TechPowerUP NEWS

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SambaNova today announced the next phase of its collaboration with Intel: a heterogeneous hardware solution that combines GPUs for prefill, Intel Xeon 6 processors as both host and "action" CPUs, and SambaNova RDUs for decode to deliver premium inference for the most demanding Agentic AI applications. The design will be made available in H2 2026 to enterprises, cloud providers, and sovereign AI programs that want to run coding agents and other agentic workloads at scale.

"Agentic AI is moving into production - and the winning pattern we're seeing is GPUs to start the job, Intel Xeon 6 to run it, and SambaNova RDUs to finish it fast," said Rodrigo Liang, CEO and co‑founder of SambaNova Systems. "Together with Intel, we're giving customers a blueprint they can deploy in existing air‑cooled data centers, with broad x86 coverage for the coding agents and tools they already use today."
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Edgecore Networks, a leader in innovative network solutions for enterprises, data centers, and telecommunication service providers, is thrilled to announce the launch of the EAP115, a Wi-Fi 7 dual-band wall-plate access point designed to deliver reliable, high-performance, and cost-effective connectivity for in-room deployments.

Built for environments such as multi-dwelling units (MDUs), hospitality, dormitories, and shared office spaces, the EAP115 is engineered to meet the growing demand for scalable, per-room connectivity while enabling seamless integration of IoT services.
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[NextPowerUP]

Welcome to the middle of April and this week, we really have too many potentially popular games releasing, with a AAA title in the mix as well. This week's AAA release involves an android riding on your shoulder as you fight your way through a lunar facility. The week kicks off with Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing a game where your typing skills brings you victory, followed by pirates, lots of pirates and then we quickly move on to being stuck in a parallel universe. We round off the week with a mouse that's not from Disney and finally with you trying to save the last ember in a dying world. We also have a bunch of other games that didn't quite make the list.

Pragmata / This week's AAA title / Friday 17 April
At a remote lunar research facility, humanity discovers a new ore—one that, when properly refined, can be used to create almost anything using 3D printers. When the facility suddenly falls silent, Hugh and his team are dispatched to investigate...but then disaster strikes. Hugh is saved by Diana, a lone android wandering the complex. The two of them must join forces to find a way off the moon while working their way through an AI-controlled facility bent on stopping them. Steam link
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[NextPowerUP]

Traditionally, Microsoft has included AA batteries with its Xbox game controllers as a way to help users get right into the game as soon as possible. However, apparently since at least December, Microsoft has accidentally been packaging and shipping its controllers without batteries. This is according to a post on X by @XboxSupport, which acknowledges the error and advises users how to proceed. This applies both to Xbox Wireless controllers and Xbox Design Lab controllers.

Microsoft says that affected users should reach out to support via a dedicated support page and register a service request, at which time Microsoft will send out a pack of rechargeable batteries and a USB-C cable to correct the issue and perhaps serve as something of an apology. Buyers who were sent controllers without batteries should be able to confirm eligibility with their controller serial numbers, although there have apparently been a few issues with that system, with two users reporting on X that they were unable to view the requisite available service option to be able to take advantage of the corrective action.

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[NextPowerUP]

GoDeal24 is an international merchant of genuine, globally-valid software, here with the Spring 2026 Software Sale. Get the software you need, such as Genuine Windows 11 Pro, at attractive prices starting at $13.55. Pair it with Office 2021 Professional Plus, the most bang-for-buck productivity suite, starting at just $31.55, or the latest Office 2024 Home and Business at $149.99—significantly lower than Microsoft's price. Better yet, pair your favorite edition of Windows and Office. Also check out great deals on other Microsoft products.

Please use the coupon code SGO62 on the following items to avail the prices you see here.
Buy Office 2021 Professional at $31.55 | Buy Office 2021 Home and Business for Mac at $48.99 | Buy Office 2021 Professional 2-PC at $59.90 | Buy Office 2021 Professional 3-PC at $81.95 | Buy Office 2021 Professional 5-PC at $130.25 | Buy Office 2019 Professional at $25.05 | Buy Office 2024 Home at $140.89 | Buy Office 2024 Home and Business at $149.99 | Buy Visio 2024 at $32.99 | Buy Project Pro 2024 at $35.99 | Buy Windows 11 Pro + Office 2021 Professional at $41.29 | Buy Windows 11 Home + Office 2021 Professional at $40.99 | Buy Windows 11 Enterprise 2024 LTSC + Office 2021 Professional Plus at $40.99 | Buy Windows 10 Enterprise 2021 LTSC + Office 2021 Professional Plus at $39.99

Please use the coupon code SGO50 on the following items.
Buy Windows 11 Pro at $13.55 | Buy Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC 2024 at $15.00 | Buy Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024 at $12.99 | Buy Windows 11 Pro 2-PC at $25.22 | Buy Windows 11 Pro 3-PC at $36.00 | Buy Windows 11 Pro 5-PC at $53.75 | Buy Windows 11 Home at $13.25 | Buy Windows 10 Pro at $8.65 | Buy Windows 10 Home at $8.61 | Buy Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 at $12.81 | Buy Windows Server 2025 Standard at $31.50 | Buy Windows Server 2025 Datacenter at $32.50
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[NextPowerUP]

The latest in a recent flurry of AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 mini PCs is OneXPlayer's ONEXStation—a new AI mini PC that should be just as capable at everything from gaming to workstation and creative workflows. Aside from the already known benefits of the massive AMD APU, with its Radeon 8060S iGPU and 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory on a 256-bit bus, the new mini PC boasts a decent selection of I/O ports in an impressively compact aluminium chassis, measuring in at just 186 × 193 × 62 mm. By default, the ONEXStation will be equipped with a single 1 TB PCIe Gen 4×4 M.2 SSD, but there is a second M.2 slot easily accessible for up to 8 TB total storage.

With 13 ports in total, the ONEXStation's front I/O features dual USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, a USB4 port, a UHS-II SD card slot, and a 3.5 mm audio combo jack. There's also a turbo button that presumably boosts the fan speed for improved thermal capabilities at the cost of noise. Around back, the ONEXStation has a DC power barrel plug, a 3.5 mm audio combo jack, a 2.5 GbE RJ45 port, one USB 3.2 Type-A port, a USB4 Type-C port, one DisplayPort, an HDMI port, and dual USB 2.0 ports—the latter presumably for peripherals. It also features both Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 onboard. Cooling is handled by a custom solution with three heatpipes and a tri-fan ventilation system, and OneXPlayer says the TDP can be configured to 55 W, 85 W, or 120 W from within the mini PC's software. The launch price is $2,999, but the MSRP will seemingly increase to $3,599 after the launch offer. It's worth noting that, due to current market conditions, pricing and availability of systems like those based on Strix Halo and similarly powerful SoCs, like Intel's recent Panther Lake chips, is highly volatile, with Ayaneo already having suspended pre-orders for its Strix Halo-powered Next 2 handheld and Khadas having recently bumped up the price of its Panther Lake mini PC.

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[NextPowerUP]

It was recently leaked that Epic Games was planning a host of new game modes for Fortnite, following a brutal round of layoffs that saw as many as 1,000 workers lose their jobs. However, if a recent Bloomberg report is anything to go by, one of the game modes mentioned in the Fortnite leak may be its own game entirely. The report cites conversations with four current and former Epic employees, who say that the game company will use its partnership with Disney to build a game featuring Disney characters in an Arc Raiders-like extraction shooter format.

According to the insiders, Epic Games is planning to launch the new Disney game as early as November 2026, although the game has been through some internal review, and there are concerns that the gameplay loop and mechanics are "not very original." In a recent statement addressing the Fortnite layoffs, Epic Games CEO, Tim Sweeney revealed that Epic Games was struggling to consistently deliver "Fortnite magic," every season and said that, alongside other cost-cutting measures, the company would be looking for ways to deliver "fresh seasonal content, gameplay, story, and live events."

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[NextPowerUP]

HYTE, a leading manufacturer of cutting-edge PC components, is proud to share that its latest collaboration with hololive, represented by the COVER Corporation from Japan, starring Sakura Miko - one of hololive's longest-running VTuber talents with over two million subscribers and nearly one billion views on her channel - is now available for pre-order on HYTE.com.

Known worldwide as the "Elite Shrine Maiden", Sakura Miko is a Japanese Vtuber affiliated with hololive and is part of their "Generation 0" group of talents, which includes one of HYTE's past collaboration subjects Hoshimachi Suisei. As part of Sakura Miko's recent outfit debut for her character, a new HYTE product line was announced, with the Official HYTE Y70 Sakura Miko Case in separate Black and White colorways acting as the heart of the lineup. Both variants feature the talent's name and custom designs across the Y70's trim, a customized serialized plate on the case's back panel, and a full custom illustration across all three of the Y70's glass panels drawn by professional illustrator Rosuuri.
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[NextPowerUP]

Philips has introduced the Evnia 27M2G5800, a 27-inch gaming monitor built around a dual-mode Fast IPS panel that can switch between 5K resolution and high-refresh QHD operation. The panel runs at a native 5120 x 2880 (5K UHD) with a pixel density of 217 PPI, right where you'd normally find it on a 27-inch gaming display. In 5K mode, the refresh rate tops out at 165 Hz, or 180 Hz with overclocking enabled. Switching to 2560 x 1440 (Quad HD) unlocks up to 330 Hz, no overclocking option here. Brightness is rated at 500 nits with a 1000:1 contrast ratio while the panel has DisplayHDR 400 certification. On the responsiveness side, Philips rates the panel at 1 ms GtG, with a 0.5 ms MPRT mode for motion-heavy content. Adaptive sync is supported, including G-SYNC compatibility, and the monitor comes with a handful of gaming-oriented extras: Shadow Boost for better visibility in dark areas, Smart Crosshair, and motion blur reduction.

For connectivity, it features two HDMI 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort 2.1 (supporting the 5K at 180 Hz), a headphone jack and a USB hub with two downstream USB-A ports and a USB-B upstream. According to IT Files, the Evnia 27M2G5800 is priced at 4999 yuan, which is about $730 USD however, pricing and availability for markets outside Hong Kong haven't been announced. The 5K model expands the Philips Evnia 27M2 lineup, which already includes more unconventional high-refresh options. Notable examples include the Evnia 27M2N5500XD, capable of up to 500 Hz at 1440p and 1000 Hz at 720p, as well as the more affordable Evnia 27M2N3800A, offering 4K at 160 Hz or Full HD at 320 Hz.

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[NextPowerUP]

Soulmask, an open-world, base-building, survival-craft game, launched to Steam Early Access almost two years ago, and after many iterations, CampFire Studios and Qooland Games have officially released the 1.0 version of the game, calling it a "complete reinvention of the game itself." The update notes on Steam list a number of revolutionary changes, including a new onboarding flow, refreshed combat, a new tribal AI system, and new settlement management. The game also now includes an encyclopedia, called the Mask Knowledge Base, so that players no longer need to leave the game to check a Wiki for information about a system or item.

There is also more endgame content, thanks to the new Mask Mimicry Ascension system, which expands the capabilities of the game's masks beyond previous limits. More importantly, players now have access to three distinct game modes: Survival, the original, classic, challenging struggle; Tribe Mode, which is designed for players to enjoy building and developing their civilizations and facing off against other political threats and enemy invasions; and Warrior Mode is there for players who like Soulmask for the combat, with tougher enemies, less forgiving combat mechanics, and weapons that don't take damage or break. The Soulmask 1.0 trailer follows.
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[NextPowerUP]

Blending accessible flying mechanics with deeper management systems, Legendary Pilots invites players to step into a vibrant aviation world where every flight is just one part of a bigger journey. From planning routes and transporting passengers to maintaining aircraft and climbing the ranks of a competitive airline ecosystem, the game offers a refreshing take on the flight sim genre-one that prioritizes experience, progression, and personality over strict realism.

With its distinctive retro-inspired visuals and a focus on turboprops and regional jets, Legendary Pilots delivers a grounded yet stylized aviation fantasy. It's a world where smart decisions, efficient flying, and long-term planning matter just as much as what happens in the cockpit.
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DDR4 pricing is finally showing signs of easing, as DDR4 16 Gb spot prices experienced a 5% correction in March after a more than 2,200% increase over the past year. The massive demand for AI data center expansion absorbed all available DDR production, making DDR4 and DDR5 pricing widely discussed topics among enthusiast communities. This has impacted PC DIY enthusiasts, laptop makers, PC OEMs, and everyone in between. Over the past year, the rapid price increase has effectively priced out many consumers from upgrading or installing new systems with larger RAM capacity. However, there are signs that the situation might improve as spot pricing has started to decrease.

First, readers need to understand the difference between spot and contract pricing in DDR memory. Contract pricing is what memory makers like Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron agree on with large buyers, such as PC OEMs like Apple, HP, or Dell, or even server makers who purchase DRAM in large quantities. On the other hand, spot pricing is an "on-the-spot" deal that provides immediate pricing without any contract. This spot pricing is typically reserved for smaller DRAM volumes and is usually bought by DRAM distributors and supply chain logistics. In the spot pricing market, DDR4 has fallen about 5% in March compared to February pricing, and the same applies to DDR5 memory spot pricing.
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Gateron, now ubiquitous in the world of mechanical, Hall-effect, and TMR gaming keyboards, has officially announced a new magnetic switch that promises a unique switch feel with an effectively perfectly linear switch weight. With a traditional mechanical or magnetic keyboard switches, the key gets progressively more difficult to press as you go through the travel, but Gateron claims that the new Magnetic Jade Attraction HE switches have both initial and bottom-out operation force values of 30 gf, making them a perfectly linear switch. Incidentally, the method Gateron used to make this force chart possible also seems to have reduced the standard deviation of the actuation force to ±2 gf, instead of the usual ±5 gf.

Gateron's new switch design is an iteration of the recent Dual-Drive stem design it showed off previously in the Gateron Magnetic Spark switches, which should make the stems stable and make reading the travel very accurate, but the Jade Attraction adds three small permanent magnets in the bottom of the switch housing. Those magnets in the bottom housing help compensate for the increase in spring rate that occurs when you typically compress a spring, giving it that uniquely linear switch feel. The Gateron Magnetic Jade Attraction HE switches are available for pre-sale on the Gateron online store for $47.60 for a pack of 70 switches.

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Following the recent news of the $80 Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition for Switch 2 showing up on Amazon, Gematsu has reported that Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy 2 may be coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 sooner rather than later, based on a recent age rating by the Taiwan Digital Game Rating Committee. According to a screenshot of the rating, it will be PG-12, and it is explicitly rated for the Nintendo Switch 2.

There is no launch date approved for the game just yet, so, while this is evidence that a launch is incoming, it may still be a while before it's available. Notably, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is already playable on the original Nintendo Switch, but it's a cloud-only title, meaning none of the game is processed locally. The fact that the Switch 2 version is explicitly rated for the Switch 2 suggests that it will not have the same cloud-only limitation, likely as a result of the Switch 2's more powerful internals.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Cloud Version is currently $59.99 on the Nintendo eShop, but pricing for the new version may be higher, especially for the physical version.

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Popular PC DIY enthusiast tools like CPU-Z and HWMonitor were briefly compromised during the night between April 9 and April 10. This left anyone who downloaded these tools from the CPUID website vulnerable to malware they thought was a normal software tool. What actually happened was that multiple users on Reddit noticed their downloads from CPUID for both CPU-Z and HWMonitor were flagged multiple times by Windows Defender for security concerns. During that night, users attempting to download these popular utilities found the website pointing to a different host where the modified .exe files were stored. After realizing what was happening, users started removing these compromised .exe files and waited for CPUID to issue a statement. One of the owners of CPUID published a statement on X, explaining that attackers had replaced the original download links with malware-infected file links, resulting in a widespread security vulnerability. Thankfully the website is now back up and safe to resume downloads.

Hi,
Investigations are still ongoing, but it appears that a secondary feature (basically a side API) was compromised for approximately six hours between April 9 and April 10, causing the main website to randomly display malicious links (our signed original files were not compromised). The breach was found and has since been fixed. Sorry for the inconvenience. I did my best to fix that mess as soon as possible :-/
Sam.

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