TechPowerUP NEWS

[NextPowerUP]

The AI infrastructure of today is mostly fueled by the expansion that relies on GPU-accelerated servers. Google, one of the world's largest hyperscalers, has noted that CPUs are still a leading compute for AI/ML workloads, recorded on their Google Cloud Services cloud internal analysis. During the TechFieldDay event, a speech by Brandon Royal, product manager at Google Cloud, explained the position of CPUs in today's AI game. The AI lifecycle is divided into two parts: training and inference. During training, massive compute capacity is needed, along with enormous memory capacity, to fit ever-expanding AI models into memory. The latest models, like GPT-4 and Gemini, contain billions of parameters and require thousands of GPUs or other accelerators working in parallel to train efficiently.

On the other hand, inference requires less compute intensity but still benefits from acceleration. The pre-trained model is optimized and deployed during inference to make predictions on new data. While less compute is needed than training, latency and throughput are essential for real-time inference. Google found out that, while GPUs are ideal for the training phase, models are often optimized and run inference on CPUs. This means that there are customers who choose CPUs as their medium of AI inference for a wide variety of reasons.
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[NextPowerUP]

URCDKeys is a renowned international merchant of genuine, globally-valid software, introducing the March 2024 Sale. Get Genuine Windows 11 Pro at just $20, or a fraction of its retail price. Windows 10 Pro can be had for just $14. Supercharge your domestic productivity with Genuine Office 2019 Professional Plus at just $47. Better yet, combine it with Windows 10 Pro at $58. Check out great deals on other editions of Windows and Office, and their combos.

Please use the coupon code TPUP on the following items to avail the price you see here.

Buy Windows 10 Pro at $14 | Buy Windows 11 Pro at $20 | Buy Windows 10 Home at $13 | Buy Windows 11 Home at $14 | Buy Windows 10 Pro 2-PC at $26.34 | Buy Office 2016 Professional Plus at $26 | Buy Office 2019 Professional Plus at $47 | Buy Office 2021 Professional Plus at $86 | Buy Office 2019 Home and Student at $49 | Buy Office 2019 Home and Business for Mac at $78

Buy Windows 10 Pro + Office 2016 Professional Plus at $40 | Buy Windows 10 Pro + Office 2019 Professional Plus at $58

Buy Visual Studio 2022 Enterprise at $95 | Buy SQL Server 2019 Standard 2-core at $87 | Buy SQL Server 2019 Standard 16-core at $158

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[NextPowerUP]

Wielend AIO CPU cooler is a prototype closed-loop liquid CPU cooler that lacks a pump, or any form of active coolant flow between the heat-source (the CPU block), and the sink (the radiator). The cooler works on the principle of thermosiphon, where the temperature differential between the source and sink cause coolant flow. This is essentially how solar water heaters work, as they drive coolant (water) between the heating panels and a storage tank. It's not like the cooler is without any moving parts, the radiator still needs ventilation from fans.

Der8auer tested a prototype Weiland cooler, and compared its cooling performance to that of a typical 240 mm AIO CLC (with a pump), on a machine with an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X processor with a 170 W TDP. During a 20-minute Cinebench R23 multithreaded stress test, the 240 mm AIO held temperatures to around 70 °C, while the Wieland AIO managed 78 °C. The power draw with the regular 240 mm AIO was higher, as the processor probably utilized the lower temperature to hold onto higher boost frequencies.

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[NextPowerUP]

Just before Christmas, LG unveiled the UltraGear 32GS95UE-B OLED gaming monitor with what the company is calling Dual-Hz, which allows for different refresh rates at different resolutions. In this case, 240 Hz at 4K and 480 Hz at 1080p. However, LG only provided basic specs and didn't reveal pricing back then, both of which now have been revealed. The 31.5-inch OLED panel used doesn't really stand out from the crowd with a typical brightness of 275 cd/m², a color depth of 1.07 billion colors (10-bit panel), a contrast ratio of 1.5 million to one a gray to gray response time of 0.03 ms and DisplayHDR True Black 400 certification.

As far as connectivity goes, some of you will be disappointed, as the 32GS95UE-B only sports DisplayPort 1.4 as well as HDMI 2.1. There isn't even a USB Type-C port on this monitor, instead a USB Type-B input and standard USB-A outputs, as well as a headphone output is all you get. LG has also kitted out the 32GS95UE-B with what the company called Pixel Sound speakers, i.e. the speakers are hidden behind the display panel. Both FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync compatibility is included, as well all the usual gaming features you'd expect. LG also includes a stand that supports tilt, height, swivel and pivot adjustments. In the US, the 32GS95UE-B comes with a two-year warranty, a US$1399.99 price tag and a mid-April shipping date.

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[NextPowerUP]

Welcome to the month of March, which we kick off with some American play fighting and although this is the biggest release this week, it's not what we'd call a AAA release. We obviously have a range of other games for you as well, ranging from a morally ambiguous RPG to a muddy driving game followed by a physiological horror title, a very Finnish adventure and nine days of preparation.

WWE 2K24 / This week's major release / Friday 8 March
WWE 2K24 boasts a star-studded roster featuring WWE Legends like "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Undertaker, and Andre the Giant, alongside current WWE Superstars like "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes, John Cena, Rhea Ripley, and Roman Reigns, whose larger-than-life entrances and signature moves are heightened by ultra-realistic graphics. WrestleMania is the biggest event in sports entertainment, where Superstars become WWE Legends. Experience a gripping retelling of WrestleMania's greatest moments in 2K Showcase of the Immortals, where you can relive a collection of some of the most unforgettable, career-defining matches. Steam Link
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[NextPowerUP]

MSI is apparently preparing to unveil two more GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super graphics cards, the MSI RTX 4070 Ti Super Expert and the MSI RTX 4070 Ti Super Aero. The new MSI Expert series was unveiled at the CES show back in January, and currently, MSI only uses the design on the MSI RTX 4080 Super graphics card. On the other hand, the Aero series has been around for quite some time, but we haven't seen many of those cards, unless you count the Aero ITX version of the GeForce RTX 4060. As Videocardz.com notes, MSI actually has a total of 12 different RTX 4070 Ti Super designs, and that did not stop it from adding two more, despite the fact that the RTX 4070 Ti Super was only announced just over a month ago.

The MSI Expert lineup is quite an interesting design, announced back at the CES 2024 show, and uses a triple-slot design with a rather interesting fan placement taken from NVIDIA's Founder's Edition book. It features two fans, one at the front and one at the back of the card, pushing air in opposite directions. MSI has decided to call the new cooling solution the "MSI Flow Frozr". The front also features a mesh metal cover, which does look quite interesting.
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[NextPowerUP]

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading computing, networking, and storage solution innovator, today officially launched NetBak PC Agent, a license-free full system backup solution for Windows. NetBak PC Agent is a utility that requires Hyper Data Protector, a NAS application which support endpoint devices backup (including VMs, Windows PCs and servers), to be installed on the user's NAS.

Existing NetBak Replicator users are encouraged to switch to NetBak PC Agent to enjoy a modern user interface and block-based backup for full systems, drives, folders, or files. Besides backup format updates, NetBak PC Agent supports new features such as:

• Bare-metal restoration: Restore a full PC/server system by creating a USB boot disk.
• Synthetic Incremental Backup: Reduce backup/restore time with QNAP's game-changing Synthetic Incremental Backup technology to increase IT efficiency and end-user productivity, helping to maintain data integrity by reducing RTO and RPO.
• Backup Explorer: Use the intuitive user interface of Backup Explorer on Hyper Data Protector to find a specific folder or file in various backup versions and restore them to client devices.
• Scheduled backup: Once users set backup rules, NetBak PC Agent does the rest.
• System backup restoration destination: Both local and remote site supported.

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[NextPowerUP]

Available now, the Sennheiser brand today launches their latest generation flagship earbuds MOMENTUM True Wireless 4. Packed with over a dozen upgrades and future-facing technologies such as Snapdragon Sound Technology with Qualcomm aptX Lossless Technology, Auracast, and ultra-low-latency mode, the portable powerhouse series brings uncompromised sound to the high-performance audio enthusiast.

"Sound quality will always be a top priority for our customers, and we are seeing increasing demand for the application of it out in the real world," says Frank Foppe, Sennheiser Product Manager, "With higher quality hardware and our widest range of wireless technology support ever, MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 grows with the consumer's needs no matter how dynamic they currently are—or will become in the future."
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[NextPowerUP]

EK, the leading name in custom loop liquid cooling, is proudly announcing the launch of the latest water-cooling-focused PC case made in collaboration with InWin, the renowned case manufacturer. The new EK-Quantum InWin 977EK was engineered from scratch with water cooling and ease of use in mind. It's a premium quality PC case that can accommodate two 420 mm radiators, has dedicated mounts for pumps, reservoirs, and combo units, and offers the ultimate user-friendly experience for custom loop liquid cooling enthusiasts.

EK-QUANTUM InWin 977EK
Crafted from a single, robust piece of 4 mm-thick, high-quality brushed aluminium, the outer shell of this PC case proudly embodies the iconic InWin aesthetic. Meticulously bent by skilled artisans using hand-operated techniques, it showcases their dedication to craftsmanship.
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[NextPowerUP]

For those of you that have been waiting patiently for the first DisplayPort 2.1 monitors to start arriving, we have good news as Gigabyte has revealed details of its first display equipped with DP 2.1. The monitor in question is the AORUS FO32U2P which also sports a 4K QD-OLED panel with a 240 Hz refresh rate. The 31.5-inch QD-OLED panel does follow the standard feature set with a 10-bit panel, 250 cd/m² brightness, 1.5 million to one contrast ratio, 0.03 ms GTG response time and a DisplayHDR True Black 400 certification. Gigabyte has gone for an anti-reflective coating as well, which might not appeal to everyone.

As for the inputs, the DP2.1 ports support the full UHBR20 spec, which is 80 Gbps of total bandwidth over four 20 Gbps DisplayPort lanes, which means Gigabyte hasn't skimped on anything here. Yes, you read that correctly as well, the monitor has two DP 2.1 inputs, one full size and one mini DP input and there's also a USB Type-C input that supports DP-Alt mode, in addition to 65 W USB Power Delivery and USB data, although it's not clear if this port also supports DP 2.1. Furthermore, there are two HDMI 2.1 ports, one upstreams and two downstreams USB 3.2 ports, as well as a headphone and microphone jack. Gigabyte has also equipped the AORUS FO32U2P with a pair of 5 W speakers and a stand that offers tilt, swivel, pivot and height adjustments. The maximum power usage is said to be 78 W, but this shouldn't include the USB PD part. Other features include KVM support, daisy-chaining via a DP output, picture in picture and picture by picture support and various gaming features such as crosshairs, night vision, black equalizer etc. Gigabyte has as yet to announce official pricing on a release date.

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[NextPowerUP]

Elon Musk in his individual capacity has sued Sam Altman, Gregory Brockman, Open AI and its affiliate companies, of breach of founding contract, and a deviation from its founding goal to be a non-profit tasked with the development of AI toward the benefit of humanity. This lawsuit comes in the wake of Open AI's relationship with Microsoft, which Musk says compromises its founding contract. Musk alleges breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and unfair business practices against Open AI, and demands that the company revert to being open-source with all its technology, and function as a non-profit.

Musk also requests an injunction to prevent Open AI and the other defendants from profiting off Open AI technology. In particular, Musk alleges that GPT-4 isn't open-source, claiming that only Open AI and Microsoft know its inner workings, and Microsoft stands to monetize GPT-4 "for a fortune." Microsoft, interestingly, was not named in the lawsuit as a defendant. Elon Musk sat on the original board of Open AI until his departure in 2018, is said to be a key sponsor of AI acceleration hardware used in the pioneering work done by Open AI.

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[NextPowerUP]

Thermaltake, a leading PC DIY brand for premium hardware solutions, is excited to reveal the winner list of 2023 Thermaltake CaseMOD Invitational Season 1. In first place is Wael Kadri from France, in second place is Maulik Patel from India, and in third places are Derek Wilson from Canada and Ponsarud Romvilast from Thailand.

This season, Thermaltake proudly invited 8 famous modders from Canada, China, France, India, Italy, South Korea, Thailand, and the United States of America to the much-anticipated annual CaseMOD Invitational. These modders, with their professional modding skills, exquisite handcrafting, and ingenious creativity, transformed the CTE C750 Air Full Tower Chassis into distinctive and stunning masterpieces. Every mod was spectacular, making it challenging for the audience and the judges to select the winners. Sincerely appreciate all the modders for elevating this event to unprecedented heights.
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[NextPowerUP]

T-FORCE, the gaming brand under the leading global memory brand Team Group Inc., has launched the highly expected T-FORCE XTREEM ARGB DDR5 Desktop Memory, which not only upgrades both in appearance and performance but also utilizes the exclusive patented IC grading verification technology to create high-speed performance memory modules. The XTREEM ARGB DDR5 allows gamers to enjoy the thrill of gaming while creating an aurora immersive atmosphere with fluid and gentle lighting effects, satisfying consumers' pursuit of robust performance and ultimate aesthetics.

In terms of design, the T-FORCE XTREEM ARGB DDR5 features innovative dual-piece light pipes that emit soft and delicate light movements resembling aurora charm. It also supports various lighting control software [2], creating an extraordinary RGB visual feast and leading players on an unforgettable aurora journey. The product itself features a 2 mm-thick forged aluminium alloy matte black heat spreader, exhibiting both the hardness and durability of basalt and the delicate texture of a black sand beach, perfectly showcasing the ultimate aesthetics of metal craftsmanship and achieving exquisite and unique computer equipment. The XTREEM ARGB DDR5 uses a 10-layer professional anti-interference optimized PCB board and improves the heat dissipation design of the PMIC power management chip to keep performance stable during high-speed data transmission, allowing gamers to enjoy a powerful and high-frame-rate gaming experience.
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[NextPowerUP]

Samsung, which recently announced its 12-high HBM3E memory, is expected to demonstrate them at the upcoming NVIDIA GTC 2024 event. Business Korea reports that the HBM3E stacks will power NVIDIA's "Hopper" H200 AI GPU, a more advanced version of the H100, which features support for HBM3E, and larger amounts of memory. Samsung's 12-high HBM3E stack has 12 layers of DRAM stacked with a Samsung innovation in wiring the stack. Each stack offers density as high as 288 Gbit, or 36 GB, which works out to 216 GB of memory over the 6144-bit HBM3E memory interface of the H200. Neither Samsung nor NVIDIA have put out DRAM speeds for the Samsung 12H HBM3E as configured for the H200.

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[NextPowerUP]

AMD's 12-core/24-thread Ryzen 9 7900X3D processor that comes with 3D Vertical Cache technology, is seeing a slew of price-cuts. The SKU appears to be trapped between the 8-core 7800X3D, which remains the fastest desktop processor for gaming; and the 16-core 7950X3D, which is AMD's flagship. A Newegg listing at $408 with a $20 discount coupon see its effective retail price drop to as low as $389, which is just $20 more than the 7800X3D.

Would you pay $20 for four more cores? The choice is not so simple. While the 7900X3D is a 12-core processor, it features a dual-CCD design, with a 6+6 core arrangement between the two CCDs. Just like with the 7950X3D, only one of the two CCDs has the 64 MB 3D Vertical Cache, or 96 MB of L3 cache; while the other is a regular "Zen 4" CCD with 32 MB of on-die L3 cache. AMD's chipset drives use UEFI CPPC preferred-core flagging to guide gaming workloads to the CCD with the 3D V-cache. While we haven't had a chance to test the 7900X3D, this chip is tested by Tom's Hardware to still be faster than the Core i9-13900K at gaming.

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