TechPowerUP NEWS

[NextPowerUP]

According to Insider Gaming, Sony will soon be rebranding the PlayStation Network branding, including "PSN," by September 2026. This news comes by way of an email sent to developers in preparation for the branding shift—likely as a way to ensure that future game marketing messaging reflects the change. The email explains that the shift away from PSN and PlayStation Network "properly capture the breadth of our evolving digital service," but that the change is merely a branding exercise, so it seems unlikely that the actual functionality of the service will change. At the time of writing, it's unclear what will replace PSN and PlayStation Network, but it seems reasonable to assume some more generic branding will take its place. The full email follows.
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[NextPowerUP]

In the lead-up to the official launch, Gnome 50 has been previewed in beta via distributions like the Fedora 44 beta, but the updated version of the desktop environment, dubbed Tokyo, has officially launched in stable form, bringing with it a slew of long-expected changes—although some features did not make the cut for Gnome 50 and will be pushed back to Gnome 51. The biggest additions to Gnome 50 are the official launch of variable refresh rate and fractional scaling, both of which are enabled as long as the hardware supports it. Beyond implementing VRR and fractional scaling, Gnome 50 also features a low-latency cursor mode that allows the cursor to refresh independently from the window behind it when VRR is active. It also features workarounds for the NVIDIA driver for stuttering and frame timing issues, which should result in "noticeably smoother window animations and general desktop fluidity for users with NVIDIA GPUs."

The desktop UI also now features a power profile indicator, which is a nice quality-of-life feature for laptop users; the settings app also now has a toggle for reduced motion for accessibility, as well as parental control with daily screen time limits, app restrictions, and schedules for child accounts. With Gnome 50, the developers have implemented bug fixes to the color management and display calibration options, making it more viable for creatives doing color-sensitive work, and the sound settings screen also more clearly denotes input and output audio devices and volumes. The remote desktop functionality in Gnome now features GPU acceleration, which is nice for high-performance applications or Unfortunately, while a great many changes were made in Gnome 50, mostly enabling better performance, enhancing security, or polishing the UI, session restore functionality did not make the cut for Gnome 50. Gnome 50 also removed the Mutter backend code for X11 support entirely, which has been a somewhat controversial choice, given that some workflows and features are still unable to be replicated on Wayland.
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[NextPowerUP]

Intel has quietly rolled out a new mobile CPU in the Raptor Lake lineup, the Core i7-13645HX. The chip is built with Intel's 10 nm process and splits its 14 cores across six Performance cores and eight Efficient cores, just like the Core i7-13650HX. That means both share the same 20-thread count, 24 MB of Smart Cache, max turbo clock at 4.9 GHz, and power specs: 55 W base, 157 W peak. However, there are some differences. The i7-13645HX supports DDR5-5600, up from 4800 on its older sibling. With that comes also an increase in memory bandwidth to 89.6 GB/s, up from 76.8 GB/s. It also sports a more capable Intel UHD Graphics P730 with 32 execution units versus just 16 on the i7-13650HX. The older part still has a slight edge in efficiency: its E-cores can boost to 3.6 GHz, while this one tops out at 3.5 GHz. But for users who need faster memory and better integrated graphics, especially those running light gaming or video workloads, the new chip might be the better choice.

Compared to the i7-13700HX, which has eight P-cores, a higher boost clock (5.0 GHz), 30 MB cache, and slightly more power headroom, this one feels like something in between, less raw performance than the top-tier HX model but with better memory support. Intel rebranded Raptor Lake as Core 200 series in late 2024, positioning it for higher-end laptops. The i7-13645HX appears to be part of that push: a refined option for systems targeting mainstream performance without stepping up to the full HX stack. No official pricing yet, as this is likely to show up in select gaming and creator machines over the next few months. Remember that just this Tuesday, Intel rolled out its Core Ultra 200HX Plus mobile processors, including the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus and Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. These processors add new features and architectural refinements, including support for the new Intel Binary Optimization Tool that can improve native performance in select games.

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[NextPowerUP]

Jeff Kaplan's new game studio, Kintsugiyama, recently announced The Legend of California as its first title—a Western-inspired open-world, online FPS exploration game with shades of the survival-craft genre. Kaplan, who previously served as lead designer on Overwatch, said that The Legend of California was slated for a 2026 launch, but it now seems as though Kaplan was serious, with the game studio announcing a public alpha playtest in a new video on YouTube. The playtest will start on March 26 and end on March 30, while participants can sign up on the Steam store page and will be selected randomly via Steam sometime around March 25. The playtest will be online-only, and players will be able to play solo or in a squad of up to four players.

In the playtest announcement video, Kaplan admits that it will be a limited playtest, so not everyone who registers will get a slot to play. Kaplan calls it the "next important moment for the development of this game," suggesting Kintsugiyama will use the data and feedback gathered from the playtest for further improvement and development of the game. A FAQ on the game's Steam page claims that there will be another playtest "in summer," and that the game will launch in Early Access before getting a full release. The FAQ also addresses the game's minimum hardware requirements, which were seemingly added to the Steam page along with the playtest announcement. According to the FAQ, the minimum hardware specifications—an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Super 8 GB or AMD Radeon RX 6600 8 GB, 16 GB of RAM, and an Intel Core i7-10700K or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X—will target 30 FPS, while the recommended spec—an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 or AMD Radeon RX 6800, 32 GB RAM, and an Intel Core i7-12700K or AMD Ryzen 7 5700X—will target 60 FPS.
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[NextPowerUP]

Much has been said about NVIDIA's recent DLSS 5 announcement, with many criticisms of the tech stemming from how the neural rendering potentially alters the artistic vision and tone of the game. While NVIDIA insists that developers remain in full control, and that the game studios were involved in creating the promotional in-game imagery used to show off the neural rendering features, a new report from Insider Gaming suggests this might not have been the case.

According to game developers from both Capcom and Ubisoft who spoke to Insider Gaming, while the individual studios may have been involved in marketing DLSS 5, the teams who worked on them were just as surprised by the results as the rest of the gaming community. A Ubisoft developer is quoted as saying "We found out at the same time as the public," while developers at Capcom expressed similar sentiments, stating that it was surprising to see Capcom, who has generally been protective of its IPs when it comes to AI involvement, getting involved in the marketing for DLSS 5. Further, the Capcom developers expressed concern at how DLSS 5 might change how Capcom approaches generative AI and its role in game development.

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[NextPowerUP]

During today's Future Games Show Spring Showcase, developer and publisher Nordcurrent revealed Defender of the Crown: The Legend Returns. The beloved 1986 strategy experience is coming to PC (Steam, GOG), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, and will include three modes: Retro Mode, Classic Mode, and Kingdom Mode. An Amiga hallmark, the title has been rebuilt to bring the Saxon-Norman conflict to a new audience with modernized visuals, refined mechanics, and an ambitious expansion of its classic formula.

England is a land of chaos where the crown has been stolen, and the King is dead. Players must step into the boots of a Saxon lord to outmaneuver rival Normans, raise armies, and reclaim the throne. This remake preserves the design of the original, while updating the experience with cleaner systems and meaningful quality-of-life enhancements.
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[NextPowerUP]

Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU) today announced results for its second quarter of fiscal 2026, which ended February 26, 2026.

Fiscal Q2 2026 highlights

• Revenue of $23.86 billion versus $13.64 billion for the prior quarter and $8.05 billion for the same period last year
• GAAP net income of $13.79 billion, or $12.07 per diluted share
• Non-GAAP net income of $14.02 billion, or $12.20 per diluted share
• Operating cash flow of $11.90 billion versus $8.41 billion for the prior quarter and $3.94 billion for the same period last year

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[NextPowerUP]

Earlier this week we reported that the memory shortage was going to persist until late 2028, but news out of Korea now suggests it might stick around all the way until 2030. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won is quoted by The Korea Times saying that "The shortage stems from a lack of wafer capacity, and securing additional wafers takes at least four to five years," continuing "We expect the industry-wide supply shortfall to persist at over 20 percent through 2030."

The company is apparently looking at ways to stabilise pricing, but as to when this will happen, is anyone's guess at this point in time. In this specific case, it's down to SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung to try and resolve the immediate situation. SK Group doesn't seem interested in building fabs outside of South Korea either, as Chey also told The Korea Times that "Korea already has the infrastructure in place, allowing for a much faster response. That is why we are concentrating our efforts here." There is at least some good news here, as it doesn't seem like SK hynix will put its entire focus on HBM memory, as the company is aware that might lead to further shortages of DRAM, which will affect the broader tech industry.

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[NextPowerUP]

Welcome to lucky week number 13 and the last full week of the month of March. After a busy week last week, things are slowing down again this week. This week's major release is for all the driving game fans out there and it apparently really screams. The rest of this week's releases are a bit more low-key, starting with a game about packing, followed by one about hanging out at the local mall. After that we quickly move on to some exorcism, rebuilding Rome to your specifications and finally we round off the week with a collection of some classics from Capcom.

Screamer / This week's major release / Thursday 26 March
High-octane action and anime aesthetics collide in this arcade racing game, featuring fighting mechanics and a storyline that hits hard. In this world, some race for glory while others seek power or revenge. Every race is a fight and every battle is personal. Steam link
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[NextPowerUP]

With every Windows 11 update seemingly introducing a new bug or somehow breaking some core functionality, it seems as though trust in Microsoft and Windows is at an all-time low, with the recent "Microslop" insult popping up in online tech circles as a sort of culmination of the recent spate of issues. Microsoft has apparently been following the backlash against Windows 11, with Pavan Davuluri, President of Windows + Devices, stating in a new Windows Insider Blog post that "over the past several months, the team and I have spent a great deal of time analyzing your feedback," and subsequently laying out a plan that walks back many of the contentious changes that have been made in recent Windows 11 updates and promising to add highly requested new features and return features from older Windows versions that likely shouldn't have been removed in the first place.

One of the earliest complaints about Windows 11—before Copilot launched—was that the task bar could not be relocated to other screen edges, but Microsoft will soon introduce more taskbar customization, including moving it to the top, left, or right screen edges as needed. Microsoft will also walk back many of the Copilot integrations, stating that it will be "more intentional about how and where Copilot integrates across Windows." It specifically calls out removing Copilot from Snipping Tool, Photos, Widgets, and Notepad. The other two important changes that will come from the new plan for Windows 11 is giving users more control over updates to reduce interruptions—essentially allowing users to go longer without restating without an update and skipping updates during device setup, and restarting and shutting down without updating. Microsoft also plans to address File Explorer and speed up launch times in order to deliver "smoother navigation and more reliable performance for everyday tasks," as well as polishing the user experience overall.
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[NextPowerUP]

Sony recently introduced Upgraded PSSR—aka PSSR 2.0—on its PlayStation 5 Pro consoles with the launch of Resident Evil, finally unlocking the additional AI chops of the PS5 Pro's APU. If recent comments by Sony's Mark Cerny to Digital Foundry are anything to go by, PlayStation's console hardware will be following a similar trajectory to gaming PCs when it comes to these ML and AI-based features. Specifically, it seems as though frame generation will be one of the next advancements to make its way to the PlayStation platform, although it seems as though gamers will need to wait a little longer for that to be implemented—if it is implemented during this console generation at all.

Addressing a question regarding FSR Frame Generation on PlayStation, Cerny commented that "FSR Frame Generation is also based on co-developed technology...and an equivalent frame generation library should be seen at some point on PlayStation platforms." He goes on to say that frame generation will not be making it to Sony's consoles in 2026, stating that "we have no more releases planned for this year." Given that the next-generation PlayStation hardware is slated to arrive somewhere between 2027 and 2028, it almost seems likely that Sony will announce FSR Frame Generation at the same time as the PlayStation 6 with a cut-back version available for the PS5, although it's potentially possible for Sony to update the current PS5 Pro with FSR Frame Generation, since FSR Redstone was developed in partnership with Sony, to begin with. There have already been modders who have run FSR 4 Redstone Frame Generation on RDNA 3, as well, so it may be possible for the PS5's RDNA 2 APU, as well, although at the cost of a higher performance penalty.

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[NextPowerUP]

The controversy where open-world fantasy game "Crimson Desert" isn't supported on Intel Arc GPUs to the point of the game refusing to even launch on systems with Arc GPUs, drew its first response from Intel. Gamers with Intel Arc graphics cards got a rude shock earlier this week, as the game flat-out refused to start on their systems, with a dialog box simply saying "the graphics device is currently not supported." In its FAQ, "Crimson Desert" developer Pearl Abyss said that the game doesn't currently support Arc GPUs, and gamers who bought the game expecting it should seek refunds.

In its statement to the press, Intel says that it reached out to Pearl Abyss over the past several years to help optimize the game for its hardware. "Crimson Desert" has been in development for over 6 years prior to its launch earlier this week. "We've reached out to Pearl Abyss many time to help test, validate, and optimize support for Intel graphics, providing early hardware, drivers, and engineering resources across multiple generations, including "Alchemist," "Battlemage," "Meteor Lake" (Xe-LPG), and "Lunar Lake" (Xe2-LPG)," the statement goes. The company says that it "remains ready to assist Pearl Abyss."
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[NextPowerUP]

The ZimaCube 2 compact NAS and mini-server platform from IceWhale has been announced and is now listed for pre-orders. The lineup is built around 12th Gen Intel Alder Lake processors and includes a standard model with an i3-1215U CPU, a Pro variant with the i5-1235U processor, and a Creator Pack with added GPU support. Measuring 240 x 221 x 220 mm, it's compact but roomy enough to handle high-end configurations without feeling cramped. In terms of storage, you will get six bays supporting 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch drives, either SATA III or NVMe, and up to four M.2 slots for additional capacity. Total storage can reach 164 TB depending on configuration. Expansion includes two PCIe slots, a full-size PCIe 4.0 x16 (physically x4 lanes) for GPUs, and a PCIe 3.0 x8 (physically x2). The latter supports network cards or NVMe expansion. Connectivity is solid with dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, four USB 3.0 Type-A ports, two 2.5 GbE Ethernet ports, plus optional 10 GbE on higher models. HDMI and DisplayPort outputs are included for display support.

As an operating system, it runs ZimaOS Plus, a Linux-based OS optimized for self-hosted services like file storage, media servers, virtual machines, and containerized workloads. The base unit starts at $799, equipped with 8 GB of DDR5 RAM, a 256 GB NVMe SSD, and an Intel Core i3-1215U. The Pro model is priced at $1,299 and features the more powerful i5-1235U CPU along with 16 GB of memory. For users needing higher performance in virtualization, rendering, or machine learning tasks, a Creator Pack version is available for $2,499, this includes the same Core i5 processor, 64 GB of DDR5 RAM, a 1 TB SSD, and an NVIDIA RTX Pro 2000 GPU.
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[NextPowerUP]

Microsoft's Windows 11 March update has a confirmed issue affecting Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2 with KB5079473. This issue causes sign-in failures in some Microsoft applications, including the free version of Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, Microsoft Edge, Excel, Word, and Microsoft 365 Copilot. After installing the Windows 11 March update, you might encounter a message saying, "You'll need the Internet for this. It doesn't look like you're connected to the Internet," even when your device is connected. This problem occurs when a device enters a specific network connectivity state that the Windows 11 March update does not handle well, causing some Microsoft applications to mistakenly identify the device as offline. It's important to note that this issue only affects Microsoft accounts.

To resolve this issue, Microsoft recommends simply restarting your device. This should fix the connectivity state that causes the connection to Microsoft accounts to fail. However, there is a significant chance that the device might return to this specific networking state, resulting in repeated sign-in errors. Microsoft is working on a fix, which is expected to be released in the coming days. As the week ends, the release will likely be early next week. No server platforms are affected by this issue; it only impacts Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 with the March update KB5079473, OS Build 26100.8037.
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[NextPowerUP]

It recently came to light that NVIDIA may be planning a GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile GPU with an upgrade to 12 GB of GDDR7, 4 GB more than the currently available 8 GB models, with both Lenovo Yoga and ASUS laptops appearing to be planning new models with the new GPU configuration. While there still hasn't been any confirmation from NVIDIA itself, another handful of Lenovo laptop listings have shown up, lending credence to the earlier claims—this time in official, public Lenovo specifications documentation.

According to Lenovo's spec sheet for the Legion Pro 5 16ADR10, the new laptop will pair an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX with 32 GB of DDR5-5200, a 1 TB PCIe 4 ×4 SSD, and NVIDIA's new GeForce RTX 5070 12 GB. The GPU itself looks largely unchanged from the version in Lenovo's other Legion laptops, with the exception of a much lower boost clock in the Legion Pro 5. Despite having the same 115 W TGP as the LOQ models with the 5070 12 GB, Lenovo has rated the boost clocks of the RTX 5070 12 GB in the Legion Pro at 1425 MHz, compared to 2347 MHz in the LOQ models, which are identical to the original RTX 5070 8 GB. There have been murmurs of an April release for these laptops, but those are unconfirmed so far.

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