TechPowerUP NEWS

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Kyoto-based creative studio Q-Games has announced that a free demo of its upcoming PixelJunk title, Dreams of Another, is now available on Steam for a limited two-week period, until September 16th. The full version of the game will be released on PS5, PS VR2 and Steam on October 10th, 2025. The demo announcement was made during the Best Indie Games Fall Showcase 2025 (Premiered on Tuesday, September 2nd at 8:00AM PDT/5:00PM CEST), a digital showcase that highlights the biggest upcoming indie games.

The newly released Steam demo allows players to explore a snippet of the game and experience the fantastical dream world brought to life using unique point cloud rendering technology. In addition, pre-orders are now open on the PlayStation Store for both Dreams of Another and the Dreams of Another + PixelJunk Eden 2 Special Bundle. Both games are directed by Baiyon.
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TCL China Star Optoelectronics Technology (TCL CSOT), a global leader in display technologies, is set to unveil its groundbreaking display technologies at IFA 2025. Under its premium APEX display technology brand, the company will showcase its pioneering Inkjet Printing OLED (IJP OLED) technology and a curated product portfolio, demonstrating its commitment to creating sustainable, user-centric visual experiences that blend cutting-edge performance with environmental responsibility.

"Our presence at IFA 2025 is a testament to our vision for transforming visual technology," said Jun Zhao, Chief Executive Officer of TCL CSOT. "We're not just creating advanced displays - we're developing solutions that enhance how people work, create, and connect while maintaining our dedication to sustainability and user well-being."
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Microsoft's August 2025 security update (KB5063878) was intended to address a serious privilege escalation flaw, but it has inadvertently created new headaches for standard Windows users. Instead of quietly tightening User Account Control (UAC) as intended, the patch now forces non-admin accounts to deal with unexpected prompts whenever certain actions are performed. According to Microsoft, the problem can occur in several everyday scenarios, including MSI repair operations, first-time launches of certain Autodesk software, per-user app installations, Active Setup, and even software deployed through Configuration Manager that relies on user-specific settings. In some cases, commands like "msiexec /fu" fail outright for non-administrators, and older programs, such as Office Professional Plus 2010, can break during setup with error 1730.

Until a permanent fix is available, Microsoft is offering several temporary workarounds. Regular users can try running apps with "Run as administrator" when possible. At the same time, IT teams in larger organizations are encouraged to implement a Known Issue Rollback (KIR) policy provided by Microsoft Support to suppress the buggy prompts. The company cautions against disabling UAC altogether, since that would undo the security protections the patch was meant to enforce. Instead, administrators should review per-user software deployments and coordinate with vendors to avoid compatibility issues. Microsoft has promised a future update that will allow IT admins to whitelist specific applications for repair operations without triggering UAC; however, for now, users will need to work around the stricter checks.

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TSMC will implement significant price adjustments beginning in 2026, targeting advanced nodes below 5 nm with increases ranging from 5% to 10%, TrendForce reports. The world's largest contract chipmaker currently sells 3 nm wafers for approximately $20,000 each, but expects 2 nm wafers to exceed $30,000 when mass production begins in late 2025. These changes affect major customers including Apple and NVIDIA. TSMC's investments of over $65 billion in Arizona facilities represent a key factor in this pricing strategy since the U.S. plant started 4 nm production in early 2025. AMD's Lisa Su confirmed these overseas facilities cost 5-20% more to operate than Taiwan-based manufacturing due to various operational factors. The price increases show TSMC's efforts to maintain gross margins above 53% while Arizona operations are expected to reduce company-wide margins by 2-3% initially, potentially reaching 3-4% over time.

Meanwhile SanDisk announced a 10% price increase for all channel partners and consumer products, effective for new orders placed after September 5th. SanDisk says this decision is based on the increasing demand from AI applications, data centers, and mobile devices. The company plans regular price reviews with potential future modifications, while TSMC may reduce prices for mature manufacturing processes where cost pressures remain manageable.

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Europe's high-performance computing sector received a significant boost today as the Jupiter supercomputer was officially powered on at the Jülich Supercomputing Center. The modular exascale system delivers a peak of nearly one ExaFLOP (930 PetaFLOPS) of FP64 performance and debuts as the fastest machine in Europe, positioned at number four on the Top500 list. Built around NVIDIA Grace Hopper technology, the booster contributes approximately 793 PetaFLOPs of FP64, while each compute node features four GH200 accelerators, resulting in a fleet of 23,752 accelerators across 5,938 nodes, all mounted in 125 server racks. Those GH200-class accelerators are noted for their strong energy efficiency, with published figures of nearly 60.5 GigaFLOPS per watt, and an accelerator farm drawing on the order of double-digit megawatts of power. Jupiter is primarily designed for AI workloads. Hence, it delivers over 90 ExaFLOPS in AI's favorite FP8 format.

Reported build costs are estimated to be near €500 million, and European planners anticipate a multibillion-euro expansion will be required to close capacity gaps, with figures of around €60 billion cited for deployments through 2030. Planners envision roughly 13 specialized AI data centers and gigafactory-scale facilities, with Jülich a candidate for expansion. Backers say this is about digital sovereignty, keeping critical infrastructure close to European research and industry rather than depending on foreign cloud providers. Operationally, Jupiter will support climate modelling, materials simulation and biological research, complemented by an inference module, Jarvis, for fast model serving. For Europe, Jupiter is meant to be both a capability and a signal: an energy-conscious exascale platform designed to anchor AI work and catalyze further regional investment.

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ASUS has officially validated DDR5-7200 JEDEC memory support across its Intel 800-series motherboard lineup when paired with Core Ultra 200S processors, raising the guaranteed baseline specification beyond Intel's standard DDR5-6400 configuration. The validation covers the complete range including Z890, B860, and H810 chipsets. Intel's Arrow Lake-S CPUs ship with JEDEC DDR5-6400 support out of the box. ASUS says it has extended this through enhanced PCB routing, signal integrity optimization, and improved power delivery design. Crucially, this higher speed operates at JEDEC standard specifications without requiring XMP or EXPO profile activation, ensuring official warranty coverage and stock-level stability.

ASUS demonstrated the capability using a Core Ultra 7 265K paired with the mainstream/entry-level PRIME Z890-P motherboard from the Z890 lineup and a Kingston 32 GB (2×16 GB) DDR5-7200 kit. The configuration was running at 1.10 V with CL58-58-58-115 timings using a 1:2 memory controller ratio. Despite the relatively loose latencies, the setup maintained full stability under RunMemtestPro stress testing. The performance jump from DDR5-6400 to DDR5-7200 delivers approximately 800 MT/s additional bandwidth and while not revolutionary for all workloads, memory-sensitive applications should see improvements.

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At IFA 2025, held from September 5 to 9, UGREEN, a global leader in consumer electronics, is unveiling its next-generation MagFlow product lineup, built to make daily charging simpler, faster, and more reliable. At its booth (Hall 3.2, Stand 145), UGREEN is also showcasing its upcoming AI NAS products, including technical insights and live demonstrations.

UGREEN, recognized globally as a leader in consumer technology, now delivers over 70 product categories across work, home, and mobile scenarios. The brand's consistent focus on intelligent design and quality craftsmanship has established a reputation for integrating technology seamlessly into modern living. The new MagFlow series reflects this vision, combining advanced engineering with a commitment to delivering accessible and efficient solutions across a wide range of use cases.
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Alogic, a leading technology company, unveils its most comprehensive monitor portfolio yet, at IFA 2025, ushering a new era of professional and enterprise-grade displays. The launch introduces the flagship Aspekt UHD 4K Docking Monitors, available in both touch and non-touch variants, while expanding its popular Edge and Clarity monitor lineups with new Edge 5K Ultrawide and Clarity 32-inch 6K Touch variant. Alogic also debuts its new Crux and Hush peripherals - mice and keyboards designed to complement its cutting-edge displays. This new portfolio blends stunning resolution with built-in docking, touch innovation, and workplace-ready design.

Aspekt UHD 4K Docking Monitor with 145 W USB charging + Aspekt Omni Fold or Aspekt Fold Stands
The Aspekt UHD 4K Docking Monitor with 145 W USB charging will be available in touch and non-touch variants with anti-glare and gloss surface finish. It is a 32-inch powerhouse that seamlessly blends brilliant 4K resolution with ALOGIC's industry-leading integrated docking technology. Each unit delivers 145 W USB device charging, supports multi-monitor daisy-chaining, and includes Gigabit Ethernet connectivity.
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Lenovo, a global leader in technology innovation, announces a series of smarter, cutting-edge products and services at Lenovo Innovation World 2025, each designed to enable and accelerate AI solutions for business and enhance productivity. The new technologies were showcased at a special event hosted in Berlin. Highlights include the newly designed ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 mobile workstation featuring the latest Intel Core Ultra 200HX series processors with up to 24 cores and an integrated NPU for fast and efficient AI processing, and the ThinkVision P40WD-40 curved ultrawide display engineered for a superior professional visual experience. Lenovo also highlighted, as part of their latest docking solutions, the new ThinkPad Thunderbolt 5 Smart Dock 7500, featuring increased speed and power to elevate workspaces, as well as other additions to the ThinkPad Smart Dock portfolio. Together, these products form a cohesive power-user ecosystem to supercharge workflows.

Other new product highlights include the ThinkPad P1 Gen 8, ThinkPad P16v Gen 3, and the ThinkPad P16s i Gen 4, and ThinkPad P14s i Gen 6 mobile workstations, and a striking new look for the ThinkPad X9 Aura Edition, available soon in a stylish Glacier White color. Lenovo also announced bold new concepts to enhance PC users' productivity. These include the Lenovo ThinkBook VertiFlex Concept, one of the industry's first 14-inch rotatable PC display concepts, and the Lenovo Smart Motion Concept, one of the industry's first smart multi-directional laptop stand concepts, and more.
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Today at Lenovo Innovation World 2025 Lenovo announced the newest entries to its lineup of gaming devices, consumer tablets and software, including a host of new AMD-powered Legion and LOQ devices, monitors and software—including the new Lenovo Legion Go (8.8", 2), as well as the new Legion Pro 7 equipped with AMD's Ryzen 9000 HX series processors. Rounding out the new gaming lineup are a trio of Legion Pro OLED gaming monitors for gamers who demand clarity, speed, and color accuracy, as well as a free software update to the Legion Glasses Gen 2 first announced at CES 2025 with 3D conversion support for over 20 AAA games and counting. The new Yoga Tab and Idea Tab Plus are designed to be the ultimate companions for on-the-go digital natives who need creative and productivity devices that are both portable and powerful.

These newly announced products represent Lenovo's commitment to customer-focused innovation, taking user feedback to design and deliver products that address people's needs while driving the industry innovation forward.
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Acclaim, the legendary gaming icon, today held its inaugural Play Acclaim Showcase, revealing a dynamic first wave of games that mark the company's bold return to the industry. The full presentation is now available to watch on Acclaim's YouTube channel, and fans can explore more at www.PlayAcclaim.com. The Play Acclaim showcase featured nine unique titles, blending innovative gameplay with nostalgic flair: Talaka, GRIDBeat!, Pixel Washer, TossDown, Hyper Yuki, Ground Zero Hero, Basketball Classic, The Prisoning: Fletcher's Quest and special surprise announcement of Katanaut, which is available now!

"We're ecstatic to relaunch Acclaim with a lineup that captures our legacy of bold creativity and delivers fresh, unforgettable experiences," said Alex Josef, CEO of Acclaim. "These games are just the beginning of our mission to redefine fun for players everywhere."
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Edifier, a global leader in premium audio technology, proudly announces the launch of the T5s Powered Subwoofer, a compact yet powerful addition designed to deliver deep, immersive bass and seamless integration for any audio setup. Equipped with an 8" front-firing long-throw woofer and closed-loop Class-D amplifier with 70 W RMS output, the T5s delivers low frequencies down to 35 Hz with clarity and control. With versatile connectivity and a sleek MDF cabinet in black, brown, the T5s offers high-performance sound in a space-saving design.

Deep and Powerful Bass
The Edifier T5s is engineered to bring your audio to life with deep, room-filling bass. Featuring an 8-inch long-throw woofer, it reaches down to 35 Hz for rich, immersive low-end response. Its high-efficiency switching power supply and closed-loop Class-D amplifier deliver a solid 70 W RMS output, ensuring powerful, consistent performance with every beat.
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Greenliant is now sampling its new NVMe M.2 2280 PrimeDrive SX Series solid state drives (SSDs), providing a practical solution for embedded and edge systems that require reliable, space-saving storage with an optimal balance of affordability, speed and power usage. Operating between 0 and +70 degrees Celsius, NVMe M.2 2280 PrimeDrive SX Series SSDs are initially available in the widely used 256 GB capacity, with additional capacities expected to be introduced in the near future.

Benefits of NVMe M.2 2280 PrimeDrive SSDs include:

• Energy Efficient: Implement autonomous power state transition (APST) for power savings, and active state power management (ASPM) to reduce power consumption
• Built-in ECC: Use advanced bit error detection and correction optimized for 3D NAND
• Advanced Flash Management: Extend SSD longevity using dynamic and static wear leveling
• Data Security: Support Secure Erase and end-to-end data path protection

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TSMC is repurposing its old, wound-down, 8-inch Fab 3 in Hsinchu Science Park to produce extreme ultraviolet pellicles, bringing this production in-house. An EUV pellicle is a thin, highly transparent membrane stretched above a photomask to prevent particles from contacting the mask during EUV exposure. It is designed to withstand intense EUV radiation and thermal stress while minimizing optical absorption and wavefront distortion. Producing pellicles is a way to shorten replacement cycles and exert more control over a component that, in EUV environments, must protect photomasks from particles while coping with extreme exposure conditions. Unlike older DUV processes, EUV systems operate with 400 W light sources and localized heating that can approach 1,000°C at the mask, increasing contamination risks and making pellicle performance more influential to wafer yields.

The economics around pellicles have encouraged divergent approaches. DUV pellicles are relatively inexpensive, at about $600, which has enabled their widespread use in earlier nodes. However, EUV variants have recorded prices near $30,000, which is a step increase that has deterred some chipmakers from blanket deployment and may have contributed to documented yield gaps. By internalizing production, TSMC wants to achieve lower per-unit costs and more predictable supply, making pellicle integration viable at scale. That financial case goes hand in hand with materials research: carbon nanotube membranes are the most promising candidate to meet the twin demands of durability and optical transparency. Membranes must resist accelerated degradation from stronger light sources while minimizing absorption that would reduce exposure efficiency. TSMC plans to validate solutions as it ramps N2 and A16 process technologies, where improved pellicle performance could significantly boost yields and preserve its edge on advanced nodes.

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COUGAR, a global leader in PC cases, gaming furniture, peripherals, tech lifestyle, and esports solutions, proudly unveils its Cooling Evolved lineup: the CFV235 Series, the Poseidon Vistek Pro ARGB liquid cooling, and the Unity Single-Frame PWM ARGB cooling fans. This launch advances COUGAR's vision of high-performance PC cooling, where airflow, efficiency, and monitoring converge to empower gamers and creators alike.

The CFV235 Series exemplifies next-level airflow, consisting of 4 models: CFV235, CFV235 Mesh, CFV235 Vision and CFV235 Mesh Vision. At its heart is the Central Floating Ventilation (CFV) structure—an open, suspended space between the PSU and main chamber that turns empty volume into active ventilation. This re-engineered layout boosts cooling performance by giving heat more paths to escape and fresh air more room to move; the Aurora RGB strip highlights the floating ventilation zone from within, illuminating functional design as the rainbow in between. With native support for reverse connector motherboards, GPUs up to 438 mm, and a universal fan hub for no-software RGB sync, the series is future-forward and built for elite airflow.
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