TechPowerUP NEWS

[NextPowerUP]

CD Projekt Red outlined some of its ambitions for Cyberpunk 2077's upcoming Phantom Liberty expansion at Gamescom Opening Night Live, but there was a bit of confusion within the audience regarding how new feature sets will pan out alongside the release of Update 2.0 (for the base game). The free batch of improvements and content is scheduled to arrive just before the launch of Phantom Liberty on September 26, across PC and modern consoles. The Polish video game developer has sought to clarify these details with the publication of new information. They recommend that you: "check out this handy infographic (see below) about the main features coming to Cyberpunk 2077 together with the Phantom Liberty expansion—and the ones that will be added to the game in the free Update 2.0!"

The Gamescom Phantom Liberty presentation included a preview of a revised police behavior system, but this appears to count as an improvement bundled with Update 2.0: "Take a look at one of the new features coming to Cyberpunk 2077 in the free Update 2.0 for the base game, which will be available on current-gen consoles and PCs: a revamped Police system! We rebuilt the system on clear, simple rules: criminal activity is punished, runners are chased and cyberpsychos are flatlined, no questions asked. All features in the system are designed to support clarity and the simple but expanded prevention loop." CDPR's infographic lists a new location as well as additional storylines, characters/enemies, quests, weapons and enemies being reserved for their ($29.99 RRP) DLC campaign.
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(PR) IBM Introduces Watsonx, an Innovative AI Solution Tailored to Business
IBM has formally introduced watsonx, the company's next generation enterprise-focused artificial intelligence and data platform. Global business leaders remain unclear about the real, transformative power of AI and how to leverage it. The campaign is designed to define and differentiate watsonx as a force multiplier that can accelerate impact for global business leaders as they look to apply AI solutions in new and innovative ways.

The two distinct spots feature a fast-paced, multi-media technique that aims to provide inspiration and guidance around the value proposition of watsonx, while underscoring the need to identify the right AI that will empower businesses to advance objectives and accelerate workloads. These concepts come to life through potential use cases that spotlight the importance of applying AI that is trusted, targeted, and built on the best open technology available.
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Noctua NH-U12A Mounting Kit Updated with LGA-1851 Socket Support
The latest retail batch of Noctua's NH-U12A single-tower CPU coolers has been photographed sporting updated packaging and containing a new set of mounting brackets. Japan's Akiba PC Watch reported on new stock of Noctua's popular (and well reviewed) NH-U12A cooler sitting on shelves at Tsukumo Computer's flagship store in Akihabara, Tokyo. Their article pinpointed Socket LGA-1851 compatibility listed on the revised retail box, and documented within new installation instruction steps. They noted that: "according to the manual, the mounting bar and spacer for fixing the CPU cooler are shared with the existing LGA-1700 (kit)."

Noctua has not updated its NH-U12A product page or compatibility centre pages with these revisions, but Tom's Hardware did pick up on the NH-D15's overhauled entry: "now listed as having SecuFirm2 mounts compatible with Intel LGA-1851." The Austrian computer hardware manufacturer seems to pride itself on its preparedness well in advance of a forthcoming new CPU range—Akiba PC Watch cheekily observed: "it is currently unknown when CPUs and motherboards compatible with LGA-1851 will be released." Intel's 15th Gen Arrow Lake S is presumably the main candidate lined up to adopt LGA-1851—technical specifications were uncovered back in June time.

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(PR) Xbox Series S 1 TB Carbon Black Model Out Now
September is shaping up to be one of the hottest months of the year for Xbox players, with a ton of new releases, including some of the year's most anticipated games, several of which will be available with Game Pass on day one (Starfield, Lies of P, Payday 3 - just to name a few). Plus, with the release of the 1 TB Xbox Series S in Carbon Black on September 1 and Xbox Game Pass Core launching on September 14 you will have even more options on what to play and where to play it.

Xbox Series S - 1 TB
With the release of so many new games this month, it's a great time to join Xbox or upgrade your console, so you can enjoy games that only run on Xbox Series X|S and PC like Starfield, Forza Motorsport, and more. Plus, September 1 marks the release of the new Xbox Series S - 1 TB, which was announced earlier this year at the Xbox Games Showcase 2023. This console features the same next-gen speed and performance of our 512 GB Series S, now with double the storage so you can download even more of your favorite games to your console where they'll be ready to play when you are. Xbox is always exploring ways to use less new materials and reduce waste - our new 1 TB Series S incorporates Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) resins, mirroring the practice established in 2021 with our white Series S in a new color. The bold Carbon Black color is the same sleek, modern matte finish as Xbox Series X and the Xbox Wireless Controller. Make the most of every gaming minute with features like Quick Resume, lightning-fast load times, and support for gameplay of up to 120 FPS.
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HWMonitor v1.52 Ready for Intel Raptor Lake Refresh SKUs
The latest version (1.52) of the HWMonitor application is prepared in advance for a wide variety of incoming PC hardware products—most notably Intel's Raptor Lake Refresh desktop processors. The release notes mention specific SKUs including: Core i5-14600K/KF (14 cores), i7-14700K/KF (20 cores) and i9-14900K/KF (24 cores)—these CPUs have emerged across a number of recent leaks. We expect Team Blue to present these models, in an official capacity, to the world at their Innovation 2023 event (starting September 19).

Non-specific Core 3,5 & 7, plus Core Ultra 5, 7 & 9 series CPUs are also mentioned in the patch notes, pointing to a mixed bag of (i.e very confusing) 14th Generation products comprised of Raptor Lake Refresh (possibly mobile variants) as well as Meteor Lake ranges lined up for "preliminary" support within HWMonitor v1.52. AMD's already announced Radeon (Navi 32) RX 7800 XT and RX 7700 XT GPUs have also been added to the app's compatibility roster.

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(PR) Kaleidescape Launches "Terra Prime" Movie Server Product Line
Kaleidescape, maker of the ultimate movie platform, has announced the availability of its new Terra Prime movie server product line. Terra Prime features an all-new board design with faster processing power and faster network - the only dedicated movie server with 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet. The new servers are available with either high-capacity hard drives or fast solid-state drives. "Kaleidescape's new Terra Prime movie servers support lightning-fast movie downloads and can serve more Kaleidescape high-bitrate 4K movies concurrently to multiple screens," said Tayloe Stansbury, Kaleidescape chairman & CEO.

Kaleidescape Terra Prime SSD Movie Servers
Terra Prime SSD movie servers are the fastest and quietest movie servers available, ideal for yachts and large installations. Terra Prime SSD downloads Kaleidescape high-bitrate 4K movies in as little as four minutes and serves up to 25 simultaneous playback zones. Terra Prime SSD 31 TB stores approximately 500 Kaleidescape high-bitrate 4K movies and the 8 TB model stores roughly 125 Kaleidescape high-bitrate 4K movies.
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[NextPowerUP]

The Republic of Gamers (ROG) department at ASUS started to tease its lineup of official Evangelion tie-in products in late July, with a ROG Strix customized NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 card attracting some attention thanks to its very prominent red and black aesthetic. The marketing spiel revealed that: "the EVA Editions of the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 come equipped with a myriad of performance-enhancing ASUS features, such as Axial-tech fans with reverse rotation and 0 dB technology, an exclusive vapor chamber design, top-shelf power delivery and a sleek metal exoskeleton for maximized rigidity. The expertly engineered fan shroud and right-hand side of the card now sport an EVA-02 color theme, and Asuka art takes over the backplate."

The ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 OC EVA-02 Edition was shown off at last month's Gamescom trade fair in Germany, but PC hardware enthusiasts in China will be getting first dibs on retail units. As reported by ITHome and VideoCardz, units can be pre-ordered via JD.com, with shipments starting tomorrow (September 5). The special edition livery and pack of themed accessories will set you back 17,999 RMB (~$2475) in the region. ASUS ROG has not revealed pricing for Western territories.

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Arm Prepares for IPO: Apple, NVIDIA, Intel, and Samsung are Strategic Partners
Arm's impending IPO, valued between $60 billion and $70 billion, has reportedly garnered substantial backing from industry giants such as Apple, NVIDIA, Intel, and Samsung, as per sources cited in a Bloomberg report. This much-anticipated public offering serves as a litmus test for investor interest in new chip-related stocks and could reshape the tech industry landscape. While the information remains unofficial, it underscores the significant support Arm has received from major licensees, including Apple, AMD, Cadence, Intel, Google, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Synopsys, with each potentially contributing between $25 million and $100 million, a testament to their confidence in Arm's future prospects. Originally, SoftBank aimed to raise $8 billion to $10 billion through the IPO, but a strategic shift to retain a larger Arm stake revised the target to $5 billion to $7 billion.

This IPO's success holds paramount importance for SoftBank and its CEO, Masayoshi Son, particularly following the Vision Fund's substantial $30 billion loss in the previous fiscal year. Masayoshi Son is reportedly committed to maintaining significant control over Arm, planning to release no more than 10% of the company's shares during this initial phase, aligning with SoftBank's recent acquisition of the Vision Fund's Arm stake and reinforcing their belief in Arm's long-term potential. Arm has enlisted renowned global financial institutions such as Barclays, Goldman Sachs Group, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Mizuho Financial Group to prepare for the IPO, highlighting the widespread interest in the offering and the anticipated benefits for these financial institutions.

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(PR) Bandai Namco Hails "Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon" Critical Acclaim
After 10 years, we return to fight once more. This is where your souls belongs. The reviews are in. Armored Core is back. Ready to take Rubicon by storm? Suit up, Ravens. Success in Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon comes from tinkering with highly customizable mech builds, a signature feature of the series, and learning the right strategies and techniques such as staggering enemies with the right weapons, combining ranged and melee attacks, and taking every advantage in battle.

A new action game based on the concept of the Armored Core series that uses the knowledge gained from FromSoftware's recent action game development. Combining FromSoftware's longstanding expertise in mech games with their signature action gameplay, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon brings a brand-new action experience to the series.
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AMD Ryzen 8000 "Strix Point" APU Leak Points to 16 RDNA 3.5 CUs
PerformanceDatabases has uncovered details relating to an alleged engineering sample of AMD's Ryzen 8000 "Strix Point" APU—likely insider sourced CPU-Z screengrabs from early last month revealed that the upcoming Zen 5-based laptop chip (in their words): "is built on a 4 nm Process and features the Big.Little CPU architecture with 4 Performance Cores and 8 Efficiency Cores. Both the P and E-Cores support hyper-threading. On the P-Core and E-Core, the L1 Data cache is 48 KB, while the L1 instruction cache is 32 KB. Each P Core boasts 1 MB of cache, and with E-Cores, it looks like there are 4 in a group, sharing 1 MB of L2 Cache. This setup is quite similar to Intel's design. Keep in mind, it's still in the engineering sample (ES) stage, so there's more to come. We'll keep you posted on any further updates!"

Another "AMD Strix - Internal GPU" example emerged late last week, this time in the form of a leaked HWInfo64 screen grab with some information completely covered up—the visible parts seems to point to this "Strix Point" APU featuring a core configuration as seen in the earlier leak, along with 1024 unified shaders. We can presume that the sampled Zen 5-based mobile APU possessing 16 RDNA 3.5 compute units (16 × 64 = 1024). Other details include a 45 W TDP rating, and the socket type being FP8 (as utilized by current Ryzen 7040U and 7040H(S) mobile SoCs). The 512 MB GDDR6 memory configuration is very likely an error—according to HWInfo64, the tested system was fitted with 32 GB of LPDDR5 memory. "Strix Point" looks to be the logical successor (in 2024) to AMD's current "Phoenix" lineup of mobile processors, as featured in gaming handhelds and laptops. PC hardware enthusiasts are expressing excitement about the upcoming APU series wielding impressive iGPU performance, with the potential to rival modern discrete mobile solutions.

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(PR) Mortal Kombat 1 Premium Edition Early Access Perks Revealed
Players who pre-order the Mortal Kombat 1 Premium Edition will get Playable Character Shang Tsung and have 5-day early access to the game beginning Sept. 14, 2023. Mortal Kombat 1 Premium Edition will be playable on September 14th at 10am PDT / 12pm CDT / 1pm EDT. Discover a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe created by the Fire God Liu Kang. Mortal Kombat 1 ushers in a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and fatalities!

Mortal Kombat 1 is a brand-new title in the acclaimed Mortal Kombat videogame franchise that has sold more than 80 million units since its debut over 30 years ago. Developed by award-winning NetherRealm Studios, the upcoming game will introduce a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe that has been created by the Fire God Liu Kang, featuring reimagined versions of iconic characters as they've never been seen before. Mortal Kombat 1 is scheduled to release on Sept. 19, 2023, for PlayStation 5 (PS5 ), Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
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ASUS NUC Product Lineup is Official
The North American branch of ASUS has unveiled its NUC product lineup—this announcement arrives only a month and a half after making an agreement with Intel to transfer rights for the sales and manufacturing of NUC products to their Business Unit (NUC BU). Their X account tweeted out late last week: "Exciting News! ???? Starting September 1st, NUC becomes a proud member of the ASUS product lineup, setting off on an exhilarating journey ahead ???? Delve into NUC product specifics on the official ASUS website."

ASUS seems to have absorbed the current crop of 10th to 13th NUC series systems into its portfolio, although the emphasis appears to be placed on Raptor Lake-based units. Other news outlets anticipate that ASUS NUC 13 Extreme products (minus ROG livery) could hit the market soon. The ASUS marketing blurb outlines their ambitions going forward: "NUC-Powerful experiences in small packages. NUC-rhymes with luck-is the Next Unit of Computing that delivers incredible performance, rich l/O, high-end graphics capabilities, and sleek designs for everyone and every situation, including gaming and business." ASUS NUC BU will likely adopt upcoming Raptor Lake Refresh and Meteor Lake CPUs.

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[NextPowerUP]

At PAX West, Paradox Interactive revealed that The Chinese Room (a subsidiary of Sumo Digital) has taken over development of Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2. The publisher's key note announcement stated that the British studio: "brings their award-winning storytelling to Bloodlines 2, creating a high-quality Vampire: The Masquerade action RPG by talented developers with triple-A experience. Fans eager to sink their teeth into Bloodlines 2 can look forward to the gameplay reveal in January 2024 and its launch in Fall 2024." The original team at Hardsuit Labs was relieved of all development duties back in early 2021, following a year of key staff dismissals. Worried fans were offered the chanced to receive pre-order refunds a few months ago, with Paradox uploading a small batch of alpha screenshots, but not yet unveiling the new dev team.

Industry watchers have noticed that The Chinese Room has undertaken a large recruitment drive lately, so the ambition seems to be there to get into AAA game development leagues, despite a track history of producing critically acclaimed indie hits such as Dear Esther and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture. Ed Daly, Studio Director stated: "Vampire: The Masquerade holds a special place in our hearts. The story world's dark setting filled with intricate narratives built on top of modern society perfectly fits our studio's catalog...Bloodlines 2 is our most ambitious project to date. Fans of the franchise have been eagerly awaiting this game, and we are up to the challenge. We are bringing more than 15 years of award-winning (BAFTA & TIGA) experience to the project, creating a game that honors the legacy of its predecessor while bringing its gameplay to the modern era."
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[NextPowerUP]

SAPPHIRE Technology announces the latest SAPPHIRE PURE AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT and Radeon RX 7700 XT graphics cards, built on the groundbreaking AMD RDNA 3 architecture offering superb performance designed for gamers and creators. These cards are encased in a stunning white shroud with delicate design accents, built with durable components and engineered with effective cooling solutions for a dynamic gaming experience.

A new PURE experience
Kick off the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT and Radeon RX 7700 XT graphics card experience with the brand-new, white shrouded, sleek SAPPHIRE PURE lineup! The SAPPHIRE PURE AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT graphics card headlines with 60 Compute Units and 3840 stream processors with a Boost Clock of up to 2475 MHz and a Game Clock of up to 2169 MHz. It also offers 16 GB of high-speed GDDR6 memory clocked at 19.5 Gbps with 64 MB of second generation AMD Infinity Cache technology. The SAPPHIRE PURE AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT graphics card features a GPU with 54 Compute Units and 3456 stream processors, a Boost Clock of up to 2584 MHz and a Game Clock of up to 2226 MHz. Enjoy breakthrough performance on the SAPPHIRE PURE AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT with 12 GB of GDDR6 high-speed memory clocked at up to 18 Gbps with 48 MB of Infinity Cache technology. The graphics card has support for up to 4 output ports including 2x HDMI 2.1 and 2x DisplayPort 2.1 ports with DSC outputs to support the latest monitors on the market.
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(PR) MediaTek Successfully Develops First Chip Using TSMC's 3 nm Process, Set for Volume Production in 2024
MediaTek and TSMC today announced that MediaTek has successfully developed its first chip using TSMC's leading-edge 3 nm technology, taping out MediaTek's flagship Dimensity system-on-chip (SoC) with volume production expected next year. This marks a significant milestone in the long-standing strategic partnership between MediaTek and TSMC, with both companies taking full advantage of their strengths in chip design and manufacturing to jointly create flagship SoCs with high performance and low power features, empowering global end devices.

"We are committed to our vision of using the world's most advanced technology to create cutting edge products that improve our lives in meaningful ways," said Joe Chen, President of MediaTek. "TSMC's consistent and high-quality manufacturing capabilities enable MediaTek to fully demonstrate its superior design in flagship chipsets, offering the highest performance and quality solutions to our global customers and enhancing the user experience in the flagship market."
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Intel's Meteor Lake CPU Breaks Ground with On-Package LPDDR5X Memory Integration
During a recent demonstration, Intel showcased its cutting-edge packaging technologies, EMIB (embedded multi-die interconnect bridge) and Foveros, unveiling the highly-anticipated Meteor Lake processor with integrated LPDDR5X memory. This move appears to align with Apple's successful integration of LPDDR memory into its M1 and M2 chip packages. At the heart of Intel's presentation was the quad-tile Meteor Lake CPU, leveraging Foveros packaging for its chiplets and boasting 16 GB of Samsung's LPDDR5X-7500 memory. Although the specific CPU configuration remains undisclosed, the 16 GB of integrated memory delivers a remarkable peak bandwidth of 120 GB/s, outperforming traditional memory subsystems using DDR5-5200 or LPDDR5-6400.

Nevertheless, this approach comes with trade-offs, such as the potential for system-wide failure if a memory chip malfunctions, limited upgradeability in soldered-down configurations, and the need for more advanced cooling solutions to manage CPU and memory heat. While Apple pioneered on-package LPDDR memory integration in client CPUs, Intel has a history of using package-on-package DRAM with its Atom-branded CPUs for tablets and ultrathin laptops. While this approach simplifies manufacturing, enabling slimmer notebook designs, it curtails configuration flexibility. We are yet to see if big laptop makers such as Dell, HP, and Asus, take on this design in the coming months.

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(PR) Thermaltake Reveals Matcha Green Lineup: Ceres 300 TG ARGB Mid Tower Chassis & ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair
Thermaltake, the leading PC DIY premium brand for Case, Power, Cooling, Gaming peripherals, and enthusiast Memory solutions, is delighted to launch the Ceres 300 TG ARGB Matcha Green Mid Tower Chassis and the ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair Matcha Green. After first releasing The Tower 200 Matcha Green Mini Chassis and gaining positive reviews, Thermaltake plans to announce more products in Matcha Green, allowing users to immerse this vital and elegant color with a complete lineup. Now including the worldwide availability of the Ceres 300 Matcha Green and the ARGENT E700 Matcha Green. More good news, the TH280 V2 ARGB Sync All-In-One Liquid Cooler - Matcha Green Edition is coming soon. Let's light up entertainment and work spaces with these stylish Matcha Green collections!
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(PR) Cooler Master Raises the Bar with the Q300L V2 mATX Case
Innovative Design Elevates Space Efficiency and Thermal Performance in the Compact, Updated Q300L V2 Cooler Master takes things up a few notches from the original MasterBox Q300L mATX case with the launch of the all-new Q300L V2 to bring out the full potential of the mATX form factor. An ongoing commitment to mATX, the innovations on the Q300L V2 are about bringing out efficiencies and delivering superior thermal performance without compromise to space and aesthetics.

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Cooler Master, a global leader in PC components, has launched the Q300L V2 - a revitalized and rejuvenated successor to the original MasterBox Q300L. Taking each feature of its predecessor to new heights, the Q300L V2 boldly redefines the capabilities and performance of mATX cases.
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(PR) Baseus Rolls Out the World-First Charging Station with LED Display
Baseus Technology, the leading global consumer electronics brand, launched the PowerCombo Tower Series Power Strip 35 W, an unprecedented charging station on the market with a digital LED display illustrating real-time safety and charging status. The LED display shows the load status, digital protection, and grounded indicators. Its overall design makes it perfect for workspaces, gaming setups, and meeting rooms.

10-in-1 Charging Station in Vertical Space-Saving Design
The Baseus PowerCombo Tower Power Strip 35 W can charge and power up to 10 devices with 6 AC outlets, 2 USB-C ports, and 2 USB-A ports. It comes in a futuristic and space-saving design, like the 6 AC outlets on each side that are more than enough to power an entire desktop ecosystem.
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(PR) Chants of Sennaar Out Now on PC & Consoles
Focus Entertainment and indie studio Rundisc are extremely happy to release Chants of Sennaar, the mesmerizing puzzle adventure game where you decipher glyphs to unravel the mysteries of forgotten languages. Out on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, a free demo is available on all platforms. Watch the Launch Trailer (below) and start your journey as a daring interpreter now!

Unveil mysteries behind the fragments of the past
Divided since the dawn of time, the Peoples of the Tower no longer speak to each other. But it is said that one day, a Traveler will find the wisdom to break down the walls and restore the Balance. Explore and discover a fascinating world where men have forgotten their past; a colorful and poetic setting inspired by the myth of Babel and visually drawing from European comic artists and a miscellany of architectural styles. Travel the endless steps of a prodigious labyrinth, uncover an ominous truth and unveil the mysteries of this captivating universe where ancient languages are both the lock and the key.
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[NextPowerUP]

Hello Everyone! First up, thank you all for all the feedback following the announcement of House Ecaz. We're very happy with how the faction is coming together and we can't wait to hear your thoughts on Arrakis' newest arrival when the game launches out of Early Access later this month, which conveniently leads us to our next announcement...

We are very proud to share that Dune: Spice Wars launches out of Early Access and into 1.0 on the 14th of September! With release now within spitting distance, we thought it would be a good time to address some of the burning questions we've been getting of late and give some details on what to expect from this major milestone in D:SW's development! So read on for the official Dune: Spice Wars 1.0 F.A.Q...
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ASML's First Pilot Tool for Next-gen Products to be Delivered in 2023
ASML's CEO, Peter Wennink, has announced that his team will be shipping out the first pilot tool (a high-NA EUV system) in its next product line before the end of this year. Reuters reports that supply chain problems have caused hold-ups along the way, but the Dutch multinational corporation is confident in delivering its next-gen opening salvo—these high numerical aperture EUV machines are large enough to warrant transportation via truck, and their per unit cost is over €300 million (~$322 million). The most demanding of chipmakers will be snapping up ASML's behemoth apparatuses in order to produce improved (i.e. smaller) chips over the next ten years.

Wennink spoke to Reuters at an industry event (that took place in Eindhoven): "A few suppliers had some difficulties in actually ramping up and also giving us the right level of technological quality, so that led to some delay. But in fact the first shipment is still this year." The CEO expects to see a growth in revenue thanks to burgeoning interest in AI-oriented silicon—new manufacturing facilities in Arizona and Taiwan are primed to adopt high-NA EUV machines in 2024. Key clients will be experimenting with these new machines (EXE:5200), before a full push into commercial production—logic chip makers have demanded that they get priority access over memory manufacturers. Intel has made declarations, in the recent past, that its foundries are first in line to receive ASML's latest and greatest tools.

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Gunnir Reveals Arc A770 & A750 Photon OC Asian Games Special Editions
The Asian Games 2022 athletic event was originally set to take place last September—officials have rescheduled proceedings to later this month (opening September 23, closing October 8). Gunnir has prepared new versions of its existing Arc A770 & A750 Photon OC graphics cards in celebration of e-sports competitions being added to the roster at XIX Asian Games, Hangzhou. The Chinese hardware manufacturer has produced an extensive portfolio of Intel Alchemist-based discrete solutions, so it is not surprising to see slightly revised designs being issued to tie-in with a significant multi-sport tournament.

Gunnir's Photon OC White Edition shroud has been updated with the official Asian Games emblem as well as wavy graphic patterns—their retail packaging shares similar revisions, giving off some very calming vibes. According to product listings on JD.com, the A750 8 GB model currently sells for 1699 RMB (~$232), while the range-topping A770 16 GB variant is available to pre-order at 2399 RMB (~$328). The latest Intel and Gunnir collaboration is not likely to reach Western shores—Team Blue's Chinese operation announced (last month) that it was the official graphics processor supplier for this month's Hangzhou Asian Games. We expect only the most hardcore of GPU collectors to import these curiosities from Joybuy/Jingdong (JD).

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(PR) Unreal Engine 5.3 is now available!
We're excited to announce that Unreal Engine 5.3 is now available. This release brings numerous wide-ranging improvements as we continue to expand UE5's functionality and potential for game developers and creators across industries. As well as enhancements to core rendering, developer iteration, and virtual production toolsets, we're introducing Experimental new rendering, animation, and simulation features to give you the opportunity to test extended creative workflows inside UE5—reducing the need to round-trip with external applications.

Refinements to core UE5 rendering features
With this release, we've continued to refine all core UE5 rendering features to address our ongoing goal of making it easier for developers to leverage them at higher quality in games running at 60 FPS on next-gen consoles; the improvements also offer higher-quality results and enhanced performance for linear content creators. Specifically, Nanite has faster performance for masked materials, including foliage, and can represent a greater range of surfaces due to the new Explicit Tangents option, while Lumen with Hardware Ray Tracing has expanded capabilities that include multiple reflection bounces, and delivers faster performance on consoles. Other areas with notable advancements include Virtual Shadow Maps (VSM)—which is now Production-Ready—Temporal Super Resolution (TSR), Hair Grooms, Path Tracing, and Substrate.
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Larian Working on Baldur's Gate 3 Cross-play for PC & Consoles
Michael Douse, the director of publishing at Larian Studios, has confirmed to Eurogamer that cross-play functionality is being worked on, although the team was not able to get it ready in time for release day code on PC (August 5) and PlayStation 5 (out today!): "It was always in the planning, but we knew it wouldn't be for launch. It's in the roadmap, and though we have an idea of when we'd like to get it ready for, we don't want to put a date on it until we're sure." Larian and the BG3 fan base are hoping to see players united in online multiplayer across PC and console platforms in the near future, with the Xbox version due to arrive at some point before the end of the year.

Technical and performance issues are present in the PlayStation 5 version—reviewers have noted that split-screen performance on Sony's console is choppy, with local multiplayer sessions forcing a 30 frames per second "Quality" visual mode. This perhaps provides a small insight into the problems encountered when developing split-screen mode for Xbox Series X and S platforms, with the latter proving to be the largest headache. Eurogamer's journalists were also privy to Larian highlighting: "in a pre-launch note to PS5 reviewers, problems with performance in the game's climactic final act in the city of Baldur's Gate. It said it was working hard to fix it. Remember, the studio has had issues with this area on PC too."
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(PR) Samsung Announces 4 TB SSD 990 PRO Series
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced the release of a new 4-terabyte (TB) offering in its SSD 990 PRO series. The 990 PRO series is a lineup of high-performance PCIe 4.0 SSDs powered by Samsung's eighth-generation V-NAND (V8) technology and enhanced proprietary controller. Offering blazing-fast speeds and ultimate power efficiency, the 990 PRO series is optimized for massive data volumes, such as 3D/4K graphics work, data analytics and high-quality games, making it the ideal SSD for today's PCs, laptops, game consoles and computing systems. With improved total bytes written (TBW) ratings of up to 2,400 TB, the 990 PRO series ensures increased SSD reliability and longevity, ideal for those with highly demanding workloads and large storage capacity needs.

"Today's gamers and creative professionals require high-capacity, high-performance SSDs and Samsung's new 4 TB SSD 990 PRO is the perfect storage solution to meet their needs," said Hangu Sohn, Corporate Vice President of the Memory Brand Product Biz Team at Samsung Electronics. "As the demand for high-resolution content and ultra-fast data-processing speeds continues to grow, high-performance NVMe storage has become a core requirement."
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[NextPowerUP]

SAPPHIRE Technology, in cooperation with Thinlabs, presents a unique computing solution that utilizes 802.3bt PoE++ (Power-over-Ethernet) technology - the Thinlabs PoE NUC. It allows for up to four ThinLabs HD displays to be fully powered over a single Ethernet cable. Utilizing this technology brings many advantages like eliminating the need for electrical outlets or simplifying power backups. At the heart of the Thinlabs PoE NUC lies a motherboard developed by SAPPHIRE, featuring the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2000 series processor. This AMD Ryzen processor, with efficient "Zen 2" x86 CPU and Radeon Graphics cores offers versatility, low power and high performance. The AMD Ryzen flagship model, V2718, features an 8-core / 16-thread CPU with 7 integrated Radeon Graphics Compute Units.

Advantages of Power-over-Ethernet
The Thinlabs NUC solutions is equipped with the advanced 802.3bt PoE++ (PoE++ Type 4) technology. This innovation enables seamless supply of up to 90 W of power through a standard Cat 6 Ethernet cable. This simplifies deployment significantly, eliminating the need for a certified electrician to install an electrical outlet wherever the PC and monitors are required. Instead, a single Ethernet cable up to 100 m in length can be used to provide data and power to the complete system. Such an approach also greatly reduces installation cost and cable clutter.
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AMD's Lisa Su Endorses TSMC's Fab 21 Arizona Facility
TSMC is having a tough time getting its Phoenix, Arizona facility up to fully functional standards—large-scale production at Fab 21 has been delayed into 2025 (as announced back in July). Cited factors include workforce-related issues and sluggish installation of state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment. These setbacks are not too disconcerting in the eyes of leadership at AMD—today CEO Dr. Lisa Su declared that her firm will be one of the first in line to contract with TSMC's Fab 21, thanks to long established bonds: "I think we have gotten extremely good at managing supply chain, so I would say that is one of our core strengths. TSMC has been a phenomenal partner for us in terms of advanced technology, both on the silicon side as well as the packaging side, and we very much value that relationship." Su and NVIDIA chief Jensen Huang were key figures present at the Arizona facility's December 2022 opening ceremony.

AMD's top brass is in attendance at this year's Goldman Sachs Communacopia and Technology Conference, alongside arch rival Intel. The latter has already dropped their own revelation for the day. Su commented on North American chip manufacturing circumstances: "When you when you think about the geopolitical situation, geographic diversity is important to us...So, the Arizona factory is very important to us. We are going to be one of the early users, we are putting our first tape outs in shortly with the idea of being a significant user of Arizona. I think we will continue to look at the geographic diversity as an important piece of it." AMD has been fabless since 2009, and relies heavily on TSMC's tried and true Taiwan-based plants to produce CPU, GPU, DPU and FPGA products—it will be interesting to observe how things pan out when some of this output gets shifted over to a fledgling facility positioned out there in the Sonoran desert.

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(PR) THQ Nordic Reschedules Alone in the Dark's Launch, Arriving Early 2024
Horror games thrive on the delicate balance of tension, exploiting our vulnerability and the eerie embrace of solitude. Envision yourself traversing a dimly lit house in the dead of night, where faint whispers and unidentifiable noises send shivers down your spine. Now, picture this unsettling scenario not alone, but accompanied by a group of 28 intriguing individuals. The fear factor dwindles, doesn't it? Hence, the anticipated release of Alone in the Dark will gracefully step away from the chaotic October 2023 launch window.

Reasons
Our intention is to avoid competing with the wake of Alan's epic release and to evade the dazzling skyline of cities adorned by the graceful swings of Spiderman. We aim to truly remain as Alone in the Dark as possible. To honor this, the spine-chilling horror game has been rescheduled to unveil its horrors on January 16th, 2024. This extension will serve a dual purpose: not only will it permit us to meticulously perfect the gaming experience, but it will also grant us the opportunity to fully immerse ourselves in the remarkable releases of October.
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Intel Core Ultra "Meteor Lake-H" Partial Lineup Leaked
An Intel Core Ultra 7 155H chip was first spotted via a Geekbench entry this morning (as tested in an HP Spectre x360 2-in-1 laptop), followed by several other purported mobile "Meteor Lake" SKUs published by Golden Pig Upgrade's Bilibili account. The aforementioned Core Ultra 7 155H was listed, alongside the additions of higher end Core Ultra 9 185H and Core Ultra 7 165H models. Intel has reportedly been playing around with their naming conventions—engineering samples bearing 1002H and 1003 designations were leaked earlier this summer. A lower end Core Ultra 5 125H chip has also emerged from another new Geekbench registration, sitting inside a next-gen HP OMEN Transcend Gaming Laptop.

Laptop-oriented Meteor Lake processors are expected to arrive with an updated iGPU technology—very likely Xe-LPG (Alchemist), with a designation of up to 128 EU cores—but the latest Geekbench entries are missing specific information about any graphics processing units, integrated or discrete, utilized by the evaluated HP laptops. Two Geekbench Core Ultra 7 155H entries confirm a base clock of 3.8 GHz with a boost capability upping the ante to around 4.8 GHz. We see counts of 16 cores and 22 threads—the internal configuration seems to consist of 6 P-Cores, 8 E-Cores and 2 lower power cores housed within its SoC die. The best set of Geekbench 6.1 scores posted by the Core Ultra 7 155H comprised 2294 points in single-core and 12749 points in multi-core. A VideoCardz evaluation places this plucky mobile chip in good company: "its single-core score puts it above AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and Intel Core 13400 desktop CPUs. The multi-core performance is actually higher than Core i9-12900 non-K or Threadripper PRO 3955WX."
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AMD Software Adrenalin 23.9.1 WHQL Released with Anti-Lag+, Boost, and HYPR-RX
AMD has released the latest version of the Adrenalin software, the version 23.9.1 WHQL. The new AMD Software Adrenalin Edition 23.9.1 WHQL adds support for Radeon RX 7700 and RX 7800 series graphics cards which will be available as of today, as well as adds support for AMD Radeon Anti-Lag, Radeon Boost, and AMD HYPR-RX features.

The AMD Radeon Anti-Lag+ initially supports 12 games, including Apex Legends, Overwatch 2, Dying Light 2, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Resident Evil 4, Ghostwire: Tokyo, Fortnite, Last of Us: Part 1, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Resident Evil 3, and Borderlands 3, with more promised in the coming months. It also adds support for AMD HYPER-X, a one click solution which combines AMD Radeon Anti-Lag+, Boost, and Radeon Super Resolution to achieve improved performance and latency reduction.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Software Adrenalin 23.9.1 WHQL for AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT and RX 7800 XT
DOWNLOAD: AMD Software Adrenalin 23.9.1
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(PR) Gigabyte Announces AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT and RX 7700 XT GAMING OC Graphics Cards Hitting The Market
GIGABYTE, the world's leading computer brand, announced the GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7800 XT and RX 7700 XT GAMING OC graphics cards hit the market today. Based on AMD's Navi 32 chip using the RDNA 3 architecture, the RX 7800 XT GAMING OC excels in demanding 1440p gaming backed by substantial VRAM and computing power. Meanwhile, the RX 7700 XT GAMING OC emerges as an attractive mid-range option, also promising exceptional performance at 1440p.

Both RX 7800 XT and RX 7700 XT GAMING OC models are equipped with GIGABYTE's acclaimed WINDFORCE cooling system, engineered to ensure peak performance even during extended gaming sessions. This innovative cooling solution features a triple-fan design with Alternating Spinning technology, composite copper heat pipes, Screen Cooling, and an array of exclusive features. These components work in tandem to facilitate efficient heat dissipation, enabling the cards to maintain optimal operating temperatures while keeping noise levels at a minimum.
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(PR) New MIPS CEO Sameer Wasson to Drive Company's RISC-V Market Penetration and Innovation
MIPS, a leading developer of high- performance RISC-V compute IP, has announced embedded systems industry veteran Sameer Wasson as the company's new CEO. Before joining MIPS, Wasson spent 18 years at Texas Instruments (TI), most recently as Vice President, Business Unit (BU) Manager, Processors, where he was responsible for the company's Processor businesses. In that role, Wasson re-established TI as a mainstream microprocessor (MPU) and microcontroller (MCU) supplier for high growth automotive and industrial markets, and established the company's footprint in embedded AI, software defined vehicles, and electrification.

As the new CEO of MIPS, Wasson will further accelerate the company's leadership in the High-Performance RISC-V market as it continues to expand its footprint in Automotive and Enterprise markets.
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[NextPowerUP]

Anyone up for another beta? You guessed it, this weekend we'll run another technical beta of Payday 3. This time it will be OPEN for you to push our servers to the limit. Payday 3 is the much anticipated sequel to one of the most popular co-op shooters ever. Since its release, Payday-players have been reveling in the thrill of a perfectly planned and executed heist. That's what makes Payday a high-octane, co-op FPS experience without equal.

Second BETA
As you might've heard already, we're doing a second Technical BETA - in other words, a server stress test. Same build as last time—so no new UI or heists for now. We want to ensure that we have as few issues as possible ahead of our very imminent launch, so this test is meant to do just that. Between September 8th and 11th we're running an open BETA, just go to our store page, download the build and play.
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Cerabyte's Ceramic Storage Medium Hyped as Industry Disruptor
Cerabyte/Ceramic Data Solutions Holding GmbH, a German storage technology startup, is hyping up its nanolayer-based storage method: "creating the most reliable data storage ever. Data is safe in a wide temperature range of -273 °C (-460 °F) to 300 °C (570 °F) and even in corrosive or acidic atmosphere. Also radiation and an EMP can't destroy information stored on (our system)." The firm's leadership is comprised of self-described "pioneers," with a goal to disrupt the storage market (worth $500 billion)—they want to reduce data center storage total cost of ownership (TCO) by 75 %, while introducing their environment friendly solution that: "requires 99 % less energy. Sustainable long-term data storage is one of the most urgent problems in our world. Cerabyte is the solution for reducing 99% of CO2 emissions generated by conventional cloud data storage."

A product preview showcases the potential of CeraMemory cartridges (2025-30) capable of storing between 10 PB and 100 PB, and their CeraTape (2030-35) series offering up to 1 EB capacity per unit. Cerabyte representatives are set to discuss their technologies at the 2023 Storage Developer Conference, scheduled to take place later this month (September 18 to 21). Their "Ceramic Nano Memory - Data Storage for the Yottabyte Era" abstract is available to view in advance of the upcoming meet up in Silicon Valley.
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(PR) Disney Games Reveals Gargoyles Remastered, Launching October 19
Gargoyles Remastered is now available for pre-order on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Steam and GOG! Launching October 19th, Gargoyles Remastered is an artfully crafted revival of the 1990s classic 16-bit side-scrolling platform adventure. Relive the epic journey of Goliath and the Gargoyles featuring enhanced visuals, animations, and SFX, all inspired by the acclaimed animated series. The world of Gargoyles comes to life with a level of detail that will thrill fans of the animated series and retro gaming enthusiasts alike. Experience classic gameplay that stays authentic to its predecessor while including new features such as achievements, gameplay rewind, and more!

A true blast from the past! In 1995, Disney Software and Buena Vista Interactive teamed up to bring Gargoyles for the Sega Genesis. This platformer was based on Disney's animated TV series with the same title, which was known for its dark and mature themes, complex characters, and engaging storytelling. The game quickly became an absolute gem thanks to its faithfulness to the source material and fun-packed gameplay.
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Intel Demos 6th Gen Xeon Scalable CPUs, Core Counts Leaked
Intel's advanced packaging prowess demonstration took place this week—attendees were able to get an early-ish look at Team Blue's sixth Generation Xeon Scalable "Sapphire Rapids" processors. This multi-tile datacenter-oriented CPU family is projected to hit the market within the first half of 2024, but reports suggest that key enterprise clients have recently received evaluation samples. Coincidentally, renowned hardware leaker—Yuuki_AnS—has managed to source more information from industry insiders. This follows their complete blowout of more mainstream Raptor Lake Refresh desktop SKUs.

The leaked slide presents a bunch of evaluation sample "Granite Rapids-SP" XCC and "Sierra Forest" HCC SKUs. Intel has not officially published core counts for these upcoming "Avenue City" platform product lines. According to their official marketing blurb: "Intel Xeon processors with P-cores (Granite Rapids) are optimized to deliver the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) for high-core performance-sensitive workloads and general-purpose compute workloads. Today, Xeon enables better AI performance than any other CPU, and Granite Rapids will further enhance AI performance. Built-in accelerators give an additional boost to targeted workloads for even greater performance and efficiency."
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(PR) Cervoz Introduces T425 - a New M.2 2230 (A+E key) NVMe Gen3x2 SSD
The Power of Small: Evolution of Data Storage—since computers were built, making them smaller has never stopped. This is especially evident in the industrial sector, where compactness is highly valued. As a crucial component of computers, data storage has undergone a process of miniaturization as well, leading to the era of M.2 interface SSDs. While some ultra compact fanless PC and rugged mobile PC may adopt smaller embedded storage, such as eMMC (Embedded MultiMediaCard), they significantly lag behind M.2 PCIe SSDs in terms of performance. Therefore, M.2 PCIe SSDs have emerged as the superior choice for those seeking top-notch performance and efficiency in their computing experience.

Introducing the Cervoz T425 SSD: Unleash Power in a Tiny Package
To embrace this remarkable trend, Cervoz presents the latest T425, a new M.2 2230 NVMe PCIe Gen 3 x2 SSD. Designed with a compact M.2 2230 form factor (22 mm x 30 mm), it supports both A and E key configurations and utilizes PCIe Gen 3 x2 lanes for high-speed data transfer. With impressive sequential speeds of up to 815 MB/s read and 760 MB/s write, along with storage capacities of 64 GB, 128 GB, and 512 GB, the T425 is the ultimate solution for enhancing the performance of embedded computing systems with space constraints.
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Microsoft Refutes Existence of Upcoming Minecraft Visual Upgrade on Xbox Series X|S
A new version of Minecraft for Xbox Series X and S consoles has been registered with ratings boards around the world—as reported by Eurogamer, the first appearance arrived back in August through Germany's USK system, and more recently with the ESRB (USA). This lead to speculation that Mojang Studios was prepping a visually-upgraded variant of the game for current generation consoles. Microsoft and Xbox teased a significant ray tracing graphical option back in 2020, prior to Series X launching, but we have not heard much since then. Bedrock Edition, utilizing the RenderDragon engine, is set to improve graphics across most platforms, yet only PC gamers get to enjoy ray tracing features on capable/compatible hardware.

Microsoft has seemingly become fed up with the latest batch of news reports, and reached out to media outlets in order to shutdown further conjecture on the topic.
A company spokesperson informed Eurogamer and other sites about the situation: "Given the number of platforms and geographies in which Minecraft is available, we periodically go through rating reviews and updates with different regional boards. This recent rating is not indicative of any new versions or platform support for Minecraft in the near future." A 2022 test build inadvertently included "prototype code for ray tracing support on Xbox consoles," but was swiftly eliminated from public view soon after release. A spokesperson stated back then: "this early prototype code has been removed from Preview and doesn't signal near future plans to bring ray tracing support to consoles."

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[NextPowerUP]

GIGABYTE Technology, a leading global powerhouse in motherboards, graphics cards, and cutting-edge hardware solutions, proudly unveils its latest creations: the Z790 AORUS PRO X and the B760M AORUS ELITE X AX. These masterpieces are meticulously engineered to not only unleash the full potential of the next-gen Intel processors but also support mind-bending DDR5-8266 and beyond.

Prepare to be captivated by the alluring all-white aesthetics of these motherboards. The PCB boards boast the latest color-matched solder mask, accompanied by entrancing lighting effects. The new UC BIOS also provides the white version which is redesigned as user-centered and offers an intuitive operation interface with an aesthetically pleasing design. Moreover, Quick Access function and nine customizable option slots for effortless access in Easy Mode are also at your fingertips. Paired with the sleek white antenna, assembling the most immersive, visually striking white-themed rig on the market has never been this effortless.
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(PR) Synced Launching on PC Today
Developed by NExT Studios and published by Level Infinite, SYNCED transports players to the Meridian, a devastated zone populated with deadly Nanos - former humans transformed by nanotechnology gone tragically awry. Players will take on the role of Runners - brave fortune-hunters searching the Meridian for Nerva, a valuable nano-energy substance.

SYNCED features three player co-operative gameplay, with Runners able to increase their squad size by syncing with Prime Nanos and turning them into deployable Companion Nanos. Runners will be able to strategically utilise their Companion Nano's skills to compliment their play style and turn the tide of the battle.
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(PR) Intel Schedules Intel Innovation 2023 Event for September 19-20
Join Intel Chief Executive Officer Pat Gelsinger, Chief Technology Officer Greg Lavender and other Intel leaders at Intel Innovation 2023, a premier event for global developer communities. In an age fueled by artificial intelligence, developers will engage with their peers and learn from the brightest minds in the industry to use breakthroughs in hardware, software, services and advanced technologies to speed development, drive innovation and help hone every competitive edge.

The two-day event is a technical conference designed to benefit global developers, architects, business leaders, creators and students. Intel Innovation brings this valued community up to speed with the latest Intel technologies and tools during keynote addresses, breakout sessions, hands-on labs and tutorials, networking and community-building events, and interactions with top Intel and industry experts.
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FSP's 2023 PSU Lineup Updated with ATX 3.0 "12V-2×6" Standard
FSP has declared that it intends to update its entire 2023 PSU product lineup to include the latest "12V-2x6" power connector (part of the ATX 3.0 standard)—harukaze5719 posted about this development earlier today, citing a Quasarzone article. We heard mid-summer about PCI-SIG plowing ahead on an all-new ATX 3.0 connector to replace the 16-pin (12+4) 12VHPWR plug. They hope to introduce some key improvements with their new design, mainly in the areas of ease-of-use and safety.

TPU staffers had hands-on time with FSP's 2023 PSU product line at their Computex 2023 booth, showcased units were equipped with 16-pin 12VHPWR (at the time). Quasarzone's report (covering a recent press conference) has the following FSP power supply families listed with updates to the new "12V-2x6" standard: Hydro G PRO 1200 W ATX 3.0, Hydro PTM X PRO ATX 3.0 and Dagger PRO ATX 3.0.

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(PR) Tata Partners With NVIDIA to Build Large-Scale AI Infrastructure
NVIDIA today announced an extensive collaboration with Tata Group to deliver AI computing infrastructure and platforms for developing AI solutions. The collaboration will bring state-of-the-art AI capabilities within reach to thousands of organizations, businesses and AI researchers, and hundreds of startups in India. The companies will work together to build an AI supercomputer powered by the next-generation NVIDIA GH200 Grace Hopper Superchip to achieve performance that is best in class.

"The global generative AI race is in full steam," said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. "Data centers worldwide are shifting to GPU computing to build energy-efficient infrastructure to support the exponential demand for generative AI.
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(PR) See You on the Court: NBA 2K24 Now Available Worldwide
Today, 2K announced that NBA 2K24, the latest iteration of the top-rated NBA video game simulation series, is now available worldwide on PlayStation 5 (PS5), PlayStation 4 (PS4), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch family of systems, and PC. Players can experience the past, present, and future of hoops culture with innovative updates in NBA 2K24. A focus on increased realism and competition are at the forefront of the newest entry with the introduction of immersive ProPLAY technology and crossplay functionality for New Gen, alongside so much more.

"We've ushered in a new era of 2K, thanks to the groundbreaking ProPLAY technology delivering the most authentic and realistic NBA 2K gameplay to date. NBA 2K24 also introduces new updates to our beloved modes with incredible details that will delight gamers and basketball fans alike."
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(PR) Xbox Announces Participation in Tokyo Game Show 2023
The Xbox Digital Broadcast will be returning to Tokyo Game Show on September 21 at 6 pm JST / 9 am UTC / 2 am PDT. Tokyo Game Show represents a special time each year where we share news and updates on games that we hope will delight Xbox fans in Japan and across Asia. Players can expect to hear progress updates from Xbox and Bethesda Softworks and see a creatively diverse collection of games from creators predominantly located in Japan and across Asia. We'll also share exciting new games coming to Xbox Game Pass, which continues to grow with great content from teams all around Asia.

This year's broadcast will be available on Tokyo Game Show's official YouTube channel, as well as on select Xbox social channels in Japanese, English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Malay, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, French, German and Castilian Spanish. It will also be broadcast with Japanese Sign Language (JSL), Australian Sign Language (AusLan), and audio descriptions in both Japanese and English. A full list of where you can watch the broadcast will be available the week of the show.
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(PR) NVIDIA Partners with Reliance to Advance AI in India
In a major step to support India's industrial sector, NVIDIA and Reliance Industries today announced a collaboration to develop India's own foundation large language model trained on the nation's diverse languages and tailored for generative AI applications to serve the world's most populous nation. The companies will work together to build AI infrastructure that is over an order of magnitude more powerful than the fastest supercomputer in India today. NVIDIA will provide access to the most advanced NVIDIA GH200 Grace Hopper Superchip and NVIDIA DGX Cloud, an AI supercomputing service in the cloud. GH200 marks a fundamental shift in computing architecture that provides exceptional performance and massive memory bandwidth.

The NVIDIA-powered AI infrastructure is the foundation of the new frontier into AI for Reliance Jio Infocomm, Reliance Industries' telecom arm. The global AI revolution is transforming industries and daily life. To serve India's vast potential in AI, Reliance will create AI applications and services for their 450 million Jio customers and provide energy-efficient AI infrastructure to scientists, developers and startups across India.
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[NextPowerUP]

Vastarmor has updated their Alloy graphics card cooling solution with the introduction of customized Radeon RX 7800 XT and RX 7700 XT models—the Chinese manufacturer is keeping things local, so their latest products are unlikely to reach retailers outside of the PRC. This small sticking point has not deterred TPU's GPU database curator—entries have been created for both cards. 4499 RMB (~$612) bags you Vastarmor's Radeon RX 7800 XT Alloy, while their Radeon RX 7700 XT Alloy starts at 3999 RMB (~$545). The two Navi 32 chiplet-based cards appear to share the exact same shroud design and triple-fan setup.

Vastarmor's robust cooling system relies on a 100 + 90 + 100 mm fan array with a somewhat unique visual twist—RGB enthusiasts will be stoked to know that lighting has been integrated into each individual fan. VideoCardz digs the resultant effects: "as the fans spin, gamers will be treated to the mesmerizing sight of what can be described as RGB rings, hopefully nothing too hypnotic." The new Alloy cards arrive with factory set overclocks—providing a rough 5 to 6% climb over AMD's reference figures. Vastarmor has their Radeon RX 7800 XT model configured with 1624/2254/2565 MHz (base/game/boost). The Radeon RX 7700 XT Alloy's spec sheet states 1784/2276/2600 MHz.

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Windows WordPad on the Microsoft Chopping Board
Microsoft has quietly added WordPad to their list of "Deprecated features for Windows client," as of September 1—this classic word processor application has been part of their operating systems stretching back in time to Windows 95—when it debuted as Microsoft Write's successor. The announcement stated: "WordPad is no longer being updated and will be removed in a future release of Windows. We recommend Microsoft Word for rich text documents like.doc and.rtf and Windows Notepad for plain text documents like.txt." Updates for the bundled rich-text editing program ceased following UI tweaks introduced around the Windows 8 era.

Microsoft presents two alternative paths for the near future—naturally, one involves a paid 365 subscription—you can opt for Word. An online version is available at no cost, but it involves registration (with MS) and only functions as a web app. Notepad is the next best free-to-use native word processor—it has been modernized with new features, albeit via Windows 11. HotHardware has hyped it up: "One major update that users have been asking for was recently added to Notepad, that being the ability to open multiple tabs within the same session. Future updates include an autosave feature and the ability to restore previously open tabs as well as unsaved content and edits across those open tabs." Microsoft will be adding a snipping tool at some point, with the introduction of a: "combined capture bar, making it easier to switch between capturing screenshots and screen recordings without having to open the app."

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(PR) Framework Previews SD Expansion Card, Selling $199 Core i5-1135G7 Mainboards
Yesterday we pre-announced that we're developing an SD Expansion Card. Normally we don't announce a product until we've fully locked the feature-set, brought up the necessary suppliers and manufacturing environment, completed most of the engineering and a substantial level of testing and validation, and are on a high confidence path to a specific release date at a specific price. This is because development of brand new products requires charting a course into the unknown. We set a target for what the product will be from the start, but as we proceed and learn, we often need to adjust the schedule, scope, and cost, and sometimes even need to outright pause or cancel development. Announcing just before shipping is how most companies operate to reduce churn and public uncertainty, but it means the product development process ends up extremely opaque.

We decided we're going to treat this one product on our roadmap a little differently. A full-size SD Expansion Card is consistently the most requested Expansion Card by the community, which makes it a great one to open up. We're just at the start of the process now, and Hyelim on our Marketing team is creating a new YouTube series to share updates and insights as we go through the New Product Introduction (NPI) process. Take a look at the first video (below) and let us know what you think as we complete (or don't complete) the product.
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(PR) Warstride Challenges Out Now on PC & Consoles
Focus Entertainment and Dream Powered Games are thrilled to announce that Warstride Challenges v1.0 is now available on PC, as well as on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series! The high-octane fast-FPS in which you blast demons in satisfying one-minute massacres has left early access after over a year of continuous improvement. The small, close-knit team of passionate devs thanks the community of Warstriders wholeheartedly for its amazing involvement. Want to give it a try and test your skills? A free demo is available for both newcomers and challenge lovers on Steam.

RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK
In hellish challenges, blast hordes of demons at lightning speed with powerful abilities and weapons. Slow time to pull off impossible headshots, bunny hop to pick up speed, slide around corners and shred your enemies into pieces with destructive shockwaves!
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(PR) EK Announces Reflection² Distro Plate for LIAN LI O11D EVO XL
EK, the world-renowned provider of premium liquid cooling solutions, is launching a new distro plate for the just-released LIAN LI O11D EVO XL case. It is designed to provide advanced water cooling with the latest 3rd generation SATA-powered D5 pump, reducing the need for additional 4-pin Molex cables. The Reflection² series distribution plates are EK-Matrix7 compliant. On top of the push-in ports, allowing for easier radiator insertion and support for inverted layout, it also supports up to three 420 mm radiators and a vertically-mounted GPU.

EK-Quantum Reflection² PC-O11D EVO XL D5 PWM D-RGB
The EK-Quantum Reflection² PC-O11D EVO XL D5 PWM D-RGB is a custom water cooling reservoir, routing, and pump solution that seamlessly fits into the front of the case. This waterway also has five innovative push-in ports with female G1/4" threaded adapters. The idea is that users can assemble the top and bottom radiator with fittings and tubing and use these push-in adapters to simply slide it into the distro plate. To fit 420 mm radiators, the Push-In Adapter M7 should be used, which is available as a stand-alone product in the EK Shop.
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Intel Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.4676 Beta Released
Intel Graphics has released yet another beta version of the Intel Arc GPU Graphics drivers, version 101.4676 Beta. The new version brings a couple of fixes for Starfield game, with more fixes coming in the future updates. In general, it improves stability of the game as well as fixes some rendering issues.

The latest Intel Arc GPU Graphics driver is still a beta release and hopefully, Intel will eventually launch the full Game On drivers, as there are still plenty of known issues with the game. On the other hand, as reported by Videocardz.com, Bethesda has noted that the Arc A770 GPU does not actually meet minimum requirements for the game, as these still include the Radeon RX 5700 and GeForce GTX 1070 Ti.

DOWNLOAD: Intel Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.4676 Beta
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[NextPowerUP]

ProGrade Digital, Inc., founded with a mission to provide the highest quality professional grade digital memory cards and workflow solutions, announces the 3rd generation of its CFexpress Type B Cobalt-class memory card in a new 1.3 TB capacity. This new generation features the same industry-leading quality of ProGrade current 2nd generation 325 GB and 650 GB capacity cards, but now leverages PCIe Gen 4 interconnect with NVMe 1.4c host controller interface. ProGrade Digital's 3rd generation CFexpress Cobalt cards are fully compliant with the just released CFexpress 4.0 specification, and provide read speeds of up to 3,400 MB/s, burst write speeds of up to 3,000 MB/s, and sustained write speeds of up to 2,800 MB/s - ideally suited for the highest-resolution cinema-grade video capture applications. As in past Cobalt-class memory card generations, the highest endurance and reliability memory technology is utilized - ensuring years of trouble-free, high-performance capture.

"The introduction of our 3rd generation CFexpress Cobalt card at the 1.3 TB capacity point provides the extra space and unparalleled performance needed for the very highest resolution video capture needs," said Wes Brewer, Founder and CEO of ProGrade Digital. "Our inclusion of PCIe Gen 4 controller technology, coupled with upcoming USB4 high-speed readers will allow offloading speeds 3x greater than previously possible, providing a dramatic reduction in workflow processing time."
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(PR) Prograde Digital Launches the World's First USB4 CFexpress 4.0 Type-B Card Reader
ProGrade Digital, founded with a mission to provide the highest quality professional grade digital memory cards and workflow solutions, announces its new PG05.6 card reader, a single-slot reader designed specifically for the latest CFexpress 4.0 (PCIe Gen 4) Type B memory cards. The PG05.6 reader is based on the latest USB4 technology which is designed to achieve speeds of up to 40 Gbits/sec. When used in conjunction with the latest CFexpress 4.0 (PCIe Gen 4) memory cards, benchmark tests highlight a tripling of data transfer speed from card to host. The PG05.6 is also equipped with ProGrade's patented magnetic base and an adhesive metal plate that allows users to mount the reader to any work surface, such as the back of a laptop. The new reader is also supplied with a certified USB 4.0 cable - assuring the maximum performance possible.

"Our new PG05.6 reader provides a tremendous leap forward in workflow performance by allowing content offload speeds to be reduced by 67% when compared to the performance of USB 3.2, Gen 2 technology of our current product line-up", said Wes Brewer, CEO and Founder of ProGrade Digital. "Along with faster speeds comes the need to provide extra cooling capability for reader and card - something we've spent more than a year perfecting in the new design."
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Die-shot Suggests "Phoenix 2" is AMD's First Hybrid Processor
The 4 nm "Phoenix 2" monolithic APU silicon powering the lower end of AMD's Ryzen 7040-series mobile processors, could very well be the company's first hybrid core processor, even though the company doesn't advertise it as such. We first caught whiff of "Phoenix 2" back in July, when it was described as being a physically smaller chip than the regular "Phoenix." It was known to have just 6 CPU cores, and a smaller iGPU with 4 RDNA3 compute units; in comparison to the 8 CPU cores and 12 compute units of the "Phoenix" silicon. At the time a lack of 2 CPU cores and 8 CUs were known to be behind the significant reduction in die size from 178 mm² to 137 mm², but it turns out that there's a lot more to "Phoenix 2."

A die shot of "Phoenix 2" emerged on Chinese social media platform QQ, which reveals two distinct kinds of CPU cores. There are six cores in all, but two of them appear larger than the other four. The obvious inference here, is that the larger cores are "Zen 4," and the smaller ones are the compacted "Zen 4c." The "Zen 4c" core has the same core machinery as "Zen 4," albeit it is re-arranged to favor lower area on the die. The trade-off here is that the "Zen 4c" core operates at lower voltages and lower clock-speeds than the regular "Zen 4" cores. At the same clock speeds, both kinds of cores have an identical IPC. The two also have an identical ISA, so any software threads migrating between the cores will not encounter runtime errors. Unlike Intel Thread Director, AMD can use a less sophisticated software-based solution to ensure that the right kind of workload is allocated to the right kind of cores, and prevent undesirable migration between the two kinds of cores. Unlike the hardware-based Thread Director, AMD's solution can be continually updated.

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(PR) SoundMAGIC Introduces the P60BT Wireless Hybrid ANC Headphones
SoundMAGIC is pleased to announce global availability of the P60BT wireless ANC full-size portable headphones - SoundMAGIC's first over-ear wireless headphone model. The P60BT carries on the tradition of high value and high quality, with 40 mm drivers, the latest technology including aptX HD, Hybrid ANC, and an impressive 50 hours of playback time. The SoundMAGIC P60BT is available now from Amazon and selected retailers worldwide for £99.99/$189.96/€149.

Award-Winning History
For over a decade, SoundMAGIC has redefined the budget audio category for headphones and earphones. With early releases such as the multi award-winning E10 and E11 wired earphones, SoundMAGIC quickly became synonymous with value. Later, with award-winning Bluetooth models including the E11BT earphones, TWS50 true wireless earbuds and P23BT portable wireless headphones - SoundMAGIC's reputation for affordable, high-quality gear was fully cemented. The P60BT has been developed to deliver premium audio and features in an affordable package. 40 mm custom made drivers deliver a dynamic sound, tuned for maximum engagement and clarity in a way that SoundMAGIC is best known for. The design of the headphones ensures a comfortable and fatigue-free fit, with soft memory foam earpads, and the headband covered with a soft silicone coating chosen by SoundMAGIC for its durability - especially when compared to the more typical PU leather material used on most headphone models.
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ASUS Discontinues ROG APEX Z790, Next-Generation Version Incoming
In a recent interaction with the community on Chinese social platforms, Tony Yu, better known as Uncle Tony and serving as the General Manager of ASUS China, shed light on several questions concerning ASUS's products. One question that captured attention was about the ROG Z790 APEX motherboard, a premium offering from ASUS designed explicitly for overclocking. Tony clarified that the motherboard is currently out of production as ASUS gears up to unveil an updated version. This move is in line with industry trends, with rivals like Gigabyte and MSI also refreshing their respective Z790 lineups. The updated motherboards from ASUS are expected to align with Intel's next-generation Core series known as Raptor Lake Refresh, featuring incremental improvements such as WiFi-7 standard integration, new color options, enhanced power delivery mechanisms, and advancements in memory overclocking capabilities.

Launched initially in November of the previous year with a price tag of $699, the ROG MAXIMUS Z790 APEX motherboard stood out for its superior features aimed at overclocking enthusiasts. These include 24 power supply modules, dual 8Pin power connectors, AI-driven overclocking technology, and support for DDR5 memory with speeds exceeding 8000 MT/s. It also offers a plethora of connectivity options, like five M.2 interfaces, a 2.5G network card, WiFi 6E, and USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C, along with 60 W QC 4+ fast charging. This motherboard gained popularity in December when it was used to set a world record CPU frequency of 9008.82 MHz using an Intel i9-13900K processor. Looking forward, the next generation of Intel Core processors could enable even higher overclocking frequencies. Apart from this, Tony tantalizingly hinted that ASUS is experimenting with innovative design changes, such as introducing connectors on the reverse side of motherboards, although this feature may not debut in the APEX series.

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(PR) Kingston IronKey Extends Mobile Data Protection with Flagship Military-Grade D500S
Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, launched today the Best-in-Class Kingston IronKey D500S, hardware-encrypted USB flash drive providing military-grade security for classified data in transit. The D500S is FIPS 140-3 Level 3 (Pending) certified with new enhancements from NIST requiring secure microprocessor upgrades for stronger security and attack protections for government and military use. The drive self-tests upon bootup and includes thermal and voltage protection to automatically shut down when certain threshold is reached. Waterproof{{Footnote.N47812}, dustproof, shock and vibration resistant to Military Standards, crush-resistant and epoxy-filled, D500S' rugged zinc casing protects internal components from penetration attacks.

The Multi-Password option with Complex or Passphrase mode allows users to take ownership over their data, making it easier to remember the password to unlock the stringent security. Admin can reset a User password and enable a One-Time Recovery password to restore access should User password be forgotten. Both Admin and User can set a session-based Read-Only mode to protect the drive from malware on untrusted systems, while Admin can also set a Global Read-Only mode until reset. To keep data from getting into the wrong hands, Admin can enter a Crypto-Erase password that will destroy the data and reset the drive to prevent unauthorized access in compromising situations.
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(PR) Team Group Releases DDR5 VLP ECC UDIMM Industrial Memory for NetCom and High Computing Power Applications
In order to meet the evolving needs of Netcom data center computing, global memory provider TEAMGROUP is proud to introduce the new DDR5 VLP ECC U-DIMM normal and wide temperature (-40° to +85°C) memory module. It features DDR5 high performance, high frequencies, and large-capacity industrial ICs. Designed to have an extremely low profile for greater performance and more compact hardware configurations, the U-DIMM provides users with better performance and reliability than ever before.

Team Group's DDR5 VLP ECC U-DIMM memory modules come in frequencies up to 4800 MHz and 5600 MHz to ensure fast data processing and enhance computing performance. The memory is also offered in a wide range of capacity options, from 16 GB to 48 GB, allowing users to select the most suitable capacity kit for their platform's workload and computing needs. This module comes in an ultra-low-profile design, with a board height of only 0.738 inches, half of the normal modules. This allows it to meet the hardware configuration requirements of blade servers and helps maximize space for the user's configuration of components, and achieves higher server density.
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(PR) d-Matrix Announces $110 Million in Funding for Corsair Inference Compute Platform
d-Matrix, the leader in high-efficiency generative AI compute for data centers, has closed $110 million in a Series-B funding round led by Singapore-based global investment firm Temasek. The goal of the fundraise is to enable d-Matrix to begin commercializing Corsair, the world's first Digital-In Memory Compute (DIMC), chiplet-based inference compute platform, after the successful launches of its prior Nighthawk, Jayhawk-I and Jayhawk II chiplets.

d-Matrix's recent silicon announcement, Jayhawk II, is the latest example of how the company is working to fundamentally change the physics of memory-bound compute workloads common in generative AI and large language model (LLM) applications. With the explosion of this revolutionary technology over the past nine months, there has never been a greater need to overcome the memory bottleneck and current technology approaches that limit performance and drive up AI compute costs.
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(PR) Blasphemous 2 Developer Discusses Creative Process
Blasphemous set itself apart in 2019's crowded indie scene thanks to a firm belief in its roots. Developed in Spain, it was clear from the beginning that The Game Kitchen would have to adapt itself to an international audience—but even if the game released with an English demographic in mind, the art direction and overall tone were uniquely Spanish.

With the sequel, the team was adamant that they preserve that identity in the writing as well, regardless of which language you choose to play in. For Enrique Cabeza, Creative Director at The Game Kitchen, the development of Blasphemous 2 felt sentient. It continued to shift and morph of its own volition, almost as if providing guidance to the team about where to go next. "You have to make mistakes and realize when it's time to change course to avoid paths you shouldn't take," he said.
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[NextPowerUP]

Schenker Technologies GmbH's e-commerce platform, bestware.com, is now offering Intel's NUC X15 Laptop Kit with Core i7-12700H and dedicated Arc A730M graphics card, in addition to the laptops of the two own brands XMG and SCHENKER. The base configuration of the 2 kg light and well-equipped 15.6-inch notebook is available at a reduced price of €899 (~$963) for a limited time at launch.

Intel NUC X15 Arc combines Core i7-12700H with Arc A730M
Measuring 358.26 x 235 x 22.2 mm and weighing just 2 kg, the 15.6-inch Intel NUC X15 Arc positions itself among the light and slim laptops in its performance class. The display lid and top shell of the black chassis are aluminium; only the bottom shell and the display frame use plastic. Despite its compactness, the NUC 15 Arc offers high performance. Intel pairs a Core i7-12700H with 14 cores (6 performance, 8 efficiency cores) and 20 threads with a dedicated graphics card from its own Arc portfolio: The Arc A730M offers a generous 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and operates at a TGP of 75 watts.
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This Week in Gaming (Week 37)
As we enter the second week of September the release of new games is taking a bit of an autumn break. As such, we have no huge releases to look forward to this coming week, but it doesn't mean there aren't any new game releases. Expect a rather eclectic mix of games this week, ranging from co-op tavern defence to mythical forces and umbrellas to deceit, bombs and swords.

Tavernacle! / Monday 11 September
Grab your hammers and start to craft in this co-op Tavern Defense for one to four players. As a team of Dwarves, you must gather supplies and build towers to protect your beloved brewery. Learn to cooperate to achieve victory in this chaotic multiplayer game!
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(PR) BEAST, a Revolutionary Tactical RPG, Unveiled at Fear Fest 2023
Long presumed dead, Anton Sabbados, a veteran returns from a 10-year-long Ottoman slavery. His Carpathian homeland is feebly reigned by the demented prophet-king, its lands ruined by raiders and cursed with a hellish plague. Everything he loved and cherished is either gone or has changed beyond recognition. All he has left is his soldiers' loyalty - and a holy quest to end the plague. Facing hordes of enemies as well as his inner demons, you must help him see it through no matter the cost!

BEAST is a dynamic and brutal gridless tactical turn-based RPG where moral choices during battle influence the gameplay. In a grimdark medieval world, torn by plague and military conflicts, you decide if you should exercise or exorcise your inner beast with dire consequences for you and your allies!
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Leak Suggests AMD 6th Gen EPYC "Venice" CPUs Linked to New SP7 Socket
Hardware leaker, YuuKi_AnS, has briefly turned their attention away from all things Team Blue—their latest leak points to upcoming server-grade processors chez AMD. A Zen 6 core-based 9006 EPYC CPU series, codenamed "Venice," is expected to arrive within two to three years along with an all-new SP7 socket—this information seems to have been sourced from an unnamed server manufacturer's product roadmap. A partial view of said slide also reveals forthcoming equipment powered by Intel "Falcon Shore" and NVIDIA "Blackwell" GPU technologies.

As reported a couple of months ago, older insider info has AMD using "Weisshorn" as an in-house moniker for Zen 6 "Morpheus" architecture, destined for Venice CPUs—alleged to form part of a 2025/2026 EPYC lineup. YuuKi_AnS proposes that these will utilize either 12-channel or 16-channel DDR5 memory configurations—thus providing plenty of bandwidth across hundreds of Zen cores. Altogether very handy for cloud, enterprise, and HPC workloads—industry experts reckon that 384-core counts are feasible on single packages. Naturally, a Team Red timeline dictates that Zen 5 "Nirvana" is due before Zen 6 "Morpheus," so EPYC 9005 "Turin(-X)" and 8005 "Turin-Dense" lineups are (allegedly) up for a 2024-ish launch window on SP5 (LGA-6096) and SP6 (LGA 4094) socket types.

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(PR) Star Trek: Infinite Beams onto PC & Mac October 12
Paradox Interactive and Nimble Giant Entertainment have announced that their upcoming grand strategy game Star Trek: Infinite, under license from Paramount Consumer Products, will launch on Mac and PC on October 12, 2023. Players can now pre-order either the base game or Digital Deluxe Edition, granting them access to bonuses like skins, ships, and special voiceover. Star Trek: Infinite takes players on an interstellar saga with its emergent gameplay and complex choices, as they face the powers of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants.

More News on the Horizon!
Starting next week, we—Nimble Giant Entertainment—will be publishing the first in a series of Developer Diaries that will dig deeper into the game and its development journey, so be sure to come back for those. With this week's news, we will also be opening up our Discord server, which you can join through the URL below. Our announcements are great for anyone who has been hungry for news about Star Trek: Infinite, because we bring you our gameplay features trailer, a load of new screenshots that are live on the store page, and have now opened up pre-purchasing, allowing you to unlock bonus content on release.
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E3 2024 Plans Involve New Venue, ESA and ReedPop Part Ways
Video game events specialist ReedPop is no longer partnering with the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) to co-organize future Electronic Entertainment Expo (aka E3) trade shows. According to GamesIndustry.biz, a venue change is also in the cards—E3's familiar setting of the Los Angeles Convention Center is not on the consideration list for next year. The ESA seems to be sizing up (or down) a suitable new location for E3 2024, despite industry talk indicating that everything had been called off, well in advance. E3 2023 was cancelled around Spring time, with major publishers confirming non-attendance and a downturn in public interest—the latest reports suggest that the ESA is working on a complete format revamp for their 2025 show.

A mutual decision has been reached between the (now former) collaborators—ReedPop's multi-year deal as co-organizer is annulled. ESA president and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis commented on the split: "We appreciate ReedPop's partnership over the past 14 months and support their ongoing efforts to bring industry and fans together through their various events. While the reach of E3 remains unmatched in our industry, we are continuing to explore how we can evolve it to best serve the video game industry and are evaluating every aspect of the event, from format to location. We are committed to our role as a convenor for the industry and look forward to sharing news about E3 in the coming months."

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(PR) IBM Expands Cloud Security and Compliance Center
IBM has announced the expansion of the their Cloud Security and Compliance Center, a suite of modernized cloud security and compliance solutions designed to help enterprises mitigate risk and protect data across their hybrid, multicloud environments and workloads. As clients look for ways to address new threats across the supply chain and manage evolving global regulations, the solution suite helps to support their resiliency, performance, security, and compliance needs while helping to minimize operational costs.

"IBM Cloud has a long history of working with clients in financial services and other highly regulated industries, especially when it comes to helping them to drive innovation while protecting their sensitive data," said Rohit Badlaney, General Manager, IBM Cloud Product and Industry Platform. "The expansion of the IBM Cloud Security and Compliance Center demonstrates our continued focus on industry-specific capabilities that help address real world business challenges for our clients. For example, clients have the ability to utilize the IBM Cloud Framework for Financial Services, which can help them address evolving rules, laws and regulations surrounding cloud risk. The new capabilities showcase our commitment to supporting clients on their hybrid cloud modernization journeys, designed for security, compliance, privacy, and trust at the forefront of our product roadmap."
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[NextPowerUP]

A few new releases from last week flew under the radar with the meteoric response to Starfield's early access, especially since the Xbox Wire crew was all-hands on deck to support the launch. But there was one new title I knew I wanted to bump to the top of my playlist, as I've adored all the previous games in the series. Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy will take Amadeus the Wizard, Zoya the Thief, and Pontius the Knight on their most action-packed journey yet! With their reputations tarnished, loved ones in danger, and their own magical powers at stake, the Heroes of Trine must reunite to push back a fearsome Clockwork army and bring peace and justice to the land! I've always been bewildered by the Trine series. It's not fair to call a game with five releases - each one a bit bigger and better than its predecessor - a hidden gem. Perhaps, "rare gem" is more befitting. But it is a true treasure indeed - a fun, feature-filled series with a rich story, vibrant characters, and epic adventure.

Once Upon a Time…
The Trine series is a collection of fantasy action-adventure games with equal shares of platforming and puzzle elements sprinkled in about three heroes: a knight, a thief, and a wizard. The heroes are bound together by a magical artifact called the Trine and must work together using their unique skills to solve puzzles, fight enemies, and explore breathtaking environments.
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TSMC Prediction: AI Chip Supply Shortage to Last ~18 Months
TSMC Chairman Mark Liu was asked to comment on all things artificial intelligence-related at the SEMICON Taiwan 2023 industry event. According to a Nikkei Asia report, he foresees supply constraints lasting until the tail end of 2024: "It's not the shortage of AI chips. It's the shortage of our chip-on-wafer-on-substrate (COWOS) capacity...Currently, we can't fulfill 100% of our customers' needs, but we try to support about 80%. We think this is a temporary phenomenon. After our expansion of advanced chip packaging capacity, it should be alleviated in one and a half years." He cites a recent and very "sudden" spike in demand for COWOS, with numbers tripling within the span of a year. Market leader NVIDIA relies on TSMC's advanced packaging system—most notably with the production of highly-prized A100 and H100 series Tensor Core compute GPUs.

These issues are deemed a "temporary" problem—it could take around 18 months to eliminate production output "bottlenecks." TSMC is racing to bolster its native activities with new facilities—plans for a new $2.9 billion advanced chip packaging plant (in Miaoli County) were disclosed during summer time. Liu reckons that industry-wide innovation is necessary to meet growing demand through new methods to "connect, package and stack chips." Liu elaborated: "We are now putting together many chips into a tightly integrated massive interconnect system. This is a paradigm shift in semiconductor technology integration." The TSMC boss reckons that processing units fielding over one trillion transistors are viable within the next decade: "it's through packaging with multiple chips that this could be possible.".

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(PR) Steam to Curate Game Support for DualShock & DualSense Controllers
The Steam store and desktop client will soon be able to help players find games that support DualSense or DualShock controllers. If your game supports either of these devices, you can now enter that information in the Steamworks "edit store" section for your app. Steamworks has a new controller-support questionnaire for developers to better describe the devices supported by the game.

If your game plays well with a DualShock or DualSense Controller (PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 respectively), you can now specify that information within Steamworks. This is the first step toward helping players find games that support the most commonly-used PC video game controllers. Starting in October, we'll show this information to players in the Steam store and Steam desktop client. Here are more details on this new level of support.
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[NextPowerUP]

The advent of PCIe 5.0 SSDs with Phison's E26 controllers has been a double-edged sword. While these SSDs offer impressively high data throughputs, they come with a significant drawback: severe overheating issues that can cause the SSDs not only to throttle down but to shut off entirely. TechPowerUp noted this issue in our tests, most notably with the Corsair MP700, where the uncooled drive shut down after 86 seconds of reads and after 55 seconds of writes. Regarding criticism from tech reviewers, Corsair has released a firmware update (version 22.1) for its MP700 SSD to ensure that it throttles down rather than shutting off when overheated. Yet, many other SSDs like the Crucial T700, Seagate FireCuda 540, Gigabyte Aorus Gen 5 10000, and Adata Legend 970 still suffer from temperature issues.

However, it's crucial to note that these extreme overheating problems occur only when the SSDs run without any cooling. While some manufacturers have planned firmware updates to address the issue, Corsair is the only company that has taken tangible action so far. Crucial has released a new firmware (PACR5102), but the ComputerBase report indicates that the SSD continues to shut off at high temperatures. The problem, though, can generally be mitigated with proper cooling. Whether using the included cooler or placing the SSD under a motherboard cover, temperatures usually stay below the critical limit, thus avoiding a complete shutdown. When we tested the SSTC Tiger Shark Elite 2 TB with Phison E26 (with updated firmware) without adequate cooling, the SSD continued to operate and throttled down, indicating that the remaining SSDs using this controller need a proper firmware update that throttles the SSD instead of shutting it down.

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(PR) ECS Unveils Versatile Motherboards for Diverse Industry Applications
ECS Industrial Computer Co., Ltd., also known as ECSIPC, the subsidiary of leading motherboard and computer manufacturer Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS), today introduces its new motherboards H610H7-IM1, ADLN-I3, and ADLN-I for various industry applications. To meet the diverse needs and purposes of various applications, ECSIPC is delighted to announce the launch of the H610H7-IM1, featuring dual PCI-E x16 expansion slots. In addition, the new ADLN-I3 motherboard offers an extensive array of I/O, including 10 COM ports specifically designed for a wide range of industrial applications. Furthermore, the Mini-ITX SoC motherboard, ADLN-I, offers abundant connectivity options and remarkable flexibility.

The H610H7-IM1 motherboard focuses on vertical application industries, with a design featuring dual PCI-E x16 expansion slots. It is particularly suitable for smart transportation, such as automated safety detection (e.g. railway safety, parking lot management), and smart manufacturing (e.g. factory defect detection). This enhances security and reduces human errors.
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GoDeal24 Announces Office Special Sale—Lowest Prices on the Web for Genuine Software
GoDeal24, the international merchant of genuine software, announces the Office Special Sale. Get some of the lowest prices on the web for genuine Office productivity software, and free yourself from annual 365 subscription payments. Get Office 2021 Professional Plus, the most feature-packed productivity suite, at just $25.61. Buy multi-PC packs the price-per-PC only going down with larger volume. There's a special treat in store for Mac users. Don't need the latest and greatest? Check out irresistible prices for genuine Office 2019. Also find Windows 11 and Windows 10 at some of the lowest prices around.

Please use the coupon code SGO62 on the following items to avail the prices you see here.
Buy office 2021 Professional Plus at $25.61 | Buy Office 2021 Professional Plus 2-PC at $40.98 | Buy Office 2021 Professional Plus 3-PC at $57.54 | Buy Office 2021 Professional Plus 3-PC at $66.62 | Buy Office 2019 Professional Plus at $23.56 | Buy Office 2021 Home and Business for Mac at $29.69 | Buy Office 2019 Home and Business for Mac at $27.19 | Buy Windows 11 Pro + Office 2021 Professional Plus at $32.99 | Buy Windows 11 Pro + Office 2019 Professional Plus at $28.69 | Buy Windows 10 Pro + Office 2021 Professional Plus at $29.70 | Buy Windows 10 Pro + Office 2019 Professional Plus at $25.68

Please use the coupon code SGO50 on the following items to avail the prices you see here.
Buy Windows 10 Pro at $7.59 | Buy Windows 11 Pro at $11.69 | Buy Windows 10 Pro 2-PC at $12.43 | Buy Windows 10 Pro 5-PC at $34.99 | Buy Windows 10 Home at $7.51 | Buy Windows 11 Pro 2-PC at $22.22 | Buy Windows 11 Home at $11.25 | Buy Windows Server 2022 Standard at $26.13 | Buy Windows Server 2019 Standard at $16.06 | Buy Windows 10 Enterprise 2021 LTSC at $12.81
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Nintendo Switch 2 to Feature NVIDIA Ampere GPU with DLSS
The rumors of Nintendo's next-generation Switch handheld gaming console have been piling up ever since the competition in the handheld console market got more intense. Since the release of the original Switch, Valve has released Steam Deck, ASUS made ROG Ally, and others are also exploring the market. However, the next-generation Nintendo Switch 2 is closer and closer, as we have information about the chipset that will power this device. Thanks to Kepler_L2 on Twitter/X, we have the codenames of the upcoming processors. The first generation Switch came with NVIDIA's Tegra X1 SoC built on a 20 nm node. However, later on, NVIDIA supplied Nintendo with a Tegra X1+ SoC made on a 16 nm node. There were no performance increases recorded, just improved power efficiency. Both of them used four Cortex-A57 and four Cortex-A53 cores with GM20B Maxwell GPUs.

For the Nintendo Switch 2, NVIDIA is said to utilize a customized variant of NVIDIA Jetson Orin SoC for automotive applications. The reference Orin SoC carries a codename T234, while this alleged adaptation has a T239 codename; the version is most likely optimized for power efficiency. The reference Orin design is a considerable uplift compared to the Tegra X1, as it boasts 12 Cortex-A78AE cores and LPDDR5 memory, along with Ampere GPU microarchitecture. Built on Samsung's 8 nm node, the efficiency would likely yield better battery life and position the second-generation Switch well among the now extended handheld gaming console market. However, including Ampere architecture would also bring technologies like DLSS, which would benefit the low-power SoC.

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(PR) NVIDIA DLSS Coming to Icarus, Ad Infinitum, Mortal Kombat 1, and More Games
Last week, we revealed that Lies of P, Party Animals, SYNCED, and Witchfire were all launching with support for DLSS this month, bringing that performance-accelerating goodness on day-1 to even more anticipated games. This week, ICARUS has upgraded to NVIDIA DLSS 3 and more DLSS 2 games are available now including Arcadegeddon, Starsiege: Deadzone, and Warstride Challenges. Looking ahead, Ad Infinitum and Mortal Kombat 1 are launching with DLSS 2.

ICARUS DLSS 3 Update Available Now
In ICARUS, the co-op survival game by Dean Hall and RocketWerkz, players explore a savage alien wilderness in the aftermath of terraforming gone wrong. Survive long enough to mine exotic matter before returning to orbit, then explore and conquer new biomes of greater risk and greater reward. You must meet your deadline for extraction though, or face being left behind forever. Alternatively, play in the persistent Open World mode to build a planet-side encampment that'll give you a base from which to explore the game's massive maps, and beat ICARUS' challenging bosses.
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(PR) MythForce is Out Now on PC and Consoles
Ready to start your adventure? Saturday mornings are back with MythForce! Complete with 1980s rogue-lite cartoon chaos, co-op dungeon crawling action and an epic eighties-throwback soundtrack. Inspired by beloved Saturday morning cartoons, MythForce unites swords & sorcery with gripping first person combat in a new rogue-like adventure. Brave the dungeon alone or join forces with friends to take on an ever-changing Castle of Evil!

Scratch that nostalgic itch with wholesome fun that's easy to pick up and play (but tough to master). In true rogue-like fashion, each time you're defeated, you'll have to start over at the beginning—but every playthrough makes you a little stronger. Level up as you explore the dungeon, uncovering magical artifacts and upgrades to make you say "I HAVE THE POWER!"
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(PR) Apple debuts iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus
Apple today announced iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, featuring an industry-first color-infused back glass with a stunning, textured matte finish, and a new contoured edge on the aluminium enclosure. Both models feature the Dynamic Island, and an advanced camera system designed to help users take fantastic photos of everyday moments in their lives. A powerful 48MP Main camera enables super-high-resolution photos and a new 2x Telephoto option to give users a total of three optical zoom levels—like having a third camera. The iPhone 15 lineup also introduces the next generation of portraits, making it easier to capture portraits with great detail and low-light performance. Building on Apple's innovative satellite infrastructure, Roadside Assistance via satellite can connect users to AAA if they have car trouble while off the grid. With A16 Bionic for powerful, proven performance; a USB‑C connector; Precision Finding for Find My friends; and industry-leading durability features, iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus represent a huge leap forward.

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will be available in five stunning new colors: pink, yellow, green, blue, and black. Pre-orders begin Friday, September 15, with availability beginning Friday, September 22.
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(PR) Apple Unveils iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max with USB-C Connectivity
Apple today debuted iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, designed with aerospace-grade titanium that's strong yet lightweight to deliver Apple's lightest Pro models ever. The new design also features contoured edges and a customizable Action button, allowing users to personalize their iPhone experience. Powerful camera upgrades enable the equivalent of seven pro lenses with incredible image quality, including a more advanced 48MP Main camera system that now supports the new super-high-resolution 24MP default, the next generation of portraits with Focus and Depth Control, improvements to Night mode and Smart HDR, and an all-new 5x Telephoto camera exclusively on iPhone 15 Pro Max. A17 Pro unlocks next-level gaming experiences and pro performance. The new USB‑C connector is supercharged with USB 3 speeds—up to 20x faster than USB 2—and together with new video formats, enables powerful pro workflows that were not possible before. And with the addition of Roadside Assistance via satellite, the iPhone 15 Pro lineup builds on Apple's innovative satellite infrastructure to connect users to help if they have car trouble while off the grid.

iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will be available in four stunning new finishes, including black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium. Pre-orders begin Friday, September 15, with availability beginning Friday, September 22.
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[NextPowerUP]

When Assassin's Creed Mirage launches on October 5, it will represent a return to the series' roots - but what does that mean, exactly? For one thing, it means we'll be back in the Middle East (the dense urban landscape of Baghdad, specifically) amongst the ranks of the Hidden Ones, who at this point are classic Assassins in all but name - working out of secret bureaus, constructing the legendary fortress at Alamut, and sporting the familiar white robes we first saw on Altaïr back in 2007. They can also speak entirely in their native language, with the series' first-ever full localization in Arabic.

But the connection isn't merely in the setting and story; Assassin's Creed Mirage recaptures the spirit of the series' origins through gameplay, in ways both big and small. For example, as a former street thief, Basim can pickpocket people in the crowds, much like Ezio Auditore could. He can also make use of explosive noisemakers and mines, like the ones Ezio could craft in Assassin's Creed Revelations - and if he draws too much attention, his notoriety will rise, and players will need to tear down wanted posters or bribe officials if they don't want continual, escalating attention from guards.
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(PR) Total War: Pharaoh Launch Date Revealed - October 11
Greetings all! We're super excited to announce that Total War: Pharaoh releases digitally on 11th October 2023 at 3PM BST / 10AM EDT / 10PM CST! If you pre-order Total War: Pharoah now, you will be able to take part in an exclusive Early Access Weekend before the game is released, as well as getting your hands on two awesome cosmetic packs for the full game.

WHAT IS TOTAL WAR: PHARAOH?
Total War: Pharaoh is the newest entry in the award-winning grand strategy series from the developers at Creative Assembly. Experience Ancient Egypt during the vibrant and tumultuous era of the Bronze Age Collapse and master dynamic real-time battles and turn-based empire management to rise above your adversaries and become Egypt's last great Pharaoh.
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(PR) Xbox Introduces the Astral Purple Wireless Controller
Introducing the newest addition to our classic Xbox controller lineup, the Xbox Wireless Controller - Astral Purple. The rich purple color has such a distinct regal look to spice up your gaming setup and bolster your collection. The dark purple theme is carried over to both the thumbsticks and buttons, with a black matte finish on the hybrid D-Pad, bumpers, and triggers. This is all tied together with a clean white back case that results in the front of the controller looking even more striking.

Each Xbox Wireless Controller in Astral Purple comes with all the features you've come to love in our current generation of controllers. The D-Pad's hybrid design offers an accurate yet familiar glide, perfect for navigating complex gaming worlds with precision. The textured grips on the bumpers, triggers, and back case allow for a better grip and the 3.5 mm jack enables you to chat with friends using a compatible headset. By using Bluetooth and Xbox Wireless, the Astral Purple controller can connect to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles, PC, mobile phones, and tablets. Play longer with up to 40 hours of battery life and save your favorite moments like hitting a new personal speed running record with the dedicated Share button
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Arm IPO Filing Reveals Development of Reference Designs
British semiconductor specialist firm, Arm Ltd., has has confirmed that it will be offering its clients the option to license "SoC solutions," as opposed to the usual model of paying for intellectual properties. A new Bloomberg article reaffirms previous claims that Arm's engineering department was beavering away on reference chip designs. An IPO filing, registered with the SEC, reveals that various system-on-chip designs are in the pipeline—likely targeting fast-growing tech markets.

An Arm statement explained: "More recently, we have invested in a holistic, solution-focused approach to design, expanding beyond individual design IP elements to providing a more complete system. By delivering SoC solutions optimized for specific use cases, we can ensure that the entire system works together seamlessly to provide maximum performance and efficiency. At the same time, by designing an increasingly greater portion of the overall chip design, we are further reducing incremental development investment and risk borne by our customers while also enabling us to capture more value per device." Arm is probably keen to boost its profit margins, and become more attractive in the eyes of potential investors—lately their designs have been implemented in more expensive product segments, namely automotive, client PCs, and cloud data center solutions.

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PowerColor Registers Radeon RX 7600 XT 10 GB & 12 GB Cards
PowerColor has registered a significant number of AMD Radeon RX 7000-series SKUs with the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC)—these enrollments are seemingly always a good source of pre-launch information. Naturally, the ever reliable harukaze5719 has reported on this latest filing. The most interesting new SKUs within this leak appear to be Radeon RX 7600 XT graphics cards lined up in Hellhound and Fighter flavors—perhaps an early hint of Team Red prepping different versions of existing RDNA 3 GPUs. Scott Herkelman, AMD's senior vice president, stated last month that no new RX 7000-series ASICs were in the pipeline. The already released Radeon RX 7600 8 GB GPU is the sole entry within its lower end gaming segment for the current generation.

Technical information is not included with EEC filings, so we can only speculate about the choice of Navi 3x GPU with these leaked XT variants. VideoCardz has questioned the slightly peculiar allocations of 10 GB and 12 GB VRAM specs: "(raising) questions about AMD's choice of GPU architecture. One possibility is that they are using the Navi 33 with unusual 96-bit and 80-bit memory configurations, although this seems counterintuitive as it would result in lower memory bandwidth compared to the RX 7600. The Navi 33 GPU is typically limited to a 128-bit memory interface." Alternatively, they also propose that a "heavily cut-down Navi 32 GPU" could exist that "grants 192/160-bit memory." SKUs based on AMD's unreleased Radeon RX 6750 Golden Rabbit Edition (GRE) GPU are also visible within PowerColor's registration, also sporting 10 GB and 12 GB video memory configurations. Additionally, the Taiwanese graphics card specialist appears to be preparing a couple of white and SAKURA edition Radeon RX 7800 XT and 7700 XT cards.

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(PR) Q2 NAND Flash Revenue Up 7.4%, Anticipated to Exceed 3% Growth in Q3
TrendForce's latest research paints a vivid picture: Q2 saw the NAND Flash market still grappling with lackluster demand and being significantly outpaced by supply. The ASP of NAND Flash also took a hit, tumbling 10-15%. Nevertheless, there was a silver lining as bit shipments grew by 19.9% QoQ from a low baseline in 1Q23. To sum up, the Q2 landscape of the NAND Flash sector witnessed a 7.4% QoQ growth in revenue, reaching US$9.338 billion.

From Q2, Samsung began reining in production with a further squeeze expected for the third quarter. With inventories set to thin out, price hikes loom on the horizon, possibly offering a remedy to the chronic supply-demand imbalance. Yet, a crowded supplier landscape in the NAND Flash sector means that many players, faced with hefty inventories, will likely continue aggressive sales into Q3. Forecasts suggests a deceleration in ASP decline for NAND Flash products in Q3 to 5-10%. Riding the stockpiling momentum for the high season, bit shipments are set to rise, propelling Q3 revenue growth past the 3% threshold.
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(PR) Drop Announces Major V2 Enhancements to Fan-Favorite CTRL, ALT, and SHIFT Keyboards
Drop, the leading community-driven e-commerce company, today introduced enhanced versions of its CTRL, ALT, and SHIFT keyboards. First launched in 2018 and designed from feedback from the Drop community, these keyboards have since become best-sellers, offering a compelling combination of customization and quality. The new V2 variants of the Drop CTRL, ALT and SHIFT combine iconic, fully aluminium design with stand-out RGB lighting performance, improved features and enhanced performance, delivering an unparalleled typing experience for those seeking to elevate their desk setups.

"The new and improved CTRL, ALT, and SHIFT V2 keyboards represent a leap forward in design, performance, and functionality while preserving the cherished qualities that made their predecessors beloved by our community," said Jef Holove, CEO, Drop. "With the addition of highly requested features such as stabilizer upgrades, new switch options, and enhanced RGB LED capabilities, we offer the community an upgraded and unparalleled typing experience that will make them fall in love with these reinvented, classic keyboards all over again."
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(PR) Steelseries Unveils Special Edition Arctis Nova 7 White Collection
From the makers of Arctis, the most awarded audio line in gaming, SteelSeries, the original esports brand that fuses gaming and culture, today introduces the special-edition Arctis Nova 7 white collection. Through four years of innovative and meticulous engineering, SteelSeries set out to push boundaries, solve problems for those living a multi-faceted "gaming lifestyle" and reinvent the world's #1 premium gaming headphones. Whether it's gaming on the go, listening to Spotify or watching Netflix while commuting on the train or bus, taking a Zoom call and needing to tune out the noise in a shared apartment, workspace, or coffee shop, at the home office with furry kids running around, in the gym or basketball court, playing some Call of Duty Modern Warfare II or Mario at home, and so much more... Welcome to the future of audio for a gaming lifestyle.

Elite performance comes standard. The Arctis Nova 7X & 7P are equipped with the Nova Acoustic System, which fuses hardware and software to raise the bar over the competition and provide those living a "gaming lifestyle" with a new superpower known as "Almighty Audio." The combination of custom-designed High Fidelity speaker drivers that offer unparalleled sound purity, plus immersive 360° Spatial Audio for an immersive soundscape, along with the Sonar Audio Software Suite, which features the first pro-grade parametric EQ for gamers and allows them to adjust every individual frequency, provides unparalleled sound customization.
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(PR) UPMEM Raises €7M to Revolutionize AI and Analytics Processing
UPMEM, a fabless semiconductor startup has raised €4.1 M equity from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund and Venture Capitalists (Partech, Western Digital Capital, C4 Ventures…), and a €2.5M grant from the EIC. Founded by Fabrice Devaux and Gilles Hamou, the company is pioneering ultra-efficient Processing In Memory (PIM) accelerators to tackle the significant challenge of compute efficiency for AI and big data applications.

UPMEM's PIM solution, integrating UPMEM's first commercial-grade PIM chip on the market, is now available to cloud markets across the globe (US, Asia...) to provide the most cost-effective and energy-efficient solutions for AI and analytics applications in data centers and at the edge, such as large language models (LLM e.g. GPT), genomics, large analytics.
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[NextPowerUP]

Filip Pierściński, the lead scene programmer at CD Projekt Red, has been posting some compelling information regarding technical improvements lined up for the PC version of Cyberpunk 2077. Update 2.0 and the major Phantom Liberty DLC campaign are due to launch on September 26, although a PlayStation database leak suggests that the former could arrive this week—a whole bunch of new features, characters, missions and stories are promised, although the pay-for-pack nets you the majority of upcoming intriguing goodies. We hope that there is no premium placed on performance upgrades for the PC platform—Pierściński's declarations imply that enhancements are arriving with Update 2.0 and Phantom Liberty (PL). The next version of CD Projekt Red's ambitious action role-player will take full advantage of multi-core CPUs, although there are some thermal-related caveats according to the programmer's social media postings: "Before release CP2077 v2.0 and PL please check conditions of your cooling systems in PC. We use all (that) you have, so workload on CPU 90% on 8 core is expected. To save your time please run Cinebench or similar and check (the) stability of your systems."

He was happy to field questions from the fan base—a worried gamer expressed some concern about the game's potential hardware cooking prowess. Pierściński replied: "Heheh of course not ???? we are not synthetic benchmark, but still you can hit thermal throttling, if you have insufficient cooling system. It will result in below expected performance or even crash in extreme situations." The Cyberpunk 2077 modification community pre-empted CD Projekt Red by several months with the release of an unofficial SMT fix to address and fix lower utilization of AMD and Intel CPU architectures. Pierściński also confirms that third-party produced patches are no longer needed, thanks to native support being introduced with CDPR's official September updates, although players are best advised to stick with 8-core SMT configurations.

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(PR) Seasonic Launches Focus GX ATX 3.0 Power Supply Series
Seasonic is proud to announce the introduction of the new FOCUS GX ATX 3.0 Series power supplies. The FOCUS GX ATX 3.0 certified units are built on the well-established legacy of the popular Seasonic FOCUS Series. These power supplies tick all the check boxes that PC builders and enthusiasts have come to expect from the Seasonic brand name. Thanks to the fully modular design, only those cables need to be connected which are necessary to power the PC components.

The new FOCUS GX units are ATX 3.0 certified and PCIe 5.0 compliant to power the latest cutting-edge systems, helping to improve overall system performance and long-term reliability, while providing the most stable power necessary at the highest levels of performance. With the included top-quality PCIe 5.0 12VHPWR VGA cable, these units can safely power the latest modern graphics cards, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series.
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(PR) My Time at Sandrock Launching November 2
Focus Entertainment and Pathea Games have released a new trailer for My Time at Sandrock, the much-anticipated follow-up to the award-winning, player-acclaimed sandbox simulation RPG My Time at Portia. Currently available on PC via Steam Early Access and Epic Games Store, it will launch in V1.0 on November 2nd. As the date approaches, this new gameplay trailer entitled "A Builder's Life" gives you an insight into the engrossing construction and farming activities that will soon fill your busy-yet-cozy days as a newly-arrived Builder in Sandrock.

Build the future of Sandrock
Welcome to Sandrock, a fascinating little city nestled deep within the Wild West. Ravaged years ago, it is now up to you, your tools and your Builder's skills to restore Sandrock to its former glory. Your experience will be as adventurous as it will be wholesome. When you are not searching for mysteries and hidden treasures on a galloping horse, use all the resources you've found to vigorously reconstruct the city and cultivate its land. Build and customize your headquarters and city buildings, craft and upgrade modern tools and machinery, revive farming and ranching, and fix damaged Sandrock technologies. Discover, buy or unlock new designs to always expand your builder's crafting book and prove yourself by earning the most enviable title of all: Builder of the Month!
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