TechPowerUP NEWS

[NextPowerUP]

Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality headset is due to launch on February 2—many rival companies in the AR/VR market space will be taking notes once the slickly designed device (with a $3499 starting price) reaches customers. The Wall Street Journal claims that the executive team at Meta is hopeful that Apple's headset carves out a larger space within a niche segment. The latter's "more experimental" products sometimes have surprising reach, although it may take a second (i.e cheaper) iteration of the Vision Pro to reach a mainstream audience. Meta is reported to have invested around $50 billion into its Quest hardware and software development push—industry experts reckon that this product line generates only ~1% of the social media giant's total revenue.

Insider sources suggest that CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his leadership team are keen to see their big money "gamble" finally pay off—Apple's next release could boost global interest in mixed reality headsets. The Wall Street Journal states that Meta staffers "see the Quest and its software ecosystem emerging as a primary alternative to Apple in the space, filling the role played by Google's Android in smartphones." They hope that the Quest's relatively reasonable cost-of-entry will look a lot more attractive when compared to the premium Vision Pro. The report also shines a light on Meta's alleged push to focus more on mixed reality applications, since taking "inspiration" from Apple's WWDC23 presentation: "In addition, some developers are simplifying their apps and favor Apple's design that allows wearers to use their eyes and fingers to control or manipulate what they see. Meta's Quest primarily relies on the use of controllers for games or applications, although it can work with finger gestures."

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[NextPowerUP]

Hi everyone, 2024 has just begun and it's time for our very first State of Play! The broadcast will be over 40 minutes long, and feature guest appearances from some of the most talented minds in gaming. Among many other updates, we'll feature extended looks at Stellar Blade and Rise of the Ronin, two great games coming to PS5 this year. And we'll give you a new look at other titles coming to PS5 and PS VR2 in 2024 and beyond. The show begins Wednesday, January 31 at 2pm PT / 5pm ET / 10pm GMT on YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok. Here's to a new year of great games!

Regarding Co-streaming and Video-On-Demand (VOD)
Please note that this broadcast may include copyrighted content (e.g. licensed music) that PlayStation does not control. We welcome and celebrate our amazing co-streamers and creators, but licensing agreements outside our control could interfere with co-streams or VOD archives of this broadcast. If you're planning to save this broadcast as a VOD to create recap videos, or to repost clips or segments from the show, we advise omitting any copyrighted music.
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[NextPowerUP]

MSI has officially confirmed the price for all three Claw gaming handheld SKUs, including two SKUs with the Intel Core Ultra 7-155H CPU and one equipped with the Core Ultra-135H CPU. The MSI Claw starts at $699.99 for the base version with an Intel Core Ultra 5-135H CPU, 16 GB of LPDDR5 memory, and 512 GB of PCIe Gen 4 M.2 storage. The other two SKUs, are priced at $749.99 and $799.99, both come with a Core Ultra 7-155H CPU, 16 GB of LPDDR5 memory, and either 512 GB or 1 TB of PCIe Gen 4 M.2 storage. Unfortunately, there is no word on the rumored SKU with 32 GB of LPDDR5 memory.

These prices make the MSI Claw just a tad bit more expensive than the ASUS ROG Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go, but it should do well if the performance is there. MSI has also confirmed to The Verge that the Claw's 7-inch 1080p screen comes with Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) operating between 48 and 120 Hz. The MSI Claw is rumored to launch in February or March.
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[NextPowerUP]

Kioxia Corporation, a world leader in memory solutions, today announced sampling of the industry's first Universal Flash Storage (UFS) Ver. 4.0 embedded flash memory devices designed for automotive applications. These new, higher performing devices deliver fast embedded storage transfer speeds in a small package size and are targeted to a variety of next-generation automotive applications, including telematics, infotainment systems and ADAS. The improved performance] of UFS products from Kioxia - including approximately +100% for sequential read speed and approximately +40% for sequential write speed - enables these applications to take advantage of 5G's connectivity benefits, leading to faster system startup times and a better user experience.

The first to introduce UFS technology, Kioxia continues to move the technology forward. Its new UFS Ver. 4.0 devices integrate the company's innovative BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory and a controller in a JEDEC-standard package. UFS 4.0 incorporates MIPI M-PHY 5.0 and UniPro 2.0 and supports theoretical interface speeds of up to 23.2 Gbps per lane or 46.4 Gbps per device. UFS 4.0 is backward compatible with UFS 3.1.
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[NextPowerUP]

Cooler Master, a global leader in PC components, has today announced the X Mighty Platinum. This power supply unit (PSU) is engineered to meet the needs of the most power-intensive tasks in computing. The X Mighty Platinum PSU combines practical functionality with efficient performance, ensuring reliability for the most demanding applications.

"With the X Mighty Platinum, we're responding directly to the needs of advanced computing," said Jimmy Sha, Cooler Master CEO. "This power supply delivers the reliability and performance required for power-intensive applications, without unnecessary frills. It is a practical, efficient solution our users can depend on, now and in the future."
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[NextPowerUP]

be quiet!, the German manufacturer for premium PC components, announces a new color version for its mainstream fan series: Pure Wings 3 White. With a low minimum rpm and high top-end speed, Pure Wings 3 White is the perfect PC fan for any application, whether it is a demanding workstation or an entry level gaming build. Thanks to an optimized fan frame, it delivers outstanding performance on radiators while the newly designed fan blades and re-arranged angle result in extraordinary air pressure.

Compared to Pure Wings 3 in black, the new Pure Wings 3 White will omit the 3-pin models and therefore only come in four versions: 120 mm PWM, 120 mm PWM high-speed, 140 mm PWM, and 140 mm PWM high-speed. The color scheme of the fan sticker has been changed to grey-on-white to better suit the overall aesthetics. All Pure Wings 3 White high-speed models include an innovative closed loop motor to keep the rpm stable no matter the resistance. The result is a fan series that offers outstanding reliability and makes for a long-lasting companion for your gaming system.
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[NextPowerUP]

Thermaltake, a leading PC DIY brand for premium hardware solutions, is delighted to release the Smart BX3 Bronze series, a new addition to the favored Smart Bronze series PSU. Designed to meet ATX 3.1 specifications and 80 Plus Bronze efficiency, the Smart BX3 Bronze series is a reliable power supply for budget-conscious gaming enthusiasts. There are three wattage options to choose from, including 550 W, 650 W, and 750 W.

Complying with the latest ATX 3.1 standards, the Smart BX3 series can support up to 200% power excursion and achieve 60% low load efficiency. With its 80 Plus Bronze certification and Intel C6/C7 states, the Smart BX3 Bronze can reach high energy efficiency of up to 85% and is well-optimized for compatibility with all Intel processor generations, effectively saving energy for your PC. Additionally, the Smart BX3 series features a 120 mm fluid bearing fan which can generate exceptional airflow for preventing overheating. The built-in Smart Zero Fan mode allows the fan to only activate when the load reaches a specific percentage, significantly minimizing undesirable noise.
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[NextPowerUP]

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices today, announces that its AMD AM4 series motherboards are now compatible with the latest AMD Ryzen 5000 series processors.With the official unveiling of the Ryzen 8000 Series desktop processors, AMD has further enhanced its Ryzen 5000 Series, first released in 2020, by introducing four new processors. These additions include the Ryzen 7 5700X3D, Ryzen 7 5700, Ryzen 5 5600GT, and Ryzen 5 5500GT, all built on AMD's efficient Zen 3 architecture. This expansion of the Ryzen 5000 Series offers users a broader range of options, from high-end to mainstream, demonstrating AMD's dedication to diversifying its CPU offerings.

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D and Ryzen 7 5700 processors are equipped with advanced technologies like AMD StoreMI, which enhances storage performance by combining SSDs and HDDs into a more efficient, single-tiered storage system. Additionally, they support AMD Ryzen VR-Ready Premium technology, offering greater immersion in virtual reality, even on older hardware. This combination of StoreMI and VR-Ready Premium technology ensures these processors deliver high storage efficiency and an enhanced VR experience, making them suitable for a wide range of demanding applications.
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[NextPowerUP]

AMD today released a graphics driver update that comes with optimization for "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League." This is an off-trunk, non-WHQL Preview driver, and bears the version number 23.40.02.03. It builds on top of the recently released Radeon Software Adrenalin 24.1.1 WHQL. Besides optimization for "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League," the update also fixes an issue that causes the game to exhibit display corruption with ray tracing enabled. AMD did take the opportunity to identify new issues with this release, as listed below. Notably, AMD is aware of excessive game loading times for "Deathloop" on machines with RX 6900 XT graphics cards; a "Dead Space" application crash with ray traced ambient occlusion enabled; and game stuttering with "Overwatch 2" observed in the first game of the session.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Radeon Software Preview Driver for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, version 23.40.02.03
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[NextPowerUP]

As the Philips 49B2U6900CH makes its debut, it brings a plethora of new features along with it that increase collaboration and aid teamwork in the modern digital workplace. In addition to these new features, the Philips 49B2U6900CH also boasts a large 48.8-inch screen and 5120 x 1440 DQHD resolution for a wide viewing and high-quality setup that would otherwise be comprised of two separate monitors.

Built for the Professional Work Environment
Perhaps one of the most powerful and useful features of the Philips 49B2U6900CH are those that pertain to the professional work environment, and it is safe to say that it is built for it.
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[NextPowerUP]

Qualcomm Incorporated has announced the appointment of Akash Palkhiwala to the expanded role of Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. In addition to his CFO responsibilities, as COO, he will now have oversight for the global go-to-market organization and operations, and IT. Palkhiwala's appointment will be effective immediately and he will continue to report directly to Cristiano Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm Incorporated. "I'm pleased to expand Akash's CFO role to include that of Chief Operating Officer as Qualcomm executes on its growth and diversification strategy," said Cristiano Amon, president and CEO of Qualcomm. "Akash has played a key role in the execution of our business strategy as Qualcomm has expanded into new end markets, and is ideally positioned to further align the company's operations to capture future growth opportunities. I am thrilled to congratulate Akash on this expanded role."

Palkhiwala has served as Chief Financial Officer since 2019. Previously, he was Senior Vice President and finance lead for QCT, Qualcomm's semiconductor business. Palkhiwala joined Qualcomm in 2001, and during this time has held several finance leadership roles including Treasurer, Financial Planning & Analysis, and Corporate Development. Palkhiwala holds an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from L.D. College of Engineering in India and an M.B.A from the University of Maryland.
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[NextPowerUP]

According to a VideoCardz report, NVIDIA is implementing a very last minute time shift with its GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER review program—embargo conditions have been delayed by a day to January 31, which coincides with the official retail launch day. We already know about non-specific sample units reaching reviewers a week (or more) in advance of Team Green's embargo date—thanks to various graphical benchmarks appearing prematurely on the Geekbench Browser database. VideoCardz states the Founders Edition GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER model was not received in a timely manner by a number of media outlets, thus dismissing rumors about driver issues being a main factor behind the sudden rescheduling. Hardware evaluators have been busy this month with trade event coverage, and spending analytical time with Team Green's previous batches of RTX 40 SUPER cards.

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[NextPowerUP]

Greetings, Flameborn! In just four days, Enshrouded has attracted over a million players! We are completely blown away by its success and the overwhelmingly positive reception. From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank all our players. We're excited to let you know that this is just the beginning for Enshrouded. We are looking forward to continuing the development of the game with your support, aiming to make Enshrouded the best game it can be.

We are back to work this week and working tirelessly on the next update. We would like to thank those of you who have sent suggestions and feedback, as well as those who have reached out to share issues they've encountered. There is a lot of you but this is the start of something we want to make truly special, and thanks to your support, we're well on our way to make it happen with Enshrouded. Once again, a heartfelt thank you to everyone! The Keen Team.
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[NextPowerUP]

Japan's PC_Focus social media account has shared some slightly damning insider information regarding the performance of Dragon's Dogma 2 on current generation consoles. Capcom's much anticipated action role player is scheduled for a March 22 multiplatform launch—encompassing versions for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S. The upcoming sequel leverages the company's proprietary RE Engine (Reach for the Moon Engine)—contrary to widespread misinformation, "RE" does not stand for Resident Evil. A "Japanese insider" familiar with pre-release builds has relayed information to PC_Focus about Dragon's Dogma 2 running at "30 FPS on consoles." An IGN Japan weekend report is also cited—the publication confirms that the game "features only 1 save slot," with "auto and manual sharing the same slot."

Dragon's Dogma 2 Steam profile provides system requirements for PC platforms in "Minimum" and "Recommended" categories—as noted by Wccftech, both sheets list estimated performance for 30 FPS: "(for) minimum specs, the Steam page lists an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPU, which on paper, is roughly equivalent to the CPU inside the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series." Capcom has not divulged any official details regarding Dragon's Dogma 2's visual modes for games consoles—be it "Quality" or "Performance." We hope to see some clarification pop up in pre-release material leading up to the game's late March launch.
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[NextPowerUP]

Today, the following email was delivered to all Blizzard employees by Johanna Faries, the new President of Blizzard Entertainment: "Dear Blizzard, though my official first day with you all is February 5, I want to let you know immediately that it is an honor to join you next week in this new capacity. I do so humbly and in awe of all that Blizzard has stood for and delivered to the world for over thirty years. Today also brings some mixed emotions. The loss of talented teammates in recent days is hard to hold side-by-side with the immense excitement I feel about joining Blizzard - and building on the momentum you've created for Blizzard's next chapter.

I want to thank Matt (Booty) for the introduction, bring some further clarity to today's announcement, and share more about how I see our future together at Blizzard. I understand this is a lot to take in. The news of my appointment may no doubt bring up a range of reactions, questions, even concerns. Activision, Blizzard, and King are decidedly different companies with distinct games, cultures, and communities. It is important to note that Call of Duty's way of waking up in the morning to deliver for players can often differ from the stunning games in Blizzard's realm: each with different gameplay experiences, communities that surround them, and requisite models of success. I've discussed this with the Blizzard leadership team and I'm walking into this role with sensitivity to those dynamics, and deep respect for Blizzard, as we begin to explore taking our universes to even higher heights."
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