(PR) Epomaker Launches the RT85 Keyboard with Retro Aesthetics and Mod
Building on the acclaim of the RT100 and its engaging secondary display, Epomaker is proud to announce the Epomaker RT85, the latest addition to the RT series. In terms of keyboard aesthetics, most of Epomaker's products follow a minimalist and stylish design. The RT series has always focused on innovation, and the Epomaker RT85 embodies a fusion of traditional elements with cutting-edge features.
Retro-Inspired Design
Encased in a deliberately retro chassis, the RT85 features a TFT screen, a four-way joystick, and a five-layer sound-dampening gasket system, delivering an immersive upgrade across sight, sound, and touch. Inspired by twentieth-century consumer electronics, the keyboard is offered in two distinctive colorways: calming green with white, and vintage white accented by gray and vibrant orange.
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(PR) Antec Launches the P30 Air and P30 ARGB Mid-Tower PC Cases
Antec Inc., a global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories, proudly announces the launch of the P30 Air and P30 ARGB Cases. Stock is due to land in Europe mid-end of November. "With the P30 Air and P30 ARGB, we wanted to deliver two complementary options: one focused on pure airflow, the other combining that performance with striking RGB lighting" said Frank Lee, CEO, Antec.
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Support for AMD "Zen 6" Confirmed on AM5 Motherboards With 32 MB and 6
AMD is gearing up to introduce the "Zen 6" family of processors, with initial "Olympic Ridge" designs set to launch on the familiar AM5 socket. The company is staying true to its commitment to maintain socket compatibility across multiple generations, and Zen 6 is expected to follow suit. However, modern motherboards are increasingly equipped with larger BIOS ROM chips, moving from the standard 32 MB to 64 MB. Since the AM5 platform is intended to support several CPU generations, all the necessary microcode for various processors needs to be accommodated. This can lead to space constraints, and we've already seen some manufacturers drop support for older CPUs in newer BIOS versions to make room.
While companies have not been very clear about the reasons for this change, they often use marketing phrases like "Future CPU Ready" or "Ultimate Compatibility." Notably, ASUS mentioned "Zen 6" support in their materials for the X870 AYW GAMING WIFI W, which is intriguing since AMD has not officially confirmed Zen 6 compatibility with AM5. Over the weekend, a well-known hardware leaker, HXL, confirmed that both 600 and 800-series boards will support Zen 6, regardless of whether they have 32 MB or 64 MB BIOS chips. This is reassuring news. However, a lingering question remains: will manufacturers start dropping Zen 4 support on those 32 MB boards to make room, similar to what happened with first-generation Zen when Zen 3 launched on 16 MB boards? This is likely a significant concern for those purchasing motherboards now, and planning an upgrade later on when Zen 6 CPUs arrive.
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Intel 18A Gets Head Start on TSMC N2 with Fab 52 Ramp
Intel announced this week that its Panther Lake processors have entered volume production at Fab 52 using the company's 18A node, which is touted as the first 2 nm-class process to achieve high-volume manufacturing. This milestone gives Intel a slight timing advantage over rival foundries like TSMC, with its N2 node, and Samsung with its SF2 node. However, being first does not guarantee a lasting lead. Customers, partners, and investors will focus on Intel's ability to maintain parametric yields, control manufacturing costs per unit, and expand 18A beyond limited compute tiles. While Intel has shared improvements in defect density and early functional test results, comprehensive parametric yield metrics that demonstrate consistent achievement of power, performance, and frequency targets remain undisclosed. Initial shipments and early ramp figures will determine whether this production start is symbolic or substantive for Intel's manufacturing revival.
At the transistor level, 18A node introduces two major innovations: RibbonFET gate-all-around transistors and PowerVia backside power delivery. RibbonFET replaces vertical FinFET fins with thin horizontal silicon ribbons wrapped by gate material, enhancing electrostatic control, reducing leakage, and allowing shorter gate lengths. Intel reports approximately 5-10% shorter gate lengths when transitioning from FinFET to RibbonFET on 18A and claims over 20% reduction in per-transistor power. PowerVia relocates the power network to the wafer's backside, freeing up front-side metal for signal routing, shortening power paths, and reducing voltage drop at high switching rates. Together, these changes lower switching energy and provide designers with more flexibility to increase frequencies or reduce power consumption in notebooks and other mobile designs.
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Intel Phases Out "Ponte Vecchio" and "Arctic Sound" Data Center GPUs
Intel has apparently started a slow deprecation phase of its "Ponte Vecchio" Data Center GPU Max and "Arctic Sound" Data Center GPU Flex series. According to the changelog in the Intel XPU Manager—a free and open-source tool for monitoring and managing Intel data center GPUs—version 1.3.3 deprecates Data Center GPU Flex Series and Data Center GPU Max Series. Owners of these GPUs are now advised to stick with the older version 1.2.42 for maximum feature support, and not update to the latest release. There are several reasons why this is happening, and a part of the suspicion is that Intel is preparing for "Jaguar Shores" AI accelerator transition, even as its has been only two years since its Data Center GPU Flex/Max series have launched.
Built on the Xe-HPC microarchitecture using Intel's 10 process, Ponte Vecchio is a massive chip, measuring about 1,280 mm² and containing roughly 100 billion transistors. It features 16,384 shading units, 1,024 tensor cores, and has a peak TDP of up to 600 W per card. The Max 1100, 1350, and 1550 SKUs, which offer 48 to 128 GB of memory, once made the design appealing for specialized HPC and AI applications. However, its large scale results in high costs, significant power consumption, and integration challenges. Intel's "Arctic Sound," also based on the Generation 12.5 GPU microarchitecture and manufactured on the Intel 10 node, is a much smaller chip, measuring around 190 mm² with about 8 billion transistors, 8,192 shading units, and 128 ROPs, and has a TDP close to 500 W. The Arctic Sound 1T, 2T, and M SKUs are compact 16 GB designs aimed at midrange data center tasks, with the GPU first appearing in 2021.
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This Week in Gaming (Week 42)
As we enter the middle of October, things slow down a little bit and this week's major release is a quacky take on the world of looter-shooters. This is followed by some cleaning of old dusty things, a retro dark fantasy FPS, balls in a pit that has nothing to do with sports, a group of people not returning a ring to a mountain and finally an adventure as a sentient lighthouse (yes, you read that correctly).
Escape From Duckov / This week's major release / Thursday 16 October
You wake from a strange dream to find yourself in the world of Duckov.Beyond the safety of your base, enemies lurk in every corner. In this seemingly peaceful yet perilous world, you must tread carefully, exploring and scavenging for supplies. Start your journey as an Average Duck—ordinary stats, one basic gun. Gather all sorts of curious items, build your hideout, upgrade your gear, and struggle to survive in the world of Duckov—until you make it out alive. Steam link
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Intel Quietly Raises Older Core i3/i5/i7/i9 Processor Prices Up to 15%
Intel has been quietly increasing prices on its older desktop CPUs over the past few weeks, particularly affecting budget and mid-range chips that are popular among consumers. According to South Korean pricing tracker Danawa, the Core i3-14100F has risen by 15%, from 121,000 won to 140,000 won between late September and mid-October. Similarly, the Core i5-14600KF has climbed 13% to 298,000 won. In Japan, the Core i5-14400 has seen a significant 20% increase in some stores. Meanwhile, the more expensive Core i7 and i9 chips have experienced only modest price adjustments of around 5%. This indicates that Intel is not raising prices uniformly but is instead targeting the high-volume sellers that constitute the majority of their desktop sales.
The timing of these price hikes coincides with the release of Intel's current desktop "Arrow Lake" processors. The Core Ultra 200S chips were intended to showcase Intel's latest advancements, but mixed performance reviews and aggressive pricing have led many builders to continue purchasing older generations. Despite the introduction of new models, DIY builders are still opting for older generation chips, enabling Intel to achieve better margins on products manufactured using its mature Intel 7 and Intel 10 process nodes. Unlike Arrow Lake, which relies on TSMC's external foundries and limits Intel's flexibility, these older chips are entirely under Intel's control regarding production costs and pricing decisions.
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(PR) Battlefield 6 Shatters Records as the Biggest Launch in Franchise
Electronic Arts Inc. and Battlefield Studios have revealed that Battlefield 6, the ultimate all-out warfare experience, is a record-breaking success, shattering long-standing records for the Battlefield franchise - solidifying Battlefield 6 as one of the biggest gaming and entertainment launches of the year. Battlefield 6 is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (Steam, EA App, Epic Games Store).
Following a record-shattering Open Beta in August, Battlefield 6 now has the biggest opening ever in the storied Battlefield franchise. Battlefield 6 hit all-time highs for franchise sales during the first three days of launch, selling over 7 million copies and counting. Thanks to the series' passionate community, the game had over 172 million matches played online and accumulated over 15 million hours watched on streaming services during the 3-day weekend as well as earning the most concurrent players for Battlefield ever.
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Microsoft Breaks Localhost with Windows 11 October Update, Users Force
Just two days after Windows 10 reached its end of life, issues with Microsoft's latest Windows 11 October update have begun to surface. Users on Microsoft Support Forums, Stack Overflow, and Server Fault have reported that the localhost functionality in Windows 11 is now broken. This problem is affecting millions of web developers who are unable to run their applications on their own PCs. The update, KB5066835, focuses on security and enhances the September-issued KB5065789 package with additional quality improvements. However, it disrupts the localhost function, a virtual hostname that allows a PC to serve as its own server. This feature is commonly used by local developers to test websites or fully developed web apps. The disruption has significantly impacted developers, including those using Windows 11 on their local servers or workstations for production purposes.
The hard-working bees in the Microsoft hive are yet to confirm the issue, while the community has managed to solve the issue by simply deleting the October KB5066835 package, alongside its September KB5065789 sibling, if the first package uninstall doesn't work. Software engineers have reported connection failures and HTTP/2 protocol issues impacting various development tools, including ASP.NET compilation processes and Visual Studio debugging functionality. Investigation has revealed that the problem originated in build version 26100.6899, with the root cause identified in HTTP.sys—a kernel-level Windows component responsible for managing HTTP traffic on local systems.
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(PR) Razer Launches Phantom White Collection Featuring Retro-Inspired
Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today expands its celebrated Phantom Collection with the debut of Phantom White - a sleek new translucent colorway in white that brings retro-futuristic vibes to modern gaming setups. First unveiled in June 2025, the Phantom Collection redefined gaming gear aesthetics through its all-translucent design, refined internal architecture, and immersive Razer Chroma RGB integration. Engineered to push the boundaries of gaming hardware design, every piece is crafted to be admired inside and out by fans who appreciate every detail of their battle station.
The Phantom White Collection continues that philosophy, blending retro gaming vibes with modern minimalism to deliver a fresh take on translucent gear. The lineup also extends into mobile gaming for the first time with the Razer Kishi V3 - Phantom White Edition, echoing the retro aesthetic while enabling gamers to revisit nostalgic titles on the go.
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(PR) MIPI Alliance Launches Next-Gen Audio Interface Specification for
The MIPI Alliance, an international organization that develops specifications that standardize wired interfaces for mobile and other connected ecosystems, today announced the release of SoundWire I3S (MIPI SWI3S v1.0). The new specification provides a transformative approach to audio transport by unifying control and data over a single scalable and power-efficient interface.
Consumer electronics, automotive and industrial applications increasingly require more sophisticated audio capabilities in smaller, denser, feature-rich devices where EMI, power and space are critical constraints. Legacy audio interfaces like I2S or TDM struggle to meet these requirements across long traces or flexible cables. SWI3S builds upon the two-pin, multi-drop architecture of MIPI SoundWire, offering higher bandwidth, low power consumption and built-in support for scalable multi-device topologies to meet the increasing demands of modern audio systems.
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(PR) NVIDIA GeForce NOW Gets 10 New Games, Borderlands 4 Reward, and S
GeForce NOW is more than just a platform to stream fresh games every week - it offers celebrations for the gamers who make it epic, with member rewards to sweeten the deal. This week, GeForce NOW Ultimate members can score a free Borderlands 4 reward and upgrade their setup with the latest SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud controllers and headsets - the perfect gear for leveling up any cloud-based adventures. Plus, Steam Next Fest kicks off this week, serving up a flood of new demos. Get them all through Install-to-Play, the latest feature on GeForce NOW with the NVIDIA Blackwell RTX upgrade.
Fire up the cloud, grab a controller and check out the 10 new games in the cloud this week, on top of the 1.0 release of Pax Dei. It's always a rewarding time to be a GeForce NOW member. Ashburn, Portland, Dallas and London are the latest regions to get GeForce RTX 5080-class power, with Atlanta coming next. Stay tuned to GFN Thursday for updates as more regions upgrade to Blackwell RTX. Follow along with the latest progress on the server rollout page. This week, Control joins the lineup of GeForce RTX 5080-ready titles, already available on the service. Look for the "GeForce RTX 5080 Ready" row in the app or check out the full list.
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(PR) ARCTIC Launches P Pro Reverse Fans
ARCTIC is expanding its powerful P Pro series with new models featuring reverse airflow: P12 Pro Reverse A-RGB and P12 Pro Reverse A-RGB 3-Pack are now available. Specially designed for builds where performance and aesthetics are equally important, they draw air in from the rear - ideal for installation scenarios where fans with classic airflow direction would detract from the look. The P12 Pro Reverse A-RGB is the first model in the series, with unlit and 140 mm versions to follow.
New Premium Fans: P12 Pro Reverse A-RGB
The Reverse Airflow technology is specifically designed for reverse airflow and is ideal for pull installations and flawless RGB staging. In addition, minimal clearance, automatic balancing, and high-precision measurement reduce vibrations and ensure quiet, efficient, and long-lasting performance. Already successfully used in Xtender cases, the Reverse models impress with powerful, quiet cooling and flawless RGB lighting. The addressable A-RGB lighting with twelve digitally controllable LEDs provides individual effects and seamless system integration. The flow-optimized design ensures maximum efficiency with minimal noise. A funnel-shaped inlet optimizes airflow, while teardrop-shaped struts minimize air resistance and reduce turbulence and noise.
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Open 3D Engine v25.10 Brings Sharper Graphics and Smoother Vulkan Perf
After more than four years since the initial release, the Open 3D Engine team has unveiled the O3DE v25.10 update, which enhances visuals and ensures smoother gameplay. This update improves textures, refines lighting, and introduces subtle post-processing that adds depth without increasing iteration time. The editor now starts up faster, asset imports are more reliable, and high-resolution surfaces display with fewer compression artifacts, allowing mods and user-created levels to better reflect their creators' visions. Motion blur and other camera effects have been refined for a cinematic experience that maintains performance, while shadows and ambient occlusion are more consistent, providing a stable environment as you move. Platform-specific improvements reduce graphical glitches on Linux and Windows, and VR users benefit from better headset compatibility with re-enabled OpenXR components. Textures, lighting, and reflections appear richer, and the Vulkan API has received bug fixes.
Behind the scenes, the update reduces bloat and speeds up workflows, improving playtesting and level building. Installers are smaller, and builds take up less disk space, making downloading and updating mods quicker for players and creators. The asset pipeline has been optimized for smoother texture and model imports, and the editor's debug memory footprint has been reduced, allowing for scene iteration without hardware upgrades. Shader and material handling have been reorganized to ensure effects like reflections and surface detail are more reliable across different GPUs, resulting in steadier frame rates when multiple effects are enabled. Simplified core subsystems mean faster iteration when testing changes, from tweaking textures to launching new levels, with fewer unexpected issues on different machines.
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(PR) Endorfy Launches Solum Voice S Alt Gray Microphone and Viro Plus
Building on the success of the Celeris 1800 keyboard and the Thock V2 lineup, ENDORFY continues to set the pace with new accessories in its signature Alt Gray finish. The Solum Voice S Alt Gray microphone and Viro Plus USB Alt Gray headphones mark the next step - following the Onyx White collection - in expanding the brand's portfolio with refined new colorways. The goal is simple: to help users create a cohesive, modern setup that stands out through its unique color scheme.
The result? Gear crafted for both work and play - delivering studio-grade audio and meticulously honed design, perfectly in tune with the Alt Gray aesthetic. It's the ideal choice for creators, gamers, and professionals who expect more.
SOLUM VOICE S ALT GRAY - YOUR VOICE, PURE AND CLEAR
The Solum Voice S Alt Gray captures sound in a cardioid pattern, focusing on your voice while naturally reducing background noise. Dual filters - internal and external foam - keep the audio clean and pleasantly warm. Calibrated for clear, balanced audio, it's ready to perform straight out of the box - no software required.
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