TechPowerUP NEWS

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Later this year, the iconic blue error screen that has tripped up Windows users for nearly 40 years will take on a new, darker appearance. Microsoft has confirmed its plan to replace the traditional Blue Screen of Death with a black background that omits the large frowning face and QR code. In its place, a single, clear stop code will sit at the bottom of the display, pinpointing the exact driver or component at fault. This leaner design first surfaced in Windows Insider builds and mirrors the progress screens seen during system updates. By stripping away extra visual elements, Microsoft aims to help both casual users and IT teams pinpoint and resolve issues more efficiently, with no crash-dump exports or deep-dive debugging tools required.

The revamped error screen will be available to all Windows 11 users in the late summer of 2025, accompanied by a new Quick Machine Recovery feature that aims to bring unbootable systems back online faster. David Weston, Microsoft's vice president of enterprise and OS security, says the redesign stems from lessons learned after last year's faulty CrowdStrike update sent countless machines into crash loops. Weston notes that the goal is to deliver straightforward, actionable details about what went wrong and whether the problem lies within Windows itself or an external component. Although Microsoft briefly experimented with a black error screen in earlier Insider releases, feedback drove a return to blue until now. With a sharper focus on clarity and faster recovery tools, Microsoft is set to retire the Blue Screen of Death and welcome the Black Screen of Death.

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In just a few years, AMD has gone from the underdog to Intel's most serious challenger in the server world. Thanks to its EPYC processors, AMD now captures about a third of every dollar spent on server CPUs, up from essentially zero in 2017. Over that same period, Intel's share has slipped from nearly 100% to roughly 63%, signaling a significant shift in what companies choose to power their data centers. The real inflection point came with AMD's Zen architecture: by mid-2020, EPYC had already claimed more than 10% of server-CPU revenues. Meanwhile, Intel's rollout of Sapphire Rapids Xeons encountered delays and manufacturing issues, leaving customers to look elsewhere. By late 2022, AMD was over the 20% mark, and Intel found itself under 75% for the first time in years.

Looking ahead, analysts at IDC and Mercury Research, with data compiled by Bank of America, expect AMD's slice of the revenue pie to grow to about 36% by 2025, while Intel drops to around 55%. Arm-based server chips are also starting to make real inroads, forecast to account for roughly 9% of CPU revenue next year as major cloud providers seek more energy- and cost-efficient options. By 2027, AMD could approach a 40% revenue share, Intel may fall below half the market, and Arm designs could capture 10-12%. Remember that these figures track revenue rather than unit sales: AMD's gains come primarily from high-end, high-core-count processors, whereas Intel still shifts plenty of lower-priced models. With AMD poised to launch its Genoa and Bergamo EPYCs and Intel banking on the upcoming E-core Xeon 6 series to regain its footing, the fight for server-CPU supremacy is far from over. Still, Intel's once-unbeatable lead is clearly under threat.

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Following a successful first collaboration in August 2024, innovative peripheral brand MCHOSE and global tech review powerhouse Unbox Therapy (UT) are proud to announce the launch of their first co-branded keyboard, the UT98 Mechanical Keyboard, debuting on Kickstarter on July 17, 2025. The partnership began when Lewis received a sample of the MCHOSE GX87 keyboard last August. Impressed by its soft, bouncy typing experience, he featured it in a review video. The response was overwhelming—over 5 million views across platforms and widespread user praise.

Among the praise, some viewers also highlighted a key improvement area: the audible keystroke sound of the GX87 could be distracting in quieter environments like offices, libraries, or shared workspaces. In response, MCHOSE and UT set out to create a new keyboard that would retain the GX87's tactile excellence—but make it quieter.
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Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend), a global leader in embedded and consumer storage solutions, proudly announces the release of its flagship PCIe Gen 5 SSD—MTE260S. Built on the ultra-high-speed PCIe Gen 5 x4 interface and compliant with the latest NVMe 2.0 specification, the MTE260S delivers blazing-fast sequential read and write speeds of up to 14,000 MB/s and 11,000 MB/s, respectively. With up to 1,400K IOPS, it is engineered to meet the demanding needs of high-end gaming desktops, content creators' laptops, and AI computing platforms—offering next-level responsiveness and extreme transfer performance.

Extreme Speed. Redefined Performance.
Equipped with next-gen PCIe 5.0 NVMe technology and a per-lane bandwidth of 32 GT/s, the MTE260S significantly accelerates boot times, game loading, and large file transfers. It's backward compatible for broader system integration, providing a flexible and cost-effective upgrade path for a range of platforms—from gaming rigs to creative workstations and AI computing systems—delivering high-speed stability at every level.
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DapuStor proudly announces the launch of its ultra-high capacity J5060 QLC SSD, delivering an unprecedented 122.88 TB of capacity—twice that of its predecessor, the 61 TB J5060. This milestone redefines what's possible in high-density flash storage.

Massive Capacity, Minimal Footprint
For personal users, the J5060 122 TB SSD can store up to 10,000 90-minute 4K movies, all in a device that fits in the palm of your hand—a perfect combination of capacity and portability. For enterprise deployments, the benefits are even greater. Replacing 24 TB HDDs with the J5060 can reduce system footprint and complexity by up to 5x, significantly lowering equipment count and saving valuable data center space.
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QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading computing, networking and storage solution innovator, today launched the Qsync 6.0 Beta, a major upgrade of its one-stop file backup and synchronization solution. While Qsync has long provided file synchronization across NAS and multiple devices, Qsync 6.0 now adds robust file and folder backup features - uniting backup and sync as primary functions across a suite of applications. This unified platform enables both individuals and organizations to better protect data and streamline collaboration with greater ease and efficiency.

"Qsync is an essential tool for QNAP NAS users, providing reliable file sync and management. With the introduction of file and folder backup in Qsync 6.0, we're delivering a more complete data management solution." said Jimmy Tan, Product Manager at QNAP. "Whether facing laptop data loss, version conflicts during collaboration, or file access issues in hybrid work environments, Qsync helps users securely back up key data and access the latest versions quickly and intuitively."
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The brand new AlphaTube TPV hose impresses with its subtle velvet look and its exceptional durability. TPV is an EPDM rubber that is primarily used in industry. For water cooling, this means that it is much more stable than PVC hoses (such as against acids, bases and external influences) and can also withstand higher temperatures. There are no worries about the hoses warping and the water flow being obstructed. It is only minimally harder. Laying it is just as easy and uncomplicated as with PVC hoses. The Alphacool HF TPV fittings, which are also new, have been specially adapted for the hose and are therefore ideally suited due to their high tensile strength, but of course it is also compatible with normal connections.
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[NextPowerUP]

Initial benchmarks shared on China's Weibo platform by INNO3D hinted that NVIDIA's upcoming GeForce RTX 5050 may not quite catch up to the GeForce RTX 4060 in raw performance. The leaked figures, which focused on a handful of 3DMark tests and a selection of game runs, showed the RTX 5050 lagging just a few percent behind its established last-gen mid-range sibling. While those early results did not cover a comprehensive range of titles, they suggested that the new card would fall slightly short of the RTX 4060's average frame rate and 1% low metrics when gaming at 1080p settings.

A more complete picture emerged from South Korea's Quasar Zone review of the Colorful iGame GeForce RTX 5050 Ultra OC White edition. In tests across fifteen popular 1080p games, the RTX 5050 delivered roughly 7% lower average frame rates and similar 1% low results compared to the RTX 4060. Even Intel's Arc B580 managed to edge it out by a small margin in those same trials. However, NVIDIA's Multi‑Frame Generation options dramatically change the story by reconstructing additional frames on the fly. When these technologies are enabled, the RTX 5050 not only leaves older-generation cards well behind but also overtakes the higher‑priced RTX 4060 Ti in several benchmarks. As we await more reviews to emerge, it will be interesting to see if the newest DLSS and MFG are sufficient for gamers to purchase the entry-level Blackwell GPU or opt for an older mid-range Ada Lovelace.

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Giga Computing, an industry innovator and leader in enterprise hardware and advanced cooling solutions, today announced four new GIGABYTE servers built on the NVIDIA HGX B200 platform. This expansion of the GIGABYTE GPU server portfolio brings greater thermal design flexibility and support for the latest processors, including the new AI-optimized Intel Xeon 6 CPUs, giving customers more options as they tailor their systems for workloads and efficiency.

NVIDIA HGX B200 propels the data center into a new era of accelerating computing and generative AI. Built on NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs, the HGX B200 platform features 15X faster real-time inference on trillion-parameter models.
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The floating esports suite will allow the ship's company of HMS Prince of Wales to compete against each other in an immersive gaming environment as part of a partnership between the Royal Navy and the British Esports Federation. While the classic Royal Navy game 'Uckers' is still going strong, the suite will allow further opportunities for ship's company to enhance digital skills and an additional space to decompress in their down time.

It's the result of a partnership between the Royal Navy and the British Esports Federation, the national body for esports in the United Kingdom. The facility includes 12 high-end Alienware Aurora R15 gaming desktop PCs, powered by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 and Intel Core i7 processors. It will join other sports facilities onboard, including gyms, a boxing ring, plus areas for table tennis and running.
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[NextPowerUP]

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer is reportedly planning to retire after the launch of the next-generation Xbox console, according to reports from gaming industry sources. The information reported by Insider Gaming originates from @TheGhostOfHope, a leaker with a track record for Call of Duty information. Spencer is allegedly working closely with Xbox President Sarah Bond and her team to facilitate a smooth leadership transition. Bond is expected to assume the role of Microsoft Gaming CEO following Spencer's retirement. However, no replacement for Bond's current position as Xbox President has been identified at this time.

Windows Central's Jez Corden has indicated that Spencer's retirement would occur "some time" after the next-generation Xbox launches, though no formal plan is currently in place. Industry reports suggest the next-generation Xbox hardware could arrive as early as 2026 or 2027. This report arrived during a tough time for Xbox, as Microsoft cut jobs across its gaming division affecting many Xbox studios. The company canceled several big-name projects, including Everwild, Perfect Dark, and ZeniMax Online's unannounced MMORPG. Microsoft also shut down The Initiative. Phil Spencer has been in charge of Microsoft's gaming division for more than ten years. He has overseen key efforts such as the launch of Game Pass, the purchase of Activision Blizzard, and various strategic moves that have shaped Xbox's current market standing.

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Dangbei, an innovator in smart entertainment, today announced the DBOX02 Pro, a cutting-edge 4K laser projector that blends cinematic performance with intelligent adaptability. Combining LaserVibe Technology, Built-in Stand and InstanPro AI Image Setup, the DBOX02 Pro transforms any space into a stunning home theater.

Unmatched Viewing Experience
The DBOX02 Pro delivers projection excellence with:

• 2000 ISO Lumens Brightness 4K Laser - Watch vivid 4K content even in daylight, eliminating the need for darkened spaces.
• 4K Laser Precision - Enjoy sharper details, richer colors (108% Rec.709 gamut), and deeper contrasts for true-to-life visuals.
• Built-in Stand and InstanPro AI Image Setup - The built-in stand offers 360° horizontal rotation and 120° vertical tilt, allowing effortless adjustment for the perfect projection angle every time. Meanwhile, InstanPro AI Image Setup Technology automates image optimization with Auto Focus, Auto Keystone Correction, Screen Fit, Obstacle Avoidance, Eye Protection, Real-time Keystone Correction and AI Brightness Adjustment, ensuring a flawless display with minimal adjustment.

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Sony has announced that the PlayStation 5 Pro will receive the full version of AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 upscaling technology in 2026. This upgrade delivers the exact same engine that PC users have accessed since its March release, replacing the current PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) system without any reduction in functionality. Coming from Project Amethyst, the update is a collaborative effort between Sony and AMD, launched alongside the PS5 Pro's late 2024 debut. In a recent interview, PlayStation lead system architect Mark Cerny confirmed that the jointly developed algorithm will be implemented on the console exactly as it appears on PC. They are providing the full feature set of FSR 4 to PS5 Pro owners, without any trimmings.

AMD introduced Sony to its comprehensive quality‑assurance practices and helped establish a dedicated QA team focused solely on upscaling performance. Participants from both companies credit this reciprocal exchange with accelerating development, achieving significant milestones in under nine months. Sony plans to distribute the FSR 4 upgrade as a free system update to all PS5 Pro users. Meanwhile, AMD will integrate lessons learned from Project Amethyst into its next RDNA 5/UDNA graphics architecture. Because neither company placed usage restrictions on the shared research, third‑party developers and hardware partners can also adopt these advancements. For PS5 Pro owners, the upgrade will provide a noticeable improvement in image clarity without compromising performance. For next-generation RDNA 5/UDNA GPUs, upscaling optimizations will be even more fine-tuned, as developers have already done the same work for the console.

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Since its launch in June 2025, the Nintendo Switch 2 has been a praised and highly sought after handheld for its faster SoC, but a growing number of owners are reporting overheating issues. Early adopters in Japan have taken to social media to describe how even moderately demanding titles such as Splatoon and Pokémon cause their consoles to heat up rapidly. Players say the internal fan spins at maximum speed as the temperature climbs, only for the system to freeze or power down without warning. Most reports come from docked play, where the Switch 2's processor operates at its highest clock speeds. One user recounted experiencing five crashes in a single session of an AAA game, such as Cyberpunk 2077, while the fan maintained a constant roar. However, handheld mode is not immune to this issue.

Several owners emphasize that the device becomes too hot to hold comfortably, and at least one player received an on‑screen message warning of overheating before the console entered sleep mode during a game of Tears of the Kingdom Switch 2 Edition. Similar accounts on Facebook and Reddit suggest this problem is not limited to a specific region. Nintendo's advice to affected users is very scope-limited. The company recommends disconnecting the dock, allowing the console to cool, relocating the dock to a well-ventilated area, ensuring air vents remain clear of dust and debris, and closely monitoring performance. If these basic steps do not resolve the problem, Nintendo advises sending the unit in for professional repair. Despite this issue, demand for the Switch 2 remains high. Nintendo continues to struggle with supply shortages, leading to public apologies from executives.

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Under its new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, Intel is stepping back from building its glass substrate technology in favor of sourcing ready-made solutions from specialized vendors. Driven by Tan's strategy to concentrate resources on Intel's primary lines, CPU/GPU development, and foundry, Intel's operations are becoming leaner. By outsourcing glass substrates, Intel can significantly reduce development timelines and mitigate the financial risk associated with pioneering novel substrate manufacturing. Crucially, this model grants Intel the freedom to evaluate multiple suppliers, pivot quickly if performance or cost benchmarks change, and integrate advanced packaging more rapidly than if it continued to develop substrates internally. Just as the company is focusing on 14A and 18A-P(T), abandoning in-house glass substrate development is a step in the right direction to reduce costs and achieve profitability.

Meanwhile, the glass‑substrate sector is gathering momentum, particularly among South Korean firms. SK Hynix, in partnership with Applied Materials, has been trialing its Absolics pilot line for some time, while Samsung has recently scaled up its efforts in this niche. JNTC celebrated the opening of its first glass‑substrate plant in May, announcing sixteen prospective clients and projecting revenues to climb from $14.7 million this year to $147 million in 2026, and ultimately hitting $735 million by 2028. A complementary facility under construction in Vietnam will triple the original plant's output, targeting a combined annual production of roughly 500,000 substrates. Intel hasn't yet named which suppliers it will partner with. Still, the company plans to tap into this growing network, potentially joining JNTC's customer roster, to support its advanced packaging roadmap and accelerate product rollouts.

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