with Light Wings White. Based on the award-winning Light Wings fan series, Light Wings White offers a new white color option for users looking to build color-oriented systems. All Light Wings White fans offer high-performance, low-noise operation with ARGB illumination and are equipped with one LED ring at the fan's inlet and another narrow LED ring at the outlet. They are available in four different triple-pack versions: 120 mm, 120 mm high-speed, 140 mm, and 140 mm high-speed. Stylish design with vivid lighting and ARGB hub included

System builders looking at creating all-white builds have a stylish new option with Light Wings White: the fan, cable sleeve and connector are fully executed in white, with a subtle black-on-gray logo to match the color scheme. Like their black counterparts, Light Wing White's light rings are equipped with up to 20 individually addressable LEDs with a diffuser to spread the light in both directions. This results in a remarkably uniform illumination and impressive lighting effects. Light Wing White is exclusively available in triple packs, which include a white ARGB hub to enable the synchronization of up to six ARGB components in total. The fans can also be connected to motherboards with 5 V ARGB-headers and controlled by motherboard software.
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AMD Ryzen 5 7540U 6-core Phoenix APU Spotted
While AMD has yet to officially launch the 7040 Series Phoenix APUs, yet another SKU has been spotted online, the 6-core/12-thread AMD Ryzen 5 7540U. Based on AMD's Zen 4 architecture and featuring RDNA3 iGPU, this SKU will join the recently spotted Ryzen 5 7640U and the Ryzen 7 7840U.

It is not clear how many SKUs will AMD actually have in the Ryzen 7040 U-Series, but so far three SKUs have leaked online. The earlier slide, which mentioned the Ryzen 7040 Series, put it in the thin and light segment with TDP ranging from 15 W to 28 W. Bear in mind that AMD will also have the 7040 series non-U Phoenix APUs that will fit the 35 W - 45 W "thin enthusiast" HS-series segment. There is also the "ultra enthusiast" HX-series segment with the recently launched 7045 Series Dragon Range APUs.
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(PR) Sony Electronics Announces the New WF-C700N Truly Wireless Noise Canceling Earbuds with Multipoint Connection
Sony Electronics Inc. today announced the addition of the WF-C700N truly wireless earbuds, WF-C700N, which are small and lightweight for all day comfort, perfect for those looking for their first pair of truly wireless noise canceling earbuds. In addition, Sony is also announcing the WH-1000XM5 in Midnight Blue, with all of the great noise canceling features of the critically acclaimed WH-1000XM5 in a stylish blue color.

A comfortable fit for on the go
The WF-C700N have been designed with comfort and stability in mind, for an inclusive fit. Sony has designed the WF-C700N by looking at extensive ear shape data collated since it introduced world's first in-ear headphones in 1982, as well as evaluation of the sensitivity of various types of ears. The WF-C700N earbuds combine a shape to perfectly match the human ear with an ergonomic surface design for a more stable fit, so users can wear them longer without needing a break.
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Intel's Next Generation GPUs to be Made by TSMC, Celestial Set for 3 nm Process
Intel has awarded TSMC with some big contracts for future manufacturing of next generation GPUs, according to Taiwan's Commercial Times. As previously covered on TPU, the second generation Battlemage graphics processing units will get fabricated via a 4 nm process. According to insider sources at both partnering companies, Intel is eyeing a release date in the second half of 2024 for this Xe2-based architecture. The same sources pointed to the third generation Celestial graphics processing units being ready in time for a second half of 2026 launch window. Arc Celestial, which is based on the Xe3 architecture, is set for manufacture in the coming years courtesy of TSMC's N3X (3 nm) process node.

One of the sources claim that Intel is quietly confident about its future prospects in the GPU sector, despite mixed critical and commercial reactions to the first generation line-up of Arc Alchemist discrete graphics cards. The company is said to be anticipating great demand for more potent versions of its graphics products in the future, and internal restructuring efforts have not dulled the will of a core team of engineers. The restructuring process resulted in the original AXG graphics division being divided into two sub-groups - CCG and DCAI. The pioneer of the entire endeavor, Raja Koduri, departed Intel midway through last month, to pursue new opportunities with an AI-focused startup.
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(PR) Adlink launches portable GPU accelerator with NVIDIA RTX A500
ADLINK Technology Inc., a global leader in edge computing, today launched Pocket AI - the first ever ultra-portable GPU accelerator to offer exceptional power at a cost-effective price point. With hardware and software compatibility, Pocket AI is the perfect tool to boost performance and productivity. It provides plug-and-play scalability from development to deployment for AI developers, professional graphics users and embedded industrial applications.

Pocket AI is a simple, reliable route to impressive GPU acceleration at a fraction of the cost of a laptop with equivalent GPU power. Its many benefits include a perfect power/performance balance from the NVIDIA RTX A500 GPU; high functionality driven by NVIDIA CUDA X and accelerated libraries; quick, easy delivery/power via Thunderbolt 3 interface and USB PD; and compatibility supported by NVIDIA developer tools. For the ultimate portability, the Pocket AI is compact and lightweight - est. 106 x 72 x 25 mm and 250 grams.
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