It was recently revealed that Xbox's new CEO, Asha Sharma, is planning to announce a new Game Pass subscription tier in order to draw in more gamers, and, although there has been no official announcement from Xbox itself, it seems as though those rumors have been confirmed by Better xCloud, an open-source service that adds features to Xbox Cloud Gaming, in a recent analysis of the Game Pass update code.

According to a post by the Better xCloud official X account, there is a new Game Pass tier that uses the codename "Triton" in the Game Pass update code, and all of the games in the new tier are from first-party Xbox Game Studios, as opposed to regular Game Pass, which features games from third-party developers as well. The exact pricing Xbox will use for the new Game Pass tier is still unknown, but there has been speculation that it will be an ad-supported free or low-cost subscription. This first-party approach could theoretically allow Microsoft to keep costs down, effectively eliminating licensing costs from the equation. It would also be a way for Microsoft to leverage the numerous studio acquisitions it has made during the last few years. There have also been talks of a partnership between Xbox and Netflix for bundled subscriptions, so this may be the groundwork for that.

Microsoft unceremoniously killed off the "This is an Xbox" marketing campaign in mid-March, shortly after the new CEO, Asha Sharma, took office, with all but a few traces of the campaign disappearing from the world-wide web in the blink of an eye. Now, in response to Windows Central, Xbox CEO, Asha Sharma, has explained why she decided to retire the unfortunate branding so soon after it was launched. The response issued by Microsoft, which is rather short, explained that "Asha retired 'This is an Xbox' because it didn't feel like Xbox," with the representative going on to say that Asha is "personally leading a reset of how we show up as a brand."

This isn't the first time we've seen mention of a reset from Asha or Xbox representatives under Asha's leadership. Since it was announced that Asha would be taking over from Phil Spencer, she has been pushing her messaging of a "return to Xbox," although her efforts have sometimes been more successful than others. In addition to the new messaging, Sharma recently confirmed the future of Xbox hardware with the announcement of Project Helix, which Sharma confirmed will be able to play both Xbox and PC games when it launches. It would not be surprising to learn that Sharma was also behind the simplification of other branding, like the switch from "Full Screen Experience" to "Xbox Mode" that was also recently revealed.

Alongside the official Nintendo Switch 2 launch of Warframe, Digital Extremes recently shipped its "The Shadowgrapher" update with a new quest, Warframe, and game mode for all platforms. Almost immediately after the update went live, gamers were online griping about the difficulty of the new mission, Follie's Hunt, with most complaints centering around the unkillable foe, and some even going so far as to say that the mission was impossible for most to complete. Now, having seen the feedback, Digital Extremes has shipped a hotfix with changes to Follie's Hunt that aim to make it more approachable and less punishing. Digital Extremes explains that it interpreted much of the feedback as a design mismatch—Follie's Hunt is a "deviation from regular Warframe gameplay...so understandably there may be some players who don't align with its design," reads the post announcing the upcoming changes, which will be implemented and iterated on in the coming weeks.

With the first Follie's Hunt update, Digital Extremes has made the Follies hunting players less brutal by removing their invulnerability. Players seeking reprieve can now shoot Follie, and she will retreat momentarily if enough damage is dealt. Further, Follie's Aura doesn't do as much damage to players, and Inky Walls will no longer damage players or inflict knock-down, increasing survivability. Resources are also now easier to find and gather: Atramentum balloons are easier to see; there are fewer balloons to find, and the Atramentum reward per mission has been increased from 5 to 15. The patch notes also contain a slew of unrelated changes, and Digital Extremes has already said it will be monitoring player feedback to see what more needs to be done to make the gameplay fun.

A recent leak claimed that Sony would be increasing the price of the PlayStation 5 across the board by as much as €100 in Europe, although it was unclear at the time whether the US and other international markets would see the same price increases. Now, thanks to an official PlayStation Blog post, Sony has confirmed the extent and details of the price increases, which apply the US, UK, Europe, and Japan. Starting on April 2, US buyers will pay $649.99 for the PS5, $599.99 for the PS5 Digital Edition, and $899.99 for the PS5 Pro, while UK buyers see the PS5 go up to £569.99, the Digital Edition increase to £519.99, and the PS5 Pro spike to £789.99. In Europe prices increase to €649.99, €599.99, and €899.99 for the PS5, PS5 Digital Edition, and PS5 Pro, respectively. In Japan, the PS5 increases to ¥97,980, while the PS5 Digital Edition and PS5 Pro increase to ¥89,980 and ¥137,980, respectively.

The price of the PlayStation Portal will also increase in all the aforementioned regions to $249.99 in the US, £219.99 in the UK, €249.99 in Europe, and ¥39,980 in Japan. Meanwhile, Sony has confirmed that price increases are inbound for South-East Asia—specifically Indonesia, Malaysia, the Phillipines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam—but it has not yet revealed the exact price changes, stating that the blog would be updated at a later date. Sony blames the price increases on "pressures in the global economic landscape," which is not particularly specific, but it's likely that at least part of the price increase is down to the current RAM and general hardware shortages and price increases caused by outsized demand from the AI industry.

Aside from the recent accusations made in court by the New York State Attorney General, Valve's Counter-Strike 2 _has a bit of a sordid history when it comes to case farmers and bots, thanks to its strong in-game item economy, which raked in over $1 billion in 2025. In a recent post on Reddit, Valve's Ido Magal revealed that the gaming giant has just issued 960,000 bans using Valve Anti-Cheat.

These sorts of bans are often celebrated by the Counter-Strike community, because, aside from interfering with the CS2 skin and key market, farming accounts generally have a negative effect on gameplay, either throwing matches by being AFK in-game or by having the match played by bots. After revealing the ban wave, Magal encourages players to report farming bans by email (csgoteamfeedback@valvesoftware.com).

Microsoft is finally updating its long-standing kernel policy, which previously allowed old drivers with expired certificates to run and be trusted by the Windows 11 NT Kernel. This change means that Microsoft's early 2000s program for cross-signing root programs as valid will no longer function. This program had enabled NT Kernel-trusted code signing programs to execute even after their certificates expired. As a result, third-party driver developers, such as printer makers with their old printer drivers, could run old drivers on Windows 11 without a valid security certificate. However, this is coming to an end, as Microsoft will use its April update to instruct the Windows NT Kernel to only accept new drivers signed through the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP).

The WHCP will ensure that each driver receives a valid security certificate that meets Microsoft's security standards. This update will be implemented with OS versions Windows 11 24H2, 25H2, 26H1, Windows Server 2025, and future releases. Despite this change, Microsoft will still allow Windows to load older, trusted drivers to maintain backward compatibility and its long-standing plug-and-play feature. The April 2026 Windows update will begin enforcing the new policy in evaluation mode on supported systems. During this period, Windows will monitor driver activity and only fully activate the policy once it determines that doing so will not cause compatibility issues. Microsoft is also maintaining a curated allow list of reputable cross-signed drivers, ensuring that widely used software and hardware can continue to function where necessary, easing the transition.

Following Intel's recent launch of the Core Ultra 200S Plus desktop CPUs, Maingear has announced three new MG-1 series pre-built desktop PCs based on the new Intel Arrow Lake Refresh CPUsf. All three PCs feature the same Maingear Epic 360 AIO cooler, MG-1 case, and case fan setup, consisting of 3× 120 mm RGB intake fans, 2× 120 mm exhaust fans, and 1× 120 mm RGB rear exhaust fan. Front I/O is also identical across all three models, featuring dual USB 3.2 Type-A ports, a single USB 3.2 Type-C port, and a 3.5 mm combo audio jack, and the MG-1 PCs all come with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. All three MG-1 systems also come with the same 32 GB of DDR5-6000 memory running in dual-channel configuration and a 2 TB T-Force A440 Gen 4 M.2 NVMe SSD, and are preloaded with "Bloatware Free" Windows 11 installations. Gamers also receive a free copy of Resident Evil: Requiem and the Intel Holiday Bundle, which offers the choice of Battlefield 6, Assassin's Creed: Shadows, Sid Meier's Civilization VII, or Dying Light: The Beast.

[Editor's note: Our in-depth review of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus CPU is now live]

The Maingear MG-1 Emerald is the least expensive version of the Intel Core Ultra 200S series PCs, coming in at $2,549, and is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus with 18 cores (6 P-Cores, 12 E-Cores) and 18 threads in an MSI Z890 Gaming Plus WiFi motherboard, paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 12 GB GPU and an MSI 850 W I + Gold PSU. The $3,549 Maingear MG-1 Sapphire gets the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus with 24 cores (8 P-Cores, 16 E-Cores), an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 16 GB, and the same motherboard as the Emerald. The top-end Maingear MG-1 Amethyst keeps the same Intel Core Ultra 7 270K but bumps up the GPU to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 32 GB, with an MSI MEG Z890 Ace motherboard, a 1250 W 80+ MSI PSU, and a whopping $5,199 price tag. The MG-1 case used in the Amethyst, Emerald, and Sapphire pre-built PCs is compatible with Maingear's MG-1 Panels, which are themed front panels that can change up the look of a PC build.

ASUS today announced two new ExpertCenter P600 AiO models, the 27-inch PM640GA and the 24-inch class PM670GA. The ExpertCenter P600 AiO is an all-in-one Copilot+ PC, designed to deliver next-generation AI performance for business. Powered by up to an AMD Ryzen AI 7 processor with up to 50 NPU TOPS, it combines immersive visuals, AI-enhanced collaboration and enterprise-grade security in a sleek and versatile design.

With its edge-to-edge touchscreen, adjustable stand options and built-in security features, ExpertCenter P600 AiO is engineered for the evolving needs of modern offices, retail counters and educational environments—empowering employees to work faster, collaborate smarter and stay more secure.

ASUS ExpertBook B3 G1, announced today, is a configurable laptop designed for business, available in 14-inch and 16-inch models and featuring a durable, lightweight design starting from just 1.44 kg, a 180° lay-flat design, advanced AI integration, enterprise-grade security, and seamless hybrid collaboration.

Powered by up to the Intel Core Ultra 7 (Series 2) processors with integrated GPU and NPU acceleration, ASUS ExpertBook B3 G1's advanced AI features—including ASUS MyExpert, Microsoft Copilot, and noise-canceling technology—streamline productivity across meetings, content creation, and multitasking scenarios. The lightweight, easily-maintained design offers extensive I/O options and support for high-speed Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. Security is strengthened by ASUS ExpertGuardian, delivering NIST SP 800-193-compliant BIOS protection, dual ROM recovery, and TPM 2.0 encryption for robust data resilience.

For many, one of the factors that helped build hype for Crimson Desert leading up to the game's recent launch was its lenient minimum and recommended system requirements, and Pearl Abyss delivered on much of that hype, even though there were issues with Intel Arc GPUs at launch. Overall, the game boasted high player counts and positive retention post-launch, and Korean publication, Inven, reports that the game sold over 2 million units on launch day and 3 million within four days. Pearl Abyss has also reportedly started the R&D process for a potential Nintendo Switch 2 port of Crimson Desert.

According to Pearl Abyss CEO, Heo Jin-Young, there will be a compromise in graphical quality with a potential Switch 2 port, but he also notes that the studio cannot make any promises about a future Switch 2 release. However, the studio is committed to expansion into multiple platforms, including mobile, as a medium-to-long-term strategy. The studio is also considering the possibility of mods for Crimson Desert, but it seems reluctant to support mods, because it would require the studio to open up parts of the proprietary game engine. Aside from the potential Switch 2 port, Pearl Abyss plans to support Crimson Desert in the long term with new content and by expanding on the game's existing content—all while the original core developers from Crimson Desert work on the studio's next title, DokeV, an open-world creature-collector action-adventure game that was announced in 2021 and is slated for launch sometime in 2028.

Stock prices of DRAM manufacturers dipped by as much as 19% over the past 5 days, over the March 24 announcement of Google TurboQuant, a new technology that Google claims will reduce the memory footprint of AI models by a factor of 6, and improve inference speeds by a factor of 8. As of this writing, Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) dipped 19.5% over the last 5 days. Over in Korea, SK Hynix saw its stock price drop by 6%, while Samsung Electronics saw a dip by 5%.

TurboQuant is an advanced quantization algorithm developed by Google that delivers massive data compression for LLMs and vector search engines. It effectively tackles memory bottlenecks in the key-value cache and accelerates similarity lookups without sacrificing model accuracy. TurboQuant achieves this efficiency by combining two novel techniques: PolarQuant, which simplifies data geometry using polar coordinates to eliminate traditional memory overhead, and Quantized Johnson-Lindenstrauss (QJL), a 1-bit mathematical error-checker. Capable of compressing the key-value cache to just 3 bits without requiring fine-tuning, TurboQuant enables up to 8x faster runtimes on GPUs, establishing a new standard for AI efficiency.

AEWIN is glad to launch our new member of AEWIN Network Expansion Modules, the NCT404. Built upon two Intel latest E610-XAT2 ethernet controllers, it provides quad-port 10GbE RJ45 with two pairs of Gen 3 bypass. It is full-height half-length PCIe CEM with PCIe Gen 4 x8 signals. NCT404 is compatible with AEWIN platforms and off-the-shelf systems for flexible configurations and optimized network resilience.

Intel new released E610-XAT2 features over 50% lower power consumption compared to previous generation controller (X710-AT2) which helps to lower operational costs in the meantime. In addition, Intel committed over 10-year full support lifecycle which makes it perfect to build new projects that are expected to have long-term support. For enhanced ethernet security, Intel E610-XAT2 features a hardware Root of Trust (RoT) for firmware resiliency.

Dimension-hopping developer Behaviour Interactive (Dead By Daylight) and rocket-jumping publisher Devolver Digital (BALL x PIT, Baby Steps) have joined forces to unveil Serious Sam: Shatterverse via today's Xbox Partner Preview showcase. This multiversal multiplayer FPS is based on the adventures of boomer shooter legend Sam 'Serious' Stone - whose over-the-top run-and-gun classic, Serious Sam: The First Encounter, celebrates its 25th birthday this year - but with an oh-so-modern roguelite twist.

Serious Sam: Shatterverse is a co-op FPS where five players can team up, blast through shifting universes, stack wild boons, bend the rules with run modifiers and hunt the deadliest forces of Sam's relentless arch-nemesis, the villainous Mental.

DEEPX, a Seoul-based fabless semiconductor company developing ultra-low-power AI inference chips for physical AI applications, has secured 27 commercial purchase orders across eight countries within seven months of starting mass production of its first-generation AI chip—a pace that industry observers describe as highly unusual for an emerging fabless company at such an early stage of commercialization.

The orders span seven major Physical AI application domains, including robotics, smart factories, edge AI servers, industrial AI, surveillance, AI IT services, and smart cities, with deployments now active across Asia, North America, and Europe.

GIGABYTE Technology, one of the top global manufacturers of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, today announced the release of its new AMD AGESA 1.3.0.0a BIOS, bringing full support and performance optimization for the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition processor across GIGABYTE's entire AM5 800 Series and 600 Series motherboard lineup.

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition processor doubles the L3 cache stacked below the processor cores, delivering a massive leap in data-intensive and latency-sensitive workloads. GIGABYTE's latest BIOS is specifically tuned to unlock the full potential of this expanded cache architecture.

ASRock, a global leader in motherboards, graphics cards, gaming monitors, small form factor PCs, and power supply units, today announced that its AM5 motherboards fully support the newly launched AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition Processor. The newly introduced AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition processor offers more cache than ever, making it the ideal processor for creators and developers.

ASRock's AM5 motherboard is able to support the newly launched processors by simply downloading and installing the latest BIOS from the ASRock official website. In addition to downloading BIOS updates from the official site, users can also take advantage of BIOS Flashback and Instant Flash for quick and convenient upgrades. ASRock strongly recommends updating to the latest BIOS version to ensure optimal compatibility and performance.

Philips today introduced the Envia 32M2N8900X, a high-end planar-format gaming monitor. The 31.5-inch monitor uses a high refresh-rate QD-OLED panel. You get 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels) resolution at 240 Hz refresh-rate, and 0.03 ms response time. The 32M2N8900X offers VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 500 certification thanks to its QD-OLED technology and 515 nits maximum brightness at 10% APL, and 1000 nits peak brightness in HDR at 3% APL. Color gamut includes full sRGB, and 99.5% DCI-P3, with delta E <2 in sRGB.

Other features include Philips Ambiglow, or ambient lighting, an integrated KVM switch, USB hub, and gamer-friendly overlay features such as monitor OSD-based crosshairs, shadow boost, and picture-in-picture. The monitor also embeds 5 W (RMS) stereo speakers. Thermal management for the QD-OLED panel is care of a heatspreader that uses a graphene layer. Display inputs include one DisplayPort 2.1, two HDMI 2.1, and one USB-C (DP passthrough). The integrated USB hub connects to a USB 3.2 upstream, putting out two type-A and one type-C with 15 W power delivery. The main USB-C port (which is used for input), can be used as a downstream high-speed charging port. When connected to a laptop or iPad, it provides 65 W of USB-PD 3.0 compliant power delivery while taking in DP input. The company didn't reveal pricing. For now the monitor is only available in China.

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If you've been anywhere near the PC gaming industry recently, you'll have heard time and time again about companies increasing prices or delaying products due to memory shortages and price increases. While those price increases have affected the current-gen gaming consoles, with the PS5 Digital Disc Edition getting two €50 price increases in 2025, leaker @GyoJvfr on X has revealed that steeper price increases for the PlayStation 5 may be on the horizon, courtesy of a retail source.

According to the leaker's source, the entire line-up of current PlayStation hardware—even the PlayStation Portal—will see a price hike "soon," although the leaker does not have an exact price to share. Following the price hike, the PlayStation 5 Slim will cost €649.99, up from €549.99, while the PS5 Pro will increase from €799.99 to €899.99, and the PlayStation Portal will cost €249.99, up from €219.99. It's worth mentioning that it's unclear exactly how widespread the price increase will be, but recent hardware price increases have been global. No price increase was mentioned for the PS5 Digital Slim Edition, but presumably, it will also receive a €100 price increase.

V Rising is one of those indie games that found a niche and excelled at delivering what its player base asked of it, earning a Very Positive Steam user review score of 89%. That being the case, players have been clamoring for a sequel or its successor. In a recent blog post, however, Stunlock Studios revealed that it would not be making a sequel to V Rising, stating that "the journey to Dracula is a complete one as it stands." Instead, the game studio is working on a new game in the same universe as V Rising, although it's still early days, so it did not share much else about the game.

Being that the new Vampire game will still take place in the same universe as V Rising, it seems logical to conclude that it will be a spiritual successor, but Stunlock also calls the new game "our most ambitious project yet in our 15-year history of making games." Not much else has been revealed about the successor to V Rising, but the studio has also commented that the new game is being designed around the studio's ambitions, commenting that "while the core workings of V Rising are strong and have allowed us to construct a wonderful bastion of dark Vampire delights, that foundation can also be limiting." This suggests something more than a few extra mechanics, better graphics, a longer story, or a bigger world, and the game studio later said that "Our next game will invite you to explore your darkest whims in a world of greater depth, danger, and mystery than ever before," suggesting that there will be more to it than the current survival RPG genre V Rising slots into.

Khadas recently unveiled its Mind Pro mini PC, powered by Intel's Panther Lake CPUs, alongside its modular eGPU solution, which is powered by the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti, but the brand has recently announced that the ongoing hardware shortages caused by the AI boom have resulted in the brand needing to hike prices for the entire series and delay or potentially cancel some versions of the mini PC altogether. In a recent statement regarding the pricing of the Khadas Mind Pro Pricing, Khadas references the ongoing PC hardware availability issues and says that, while it will be increasing prices for the Mind Pro, it has "chosen to keep this price adjustment as minimal as possible" by absorbing part of the price increase.

It goes on to explain that the Khadas Mind Pro with the Intel Core Ultra X7 and 64 GB of memory will see a $300 price increase, from the pre-order price of $1,999 to a new MSRP of $2,299. Additionally, the brand has had to delay the launch of the Intel Core Ultra X9 version of the mini PC with 96 GB RAM and the Core Ultra X7 model with 32 GB of memory. It cites a disproportionate increase in memory costs for the 96 GB DDR5-9600 modules used in the high-end version as the reason for the delay in the high-end model. The brand didn't exactly explain why the Mind Pro X7 with 32 GB of memory was delayed, but it did explain that the Core Ultra X7 version that remains available is the best balance between price and performance. It might also be the version that is most likely to sell the most units and where Khadas can generate enough profit to cover some of the increased memory costs. Until the pre-order period is over, the Mind Pro mini PC with the Core Ultra X7 will carry the same $500 discount from the new MSRP, coming in at $1,799 ahead of the March 27 pre-order closure.

Japanese company Elecom is bringing back one of the most unusual mouse designs in PC peripheral history: the M.A.P.P. (Mechanical Designers Accelerate Peripheral Products) mouse, created by Ghost in the Shell manga artist Masamune Shirow back in 2002. The reissue is limited to 3,300 units per color variant (black, white, blue), with pre-orders opening April 6 through the Elecom Direct Shop and general availability starting May 1. The original M.A.P.P. project was a collaboration between Shirow and mecha designer Hajime Katoki, and at that time it was pushing unconventional form factors while keeping ergonomics, weight balance, and grip at the center of the design. The reissue seems to stay faithful to that original vision. Elecom says that Shirow personally updated certain details, including the areas around the newly added side buttons, however, the core aesthetic remained the same.

It weighs 78 g, measures 67 × 106 × 38 mm and its functionality has been brought up to date. The mouse now supports Bluetooth connectivity, up to three device multi-pairing, and a hardware toggle for quick switching. All five buttons use silent switches, and customization is handled through Elecom's Mouse Assistant software on Windows and macOS. The optical sensor offers adjustable DPI (400, 800, 1600, 2400, and 3200), while the lithium-ion battery lasts up to 45 days of use per charge. It can be recharged via USB-C and is rated for around 100,000 charge cycles. The timing for the Elecom revival of its M.A.P.P. mouse isn't accidental as a new Ghost in the Shell anime is scheduled for July 2026. All three color variants, black, white, and blue, are priced at 12,800 yen including tax, which is roughly $85.

Apple has officially discontinued its high-end Mac Pro desktop computer, with no plans to refresh the model in the future. According to the company, which confirmed the decision to 9to5Mac, Apple had been selling the Mac Pro alongside other Mac options that were more aligned with its strategic goals. Initially launched with a redesigned casing in 2019, the Mac Pro was powered by Intel processors until Apple decided to switch to its M2 Ultra SoC in 2023. However, this model has gone a long time without any hardware updates. Apple even introduced an M3 Ultra chip last year but decided to pair it with the Mac Studio instead. The Mac Studio is a smaller, more compact machine that offers greater performance than the Mac Pro while being more practical for various work environments. Multiple Mac Studios can also be interconnected with Thunderbolt 5, making them a potential compute cluster.

For now, Apple will maintain the Mac Studio as its "pro" Mac option, with a refresh expected either this year or next. The current top configuration of the Mac Studio includes an M3 Ultra chip with a 32-core CPU and an 80-core GPU. This powerful setup is paired with up to 256 GB of memory and up to 16 TB of SSD storage. With the introduction of this model without updating the Mac Pro, it was clear that the Mac Pro's days were numbered. Surprisingly, Apple's future desktop computer strategy will focus on the Mac Mini and Mac Studio, complementing its extensive lineup of MacBooks, which includes the Pro, Air, and the newly launched Neo. As one of the largest Apple computer lineups ever, simplifying and removing some products makes sense for a company that is focused on custom silicon.

It's no secret that Hades has been a hit indie franchise, with Hades 2 garnering 112,947 concurrent players on Steam when it launched out of Early Access. Now, as of April 14, 2026, almost exactly two years after the Early Access launch, Hades 2 will also be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles as well as Xbox Game Pass and Game Pass PC. The indie roguelite hack-n-slash game will be launching to consoles with all of the patches and improvements that have been released on PC during the game's time on Steam.

Hades 2 is currently available for pre-order on the Xbox store for $23.99, but it will retail at $29.99 on release day. Both Microsoft's gaming handheld and the Steam Deck have shown that Hades 2 does not require top-of-the-line hardware to run, but it's reassuring for console gamers to know that Hades 2 will support both 4K resolution and 120 FPS for the Xbox platforms. Hades 2 follows the Melinoë, the sister of Zagreus, the protagonist of the original Hades game, as she plots her way through the winding underworld packed with figures from Greek mythology. The Hades 2 console launch trailer follows.

The leading system integrator iBUYPOWER is happy to share they will be integrating the new Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus series processors into its gaming PC lineup. Any new computer using an Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus series processor is covered by iBUYPOWER's industry‑leading three‑year labor and two‑year parts warranty, which the leading national computer and consumer electronics retailer Micro Center honors nationwide for convenient in‑store diagnosis and repair.

Compatible with Intel 800 Series chipset-based motherboards, the Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus series processors deliver up to 15% faster geomean gaming performance -- versus existing Core Ultra Series 2 desktop CPUs -- and up to 103% more multithreaded performance compared to similar CPUs in its class. With the new platform utilizing all-new software that simplifies initial set-up and performance acquisition, the Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus processors are ideal for everyday gamers and creators that crave max value with real performance.

Marathon launched almost exactly three weeks ago, with a mix of both fanfare and criticism, but given its reasonably strong player counts—with a stable 28,000-40,000 daily concurrent players—it's not surprising to learn that the game has sold an estimated 1.2 million units across the three platforms where it is available. According to Alinea Analytics, Marathon has earned $55 million in revenue across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms. The analytics firm estimates that Steam holds around 800,000 of those players, while Marathon sold 217,000 units on PlayStation 5 and 133,000 on Xbox Series platforms.

The researchers also looked into the correlation between Bungie's previous games and Marathon, and it seems as though the developer's reputation may have been a substantial driving force for Marathon players. As many as 78.2% of Marathon's Steam players had previously played Destiny 2, while 62.7% had played Helldivers 2, and 55.9% played Arc Raiders—although it should be noted that all three titles had colossal player counts, so some of this may be pure coincidence, and some of it could also be attributed to Steam's recommendation algorithms, which would be more likely to show Marathon to fans of similar Bungie games. There have also been rumors of Marathon potentially launching on last-gen Xbox and PlayStation consoles, but nothing has been confirmed regarding that release just yet.

Soon, fans of The Expanse: Osiris Reborn will be able to don the armor of a Pinkwater mercenary and experience part of the game themselves. Starting April 22, the closed beta will be available on Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 to everyone who purchases the Collector's Edition or Miller's Pack on the website. The closed beta will give players a feel for the game's combat, movement in the zero-g environment, and dealing with life and death on a remote space station. Additionally, Owlcat Games revealed that the game will launch in Spring 2027 on PC (via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG) and on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, with a Day 1 launch on Xbox Game Pass. Fans can wishlist the game now.

The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is a story-driven action RPG set in The Expanse universe with focus on companions, player choices, and dynamic third-person combat. As a Pinkwater Security mercenary who survives a catastrophic incident on Eros, players have to build a team to fight back against Protogen and their experiments. Though the game is set in the same universe as the books and show, it focuses on its own story and characters.

Hooded Horse is proud to announce a new title joining its roster of world-class strategic and tactical games, developed by industry veterans who have worked on everything from StarCraft to Guild Wars. Announced at the Xbox Partner Preview, Lost Lake Games' debut title, Vaunted, is an upcoming tactical RPG that challenges players to seize the ultimate score.

Vaunted throws players into a galaxy where chaos reigns supreme, and a millennium has passed since the fall of the last galactic empire. A galaxy where mercenaries and treasure hunters scrap over priceless imperial relics buried in far-flung ruins. Join dysfunctional frenemies Dyse, Gendril, and Kyvaath as they battle against ruthless rivals, monstrous aliens, and giant robots in search of the ultimate score. That is, if they can get their angry benefactor off their backs!

During the Xbox Partner Showcase, NACON and the studio Teyon, acclaimed for its previous game RoboCop: Rogue City, were pleased to unveil their new project set in the World of Darkness universe: Hunter: The Reckoning - Deathwish. One of the most iconic licenses in the role-playing game world returns 20 years after the release of the last video game in this universe. In this first-person, single-player action RPG, players take on the role of a monster hunter in an expansive version of New York, tracking their prey among citizens unaware of the secret world surrounding them. Hunter: The Reckoning - Deathwish will be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC Steam in summer 2027.

Hunter: The Reckoning - Deathwish immerses players in a dark New York where vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural horrors lurk and scheme in the shadows. Players assume the role of a Hunter, or humans who have discovered the horrifying truth that monsters secretly rule our world and decided to track them down. Players customize their Hunter just like the tabletop RPG, and explore the city at their own pace, searching for clues and side quests that may give them an edge against enemies as powerful as they are dangerous.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Cost of Hope, the first major expansion for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, is coming to Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Cloud Gaming, PC, and PlayStation 5 in Summer 2026. Step into a fresh expedition across the Zone - a massive nonlinear expansion packed with dozens of hours of gameplay. Expect haunting stories, twisted characters, and that same heavy atmosphere of decay... with just a flicker of hope breaking through.

It's time to step into a new chapter of a well-known conflict. Duty, one of the oldest factions, sees the Zone as a threat that must be contained and destroyed. On the other side, Freedom believes it's a gift - something to explore and harness for the greater good. For a time, this tension was held together by a fragile peace. But deals like that rarely last. In Cost of Hope, players once again take on the role of Skif, the protagonist of the core game, as he navigates events unfolding alongside Heart of Chornobyl. After installing the DLC, a signal on the PDA will trigger the new storyline as the game unfolds. As always, your choices shape what happens next - and the consequences could affect not just the Zone, but far beyond it.

Rebellion, the UK independent video game studio behind the smash hit Sniper Elite franchise, Zombie Army series, and Atomfall, has revealed Alien Deathstorm. Announced live at today's Xbox Partner Preview, Alien Deathstorm is a brand new, raw, visceral first-person action horror game that takes place on a remote off-world colony that is being devastated by a cataclysmic storm and alien creatures.

In Alien Deathstorm, you play as the Combat Engineer, a highly trained first responder, who has been dispatched to a remote, off-world colony that has suffered a complete loss of communications. Arriving days or potentially weeks ahead of a full rescue fleet, your job is to determine what has caused the colony to fall silent and try to save as many lives as possible.

That gaming backlog won't clear itself - GeForce NOW is here to help. Stream the latest titles straight from the cloud across a variety of devices. This week, five new titles are ready to play instantly in the cloud gaming platform's library. Screamer drifts onto the scene with retro‑racing attitude and pixel‑perfect speed. Plus, Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.1, "Unraveled for Daybreak," touches down.

Hit the Gas
Screamer from Milestone roars back onto the track as a blistering arcade racer that thrives on speed, precision and pure retro attitude. Tight corners and neon‑soaked straights define a style built for thrill seekers who crave the rush of classic '90s racing action. The mix of sharp visuals, snappy handling and roaring engines creates an experience that's equal parts vintage energy and modern muscle. Running on GeForce NOW, Screamer puts pedal to the metal with ultralow latency and buttery‑smooth streaming. In the cloud, every race launches instantly, every drift hits with full force and every victory feels just a little louder.

Super Meat Boy 3D, the 3D remake of the "tough-as-nails" platformer will officially launch on March 31, according to a new release date trailer published as part of an Xbox Partner Preview. It will be available for the Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam and the Xbox Store, the PS5, and for the Nintendo Switch 2 via the Nintendo eShop. It will also be a day-one Xbox Game Pass and Cloud gaming title, so it will see quite a wide release.

Super Meat Boy 3D is meant to be a 3D reimagining of the original 2D precision platformer that originally launched way back in 2010, which has sold an estimated 2.6 million+ units, according to conservative estimates. Pricing has not yet been announced for Super Meat Boy 3D, but the original Super Meat Boy still retails for $14.99 16 years after release. The 3D version of the game will require at least an AMD Ryzen 3 3100 or Intel Core i3-10100, 8 GB of memory, and an AMD Radeon RX 6400 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or 1650 to play.

Microsoft's Windows 11 operating system officially has a dark mode, but many UI elements, menus, and applications from Microsoft still lack proper dark mode support. Microsoft is working to address this issue in the world's most widespread operating system. Since the introduction of WinUI, many releases and versions have been shipped with the operating system. For example, Windows 10 retains many UI elements from the Windows 7 era and earlier versions. However, Microsoft plans to modernize the entire UI ecosystem with more WinUI 3 for a modern look and feel, which will also enhance dark mode support. According to Marcus Ash, who leads Microsoft's Windows Design and Research team, the overhaul is near. When a user on X asked when dark mode support would come to Regedit, Marcus Ash responded:

We are pushing to get our tools and techniques to the point where we can implement the dark theme in more areas across Windows. No timelines to commit to yet for Regedit. As we make progress in various legacy system panels and dialogs, we will keep improving consistency.

DLSS 5 has been under fire almost since the moment NVIDIA revealed the technology. While some, including some game developers and studios, have seen the ML-based technology as a positive for game development, and while there are still questions surrounding the practical applications of DLSS 5, many have criticized both NVIDIA and DLSS 5 for "sloppifying" games and drastically altering the artist's intent. Recently, David Szymanski and Dave Oshry, the game developer behind Dusk and Iron Lung, and the CEO of game studio New Blood Interactive, respectively, spoke about DLSS 5 in an interview with PC Gamer, echoing many of the concerns of gamers and leveling harsh criticisms at NVIDIA for the way it has handled the response to the new tech.

Oshry, who later expanded on the interview in a post on Bluesky, opened his comments by asking "First of all, who asked for this!?" and going on to say that DLSS 5 deviates from the original idea behind DLSS 5, which was fundamentally a technology used to increase frame rates using an upscaled image without substantial detail loss. He criticizes NVIDIA for calling a generative AI product DLSS, stating that "they're hiding this Gen AI bullshit behind the DLSS moniker because they think we're stupid," encouraging gamers to push back against the tech and vote with their wallets, "just like we did with NFTs and crypto games." Oshry mentions that one of the common defenses for DLSS 5 is that its optional, but goes on to question where tech like DLSS 5 leads while criticizing NVIDIA for recent hardware trends: "You know what's not optional? Paying more for less—which is what we've been doing with NVIDIA for years now." He continues along this line further down, comparing the tech to the other NVIDIA tech that either flopped or was left by the wayside, like 3Dvision and PhysX, and more modern tech, like RTX and Path tracing, all of which had their merits, questioning the merits of DLSS 5. "This is fundamentally changing the way video games look based on artificial intelligence that's been trained on Instagram models and Epstein memes. Are you serious?" The game developer closes off by sarcastically asking "At this rate, why make game art at all? Why not just draw some shapes and colors and let AI generate what it thinks it should look like? After all, who cares, the only thing that matters is "realism" right?" Oshry's full statement follows.

Scythe has introduced the Magoroku (SCMR-1000) dual-tower air CPU cooler. The launch comes from the company's Japan headquarters, following the shutdown of the Scythe European branch announced on April 26 last year. The cooler itself isn't entirely new, an early prototype surfaced around mid-2024, with a more polished unit later shown at Computex 2025. Standing 155 mm tall, the Magoroku is designed to fit a wider range of cases while still offering a full dual-stack heatsink layout. The cooler measures 134 x 155 x 142.5 mm, including its bundled 120 mm fans. The fan uses a standard 4-pin PWM connector, operates between 350-2,000 RPM, and at full speed, it can reach up to 60.29 CFM, with a maximum noise of 26.88 dBA. Static pressure is rated up to 2.45 mmH2O.

Cooling is handled by six 6 mm nickel-plated heatpipes feeding into the dual-tower heatsink. The cooler weights 1,036 g with the fan installed, putting it in line with other budget-oriented dual-tower designs. A thin vibration-dampening rubber layer is also included on each of the fans. Compatibility includes Intel LGA 1851, 1700, 1200, and 115x platforms, alongside AMD AM4 and AM5. The Scythe Magoroku is scheduled to go on sale starting April 10th, priced at ¥4,980 (tax included) or about $32 (at the current exchange rate), right in the affordable market segment.

Satechi has added a wired keyboard and mouse to its Slim LX lineup, both sharing the same clean, minimal aesthetic the series is known for. The Slim LX3 is a full-size wired keyboard with a numeric keypad and navigation keys, with a slim profile measuring just 1.7 cm tall and 550 g. It connects via USB-C with a bundled USB-A adapter and works across macOS, Windows, ChromeOS, and iPadOS. A dedicated physical switch allows switching between Mac and Windows. The Slim LX mouse pairs an anodized aluminium body with a metal scroll wheel, weighing in at 92.5 g and measuring 11.05 x 6.12 x 2.84 cm. It is ambidextrous, rated for 3 million clicks, and also uses USB-C with a USB-A adapter included. Cable length on both is 120 cm.

Both come in Silver or Space Black and are available now at the Satechi website and select retailers. The Slim LX3 keyboard is $49.99, while Satechi Slim LX mouse is $24.99.

AMD today launched the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition Socket AM5 desktop processor. This processor is positioned above the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, and is the much awaited implementation of 3D V-Cache memory on both CCDs (CPU complex dies) of the processor. The 16-core/32-thread processor is based on the Zen 5 microarchitecture, and features a total of 192 MB of shared L3 cache—that's 32 MB of on-die L3 cache plus 64 MB of 3D V-Cache that's contiguous with it, across both CCDs. This enables the maximum possible gaming performance, as worker threads of the game can be located on either of the two CCDs and benefit from large last-level cache. The base clock is 4.30 GHz, with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz—100 MHz lower boost than the 9950X3D, and the same clocks as the 9850X3D—no word if these are the same for each CCD.

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition is positioned to be a 16-core Zen 5 Flagship part, and to ensure the chip has not just the most cache, but also the highest possible clock speeds in the series, and retain its overclocking capabilities, AMD expanded the TDP of the processor to 200 W—the highest ever for an AMD Ryzen part. AMD is offering gaming performance rivaling its latest Ryzen 7 9850X3D part, but with significantly improved productivity performance in applications with large cached data-sets, such as software development, AI training and inferencing, and video production. The company's first-party productivity benchmarks show the 9950X3D2 post significant single-digit percentage gains over the 9950X3D. AMD did not announce price, but said that the 9950X3D2 Dual Edition will be available from April 22, 2026.Known specifications of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition follow.

Samsung Display announced today that it has developed a new low-reflection, high-durability film that further reduces light reflectance while enhancing display durability.

Samsung Display announced the development of 'QuantumBlack,' a low-reflection and high-durability film that reduces light reflection by 20% compared to the company's previous film and increases panel hardness to 3H. The company confirmed that this technology will be fully applied to all new QD-OLED monitor products launched this year. To highlight the unique value of this technology, Samsung Display named it 'QuantumBlack ' and recently completed trademark registration.

When the rumor mill for Intel's "Arrow Lake Refresh" began, we expected three SKUs: Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, Core Ultra 7 270K Plus, and a flagship Core Ultra 9 290K Plus. However, we later discovered that Intel is not launching the flagship SKU and will only release the Core Ultra 5 and Core Ultra 7 models. Instead, Intel chose to focus on delivering value with its Core Ultra 7 270K Plus SKU, which features 8 P-Cores and 16 E-Cores with a maximum turbo boost of 5.5 GHz. For individual boosting frequency, P-Cores reach up to 5.4 GHz, with a base speed of 3.7 GHz. E-Cores have a maximum boost frequency of 4.7 GHz and a base speed of 3.2 GHz. The main reason for canceling the flagship SKU is product overlap, as the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus would have the same core configuration as the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus, just with slightly higher clock speeds. Consequently, Intel decided not to launch this SKU. It has now been confirmed by Intel Germany for PC Games Hardware that Intel will definitely not introduce this SKU at any point in the future.

Florian Maislinger, Tech Communication Manager, Intel GermanyIntel is excited to deliver exceptional value with our Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus series processors. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus are positioned to deliver outstanding gaming performance and incredible value compared to our competition. Our objective was to maximize performance for the desktop SKUs that are most widely available. As a result, Intel is not launching a U9 290K Plus SKU.

Corsair, a leading maker of performance gaming peripherals, announced the new MM mousepad family, a complete lineup of precision gaming mouse pads engineered to take professional precision to a whole new level. Leading the family is the MM Glass Large, Corsair's first ever glass gaming mousepad, built with a surface for ultimate speed, yet still keeps players firmly in control. With a soft touch surface, noise reduction treatment, anti-snag rounded edges, and an incredibly grippy polyurethane anti-slip base, it's built to go beyond the expectations of standard mouse mats and the full MM family brings that same commitment to precision to every playstyle and setup.

Perixx has introduced the PERIMICE-719R/RX Series, a new wireless ergonomic vertical mouse designed specifically for women seeking a more natural hand position, reliable everyday performance, and flexible charging options. With a focus on comfort and usability, this series also provides an excellent fit for users with smaller hand sizes.

At the core of the PERIMICE-719 Series is its ergonomic vertical design, which keeps the wrist in a neutral, upright "handshake" position. This helps reduce strain and discomfort compared to a traditional mouse, making it a practical solution for long hours of work, whether in office environments or home setups.

Espressif Systems (688018.SH) proudly announces the upcoming release of ESP32-S31, a high-performance dual-core Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth 5.4 + IEEE 802.15.4 + Ethernet System-on-Chip (SoC). Building on Espressif's proven track record, this versatile SoC addresses the growing demand for advanced IoT applications including consumer and industrial appliances, smart speakers, voice-controlled devices, and automation systems requiring comprehensive wireless connectivity, edge AI capabilities, rich HMI, and robust security features.

ESP32-S31 delivers comprehensive wireless connectivity by combining Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) in 2.4 GHz band, Bluetooth 5.4 with both Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) and Classic (BR/EDR) support, plus an IEEE 802.15.4 radio enabling Thread and Zigbee protocols for diverse IoT applications. ESP32-S31 will provide a seamless support for Matter protocol over Wi-Fi as well as Thread radio.

Samsung Electronics today announced the official launch of Samsung Browser for Windows, extending its popular mobile browser experience to PC with seamless cross-device continuity and new agentic AI capabilities designed to make the browsing experience easier and more intuitive.

Browse Seamlessly From Mobile to PC
Samsung Browser for Windows bridges the gap between devices, allowing users to seamlessly continue browsing as they move between mobile and PC. Beyond simple synchronization of bookmarks and browsing history, users can pick up exactly where they left off. For instance, users can continue exploring the same webpage when moving between mobile and PC, creating a more seamless cross-device experience. With Samsung Pass integration, users can securely store personal information and sign in to websites or autofill profiles with ease.

Durabook, the global rugged mobile solutions brand owned by Twinhead International Corporation, today announced the launch of its new Z14I-HG fully rugged mobile workstation. Powered by Intel Core Ultra processors with integrated AI Boost NPU and NVIDIA RTX Ada Generation GPUs, the Z14I-HG delivers up to 682 TOPS of AI performance and workstation-class graphics acceleration directly at the edge. This enables demanding workloads such as real-time 3D rendering, AI inference, computer vision, digital twin simulation, and advanced data analytics to be performed on-site without reliance on cloud infrastructure.

The Z14I-HG is built to operate in environments where conventional laptops cannot function reliably. Combining rugged durability with workstation-level graphics and AI computing, the Z14I-HG is designed for defence operations, industrial automation, field engineering, AI-powered inspection, geospatial analysis, and mobile command applications.

Cincoze has announced the latest addition to its Rugged Computing - DIAMOND product line: the DX-1300 high-performance compact industrial computer. The DX series, already used for numerous large-scale projects, has garnered a strong reputation for its high performance, compact design, and comprehensive functionality. The newly released DX-1300 builds on this legacy, featuring the latest Intel Core Ultra 200S processor, a compact footprint of 242 × 173 × 75 mm, rich I/O, and versatile expansion options to meet a wide range of application needs. The DX-1300 serves as the ideal edge computing platform for high-end image processing, AI inference, and multitasking data integration applications in space-constrained environments.

The DX-1300 is powered by the Intel Arrow Lake-S platform Core Ultra 200S processor, featuring an integrated CPU, GPU, and NPU hybrid computing architecture that delivers up to 36 TOPS of AI computing power. Compared to the previous generation, AI inference performance has increased by up to 3.5 times, supporting demanding edge AI applications such as real-time video analysis, smart inspection, and data analytics. Furthermore, it supports up to 96 GB of 6400 MT/s DDR5 CSODIMM memory, significantly enhancing data transfer efficiency and reducing latency. This bolstered performance still fits in a chassis measuring only 242 x 173 x 75 mm—a footprint comparable to an 11-inch iPad—making it perfect for integration into equipment control cabinets, production line machinery, and in-vehicle systems where space is at a premium.

With the S60 ARGB, S50 ARGB and S40, Sharkoon expands its portfolio of all-in-one liquid coolers with three powerful solutions for different systems. From the 360 mm variant for maximum performance to the compact 240 mm version, the models offer efficient cooling, modern features and easy integration into current PC builds. The 360 mm radiator of the S60 ARGB ensures maximum cooling performance, even for demanding gaming systems and workstations. Three pre-installed 120 mm ARGB PWM fans provide strong airflow with adjustable noise levels. The square pump head with mirror effect and ARGB lighting adds a modern visual touch.

With its 240 mm radiator, the S50 ARGB is ideal for more compact systems requiring strong cooling performance. Two pre-installed 120 mm ARGB PWM fans deliver efficient airflow with precise control. The large pump head with mirror effect and ARGB lighting ensures a modern appearance. The 360 mm radiator of the S40 ensures reliable cooling performance even under high load and is aimed at users seeking maximum performance in a deliberately functional, streamlined design. Three pre-installed 120 mm PWM fans provide strong airflow with adjustable noise levels. The large square pump head emphasizes its clean, minimalist design.

TrendForce's latest findings show that global OLED monitor shipments hit 2.735 million units in 2025, a 92% YoY increase. This impressive growth was mainly fueled by aggressive promotional efforts by brands in the fourth quarter. Furthermore, 27-inch 240 Hz QHD models gained considerable popularity due to their excellent price-to-performance ratio, significantly increasing shipments. The launch of new 280 Hz models further energized the market.

Looking ahead to 2026, total shipments are expected to grow by 51% YoY as brands continue to roll out new products and marketing strategies gain further traction.

Gigabyte, the world's leading computer brand, announces the availability of its Z890 Plus series motherboards that support the new Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus series processors. Led by the Z890 AORUS ELITE DUO X, the Z890 Plus series brings next-generation memory capability with CQDIMM support, one-click performance boosting through Ultra Turbo Mode, and an upgraded feature set inspired by previous flagship designs.

Highlighting the CQDIMM and GIGABYTE's exclusive D5 DUO X Technology, the Z890 AORUS ELITE DUO X and Z890M FORCE DUO X WIFI7 models are engineered to achieve uncompromising performance without tradeoffs between memory capacity and speed, enabling full 256 GB capacity with two 128 GB CQDIMM modules. To ensure stable high-frequency operation, D5 DUO X Technology integrates an optimized motherboard circuit design that reduces memory channel loading and enhances signal integrity, alongside advanced BIOS tuning that intelligently manages timing, signal synchronization, and voltage management.

ASRock Inc., a global leader in motherboards, graphics cards, mini PCs, gaming monitors, and power supplies, today officially launched the all-new Intel Arc Pro B70 graphics, further expanding its professional graphics card lineup. The company introduced the workstation-focused Intel Arc Pro B70 Creator 32 GB and Intel Arc Pro B70 Passive 32 GB.

The Intel Arc Pro B70 series features up to 32 GB of VRAM, specifically engineered to meet the demands of modern AI inference. Powered by latest-generation Xe Matrix Extensions (XMX) AI engines, these cards deliver exceptional AI performance and support multi-GPU configurations under Linux for large language model (LLM) workloads. Also, it features Independent Software Vendor (ISV) certifications and optimized drivers with a significant performance boost across various APIs, particularly OpenGL.

Thermaltake, a leading PC DIY brand for premium hardware solutions, proudly introduces the SWAFAN EX INFINITY ARGB Sync PC Cooling Fan and CT EX INFINITY ARGB Sync PC Cooling Fan, two new additions to its ARGB fan lineup designed to elevate both system cooling and visual presentation. Featuring Thermaltake's Dual Infinity Mirror Lighting, the fans create layered reflections that add striking depth and illumination to modern PC builds.

Both models are available in Black and Snow editions and feature MagForce 2.0 Quick Connection Design for faster installation and cleaner cable management. Built with a 28 mm-thick frame and Hidden Screw Design, the fans enhance cooling performance while maintaining a smooth, uninterrupted surface that highlights the lighting. They also support 5 V motherboard RGB synchronization, compatible with ASUS Aura Sync, GIGABYTE RGB Fusion, MSI Mystic Light Sync, and ASRock Polychrome.

Team Group Inc., a global leader in memory solutions, today announced the launch of the T-Create Classic H514 M.2 PCIe 5.0 SSD, designed to meet the growing demand for high-performance data storage in the generative AI era. Built on the PCIe Gen 5 x4 interface, the SSD delivers up to 14,200 MB/s read and 13,300 MB/s write. Its ultra-fast data transfer capability significantly enhances the efficiency of accessing large creative assets and supports the performance requirements of video editing, image processing, visual effects, and 3D modeling software. The H514 also enables smooth and stable workflows for local AI model inference and training, empowering professional creative output.

Featuring an advanced 6 nm controller, the T-Create Classic H514 delivers ultra-low read and write latencies of just 0.05 ms and 0.015 ms, respectively. This minimizes data response times and enables seamless coordination with the CPU and GPU, ensuring smooth system performance even when handling complex, high-resolution projects or multi-layered creative tasks. Built with advanced 3D NAND flash, the H514 offers capacities of up to 4 TB, supporting the deployment and storage needs of large AI language models ranging from 7B to 175B parameters. By enabling local data storage, the SSD provides creators with more responsive and stable creative workflows.

Valve has long been preparing its software stack for the arrival of both the Steam Machine and the upcoming Steam Frame, and the latest update sees the gaming giant add a long list of fixes, QoL improvements, and features to SteamVR as well as changes to the developer back-end in order to prepare for the Steam Frame. As pointed out by u/FantasySynthDev on r/Steam on Reddit, Valve's developer back-end now includes the option to select Android as a supported operating system—a change that delivers on Valve's promise to increase Android support for the Frame at GDC.

The new toggle seems to be there to indicate to users that there is an Android version of the game available, but the Redditor notes that checking the box and uploading an Android build does not yet make an Android version available for download in Steam, further suggesting that this is more preparation for the Steam Frame. Steam has also added documentation for the Android APK upload and VR testing workflows in the Steamworks documentation. While the Steam Frame and Steam Machine may not launch as early as many gamers had hoped, these changes to the back-end and documentation suggest that the new hardware may not launch as long after the "first half of 2026" plans as many feared when Valve declined to announce pricing earlier this year.

Digital Extremes has officially launched Warframe for the Nintendo Switch 2 with its Shadowgrapher update that also introduces the game's latest game mode and a new playable warframe, Follie. Warframe was available for the original Nintendo Switch and for the Switch 2 via the Switch 2 eShop, thanks to the handheld's forward compatibility capabilities, but this latest Switch 2 version is optimized for the new game console. According to the announcement, the Switch 2 version will be playable at 60 FPS and 1080p in both docked and handheld mode, with faster load times and Switch 2-optimized controls, including support for mouse mode using the right Joy-Con.

Warframe for Switch 2 also supports DLSS, better audio and shader quality, and volumetric lighting, meaning the game will look a lot more like it does on a reasonably powerful gaming PC—there was a noticeable decrease in quality on the original Switch. It also features cross-save and cross-play with other platforms, and players who log in on the Switch 2 between March 25 and April 15 will get a free Ambimanus pack with a Vericres Warfan weapon, a warfan skin, the Slicing Feathers mod, three-day affinity and credit boosters, a Broadsword Past/Future sigil, and the Buddies in Gaming glyph.

Just days after it was revealed that Nintendo would be cutting Switch 2 production by as much as a third, Nintendo USA has confirmed that it will be changing its pricing structure for Switch 2 exclusives, specifically relating to the digital editions. As of May 2026, digital versions of Switch 2 exclusive games will cost less than the physical versions, and the first game to receive the new pricing structure is Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, which retails at $59.99 for the digital version and $69.99 for the physical version.

As one might expect, Nintendo blames the increased cost of physical games on the cost of distribution, with physical media obviously requiring physical logistics channels and additional physical packaging and storage media, which increases costs. Nintendo's wording, which refers specifically to "new Nintendo published digital titles," suggests that this pricing change will not apply retroactively, at least not initially, suggesting that games like Pokémon Pokopia will still cost $69.99, regardless of whether they're physical or digital versions.

MAXSUN today announced the official release of its Intel Arc Pro B70 Series graphics cards, delivering a decisive leap forward in AI computing and professional visualization. Built on a close collaboration with Intel, the new lineup follows the widely acclaimed B60 series and raises the bar with more powerful hardware specifications and a deeply optimized software ecosystem. The result? A platform engineered for AI developers, multi-GPU deployments, and high-intensity professional workloads—without breaking a sweat.

Massive Memory, Effortless Performance
Equipped with 32 GB of VRAM and 32 Xe cores, the MAXSUN Intel Arc Pro B70 series eliminates memory bottlenecks once and for all. Whether handling large-scale AI models or complex visual workloads, the cards ensure seamless data throughput and consistently stable performance. In other words, "out of memory" just became someone else's problem.

Edifier, a global leader in premium audio solutions, today announced the availability of the Edifier M90. Unveiled at CES 2026, the Edifier M90 represents a defining milestone signalling the beginning of the brand's next chapter in home-entertainment audio.

Designed to elevate everyday listening, the M90 features HDMI eARC for seamless, low-latency connectivity with desktop audio, TVs, and streaming platforms, delivering a richer, more immersive experience for movies, games and streaming. With 100 W of bi-amplified power, larger 4-inch aluminium mid-low drivers for deeper bass and silk-dome tweeters for smooth, detailed highs, the M90 delivers powerful, high-fidelity sound. Enhanced connectivity and a flexible design allow it to transition easily from desktop to living-room setups, making the M90 a compact, all-purpose speaker solution.

SPARKLE, a leading manufacturer of professional graphics solutions and AI computing platforms, today announced the launch of the SPARKLE Intel Arc Pro B70 and SPARKLE Intel Arc Pro B65 series graphics cards. Designed to deliver powerful AI acceleration and workstation-class graphics performance, these new GPUs expand the Arc Pro B-Series lineup for modern professional computing environments.

The SPARKLE Intel Arc Pro B70 delivers up to 367 TOPS (INT8 Dense) of AI performance, enabling accelerated AI inference, engineering simulation, rendering, and advanced visualization workloads. With powerful compute capability and large memory capacity, the GPU allows professionals to handle complex datasets and AI-driven applications with greater efficiency.

CRKD, the premium collectible gaming brand known for their highly popular Nitro Deck, and line of premium rhythm gaming products, announced today ATOM+, the next evolution of its collectible keychain controller, designed to deliver powerful gameplay in an ultra-compact form. Expected to begin shipping from June 2026, the ATOM+ is compatible with a wide variety of gaming platforms including Nintendo Switch 2 | 1, PC, mobile devices, tablets, and Smart TVs, bringing big features to a small package, and delivering full-fat gaming on the go.

Small enough to attach to a keychain, backpack or just about anywhere you can imagine, the ATOM+ defies convention, expanding upon the original ATOM with a host of sophisticated features including Thumbsticks for maximum gaming compatibility, and utilizing TMR (Tunnelling Magnetoresistance), technology, a next-generation magnetic sensor designed to forever eliminate Stick Drift, and provide superior precision compared to traditional mechanical Thumbsticks or Hall Effect sensors.

NVIDIA has officially released its second hotfix driver this month, GeForce 596.02 Hotfix, addressing the stuttering issue found in the previous 595.97 WHQL, which was released just yesterday. According to the official driver changelogs, the only game experiencing stuttering was Arknights: Endfield, which was apparently severe enough for NVIDIA to issue a complete hotfix driver. No other changes have been included in this hotfix release. NVIDIA notes that the quality of hotfix drivers is usually unknown, as they go through a much shorter quality testing pipeline than WHQL drivers. These hotfix drivers are designed to provide quick iterations and changes so that gamers who installed the new game-ready or regular WHQL drivers aren't left dealing with game stutters while waiting for the next driver release. Finally, NVIDIA advises that if you aren't experiencing any issues with your current 595.97 WHQL driver, it's best to wait for the next WHQL release to ensure your system remains as stable as possible. The next WHQL release will integrate the changes from the 596.02 Hotfix driver, so you won't have to worry.

DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce 596.02 Hotfix Beta.

With the May 19 launch of Forza Horizon 6 just around the corner, Microsoft and Playground Games have officially revealed the minimum hardware requirements for the new racing game, and, at least on the low end, Forza Horizon 6 will not ask players for a lot when it comes to hardware. The minimum spec for the game to run is an Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 paired with 16 GB of RAM, an SSD, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, Radeon RX 6500 XT, or Intel Arc A380 GPU. This should make the game playable at 1080p, 60 FPS at low settings preset. For 1440p at 60 FPS and high settings, or the recommended hardware spec, Horizon 6 will demand an Intel Core i5-12400F or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, Radeon RX 6700 XT, or Intel Arc A580 GPU and 16 GB of memory.

The "Extreme" requirements, which target 4K native at 60 FPS, call for an Intel Core i7-12700K or AMD Ryzen 7 7700X with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT with 24 GB of RAM, while the "Extreme RT" option, which targets 4K upscaled with Ray Tracing enabled, bumps up the GPU requirement to an RTX 5070 Ti or an AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT as well as requiring 32 GB of RAM and an NVMe SSD. The game also supports DLSS 4, AMD FSR 3 and 4, and Intel XeSS 2.1, as well as Ray Traced Reflections and Global Illumination, and the engine aims for "high, uncapped framerates," and will support both the Valve Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally handhelds, although there is no word on whether there will be a graphics preset for the handhelds.

Each week, new games and apps integrating NVIDIA DLSS, NVIDIA Reflex, and advanced ray-traced effects are released or announced, delivering the definitive PC experience for GeForce RTX players. This week, Screamer launches with DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, followed by Subliminal on the 31st. And Playground Games has announced that Forza Horizon 6 is launching May 19th with DLSS 4 and ray tracing.

Additionally, we've unveiled NVIDIA DLSS 5, which delivers an AI-powered breakthrough in visual fidelity by infusing pixels with photorealistic lighting and materials, bridging the gap between rendering and reality.

Shine-through keycaps are one of the points of contention where the enthusiast keyboard market and fans of gaming and budget keyboards clash. With the rise of enthusiast-grade pre-built mechanical keyboards, though, things have become complicated, with buyers of mid-range and more affordable enthusiast-tier mechanical keyboards often longing for shine-through keycaps on those keyboards. This was one of the common gripes about Iqunix's Magi and MQ series low-profile mechanical keyboards when they launched, despite the overall positive community sentiment surrounding those keyboards. According to a new post by the official Iqunix team on r/Iqunix on Reddit, the brand has heard the community's feedback regarding shine-through keycaps and is planning to release shine-through keycaps for its MQ80 and Magi-series low profile keyboards.

Iqunix says it has not yet confirmed production with the OEM, but has reached out to the community in an interest check, since it will be small-batch production, and the brand needs 1,000 units spoken for before entering production. The idea with Iqunix prototyping and selling the keycaps itself is that it will color-match the keycaps with the aluminium keyboard cases and ensure compatibility with the Kailh Choc V2 low-profile switches and the north-facing lighting on the MQ and Magi-series keyboards. It has not yet released images of the keycaps on the Magi-series keyboards, but the white versions of the MQ80 and the Magi keyboards are two very different colors, with the Magi taking on a sort of creamy off-white color, suggesting that there will be three colorways for the keycaps. The keycaps will be PBT and follow the same profile as the original Magi and MQ80 keyboards—that is to say, uniform height with a spherical top.

CRKD, the premium collectible gaming brand known for their highly popular Nitro Deck, and line of premium rhythm gaming products, announced today the ULT PRO, a next-generation professional wireless gaming controller featuring multi-platform connectivity and an array of state-of-the-art technology.

Ideal for professional or competitive gamers who demand precision, customization, and multi-platform compatibility, the ULT PRO sets a new standard in performance, yet is priced competitively, allowing any gamer to take advantage of its premium feature set. Compatible with Nintendo Switch 2 | 1, PC, mobile devices, tablets and Smart TVs, the ULT PRO offers exceptional versatility, seamlessly adapting to a wide variety of gaming platforms.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the 2026 evolution of the Razer Blade 16. While maintaining its iconic, industry-leading chassis as the thinnest gaming laptop in Razer's history, the new 2026 model shifts into a new gear of performance for gamers, content creators, and professionals who demand power on the go.

By prioritizing the latest silicon breakthroughs from Intel and faster-than-ever memory clock speeds, the new Blade 16 is engineered for those who demand the latest-generation processing in a form factor that remains impossibly slim.

Intel just announced the Arc Pro B70 and B65 GPUs with the Arc Xe2 Battlemage architecture, featuring 32 and 24 Xe2 cores, respectively—see TechPowerUp's launch coverage fore more details—but it did not include information on pricing or availability. Fortunately, for those interested in the workstation graphics cards, Newegg has listed the Arc Pro B70 online, spilling the beans on price and a prospective launch date.

According to the pre-order page, the Arc Pro B70 will cost $949.99 and launch on April 24, 2026. Unfortunately, there is no listing for the Arc Pro B65 just yet, but that should launch around the same time as the B70 and will likely be priced somewhere between the B60's current retail price of $659.99 and the Arc Pro B70's $949.99 price, thanks to the increased VRAM on the B65.

Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) today introduces a transformed commercial portfolio spanning Dell Pro notebooks, Dell Pro Precision workstations, desktops, monitors and client peripherals. Thinner, lighter and more powerful, the new lineup brings a bold, refined design language to commercial devices—prioritizing sleeker silhouettes, premium materials and modern details that elevate everyday productivity. With advances in cooling, power efficiency and support for on-device AI, the portfolio delivers improved performance and long battery life in more portable form factors, enabling a consistent, elevated experience for everyone from frontline workers to senior executives.

Why it matters
Users want sleek, powerful devices. IT needs security, manageability and budget discipline. Dell's reimagined commercial portfolio delivers both. Advanced engineering—modular architecture, improved thermals, AI-ready silicon—allows thinner, lighter designs that maintain enterprise-grade performance and control. Organizations can now deploy modern hardware that professionals prefer without compromising on the standards IT demands.

Intel launches the new Xeon 600 series "Granite Rapids-WS" processors targeting workstations and HEDTs (high-end desktops). These had been announced in February. These processors mainly target AI development, where you take advantage of Intel AMX (FP16) accelerators, and a fully-fledged AVX-512 instruction set, along with a large PCIe I/O. The key talking point with this processor is its Compute complex. The processor comes with up to 86 "Redwood Cove" P-cores. These are the same P-cores powering Core Ultra "Meteor Lake" processors, and feature Hyper-Threading, besides a full-fat AVX-512 pipeline. The top-speed SKU hence comes with an 86-core/172-thread configuration, with a maximum Turbo Boost frequency of 4.80 GHz. Intel claims that the core-configuration offers a 61% multithreaded performance gain over the previous generation.

The Intel Xeon 600 series is built in the LGA4710 package, and supports Intel W890 chipset. It is configured with an 8-channel DDR5 memory interface (16 sub-channels), supporting up to 4 TB of ECC DDR5 memory, with speeds of up to DDR5-8000 being supported. The processor's PCIe root complex puts out 128 PCI-Express Gen 5 lanes. Intel is also offering CPU overclocking features with these processors. There are as many as 11 processor models, with core-counts ranging from the top 86-core/172-thread down to 12-core/24-thread, all models come with 8-channel ECC DDR5 memory and PCI-Express 5.0 x128. All processor models support Intel vPro remote manageability feature-set.

Intel today announced its ambitious Core Ultra Series 3 vPro "Panther Lake" mobile processors for commercial notebooks. The processors build on the Core Ultra Series 3 processors launched in the consumer segment earlier this year, bolstering them with the entire Intel vPro platform for remote manageability and enhanced enterprise security. The new "Panther Lake" microarchitecture debuts the Intel 18A foundry-node, a must-win foundry note for Intel that offers superior transistor density, energy efficiency, and clock speeds compared to the TSMC N3 foundry node on which Intel built its previous Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" and Core Ultra Series 2 "Arrow Lake" mobile processors.

The new "Panther Lake" architecture introduces the new "Cougar Cove" P-core that's optimized for Intel 18A node with enhancements to its branch predictor, memory disambiguation, and TLB improvements to provide a minor IPC increase over the previous "Lion Cove" P-core. The new "Darkmont" E-core further pushes up IPC over the previous "Skymont." Intel Thread Director sees further improvements for more accurate scheduling. The processors launching today come with the entire constellation of Intel vPro manageability features, including Device Discovery, Innovation Platform Framework, Unique Platform ID, total memory encryption with multi-key, Stable IT Platform, Intel AMT, platform service record, remote erase, one-click recovery, and CET. Security features include Intel TXT, platform trust technology, VT with redirect protection, Boot Guard, BIOS Guard, partner security engine, linear address-space separation, and Intel Threat Detection technology.

Intel today announced the Arc Pro B70 and Arc Pro B65 graphics cards for advanced AI compute workloads on workstations, and professional visualization. The two primarily target local inferencing, software development, and deployments in multi-GPU configurations for rack scale AI GPU compute acceleration. The Arc B70 GPU in particular stands out, because it is the most powerful discrete GPU based on Intel Xe2 "Battlemage" graphics architecture, with 32 Xe cores, and a 256-bit wide GDDR6 interface. If you recall, the Arc B580 gaming GPU only comes with 24 Xe cores and a 192-bit interface, and we for long wondered if Intel would ever max out the silicon for a more powerful SKU. The Arc B70 is that SKU.

The Intel Arc Pro B70 is configured with 32 Xe cores (Xe2-HPG), 256 XMX engines, and 32 Ray Tracing Units. It comes with 32 GB of GDDR6 memory across a 256-bit wide memory interface, with 608 GB/s of bandwidth on tap. The card comes with a PCI-Express 5.0 x16 host interface. The Arc B70 offers a peak throughput of 367 TOPS (INT8). On the graphics side of things, it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.3. Compute APIs include Intel's own oneAPI, OpenCL 3.0, and OpenVINO. Its media engine supports AV1, HEVC, VP9, and H.265 hardware-accelerated encode and decode. Display outputs include four DisplayPort 2.1 ports. The card comes with power draw ranging between 160 W to 290 W depending on partner implementation (230 W for the Intel reference card). Intel will provide certified drivers for Windows 11, Windows 10, and Linux.

Citrix announced that the Citrix VDI (virtual desktop) platform has been updated with greater awareness of Intel Hybrid core architecture, particularly for processors with low-power island E-cores (LPE cores). The company also announced that Citrix will leverage Intel Video Processing Library to implement a display stream super resolution feature that should improve image-quality in virtual desktop sessions. Since Citrix is essentially "GeForce NOW for work," the client's side of the application has a tiny compute footprint, of decoding the display stream from the server, and conveying user inputs to it. The new LPE-core awareness lets Citrix Desktop confine its workload to the low-power island, allowing the processor to clock-gate, or even power-gate the main CPU complex, significantly improving battery life on commercial notebooks handed out by businesses to their employees.

First-party testing by Citrix shows that LPE-core awareness is found to reduce power consumption by up to 25% on commercial notebooks. For administrators, the update requires no IT policy changes, simply deploy the latest version of Citrix desktop across clients, and the application will automatically detect and work with processors featuring low-power island E-cores. LPE cores were introduced by Core Ultra "Meteor Lake" mobile processors. These got a major update in significance with Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake," where all "Skymont" E-cores of the chip are located in the low-power island of the SoC tile, separate from the Compute complex. The latest Core Ultra 300 "Panther Lake" builds on LPE core concept with up to 4 "Darkmont" LPE cores.

Last week, we reported that Intel is preparing to increase CPU prices by 10% across its client PC sector. However, a new report from Nikkei Asia suggests that AMD is also joining this trend, with plans for a PC CPU price hike as well. Reportedly, AMD Ryzen CPUs could see prices rise by 15% compared to the same time last year, when prices were typically around the MSRP at retailers. Now, as CPU demand has depleted inventories and the focus remains on server and data center CPU production, capacity for the client segment has been significantly reduced, leading to little to no inventory for PC enthusiasts. Large OEMs like HP and Dell are among the first to feel the pressure from the dwindling supply chain and have reported a significant gap between demand and supply for their PC systems.

Nikkei also notes that both AMD and Intel have informed their clients that CPU price increases will take effect by the end of March and into April, which should start to manifest very soon. What used to be a one or two-week wait from order to CPU shipment has now stretched to a process lasting eight to twelve weeks. This means that a CPU batch ordered in April might not arrive until June. This period is expected to be the worst in terms of supply in the second quarter of this year. Even if OEMs are willing to pay extra to secure CPU supply, availability is lacking. The CPU shortage is worsening daily, coinciding with the ongoing memory and storage shortage we are already experiencing.

GAMDIAS, a global leader in high-performance gaming hardware, announces the ATLAS M5 Series, a new mid-tower case lineup designed for immersive performance and standout aesthetics. Featuring a panoramic showcase and three built-in NOTUS M1 ARGB PWM fans, the case delivers both visual impact and efficient cooling. Aligned with GAMDIAS' 2026 vision, "AUGMENTED IMMERSION," ATLAS M5 Series showcases the brand's dedication to immersive design and high-grade engineering. "ATLAS M5 Series reflects our commitment to gamers who expect both performance and aesthetics, our goal is to deliver a truly immersive gaming experience at an accessible price" said Stimson Wang, CEO of GAMDIAS. The lineup features the ATLAS M5 CG, distinguished by its seamless one-piece curved tempered glass panel. An embodiment of "Immersion" and a clear expression of GAMDIAS' vision for the year.

The ATLAS M5 Series is designed to present your entire build through a refined panoramic showcase. The ATLAS M5 CG elevates the presentation with a striking L-Shaped curved tempered glass panel, meanwhile the ATLAS M5 features seamless tempered glass panels on the front and side. This immersive design removes visual corner obstructions, delivering an uninterrupted view of the internal components.

High-end GPUs are hungrier than ever, and connector safety is a top priority. MSI's new MPG Ai TS Series PSU introduces GPU Safeguard+, a proactive protection for 12V-2x6 interfaces that stops hardware damage before it even starts.

Proactive Detection, Not Reactive Shutdown
Most PSUs only react after a crash. GPU Safeguard+ is different—it spots hidden issues in real-time to stop damage or melting before it happens. Say goodbye to sudden system crashes. With our "Save Buffer," you'll get instant alerts from a hardware buzzer and a software pop-up screen. This gives you plenty of time to save your work or exit your game safely. Keep your hardware safe and your progress secure.

Alongside "Arrow Lake Refresh," Intel released a new Binary Optimization Tool, available for Core Ultra 270K Plus and 250K Plus SKUs. However, since the tool essentially changes the way .exe applications run, scores on popular benchmarking applications may be deemed invalid. According to Primate Labs, the developer behind Geekbench, the use of Intel's binary optimization tool will result in a special flag on Geekbench scores. Reportedly, as the tool modifies the instruction sequence that the CPU exhibits, benchmark scores will deviate from the standard range. In a standardized benchmarking environment, this is a massive negative consequence, as the inner workings of the Binary Optimization Tool are unknown and resemble a black box that benchmark makers like Primate Labs have to deal with. To combat the use of this tool, Geekbench will now display the message "This benchmark result may be invalid due to binary modification tools that can run on this system" as a warning.

In TechPowerUp's own testing of the Binary Optimization Tool, we found that Intel's Binary Optimization Tool boosts Geekbench v6 single-core performance by 8.2%, while the multi-core score has risen by 7.8%, resulting in about an 8% average uplift in Geekbench testing. Games like Cyberpunk 2077 experience smaller uplifts, while some select titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider can see up to a 22% increase using the Binary Optimization Tool. In reality, Intel only supports 12 games for now, which will expand further as the company labs release more optimizations. For gamers, this is fantastic news as the performance uplift is essentially free without any drawbacks, but for benchmarks, it is a potential issue as it represents an execution mystery since no one outside Intel knows exactly how the tool runs and how the code paths get modified.

GAMEMAX, a rising innovator in PC gaming hardware, today announced the MAX PB-Series 80 Plus Bronze Power Supply, a new lineup designed to deliver stable, efficient, and reliable power for modern gaming systems.

Engineered to meet the demands of today's hardware, the GAMEMAX MAX PB-Series is fully compliant with the latest Intel ATX 3.1 specification, supporting high transient power loads from next-generation GPUs while maintaining consistent performance. Built with premium internal components and a robust power design, the MAX PB-Series is positioned as a dependable and cost-effective solution for entry-level and mainstream PC builders.

Colorful Technology Company Limited, a leading brand in gaming PC components, gaming laptops, and Hi-fi audio products, proudly introduces the iGame Z890 ULTRA-S W and iGame Z890M ULTRA Z motherboards designed to support the latest Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus Series processors. Designed to meet the needs of modern gamers, creators, and PC enthusiasts, both the new iGame ULTRA Series motherboards feature a white color scheme designed to complement the our popular iGame ULTRA W Series graphics cards.

With high-speed memory support, robust power delivery, and user-centric features such as simplified building mechanisms and cleaner cable management approaches, the new iGame Z890 series aims to deliver a balance of performance, usability, and distinctive visual identity for today's high-performance PC builds.

Lofree is no stranger to peculiar peripheral designs, with the brand having previously released devices like the Hypace wireless gaming mouse and the Lofree Flow 2, with all its ergonomic quirks. It seems as though Lofree's next release, the Hyzen keyboard, may be even more unique than even those examples. The Hyzen is a futuristic, but otherwise unassuming 65% keyboard made out of CNC-cut aluminium, but its design conceals a few nifty features and an entirely new switch design that supposedly combines the best of both mechanical and magnetic tech. The Hyzen will be a wireless keyboard with a gasket mount design, and Lofree claims that the 10,000 mAh battery can last up to 80 hours. It will launch on Kickstarter on April 23, but early bird reservations are available on the Lofree site ahead of the official launch. Kickstarter pricing plans include the tri-mode wireless version priced at $189 with a $299 claimed MSRP further down the line or a $169 wired version that will later retail for $279.

The Nexus switch is a hybrid mechanical switch, designed by Lofree in collaboration with Kailh, that features both a magnet in the stem for TMR functionality and metal contacts and pins for traditional mechanical operation. Lofree says that the new switch design, which it claims is the first of its kind, combines the tactile feedback of mechanical switches with the low latency, customizable actuation distance and analog features of TMR switches. Aside from the new switches, the keyboard also has a physical toggle that switches the number row to a function row, with the function indicated by a row of LEDs above the num row when the function row is active. The Hyzen also has a knob on the back edge for volume control and a switch to select between 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth, and wired operation. It will also be powered by a Nordic nRF54L series MCU and be capable of 8 kHz polling.

Shortly after AMD released FSR 4, claiming that the tech was exclusive to the latest RDNA 4 GPUs, the company seemingly accidentally published the libraries that make up the backbone of the tech, revealing that there may have been a version of FSR 4 planned for RDNA 3 and RDNA 2 GPUs. While this open-sourced oops was later used by modders to bring support to the aforementioned Radeon RX 7000 and 6000 GPUs, a recent Digital Foundry interview with Sony's Mark Cerny suggests that the INT8 version of FSR 4 may have been a compatibility version of the upscaling tech that would later make an appearance as Upgraded PSSR (or PSSR 2.0) on the PlayStation 5 Pro and its RDNA 2 GPU.

According to Cerny, "FSR Redstone and the new PSSR have somewhat different implementations due to the underlying hardware, e.g. FSR Upscaling uses 8-bit floating point and PSSR uses 8-bit integer." He adds that "in practice, the same model is used, but it's trained on different data, e.g. if targeting a 2:1 fixed upscale then the training data used is just for that upscaling ratio - and that different training results in different parameters...not seeing too much difference in results, the various flavors in the updated FSR Upscaling really are rather close to the new PSSR." He also mentions that, on PC, because players are generally so much closer to their monitors than living room gamers are to their TVs, the goals of FSR and PSSR differ slightly.

Asha Sharma has faced her fair share of criticism since stepping into the role of CEO of Microsoft Gaming earlier in 2026, but she has repeatedly made statements that she would try to guide the company in what she calls a "return to Xbox," with a focus on in-house hardware. According to a new report by The Information, one of Sharma's first moves as CEO of Microsoft Gaming will be to introduce a new lower-price tier of Game Pass in order to attract new gamers to the service and to make the service inticing to a broader range of consumers.

This comes shortly after Microsoft renamed the Windows Full Screen Experience to Xbox Mode, perhaps a rebranding in the name of unifying Microsoft's gaming offerings—a mission that is clearly part of Microsoft's plan, given that its next-gen console is confirmed to be a PC-console hybrid. Previously, there were rumors of an ad-supported tier for Xbox Cloud Gaming, but Microsoft also increased the price of Game Pass across the board as recently as October 2025. A Microsoft executive previously confirmed that Game Pass was profitable as a service, but that Xbox had to emphasize flexibility in its strategy, and introducing a cheaper Game Pass tier may be a viable way to draw in new Game Pass gamers, some of whom will presumably hop over to the more premium tiers, depending on Microsoft's implementation of the new entry-level tier.

There has been much said about OpenAI's Sora video app—both positive, about how the tech would make video creators and social media influencers obsolete, and negative, about how it would kill creativity and fill the internet with soulless slop—but it seems like neither side of that argument will ever get to find out if they were correct. In a recent post on X, OpenAI announced that it would be shutting down both the Sora app and API, suggesting a pivot away from video generation at OpenAI. A final date for the app and API closure has not yet been announced, but OpenAI says it will reveal more information soon.

Following the announcement, The Hollywood Reporter reported that a Disney spokesperson had confirmed that the media giant would be withdrawing a previously announced $1 billion investment into OpenAI's video generation model and product. Disney's statement reads: "As the nascent AI field advances rapidly, we respect OpenAI's decision to exit the video generation business and to shift its priorities elsewhere. We appreciate the constructive collaboration between our teams and what we learned from it, and we will continue to engage with AI platforms to find new ways to meet fans where they are while responsibly embracing new technologies that respect IP and the rights of creators." The closure of Sora comes after backlash and legal action against OpenAI from a number of publishers, including Square Enix, Bandai Namco, and Nintendo over AI-generated videos created with some of their characters and other IPs.

One of the reasons players loved the original Splitgate game was its fast-paced, highly kinetic gameplay that relied as much on positioning as it did gunplay and tactics. Despite its somewhat rough start to life, Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, featured many of those same mechanics. In a recent video announcing Splitgate: Arena Reloaded Season 2, Ian Proulx, CEO of 1047 Games, announced that "a small section of the team" has started working on a new movement shooter that takes inspiration from Titanfall and Call of Duty Black Ops 3. While he doesn't share much more beyond that, Proulx did ask the community for feedback on what players would like to see from a game like that and has published a form for play-testers to apply to test the new game. The fact that the studio is already recruiting play testers suggests that the game has been in development for a good while. The studio was also sure to follow up the announcement with a post on X clarifying that 1047 Games is not abandoning Splitgate: Arena Reloaded now that there's another game in the works.

Proulx says that part of the reason for pursuing a new game is that 1047 Games has always had the dream of being a multi-game studio, and the timing of the announcement suggests that a second project may have been partly motivated by the recent backlash against 1047 Games following the middling launch of Splitgate: Arena Reloaded. For its part, Splitgate: Arena Reloaded Season 2 will launch before the end of March and introduce a number of new features, many of them based on community feedback, including a more cohesive theme, a new battle pass and accompanying skins, three new maps, a new biome that's a twist on a biome from Splitgate 1, and a classic Splitgate 1 TDM gameplay starts, which have been heavily requested by the community. Season 2 will also reintroduce time trial races from Splitgate 1, replete with user-created maps with their own leaderboards. Players will also be able to buy all of the Splitgate: Arena Reloaded Season 2 battle pass with the Splitcoin in-game premium currency instead of needing to spend real money aside from Splitcoin they may already have.

Not four months ago, we reported on Steam breaking 42 million concurrent players, but much like Crimson Desert's recent success, Valve's gaming platform doesn't seem to be slowing down, even during an unlikely time of year. According to SteamDB, Steam has once again broken its own record for concurrent players, reaching 42,318,602 players on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at 14:20 UTC. Steam's own statistics report a peak concurrent player count of 42,282,922 players, which is a little less than SteamDB reports, but still a record high.

Compared to February 2026, which itself was a slower month for the gaming giant, Steam saw an increase of over a million players at its peak. This doesn't necessarily mean all of those players were in-game—in fact, SteamDB reports that there were only 13,731,783 players in-game at the time of the new record. The new player count record was set on a Sunday, which tends to be Steam's busiest day of the week both for players on the platform and in-game. This new player-count record comes in spite of a recent spate of layoffs and studio closures, which have historically signalled a downturn in the gaming industry.

When you walk into someone's home, you can usually tell what matters to them. Some rooms show it in the colors on the wall. Others in the art they choose or the books left open on a side table. Increasingly, there is another kind of expression. It is not seen as much as it is felt. It is the presence of technology that does not draw attention to itself but transforms the room when you need it to.

This idea guided the creation of the newest generation of Denon Home wireless speakers. The Denon Home 200, 400 and 600 were designed not only to deliver exceptional sound, but to sit comfortably within the fabric of everyday life. Denon's engineering and design teams began with a simple question: What if a speaker could truly feel like part of the home?

Epic Games has just announced a round of layoffs in an effort to save costs following a downturn in engagement on Fortnite. A recent post to the Epic Games news page explains that "The downturn in Fortnite engagement that started in 2025 means we're spending significantly more than we're making, and we have to make major cuts to keep the company funded," and Epic says that the layoffs are part of company-wide cost-cutting measures that aim to reduce expenses by over $500 million in order to stabilize the company's finances. These other cost-savings measures will affect contracting, marketing, and hiring at the company, and any staff affected by the layoffs will receive severance packages of at least four months of base pay—with that amount increasing depending on tenure at the company.

The Epic layoffs will affect 1,000 workers, and Epic seems to blame both industry-wide challenged and its reliance on Fortnite as its major cash cow for its financial troubles, with Epic CEO, Tim Sweeney emphasizing that "the layoffs aren't related to AI," and explaining that Epic wants "as many awesome developers developing great content and tech as we can." He also goes on to say that Epic has struggled to deliver "Fortnite magic with every season," and noting that the game is in its early stages of returning to mobile platforms, but that the goal going forward will be to focus on "fresh seasonal content, gameplay, story, and live events," while focusing on Fortnite's user-generated content and on upgrading from Unreal Engine 5 to Unreal Engine 6. The full statement regarding Epic's layoffs follows.

PC pricing in Taiwan may see a significant increase next quarter, as ASUS Joint Technology Systems Division General Manager Yi-Hsiang Liao has announced a planned 30% price hike across the company's entire product line. He explains that the extremely high costs of DRAM and SSD storage, combined with a shortage of CPUs, are driving this increase. ASUS also claims that this issue is not limited to their company, as every Taiwanese PC maker will face similar challenges. Reportedly, ASUS did not comment on whether the price increase will affect overseas markets or remain exclusive to Taiwan. However, it seems likely that rising component costs in Taiwan will also impact Western markets, which have already experienced significant price increases in recent months.

UDN, Machine TranslatedYesterday, ASUS, in partnership with Qualcomm, held a press conference for its new Zenbook A16 laptop. During an interview, Liao Yi-hsiang, General Manager of ASUS United Technology Systems Business, revealed that ASUS has confirmed that PC prices in Taiwan will increase by 25% to 30% or more in the second quarter, with varying increases across different models.

AMD's RDNA 4m graphics might be the company's most mysterious GPU IP, as they are reportedly rebranding some of their RDNA 3.5 IP to fit INT8 data types and support FSR 4 technology. We previously reported that AMD designated the GFX1170 target for RDNA 4m. However, in the latest merge request for the LLVM compiler, AMD added two new software IDs: GFX1171 and GFX1172 GPUs. These targets are not true RDNA 4 GPUs, which belong to a GFX12 branch, but rather extensions of RDNA 3. What was thought to be RDNA 3.5 has now evolved into RDNA 4m, which will power AMD's Ryzen 500 "Medusa Point" series of APUs. With RDNA 3.5 / RDNA 4m expected to be used by AMD until 2029, it makes sense for AMD to adapt RDNA 3.5 into RDNA 4m with support for FSR 4 upscaling technology.

In contrast, "Medusa Halo" will utilize AMD's next-generation RDNA 5 / UDNA GPU microarchitecture. "Medusa Point" will introduce a desktop-exclusive RDNA 4 with the new RDNA 4m variant. Although we initially lack comparisons between the two, some instruction set extensions, such as WMMA and SWMMAC instructions, indicate support in the new "GFX1170" GPU, which should be associated with the GFX11 generation, also known as RDNA 3. Currently, this is believed to be an upgraded RDNA 3 with many RDNA 4 modules, enabling FSR 4 support even on the less powerful "Medusa Point" APU.

The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced a ban on all new Wi-Fi routers made outside the "land of the free." With a clear goal of eliminating external supply chain vulnerabilities, the FCC has been collaborating with the White House to prohibit the sale of foreign-made Wi-Fi routers in the domestic market. Reportedly, the FCC claims that having foreign Wi-Fi routers in American homes has been a significant loophole for other countries to exploit, as Wi-Fi routers are one of the most critical points of security in any home network. These devices have long been targets of foreign attacks, which have disrupted security and introduced supply chain risks by creating points of failure that the U.S. government cannot control or prevent. These routers were sold openly to telecommunication companies or purchased by consumers independently. Additionally, foreign routers have been implicated in cyberattacks targeting vital U.S. infrastructure, such as Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon.

Interestingly, this decision does not affect any routers that consumers have already purchased. "Consumers can continue to use any router they have already lawfully purchased or acquired," notes the FCC. Furthermore, the FCC will allow any previously approved router models to continue being sold and imported. Only new router models will need to undergo FCC approval, which is a separate procedure coordinated with the Department of War (DoW) or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Both DoW and DHS grants of Conditional Approvals are honored by the FCC to ensure that devices receiving this approval can continue to be sold without posing a national threat.

Arm has made a significant move stepping into production silicon for the first time in its history with the launch of the Arm AGI CPU, a data center processor designed specifically for agentic AI workloads. For over three decades, Arm has been purely an IP licensing business. With the launch of its AGI CPU series, Arm made a fundamental shift in how the company positions itself in the market. The AGI CPU is built on a 3 nm process, packs up to 136 Neoverse V3 cores, runs at a 300 W TDP, and delivers 6 GB/s of memory bandwidth per core at under 100 ns latency. It supports up to 6 TB per chip and DDR5-8800 speeds. On the I/O side, the chip features 96 PCIe Gen 6 lanes along with CXL 3.0 and AMBA CHI (Coherent Hub Interface) links. Each core handles a dedicated program thread, which Arm says eliminates throttling and idle threads under sustained load.

Specifically important in the data center business, density figures are notable. Air-cooled systems can fit up to 8,160 cores per rack, while liquid-cooled systems push that above 45,000. Data centers are expected to need more than four times the current CPU capacity per gigawatt to keep up, and Arm is arguing that x86 architecture carries too much overhead and complexity for this new class of workload. Arm claims more than 2x performance per rack versus x86, adding that this can translate to potential savings of up to $10 billion per gigawatt of AI data center capacity.

Mozilla has officially launched Firefox 149.0, which is now available for download in the release channel. Firefox 149 introduces a number of bug fixes, many of which were announced in previous beta versions, but there are also a handful of new features that may significantly impact the user experience. Mozilla has taken a page out of Zen Browser's books with a new split mode for loading two webpages side-by-side in split view, introduced a free VPN and added a new "share" button to the toolbar. Firefox will also now automatically block website notifications and revoke malicious websites—as flagged by SafeBrowsing—by default.

Split view can be triggered by right-clicking a link and selecting the split tabs option or by selecting two tabs and clicking the split tabs button in the address bar. Firefox's free built-in VPN, which is directed at security-conscious users, allowing users to mask their location, hide their IP, and protect their data for free. The VPN will require a Mozilla account, there is a data cap of 50 GB per month, and the rollout is starting with France, Germany, the UK, and the US as of version 149's release. Firefox Labs also now features a tab notes feature, for which the developers are seeking feedback during this release. Firefox has also officially implemented hardware acceleration for PDFs, which means documents should load significantly faster. As usual, there is also a stack of under-the-hood changes to Firefox 149, like modern API implementations and a new TrustPanel, and you can check those out in the official update notes.

It was recently revealed that Nintendo is planning an updated Nintendo Switch 2 with a user-replaceable battery that is meant to comply with new EU rules on repairability. That device is reportedly not destined for the US, but Nintendo has also made a more recent change to the Switch 2 for the US market. Specifically, according to Bloomberg, Nintendo plans to cut production of the Switch 2 handheld by as much as 33% due to unexpectedly low US sales during the recent holiday period.

The new production guidelines will reportedly see Nintendo produce an estimated 4 million Switch 2 consoles during Q2, down from its initial 6 million-unit plan. Bloomberg's sources claim that Nintendo declined to increase production targets despite the successful launch of Pokémon Pokopia, instead opting to wait and see if recent releases for the platform will continue to perform well before producing more hardware. Part of the change could also be logistical in nature. Nintendo has previously acknowledged the increased memory and storage prices that have plagued the consumer electronics market of late, and the production cut is likely a move to reduce risk during a time when hardware is more expensive to produce.

Razer, the world's leading lifestyle brand for gamers, proudly announces the launch of the Razer Viper V4 Pro and Razer Gigantus V2 Pro. The latest evolution of esports gear by the #1 gaming mouse brand amongst pro-gamers - this new duo is engineered to give players an edge in today's most demanding competitive game titles.

The Viper V4 Pro takes one of the world's most trusted esports mice and makes it lighter, faster, and more precise, while the Gigantus V2 Pro reimagines Razer's flagship soft gaming mouse mat with five distinct speed ratings so players can choose the surface that locks in the way they play.

JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in standards development for the microelectronics industry, today announced the publication of JESD406-5D: LPDDR5/5X Serial Presence Detect (SPD) Contents standard, an update of the Revision C standard that adds support for calculating recovery time when switching operating modes. JESD406-5D is available for free download from the JEDEC website.

LPDDR5/5X memory devices are capable of supporting two sets of timing parameters: a full speed mode and a reduced speed mode that consumes less power. This feature allows for longer battery life for mobile devices which are a common application for LPDDR5/5X chips and modules and may also be leveraged by data centers as the use of LPDDR5/5X devices grows. The updated JESD406-5 standard documents key parameters for calculating the switching time between fast and low power modes, making the feature more efficient and allowing higher system performance.

Ayaneo, a well-known handheld gaming PC maker, has suspended its preorders for the Next 2 gaming handheld PC due to what the company describes as unsustainable pricing of its materials, making manufacturing and sales impossible. In an update on its Indiegogo page for the Next 2 device, Ayaneo states that the cost of storage has been higher than the company anticipated, surpassing an already inflated price quote. However, after the Chinese New Year, suppliers began providing quotes that exceeded every reasonable level, making Ayaneo's original lowest price of $1,999 for a device with an AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 processor, 32 GB of LPDDR5X memory, and 1 TB of SSD storage unfeasible. While the company offered more expensive variants with up to a Ryzen AI Max+ 395 SoC, 128 GB of RAM, and 2 TB of storage, even a price tag of $4,299 was insufficient to offset the losses from the costly components. The expensive RAM, very expensive NAND Flash, and AMD SoCs meant Ayaneo would be selling these handheld PCs at a massive loss.

This is where the advantage of larger OEMs comes into play, as they can secure slightly better contracts with memory and storage manufacturers, allowing them to get memory pricing into a somewhat decent range and even absorb losses until they can no longer sell their new PCs. Smaller makers like Ayaneo are not in such a position, and the company was forced to stop offering the Next 2 handheld for sale.

Chuwi recently made news for all the wrong reasons, with Notebookcheck finding that the CoreBook Plus and CoreBook X laptops shipped with older, significantly worse, CPUs than the spec sheet claimed. Previously, AMD issued a statement on the matter, washing its hands of the incident and placing the blame squarely—and seemingly fairly—on Chuwi's head. Now, Chuwi itself has stepped up to the plate and issued a response regarding the false CPU advertising.

In a recent blog post, Chuwi blames a production error for the CoreBook X and CoreBook Plus CPU mix-up, stating that a "limited number" of the laptops were assembled with the incorrect CPUs. It goes on to say that affected users should contact Chuwi to request a refund by sending an e-mail to service@chuwi.com or by going through the original purchase channel. Chuwi notes that any returned and refunded devices will need to be in the "original condition with all accessories included," which may be impossible in some cases. The brand has also set a deadline of May 31, 2026, for returns, which is a little over two months from the date of the announcement.

NVIDIA has released GeForce 595.97 WHQL, a minor bug-fix update with no new Game Ready titles this time. The driver is part of the R595 branch, which has had a fair number of issues. The 595.59 release was pulled entirely back in February after users reported fan detection failures and clock instability, and 595.79 followed shortly after to address a separate batch of issues. This latest release addresses three remaining issues: texture corruption in Halo Infinite on R595 drivers, stability issues in HITMAN World of Assassination when NVIDIA Smooth Motion is enabled, and crashes triggered when enabling DLSS Frame Generation while Instant Replay is active. Known issues still present include missing terrain in some areas of Enshrouded and occasional stutter in Arknights: Endfield. No general bugs are listed as fixed this time.

DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce 595.97 WHQL

Phison Electronics, a global leader in NAND flash controllers and storage solutions, today announced its expansion of Pascari portfolio offerings across the European Union (EU), to be showcased at CloudFest 2026 from March 24-26, 2026 in booth G25. The company's reinforced commitment to the region comes with expanded partner engagement, distribution alignment and regional investment.

Global memory supply shortages are increasingly impacting cloud service providers (CSPs), hyperscalers and OEM server manufacturers across the EU as organizations prepare for new AI-driven revenue streams. In response, data center architects and IT leads are solving system challenges from the supply strain by addressing the infrastructure stack level, with particular focus on high-performance storage.

Today, at HP Imagine 2026, HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) announced its next evolution of high-performance gaming with the new HyperX OMEN MAX 45L, HyperX OMEN 35L, expanded OMEN AI game support, and new OMEN Gaming Hub capabilities. Together, these innovations combine advanced hardware, intelligent optimization, and creative tools to elevate how gamers play, compete, and create. The lineup brings HyperX's vision for the future of play to life across hardware and software, enhancing both player and machine capability to unlock greater potential. From elite desktop power and modular expandability to AI-driven optimization, HyperX continues to deliver high-end gaming experiences that are more adaptable, more personal, and more capable.

"At HP, we put gamers first in everything we build," said Josephine Tan, Senior Vice President and Division President of Personal Systems Gaming Solutions at HP Inc. "With the new HyperX OMEN desktops, OMEN AI, and OMEN Gaming Hub experiences, we're bringing together powerful hardware and intelligent software to deliver more performance, simpler optimization, greater control, and more fun."

Today, at HP Imagine 2026, HP Inc. announced a new generation of HP Z Workstations, and AI solutions to give people world-class high-performance compute, while also helping IT organizations modernize their infrastructure for a hybrid future. Across industries, power users such as engineers, architects, product designers, AI developers, and professional creators are facing unprecedented pressure as workflows grow more complex and performance demands accelerate. At the same time, IT leaders must balance these needs against cost, security, and manageability. HP's latest Z portfolio addresses both challenges and delivers uncompromising performance, future‑proof design, and solutions that help customers deploy the right compute in the right place at the right time.

"Technology and high-performance workflows are evolving faster than ever," said Jim Nottingham, SVP and Division President, Advanced Compute Solutions. "HP Z workstations are built to equip the best and brightest professionals with the tools they need for specialized workflows and AI at the edge, while giving IT decision makers the ability to scale performance responsibly."

Microsoft is renaming its Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) to the simpler "Xbox mode" to make the feature more appealing to a broader audience. Announced at this March's GDC 2026 conference, Microsoft confirmed that Xbox FSE is gradually being rebranded as Xbox mode, branded with a lower-case "m". This mode has been shown to enhance performance and reduce RAM usage, making it attractive to handheld console gamers and enthusiasts who plan to use it on their PCs to boost performance by minimizing background task load. In CPU-intensive games, this mode can provide a few extra frames per second and overall lower RAM usage, resulting in a smoother experience. According to the ASUS ROG Ally Life account on X, this feature has started rolling out to the Xbox Insider program with application version 2604.1000.30.0.

We have already observed that Xbox FSE, now called Xbox mode, enhances performance by using less system RAM than the standard Windows 11 desktop mode, as confirmed by MSI. Recently, Microsoft introduced this feature to regular Windows PCs, allowing them to play games using Xbox mode. MSI has confirmed that its handhelds running Windows 11 can significantly benefit from this feature. In standard Windows 11 desktop mode, the system uses 8.6 GB of RAM. However, with Xbox mode enabled, RAM usage drops to 7.8 GB, a 9.3% reduction. MSI describes this as a 5% difference based on the total system capacity of 16 GB, rather than the difference between the two usage figures. This reduction in background usage is what Microsoft is aiming for on a larger scale with the regular Windows 11 operating system, promising a smoother user experience and lower RAM usage. Xbox mode demonstrates that this is possible.

Starting today, two new CPU water blocks from Thermal Grizzly are available: the AM5 Mycro Pro RGB and the Intel 1851 Mycro Pro RGB. The coolers consist of a nickel-plated copper base plate, a cooler plate made of tempered acrylic glass, an acrylic jet plate for flow optimization, and a cover made of anodized aluminium. The inlet and outlet ports with G1/4-inch threads are each located in the acrylic glass. A filter in the form of a fine-mesh screen is located at the inlet port. The design of the cooler is identical to that of the Mycro Direct-Die coolers.

• Fine-mesh filter at the inlet port
• Nickel-plated copper cold plate with ultra-high-performance microfins (0.2 mm)
• Metal housing with RGB-illuminated viewing window and internal layout
• Inlet and outlet ports with standard G1/4" threads
• Compatibility lists available online

BenQ, a global leader in interactive display and collaboration technology, today introduced the BenQ Board RP05, its most advanced and powerful AI-ready interactive display to date. Building on the success of the award-winning RP04, the RP05 features a next-generation AI-enabled architecture, faster processing performance, and an expanded software ecosystem, delivering smart, simple, and secure collaboration designed for the future of learning and modern work environments.

Powered by Android 15 and an industry-leading AI architecture featuring a 10 TOPS NPU (Neural Processing Unit), the RP05 is future-compatible, delivering lower latency, reduced lag, and improved processing speed. Schools and organizations can confidently upgrade to new AI capabilities as they are adopted by their teams. The board integrates practical AI tools directly into everyday workflows, streamlining instruction, ideation, and documentation in real time.

SilverStone today announced the FARA 314, a microATX tower case that offers a unique combination of a classic layout with legacy storage options, yet room for contemporary high-end graphics cards. The case features a layout resembling microATX towers from 20 years ago, with the PSU bay located above the motherboard tray. It features a modular drive-cage that includes two 5.25-inch bays, three 3.5-inch bays, and one 2.5-inch bay. In addition, there is a 2.5-inch mount along the motherboard tray, and a 3.5-inch mount along the bottom panel.

Ventilation options in the SilverStone FARA 314 include a 120 mm front intake, and a 120 mm rear exhaust. The only radiator mounting option is a 120 mm along the rear exhaust. The motherboard tray serves up room for graphics cards up to 35.4 cm in length, and CPU coolers up to 15.6 cm in height. The company recommends PSUs no longer than 14 cm to pair with this case for adequate cable mounting clearance. Front panel connectivity includes a 20 Gbps-capable USB 3.2 type-C, two USB 3.2 type-A, and a 4-pole headset jack. Measuring 181 mm x 360 mm x 410 mm (WxHxD), the case dry-weighs 4 kg, and is made mainly of SECC steel. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Microsoft has quietly removed a registry hack workaround that enabled faster NVMe SSD speeds by activating a native NVMe software stack. Late last year, Microsoft gradually introduced native NVMe SSD support in Windows Server 2025 as an opt-in feature. This was significant news for Windows Server users who had been dealing with non-native NVMe SSD processing, which was emulated through a series of commands. For instance, Windows converted NVMe drive commands into SCSI commands, resulting in processing latency and overhead, which slowed down read/write speeds in typically high-performing storage configurations. With native NVMe support, the entire stack and I/O processing have been redesigned to achieve optimal SSD performance, running at native speeds.

Within the Windows enthusiast community, there were a series of registry hacks that allowed the system to run native NVMe processing through various unofficial OS modifications. Below is the old method, which Microsoft has now blocked. Perhaps the reason for blocking this hack is that Microsoft is preparing to launch native NVMe SSD processing with the upcoming Windows 11 25H2 update for everyone and the 26H2 update for Windows-on-Arm devices. For now Windows 11 doesn't support the native NVMe SSD processing, and instead relies on the older drive commands conversion into SCSI.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd, the world's leading brand of performance overclock memory, announces that its existing - and new - DDR5 memory kits have gained Intel Extreme Memory Profile (Intel XMP) 3.0 overclock readiness to support the new Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus Series processors and compatible Intel Z890 chipset motherboards. With support across overclocked specification DDR5 U-DIMM (Unbuffered DIMM) and CU-DIMM (Clocked Unbuffered DIMM) memory kits, Intel XMP 3.0 support provides an easy method to achieve memory overclock performance by enabling the profile in the motherboard BIOS.

As a part of this recognition, G.SKILL may now proudly display the official Intel XMP Identifier Logo, a distinction reserved for memory products that have obtained official Intel XMP certification. This helps identify officially supported DDR5 memory kits, so end users can be confident their hardware combination is validated to reach up to the overclocked memory specification.

Team Group Inc. today announced its participation in Japan IT Week, taking place from April 8 to 10 at Tokyo Big Sight. Under the theme of "Military," the exhibit highlights rugged solutions tailored for defense, security, and military computing applications. The showcase will feature high-reliability DRAM and NAND flash storage solutions with wide-temperature support, as well as data protection technologies that meet stringent military-grade requirements, demonstrating Team Group's strong R&D capabilities in industrial storage and data security. Among the highlights is the Team Group INDUSTRIAL P250Q-M80 M.2 PCIe SSD, featuring a one-click data destruction function that delivers intuitive and irreversible data protection for highly sensitive environments. Team Group welcomes industry partners and visitors to West Hall 4, Booth W25-26, to explore its latest innovations in industrial-grade storage.

The Team Group INDUSTRIAL P250Q-M80 One-Click Data Destruction SSD is designed for high-security environments, including defense and AI edge applications. It features a patented independent destruction circuit that enables dual-mode data destruction function, allowing instant logical erase or physical damage. Furthermore, a built-in power-resume destruction mechanism for harsh conditions ensures the data destruction continues even during unexpected outages, achieving zero data residue upon power restoration. The P250Q also integrates LED indicators and anti-misoperation design, enhancing usability and safety. It has earned the 2025 COMPUTEX Best Choice Award in the Cybersecurity category and the 2026 Taiwan Excellence Award, underscoring Team Group's leadership and innovation in high-security storage solutions.

It's no secret that Borderlands 4 launched with some serious performance issues, but 2K and Gearbox have long promised performance updates and fixes to improve stability and the overall gaming experience in the latest installment in the looter-shooter franchise. In a new update, 2K Games has walked through a number of changes that have been implemented and shown off some of the performance improvements that have been made in Borderlands 4 since the game's launch. Gearbox and 2K tested the game's v 1.5 update compared to the v 1.0.2 launch version across a number of in-game quality settings and with hardware configurations representing the minimum and recommended specs, as well as a typical high-end gaming rig, and found significant improvements in both average, 1% low, and 0.1% low FPS. The blog post detailing the testing and results claims around 20% performance improvement when comparing the launch version of Borderlands 4 to the March update, but things become more interesting when you look at how performance changed depending on the hardware and resolution.

The biggest changes noted in the test results were seen in the native resolution with no DLSS, with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 and Intel Core i7-9700K gaining around 43% FPS at 1080p Low, while the RTX 3080 and i7-12700K gained 26% at 1440p native and high graphics presets. Lastly, the NVIDIA RTX 4080 paired with an Intel Core i7-13700K went from 54.96 FPS to 78.43 FPS at 1440p native with very high graphics settings. The performance improvements with DLSS upscaling were less impressive, at between 17 and 35%, although that's still a notable improvement, especially on the low-end, where frame rates jump from 53 to 67 FPS. 1% and 0.1% lows are up across the board, with some tests seeing 0.1% lows get nearly a 100% improvement, which will make the game feel significantly smoother. The Borderlands development team attributes the performance uplift to general efficiency improvements as well as refinements to the Shader PSO process (Pipeline State Objects). The developers also worked on reducing polygon counts for effects and optimizing features like effects, physics, cloth simulations, and Unreal Engine 5's Virtual Shadow Maps, all of which helped reduce CPU and GPU usage during gameplay.

When news broke about Ubisoft's recent layoffs at Red Storm, which saw 105 people lose their jobs and resulted in the studio being relegated to a support studio for other development outfits and for Ubisoft's Snowdrop engine, it was unclear whether any games would be affected by the layoffs and transition. Now, it has been revealed by Insider Gaming that Red Storm was working on 10 games at the time, including five new games: the next Ghost Recon game (Project OVR internally), a turn-based tactics game reminiscent of XCOM, Tom Clancy's The Division 3, Beyond Good and Evil 2, and a new unannounced project that was very early in the development stages. It's unclear what the studio's role in these new games was, or what their future holds, but Ubisoft has not yet announced any game cancellations or even acknowledged the changes at Red Storm.

Red Storm's full game list is as follows:

via Insider Gaming

• Beyond Good and Evil 2
• Brawlhalla
• Ghost Recon (Project OVR)
• Rainbow Six Siege seasonal content
• Rainbow Six's Slice & Dice
• Splinter Cell
• The Division 2 (audio work)
• The Division 3 conceptualization
• Watch Dogs Director's Cut (support development)
• Unannounced project in conceptualization

Crimson Desert has had an eventful launch, rife with backlash over the use of generative AI, a lack of Intel Arc GPU support, and somewhat mixed reviews painting a different story to the game's player count. Regardless of all the aforementioned issues that Pearl Abyss faced surrounding the launch of Crimson Desert, the game had an objectively strong launch weekend, topping 230,000 concurrent Steam players on launch day and reaching a peak of 248,530 concurrent players on Steam just three days later.

A stronger indicator of the game's success, though, especially a game with strong loot and exploration mechanics, is its player retention after the initial launch, and here, too, Crimson Desert seems to be keeping pace. On Monday, March 23, following the game's launch weekend, Crimson Desert managed a 205,834-player peak, according to SteamDB. Crimson Desert also maintained strong positioning on the Steam sales, where it currently occupies second place for revenue generated, following the seemingly unbeatable Counter-Strike 2. Of course, data on player retention on console platforms may be a different story altogether, but that data is not publicly available.

One of the biggest pain points for Windows 11 users in recent years is Microsoft's insistence to log into an online account to access Windows 11. Seemingly as part of the Windows team's recent initiative to address community feedback, Microsoft may be moving towards a Windows 11 that no longer requires that online account login at the initial setup. While no official plans have been confirmed, Scott Hanselman, a Microsoft Partner Product Manager and VP of Developer Community, recently hinted at the change in a post on X. This announcement comes after Microsoft revealed plans to improve Windows 11 memory management and the overall user experience.

"Ya I hate that. Working on it," reads Hanselman's response to a comment on a post asking about removing the login requirement on Windows 11. While it's unclear what exactly "working on it" means—it could mean he's actively working on the code to remove the login requirement, or that he's working on convincing higher-ups to commit to the change. Either way, in a recent blog post Microsoft announced that it would be making changes to Windows 11 in the name of delivering a quality user experience, such as returning the ability to move the task bar and removing much of the recent flood of Copilot integrations from certain apps. Microsoft removed the known mechanisms to bypass the online account sign-in requirements in October 2025, citing issues that arose because users would accidentally skip setup screens when using those methods, "causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use."

Imagination Technologies has demonstrated 3DMark Fire Strike running on its D-Series GPU using the DirectX 11 API. While this might seem like a minor achievement, it is a significant milestone for the company. Imagination Technologies aims to make its entire GPU IP family compatible with the Windows ecosystem and support Windows gaming seamlessly. Since DirectX is the most influential graphics API, the company is focused on achieving full DirectX 11 support, which has now been successfully implemented on D-Series GPUs based on the PowerVR architecture. For those unfamiliar, the PowerVR GPU architecture was initially used in Apple SoCs, which later evolved into a fully custom Apple solution. This GPU architecture is one of the most influential, alongside AMD's GCN and NVIDIA's CUDA.

3DMark Fire Strike is a DirectX 11 benchmark, so getting it to run on the D-Series is a promising indication that the GPU IP can handle real desktop-style workloads and gaming, rather than just lightweight or embedded graphics tasks. Imagination has described DXD as its first D-Series product with hardware-based DirectX 11 Feature Level 11_0 support. The company aims to demonstrate that its GPUs can manage demanding DirectX workloads in actual silicon. Imagination states that DXD is designed for desktop graphics and cloud gaming, supporting DirectX 11, DirectX 12, Vulkan 1.4, OpenGL 4.6, and OpenCL 3.0. This gives it a much broader software target compared to older mobile-first GPU designs. Imagination also offers E-Series GPU IP, which includes DirectX 12 Feature Level 11_0 support. This suggests that we might see more DirectX 12 enablement once most of the DirectX 11 functionality is complete.

There's been quite the din about DLSS 5 since NVIDIA previewed the AI-powered tech mid-March, with some gamers calling it "AI slop," NVIDIA's CEO firing back a dismissive response, and an official NVIDIA statement that seems to call into question many of the earlier claims NVIDIA made about the technology's capabilities. Now, Chloe Appleby, a program curator at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum, has weighed in on the issue in an interview with GadgetGuy, expressing concerns about the implications about the repeatability and state of a game when DLSS 5 comes into play.

Part of the driving force behind game preservation is that it allows gamers and researchers to go back and experience games throughout history, but technology like DLSS 5 may make that complicated, as Appleby explains: "If these new AI technologies become essential for making and playing games, it has the potential to not only add another layer of potential copyright complexity but bring into question what version of a game should be preserved. Do we preserve both DLSS off and on? Is the DLSS 5 version consistent amongst players and if not, what version represents the collective experience?"

More and more game studios are leaning into generative AI as a solution to speed up their game development workflows, with some using the tech in early development—as was supposedly the case with Crimson Desert recently—while others openly use generative AI for final game content. Capcom recently revealed in an investor briefing that it falls into the former camp, not the latter, claiming that the studio uses generative AI for in-game content, but that is experimenting with the tech in order to find ways to use it in a variety of fields in order to speed up game development.

"Our company will not implement the materials generated by our AI into game content. However, we plan to actively utilize this technology to improve efficiency and productivity in the game development process. Therefore, we are currently exploring ways to use it in various areas, such as graphics, sound, and programming." This is the same approach we have seen a handful of game developers use. Take-Two Interactive's CEO, for instance, recently mentioned that the company was "already seeing instances where generative AI tools are driving costs and time efficiencies," despite being adamant that no generative AI was being used in the creation of its game content. Capcom's approach seems to be similar to that of Sandbox Interactive and Pearl Abyss, both of which used AI-generated in-game assets during early development with the intention of replacing those assets before the game's release, albeit with varying degrees of success.

Inspired by the epic world of Dragon's Dogma, GameSir proudly announces the launch of the GameSir G7 Pro Dragon's Dogma 2 Edition-a next-generation controller crafted for warriors seeking precision, power, and platform versatility. Designed for the Arisen, this special edition combines pro-grade performance with exclusive thematic styling, delivering an immersive gameplay experience across Xbox, PC, and Android. The GameSir G7 Pro Dragon's Dogma 2 Edition is available for $89.99/£99.99 from the GameSir website. It also expected to be available on Amazon at a later date.

Refined from the celebrated G7 lineage-G7, G7 SE, and G7 HE-the Dragon's Dogma 2 Edition retains the G7 Pro's elite hardware while showcasing a design worthy of Gransys. Equipped with tri-mode connectivity, Hall Effect analog triggers, GameSir Mag-Res TMR sticks, and a swappable magnetic faceplate, this edition merges mythic aesthetics with cutting-edge engineering.

Square Enix previously revealed that it would be leaning into generative AI tech for coding and bug fixing, aiming to rely on the tech for as much as 70% of its QA and debugging by the end of 2027. It seems as though the game publisher is experimenting with AI in a much more public way, according to a new report by The Sankei Shimbun. The Japanese publication reports that Square Enix announced a new AI integration into the Japan-exclusive Dragon Quest X MMORPG, which will take the form of a ball of slime—appropriately named Chatty Slimey—in order to help players feel less lonely and guide them through the start of the game.

The AI chatbot will receive text input, combined with the context of the player's on-screen content as context, and will respond with a generated voice when called upon. There will also be instances where the chatbot will appear without being summoned, like when the player beats a particularly difficult enemy or obtains a rare item—presumably this will help players learn about the game's systems and loot. Square Enix says that, despite Dragon Quest X's large player base, the game has a particularly steep learning curve, which can be a barrier to entry for new players, which is why it was chosen for the AI chatbot. It's unclear if similar tech will be introduced in other games at the time of writing, but given the studio's previous interest in AI, it seems likely that this test, which is currently seeking beta testers, will inform future implementations.

AMD has released its official FSR Software Development Kit version 2.2, which includes the latest set of FSR technologies. This release features FSR Upscaling 4.1 and Ray Regeneration 1.1, showcased late last week as part of the Adrenalin Edition 26.3.1 WHQL driver. The updated FSR "Redstone" SDK v2.2 introduces a much improved FSR 4.1 upscaling technology for the RDNA 4 family of graphics cards. The transition from FSR 4.0 to FSR 4.1 demonstrates that the latest version provides much finer details of game scenery, especially when objects are in motion. In the Crimson Desert game demo, grass moved by the wind appears much more detailed with FSR 4.1 compared to FSR 4.0, which previously applied a somewhat blurry effect to the grass. This improvement brings the visuals closer to native rendering.

Additionally, AMD has included Ray Regeneration 1.1 in the FSR SDK 2.2. AMD's FSR Ray Regeneration processes the noisy output that ray tracing naturally produces and cleans it up in real time, resulting in noticeably sharper and more polished visuals without requiring developers to overhaul their existing pipelines. With the update to version 1.1, it delivers much better and deeper shadows, immersive lighting, and more. You can check out the images below for comparison. The latest SDK also includes AMD FSR Frame Generation 4.0.0 in its vanilla version, as well as AMD FSR Radiance Caching 0.9.0, which is now in technical preview.

Adding to the recent controversy surrounding Intel Arc GPU support—or lack thereof—in Crimson Desert, gamers recently flagged a very peculiar in-game painting, among other assets, as evidence of use of generative AI in the game. The image depicted a battlefield filled with cavalry, but many of the soldiers and their horses were blended into one another, and there were general inconsistencies in the image that stood out as being AI-generated. Despite the almost obvious use of generative AI, Pearl Abyss did not use Steam's generative AI disclosure on the Crimson Desert store page. Now, three days after the AI-generated in-game art was discovered, Pearl Abyss has issued a statement, via the @CrimsonDesert_ account on X, acknowledging that it was AI-generated but also claiming that the artwork was not meant to make it into the final game.

According to the announcement, the development team used "experimental AI generative tools" during early iteration to generate 2D props to "explore tone and atmosphere," and that it was always the studio's intentions to replace these AI-generated assets with final artwork after an internal review by the art and development teams. Pearl Abyss says that it "acknowledge that we should have clearly disclosed our use of AI," adding that it apologizes for the oversights. The studio also notes that it has started an internal audit of all in-game assets in order to replace any affected content, and that those updated assets will appear in upcoming patches. The game's Steam store page has also been updated with the corresponding generative AI disclosure following the statement and community backlash, which reads "Generative AI technology is used in a supplementary capacity during the creation of some 2D prop assets. Any such assets are replaced through our production pipeline by our art and development teams, ensuring they meet our quality standards and creative direction." Pearl Abyss's full statement follows.

Semiconductor manufacturing is arguably one of the greatest marvels of the modern world, with only a few companies competing for the top spot. Recently, Elon Musk announced an ambitious project called "TERAFAB," which he plans to build on Tesla's campus in eastern Travis County, Austin, Texas. This initiative will be a joint effort involving Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI. Musk introduced this idea during a livestream on X as a practical solution to the growing gap between his companies' future chip needs and the current pace of global chip production. The project could become one of the most engineering-intensive tasks these companies have ever undertaken, with some estimates placing the capital expenditure at $20 billion.

As Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI require substantial computing power to support their expanding user base, relying solely on external suppliers is insufficient for the scale of growth Musk envisions. Tesla is known for utilizing TSMC, Samsung, and even some of Intel's manufacturing and packaging capabilities to support its chip production. However, with the creation of TERAFAB, these companies aim to gain more control over the entire chip development process. The plant is expected to integrate several stages of semiconductor production at one site, including logic fabrication, memory, packaging, testing, and mask production. This setup is unusual, as these steps are typically spread across multiple specialized facilities. Musk believes that consolidating these processes could accelerate development by enabling engineers to design, test, and revise chips with fewer delays.

LG Display, the world's leading innovator of display technologies, today announced that it is beginning the world's first-ever mass production of an LCD panel for laptops equipped with its Oxide 1 Hz technology.

The panel's core feature is its ability to intelligently detect the usage environment. It automatically switches the refresh rate down to 1 Hz when the screen is static and up to 120 Hz when needed. For example, when performing tasks involving primarily still images—such as checking emails or reading e-books and research papers—the panel operates at the lowest refresh rate of 1 Hz. Conversely, it runs in high-refresh-rate mode at up to 120 Hz when streaming content such as movies or sports as well as playing games with frequent screen changes.

After the controversy surrounding the open-world fantasy game "Crimson Desert" not being supported on Intel Arc GPUs, to the extent that the game wouldn't even launch on systems with these GPUs, Pearl Abyss has faced pressure from the gaming community. As a result, the game now officially boots on Intel Arc GPUs, with full optimizations to follow. In a statement on Friday, Intel claimed they had offered Pearl Abyss assistance in delivering full optimization for Intel GPUs, which the studio did not utilize. "Over the past several years, we've reached out to Pearl Abyss many times to help test, validate, and optimize support for Intel graphics, providing early hardware, drivers, and engineering resources across multiple generations, including Alchemist, Battlemage, Meteor Lake, and Lunar Lake."

As the controversy spread and the studio noticed the comments circulating online from millions of Arc GPU users, the situation improved. Pearl Abyss is now allowing Intel Arc GPUs to boot the game, with further performance optimizations to come. Previously, the Crimson Desert FAQ stated that there was no current support for Intel Arc graphics cards, but it has been updated to indicate that support is now present, with optimizations being added. The studio asks gamers to be patient. "We apologize for any confusion our previous FAQ wording regarding playability on Intel Arc GPUs may have caused. Please regard this as our latest official news on the subject," says Pearl Abyss.

You've known us for decades for ergonomic keyboards. The ones that are built around the idea that your keyboard should fit you and not the other way around. That's still true, and we're still very much that company.

After many years of conversations (with IT managers trying to standardize gear across hundreds or thousands of desktops, with companies that need to onboard new employees fast without a tutorial on how to use a keyboard, and for individuals who are just not there yet when it comes to making the ergonomic jump), we started hearing the same thing in different ways: We love what you do, but we also need something more traditional. So we made it.

Pricing of AMD Ryzen 5 9600X dropped to $190 on Newegg over the weekend. This is a massive 32% drop from its $280 launch price, although the chip's price had been on a gradual slope over 2025 as it faced stiff competition from the Intel Core i5-14600K and Core Ultra 5 245K. The $190 price puts the 9600X at $10 lower than the $200 launch price of the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. The 250K Plus offers a significantly higher core count, with 6 P-cores and 12 E-cores, for a total of 18 threads. Both the 250K Plus and 270K Plus are expected to stir things up in the desktop processor market due to their aggressive pricing and value proposition. The 270K Plus is priced at a strategic $300, at which it goes up against the Ryzen 7 9700X, 9800X3D, and even 9900X. It is essentially a 285K on paper, with marginally lower clock speeds. With the 9600X price cut, AMD might be also clearing the decks for the rumored Ryzen 5 9650X refresh.

Microsoft recently announced a plethora of changes coming to Windows 11 to reshape the operating system into a completely stable and enjoyable experience. Today we learn that Microsoft plans a major background usage overhaul with future updates, focusing on RAM usage and overall memory management, so even configurations with less RAM can enjoy the benefits of a smooth operating system. For example, the minimum requirement for Windows 11 is a system with 4 GB of memory, while Copilot+ PCs require a minimum of 16 GB. When a PC has 8 GB of RAM installed, standard Windows 11 versions like Home or Pro will take up a majority of that, leaving only about 2 GB free. Even with 16 GB installed, regular Windows allocation goes beyond 10 GB.

However, Microsoft plans to change this with better background memory management. For example, OS overhead is a significant performance and memory hog, which impacts the user's overall experience on the PC. Apple recently launched a MacBook Neo with 8 GB of memory, and reviews confirmed that users will be able to get a relatively smooth user experience with only 8 GB, while a comparable Windows-based machine would struggle. This has pushed Microsoft to think about memory management more, and the company now promises that the entire operating system will implement new background policies that will help with resource management. While the exact implementation is unknown, we suspect that doing something like Xbox Full Screen Experience, which is proven to increase performance and lower RAM usage, will be implemented on a wider scale. When the numerous background tasks disappear, memory is freed for other things like excessive Chrome browser tabs.

Brook Gaming, the global leader in cross-platform controller solutions, today announced the global launch of the Wingman P5. This high-performance converter allows PlayStation enthusiasts to use their preferred professional controllers—including the Xbox Elite Series 2, PS4, and Switch Pro—on the PS5, PS4, and PC (X-Input) across all game genres with uncompromised precision.

While many market solutions rely on "Remote Play" workarounds that require complex network setups and introduce significant lag, the Wingman P5 utilizes proprietary Direct Connection Technology. By connecting directly to the hardware, it delivers a near-zero latency experience suitable for both casual and competitive play.

In tactical RPG adventures, every decision matters—what you see on screen can determine the outcome of every battle. From exploring mysterious environments to planning strategic encounters, visual clarity and responsiveness play a crucial role in delivering a truly immersive experience. To help players fully experience the rich world of Solasta 2, MSI believes a gaming display must do more than simply present visuals—it must bring every moment of the adventure to life.

Solasta 2—A New Tactical RPG Adventure
Solasta 2 builds on the legacy of the acclaimed tactical RPG series, combining deep strategy, rich storytelling, and immersive turn-based combat. Players lead their party through dangerous lands where every decision matters, exploring dynamic environments and facing challenging encounters that test strategy, teamwork, and precision.

ASUS, a global leader in AIoT solutions, today announced full compatibility across its product portfolio with the newly launched Intel Core 200S Series processors. This integration spans a comprehensive range of industrial motherboards, configurable turnkey-to-order (CTOS) embedded systems, and rugged edge AI computers, further empowering sophisticated edge AI applications with enhanced performance, scalability, and reliability.

Purpose-built for embedded and industrial markets, the Intel Core 200S Series leverages the mature LGA 1700 socket and advanced performance hybrid architecture. Customers can easily upgrade existing Intel 600 series-based systems with a simple BIOS update, delivering up to 24 cores and 32 threads with PCIe 5.0 connectivity and DDR5-5600 memory support. This unlocks significant multi-tasking and AI inferencing power—especially for demanding use cases like machine vision, autonomous vehicles, and intelligent video analytics (IVA).

Microsoft has released the KB5085516 out-of-band (OOB) update to address sign-in issues caused by the Windows 11 March update on certain applications. These issues included sign-in failures in the free version of Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, Microsoft Edge, Excel, Word, and Microsoft 365 Copilot. In Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 with the March update KB5079473, OS Build 26100.8037, users experienced problems when trying to sign in to their Microsoft accounts. Now, the company is distributing the OOB update for OS Builds 26200.8039 and 26100.8039. Microsoft claims there are no known issues with this OOB update, suggesting that most concerns have been resolved and users can safely apply the update again.

The problem originally occurred when a device entered a specific network connectivity state that the Windows 11 March update did not handle well, causing some Microsoft applications to mistakenly identify the device as offline. Initially, Microsoft advised users to simply restart their devices to fix the issue, but the connectivity state where Microsoft accounts wouldn't sign in would often return. There was a significant chance that the device might revert to this specific networking state, resulting in repeated sign-in errors. However, now this has been resolved with the KB5085516 OOB update, which fixes networking states, so your device can continue running smoothly.

We are reportedly just days away from the launch of Intel's big "Battlemage" BMG-G31 GPU, specifically the professional graphics card SKU known as Arc Pro B70. Today, we get our first look at the official renders of Intel's Arc B70 GPU, thanks to a leak from VideoCardz. Pictured below is a reference design Intel GPU, which will also be available on the market and not just serve as a render. Intel will offer these GPUs in their reference design form, but add-in card partners will have their own custom designs to match, enhance, or perhaps surprise us with something like a dual-die configuration on a single GPU board, similar to what MaxSun did. Intel is set to launch the Arc B70 Pro, along with its smaller rumored sibling—the B65 Pro—on March 25, which is just two days away from the time of writing.

The B70 Pro will feature 32 Xe2 cores, 32 GB of ECC GDDR6, and a 256-bit memory bus with a TGP range of 160-290 W. Intel's TBP for the reference design will be 230 W. The B65 Pro, on the other hand, is expected to launch with the same VRAM configuration but will have only 20 Xe2 cores, effectively making it a B60 Pro with more VRAM. The B65 Pro is also expected to have a peak TGP of 200 W. In terms of performance improvements, the Intel-tested B70 AI system showed about a 1.49x performance increase in the geometric mean of testing under SLA constraints and a 1.13x improvement at a fixed batch size, compared to the Intel Arc Pro B60 using the BMG-G21. Please note that VideoCardz upscaled the last pair of pictures, and distortion in the images is a natural consequence. We will be receiving official renders and images in a couple of days.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The public is still learning more about DLSS 5 technology, and NVIDIA is gradually revealing additional details. In a conversation between YouTuber Daniel Owen and NVIDIA's GeForce Evangelist Jacob Freeman, we discover that DLSS 5 essentially takes 2D frames and motion vectors as input, applying its generative AI model to output frames in a 2D context rather than 3D. This means that while the model is trained on materials that might appear 3D, its actual work is based on 2D imagery. It identifies each frame's motion vectors and anchors the model to them, operating in a 2D space instead of a full 3D environment. This approach to handling graphics is much more computationally efficient, as achieving complete photorealism in 3D would require more GPU power than is currently available. No underlying geometry is changed. Instead, 2D images and motion vectors serve as input, a generative AI model processes textures and applies scene photorealism, resulting in the final output that NVIDIA promotes as DLSS 5.Below, you can see the complete Q&A exchange between Daniel Owen and Jacob Freeman, which was nicely compiled by VideoCardz. Numbers represent questions from Daniel Owen, while answers are provided by NVIDIA's Jacob Freeman.

Recent right to repair laws passed in the EU demand that, starting in February 2027, electronic devices have batteries that are user-replaceable with commonly available tools and without risk to the end user—that is to say, they shouldn't require proprietary tools or tools that aren't available to consumers. Nintendo, for its part, already preparing an update to the Nintendo Switch 2 to comply with this law, according to a report by Nikkei (via Covergeek), although the exact details of the more repairable battery model is unknown at the time of writing. According to the report, the more repairable Switch 2 will only launch in Europe, but Nintendo would expand the hardware to different regions as required by law.

In iFixit's teardown of the Nintendo Switch 2 and its battery replacement guide for the Switch 2 Joy Cons, the organization noted that the battery for both the Switch 2 and its Joy Cons were adhered in place, and a spudger was required to remove the batteries from the devices. While this isn't necessarily a specialized tool, it could be argued that needing to either dissolve an adhesive or pry a battery loose could add additional risk to the end user. To this end, it seems likely that both the Switch 2 and its Joy Cons could see a revision with weaker adhesive or no adhesive at all, which would make battery replacements easier and safer. It could also mean that Nintendo will need to replace the tri-point screws that hold the Switch 2 together.

XPPen, a global leader in digital art innovation, today unveiled its new flagship drawing display, the Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2). Combining professional-grade color performance with advanced X-Touch solution on a 27-inch 4K 120 Hz screen, this flagship model offers a transformative creative experience, enabling professional creators to push the boundaries of their craft with stunning color fidelity and an intuitive, efficient workflow.

"At XPPen, we remain committed to advancing digital art technology and empowering creators with professional tools and premium drawing experience," said Brian Huang, Marketing Director at XPPen. "Positioned as Color Master Touchscreen Drawing Display, the Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2) sets a new standard for flagship displays, offering large-format workspace, high performance, and efficient workflow for professional creators. It completes XPPen's premium professional lineup with the Artist Pro series spanning from 14 to 27 inches, offering creators a clear upgrade path as their ambitions grow."

GMKtec today announced a major feature update to its flagship mini PC, the NucBox K13—Ultra-Integrated Workstation, introducing two powerful new capabilities: Windows + Ubuntu dual boot and OpenClaw pre-installation (or one-click setup). These enhancements further position the K13 as a versatile, AI-ready platform for developers, creators, and power users worldwide. With growing demand for flexible computing environments and local AI deployment, the NucBox K13 now delivers a seamless experience across operating systems while simplifying access to cutting-edge AI tools.

Valve has just introduced a preview of its SteamOS 3.8 operating system, designed for the Steam Deck and other upcoming hardware. This version marks a significant step toward enabling the future Steam Machine, as the SteamOS 3.8 preview build includes initial support for it. This update comes with a host of improvements, such as better support for third-party handhelds, reduced input latency of handheld controllers, optimized graphics drivers with performance and stability fixes, a new KDE desktop environment build, and support for a wider range of Intel and AMD SoCs. For the upcoming Steam Machine, we anticipate optimizations for a semi-custom six-core AMD "Zen 4" processor with 28 compute units of RDNA 3 graphics. Valve claims the PC can achieve 4K gaming at 60 FPS with ray tracing and FSR support. It features 16 GB of DDR5 system memory and 8 GB of GDDR6 VRAM, powering a semi-custom GPU that may be closer to AMD's RDNA 3.5 than pure RDNA 3.A complete changelog of added features follows.

Gamers with Intel Arc GPUs hoping to have a go at Crimson Desert are in for a rude surprise. Its developer, Pearl Abyss, stated that the game does not support Intel Arc graphics cards. What this means in practice, is that the developer will not fix any bugs or issues arising from trying to play the game on Arc GPUs. While apologizing for the inconvenience caused, Pearl Abyss, in an FAQ entry, said that gamers who bought the game expecting Intel Arc support should try to seek refunds for the game. To date, AMD and NVIDIA have released GPU drivers with optimization for Crimson Desert. AMD's Adrenalin 26.3.1 WHQL and NVIDIA's GeForce 595.79 WHQL include day-zero optimization for the game. The game also leverages several AMD-exclusive gaming technologies, including FSR 4.1 upscaling, and ray regeneration.

MAINGEAR, the leader in premium-quality, high-performance gaming PCs, today announced the official launch of its Rush Crimson Desert Limited Edition PC: a hand-built collector's collab aligned with today's launch of Crimson Desert, Pearl Abyss's open-world action-adventure set across the brutal continent of Pywel. Only 30 units will ever be produced. Orders close April 2, or when the 30th system is sold, whichever comes first.

Crimson Desert is one of the most anticipated open-world titles of 2026, and MAINGEAR crafted a system worthy of this moment. At the center of this collaboration is the Crimson Desert AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, the Sapphire Nitro+ limited edition GPU featuring a design inspired by the game's visual identity, and the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D CPU, the world's fastest gaming processor, for a build that can handle everything Pywel throws at it: massive open landscapes, dynamic lighting, large-scale faction battles, and cinematic boss encounters, all without compromise.

ASRock, the global leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, mini PCs, gaming monitors, power supply units and AIOs, today announced the launch of its latest Phantom Gaming monitors: PG27FFS2E, PG27FFS2E-W, and PG27FFS1A. These 27-inch FHD displays feature a 240 Hz refresh rate and 1 ms response time, delivering a smooth and responsive gaming experience. The PG27FFS2E-W introduces a stylish white design, adding a fresh and modern touch to desktop setups, while the PG27FFS2E and PG27FFS1A retain a classic black finish, offering a balance of performance and personal style.

Sleek Four-Side Slim Bezel Design for an Immersive Viewing Experience
The entire lineup features a four-side slim bezel design combined with a clean and minimalist aesthetic, creating a more seamless and expansive visual experience. Whether used in multi-monitor setups or everyday use, the displays blend effortlessly into a variety of desktop environments, delivering both gaming performance and modern style.

ASUS Republic of Gamers today announced the ROG Cetra Open Wireless earbuds. Designed to provide immersive audio with real-world situational awareness, the Cetra Open Wireless earbuds are ideal for gaming, music, and active lifestyles. The Dual-Mode connectivity provides Bluetooth and ultra-low-latency ROG SpeedNova 2.4 GHz wireless connections, and an included USB-C dongle enables interruption-free passthrough charging. The earbuds feature 14.2 mm diamond-like carbon-coated diaphragm drivers that deliver crisp highs, deep bass, and a spacious soundstage. Soft ear hooks with a detachable reflective neck strap provide all-day comfort and a secure fit, while tactile physical buttons ensure precise control during workouts or gaming. The Cetra Open Wireless includes audio presets including Immersion Mode for noise reduction and Phantom Bass for enhanced low-end perception.

Dual Mode connectivity
Dual Mode connectivity gives users the choice to connect to their devices via Bluetooth or via ultra-low-latency 2.4 GHz ROG SpeedNova wireless technology. The latter ensures perfectly-synced in-game audio and visuals during games. The Cetra Open Wireless also includes ROG's first USB-C 2.4 GHz dongle that supports one-way passthrough charging, allowing users to charge their device while the earbuds are connected.

Shortly after it announced the Z890 AORUS Elite WIFI7 Plus and Z890 Eagle WIFI7 Plus motherboards timed alongside Intel's Core Ultra 200S Plus refresh, GIGABYTE introduced what could very well be the Intel Z890 chipset-based motherboard with the leanest feature-set. The board comes with out-of-the-box support for the 250K Plus and 270K Plus. Called the GIGABYTE Z890 D Plus, this board is designed to target a very price-point, but with the top-tier Z890 chipset. It lacks any 40 Gbps USB4 or Thunderbolt 4 ports, lacks any integrated WLAN solution, and focuses on just the basics, such as wiring out up to four M.2 slots.

Built in the ATX form-factor, the GIGABYTE Z890 D Plus draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and two 8-pin EPS connectors, conditioning power for the CPU with a 12+1+2 phase VRM. The LGA1851 socket is wired to four DDR5 memory slots, one PCI-Express 5.0 x16 slot with an easy-eject mechanism, an M.2 Gen 5 x4 slot with heatsink, and an M.2 Gen 4 x4 slot. There are two additional M.2 Gen 4 x4 slots that are wired to the Z890 PCH. Besides the main PEG slot, there are two PCI-Express x16 slots, both of which are electrical Gen 4 x4 and wired to the PCH. Other storage features include four SATA 6 Gbps. There are no USB4/Thunderbolt 4 ports, but you get a USB 3.2 Gen 2 type-C (10 Gbps) port on the rear panel. The only networking interface is a 2.5 GbE wired LAN driven by a Realtek controller. The onboard audio solution is basic Realtek ALC887 fare. The only display output is a full-size DisplayPort. You get SMD buttons on the rear panel for power, reset, clear CMOS, and USB BIOS flashback.

QCY is proud to announce the official launch of HEROAD, a disruptive new e-sports brand dedicated to redefining the competitive landscape. Built on the core philosophy of "For Gamers. For Winners," HEROAD arrives to bridge the long-standing gap between elite-performance hardware and accessible pricing, ensuring that every player has the tools necessary to carve their own path to victory.

The Story of HEROAD: Refine the Hero, Define the Road.
HEROAD was born from a shared vision between next-generation gamers and veteran engineers who were tired of the "compromise" inherent in the current market. For too long, players were forced to choose between overpriced flagship gear or affordable alternatives that failed to perform under pressure.

With the latest Adrenalin Edition 26.3.1 WHQL, AMD introduced an updated version of its FSR 4.1 upscaling technology for the Radeon RX 9000 series graphics cards. The latest update focuses on several key quality improvements that AMD gamers have long wished for, and AMD is finally delivering. In a demonstration of the technology in the Crimson Desert game, AMD showed what Ray Regeneration 1.1 and FSR Upscaling 4.1 are capable of in real-world games. For example, comparing FSR 4.0 and FSR 4.1 clearly shows that upscaling in the latest version provides much finer details of the game scenery when there are objects in motion. In the Crimson Desert game, grass moved by the wind is much more detailed now with FSR 4.1 than it was previously with FSR 4.0, which applied a kind of blurry image effect on the grass. This has been improved to reflect scenarios similar to native rendering.

Additionally, AMD showcased what its Ray Regeneration 1.1 looks like. AMD's FSR Ray Regeneration processes the noisy output that ray tracing naturally produces and cleans it up in real time, resulting in noticeably sharper and more polished visuals without requiring developers to overhaul their existing pipelines. Now, with the update 1.1, we see it delivering much better and deeper shadows, immersive lighting, and more. You can check out the images below for comparison.

Supermicro is a well-known brand in the server and datacenter industries as suppliers of server hardware such as motherboards, rackmount chassis, and even fully-built servers. CNN reports that its co-founder and CEO, Yih-Shyan "Wally" Liaw, along with executives Ruei-Tsang "Steven" Chang, and Ting-Wei "Willy" Sun, were charged with diverting USD $2.5 billion worth NVIDIA AI GPUs to customers in China, breaking US export controls. The three are alleged to have done so through an ASEAN-based shell company that purchased the chips from NVIDIA, and diverted them to customers in China.

On Thursday, Supermicro released a statement, saying that it has placed Wally Liaw and Steven Chang on administrative leave, and terminated Willy Sun. "The conduct by these individuals alleged in the indictment is a contravention of the Company's policies and compliance controls, including efforts to circumvent applicable export control laws and regulations. Supermicro maintains a robust compliance program and is committed to full adherence to all applicable U.S. export and re-export control laws and regulations," the statement said. It added that the company is fully cooperating with the investigation. Supermicro stock dropped 11%, reports GuruFocus, before rebounding.

Crimson Desert just launched on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles after years of waiting and months of anticipation building up to the launch. Unfortunately, the game's launch seems to have been more divisive than Pearl Abyss anticipated. The first sign of what was to come was the first wave of pre-release critic reviews, which varied from the likes Forbes giving it a 5/5 score and calling it the "best in its class" to outlets like Insider Gaming and PCGamesN scoring it 7/10 and 6/10, respectively. Currently, the game's Steam Store reviews are "Mixed," with only 59.99% of the game's 4,049 reviews positive. Review scores aside, Crimson Desert still managed to attract a day-one peak concurrent player count of 239,045 players, which would later show signs of settling around the 100,000-player mark.

Common threads among many of the less positive reviews are the underwhelming narrative and the wealth of systems that aren't quite fleshed-out enough, although most do praise the game for its breathtaking environmental design and the variety of mechanics it implements and niches the game attempts to fill. Much of the community on sites like r/CrimsonDesert, have expressed indifference at these mixed reviews, stating that the game wasn't going to be for everyone and that some people will not get along with it, once more demonstrating the divide between gamers and critics. Part of what makes Crimson Desert's reception disheartening is the amount of build-up that surrounded the game—which has led to a rather steep 28.96% drop in Pearl Abyss's stock price following the launch.

AMD has released Adrenalin Edition 26.3.1 WHQL, adding game support for Crimson Desert and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, along with FSR Upscaling 4.1 support for Radeon RX 9000 series cards. On the bug fix side, four issues are resolved: a Cyberpunk 2077 crash when loading a saved game with Path Tracing enabled, intermittent loss of mouse and keyboard input in-game and on the desktop when interacting with AMD Software, system crashes when repeatedly changing in-game settings or alt-tabbing on RX 7000 and above, and a failure to enable AMD Noise Suppression on RX 6000 and above.

A few known issues remain. Battlefield 6 still experiences intermittent crashes on Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 systems, texture flickering when AMD Record and Stream is active, and FSR Upscaling and Frame Generation showing as inactive on RX 9000 cards. Death Stranding 2 has intermittent crashes on RX 5000 series, and RoadCraft is also seeing crashes on RX 9000 products. AMD says it is working with developers on the Battlefield 6 issues.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Software Adrenalin 26.3.1 WHQL