TechPowerUP NEWS

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Minisforum has decided to expand the series of motherboards used in its own mini-PCs with two new models, namely the BD795M (M-ATX) and BD795i SE (Mini-ITX). In principle, these motherboards are almost identical to those in the BD790i series, keeping the included AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX 16 cores processor with frequency of up to 5.4 GHz and integrated AMD Radeon 610M graphics. However, both have some minor physical differences. As for specifications, they offer two M.2 2280 SSD slots (one PCIe 5.0), support for DDR5 SODIMM memory with speeds up to 5200 MT/s, and a maximum capacity of 96 GB. The motherboards offer a full-size PCIe 5.0 x16 slot for users who want to add a dedicated video card.

Unlike the BD790i model, Minisforum decided not to include a CPU cooler for the BD795M model, leaving the cooling solution to the users' choice, a decision that has the collateral effect of a lower price. The motherboards even include an AIO pump connector, so users aren't limited to air cooling. Minisforum confirmed that the CPU has a TDP of 100 W and can also operate at 120 W. Also in the series of minor changes, the BD795M motherboard lacks the SSD heatsink and SSD fan connector but includes an internal antenna adapter.
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[NextPowerUP]

AMD's upcoming Radeon RX 9070 XT graphics card can boost its engine clock up to 3.10 GHz, a new leak that surfaced on ChipHell says. Depending on the board design, its total board power can reach up to 330 W, the leak adds. The GPU should come with a very high base frequency for the engine clock, with the leaker claiming a 2.80 GHz base frequency (can be interpreted as Game clocks), with the GPU boosting itself up to 3.10 GHz when the power and thermals permit. The RX 9070 XT will be the fastest graphics card from AMD to be based on its next-generation RDNA 4 graphics architecture. The company isn't targeting the enthusiast segment with this card, but rather the performance segment, where it is expected to go up against NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5070 series.

RDNA 4 is expected to introduce massive generational gains in ray tracing performance, as AMD is rumored to have significantly developed its ray tracing hardware, to reduce the performance cost of ray tracing. However, as it stands, the "Navi 48" silicon that the RX 9070 XT is based on, is still a performance-segment chip, which succeeds the "Navi 32" and "Navi 22," with a rumored compute unit count of 64, or 4,096 stream processors. Performance-related rumors swing wildly. One set of rumors say that the card's raster graphics performance is in league of the RX 7900 GRE but with ray tracing performance exceeding that of the RX 7900 XTX; while another set of rumors say it beats the RX 7900 XT in raster performance, and sneaks up on the RTX 4080. We'll know for sure in about a month's time.

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[NextPowerUP]

TechPowerUp today released latest version of ThrottleStop by Kevin Glynn. A nifty tool that gives you greater control over the power-management features of your processor, which should prove particularly useful for notebooks, letting you override several OEM power limitations to bring out the best in your hardware. Version 9.7 introduces several changes. To begin with, ThrottleStop adds per-profile adjustment of the turbo power limits, Speed Shift Min Max, and PROCHOT offset values. Core and cache V/F tuning have been added to the FIVR window for unlocked Core HX-segment processors (10th Gen or later). BD PROCHOT is now automatically locked when it is disabled. The DDR memory speed monitoring method has been improved. Windows 11 tray icons have been improved. Power plan selection fields have increased from 8 to 12. Safe Start feature can now be toggled on/off.

DOWNLOAD: TechPowerUp ThrottleStop 9.7 by Kevin Glynn
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GMKtec, a global leader in mini PC solutions, is excited to announce the launch of two new mini PC models: the NucBox G2 Plus and NucBox G3 Plus. Both models are powered by the efficient Intel N150 processor, offering excellent performance for everyday computing tasks, from home offices to media centers. These ultra-compact systems are available in different variants to meet varying user needs and budgets. Whether you're a professional, student, or casual user, the NucBox G2 Plus and G3 Plus provide a customizable and cost-effective computing experience.

The NucBox G2 Plus and NucBox G3 Plus are available now on both gmktec.com and gmktec.eu, with pricing starting from $125.99 for the barebone option. With customizable configurations, users can tailor each system to their specific needs, from memory and storage to the operating system.
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[NextPowerUP]

Here is the first picture of what is very likely the GeForce RTX 5090 "Blackwell," the successor to the RTX 4090 "Ada." The picture, its massive GPU, and layout appear to confirm the weekend's bare PCB leak. The RTX 5090 is powered by the "GB202" silicon, the largest gaming GPU based on the "Blackwell" graphics architecture. The silicon in the picture has the ASIC code "GB202-300-A1." From this ASIC code, we can deduce that the RTX 5090 may not max out the silicon (i.e. enable all SM present on it), as maxed-out NVIDIA ASICs tend to have the variant designation "450."

The "GB202" ASIC is surrounded by sixteen GDDR7 memory chips, which reportedly make the 32 GB memory size of the RTX 5090. The chip count, coupled with the large GPU package size (high pin-count), confirm that the "GB202" features a 512-bit wide memory bus. Assuming a memory speed of 28 Gbps, this memory bus should yield a stellar memory bandwidth of 1,792 GB/s. The GPU and memory are surrounded by the card's 24-phase VRM solution. This draws power from a single 16-pin 12V-2x6 power connector. NVIDIA will likely max out the 600 W continuous power-delivery capability of the connector, and give the card a TGP of around 500-550 W, if not more.

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[NextPowerUP]

Patriot Memory today announced the launch of the P400 V4, a high-performance PCIe Gen 4 x4 M.2 SSD that delivers exceptional speeds of up to 6,200 MB/s read and 5,200 MB/s write. This versatile storage solution is optimized for both PC and PlayStation 5 platforms, offering gamers and content creators unprecedented performance and reliability.

The P400 V4 leverages cutting-edge PCIe Gen 4 x4 NVMe technology to provide lightning-fast data transfer speeds while maintaining efficient power consumption. On the PlayStation 5, the drive achieves impressive sequential read speeds of up to 6,000 MB/s, ensuring quick load times and smooth gameplay across all gaming platforms.
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[NextPowerUP]

NVIDIA's brand new 25 Watt "little tiny Jetson Nano" - the Jetson Orin Nano Super - capable of 67 trillion operations per second (TOPS) of AI performance, is going to generate a lot of heat that could limit its performance if the device isn't supported by adequate cooling. Thanks to the high AI performance of the Jetson Orin Nano Super, breakthrough AI models such as NVIDIA Isaac for robotics, NVIDIA Metropolis for vision AI, and NVIDIA Holoscan for sensor processing, NVIDIA Omniverse Replicator for synthetic data generation (SDG) and NVIDIA TAO Toolkit for fine-tuning pretrained AI models may now run at the Edge, delivering compute efficiency, reduced latency and data privacy. But without adequate heat dissipation, the Jetson Orin Nano Super will be forced to throttle, significantly reducing its performance and diminishing the capabilities of Edge AI applications supported including robotics, industrial automation, smart cities, healthcare, and retail analytics.

AirJet PAK 5C-25 from Frore Systems, can provide the full 25 Watts of cooling NVIDIA's Jetson Orin Nano Super needs. The AirJet PAK 5C-25 is a fully self-contained, autonomous, plug and play, solid-state active cooling thermal module, that is thin, silent, dustproof, water resistant, and enables the full performance of the Jetson Nano Super, even in the toughest operating conditions. The AirJet PAK 5C-25 can be combined with the Jetson Orin Nano Super to remove 25 Watts of heat, even in industrial grade casings that are ultra compact, silent, vibration free, dustproof and water-resistant. These industrial grade casings, enabled by the AirJet PAK, are massively smaller and lighter than comparable fanless casings that require large, heavy heat sinks to dissipate heat.
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[NextPowerUP]

Thanks to kopite7kimi, we are able to finalize the leaked specifications of NVIDIA's upcoming GeForce RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti graphics cards.
Starting off with RTX 5070 Ti, it will feature 8,960 CUDA cores and come equipped with 16 GB GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit memory bus, offering 896 GB/s bandwidth. The card is reportedly designed with a total board power (TBP) of 300 W. The Ti variant appears to use the PG147-SKU60 board design with a GB203-300-A1 GPU. The standard RTX 5070 is positioned as a more power-efficient option, with specifications pointing to 6,144 CUDA cores and 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, with 627 GB/s memory bandwidth. This model is expected to operate at a slightly lower 250 W TBP.

Interestingly, the non-Ti RTX 5070 card will be available in two board variants, PG146 and PG147, both utilizing the GB205-300-A1 GPU. While we don't know what the pricing structure looks like, we see that NVIDIA has chosen to make more considerable differentiating factors between its SKUs. The Ti variant not only gets an extra four GB of GDDR7 memory, but it also gets a whopping 45% increase in CUDA core count, going from 6,144 to 8,960 cores. While we wait for the CES to see the initial wave of GeForce RTX 50 series cards, the GeForce RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti are expected to arrive later, possibly after RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 GPUs.

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[NextPowerUP]

NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card printed circuit board has allegedly been shown in the flesh, showing the memory layout and some interesting engineering choices. The custom PCB variant (non-Founders Edition) houses more than 40 capacitors, which is perhaps not standard on the FE reference board, and 16 GDDR7 memory modules. The leaked PCB, which extends beyond standard dimensions and traditional display connector configurations, is reportedly based on NVIDIA's PG145 reference design. The memory modules are distributed systematically: five on the left, two below, five on the right, and four above the GPU die. The interface is PCIe 5.0 x16.

As NVIDIA has reportedly designated 32 GB GDDR7 memory capacity for these cards, this roughly translates into 16 x 2 GB GDDR7 memory modules. At the heart of the card lies what sources claim to be the GB202 GPU, measuring 24×31 mm within a 63×56 mm package. Power delivery uses a 16-pin 12V-6x2 power connector, as expected. The entire PCB features only a single power connector, so the 16-pin 12V-2x6, but with an updated PCIe 6.0 CEM specification, is the logical choice.

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[NextPowerUP]

The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) today announced that it has published updates to several of its front-of-screen performance standard and logo programs, which are designed to help drive the industry to produce better-quality display products for consumers and content creators. These updates include the addition of new performance tiers for VESA's ClearMR standard for measuring motion blur that are designed for the next generation of ultra-high-refresh-rate displays for competitive gamers, such as 480-Hz and above displays. They also include a new 1000 luminance performance tier for VESA's DisplayHDR True Black standard to validate new OLED displays featuring the high luminance and greater color accuracy necessary to support professional video content creation.

VESA and its member companies will showcase product demonstrations of its latest video standards, including the new ClearMR and DisplayHDR True Black performance tiers, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), taking place next week in Las Vegas, January 7-10.
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[NextPowerUP]

Frore Systems has demonstrated the massive increase in performance possible with AirJet solid-state active cooling chips in the new Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14", the thinnest Notebook on the market at just 10.9 mm. The proof-of-concept Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14", upgraded with AirJet, achieves an incredible 50% increase in sustained CPU & AI performance, showing that now, consumers really can demand it all. Frore Systems will be showcasing the upgraded Samsung Notebook in January at CES 2025.

Frore Systems achieved the 50% performance boost in the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14", from 12 Watts to 18 Watts, by replacing the two large fans currently used in the Notebook with four AirJet chips. This innovative solution reduces the cooling solution footprint by 45% - the fans consuming 8,800 mm² of space vs the AirJet footprint of just 4,800 mm². Therefore, the extremely compact AirJet solution creates additional space inside the Galaxy Book4 Edge 14", potentially allowing for increasing the battery size from the current 55.9 Wh to 64.8 Wh - a 16% increase - improving video runtime from 20 hours to 23.2 hours.
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[NextPowerUP]

How much are you paying for cloud storage every month? If you're like most people, the cost creeps up without you even noticing. And if you hit your storage limit? That's another bump in the bill. That's why a lot of people are grabbing Koofr's 1 TB lifetime cloud storage plan, now $109.97 during StackSocial's end-of-year sale (reg. $810).

Instead of paying $10 to a provider like Google Drive or Dropbox each month, you only have to pay once to keep Koofr for life. The provider also makes it easy to connect your other cloud accounts to move your files over, while a duplicate file finder helps you spot and delete repeated files. Finally, you could have all of your files in one organized place. While Koofr's lifetime subscription is at this all-time low price, it pays for itself in less than a year.
Get cloud storage without fees during StackSocial's end-of-year sale: Koofr's lifetime subscription is only on sale for $109.97 for a limited time (reg. $810).Read full story

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[NextPowerUP]

TrendForce's latest investigations reveal that the DRAM market is expected to face downward pricing pressure in 1Q25 as seasonal weakness aligns with sluggish consumer demand for products like smartphones. Additionally, early stockpiling by notebook manufacturers—over potential import tariffs under the Trump administration—has further exacerbated the pricing decline.

Conventional DRAM prices are projected to drop by 8% to 13%. However, if HBM products are included, the anticipated price decline will range from 0% to 5%.
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LG Electronics (LG) is reinforcing its leadership in premium OLED gaming monitors with the LG UltraGear GX9 series, set to be unveiled at CES 2025 this January. The new lineup includes the 45GX990A - winner of three CES 2025 Innovation Awards, including the prestigious 'Best of Innovation' - and an all-in-one smart gaming monitor powered by LG webOS. These accolades underscore LG's commitment to delivering advanced, high-quality gaming solutions. With the GX9 series, LG continues to demonstrate its leadership in cutting-edge technology and gaming monitor innovation.

To ensure maximum gaming immersion, all UltraGear GX9 series models feature curved display panels employing LG's advanced WOLED technology. These screens offer high brightness, true blacks, stunning colors and optimized curvature; a combination that brings games to life and draws users deeper into the exhilarating action of their favorite titles. Certified for low blue light emissions, the GX9 series provides a more comfortable experience, reducing eye strain during extended gaming sessions. In addition, LG's Anti-Glare & Low Reflection (AGLR) coating minimizes screen reflections and glare, making it easier for gamers to see everything that's happening on screen, even in brighter rooms.

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[NextPowerUP]

Chinese GPU maker Moore Threads has prepared a professional graphics card called MTT X300, aimed at professional visualization workloads like CAD, BIM, GIS, and video editing. The Moore Threads X300 GPU utilizes second-generation MUSA architecture, featuring 4096 MUSA cores that deliver 14.4 TFLOPS of FP32 computing power. It comes equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, achieving a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s. The X300 takes advantage of PCIe Gen 5 x16 connectivity and offers versatile display options through three DisplayPort 1.4a ports and one HDMI 2.1 port, supporting resolutions up to 7680 x 4320. All of that comes on a 255 W TGP package.

While the X300 GPU may be a new SKU, it resembles Moore Threads MTT S80 gaming GPU with a different firmware and set of drivers. The new X300 features hardware accelerated decoding for AV1, H.264, H.265, VP8, VP9, AVS, AVS2, MPEG4, and MPEG2, while also providing hardware encoding capabilities for AV1, H.264, and H.265. Given the professional application, the X300 can simultaneously handle up to 36 channels of 1080p@30 FPS video for both encoding and decoding operations while supporting 4-way display output up to 8K resolution. Interestingly, Moore Threads developed drivers for all mainstream CPU architectures such as x86, Arm, and even LoongArch.

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