TechPowerUP NEWS

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"Twin Lake" is codename for a line of low-power x86-64 processors by Intel, which succeed the Core i3 N-series and N200 series "Alder Lake-N" processors. These non-socketed (BGA) chips power a wide range of devices from entry level notebooks and mini PCs to consumer NAS servers, and other embedded applications. The chips feature only E-cores. While "Alder Lake-N" used "Gracemont" cores, "Twin Lake" uses the swanky new "Skymont" cores, which serve as E-cores in "Lunar Lake" and "Arrow Lake" hybrid processors. "Skymont" cores feature massive IPC and clock-speed gains over "Gracemont," of nearly 50%, which pulls up their performance levels to match the "Golden Cove" and "Raptor Cove" P-cores of "Alder Lake" and "Raptor Lake," although these cores can't boost up to 5.00 GHz. We got the first name-drop of "Twin Lake" way back in May 2024. Jaykihn leaked what the processor lineup could look like.

The "Twin Lake" silicon features two "Skymont" E-core clusters sharing an L3 cache. At this point, the sizes of the shared L2 caches of the E-core clusters, and the size of the shared L3 cache are not known. On "Alder Lake-N," each "Gracemont" cluster features 2 MB of L2 cache, and the two clusters share a 6 MB L3 cache. The silicon also features an iGPU based on what is very likely the Xe-LPG graphics architecture, with four Xe cores worth 32 execution units (EU). The series is led by the Intel N355. This chip maxes out the "Twin Lake" silicon, enabling both "Skymont" clusters, for an 8-core/8-thread CPU configuration. The CPU comes with a base frequency of 3.00 GHz, and boosts up to 3.90 GHz. The chip comes with a configurable TDP of 9 W and 15 W. It comes with a maxed out iGPU, with all 32 EU being enabled, and a graphics frequency of 1.35 GHz.
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Industry-leading technology manufacturer ZOTAC TECHNOLOGY PTE. Limited is headed to Las Vegas to showcase its newest products at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025, one of the world's biggest tech events where hundreds of companies from over 150 countries showcase their latest innovations. This is the first time for ZOTAC to showcase its diverse range of products since its headquarters relocated to Singapore.

ZOTAC will include the Healthcare series ZBOX H37R3500W in the showcase, powered with an NVIDIA RTX Ada Generation professional GPU with up to an Intel Core i9 processor in an all-white metal enclosure, EN 60601-1 certification required for medical electronic devices, it aims to boost AI capabilities in the healthcare sector. Following the successful launch of the ZOTAC GAMING ZONE, ZOTAC GAMING's first-ever gaming handheld with an AMOLED display, premium controls, and hardware, ZOTAC is back to give media a very early sneak peek on the potential next step of the ZOTAC GAMING ZONE with stronger hardware.
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[NextPowerUP]

Intel could be working on a new Arc graphics card according to Quantum Bits quoted by VideoCardz. It's based on the Battlemage architecture and has 24 GB of memory, twice as much as current models. This new card seems to be oriented more towards professionals, not gamers. Intel's Battlemage lineup currently has the Arc B580 model with 12 GB GDDR6 memory and a 192-bit bus. There's also the upcoming B570 with 10 GB and a 160-bit bus. The new 24 GB model will use the same BGM-G21 GPU as the B580, while the increased VRAM version could use higher capacity memory modules or a dual-sided module setup. No further technical details are available at this moment.

Intel looks to be aiming this 24 GB version at professional tasks such as artificial intelligence jobs like Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative AI. The card would be useful in data centers, edge computing, schools, and research, and this makes sense for Intel as they don't have a high-memory GPU for professional productivity markets yet. The company wants to launch this Arc Battlemage with bigger memory in 2025, we guess it might be announced in late spring or ahead of next year's Computex if there's no rush. Intel in the meantime will keep making their current gaming cards too as the latest Arc series was very well received, a big win for Intel after all the struggles. This rumor hints that Intel's expanding its GPU plan rather than letting it fade away, that was a gray scenario before the launch of Battlemage. Now it seems they want to compete in the professional and AI acceleration markets as well.
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[NextPowerUP]

In a couple of days, it'll be a new year, which will bring with it a wealth of new game releases, but before that, we have a couple of days left of this year and a few slow days or possibly weeks in the new year. This week's release includes knights with machineguns, bottle caps, also with guns, a futuristic cowboy, too many alien bugs and what appears to be a new take on the classic game RISK. See you in the new year.

Boomcestors / Monday 30 December / Early Access
Are you prepared to crush medieval armies, reduce their defensive structures to rubble, and dominate sprawling battlefields, all with cutting-edge modern warfare technology at your fingertips? Your squad is a lethal machine, armed with today's weapons. Customize your squad's size and composition, determine who will join your deadly ranks, and choose which weapons they'll wield. Steam link
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What we've all been waiting for, might just have appeared and what we're talking about is of course the pricing of NVIDIA's upcoming graphics cards. @wxnod has posted a single screenshot on X/Twitter of what could be the MSRP of the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 in China. The MSRP of the RTX 4080 was 9,499 RMB and the RTX 5080 appears to be not that much higher, at 9,999 RMB, but this still equates to about US$1,370, although do note that there's 13 percent sales tax/VAT in China.

Now as for the RTX 5090, things won't be as rosy. The RTX 4090 had an MSRP of 12,999 RMB in China and the RTX 5090 comes in at an insane 18,999 RMB or US$2,600. That's a price hike of a not insignificant 46 percent over the RTX 4090 and this might make it the most expensive consumer graphics card ever released. We'd suggest taking these prices with a helping of NaCl just to be on the safe side. The cards are expected to be available some time in January according to the screenshot.

Update 15:34 UTC: A second picture was posted in the same thread on X/Twitter that shows the expected launch months of the lower-tier RTX 5000-series cards as well and it appears to be taken from a video.

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[NextPowerUP]

A South Korean online retailer has listed Huawei's eKitStore Extreme 200E M.2 NVMe SSD for sale at 47,500 Won ($32) for the 1 TB model. This marks Huawei's entry into consumer storage products after previously only manufacturing server SSDs. The PCIe 4.0 drive's specifications show read speeds of 7,400 MB/s and write speeds of 6,700 MB/s. Beyond confirming the use of QLC memory without a DRAM cache, Huawei has not disclosed the drive's internal components. Due to trade restrictions, both the controller and memory chips likely come from Chinese manufacturers, though specific suppliers remain unknown. Chinese makers have been recorded to use Silicon Motion's SSD controllers, but domestic controllers are also an option here.

Manufacturing costs for similar drives typically exceed $32, raising questions about the pricing strategy. The drive's components could match those used in other brands' SSDs, as multiple storage companies often use identical parts in their products. For NAND Flash, Huawei likely sourced its chips from YMTC, whose Xtacking 4.0 proves to be quite a success. The drive has appeared only at one retailer so far, and Huawei has not announced plans for sales in other regions. This price is notably lower than comparable PCIe 4.0 drives. Common retail prices for 1 TB PCIe 4.0 SSDs are typically more than double this amount. Whether this represents a temporary price or a long-term strategy remains unclear. Perhaps Huawei is operating at a net loss to gain some customers, with possible plans for more SSDs in the future, along with the PCIe 5.0 version.

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[NextPowerUP]

Pimax, a manufacturer of leading VR hardware, released in an online keynote presentation the design and specs of an upcoming headset, the Pimax Dream Air. The small and light headset packs 27 million pixels, head, hand and eye-tracking, integrated spatial audio, a DisplayPort connection, and a self-adjusting backstrap.

The Dream Air is a PCVR headset, and borrows a lot of components from the previously announced Crystal Super, including the micro-OLED panels and pancake lenses—but packs this into a small form factor headset, to satisfy different use cases. It breaks with previous Pimax headsets, with a new design language, signalling the small form factor era for Pimax.
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[NextPowerUP]

As one of the global leaders in the display industry, KOORUI is set to unveil a range of cutting-edge products at CES 2025, showcasing advancements in both technology and user experience. These launches mark another milestone in delivering innovative display solutions to consumers. We warmly invite you to visit KOORUI at Booth #35609 in South Hall 2 of the Las Vegas Convention Center to explore these products firsthand.

The highlight of the new product lineup is the world's first consumer-grade monitor featuring an unprecedented 750 Hz refresh rate. To compensate for the color defects of the TN panels, the screen uses the latest QD film with a wide color gamut solution, enabling a color gamut of up to DCI-P3 95%.
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[NextPowerUP]

Samsung Electronics today unveiled its 2025 Smart Monitor, Odyssey Gaming Monitor and ViewFinity Monitor lineups, all of which will be on display at Samsung's First Look at CES on January 5. The 2025 models raise the bar for monitors by bringing AI features, industry-first sizes in the OLED market and new form factors that ignite the passions of users worldwide—whether they're working, gaming or creating.

"With the new monitors in our industry-leading lineups, we're giving people more ways to explore the content and connections that they love in new ways," said Hoon Chung, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. "Because of our new AI capabilities and size options, 2025 will see users across the world find the right monitor that fits them."
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[NextPowerUP]

Lexar, a leading global brand of flash memory solutions, is excited to announce their upcoming lineup to be shared at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. One spotlight of the show will be their Professional Workflow series which includes a 6-bay docking station, a portable 2-bay docking station, and a variety of portable SSD and reader modules that work seamlessly with the docks to extend storage capacity, transfer files faster, and provide flexibility for superior organization and backup reliability so that professional creatives can get back to being creative rather than worrying about their hardware.

"With both an in-studio 6-bay docking station, a two-bay portable dock for out in the field, and an assortment of SSD and reader modules, our customers can create the perfect post-production solution to streamline their workflow from start to finish," said Joey Lopez, Director of Marketing. In addition to the Professional Workflow series of products, Lexar will show the ARMOR SD GOLD Card. With a stainless-steel construction that is 37x stronger than typical SD cards, it is designed to withstand grueling usage out in the wild while offering up to 210 MB/s write speed and Video Speed Class 60 (V60) to seamlessly capture 6K footage.
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GravaStar, a leader in premium gaming accessories, proudly announces the launch of its Mercury X Pro and Mercury X ultralight gaming mice. Designed for competitive gamers and enthusiasts, these mice offer a fusion of ultra-lightweight build and cutting-edge performance, empowering gamers to achieve their best with every click.

Featherlight Design Meets High-Octane Performance
The Mercury X Pro and Mercury X are engineered with an ultra-lightweight design, weighing just 49 g, allowing gamers to move faster and more precisely without fatigue. Whether you're engaged in intense esports competitions or casual gaming, the Mercury X series ensures effortless control and maximum agility. Featuring the PAW 3950 sensor with 32,000 DPI precision, gamers can fine-tune their sensitivity to meet any gameplay situation, offering unparalleled accuracy for even the most demanding games.
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[NextPowerUP]

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) is excited to announce its participation in CES 2025, taking place at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, NV, USA, from January 7 to 10. At the event, ECS will showcase its full lineup of cutting-edge products, including motherboards, mini PCs, and notebooks, designed to meet the needs of home entertainment, office, school, and commercial applications.

Unleash Your Potential with the Ultimate LEET Gaming Motherboards
ECS new models of LEET gaming motherboards - Z890 series marks a significant advancement in motherboard technology, offering notable improvements in performance, stability, scalability, and user-focused design, all tailored to meet the evolving needs of consumers. ECS Z890 motherboards are compatible with the latest Intel Core Ultra processors for the Intel LGA 1851 socket and feature four DDR5 DIMM slots, supporting up to 256 GB of total memory with impressive overclocking capabilities, including speeds of up to 8800 MHz. These motherboards also offer advanced connectivity options, including two PCIe 5.0 graphics slots, four PCIe 4.0 slots, ultra-fast 5 Gb Ethernet LAN, and the latest wireless networking technologies.
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According to ITHome, Solidigm has officially ended production of its P44 Pro and P41 Plus solid-state drives, marking its complete withdrawal from the consumer SSD market. These were the only consumer SSDs released under the Solidigm brand since the company's formation. The company has also removed all consumer drive listings from its website, which now focuses entirely on data center and enterprise storage solutions. The decision follows earlier developments in October 2023, when Solidigm reportedly dissolved its consumer SSD division and laid off staff working on consumer drives, Tom's Hardware learned from an unnamed source familiar with the matter. This has been reportedly done to stop consumer SSD development and re-route resources to enterprise SSD, which drives more revenue.

The shutdown reportedly occurred abruptly, just before the planned launch of a new consumer SSD that had already been distributed to reviewers. Consumer SSD space has been recording a lot of uncertainty recently, as larger brands have been able to launch consumer SSDs while enjoying profits from the enterprise buildout, and AI expansion is requiring massive storage units. These larger brands can distill some of their products into consumer-focused sections without much impact on margins, as the enterprise is willing to pay top Dollar for SSDs. Sadly, Solidgm has not chosen that path and is instead going all-in on the enterprise segment. Sadly, fewer SSD makers in the consumer space means less competition, so we hope that this trend doesn't continue.

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[NextPowerUP]

Transcend Information Inc. (Transcend) a global leader in storage solutions, introduces the new ETD210T enterprise 2.5-inch SSD, designed to meet the read-intensive needs of business users. Featuring enterprise-grade TLC (eTLC) NAND flash and a SATA III 6 Gb/s interface, the ETD210T includes a built-in DRAM cache to deliver fast data transfer, exceptional Quality of Service (QoS), ultra-low latency, and superior endurance. Ideal for read-intensive and high-capacity storage workloads in cloud and data center applications, it provides a reliable and efficient storage solution for enterprise computing.

Designed for Enterprises, Optimized for Data Centers
The ETD210T supports various enterprise applications, including data centers, virtualized servers, and large-scale data processing. Equipped with high-endurance eTLC NAND flash, it delivers exceptional read and write performance. Its endurance rating of DWPD = 1 meets the requirements of most enterprise-class applications, while its read and write speeds of up to 530 MB/s and 510 MB/s, respectively, address the need for highly efficient storage.
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[NextPowerUP]

The world's leading memory module and flash memory brand, ADATA Technology, will be participating in CES 2025 with its gaming brand XPG and industrial-grade embedded storage brand ADATA Industrial. ADATA will be bringing its theme of "Innovate for a Better Tomorrow" to the Venetian in Las Vegas, located at booth Titian #2204 from January 7th to 10th. An online exhibition will be launched during this period for consumers around the world to experience a full range of innovative products in real time.

This year, ADATA will present three exhibition zones, each with an overarching theme. The "Artificial Intelligence Computing Solutions Zone" will showcase XPG AICORE DDR5 R-DIMM overclocked memory and XPG LANCER CUDIMM RGB DDR5 gaming memory. Additional products in this zone include the XPG DEFENDER SFF small form factor commercial chassis and XPG EDGECORE TFX power supply, which are designed to meet the needs of edge computing systems and demonstrate ADATA's comprehensive investment in the evolution of the AI era. The "Innovative Technology and Smart Mobile Lifestyle Zone" will see the launch of multiple Gen 5 SSD cooling solutions and highlight the world's first eco-friendly XPG LANCER NEON RGB DDR5 gaming memory with PCB heat dissipating coating, creating a new benchmark for cooling and efficient data transfer in the high-speed storage industry. The "Xtreme Performance Gear Zone" will showcase highly efficient gaming systems, top-notch power supplies, and cooling solutions, taking gaming applications to a new level. Each exhibit combines innovative technologies and high-performance products, and consumers around the world can join online for a one of a kind experience!
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