In light of the news that the Epic Games Store's free game giveaways have more or less failed to bring gamers onto the platform, comments from Alex Nichiporchik, the CEO of indie publisher tinyBuild, regarding the success of free game giveaways on Steam are all the more interesting. According to the publisher, a four-day free game giveaway of Graveyard Keeper on Steam has resulted in a substantial $250,000 in revenue and a massive spike in player counts.

Nichiporchik explained in a recent post on X that much of this revenue can be attributed to a rush of new fans of the game buying into the game's DLC library after getting their free copy of the resource management game. Since Graveyard Keeper was given away on April 9, the game has seen an expected increase in player counts, from around 1,000 peak concurrent daily players to over 46,000 at its peak. In addition to adding to the success of Graveyard Keeper, the giveaway also dramatically increased interest in the upcoming sequel, Graveyard Keeper 2, which Nichiporchik claims has now been added to over 450,000 wishlists on Steam. While Steam does not publish wishlist figures, the Steam Hub followers numbers tell a similar story, with the follower count of Graveyard Keeper 2 increasing from 9,817 on April 5 to 21,035 on April 16.

TSMC (TWSE: 2330, NYSE: TSM) today announced consolidated revenue of NT$1,134.10 billion, net income of NT$572.48 billion, and diluted earnings per share of NT$22.08 (US$3.49 per ADR unit) for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026.

Year-over-year, first quarter revenue increased 35.1%, while net income and diluted EPS both increased 58.3%. Compared to fourth quarter 2025, first quarter results represented an 8.4% increase in revenue and a 13.2% increase in net income. All figures were prepared in accordance with TIFRS on a consolidated basis.

4A Games and Deep Silver just announced Metro 2039, the next installment in the post-apocalyptic first-person shooter, calling the game "the darkest Metro chapter yet." Metro 2039 follows Metro Exodus and returns to the tunnels of Moscow, where survivors of nuclear war eke out a living in the Metro tunnels. The narrative-driven single-player game will put players in the shoes of The Stranger, a new voiced protagonist, as he contends with life under the new totalitarian leader of Metro and all the risks that stem from that.

Metro 2039 promises a return to the claustrophobic atmosphere and the psychological horror that earned it its fan base. 4A has built Metro 2039 on its custom game engine, which the studio says is "purpose-built for the games we want to make." Although no release date has yet been attached to the game, Metro 2039 is slated to launch in winter 2026, suggesting a launch towards the end of the year. There is a Steam page for Metro 2039, where players can go to wishlist the game for more information closer to launch, but pricing, again, has not yet been revealed. It will launch for PC on Epic Games and Steam and on the Xbox Series and PlayStation 5 consoles. The Metro 2039 gameplay reveal trailer follows.

Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard Game from Vampire Survivors, the first-person, "turbo-turn" deck-builder game with roguelite elements from the developer of Vampire Survivors, has just received an official launch date, pricing, and an outrageous new trailer, to boot. According to the release date announcement on Steam, Vampire Crawlers will launch on April 21 at $9.99 (£9.99, €9.99, and ¥1200) on Nintendo Switch, Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series consoles.

Vampire Crawlers combines traditional deck-builder and card-battler mechanics with the fast-paced feel, somewhat akin to a boomer shooter. It is based on the same IP as Vampire Survivors and features much of the same visual style, just with a different POV and the obvious changes to the gameplay style. The spin-off features an incredibly low barrier to entry in terms of hardware, meaning it will be a good time-killer for Steam Deck players, and there are apparently mobile ports coming later in 2026. At launch, there will be no cross-platform save support, but the developer is planning to add the feature when the aforementioned mobile ports are ready. The release date trailer for Vampire Crawlers follows.

Sihoo, a global leader in ergonomic furniture dedicated to using advanced technology to provide high-quality seating solutions, is set to launch the Sihoo Doro C300 Pro V2 in April, a major evolution of its ergonomic chair series designed for modern professionals, gamers, and home office users. Positioned as "The First Full-Body Dynamic Ergonomic Chair," the Doro C300 Pro V2 delivers real-time, full-body dynamic support rather than static, one-position ergonomics.

Traditional ergonomic chairs are built around fixed support points that work only when the user remains still. The Doro C300 Pro V2 instead uses a DynaCore System for full-body dynamic support and a SyncroFlex System for personalized fit and dynamic tracking, so the chair responds the moment the body moves. As the official brief describes it, the Sihoo Doro C300 Pro V2 "tracks your body's movements in real time, evolving support from fixed points to full-body coordination," redefining ergonomics from "chairs adapting to a standard body" to "chairs actively conforming to you."

PLAION REPLAI, a leading global publisher and developer of retro video games and consoles announced today the return of a legend, with the NEOGEO AES+ (Advanced Entertainment System) returning to homes ready for Holiday 2026. With pre-orders opening today, and the launch date set as 12th November 2026, the NEOGEO AES+ has been produced in collaboration with SNK, the producers of the original hardware.

Celebrating 35 years of arcade perfection, the iconic NEOGEO AES stood as a beacon of excellence, with the 24-bit luxury super console a world apart from rival 16-bit systems, designed for gaming connoisseurs who refused to accept compromised homeports of arcade classics. With each title representing a 1:1 direct replica of the original arcade board used on SNK's MVS (Multi-Video System), NEOGEO cartridges would differ significantly from traditional console games typically shipped on a 4 Mb or 8 Mb cartridge, with the largest NEOGEO game weighing in at an incredible 708 Mb, and games which exceeded 100 Mb in size giving birth to the infamous '100Mega Shock' moniker.

PROMISE Technology, a global leader in high-performance storage for media and entertainment, will showcase next-generation Thunderbolt 5 solutions and AI-optimized platforms at NAB Show 2026.

"The Pegasus line has evolved with each generation of Thunderbolt to become a flagship storage system for PROMISE and a well-established brand within the creator community." said Alice Chang, Chief Marketing Officer for PROMISE. "As M&E production technology evolves, we continue to keep pace, not only with Thunderbolt but also with the leaps in performance required for AI optimized storage systems."

Intel has officially unveiled its "Wildcat Lake" Core 300 series of processors for the entry-level PC segment. These CPUs are designed for value-oriented buyers looking for good CPU performance and basic GPU output in small form-factor commercial and edge AI PCs. Officially rated at 40 TOPS, these processors are capable of Copilot+ AI PC certification, meaning Intel has managed to provide basic local AI processing functionality to entry-level buyers. As part of the Core 300 series non-Ultra family, Intel's main selling point is all-day battery life in laptops with local AI processing. There are three segments, each featuring a hybrid core configuration, pairing two "Cougar Cove" P-cores with four LPE "Darkmont" cores.

The actual SoC package integrates two dies. The first and most important one, built on the 18A internal Intel node, features a 6-core CPU configuration, NPU 5 with 40 TOPS of INT8 data, Xe display and media engine, and a GPU that includes up to two Xe3 cores. This die also contains the memory controller and cache pool, supporting LPDDR5X memory running at 7,467 MT/s or up to 6,400 MT/s for DDR5. The memory-side cache includes 4 MB to help tasks "buffer" into this cache before and after accessing memory. Intel dedicates the second die to I/O handling, as the platform supports 6 PCIe Gen 4 lanes, two Thunderbolt 4 connections, two USB 3.2 connectors, and up to eight USB 2.0 connectors. For Wi-Fi, there is the Wi-Fi 7 standard, and Intel also includes Bluetooth 6.0.

The EXLink MB409A5 adapter card is designed to bridge PCIe Gen 5 x8 slots that support lane bifurcation with next-generation MCIO 8i (SFF-TA-1016) connectivity, delivering up to 256 Gbps of total bandwidth for high-speed NVMe signal transmission in advanced storage applications. By integrating a PCIe redriver and optimized signal conditioning, the MB409A5 allows system designers and integrators to deploy MCIO-based NVMe solutions with greater flexibility, even in platforms requiring longer trace lengths or cable connections.

Designed for Flexible PCIe Gen 5 Architecture
With a PCIe 5.0 x8 interface, the MB409A5 is designed to work with motherboards that support lane bifurcation (x4 / x4). When enabled, this allows the PCIe x8 interface to be split into two independent x4 NVMe links through MCIO connectivity, supporting up to two NVMe SSDs via compatible cabling.

Hot on the heels of the freshly announced G3 wireless gaming mouse, Keychron has announced two more symmetrical gaming mouse designs in the G4 and G5, both featuring identical performance characteristics with slightly different shell designs and aesthetics. While both mice are symmetrical shapes with mid-hump designs, the G4 has an ABS shell with a retro off-white and reddish-brown color scheme, accentuated by the cute pixelated hardware buttons and toggles on the bottom of the mouse, and the G5 has a carbon fiber shell with a more traditional gamer aesthetic. The G5 is also a fair bit lighter, coming in at 43 g compared to the G4's 55 g, even though the G4 is smaller than the G5. The Keychron G4 is available on the Keychron online store for $79.99, while the G5 costs $109.99.

The G4 and G5 feature identical internals, with the PixArt PAW 3950 sensor running the show and providing 8 kHz polling over 2.4 GHz and wired connections, alongside Bluetooth 5.3 for less intensive use. Both have a 500 mAh battery, although Keychron claims up to 130 hours on a charge for the G4 and 162 hours for the G5 in Bluetooth mode. With a more reasonable 4 kHz polling mode over 2.4 GHz, the G4 is said to last up to 36 hours, while the G5 should deliver 38 hours. At 1 kHz polling, which is the bare minimum for most gaming needs, that increases to 130 hours for the G4 and 153 hours for the G5. Both mice also use the same Huano Transparent Yellow Shell White Dot switches as the G3 that launched just a day prior, delivering MTBF lifespans of 120 million clicks.

NVIDIA has released the GeForce 596.21 WHQL Game Ready driver for PRAGMATA, which launches on April 17 with path tracing, DLSS Multi-Frame Generation, and DLSS Ray Reconstruction. The release also adds Game Ready support for Windrose, bringing DLSS 4.5 Super Resolution, Dynamic Multi Frame Generation, and NVIDIA Reflex. Also, a new NTE (Neverness to Everness) update adding DLSS Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction, Multi Frame Generation, and path-traced effects. NVIDIA Project G-Assist gets enhanced recommendations and controls.

On the bug fix side, the Arknights: Endfield stutter issue is now resolved. One known issue remains as certain textures in God of War: Ragnarok may intermittently flash white during gameplay.

DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA PRAGMATA GeForce 596.21 WHQL

Intel is preparing to launch a new line of Socket LGA1700 processors based on the "Raptor Lake Refresh" silicon, the same exact chip powering the 14th Gen Core desktop processor series. The move is seen as Intel capitalizing on DDR5 memory shortage, by releasing processors that support both DDR5 and older DDR4 memory standards, and getting motherboard vendors to launch a new crop of LGA1700 motherboards with both DDR4 and DDR5 memory slots, giving gamers better choice of memory upgrades.

Nomenclature is a big area of speculation. One theory holds Intel could use Core Series 2 processor model numbering, but without the "Ultra" brand extension due to the lack of an integrated NPU. Further, the company might limit itself to the "5" and "7" extensions, skipping "9." The top Core 7 2xx SKU could max out the "Raptor Lake Refresh" silicon, with an 8P+16E core configuration, that's eight "Raptor Cove" P-cores, each with 2 MB of L2 cache, and four "Gracemont" E-core clusters, each with 4 MB of L2 cache; all sharing 36 MB of L3 cache. The chip has a DDR4 and DDR5 memory interface, and puts out 20 PCIe lanes, 16 of which are Gen 5, and four of which Gen 4. Having received praise from the media for the aggressive pricing of its Core Ultra 7 270K Plus processor, Intel might attempt to repeat this feat with a similar, aggressively-priced product based on "Raptor Lake Refresh," maxing out all its on-die hardware, but at an attractive price-point, with DDR4 support to boot.

NACON and the studio Big Bad Wolf are pleased to announce the release of their new narrative investigation and psychological horror game, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss. Players take on the role of Noah, an occult investigator, tasked with unraveling the mystery of the disappearance of miners in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. An investigation that will lead him to the gates of the sunken city of R'lyeh, depicted for the first time in a video game.

With Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, the studio delivers its most ambitious project to date, now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Intel today unveiled its new Intel Core Series 3 mobile processors, bringing advanced performance, exceptional battery life, and AI-ready to value buyers, commercial and essential edge devices.

Purpose-engineered for value, Intel Core Series 3 is built on the proven foundations of Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (code-name Panther Lake) and manufactured on the Intel 18A process node technology, the most advanced logic node developed and manufactured in the United States. The new processors are designed to transform computing for schools, small businesses, and value buyers, delivering the features people care about at unmatched scale. Over 70 designs from leading partners offering a choice of features and form factors will launch in the coming months.

Leading gaming accessories maker Turtle Beach Corporation, today revealed the all-new Stealth Pro II wireless multiplatform gaming headset which distinctly sits at the audio summit as the complete gaming peripheral. The Stealth Pro II is the successor to the highly lauded Stealth Pro and represents both Turtle Beach's legacy of gaming sound and the future of premium audio versatility. As the latest and ultimate gaming headset, the Stealth Pro II Wireless Gaming Headset is for anyone who demands flagship-level audio and microphone performance, seamless device switching and stunning design.

The Stealth Pro II lets you hear what you've never been able to hear before—but could it stand up to the master of stealth himself? To find out, Turtle Beach tracked down the world's last surviving ninja, Jinichi Kawakami, and flew him from Japan for the ultimate IRL showdown. One gamer. One ninja. One headset. With the advanced audio of the Stealth Pro II, the gamer was able to capture every sound the ninja made. It was the ultimate stealth showdown highlighting Turtle Beach's legacy of gaming sound and stunning audio performance. If the Stealth Pro II can hear a ninja, it can hear anything. Visit the Turtle Beach website to put your Ninja hearing to the test.

ASUS today announced the availability of two new all-in-one desktop PCs at Best Buy: the ASUS V400 AiO and the ASUS V600 AiO. Designed for families, students, and anyone who wants a large, clutter-free screen without the complexity of a traditional PC setup, both models are now available at Best Buy.

Both feature on-device AI capabilities, vibrant FHD touchscreens with 100% sRGB color accuracy, and a keyboard and mouse included in the box. The V400 is a milestone: the first all-in-one computer powered by the Snapdragon X platform, delivering a 24" display in an ultra-slim, whisper-quiet design. The V600 goes bigger with a 27" screen, a 93% screen-to-body ratio, and a profile that's 25% thinner than its predecessor. With more households sharing devices across remote work, school, and entertainment, an all-in-one offers the screen size and comfort of a desktop with none of the setup complexity.

Panasonic Connect North America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, today launched the TOUGHBOOK 56, a powerful, modular rugged laptop purposefully built to empower mobile workers in sectors including public safety, utilities, enterprise and federal. TOUGHBOOK 56 delivers high performance computing, expanded connectivity speeds options, enhanced thermal management, and advanced security. Backed by new warranty options, it provides customers with greater flexibility and long-term peace of mind.

Frontline and field professionals must work with increased efficiency to deliver fast, high-quality service, while navigating unpredictability and resource constraints that make getting the job done infinitely challenging. TOUGHBOOK 56 is engineered with these professionals in mind, bringing advanced performance, security, innovation, and design to the edge, in a rugged, reliable, and dependable package. For IT teams, TOUGHBOOK 56's modular architecture, updated admin management software and expanded support simplify upgrades and extends device lifecycles as operational needs evolve.

Gigabyte Technology a leader in innovative cooling solutions, officially announced the launch of the all-new GAMING Series power supply units (PSUs) today. Positioning these units as the ultimate "Hardware Guardian" for high-performance systems, Gigabyte leads the industry by introducing the exclusive "T-Guard" active thermal monitoring technology to address the safety requirements of next-generation 12V-2x6 connectors. The series has earned the prestigious Cybenetics ETA Platinum and LAMBDA A+ certifications, providing gamers and creators with a power solution that balances safety, high efficiency, and ultimate silence.

Exclusive T-Guard Technology: A Triple Line of Defense
As graphics card performance and power consumption continue to rise, the stability of power connectors is critical to system safety. The T-Guard technology in the GAMING series utilizes precision thermistors within the 12V-2x6 connector to evolve from passive protection to active monitoring:

• Detect (Real-time Sensing): Built-in sensors monitor connector temperatures in real-time, triggering immediate alerts if signs of overheating from loose cables or abnormal loads are detected.
• Protect (Isolation Protection): Upon detecting dangerous temperatures, T-Guard intelligently reduces power specifically to the GPU to prevent connector burnout. Meanwhile, other system components remain operational, preventing sudden power loss that could damage hard drives.
• Reconnect (Data Recovery): Users can utilize the processor's integrated graphics (if available) to view the display and save their work before shutting down for inspection.

AMD is planning to re-introduce the Ryzen 7 5800X3D desktop processor with 3D V-Cache memory as the new Ryzen 7 5800X3D AM4 10th Anniversary Edition. The processor will have the same OPN as the original 5800X3D, but the retail PIB package will have some special artwork commemorating 10 years of AMD Ryzen and the Socket AM4 platform. AMD will have supported the platform with 10 years of new processor launches and continued availability of compatible processors.

The 8-core/16-thread processor is based on the "Zen 3" microarchitecture, and features stacked 3D V-Cache memory. Each of the 8 cores has 512 KB of L2 cache, and the eight share 96 MB of L3 cache. The processor comes with a base frequency of 3.40 GHz, with a 4.50 GHz maximum boost frequency, with its TDP rated at 105 W. As a Socket AM4 processor, the 5800X3D features a dual-channel DDR4 memory interface, and comes with 20 usable PCI-Express 4.0 lanes, which AMD B550 and X570 chipset motherboards wire out as PCI-Express 4.0 x16, and a CPU-attached M.2 NVMe Gen 4 slot.

Intel's upcoming "Crescent Island" series of GPUs, based on the newly developed Xe3P graphics IP, will be hitting the market this year. However, it seems this IP won't be featured in the desktop Arc gaming series of discrete GPUs. According to a reliable leaker, Jaykihn, Intel will not release this GPU generation as dedicated Arc gaming graphics cards. Instead, Xe3P-based GPUs will power "Crescent Island" data center and workstation GPUs, similar to the current Arc Pro series for professional users. This leaves Arc gamers without a clear indication of when, or even if, they will receive a new gaming Arc GPU based on the Xe3 or Xe4 IP in the coming months.

Intel recently announced the Arc Pro B70 and Arc Pro B65 graphics cards, which maximize the BMG-G31 "Battlemage" Xe2 silicon but are intended for professional users only. A recent driver update added the ability to play games on these cards, but they are still primarily designed for AI workloads and professional visualization. Gamers are still seeking clarity about future updates, and the lack of recent rumors regarding an additional Arc gaming discrete GPU is concerning. Even the higher-end Arc B770, which has been rumored for some time, seems to be on hold. Upcoming events like Computex might offer Intel a chance to at least provide a teaser of what the desktop Arc GPU family will look like or if there will be any updates soon.

Intel Foundry has been attracting significant attention from the industry lately, with some of the world's largest companies expected to announce new foundry commitments this fall, according to UBS Group. The investment bank has reported that Intel Foundry is on the brink of securing many new contracts scheduled for this fall, citing the release of version 1.0 of the 14A node process design kit (PDK) as a key catalyst. There have been numerous rumors that Apple, AMD, NVIDIA, Google, and Broadcom are considering utilizing Intel's silicon manufacturing, including the 18A, 18A-P, and 18A-PT nodes, as well as the upcoming 14A node. Apple is rumored to manufacture some of its M-Series "Apple Silicon" laptop processors in 2027 using the 18A-P node, while Google might leverage Intel's EMIB and Foveros 3D advanced packaging technology for some of its TPU designs.

Companies regularly evaluate leading industry nodes but often choose TSMC's manufacturing due to its reliability, high volume capacity, and advanced packaging, which has produced numerous high-performance and low-power designs at scale. However, Intel Foundry has been investing significant resources and logistics into attracting external clients, leading UBS to anticipate multiple foundry commitments being announced this fall. Late last year, we learned that Apple was waiting for Intel to release the 18A-P PDK version 1.0 or 1.1, scheduled for Q1 and Q2 of 2026, respectively. As we are now in Q2, we are awaiting further confirmation to see if Apple proceeded with the deal, but UBS expects it did.

KDE has long served as a powerful, customizable Linux desktop environment for those who want more flexibility and faster feature support than the likes of Gnome. Contrary to that notion, though, KDE has just merged a feature request that has been hanging around for over two decades—per-monitor virtual desktop support. Currently, and in every previous release of the KDE desktop, switching to another virtual desktop on one monitor meant switching virtual desktops on all monitors. After the new Kwin feature merge, though, users will have the option to switch between different virtual desktops on a per-monitor basis.

This would make KDE the only one of the big two—KDE and Gnome—to support per-monitor workstations, although it still has some limitations, the least of which is that it will not work in X11 sessions, although it should work with XWayland apps, since those are usually handled like Wayland apps by the compositor. The new feature is expected to arrive in KDE Plasma 6.7, which is slated for a June 2026 launch, with public beta testing slated to go live on May 14. The developer's full explanation for the new functionality follows.

By now, it's no secret that Rockstar Games has suffered a data breach by way of malicious hacking group ShinyHunters, which threatened to release the data gathered during the breach if Rockstar did not meet its demands. Now, as Kotaku reports, ShinyHunters has followed through with its threat and published some of the information it managed to gobble up during the breach. One figure in particular that stands out among the leaked data is the GTA Online earnings, which have apparently amounted to around $1.3 million per day between September 2025 and April 2026. The actual amount cited is $9,592,109 per week, with some weeks spiking to as high as $27,889,791.

These revenue totals, which were reported by Lexiture on the GTA Forums, are thanks to a total of 9,937,747 weekly active users and an average of 393,402 weekly paying users. These numbers painted such a positive picture of Rockstar and the promise of GTA VI's commercial performance that Take-Two Interactive's share prices increased by nearly 5%, adding an alleged $1 billion to the publishing company's market cap in a single day.

Starfield has already been out for PC and Xbox for almost three years, recently making an appearance on Sony's PlayStation 5 as well. Now, according to a recent report by Universo Nintendo, it seems as though the game will also get a Nintendo Switch 2 launch in the near future. The report cites a listing from the Taiwan Entertainment Software Rating Information database, revealing that Starfield has been rated for the Nintendo Switch 2 in Taiwan. Bethesda has not yet announced a Switch 2 launch for Starfield, but regulatory leaks, like this Taiwanese rating, are common precursors to game launches.

That said, there's also no indication of a launch date for the Switch 2 version of Starfield, nor do we know what sort of graphical compromises will need to be made to run Bethesda's space adventure, which requires a minimum of an Intel Core i7-6800K or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 5700 to run on PC. Reports from users on ProtonDB, however, have not had an altogether positive experience, with most reporting getting under 30 FPS, despite running it at the lowest quality settings with FSR 3 enabled and at 50% resolution scale.

Alienware has launched the AW2726DM, a 27-inch QD-OLED gaming monitor priced at $350. This makes it one of the most affordable entries into QD-OLED displays to date, with Alienware saying it is targeting users looking to move beyond traditional LCD panels. The monitor features a 2560 x 1440 Fast QD-OLED panel with a 240 Hz refresh rate and a 0.03 ms GtG response time. It covers 99% of the DCI-P3 color space and supports HDR10, alongside AdaptiveSync and AMD FreeSync Premium. Connectivity includes DisplayPort 1.4 for full 240 Hz operation, as well as two HDMI ports limited to 1440p at 120 Hz. The AW2726DM includes a fully adjustable stand with height, tilt, swivel, and pivot adjustments, as well as an anti-reflective screen coating and wide 178° viewing angles. A built-in microphone is also integrated.

There are a couple of things worth mentioning. SDR brightness is rated at just 200 cd/m², which is on the low end for a QD-OLED panel as most competing 27-inch models do better here. That figure will also affect peak HDR brightness despite the monitor supporting HDR10. The other notable omission is G-Sync compatibility, which is absent here. AMD FreeSync Premium and VESA AdaptiveSync are supported as mentioned above, but there is no NVIDIA certification. The AW2726DM positions itself as a lower-cost entry into QD-OLED, though it does so with a more restrained feature set compared to the usual Alienware premium offerings. The monitor was quietly announced in a blog post that was mostly focused on the Alienware Collegiate Clash 2026 university esports event.

A leak from early 2026 claimed that NVIDIA would be pausing production of the GeForce RTX 5060 and RTX 5060 Ti for as long as six months starting in the beginning of 2026, with the leaker predicting that supply would start to worsen in the beginning of 2026 and relief only coming in Q4. While it seems as though this may not have come to pass as predicted, a new rumor claims that supply for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB may be halted for two weeks at the end of April 2026. As Gazlog reports, the alleged production halt is as a result of oversupply of the entry-level GPUs.

This production and supply pause means that third-party GPU vendors will not receive 5060 Ti GPUs during this pause, although production is slated to resume in May. The running theory is that the oversupply is causing prices of the 5060 to decline, and the production pause would create artificial scarcity and return the prices to previous levels. Curiously, this news comes hot on the heels of news that NVIDIA may be launching a new 9 GB variant of the RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti near Computex around May or June. It should be pointed out that this is merely a rumor and may not come to pass at all, although leaks that come out of Board Channels generally do carry a decent amount of weight.

Alienware, in collaboration with Team Liquid, has introduced its first custom keycap and mousepad collection, themed around the Star Wars universe. The set is designed primarily for the Alienware Pro Series keyboards, but remains compatible with most modern layouts. The keycap set uses Cherry-profile, MX-compatible PBT caps with dye-sublimated legends, and includes a 143-key base kit (141 for the space graphic set). Coverage extends to standard ANSI layouts and basic UK ISO support, including common 6.25u bottom rows. While built with the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard in mind, a 75% board using pre-lubricated linear switches with a 40 g actuation force, the set should work with a wide range of mechanical keyboards.

Alongside the keycaps, Alienware and Team Liquid are offering four matching mousepads themed around locations from the Star Wars universe, including Endor, Dagobah, Kamino, and a generic Galactic Conflict scene. The artwork draws inspiration from concepts by Ralph McQuarrie, whose illustrations played a key role in the visual identity of the original Star Wars trilogy. The mousepads measure 88.9 x 40.64 x 0.3 cm, feature a cloth surface with stitched edges and an anti-slip rubber base. The keycap set is priced at $75, the mousepads at $40 and both are available on the Team Liquid US official website.

Since Bungie launched Marathon, there have been two main camps in the online discussions about the new extraction shooter—those praising the game's PvP focus and those begging for more PvE action. With Marathon's latest update, however, Bungie has introduced a new mechanic to appease those in the latter camp. The C.A.R.R.I. Protocol is a new mechanic that encourages co-operative play, rewarding solo players and cooperative crews for completing objectives and extracting together. The system will reward cooperative players with CyberAcme Commendations, which is a new currency for players to spend in the C.A.R.R.I. Armory, and the rewards will focus on making the game less punishing for new and intermediate players.

CyberAcme Commendations are earned when players complete contract objectives in a crew or when solo players complete contract objectives or extract solo, and bonus Commendations will be rewarded for extracting with other players. The C.A.R.R.I. Armory contains a rotation of weapons, Salvage Crates with Salvage or Reputation, and other upgrades, and there will be daily deals in the armory. The C.A.R.R.I. Protocol will be active starting with Patch 1.0.6 and run until the end of Season 1. In addition to the new rewards, Marathon players will now also have access to Mercy Kit, which is a med kit designed specifically to healed down players not in your squad. The idea is that, if players decide to form an allegiance with another player they've already downed, they can revive the player and turn them into an ally. This depends on proximity chat, which is now easier to use with a new "toggle to open" function that also launches in the same update.

NVIDIA today announced the world's first family of open source quantum AI models, NVIDIA Ising, designed to help researchers and enterprises build quantum processors capable of running useful applications. To achieve useful quantum applications at scale, significant breakthroughs are needed in quantum processor calibration and quantum error correction. AI is key for turning today's quantum processors into large-scale, reliable computers. Open models empower developers to build high-performance AI while maintaining total control over their data and infrastructure.

Named after a landmark mathematical model that dramatically simplified the understanding of complex physical systems, the NVIDIA Ising family provides high-performance, scalable AI tools for quantum error correction and calibration — two of the most critical challenges in building hybrid-quantum classical systems. Ising models run the world's best quantum processor calibration and enable researchers to tackle much larger, more complex problems with quantum computers by delivering up to 2.5x faster performance and 3x higher accuracy for the decoding process needed for quantum error correction.

Sony recently announced sweeping price increases for the PlayStation 5, which meant that, as of April 2, the PS5 base would cost $649.99, while the Digital Edition would cost $599.99, and the PS5 Pro rose to a whopping $899.99. According to industry analyst, Mat Piscatella of Circana Reseach, the announcement of a price increase resulted in a buying rush for the PlayStation 5 towards the end of March and during the first week of April.

As a result of this buying rush, PlayStation 5 sales reached an annual high for 2026 during the first week of April. The increase in sales amounted to a nearly 100% increase in year-over-year console hardware sales when compared to the same week in 2025. Part of this increase in sales can almost certainly be explained by the threat of further price increases down the line, which are expected to result in launch pricing of the PS6 sitting at around $800. With no end to the current DRAM supply issues in sight, it makes sense that some prospective PS5 buyers would want to get hold of the hardware before they are priced out, although it remains to be seen how Sony plays the launch of the PS6.

Book of Travels is a highly stylized "serene" MMO that launched to Steam Early Access in October 2021. Despite an interesting concept, standout art style, and the developer's best efforts, Book of Travels has mostly failed to meet the lofty expectations the studio set for the game, with the studio, Might and Delight, having laid off more than half its staff shortly after a challenging launch. Since then, player counts have dwindled, ultimately resulting in an announcement on 15 April that the servers for Book of Travels will be shut down on July 31, 2026.

Book of Travels will not be shutting down, however. Instead, Might and Delight has issued an update to implement an offline mode and make the game more friendly to single-player gameplay. The studio has also opened the game up to the modding community and added a modding channel to the official Discord in order to work with the modding community on mod support. Book of Travels will also transition from being an Early Access title to being a complete game, and Might and Delight has reduced the price from $29.99 to $4.99. The studio notes that "We are truly sad that this project didn't become all that we wanted it to be. We hope that with this last push, the game can be as good as it possibly could be given the circumstances, and that it can continue to be played for a long time."

GMKtec showcased its latest AI-focused mini PC workstations based on Intel and AMD platforms at an AliExpress event in Shenzhen. The current lineup builds on the EVO-T2 series introduced in mid-March during Intel's Core Ultra (Panther Lake) launch event in Shanghai. The EVO-T2S is based on the Core Ultra X7 358H, featuring a 16-core design and up to 180 TOPS of AI compute. The system pairs LPDDR5X-8533 memory with Phison aiDAPTIV+ PCIe 5.0 SSDs and uses a vapor-chamber cooling solution for up to 60 W. It is positioned for local AI inference workloads, including large language models, alongside general high-end desktop use. The AMD-based EVO-X2 series is pretty well known as it was launched a year ago using the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor with 16 cores, 32 threads, and an XDNA 2 NPU rated at up to 126 TOPS. It supports up to 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory, includes 10 GbE networking, and is designed to handle both AI workloads and GPU-accelerated applications, with multi-display support for up to four 4K outputs.

What's more interesting is how pricing has changed for those Mini PCs since the initial announcements. The EVO-X2 originally launched last year with the top-end 128 GB model starting at $1,999, is now listing the 64 GB + 1 TB configuration at $1,999, while the 128 GB + 2 TB variant now reaches $3,299. On the Intel side, the EVO-T2S with Core Ultra X7 358H, 64 GB RAM, and 1 TB storage is currently listed at $1,899, discounted from an earlier $2,399 price point. Worth mentioning that GMKtec isn't yet listing other memory options, other than the 64 GB for its EVO-T2S, neither availability nor pricing for the Core Ultra X9 388H model.

At Slimbook, we continue working to take our systems to the next level. That's why we are pleased to announce a new partnership agreement with PNY Technologies, one of the most internationally recognized manufacturers of memory, storage solutions, and graphics cards. Since 2015, Slimbook has established itself as a leading Spanish brand in the design and development of optimized computers, especially valued for their compatibility with Linux distributions and their focus on performance and reliability.

Thanks to this new collaboration, PNY becomes a technology partner and key component supplier for Slimbook systems, including:

• High-performance NVMe SSDs
• DRAM memory modules
• NVIDIA GeForce and NVIDIA RTX graphics cards

CTL, an EdTech lifecycle products and services provider, announced today the launch of its new CTL Chromebook PX112C Series with integrated 5G, 4G LTE, and CBRS connectivity. By supporting both cellular and private wireless networks, this new Chromebook brings instant-on connection to students for learning anywhere—eliminating the logistical burden of external hotspots.

The new CTL Chromebook PX112C Series is one of the first of its kind to feature next-generation, power-efficient 5G technology designed specifically to maximize battery life and performance for students. There are a myriad of use cases for student learning via a connectivity-enabled Chromebook, including:

OXS today announced the official launch of the Thunder Duo X and Thunder Duo, a groundbreaking 5.1.2-channel, studio-grade gaming speaker that brings true Dolby Atmos immersion to desktop setups for the first time. Fresh off a highly successful Kickstarter campaign and high-profile showcases at IFA and Gamescom 2025, the Thunder Duo arrives as the new flagship of OXS's rapidly expanding gaming and home-audio portfolio. Designed to deliver cinematic sound without the complexity of ceiling speakers or virtual surround workarounds, Thunder Duo creates a genuine 360-degree audio environment through its upward-firing sky channels, coaxial front drivers, and the proprietary Xspace spatial audio engine.

The Thunder Duo range is available in two distinct configurations. The Thunder Duo serves as the 3.1.2 channel foundation, delivering 110 W RMS (220 W peak) of room-filling sound across spaces up to 220 square feet. Engineered for both gamers and creators, the Thunder Duo lineup achieves studio-grade accuracy with alloy magnet drivers, dual DSP processing, and fluid-dynamics bass ports. Distortion stays under 0.5%, achieving the standard of studio speakers. Every element-from gunfire and footsteps to cinematic scores and subtle audio cues-emerges with audiophile clarity. For those looking for an even more immersive experience, the Thunder Duo X expands immersion to a full 5.1.2 system with a wireless headrest satellite neck speaker, offering authentic rear-channel surround that moves seamlessly with the listener.

The Schenker CONNECT 15 stands out in the office laptop segment thanks to its advanced network connectivity and a variety of external ports. Notable features include an integrated Smart Card reader, an easily swappable battery and an optional LTE module that enables mobile network access via a nano SIM card. The 15.6-inch laptop is powered by the energy-efficient Intel Core 5 120U processor, supports up to 64 GB of socketed DDR5 RAM, and includes advanced security features for use in corporate and public sector environments.

Schenker CONNECT 15 with Intel Core 5 120U and up to 64 GB RAM
Compared to the established WORK and WORK Base series, the 15.6-inch Schenker CONNECT 15 (E26) offers a range of additional functional features. Its plastic chassis measures 361 x 239 x 21 mm and weighs 1.75 kg.

With the DeltaMate GPU Block Astral - ROG 5080, Thermal Grizzly introduces a GPU water block with a viewing window made of Schott BOROFLOAT glass. Borosilicate glass refracts the light of the integrated RGB lighting differently than acrylic glass, making the new GPU block a visual highlight. In addition, the glass is less susceptible to alcohol-based cleaners.

The design of the DeltaMate GPU Block Astral - ROG 5080 water block is otherwise identical to other water blocks in the DeltaMate series and therefore shares their features:

• Ultra-High-Performance microfins with 0.2 mm structure width
• Full-metal construction with RGB-illuminated viewing window
• Targeted cooling of all VRAM and VRM components
• Configurable with Through Terminal (4-port) or Direct Terminal (2-port) made of brass
• Thermal paste, thermal pads, and putty included in the scope of delivery

Thermaltake, a leading PC DIY brand for premium hardware solutions, continues to advance immersive sim racing experiences with the launch of the XRW-G1 GT Steering Wheel and XRP-L1 Loadcell Pedal Set. Designed for competitive sim racers who demand uncompromising precision, realism, and customization, these two new products further expand the Thermaltake Sim Racing System and deliver professional grade control engineered for podium level performance.

XRW-G1 GT Steering Wheel - Ultimate Control
The XRW-G1 GT Steering Wheel is designed for sim racers who demand precision, comfort, and deep immersion. Featuring a 300 mm GT-style layout, the wheel blends CNC-machined aluminium, carbon fiber, and reinforced polymer to achieve a rigid yet lightweight construction that ensures consistent control during endurance races and high intensity sprint sessions.

MSI, a global leader in gaming, content creation, and business & productivity laptops, proudly introduced the redesigned Raider and Crosshair gaming laptop series, built for gamers seeking high-performance 16-inch laptops with the latest Intel Core Ultra 200HX Plus processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series Laptop GPUs. The new lineup delivers up to 300 W combined CPU and GPU power on select Raider models and up to 200 W on select Crosshair models, alongside upgraded cooling, OLED display options, and rear I/O for cleaner cable management. These models set a new benchmark as the most powerful gaming laptops in the industry.

MSI has also upgraded its existing 18-inch gaming lineup, including the Titan 18, Raider 18 Max, and Stealth 18. In addition to featuring the Intel Core Ultra 200HX Plus processors, users can experience ultra-smooth visuals through top-tier specifications such as a 4K 240 Hz Mini LED display.

MSI has announced the launch of the Cubi NUC AI+ 3MG, a powerful and ultra-compact 0.51-liter Copilot+ PC designed to deliver advanced AI capabilities and enterprise-ready connectivity for modern business environments. This device is powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, providing efficient on-device AI performance while maintaining exceptional power efficiency within a remarkably small footprint.

To enhance multitasking workflows, the Cubi NUC AI+ 3MG is equipped with dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, supporting up to four simultaneous displays to boost productivity and deliver an immersive visual experience. Additionally, it features dual 2.5G Ethernet ports, ensuring secure, high-speed networking for enterprise deployments, digital signage, and edge computing applications.

Valve is implementing a number of new changes to its Steam platform, all aimed at enhancing the quality of the user experience for gamers. One of the latest updates involves adding a 30-day price history to all listed games. This feature will allow buyers to see if a game's price has changed recently, promoting greater transparency. Previously, gamers had to rely on third-party tools like SteamDB to track price fluctuations over time. Now, the Steam platform itself is set to include price tracking, integrating this functionality directly. This update will also highlight when a game is on discount, the percentage drop compared to its launch price, and how it compares to its price over the last 30 days. Gamers will be able to use these metrics to decide whether to wait for a Steam Sale or purchase the game immediately if it's a good deal.

Additionally, Valve is reportedly developing the SteamGPT AI system to assist with customer support queries, covering issues such as refunds, platform problems, and payment processing, among others. There is also talk of a new "Frame Estimator" tool that can predict your PC's performance before you buy a game. While Valve hasn't confirmed these features or provided a timeline for their release, these developments suggest preparations for future updates, which could be unveiled soon. Below is a sample price tracker from SteamDB for NBA 2K26 game, as we could see something similar on the main Steam platform soon.

Elon Musk announced today on X that Tesla has completed the design of a new generation of its AI chips for Full Self-Driving (FSD). The CEO also mentioned earlier that the AI5 chip will offer performance comparable to NVIDIA's "Hopper" architecture, with two AI5 units matching the power of a single "Blackwell" processor. In late 2025, reports indicated that Samsung had achieved a significant win for its previously struggling foundry business, as Tesla decided to split the manufacturing of its new AI5 accelerator between Samsung and TSMC. The chips will be produced at Samsung's plant in Taylor, Texas, and TSMC's facility in Arizona. This decision is part of a strategy to keep the supply chain diversified and maintain chip supply under control for any demand scenario.

Samsung and TSMC are not the only partners in this project. Tesla is also sourcing DRAM chips from SK hynix, which appear to be LPDDR5X memory integrated into the package. On both the left and right sides, there are two rows of SK hynix LPDDR5X memory modules, each with three modules. This totals 12 LPDDR5X memory modules per AI5 chip. With 16 GB per module, this results in 192 GB of LPDDR5X memory per single AI5 SoC.

In the latest Q1 2026 quarterly figures, ASML announced plans to ship over 60 EUV units this year, including both High-NA and Low-NA EUV lithography scanners. This is a significant increase from the 48 units shipped in 2025, but it doesn't break any records compared to the company's expectations for 2027. ASML predicts shipping about 80 EUV systems in 2027, driven by massive demand from memory makers. As memory has become the most sought-after commodity in AI data centers, there is simply not enough supply to meet demand. In Q1 2026, ASML reported that nearly half—45% to be precise—of its revenue came from South Korea.

While ASML hasn't provided specific data per manufacturer, we know that South Korean semiconductor makers primarily focus on memory, storage, and to a lesser extent, logic production. More than half of the quarterly shipments, at 51%, are dedicated to memory production. Companies like SK hynix and Samsung are purchasing many EUV systems to support their growing memory and storage businesses, which include the latest technologies like GDDR6, HBM3, HBM4, and DDR4/DDR5, all consumed by AI data centers worldwide. SK hynix plans to install 20 Low-NA EUV units in the next two years, all designed for HBM memory and advanced storage solutions, making SK hynix one of ASML's largest customers.

AMD's China store on JD has just started accepting pre-orders for the upcoming Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition desktop processor. Priced at an MSRP of $899, this model is $200 more expensive than the launch MSRP of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. In China, AMD's store requires pre-orders with a deposit of 100 RMB, which counts as 300 RMB towards the final payment due to the "early bird" pre-order benefit. The final payment will be made on April 22, the planned retail launch date. Additionally, at launch, the processor will be available both as retail PIB (processor in box) packages and as part of pre-built gaming desktops by popular OEMs and system integrators. Currently, no Western stores offer pre-orders for this CPU, either in the United States or Europe. Most likely, these stores will start accepting orders on April 22. Some, like B&H, have a placeholder to notify customers when it becomes available.

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition is a 16-core, 32-thread processor built on the "Zen 5" microarchitecture and features 3D V-Cache technology, with stacked 3D V-Cache on both of its 8-core chiplets. This configuration results in an on-package L3 cache of 192 MB and a total cache (L2+L3) of 208 MB. In comparison, the 9950X3D has 3D V-Cache on only one of its two CCDs and relies on software-based OS scheduler guidance to ensure gaming workloads are directed to the CCD with 3D V-Cache. As a result, this new processor is more suited for productivity and workstation tasks, while the 9950X3D remains focused on gaming. Aside from the cache differences, the 9950X3D2 Dual Edition is mostly similar to the 9950X3D, except its maximum boost frequency is 5.60 GHz, which is 100 MHz lower than the 9950X3D, and it has a higher TDP of 200 W compared to the 170 W of the 9950X3D. While technically compatible with any Socket AM5 motherboard, support requires UEFI firmware updates from motherboard vendors.

During a media tour at Lexar HQ in China, Digital Foundry spoke with Lexar's Europe General Manager, Grace Su, who explained what gamers are buying and where they are willing to compromise. Interestingly, Lexar found that, despite the pricing of DRAM and NAND Flash, users could purchase lower-capacity RAM kits without issues, while SSDs with capacities lower than 512 GB weren't selling well. Although this is not a direct comparison, when building a new PC system, you need both a RAM kit and an SSD. Based on their budget, enthusiasts often have to decide between a larger SSD or a bigger RAM kit. However, Lexar reports that users are so committed to having larger SSD space that they are even willing to revert to HDDs rather than buy an SSD smaller than 512 GB. This is understandable, considering that modern games can take up hundreds of gigabytes of space.

Currently, high RAM prices are driving PC gamers to invest considerably more in their gaming rigs to play smoothly. As 16 GB is somewhat considered the minimum for a Windows 11 system, some games and tasks are so demanding that PC DIY enthusiasts need to invest in 32 GB kits at prices that were unimaginable just a year ago. For example, we reported on the DDR4 spot market pricing, which saw the cost of a single 16 Gb module increase by about 2,200% over the past year, with only a minor 5% correction in March. We can only hope for more corrections soon so that PC gamers can finally see signs of relief, but with AI demand projected to continue rising, that seems far from reality.

By now, the legal debacle between the founders of Subnautica developer, Unknown Worlds, and Krafton, the studio's parent company and the game's now-former publisher, is public knowledge, with the situation ultimately culminating in the ousted founder and CEO of Unknown Worlds being reinstated by a judge in a recent legal decision. Following that legal drama and a Subnautica 2 release date leak, which was heavily criticized by the returning founder Ted Gill, it appears as though Unknown Worlds has broken with Krafton as the publisher for Subnautica 2.

A quick look at the survival game's Steam Store page reveals that Unknown Worlds Entertainment is now listed as both the developer and the publisher of Subnautica 2. The same is true for the game's Epic Games Store page, where the publisher now also reads Unknown Worlds Entertainment. It's a rather curious turn of events, given the nature of the relationship between Krafton and Unknown Worlds—Krafton being Unknown Worlds's parent company—and it brings up questions about the destiny of the game developer. At this point, it's unclear who cut who loose, but it remains to be seen how Unknown Worlds will handle the launch now that there is no dedicated publisher. It probably helps that Unknown Worlds is very deep into the development process for Subnautica 2, with the studio previously commenting that the game was ready for launch in 2025 already. In March 2025, however, the studio commented that the Early Access version of the game would not be a complete experience.

It was recently revealed that NVIDIA plans to launch a version of the RTX 5050 GPU with 9 GB of VRAM—three 3 GB modules of GDDR7 over a 96-bit bus and 336 GB/s total memory bandwidth. Now, according to a new leak by Hakuitado on the Board Channels forum (via Gazlog), NVIDIA is planning to make the same move with the RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti in order to cater to budget consumers while avoiding high DRAM and BOM costs.

DRAM quantity aside, the move would also see NVIDIA decrease the bus width of the respective cards, going from 128-bit to 96-bit by using new 24 Gbit memory chips, resulting in an overall decrease in bandwidth and reduced memory performance. According to @harakuze5719 on X, the new 9 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti GPUs are slated to launch sometime between May and June, with a Computex launch seemingly likely.

It seems as though God of War studio, Santa Monica Studio, is slated for a busy time in the coming months and years, with recent rumors suggesting that there is another God of War game on the horizon, some even claiming that it may be announced as soon as April 2026. Not all that much is known about the new God of War game, but according to reporting by MP1st and Tom Henderson on the Insider Gaming podcast, it will not follow Kratos. Instead, the new spin-off, which does not yet have a name, will feature Týr and Faye, the erstwhile Norse god of war and Kratos's deceased wife. This suggests that the spin-off will be a prequel to the recent God of War 2018 and Ragnarök.

The reports make mention of a talking sword, which will apparently be Merlin from English legend, as well as elements from Japanese, Chinese, and possibly other East-Asian mythologies. According to Henderson, the next "mainline" God of War game was meant to be announced at an April Sony State of Play, and it is assumed that the spin-off with Faye will be the next mainline installment in the franchise. This news comes not too long after Santa Monica Studio and Sony announced that a remake of the original God of War trilogy was in the works at Santa Monica.

Keychron may be known for its mechanical and HE keyboards, but it has also recently made a name for itself in the mouse space with wireless mice like the M6 8K and M7 8K. Now, Keychron has launched two new gaming mice under the Keychron G3 name. The G3 is an ultra-light gaming mouse with a right-handed symmetrical design and two material options for the shell—a carbon fiber top and an ABS base or a translucent polycarbonate top and an ABS bottom. Both the carbon fiber and the translucent PC version of the Keychron G3 have the same shape, weight, and internals, so potential buyers have two aesthetic choices without giving up any performance or battery life. The Keychron G3 is available on the Keychron web store at $84.99 for the translucent PC version and $109.99 for the carbon fiber version.

The Keychron G3 uses a PixArt 3950 sensor, replete with 8 kHz polling, tri-mode wireless connectivity (2.4 GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, and USB-C), and a 500 mAh battery, which Keychron says offers up to 160 hours of use on a single charge. Keychron has not specified the test configuration, but it can usually be assumed that manufacturers test battery life over Bluetooth or 2.4 GHz at something like 1,000 Hz polling rate. Unlike many modern gaming mouse, but much like Keychron's other gaming mice, the G3 uses mechanical Huano Transparent Shell White Dot micro switches for the main clicks, meaning they have a 120 million-click rated MTBF, which is a step up from the Huano Transparent Blue Shell Pink Dot switches used in other Keychron mice, which were only rated to 80 million clicks.

YMTC (Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp) is planning to significantly expand its manufacturing capacity, with Reuters reporting the Chinese NAND flash maker intends to build two additional factories on top of one already nearing completion. When all three are running at full capacity, YMTC's total output would more than double from its current 200,000 wafers per month to 400,000 wafers per month (each new plant is designed for 100,000 wafers monthly). The third fab, located in Wuhan alongside the existing two plants, has already been built and is currently being equipped. The fab is expected to start operations later this year and reach 50,000 wafers per month by 2027. Notably, over half of the equipment has been sourced domestically, including tooling for vertical layer stacking, a sign of how much YMTC has leaned into local suppliers since the US added it to the Entity List in December 2022. However, recently, the U.S. Government's Bureau of Industry and Security reportedly removed YMTC from the list of restricted Chinese companies.

The two planned factories don't yet have confirmed locations or target dates, but all three new plants will reportedly allocate some capacity to DRAM production alongside NAND. YMTC has already sent LPDDR samples to clients and expects feedback by year-end, which will shape how aggressively it pursues DRAM going forward. On the NAND side, YMTC already holds 11.8% of the global market, on par with Sandisk and not far behind SK Hynix (16%), Kioxia (15.9%), and Micron (13.3%), while Samsung leads at 30.4%. UBS expects the YMTC shares to pass 14% by early 2027. The company is pushing its Xtacking 4.0 architecture, which is considered competitive with what the industry leaders are shipping.

It's no secret that since the RTX 40-series GPUs launched, pushing the new 12VHPWR connectors to new heights, and again increasing power draw with the RTX 50-series, that premature failures have been high. However, Warranty Week has quantified NVIDIA's warranty expenses and total warranty claims, finding that the GPU maker saw a 1000% year-over-year increase in warranty expenditure in 2025. According to the analysis, NVIDIA paid out a whopping $894 million in warranty claims in 2025, compared to just $81 million in 2024. Part of the driving force behind the increased warranty payments is the recent spike in hardware prices, but much of it also has to do with increased warranty rates.

The analytics firm reports that NVIDIA's warranty claim rate rose to as much as 0.9% by Q4 2025, compared to just 0.17% in Q1. Although not quite as drastic, AMD, for its part, also saw an increased warranty rate, with rates climbing from 0.43% in 2024 to 0.68% in 2025. AMD's 2025 warranty claims totaled to $238 million, compared to $110 million in 2024, amounting to an increase of just over 100%. By the end of 2025, NVIDIA had increased its warranty reserves from $416 million to $2.59 billion, whereas AMD increased its warranty reserve balance from $310 million to $597 million.

After the success of the Forta Gaming Headset, GXTrust announces the launch of the highly anticipated Forta Wireless - an Official Licensed Product for PlayStation 5 consoles. With all of the premium features that gamers have come to expect from the Forta - immersive sound, seamless connection with their consoles, and ultra-comfortable design - this new edition gives players yet another ultimate feature: complete wireless freedom.

Designed specifically for PlayStation fans, the officially licensed Forta Wireless offers ultra-low latency lossless wireless connection via a 2.4G USB receiver, giving players the freedom to move, cheer, and enjoy with no cables getting in the way. What's more, with no lag, the Forta Wireless ensures precise actions and reactions, keeping gamers fully connected to every crucial moment.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Sony would be largely stepping away from porting its first-party games to PC, returning to console exclusives for its single-player games and only releasing multiplayer games across different platforms. Now, it seems as though Microsoft may be plotting or is at least considering a similar maneuver for its first-party Xbox Game Studios games. This is according to industry insider, Jez Cordon, on the Xbox Two Podcast. According to Corden, "there are very very very big discussions happening about the exclusivity stuff" internally at Microsoft. Corden goes on to explain that, despite Microsoft's recent moves away from platform exclusives, it recognizes the value in exclusive games—that is to say the value in keeping users largely locked into your gaming platform as opposed to being mostly a publishing and game development company.

Corden continues with a prediction that Microsoft will continue its shift away from Xbox gaming hardware—especially if it decides to move away from the platform approach and lean further into its game publishing business. Currently, the Xbox Helix is on the horizon, which is a hybrid game console that will run both PC and Xbox games, but that doesn't necessarily preclude Microsoft from launching exclusives; it just means that the exclusives would be PC and Xbox exclusives. This convergence of PC and Xbox has been echoed by other rumors that Microsoft may be combining Xbox and PC Game Pass subscriptions into one unified subscription service.

Shortly after announcing the OneXPlayer ONEXStation, powered by the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU, OneXPlayer is apparently planning to launch the OneXPlayer X2 Mini, a new gaming handheld powered by the same powerful AMD Strix Halo APU with its Radeon 8060S iGPU. The OneXPlayer X2 Mini features many of the same features and design cues as the X1 Pro that released in 2025, but in a more compact form factor, much like the OneXPlayer Apex that we saw at CES 2026. The new X2 Mini, however, also has a few upgrades over the Apex, including a slightly larger display, an optional exclusively air-cooled version, and a modular design. Pricing has not yet been revealed, although the X2 Mini is slated to launch on May 10.

According to a video posted by Nitrix on YouTube, the X2 Mini will have an 8.8-inch, 144 Hz, OLED display with VRR and HDR. It will feature an 85 Wh battery that is user-swappable, allowing users to keep an extra battery on-hand to swap in when the battery dies. The rest of the console is modular, as well. The detachable controllers will feature user-replaceable buttons, casings, joysticks, and vibration motors, and the display will also be user-serviceable. The Joy Con-like controllers will also have a frame to join the two halves into a single mini controller, and the X2 Mini will include two d-pad configurations—the standard cross and an octagonal pad, similar to Microsoft's Xbox Series Elite controller. One point of contention that has been mentioned on Reddit is that the X2 Mini will feature micro switches for the face buttons—although notably not the d-pad—which means the buttons will have lower travel and be slightly louder than a normal membrane switch. There will also be a magnetic connection with pogo pins to attach a keyboard accessory to the bottom of the gaming handheld. The full video showing off the device follows below.

Fedora 44 was meant to be launched today, April 14, 2026, but a gander at the Fedora developer mailing list reveals that the workstation Linux distribution will be delayed to April 21 at the earliest. Adam Williamson, the Fedora QA developer who made the announcement clarified in the email that the reason for the delay is a long list of outstanding blockers—bugs or broken features that are big enough to break the experience or prevent the launch of the OS—that nobody is willing to waive. These bugs include issues with KDE's plasma-setup network setup, the NVIDIA Mesa driver setup, KDE keyboard layout selection, the systemd-oomd.service, and Grub breaking booting to Windows systems with BitLocker enabled.

On the one hand, this means that gamers and workstation users on Fedora, and all of its various iterations, like Bazzite, Nobara, and Rocky Linux, will have to wait a longer for the new version, along with all of its bug fixes, the new kernel version 6.19, and promised new features. On the other hand, the delay will give the project's developers extra time to iron out those experience-breaking bugs and deliver a working operating system. Some of the highlights of Fedora 44 are a move to Gnome 50 and KDE Plasma 6.6, a streamlined install process, finalizing the move to Plasma Login Manager on KDE spins, and adding support for Budgie 10.10.

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, PRAGMATA launches with path-traced effects, DLSS Multi Frame Generation and DLSS Ray Reconstruction, giving GeForce RTX gamers the definitive experience. Additionally, DLSS comes to Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, MONGIL: STAR DIVE, and Windrose this week. And INDUSTRIA 2 launches with DLSS 4.5 this month. And a new sci-fi first-person shooter called Fragmentary Order has been announced, which will launch with DLSS 4.5.

PRAGMATA GeForce RTX 50 Series Bundle Available Now, Ahead Of April 17th Launch, Featuring Path Tracing & DLSS
Set in the near future, CAPCOM's PRAGMATA transports players to a lunar research station. In the years since the discovery of Lunam Ore, humanity has developed Lunafilament, a material capable of replicating almost anything. One day without warning, Earth lost contact with the station dedicated to this Lunafilament, as all signals went dark.

Sony Electronics Inc. expands its INZONE gaming gear lineup with two new models: the INZONE H6 Wired Air open-back headset and the INZONE M10S II 27" QHD 540 Hz OLED gaming monitor, designed for players who prioritize precision and speed. The INZONE H6 Air introduces an open-back acoustic structure that delivers a more natural and expansive sound field. Paired with custom drivers and integrated back ducts, the headset produces controlled low frequencies and detailed spatial audio that helps players better track in-game environments.

Engineered in collaboration with Fnatic, the leading esports team, the INZONE M10S II combines a next-generation tandem-structured OLED display with Dual Mode (QHD 540 Hz or HD 720 Hz), an ultra-fast 0.02 ms response time, advanced Motion Blur Reduction (MBR) and a Super Anti-glare Film—all designed to ensure peak esports performance.

STORMCRAFT PC, the Southern California gaming PC brand founded by gamers and engineers, today announced the launch and retail availability of its new Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus gaming desktop lineup. Designed for gaming, streaming, content creation, and PC upgrades, the new prebuilt gaming PC family combines the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus processor with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080, RTX 5070 Ti, RTX 5070, and RTX 5060 Ti graphics across four STORMCRAFT series: WIZARD WHITE, PHANTOM, SKYHAWK, and FALCON. With up to 24 cores, up to 5.5 GHz max turbo frequency, Intel AI Boost, DDR5 memory, Gen 4 SSD storage, and premium cooling, the lineup is built to give gamers, creators, enthusiasts, and hardcore players a stronger path to next-generation desktop performance.

"With this Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus launch, we wanted to bring customers a meaningful upgrade for better gaming and multitasking experiences," said Frank Lee, Founder of STORMCRAFT PC. "This new lineup combines the latest Intel platform with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics, giving gamers and creators more performance, faster responsiveness, and a wider range of system options across different price points. From our flagship WIZARD WHITE build to more accessible upgrade-ready desktops, every STORMCRAFT PC is built in Southern California and backed by lifetime tech support from our team."

Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH (Toshiba) has unveiled a metallic blue casing for its Canvio Flex 2.5-inch portable hard disk drive (HDD). The new color adds a fresh look to the range, alongside the original warm silver option. The new metallic blue model will be available exclusively across EMEA.

Available in 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB capacities, the Canvio Flex is designed for easy storage across multiple devices. Pre-formatted with exFAT, it works seamlessly with Windows PCs and Macs, as well as with compatible Android and iOS tablets and smartphones, without requiring reformatting.

NVIDIA today announced that it is bundling "Pragmata," the new Sci-Fi action adventure game, with new purchases of GeForce RTX 50-series "Blackwell" graphics cards from its various add-in card partners, new notebooks with RTX 50-series gaming GPUs, and pre-built desktops with RTX 50-series graphics cards. From a technical standpoint, "Pragmata" is a pioneering game as it is the first to implement path-tracing with Neural Rendering for more visual realism. It also implements DLSS 4 upscaling, and multi-frame generation. The giveaway is available to select markets, select brands, and through participating retailers.

The offer is limited to one Steam code per customer (buying multiple graphics cards don't get you multiple keys). Eligible products include GeForce RTX 5090, RTX 5080, RTX 5070 Ti, and RTX 5070 on the desktop platform; and RTX 5090 Laptop GPU, RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU, and RTX 5070 Laptop GPU, for gaming notebooks with discrete GPUs. Certain pre-built desktops with eligible graphics cards may also be part of the offer.

Kensington, a worldwide leader of desktop computing and mobility solutions for IT, business, and home office professionals, today announced the expansion of its VeriMark security portfolio with the launch of two new NFC+ hardware security keys: VeriMark NFC+ USB-C Security Key (K64739WW) and VeriMark NFC+ USB-A Security Key (K64738WW).

Both models are FIDO2 Level 2 certified and support the latest FIDO CTAP 2.1 protocol, delivering enterprise-grade, phishing-resistant multifactor authentication (MFA) and passwordless login protection across modern cloud and web-based services.

Endorfy expands its lineup with the brand's first-ever showcase-style cases, featuring tempered glass panels (a flat side panel and a curved front). Inspired by 1960s design, the Aquarius 8000 series combines a distinctive look with extensive configuration options, from gaming setups to modern workstations. The lineup includes the Aquarius 8000 Corona and Aquarius 8000 Flex. Both stand out with a slim profile and broad compatibility, supporting graphics cards up to 450 mm, radiators up to 420 mm, and up to ten fans. This level of flexibility allows you to build advanced cooling systems tailored to different use cases. The Aquarius 8000 Corona variant comes equipped with four of the latest Endorfy Corona 120 ARGB fans: three Reverse and one standard which launch alongside the cases and are also available separately. The designs support motherboards in SSI-CEB (E-ATX up to 280 mm), ATX, microATX, and Mini-ITX formats.

The Aquarius 8000 series sets a new standard for showcase PC case design, combining its signature form with the ease of installation known from classic layouts with a bottom-mounted PSU. The design is built around a balance of form and function: large, perforated surfaces and fans work together to deliver both efficient airflow and a striking visual effect. Additional space in the lower section is dedicated to a tool-free drive mounting system with vibration damping; ideal for users who value refined acoustics and thoughtful design.

Blackmagic Design today announced DaVinci Resolve 21, a significant update introducing the new Photo page, which enables colorists and photographers to use Hollywood's most advanced color tools for still photos. Other updates include new AI tools such as IntelliSearch for fast content searching, CineFocus for focal point adjustment, tools for facial refinement, and more. The Krokodove toolset adds over 70 new graphics to Fusion, Fairlight folders simplify audio track management, plus there are improvements to keyframing, MultiMaster trim passes, layer list node graphs and more. DaVinci Resolve 21 public beta is available for download now from the Blackmagic Design web site.

DaVinci Resolve's powerful post-production workflow now fully integrates photo image editing. The new Photo page lets customers import and manage photographs, integrating with the color page for node based grading. Now colorists and photographers can use Hollywood color grading tools on still images. Use primary color correction, curves, qualifiers, power windows and node editor to adjust color in artistic ways across an entire project. Plus, customers can use a DaVinci color panel to adjust multiple parameters at once.

A new Full HD gaming monitor joins the Philips Evnia 5000 series with a focus on high refresh performance, motion clarity, and an immersive lighting experience.

Philips Evnia adds the 27M2N5201P to its line-up, targeting competitive gamers who want high frame rates without moving beyond Full HD. The monitor features a 27-inch Fast IPS panel with a refresh rate of up to 260 Hz. With up to 1 ms GtG response time and 0.3 ms Smart MBR, it ensures maximum visibility during high-speed action. The feature set is completed by HDR10 support, AdaptiveSync, Low Input Lag, and the Philips Evnia Precision Center software.

The industrial world is transforming fast. As AI moves from the cloud to the edge, demand is rising for high-performance, low-latency computing that can operate reliably in real environments—powering everything from real-time defect detection in smart factories to advanced patient monitoring in healthcare. Edge AI needs hardware that's both intelligent and resilient. To meet this shift, GIGAIPC introduces a versatile lineup of motherboards based on Intel Core Ultra desktop processors (Series 2), enabling flexible system designs across diverse industrial scenarios and helping businesses deploy AI-ready solutions at scale.

Accelerating Industrial AI with Intel Core Ultra Series
Built around the Intel Core Ultra desktop processor (Series 2), this platform brings higher efficiency, stronger performance, and expanded connectivity to industrial and edge applications. This new architecture reduces package power by up to 58% in typical workloads, enabling IPC and embedded system developers to build more energy-efficient, thermally optimized, and reliable products for space-constrained and demanding environments. At the same time, performance improves over the previous generation, with up to 6% faster single-thread and up to 14% faster multi-thread performance to support real-time control, edge analytics, and multitasking workloads. Furthermore, the Intel 800 Series chipset extends platform compatibility with up to 24 PCIe 4.0 lanes, 8 SATA 3.0 ports, and 10 USB 3.2 ports, empowering industrial systems with superior scalability for I/O expansion, storage, and diverse connectivity.

ADATA Technology Co., Ltd., a leading global provider of memory and storage solutions, today announced the launch of the URBAN TAPSAFE External SSD, marking the debut of its new URBAN series. Inspired by the rhythm of modern urban life, the URBAN series is designed to deliver flexible, efficient storage tailored to today's mobile users. The URBAN TAPSAFE combines high-speed performance with an intuitive NFC tap unlock mechanism, integrating powerful data protection into a compact and lightweight design. It enables users to securely access and manage important data with ease across a wide range of on-the-go scenarios.

Intuitive and Secure Sharing: NFC Tap Unlock and Multi-User Management
As mobile work and real-time content creation continue to grow, the need for both data security and seamless access has become increasingly critical. The URBAN TAPSAFE uses a dedicated companion app to transform your smartphone into a personalized security key. Users can unlock the drive with a simple tap, eliminating the hassle of passwords and streamlining workflows. It also supports multi-user management for up to nine people, with customizable 'Read-Only' or 'Read/Write' permissions. Whether for personal use or team collaboration, it ensures both convenience and data protection. For added security, the device automatically locks when disconnected from the smartphone, effectively preventing unauthorized access.

Yesterday, SemiAccurate posted a rumor that NVIDIA was planning to acquire a large PC maker, which would have reshaped its position within the PC space. However, it turns out the rumor is not true. NVIDIA issued a statement to CNBC saying, "The media report is false; NVIDIA is not engaged in discussions to acquire any PC maker." This brief statement effectively shuts down the rumors, suggesting that NVIDIA does not plan to go through with such an acquisition, even if it might have been considered in the past. Large corporations, especially with NVIDIA's $4.6 trillion market capitalization, are always looking to expand their business in areas where they are dominant and enter new markets where they could capture a significant share. NVIDIA holds a strong position in the dedicated GPU market, with about 94% market share among AIB GPU shipments.

The company is also looking to enter the laptop space with the upcoming N1/N1X SoCs, which would allow NVIDIA to tap into a completely new segment among PC users. In this context, acquiring a PC company would be a logical move, but it would present significant regulatory hurdles, as the company might not get approval from market regulators in the United States, European Union, and other regions. Now that we know the rumor is not true, we are waiting to see if any more rumors emerge about which company might have been the potential target. For now, we are refraining from making definitive claims or pointing fingers at any specific company.

Intel's upcoming Core Ultra 400 Series "Nova Lake-S" desktop processors are set to launch in the second half of this year, marking what seems to be the company's most ambitious lineup yet. Recently, new rumors have emerged suggesting that Intel is also working on a "Nova Lake-S" desktop APU featuring 12 Xe3P graphics cores. This configuration is expected to deliver graphics performance similar to the Arc B390 integrated GPU found in "Panther Lake," albeit with a slight twist in the overall GPU core design. We've already covered a recent leak detailing the entire Core Ultra 400 Series "Nova Lake-S" desktop lineup, but it seems Intel is developing and testing more in its labs than initially anticipated. Readers may recall brief rumors about a variant called "Nova Lake-AX," which was rumored to feature a single compute tile with eight "Coyote Cove" P-cores and 16 "Arctic Wolf" E-cores, along with a four-core LPE island, totaling 28 cores. The iGPU configuration for this variant was said to include 48 Xe3 cores, potentially making it one of the most powerful APUs ever.

However, since the "Nova Lake-AX" appears to be on hold, Intel is preparing other solutions with less powerful GPU configurations. According to a post by Jaykihn on X, the new desktop APU would feature four "Coyote Cove" P-cores, eight "Arctic Wolf" E-cores, and four LPE-cores. This 4+8+4 configuration would be paired with 12 Xe3P cores, which are slightly different from the regular Xe3 cores used in the standard "Nova Lake-S" desktop processors. Intel's lineup is becoming somewhat confusing, but it seems the main lineup will consist of standard desktop series split into several SKUs with high core counts and bLLC, or the newly rumored SKU with more Xe3P cores and fewer CPU cores, similar to AMD's Ryzen G-Series of desktop APUs. Do note that the image below is just an illustration, and not the actual render.

We've already seen large swathes of the PC hardware market get drastically affected by the ongoing DRAM and general hardware crisis, from Valve's upcoming Steam Machine to pre-built desktop PCs. Now, it seems as though it's Microsoft's turn with its Surface device line-up, which has seen a price increase of anywhere between $200 and $500, depending on the exact model. The price increases mean that the 13-inch Surface Pro with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X SoC, 16 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of storage increases by $300 to $1,499; while the 12-inch Surface Pro with the Snapdragon X, 16 GB RAM, and 256 GB of storage increases from $799 to $1,049; the 13-inch Surface Laptop with the Snapdragon X Plus, 16 GB RAM, and a 256 GB SSD increases from $899 to $1,199; the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop with the same SoC and RAM but 512 GB of storage increases from $1,199 to $1,499; and the Surface Laptop 15-inch with the Snapdragon X Elite SoC, 16 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of SSD storage sees a price hike from $1,499 to $1,599.

Microsoft confirmed in a statement to Windows Central that the price increases were a direct result of the current hardware constraints, with a Microsoft representative stating "Due to recent increases in memory and component costs, Surface is updating pricing on Microsoft.com for its current‑generation hardware portfolio. We remain committed to delivering value to customers and partners while upholding our standards for quality and innovation." This news comes just after we reported that DDR4 spot prices have seen a marginal decrease. Microsoft's Surface line-up has never been the best value when it comes to Windows laptops, and they'll likely be an even tougher sell after the price hikes, especially with Apple's recent introduction of the hyper-popular $600 MacBook Neo and with the somewhat limited app and feature support that comes with Qualcomm's Snapdragon SoCs and Windows on Arm.

Since the new Xbox CEO, Asha Sharma, took up her new position, she has signalled a number of changes coming to Microsoft's gaming division, including ditching the maligned "This Is an Xbox" campaign, and, while she hasn't said it in so many words, it seems as though her next steps will include introducing a new, cheaper Xbox Game Pass subscription. This is according to an internal memo from Sharma to her team, seen by The Verge, that says that "Short term, Game Pass has become too expensive for players, so we need a better value equation. Long term, we will evolve Game Pass into a more flexible system which will take time to test and learn around."

This isn't the first time we've seen mention of a cheaper Xbox Game Pass subscription on the horizon. Recently, there was a separate internal document leak that suggested a new tier was coming, and even more recently, a list of first-party Xbox Game Studios games appeared in a software update with a new subscription tier associated with the games. There has also been talk of Microsoft merging Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass into a single subscription, which would echo Microsoft's move towards a hybrid gaming experience, as is expected with the Xbox Helix console slated to launch around 2028.

Honor may not be a household name in the gaming laptop space, but the company is apparently attempting to innovate on gaming laptop design with the new Honor Win H9 gaming laptop, which the brand claimed in a recent Weibo post would feature an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti with a total CPU and GPU TDP of 270 W. While powerful internals are great, the Win H9 gaming laptop's cooling solution may be the most interesting part of the whole package. In the new gaming laptop, Honor is debuting a six-fan cooling solution consisting of dual bottom intake fans, similar to the typical blower fans found in a gaming laptop, and an array of six exhaust fans on the back of the laptop to aid cooling.

According to Honor, the Win H9's cooling solution results in an increase of 10% in total air volume and a total 57% increase in internal airflow. Honor claims that, during gaming loads and in Quiet mode, the Win H9 runs at under 38 dBA and with a surface temperature under 40° C on the left palm rest. The H9 will be available in two configurations: with an Intel Core i7-14650HX, RTX 5060, and 16 GB of DDR5 memory and up to 1 TB of SSD storage or an Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti. Pricing and availability has not yet been revealed, but is slated to be announced in China on April 23.

An Assassin's Creed Black Flag remake has long been rumored, with recent news out of the rumor mill indicating an April launch for what will apparently be called Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced. More recently, it has been revealed by a game description scraped from the Indonesian Game Ratings System scraped by IGRSDB that Black Flag Resynced will also include new characters and stories compared to the new game. The game will also have an 18+ rating in Indonesia, and it also lists PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series platforms, suggesting Ubisoft will stick with its previous day-one cross-platform launch strategy. Curiously, there is no mention of the Nintendo Switch 2, but given the launch of AC: Shadows on Nintendo's handheld, it seems reasonable to assume it will launch there as well.

The full game description reads:

This title breathes new life into a fan favourite while remaining carefully faithful to the spirit of the original. It follows the story of charismatic pirate and Assassin Edward Kenway as he adventures through 18th Century Caribbean with parkours in cities, and battles at seas, in search of fortune and glory. Modernized in 2026, the new game includes a cast of new characters and stories.

ASUS has introduced the TUF Gaming B850I WiFi Neo motherboards, marking the first time the TUF Gaming brand has appeared in a Mini-ITX 17 x 17 cm form factor. The board is an AMD AM5 platform built around the B850 chipset and supports Ryzen 7000, 8000, and 9000 series processors. The two memory slots support up to 128 GB DDR5 modules, with speeds varying by CPU: up to DDR5-8200 with Ryzen 9000, DDR5-9600 with Ryzen 8000, and DDR5-8000 with Ryzen 7000. Both EXPO and ASUS AEMP profiles are supported. The PCIe x16 slot runs at Gen 5 with Ryzen 7000 / 9000 chips and at Gen 4 with Ryzen 8000. The motherboard features two M.2 slots and two SATA 6 Gb/s ports. Worth noting that ASUS labels both M.2 slots as PCIe 5.0, but the spec sheet tells a different story: the first slot is CPU-attached PCIe 5.0 x4 on Ryzen 7000 and 9000, while the second is chipset-attached PCIe 4.0 x4 regardless of CPU.

Power delivery is handled by an 8 + 2 + 1 phase VRM rated at 80 A and built on a 10-layer PCB. The rear came with a pre-mounted I/O shield and offers a USB 20 Gbps Type-C port, two USB 10 Gbps Type-A, one USB 5 Gbps Type-A, two USB 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1, 2.5 GbE via Realtek, Wi-Fi 6E, three audio jacks, BIOS FlashBack, and Clear CMOS. Internally, there are two ARGB Gen 2 headers, front panel USB headers, and the usual fan connectors including an AIO pump header. Audio is powered by a Realtek 7.1 HD codec with dedicated PCB layers and shielding, supporting up to 24-bit/192 kHz playback.

Since Valve announced the Steam Machine, Steam Frame, and new Steam Controller, gamers have been clamoring for the launch of the updated hardware—especially the Steam Controller. While Valve has yet to announce the release date or even the price, it seems as though the gaming giant is preparing for the launch of the new controllers in the US. According to industry insider, @SadlyItsBradley on X, recent shipping documents indicate that Valve has just received its "first large quantity imports" of a "Wireless PC Controller," suggesting that the company may be stocking up warehouses in preparation for the Steam Controller's launch.

Steam had originally planned to launch the Steam Machine, Controller, and Frame as soon as Q1, 2026, but the announcement and launch of all three products were delayed due to the ongoing hardware shortages and dramatic DRAM price increases. Valve still plans on releasing all three hardware products in 2026, but it is no longer promising a specific launch window, seemingly in the hopes that DRAM pricing will cool or stabilize before the Steam Machine's launch. Despite the original plans to launch all three new hardware products at the same time, it doesn't seem as though Valve is preparing for the Steam Machine or Frame launch with imports the same way it is for the Controller.

PXN, leader in sim racing hardware, today unveiled the PXN GT ONE Steering Wheel, a feature-rich GT-style racing wheel engineered to deliver premium control, deep customization, and exceptional value for sim racers stepping into more advanced setups. Designed for hobbyists transitioning from casual racing to more immersive simulation experiences, the GT ONE combines professional-grade design, expansive input control, and open ecosystem compatibility, making it a powerful upgrade for modern racing rigs.

Built with versatility in mind, the GT ONE's quick release system means it integrates seamlessly with PXN's growing direct drive ecosystem, for maximum performance with PXN's VD Series wheelbases, while also supporting broader setup configurations through USB connectivity and quick release solutions. With a robust control layout, customizable telemetry lighting, and compatibility with both PXN SimRacing software and SimHub, the GT ONE delivers a professional racing experience without the premium price tag.

Apple has informed its supply chain that the company now aims to produce a total of 10 million first-generation MacBook Neo laptops, as consumer demand has been phenomenal. Initially, with the MacBook Neo launch, Apple expected consumers to purchase between 5 and 8 million units throughout the lifecycle of the first generation. However, since demand has exceeded initial expectations, Apple is significantly increasing production to meet this demand. As the Cupertino-based company has access to a wide network of manufacturing partners, ramping up production is straightforward, provided the main component—the A18 Pro SoC—is consistently supplied by TSMC.

Additionally, Apple is already planning a second-generation MacBook Neo with major upgrades to the overall system, primarily due to the new A19 Pro SoC, which will come with 12 GB of RAM. The current MacBook Neo features the mobile A18 Pro chip and is limited to 8 GB of RAM. According to recent rumors, Apple may upgrade the MacBook Neo's internals in 2027, equipping it with an A19 Pro, the same SoC found in the latest iPhone 17 Pro smartphones. Inside the MacBook Neo, Apple has opted to reuse the iPhone 16 Pro's chip, which is produced by TSMC and includes 8 GB of LPDDR5X memory. This memory is directly attached above the A18 Pro SoC using Integrated Fan-Out Package on Package (InFO-PoP) technology, creating a 3D wafer-level fan-out package.

Epic Games launched its Epic Games Store in 2018 to challenge the dominance of Valve's Steam platform in the PC gaming space. Known for its promotions and free games, the storefront has attracted a large gamer base that quickly adopted the platform. However, two former Epic Games employees claim that the Epic Games Store saw only an initial spike in active users during the free game promotions, with gamers eventually returning to Steam. Many gamers find switching between multiple storefronts to be a cumbersome experience. While free game deals are an excellent way to attract customers initially, the Epic Games Store needs to make further improvements to retain those gamers.

Meanwhile, Valve's Steam platform continues to break records for concurrent gamers. Just a few weeks ago, the platform reached 42,318,602 players on Sunday, March 22 of this year. This set a new record, surpassing the previous impressive 42 million concurrent players on January 11 earlier this year. At the time of writing, Valve's Steam platform has 37,053,591 active players, indicating that a large majority keep returning, with no signs of slowing down.

Emeet today announced the launch of the Emeet C960 Ultra, the latest addition to its C960 lineup, a series that has achieved over 2 million units sold worldwide. Designed for professionals, streamers, and content creators, the C960 Ultra builds on this proven foundation with upgraded imaging performance and a refined, minimalist design.

What's new about the Emeet C960 Ultra?
At the heart of the C960 Ultra is a Sony 1/1.5" large-format image sensor, paired with 4K ultra-high-definition video and fast, precise PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus). This advanced imaging system enables sharper detail, faster focusing, and more stable performance across dynamic environments, making it well-suited for professional video communication, live streaming, and content production.

PIODATA today announced the launch of the SecureX Security Flash Drive, a next-generation USB storage solution engineered for professionals who require uncompromising data protection and backup with immediate, offline accessibility. Designed for high-stakes environments—including medical, military, and technology sectors—SecureX delivers a secure, portable alternative to cloud storage that is always within reach and ready to perform.

In an era where critical files often live in the cloud, access and security aren't always guaranteed. Network outages, restricted environments, hackers, or login failures can derail presentations and workflows at the worst possible moment. SecureX eliminates that risk by ensuring your most important files are physically with you, instantly accessible on virtually any device with a USB connection, including PCs, Macs, smartphones, and tablets.

Nanya Technology Corporation ("NTC", TWSE: 2408), today announced its results of operations for the first quarter, ended March 31, 2026. Nanya's quarterly sales revenue was NT$49,087 million, a 63.1 percent increase compared to that in the fourth quarter of 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, average selling prices (ASP) increased by more than seventy percent and bit shipment decreased by mid-single digit percent quarter over quarter.

Gross profit of the quarter was NT$33,316 million; gross margin was 67.9 percent, an 18.9 percentage points improvement from that in the previous quarter. Operating income of the quarter was NT$30,111 million; operating margin was 61.3 percent; a 22.2 percentage points improvement from that in the last quarter. Non-operating income of the quarter was NT$1,607 million. The Company had net income of NT$26,058 million, with net margin of 53.1 percent. Earnings per share (EPS) was NT$8.41 (based on weighted average outstanding shares of 3,099 million). Book value per share was NT$62.25 at the quarter end. All numbers are unaudited.

CPU core configurations of Intel's next-generation Core Ultra Series 4 "Nova Lake-S" desktop processors were leaked to the web by VideoCardz. These processors will remain disaggregated, tile-based chips, much like current Core Ultra Series 2 "Arrow Lake-S," but Intel will probably rearrange components around the various tiles. These chips will also introduce low-power island E-cores (LPE-cores) to the socketed desktop platform. The new processors will be designed for Socket LGA1954, which will be significantly different from the current LGA1851, while retaining cooler compatibility.

Intel intends LGA1954 to have longevity spanning several processor generations lasting till the end of the decade. The Core Ultra Series 4 will span a wide range of price-points, starting with Core Ultra 3, having the least core-count, going all the way up to Core Ultra 9 (probably X9). Perhaps the most interesting bit of news is the introduction of dual-die processors. These are SKUs with two Compute tiles connected to the SoC tile. This allows Intel to achieve extremely high CPU core counts. Since this is essentially the same approach to high core counts as AMD, both Compute tiles have equal access to memory and PCIe.

Valve's Linux developer, Natalie Vock, has introduced a new method for handling memory management on GPUs with 8 GB or less VRAM. Since a large part of the gaming community uses systems with limited resources, improving performance and VRAM allocation is an excellent way to maximize frames per second. According to Vock's solution, GPUs with 8 GB of VRAM or less on Linux will now benefit from better background VRAM management, allowing more free space for games. Several Linux kernel patches have been submitted to guide how Linux manages resources when a game is loaded. Previously, when a game used too much VRAM on a low-VRAM GPU, the Linux Graphics Translation Table (GTT) would move data to system RAM to prevent the game from crashing. Since Linux doesn't prioritize programs, it could sometimes move the actual game from VRAM to system RAM to make space for something like a browser or another third-party app.

In Vock's testing before these new patches, running Cyberpunk 2077 resulted in the system using only 6 GB of the 8 GB of available GPU VRAM, with about 1.37 GB spilling over to GTT and being allocated in system RAM. This could lead to game stuttering and frame-pacing issues. Now, Vock has developed a real-time dmemcg-booster, which stands for Device Memory Control Groups, to inform Linux when a program running on the GPU VRAM needs to stay there without being moved to GTT and then to system RAM. With the new patch, running Cyberpunk 2077 now uses almost the entire available system VRAM, reaching 7.4 GB, while GTT allocation has been reduced to 650 MB, cutting usage by more than half. In the picture below, you can check the "GameThread" behavior before and after the patch is applied.

Attack Shark, a gaming peripheral brand specializing in affordable, high-performance mechanical keyboards, gaming mice, and accessories, has put the spotlight on its newly launched flagship X11 ULTRA carbon fiber gaming mouse, alongside details of its upcoming 2nd anniversary sale, running from April 15 to 27 on its official website.

Positioned as an upgraded version of the brand's best-selling X11 series, the X11 ULTRA features a full-body injection-molded carbon fiber design with a proprietary forged texture, delivering a distinctive look and enhanced durability. The mouse is powered by the latest Nordic 54L15 chipset, providing improved performance.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With its distinctive retro-inspired visuals and a focus on turboprops and regional jets, Legendary Pilots delivers a grounded yet stylized aviation fantasy. It's a world where smart decisions, efficient flying, and long-term planning matter just as much as what happens in the cockpit.

DDR4 pricing is finally showing signs of easing, as DDR4 16 Gb spot prices experienced a 5% correction in March after a more than 2,200% increase over the past year. The massive demand for AI data center expansion absorbed all available DDR production, making DDR4 and DDR5 pricing widely discussed topics among enthusiast communities. This has impacted PC DIY enthusiasts, laptop makers, PC OEMs, and everyone in between. Over the past year, the rapid price increase has effectively priced out many consumers from upgrading or installing new systems with larger RAM capacity. However, there are signs that the situation might improve as spot pricing has started to decrease.

First, readers need to understand the difference between spot and contract pricing in DDR memory. Contract pricing is what memory makers like Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron agree on with large buyers, such as PC OEMs like Apple, HP, or Dell, or even server makers who purchase DRAM in large quantities. On the other hand, spot pricing is an "on-the-spot" deal that provides immediate pricing without any contract. This spot pricing is typically reserved for smaller DRAM volumes and is usually bought by DRAM distributors and supply chain logistics. In the spot pricing market, DDR4 has fallen about 5% in March compared to February pricing, and the same applies to DDR5 memory spot pricing.

Gateron, now ubiquitous in the world of mechanical, Hall-effect, and TMR gaming keyboards, has officially announced a new magnetic switch that promises a unique switch feel with an effectively perfectly linear switch weight. With a traditional mechanical or magnetic keyboard switches, the key gets progressively more difficult to press as you go through the travel, but Gateron claims that the new Magnetic Jade Attraction HE switches have both initial and bottom-out operation force values of 30 gf, making them a perfectly linear switch. Incidentally, the method Gateron used to make this force chart possible also seems to have reduced the standard deviation of the actuation force to ±2 gf, instead of the usual ±5 gf.

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

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

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

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

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

Microsoft's Copilot AI has generated significant negative sentiment among Windows 11 users, to the extent that even Microsoft has recognized the need to scale back some of the Copilot functionality it has long promoted. According to Windows Latest, Microsoft has updated core Windows applications such as Notepad and Snipping Tool. In March 2025, Microsoft added Copilot to Notepad, updating the note-taking application to integrate Copilot AI for rewrites, summaries, and other AI-related text features. However, as users grew weary of the persistent AI push, Microsoft put these integrations under review earlier this year. In response to strong backlash from the enthusiast community, Microsoft has removed the Copilot AI icon from the latest versions of Notepad and Snipping Tool, restoring them to their regular look. However, Microsoft now calls these Notepad features like rewrite and summarize as "Writing tools."

This change is a significant positive step by Microsoft. Additionally, the forced inclusion of the Copilot AI button in every application has been paused, as there has been minimal interest from users in utilizing these features. The TechPowerUp Forums have been a consistent source of criticism against Microsoft's forced AI integration, with a large community of PC enthusiasts opposing the "AI everywhere" approach. The Redmond-based company is also working on numerous performance, security, and other enhancements for Windows 11, and we are already beginning to see some of these changes. Considering that Microsoft has 80 Copilot apps and services, this is not a thing to take lightly.Below is the before and after comparison with the Copilot AI removed, courtesy of Windows Latest.

A cake keyboard isn't complete without a choco flavor. Meet the all-new YUNZII C75 Cake Keyboard in its Choco colorway—blending rich chocolate tones with refreshing blue accents to bring both energy and sweetness to your desktop setup.

Cute Cake Keyboard 75% Layout
The new YUNZII C75 cute mechanical keyboard is a delightful addition to any desk. Featuring a compact 75% layout, it combines functionality with a playful, colorful design. With wireless, Bluetooth, and wired connectivity, plus a creamy typing sound, it's perfect as a gift or for elevating your home, office, or gaming setup.

ASUS today announced ZenMouse MD202, a refined wireless mouse that features a Ceraluminum top cover that provides a unique tactile surface offering exceptional aesthetics and durability.

Dual-mode Bluetooth and wireless 2.4 GHz connectivity allows for seamless workflows, enabling ZenMouse to support up to four devices simultaneously. In addition, the Track-on-Glass sensor ensures smooth, pinpoint control on almost any surface. A built-in rechargeable battery delivers long-lasting performance and offers USB-C fast-charging. Users can also use the MyASUS app to create personalized control shortcuts and adjust mouse sensitivity levels to adapt to various workflows.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the Razer Hammerhead V3 HyperSpeed, gaming earbuds engineered for players who move between devices and demand uncompromising audio performance wherever they play. Designed for modern gaming setups, the Hammerhead V3 HyperSpeed lets gamers switch between ultra‑low‑latency 2.4 GHz Razer HyperSpeed Wireless and Bluetooth 6.0, delivering a streamlined experience across compatible mobile devices, PCs, handhelds, and more - all without sacrificing speed, stability, or immersion.

Ultra Low Latency Audio. Wherever, Whenever.
Powered by Razer HyperSpeed Wireless, the Hammerhead V3 HyperSpeed delivers gaming‑grade 2.4 GHz audio with fast response and reliable performance, keeping sound perfectly in sync during intense gameplay. For everyday use or Bluetooth‑enabled devices, Bluetooth 6.0 offers lower latency, improved power efficiency, and greater stability in crowded wireless environments - ideal for seamless transitions between gaming and daily listening.

MSI has officially announced the Cubi NUC TWG Series, a compact mini PC designed to deliver reliable performance and versatile connectivity for modern workplaces. With a 0.55-liter chassis and a thickness of just 40.1 mm, the Cubi NUC TWG provides essential computing power in a space-efficient design, making it ideal for offices, retail environments, kiosks, and digital signage. Powered by the Intel Processor N Series, the Cubi NUC TWG Series offers energy-efficient performance for everyday business workloads while maintaining a small footprint for space-constrained environments.

Keychron recently launched the K3 Ultra and K3 HE wireless, low-profile mechanical and TMR keyboards on Kickstarter, both featuring the same plastic, metal, and wood construction and slated for a full launch around June. However, if you're looking to get in on the low-profile action and don't mind losing some of the specialty features of the K3 HE and Ultra, Keychron has just announced the K3 Max SE, a new QMK-powered keyboard that features a nearly identical design to the K3 Ultra. Unlike the K3 Ultra and HE, the K3 Max SE is available as of the time of writing for a relatively affordable $104.99 on the Keychron store, which is $5 cheaper than the pre-order price of the K3 Ultra and $15 cheaper than the HE.

Obviously, the K3 Max SE doesn't have the same analog input features as the K3 HE, but it is nearly identical to the K3 Ultra but for one small distinction—the battery life and firmware. The K3 Max SE is a traditional QMK keyboard, like Keychron's traditional Max keyboards have long been, while the K3 Ultra is part of Keychron's move to ZMK firmware, which is known to be significantly more efficient than QMK. The end result is that, while the K3 Ultra and K3 Max SE have the same battery capacity of 1,550 mAh, the K3 Ultra is rated for 550 hours on a charge, and the K3 Max SE is only rated for 120 hours. The other measurable difference between the two is that the K3 Ultra has 8 kHz polling, where the K3 Max SE tops out at 1 kHz—not that this is particularly important on a mechanical keyboard, anyway.

Like many single-player games, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has been playable on the Steam Deck since it launched on PC, earning itself a Gold rating on ProtonDB, however, there have been user complaints on ProtonDB about poor text legibility, UI scaling issues, and performance and stability. According to the game's latest patch 1.3 notes published on the game's Steam Store page, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is now verified for Steam Deck. Players have tools like XeSS, FSR 3, and the proprietary Pico upscaler, as well as frame generation, in order to improve motion smoothness in the game.

[Editor's note: Our in-depth performance review of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is now live]

The other update notes include performance improvements, stability and bug fixes—specifically hitching and frame drops when using the sniper rifle—and minor graphics related bugs. The update notes also mention implementing "various input and user interface related improvements and bug fixes," some of which may be responsible for the game's Steam Deck Verified status, along with a number of changes that have been mentioned in prior game updates. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach's "Portable Mode" is designed for systems like gaming handhelds, but tests still reveal that the game dips below 30 FPS in some situations.

This year's Triple-I Initiative has already seen the Early Access launch date announcement of Windrose, an ambitious co-op pirate survival game, but now, joining Windrose is SpaceCraft, an open-world indie space exploration sim in development at Shiro Games. SpaceCraft will officially launch into Steam Early Access on May 20, and it features a combination of co-op survival, exploration, and base-building mechanics. Players will be able to explore space and distant planets, exploit planets for resources, and research and craft different materials, spaceships, bases, and weapons. The base-building systems extend to mechanics like automation and logistics, allowing players to set up multiple outposts across the galaxy for resource extraction, production, and research.

SpaceCraft hosted a demo event in early 2026, with over 70,000 players hopping into the game to check it out, and ultimately resulting in 300,000 wishlists by the end of the event. The game's ProtonDB listing also claims a Platinum rating, and the lightweight system requirements—8 GB of RAM, an Intel Core i3-8350K and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060—mean that SpaceCraft will seemingly be reasonably playable on handheld game consoles like the Valve Steam Deck, Legion Go S SteamOS, and ASUS ROG Xbox Ally.

We recently reported on Nintendo's pricing changes for physical and digital game media on the Switch 2, with Yoshi and the Mysterious Book coming in at $59.99 on digital and $69.99 for the physical edition. While that price difference was a bit of a shock to the system for many Nintendo fans, but, according to a recent post by u/mason2393 on Reddit, showing off an Amazon listing for Elden Ring Tarnished Edition for the Switch 2, that game may come as even more of a shock to players, with the listing showing an apparent retail price of $79.99 for the physical edition game key card.

Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition has not yet launched, with the Amazon listing showing a December 31, 2026 release-day delivery option, but it will feature the base game as well as the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, new weapons, armor Torrent skins, and other additional content, according to the Nintendo eShop. At the time of writing, the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion costs $39.99 on Steam, alone, with the base Elden Ring game coming in at $59.99.

The development team behind Windrose, the co-op pirate survival game that went viral as Crosswind, has just announced the game's release date and simultaneously dropped a new trailer for the game on YouTube. The Early Access launch date announcement comes shortly after the studio asked players to "let us cook more," after murmurings of a release date announcement were causing increased anticipation in the community. According to the latest announcement, Windrose will launch to Steam Early Access on 14 April, 2026 at 8 AM UTC.

Pricing has also been revealed, with the base game coming in at $29.99 alongside a $39.99 Supporter Bundle, which includes the game's soundtrack, a few sea shanties recorded by Seán Dagher, and game wallpapers for your desktop. The developer plans to use player feedback during the Early Access period to shape gameplay on the way to the full 1.0 release, but there's no prospective 1.0 release date just yet. The Early Access launch date trailer follows.

Aside from SteamOS being more tailored to the gaming handheld form factor, one of the Steam Deck's major differentiating factors is its trackpads, which make navigating desktop mode significantly less painful than it would otherwise be. While this trait is shared by the likes of the Lenovo Legion Go, it is not present on the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, making navigating Windows more challenging. Finally, though, as spotted by ROG Ally Life, the Xbox Game Bar has introduced an option to use the left thumb stick as a mouse cursor in desktop mode.

[Editor's note: Our in-depth review of the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X is now live]

For the time being, this feature is limited to the Xbox Game Bar Insider Program, but it should make it to the mainline release version soon enough if no major bugs are spotted. After the toggle is enabled in Game Bar, players can move the cursor with the left analog stick and click with the A button on the controller. This is also only the latest in Microsoft's recent efforts playing catch-up with the competition on the Windows front, with the company recently announcing both a new initiative to improve the quality of Windows 11 and beginning to implement better RAM management across the operating system.

ASUS has introduced the ROG Equalizer, a new 12V-2×6 PCIe power cable designed to improve power delivery stability for modern GPUs. The cable is compliant with ATX 3.1 and PCIe 5.1 standards and will be bundled with the company's upcoming ROG Thor III and ROG Strix Platinum power supplies. The ROG Equalizer targets ongoing reliability issues around 16-pin GPU power connectors by focusing on load balancing across all pins. According to ASUS, the cable is designed to distribute power more evenly across all the wires, this reducing the risk of hotspots caused by uneven load. The cable supports up to 17 A per wire, compared to standard 12V-2x6 cables, which are rated at 9.2 A per wire (per pin).

ASUS also claims the design keeps operating temperatures around 73°C even when some wires aren't under full load, a situation where standard cables can run noticeably hotter due to uneven current distribution across the conductors. The exact internal engineering hasn't been provided by ASUS, but the likely approach is equalizing the impedance across all conductors (wires) to spread the load more evenly. The cable itself is 750 mm long, braided in a dual-tone finish, and ships with cable combs for tidier routing. It follows a GPU-first wiring layout and is built with high-power delivery in mind. No information regarding pricing yet.

A timeless story of grit, faith and rebellion takes center stage as Samson: A Tyndalston Story joins the GeForce NOW library today. The highly anticipated release from Liquid Swords can now be streamed on nearly any device with GeForce NOW bringing cinematic intensity and mythic storytelling to the cloud. Catch it as part of four new games in the cloud this week.

Stream the Power
Tyndalston is a city built on debt, muscle and memory. Samson: A Tyndalston Story from Liquid Swords follows Samson, a former enforcer pulled back to the streets that made him. Violence is currency as every fight is personal, every hit carries history and every escape feels earned in a city that never forgives. Gameplay blends cinematic melee action with choice-driven narrative progression. Every confrontation - from shadowed alley brawls to large-scale set pieces - feels purposeful, reflecting Samson's internal struggle between vengeance and redemption. Brawls hit fast and close. Cars aren't set pieces - they're weapons. Momentum and terrain decide if the player walks away or falls harder. Every job, debt and decision cuts toward freedom or collapse.

ASUS introduced the Prime GeForce RTX 5080 EVO OC Edition, its most affordable custom-design RTX 5080 offering. The Prime RTX 5080 EVO OC Edition is a variant of the Prime RTX 5080 OC Edition with a key change to its cooling solution: the original Prime RTX 5080 OC Edition uses a vapor chamber plate to pull heat from the GPU and memory chips; while the newer Prime RTX 5080 EVO OC Edition lacks the vapor chamber plate. It's not clear what the cooler uses in its place, whether it's a heatpipe direct-touch design, or a solid nickel-plated copper baseplate. Thankfully, it retains the high-performance phase-change thermal pad to transfer heat from the GPU die to the cooling solution.

All other features of the Prime RTX 5080 EVO OC Edition are identical to those of the original Prime RTX 5080 OC Edition. The card features dimensions that meet NVIDIA's SFF-Ready specification, and uses a trio of axial airflow fans. The OC Edition card offers a mild factory overclock of 2655 MHz boost compared to 2617 MHz reference. There is a regular variant of this card without the "OC Edition" badging, which offers this reference frequency.

Intel Foundry has been delivering some interesting research lately, and the newest installment is the world's thinnest gallium nitride (GaN) chiplet, with the base silicon measuring just 19 micrometers in thickness. The company manufactured a 300-millimeter GaN-on-silicon wafer, which is one of the first combinations of GaN with traditional silicon logic on a single chip. In traditional manufacturing setups, GaN is reserved for power electronics and is not mixed with silicon-based computational logic. However, Intel has managed to combine GaN semiconductors for power delivery with silicon-based compute logic, meaning that power chips can now perform basic computations and actions on their own, without needing a separate chip to dictate behavior.

Intel manufactured the GaN wafer with silicon combined on the 30 nm process, which reportedly demonstrated excellent properties. This includes stable current carrying, very low power loss, and the ability to block voltages up to 78 V without leakage. What is fascinating is that GaN is usually used for wide bandgap applications, with high radio frequency performance exceeding 300 GHz. GaN also provides much better power delivery due to its superior material properties and operates more stably at higher temperatures. This is especially significant for workloads like electric vehicles or data center point-of-load delivery, where space is limited, temperatures can reach about 150°C, and stability is crucial.

Thermalright, generally known for making cooling hardware and DIY PC gear, has just announced the AI HydroNous R1, a 2.6 L mini PC powered by AMD's mighty Strix Halo Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU and cooled by a custom closed-loop water cooling system, which is said to be able to handle up to 176 W of TPD, thanks to a 180 mm radiator. Thermalright has so far revealed the mini PC (via IT Home), but it doesn't seem as though it is commercially available just yet, at least not outside of China.

The Thermalright HydroNous R1 has a fully CNC-machined aluminium chassis decked out with a full-color 4.6-inch LCD on the front for system monitoring. The IT Home post makes mention of dual USB4 ports and 10 Gb Ethernet, but no other ports are visible in the teaser images shared by the publication. Presumably, the rest of the I/O is on the back of the tower, which itself is designed to stand upright in a vertical orientation, sucking cold air in from below and from the left side and exhausting via the right side panel, where the radiator is located.

NVIDIA's upcoming N1 SoC, designed for gaming laptops, has officially appeared for the first time alongside its motherboard intended for a laptop. Featuring 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory running at 8,533 MT/s, the SoC is paired with SK hynix modules. NVIDIA's OEM partners for this launch, including Dell and Lenovo, have confirmed that the new NVIDIA laptop platform will be available this year, and we have seen early benchmark submissions of the N1 SoC. As NVIDIA prepares to enter the gaming laptop market, the company initially released its GB10 SoC for the DGX Spark mini workstation. This chip allowed NVIDIA to test its collaboration with MediaTek on developing new low-power SoCs that offer unusually high-performance graphics for AI applications, as well as very high RAM capacity.

In the latest images that appeared on Goofish, we see a laptop motherboard equipped with the NVIDIA N1 SoC and 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory closely packed in a specialized PCB area. This area might be designated for the cooler, which could potentially also cool the LPDDR5X memory modules. NVIDIA plans to introduce its N1/N1X SoCs with Arm-based CPU cores around Computex 2026. These will offer consumers 20 CPU cores, consisting of 10 Cortex-X925 and 10 Cortex-A725 CPU cores based on the Armv9.2 ISA, along with a "Blackwell" GPU optimized for low power settings with up to 6,144 CUDA cores in the higher-end form. You can also see the port selection on the side of the PCB, which seems to be USB-C or Thunderbolt 4/5, USB-A, and an HDMI connection. Since we don't know which laptop model this is, we have to wait a bit more before getting final details.

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, Samson has launched with ray tracing, DLSS Ray Reconstruction, and DLSS Multi Frame Generation. Additionally, Gaijin Entertainment's Enlisted and War Thunder have both introduced support for DLSS Ray Reconstruction when using each game's ray-traced effects, and DLSS 4.5 Super Resolution for those playing with FPS-maximizing rasterized visuals. And Dawn of Defiance recently introduced DLSS support, which you can upgrade to DLSS 4.5 using the NVIDIA app.

And today, our new NVIDIA app update has exited beta, bringing the full suite of DLSS 4.5 updates to every user of our essential application.

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) and Google today announced a multiyear collaboration to advance the next generation of AI and cloud infrastructure, reinforcing the critical role of CPUs and custom infrastructure processing units (IPUs) in scaling modern, heterogeneous AI systems.

As AI adoption accelerates, infrastructure is becoming more complex and heterogeneous, driving increased reliance on CPUs for orchestration, data processing and system-level performance. Through this collaboration, Intel and Google will align across multiple generations of Intel Xeon processors to improve performance, energy efficiency and total cost of ownership across Google's global infrastructure.

According to the latest research from Omdia, total shipments of desktops, notebooks, and workstations in 1Q26 increased by 3.2% year-over-year to 64.8 million units. Notebooks (including mobile workstations) saw a modest year-over-year increase of 2.6% in Q1 to 50.8 million units. Meanwhile, desktops (including desktop workstations) performed slightly better, up 5.4% to 14.0 million units. Growth was supported by vendors and channel partners pulling orders forward ahead of a widely anticipated increase in component costs, the continuation of the Windows 10 replacement cycle that is still driving commercial refresh budgets, and by a heavier than usual slate of spring product launches across both Windows OEMs and Apple.

"With supply-chain pressures still building, Q1's modest growth is likely to mark the high point for the year," said Ben Yeh, Principal Analyst at Omdia. "Memory and storage costs are expected to rise further and more steeply than previously assumed from Q2, squeezing PC vendor gross margins and forcing them to pass costs through to channel partners and end-customers. AI data center build-outs are crowding consumer categories out of memory and storage supply, which have already seen roughly five-fold and three-fold cost increases respectively since Q1 2025. CPU prices are a smaller but compounding pressure, with Intel and AMD projecting increases of 10-25% into Q2."

EIZO Corporation (TSE: 6737) today introduced the ColorEdge CS3200X - a 31.5‑inch 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) color management monitor joining the ColorEdge CS Series lineup. The CS3200X combines core ColorEdge technologies with added value for diverse workflows, supporting the shared needs of videographers, photographers, designers, and other visual storytellers who rely on consistency, precision, and dependable color.

As visual creation spans a broader range of practices and continues to shift toward higher resolutions, tools capable of supporting diverse needs have become essential to modern creative workflows. As the first 31.5-inch 4K model in the ColorEdge CS Series, the CS3200X provides a workspace designed for these requirements. Its generous screen size keeps timelines, layers, and tools comfortably in view, while the detailed 4K resolution renders images and video with crisp detail, allowing creators to discern fine textures and tonal transitions with greater precision.

The K5 Pro TMR Compact takes CHERRY XTRFY's popular K5 keyboard to a new level. This gaming keyboard, featuring CHERRY MK Crystal Magnetic switches and TMR sensing technology, combines precise input and ultra-fast response times with a compact, stylish design.

"The K5 has become an iconic keyboard in the CHERRY XTRFY range, and with TMR, we're taking it even further. As the next evolution in magnetic keyboards, TMR delivers higher precision and greater flexibility, while 8000 Hz polling brings you a faster, more responsive gaming experience than ever. With full customizability for every keypress and the features gamers need for a competitive advantage, the K5 Pro TMR is built for those who play for the win", says Joakim Jansson, Director of Product Management at CHERRY.

In the latest series of leaks about Intel's upcoming "Nova Lake" chips, we learn that the desktop "Nova Lake-S" designs will feature a new socket mounting and independent loading mechanism (ILM). According to exclusive information from VideoCardz, the NVL-S desktop designs on the LGA-1954 socket will include a new 2L-ILM socket mechanism to improve contact with CPU coolers. Given that Intel's upcoming NVL-S desktop processors will have up to 52 high-frequency, power-hungry cores, a better mounting mechanism is definitely needed. This 2L-ILM is a two-level independent loading mechanism, using one lever on each side of the CPU to secure it into the LGA-1954 socket. Applying pressure on both sides of the socket ensures improved flatness while the locking mechanism does its job.

Intel categorizes its desktop sockets in various forms. One of the most basic is the Default-ILM, along with the RL-ILM. As seen with "Arrow Lake," Intel's motherboards divide the socket locking mechanism into the ILM and RL-ILM designs, applied depending on the sector. For the lower-end sector, the Default-ILM socket is used, while the RL-ILM is applied to higher-end overclocking motherboards, providing better pressure and ensuring a flatter surface contact for a cooler. Noctua and Cooler Master already differentiate these two in their CPU coolers, but the mounting hardware is generally the same for both. The RL-ILM is simply a better design for overclocking due to the improved surface contact it provides.

Chieftec today introduced the DT-10B-300, a slim form-factor microATX case, with a volume of 8 liters. The case offers room for microATX (or smaller) motherboards, and even comes with a slimline optical disc drive bay. The case includes a pre-installed 300 W ATX 2.53 PSU that meets 80 Plus Bronze efficiency rating. Front panel connectivity includes three 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1 type-A, and a USB 3.2 type-C port. The case has vents along the front and rear panels, and a prominent intake along the left side panel that lets top-flow CPU coolers up to 70 mm in height take in air.

A detachable flexible storage caddie lets you mount a 2.5-inch SSD, a 3.5-inch HDD, and a 5.25-inch slimline optical drive. The case enables low-profile (half height) add-on cards of up to 14 cm in length, with this drive caddy out of the way. You get four such low-profile expansion slots. The case measures 294 mm x 92 mm x 341 mm (DxWxH), and is made of 0.7 mm-thick SGCC steel. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Apple's MacBook Neo, MacBook Air, and the latest MacBook Neo series of laptops are now susceptible to a significant performance drop if they remain powered on for 49.7 days without a reboot. Specifically, after exactly 49 days, 17 hours, 2 minutes, and 47.296 seconds of continuous operation, the entire TCP/IP networking stack shuts down and stops establishing new connections. This unusual bug stems from a kernel-level issue in Apple's XNU kernel involving tcp_now, a 32-bit unsigned integer that tracks elapsed milliseconds since boot for the TCP stack. When it reaches its maximum value of 4,294,967,295, the counter stalls instead of resetting, disrupting the arithmetic macOS uses to expire and discard closed connections.

These inactive connection sessions accumulate quickly, increasing CPU usage as the system struggles to handle an ever-growing backlog. Once the available port pool, typically around 16,384 ports, is fully used, no new connections can be opened. Applications that rely on network access begin to fail, although already-established sessions continue to function, and the machine still responds to pings, albeit much more slowly. This initially delayed the diagnosis of the bug. A reboot resets the counter and restores normal operation, but the issue will recur on the same schedule after another 49.7 days of continuous use. There are potential solutions to fix the bug by using larger 64-bit integers, but this would require more extensive code changes, performance testing, and additional work compared to a simple fix.

Ahead of its April 22 retail availability, AMD confirmed the U.S. MSRP (pre-tax) pricing of its upcoming flagship desktop processor, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition. The chip comes with an AMD MSRP of $899, or $200 higher than the launch MSRP of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. This doesn't necessarily mean that the processor will be available to buy at $899, retailers could mark the chip further up, and taxes could push its street price above the $1,000-mark. At launch, the processor will be sold both as retail PIB (processor in box) packages, as well as part of pre-built gaming desktops by popular OEMs and systems integrators.

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition is a 16-core/32-thread processor powered by "Zen 5" microarchitecture and 3D V-Cache technology, with stacked 3D V-Cache on both its 8-core chiplets, resulting in an on-package L3 cache of 192 MB, and a total cache (L2+L3) of 208 MB. In comparison, the 9950X3D only has 3D V-Cache on one of its two CCDs, and relies on software-based OS scheduler guidance to ensure gaming workloads are directed to the CCD with 3D V-Cache. Besides cache, the 9950X3D2 Dual Edition is mostly similar to the 9950X3D, except its maximum boost frequency is 5.60 GHz, or 100 MHz lower than the 9950X3D; and it comes with a higher TDP of 200 W, compared to 170 W of the 9950X3D. While technically compatible with any Socket AM5 motherboard, support requires UEFI firmware updates from motherboard vendors.

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Nexon subsidiary, Neople, launched The First Berserker: Khazan on 27 March, 2025, and despite the game's impressive critical reception, it seems as though the ARPG never quite managed to reach the commercial heights expected by Nexon. According to a recent report by Korean news outlet, Yonhap News, the development team that was responsible for supporting The First Berserker: Khazan has been reassigned by Neople, due to the game's poor commercial performance. The development company says the project is in "completion stage" and the reallocation of workers is in the name of efficiency. The workers previously responsible for the ARPG will be working on other projects that require additional human resources.

According to SteamDB, The First Berserker: Khazan peaked at 32,929 concurrent players on Steam around the game's initial launch, but that number quickly fell to around 2,000 daily concurrent players, dipping to as little as 1,013 concurrent daily players more recently. Despite the low player counts, The First Berserker: Khazan still has a "Very Positive" 90% rating on Steam, and it generally scored well with critics, with a 78 Metacritic score and a user score of 7.9 on the same site.

It has long been rumored that an Assassin's Creed Black Flag remake is in the works at Ubisoft, and those rumors have continued to surface, despite the recent shake-ups at the French gaming giant. The latest rumor out of Insider Gaming and a certain ResetEra user, BlackBate, who say that Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced would launch at an event on April 16, with the official retail launch not too long after that. That said, a recent online art book retail listing suggests that Black Flag Resynced was already pushed back from an initial launch date of March 31. It may be the case that the recent turmoil at Ubisoft has resulted in Black Flag Resynced being pushed back further to mid-April.