30.08.2022  Spectacular Witcher concept trailer makes full use of Unreal Engine 5 features; offers a glimpse of what CD Projekt RED may be working on
YouTuber TeaserPlay recently outed a concept trailer for The Witcher 4 running on Unreal Engine 5. The trailer utilizes UE5 technologies including Lumen, Nanite, and Metahuman. With developer CD Projekt RED building the next Witcher game on UE5, the concept trailer offers a glimpse of what it might end up looking like.

30.08.2022  Images of the Logitech G Gaming Handheld surface: features a Switch-like design and a custom Android UI
@evleaks shared what appear to be leaked images of the upcoming Logitech G Gaming Handheld. The original images were taken down shortly after by a copyright strike. From the leak, it appears that Logitech's handheld will run Android and features a design that's strongly reminiscent of the Nintendo Switch Lite.

19.08.2022  Further GPU pricing dips see the RX 6700 XT retailing at US$85 below MSRP
A MyDrivers report indicates that some AIBs are having a tough time selling AMD RX 6000 series, between the mining crash and the impending arrival of next-gen parts. The RX 6700 XT is now selling for US$395 on Newegg, US$85 below its MSRP. This comes after price cuts saw RX 6900 XT pricing dip 30 percent below MSRP.

06.08.2022  OEM reportedly stops manufacturing Intel Arc A380 cards, citing "quality concerns"
An IgorsLAB report claims that an unnamed OEM has already stopped manufacturing Intel Arc A380 graphics cards, citing "quality concerns." The report raises further questions about international launch timeframes for the A380, following a China-exclusive launch marred by immature drivers and inconsistent performance.

01.08.2022  Intel’s Flagship Arc A770M mobile GPU edges out GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile in 3DMark TimeSpy, though driver optimization questions remain
The Arc A770M, a flagship mobile Intel GPU card, managed to score above 10k points in TimeSpy, per tipster @_rogame. This puts it ahead of the GeForce RTX 3060 mobile. As with the A380, however, driver support could paint a different picture when it comes to in-game performance.

27.07.2022  Skyline Nintendo Switch emulator manages to run Super Mario Odyssey on Android
Skyline, a new in-development Nintendo Switch emulator for Android devices, is already compatible with several Switch games. While Skyline will likely need years of further development, Super Mario Odyssey actually runs on the latest build, albeit at a low framerate.

23.07.2022  Impressive Sapphire Rapids Xeon W9-3495 with 56 cores and 112 threads spotted in bootlog: Clocked at 1.8 GHz with AVX instruction support
@InstLatX64 discovered Intel's Xeon W9-3495 workstation CPU in a publicly-available Linux bootlog. The single-socket CPU has 56 cores and a 1.8 GHz clockspeed, along with support for AVX and AMX instructions.

12.07.2022  Windows 98 installed on Xbox Series X via RetroArch: runs classic titles including Quake and Turok
Recently, Eurogamer's Alex Battaglia found a way to install Windows 98 on the Xbox Series X via RetroArch. Battaglia's emulated 1990s gaming machine was able to run titles like Quake and Turok with varying levels of performance.

23.06.2022  Intel's 13th-gen Raptor Lake chips could break the 6 GHz barrier thanks to Efficient Thermal Velocity Boost technology
According to tipster @OneRaichu, Intel's new ETVB (Efficient Thermal Velocity Boost) technology could help at least one Raptor Lake chip breach 6 GHz. Lending credence to this claim, Intel's XTU overclocking utility was recently updated with "future platform" support for ETVB.

21.06.2022  Artesian Builds puts thousands of PC parts, graphics cards, and partly-built systems worth nearly US$1 million up for bankruptcy auction
Controversial PC builder Artesian Builds is putting up its assets for auction in an attempt to pay off debt after filing bankruptcy. The assets being auctioned off include thousands of PC components, partially-built PCs, and GPUs.

15.06.2022  Intel launches the ARC A380 discrete graphics card in China for US$ 153: entry-level eSports GPU matches the RX 6500 XT while costing less
Intel recently launched the ARC A380, its first discrete desktop GPU, in China. The 75W entry-level card features 1024 shader cores, 6GB of VRAM, and is capable of delivering 1080p/60 FPS in AAA games, albeit with toned-down settings.

14.06.2022  Resident Evil 2, 3, and 7 all get ray tracing updates at the same time, but DX11 supported gets axed, breaking compatibility with older graphics cards
Capcom recently outed simultaneous ray tracing updates for Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3, and Resident Evil 7, adding in ray-traced shadows and reflections on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

14.06.2022  YouTuber showcases full-fledged Quake port running on the Game Boy Advance, built 20 years before the Nintendo Switch's "impossible" Doom Eternal port
YouTuber Modern Vintage Gamer showcased an unreleased prototype of id Software's Quake running on the Nintendo Game Boy Advance. The port was built 20 years ago by developer Randy Linden, who recently rediscovered its ROM cartridge at home and then shared the data publicly.

13.06.2022  Raptor Lake Core i9-13900 performance preview outed by SiSoftware: engineering sample thrashes Alder Lake and Zen 3 despite 3.7 GHz clockspeed
SiSoftware recently published a performance review of the upcoming Intel Raptor Lake Core i9-13900, based on aggregated results in its database. The Raptor Lake i9-13900 engineering sample handed in 50 percent better performance in ALU workloads, despite running at a low 3.7 GHz.

13.06.2022  Developer outs world's first PlayStation 5 emulator, albeit without working video output
Developer InoriRus recently showcased the Kyty PS4 and PS5 emulator. Kyty is in the very early stages of its development and can run just a handful of commercial titles. PS5 emulation functionality is very basic at the moment - while the emulator can run test code, it can't output video or audio.

12.06.2022  An AMD R&D engineer adds full path-tracing to classic FPS Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Dihara Wijetunga, a senior R&D engineer at AMD, recently announced Wolf PT, a mod that adds a full DX12 path-tracing renderer to Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Wijetunga shared screenshots that showcase dramatic improvements to lighting in the aging id Tech 3 game.

10.06.2022  WhatsApp is set to double its max group chat size: up to 512 participants will soon be able to join chats
WhatsApp is set to enable larger group chats in its latest beta channel update. This feature, which will soon be rolled out to all users, will allow for group chats with up to 512 users, up from the current limit of 256.

05.06.2022  Developer shows off RT64, a ray tracing plugin for N64 emulators that adds in RT shadows, reflections, and lighting to classics like Ocarina of Time
Developer Dario Samo recently announced RT64, a plugin for N64 emulators which enables a host of ray-tracing features. In a video on Twitter, Dario showed off RT64 in action across a range of N64 classics, including Ocarina of Time and Paper Mario.

01.06.2022  Sharp outs the AQUOS XLED F8 Mini LED TV: 4K 120 Hz display has 1800 nits peak brightness and 2160 local dimming zones
During a press conference in China, Sharp announced the AQUOS XLED F8. The XLED F8 is a 65-inch Mini LED TV, priced at RMB 16999 (US$2500 approximately). The F8 features a 4K 120Hz display with 2160 local dimming zones and an eye-searing 1800-nit peak brightness. Unfortunately, the XLED F8's launch appears to be limited to China at the moment.

25.05.2022  Researchers use quantum computers to optimize ray-tracing workload by nearly 200 percent, but real-life applications remain distant
Researchers in Portugal, the US, and the UK recently published a paper in which they attempted to leverage quantum computing algorithms to optimize ray-traced rendering workloads. The researchers' approach helped cut intersections per ray in a scene by a factor of three. The use of older NISQ quantum computing technology meant rendering took several hours, however.

25.05.2022  EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti FTW3 Black Gaming is actually being sold under MSRP at US$1899, hinting at price normalization for Lovelace and beyond
EVGA's GeForce RTX 3090 Ti FTW3 Black Gaming is currently being sold under its official MSRP. Although $1900 is still a significant amount of change, this is less than what some GeForce RTX 3080 SKUs were retailing for just months earlier. Lower pricing hints that, should NVIDIA beat the GPU supply crisis, RTX 4000 series cards might end up being available for at or near MSRP.

20.05.2022  Hitman 3 set to receive ray traced shadows and reflections, plus DLSS and FSR: demands a GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER as the min spec GPU
Hitman 3 is set to receive its DLSS and ray-tracing update shortly. The free update will add ray-traced shadows and reflections to the game, alongside DLSS 2.0 and FSR 1.0 upscaling. AMD's new FSR 2.0 won't be part of the package, at least initially.

20.05.2022  GTA: San Andreas gets a stunning concept trailer remake in Unreal 5, offers a peek at what next-gen Grand Theft Auto could look like
YouTuber Teaserplay outed a stunning concept trailer for what GTA: San Andreas could look like if it was built on Unreal Engine 5. The trailer leverages a range of UE5 features, including MetaHuman, Lumen, and Nanite. The trailer offers a glimpse of the kind of visuals to expect in GTA 6

14.05.2022  Alder Lake Core i9-12900HX-powered Lenovo Y9000P gets an early review: some games show performance regression vs the 12700H
A Chinese reviewer recently got their hands on the Lenovo Y9000P, a laptop equipped with Intel's Core i7-12800HX chip. Interestingly, the reviewer's testing indicates that gaming gains over the 14-core 12700H are limited, with some titles actually showing performance regression compared to the lower-power chip.

09.05.2022  NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3000 series LHR mining limit gets fully bypassed: 100 percent hashrate now possible on NiceHash QuickMiner with LHR cards
NiceHash recently announced that its QuickMiner software was now capable of fully unlocking the hashrate on most Ampere LHR cards, barring the RTX 3080 12GB and the RTX 3050. This means that LHR-limited Ampere cards like the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti can reach their full mining potential.

09.05.2022  Racing classic Need For Speed: Underground 2 gets an Unreal Engine 4-powered fan remake
Youtuber Ivan Novozhilov recently shared WIP footage of 2Unreal4Underground, a complete fan remake of Need For Speed Underground 2. The Unreal 4-powered remake is a massive step up in visual quality from the sixth-gen classic. Beyond visuals, Novozhilov's remake will also attempt to tweak and enhance gameplay elements.

01.05.2022  The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time gets a full-fledged PC port, hitting 60 FPS for the first time
The unofficial Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time PC port recently received support for a 60 FPS framerate update, significantly improving the gameplay experience from the N64 original. The port doesn't use reverse-engineered source code, unlike Super Mario 64, making it less likely to run afoul of legal challenges.

01.05.2022  Intel’s Pat Gelsinger expects chip shortage to last well into 2024: Lovelace, RX 7000, and ARC GPUs could continue to cost immense amounts
In an interview with CNBC, Intel's CEO Pat Gelsinger stated that he expects the global silicon shortage will end by 2024. While a clear timeframe is welcome, this means that upcoming graphics cards from NVIDIA, Intel, and AMD could all remain stuck at extremely high prices due to supply shortages.

24.04.2022  Leaked RX 6750 XT benchmarks hint at next to zero performance gains over the RX 6700 XT
Tipster @KOMACHI_ENSAKA spotted GFXBench test results for the upcoming RX 6750 XT graphics card. In the Aztec Ruins test, the 6750 XT scored just 2 percent higher than the existing RX 6700 XT, raising questions about what exactly the new SKU will bring to the table.

24.04.2022  MSI set to enable base clock overclocking on certain X570 MEG boards, allowing the Ryzen 7 5800X3D to hit up to 4.8 GHz
According to a WCCFTech report, MSI will soon be releasing a BIOS update for select X570 motherboards, enabling BCLK overclocking. This would allow power users to push clocks on the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, albeit at the cost of systemwide stability.

17.04.2022  Intel’s Arc Alchemist A780 could be delayed til Q3 2022, potentially putting the RTX 3070 Ti-class GPU into unfavorable contention with Lovelace
Tipster Enthusiastic Citizen recently claimed that Arc desktop chips, including the A780, could be delayed til Q3 2022. This would potentially put these parts into a difficult spot against RX 7000 and Lovelace chips which may deliver two times the performance, going by current performance rumors.

17.04.2022  14-core Raptor Lake P mobile chip shows up on UserBenchmark: Beats the Core i9-12900HK in single and multithreaded tests
Performance figures for a purported Intel Raptor Lake P mobile CPU recently leaked on Userbenchmark. The 14-core chip outperformed the top-end Core i9-12900HK in both single and multithreaded workloads.

11.04.2022  Rumor suggests that NVIDIA could skip the RTX 4000 series entirely: top-end Lovelace AD102 might end up being called the GeForce RTX 5090
Tipster @kopite7kimi added to earlier AD102 leaks by providing further details about NVIDIA's upcoming Lovelace cards. Interestingly, the tipster referred to the top-end Lovelace card as "XX90," hinting that it might not be called the GeForce RTX 4090.

09.04.2022  Crystal Dynamics is working on a new Tomb Raider game, ditches in-house engine for Unreal Engine 5
During the State of Unreal 2022 event, Crystal Dynamics announced that it was in the early stages of working on a new Tomb Raider game. Per the developer, the upcoming Tomb Raider title will be built using Unreal Engine 5. After CD Projekt Red, Crystal Dynamics appears to be the second AAA developer in the past month to announce that it will be mothballing its in-house engine in favor of Epic’s latest.

03.03.2022  Capcom announces ray-tracing support for Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil 2, and Resident Evil 3, with next-gen patch to land on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S
A year after launching Resident Evil: Village, Capcom announced that it will be adding official ray-tracing support to Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil 2, and Resident Evil 3. These enhanced updates will arrive on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

03.03.2022  Pioneer outs an optical disk drive in 2022, citing "increasing opportunities" due to telework
Pioneer has seemingly resurrected the optical drive, straight of the early 2000s, by launching the BDR-213JDK. This optical drive supports 21 different Blu-ray, CD, and DVD formats, and is currently available for purchase in Japan.

16.02.2022  Google’s Chrome OS Flex aims to turn old laptops and netbooks into snappy Chromebooks
Google recently announced Chrome OS Flex, a USB-based Chrome OS installation that users can deploy on Windows and Mac computers. While it might not offer significant value on modern systems, Chrome OS flex could help users get more out of ageing netbooks and other devices that struggle to run full-fat Windows.

29.01.2022  Google job listing hints that Mountain View could be returning to the tablet business with a potential Pixel C successor to take on future iPads
After going on an Android tablet hiatus since 2015's Pixel C, Google appears keen to return to the tablet space, at least according to a recent job listing for the Senior Engineering Manager role. The listing is for Google's Android Tablets division and goes on to state that "tablets are the future of computing."

29.01.2022  The AetherSX2 PlayStation 2 emulator for Android has no trouble running Metal Gear Solid 3 at 30 FPS on the Snapdragon 860-equipped POCO X3 Pro
The latest Alpha update to the AetherSX2 emulator brings about significant performance improvements. Midrange Snapdragon 860 hardware now appears to have no trouble running intensive PlayStation 2 games like Metal Gear Solid 3.

17.01.2022  Apple may be prepping the new iPad Air 5, featuring an A15 processor and enhanced Center Stage front cam, with a 2022 launch timeframe
According to sources at Mac Otakara, Apple could be set to launch a new iPad Air 5 model, outfitted with a 5nm A15 SoC and an enhanced camera. The display and chassis may not be upgraded over the current-gen iPad Air, however.

21.12.2021  60 FPS gaming with a 10 year-old CPU: legendary Sandy Bridge i7-2600K delivers solid gaming results when paired with the RX 6900XT
Russian outlet Gecid.com recently ran 2021 gaming benchmarks on an overclocked Core i7-2600K. They aimed to see how the legendary Sandy Bridge chip holds up when paired with the Radeon RX 6900XT. Despite being 10 generations older than Alder Lake parts, the i5-2600K seemingly had no problem handing in 60 FPS or more in punishing titles like Assassin's Creed: Valhalla.

21.12.2021  Unannounced Alder Lake chip already in stores: Peruvian retailer sells US$181 Core i5-12400F with Laminar RM1 cooler, weeks ahead of official announcement
According to Xanxogaming, a Peruvian computer hardware store has apparently broken the embargo and started selling units of the Intel Core i5-12400F, a midrange Alder Lake part that Intel hasn't even officially announced yet. The report also confirms that Intel will be bundling midrange Alder Lake parts with the Laminar RM1 cooler

18.12.2021  OnePlus launches the OnePlus Buds Z2: midrange TWS buds deliver ANC, ultra-low latency, and nearly 2 days of battery life at US$99
OnePlus recently launched the Buds Z2. These midrange TWS earbuds support Dolby Atmos, active noise cancellation, and have a 40-hour battery life. Their bass-tuned 11mm drivers promise solid sound quality, too. At US$99, they offer substantial value compared to the likes of the AirPods Pro.

18.12.2021  iQOO Neo 5 SE gets a December 20th launch date: teaser video highlights the midrange phone's 50 MP triple camera setup
iQOO's official Weibo handle recently announced a release date for the iQOO Neo 5 SE and iQOO Neo 5S, alongside a teaser video showcasing the new devices. The phones are set to release in China on December 20th.

18.12.2021  Leaked OPPO Find X4 Pro renders showcase peculiar, Yotaphone-esque rear display, under-display selfie cam, and "quad curve" panel
Tipster @letsgodigitalNL outed what appear to be official CAD renders for the upcoming OPPO Find X4 Pro. The leaked renders illustrate the "quad-curved" display, the under-screen front camera, and the rear display, next to the phone's quad primary camera.

18.12.2021  CD Projekt settles class-action suit for Cyberpunk 2077's launch at US$1.85 million, despite raking in over US$500 million from the game
CD Projekt recently announced that it was settling a class-action lawsuit over Cyberpunk 2077's disastrous launch out of court. However, the paltry US$1.85 million settlement raises questions considering how the game has earned CD Projekt over US$500 million since 2020.

18.12.2021  Leaker outs image of the MSI MAG B660M Mortar, showing off the US$219 Alder Lake board's DDR5 slots, and PCI-E 5.0 support
Leaker @g01d3nm4ng0 recently outed a new picture of the MSI MAG B660M Mortar, an upcoming midrange B660M board. An earlier price leak indicated that the MAG B660M Mortar will sell for US$219, with the WiFi variant set to cost US$239.

17.12.2021  Samsung has an ambitious plan to ship over 4 million OLED display panels in 2022, per Sigmaintell report
According to analyst firm Sigmaintell, Samsung sold 800,000 OLED notebook panels last year and plans to move 5 times as many in 2022. The report also highlighted that ASUS, with its premium OLED display ROG laptops, dominated the OLED notebook market this year.

17.12.2021  Intel delays plans again: US$200 billion aim to build silicon manufacturing capabilities in the US and Europe pushed to 2022
Intel appears to have backtracked and delayed on a historic commitment to invest over US$200 billion in US and Europe-based silicon manufacturing facilities before the end of the year. As of now, the chipmaker has shifted the starting date on these plans to early 2022.

17.12.2021  Crypto influencer shares video of hundreds of GeForce RTX 3070 Founders Editions in a mining farm, despite a worsening global GPU shortage
In the midst of a GPU supply crisis that's seen consumer GPU prices soar by 300 percent or more, crypto influencer @jaxson_davidson shared a video in which he shows off a mining farm with hundreds upon hundreds of GeForce RTX 3070 Founders Edition GPUs, all apparently sourced off-market, directly by him from NVIDIA, raising questions about the underlying reasons for today's GPU price inflation.

17.12.2021  Acer outs the ConceptD 3 Ezel Designer Book: pricey Tiger Lake i7-11800H and GeForce RTX 3050 Ti config is poor value against Surface Book 3
Acer recently outed a new convertible laptop in China, the ConceptD 3 Ezel Designer Book. The Ezel's design looks to take aim at the Microsoft Surface Book 3, but the high RMB10,999 (US$1700) sticker price and low-res display raise questions about value.

17.12.2021  Purported Alder Lake Core i9-12900KS could hit 5 GHz on all cores, but 5 percent clockspeed boost may not be enough to tackle AMD's 3D V-Cache Ryzens
According to sources close to Videocardz, Intel is reportedly working on a pre-binned high-performance variant of the Core i9-12900K. The Core i9-12900KS could hit 5 GHz on all cores, right out of the box. It remains to be seen if this is enough to take on AMD's upcoming 3D V-Cache-refreshed Ryzen parts.

17.12.2021  MSI outs the Optix MAG281URF: 4K 144Hz 28-in gaming monitor with 1ms response time, G-Sync, and HDR400, aimed at the eSports crowd
MSI recently announced the Optix MAG281URF, a 4K high-refresh monitor with HDR400, GSync, and a low response time. The Optix MAG281URF is targeted towards eSports players who are looking for a viable 4K option without sacrificing input lag or framerate.

17.12.2021  A GeForce RTX 3080 for 1080p raytracing: eyebrow-raising Dying Light 2 specs hint at possible optimization issues
Dying Light 2 developer Techland recently outed specs for the upcoming survival horror game. While min specs call for a palatable hardware spec, the high ray-tracing preset demands the GeForce RTX 3080, even for a 1080p/60 FPS experience.

15.12.2021  An FCC filing for Samsung's 25W wireless charger hints that wireless fast-charging could arrive alongside the Samsung Galaxy S22
According to a recent FCC filing, Samsung is currently working on 25W fast wireless charging technology. While the tech certainly did not make it in time for the Galaxy S21's launch, Samsung's 2022 smartphone lineup could support the 25W wireless charging standard.

15.12.2021  Safety Korea certification for the Samsung Galaxy M33 5G confirms mammoth 6000 mAh battery capacity
A Safety Korea battery certification filing revealed that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy M33 5G will likely sport a massive 6000 mAh battery. The large battery size could help the entry-level phone get through multiple days of use on a single charge.

15.12.2021  Extreme DDR5 RAM prices might come down as early as Q1 2022, with TrendForce report predicting a 5-8 percent price decline
According to a report by TrendForce, global DDR5 prices are set to finally start coming down over the next several months. The report states that both DDR5 and DDR4 modules will get 8-10 percent cheaper by Q1 2022.

15.12.2021  BenQ outs the Mobiuz EX3210U 4K gaming monitor: 32-in IPS panel has a 1ms response rate, 144Hz refresh rate, FreeSync, and HDR600
BenQ recently launched a new gaming monitor, the Mobiuz EX3210U. The new Mobiuz model is targeted at competitive gamers, with a snappy, 1ms response time and a 144 Hz refresh rate.

15.12.2021  The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus lands on Geekbench 5: Android 12 out of the box, but 30 percent slower than Apple A15 devices
The Galaxy Tab S8 Plus was recently spotted on Geekbench 5. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1-equipped device fared poorly against the iPhone 13 Pro's A15, and delivered just 8 percent better multithreaded performance than Snapdragon 888 devices like the Samsung Galaxy S21.The listing, however, did confirm that the S8 Plus will ship with Android 12 out of the box and feature 8GB of RAM.

14.12.2021  Mysterious "GPU-N" in research paper could be GH100 NVIDIA Hopper GPU with 100GB of HBM2 VRAM, 8576 CUDA Cores, and 779 TFLOPs of FP16 compute
Twitter user @Redfire75369 discovered a research paper on using low-precision GPU compute for deep learning with GPU-N. The mystery card appears to be a single-die GH100 NVIDIA Hopper GPU, offering a mammoth 779 TFLOPs of FP16 compute.

14.12.2021  Leaked documents confirm that Alder Lake Core i5-12400F and Core i3-12100F won't have Gracemont efficiency cores
Leaked documents received and verified by Videocardz confirm that the Alder Lake Core i5-12400F and Core i3-12100F will be the first 12th-gen Intel CPUs to ship without any Gracemont efficiency cores.

14.12.2021  Leaked Core i5-12400F benchmarks show Intel's budget Alder Lake dominating the Ryzen 5 5600X and Rocket Lake i7-11700K in gaming benchmarks
Leaked benchmarks for the upcoming Alder Lake Core i5-12400F, uploaded on BiliBili, show Intel's budget Alder Lake part dominating the Ryzen 5 5600X across the board, while also besting the flagship Rocket Lake Core i7-11700K in gaming workloads.

14.12.2021  Peter Molyneux's next game, Legacy, lets players to own NFTs and earn the Ethereum-backed LegacyCoin crypto in real life
Peter Molyneux, the troubled developer of Fable and Godus, announced Legacy, a new blockchain-based business sim game. Legacy lets players own NFTs and earn LegacyCoin, a new cryptocurrency that lies on the Ethereum blockchain.

14.12.2021  Apple could launch a foldable iPhone as early as 2023, if it's able to solve "key technology issues"
According to a Display Supply Chain report, Apple could release a foldable iPhone as early as 2024, though "key technology and production issues" could push things into the year after.

14.12.2021  Photo leaks of Intel's new Laminar RM1 stock cooler for upcoming 65W Alder Lake CPUs: enhanced cooling chops for non-K 12th-gen CPUs
Leaker @momomo_us recently outed a picture of Intel's purported Laminar RM1 stock cooler. While Alder Lake K-series parts like the i9-12900K don't ship with a cooler, upcoming 65W Alder Lake CPUs may be boxed with the RM1 included.

14.12.2021  New EVGA firmware boosts Ethereum mining on GeForce RTX 3080 Ti LHR units by over 20 percent, up to 91 MH/s
EVGA has reportedly outed a firmware update for GeForce RTX 3080 Ti LHR models that addresses the "power lock" issue on these cards while mining. With the new firmware installed, miners found that their 3080 Ti LHR cards delivered up to 91 MH/s in Ethereum workloads.

13.12.2021  Microsoft is apparently offering 50 percent discounts to certain MS Office pirates, to entice them away from cracked copies of Office
Microsoft is offering pirates in certain countries a special discount to purchase an Office 365 subscription, instead of continuing to pirate Office software. The "limited time" offer delivers substantial savings, up to 50 percent off.

13.12.2021  XFX outs the Navi 12-based BC-160 mining card for US$2000: 2304 shader cores and 4GB of HBM2 deliver up to 70 MH/s in Ethereum
XFX recently launched the BC-160, a cryptocurrency mining-oriented card built around the Navi 12 GPU. The BC-160 is currently available exclusively in China and delivers a hashrate of over 70 MH/s in Ethereum, thanks to its fast HBM2 memory.

13.12.2021  Tipster outs a raft of B660, H610, and H670 budget LGA 1700 boards for Alder Lake: DDR4 H610 models could hit a sub-US$100 price point
Leaker @momomo_us revealed a list of possible H670, B660, and H610 budget motherboards for the Alder Lake LGA 1700 platform from various vendors. The entry-level options here, like the Gigabyte H610I DDR4, could provide budget gamers a sub-US$100 entry point to Alder Lake in the months to come.

13.12.2021  Alleged GeForce RTX 4090 Ti and Radeon RX 7000 mining farm spotted on Flexpool, delivering nearly 4 million dollars per month at 4.3 TH/s
A mining farm was recently spotted on Flexpool that appears to incorporate GeForce RTX 4090 Ti and AMD Radeon RX 7000 GPUs. While there's no way to verify if the parts are indeed next-gen AMD and NVIDIA hardware, the farm's 4.3 TH/s hash rate suggests that high-performance parts are at work.

12.12.2021  Apache Log4j zero-day exploit could be used by hackers to target users on Steam, Twitter, Amazon, and other platforms
A zero-day exploit was recently identified within the Apache log4j logging library, which can potentially be used by hackers to take over entire servers via logging messages. The vulnerability affects a number of online services, from Steam and Twitter to Amazon and Minecraft, among others.

12.12.2021  Realme overtakes Samsung as the second-largest smartphone brand in India, with 18 percent market share and 9.3 million October units sold
Realme has emerged as India's second-largest smartphone brand, capturing 17 percent market share in October 2021, according to a Counterpoint Research report. The budget smartphone maker overtook Samsung for second place, with over 9 million phones sold, just in October 2021.

12.12.2021  Samsung aims to sell more 8KTVs than 4K OLED TVs in 2022, per report, with a raft of 8K MiniLED models expected early next year
According to a report in The Elec, Samsung is planning on launching a raft of MiniLED 8K TVs in 2022, using its "Neo QLED" technology. Samsung's 2022 flagship lineup will also feature new 4K OLED TVs, including some with panels sourced from LG.

12.12.2021  MSI outs a new Z690 GODLIKE motherboard teaser, highlighting the LGA 1700 board's truly massive 3.5-in removable touchscreen panel
MSI outed a new video that teased its upcoming MSI Z690 GODLIKE flagship motherboard for Alder Lake. The video highlighted one of the Z690 GODLIKE's key features: a 3.5-in touchscreen panel, connected via USB Type-C.

12.12.2021  Lenovo lists the AMD RX 6500 XT as a 4GB discrete GPU for the Legion T5 Gaming prebuilt: entry-level RDNA2 card could arrive soon
Lenovo accidentally listed the AMD RX 6500 XT as a discrete GPU option for its Legion T5 prebuilt gaming PCs. According to the Lenovo document, the RX 6500 XT will feature 4GB of GDDR6, in line with previous leaks.

12.12.2021  NVIDIA GeForce MX550 pops up in Geekbench: Ampere GA107 part with 2GB of VRAM and 2048 CUDA cores bests the MX450 by 15 percent
According to a report by ITHome, Lenovo and other laptop makers could be prepping entry-level notebooks equipped with the GeForce MX550. The MX550 will reportedly be the first Ampere card with just 2GB of VRAM, and will feature 2048 CUDA cores.

12.12.2021  Intel Arc Alchemist die size leaks out: 396mm2 Alchemist chip on par with the GA104 found in the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
After Moore's Law is dead leaked die shots of the Intel Arc Alchemist GPU die, @Locunza_ took measurements, discovering that Alchemist's 396mm2 GPU die is roughly the same size as GA104, the GPU powering the GeForce RTX 3070 and 3070 Ti.

12.12.2021  CNET benchmarks indicate that the Apple MacBook Pro with the M1 Max chip is up to 4.8 times faster than Intel Macs in Adobe Lightroom
A benchmark test by CNET indicates that the new Apple Silicon M1 Max-equipped MacBook is up to 5 times faster than the models featuring an Intel Core i9 CPU. This is largely down to Apple's massive gains in GPU performance, with the M1 Max delivering rendering power on par with the GeForce RTX 3060.

10.12.2021  Alder Lake pushes Intel's CPU market share to a record high for 2021, per Mindfactory data
Thanks to a strong Alder Lake launch, Intel's market share in terms of CPUs sold has climbed to around 30 percent, its highest ever for the year 2021. AMD still maintains a commanding lead, however, thanks to strong demand for midrange price-performance champs like the Ryzen 5 5600X.

10.12.2021  The Elec report states that iPhone 14 Pro models will have a 48MP punch hole camera; budget iPhone 14s will retain the notch
A report by Korean outlet The Elec seemingly confirms that Apple will ditch the Face ID notch in the iPhone 14 generation, at least on Pro models. According to the report, the iPhone 14 Pro will have a 48 MP punch hole camera, on a 6.06-in 120 Hz OLED panel.

10.12.2021  New STALKER 2 details and gorgeous Unreal 5-powered screenshots emerge months ahead of the next-gen exclusive's April 2022 launch
GSC Game world recently shared a set of five new STALKER 2 screenshots, with just five months to go before the long-awaited sequel to Call of Pripyat arrives. Russian gamers also shared early snippets of an exclusive PC Gamer magazine feature on the game, highlighting new gameplay mechanics.

07.12.2021  Pictures leak of Gigabyte's upcoming B660 Gaming X DDR4 budget motherboard for Alder Lake
Videocardz recently outed pictures of what appear to be the Gigabyte B660 Gaming X DDR4, a budget LGA 1700 motherboard for 12th-gen Intel CPUs. While we're yet to hear anything about pricing, it will be interesting to see how the Gaming X DDR4 compares to the purported US$119 MSI PRO B660M-E, a bargain Alder Lake board that supports DDR5 memory.

07.12.2021  Tipster outs 3DMark Time Spy score for upcoming AMD Rembrandt 6000 series APUs: new iGPUs could offer near GeForce GTX 970 performance
Tipster @9550Pro recently outed what appears to be a 3DMark Time Spy score for an unspecified AMD Rembrandt APU. The purported 6000 series APU scores 2700, which is within spitting distance of the GeForce GTX 1650, and not far off from the legendary GeForce GTX 970. With GPU prices remaining extremely high, Rembrandt could offer gamers a more affordable alternative.

07.12.2021  AOC outs a massive 43-inch, 144 Hz, HDR1000 gaming monitor, but it's China-exclusive for the moment
AOC recently announced a high-end 43-in gaming monitor featuring a 144 Hz VA panel, HDR1000 certification, and FreeSync. The G4309VX, unfortunately, seems limited to the Chinese market for now. Furthermore, AOC's yet to offer details about pricing.

07.12.2021  Most of Alder Lake's game compatibility issues have been resolved by Intel and Microsoft, but Assassin's Creed: Valhalla still doesn't work properly
Microsoft and Intel partnered to address Alder Lake's compatibility issues with the DRM software used by many popular AAA games. As of today, only three games still have problems when efficiency cores are enabled. One of those, however, is Assassin's Creed: Valhalla.

05.12.2021  Insider claims that Apple will launch multiple Apple Silicon M2-powered Macs in 2022, including an entry-level MacBook Pro
Insider Mark Gurman recently stated that Apple plans on releasing five different Mac models next year. These could include new iMac and Mac Mini models, a MacBook Air redesign, and two different MacBook Pros. Most of these parts, barring the higher-end MacBook Pro, will likely be powered by variants of the Apple Silicon M2 chip.

05.12.2021  WSTS semiconductor statistics organization predicts that year-on-year silicon revenue growth will decline by 17 percent in 2022
The World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization recently downgraded its prediction for global semiconductor revenue growth in 2022. This year, WSTS expects revenue to grow by just 8.8 percent, a far cry from 2021's 25 percent growth rate.

05.12.2021  Huawei's Harmony OS-powered smartphones could hit the European market as early as 2022, but lack of Google Play is still a dealbreaker
A Huawei executive recently confirmed that devices running on the company's HarmonyOS platform will reach the European market in 2022. This could mean that powerful devices like the Mate 50 Pro will once again be available to international audiences.

05.12.2021  €1836 Acer Nitro 5 laptop with the unannounced Alder Lake i7-12700H and GeForce RTX 3070 Ti listed on French eCommerce site
A French eCommerce platform recently listed a new Acer Nitro 5 model, sporting what appears to be the Intel i7-12700H, alongside a GeForce RTX 3070 Ti. While neither part has been officially launched, the laptop's listing indicates that we may see Alder Lake H sooner than expected.

04.12.2021  Tipster shares details about OPPO's 150W charging tech: 10A chargers currently in trial production, but 2022 phones will max out at 80W
@DCS recently shared a Weibo update about the state of OPPO's 150W charging technology. The company has already begun trial production of 10-Amp chargers that'll support 150W charging. Upcoming flagships like the Find X4 might only support 80W charging, though.

04.12.2021  Sony's reportedly working on "Spartacus," an Xbox Game Pass rival that combines PS Plus and PS Now, slated for a Spring 2022 launch
Sony is working on "Spartacus," a competitor to Xbox Game Pass, that will reportedly combine its PlayStation Now and PlayStation Plus services. "Spartacus" will feature a three-tier subscription plan, bundling in PS Plus benefits, free PS4 and PS5 games, and game streaming.

04.12.2021  Tamriel Rebuilt, an Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind mod almost 20 years in development, gets a new progress update
Tamriel Rebuilt, a mod effort to add in the entirety of mainland Morrowind to The Elder Scrolls III, just received a new roadmap for 2022. With the Elder Scrolls 6 still years out, RPG fans might have reason now to dust off Morrowind.

04.12.2021  MSI B660 DDR5 boards leak with prices starting at US$119: could help bring Alder Lake and DDR5 to the mainstream
Tipster @chi11edog released what appears to be a leaked price list for an entire lineup of MSI B660 DDR5 motherboards, starting at US$119. With extant Z690 boards starting at US$220, this could give budget builders a path forward to Alder Lake.

04.12.2021  The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB won't have a Founders Edition: AIB custom units set to arrive at launch
A TechPowerUp report indicates that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 12GB will not have a pricey Founders Edition variant from NVIDIA. Instead, the refreshed Turing card will be an AIB-exclusive, which could potentially help keep pricing under control.

04.12.2021  Tipster leaks disappointing Raptor Lake results in BAPCO Crossmark: 24-core, 32 core chip is 30 percent slower than the Alder Lake i9-12900K, with an unusual P and E-core balance
Tipster @KOMACHI_ENSAKA got their hands on benchmark results for an unnamed Intel Raptor Lake part with 24 cores and 32 threads. Despite having a 50 percent higher core count, the engineering sample falls well behind the 12900K, hinting at very low test clockspeeds.

04.12.2021  Members of the US Congress introduce "Stopping Grinch Bots Act" to penalize predatory scalping and potentially ease supply issues for the PlayStation 5 and graphics cards
Members of Congress recently introduced the Stopping Grinch Bots Act. If it passes through, this piece of legislation could make it illegal for scalpers to use bots and scripts to hoard electronics for resale.

04.12.2021  Despite the silicon shortage, graphics card shipments recorded a 25 percent increase this year, raising questions about the impact of scalping and crypto mining
According to a report by Jon Peddie Research (JPR), AIB graphics card shipments increased by 25 percent over 2021, despite the apparent global silicon shortage. This raises questions about the impact of crypto mining and scalping on cards meant to reach the consumer market.

01.12.2021  Minisforum outs the TH50 Mini, a Tiger Lake H-powered SFF with an i5-11320H, 16GB RAM, Xe-LP graphics, and an expected US$500 sticker price
Minisforum recently launched a new Tiger Lake-based Mini PC. The TH50 Mini features an i5-11320H, a higher TDP H-series processor, alongside 16GB of RAM and ample storage options. It will likely retail in the US$500 price range, and could be a good option for low-profile media center builds.

01.12.2021  Specs leak for the Honor 60 Pro 5G ahead of China launch: Snapdragon 778G chipset, a 6.8-in display and 5G connectivity
Tipster Ishan Agarwal leaked specifications for the Honor 60 Pro 5G, just a day before the phone is slated for launch. The midrange device will feature a Snapdragon 778G Plus, alongside 8-12GB of RAM and a 108MP primary camera sensor. The 4800 mAh battery supports 66W fast charging.

30.11.2021  Miner exclusive cards like the Sapphire GPRO X080 and X060 aren't a solution: they're part of the global GPU supply problem
Spanish outlet El Chapuzas Informaticos recently discovered that Sapphire was selling RDNA2-based GPUs under its GPRO brand off retail channels. These are sold exclusively to high-volume crypto mining clients at a time when consumer GPU prices remain sky.

30.11.2021  DigiTimes report outs a 2022 timeline for 5nm Lovelace-based NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 and 4080, highlights that Hopper will be pulling AI/datacenter duty instead
According to a report by DigiTimes, factories in Taiwan are already ramping up to help NVIDIA bring out its RTX 4000 series gaming GPUs in 2022, based on 5nm lithography. Notably, the report indicates that "Hopper," rather than being a new GPU generation, will be an MCM architecture for datacenter and HPC use cases.

29.11.2021  Hardware modder jury rigs a GeForce RTX 2060 with 12GB of RAM, shortly before NVIDIA's official RTX 2060 refresh launches
An ingenious Russian YouTuber managed to tack on an additional 6GB of VRAM to the GeForce RTX 2060, just weeks before NVIDIA's expected to out its official 12GB GeForce RTX 2060 refresh.

29.11.2021  Intel product manager teases Xe Next ARC Druid GPU launch in 2025
@theBryceIsRt, an Intel product manager and community advocate for the company's upcoming ARC graphics cards, recently tweeted that fourth-gen Arc Druid GPUs could hit the market as early as 2025.

27.11.2021  Developer outs stunning Unreal 5 tech demo running on the GeForce RTX 3070, highlighting what next-gen exclusive visuals could shape up to be on PS5 and Xbox Series S/X
Developer Melhem Sfeir, who previously released a tech demo showcasing the capabilities of Unreal 5's Nanite geometry system, outed a new demo running on the GeForce RTX 3070, showing off Unreal 5's Lumen lighting system, next-gen materials, and high-fidelity Quixel scan objects.

27.11.2021  NVIDIA's AI-based GAUGAN 2 tool generates Van Goghesque landscapes from words and phrases you input
NVIDIA recently rolled out a demo of GAUGAN 2, an AI-based text to image platform. GAUGAN 2 has been trained on images of buildings, plants, and other objects, and will output images of what it thinks input text represents. The results aren't always accurate, but are stunningly beautiful on occasion.

25.11.2021  GALAX outs the GeForce RTX 3060 Metaltop Mini FG, a single-fan RTX 3060 for small form factor desktops
GALAX recently announced the launch of the GALAX GeForce RTX 3060 Metaltop Mini FG. The diminutive single-fan card will deliver reference GeForce RTX 3060 performance in a compact package, ideal for SFF builds.

22.11.2021  Maxsun releases the MS-Meterstone HM570 desktop motherboard with a 45W Tiger Lake i7-11800H onboard
Chinese OEM Maxsun released a desktop motherboard featuring one of Intel's mobile Tiger Lake chips built in. The HM570 is a standard Micro-ATX motherboard, but has its Tiger Lake i7-11800H soldered on. With low-end Alder Lake parts set to hit the market soon, though, it's unclear exactly who the HM570 is made for.

22.11.2021  Tipster reveals purported details for an entry-level US$179 Intel Arc Alchemist GPU with 128 EUs, 6GB of GDDR6, and performance in line with the GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER
Moore's Law is Dead recently shared a spec sheet summarizing leaked details about what appears to be an entry-level variant of the Intel Arc Alchemist GPU. The card could be priced as low as US$179, with performance on par with the GTX 1650 SUPER.

20.11.2021  WiFi 7 set to deliver speeds up to 40 Gigabits per second, slated for a demo by MediaTek at CES 2022
MediaTek recently stated that it would be showing off a WiFi 7 demo at CES 2022. During a presentation for a company event, MediaTek highlighted how WiFi 7 could be up to 2.4 times faster than the existing WiFi 6 standard, and that it will be showing off a WiFi 7-capable device at the technology expo next year.

20.11.2021  After the disastrous debut of GTA Trilogy: Definitive Edition, Rockstar makes the originals available for purchase again
Rockstar issued an official apology following the launch of GTA Trilogy: Definitive Edition, and announced that it would be making the original games available for purchase again.

20.11.2021  Intel Arc Alchemist struggles to best the GeForce RTX 2060 in leaked Geekbench OpenCL benchmarks, but poor performance is likely down to low test clockspeeds
@BenchLeaks recently spotted OpenCL benchmarks, running on what appear to be an Intel Arc Alchemist GPU with 512 Execution Units. Due to unusually low clockspeeds in the test runs, though, the Intel card struggled to best even the GeForce RTX 2060.

20.11.2021  AMD may be working on the entry-level Radeon RX 6500 XT and RX 6400, with the Navi 24 budget cards reportedly featuring 4GB of GDDR6 memory
Tipster @KOMACHI_ENSAKA recently claimed to have spotted product listings for the AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT and RX 6400. The cards are reportedly built on the Navi 24 GPU, with 4GB of GDDR6 across a 64-bit memory bus.

20.11.2021  Tipster outs purported Alder Lake Pentium and Celeron G6900 and G7400 processors
Tipster @momomo_us recently shared what appear to be Canadian store listings for the Pentium Gold G7400 and the Celeron G6900. It is possible that these chips are lower-end Alder Lake parts, but a lack of further information means that they may well be refreshes of previous-gen 14nm silicon.

20.11.2021  The Red Dead Redemption dream on PC finally comes true: Alder Lake i9-12900K delivers close to 4K/60 FPS in RPCS3 emulator with FSR upscaling
Thanks to Alder Lake's massive IPC improvements, Red Dead Redemption, long the bane of emulators like RPCS3 and Xenia, is finally running at close to 4K/60 FPS on an Alder Lake i9-12900K paired with a GeForce RTX 3080 Ti.

20.11.2021  Over 2.5 million Battlegrounds India (PUBG) players get banned on a single day, as developers double down on tougher anti-cheat measures
Battlegrounds India, the local variant of PUBG Mobile, recently banned over 2.5 million accounts for cheating, as part of an effort to improve the quality of the game's multiplayer experience.

20.11.2021  Xbox One users can now run Xbox Series X/S exclusives via Xbox Cloud Gaming, opening the door to a new approach to cross-gen compatibility
Microsoft recently rolled out Xbox Cloud Gaming on the Xbox One and Xbox One S in over 25 regions. This feature allows gamers on previous-gen hardware to stream next-gen exclusive titles like The Medium via xCloud, opening a door to new cross-gen possibilities.

16.11.2021  Apple rolls out iOS and iPadOS 15.2 beta 3 to developers, featuring incremental bugfixes and tweaks
Developers participating in the iOS 15.2 beta program are now able to download beta 3, featuring incremental upgrades and minor bugfixes.

16.11.2021  NVIDIA releases a six-tap spatial upscaling alternative to AMD's FSR, enabled at the driver level and compatible with a much wider range of games through the GeForce Experience overlay
With the release of NVIDIA's latest driver update, spatial upscaling is added into both GeForce Experience and the NVIDIA Control Panel. The six-tap upscaling algorithm looks to be a more direct competitor to FSR than DLSS, and driver-level support makes it possible to enable in any game

16.11.2021  LGA 1700's asymmetrical socket design means that older AIO coolers could have trouble with Alder Lake thermals
Following an Igor's Lab report about changes to the LGA 1700 socket design, WCCFTech tested out multiple previous-gen AIO coolers that are theoretically compatible, discovering that many made inadequate contact with the Alder Lake IHS, meaning higher temps and lower boost clocks.

16.11.2021  Activision's new Call of Duty ban policy could get you kicked from multiple CoD titles, including future ones
After adding in a kernel-level anti-cheat solution to Call of Duty: Vanguard, Activision revised its enforcement policy, highlighting that severe infractions could result in players getting banned in past, present, and future Call of Duty titles.

16.11.2021  Weibo tipster outs OPPO's "Peacock" foldable smartphone, with Android 12, Snapdragon 888, and an LTPO panel
A tipster on Weibo claimed that Oppo will be launching a new foldable smartphone, codenamed "Peacock," as early as next month. Peacock is slated to feature a Snapdragon 888 processor and a 7-8-in LTPO foldable panel.

16.11.2021  GeForce Now Priority members report a sub-60 FPS cap on certain games, despite being offered GeForce RTX 2080-class cloud hardware
GeForce Now Priority tier users report that NVIDIA is capping their framerates in certain games below 60 FPS, going as low as 45 FPS in titles like Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Cyberpunk 2077. This is despite the fact that Priority Tier uses an RTX-capable GPU which should be able to hit 1080p/60 FPS, even in intensive titles, raising questions about artificial limitations.

13.11.2021  Researchers manage to transmit digital data using nuclear radiation
Researchers at Lancaster University were able to transmit useful digital data by manipulating the neutron field around radioactive Californium-252. The research could have an impact on future wireless technologies that aren't dampened by walls and other hard surfaces.

13.11.2021  Tencent Cloud outs new AI chips that reportedly outpace current market leaders
Tencent Cloud, the Chinese giant's cloud services subsidiary, recently unveiled three new AI chips its working on that reportedly deliver significantly faster results than existing systems.

13.11.2021  Open source Botenago malware could potentially affect millions of routers and IoT devices
Written in Google's own open source Golang programming language, Botenago could potentially affect millions of routers connected to the internet as well as IoT devices.

13.11.2021  Rivian, the electric "cybertruck" company hits US$100 billion valuation, surpassing General Motors despite only ever having delivered 150 vehicles
Rivian, an electric car maker touted as a competitor to Tesla and supported by the likes of Facebook and Amazon, recently hit a US$100 billion valuation on the stock market, despite the fact that the company has only ever manufactured and delivered 150 vehicles to customers so far.

11.11.2021  Modder uses Cheat engine to enable ray tracing in Forza Horizon 5's gameplay sections, with glorious results
Modder Digital Dreams recently posted a YouTube video showcasing Forza Horizon 5 running with ray-tracing enabled in gameplay sections, via a Cheat Engine tweak. While system specs weren't given, it appears that Digital Dreams is running the gain at a fairly locked 60 FPS.

11.11.2021  EVGA's Precision X1 overclocking gets an overhauled voltage-frequency curve tool after the New World GeForce RTX 3090 debacle
EVGA's Precision X1 overclocking tool recently received a major update that overhauls the VF (voltage-frequency curve) editor, as well as a way to synchronize the in-app frame limiter with the frame limiting option in the NVIDIA control panel.

11.11.2021  Instagram's upcoming "Take a Break" feature could encourage you to use the app (and your phone) less
In an attempt to combat "doomscrolling," Instagram is set to launch a new feature called "Take a Break," which encourages users to periodically take breaks from the app after a set amount of time.

11.11.2021  PUBG: New State finally launches, delivering a next-gen update to the classic battle royale game on mobile
PUBG: New State, the hotly anticipated successor to the original PUBG, has launched officially on Android and iOS in over 200 countries and territories. New State sports significantly enhanced graphics, larger maps, and a futuristic setting, along with features like weapon customization and drone combat.

11.11.2021  Phonespy surveillance software mimics Pegasus and was spotted stealing data from thousands of South Korean Android users
A newly discovered mobile surveillance tool, Phonespy, appears to offer hackers and governments similar capabilities to NSO's Pegasus. Researchers found that Phonespy was being used by unknown actors to monitor and steal data from thousands of South Koreans.

11.11.2021  Recycled lithium-ion batteries could last 50 percent longer than new ones, per study
A research project by scientists at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute indicates that lithium-ion batteries made from recycled and recovered components could last up to 50 percent longer than those made from "new" materials, potentially encouraging manufacturers to focus more on greener battery options.

11.11.2021  Tim Cook opened up about his personal interest in crypto but shuts down the possibility of adding Bitcoin as an Apple payment method
Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke briefly about his personal interest in cryptocurrency at a New York Times press event, stating that he personally owns crypto as part of his investment portfolio. However, he confirmed that Apple would not be accepting crypto as a payment method anytime soon.

11.11.2021  Florida university professor kickstarts project to investigate 3D printed rocket engine parts
The US$150,000 research project could answer significant questions about just how durable current generation 3D-printed parts can be in extreme situations.

30.10.2021  Hackers are using Discord to send malware and remote-access trojans, putting millions of users at risk
A report by RiskIQ indicates that hackers are abusing the Discord CDN to in a range of ways to send users over 27 different types of malware, including remote access trojans that allow them to gain control of victims' devices.

25.10.2021  Microsoft finally plans on showing off more of Halo Infinite's campaign, a year after graphics debacle
With Halo Infinite set to arrive in just two months, Microsoft finally decided to take the wraps off the campaign: the new campaign will show the first single-player footage we've seen in over a year since Craig the Brute's infamous debut.

25.10.2021  AMD's 3D V-Cache-refreshed Ryzen chips are slated to start production in November, hints tipster
Tipster @Greymon55 claimed that AMD's upcoming Ryzen refreshes with 3D V-Cache will enter mass production by November. This is in line with AMD's announcement that 3D V-Cache Ryzen CPUs will hit the market by Q1 2022, likely as a stopgap against Alder Like while Zen 4 is finalized for a Q3 2022 release.

25.10.2021  Yuzu Switch emulator gets AMD Fidelity FX Super Resolution (FSR) support for better performance when running BOTW and Super Mario Odyssey at 4K and beyond
Yuzu's resolution scaling feature recently received a massive update. Alongside a more effective texture scaling solution, Yuzu developers added in support for AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution upscaling feature, making 4K Breath of The Wild more accessible than before.

24.10.2021  Official Grand Theft Auto: Trilogy minimum specs revealed by Rockstar: 20-year old remasters seemingly require beefier hardware than Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Rockstar recently released the official minimum and required specifications for the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy remasters. Calling for an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 at minimum, alongside a quad-core processor, the 20 year-old games actually require beefier hardware than Assassin's Creed: Odyssey to run.

24.10.2021  Tipster outs specs for the AMD Instinct MI250X MCM GPUs: 48 TFLOPs of compute and 110 CUs at 1.7 GHz, with a 500W TDP
Tipster @ExecuFix revealed what appear to be details for the upcoming AMD Instinct MI250W GPU. The MCM-based card will reportedly feature 110 CUs running at 1.7 GHz, 128GB of HBM2 memory, and a 500W TDP.

24.10.2021  Tipster outs CPU-Z benchmark results for i5-12600K: beats the i9-11900K and nearly doubles the 5600X's multithreaded score
Tipster @TUM_APISAK recently shared what appear to be leaked CPU-Z benchmarks for the Alder Lake i5-12600K. The 10-core CPU delivers better performance in the benchmarks than the previous-gen flagship i9-11900K, and nearly doubles the score of the Ryzen 5 5600X.

24.10.2021  Gigabyte hit by ransomware attack: NDA’d information and customer details leak out with hackers threatening worse
A ransomware attack by a group called AvosLocker reportedly hit Gigabyte. As a result of the attack, sensitive information including customer credit card details, NDA'd agreements with Gigabyte partners, and employee payroll information, among other details, were leaked.

22.10.2021  God of War PC vs PlayStation 5: video comparison highlights minor improvements in the upcoming PC version compared to PS5’s free upgrade
Youtuber @Cycu1 put together a comparison video of gameplay footage for God of War’s PC port with the existing PS5 enhanced version. The video highlights broad parity between the two, but with minor improvements on PC to shadowing and ambient occlusion.

16.10.2021  Valve gets rid of all blockchain, crypto, and NFT games on the Steam platform
In a recent policy change, Valve decided that the Steam platform would no longer support games built on blockchain technology that let users receive or exchange crypto or NFT assets, raising questions about the future of player-owned NFT assets.

16.10.2021  Polish GeForce RTX 3080 buyer finally gets their graphics card order fulfilled after sending a 1-year “order anniversary” cake to the retailer
After having his GeForce RTX 3080 order remain unfulfilled for an entire year, a buyer in Poland reportedly ordered a special cake commemorating the “anniversary,” and sent it to the retail. Surprisingly, this drove the retailer to actually fulfill the order, a year after it was placed.

16.10.2021  US FinCEN watchdog reports that companies may have forked out nearly US$600 million in ransomware payments through 2021
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network stated that so far in 2021, crypto exchange and financial institutions have reported nearly US$600 million in transactions to pay ransomware attackers. This is signifcantly higher than 2020’s entire-year figure of US$416 million.

16.10.2021  Grand Theft Auto Trilogy Definitive Edition on PC allegedly sports higher minimum specs than GTA V and demands 45GB of storage space
The surprisingly high specifications, with a GeForce GTX 970 as the recommended GPU, raise questions about optimisation and how significant Rockstar’s remastering efforts are.

14.10.2021  Google DeepMind gets hit by a class-action lawsuit for “shortcomings” in how it handled over 1.6 million NHS patient records
Google’s AI department was recently hit by a class-action lawsuit in the UK, because of possible irregularities in the way that it received and handled the data of over 1.6 million NHS patients from the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

14.10.2021  SVOGI and better animations, but no ray-tracing for on PS5 or Xbox Series X/S: Crytek highlights key features in the upcoming Crysis 2 remaster
Crytek employees showcased Crysis 2 gameplay on Twitch, with the game slated to arrive on October 15th. A detailed list of new enhancements was also shared: Crysis 2 will be receiving SVOGI, hardware ray-tracing, and a raft of other features. However, RT will be limited to PC.

11.10.2021  An HP AIO PC listing seemingly hints at the existence of AMD Ryzen 7000 CPUs
Tipster @momomo_us spotted a listing on HP’s website for 24 and 27-inch AIO systems which seem to offer the AMD “Ryzen 7000” series as a CPU option.

11.10.2021  Tipster hints that WhatsApp could soon add a pause feature when you record voice notes
Tipster @WABetaInfo indicated that WhatsApp could soon feature a major quality-of-life improvement: users may soon be able to pause voice notes while recording them, instead of having to delete and start from scratch every time there’s a disturbance.

11.10.2021  Metroid Dread runs at 4K/60 FPS on PC via the Yuzu And Ryujinx emulators for Switch
The Yuzu and Ryujinx Nintendo Switch emulators on PC have made great leaps over the past few years of development. Yuzu’s at the point where newly-launched flagship titles like Metroid Dread are already running on PC at 4K/60 FPS with an entry-level i5-8400/GeForce GTX 1060 combo.

11.10.2021  3C certification indicates that the Samsung Galaxy S22 will “only” hit 25W charging speeds
While companies like Oppo are pushing for extreme charging speeds in excess of 100W, 3C certification for Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S22 indicates that the Korean giant will be sticking to a more pedestrian 25W charging for the upcoming flagship.

21.09.2021  Netflix offers a free plan without ads to Kenyan Android users, with a quarter of its catalog available to stream
The streaming giant aims to tap into a growing African market’s future potential by offering ad-free access to a quarter of its catalog, without the need to pay.

19.09.2021  Quantic Dream could be working on a new narrative-focused Star Wars game
A cryptic tweet by @_Tom_Henderson_ from Dualshockers seemingly hints that Quantic Dream’s next title after Detroit: Become Human will be a narrative focused Star Wars game.

19.09.2021  Apple and Google employees reportedly faced political coercion and prosecution threats in Russia over opposition voting app
With Russia’s parliamentary elections ongoing, Apple and Google removed a voting app published by opposition leader Alexei Navalny, reported under pressure from the Kremlin, setting a worrying precedent for other international tech brands operating in the country.

19.09.2021  After Aukey and RAVPower, Amazon drops the ban hammer on over 600 Chinese electronics brands for fraudulent reviews
In an effort to clamp down on fake and compensated reviews, Amazon has banned over 3000 merchant accounts, connected to approximately 600 Chinese technology brands.

18.09.2021  NVIDIA Deep Learning Anti-Aliasing (DLAA) set to boost image quality in The Elder Scrolls Online
During Zenimax’s Elder Scrolls Online update livestream, the company revealed that ESO will be the first game to feature NVIDIA’s upcoming DLAA (Deep Learning Anti-Aliasing) technology: this essentially leverages DLSS technology to boost image quality without the latter’s upscaling component.

13.09.2021  Data miner stumbles upon a Steam listing for God of War while trying to unlock GeForce NOW games
Igor Jhuly, a C++ developer and data miner appears to have accidentally discovered a Steam listing for God of War, strongly hinting that the PlayStation 4 exclusive might make its way over to PC.

13.09.2021  Tipster hints that Intel Alder Lake CPUs might ship with new bundled Laminar series coolers
Tipster @ayxerious outed a PowerPoint slide that indicates that Intel may release a new “Laminar” lineup of bundled CPU fans alongside its Alder Lake CPU chips.

13.09.2021  The rumoured Qualcomm SM6375 could power upcoming budget gaming smartphones with 144 Hz displays
A WinFuture report indicates that Intel is working on a new gaming-oriented budget chip called the SM6375. This chip is likely to sport 4 Kryo Gold cores and may power budget gaming phones with 144 Hz displays.

10.09.2021  Spine PlayStation 4 emulator gets updated, manages to go in-game with over 300 titles
The Spine PlayStation 4 emulator on PC recently received a major update. Spine’s v20210901 version significantly increases the emulator’s compatibility with commercial PlayStation 4 games. While performance still isn’t anywhere near playable in 3D titles, Spine can now actually run over 300 PlayStation 4 games.

26.08.2021  Newzoo report indicates that the cloud gaming market could approach US$7 billion by 2024
According to a market research report by Newzoo, factors from COVID-19 to the current GPU/console shortage mean that cloud gaming could see major growth over the next few years.

22.08.2021  Yes, you can actually play Super Mario 64 on your iPhone or Android web browser
The folks over at Froggi.es recently updated Super Mario 64: Browser Edition to support iOS and Android devices. The browser game is compatible with Bluetooth and wired controllers like the Razer Kishi and runs remarkably well.

20.08.2021  Nifty DLSS Swapper tool makes it easy for users to swap between the latest DLSS 2.0 libraries in games that have yet to be updated
A small tool developed by @beeradmore makes it significantly easier for NVIDIA RTX graphics card owners to run games with the latest DLSS libraries, potentially improving in-game image quality and performance.

20.08.2021  EA locks cross-gen upgrade for NHL 22 behind a $100 “X-Factor Edition” preorder
At a time when companies like Remedy have received flak for how they handle cross-gen game upgrades, EA has decided on a $40 asking price for NHL 22 cross-gen compatibility. Gamers will need to shell out $100 for what’s described as “cross-gen entitlement,” nearly double the cost of the base game.

19.08.2021  TeamGroup announces the T-Force Delta RGB, the world’s first RGB-lit DDR5 memory module, set to run at up to 5600 MHz
With DDR5 memory set to go mainstream over the next couple months, TeamGroup announced the launch of the world’s first RGB-lit DDR5 memory module, running at up to 5600 MHz.

05.08.2021  According to the Steam Hardware Survey, NVIDIA Ampere sales are over 10 times as high as AMD’s RDNA2
Redditor @zyck_titan discovered that, despite scalping and astronomical prices, NVIDIA’s Ampere lineup, including cards like the GeForce RTX 3090 have sold ten times the volume of AMD’s RDNA2 cards.

02.08.2021  The Ascent on Xbox Game Pass will soon be getting a DLSS and ray-tracing fix after a feature-incomplete launch
Following The Ascent’s simultaneous launch on Steam and Xbox Game Pass, gamers noticed that the Xbox version broke support for both DLSS upscaling and ray-traced visuals. After a few days of uncertainty, Neon Giant cleared things up by promising a patch, fixing these features in the Game Pass version.

28.07.2021  Tipster outs new details about AMD’s purported RDNA3-based Radeon RX 7900 XT
Tipster @Olrak29_ shared consolidated specs for what appears to be AMD’s successor to the RDNA2-based RX 6900 XT. The purported RX 7900 XT is set to feature dual GPU dies connected by Infinity Fabric, for a total of 15360 shader cores.

18.07.2021  Grand Theft Auto Vice City gets an unofficial port for the Nintendo Switch
reVC, a fan project to reverse engineer Grand Theft Auto Vice City’s source code, just got an unofficial port on the Nintendo Switch. Gamers will need a modded Nintendo Switch to try the game out, however.

18.07.2021  Speedrunner beats Super Mario Bros in under 12 minutes, while blindfolded
Crescendo, a Super Mario Bros speedrunner, recently posted a video showcasing a world record, beating the Nintendo classic in less than 12 minutes, while blindfolded.

16.07.2021  Samsung’s Exynos 2200 could feature a 6-core RDNA2 GPU to deliver a major graphics boost, and Xbox One-beating performance
Tipster @UniverseIce recently claimed on Weibo that Samsung’s upcoming Exynos 2200 SoC would feature a six-core RDNA2 implementation. To put this into perspective, the upcoming Steam Deck, capable of playing AAA PC games, features 8-core RDNA2 graphics. This means that Exynos 2200 powered devices could potentially deliver experiences on par with current-gen consoles.

12.07.2021  Intel’s Alder Lake and Raptor Lake parts get a SATA PCH compliance listing
Tipster @KOMACHI_ENSAKA spotted an Intel filing on the SATA-IO website highlighting PCH compliance for both Alder Lake and 13th-gen Raptor Lake parts. This is one of the earliest appearances of Intel’s post-Alder Lake platform, and likely the first alongside Alder Lake.

09.07.2021  40-core Sapphire Rapids dual-socket part outed on Geekbench, scores nearly 30K, but trails behind the likes of the Ryzen 9 5800X
@BenchLeaks recently spotted a Geekbench 4 entry for a purported Intel Sapphire Rapids dual-socket part with 40 cores in total. The possible engineering sample scored roughly 30,000 on Geekbench 4, a ways off, even from weaker commercial parts like the Ryzen 9 5800X.

04.07.2021  Edge of Eternity JRPG developer talks about DLSS and FSR implementations, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of both
In a conversation with WCCFTech, Midgar Studio’s Jeremy Zeler-Maury discussed the differences between FSR and DLSS in Edge of Eternity, one of only two games that currently implements both upscaling techniques.

29.06.2021  Despite being announced 3 year ago, The Elder Scrolls VI reportedly hasn’t gotten past the design phase
Bethesda’s Todd Howard opened up to The Telegraph about the Elder Scrolls VI. According to him, however, the game is still in the initial design phase, despite having been announced years ago.

24.06.2021  FidelityFX Super Resolution took Forspoken devs just a single day to implement
Luminous Studios’ Takeshi Aramaki spoke about the benefits of leverage AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution technology. Alongside praise for FSR’s image quality, Aramaki stated that it took the Luminous team just a single day to implement FSR tech in their game.

21.06.2021  AMD’s Radeon RX 6900XT LC hits the Indian market for an eyewatering US$3000
AMD quietly released its liquid-cooled RX 6900XT LC to Indian system integrators. Some resellers appear to have 6900 XT LC stock which they’re selling without a system for an incredible US$3007.

15.06.2021  Breath of the Wild 2 showcases impressive scale and familiar environments, but visuals don't hint at anything too ambitious or "next-gen"
Amid intense discussion about a possible Nintendo "Switch Pro," The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 received a gameplay trailer. As the sequel to one of the Switch's best-received titles, Breath of the Wild 2 was expected to push visuals forward. But gameplay footage shows nothing that would require a "Switch Pro" to run.

15.06.2021  Doom Eternal is getting NVIDIA DLSS and ray-tracing on June 29th, Rainbow Six: Siege DLSS patch out now, with 50 percent performance boost
NVIDIA announced a host of new titles set to feature RTX techniques like DLSS and ray-tracing. Doom Eternal, teased alongside the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti launch, will get a ray-tracing patch on June 29th, while Rainbow Six: Siege's DLSS update is already out.

13.06.2021  Goodbye Kepler: NVIDIA announces that GeForce GTX 600 and 700 series cards will stop receiving new Game Ready Drivers from August 2021
NVIDIA released a low-key update on its plans for end-of-lifing cards based on the Kepler architecture. According to a new post on NVIDIA's support site, Kepler cards like the GeForce GTX 780 Ti will no longer receive driver updates from August 2021 onwards.

13.06.2021  Tipster outs new die shots for Intel's upcoming Sapphire Rapids-based Xeon chips
The die shots showcase Sapphire Rapids ESF parts that utilize MCM, enabling Intel to creates chips with up to 56 Golden Cove cores. Multi-socket implementations could offer enterprise customers a new Xeon option with higher IPC, better temps at 10nm, scaling up to 3-digit core counts.

12.06.2021  Elden Ring makes it to E3 2021: New trailer showcases massive open world and Dark Souls-style combat
After months of radio silence, From Software finally offered a solid update on the state of Elden Ring. A new trailer showcased gameplay and art design that hew closely to Dark Souls. From also announced a release timeframe, with Elden Ring expected to drop in January 2022.

12.06.2021  Data breach at Electronic Arts sees source code for the Frostbite engine fall into the hands of hackers
Following the security incident at CD Projekt Red, it appears that Electronic Arts is dealing with the aftermath of a data breach. Hackers have reportedly made away with nearly 1 Terabyte of sensitive data, including the source code for the Frostbite engine.

07.06.2021  Unreal 5’s Nanite system flexes its muscles in a jawdropping map, with billions of polygons onscreen
Developer Melhem Sfeir demoed Unreal 5's Nanite technology by importing extremely high detail environment assets - several billion polygon's worth - into a scene. Remarkably his GeForce RTX 3070 was able to deliver smooth framerates at 1440p.

05.06.2021  AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution leverages standard upscaling techniques and appears to offer worse image quality than DLSS 2.0
Screen captures from Godfall - one of the first games to support FSR - suggest that image quality with AMD's new upscaling technique might not be substantially better than conventional resolution scaling, while offering worse performance, bringing back memories of DLSS 1.0

30.05.2021  Early Necromunda: Hired Gun footage shows off fast-paced Doom Eternal-esque action
Youtuber The Resident Gamer got hold of Necromunda: Hired Gun days before the game's June 1st launch. An extended gameplay video indicates that Hired Gun will feature fast-paced gunplay that brings Doom: Eternal to mind.

26.05.2021  Sony remains undecided about bringing Cyberpunk 2077 back to the PlayStation store
CD Projekt Red's Adam Kicinski recently stated at a shareholder meeting that Sony has yet to reapprove Cyberpunk 2077, despite having been delisted in December. With patch 1.2 performance still not optimal on last-gen consoles, Cyberpunk's PlayStation remains an open question.

21.05.2021  Amid the ongoing Chia boom, Seagate just announced an HDD that's as fast as SATA SSDs
Seagate recently announced the 14TB Mach.2 hard disk drive, with a maximum sustained transfer speed of 524 MB/s. This would put its throughput in line with many conventional SATA SSDs and several times faster than other commercial HDDs.

20.05.2021  "Gaming Super Resolution" patent hints that AMD's DLSS alternative will be platform-agnostic
An AMD patent filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office offers a glimpse at how its DLSS-competitor, apparently named "Gaming Super Resolution," could work.

20.05.2021  Intel seemingly confirms that Sapphire Rapids server parts will feature next-gen "Golden Cove" cores
Intel's Andi Kleen submitted a new patch for the Linux kernel in which he stated that Intel's upcoming Sapphire Rapids server parts will use Golden Cove cores, not Willow Cove, as seen in Tiger Lake CPUs.

19.05.2021  Tipster outs new Starfield screenshot, hints at an early 2022 launch
Tipster @SkullziTV recently outed another leaked image from a 2018 build of Bethesda’s upcoming space RPG, Starfield. @SkullziTV also claimed that Bethesda is aiming for a Q1 2022 release timeframe, nearly 7 years after the release of Fallout 4.

15.05.2021  Rumored “Apple Music HiFi” could roll out on May 18th as a lossless streaming competitor to Tidal
According to tipster Luke Miani, Apple is planning to launch a new Apple Music HiFi audio streaming tier for US$9.99 a month, going head to head with the likes of Tidal and Qobuz.

10.05.2021  Blazing fast Kingston Predator DDR4 memory clocks at 5333 MHz out of the box, but could cost over US$1200
Kingston recently revealed a new lineup of HyperX DDR4 modules that clock up to 5333 MHz, which would make them among the fastest commercially available DDR4 stick on the market. The new HyperX parts will, unsurprisingly, be expensive, with a 16GB set to cost over US$1200.

10.05.2021  Sony reportedly set to release a DualSense refresh with new colors incoming
A report by Spanish outlet Area Jugones indicates that Sony is planning to bring new DualSense controller variants to the market soon, in a wider range of colors. According to the outlet, both Red/Black and Grey/Black DualSense controllers are set to arrive as alternatives to the standard White/Black DualSense color scheme.

06.05.2021  Resident Evil Village Benchmarks suggest Capcom's latest can run even on integrated graphics
With Resident Evil Village set to release soon, outlets with review copies have published benchmarks that indicate that the game will scale very well on lower-end hardware. PC Gamer even managed to get Resident Evil Village running on the Ryzen 5 3400G with integrated graphics, albeit at 720p/60.

04.05.2021  NVIDIA's new datacenter roadmap indicates that MCM-based Lovelace could arrive next year, with a successor before 2024
NVIDIA recently unveiled its 2021-2025 roadmap for the datacenter segment. The roadmap indicates that an Ampere successor, likely Lovelace, could arrive next year, with a new GPU architecture beyond that set to arrive before 2024.

04.05.2021  Intel refutes claim that newly-uncovered Spectre vulnerability variants need patching with performance-leeching fixes
University of Virginia cybersecurity researchers published a paper in which they claimed that a variant of the Spectre vulnerability could potentially impact "billions" of devices, and require patches that severely hinder performance. Intel, however, refuted the claim in a statement.

03.05.2021  New Resident Evil Village tweak lets users extend PC demo beyond the 1 hour time limit
Modders have managed to tweak the Resident Evil Village demo on PC to run well past its nominal 1-hour time limit. While the demo doesn't feature all areas in the game, this gives gamers the opportunity to explore the game's Romanian environs at a more sedate pace.

03.05.2021  NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU-Z leak suggests a moderately powerful mobile GPU with 2560 Ampere cores and a 1.5 GHz boost clock
An anonymous user submitted a GPU-Z validation report for what seems to be a Clevo laptop sporting the as-yet unannounced Ampere NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti. The GPU report offers details about the mobile GPU, including that it'll have 2560 CUDA core count and a boost clock of over 1485 MHz.

01.05.2021  iOS 14.5 can now be jailbroken with Checkra1n; M1 Macs get preliminary support
The Checkra1n jailbreak was recently updated to feature support for iOS 14.5 and compatibility with Macs sporting the M1 processor. Version 0.12.3 adds these new features, along with a host of bug fixes.

01.05.2021  CD Projekt Red top execs clear over US$28 million in bonuses despite Cyberpunk 2077's rocky launch
Cyberpunk 2077's notoriously troubled launch has apparently not had an impact on the major bonuses cleared by CD Projekt Red's senior executives this year. CDPR heads received over $US28 million, thanks in large part to Cyberpunk's hype-driven sales success.

01.05.2021  Storage-based cryptocurrency Chia grows 6x in April to 1 Exabyte as SSD makers register a major bump to sales
Worries worsen that Chia, a storage-based cryptocurrency, could trigger a future shortage of SSDs and HDDs, as ADATA registered a massive 500 percent spike in sales in April, alongside a 6x increase in Chia's storage capacity.

28.04.2021  Red Faction Guerilla develop introduces new destruction sandbox with eye-popping physics effects
Instruments of Destruction by Red Faction: Guerilla lead tech artist Luke Schneider's studio could fill the decade-long void left after Red Faction: Guerilla demonstrated its remarkable destruction tech in 2009.

28.04.2021  Spotify is about to get pricier for users in the EU, the UK, and the US
Spotify is planning to raise prices in certain regions including Europe and the United States. However, the price hikes aren't uniform and, thankfully, they don't appear to be extreme.

25.04.2021  Commodore 64 from 1982 manages to Bitcoin, but only at 0.3 H/s
Programmer 8-bit Show And Tell managed to mod his 1 MHz Commodore 64 to mine Bitcoin. This is a remarkable feat for hardware that's close to 40 years old. However, at 0.3 H/s, the system will take nearly a billion years, just to turn a profit of US$10.

31.03.2021  Colorful seemingly forgot to post Resize BAR update files for NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 and RTX 3090 owners, amid a confusing feature rollout
Major GPU OEM Colorful seems to have entirely omitted download links for Resize BAR BIOS updates on its technical support page. This leaves Colorful graphics card owners with no way to enable the feature, at least until the OEM fixes those broken links.

28.03.2021  1 million words of text voice-acted: massive RPG Disco Elysium gets Director's Cut with full voice acting on March 30th
ZA/UM's remarkably political RPG is set to receive a major upgrade on March 30th. The Director's Cut of Disco Elysium will include new narrative content as well as full voice acting, fleshing out hundreds of thousands of lines of in-game text.

24.03.2021  Engineer creates a USB-C abomination that brings back the terror of USB-A cable flipping
Mechanical engineer Pim de Groot (@mifune) created a USB-C that seemingly brings back the bad old days of USB adapters that don't fit into ports the first (or second!) time.

24.03.2021  Cyberpunk 2077 mod attempts to soup up screen space reflections for users without GeForce RTX graphics cards
Modder nicobellic300901 released "Grainy SSR Begone" for Cyberpunk 2077. The mode leverages the Reshade platform to intelligently denoise low-resolution SSR reflections in the game for enhanced visuals, without the performance hit of "Psycho" quality RTX effects.

19.03.2021  Intel's new Adaptive Boost technology will allow the Rocket Lake S Core i9-11900K and 11900KF to hit 5.1 GHz on all eight cores
Intel recently unveiled yet another boost technology set to debut exclusively on its top-tier Rocket Lake S i9-11900K CPU. Adaptive Boost will allow the processor to hit up to 5.1 GHz on all cores, assuming cooling is up to snuff and temperatures are below 70 degrees C.

19.03.2021  Apple's rumored off-axis light-based Touch ID system could make its way onto the iPhone 13, alongside Face ID
A US patent filing strongly hints at Apple's plans for the future of Touch ID. Cupertino's alleged "off-axis angular light" based fingerprint scanning tech has the potential to work faster while being more secure than existing under-display scanners on Android devices.

15.03.2021  AirPods 3 fans might have to wait longer: production of Apple's TWS buds may not ramp up until Q3, says analyst
Contrary to an earlier leak, analyst Ming Chi-Kuo's report indicates that Apple only plans on ramping up AirPods 3 production by Q3 2021. This could potentially mean a holiday 2021 or 2022 time frame for the wireless buds.

15.03.2021  Dying Light 2 not dead yet: Techland set to deliver development update on troubled zombie survival game
Dying Light 2 developer Techland recent promised to deliver an update on the troubled game's progress on March 17th. This could shed light into the status of the game, what it looks like now, and when it'll actually ship.

11.03.2021  Terrifying Raspberry Pi-powered AI mosquito-killing laser gives off serious Terminator vibes
Russian PhD student Ildar Rakhmatulin devised a terrifying mosquito-killing solution that pairs a Raspberry Pi, a 1W laser, and an AI neural network capable of identifying and eliminating mosquitos.

09.03.2021  Further details about STALKER 2 unveiled in Russian podcast: advanced A-Life AI, Xbox Mod support, and more
GSC Game World's Zakhar Bocharov sat down to answer questions about STALKER 2 on a Russian language podcast. Bocharov highlighted some new information about the game, including the possibility of mod support on Xbox.

09.03.2021  35GB for a ninth-gen game: Microsoft Store reveals Resident Evil Village's surprisingly small file size
A recent update to Resident Evil Village's listing on the Microsoft Store indicates that Capcom's upcoming game will have a surprisingly small file size, especially considering that it's a 9th-generation console exclusive. The game is set to come in at just 35 GB, with Re: Verse multiplayer bundled in and adding an extra 15 GB.

08.03.2021  Apple might actually release augmented reality contact lenses in the 2030s, per Ming Chi-Kuo
Industry analyst Ming Chi-Kuo offered up an eyebrow-raising prediction in a recent research note. Kuo believes that Apple will release augmented reality contact lenses by the mid 2030s, potentially transforming the way people engage with technology and the world around them.

08.03.2021  Realistic Combat Overhaul Mod for Cyberpunk 2077 improves bullet-sponge combat
While Cyberpunk 2077's official 1.2 patch has been delayed somewhat, enterprising modders are improving aspects of the game by themselves. The Realistic Combat Overhaul by cortlong50 promises to revamp combat by making both the player - and enemy NPCs - significantly more dangerous to each other.

04.03.2021  AMD flaunts Resident Evil Village ray-tracing trailer with FidelityFX support
A new ray-tracing focused trailer snippet highlights Resident Evil Village's ray-tracing chops, set to arrive on console and AMD graphics cards.

04.03.2021  AMD's Smart Access Memory comes to Ryzen 3000 CPUs like the Ryzen 5 3600 as NVIDIA starts its own Resize BAR rollout: could help push the RX 6700 XT past the GeForce RTX 3070
Alongside the launch of its midrange RX 6700 XT, and shortly after the arrival of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, which brought resizable BAR support to a range of chipsets and CPUs, AMD announced that Smart Access Memory would be making its way to Ryzen 3000 processors.

02.03.2021  Leaked Elden Ring trailer stuns: showcases Dark Souls action on an epic, open-world scale; official announcement rumored to drop soon
A trailer and gameplay snippets recently leaked for From Software's upcoming Elden Ring. While the quality of the video isn't particularly great, the trailer showcases a Dark Souls-esque environment and combat, but on a far larger scale than we've seen before, with glimpses of a wide open world.

01.03.2021  NVIDIA's AIB partners are discontinuing blower fan designs for the GeForce RTX 3090
AIBs including Gigabyte and ASUS have removed a number of GeForce RTX 3090 models with a blower-style fan from their websites. A Videocardz report hints that this could be in order to make way for cryptocurrency mining cards with blower fans. Whatever the reason may be, this is good news for gamers, on account of the inefficiency of blower fan tech.

26.02.2021  Some of NVIDIA's CMP mining chips will leverage the 12nm Turing architecture: however, specs indicate that CMP 50HX and CMP 90HX could put supply pressure on Ampere gaming cards
A Videocardz report indicates that NVIDIA's upcoming CMP (cryptocurrency mining processors) will be variants on last-gen Turing parts. The CMP 40HX will be based on TU106, while the CMP 30HX will use the same TU116 GPU found in the GeForce GTX 1660 Super. However, CMP 50HX and CMP 90HX look like they could be built on Ampere.

24.02.2021  Days Gone PC minimum and recommended specs: Former PS4 exclusive requires surprisingly modest PC hardware
Sony announced that Days Gone would be leading the charge as a number of PlayStation exclusives are set to arrive on PC later in the year. Days Gone min specs were revealed and the game requires surprisingly reasonable GPU and CPU configs: The GeForce GTX 1060 and Ryzen 5 1500X are recommended, with the min spec calling for the R9 290 or GTX 780.

22.02.2021  Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 S-Pen support could mean the end of the road for the Galaxy Note series, and a higher cost of entry for S-Pen ownership
Insider sources told Korean outlet ETNews that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 may support the Samsung Galaxy S-Pen. The line between the Galaxy Note and Galaxy S series has narrowed over the past few generations: Z Fold 3 support for the S-Pen could finally make the Galaxy Note redundant.

22.02.2021  Demon's Souls Remake creator Bluepoint could be acquired soon by Sony: New ninth-gen remakes for PlayStation 5 appear likely
Rumors from early last year on the ResetEra forum appear to have been lent further credence by a forum moderator stating that tipster MarsipanRumpan's claim of a Sony's upcoming Bluepoint acquisition is accurate and "only a matter of when."

20.02.2021  Where gamers are fighting back against scalpers: Angry Indian PlayStation 5 fans are pressuring Sony and kicking scalpers off eCommerce sites en masse
An IGN report indicates that Indian PlayStation 5 fans, already dealing with a US$700 MSRP are actively working to shut down scalpers, both by pressuring Sony and by reporting and initiating takedowns of scalper listings on eCommerce sites.

19.02.2021  Nioh 2 finally gets its DLSS 2.0 patch post-launch, enabling playable 4K framerates on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 on up
Koei Tecmo’s Souls-like finally received some PC love with the addition of DLSS 2.0 support. While cards like the GeForce RTX 3080 were already capable of hitting 4K/60, DLSS 2.0 opens up that possibility to a wider range of RTX cards.

14.02.2021  When did that happen? The RPCS3 emulator now runs Uncharted: Drake's Fortune better than the PlayStation 3, on a Comet Lake i5-10400F
The RPCS3 PlayStation 3 emulator has improved considerably over the years. A recent YouTube videos shows an updated version of the emulator running Uncharted: Drake's Fortune at roughly 40 FPS on a Comet Lake i5: Ryzen chips like the 3600X and the newer Ryzen 5000 lineup should do even better.

12.02.2021  DLSS is going mainstream: NVIDIA's DLSS 2.0 tech is now available as a plugin on the Unreal marketplace
NVIDIA recently launched a DLSS plugin on the Unreal Marketplace, potentially kicking off widespread adoption of its AI-based upscaling technology. Developers should now be able to effortlessly incorporate DLSS in games that run on the Unreal engine.

12.02.2021  Intel Ice Lake Xeon's still on: tipster talks of a 40-core design with a 270W TDP and PCIe 4.0 support, but Zen 4 EPYC Genoa could have the last laugh
Tipster @momomo_us recently shared details of what appears to be an upcoming Intel Ice Lake Xeon SP model. The part in question features 40 cores, running at 2.4 GHz, with a 270W TDP. @momomo_us further confirmed that lower-tier models would be available with 32-36 cores and lower power demands.

12.02.2021  Move over foldable phones: upcoming Oppo X channels sci-fi fantasies with a seamless scrollable display in new video
Oppo's upcoming 2021 Oppo X appears to have already made foldable phones passe with its seamless, scrollable display. Tech blogger @BrandonLKS highlighted how the Oppo X's display works in a brief, but fascinating video preview.

07.02.2021  YouTuber restores a completely broken Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, but the "most expensive phone to repair" set him back an additional US$760
Underlining just how expensive the current generation of foldable devices is, YouTuber Hugh Jeffreys showcased just how expensive it can be to return a broken Samsung Galaxy Z Flip to full working order. The repairs alone cost more than the launch price of Apple's iPhone 12 Mini.

07.02.2021  Nioh 2 launches on PC, missing both NVIDIA DLSS 2.0 and keyboard and mouse button prompts
Nioh 2: Complete Edition recently launched on PC. While the package is decent value, including all DLC released so far, the port is in a rough state. Nioh 2 doesn't currently feature NVIDIA DLSS 2.0 option, as promised. Worse yet, keyboard and mouse button prompts don't show up, making for a confusing experience.

05.02.2021  First pictures leak of Intel's upcoming Sapphire Rapids Xeon CPUs, but 2022 release date could make it a tough sell in the face of Zen 4 EPYC Genoa
Chinese tipster @YuuKi_AnS released what appear to be the first leaked images of Intel's upcoming Sapphire Rapids Xeon server processor. Featuring up to 56 Golden Cove cores, Sapphire Rapids would be Intel's first server processor built on 10nm lithography.

01.02.2021  Control: Ultimate Edition runs at 1440p/30 FPS on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X: ray-tracing might flatline graphics progress this generation
Control: Ultimate Edition recently launched on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Remedy's latest game has evidently joined the ranks of ninth-gen titles running at 30 FPS with a sub-native resolution, thanks in large part to its hardware ray-tracing implementation. Could ray-tracing hold back progress in other aspects of scene complexity and visuals this generation?

30.01.2021  Microsoft's ultra-luxury India Development Center is heavily inspired by the Taj Mahal's interior design
Microsoft recently opened up a 90,000 square feet IDC (India Development Center) in Delhi. The new location is set to a hub for AI and cloud computing research and highlights the increasing relevance of India-based R&D efforts for Microsoft and other multinationals.

28.01.2021  First Xbox next-gen exclusive, The Medium, brings the GeForce RTX 3080 to its knees: can't manage a locked 1080p/60 FPS, even with ray-tracing disabled
In what could come as a disappointment to GeForce RTX 3080 owners, recent Xbox and PC exclusive The Medium struggles to deliver a consistent 60 FPS, even at 1080p with ray-tracing effects disabled. Because the game readily scales to 4K, this could be an optimization issue Bloober Team and NVIDIA will soon resolve.

26.01.2021  iPhone 12 series projected to sell over 55 million units by Q1 2021: budget iPhone 12 Mini flops, however
A recent Cowen analysts' reports paints a rosy picture for Apple iPhone sales this year. The complete iPhone 12 lineup is expected to sell over 55 million units by the end of Q1 2021. The iPhone 12 Mini, however, Apple's budget play, continued to disappoint with lower-than-expected sales volume.

26.01.2021  Mysterious RDNA2-powered Exynos delivers over 50 percent higher performance than the Apple A14 in Aztec Ruins bench
ITHome reports that a Korean web community shared benchmark results for an under-developed AMD RDNA2-powered Exynos chip. The next-gen flagship appears to nearly double the A14's performance in the Aztec Ruins benchmark, while also exceeding it in Manhattan.

23.01.2021  Resident Evil Village Maiden demo launches on PlayStation 5: 4K checkerboarding, ray-tracing, and that tall, scary lady
Capcom recently released Resident Evil Village Maiden as a surprise demo for PlayStation 5 owners. With just months to go before the game's May 7th release, Village Maiden gives us a (horrifying) glimpse of what's to come.

23.01.2021  The 3nm race is on: Samsung allegedly invests US$10 billion in Austin, TX semiconductor facility
As TSMC pushes ahead with their plans for 3nm FinFET lithography, Samsung's reportedly investing over US$10 billion in an Austin, TX facility to take their own 3nm manufacturing strategy forward.

23.01.2021  The EK's Quantum Vector water block promises cool temps, chart-topping performance with the GeForce RTX 3090
The GeForce RTX 3090 is the most power-hungry single-GPU card to date. This, however, didn't deter EK from releasing a Quantum Vector water block that promises lower temps and (possibly) higher overclocks.

20.01.2021  Min-spec, 1080p/30 FPS with a GeForce GTX 1060: The Medium, first next-gen exclusive title on PC, has steep requirements
Bloober Team, developers of The Medium, the first next-gen exclusive title to release on PC, recently shared update minimum, recommended, and ray-tracing system requirements for the game. PC gamers will require a GeForce RTX 1060 for a min-spec experience, with the GeForce RTX 3080 recommended for ray-tracing.

18.01.2021  Samsung could soon bring its Exynos chips to desktop, claims tipster, but how might it compare to the Apple M1?
Tipster @TheGolox recently claimed that Samsung is working on Exynos chips for desktop. If true, this would mean that we might soon see another entrant in the ARM on PC space, alongside the Snapdragon 8cx and Apple M1.

15.01.2021  ASUS introduces low profile Fanless Chromebox with WiFi 6 and multiple 4K outputs, configurable up to an Ice Lake i7
ASUS recently announced the Fanless Chromebox, a small form-factor PC based on the ChromeOS platform, with a wide range of display outputs and great wireless connectivity.

14.01.2021  Hilarity ensues as Samsung accidentally tweets about its Galaxy Unpacked event from an iPhone
Samsung recently made a PR gaffe when the marketing team unintentionally tweeted about the Galaxy Unpacked event from an iPhone. The post was taken down in short order, however.

13.01.2021  A hacker managed to get Ubuntu up and running on an iPhone 7
Redditor newhacker1746 managed to get Ubuntu up and running on an A10-powered Apple iPhone 7, after using the Checkra1n jailbreak exploit.

12.01.2021  Ghost of Tsushima fans come to the rescue of real life, typhoon-struck Tsushima island, exceed crowdfunding goal by 500 percent
A crowdfunding campaign for infrastructure repair on Tsushima island exceeded its funding goals by five times, thanks in part to fans of PlayStation exclusive Ghost of Tsushima.

10.01.2021  Mac Otakara report hints that a new iPhone SE and AirPods Pro are set to arrive in April
According to a report by the Japan-based publication, Apple suppliers in China are already working on a new iPhone SE version, alongside the AirPods Pro 2. While further details about the devices aren’t, we expect to hear more in the months to come.

08.01.2021  New Cyberpunk 2077 mod introduces Watch Dogs-style hacking options
Modder specikk’s City H4ck mod for Cyberpunk 2077 overhauls the game’s hacking mechanic, including vehicle and door hacking options that are strongly reminiscent of Watch Dogs.

08.01.2021  Romanian retailer lists GeForce RTX 3070 and Ryzen 7 5800H-powered ASUS TUF laptop at sub-US$1700 price point
Altex, a retailer from Romania, recently listed an ASUS TUF Gaming A17 laptop model configured with the GeForce RTX 3070, alongside the Ryzen 7 5800H, for less than US$1700.

07.01.2021  Apple Silicon-powered iMac could potentially arrive as early as this March, hints tipster
A tweet by tipster @L0vetodream strongly hints that an all-new iMac based on Apple’s new ARM-based platform could arrive as early as March, adding the all-in-one to an increasing list of ARM-powered Mac devices.

04.01.2021  Comet Lake S won’t be getting PCIe 4.0 support on upcoming Intel Z590 motherboards
A WCCFTech investigation into AIB Z590 partner boards indicates that Intel’s new platform will only support the PCIe 4.0 standard with Rocket Lake S processors. While Comet Lake S owners will be able to use Z590 boards, they’ll be missing out on this key feature that Ryzen 3000 and Ryzen 5000 parts already support.

04.01.2021  Next-gen Macs set to feature 12-core Apple Silicon M2 chips according to tipster
Tipster @LeaksApplePro recently claimed that Apple is set to release a new 12-core Apple Silicon Mac lineup this year, with an announcement as early as this March. While unconfirmed, this part could potentially propel Apple Silicon to multithreaded dominance over mobile Ryzen.

01.01.2021  Cyberpunk 2077 ray tracing optimization mod eases the performance hit
Modder Romelsalwi's optimized settings for Cyberpunk 2077 could enable greater performance when ray-tracing is on. As we wait for CD Projekt Red's performance and stability optimizations to role in, the mod could enable better framerates for RTX graphics card owners.

29.12.2020  Apple tipster hints at 64-core ARM monster chip after the M1
Tipster @LeaksApplePro hinted that Cupertino’s working on a massive 64-core ARM-based chip, possibly for future iterations of the Mac Pro. Details are thin on the ground, but the silicon could pose a threat to both Intel and AMD if it materialises.

26.12.2020  MSI AGESA 1.1.9.0 update brings Resizable BAR support to X570 and B550 motherboards
MSI has started rolling out a new AGESA update for its B550 and X570 motherboards, enabling Resizable BAR support for older Ryzen systems, as well as NVIDIA Ampere GPUs.

18.12.2020  Alleged Russian cyber attack allegedly exposed US deep state secrets through "Orion" data breach
Multiple US government branches, including the Department of Commerce, and an unknown number of private sector players have been hit by a massive cyber attack. Experts still remain uncertain about the volume of sensitive information that's been secreted beyond borders by hackers with alleged ties to the Russian government.

18.12.2020  ASUS, MSI set to enable Smart Access Memory support for Ryzen 1000, Ryzen 3000 configurations, with NVIDIA Ampere also supported
Both ASUS and MSI are apparently working on bringing Smart Access Memory (or Resizable BAR) to a wider range of hardware configurations than Big Navi and Ryzen 5000. We're now seeing SAM on B450 boards and on systems with Ryzen 3000 and NVIDIA GPUs.

13.12.2020  128-core AMD EPYC Milan server CPU scores an eye-watering 87878 on CineBench R23
Following initial reports about the upcoming AMD EPYC Milan 7713, tipster @ExecuFix shared Cinebench R23 scores for what appears to be a dual-socket configuration, which dominates both EPYC Rome and Intel's Xeon Platinum 9282.

13.12.2020  Redditor offers Cyberpunk 2077 CPU utilization fix for Ryzen processors, potentially doubling minimum framerates
Coming as a relief for AMD Ryzen gamers who've been plagued by frequent frame rate drops and low minimums, an unofficial patch for the Cyberpunk 2077 executable file enables proper multithreading support, delivering a smoother experience on PC.

13.12.2020  ARK: Survival Evolved sequel is outed at The Game Awards for next-gen consoles, featuring Vin Diesel
Studio Wildcard recently announced a sequel to ARK: Survival Evolved, Ark 2, set to release on PC and next-generation consoles, at The Game Awards. While the dinosaur-hunting survival game was a surprising candidate for the sequel treatment, Vin Diesel's starring role in the trailer was even more unexpected.

09.12.2020  Hitman 3's DualSense haptics gets a PlayStation Blog update, with the "killer" feature introducing variable trigger resistance
The PlayStation Blog recently featured an update on how Hitman 3 will take advantage of Haptic technology on the PlayStation 5's DualSense triggers. With customized trigger recoil and more, Hitman 3 should offer the most immersive Hitman experience, though PSVR could be a compelling reason to purchase the game on the PlayStation 4 instead.

01.12.2020  Leaked AIB BIOSes indicate that AMD RX 6700 XT could hit a whopping 3 GHz when overclocked
A set of AIB BIOSes accessed by Igorslab indicate that board partner Radeon RX 6700 XT could leverage the 7nm process to hit significantly higher clocks than existing Big Navi cards, meaning near-3 GHz overclocks on air cooling could become a reality.

26.11.2020  Sony planning PSVR 2 and PS5 VR headset patent surfaces
A recent Sony patent for a virtual reality headset with haptic feedback indicates strongly that the company is working on a successor to the PSVR, despite saying that it had no plans to do so. The patent illustrations indicate that the purported PSVR2 will be far lighter and thinner than the original. But, with no official announcement from Sony, it's up in the air as to when (or if) the PSVR2 will arrive.

23.11.2020  AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT hits 2.8 GHz under LN2, manages a stunning 61K in 3DMark Fire Strike
AMD's 7nm Big Navi architecture continues to impress with strong overclock scaling. Overclocker Takukuo managed to push the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT to a remarkable 2.8 GHz under LN2, just 10 percent short of the world record for GPU clock speeds.

20.11.2020  NVIDIA bypasses Apple's streaming restrictions by launching GeForce Now as a Safari web app
Bypassing Apple's onerous restrictions on game streaming apps on the iOS App Store, including individual game certification and approval, NVIDIA recently launched a beta version of its GeForce Now service as a web app for the Safari browser.

18.11.2020  AMD's Hangar 21 demo video shows off Big Navi RX 6800 XT ray-tracing chops, drops on November 19th
AMD's been very tight-lipped about ray-tracing capabilities on its Big Navi cards. However, AMD announced it'll be releasing the Hangar 21 demo video on November 19th, showcasing a whole range of DX 12 Ultimate effects. While benchmarks have indicated relatively modest ray-tracing capabilities on Big Navi, the demo will be a good indicator of what we could expect from upcoming console releases.

14.11.2020  NVIDIA's Resizable BAR coming to all Ampere RTX 3000 cards soon as a Smart Access Cache alternative
GamersNexus recently confirmed that NVIDIA is working on a platform-agnostic alternative to AMD's Smart Access Cache technology. According to NVIDIA, their Resizable BAR solution delivers a similar performance uplift as Smart Access Cache (up to 10 percent, depending on the title).

14.11.2020  PC OEM MSI addresses the PlayStation 5's 1440p woes with "console mode" scaling on supported monitors
The lack of a native 1440p mode on the PlayStation 5 has created issues for owners of 1440p displays. MSI announced an innovative "fix" on some of its monitors, allowing certain 1440p monitors to accept the PlayStation 5's 4K signal and downsample.

11.11.2020  Intriguing 2021 iMac concept pushes Apple's all-in-one into the modern world with thinner bezels
Designers over at Svetapple created a set of detailed concept renders of the 2021 iMac, based on what rumors indicate about the upcoming all-in-one. The stunning models highlight the possibility that Apple will introduce slimmer bezels, bringing iMacs more in line with recent iPads.

10.11.2020  New Surface Pro 8 leak confirms unchanged design, Tiger Lake chip, and Xe graphics
Following a previous leak a month earlier, a new Surface Pro 8 prototype leak seemingly confirms that Microsoft's latest tablet will feature an unchanged design but will likely leverage the power of Tiger Lake and Xe graphics.

07.11.2020  AMD Ryzen 9 5900X spotted running on an ASRock A320 mobo: "Fine wine" A320M and X370 boards could support Ryzen 5000 despite AMD's claims to the contrary
A Chiphell forum user showcased the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X running on an older, entry-level A320 motherboard from ASRock. This indicates that some motherboard manufacturers may plan on supporting the Ryzen 5000 series on entry-level AM4+ boards, despite AMD's claims to the contrary.

02.11.2020  PlayStation exec Jim Ryan pours cold water on PlayStation VR in the leadup to the PS5 launch
PlayStation executive Jim Ryan spoke to the Washington Post about PSVR ahead of the PlayStation 5 launch and had a fairly sobering take. Ryan implied that it's still not the right time for virtual reality, casting doubt on the future of PSVR.

01.11.2020  NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti slated for November 17th launch: NVIDIA gunning for the midrange market?
According to a Videocardz report, NVIDIA is planning to launch a cheaper GeForce RTX 3060 Ti on November 17th, featuring 4864 CUDA cores and a 180W TDP. The card will likely be competitive with the popular GeForce RTX 2070 Super, while launching at a relatively affordable price-point.

31.10.2020  Big Navi ray-tracing could be better than expected: leaked benchmarks show the Radeon RX 6800 compete with the GeForce RTX 3070 with DLSS enabled
Leaked DXR benchmarks indicate that AMD's hardware ray-tracing solution could be better than expected. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the Radeon RX 6800 at native-res trails the GeForce RTX 3070 by only a slight margin, even with the latter using DLSS upscaling.

31.10.2020  AMD's Smart Access Cache might not deliver massive performance gains, but Big Navi's raw raster performance could compensate
Benchmarks compiled and aggregated by tipster @_rogame indicate that AMD's new Smart Access Cache technology might not offer a game-changing performance uplift in most cases. Nevertheless, the same benchmarks indicate that Big Navi's raw raster performance could make that a moot point.

31.10.2020  Free-to-play darling Genshin Impact set to get a next-gen makeover on the PlayStation 5
MiHoYo's well-received free-to-play action RPG Genshin Impact will be receiving a PlayStation 5 version with "enhanced graphics," according to the developer. This comment comes shortly after the release of the mobile-centric game's version 1.1 update and could indicate plans for next-gen consoles.

29.10.2020  AMD's Ryzen 5000 CPUs and Radeon RX 6000 GPUs herald a new era of performance leadership
For the first time in over a decade, AMD has reclaimed the performance crown on both the graphics and CPU fronts with the launch of its Zen 3 Ryzen 5000 CPUs and its RDNA2 Radeon RX 6000 GPUs. What does this mean for the market and for competitors NVIDIA and Intel?

27.10.2020  PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X will deliver a much-improved PUBG performance, with 60 FPS "Framerate Priority Mode"
Acclaimed battle royale PUBG will deliver enhanced performance on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. According to the PUBG Corporation, both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X will deliver a 60 FPS experience when running under the "Framerate Priority Mode."

27.10.2020  AMD announces agreement to buy out chipmaker Xilinx for US$35 billion, just a month after NVIDIA's ARM acquisition
One month after NVIDIA acquired ARM, AMD announced a US$35 billion buyout of chipmaker Xilinx. The major acquisition is set to significantly broaden AMD's pool of engineers and could give the company a vital edge over a struggling Intel.

27.10.2020  What's the world's fastest mobile network? UAE's Etisalat tops the list at 99 Mbps, followed by South Korea
5G networks are set to transform the mobile data experience. However, very robust 4G infrastructure means that people in some countries already have access to ultra-fast connectivity. Etisalat in the UAE tops the list, offering speeds of nearly 100 Mbps on average, 3 times higher than the US average of 33 Mbps.

25.10.2020  Big Navi ASUS ROG STRIX Radeon RX 6800XT allegedly boosts to a remarkable 2.5 GHz in 3DMark 11
Tipster @patrickschur_ reports that an AIB Radeon RX 6800 XT part boosts to 2.5 GHz and beyond when running 3DMark 11. The sample was listed as an engineering sample, indicating that retail clocks could go even higher.

25.10.2020  Multiple NVIDIA GeForce Ampere Max-Q and Max-P laptop parts allegedly in the works, including the GeForce RTX 3080 Max-Q and GeForce RTX 3070 Max-Q
According to a recent leak, NVIDIA is prepping multiple mobility-focused Ampere graphics cards. These include, among others, the GeForce RTX 3080 Max-Q, GeForce RTX 3070 Max-Q, and GeForce 3060 Max-Q. Questions remain, though, about performance and power consumption.

23.10.2020  Genesis announces ultra-light 70-gram Krypton 550 gaming mouse for US$37
Gaming peripheral maker Genesis recently announced the Krypton 550 ultra-light gaming mouse. The Krypton 550 features RGB lighting, Huon switches, and an 8000 DPI sensor in a diminutive 70-gram package. The mouse is expected to hit the market by the end of October

21.10.2020  NVIDIA announces a raft of DLSS and RTX games with the Radeon RX 6900 XT just around the corner
With just a week to go before AMD's Big Navi reveal, NVIDIA announced 12 DLSS and RTX-enabled games, including sandbox epic Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord. The timing is interesting, considering the concerns about AMD's hardware ray-tracing capabilities.

20.10.2020  Ampere supply woes worsen: NVIDIA is meeting less than 7 percent of GeForce RTX 3080 demand at a major E-tailer
Digital retailer ProShop indicated that AIBs have delivered fewer than 8 percent of the 8925 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 units it ordered, far too few to meet increasing customer demand. This reinforces speculation that Ampere supply shortages could continue for months to come.

18.10.2020  The ASUS ROG STRIX GeForce RTX 3090 GUNDAM is set to deliver chart-topping graphics performance at an eyewatering US$2500
ASUS' top-end ROG STRIX GeForce RTX 3090 GUNDAM promises higher clock speeds, better performance, and an all-white design. However, for US$2500, a US$1000 premium over the already expensive GeForce RTX 3090 Founder's Edition, this is a graphics card for ultra-enthusiasts only.

16.10.2020  New 450W BIOS for the EVGA RTX 3080 FTW3 Ultra could potentially take Ampere to new performance heights
Overclockers and enthusiasts looking to get a bit more out of their GeForce RTX 3080 cards have a solid option now in the EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 FTW3 Ultra. EVGA's new BIOS for the card pushes the TDP up to 450W, freeing the AIB card from power throttling to a certain extent.

16.10.2020  Dark Souls modders join forces to create mod sequel "Dark Souls: Nightfall" with faster combat, expanded lore, and voice acting
Dark Souls modder Grimrukh, known for the well-received Daughters of Ash mod, has announced a new collaborative project called Dark Souls: Nightfall. Nightfall is apparently a full-fledge mod "sequel" to the original game, promising expanded lore, new environments, voice acting, and more.

15.10.2020  Mass Effect Legendary Edition remaster gets rated by Korean board: the original trilogy could be coming soon
According to a Gematsu report, the Korean Game Rating and Administration Committee listed ratings for "Mass Effect Legendary Edition." This fuels speculation that the unannounced but very likely Mass Effect trilogy remaster might be arriving soon.

15.10.2020  Unreleased AMD A9-9820 APU gets listed on Aliexpress: 8 Excavator cores and GCN graphics would've matched the Xbox One
An Aliexpress seller recently listed what appears to be a rare, unreleased AMD APU from the Excavator era. The 8-core A9-9820 leverage R7 350 graphics and bear striking similarities to the Xbox One's performance profile.

12.10.2020  Now that's build quality: Microsoft Surface Book takes a bullet for its owner, saving a life
A Microsoft Surface Book user reported that his convertible laptop saved his life after taking a stray bullet. While the Surface Book did not survive encounter, its magnesium alloy chassis delivered on the promise of high build quality.

12.10.2020  With Apple allegedly prioritizing battery life and 5G on the iPhone 12, iPhones might only get 120 Hz displays next year
Tipster @jon_prosser claimed that Apple's alleged decision to skip on a 120 Hz iPhone 12 display was "100 percent" because of battery life concerns, with the 5G radio taking priority. This might mean that 120 Hz displays will only make their way to iPhone in 2022.

10.10.2020  The first ARM-powered MacBook could be here earlier than expected, with Bloomberg suggesting a November launch
According to a new Bloomberg report, Apple's ARM-powered MacBooks could arrive earlier than expected. The report indicates that Apple will host a second event in November to unveil their new MacBook lineup. This means that the transition from x86 could start before 2021.

10.10.2020  Corsair's midrange MP400 PCIe Gen4 SSD features 3D QLC and 3400 MB/s sequential read, but the 8TB model costs a staggering US$1379
Corsair's MP400 SSD is another midrange PCIe Gen3 entry, as the market heats up close to the launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, both of which feature ultra-fast storage. The MP400 promises reasonable read/write speeds and massive storage capacity, at up to 8TB. The increased storage capacity comes at an immense cost, though, with the top-end variant selling for nearly US$1400.

07.10.2020  Intel's Rocket Lake S desktop CPU lineup set to release in March 2021, giving AMD's Ryzen 5000 series months of free reign
A report by HDTechnologia states that Intel's upcoming Rocket Lake S CPU series is set to release in March 2021, alongside the new Z590 chipset. This late launch date could give AMD a boost, with the Ryzen 5000 series enjoying over five months alone on the market.

06.10.2020  The Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 might have a secret weapon against the Samsung Exynos 2100: ARM's latest X1 cores
Tipster @UniverseIce claims that only Qualcomm's Snapdragon 875 will be utilizing ARM's high-performance X1 cores this generation. This is bad news for Samsung fans, as it means that the Exynos 2100 might fall behind considerably in single-threaded performance.

05.10.2020  Enough with the confusing Tiger Lake model names, Intel: the lack of fixed TDP makes model numbers useless to consumers
While Intel's Tiger Lake lineup has certainly lived up to its performance promises, Intel's confusing naming conventions mean many consumers might not get the chip they're looking for. We look at how Intel's nomenclature could be simplified and made more customer-friendly for future generations of Intel processors.

03.10.2020  AMD’s Navi RX 5700 has reached end-of-life, weeks ahead of RDNA2 launch
French outlet Cowcotland claims that the first-gen Navi RX 5700 is no longer being manufactured, just weeks ahead of AMD’s supposed RDNA2 hard launch. Interestingly, the RX 5700 XT, RX 5600 XT, and even a number of older Polaris cards are still being manufactured, per the report.

26.09.2020  70W NVIDIA Tesla T4 graphics could make Amazon Luna a poor fit for ninth-generation game streaming
Amazon recently announced specs for its Luna game streaming service, which pairs an Intel Cascade Lake CPU with NVIDIA Tesla T4 graphics. While the T4 is based on the same TU104 GPU that powers the GeForce RTX 2080 Super, a measure 70W TDP could mean a poor 4K experience relative to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

24.09.2020  "Lahaina" and "Lahaina Plus": Snapdragon 875 variants outed: the Snapdragon 875 Plus could turn into 2021's SoC of choice following Apple A14 performance woes
WinFuture's Roland Quandt recently claimed on Twitter that the Snapdragon 875 (codenamed Lahaina) would be joined by a high-performance variant, presumably the 875 Plus. This could lead to another generation of performance segmentation at the high end, as we've seen with the Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 865 Plus.

24.09.2020  The rumored Nintendo Switch Pro could be about more than 4K graphics, with the unlocked framerate in recent titles indicative of an "easy performance boost"
Tipster Dusk Golem recently spoke about the upcoming Nintendo Switch Pro, claiming that unlocked framerates on a number of recently released Nintendo Switch titles are to allow for an "easy performance boost" on more capable Switch Pro hardware.

21.09.2020  Many 2021 iPads models could feature mini-LED tech: increased competition among mini-LED suppliers means nearly half of all 2021 iPads could ship with the new panels
A report by analyst Ming Chi-Kuo indicates that increased competition among Apple's mini-LED suppliers could lead to a larger than expected volume of iPads and Macs shipping with mini-LED displays, both next year and in 2022.

21.09.2020  Big Navi VRAM specs leak: 16GB Navi 21 and 12GB Navi 22 go head to head with GeForce RTX 3080 and RTX 3090
Following a separate revelation about AMD's RX 6900XT potentially beating the GeForce RTX 3090 in gaming workloads, tipster @_rogame revealed what appear to be VRAM specs for two Big Navi GPUs.

18.09.2020  Extreme overclocker pushes the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 past 2.3 GHz for a record-shattering 10,000-plus on 3DMark Time Spy
Extreme overclocker Ronaldo Buassali achieved the highest-ever 3DMark Time Spy score on a highly overclocked GeForce RTX 3080, managing over 10,000 with a 2.3 GHz core clock.

18.09.2020  Apple skips iOS 14.1 for some reason, seeds the iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2 developer betas: Shazam integration in the control centre tops the feature list
Apple recently seeded the developer demo for iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2, seemingly skipping over iOS 14.1 and iPadOS 14.1. While we're not sure of the reason for the nomenclature change, iPadOS and iOS 14.2 both introduce minor updates, chief of which is better Shazam integration for music aficionados.

17.09.2020  Conservative performance gains on the Apple A14 Bionic could mean one thing: smartphones are fast enough and the spec war might almost be over
Apple’s A14 Bionic SoC reveal indicated what might be the smallest generation on generation leap we’ve seen to date from Cupertino. Is the near-static performance due to issues with the 5nm process? Or did Apple just fire the last shots in a smartphone spec war that’s spiralled out of control?

15.09.2020  The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is an Ethereum mining monster: overclocked cards deliver nearly 100 MH/s, double the Radeon RX 5700 XT
Leaked cryptocurrency mining benchmarks suggest that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is set to deliver record-breaking cryptocurrency performance among commercial GPUs. The benchmarks indicate that overclocked RTX 3080s offer nearly twice the hashrate of the Radeon RX 5700 XT.

13.09.2020  iPhone 12 Pro chassis leak showcases LiDAR, 5G antenna placement, and those wonderfully machined flat metal sides
Just days before Apple’s September 16th launch event, a chassis leak highlights the innards of the premium Apple iPhone 12 Pro, showing off where the phone’s 5G antenna will be placed, possible LiDAR scanner positioning, and its flat metal sides.

13.09.2020  Poor memory OC scaling on the GeForce RTX 3080 might be a blessing in disguise, with closer than expected performance to the GeForce RTX 3090
Leaked overclock benchmarks for the upcoming NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ampere graphics card were recently published. The tests showed memory clocks pushed 9 percent for a mere 2-3 percent performance gain. This raises questions about the RTX 3080’s performance gap with the RTX 3090, which delivers 936 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

11.09.2020  NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti specs leak: 4864 CUDA cores and 8GB of GDDR6 at 448 GB/s could max out Cyberpunk 2077 and Watch Dogs Legion at 1080p with ray-tracing
Credible leaks unveil complete specs for NVIDIA’s upcoming GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Ampere graphics card. The cut-down GA104 part is set to deliver performance comparable to the GeForce RTX 2080 at a far lower price point, making premium ray-traced experiences viable at 1080p.

10.09.2020  GeForce RTX 3080 manages 4K/100 FPS in Control with DLSS and approaches 4K/144 Hz with DLSS in Death Stranding
Unconfirmed leaked benchmarks by a Chinese tech website indicate that DLSS will deliver massive 4K performance gains with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 in titles like Control and Death Stranding. With DLSS enabled, both these titles cleared 100 FPS at 4K.

08.09.2020  EVGA’s NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 KINGPIN could turn out to be one of the fastest graphics card ever built; it might also need a nuclear reactor to handle an unlocked power limit
EVGA recently took the wraps off its upcoming GeForce RTX 3090 KINGPIN AIB graphics card. EVGA’s liquid cooled KINGPIN lineup has consistently featured some of the fastest and most expensive cards on the market. The GeForce RTX 3090 KINGPIN looks like it could turn out to be one of the fastest graphics card ever made.

08.09.2020  The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus get security patch but miss One UI 2.5 in latest firmware update
Samsung recently rolled out update G96xFXXSBETH2 for the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus. Unfortunately, while the latest software includes a security patch, owners of the 2018 flagship lineup are still waiting for One UI 2.5 to materialise.

05.09.2020  Oppo is beta testing Android 11 ColorOS 8 on the Find X2, Find X2 Pro, Reno3 and Reno3 Pro: official ROM could arrive on Android 11 launch day
Oppo appears to be taking a proactive approach to Android 11. The phone maker will reportedly start testing a beta version of its Android 11-based ColorOS ROM on phones including the Find X2 and Reno3, starting on September 7th.

04.09.2020  After 10 whole years, Ubisoft might finally be bringing back Prince of Persia for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, says Bloomberg analyst
Speaking in the Triple Click podcast, Bloomberg analyst and tipster Jason Schreier stated that Ubisoft plans to announce a Prince of Persia remake at its Ubisoft Forward event in a week’s time. If confirmed, this would be the first new mainline Prince of Persia entry after Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands.

01.09.2020  First GeForce RTX 3080 benchmarks by NVIDIA showcase insane 100 percent performance gains over the GeForce RTX 2080: Control and Minecraft with RTX blaze past 4K/60 FPS
During the NVIDIA GeForce Ampere RTX 3000 series launch, NVIDIA unveiled benchmarks for the GeForce RTX 3080 which indicate that its claim of a 2x performance improvement wasn’t sleight of hand. The GeForce RTX 3080 appears to genuinely double the RTX 2080’s performance level, even in a game without ray-tracing or DLSS.

01.09.2020  NVIDIA elevates Ampere RTX and AI gaming capabilities with Omniverse Machinima, NVIDIA Reflex, NVIDIA Broadcast, and new RTX effects in Fortnite and Call of Duty: Cold War
Alongside the launch of its GeForce RTX 3000 Ampere series graphics cards, NVIDIA announced a lineup of new RTX and AI-powered technologies aimed squarely at gamers and streamers, including NVIDIA Reflex, Omniverse Machinima, and NVIDIA Broadcast.

31.08.2020  With just one day to go on the NVIDIA Ampere countdown, new ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3090 image leaks and Gainward lists RTX 3090 Golden Sample specs on website
With just one day to go before NVIDIA’s big GeForce Ampere reveal on September 1, the ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3090 was pictured in a leak. Furthermore, Gainward appears to have accidentally listed the RTX 3090 Golden Sample variant on its website before quickly taking it down.

29.08.2020  AMD Radeon RX 5300 spec analysis: new entry level Navi 14 pitched against the GeForce GTX 1650 at US$129
AMD quietly launched one more first-generation Navi part, the Radeon RX 5300, even as RDNA2 parts like Big Navi and NVIDIA’s GeForce Ampere lineup are set to hit the market soon. At US$129, the RX 5300 promises better performance than the GeForce GTX 1650, while undercutting it in price.

28.08.2020  No, not the PlayStation 5 or the Xbox Series X: the Nintendo Switch Pro could be your best bet for next-gen gaming
The ninth console generation is rapidly approaching. However, with the rise of more powerful mobile hardware and the major strides made in terms of thin client game streaming, a mobile Nintendo Switch successor could prove to be a better ninth-gen pick than either the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X.

25.08.2020  Bloomberg analyst claims that the upcoming Nintendo Switch Pro could support 4K gaming: NVIDIA’s 1.4 TFLOP Tegra Xavier SoC might just get the job done
Shortly after rumors emerged about an updated Nintendo Switch variant arriving next year to take on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, a Bloomberg analyst, who earlier outed valid info on Nintendo products, claimed that the alleged “Switch Pro” will support 4K gaming.

24.08.2020  1usmus unveils ClockTuner for Ryzen 3000: automated undervolting and overclocking tool means free Zen 2 performance, just in time for Rocket Lake S
Developer and tweaker 1usmus recently unveiled his new ClockTuner utility for AMD Ryzen 3000 processors. ClockTuner uses an automated process to overclock and undervolt Zen 2 CPUs, netting effectively free performance, potentially without stability issues or greater power draw. The tool releases next month, not long before the arrival of Intel’s new Rocket Lake S parts.

24.08.2020  Windows 10 could soon run on your Android smartphone: Windows 10 for ARM developers mark a milestone with dual-screen display now supported on the Lumia 950 XL
A custom development effort to bring full-fledged Windows 10 to ARM devices like the Lumia 950 recently got a major fillip, with developers managing to get the dual display feature working. This leaves the door open to the possibility of running Windows 10 on Android devices sometime in the future

24.08.2020  Tipster outs a range of next-gen AMD Ryzen Embedded V2000 platforms, with TDPs ranging between 10W-54W
Tipster @patrickschur_ revealed details for a number of upcoming AMD Ryzen Embedded V2000 SoCs, ranging from 10W parts like the Ryzen Embedded V2718 to 54W parts like the Ryzen Embedded V2748.

23.08.2020  A Redditor visits the iconic Windows XP “Bliss” hill in Microsoft Flight Simulator and recaptures the magic
Highlighting the sheer scale of real-world detail found in Microsoft Flight Simulator, a Redditor recently flew over the iconic “Bliss” hill in Sonoma County, CA, immortalised in the Windows XP default wallpaper. While colours are faded this late in the year, the composition is a remarkable match for the original photo.

23.08.2020  New Google Pixel 5 and Google Pixel 4a 5G image leaks, along with battery capacity details: battery life concerns put to rest
In a post that’s since been taken down, a Redditor shared pictures of what appear to be the Google Pixel 4a 5G and the Google Pixel 5, along with battery capacity information. The Pixel 4a 5G could sport a sizeable 3800 mAh battery, allaying fears of it having a small battery size.

22.08.2020  New AMD Ryzen “Van Gogh” mobile APU details emerge: Zen 2 CPUs and RDNA2 graphics set to turbocharge 7.5W to 18W low-power notebooks
Tipster @patrickschur_ revealed new details about AMD’s upcoming Van Gogh mobile APUs. The new chips will evidently feature Zen 2 CPUs paired with Navi graphics and target a low power profile between 7.5W-18W.

22.08.2020  LG’s upcoming 32UN650-W 4K FreeSync monitor could be a good pick for creatives and gamers alike
LG recently unveiled its upcoming 32UN650-W 4K HDR10 monitor with FreeSync. Featuring 95 percent DCI-P3 coverage, the 32UN650-W looks to be a good compromise for creatives who game on the side.

18.08.2020  AMD’s Renoir architecture was originally planned to top out at 6 cores, but TSMC’s 7nm process let engineers bump it up to 8 cores
According to its Hot Chips 2020 presentation, AMD originally planned on having Renoir top out at 6 cores. However, TSMC’s efficient 7nm process allowed AMD engineers to design an 8-core CPU within limited silicon and thermal constraints.

18.08.2020  The Xbox Series S will reportedly feature a 20 CU RDNA2 GPU running at 1.55 GHz: enough for next-generation experiences at 1080p?
Tipster Tom Warren stated that Microsoft’s purported Xbox Series S console will feature a 20 CU RDNA2 GPU, running at a relatively conservative 1.55 GHz. While other Series S specs appear to be a match for the Xbox Series X, will this GPU be powerful enough to drive next-gen experiences at 1080p?

17.08.2020  The backlash against PlayStation 5 tipster Dusk Golem says more about the toxic “console war” mentality than about the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X
The internet backlash against industry insider Dusk Golem and the revocation of his status as a moderator on the ResetEra forums says much about the problematic nature of the “console wars” mindset and could impact the willingness of insiders to share information in the future.

17.08.2020  NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 hits a blazing-fast 2.1 GHz core clock with 19 Gbps GDDR6X memory in first public UserBenchmark test
Tipster @_rogame shared what appear to be the first public NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 UserBenchmark results. While the graphics card scored low on the test, likely due to test drivers, it ran at a high 2.1 GHz

13.08.2020  Thin bezels, under-display cameras, and foldables are overpriced stopgaps on the way to the post-smartphone paradigm
The rise of ultra-expensive foldable devices like the Samsung Galaxy Fold, Motorola Razr, and Apple’s rumoured iPhone/iPad hybrid underline a greater issue with the smartphone industry on the whole: the lack of genuine innovation and an inertia to move beyond a format that’s becoming less suited to meet the needs of today’s connected audiences.

12.08.2020  Huawei, back to square one, is apparently planning to build an indigenous 45nm chip within a year
A Weibo tipster claims that Huawei’s “Tashan” semiconductor project will start all the way at the top with experimental 45nm silicon, built using fully indigenous technology. The post indicates that a 45nm Huawei part, likely built in collaboration with a Chinese fab, will be ready within one year.

12.08.2020  Intel’s 9th generation Coffee Lake CPUs get prices slashed by 25 percent, but waiting for Ryzen 4000 Zen 3 might still be worth it
Intel has evidently slashed prices on a range of its 9th generation Coffee Lake CPUs, from the 8-core 16-thread Core i9-9900K down to the hexacore Core i5-9600K. The timing of the price cuts is interesting, since AMD is positioned to release its Zen 3-based Ryzen 4000 processors soon.

12.08.2020  An iPad that folds into an iPhone? Apple’s apparently working on an eye-popping foldable for 2023, with a 3nm A16X and voice calling
Tipster @komiya_kj shared rather remarkable specs for a purported upcoming Apple foldable product. The foldable will evidently fill the gap between the iPad and iPhone by folding out into tablet form and folding into smartphone form. The Apple foldable reportedly features an A16X SoC, microLED tech, and phone call support.

10.08.2020  Huawei is reportedly working on a Black Mirror-style futuristic zero-bezel 3K laptop with a “no metal frame design”
According to a Weibo tipster, Huawei is reportedly working on a bezel-less “floating display” laptop with a 3K panel, offering a “more immersive viewing experience.” Does this mean that Black Mirror-esque bezel-less laptops are here to stay?

10.08.2020  Apple may ditch OLED and introduce microLED-powered Apple Watches, but they’re at a least a few generations out
According to a DigiTimes report, the chairman of Epistar, a manufacturer of microLEDs purportedly working closely with Apple, claimed that smartwatch vendors are “showing an interest” in microLED technology. However, volume adoption will take a couple more years at least.

10.08.2020  Xiaomi launches US$7 Door and Window Sensor 2 to make your smart home slightly smarter
Xiaomi recently announced its smart Door and Window Sensor 2 for the Chinese market. The US$7 smart sensor carries forward the tech giant’s kitchen sink approach to tech releases, from premium TV and midrange phones all the way down to single-function IoT devices.

10.08.2020  Tipster claims that the PlayStation 5 will cost more and perform worse than the Xbox Series X: Resident Evil Village could run at a mere 1080p/60
According to tipster Dusk Golem, the PlayStation 5 might end up facing the Xbox One’s launch conundrum: running slower and costing more than the competition. This could be due to Microsoft’s greater ability to absorb manufacturing costs. If the PlayStation 5 does indeed cost more, platform exclusives could become even more relevant differentiators.

09.08.2020  Is this the future of AMD’s laptop CPU design? AMD files patent for hybrid computing approach similar to ARM’s big.LITTLE
A US patent uncovered by tipster @Underfox3 indicates that AMD is working on a hybrid computing design that appears similar to ARM’s big.LITTLE architecture, with high performance cores paired to power efficient, low-power cores.

09.08.2020  AMD’s upcoming RDNA 3 graphics cards might be chiplet based like Zen, implying unprecedented performance gains
Tipster @KOMACHI_ENSAKA claimed that internal AMD references to GCD and MCD likely refer to the “Graphics Complex Die” and “Memory Complex Die” of the purported Navi 31. These terms strongly indicate that Navi 31 (an upcoming RDNA 3 part) will likely be chiplet-based like Zen CPUs.

08.08.2020  NVIDIA GeForce Ampere launch timeframe, specs, and product positioning leak: GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, RTX 3080, and RTX 3070 to arrive in September, others to come later
Sources close to WCCFTech confirmed the product positioning of the whole stack of upcoming NVIDIA GeForce Ampere 3000 series cards, alongside their board numbers and tentative launch timeframes. The report adds further credence to claims that Ampere cards will arrive in September.

07.08.2020  Hackers steal over 20GB of confidential design data from Intel in massive data breach
Days after Canon, Intel is the next major company to face a massive data breach. Over 20GB of confidential design data including SDKs, flash tools, marketing templates, debug tools, and more were stolen and subsequently leaked online.

06.08.2020  Canon is hit by massive ransomware attack: 10TB of user data at risk, with doubts as to whether or not images were compromised
A large number of Canon domains were recently targeted by the Maze ransomware attack, resulting in the theft of over 10TB of sensitive user data. While Canon claims that photo images weren’t compromised, other sensitive user information is currently at risk.

05.08.2020  Picture leaks of purported ASRock X300 Renoir refresh with AMD Ryzen 4000 APU
Tipster @momomo_us leaked what appears to be a picture of ASRock’s refreshed X300 DeskMini small form-factor PC, set to feature an AMD Renoir Ryzen 4000 APU. This potentially offers workstation users better value for money, with Ryzen 4000 performance in the sub-US$500 range.

05.08.2020  The Samsung Galaxy S21 might disappoint with no under-display camera, says display supply chain analyst
A consultant at DSCC claimed that the Samsung Galaxy S21 will not be featuring an under-display camera, likely due to poor yields and possible compromises in terms of image quality. This could upset hopes of an “all display” Samsung flagship this year.

03.08.2020  256-bit Hardware AES encryption on a USB Type-C pen drive for US$59? Meet the Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3NXC for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android
Apricorn’s Aegis Secure Key 3NXC is reportedly the world’s first USB Type-C pen drive featuring hardware encryption. With a number of laptops and Android smartphones now leveraging USB Type-C, the 3NXC is increasingly relevant. The 4GB based model cost just US$59, but users will have to pay more for higher storage variants.

03.08.2020  Alarming “Unpatchable” exploit in Apple’s Secure Enclave could put the data of millions of users at risk, per Chinese hackers
According to Pangu Team, a Chinese hacker group, an “unpatchable” exploit has been uncovered for Apple’s Secure Enclave, the co-processor that stores keys for Face ID, Touch ID, and passwords. This potentially puts the personal data and biometric information of millions of iPhone and iPad users at risk.

02.08.2020  Huawei’s HiSilicon 1020 5nm chipset might be a bigger chip than the Apple A14 Bionic and cost more: but will it be faster?
A Weibo tipster recently claimed that the HiSilicon Kirin 1020 chipset will cost somewhere in between Apple’s A14 Bionic and the upcoming ARM chipset for MacBook. This raises questions about pricing for future Huawei smartphones, apart from the performance implications.

31.07.2020  Matrox rises from the dead again with a new 4K card called the D1450, but it’s definitely not a GeForce RTX 2080 Ti competitor
Erstwhile GPU maker Matrox released a new 4K-capable graphics card for enterprise users called the Matrox D1450. The new Matrox card will be built by NVIDIA and is designed to power multiple high-resolution displays, supporting up to four 4K monitors via HDMI.

31.07.2020  Alleged Halo Infinite 120 Hz free-to-play multiplayer could be next nail in the coffin after the reveal fiasco
An Irish retailer listed 120 Hz gameplay and a free-to-play multiplayer component as two key features of the upcoming Halo Infinite on Xbox Series X. After a gameplay reveal that showcased sub-par graphics, the addition of a free-to-play element and a high frame rate option (which implies graphical cutbacks at 4K), could further stoke the fire.

30.07.2020  NVIDIA GeForce Ampere Series cards will start sampling as early as August: GeForce RTX 3080 Ti could be in user’s hands before the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X
Sources indicate that NVIDIA will begin sampling GeForce RTX “Ampere” cards by the end of August, potentially in less than a month. This strongly indicates hard launch availability of cards like the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti as early as late September or October. We still don’t know about the timeframe for AMD’s competing RDNA2 Big Navi part, however.

28.07.2020  Watch this Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 unboxing a week before the smartwatch launches
Following a cascade of leaks and renders for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3, a YouTuber recently unboxed the Mystic Bronze variant of the upcoming smartwatch a week ahead of its official unveiling at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked on August 5th.

28.07.2020  Is that a phone or a power bank? Ludicrous 10000 mAh Gionee phone turns up on TENAA
A new Gionee smartphone was listed recently on TENAA and features what appears to be a gigantic 10000 mAh battery. This is one of the highest battery capacities we’ve seen on a smartphone and indicates that the device might double as a power bank. But what compromises have been made to accommodate the battery?

27.07.2020  All-new Motorola Razr 2020 5G “Odyssey” renders leak: updated Snapdragon 765 chipset and 48MP camera to compete with Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
Tipster @evleaks outed renders for the upcoming Motorola Razr 5G (or “Razr Odyssey”). The upcoming foldable smartphone offers little in the way of design improvements over the existing Motorola Razr, with a very similar screen layout. However, rumors indicate that the Razr 5G will get a Snapdragon 765 SoC and a 48MP camera.

27.07.2020  Viewer discretion advised: OnePlus Nord bends and breaks bare-handed in painful durability test, highlighting potential cut corners
YouTuber JerryRigEverything subjected the OnePlus Nord to a durability test with less than stellar results. The OnePlus Nord’s frame bends then breaks in the painful test, raising questions about long-term durability and highlighting possible corners cut to hit a midrange price point with the Snapdragon 765G device.

25.07.2020  AMD shares soar on the back of Intel’s 7nm woes: 16 percent gains as Ryzen 3000 remains a 7nm leader
Following an Intel earnings call where the CPU maker admitted that its 7nm process still wasn’t ready, competitor AMD saw a massive boost to its share value, with AMD shares having gained 16 percent on NASDAQ.

23.07.2020  Vein ID? Creepy Apple patent indicates that new versions of Face ID might map iPhone and iPad users’ facial veins to fool masked hackers
A disturbing Apple patent indicates that upcoming versions of the Face ID biometric technology could generate a map of the veins in a user’s face. While Face ID already has a one in a million false-positive rate, vein mapping could dissuade hackers from attempting to use life-like masks to bypass Face ID.

23.07.2020  Purported pricing leaks for the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750G, Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G, and Ryzen 3 PRO 4350 G: 8-core Ryzen 7 4750G with Vega 8 iGPU undercuts Ryzen 7 3700X pricing
Tipster @momomo_us revealed what appears to be pricing for AMD’s upcoming Renoir Ryzen 7 PRO 4750G, Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G, and Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G. The upcoming APUs slot neatly within AMD’s existing Ryzen lineup, offering enhanced graphics performance for a moderate price increase.

22.07.2020  An Ampere 4K king? Tipster claims that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 beats the RTX 2080 Ti by 20 percent, suggesting truly monstrous GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
Tipster @KkatCorgi claimed that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ampere graphics card will deliver up to 20 percent higher performance than the outgoing GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. This aligns with rumors that the RTX 3080 will be built on the high-performing GA102 silicon and opens up the path to 4K/60 PC gaming.

20.07.2020  AMD Ryzen 7 4700G Vega 8 iGPU overclocked to a stunning 2.4 GHz, nearly matches the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 in 3DMark Fire Strike
Leaked benchmarks over on the Chiphell forums paint a positive picture of AMD’s upcoming Ryzen 7 4700G APU. Once overclocked, the APU’s Vega 8 integrated GPU delivered 3DMark Fire Strike performance that wasn’t too far off from the discrete GeForce GTX 1050 and leaked Intel Xe DG1 scores.

16.07.2020  Snapdragon 875G shows up in leaked Qualcomm roadmap: next-generation gaming chipset purportedly built on Samsung’s 5nm process, not TSMC’s
Weibo tipster “Mobile Tip Expert” flagged the presence of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 875G on a leaked product roadmap. The upcoming flagship chip - with a G suffix indicating a gaming focus - will purportedly be built on Samsung’s 5nm process.

16.07.2020  YouTuber alleges that MSI offered money in exchange for hushing “disappointing” MSI Bravo 15 laptop review
YouTuber @TechTeamGB alleged in a Twitter thread that MSI asked him to take down a review of the MSI Bravo 15 and that he was later enticed with money to do so. Fellow streamers including HardwareUnboxed and Linus Tech Tips rallied to his support on the Twitter thread.

16.07.2020  Mysterious Lenovo device turns out to be named the Lenovo A8: budget Lenovo A7 successor will have 5000 mAh battery per TUV Rheinland certification
The Lenovo L10041 will apparently be called the Lenovo A8, according to a listing on the Thai National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Corporation database. A separate TUV Rheinland listing for the Lenovo A8 indicates that the device will feature a 5000 mAh battery.

16.07.2020  Images and specs leak for the Motorola E7: budget entrant with teardrop notch, Snapdragon 632, 13MP dual rear camera, and Android 10 takes the fight to Xiaomi Redmi 9A
Weibo tipster @techmeow shared photos of the Motorola E7, along with a settings screenshot that indicates that the phone will feature a Snapdragon 632 and run Android 10 out of the box. If Motorola prices the E7 right, it could compete successfully with the crowd-pleasing Redmi 9A.

15.07.2020  Tipster says Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will get 120 Hz refresh rate and QHD+ resolution, but both won’t work at the same time, unlike the OnePlus 8 Pro
Tipster @UniverseIce stated that current firmware for the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra supports QHD+ resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate, but not both at the same time. Since this is a feature other devices like the OnePlus 8 Pro already support, we expect that a post-launch update might add this option in.

14.07.2020  iTunes on the Xbox Series X? Report indicates that Apple plans to release new Windows 10 app and it might just run on Microsoft’s new console
Italian outlet Aggiornamenti Lumia claims that Apple will be releasing an as-yet-unspecified new app for the Windows 10 platform. This rumor seems to be in consonance with speculation last year that Apple was working on a “next-gen” media app for Windows. If the app is built from the ground up for UWP, it might actually make its way over to Xbox, as opposed to the current Microsoft Store version of iTunes.

13.07.2020  LinkedIn taken to court for allegedly snooping on sensitive user info like passwords and credit card details through clipboard data on its iOS app
A California resident filed a lawsuit against LinkedIn for allegedly snooping on user clipboard data on the social media app’s iOS version. The issue was brought to light thanks to a new privacy-oriented feature in iOS 14 that tells users when apps access clipboard data.

13.07.2020  NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti performs abysmally in Watch Dogs Legion demo: preview locked to 1080p/30 FPS with ray-tracing enabled
NVIDIA’s top-end Turing card, the US$1400 GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, couldn’t even run Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs Legion at 1080p/60 FPS with ray-tracing effects turned on. This leads to speculation that users might need Ampere or Big Navi cards to properly experience ray-tracing in next-generation titles.

13.07.2020  New Huawei MateBook D model hits 3DMark sporting Renoir Ryzen 7 4700U, Vega 7, Samsung NVMe SSD and 2666 MHz DDR4: matches Redmibook 13 on specs but no hints on price
A refreshed version of Huawei’s MateBook D laptop lineup was spotted on 3DMark, featuring the 15W Ryzen 7 4700U and a 512GB Samsung NVMe SSD. While it matches the Redmibook lineup with its Renoir APU, we have no word on pricing just yet.

13.07.2020  Vivo X50 Pro and Vivo X50 set for July 16th launch, beating OnePlus Nord as India’s first Snapdragon 765H devices but US$500-plus pricing makes them hard sells
@Vivo_India tweeted the launch date for Vivo’s X50 series. The Vivo X50 and Vivo X50 Pro will both arrive on July 16th. The Pro will feature an innovative gimbal camera for capturing video. However, high pricing and the midrange Snapdragon 765G make the value proposition questionable.

11.07.2020  New ASUS ROG Phone 3 specs emerge through NCC certification: 512GB storage, Snapdragon 865 Plus, and mammoth 6000 mAh battery, but no wireless charging
The ASUS ROG Phone 3 recently passed through the Taiwanese NCC certification process. Thanks to its NCC listing, we now know that ASUS’ upcoming gaming phone will feature a 6000 mAh battery, Qualcomm’s premium Snapdragon 865 Plus and a hefty 512GB of storage.

10.07.2020  “Cut in half and add salt”: Surface Duo pictured helping Microsoft VP bake breadsticks, flicking a thumb at Galaxy Fold reliability issues?
Microsoft VP Frank X posted a picture of himself baking breadsticks with a recipe displayed on the upcoming Microsoft Surface Duo. Microsoft’s device seemingly adopts a different approach to the dual-screen conundrum, relative to the Samsung Galaxy Fold. But is it resilient enough to bake breadsticks?

10.07.2020  Classy Samsung Galaxy Note 21 renders show off curves, zero bezel, and no punch hole, hinting at under-display fingerprint scanner and front camera
Tipster @UniverseIce showed off a snazzy pair of Samsung Galaxy Note 21 and Galaxy Note 21 Ultra renders. The unofficial designs showcase a zero-bezel display, with what appear to be an under-display front camera and an under-display fingerprint scanner.

09.07.2020  iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 public betas just launched: how to update your iPhone 11 or iPad Pro
Apple recently launched the iOS 14 open beta program. iPhone and iPad users enrolled in the beta program can easily get hold of the first public beta build. iOS 14 features a number or improvements including a redesigned home screen and Apple Pencil handwriting recognition.

08.07.2020  Rumoured Xbox Series X guidelines ban publishers from selling next-gen upgrades as paid DLC
In what looks to be a pro-consumer move, purported Microsoft guidelines prevent publishers from selling “next-gen upgrades” as paid DLC. This means that Xbox Series X owners might not have to double-dip on cross-gen titles to get enhanced visuals and features.

07.07.2020  H.266 video codec finally let you stream 8K and 4K video content without laying waste to your data cap
The Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz institute recently announced the new H.266 video codec standard as a successor to H.265. The new codec promises equivalent image quality at half the bit rate. This could make 8K and 4K content accessible to wider audiences.

07.07.2020  NVIDIA GeForce “RTX 3070 Ti” leaks along with fellow GA104 part: two different cards or is this the GTX 1060 all over again?
Tipster @kopite7kimi leaked specs for two different GA104 cards. However, contrary to expectations, we think that these might represent the same functional SKU and not two different card tiers, considering the very slight spec difference.

06.07.2020  Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 5G will feature the same 25W EP-TA800 fast charger as the Galaxy S20: 0 to 50 percent charging in 30 minutes
A 3C certification listing was recently spotted for the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 5G and indicates that the foldable will come with the same 25W charger as the Samsung Galaxy S20. This means the Galaxy Fold 2 will likely charge from 0 to 50 percent in just half an hour.

06.07.2020  AMD EPYC Milan engineering sample spotted in the wild: 7nm+ Zen 3 ES runs at up to 2.2 GHz, matching EPYC Rome ES speeds
Tipster @Execufix spotted a reference to AMD’s upcoming EPYC Milan server lineup. An unspecified EPYC Milan server chip was found to operate with a base frequency of 1.5 GHz and a boost clock of 2.2 GHz, in line with ES clocks for EPYC Rome parts. If EPYC Milan hits these clocks in its final avatar, it should provide a noticeable performance boost versus EPYC Rome parts.

02.07.2020  NVIDIA RTX 3000 Ampere cards might be built on Samsung’s 8nm process instead of TSMC’s 7nm node
Tipster @kopite7kimi recently stated that NVIDIA’s upcoming Ampere RTX 3000 series cards will be manufactured on Samsung’s 8nm process, not TSMC’s 7nm node. While this is unlikely to have performance implications this far down the line, it does mean that AMD will retain process leadership for another generation.

02.07.2020  Xbox Series S “Lockhart” GPU specs leak: 1280 shader core Navi GPU slower than Xbox One X, AMD Radeon 5500XT - can it really do 1080p/60 FPS?
Further details have emerged about the Xbox Series S’s purported GPU. A tweet by The Verge’s Tom Warren claims that “Lockhart” will have a 20 CU GPU, marginally slower than the Xbox One X and the Radeon RX 5500 XT. This raises a key question: will Lockhart truly be fast enough to power 9th-gen experiences, even at a lowly 1080p?

30.06.2020  The upcoming Moto G 5G looks very strange in leaked renders with a dual punch hole camera in front
Leaked renders for Motorola’s upcoming Moto G 5G indicate that the midranger will feature a rather strange dual front punch hole camera arrangement, along with a quad 48MP shooter on the rear. Details about the device are scarce, but we expect it to feature a midrange 5G Qualcomm chipset, such as the Snapdragon 690 5G.

30.06.2020  AMD releases beta driver enabling hardware accelerated GPU scheduling in Windows 10: benchmarks indicate moderate performance gains
Hot on NVIDIA’s heels, AMD released its first beta driver enabling support for Windows 10’s hardware accelerated GPU scheduling feature. The new technology, allowing for fine-grained VRAM management, appears to have a small but noticeable impact on performance according to benchmarks.

30.06.2020  Did AMD overplay its hand with XT? The cheaper Comet Lake S i5-10400 bests the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT in leaked gaming benchmarks
Leaked benchmarks for the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT indicate that AMD might have overplayed its hand with its Zen 2 refresh: The US$249 3600XT is bested in gaming benchmarks by Intel’s cheaper Comet Lake S i5-10400.

29.06.2020  Who needs ray-tracing? Check out this spectacular next-gen lighting mod for The Witcher 3 instead, ahead of Cyberpunk 2077’s launch
Modder sw3dg1n recently released True Fires, a graphics mod that overhauls fire light sources in The Witcher 3. With Cyberpunk 2077 just months away, True Fires might give CD Projekt fans a way to appreciate next-gen graphics in 2015’s RPG classic. You will need a meaty graphics card, though, as double-digit performance drops are to be expected.

27.06.2020  8-core, 16-thread Rocket Lake CPU appears on Geekbench: 32 EU desktop Xe graphics deliver 40 percent lower OpenCL score than Vega 10 in 15W AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
An Intel Rocket Lake S CPU recently turned up on GeekBench, delivering OpenCL performance that was slower than even some Kaby Lake GPUs. This raises questions about the state of Intel’s Xe graphics, following the disappointing outing of the DG1 discrete solution months earlier.

27.06.2020  Snapdragon 875 gaming phones could feature ultra-fast 100W fast charging in Q1 2021: 0-100 percent in 17 minutes?
According to a tipster, upcoming Snapdragon 875-equipped phones may feature 100W fast charging technology. This would enable gaming phones like the purported Xiaomi Black Shark 4 to top up their batteries in just 17 minutes.

25.06.2020  Lenovo marketer claims on Weibo that Intel “cannot keep up in the short term” against Renoir competition - official Lenovo Weibo indicates that Comet Lake H model price cuts are in order to “deal with” AMD
A third-party marketer associated with Lenovo recently claimed that Intel “cannot keep up in the short term” with AMD. This statement was seemingly validated by an official Lenovo post indicating that price cuts on Comet Lake H Intel models were in an effort to “deal with” AMD gains.

25.06.2020  New renders leak for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3: Apple Watch competitor set to feature 1.4-in display, Gorilla Glass DX, and MIL-STD-810G protection; set to run on Tizen OS
Tipster @evleaks revealed what appear to be official renders for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3. The new renders confirm that the Galaxy Watch 3 is set to feature a larger display, Gorilla Glass DX, and MIL-STD-810G protection. The release timeframe is still unknown, but rumors indicate an official announcement will be made in July.

23.06.2020  Realme’s 1+4+N strategy is a near-carbon copy of Huawei’s 1+8+N, even comes with the almost identical presentation graphics
In an amusing gaffe at a business presentation, Realme appears to have lifted Huawei’s 1+8+N marketing strategy word for word. Its 1+4+N strategy even features almost the exact same presentation graphics.

23.06.2020  The upcoming Samsung Galaxy A01 Core brings back major feature: a removable battery
According to a recent leak, Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy A01 Core could feature a removable battery. In the era of ultra-thin bezels and shrinking phones, this appears to be a genuine usability win.

23.06.2020  Design and specs leak for the upcoming Realme C11: World’s first MediaTek G35 smartphone set to launch on June 30th
A leaked poster for the Realme C11 emerged, showcasing the upcoming budget phone’s design, key specs, and to June 30th launch date.

23.06.2020  Alleged NVDIA Ampere GeForce RTX 3080 Ti spec sheet leaks: GA102 may deliver 50 percent higher compute than GeForce RTX 2080 Ti - enough to wallop Big Navi?
Tipster @CyberCatPunk leaked what appears to be a spec sheet for NVDIA’s upcoming flagship RTX 3080 Ti. If true, the 23 TFLOPs monster might be enough to take on AMD’s soon-to-be-launched Big Navi lineup.

23.06.2020  Specifications leak for the upcoming Honor X10 Max on TENAA: massive 7.1in display, Mediatek Dimensity, and 48MP dual camera
A TENAA database listing for the upcoming Honor X10 Max offers new details with key specifications. The midranger is expected to feature a 7.1-in display, MediaTek Dimensity 800, and a large 4900 mAh battery with 22.5W fast charging.

23.06.2020  Intel seemingly compares a 90W NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q laptop with 60W RTX 2060 Laptop to highlight Comet Lake S i7 performance gains over Renoir
According to tipster @_rogame, Intel appears to have compared a Comet Lake i7-10750H laptop equipped with a 90W GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q with a Renoir Ryzen 9 4900H laptop sporting a 65W variant in a slide highlighting frame rate improvements

22.06.2020  AMD Ryzen 3600XT boosts to a remarkable 4.6 GHz in 3DMark: Core i5-10600K performance for US$60 less?
Tipster @_rogame recently spotted a 3DMark listing for AMD’s upcoming Ryzen 5 3600XT CPU. The 6-core, 12-thread midranger s shown boosting to a remarkable 4.6 GHz, substantially higher than most Ryzen 5 3600X units manage. Will it be enough to challenge Intel’s more expensive i5-10600K, though?

21.06.2020  Tipster outs new Galaxy Fold 2 details - thinner than ever with 7.7in display, 3.8mm bezel: but is that the right approach after the Galaxy Fold’s notorious QA issues?
Tipster @IceUniverse revealed new details about Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Fold 2 device. However, the thinner bezels and larger display raise concerns about durability, especially in the aftermath of Foldgate.

19.06.2020  Dutch retailer lists US$1400 Tiger Lake i7-1165G7 Acer Swift 5 laptop: set to arrive on July 27th
A Dutch retailer recently listed the Acer Swift 5, apparently the first Tiger Lake Core i7-1165G7-powered laptop we’ve seen til date. The Swift 5 is set to launch on July 27th and should offer GeForce X350-equivalent GPU performance in an ultrabook form factor.

19.06.2020  “Massive criminal surveillance campaign” of malicious Google Chrome extensions stole data from over 32 million users: do you have these installed?
A report by Awake Security indicates that 70 Google Chrome extensions, downloaded by over 32 million people, have been stealing user data and browsing history on a massive scale. The large-scale operation was enabled by a malicious domain registrar, GalComm.

19.06.2020  Cyberpunk 2077 PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X support confirmed, free for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One users: next-gen optimised version will arrive later as a free update
In a consumer-friendly move, CD Projekt Red recently announced that Cyberpunk 2077 would be playable on both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X from launch and that game would be free for owners of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions.

19.06.2020  TikTok, UC Browser, SHAREit, Clean Master among list of 52 Chinese apps flagged by Indian intelligence agencies amid mounting tensions
Indian intelligence agencies have allegedly requested the Indian government to ban or warn the public about 52 red-flagged apps of Chinese origin, amid mounting tensions between the two countries. Among the flagged apps are the popular networking platform TikTok, SHAREit, and UC Browser

19.06.2020  AMD Van Gogh Lite GFX 1040 GPU spotted: RDNA2 Little Navi graphics possible on upcoming APU, potentially blowing away Tiger Lake Xe and the NVIDIA GeForce MX350
A tipster spotted a mention of “Van Gogh Lite” GFX 1040 graphics in what appears to be AMD driver code on Linux. This adds to the speculation that AMD will be launching Navi RDNA-powered APUs next year, with significant gains to GPU power.

17.06.2020  Amazon Germany lists the Nokia 8.3 5G: new Snapdragon 765G-powered smartphone could hit retail soon, but high price and LCD panel raise questions
Amazon Germany recently listed the upcoming Nokia 8.3. The listing is an indicator that HMD/Nokia’s latest midrange Snapdragon 765G-powered device might hit retail channels soon. A high price point and lacklustre specs raise questions about its success, though.

17.06.2020  12in MacBook or 12.9in iPad Pro? Tipster claims ARM-powered 12-core 5nm MacBooks will arrive this year, potentially putting both iPad and MacBook buyers in a bind
Tipster @L0vetodream recently claimed that ARM-powered MacBooks could arrive as early as this year, potentially in time for the new A14-powered iPad Pros. Holiday buyers could potentially have trouble choosing between an ARM-powered Apple laptop and an ARM-powered Apple laptop replacement.

17.06.2020  Nokia takes things back to 2007 with the US$45 Nokia 5310: 2.4in QVGA display, 8MB RAM, 0.3MP camera and no Android in sight
Nokia recently launched the Nokia 5310, a spiritual successor to its 2007-era XpressMusic 5310. The new, 2020 variant features a lightly updated design while retaining a 2.4-in QVGA display, candy bar form factor, and a 0.3MP camera.

17.06.2020  Leaked 3DMark listing indicates that a Renoir Ryzen 7 4800U-powered Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 is in the works
A leaked 3DMark listing spotted by tipster @TUM_APISAK indicates that Microsoft is prepping a device featuring the AMD Ryzen 7 4800U. This is likely to be the upcoming Surface Laptop 4, the successor to the Ryzen 7 3780U-powered Surface Laptop 3.

16.06.2020  No Ryzen 4000 this year? Report claims that AMD’s 7nm Zen 3 “Vermeer” might be delayed to 2021 due to “lack of competition” from Intel Comet Lake S for Ryzen 3000
A report by Digitimes indicates that AMD might delay the launch of its Zen 3-based Ryzen 4000 desktop CPUs to 2021. The report cites the “mediocre performance of Intel’s Comet Lake” as a key reason for the delay.

15.06.2020  NVIDIA Ampere GeForce RTX 3080 and 3090 could feature a ray-tracing traversal coprocessor: better ray-tracing performance than PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Big Navi?
According to a Coreteks video, NVIDIA might be deploying a dual-sided PCB design, with a ray-tracing traversal coprocessor residing opposite the GPU die. This could potentially provide the RTX 3080 and RTX 30980 with a massive boost to ray-tracing capabilities.

14.06.2020  AMD RX Radeon gets a new logo: rebranding effort spotted in Godfall trailer for PlayStation 5 and is in time for the Big Navi reveal
Tipster @Casmoden spotted what looks to be a revamped AMD RX Radeon logo in the latest trailer for the PlayStation 5’s Godfall. The rebranding effort comes close to the arrival of AMD’s RDNA2 Big Navi later this year.

13.06.2020  OnePlus Buds mentioned in Android 11 beta code: company’s first TWS earphones set to compete with AirPods and Galaxy Buds
A user over on the XDA forums spotted a mention of the TWS OnePlus Buds in code for the Android 11 Settings APK, lending credence to rumors that OnePlus will soon be releasing its own pair of TWS earphones.

12.06.2020  Huami launches Amazfit T-Rex sports smartwatch in India for US$132: Galaxy Gear competitor with MIL-STD-810 ruggedness, Bluetooth 5.0, always-on AMOLED, and 20-day battery
Huami recently launched the sports-oriented Amazfit T-Rex smartwatch in India for INR 9,999 (US$132). The MIL-STD-810 compliant watch supports both Android and iOS devices, has a 20-day battery, and offers 14 different sports tracking modes.

08.06.2020  Activision cancelled its WoW: Shadowlands stream to “make space for other voices.” Where was that space when Blitzchung and Hong Kong needed it?
Activision Blizzard recently announced that it would be delaying its World of Warcraft: Shadowlands livestream to make way for “more important voices.” However, the decision appears insincere, especially in light of Blizzard’s treatment of Hearthstone Grandmaster Blitzchung for speaking out about the Hong Kong protests.

07.06.2020  10nm Intel Sapphire Rapids Xeon details emerge: dual-socket 96 core Xeon on the cards with PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 support but is it enough to take on 5nm AMD EPYC Genoa?
A leaked Intel Russia roadmap presentation offered a glimpse at Intel's enterprise server plans for 2020: 10nm LGA 4677 Sapphire Rapids parts are set to take on AMD's EPYC Genoa with PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 support.

07.06.2020  Purported Samsung Galaxy Note 20 SM-N9810 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G SM-F7070 show up in 3C battery certification database: battery details emerge
Listings on the Chinese 3C battery certification database seemingly confirm the existence of the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G (listed as the SM-N9810) and the Galaxy Z Flip 2 (listed as the SM-F7070). Details have now emerged about battery capacity for these two devices.

05.06.2020  New AM4+ compatibility king? ASUS ROG X570 Strix with 256 Mb BIOS will support ALL AM4+ Ryzen processors: from purported Zen 3 Ryzen 7 4700X, to Zen 2, to Zen+, all the way to the venerable Zen 1 Ryzen 3 1200
Asus recently decided to enable support for all four generations of Ryzen processors on its ASUS ROG Strix X570 motherboard. This means that everything from 2017's budget Ryzen 3 1200 to upcoming Ryzen 4000 parts will be compatible, thanks to a generous 256 Mb BIOS chip.

04.06.2020  "Apple Prime" to counter Amazon Prime? iOS 13.5.5 beta code hints at an Apple bundle with Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple Music
Beta code for iOS 13.5.5 seems to indicate that Apple is considering launching a bundle subscription serving integrating different offerings like Apple News, Apple TV+, Apple Music, and possibly Apple Arcade. Can we expect this "Apple Prime" alternative to Amazon's Prime ecosystem in time for the iPhone 12 release?

04.06.2020  AMD's Big Navi RDNA2 set to hit PC before PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X make it to market: likely beats NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
AMD's CFO David Kumar recently claimed that the company's upcoming RDNA2 graphics cards, including the "halo" "Big Navi" product, will arrive before the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. This means 4K/60 AMD Navi cards could be available in just a few months.

04.06.2020  Leakgate: Tipster excoriates Vivo for "ghosting" him on a Vivo X50 "controlled leak": are companies in on smartphone leaks and tipoffs?
In a startling Twitter revelation, tipster @evleaks claims that Vivo India planned a "controlled leak" exercise with him, involving the Vivo X50 series, but eventually "ghosted" him instead. This raises serious questions about where and how tipsters get hold of supposedly "leaked" information.

04.06.2020  New Samsung Galaxy Buds+ renders leak: Purple BTS edition of the TWS buds for K-pop fans, but still no Galaxy Buds X in sight
Tipster @evleaks unveiled leaked renders for Samsung's Galaxy Buds+ BTS edition. The purple TWS earphones are, alongside the Samsung Galaxy S20 BTS edition, targeted squarely at fans of the Korean K-pop group.

03.06.2020  iOS 14 update: Will Google Translate become redundant on iPhone 12? AI-powered A14 Bionic Neural engine translation feature set to transform Safari and App Store
An early test build of iOS 14 apparently leverages Apple's Neural engine to enable seamless, in-app machine translation in Safari and other core Apple apps. If the implementation is sound, this could be a major boon for iOS 14 users on the iPhone 12 later this year.

01.06.2020  ZTE launches its cheapest 5G smartphone yet, the ZTE Axon 11 SE 5G: Mediatek Dimensity 800, 48MP primary shooter, and a 4000 mAh battery at US$280
ZTE just launched the ZTE Axon 11 SE 5G, its cheapest 5G smartphone yet at US$280. The budget device features the Mediatek Dimensity 800 SoC, along with a triple camera setup and a hefty 4000 mAh fast charging battery.

01.06.2020  The Kirin 990 and Dimensity 800-powered Honor Play 4 series will feature a contactless, infrared body temperature scanner, potentially aiding COVID-19 detection efforts
The US$420 Honor Play 4 Pro will feature a contactless, infrared body temperature scanner. The technology, which works like a forehead gun thermometer, should help in COVID-19 detection efforts. The series will likely include a Pro model with the Kirin 990 and a vanilla model powered by the Dimensity 800.

01.06.2020  French retailer lists then takes down pricing for €499 AMD Ryzen 9 3900XT, €459 Ryzen 7 3800XT, and €319 Ryzen 5 3600XT
A French online retailer appears to have unintentionally leaked pricing information for AMD's upcoming Matisse Refresh Ryzen 9 3900XT, Ryzen 7 3800XT, and Ryzen 5 3600XT. The rumored CPUs will sell for more than their vanilla counterparts but are expected to offer better performance.

01.06.2020  Intel's 7nm Ocean Cove architecture might deliver 80 percent gains to IPC and higher clocks in 2022: enough to catch up with 5nm AMD Ryzen 6000 Raphael?
A leak on Weibo purportedly lists IPC and process node gains for Intel's upcoming Golden Cove and Ocean Cove architectures. The 7nm Ocean Cove, in particular, looks interesting, allegedly built on the 7nm process and offering upwards of 80 percent IPC gains.

31.05.2020  Redmi 9C, Redmi 9A, and Redmi 9 specs and pricing leak: Mediatek G70 and 5000 mAh battery under US$200
Tipster @Sudhanshu1414 recently revealed specs and estimated pricing for the entire Redmi 9 series. The Mediatek Helios-powered Redmi 9, the Redmi 9C, and the Redmi 9A are expected soon in India and international markets at a sticker price under US$200.

31.05.2020  Not quite Half-Life 3, but close enough - Pancake FPS Starter Kit helps you play Half Life: Alyx without a VR headset
The Pancake VR Starter Kit transforms Half Life: Alyx into something approximating a standard FPS game on PC. This allows users without the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, or Valve Index to enjoy the title.

31.05.2020  Cheapest Snapdragon 865 phone in India: Vivo iQOO 3 gets discounted to just US$423, 25 percent cheaper than OnePlus 8
A special discount offer makes the Vivo iQOO 3 the cheapest Snapdragon 865 phone available on the Indian market right now. Undercutting the OnePlus 8 by 25 percent, the discounted iQOO 3 offers remarkable value for money with an 800-nit HDR screen, 4440 mAh battery, and 55W charging.

31.05.2020  Worrying Intel DG1 3DMark Fire Strike scores leak: Intel's Xe architecture barely keeps up with 3 year-old Pascal NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050
3DMark Fire Strike scores for the Intel DG1 have just leaked. Intel's latest attempt at a discrete GPU appears to be barely faster than the 3 year-old NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050. This raises serious questions about Xe and Tiger Lake integrated graphics.

30.05.2020  Windows 10 21H1 is set to bring UI changes, enhanced search, UWP File Explorer, enhanced Chromium Edge and more next year
Next year's Windows 10 revamp, known as 21H1, is set to deliver a number of enhanced features from a smarter search to better multitasking in Edge, to a touch-native interface for Edge.

30.05.2020  AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X sees lowest ever pricing: Comet Lake effect on the 64-core 128-thread HEDT part?
Shortly after Intel brought its Comet Lake S desktop CPU lineup into play, AMD slashed prices on the 64-core 128-thread Threadripper 3990X. The premium HEDT part is now available for its lowest price yet.

27.05.2020  Trade War 2.0 or worse? Trump strips Hong Kong of its special trading status, dramatically escalating US-China tensions
In a move that will almost certainly have an impact on global consumer tech supply chains, US President Donald Trump's administration dramatically escalated simmering tensions with China by revoking Hong Kong's special trade status.

27.05.2020  Apple finally lets Indian users custom configure MacBooks and Mac Pros
Apple is finally allowing Indian customers to purchase customized, configure-to-build Mac and MacBook variants. This move gives Indian Mac buyers much-needed flexibility in terms of RAM, storage, and CPU/GPU configurations.

27.05.2020  MIUI 12 now features selective, free-shape screen capture to make live easier on the Xiaomi Mi 9T, Redmi K20 Pro and other devices
The latest update to MIUI 12 adds a very handy selective screenshot feature. Users on the latest nightly build on the Xiaomi Mi 9T and Redmi K20 Pro will be able to free-select screenshot areas while taking screenshots.

27.05.2020  Potential Grand Theft Auto 6 release date leaks: GTA VI might arrive in 2023 per Take-Two's marketing forecast
Take-Two's 10-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission offers strong hints about Grand Theft Auto 6's release timeframe. The downside? PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X owners might have to wait a couple years for the title.

27.05.2020  Intel tweaks its stock cooler for the first time in years: still no match for AMD's Wraith coolers and nowhere near good enough for the Comet Lake S i9-10900K
After nearly a decade of rehashing its stock cooler, Intel's finally made substantial (although entirely cosmetic) changes to its stock cooler design for a limited number of Comet Lake S SKUs.

26.05.2020  AMD Ryzen 9 3900XT and Ryzen 5 3600XT benchmarks leak: Comet Lake S Core i9-10900K and Core i7-10700K take a single-core beating despite 500 MHz higher clockspeed
Benchmarks have just leaked for the AMD Ryzen 9 3900XT and the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT. These chips beat the Comet Lake S i9-10900K and i7-10700K respectively in Cinebench R20's single-core test.

25.05.2020  Realme launches 10000 mAh Qualcomm Quick Charge 4.0 Power Bank 2 in India for US$26
Alongside the Realme X50 Pro, the Realme TV, the Realme Watch, and a whole host of upcoming devices, Realme launched the Realme Power Bank 2, a US$26 10000 mAh charger with Quick Charge 4.0 technology.

25.05.2020  COVID-19: International Chamber of Commerce passes landmark AOKpass declaration to protect health data in an era of invasive COVID-10 tracking apps
The International Chamber of Commerce recently presented its AOKpass declaration to safeguard health data in the context of privacy and data security issues with the current crop of COVID-19 tracking apps.

25.05.2020  Rumored clockspeeds leak for 4.8 GHz AMD Ryzen 9 3900XT, 4.7 GHz Ryzen 7 3700XT and Ryzen 5 3600XT: Upclocked Matisse refresh takes on Comet Lake S i7-10700K and i9-10900K
A user on the Chiphell forums posted what appear to be base and boost clocks for the purported Ryzen 9 3900XT, Ryzen 7 3800XT, and Ryzen 5 3600XT. The CPU, which clocks up to 4.8 GHz, seems to be a short-term counter to Comet Lake S while AMD preps Ryzen 4000.

25.05.2020  Realme X50 Pro Player launched in China: US$420 5G K30 Pro alternative sports 6.4 in 90Hz AMOLED panel, Snapdragon 865, 48MP quad-cameras and 65W fast charging
Realme just launched the Realme X50 Pro Player edition in China for RMB 2,999 (approx US$420). The flagship-killer sports a Snapdragon 865, vapor cooling, a 90 Hz panel, and 65W fast charging.

23.05.2020  Towers of Everland out on Apple Arcade: first-person dungeon crawler offers a premium alternative to The Elder Scrolls: Blades
Towers of Everland just landed on Apple Arcade. The first-person dungeon crawler offers a more light-hearted experience than The Elder Scrolls: Blades and Legends of Grimrock, without sacrificing content quality. However, poor performance, even on the high-end iPhone 11 Pro Max, raises questions about just how well the game will run across iOS devices.

23.05.2020  Epic Mega Sale: US$10 Epic coupons sweeten the deal on Assassin's Creed, The Outer Worlds, Ghost Recon Wildlands, and more on the Fortnite maker's platform
The Epic Games Store is hosting a Mega Sale until June 11th. Popular AAA titles like Assassin's Creed Odyssey, The Division 2, and Ghost Recon Wildlands are available with steep discounts, sweetened by US$10 sales coupons on eligible games.

23.05.2020  Vivo's new TWS earphones: The Vivo TWS Neo AirPods alternative set launch with the Vivo X50 Pro on June 1st
Vivo recently revealed a teaser video for its upcoming Vivo TWS Neo TWS earphones. These AirPods alternatives are expected to cost less than the US$169 Vivo TWS, but fierce competition in the segment from the likes of the Realme Buds Air Neo raise questions about value.

23.05.2020  UGREEN's 65W GaN charger is 50 percent off on Indiegogo: This US$37 4-port device can fast charge an iPhone 11 Pro, iPad Pro 2020, and MacBook Air at the same time
UGREEN's All in One 65W GaN charger is selling at a 50 percent discount on Indiegogo. The limited time sale makes the charger price competitive with Apple's 18W, while enabling users to fast charge 4 devices simultaneously.

22.05.2020  AMD set to release Ryzen 7 3750X and Ryzen 7 3850X to take on Intel Comet Lake S i7-10700K and i9-10900K
Multiple sources indicate that AMD is set to launch the Ryzen 7 3750X and Ryzen 7 3850X in a bid to counter Intel's launch of the Comet Lake S i7-10700K and i9-10900K. These Matisse refresh chips are set to hold the fort until the arrival of Ryzen 4000 later this year.

21.05.2020  Xbox Series X: "Microsoft knows what it takes" says indie dev, claims the console has "magic" load speeds; but what about the PlayStation 5?
Indie developers at Neon Giant studio spoke to EDGE magazine recently about their experience working on Xbox Series X hardware. Microsoft's machine is "easier to develop for," and has "magic loading speeds," they claimed.

21.05.2020  Realme Buds Air Neo pricing leaks: US$39 TWS AirPods alternatives with 13mm drivers and Bluetooth 5.0 set to launch on May 25th
Pricing recently leaked for the upcoming Realme Buds Air Neo. Realme's TWS earphones will launch on May 25th, alongside the higher-tier Realme Buds Q, the Realme TV, and the Realme Watch.

21.05.2020  iPhone 11 jailbreak update: Get ready for unc0ver 5.0.0: semi-untethered iOS jailbreak with Windows support, compatible with all iOS 13.5 iPhones and iPads
@unc0verTeam recently announced that a working, universal iOS 13.5 jailbreak will be arriving soon. The jailbreak is compatible with Windows, meaning iPhone and iPad users won't need to use a Mac to jailbreak their devices, as with Checkra1n.

21.05.2020  Apple's COVID-19 iOS update: iOS 13.5 and iPadOS 13.5 deliver easier FaceID with masks on, COVID-19 exposure notifications API, and tweaks to FaceTime group calls
Apple's latest iOS 13.5 update includes tweaks to FaceID and FaceTime group chat that aim to improve user experience due to COVID-specific issues. The FaceID mask tweak makes it easier for users to unlock their iPhones and iPads when wearing a mask.

20.05.2020  First the headphone jack, now EarPods: report suggests Apple might not include free EarPods with iPhone 12 and 12 Pro series devices to nudge consumers towards AirPods Pro and AirPods Studio
A report by Ming Chi-Kuo indicates that Apple might not include EarPods with its iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro series devices this year. The move appears to be an effort to nudge consumers towards buying AirPods Pro and the upcoming AirPods Studio headphones.

20.05.2020  Alienware introduces 25-in 360 Hz monitor with AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync: 1080p IPS panel with 99 percent sRGB competes with ASUS ROG Swift 360 for the Fortnite and Overwatch eSports crowd
Dell Alienware recently announced the AW2521HF, a high refresh rate 360 Hz IPS monitor targeting eSports audiences. The AW2521HF will compete with ASUS' ROG SWIFT 360 for gamers who want an ultra-high frequency 1080p experience on the likes of the NVIDIA RTX 2080 Ti.

20.05.2020  Apple Watch Series 3 sells for just US$231: enough to sway Galaxy Gear S3 and Fitbit Versa users?
The Apple Watch Series 3 is now available on Amazon for as low as US$231. This brings it into contention with the Galaxy Gear S3. However, LTE capabilities, superior build quality and tight iOS integration make the Series 3 a solid buy.

20.05.2020  Vivo X50 Pro renders leak: catch your first glimpse of the giant Samsung 50 MP ISOCELL GN1 Tetracell binning image sensor on this Snapdragon 768 5G phone
Tipster @UniverseIce revealed what appear to be official renders of the Vivo X50 Pro, an upcoming midrange smartphone set to feature Samsung's ISOCELL GN1 50 MP camera sensor.

19.05.2020  2020's Samsung Galaxy A50 and Galaxy A70 could get cameras with optical image stabilization, but the iPhone SE 2 already delivers it
According to a report accessed by SamMobile, Samsung's Galaxy A series smartphones could feature optical image stabilization (OIS) technology this year.

19.05.2020  An offer you can't resist: PlayStation Store leaks pricing and release date for Mafia Trilogy-Mafia I remaster set to arrive on August 28th on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One
Accidental listings on the Australian PlayStation Store give us a clear picture about pricing and availability for all three titles in 2K Games' recently-announced Mafia Trilogy, set to arrive on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

19.05.2020  Ryzen 7 4800H beats the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H in latest 3DMark Time Spy leak: Dell laptop with AMD RX 5600M is 10 percent slower and no match for the Intel i9-10980HK
Leaked benchmark results for the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H paint a bleak picture: in a Dell system config, the flagship AMD mobile CPU is 10 percent slower than the lower-tier Ryzen 7 4800HS and can't hold a candle to the Comet Lake S i9-10980HK.

19.05.2020  Over 70,000 Realme Narzo 10 units sold within the first 128 seconds of the 48MP quad-camera phone's launch: A new Mediatek G80-powered US$160 competitor for the Redmi Note 9?
Realme CEO Madhav Sheth claimed that the brand's latest budget smartphone, the Realme Narzo 10, sold over 70,000 units just two minutes after it was launched. The Mediatek Helio G80 powered device goes head to head with the Redmi Note 9, Vivo U20 and other lower-midrange devices.

18.05.2020  A new Odyssey for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X owners? Assassin's Creed: Valhalla set to feature biggest map in the series so far
Contradicting an earlier claim made by a Ubisoft communications rep, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla producer Julien Laferriere stated that the upcoming PS5 and Xbox Series X title would have a world map that is “probably” larger than Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey.

18.05.2020  YouTube, stop with the 480p bandwidth discrimination in India already
A month ago, YouTube decided to limit Indian mobile users to a maximum of 480p, citing bandwidth constraints. However, with 85 percent of YouTube users residing outside India, completely unaffected, the decision prompts questions about discrimination and equal access to the digital commons.

17.05.2020  Realme Watch and Realme TV confirmed: launching in India on May 25th
Realme CEO Madhav Sheth recently confirmed the existence of the Realme Watch and Realme TV. The two products are set to launch in India on May 25th, offering an alternative to the Apple Watch and premium Android smart TVs.

17.05.2020  Apparently, 720p isn't HD anymore according to YouTube: sorry iPhone 11 and iPhone SE 2 users, but it's time to move on
YouTube recently decided to reclassify 720p video as SD quality. Users of the YouTube desktop site and mobile apps will no longer see an "HD" badge next to 720p. While the decision is largely semantic in nature, it underscores how technology has moved on from the original HD standard.

17.05.2020  2.8 GHz Tiger Lake U chip with 4 Willow Cove cores and 8 threads spotted: leaves 8-core 16-thread 4.2 GHz Ryzen 7 4800U unfazed
A benchmark listing spotted by tipster @_rogame indicates that premium Tiger Lake U chips will run as high as 2.8 GHz. Whether that's enough to bridge the gap with the eight-core sixteen-thread Ryzen 7 4800U, though, remains to be seen.

17.05.2020  Huawei P Smart S renders leak: 48MP triple camera, teardrop notch, Kirin 710, and no Google services. DOA compared to the Redmi Note 9?
Tipster @evleaks recently leaked what appear to be renders for Huawei's upcoming P Smart S budget smartphone. The P Smart S will likely sport the Kirin 710 SoC and has a triple camera array. However, head-to-head with the Redmi Note 9, it just doesn't look like a good deal.

16.05.2020  Huawei P40 Lite 5G arrives in Europe: Challenges iPhone SE with 5G Kirin 820 SoC and 64 MP quad camera for €399, but no Google services is a deal-breaker
Huawei recently launched its P40 Lite 5G smartphone in European markets. At €399, it goes head to head with Apple's iPhone SE. While the 64 MP quad camera and Kirin 820 are great assets, the lack of Google services continues to be a deal-breaker for Huawei phones.

16.05.2020  No competition for the Poco X2: Samsung Galaxy A21S launched with a punch hole display and quad camera but mediocre Exynos 850 performance disappoints
Samsung recently launched its midrange Galaxy A21S smartphone at an event in London. The device offers a quad camera, Dolby Atmos, and a generous 5000 mAh battery at £179. However, a lower end Exynos 850 SoC tempers expectations.

14.05.2020  Epic Unreal 5 Nanite and Indian architecture: complicated pyramids coming soon to a PlayStation 5 near you?
Epic's recent Unreal 5 tech demo, Lumen in the Land of Nanite, showcased the engine's Nanite micro-polygon rendering system and seemed to draw heavily from intricate ancient and medieval Indian architectural orders. Will next-gen capabilities like Nanite allow developers to tackle environments that were just too hard to render on eighth-gen consoles?

12.05.2020  Toasty Intel Core i9-10900K hits 93 degrees Celsius...with a 240mm liquid cooler: beats the AMD Ryzen 9 3950X in single core, but at what price?
A Weibo user recently tested the Comet Lake S Intel Core i9-10900K with an AIO 240mm liquid cooling setup. The user found that, even under high-end cooling, temps soared as high as 93 degrees on Intel's latest flagship.

10.05.2020  Super Mario Galaxy and Super Smash Bros in your pocket? DolphiniOS 2.20 enables iPhone 11 and iPhone SE support: 60 FPS gameplay on A13 devices with Xbox One and PS4 controller support
The developers of DolphiniOS recently announced the launch of version 2.20 of the Nintendo Wii and GameCube emulator. The latest update enables support for A13 devices, allowing iPhone 11 series users to take advantage of their powerful hardware.

09.05.2020  Super Mario Odyssey in 4K? Yuzu Emulator's Prometheus update delivers multi-core support, but you'll still need an Intel Core i9-10900K for 60 FPS
The developers of the Yuzu Nintendo Switch emulator recently announced the launch of the Prometheus update. Prometheus delivers proper multi-core support, enabling massive performance gains in titles like Super Mario Odyssey.

08.05.2020  The NVIDIA GeForce MX350 barely beats the AMD Ryzen 7 4700U's Vega 7 iGPU: Why are some OEMs using it anyway?
A new ASUS ZenBook 14 model sports the Ryzen 7 4700U APU, together with an Nvidia GeForce MX350 discrete graphics card. However, considering the narrow performance difference between the MX350 and the 4700U's iGPU, why does ASUS bother with a discrete GPU?

05.05.2020  Super Mario 64 gets ported to PC with DirectX 12 and ray-tracing support: doesn't need an RTX 2080 Ti but it still looks...like an N64 game
An intrepid modder built a DirectX 12 port of Nintendo classic Super Mario 64 for the PC. Using ReShade and its ray-tracing plugin, they were even able to get ray-traced global illumination working.

03.05.2020  No "baap of all" this year? Raja Koduri claims Intel is still focused on integrated graphics in the short term, leaving RTX 2080 Ti safe at the top
Intel's Raja Koduri recently tweeted that the company's main focus is on integrated graphics, quashing hopes that high-performance Intel Xe GPUs will compete with the RTX 2080 Ti and second-gen Navi cards this year.

02.05.2020  AMD earnings per share grew by 1300 percent since last year, propelled by Ryzen 3000 and Renoir Ryzen 4000 sales
AMD's earnings per share grew by a mammoth 1300 percent since Q1 2019. The growth in share value is largely due to consistently high sales of Ryzen 3000 processors, together with growth in the enterprise segment with EPYC and the recent launch of Ryzen 4000 Renoir APUs.

02.05.2020  The iPhone X is cheaper than the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 today, at just US$445: better offer than the iPhone SE?
The Apple iPhone X is currently selling on Amazon for just US$445. This makes Apple's erstwhile flagship cheaper than the OnePlus 7T and even the midrange Xiaomi Mi Note 10. Budget users put off by the iPhone SE's compromises might find this an excellent alternative.

30.04.2020  Almost 1.5 percent of the entire world was on Xbox Live last quarter, thanks to COVID-19: Will Project xCloud and PS Now make the PS5 and Xbox Series X redundant in a post-COVID world?
Microsoft's Satya Nadella said that record numbers of users logged onto Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Live, and Project xCloud over the past few months. With social distancing set to remain, this raises questions about the future of gaming. Are cloud and online gaming on the rise or are consoles here to stay?

30.04.2020  ASRock's leaked Base Frequency Boost hacks Intel overclocking limits, enabling non-K CPU and non-Z mobo overclocking: will the i3-10100 trounce the Ryzen 3 3100X?
A leaked slide from a purported ASRock Intel 400 series presentation indicates that the company's Base Frequency Boost (BFB) technology enables overclocking on non-K Intel CPUs and non-Z motherboards.

30.04.2020  New renders leak for the OPPO A92: Aurora Purple 5G midranger's 48MP quad-camera challenges the Galaxy S20-Snapdragon 665 and 5000 mAh battery round out the sub-US$300 package
Tipster @evleaks just outed what appear to be official renders for the upcoming OPPO A92 smartphone. The Aurora Purple renders hint at a device that's very similar to the A92S already selling in China.

29.04.2020  Huawei and Samsung dominate the 5G market with nearly 70 percent market share, but 5G iPhone 12 models could tip the scales
A Strategy Analytics report indicates that Huawei and Samsung together account for a tremendous 67.6 percent share in the market for 5G smartphones. Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi trail far behind. However, with Apple set to launch its own 5G iPhones later this year, things could change.

29.04.2020  A new AirPods Pro competitor? Samsung trademarks the Galaxy Buds X, likely successor to the TWS Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Buds+
Samsung recently filed trademarks for the Galaxy Buds X in India, the UK, and the European Union. The trademark filing comes just a month after leaked renders for a new, bean-shaped Buds SKU popped up, indicating that the Galaxy Buds X are likely Samsung's next contender in the TWS space.

29.04.2020  This could be the best time to buy an RTX 2080 Ti: Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI are reportedly planning to clear NVIDIA GeForce RTX Turing stock: GeForce RTX 3080, RTX 3070 set to take on AMD RDNA2 cards in Q3 2020
A report by China Times indicates that Asus, MSI, and Gigabyte-leading Taiwanese OEMs-are all trying to clear their inventory of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 20 series Turing cards to make way for the arrival of the RTX 3080 and RTX 3070 in Q3 2020.

27.04.2020  Huawei Mate30 and Mate30 Pro get stable EMUI 10.1 upgrade with Celia AI, MeeTime video calls, multi-screen collaboration, and more
Huawei recently rolled out an official EMUI 10.1 update for owners of the Huawei Mate30 and Mate30 Pro devices. EMUI 10.1 introduces a number of new features like Celia AI and MeeTime, which try to make up for the loss of integrated Google services.

26.04.2020  A ten person team building Skyrim? Google's Project Chimera set to revolutionize Stadia game development through machine learning
A senior Google Stadia executive claimed that that the company's Project Chimera neural network system could be used by developers to craft detailed, open world titles at a fraction of the cost. While Stadia might not be long for this world, machine learning looks set to play a bigger role in gaming.

24.04.2020  Redmi Note 9 killer? Render outed for Huawei's purported midrange Y8S smartphone
Tipster @evleaks outed what appears to be an official render for Huawei's purported Y8S smartphone. The midrange device takes a lot of cues from the Huawei Y9, with a similar design and camera setup. The device looks likely to take the fight to Xiaomi's Redmi Note 9 lineup later this year.

22.04.2020  Xbox Series X and PS5 storage performance on PC for US$55? Crucial's 3000 MB/s P5 and P2 NVMe SSDs give PC gamers a cheaper option
Crucial, Micron's main SSD brand, recently launched its PCIe Gen4 P2 and P5 SSDs. These blazing fast NVMe SSDs deliver over 3000 MB/s of performance, making them faster than the Xbox Series X. The entry-level 250 GB P2 costs just US$ 55, meaning both model lineups are likely to be cost-effective.

21.04.2020  Overclocked AMD EPYC Rome 7742 dual socket tops Corona bench, beating Intel Xeon Platinum 8280L setup by 10 percent
A user over on the Chiphell overclocked a dual socket engineering sample setup of the AMD EPYC Rome 7742, topping the Corona benchmark and leaving Intel's Xeon Platinum 8280L in the dust.

20.04.2020  Tipster unveils trove of upcoming Apple products: new mini-LED iPad Air with in-display fingerprint in the offing
A tipster unveiled a large number of purported devices and technology that Apple's set to reveal in 2021. This includes a 12-in ARM MacBook, further confirmation about Apple Tags, and evidence that the 2021 iPad Air might feature mini-LED technology

19.04.2020  Large numbers of counterfeit Intel CPUs are circulating in China: Retailers are attempting to RMA en masse
Chinese retailers have been attempting to RMA counterfeit Intel processors in large volumes. Many of these CPUs appear to have had their IHS' modified. Some "processors" are even shipping without a CPU die. Intel stated that it will not honor RMAs on counterfeit parts.

13.04.2020  Samsung updates One UI Home launcher to fix wallpaper rotation issues on Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10
Samsung recently updated is One UI Home launcher app to address a screen rotation issue affecting Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 users. The update also patches bugs affecting shortcuts and Task Changer.

13.04.2020  The iPhone 12 will sport an all new flat design in 2020, inspired by the iPad: 4 new 5G models and Apple Tags also in the offing
Bloomberg sources indicate that 2020 iPhone models will feature a new design, with sharp corners and flat edges that hearken back to the iPhone 4S. The Bloomberg report also confirms a number of other 2020 Apple rumors about, about Apple Tags, and 5G iPhone models.

11.04.2020  Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra user faces major QA issues: broken autofocus, Exynos 990 overheating, and terrible battery life on a US$1400 flagship
A Galaxy S20 Ultra Exynos 990 user claims to be facing major QA issues on his smartphone. In a Twitter post, the user claims autofocus is broken, even on the latest firmware, and that the US$1400 has "poor performance," "poor battery life," and "heats like hell."

03.04.2020  The laptop Intel i9-10980HK actually draws more power than an AMD Ryzen 9 3950X CPU with twice the core count
According to a power draw comparison, Intel's laptop i9-10980HK draws almost 30 percent more power than the Ryzen 9 3950X, a 16-core 32-thread CPU meant for high-end desktop use. While the Comet Lake H flagship might power past Renoir offerings, it does at significantly higher power draw.

01.04.2020  Hong Kong outlet leaks Comet Lake S performance review: i7-10700, i5-10600K, i5-10500, and i5-10400 go up against AMD Ryzen 3700X, 3600X, and Coffee Lake
HKEPC appears to have gotten their hands on multiple Comet Lake S parts. Their leaked performance review compares the i7-10700, i5-10500, and i5-10400 against the Ryzen competition and current Coffee Lake parts like the i7-9700K. The i5 parts offered disappointing performance relative to the Ryzen 7 3600X, but the i7-10700K held its own against the Ryzen 7 3700X.

30.03.2020  AMD Ryzen 4800H Laptops just hit retail: world's fastest mobile CPU demolishes top-end Intel i9-9980HK in Cinebench, Blender, AND Passmark with 40 percent lower power draw
AMD's Ryzen 4000 series has finally hit the market. Consumer laptops with the Ryzen 4800H are crushing benchmarks. The Ryzen 7 part bested the i9-9980HK in Cinebench, Passmark, and Blender to become the fastest notebook CPU on the market right now.

29.03.2020  Amazon has world's cheapest AMD Ryzen 7 4800H and RTX 2060-powered Asus laptop for pre-order at an incredible US$1199
Amazon recently put up an AMD Ryzen 7 4800H and RTX 2060-powered Asus TUF Gaming laptop for the remarkable price of US$1199. This undercuts i7-9750H notebooks and delivers incredible value in the sub-US$1500 price bracket.

29.03.2020  AMD Ryzen 7 4800H forces Intel to build 8-core i7-10875H: scores 8369 in leaked Geekbench listing
Intel was spotted prepping the eight-core sixteen-thread i7-10875H, most likely in response to AMD's Ryzen 7 4800H. The Comet Lake part effectively renders both the i7-9750H and i9-9980H redundant. Success or failure, however, depend on pricing relative to the Ryzen competition.

28.03.2020  AMD Ryzen 7 4800H laptops with RTX 2060 being sold in China right now at under US$1000: priced to compete with Intel 9th gen i5s
Chinese electronics retailer jd.com is already selling Renoir Ryzen 7 4800H-equipped laptops in China. The Asus laptops are retailing for less than US$1000 for RTX 2060/4800H configurations, a remarkable value.

27.03.2020  AMD ships 10 times as many motherboards as Intel per latest Mindfactory data
Recent Mindfactory data indicates that AMD has sold 10 times as many motherboards as Intel over the last week. This aligns with previous numbers for Ryzen processors and cements their lead over a beleaguered Intel.

25.03.2020  Did Nvidia just crack the ray-tracing puzzle? DLSS 2.0 delivers better than native image quality in Control
Remedy's Control recently received a DLSS 2.0 update. The update leverages Nvidia's radical overhaul of its DLSS AI-based temporal supersampling system to deliver better than native image quality in-game.

21.03.2020  The Playstation 5’s “no loading” SSD is a gimmick: here’s why
During Sony’s announcement of the PlayStation 5’s key specifications, the console maker lavished a lot of attention on the PS5’s new SSD. While the 5.5 GB/s storage solution is blazing fast, it is not a cure-all for other, fundamental compromises in the PlayStation 5’s architecture relative to the Series X.

20.03.2020  No, the PS5 won’t offer anywhere near the graphics performance of Xbox Series X: Navi benchmarks prove it
Sony’s claim that high clockspeeds offset its meagre shader allocation on the PlayStation 5 doesn’t hold water when Navi overclocking results are factored in. Due to non-linear performance/clock scaling, the likely performance deficit between the two consoles is in the 25-30 percent range, which may have a major impact on 4K performance.

20.03.2020  Microsoft's DirectX 12 Ultimate program guarantees PC-Xbox Series X parity with VRS, mesh shaders, DXR, and more
Microsoft recently unveiled DirectX 12 Ultimate, a rebrand for the DirectX 12_2 featureset. Graphics cards that are DirectX 12 Ultimate Compatible will have feature parity with the next-gen Xbox Series X.

18.03.2020  AMD forces Intel to narrow its Cooper Lake Xeon lineup, even as 10nm woes put Ice Lake Xeon in question
Intel recently stated that it would be “narrowing” its Cooper Lake family of Xeon server CPUs. The move comes in the context of rapid AMD gains in the segment and the impending arrival of EPYC Milan.

18.03.2020  To combat COVID-19, DH2i just made its enterprise-grade DxOdyssey “unVPN” free for all work from home employees
With COVID-19 forcing millions of employees to work from home, network software company DH2i just made its DxOdyssey “unVPN” free for stay-at-home workers until August 31st.

18.03.2020  The 10-core i9-10900KF matches the 12-core Ryzen 9 3900X in leaked Time Spy bench, but upcoming Ryzen 4000 lineup means Comet Lake could still be DOA
Leaked Time Spy CPU benchmark scores for the Intel i9-10900KF show the 10-core Comet Lake part holding its own against the Ryzen 9 3900X. However, the desktop Ryzen 4000 lineup’s impending launch puts its long-term relevance in question.

18.03.2020  This is how Xbox Series X and PS5 ray-tracing works: leaked patent shows RDNA2’s texture processor-based ray tracing capabilities
Tipster @rogame correlated a 2017 patent filing with a leaked quote on the RDNA2 architecture to identify how exactly the Xbox Series X’s ray-tracing hardware functions.

18.03.2020  Khronos’ Vulkan ray-tracing extensions launch after Xbox Series X spec reveal: will leverage spare CPU cycles to maximize performance
Khronos Group recently announced the official launch of Vulkan’s ray-tracing extensions. The platforms ray-tracing features will largely deliver parity with Microsoft’s existing DXR 1.1 standard, with the exception of some nifty performance options.

16.03.2020  Motorola Razr launches in India, at Rs. 124,000 (US$1672): redefines inverse price-performance
The Motorola Razr is set to arrive in India on April 2nd. The phone maker's 2005-ain't-dead clamshell foldable will sell on Flipkart for Rs. 124,000 (US$1672).

13.03.2020  The Ryzen 7 4800U powers past Tiger Lake U in Time Spy with 40 percent higher CPU performance
Leaked Time Spy CPU scores for AMD's upcoming Ryzen 7 4800U show massive gains over both the older Ryzen 7 3780U and Intel's yet-to-be-released Tiger Lake U lineup.

09.03.2020  Intel's upcoming 6nm and 3nm Xe GPUs to be built by TSMC following the 10nm debacle
Intel is reportedly abandoning its own 10nm process in favor of TSMC for upcoming Xe GPUs, according to Tech News Taiwan sources. The rumor underscores indications that Intel's 10nm process is doing poorly, something Team Blue's CFO recently discussed on record.

07.03.2020  15W Ryzen 5 4650U demolishes 25W i7-10710U in leaked FireStrike graphics bench: Vega 6 iGPU is 80 percent faster
Leaked 3DMark FireStrike scores indicate that the Ryzen 5 4650U delivers 80 percent better GPU performance than the Comet Lake 10710U, also beating out Intel’s Ice Lake i7-10657.

05.03.2020  Black Shark 3 and Black Shark 3 Pro officially unveiled: Snapdragon 865, liquid cooling, 270 Hz touch sampling and more
Xiaomi subsidiary Black Shark officially unveiled its Black Shark 3 and Black Shark 3 Pro gaming phones. The new models feature liquid cooling, a Snapdragon 865 SoC, physical triggers, and 65W fast charging.

05.03.2020  i9-10980HK leaks on Userbenchmark: Just 10 percent faster than Ryzen 7 4800H for 3 times the cost
A leaked Userbenchmark listing paints a bleak picture of Intel's upcoming Comet Lake i9-10980H. The "world's fastest" mobile CPU delivers a mere 10 percent performance uplift over the Ryzen 7 4800H, while laptops featuring it will likely cost 2-3 times more.

26.02.2020  Samsung Galaxy S10+ running Android 11 spotted on Geekbench: OneUI 3.0 could be in the works
Samsung is apparently testing out an Android 11 update for the Galaxy S10+. An S10+ running on the new operating system was recently spotted on Geekbench. While Android 11 won't even be released until May 2020, this indicates that Samsung's making a strong push to get the OS on the Galaxy S10 series as early as possible.

26.02.2020  AMD Ryzen 7 4700U scores leak on 3DMark: 15W Renoir with Vega 7 iGPU wrecks 25W Nvidia Geforce MX250
3DMark 11 scores were recently leaked for the Ryzen 7 4700U. The 15W mobile part posted 5446 on the graphics test, substantially higher than Nvidia's discrete GeForce MX250. It also posted a physics score on par with a desktop system equipped with the 65W i7-6700.

19.02.2020  Facebook is getting sued by the IRS for not paying $9 billion in taxes
The IRS is suing social media giant Facebook for allegedly undervaluing its 2010 IPO, thereby avoiding over $9 billion in tax payments.

19.02.2020  Xbox Series X will have dedicated audio hardware for spatial sound
Microsoft is reportedly deploying dedicated audio processing hardware in the Xbox Series X to enable immersive, next-generation spatial audio experiences.

19.02.2020  Intel i7-10700F leaks on Cinebench, barely edges out the Ryzen 7 3700X
A leaked Cinebench R20 listing was spotted for the unannounced Intel i7-10700F. The Comet Lake process barely edges out the Ryzen 7 3700X in both the single and multi-threaded tests.

19.02.2020  Leaked Galaxy A71 5G Exynos 980 results surface on Geekbench: Midrange 5G SoC pips the Galaxy S8
A new 5G variant of the Galaxy A71 was recently spotted on Geekbench. Sporting the Exynos 980, Samsung's first 5G-integrated SoC, the Galaxy A71 5G delivered better single and multi-core scores than the vanilla Galaxy A71.

18.02.2020  As AMD increases server market share, Intel lets go of 129 Data Center employees, citing changed "priorities"
Intel laid off 129 employees from its Data Center Group, even after excellent Q4 2019 financial performance. Could AMD's server market presence have been a factor?

18.02.2020  The Witcher is now playable on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive through the Witcher Reality Project
An enterprising modder is bringing 2007's The Witcher to mainstream VR headsets through the Witcher Reality Project. The opening segment of the game is already playable

18.02.2020  Asus blames AMD for overheating ROG Strix RX 5700 Series cards
In an unusual move, Asus shifted blame for its overheating ROG STRIX 5700 series graphics cards to AMD, claiming the GPU maker's mounting pressure guidelines delivered inadequate mounting force.

18.02.2020  Spooked by Alexa? Samsung says it has no plans to sell the Galaxy Home Mini separately
In a conversation with a prospective Galaxy Home Mini buyer, a Samsung rep stated that the company has no plans to sell the Galaxy Home Mini on a standalone basis. This makes a Galaxy S20 pre-order the only way to get hold of the smart speaker.

17.02.2020  Nvidia teases RTX 2077 on Twitter to commemorate the upcoming RTX-enabled Cyberpunk 2077
In what looks to be an interesting cross-branding exercise, Nvidia tweeted a blurred image of what appears to be an RTX 2077, commemorating CD Projekt Red's upcoming Cyberpunk 2077

17.02.2020  Huawei Honor V30 to arrive in Europe next week with HMS instead of Google Services
Huawei's midrange Honor V30 is set to launch in Europe next week. However, in the aftermath of the phone maker's spat with Google, the Kirin 990-toting smartphone will not feature Google Services, arriving instead with Huawei's homemade HMS suite for maps, mail, and other key functions.

17.02.2020  4800H laptop pricing and release date leaked by Asus partner: $1600 TUF Gaming models arrive on April 3rd
A Swiss e-retailer listed pricing and release dates for Ryzen 5 4600H and Ryzen 7 4800H-equipped Asus TUF Gaming laptops. The midrange models range from US$1114 to US$1622 and may launch on April 3rd, taking the fight to the i5-9300H and i7-9750H.

13.02.2020  Intel Xe in trouble: Leaked Intel DG1 Sisoft Sandra scores are 51 percent slower than the GTX 1050 Ti
Leaked SiSoft Sandra scores for Intel's Xeon LP DG1 indicate that the GPU runs far worse than expected: as much as 50 percent slower than the GTX 1050 Ti. The leak adds credence to rumors of corporate infighting at Intel over major issues with the Xe architecture.

10.02.2020  New Tiger Lake U leak: 2.2 Ghz and 2.7 GHz configs; massive CPU performance delta hints at future OEM cooling shenanigans
Leaked Timespy scores hint at the existence of lower-tier Tiger Lake U SKUs. A massive difference between the 2.2 GHz and 2.7 GHz config scores implies that OEM cooling solutions could make or break performance.

10.02.2020  Leaked 12-core Ice Lake server ES nearly 100 percent faster than Cascade Lake in Geekbench, takes the fight to EPYC Milan
A leaked Geekbench listing for Intel's upcoming Ice Lake server parts shows massive performance gains. The 12-core Ice Lake server ES delivers nearly the same multithreaded performance as a 24-core Cascade Lake part.

09.02.2020  Leaked Radeon Instinct MI100 GPU and HBM clockspeeds disappoint: Arcturus slower than RTX 2080 Ti, crushed by Ampere?
Leaked GPU and HBM clocks for the Radeon Instinct MI100 paint a grim picture: AMD's upcoming HPC contender will likely be slower than Nvidia's existing HPC parts. With Ampere arriving in a few months, the MI100 may be dead on arrival.

08.02.2020  Putting the Mi Note 10, Galaxy S20, and Huawei P30 Pro to shame? Satirical “unlimited detail” iPhone exclusive raises questions about the future of smartphone tech
A satirical news report claimed that Apple’s working on an “unlimited detail” camera based on quantum mechanics. While this is not the case, the report raises questions about the possible role of quantum computing in the future of smartphone tech.

05.02.2020  Massive Ryzen 4500U leak: 50 percent faster than i5 8250U, Console-level Vega 6 benched in AC: Odyssey and GTA V
Breaking embargo, Ukrainian outlet Overclockers.ua posted a review of the Ryzen 4500U-powered Acer Aspire SF314. The review and benchmarks provide us with a clear picture of how the Ryzen 4000-series APU performs.

31.01.2020  World’s first 6-core 8-thread CPU? Intel scrambles hexacore i5-10500H to tackle Renoir
According to a 3DMark page leaked by tipster @TUM_APISAK, Intel may be prepping a 6-core, 8-thread i5-10500H to take on AMD’s Renoir Ryzen 4000 competition in the notebook space.

27.01.2020  Is the RTX 2060 KO an RTX 2080 in disguise? Some RTX 2060 KOs ship with the TU104 GPU
In the wake of AMD’s RTX 5600 XT launch, Nvidia instituted a heavy RTX 2060 price-cut, bringing 2060 prices down to $299. The RTX 2060, the cheapest RTX part, now offers viable competition to the 5600 XT. How exactly did Nvidia manage this? Reports indicate that TU104 GPUs are being repurposed in heavily cut-down form in some of the new RTX 2060s.

26.01.2020  Is your Wraith cooler genuine? AMD calls out fake Wraith coolers
AMD recently cleared the air about the online presence of a number of counterfeit Wraith Coolers, some with a different heatpipe configuration. None of the knock-offs has official sanction and AMD plans on “enforcing its rights.”

15.01.2020  Galaxy S20 Plus hands-on video leaks
An XDA Developers source leaked a 15-second hands-on video of what is presumably a Galaxy S20 Plus. Apart from the video, the leaker confirmed a number of other rumors about Samsung's upcoming device.

15.01.2020  New OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T Open Beta 4 update announced
OnePlus recently announced the release of OxygenOS Open Beta 4 for the OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T. The new beta upgrade offers incremental bug fixes as well as new Reading Mode functionality.

14.01.2020  Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Marvel's Avengers delayed
According to developer statements, both Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Marvel's Avengers will be delayed. Final Fantasy 7 Remake is now slated to arrive on 10th April, while Marvel's Avengers will only launch on 4th December.

14.01.2020  The NSA reports "extraordinarily serious" Windows flaw to Microsoft: The US military's already received an update
Sources told Krebs on Security that Microsoft is working to patch an "extraordinarily serious" vulnerability, potentially affecting every Windows system released in the last 20 years.

14.01.2020  Google's AI "precipitation nowcasting" can forecast extreme weather in near-realtime
Google researchers unveiled their AI-based "precipitation nowcasting" solution, which can predict rainfall at a 1km resolution, 6 hours ahead of time, with just 5-10 minutes of calculation. The new approach could mean better crisis management and reduce life and property loss.

14.01.2020  PC makers continue to eat into Mac's dwindling market share
Market research estimates by Gartner and IDC indicate that Apple's share of the PC market continues to decline. With a 7.5 percent share as of Q4 2019, Apple remains the world's 4th largest PC seller. However, it is outsold significantly by market leaders Lenovo, HP, and Dell.

14.01.2020  Download the Galaxy S20's official wallpapers before it even launches
A source over at XDA Developers shared a number of official preloaded wallpapers and videos for the Galaxy S20. The phone hasn't even been confirmed officially by Samsung yet. However, these wallpapers may tide Galaxy fans over until the likely official announcement in February.

13.01.2020  Intel allegedly prepping monstrous i9-10990XE with 22 cores
A user on the ChipHell forums posted unconfirmed evidence of the Intel i9-10990XE. If the post is genuine, it could mean that Intel's attempting to brute force its way to multi-core dominance with an insane 380W, 22-core, 44-thread monster CPU.

13.01.2020  Ming Chi-Kuo predicts mmWave and standard 5G iPhones will arrive simultaneously
Analyst Ming Chi-Kuo recently predicted that Apple will bring mmWave and standard 5G iPhone 12 models to the market at the same time, allaying fears of a drawn-out iPhone 12 release timeframe.

13.01.2020  The original iPod had an incredibly short 10-month development cycle
The CEO of payment platform Stripe claims that Apple's former Senior Vice President Tony Fadell told him that the original iPod was developed in under 10 months.

13.01.2020  FireFox Voice gives you full-browser voice control and Siri-like natural language features
Mozilla adds natural language voice processing to FireFox with the new FireFox Voice feature. Currently limited to desktop, FireFox voice gives you near-total control over the FireFox browser using just your voice and natural language commands.

13.01.2020  Galaxy S10 Lite India launch date unveiled by Samsung
Shortly after confirming its existence, Samsung recently announced the official India launch date for the Galaxy S10 Lite. The near-flagship arrives in India on January 23rd. There's still no word on pricing, however.

13.01.2020  Elon Musk claims that Teslas will soon be able to talk to people nearby
The tech billionaire tweeted a picture of a Model 3 Tesla driving by as its speakers play a brief audio clip that says "Well don’t just stand there staring, hop in." The clip hints at Musk's plan to turn all Teslas into a giant fleet of autonomous taxis.

11.01.2020  Xbox Series X might support Windows Mode, Steam, and Epic Games Store: here's why that matters
A rumor is circling that the Xbox Series X may feature a "Windows mode" startup option, effectively giving gamers access to a full-fat version of Windows on Microsoft's new gaming console. Will Windows mode really happen? Will you be able to run Steam on your Xbox Series X?

08.01.2020  AirPods Pro selling on Amazon for record-low price
Amazon is selling Apple's AirPods Pro at their lowest-ever price of $234.98. While $15 isn't much of a discount, wait times for the out-of-stock AirPods Pro are expected to be much lower than when buying direct from Apple.

08.01.2020  RTX 2060 price drops to $299 after AMD's RX 5600 XT reveal
Seemingly in response to AMD's RX 5600 XT announcement, Nvidia's slashed prices on the RTX 2060. The new EVGA RTX 2060 KO is set to arrive on January 13th, priced at just $299. What will this do to the RX 5600 XT and GTX 1660 Ti?

08.01.2020  Apple's Night Mode Challenge showcases iPhone 11 series' photography chops
Apple announced a new Shot on iPhone campaign for iPhone 11 series users. Under the Night Mode Challenge, iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max users will submit low-light night mode photos taken on Apple's latest phones.

08.01.2020  Ray-tracing on 2W smartphones? Israeli startup Adshir's LocalRay solution claims to deliver
Israeli startup Adshir claims that its "algorithmic" LocalRay ray-tracing solution can be scaled to run on 2W smartphones. At CES 2020, the company showcased a non-RTX graphics card running LocalRay demos at 60 FPS. Is LocalRay set to transform ray-tracing in gaming?

03.01.2020  Renoir iGPU performance leaks on Userbenchmark: 65 percent faster than Picasso's Vega 10
Tipster @TUM_APISAK shared a leaked Userbenchmark GPU comparison between Renoir's iGPU and Vega 10. The benchmarks indicate that Renoir will feature substantially faster graphics performance than previous-gen APUs.

03.01.2020  AMD set to become TSMC's largest 2020 client
Citing supply chain sources, Taiwanese outlet Apple Daily predicts that AMD is set to become TSMC's largest 7nm customer by the end of 2020, displacing Apple in the process. The spectacular success of Ryzen and Apple's move to 5nm are likely reasons.

03.01.2020  Yuanta Securities predicts Nvidia Ampere will be 50 percent faster than Turing while consuming 50 percent less power
Yuanta Securities Investment Consulting recently offered up juicy predictions about Nvidia's upcoming Ampere lineup. According to a report by the consultancy, Ampere may deliver 50 percent more performance than Turing, while consuming 50 percent less power.

03.01.2020  12 million Huawei Mate 30, Mate 30 Pro units sold, Sina Mobile reports
Sina Mobile reports that Huawei managed to ship 12 million Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro units. The Chinese tech giant managed to ship these high volumes despite having been blacklisted by the US government. This raises questions about exactly where these units are being sold.

02.01.2020  Xiaomi Mijia connected to Nest Hub seemingly streams footage from random peoples' houses to other Nest users
A Redditor reported that, after connecting his Xiaomi Mijia security camera to Google Nest Hub, his security feed started showing random images from other peoples' houses. Google swiftly disabled Xiaomi Nest Hub integrations after finding out.

02.01.2020  TRACED Robocall legislation signed by Trump
Donald Trump recently signed off on the TRACED Act. The Act, which received bipartisan support in the US Congress, imposes stiffer penalties on robocallers. It also seeks to tackle the issue of caller ID spoofing.

02.01.2020  RX 5600M benchmark leaks: nearly as fast as the notebook RTX 2060
Leaked 3DMark scores spotted by _Rogame show what appears to be the RX 5600M paired with the unannanounced Ryzen 7 4800H. The mobile Navi card seems to perform in the same ballpark as the laptop RTX 2060. Is the purported 5600M set to become 2020's bang-for-buck laptop GPU?

02.01.2020  Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha delayed: no release date currently in sight
Chinese phone maker Xiaomi stated that it does not have an expected release date for its Mi Mix Alpha concept phone. The limited edition device, featuring a wraparound display panel, looks less and less likely to launch as attention increasingly shifts towards foldables. Will the Mi Mix Alpha ever come out?

02.01.2020  Ryzen 7 4800H leak: 4.3GHz boost clock, 8C/16T, and 19K 3DMark Physics score
Tipster @TUM_APISAK outs specs for the rumored Ryzen 7 4800H. The APU will supposedly feature eight cores, sixteen threads, and sport 2.9 GHz/4.3 GHz base/boost clocks. 3DMark Physics scores indicate that it's set to become one of the fastest laptop CPUs on the market.

30.12.2019  OxygenOS 10.3.0 update promises better camera performance for Oneplus 6, 6T owners
OnePlus recently released a stable OxygenOS 10.3.0 update for the OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T. The update fixes a number of bugs and introduces improvements to camera and fingerprint scanner performance.

30.12.2019  Remarkable, seemingly accurate PS5, Xbox Series X specs leak
A data leak from an independently verified source indicates that the PS5 and Xbox Series X may boast GPU performance at or beyond RX 5700 XT levels. If confirmed, the next-gen consoles may deliver a true generational leap.

30.12.2019  EVGA announces mammoth SR-3 DARK Xeon motherboard
EVGA announced the SR-3 DARK LGA 3647 motherboard. Priced at $1800, it's one of only a handful of boards known to support the Intel Xeon W-3175X. The ultra-premium E-ATX board is currently available for preorder.

30.12.2019  Pi Zero-based WiFi hacking module created
A security developer on Twitter recently released a tutorial on how to create a WiFi hacking gadget using a Raspberry Pi Zero W. The module runs Raspbian Buster, under the hacker-friendly re4son kernel.

30.12.2019  ADATA expands XPG portfolio with new laptops, desktops, and monitors
SSD and RAM maker ADATA is expanding their XPG lineup with the Photon monitor, Gaia desktop, and Xenia laptop. Detailed information about the new products will be announced at CES 2020.

30.12.2019  Asrock accidentally outs RX 5600 XT specs
In a website listing that's since been deleted, ASRock accidentally revealed specifications for the as-yet-unannounced RX 5600 XT. The GPU appears to be similar to the RX 5700, albeit with a cut-down memory configuration.

29.12.2019  Deal | MacBook Pro discounted by $1850 in B&H sale
B&H is discounting MacBook Pros by as much as US$1850 as part of their Mega Deal Zone promotion. The entry level 13-in MacBook Pro (2018) is available for just $1299, while the top-tier Core i9 15-in model is selling for $2699. The sale ends on 31st December at 11:59 EST.

29.12.2019  Galaxy Note 9 gets new One UI 2.0 beta update
Samsung recently rolled out the fifth One UI 2.0 beta update for Galaxy Note 9 users in South Korea. The update fixes just two bugs, suggesting a stable version might be around the corner.

29.12.2019  The Witcher games, Witcher books, get a big boost after The Witcher Netflix launch
The runaway success of Netflix’s Witcher adaptation appears to have had a knock-on effect on the rest of the franchise. The Witcher games recently reached record-high player counts and Andrzej Sapkoswki has been propelled to the top of Amazon's book charts.

28.12.2019  Apple Watch: Doctor sues Apple for violating atrial fibrillation patent
A lawsuit was recently filed against Apple, claiming that the company engaged in willful patent violation. The issue at hand is that the Apple Watch Series 3 allegedly violates a patent filed by Dr. Joseph Wiesel with regards to atrial fibrillation detection technology.

27.12.2019  2020's power-hungry 5G iPhones may cause a surge in capacitor demand
Taiyo Yuden, one of Apple’s capacitor suppliers, indicated that capacitor demand may increase next year due to the introduction of 5G iPhones. The capacitor maker has seen profits rise this year on the back of increased capacitor sales to Samsung and Huawei, both of which introduced 5G phones. A 2020 5G iPhone may take Taiyo Yuden’s shares to even greater heights.

27.12.2019  Deal | Galaxy S10+ is 30 percent off on Amazon, at $699.99
Amazon is offering great deals on the entire Samsung Galaxy S10 family. The S10 Plus received a steep 30% discount, making it cheaper than the sticker price for the budget Galaxy S10e. The S10 and S10e are also heavily discounted.

27.12.2019  Apple "Tree Angel" Jony Ive contributes US$129,000 to UK tree-planting campaign
Jony Ive, Apple’s former design head, made a $129,000 contribution to the Daily Mail’s “Be a Tree Angel Campaign.” The campaign, running over the course of National Tree Week, seeks to spread awareness and enhance the UK’s green cover.

27.12.2019  The Playstation 2 could apparently handle real-time ray-tracing
A video from 2002 recently surfaced, showing the 19-year-old Playstation 2 apparently running a ray-tracing tech demo in real-time. With the ninth-gen consoles touting ray-tracing as a premium feature, it’s interesting to look at an almost-forgotten implementation of the technology from two decades ago.

26.12.2019  ToTok, alleged UAE government spyware posing as a chat app, pulled from Play Store
Following a damning New York Times report, popular chat app ToTok was pulled from the Google Play Store. The report indicated that the app was UAE government spyware masquerading as a chat app to monitor the personal information of millions of users.

26.12.2019  AirPods Pro suppliers reportedly expanding production in Vietnam
Apple suppliers Goertek and Luxshare are reportedly seeking financing to invest in Vietnamese AirPods Pro manufacturing. In the context of the ongoing US-China trade war and rising wages in China, this marks another instance of production shifting from China to neighbouring lower-wage countries.

26.12.2019  Supposed iPhone 12 case design mockup spotted on Alibaba
Japanese publication Macotakara got their hands on what is allegedly an iPhone 12 case mockup. The design appears to conform closely to predictions that analyst Ming Chi-Kuo made earlier, including an iPhone 4-like edge design.

26.12.2019  "Best-performing stock of the decade": Netflix posts 4000 percent decadal returns
Netflix’s stock delivered over 4000 percent in decadal returns, making it the “best-performing stock of the decade.” But, as competition heats up in the streaming video market, questions are raised about just how viable Netflix’s low-margin business approach is. What does the future hold for the streaming giant?

26.12.2019  Weibo video indicates that Mate X might be another fragile foldable
A video on Weibo raises concerns about the durability of the Huawei Mate X. A plastic display coupled with an outward-folding design imply that the Mate X might be just as, if not more fragile than, the Galaxy Fold.

26.12.2019  Nvidia claims RTX 2080 Max-Q is faster than PS5, Xbox Series X
Nvidia head Jensen Huang claimed that the GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q is faster than ninth-gen console GPUs at GTC China 2019. The claim raises questions about exactly how fast the PS5 and Xbox Series X really are.

23.12.2019  NZXT's new audio lineup is coming to India soon
Peripherals maker NZXT recently announced that their gamer-centric audio lineup is headed to India. Three parts, the AER hi-res headphones, the MIXR audio station, and the STND headphone stand will be up for pre-order "soon."

23.12.2019  "A masterclass in repairability": iFixit tears down the 2019 Mac Pro
iFixit recently took on the new Mac Pro and rated it 9 out of 10 for repairability. A “Fixmas miracle,” the 2019 model is far easier to repair than older “trashcan” Macs. Together with the new public repair manuals, servicing is more user-friendly than ever.

21.12.2019  Apple Security Bounty revamped: now invitation-free, with bigger rewards
Apple recently revamped its Apple Security Bounty program. The new Bounty program is open to all researchers and substantially ups the reward ceiling. Is this enough to help Apple find critical iOS and macOS vulnerabilities in time?

21.12.2019  AMD becomes Blockchain Gaming Alliance member
AMD recently joined the Blockchain Gaming Alliance, the first hardware manufacturer to do so. They aim to provide members with computing platforms to power new, blockchain-based gaming functionality. What are the implications for gamers?

21.12.2019  Report: Apple earned 32 percent of all revenue in the smartphone industry
Third quarter financial results show that Apple continues to reign supreme in the smartphone space. Reports indicate that Apple secured over half of the industry's profits and one-third of its revenue.

21.12.2019  Data breach at Facebook left nearly 270 million usernames, phone records visible
Facebook’s security troubles continue. In a recent security incident, the personal information of nearly 270 million people was leaked to a public server. This comes in the context of ongoing security and privacy concerns pertaining to the social media platform.

21.12.2019  Apple's rumored 2025 plan: beam data to iPhones from satellites
Reports indicate that Apple is keen on investing in satellite technology. If the company’s under-wraps satellite project succeeds, data transfer to iDevices could be possible without the internet. In an era of increased digital surveillance, this could provide users with greater control over their own data.

19.12.2019  Alleged Galaxy Fold 2 unit shows up on Weibo, looks like 2019 Motorola Razr
After the Galaxy Fold’s well-documented problems, Samsung seems to have had a design rethink: this alleged Fold 2 leak sports a completely different foldable design, reminiscent of the 2019 Motorola Razr. Spotted on China’s Weibo microblogging platform, the new Fold is smaller and sleeker.

19.12.2019  Twitter testing out new layout for its iPad app
Twitter is testing some much-needed changes to the interface of its iPad app. Multiple columns make full use of the iPad’s larger display, among other quality of life improvements.

19.12.2019  Foxconn allegedly sold iPhones made from rejected parts: Apple investigates
An alleged fraud ring at Foxconn used defective parts to assemble and sell iPhones, raking in over US$40 million over three years. Apple's Business Assurance and Audit team launched an investigation to assess the situation.

19.12.2019  Redditor finds GPU configuration for 28 Renoir SKUs in AMD's Bootcamp driver
Redditor _rogame spotted GPU configurations for the entire Renoir APU lineup in a data dump of AMD's Bootcamp driver. The leak indicates that Renoir will feature Vega graphics. CPU performance, however, will see a big boost thanks to Zen 2.

18.12.2019  New study claims "night mode" might keep you up longer
According to a University of Manchester study, your smartphone’s night mode might not let you fall asleep as previously thought. The warmer light transmitted may actually keep you awake for longer than with night mode disabled.

18.12.2019  New quad-core 1.2 Ghz Tiger Lake CPU appears on Geekbench, races past Comet Lake
Tipster @TUM_APISAK uncovered Geekbench scores for two quad-core Tiger Lake U chips. These 15-25W parts appear to have a significant IPC uplift, outscoring the hexa-core i7-10710U on single and multithreaded tests.

17.12.2019  SuperData XR Dimensions market intelligence platform introduced: claims VR isn't dying
SuperData recently announced its XR Dimensions market intelligence platform. XR Dimensions focuses on trends in the AR and VR industries. Initial XR Dimensions reports make bold claims: VR is thriving and AR is already mainstream. But does the evidence hold up?

13.12.2019  Godfall, first official PS5 title, announced at The Game Awards
Sony showcased Counterplay Games' Godfall, the first official PS5 title, at The Game Awards. The reveal was near-concurrent with Microsoft's Xbox Series X and Hellblade II reveals.

13.12.2019  First game announced for Xbox Series X: Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
Following the announcement of the Xbox Series X, Ninja Theory showcased Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, the first game officially announced for the platform. Photo-realistic trailer visuals have set expectations high for Microsoft's upcoming 9th-gen console.

13.12.2019  AMD launches the RX 5500XT graphics card at US$169 for 4 GB variant and US$199 for 8 GB
AMD recently released a new graphics card based on the Navi 14 architecture, the RX 5500 XT. The 5500 XT comes in 4 GB and 8 GB flavors and takes the fight to Nvidia's GTX 1650 Super. But with the RX 580 still selling for as low as $159, is AMD's new Navi card worth it?

10.12.2019  "Obsessed" Trump reportedly cost Amazon $10 billion defence contract
According to a lawsuit filed by Amazon, Donald Trump's "personal vendetta" against the company and Jeff Bezos may have resulted in it losing out on a $10 billion US military contract. While Amazon faces an "uphill battle" to prove its case, this might be another case of "improper activity" by the US president.

10.12.2019  Analyst predicts as many as 6 iPhone 12 models will launch in 2020
Rosenblatt securities predicts that as many as 12 new iPhone models may be announced by Apple next year. While the claims are unverified, multiple predictions now indicate that 2020 will see a record number of iPhone launches

10.12.2019  Nvidia trademarks "Aerial" and "Hopper": New MCM GPUs on the way?
Unconfirmed rumors earlier in the year indicated that Nvidia was working on a next-gen MCM GPU architecture called Hopper. A US Trademark filing for "Nvidia Hopper" by the company indicates that these rumors may indeed be true.

10.12.2019  Official box art indicates Final Fantasy VII Remake is a PS4 timed exclusive
Final Fantasy fans on PC and Xbox might still be able to get their hands on the much-anticipated Final Fantasy VII Remake. Despite Square Enix earlier saying they "had no plans for other platforms," official box art indicates that Remake is slated to be a 1-year PS4 timed exclusive.

10.12.2019  Quantum Vector EK waterblocks introduced for Asus ROG Strix 5700 series cards
EKWB introduced the Quantum Vector, a new full-cover water block for the Asus ROG Strix 5700 series. With D-RGB lighting and enhanced thermal performance, the Quantum Vector is an excellent high-end cooling solution for Navi owners. But with a $154 sticker price, it may more sense to just buy a stock RTX 2070 Super.

08.12.2019  Intel claims that i3-9350K is faster than the entire Ryzen 5 lineup in fresh PR slipup
Intel's Asia Pacific marketing team claimed in China that the Intel Core i3-9350K is faster than the entire Ryzen 5 lineup. Is this a simple PR mixup or a sign of worse to come as Intel faces eroding market share, securities issues, and a supply shortage? (Edit: Addressed a typo in the title--Ryzen 5 and not Ryzen)

08.12.2019  Developers aren't too enthused by supposed Xbox Lockhart variant with weaker GPU, less RAM
Kotaku's Jason Schreier, who spoke earlier about the Xbox Scarlett's alleged Lockhart variant, offers further details about the budget Scarlett SKU. If it's real, Lockhart may hit the market with less RAM and a weaker GPU. Will this fragment the Xbox ecosystem?

07.12.2019  Intel revives Haswell-era Pentium G3420
Facing a severe supply shortage at 14nm, Intel recently revived the Haswell Pentium G3420. This part, discontinued in 2015, could prove popular with OEMs for budget builds. However, will it be enough to alleviate Intel’s supply crisis?

06.12.2019  5000 mAh Galaxy S11 Plus battery spotted on Korean certification portal
According to a recent listing on a Korean safety portal, the Galaxy S11+ might feature a 5000 mAh battery. A clear picture of the battery highlights its capacity, while the part listing correlates to S11+'s model number. Samsung fans might have an multi-day performer to look forward to.

06.12.2019  3DMark adds Tier-2 variable rate shading test for Turing cards
The 3DMark benchmark suite was updated with a Variable Rate Shading Tier-2 test. Before-and-after comparisons show almost no loss in image quality, together with a big performance boost. Is this a path to playable framerates at 8K and beyond?

05.12.2019  Pablo Escobar's brother launches $349 Fold 1 smartphone
Pablo Escobar's brother just unveiled the Fold 1, a $349 foldable phone with flagship specs, available to pre-order right now. But the too-good-to-be-true price and uncanny similarities with the Royole FlexPai cast doubts. Is this a real price-performance monster? Or is it a stunt?

04.12.2019  Ryzen 3 4200G “Renoir” spotted on SiSoft Sandra
Industry insider TUM_APISAK recently spotted a SiSoft Sandra OpenCL listing for the supposed Ryzen 3 4200G. Higher clock speeds promise better GPU performance. But does it feature Vega or Navi?

04.12.2019  Xiaomi launches ultra-affordable Mi Band 3i in India
Xiaomi introduces its ultra-affordable Mi Band 3i to the Indian market at Rs. 1299 (US$18). The Mi Band 3i offers feature parity with the Mi Band 3, only giving up heart rate tracking. At this price-point, is the Mi Band 3i a viable first wearable for Indian users?

29.11.2019  Intel announces 665p SSD: faster and higher endurance than the 660p
Intel’s new 665p NVMe SSDs just arrived on the market. Leveraging the company’s second-gen QLC technology, the new model brings faster performance and 50 percent higher endurance than the old 660p. 96-layer 3D NAND stacking allows Intel to price the 1 TB variant competitively with far slower SATA SSDs.

22.11.2019  PowerColor announces the 5700 XT Liquid Devil: Navi with an EK Waterblock
PowerColor recently announced its RX 5700 XT Liquid Devil, a 5700 XT with an EK Waterblock straight out of the box. Priced at US$599, this liquid-cooled 5700 XT might just give the RTX 2070 Super a run for its money.

22.11.2019  Nvidia working on driver-level checkerboard multiGPU mode
Nvidia recently implemented a checkerboard multiGPU rendering option in its graphics drivers. This enables multiGPU scaling in any DX 10+ game, including those without SLI support

19.11.2019  Simply NUC's Ryzen-powered Sequoia doesn't have Intel inside
Simply NUC just announced the Sequoia, a small form-factor NUC-like device with AMD internals. It can be configured with either a Ryzen Embedded V1807B or V1605B and is designed for industrial use cases. But with prices starting at £445, it might just be a good fit for your HTPC setup, too.

16.11.2019  Microsoft teases Age of Empires IV gameplay at X019
Microsoft unveiled the first gameplay trailer for Age of Empires IV today at the X019 event. The trailer offered a snapshot of two in-game civilizations: The English and the Mongols. At only a minute long, though, it raises more questions than it answers.