Back in January, we checked out the ASUS Zenbook Duo at the ASUS booth at CES 2026, where ASUS confirmed that the new dual-screen productivity laptop would feature Intel's Panther Lake CPUs, a new Ceraluminum coating, and redesigned hinges that bring the device's top and bottom displays closer together. Now, following the launch of the ASUS Zephyrus Duo, ASUS has officially launched the Zenbook Duo 2026 with two distinct models available for purchase at the time of writing. The biggest difference between the Zenbook Duo US8407AA-DS99T and the UX8407AA-PSXT is that the former uses the less powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 386H CPU, while the latter comes with the Core Ultra X9 388H. The two CPUs share similar CPU performance, but the 388H gains a significant lead when it comes to iGPU performance, thanks to the inclusion of the Intel Arc B390 iGPU compared to the more standard Xe3 graphics in the 386H.

Editors note: our in depth review is now available.

Both models share the same dual touch-enabled, 14-inch, 2880×1800p, 16:10, 144 Hz OLED displays with 1,000 nits HDR brightness and 500 nits of SDR brightness. Similarly, both laptops come with 32 GB of LPDDR5X memory and a 1 TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD by default. While ASUS positions the Zenbook as a sort of catch-all laptop capable of doing everything from creative work to general productivity, and even a little gaming, the ports tell somewhat of a different story. Both have a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, dual Thunderbolt 4 ports with both USB Power Delivery and support for external displays, a single HDMI 2.1 FRL port, and a 3.5 mm audio combo jack. The Zenbook Duo comes with the ASUS Pen 3.0 with wireless charging as well as a Zenbook laptop sleeve, and the bottom display has a detachable wireless keyboard. The Zenbook Duo is available directly from the ASUS store, with the Core Ultra 9 386H variant starting at $2,499.99 and the Core Ultra X9 version starting at $2,699.99. The Core Ultra 9 version is expected to start shipping on May 11, while the Core X9 version will only be available in "late Q2."

Digital Extremes has long teased an upcoming update for mid-2026, and the game studio has finally put a name on the update and given gamers an idea of what to expect when it rolls out in June. The details about the upcoming update are still scant, but Digital Extremes did reveal that the Jade Shadows: Constellations quest would be a follow-up to the Jade Shadows quest that saw players delve into the backstory and relationships that motivate the enigmatic Stalker. Jade Shadows: Constellations will see players return to Stalker's lair, although this time, the action seems to center on Stalker's children, Orion and Sirius. Digital Extremes released an animated short for Jade Shadows: Constellations, showing off Orion and Sirius battling it out on a desolate world, with the Protoframes of Garuda and Ash, Vena and Ryoku, respectively, also making an appearance in the trailer. By the way Digital Extremes is framing the introduction, it seems as though players will be offered a choice of which of Stalker's children to side with during the quest.

The update will also introduce two new Railjack missions in the Uranus Proxima sector, and both of these Railjack missions will be tied to Vena and Ryoku. Nidus, a stalwart Warframe tied to the game's Infected faction lore, will also receive a minor rework in Jade Shadows: Constellations, in which he will get increased health and an overall buff to his abilities. Finally, DE also confirmed that, starting on May 4, Operation: Belly of the Beast will be returning until June 1, giving players a chance to access new and returning rewards. More details about Belly of the Beast are available here, but players wishing to participate—at least those who have completed The New War quest—will be able to play through two operation missions on Uranus, one of which will be in the new Brutus node and feature classic Ascension-style defense mission types, but with special Jade Light Eximus units spawning in for an extra challenge. The animated Jade Shadows: Constellations trailer follows.

Xbox executives, Asha Sharma and Matt Booty, recently publicly released an internal memo in which they detailed the upcoming changes to the Xbox Games strategy, revealing that Microsoft would be reevaluating its approach to Xbox exclusive games and further addressing the viability and value proposition of Game Pass. The memo also addressed the future of Xbox hardware, stating that Project Helix would lead in performance and that the short-term goal was to work on the shortcomings of the Xbox Series X|S consoles to make them more attractive for gamers. Sharma and Booty also recently spoke to The Game File in an interview and divulged more of what those plans meant for the future of Xbox.

Addressing Game Pass first, Sharma said that the recent price cut applied to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass were the first steps toward attracting more players who will stick around long-term. The CEO went on to say that the executives have been rethinking the Game Pass approach, commenting that, aside from making it more affordable, they are evaluating how value looks in the context of the modern gaming landscape and the rapidly changing world. Matt Booty, Chief Content Officer, commented that Microsoft would be working on the games coming out of Xbox Game Studios, so that it could deliver a predictable cadence with a robust roadmap, and that it would "aim for quality."

ASUS today announced the availability of the ROG Strix XG27UCG Gen 2 (XG27UCGR), the ROG Strix XG27UCS Gen 2 (XG27UCSR), and the TUF Gaming VG27UQEL5A gaming monitors.

These gaming monitors feature 27-inch 4K Fast IPS panels with a 0.3 ms response time (minimum) for crisp visuals and smooth high-frame-rate gameplay. Each monitor offers a Dual Mode feature that enables gamers to easily switch between high-resolution visuals and high refresh rates. When set to the high-refresh-rate mode, Smart Pixel technology intelligently enhances every frame with advanced 4K upscaling, enabling gamers to experience ultrasmooth gameplay and sharper, more vibrant visuals with greater levels of detail, even at lower resolutions. ASUS Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync (ELMB Sync) enables the integrated ELMB to work simultaneously with variable refresh rates to eliminate ghosting and tearing for exceptionally-clear motion. The monitors are VESA DisplayHDR 400-certified for enhanced contrast and brightness.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 made waves when it launched in early 2025, going on to earn numerous Game of the Year awards later on in the year. Now, in a recent announcement, Sandfall Interactive has officially announced that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has sold over 8 million copies since it launched, which is an impressive milestone for a relatively small indie studio, especially for a genre that generally appeals to a smaller subset of the overall gaming audience.

This is yet another indication of the comeback of original single-player games that has been ongoing in the last few years, with other single-player games, like Crimson Desert and Pragmata also hitting it big in the first half of 2026. Sandfall Interactive has also announced a new update for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 that adds fun new cosmetics in celebration of the milestone and of the game's one-year anniversary.

NACON, a major player in gaming accessories and parent company of the premium audio brand RIG, today announced the launch of the R8 SPECTRE PRO HS dual-wireless gaming headset, officially licensed by PlayStation. The latest addition to the critically acclaimed R-Series lineup combines studio-grade sound with dual-wireless audio mixing, delivering competitive players a wireless headset that's Built Different.

"The R8 PRO HS is the technical evolution of one of our most celebrated headsets - the 800 PRO," explained Michael Jessup, Head of Audio Product. "With the return of the iconic base station and the addition of graphene drivers plus dual-wireless audio, the R8 PRO HS delivers ultra-low latency performance, enhanced acoustic precision, and the convenience competitive players demand."

More often than not, finding a pre-built mechanical keyboard with any layout other than US ANSI can be challenging—broad layout support is one of the reasons Keychron became popular in the first place—and finding a true 100% mechanical keyboard in ISO or JIS layouts can be even more challenging, given the keyboard market's tendency to prefer more compact designs, like the Wooting 60HE v2. Fortunately, NuPhy has just updated its somewhat affordable Node100 and Node75 wireless mechanical keyboards with support for both ISO and JIS.

The ISO versions include UK, DE, and FR layouts, with JIS only supporting Japanese, although the keycaps are still in the regular Latin alphabet. Interestingly, the JIS layout features a fully split space bar with 2.25 U and 2.75 U keycaps, likely in order to fit the denser bottom row of the JIS layout more than anything. The ISO and JIS layouts are also available in both the full-height and low-profile versions of the Node keyboards. At the time of writing, ISO and JIS are only available in Lunar White and Ink Grey colorways. ISO and JIS layouts also come at a $10 premium over the ANSI versions for both the Node75 and Node100, with both the high- and low-profile Node75 starting at $99.95 in ANSI but $109.95 in ISO. Likewise, the Node100 starts at $109.95 in ANSI-US but $119.95 in ISO and JIS.

Pulsar Gaming Gears (AplusX Inc.), a leading developer of high-performance esports peripherals, today announced the official launch of the Pulsar X2H CrazyLight BadSeed Tech Edition, in collaboration with renowned tech reviewer Brian Phillips. This collaboration is rooted in a shared commitment to uncompromising peripheral quality. Brian Phillips, the force behind the BadSeed Tech brand and YouTube channel, is a highly respected reviewer known for his straightforward, no-nonsense approach to PC gaming peripherals. He has built a reputation for brutal honesty and high production standards, driven by his philosophy: "everything you need to know, and nothing you don't". This limited-edition mouse is engineered to meet the stringent standards of one of the industry's most critical voices.

The X2H CrazyLight features a symmetrical shape with a high hump and narrow waist, making it an ideal choice for relaxed claw and claw grip users. Weighing in at a staggering 37 g for the Mini (Size 1) and just 43 g for the Medium (Size 2), the "CrazyLight" Advantage reduces wrist strain and allows for the speed required for high-level play.

Meta has signed an agreement to deploy AWS Graviton processors at scale. The deal marks a significant expansion of a long-standing partnership between the two companies as Meta builds its next generation of AI.

The deployment starts with tens of millions of Graviton cores, with the flexibility to expand as Meta's AI capabilities grow. The deal reflects a shift in how AI infrastructure gets built: while GPUs remain essential for training large models, the rise of agentic AI is creating massive demand for CPU-intensive workloads—real-time reasoning, code generation, search, and orchestrating multi-step tasks. Graviton5 is purpose-built for these workloads, giving Meta the processing power to run them efficiently at scale.

Yunzii has added two wood-bodied keyboards to its lineup, the Wood 68 and Wood 84, both built around a walnut wood frame with tri-mode wireless connectivity.
The Wood 68 is a 65% board with 68 keys, while the Wood 84 steps up to a 75% layout with 84 keys. Both keyboards share the same core feature set: double-shot PBT Cherry profile keycaps, Yunzii Candy Linear switches, full hot-swap support for 3-pin and 5-pin switches, south-facing RGB, and a 4000 mAh battery. Connectivity covers Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz wireless, and wired USB-C. N-key rollover is supported, and customization is handled through Yunzii's software on Windows and macOS or via their online configurator.

The Wood 68 measures 325.4 x 116.4 x 41.77 mm and weighs 767 g. The Wood 84 shares the same width but is taller at 325.4 x 135.4 x 45.42 mm and heavier at 979 g. Both use a tray mount design with internal sound dampening, and the frame features decorative engravings. The Wood 68 is priced at $89.99 and the Wood 84 at $92.99 on the Yunzii website.

AMD has officially launched its Extended Profiles for Overclocking (EXPO) version 1.2, which expands support for more memory profiles, CUDIMM, and additional features. With this release, AMD aims to introduce more advanced memory tuning profiles to the "Zen 5" platform and its DDR5 memory types, while full support for EXPO 1.2 features is anticipated with the "Zen 6" processor generation. This means that full CUDIMM support for "Zen 5" tuning is still limited, and only "Zen 6" will offer complete CUDIMM support. EXPO 1.2 works with AMD's AGESA, but since AGESA 1.3.0.1 lacks full CUDIMM DDR5 support, this feature is postponed until the next-generation "Zen 6." Current-generation "Zen 5" CPUs on the AM5 socket may be able to use EXPO 1.2, but they won't fully support the new DDR5 memory with an onboard clock driver, instead relying on traditional memory to perform the task. Notably, popular AMD developer 1usmus mentioned that AMD EXPO 1.2 brings the following changes.

• Support for module geometry.
• Added support for MRDIMM (CUDIMM and CSODIMM are already supported). AGESA 1.3.0.1 still lacks full CUDIMM support; AMD is preparing this for Zen 6.
• New! tREFI, tRRDS, tWR, ULL Enable—Unified Latency Lock and VDDP(V).

ASRock, the global leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, mini PCs, gaming monitors, power supply units, and AIOs, proudly announces outstanding overclocking achievements with its flagship ASRock X870E Taichi OCF motherboard, paired with the powerful AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition processor.

Professional overclockers AKM and l0ud_sil3nc3 have successfully pushed system performance to new heights across multiple benchmark platforms, securing several Global 1st Place records and top global rankings. These results once again demonstrate the extreme overclocking capability and rock-solid stability of the X870E Taichi OCF.

Intel's upcoming "Nova Lake" Core Ultra 400 series processors will introduce not only a new CPU platform and socket but also a new motherboard chipset segmentation, unlike anything we have seen from Team Blue. According to a well-known leaker, Jaykihn, the new Z970 chipset platform is set to take over much of the space currently reserved for B860 motherboards. Meanwhile, B960 is expected to be positioned lower in the lineup as a value-focused option, often used by Intel's OEM partners for all-in-one builds or mini-PCs. This makes the Z970 the primary choice for a large share of "Nova Lake" builders, not just enthusiasts. Intel's higher-end Z990 boards are still expected to target the most demanding systems, while Z970 seems to bridge the gap between premium and mainstream desktop segments, incorporating many features that the Zx70 chipsets typically reserved from the Bx60 chipset ranges over the past few years.

The most likely scenario is that the Z970 will offer overclocking and wider I/O selection, while the Z990 will focus on more diverse expansion capabilities. The third entry-level B960 boards are expected to be starter NVL platform designs without overclocking support, intended to get the platform up and running with minimal I/O and SSD expansion. One of the biggest attractions of the Z970 would be CPU overclocking support, a key advantage over the B960, which is anticipated to be the more affordable option but without the same tuning flexibility. While the two chipsets may share similar baseline I/O features, motherboard manufacturers are likely to differentiate them through board design, port count, storage support, and overall feature set.

Intel posted strong Q1 2026 earnings results, indicating improvements across multiple verticals, from Intel Products to Intel Foundry divisions. Both groups experienced operational enhancements, but Intel Foundry achieved a significant milestone: yield improvement across all major foundry nodes currently in high-volume manufacturing. This includes Intel 4, Intel 3, and 18A nodes, which power the majority of Intel's product portfolio. In the latest Q1 2026 earnings call, Intel CFO David Zinsner noted that the company continues to improve yields on its older nodes, such as Intel 4 and Intel 3, while refining the yield of the current top-performing 18A node to reduce waste and increase the number of functional chips, even in larger dies.

David Zinsner, Intel CFOIntel Foundry operating loss in Q1 was $2.4 billion, improved $72 million quarter-over-quarter as better yields across Intel 4, Intel 3, and 18A drove higher gross margins. This was mostly offset by increased operating expenses associated with an intentional step-up in Intel 14A investments to support both internal and external customer evaluations. As a reminder, Intel Foundry carries the bulk of the cost associated with the early ramp of Intel 18A, and we expect Intel Foundry's operating loss to improve through the year as 18A continues to ramp into volume and yields improve further. Within the quarter, Intel Foundry delivered output above our expectations, drove steady improvements in yields, and met key 14A milestones.

Canonical has today released Ubuntu 26.04 LTS as the company's latest update to the mainstream Linux distro. As we reported previously, Canonical has upgraded the minimum system requirements to 6 GB of RAM, but that change comes alongside a number of upgrades to the distro itself, some of which will be immediately noticeable, while others will silently improve the user experience in the background. Ubuntu users can download Ubuntu 26.04 directly from Canonical, or users of previous Ubuntu versions can simply run "do-release-upgrade -p" in their terminal.

The biggest user-facing change is the move to Gnome 50, which now mandates Wayland and has improved, non-experimental support for both VRR and fractional scaling. Gnome 50 also implements a new feature that allows the cursor to render at the monitor's full refresh rate, even if the foreground app is running at a lower frame rate. The Gnome 50 update also sees the Yaru theme get some nifty visual tweaks that bring it closer to the standard Gnome theme and a new icon pack. Resolute Raccoon also moves Ubuntu up to the Linux kernel 7.0, adding better memory management, removing the "experimental" tag from Rust, and updating various drivers and services, like ZFS, and adding security features, like TPM-backed full-disk encryption. Ubuntu 26.04 is also the first Ubuntu version to ship NVIDIA CUDA out of the box, and AMD's ROCm platform is available in the Ubuntu repos for those looking to run local AI.

Announced during this year's FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival, HYTE, a leading manufacturer of premium PC components, is teaming up with SQUARE ENIX to produce a limited-edition Y70 collaboration PC case based on the beloved MMORPG FINAL FANTASY XIV Online. To learn more, please visit: https://hyte.co/FFXIV-pr

Starting today, the Official FINAL FANTASY XIV Y70 case invites players to bring Eorzea to their gaming set-up and it is now available for pre-order. This limited-edition chassis showcases the MMORPG's central cast in immaculate detail across its panoramic tempered-glass panels. With a uniquely numbered "WARRIOR OF LIGHT" serialized plate on its back and the game's logo proudly displayed on the case's back panel, the Y70 is perfect as both premium hardware, and as a true collectible display piece that honors the game's legacy and devotion from its passionate community.

There's been a lot of talk lately about the state of platform exclusives in the video game console industry, from controversial rumors about Sony potentially leaving behind much of its PC port business to Microsoft's recent announcement that it would be "reevaluating" platform exclusives as part of its new strategy for Xbox Gaming. All of this aside, however, it seems as though there is a degree of success to be had from casting a wider net when it comes to hardware support.

According to an update on the Virtuos Games website—a game studio that helped Playground Games bring Forza Horizon 5 to the PS5—Forza Horizon 5 has sold more than 5 million copies on Sony's console alone. This nearly matches some of the estimated sales figures for the game's Steam release, which sits anywhere between 7.24 million and 8.36 million, depending on which analytics figures you're referencing. This is despite Forza Horizon 5 only releasing on PlayStation 5 in 2025, nearly four years after the original PC and Xbox launch. This sort of timed exclusivity is very similar to the model that Sony has been following with many of its games and largely one that Microsoft has been moving away from, and will possibly return to in the future. As it stands, Forza Horizon 6 is launching on May 19, with a PS5 release date promised for later in 2026.

Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 is currently available for $34.97 (MSRP $499.99), but only through May 17. The release continues Microsoft's focus on improving performance, collaboration, and AI-assisted development within its flagship integrated development environment (IDE). Visual Studio 2026 is built on a 64-bit architecture, allowing it to handle larger codebases and more complex projects more efficiently than earlier versions. This is particularly relevant for developers working with enterprise-scale applications or multi-project solutions.

The platform supports development across multiple environments, including Windows, Linux, and container-based systems. Developers can build mobile and desktop applications using.NET MAUI, as well as web interfaces with frameworks like Blazor. Integrated debugging and testing tools are included for both.NET and C++ applications.

Get Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 for $34.97 (MSRP $499.99) through May 17.

Intel has posted better-than-expected Q1 2026 results, with $13.58 billion in revenue, up 7.2% year over year and well ahead of the $12.42 billion analysts had forecast. Adjusted earnings per share hit 29 cents against an expectation of just one cent, sending the stock up more than 15% in after-hours trading. Data center and AI were strong performers, bringing in $5.1 billion against estimates of $4.41 billion. The foundry division revenue generated $5.4 billion, though the vast majority of that was Intel's own internal business. External customer revenue was less than $200 million, mostly legacy wafer work. Also, Intel ASIC business is on track for more than $1 billion in revenue this year. Part of the Q1 surprising results came from Intel clearing out finished goods inventory it hadn't expected to move, according to CFO David Zinsner. The company is also raising chip prices to offset rising production costs, which is reflected in its Q2 guidance of $13.8 to $14.8 billion, a bit more than the $13 billion Wall Street had estimated.

Going back to the foundry side, Intel scored two notable wins on this front. Tesla signed on as Intel's first major 14A customer for Elon Musk's Terafab AI chip complex in Austin, however, the details of this deal are still unknown. The most logical scenario is that Terafab will license the Intel 14A process, but neither side has confirmed it. The second win came earlier this month when Intel expanded its AI CPU deal with Google, the two companies extending their co-development of custom ASIC-based IPUs.

Hot on the heels of a sizeable update to how Wooting keyboards handle on-board keyboard profile switching, Wooting has announced a new round of cases to add some custom flair to its 60HE v2 HE keyboard. The new silicone Wooting 60HE v2 cases are slightly translucent, and come in aquamarine or white colorways. Wooting also says that the translucent nature of the silicone case allows the keyboard's RGB to shine through the case, sort of like a pudding keycap.

Wooting designed the silicone case for the 60HE v2, but it is also compatible with the friction fit mounting system of the original Wooting 60HE+. It is meant to serve as a lighter, easy to install alternative to the original aluminium case that comes with the 60HE v2. The silicone case, which has a 70 A hardness rating—making it about as stiff as the rubber on the outsole of a shoe—measures just 19.3 mm tall at its tallest and has a 4° typing angle. Currently, it retails for $39.99, making it the cheapest aftermarket case Wooting sells aside from the brass UwU case. If you build out a Wooting 60HE v2 module with a silicone case and the cheapest options available, the case is discounted to $19.99, bringing the build down to $179.99, making it just $5 more than the original Wooting 60HE+ at the time of the 60HE v2's launch.

Since Asha Sharma took over as CEO of Xbox Gaming, she seems to be trying to tackle a number of complaints regularly levelled at Microsoft's gaming division. The most recent material change to be announced to Microsoft's gaming stack is a price cut for Xbox and PC Game Pass. More recently, however, Sharma and Matt Booty, the new Chief Content Officer at Xbox Gaming, published an internal memo detailing a strategy shift, which could result in significant changes to how gamers interact with Microsoft's gaming IPs and divisions.

The full memo is available after the break, but the gist of it appears to be that Microsoft wants to strengthen Xbox Gaming's position as a hardware supplier and build the Xbox ecosystem, starting with Gen 9 (Xbox Series X|S consoles), make Game Pass more sustainable, increase the viability of cloud gaming, and address game discoverability, discoverability, and social features, including live service gaming and UGC games. Sharma and Booty say that they want to make Xbox "the best place for developers and creators to build and grow," and they specifically mention that Xbox will "reevaluate our approach to exclusivity, windowing, and AI, and share more as we learn and decide." The memorandum also mentions making Xbox "affordable, personal, and open," with "flexible" pricing to lower the barrier to entry.

It was recently rumored that Gears of War: E-Day would be shown off at a June Xbox Summer Games showcase in 2026, and we have already seen drips and drabs of information about the upcoming game's plot, setting, and characters. Now, according to a purported leak by GhostOfHope on X, Microsoft is planning to launch Gears of War: E-Day sometime in September 2026. GhostOfHope is a known leaker, generally focusing on games like Call of Duty, lending some credence to the rumor. It should be noted that, while E-Day has an official Steam Store page, and Xbox Game Studios has previously acknowledged the game's existence, neither Microsoft nor Xbox Game Studios has actually commented on the release date or a release window. That said, it would not be surprising to see a September launch, since it has been said to be releasing in 2026, and September is usually a busy time for video game launches, since it's right before the holiday season.

Samsung Electronics and POSTECH have published a research paper titled "Switchable 2D-3D display through a metasurface lenticular lens" in the prestigious journal Nature, marking notable progress in next-generation display technology through industry-academia collaboration.

Rethinking 3D Displays With Metasurfaces
A metasurface lenticular lens-based switchable 2D/3D display uses an ultra-thin metalens composed of nanoscale structures to transition seamlessly between flat (2D) and stereoscopic (3D) images. A metasurface is significantly thinner while enabling complex optical functions—making it key to next-generation displays and camera systems.

Since the launch of the Steam Deck, Valve has been steadily updating SteamOS with new features in order to improve the gaming experience on its gaming handheld, all the while working with developers and providing them with tools to make it easier to support the Steam Deck. The latest beta update to the Steamworks dashboard for partners—developers and publishers—comes in the form of frame rate reporting for SteamOS users. With the new feature, game developers whose games have received Steam Deck Verified status will be able to access data gathered from Steam Deck users who opted into frame rate reporting.

Currently, the feature will provide game developers with a graph of average frame rate data for the 30 days, but Valve says that it will later add additional information about frame rate fluctuations, giving developers even more information to use to optimize the game. Valve says that it has added frame rate reporting to the Steamworks platform in order to help developers address user feedback from gamers who disagree with Steam Deck Verified ratings, stating that this data "can be valuable for developers to better understand the experiences of customers who disagree, especially in the context of a specific title or update." In the future, it will also expand this frame rate data to include games rated as "Steam Deck Playable," and it will add frame rate variance to the graph to indicate frame rate stability. Valve also provides developers with other Deck Verified data gathered by surveying users who have spent more than 10 minutes in a game. Presumably, features like these will eventually be available for the upcoming Steam Machine and Steam Frame, too.

GeForce NOW is doubling down on what matters most: gamers. This week's upgrades bring smarter libraries, making it easier than ever for gamers to turn a PC collection into a cloud-powered flex. It starts with giving existing libraries time to shine. Gamers can bring the games they love to the cloud, stream them with high performance and see the value of a GeForce NOW membership grow with new games, rewards and features.

First up, finding something to play gets an upgrade. The new in-app labels, first announced at GDC, are now live - making it simple to spot titles and new releases from connected subscription services like Xbox Game Pass and Ubisoft+. All that sets the stage for six new games rolling onto the cloud this week. Leading the charge is Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard, a chaotic new spin on the fast, unpredictable and packed-with-personality Vampire Survivors universe. Even the vampires can't avoid the spotlight this time. Round it out with a thunderous new Marvel Rivals skin for Thor, and it's a lineup fitted to perfection.

Ubisoft has officially announced that the Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, a refreshed version of the 2013 title, is set to launch on July 9. Developed by Ubisoft Singapore with involvement from original team members, the release brings the game to modern platforms using an updated version of the proprietary Anvil engine. The new version revisits Edward Kenway's story with updated visuals, improved lighting, and a reworked combat system. Ubisoft says that the game will feature reworked action-adventure combat, new and enhanced stealth gameplay, reworked naval combat, enhanced parkour moves, dynamic weather and objects. On the graphics side, Black Flag Resynced comes with ray-traced lighting with global illumination (RTGI) and reflections, completely reworked graphics assets, fully modernized water rendering and simulation. The PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro versions get their share of attention with optimized performance options: 60 FPS Performance mode, 30 FPS Fidelity mode, 40 FPS Balanced mode (requires 120 Hz display).

Ubisoft also provided details regarding PC requirements that start with 65 GB of storage on a "must-have" SSD and 16 GB of RAM listed across all tiers. Then, the minimum requirements target 1080p at 30 FPS on low settings, with a Core i7-8700K or Ryzen 5 3600 paired with a GeForce GTX 1660 or Radeon RX 5500 XT. For 1080p at 60 FPS on medium settings, Ubisoft recommends a Core i5-10600K or Ryzen 5 3600 with an RTX 3060 or RX 6600 XT. For 1440p gaming at 60 FPS on high settings gamers will need an RTX 3080 or RX 6800 XT, while 4K at 60 FPS on ultra settings requires GPUs such as the RTX 4090 or RX 7900 XTX, paired with CPUs like the Core i7-12700K or Ryzen 7 5700X3D.

The Vampire Survivors "turboturn" spinoff, Vampire Crawlers, has officially launched on Steam in Early Access, serving as yet another reminder that what seems to really matter in gaming is fun factor. Despite the bizarre combination of turn-based deck-builder, dungeon crawler, and roguelite, Vampire Crawlers has peaked at 40,802 players within 48 hours of launch, according to SteamDB. It has also managed to hit fifth place in Steam's top sellers chart and shore up nigh-universal praise, with an "Overwhelmingly Positive" 98% positive review rating on Steam. Even in the first 48 hours, Vampire Crawlers has already come close to the 77,061 peak concurrent player count of Vampire Survivors. It should also be noted that these numbers are for Steam alone, and Vampire Crawlers also released on Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series.

The Steam reviews praise the game for its addictive, original mix of gameplay mechanics and satisfying gameplay loop, but a number of reviews also commend it for how well it keeps gameplay feeling fresh with new mechanics and interesting encounters. One minor complaint that pops up in a few reviews is the overall length, at just 15-20 hours, according to a few reviews, given the long legs that Vampire Survivors has had, it would not be surprising to see plenty of additional content come to Vampire Crawlers in the coming months and years. The Vampire Crawlers launch trailer follows.

Getac Technology Corporation (Getac), a leading provider of rugged computing and mobile video solutions and a manufacturer with advanced in-house capabilities, today announced the launch of the new G140 tablet, a fully rugged Copilot+ PC.

Powered by AMD Ryzen technology, the G140 is designed for professionals working in industries such as public safety, automotive, and manufacturing, who require versatile field-ready devices that can run demanding edge AI applications in a wide range of operational environments.

One of the first Intel "Wildcat Lake" laptops has been revealed, showcasing a design language that closely resembles Apple's highly popular $599 MacBook Neo model. Intel's own reference design model features a standard 6-core "Wildcat Lake" configuration with two Xe3 cores and a 17 TOPS NPU, all housed in an aluminium chassis with a bright color theme, similar to Apple's MacBook Neo. The Intel reference design "Wildcat Lake" laptop operates with a 17 W PL1 mode, which measures the base TDP, and a 35 W PL2 for running the new WCL chip at maximum turbo frequency. There is also a high-performance mode for maximizing core performance with a 22 W PL1 base TDP, as well as a mode for fanless operation. In the PL1 power mode at 11 W, WCL chips can function in fanless environments, making them very versatile.

When Intel launched the "Wildcat Lake" Core 300 series of processors, the company aimed to satisfy value-oriented buyers seeking good CPU performance and basic GPU output in small form-factor commercial and edge AI PCs. The platform's hybrid core configuration, combining two "Cougar Cove" P-cores with four LPE "Darkmont" cores, should provide sufficient CPU power for basic tasks in the entry-level segment. Especially when paired with the NPU 5, Xe display and media engine, and a GPU that includes up to two Xe3 cores, this SoC should handle tasks with ease, along with some very light entry-level gaming.

Retro Games Ltd (RGL) today announces that The Spectrum White Edition is available now, marking exactly 44 years to the day since the original rubber-keyed ZX Spectrum 48k first launched on 23rd April 1982. Developed in collaboration with PLAION REPLAI, The Spectrum White Edition reimagines one of gaming's most iconic and influential home computers through a striking new all-white design inspired by decades of community folklore.

For years, stories have circulated of a white ZX Spectrum created to mark the milestone of one million units sold. While never commercially released, it became a symbol of possibility within the retro gaming community. Today, that story becomes reality.

Compact design meets workstation performance: With the new XB860G2, Shuttle is expanding its portfolio with a high-performance solution that bridges the gap between ultra-compact mini-PCs and bulky tower systems. Thanks to the Intel B860 chipset, support for 'Arrow Lake-S' and a PCIe 5.0 slot for dual-slot graphics cards, the system offers maximum flexibility for demanding professional applications.

Hardware requirements in professional environments are diverse: whilst ultra-compact 1-liter systems are the ideal choice for efficient office applications and space-critical installations, computationally intensive projects often require additional hardware resources. The new Shuttle XPC Barebone XB860G2 fills precisely this market niche. With a chassis volume of around 4.7 liters, it offers space for dedicated components and optimized cooling performance that was previously reserved for significantly larger systems, without sacrificing the advantages of a compact form factor.

Seagate has refreshed its consumer and prosumer storage lineup across three brands, with new options under the Seagate, FireCuda, and LaCie names targeting everything from everyday backup to high-end creative production. The most straightforward of the three is the Seagate One Touch desktop drive, available in 8 TB, 20 TB, and 24 TB. It uses a single USB-C cable for both power and data, no external power brick needed, and it works with Windows and Mac out of the box. Seagate included its Toolkit backup software and Rescue Data Recovery Services. For gamers and streamers, Seagate brings the FireCuda X Vault featuring 8 TB and 20 TB variants. It's also bus-powered over USB-C and adds customizable RGB lighting with Windows Dynamic Lighting support. Xbox on PC certification and an Xbox Game Pass trial are bundled in. Both the One Touch and FireCuda X Vault are positioned as companions to fast internal NVMe drives rather than replacements.

At the high end is the LaCie 8big Pro5, a Thunderbolt 5 multi-bay RAID enclosure designed for video editors and production teams working with 4K/8K footage and large RAW image libraries. It supports Thunderbolt 5 at up to 120 Gbps, can reach speeds up to 2,800 MB/s in RAID 0, and can deliver up to 140 W of power for connected laptops. Capacities run from 32 TB all the way up to 256 TB, with a 5-year warranty and Rescue Data Recovery Services included. All three are available now. The One Touch 8 TB starts at $259.99, the FireCuda X Vault at $269.99, and the LaCie 8big Pro5 starts at a whopping $5,979 for the 32 TB.

Today, System76, the leading Linux-first computing platform, introduced significant updates to its Thelio product family with the new Thelio Mira desktop and Thelio Major workstation. The two systems - designed, engineered, and manufactured in Denver - deliver a complete range of professional and mission-critical capabilities for organizations that demand sustained performance, open architecture, and hardware built to last.

Engineered for Linux from the hardware up, both systems ship with Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS or Ubuntu. This full-stack approach distinguishes System76 from any other desktop manufacturer in the market.

NEO Semiconductor, a leading innovator in advanced AI and memory technologies, today announced successful proof-of-concept (POC) results for its 3D X-DRAM technology, marking a major milestone toward next-generation, high-density memory solutions for AI and data-centric systems.

The company also announced a new strategic investment led by Stan Shih, Founder and former Chairman and CEO of Acer, and former Board Director of TSMC for over 20 years. As a globally respected technology pioneer and entrepreneur, Mr. Shih's participation reflects strong confidence in NEO's technology and vision, and will support the company's next phase of development.

LG Display today reported unaudited earnings results based on consolidated K-IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) for the three-month period ending March 31, 2026.

• Revenues in the first quarter of 2026 decreased by 23% to KRW 5,534 billion from KRW 7,201 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025 and decreased by 9% from KRW 6,065 billion in the first quarter of 2025.
• Operating profit in the first quarter of 2026 decreased by 13% to KRW 146.7 billion from KRW 168.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025 and increased by 338% from KRW 33.5 billion in the first quarter of 2025.
• EBITDA in the first quarter of 2026 was KRW 1,141 billion, compared with EBITDA of KRW 1,162 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025 and KRW 1,231 billion in the first quarter of 2025.
• Net loss in the first quarter of 2026 was KRW 576 billion, compared with the net loss of KRW 351 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025 and with the net loss of KRW 237 billion in the first quarter of 2025.

Kioxia Corporation today announced the KIOXIA BG8 Series solid state drives (SSDs), the next evolution of its client SSD lineup designed for PC OEM customers. Delivering PCIe 5.0 speed to the mainstream segment, the KIOXIA BG8 Series combines next-generation capability with efficient operation and broad design flexibility for slim laptops, commercial and consumer notebooks, and desktop systems.

Built with Kioxia's BiCS FLASH generation 8 TLC-based 3D flash memory, the KIOXIA BG8 Series advances both performance and power efficiency. Compared to the previous generation, the KIOXIA BG8 Series achieves up to 47 % higher sequential read, 67 % higher sequential write, 44 % higher random read, and 30 % higher random write performance.b

Axiomtek, a world-renowned leader relentlessly devoted to the research, development, and manufacture of innovative, highly efficient, and reliable industrial computer products, proudly introduces its latest Pico-ITX single board computer, the PICO570. Powered by the Intel Core Ultra processors (Series 1), this ultra-compact solution is designed to meet the evolving demands of edge AI computing. It integrates an 11 TOPS NPU to enable efficient on-device AI inference without requiring discrete accelerators, offering developers a faster time-to-market for space-constrained systems.

AI-Ready Performance with Integrated NPU
Built with Intel Core Ultra processors, the PICO570 features an integrated NPU to accelerate AI workloads directly at the edge. This enables real-time data processing with reduced latency while maintaining power efficiency. With these AI-on-device capabilities, users can simplify system architecture for applications such as edge AI gateways and inference nodes.

Today, Turtle Beach Corporation, a leading gaming accessories brand, announced its expansion of PC peripherals with the launch of the all-new Turtle Beach Command Series of keyboards and mice. Designed across a range of price points, the Command Series products deliver a new standard of value, combining high-speed performance, precision, and versatility to power - gaming, content creation, and everyday productivity.

"The all-new Command Series marks a major moment for Turtle Beach - our most advanced lineup of keyboards and mice yet, built for the speed, precision, and flexibility that Today's gamers, creators, and multitaskers demand," said Cris Keirn, Chief Executive Officer, Turtle Beach Corporation.

Leading provider of industrial PC solutions AAEON (Stock Code: 6579) today announced the BOXER-6407-TWL, an ultra-slim compact embedded PC available with either the Intel Processor N250 or N150 CPU SKU from the Intel Processor N-series (formerly Twin Lake). Central to the product's value proposition is its compact 153 mm x 101 mm x 30 mm size, with its height being particularly notable, given it is 35% slimmer than previous models from AAEON's Ultra-slim Box PC portfolio. AAEON has said this design decision was made to satisfy market demand for more advanced, fanless platforms that can be integrated into existing systems with minimal space, such as semiconductor manufacturing equipment and digital signage installations.

Highlighting its suitability for retrofitting and modernizing industrial setups, the BOXER-6407-TWL offers both VGA and HDMI display outputs to ensure compatibility with existing display panels. Meanwhile, the PC features a robust industrial I/O comprised of three USB ports (USB 3.2 Gen 2 x 1, USB 2.0 x 3), dual Gigabit Ethernet LAN, and two DB-9 ports for RS-232/422/485. This positioning of the product as one for industrial environments is consistent with its mechanical specifications, which boast a fanless, ventless chassis with a single-mold top cover, allowing it to operate in temperatures as high as 60°C while preventing dust ingress.

AMD's stock has been experiencing a significant rise over the past few months, with the company's share price reaching a record $303.46 at the time of writing and a market capitalization of nearly half a trillion USD, precisely $494.74 billion. Historically, AMD's stock has struggled to match the levels of NVIDIA and, to some extent, Intel. However, the company has seen a massive turnaround with the expansion of AI data centers. AMD has been performing well in the data center space with its EPYC processors and Instinct MI accelerators, and the stock price has followed this upward trajectory. This is AMD's best stock performance yet, supported by a strong current and upcoming product portfolio that has major investors confident in the company's operations, financials, and execution of plans.

AMD is on track to ship its EPYC "Venice" server CPUs with "Zen 6" architecture, the Instinct MI400 series of accelerators for AI training, inference, and HPC workloads, and Pensando "Vulcano" AI NICs, all housed within a rack-scale system called "Helios." Expected to match and exceed NVIDIA's "Vera Rubin" in some areas, AMD will be competitive in the world's largest industry today—AI data centers. However, the company is not resting on its laurels and has already prepared a 2027 update of this product portfolio for the next-generation AI rack. This execution has instilled confidence in AMD's investors, driving the stock price significantly higher.

Yesterday, TSMC unveiled its latest A13 node preview at the North America Technology Symposium, highlighting the company's ongoing developments. However, the most significant news isn't about a new node but the technology behind it. TSMC announced it would rely on older ASML Low-NA EUV tools instead of the more expensive High-NA EUV scanners. With the High-NA EUV scanner priced at about €350 million ($410 million), the capital expenditure required to equip a modern facility is substantial. TSMC claims it can maintain a competitive advantage using the existing Low-NA EUV technology, which costs roughly half as much per machine. Kevin Zhang, TSMC's deputy Co-COO and SVP, noted to Reuters, "This is where I think our R&D has done exceptionally well in terms of leveraging existing EUV technology while setting an aggressive technology scaling roadmap. This is definitely a strength."

TSMC's use of Low-NA EUV lithography involves a technique called multi-patterning, where the EUV machine takes multiple passes to etch a design on a single layer. By performing two Low-NA etching runs, TSMC can achieve benefits similar to High-NA exposure, effectively reducing the need for new tools. However, there are limitations to the Low-NA multi-patterning technique, which will be addressed later by introducing High-NA systems, but only for nodes at 1 nm and below. For now, and for recent nodes, TSMC sees a way to maximize performance from the existing Low-NA systems at a much lower capital expenditure than would be required for High-NA systems.

Alphacool International GmbH from Braunschweig is a pioneer in PC water-cooling technology. With one of the most comprehensive product portfolios in the industry and over 20 years of experience, Alphacool is once again expanding its portfolio with the new Apex Manifold 360 mm.

The Apex Manifold 360 mm is designed for visually striking custom water-cooling builds and enables especially clean tubing runs for a neat and organized system layout. Four chambers and eight G1/4" inlet and outlet ports provide flexible integration of multiple components, while allowing hard tubes and soft tubes to be routed particularly straight and easily.

It was recently rumored that PlayStation would be moving away from publishing PC ports of its mainline first-party single-player games, which came with the implication that Sony would not port the upcoming Marvel's Wolverine game to PC. Speaking at a recent ALT Games Festival event in Australia, Shuhei Yoshida, Sony's former president of Sony Interactive Entertainment, commented on the PlayStation exclusive situation and how PC ports impact Sony's gaming portfolio and financials in his view. Yoshida is of the opinion that PC ports are largely a positive move for Sony, and that they don't meaningfully detract from console hardware sales or game sales on consoles.

Instead, Yoshida says that Sony's PC ports could help recoup some of the initial game design and development costs—presumably because games usually get a bump in sales when they launch on other platforms, and because developing a new game is far more costly than porting an existing game to a new platform. The latter is especially true with modern hardware, which all share similar x86 platform specifications, with the exception of systems like the Nintendo Switch 2 and Valve's upcoming Steam Frame. He also goes on to say that he is "not seeing any proof of them (Sony) changing their strategy this generation, but if they are changing, it's going to be interesting how they are able to maintain the investment on big budget games." On the topic of AAA game budgets, Yoshida comments that the ever-increasing budgets in the AAA industry don't seem sustainable. The full interview with Shuhei Yoshida on YouTube follows.

Rambus Inc. (NASDAQ: RMBS), a premier chip and silicon IP provider making data faster and safer, today announced a SOCAMM2 (Small Outline Compression Attached Memory Module) chipset designed to enable low-power, high-performance LPDDR5X-based memory modules for AI server platforms. The SOCAMM2 chipset represents the first step in a broader Rambus roadmap of LPDDR-based server module solutions, reflecting the company's ongoing collaboration with industry partners to support new memory architectures optimized for evolving workloads in AI data center infrastructure. This new product family extends the comprehensive Rambus offering of complete memory interface chipsets for all JEDEC-standard DDR5 and LPDDR5 memory modules.

The rapid diversification and expansion of data center workloads driven by AI is reshaping system requirements, heightening the need for purpose-built solutions that optimize for power, efficiency, form factor and memory scalability. SOCAMM2 memory modules, based on LPDDR technology, are emerging as an innovative architectural approach to address these challenges by delivering high performance with lower power consumption in a modular, serviceable, board area efficient form factor.

SK hynix Inc. (or "the company", www.skhynix.com) announced today that it has recorded 52.5763 trillion won in revenues, 37.6103 trillion won in operating profit (with an operating margin of 72%), and 40.3459 trillion won in net profit (with a net margin of 77%) in the first quarter.

Revenue surpassed 50 trillion won for the first time on a quarterly basis, while operating profit and operating margin reached record highs at 37.6 trillion won and 72%, respectively. Operating profit has nearly doubled compared to the previous quarter, clearly demonstrating an improving profitability.

Wooting is one of the rare keyboard manufacturers that meets gamers in the middle, providing gamers with both a web app and an installable program to customize their gaming keyboards. Now, the keyboard maker has announced App Linking, which enables per-app profiles in a new beta version of Wootility. Now, Wooting users who have the Wootility Background Service enabled can switch keyboard profiles on the fly, depending on which window is in focus in their operating system. It supports up to eight linked apps per profile on the keyboard, and the 80HE and 60HE V2 can support up to four on-board profiles. The update also refines the RGB sleep timer control UI and allows editing profiles directly from the icon tray.

Wooting's profiles control everything from actuation points, features like RT, SOCD, and analogue input, to key mapping and RGB lighting. This means you could set up a Wooting 80HE or 60HE to act like a macro pad while something like a video editor or CAD suite is focussed, a regular office keyboard with a lower polling rate and reasonable actuation point when word processors or web browsers are open, and a high-performance gaming keyboard with 8 kHz polling, RT, and a 0.1 mm actuation point when in games. One caveat with this background service functionality is that it currently does not work with Wayland on Linux, since that display server, since apps are generally isolated under Wayland, and support for features like this is spotty at best on Wayland. The Wooting support team is engaging with the community about Wayland support on Linux, and it seems as though the development team will look into supporting certain desktop environments, like KDE.

Recent rumors revealed that Microsoft may be ditching APU customization for Xbox Project Helix, its upcoming PC-console hybrid that is expected to launch around the $1,000 mark, opting instead for an off-the-shelf AMD APU that will seemingly be available to other manufacturers as well. Now, per a new rumor by ubiquitous leaker Moore's Law Is Dead on the Broken Silicon podcast, it seems as though that high price may come with a significant performance boost.

Moore's Law Is DeadWhat's even more of a cause for optimism, though, is how much better PS6 and Helix will be. Helix is basically a high-end PC, even using the same silicon as AMD's 70-class or maybe 80-class RDNA 5 GPUs. It isn't an ultra-level of PC hardware, but still far more powerful than consoles usually have. It will have the biggest APU in console history... Yes it will be expensive, but guys, if it's even $1,200, it's like a $2-3,000 gaming PC. That's disruptive.

It has long been predicted that 2026 would be a year for expensive PC hardware launches, especially on the gaming and enthusiast side of things, and that is turning out to be true for ASUS's latest gaming laptops in the ROG Zephyrus line-up. As per a recent announcement by ASUS Taiwan, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo, Zephyrus G14, and Zephyrus G16 have officially been made available for pre-order in the East Asian nation. All three laptops feature color-accurate, high-resolution OLED displays, lightweight aluminium chassis, Intel Core Ultra 9 386H CPU, and NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50-series graphics, making them powerhouses for both gaming and creative workflows. As we shared in our coverage of CES 2026, however, it seems as though there are more SKUs coming later down the line with different GPU configurations.

The ASUS Zephyrus Duo, largely the flagship device of the three launching today, packs an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU with 24 GB of GDDR7 alongside that 16-core Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and up to 64 GB of LPDDR5X. Despite the dual 16-inch, 120 Hz, 1,100-nit, 3K OLED displays—which incidentally have 100% DCI-P3 Wide color gamut coverage, Pantone validation, and stylus support—and dual USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, a 3.5 mm audio combo jack, a full-size HDMI 2.1 port, a full size UHS-II SD card reader, and dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, the laptop measures in at a reasonable 24.9 mm thick at its thickest and weighs in at 2.82 kg. In Taiwan, the Zephyrus Duo will retail for NT$269,999 or $8,570.31.

TSMC (TWSE: 2330, NYSE: TSM) today debuted its latest innovation in its most advanced process technology at the Company's 2026 North America Technology Symposium. TSMC's new A13 process is a direct shrink of its industry-leading A14 node announced in 2025, enabling even more compact and efficient designs to address insatiable customer demand in computational requirements for next-generation artificial intelligence, high performance computing (HPC), and mobile applications.

Representing TSMC's commitment to continuous improvement, A13 provides 6% area savings from A14. Design rules are fully backward compatible with A14, enabling customers to quickly migrate their designs to TSMC's latest nanosheet transistor technology. In addition, A13 delivers increased power efficiency and performance gains through design-technology co-optimization, and is scheduled to enter production in 2029, one year after A14.

JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in the development of standards for the microelectronics industry, today previewed a set of new features planned for incorporation into the next version of its JESD209‑6 LPDDR6 standard. Building on the foundational JESD209‑6 published in July 2025, JEDEC's JC‑42.6 Subcommittee has been working to enhance the next version of the standard to extend LPDDR6 beyond mobile platforms to support selected data center and accelerated computing workloads seeking a power‑efficient, high‑capacity memory platform.

Planned features for the upcoming LPDDR6 update include:

• Narrower per-die interface (x6) enables higher capacities: With the move to a non-binary interface width - from x16 to x24, the inclusion of x12 and an additional x6 sub-channel mode, allows more die per package and higher memory capacities per component and per channel, a critical enabler for AI-scale memory footprints.
• Flexible metadata carve‑out intended to minimize impact to peak data throughput, giving data center customers the option to balance user capacity and metadata needs according to their specific reliability requirements.
• 512 GB density on the horizon: LPDDR6 is expected to unlock densities beyond the current LPDDR5/5X maximum, a capability designed to address the ever-growing memory capacity requirements of AI training and inference workloads.
• LPDDR6 SOCAMM2 module standard in development: JEDEC is actively working on an LPDDR6-based SOCAMM2 module standard, which is being designed to carry the compact, serviceable module form factor forward and offer a clear upgrade path from today's LPDDR5X SOCAMM2 modules.

Polish game studio, 11 Bit Studios, has just released its 2025 earnings and revenue report, indicating a rather positive year for the company, which earned 21.9 million PLN ($6.05 million) in profit, which it attributes to the sales of Frostpunk 2 (880,000 copies) and The Alters (545,000 copies). More excitingly, the studio announced that it will be focusing on a new strategy between 2027 and 2031, which includes a "reimagining" of This War of Mine and a new game set in the Frostpunk universe, which the studio says is its most valuable franchise.

Of course, Frostpunk 1866 has already been announced for a 2027 release, and that is mentioned separately from the other Frostpunk project, which 11 Bit Studios says will be in a completely different genre to the usual city builder franchise. Nothing else appears to have been published about the other upcoming games or the This Was of Mine remake, but it could easily be the same or a similar story from a different perspective or a straight remake of the side-scrolling POV game. 11 Bit also confirmed that it was working on at least two new IPs, and that it would see an "increase in the regularity of releases," and it made references to both its development and publishing divisions, suggesting that we will see more indie games, like Death Howl, Creatures of Ava, The Thaumaturge, and The Invincible.

Bolt Graphics today announced the successful tape-out of its test chip, marking a key milestone in the development of its Zeus GPU. Zeus is a next-generation compute platform designed to reduce the total cost of compute by up to 17 times across high-performance computing (HPC), rendering, and emerging compute-intensive applications.

Global demand for compute capacity continues to accelerate to support capabilities such as simulations, real-time graphics, and artificial intelligence across a wide range of industries. To address the need, companies optimized existing compute architectures for peak performance rather than cost efficiency, causing infrastructure cost to become a primary constraint. As the majority of workloads remain dependent on these architectures, large segments of the available market remain economically unviable.

Today, AMD released the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition processor, the first processor that brings dual AMD 3D V-Cache technology to the desktop, unlocking a new level of performance for developers, creators and gamers.

Built for demanding developers, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition processor combines high-performance "Zen 5" core technology with dual 2nd Gen AMD 3D V-Cache technology across all 16 cores, delivering 208 MB of total cache for expanded cache capacity and low latency. The result is exceptional responsiveness, increased throughput and flexibility to power next-generation development and creation workflows.

Today at Google Cloud Next, we are introducing the eighth generation of Google's custom Tensor Processor Unit (TPU), coming soon with two distinct, purpose-built architectures for training and inference: TPU 8t and TPU 8i. These two chips are designed to power our custom-built supercomputers, to drive everything from cutting-edge model training and agent development, to massive inference workloads. TPUs have been powering leading foundation models, including Gemini, for years. These 8th generation TPUs together will deliver scale, efficiency and capabilities across training, serving and agentic workloads.

In this age of AI agents, models must reason through problems, execute multistep workflows and learn from their own actions in continuous loops. This places a new set of demands on infrastructure, and TPU 8t and TPU 8i were designed in partnership with Google DeepMind to take on the most demanding AI workloads and adapt to evolving model architectures at scale.

Gigabyte, the world's leading computer brand, announces the collaboration with NVIDIA for the PRAGMATA GeForce RTX 50 Series game bundle across eligible graphics cards, desktops, and laptops powered by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 or above GPUs and Laptop GPUs. Powered by NVIDIA Blackwell architecture, the GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs bring game-changing capabilities to gamers. Equipped with a massive level of AI horsepower, the RTX 50 Series enables new experiences and next-level graphics fidelity. Combined with Gigabyte's cutting-edge cooling designs, the bundle aims to unleash smoother gameplay and a more immersive PRAGMATA gaming experience.

The GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs leverage a trio of key technologies to elevate gameplay. Path tracing simulates the physical behavior of light to deliver photorealistic and real-time 3D graphics. Alongside NVIDIA's suite of neural rendering technologies, NVIDIA DLSS 4 leverages AI technologies to boost FPS, reduce latency, and enhance image quality, while NVIDIA Reflex further reduces system latency for more responsive control.

GMKtec has officially launched the NucBox G11, a compact mini PC powered by AMD's embedded Ryzen platform, targeting users looking for an affordable solution for home computing, edge AI workloads, and business deployment.

Starting at just $169, the G11 stands out in the entry-level mini PC segment by offering dual 2.5GbE ports, Wi-Fi 6E, and support for up to 16 TB of storage, making it suitable for networking, local servers, and lightweight AI inference tasks.

In Win Development Inc. (InWin) announces the COVALENT full-tower chassis, engineered for high-performance computing, AI applications, and professional workstation environments. Built on a modular architecture with expansive internal capacity, COVALENT combines efficient thermal engineering with a refined industrial aesthetic to support sustained, high-demand workloads.

Balanced Design for Performance and Versatility
COVALENT is available with either tempered glass or solid metal side panel options. The tempered glass edition highlights internal components and ARGB lighting, while the metal panels offer a more understated appearance with enhanced structural strength and thermal performance. A vertically slotted front panel improves airflow intake, helping maintain consistent cooling during extended workloads.

With the HD 480 PRO, Sennheiser today launches its top-of-the-range closed-back headphones for studio and live environments. Designed with the utmost care and precision, they eliminate the two most-cited pain points of closed-back headphones by delivering a tight, accurate bass reproduction and ensuring supreme comfort for audio professionals tasked with recording, tracking, or monitoring in the studio, in live audio environments or on the move.

Delivering where other closed-backs fail
With closed-back headphones, a good reproduction of the low-end is usually difficult to achieve. "This is where the HD 480 PRO excel. Compared to other closed-back headphones, they are a lot tighter on the bass, their low-end is super-accurate and realistic," notes Jimmy R. Landry, Category Market Manager, Music Industry at Sennheiser.

Samsung Display announced today that its QD-OLED panels for TVs and monitors have received verification from UL Solutions, a global leader in applied safety science, for their viewing angle performance under the 'Quantum View' standard.

'Quantum View' is a verification program that evaluates changes in luminance and color coordinates as the viewing angle shifts from the front in 10-degree increments up to 60 degrees. According to the assessment results, Samsung Display's QD-OLED panels maintained above 60% of front-facing luminance even at a 60-degree angle, while color shift remained below 0.012, indicating minimal change.

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UPDF positions itself as exactly that kind of alternative. Available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, it offers a cross-platform workflow that fits naturally into both desktop and mobile use. It also brings in AI-assisted tools for editing and document interaction for convenience without pushing the product into unnecessary complexity.Get UPDF from the official website and secure the current offer before it expires.

Alterra, a cozy game inspired by Animal Crossing and Minecraft in development at Ubisoft, has officially been cancelled, according to a recent Insider Gaming report. The news broke by way of insiders at Ubisoft, who claim that the news was broken to them on the morning of April 21, after which the team working on the game was sent home. Following the news of the cancellation, IGN published a statement by an Ubisoft representative, who said that "As part of our portfolio management approach and evolving creative house-led model, we continuously assess projects at every stage of development to ensure alignment with our strategic priorities, quality ambitions, and long-term market potential," continuing to explain that "projects that no longer meet these expectations may be discontinued."

It should also be noted that there have been no layoffs as a result of the cancellation of Alterra, and the team working on the cozy game will simply be made available to other development projects. The comments by the Ubisoft representative suggest that the company doesn't think the game would have been successful in the current gaming climate, and they echo recent rumors about Ubisoft carefully assessing the value of future Assassin's Creed game ports with the upcoming Black Flag Resynced launch. This move is only the latest in a series of decisions at Ubisoft aimed at cutting costs and making the company more efficient, and it follows a March round of layoffs that saw 105 people lose their jobs.

We've known for a while now that the upcoming Xbox Project Helix game console will be a hybrid game console, able to play both PC and Xbox games, but recently news broke that the Xbox Helix would be using an off-the-shelf AMD APU, followed by a leak from KeplerL2 on the NeoGAF forums that it would be a third-party console. The latter rumor claimed that the Xbox Helix would not be available directly to consumers from Microsoft itself, instead adopting something of a Steam Machine model—the original Steam Machine, not the 2026 reboot—and making the hardware design available to hardware partners similarly to how AMD and NVIDIA sell their GPUs to board partners who package them in their own way.

Xbox Vice President, Jason Ronald, chimed in with a response on X, saying simply that "Project Helix will be available as a 1st party Xbox console," and nothing more. While this somewhat debunks the rumor started by KeplerL2, it also leaves the door open to the possibility of third-party Helix consoles. This idea somewhat holds water, given the context of the previous rumor about the off-the-shelf APU. If Microsoft did not license the Xbox Helix design, and brands could simply buy the APU directly from AMD to make their own hardware platforms, similarly to what's been happening with other Radeon 780M-powered APUs that have been popping up in Windows gaming handheld devices since the Ryzen Z1 Extreme handhelds launched.

Alongside the Framework 13 Pro that was just announced, Framework also released the OCuLink Dev Kit, which is a new modular adaptor that replaces the Framework Laptop 16's Graphics Module with an external OCuLink port, allowing you to connect high-performance peripherals and hardware across a PCIe 5.0×8 interface and offering a theoretical maximum bandwidth of 128 GT/s. Framework suggests that users could use the OCuLink port to build out their Framework Laptop 16 as a lightweight on-the-go laptop, removing the dGPU and using that in an eGPU setup while docked at a desk and relying on the iGPU in the laptop for work away from the desk.

The Framework OCuLink Dev Kit includes the hardware that goes into the laptop itself, an OCuLink Expansion Bay adaptor, as well as the external bits, including a Graphics Module OCuLink Dock, for mounting your Framework Graphics Module externally, a PCIe OCuLink Dock with a full-size PCIe slot for hardware like GPUs, networking cards, capture cards, and whatever else goes into a PCIe slot; and an OCuLink 8i cable to connect the dock to the laptop itself. In order to use the external graphics module, you'll need to supply your own desktop PSU, since Framework does not include one in the package, and it should also be noted that the OCuLink port does not support the same charging capabilities as USB4 or Thunderbolt, so you'll still need to run at least two cables when using the Dev Kit.

Xbox CEO, Asha Sharma was recently quoted in a leaked internal memo stating that Game Pass was too expensive and that it didn't provide adequate value to its consumers, and it seems as though she has now followed through on the implied promise in that internal memo. As announced on Xbox Wire, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass are both receiving price cuts, with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate coming down from $29.99 to $22.99/month and PC Game Pass dropping from $16.49 to $13.99.

At the same time, though, starting in 2026, Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass users will lose launch-day access to Call of Duty games. Starting with the next Call of Duty game, Game Pass players will need to wait "about a year" for Call of Duty to hit Game Pass. Fortunately, current Call of Duty games will remain playable on both PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and other major releases will still hit Game Pass on launch day. It was previously reported that Microsoft lost $300 million in Call of Duty sales by including the popular shooter series in Game Pass, despite Game Pass being an overall profitable endeavor.

NC America officially confirmed today that AION 2, the action-packed, open-world MMORPG, will arrive later this year on Steam and PURPLE platforms. Featuring flight as a signature experience, players can fly freely across a world 36 times larger than the original AION, dive underwater, and engage in aerial combat in PvE and PvP gameplay.

The AION 2 development team has invested deeply in building a version suited for global PC players and will be actively engaging with Western players and media throughout the year. The AION 2 development team will introduce more news for AION 2 in May, and looks forward to answering questions from the community.

Today, we're happy to introduce Framework Laptop 13 Pro, a complete ground up redesign that brings a massive leap in battery life with Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 Processors, a 74 Wh battery, and LPCAMM2 memory, a new full CNC aluminium chassis, our first purpose-built power-optimized display with touch support, an excellent feeling haptic touchpad, an option for pre-loaded Ubuntu, and much more.

In many ways, this product has been six years in the making. We've taken all of the feedback you've given us on the first seven generations of Framework Laptop 13 to make this the ultimate portable developer and power user machine. With all of this, it's still a Framework Laptop, meaning it's repairable, upgradeable, customizable, and entirely yours to do what you want with. Framework Laptop 13 Pro is available to pre-order today, starting at $1,199 USD for DIY Edition and $1,499 USD for pre-built configurations, with first shipments in June.

Apple is making its latest macOS 26 release the last official operating system that will run on Intel-powered Macs. This means that starting with next year's macOS 27 release, new operating system updates will be available only on the M-Series of Apple Silicon. For macOS 26, codenamed "Tahoe," several Intel-based Macs will still support this latest release. These include the 2019 Mac Pro, 2019 MacBook Pro 16-inch, 2020 MacBook Pro 13-inch, and the 2020 release of the 27-inch iMac. These models will receive the latest macOS "Tahoe" operating system support this year, while next year's macOS 27 will officially end the rollout for Intel-based Macs. This marks the end of an era for Intel-based Macs and represents the Hackintosh community's final efforts to get this operating system on non-Apple PCs.

The transition to Apple Silicon officially began in late 2020 with the introduction of the M1 SoC—Apple's first custom silicon processor that features an in-house developed CPU, GPU, and much of the surrounding IP that make up an SoC. This initiated a series of M-Series designs over the years, with the current latest being the M5 generation, led by the M5 Pro and M5 Max. The Cupertino giant has been creating custom silicon for years with its A-Series of smartphone SoCs, but only recently started a special line for Macs. The company even offers the A18 Pro-based MacBook Neo, incorporating some smartphone silicon into a $599 Mac computer for basic PC work.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the Razer Atlas Pro, the world's thinnest glass gaming mouse mat, setting a new benchmark in thinness, performance, and modern set-up aesthetics.

Ultra-Thin Engineering, Without Compromise
Featuring an ultra-thin 1.9 mm low-profile design, the Atlas Pro brings the mouse surface closer to the desk for a more seamless, ergonomic experience. By crossing the sub-2 mm threshold for the first time, the Atlas Pro is the world's thinnest glass gaming mouse mat, measured across its entire construction - including the rubber base, with the glass layer measuring just 1.1 mm.

Akasa, a leading provider of computer hardware and PC accessories, has launched a 10 Gigabit PCIe Network Interface Card (NIC), designed to upgrade desktops, workstations, servers and embedded systems to multi-gigabit Ethernet connectivity. Powered by the Realtek RTL8127AT chipset and featuring a PCIe 3.0 x2 interface, the card supports six auto-negotiating speed tiers from 10 Gbps, 5 Gbps, 2.5 Gbps, 1 Gbps, 100 Mbps to 10 Mbps, while fitting PCIe x4, x8 and x16 slots and remaining compatible with x2 slots where present on server and workstation boards.

Compliant with IEEE 802.3bz (2.5GBASE-T/5GBASE-T) and IEEE 802.3an (10GBASE-T), the card incorporates built-in IEEE 802.3az (Energy Efficient Ethernet) support, which reduces power consumption during low-traffic periods without interrupting network availability. Additional features including Wake-on-LAN (WoL) and jumbo frame support up to 16K further extend operational efficiency, enabling remote power management and reducing CPU overhead on large data transfers.

It was recently confirmed that Ubisoft would soon be officially revealing Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced, a remake of one of the more well-regarded Assassin's Creed games. A new leak out of Insider Gaming, confirmed that, although Black Flag Resynced promised new characters and content, Ubisoft would not be introducing multiplayer or DLC, neither fresh nor original, to Black Flag Resynced, regardless of how successful the game turns out to be.

The leak also purports that Ubisoft has at least one more Assassin's Creed remake in the works, although it seems as though Ubisoft is taking an overly cautious approach to the commercial performance of its remakes. Source have claimed that future remakes would hinge on the success of Black Flag and the upcoming second Assassin's Creed remake project. While it's unknown which Assassin's Creed game will follow Black Flag down the remake path, it seems as though Black Flag itself will do reasonably well, given the game's reputation and the hype surrounding the launch.

AMD, with its latest FSR "Redstone" graphics technology pack, is currently the only major GPU maker without multi-frame generation (MFG) in its suite of advanced graphics technologies. However, this might be changing soon as AMD is pushing new updates to its FSR SDK, as discovered by a Redditor. In the AMD Device Library eXtra (ADLX) SDK update, AMD is implementing a new function called IADLX3DFidelityFXFrameGenUpgradeRatioOption. While this lengthy name might not mean much at first glance, the ADLX SDK describes it as a feature that will allow users to choose the most optimal frame generation multiplier for performance and visual quality, essentially matching what multi-frame generation means in modern stacks like DLSS from NVIDIA and XeSS from Intel.

For instance, AMD currently supports frame generation with up to a 2x mode with its FSR 4 technology, but it lags behind the modern 6x mode that NVIDIA offers in its DLSS 4.5 pack and the 4x mode that Intel provides in XeSS 3.0, which can significantly boost FPS. AMD's current solution uses a custom ML-based algorithm to generate intermediate frames using optical flow estimation and motion vectors. FSR 4 uses per-pixel motion and appearance, combined with motion vectors, to generate a new frame between two frames, resulting in a high-quality frame. This leads to a significant FPS increase, but it is only a third of what NVIDIA can achieve and half of what Intel offers. Therefore, AMD is scaling this technology for a new FSR release, and we might see a 4x mode or even a 6x mode to match NVIDIA.

If you've been refreshing our front page today looking for the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 "Dual Edition" review, I don't have good news for you: we won't be publishing a review, because we had no access to a review sample. AMD typically reaches out to us, offering to be part of the reviews, but not this time. So, after waiting for a few days, I reached out to them, because I would have loved to test this really interesting SKU, but I was told no samples were available for TechPowerUp.

We're not alone. As VideoCardz noted in their review roundup, Gamers Nexus reacted strongly after being denied a sample, ComputerBase, one of the top publications, was also denied, just like many others that you know for their deep, methodical testing—exactly the kind of reviews that dig into cache behavior, inter-CCD latency, power scaling, and per-game CCD parking quirks, which on a part like this are arguably the whole story.

Nintendo seems to be revisiting Splatoon, the traditionally multiplayer game for the Switch and Wii U, with Splatoon Raiders, a new single-player action shooter. Splatoon Raiders will officially be available on July 23 for the Nintendo Switch 2 from Nintendo for $49.99 for the digital version and $59.99 for the physical version, and it is currently available for pre-order. The Splatoon Raiders launch date announcement comes with a launch date trailer that reveals some of the gameplay.

Based on the gameplay trailer and the game description, Splatoon Raiders will see players take up residence as a mechanic aboard a floating raft alongside the musical trio Deep Cut—making their return from Splatoon 3—where they will have to survive by exploring and raiding nearby islands, facing off against en enemy known as Salmonids in outlandish combat encounters. Splatoon Raiders will also allow players to customize the raft they call home and seems to offer comprehensive weapons and loadout customization options for players to experiment with. The game's graphics, however, follow the same cartoonish aesthetic as prior Splatoon games, but Nintendo hasn't provided any information about expected frame rates or image quality just yet. The Splatoon Raiders trailer follows.

The Toei Company, the Japanese media giant behind some of the most popular anime around, like One Piece, the Dragon Ball franchise, and Sailor Moon, has officially announced "Toei Games" as a new video game company entering the scene. At the time of writing, it's unclear what part of the game production pipeline Toei Games will be responsible for, but it's not the first time that The Toei Company will be involved in game development in some capacity. Currently, Toei licenses many of its IPs to other game development and publishing companies, like Bandai Namco, who publishes many of the Dragon Ball games. Toei was briefly involved in the gaming industry in the 1990s, but seems to have lost interest in 1998 with Chameleon Twist 2. Based on the blurb on the Toei Games website, it seems as though Toei Games will work with other developers or studios in some capacity, suggesting a publishing role rather than a development role.

Toei GamesEven as times and media evolve, our DNA remains unchanged.
Our unwavering desire: "deliver beloved stories to the world."
Having continuously created countless stories, Toei will now deliver them through games.

Toei Games will be an accomplice.
One who believes more than anyone in the unique, profound passion of creators who love and strive to create games.
Their driving force: "I love this," "I want to make this."
We want to deliver that to the world.

Intel's Robert Hallock, a vice president and general manager of the enthusiast section at the company, has announced plans to expand overclocking support to a much wider range of processors in the future. This is a significant move for Intel's product business, which has been producing CPUs unlocked for overclocking for years but typically reserved this capability for its K and KF SKUs. Robert Hallock argues that enabling this feature across a broader range of CPUs will allow enthusiasts at different price points to access one of the most appealing features of the K/KF SKUs. Just because a PC enthusiast buys at a different price point doesn't mean their enthusiasm is any less, and Intel aims to support that going forward. In an exclusive interview with PC Games Hardware, we learn more about this initiative and get a quote below.

Robert HallockWhat you will see is more and more unlocked SKUs over time. That is the goal. That should not be a feature that is exclusively reserved for the people paying the most amount of money. Not everyone can afford the most amount of money...and that doesn't make them any less an enthusiastic than the person who can spend 500 USD on a CPU. They are still PC enthusiasts, and they deserve the same level of features, and that is what we intend to deliver in our roadmap.

SOLAI Limited ("SOLAI" or the "Company"), a technology-driven personal AI and digital infrastructure provider, today announced the launch of Solode Neo, a personal AI device designed to run and host autonomous AI agents at home or in the office. This launch marks a key milestone in executing the Company's multi-layer personal AI infrastructure blueprint.

Solode Neo sits at the center of SOLAI's personal AI infrastructure strategy. Packaged in a sleek, compact design that blends seamlessly into any home, office or living space, the device only requires a power outlet and a Wi-Fi connection to start working.

Zondision, a leader in light-field 3D display tech, announced its flagship ZIMO1, a 27-inch glasses-free 3D display for consumers and creators. It will launch on Kickstarter on April 21, offering an immersive display that combines high-performance 3D visualization, real-time interaction, and an open ecosystem.

ZIMO1 offers high-definition stereoscopic visuals without headsets or glasses. Backed by over a decade of optical engineering and AI eye tracking, it switches between 2D and 3D modes while maintaining image quality.

Manufacturers are under increasing pressure to improve efficiency, resilience, and responsiveness in the face of ongoing supply chain volatility and rising operational complexity. In this environment, AI is no longer a future ambition but an operational necessity. With 94% planning to increase AI investment in 2026 and an expected $2.86 return for every dollar spent, the priority has shifted from experimentation to execution.
At Hannover Messe 2026, Lenovo in partnership with NVIDIA are demonstrating how manufacturers can close that gap by deploying AI solutions already proven at scale across its own global operations, delivering measurable improvements in lead time, cost, quality, and productivity.

"Manufacturers don't need more AI pilots. They need AI that runs at scale in production," said Jonathan Wu, Chief Technology Officer of Smart Manufacturing at Lenovo. "At Lenovo, we've already done this across our own global manufacturing operations, achieving significant improvements in lead time, cost, and productivity. At our largest site in North America, lead time was reduced by 85%, logistics costs by 42%, and productivity was boosted by 58% by deploying AI and Gen-AI enabled solutions. That experience is what we bring to our customers."

MSI proudly announces the VERSA 300 WIRELESS 8K, MSI's first 8K gaming mouse, designed to deliver ultra-fast responsiveness, precision control, and long-lasting performance for competitive gamers. Combining an advanced PixArt PAW3395 optical sensor, an 8000 Hz polling rate, and an ultra-lightweight 66 g design, the VERSA 300 WIRELESS 8K empowers players with exceptional speed and accuracy in every movement.

As the latest addition to the VERSA 300 series, the VERSA 300 WIRELESS 8K expands on the success of earlier models, including the VERSA 300 WIRELESS and VERSA 300 ELITE WIRELESS. Built around the core strengths of precision, comfort, and versatility, the series features lightweight symmetrical designs and advanced sensors to support a wide range of gaming styles and hand sizes. Available in both classic black and white color options, the VERSA 300 WIRELESS 8K gives users greater freedom to match their setup and express their personal style.

AGON by AOC, the world's leading gaming monitor brand, announces the AGON PRO AG326UZD2, the brand's most advanced 32" (31.5" - 80 cm) 4K display to date. Built around a 4th generation QD-OLED panel, the AG326UZD2 pushes the boundaries of what a single monitor can deliver, whether for competitive gaming, console play, content creation or cinematic entertainment.

A Generational Leap in QD-OLED
Where the original AG326UD introduced gamers to a 31.5" QD-OLED at UHD resolution with exceptional color accuracy and a 165 Hz refresh rate, the AG326UZD2 represents a significant step forward. The move to 4th generation QD-OLED technology brings a brighter, more refined panel with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits (3% APL) and an upgraded VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification, up from True Black 400 on its predecessor. Combined with a practically infinite contrast ratio and perfect black levels thanks to QD-OLED technology, the result is a breathtaking HDR experience with noticeably more highlight detail and punch.

Kioxia Corporation today announced KIOXIA EG7 Series solid state drives (SSDs), the first client solution to adopt Kioxia's BiCS FLASH generation 8 4-bit-per-cell, quadruple-level cell (QLC) technology. The QLC-based KIOXIA EG7 Series delivers equivalent performance as TLC-based solutions, enabling better total cost of ownership (TCO) for value-oriented slim laptops, as well as commercial and consumer notebooks and desktops.

KIOXIA EG7 Series SSDs bring the performance and power efficiency advantages of KIOXIA BiCS FLASH generation 8 QLC 3D flash memory to common computing workloads for PC OEMs. The new drives deliver random read and write performance of up to 1,000 KIOPS, sequential read speed of up to 7,000 MB/s, and sequential write speed of up to 6,200 MB/s.

ASUS today announced ProArt PA40SU, a premium external SSD enclosure designed for creators who require fast, stable storage in a refined, portable form factor. USB4 technology enables transfer speeds of up to 40 Gbps for efficient handling of large media files and backups.

The enclosure features a four-level smart cooling fan that keeps temperatures in check for sustained performance during extended workloads, and its Stealth Black chassis has an ultraslim profile that measures a mere 13.5 mm—ideal for in-studio or on-location use. In addition, the PA40SU includes the exclusive ProArt SSD Dashboard for real-time monitoring.

Valve has quietly uploaded a Steam Controller unboxing video to the Steam platform. However, the video is currently unavailable for viewing, as attempting to play it results in a "This video has not been processed for streaming" message. This occurred late last night when one of the Valve watchers noticed, via a SteamDB entry, that Valve had uploaded a video titled "steam_controller_unboxing_2026" on April 20. It makes it seem as one of the clearest indications that the launch of this new hardware from Steam is imminent, possibly just days away.

This follows another confirmation from the same industry insider, @SadlyItsBradley on X, who noted recent shipping documents indicating that Valve has received its first large volume imports of a new wireless controller. The company may be stocking up warehouses in preparation for the Steam Controller's launch. Since this happened early last week, Valve's stockpiling of the new Steam Controller may be complete, and the first unboxing materials are about to be released for streaming. Additionally, this might coincide with the launch and pricing update, as we currently have no information about the Steam Controller's price. For now, all we know is that the launch is imminent, and we expect to hear the news any day now.

It seems as though 2026 will be the year of age verification for online communication platforms. Following the prior news about Discord starting to require age verification for all accounts—a move that the company later walked back after backlash—it has now been revealed that Sony will soon start to mandate age verification for PSN online communication features. This is according to a report by Push Square, which shared a screenshot of an age verification prompt from the PlayStation Store.

The screenshot shows a QR code that redirects users to start an age verification process on their smartphones, which would prompt users to provide a copy of their ID, perform a facial scan, or receive a text message on their mobile phone that uses information stored by the mobile network provider to ascertain their age. Sony has more details about the age verification options on a FAQ page. At the time of writing, age verification seems to be limited to the UK and Ireland, but this seems to be a move to comply with recent age verification requirements, and there are currently age verification laws being implemented or talked about everywhere from the US to the EU, and Australia, and all of those laws restrict teens and children from accessing similarly risky or potentially harmful content online, meaning similar processes may be implemented across the board.

Natalie Vock, a well-known Valve contractor and Linux graphics driver developer, recently debuted a new patch that enabled better VRAM management on Linux for GPUs with low VRAM. When we originally covered the set of kernel patches, we noted that it could cut VRAM usage in half in some applications, potentially making certain aging graphics hardware viable for gaming where it may not have been before the patches. Aside from some early tests by Vock herself, not much other data was available at the time to draw any conclusions about the potential performance improvements. Now, thanks to NJ Tech on YouTube, we have some idea of how the patch could improve performance on a GPU like the AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT, which has a mere 4 GB of VRAM. The YouTuber tested the GPU across nine games, including some heavy hitters, like Crimson Desert, Hogwarts Legacy, and Cyberpunk 2077 in CachyOS, which was the first Linux distribution to package and release Vock's kernel patches in what it calls GPU Booster. In the current GPU market, it would be nice to have a silver bullet to make low VRAM GPUs viable, but the results are far more varied than that, with some games seeing no improvement and others seeing up to 100% increases in FPS.

In Alan Wake II, VRAM use is actually increased, but there's a more than 2× increase in FPS, going from 14 FPS to a very playable 42 FPS average. In Resident Evil: Requiem, VRAM use is identical, but there's a 16% FPS increase, and in Silent Hill f, the story is similar, with identical VRAM utilization but marginal performance increases. Crimson Desert saw a decrease in VRAM usage, but there was no measurable performance increase as a result, as was the case with Hogwarts Legacy and Cyberpunk 2077, both of which saw reduced VRAM usage but an increase of 1 FPS average in the former and identical performance in the latter. The Last of Us Part 2 actually saw a 1 FPS drop in both average and 1% low FPS, but it seems as though there was just too much graphics memory pressure for Vock's VRAM patches to mitigate the issue. Death Stranding 2 and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 also saw little to no improvement despite reduced VRAM utilization in the former. The full video by NJ Tech follows.

When Microsoft announced the next-gen Xbox Project Helix, it confirmed what had been long rumored—that Helix would be a console-PC hybrid, just like Valve's upcoming Steam Machine, able to play both PC and Xbox games. Although it has not yet been confirmed what shape this hybrid experience will take, a recent leak from insider KeplerL2 on the NeoGAF forums has potentially revealed some information about what to expect from Project Helix. While it was previously rumored that the upcoming Xbox hardware would be more powerful than the Canis and Orion APUs Sony is working on for the PS6 series, it now seems as Xbox's Project Helix console APU will feature no customization at all, making it basically a bog-standard PC, albeit a decently powerful one, at that.

This would effectively end the era of console performance back-and-forth that Sony and Xbox have been engaged in since what feels like the dawn of time. It also has a few implications for upcoming scaling methods. For starters, and this is more or less confirmed by KeplerL2, it means that tech like the upcoming FSR Diamond upscaling tech will be cross-platform, perhaps with small tweaks or different presets on a per-platform basis. It also means that the recent rumor that Microsoft was looking to return to platform-exclusive games would culminate in PC and Xbox exclusives, rather than simply Xbox exclusives, if that rumor turns out to be true. It seems as though Helix will still feature RDNA 5 graphics and Zen 6/6c CPU cores, but it will likely be similar to the situation we've seen with the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme and Ryzen Z2 used by most Windows gaming handhelds in 2026.

Apple today announced that, effective immediately, Apple executive Johny Srouji will become chief hardware officer. Srouji, who most recently served as senior vice president of Hardware Technologies, will assume an expanded role leading Hardware Engineering, which John Ternus most recently oversaw, as well as the hardware technologies organization.

"Johny is one of the most talented people I have ever had the privilege to work with," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. "He has played a singular role in driving Apple's silicon strategy, and his influence has been felt deeply not just inside the company, but across the industry. He has always led his organization with remarkable deftness and judgment, and time and again, his team has delivered breakthrough innovations that have transformed our products. We are incredibly fortunate to have him as Apple's chief hardware officer."

Lenovo's Legion Go 2 recently received a stark price increase, bumping up the already expensive Windows gaming handheld from $1,349.99 to $1,999.99. Now, it seems as though the RAMpocalypse-era price increases have come for the Legion Go S, Lenovo's ostensibly budget-oriented gaming handheld models that launched at $899.99 for the Z1 Extreme version with 32 GB of RAM and $649.99 for the Z2 Go model with 16 GB of RAM. Following the price increases, the Lenovo Legion Go S, powered by AMD's Ryzen Z1 Extreme APU, 32 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB SSD, now comes in at a whopping $1,579.99 with SteamOS and $1,679.99 with Windows—although the Windows version is "discounted" to $1,049.99 currently.

Meanwhile, the Legion Go S with the Ryzen Z2 Go, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD is priced at $989.99. Those are the current Best Buy prices. On the Lenovo US online store, the Legion Go S with SteamOS and AMD's Z2 Go APU is listed at $1,049.99. The Legion Go S with the Z2 Go was already a tough sell, especially compared to the original Legion Go, which feature a more powerful CPU and iGPU and cost about the same used and only a little more new, at least if you could find it new. With the price increases, devices like the ASUS ROG Ally X at $899.99 are looking all the more enticing.

Apple has officially announced that long-time hardware chief John Ternus will become the company's new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), taking over from the current CEO, Tim Cook. We have reported that Apple's succession planning is underway as the company considers who will lead one of the largest and most powerful companies in the world. As we reported late last year, John Ternus, Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, has been selected as the prime candidate for the new role. He has been with Apple since 2001 and has led the hardware division since 2013. Under his leadership, the hardware engineering efforts behind the iPhone, iPad, the entire Mac lineup, AirPods, Vision Pro, and countless prototypes have been developed. One of his most impressive feats is leading the transition of Apple MacBooks from Intel-based designs to custom, in-house developed Apple Silicon SoCs.

Interestingly, John Ternus will officially become CEO on September 1, 2026, when Tim Cook steps down to become Apple's executive chairman. Ternus and Cook will collaborate on the transition over the summer months to ensure that Apple's long-term goals remain a priority. "It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company. I love Apple with all of my being, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with a team of such ingenious, innovative, creative, and deeply caring people who have been unwavering in their dedication to enriching the lives of our customers and creating the best products and services in the world," said Tim Cook.

As Capcom's first original IP to launch in over a decade, Pragmata has had a rather successful launch, garnering very respectable sales and user reviews. Now, Capcom has announced in a press release that the new sci-fi adventure has surpassed 1 million copies sold in as little as two days. While it remains to be seen whether Pragmata manages to match the meteoric success of Resident Evil Requiem, which sold 5 million units in six days, Pragmata has thus far seemingly been a successful endeavor—something increasingly rare in the modern age of successive remakes and sequels.

The TechPowerUp Pragmata in-depth performance review is live, with performance benchmarks for over 30 GPUs, as is the handheld performance review.

Despite the impressive sales, Pragmata's Steam peak concurrent player count still sits at 68,687, which is only marginally higher than it was on launch day. Pragmata also has yet to launch on the Nintendo Switch 2 in Japan and certain parts of Asia, so it would not be surprising to see those sales figures get a small bump around that launch date, too. It should also be noted that player counts are hardly as accurate an indicator of commercial success for a single-player game as they are for live-service games.

Windrose, the viral co-op, PvE, survival pirate game, launched on April 14 to a rather positive reception, garnering an 89% positive review rating on Steam and peaking at just under 70,000 concurrent Steam players on launch day. The rest of the launch week, however, seems to have been a smashing success, even by comparison to the launch day. At the time of writing, Windrose has managed to attract a peak concurrent player count of 222,134, according to SteamDB, thanks to a surge in players on the weekend following the game's launch.

Further, according to a recent announcement by the developer on the game's official Discord server and Steam, Windrose has surpassed 1 million sales. The developer also notes that the team is currently working on updates and fixes for the game, and is taking community feedback seriously during the Early Access period. It has already confirmed that the game will be receiving new biomes in an upcoming updater, as well as new plot points. Although a full update roadmap has not yet been released, the developer plans to showcase upcoming content in an upcoming update.

Ubisoft just confirmed a recent rumor that it would host a reveal event for Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced before the end of April in a tongue-in-cheek post on X. The post, which contains a video with the opening quote "Gaming's worst-kept secret," confirms that the Assassin's Creed: Black Flag remake will be officially revealed on April 23 during a worldwide reveal showcase on the Ubisoft YouTube channel. The event will start at 16:00 UTC (18:00 CEST, 9:00 PDT).

This is around the time that previous leaks predicted the game would be announced, lending credence to the predicted early July release date. It was previously rumored that Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced would be revealed as early as April 16, but that launch date was seemingly pushed back, as were many things during the recent Ubisoft reshuffle.

Intel Foundry seems to be on a roll, as the company has reportedly increased its semiconductor tool orders by 50% compared to last year. This is a significant expansion, especially considering that Intel currently has no official new clients for its Foundry business. It's an exciting development, suggesting that Intel's CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, wouldn't invest in significantly expanding its foundry capacity without concrete deals in sight. Last week, UBS Group noted that new foundry commitments are expected this fall, and we can see the supply chain starting to ramp up to accommodate new customers. According to Anue media, many firms in semiconductor manufacturing are expected to be part of this ramp-up. The most well-known is ASML, but there are countless suppliers involved in both front-end and back-end foundry work. This includes companies like KINK Company, which provides inspection, laser processing, and other tools, as well as firms like E&R Engineering, which supplies diamond disks to flatten wafer surfaces.

In reality, semiconductor plants are much more complex than just acquiring EUV machines. Intel is already a major ASML customer for High-NA EUV scanners, which are boosting Intel's expansion for the 14A node. However, many additional tools for chemical treatment, inspection, metrology, and other processes are also needed for Intel to manufacture its 18A, 18A-P, and 18A-PT nodes, while also ramping up the 14A node.

Microsoft has just announced a new ID@Xbox showcase for April 23, 2026, where it will show off a number of new indie games coming to Xbox in the near future. The event starts on April 23 at 5 PM GMT (10 AM PT, 1 PM ET), and it will be presented live on the IGN YouTube channel, as well on Twitch, X, and on IGN's various sister sites. The announcement was confirmed by IGN, who is again partnering with Xbox for the event.

The confirmed ID@Xbox Showcase line-up includes Aphelion, Mistfall Hunter, Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive, and There Are No Ghosts at the Grand, among others. Previous years' ID@Xbox events saw showcases from some of the more interesting indie games from recent years, including Mouse: P.I. For Hire, Invincible VS, Hollow Knight Silksong. This year may also feature release date announcements for games that were previously shown off at other ID@Xbox events, like Awaysis, Darkwood 2, Don't Fret, and Ungodly.

Step into a dreamscape of play with the GameSir T7 Pro Wireless "Sugar Whirl" - a part of Pastel Collection. Inspired by the delicate swirl of cotton candy and morning skies, its translucent blending shell blends soft pinks, blues, and lavenders into a controller that's as stunning as it is precise. Designed for effortless style and graceful control. Crafted for players who cherish beauty in every detail.

Officially licensed by Xbox, this controller brings wireless freedom directly to your console. No messy cables. Experience seamless, native-level connectivity with ultra-low latency.

With the launch of Forza Horizon 6 around the corner, it's about time that Xbox Games announce the official Xbox accessories to go along with the latest installment in the racing sim franchise. The official Forza Horizon 6 accessory bundle consists of a limited edition wireless Xbox controller and a limited edition wireless headset. From a hardware perspective, both seem identical to their non-limited edition versions, but the Forza Horizon 6 versions have some unique aesthetic touches.

Both the Forza Horizon 6 controller and the headset feature striking neon blue, pink, and yellow accents. Where the controller has metallic silver accents and opaque plastic components, the controller brings back the transparent tech look and features a printed racetrack design across the front of the controller's face. Like other Xbox Wireless Controllers and headsets, the limited edition Forza Horizon 6 versions are compatible with Android, iOS, Windows PCs, and Xbox Series and Xbox One consoles. The limited edition Forza Horizon 6 Xbox controller is available for $89.99 from the Microsoft Store, while the wireless headset is $134.99 on the Microsoft Store.

With the DL40N, Shuttle introduces the fanless successor to the tried-and-tested DL30N. Equipped with the efficient 'Twin Lake-N' platform, DDR5 support and dual 2.5 Gbit LAN, the 1.35-liter system sets new standards for modern network infrastructures and reliable 24/7 continuous operation.

In the world of compact business PCs, Shuttle's DL series has been a mainstay for years. With the new Shuttle XPC Barebone DL40N, we are opening the next chapter for small form factor solutions. As a direct evolution of our best-selling DL30N, the system delivers precisely the upgrades demanded by modern IT projects in industry, retail and the office sector today: greater bandwidth, modern memory standards and absolute reliability.

Studio Far Far Games and publisher Digital Vortex Entertainment are thrilled to announce that Bylina, their isometric action-adventure rooted in Slavic folklore, is now available on Steam. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions will launch later in 2026.

In Bylina, take on the role of Kestrel, a young bogatyr, a Slavic knight of legend, born without hero's powers in a world where gods, monsters, and humans exist side by side. Unmarked by destiny, unblessed by the gods, and underestimated by everyone, Kestrel's just a stubborn kid whose dreams outweigh his abilities

Sandisk introduced new Extreme PRO CFexpress 4.0 Type B memory cards, expanding its high-end storage lineup with capacities ranging from 128 GB up to 4 TB. The new cards target professional video workflows, including high-resolution formats up to 12K. Using a PCIe Gen 4 interface the cards can deliver sequential read speeds of up to 3,700 MB/s and write speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s across the lineup. Sustained write performance varies by capacity, with the 2 TB and 4 TB models rated at up to 3,100 MB/s, the 1 TB model at 1,950 MB/s, and lower-capacity variants (128 GB to 400 GB) at up to 900 MB/s. Higher-capacity models (1 TB to 4 TB) support VPG1600 certification, while lower capacities are rated for VPG800 or VPG400, depending on the SKU.

Sandisk also added its SmartIdle feature to reduce thermal load during idle periods by lowering power consumption. The cards are built for field use, with resistance to drops of up to 5 meters and bend forces up to 70 N. As expected for this class of storage, they are aimed at sustained high-bitrate recording scenarios, including 4K, 6K, 8K, and higher. Pricing starts at $249.99 for the 128 GB model and goes up to $1,799.99 for the 4 TB variant. All models are backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

NVIDIA has developed a new algorithm for path tracing that will make it 2-3 times faster, deliver better visual quality, and improve the robustness of real-time path tracing. Scheduled for a technology demo at the ACM conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques in May, NVIDIA has found a way to make real-time path tracing a fully realistic rendering process, moving beyond the usual emulation, software denoising, upscaling, and other techniques we use today. Since real-time path tracing is extremely compute-intensive, modern GPUs are still not powerful enough to execute the full path tracing technology in all its potential. Instead, we currently rely on emulations in modern games, implemented across many titles to address this computational demand. Below is the abstract described on NVIDIA's paper page, though the paper itself is not yet available as its publication is scheduled for May. However, note that the technology is still in development, and we have to wait more for it to hit commercial games.

NVIDAAlgorithms leveraging ReSTIR-style spatiotemporal reuse have recently proliferated, hugely increasing effective sample count for light transport in real-time ray and path tracers. Many papers have explored novel theoretical improvements, but algorithmic improvements and engineering insights toward optimal implementation have largely been neglected. We demonstrate enhancements to ReSTIR PT that make it 2-3x faster, decrease both visual and numerical error, and improve its robustness, making it closer to production-ready. We halve the spatial reuse cost by reciprocal neighbor selection, robustify shift mappings with new footprint-based reconnection criteria, and reduce spatiotemporal correlation with duplication maps. We further improve both performance and quality by extensive optimization, unifying direct and global illumination into the same reservoirs, and utilizing existing techniques for color noise and disocclusion noise reduction.

AMD is planning a significant return to establishing new manufacturing ties with its former silicon manufacturing venture, which it sold back in 2008. According to recent reports, AMD intends to collaborate with GlobalFoundries for new Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) for the next-generation Instinct MI500 series of AI accelerators. CPO technology will help AMD remain competitive in the AI data center space, where signal transfer is limited by traditional copper-based wiring. By harnessing the power and speed of light, CPO technology will enable data transfer between multiple nodes, and even multiple facilities, without the speed loss and increased latency associated with copper-based connections. Consequently, AMD is investing considerable effort to secure Photonics Integrated Circuit (PIC) manufacturing with its former partner, GlobalFoundries, which will handle PIC manufacturing, while the actual packaging will be managed by ASE to finalize the CPO design. This approach allows AMD to leverage the strengths of both companies, likely resulting in the best solution for its systems next year.

The Instinct MI500 series of AI accelerators is scheduled for release in 2027, as this year's lineup focuses on the Instinct MI400 series, which includes multiple SKUs for AI and HPC workloads. While these designs are already among the industry's leading AI accelerators, AMD aims to enhance performance further with the 2027 release using CPO technology. This will significantly contribute to delivering a solution that uses less power and offers much higher overall bandwidth compared to traditional copper data transfers. However, AMD is not alone in this CPO push. NVIDIA is also collaborating with semiconductor makers to develop a CPO system for "Vera Rubin," particularly the "Rubin Ultra" variant.

SK hynix Inc. (or "the company", www.skhynix.com) announced today that it has begun mass production of the 192 GB SOCAMM2, a next-generation memory module standard based on the 1cnm process (sixth-generation of the 10-nanometer technology) LPDDR5X low-power DRAM.

SOCAMM2 is a module that adapts low-power memory - which was previously used mainly in mobile products like smartphones - for server environments. It is designed to be a primary memory solution for next-generation AI servers.

Other World Computing (OWC), a trusted leader in high-performance storage, memory, connectivity, software, and accessories that empower creative and business professionals to maximize performance, enhance reliability, and streamline workflows, today announced from NAB 2026, OWC Booth #N2373, the launch of the OWC Express 4M2 Ultra, the first certified Thunderbolt 5 four-slot NVMe M.2 SSD enclosure.

Built for professionals seeking the fastest DIY RAID performance in a compact design, the OWC Express 4M2 Ultra enables customers to install their choice of NVMe M.2 drives and configure in RAID 0, 1, 4, 5, or 10, as well as JBOD, for speeds of up to 6622 MB/s. A solid aircraft-grade aluminium body and smart adaptive fan provide effective and quiet thermal management. A second Thunderbolt 5 port enables daisy chaining of up to five additional Thunderbolt devices, including additional Express 4M2 Ultra enclosures that can be combined into a single massive capacity volume. OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is compatible with Thunderbolt 5, 4, 3 (Mac only), and USB4 systems.

Lexar, a global leader in memory and storage solutions, today announces the expansion of its popular Lexar Professional SILVER PLUS range as it adds the 2 TB microSDXC UHS‑I Card version, bringing a new class‑leading, high‑capacity option for SILVER PLUS users. The Lexar Professional SILVER PLUS microSDXC UHS-I Card is available in 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB, 521 GB, 1 TB and the new 2 TB version from €20.23 from Amazon.

Building on the range's success as DJI's recommended microSD cards, the new 2 TB card offers creators greater flexibility with a broader range of capacities to suit different shooting needs, from casual capture to professional workflows. Providing both speed and reliability, the new 2 TB model delivers the fastest read speeds in its class, offering up to 245% faster performance than standard UHS‑I microSD cards.

The new 31.5-inch 4K QD-OLED gaming monitors are officially available. Both MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 and MAG 321UP QD-OLED X24 feature the 4th-gen QD-OLED panel powered by QD-OLED Penta Tandem technology, increasing light efficiency by 30%. The displays are equipped with DarkArmor Film to deliver 40% deeper blacks and 2.5x better scratch resistance. Additionally, Uniform Luminance supports HDR curve customization, ensuring accurate and consistent visuals across all gaming environments.

MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24
Built for enthusiast setups, the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 introduces the AI Care Sensor, utilizing precise human detection for real-time OLED protection while ensuring complete user privacy. Connectivity options include full bandwidth DisplayPort 2.1a (UHBR20) and a USB Type-C port with 98 W Power Delivery to streamline desktop cable management. Gamers can also use the exclusive Gaming Intelligence app to easily customize their display profile and settings.

It has been a while since one of Microsoft's Windows 11 updates wreaked havoc among PC enthusiasts, and the April update seems to be another in line for IT administrators. In an updated support document on the Windows 11 KB5083769 cumulative update, Microsoft officially confirms that some users are encountering an unexpected BitLocker recovery prompt after applying the update. However, the good news is that this issue requires a specific BitLocker Group Policy configuration that Microsoft refers to as "unrecommended," which is less likely to be found outside of managed IT departments. This includes systems managed through group policy settings, making it less likely to affect PC enthusiasts' builds. For the issue to occur, a few conditions must be met. First, BitLocker must be enabled on the PC. Second, the BitLocker Group Policy setting "Configure TPM platform validation profile for native UEFI firmware configurations" must be configured with PCR7 (a TPM 2.0 module register) included in the validation profile.

Once these conditions are met, running system information, or msinfo32.exe, shows that the Secure Boot State PC47 Binding is "Not Possible." Additionally, the Windows UEFI CA 2023 certificate must be present in the device's Secure Boot Signature Database (DB), making the device eligible for the Windows Boot Manager signed in 2023 to become the default. Finally, the device must not be running this 2023-signed Windows Boot Manager that it supports. Only by fulfilling this unusual set of conditions does the BitLocker Recovery environment trigger, leading to a password prompt. After this, subsequent startups will not trigger it again.

Welcome to another week of April and this week's major release is from an industry legend that has both major hits and major flops behind him, with his latest game taking place in the world of Fable. As for the rest of this week's release, we kick off on the same theme as last week, but with some farming action instead of cat knights. This is followed by cards and vampires, a flooded world that isn't Waterworld, a reimagined cold-war that went hot and finally we end the week with some Sci-Fi action on Venus. We've also included a few more games that didn't quite make this week's list.

Masters of Albion / Early access / This week's major release / Wednesday 22 April
A bold reimagining of the God Game genre from the creator who defined it. Shape a living world as a god - or step into it and experience it through your people. Build, guide and defend your town by day, then survive the night when everything is under threat. There is no single solution. Only yours. Steam link

On April 17, Iron Galaxy Studios published a LinkedIn post announcing its second round of layoffs in as many years. The number of workers being laid off was not specified, but the studio explains that the layoffs are necessary in order to adapt to the ongoing market conditions in the video game industry. The announcement also notes that, since 2020, the industry has changed—the way people play games and what publishers look for in games to fund—and instead of waiting for things to go back to normal, the studio has had to adjust its expectations and accept the current market as the new normal going forward.

In the post, the studio notes that "as Iron Galaxy adapts, we must make painful decisions about what we can be as a company. It's impossible for us to sustain the team size that we've carried this past year." This lack of sustainability is in spite of a round of layoffs in 2025 that saw 66 workers lose their jobs. Iron Galaxy isn't the biggest game studio in the world, but it has some heavyweight credits under its belt, including working on the Windows port for Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Knight, before Rocksteady took over development of the latter due to a buggy launch. The studio also worked on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4, which launched in July 2025. The studio also worked on a number of Nintendo Switch ports, including Overwatch, Dauntless, Apex Legends, and Metroid Prime Remastered.The full announcement reads:

We recently reported on Microsoft renaming the Xbox Full-Screen Experience to Xbox mode and subsequently updating the gaming UI with new display options for gaming handhelds. Most recently, though, Microsoft has announced that it will be bringing that console-like UI to more devices. Many of these devices mentioned by Microsoft in the most recent update notes are powered by the same APUs and iGPUs as most gaming handhelds, where Xbox mode has been most prevalent until now, so it makes sense to keep it rolling on similarly capable devices, too.

According to a new Windows Insider update in the Canary channel (build 29570.1000), Windows Xbox mode is now available "on Windows 11 PCs, including laptops, desktops, and tablets." Gamers looking to take advantage of Xbox mode on their Windows 11 systems can access it via the Xbox app, Game Bar settings, or by pressing Win + F11. This isn't the first time we're seeing Microsoft doing something like this. Before it started testing Xbox mode on gaming handhelds, it had rolled out the Full-Screen Experience to other form factors as early as November 2025. It's unclear when this feature will reach the mainline Windows version, but it will likely not take too long, given Microsoft is feeling the pressure from the Linux-based SteamOS and the many similar desktop environments that have spun up in its wake.

In March, it was rumored that Microsoft was testing a new Game Pass subscription tier that featured exclusively first-party Xbox Game Studios games for a lower price than the currently available tiers. Triton, which is the codename for the Xbox Game Studios-only tier, which is expected to arrive as Duet, a Netflix bundle deal, will apparently also have monthly playtime limitations.

According to a screenshot of code shared by @redphx on X, Microsoft will seemingly implement monthly time limits on game streaming and free gameplay in the Triton tier. It seems as though there may be different time limits for different games, and there may be a way to pay to extend play time. The code snippet makes mention of streaming time, game trial time, and duet time, suggesting there will also be a time limit on Netflix streaming time. At the time of writing, it seems as though the rest of the Game Pass tiers will not be limited in terms of play time, but Xbox CEO, Asha Sharma, recently commented that Xbox Game Pass has become too expensive, so it's possible that there may be other pricing adjustments or value adds coming to standard Game Pass as well.

Pragmata has officially launched on Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series consoles after garnering a lot of hype leading up to its launch. The highly anticipated launch aside, though, it seems as though Pragmata's actual reception is a bit of a mixed bag. While the game has topped the Steam sales charts, blasting past both Windrose and Counter-Strike 2 for revenue generated, and the game has had an immensely positive impact amongst the gamers who have played it, concurrent player counts have so far peaked at just over 55,000 on launch day. It should be noted that, since this is a single-player game, it does not live and die by player counts like a multiplayer game, but high sales, positive reviews, and low player counts indicate interesting player behaviors.

The TechPowerUp Pragmata in-depth performance review is live, with performance benchmarks for over 30 GPUs, as is the handheld performance review.

On Steam, Pragmata has so far earned itself an "Overwhelmingly Positive" review rating, with 97% positive reviews. On Metacritic, Pragmata has had a rather positive reception, as well, with a Metascore of 86, putting it at 11th place on Metacritic's 2026 release ratings chart. It remains to be seen how Pragmata performs over the launch weekend, when player counts generally increase, but recent big-name launches, like Marathon, have had significantly better day-one player count figures than Pragmata has exhibited so far. Most of the reviews for Pragmata praise it for its performance, even on Linux and weaker systems, as well as the way it balances its shooter and hacking mechanics. It is also reportedly a surprisingly bug-free experience, seemingly thanks to the custom RE Engine.

Playmaji, the company responsible for the Polymega retro game console has shared a significant update on the Polymega front, covering both a hardware revision to the Base Unit and the imminent launch of the new Polymega Remix peripheral. The Base Unit has been almost completely redesigned internally after a rough year of production challenges. The revised hardware brings more CPU cores, higher clock speeds, double the RAM, more internal storage, and quieter operation compared to the original PM01. Exact specs haven't been shared yet, but Playmaji says the new system is several times more powerful than what it's replacing. The most immediate benefit is improved N64 emulation performance. Anyone with an existing pre-order gets automatically upgraded to the new hardware at no extra cost. New pre-orders for the revised Base Unit are expected to open in early summer.

The bigger news is the Polymega Remix, which has completed mass production and is already on its way from the factory. Remix is a USB peripheral aimed at retro collectors who want the Polymega disc and cartridge digitization capabilities without buying the full console. You connect it to a Windows 11 PC, laptop, or PC gaming handheld, launch the free Polymega App, and use it to rip your physical games, CDs, and cartridges directly via Element Modules sold separately. Once digitized, the games are playable through the app at home or on the go. Intel Macs are also supported at launch, with iOS, Android, and Apple Silicon planned down the line. Remix pre-orders opened April 16 at $199, with shipping expected in May.

You know we've hit rock-bottom with memory affordability when ASRock innovates a new memory standard to lower prices. The new "HUDIMM," or half unbuffered DIMM, is an ASRock-innovated standard. It calls for UDIMMs with half a rank of memory, populating just one of the two 40-bit sub-channels. Such a DIMM would only offer half its bandwidth even at its rated memory clock, and of course half the density. The HUDIMM standard is targeted at entry-level builds and business desktops that just want a modern platform for everyday tasks, and something to tide over the DDR5 memory crunch. ASRock partnered with Team Group to manufacture the first HUDIMM memory modules, which it tested to work on its Intel 600-series, 700-series, and 800-series chipset motherboards. HUDIMM support probably requires some UEFI firmware-level awareness of the standard, and ASRock is expected to release firmware updates for the same.

Here's the fun part—ASRock made it possible for end-users to pair HUDIMMs with regular UDIMMs that have two 40-bit sub-channels; for example, pairing an 8 GB HUDIMM with a 16 GB UDIMM, to achieve asymmetric capacities such as 24 GB, and the bandwidth of at least 3 DDR5 sub-channels. ASRock also developed HSODIMM, which—you guessed it—is a DDR5 SO-DIMM with just one sub-channel. Team Group will manufacture these HSODIMMs, and ASRock's Deskmini series mini-PCs that are based on MoD (mobile on desktop) platforms, will implement support for them. ASRock is perfectly faced to address the client computing market during the DDR5 famine; besides the HUDIMM/HSODIMM innovation, the company is developing a new crop of Socket LGA1700 motherboards with both DDR4 and DDR5 memory slots.

XPPen today introduced the Artist 16 3rd, a New Dial Shortcut Portable Drawing Display for entry-level creators. Featuring a 15.4-inch screen with dual X-Dial and shortcut keys, a new-gen X4 Smart Chip Stylus, and 16K pressure levels, the device delivers a spacious yet travel-friendly workspace - bringing professional efficiency and an immersive creative experience to those just starting their journey.

"The Artist 16 3rd strikes the perfect balance between portability and creative space, allowing creators to capture and bring their ideas to life whenever inspiration strikes," said Brian Huang, Brand Director at XPPen. "With innovative industrial design language X-Dial shortcut and the brand-new X4 Smart Chip Stylus with 16K pressure levels, every creative session becomes intuitive and enjoyable, empowering users to unleash their creativity anytime, anywhere."

The Blood of Dawnwalker, the new dark fantasy ARPG developed by Rebel Wolves and published under Bandai Namco, is expected to launch in 2026 on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox Series consoles, and according to a new Game Business interview with Rebel Wolves CEO, Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, the development process for the game is going surprisingly smoothly, with the game already being playable to completion on the PS5. Currently, The Blood of Dawnwalker is nearing the certification phase of the development and production process, suggesting that the launch may be around Q3 or the beginning of Q4, although no official launch date has been confirmed yet.

During the interview, Tomaszkiewicz touched on the use of AI, stating that the dev team has used generative AI in the development process for early placeholder assets, which will eventually be removed before the game releases. This is a strategy that is becoming more and more popular in the modern gaming landscape, with studios like Sandfall Interactive and Pearl Abyss using AI-generated assets for placeholders and iteration early in the development process of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Crimson Desert. It was also recently revealed by a game industry survey that many gaming professionals feel that AI is hurting creativity in gaming, echoing the sentiments of many smaller and indie game studios on the use of generative AI.

Thermaltake, a leading PC DIY brand for premium hardware solutions, launches the Retro Series lineup, a design-driven collection that reinterprets classic PC aesthetics for today's builders. Featuring the Retro 260 TG Micro Tower Chassis and Retro 360 TG Mid-Tower Chassis, the series combines nostalgic beige tones, retro style front panels, and tempered glass side views with the performance, cooling, and flexibility expected from modern systems.

Inspired by the simplicity and character of early home computers, the Retro Series brings a softer, more expressive visual identity into the PC space. Subtle vintage details and warm color tones are paired with clean structural design, creating systems that feel both familiar and refreshingly different from typical gaming-focused aesthetics.

Here's the first picture of the retail package of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D AM4 10th Anniversary Edition desktop processor. This is essentially a fresh production run of the Ryzen 7 5800X3D that was originally launched in 2022 in response to Intel's 12th Gen Core "Alder Lake" series launch, and discontinued in 2023 once the company had completed launch of its Ryzen 7000 series "Zen 4" processors. AMD is commemorating 10 years of the Socket AM4 platform with the fastest processor for gaming on this socket. Existence of this processor was leaked earlier this week. We'd known that it's the same exact chip as the one from 2022, with the same OPN, but in a retail box with special box-art. Turns out that it's the regular Ryzen 5000 series box, but with the insert showing "3D V-Cache technology," and a special badge marking "AMD AM4 10th Anniversary Edition." There's still no word on the exact launch date or price.

Crimson Desert has evidently had a strong launch, despite initial launch impressions being somewhat less than stellar. Even a month after launch, weekly peak concurrent player counts still top 200,000 players on Steam alone. According to a post by the official Crimson Desert account on X, the game has already sold more than 5 million copies in its first month since launch. While these sales figures are nothing to scoff at, as we recently covered, Resident Evil Requiem managed to top 5 million sales in the first week after launch, reaching 6 million a few days after that, making it the fastest-selling Resident Evil game to date.

Still, it is impressive that an entirely new IP that had a somewhat storied history—Crimson Desert was initially planned as an MMORPG, but the studio pivoted to a single-player RPG mid-development—has drawn such a large audience. Even more impressively, unlike Resident Evil Requiem, initial impressions of Crimson Desert weren't all that positive, with the Metacritic score even now sitting at 77. The user score, and the game's Steam review rating, however, are significantly more positive, with the former at 8.8 and the latter at 86% Positive.

Today Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, is proud to announce the long-awaited PRAGMATA is out now across the globe. After years of anticipation, the highly acclaimed sci-fi action-adventure game is now available across PlayStation 5 (PS5), Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam.

Developed by the studio behind the Resident Evil and Devil May Cry series, PRAGMATA transports players to the moon. The story unfolds aboard a futuristic lunar station that has mysteriously lost contact with the Earth. Sent in to investigate, spacefarer Hugh Williams quickly runs into trouble before a curious android with the appearance of a young girl comes to his rescue. Given the name Diana, she joins Hugh in exploring the lunar station in search of a way back to Earth.

Zhitai, the consumer-facing brand of YMTC, has launched the TiPlus 9100, its first PCIe 5.0 entry in the TiPlus lineup. The drive is built on YMTC Xtacking 4.0 NAND technology and targets gaming laptops, thin portables, and desktop builds. Currently, Zhitai is offering the TiPlus 9100 NVMe M.2 SSDs with capacities of 1 TB, 2 TB and 4 TB. This isn't YMTC's first PCIe 5.0 client SSD, back in March the company launched the PC550, a four-channel Gen 5 drive built on the same Xtacking 4.0 NAND and rated at up to 10,500 MB/s sequential read. The TiPlus 9100 steps that up considerably with a faster controller, pushing 12,000 MB/s and targeting the higher end of the Gen 5 performance. Despite running without a dedicated DRAM cache, the TiPlus 9100 can reach speeds of up to 12,000 MB/s for sequential reads and 10,700 MB/s for sequential writes, with random performance reaching 1,850K IOPS. The single-sided PCB keeps it compatible with slim systems, and firmware tuning helps manage power draw and thermals under load. Zhitai bundles its own software for health monitoring, performance testing, migration, temperature tracking, and lifespan estimation.

YMTC is in the middle of a significant capacity expansion. Earlier this week we reported that the company plans to add two more fabs on top of one already nearing completion in Wuhan, which would take total monthly wafer output from 200,000 to around 400,000 when all three are fully running. More capacity means more NAND supply, which should support the Zhitai ability to push products like the TiPlus 9100 more aggressively into the market. According to IT Files, pricing for TiPlus 9100 in mainland China is set at 1 TB for 1,459 yuan (around $200), 2 TB for 2,559 yuan, and 4 TB for 4,999 yuan (approximately $690).

NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB "Ampere" GPU, which is two generations old, is expected to make a comeback in June this year. Meanwhile, the rumored RTX 5050 9 GB edition is reportedly on hold. According to well-known hardware leaker MEGAsizeGPU on X, NVIDIA is pausing the transition from its 8 GB RTX 5050 "Blackwell" version to a 9 GB model due to the reintroduction of the GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB "Ampere" GPU. Since both of these GPUs compete in the budget segment, the company will reportedly only release the older GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB SKU with a 192-bit wide memory bus. For this, NVIDIA will once again use Samsung's 8 nm DUV node, as it has in the past. The entire NVIDIA "Ampere" architecture lineup was produced on the 8 nm DUV node, and its return after several years was unexpected. However, since NVIDIA has transitioned to TSMC for manufacturing its "Ada Lovelace" and latest "Blackwell" GPUs, becoming TSMC's largest customer using the 5 nm node, this move is intriguing.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 features 3,584 CUDA cores and 12 GB of GDDR6 memory. In contrast, the GeForce RTX 5050 has newer CUDA cores on a smaller node with 2,560 cores on the GB207 die, but it has less memory, with only 9 GB of the rumored GDDR7. Since the resurrected GeForce RTX 3060 will use the older GDDR6 memory, sourcing GDDR6 may have been easier for NVIDIA, leaving the more expensive GDDR7 for its other GPUs.

ASRock the global leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, mini PCs, gaming monitors, power supply units, and AIOs, announces the new PRO Series Full Modular PSUs. Driven by the slogan "LIKE A PRO," this series is crafted for users prioritizing reliability and performance. It offers an intuitive power solution that empowers your system while maintaining smart, practical value.

Reliability and Simplicity: Setting a New Standard for PC Building
The PRO Series centers on delivering clean and stable output. Available in 1000 W, 850 W, and 750 W, it caters to various system requirements. These PSUs focus on core needs, providing high-quality hardware support at a competitive price. For budget-conscious users, the PRO Series ensures no compromise between quality and expenditure, delivering a professional stable experience with ease.

One of the senior executives from Samsung Foundry, Shawn Han, has officially joined Intel Foundry to help secure new customer deals. With over 30 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, Shawn Han has worked through many node designs, transitions to new technologies, and has observed shifts in customer behaviors and trends. He joined Samsung in 1996 as a senior engineer in the Technology Development team, working on multiple nodes, and holds a PhD in Material Science and Engineering from Iowa State University. Over the years, he rose to the position of Executive Vice President at Samsung, where he was responsible for Samsung's U.S. Foundry business, focusing on attracting new customers and securing deals. Now, Intel Foundry will benefit from a significant new team member with decades of experience, deep expertise, and strategic relationships to help secure new customers. Shawn Han will report directly to Naga Chandrasekaran, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Intel Foundry, and will contribute to elevating Intel Foundry to new levels.

Intel today released its latest Arc GPU graphics drivers with the version 101.8724 WHQL bringing support for new hardware and new games. Yesterday, the company launched its Core Series 3 "Wildcat Lake" processors with up to six CPU cores and two Xe3 GPU cores. Expected to land in over 70 different laptop designs, Intel today enabled full gaming support with the Arc GPU driver update. In addition to new hardware, the new driver release adds game-ready support for Pragmata and fixes a lot of the old issues that persisted with the previous releases. These include fixes for flickering in Crimson Desert running DirectX 12, No Man's Sky experiencing corruptions on certain terrains, and importantly issues with Adobe Premier Pro crashing when exporting media based on HEVC codec has been fixed. For a complete picture of fixes and remaining issues, we have posted the changelog below.DOWNLOAD: Intel Arc Graphics Driver 101.8724 WHQL

We've covered the upcoming Assassin's Creed: Black Flag remake a number of times, and the last time rumors made their rounds, it seemed as though the game and its launch date would be revealed on April 16—a date that has obviously come and gone without any such announcement. Now, however, according to Insider Gaming's Tom Henderson, who cited a presentation shown to media and content creators, Black Flag Resynced will officially be revealed "next week," suggesting a launch event sometime between April 20 and April 26.

Additionally, the game will allegedly officially launch on July 9, although given the numerous internal delays the game has suffered so far, it seems unwise to place too much credence on a launch date at this point in time. It should be noted that, despite previous reports that the game would be adding new characters and storylines, the game will still follow the original game's format, and it will not be an RPG, like many of the modern Assassin's Creed games.

The Skillsearch 2026 Games & Immersive Salary Report has been published, with the results of the survey revealing findings relating to AI, hiring, and game industry trends. While the data is impressively cohesive, there are a few main takeaways from the report that highlight both a pessimistic outlook on AI and the overall gaming industry. Despite many of the gaming industry's biggest game studios going all-in on AI, only 29% of respondents surveyed worked for companies that had policies or guidelines for ethical AI use. Of the game workers themselves, who consisted of a mix of everything from management, HR, and operations to art, programming, design, and writing, as many as 64% believe AI has a negative impact on creativity in the gaming industry, while 52% stated that they or their company have started using AI tools in their workflows.

When asked about the game industry job market, responses varied greatly, likely in part because the survey targeted many different countries. When it came to finding a job, 56% of graduates who did not have a gaming-related degree took longer than a year to find a job in the industry, and even 25% of the respondents who had a degree in gaming said it took over a year. Meanwhile, 27% of graduates with a degree in gaming managed to land a job in the industry before even graduating. Meanwhile, 65% of respondents reported that they have been directly affected by layoffs or layoffs happened at the studio where they work, with 22% of workers saying they were made redundant within the last 12 months. Of those who were made redundant, 52% were "unsatisfied with their redundancy package." Only 45% of those made redundant have since gone on to find new jobs, and only 27% of those workers feel secure in their new positions. As many as 37% of those who were laid off have been unemployed for longer than seven months.

Lexar, a leading global brand of flash memory solutions, will be at NAB, showcasing its lineup of video and creator storage solutions, including the new 8 TB Lexar ARMOR 700 Portable SSD and the 2 TB SILVER PLUS microSDXC card. Both solutions deliver massive capacities, allowing consumers to store more content.

The ARMOR 700 Portable SSD combines speed, durability, and up to a massive 8 TB capacity perfect for professional videographers, photographers, and content creators in the field and on the go. The drive delivers speeds of 2000 MB/s max read/write and its precision thermal design also keeps temperatures low even at top speeds, so performance is never sacrificed. It also features a dust- and water-defying IP66 rating and a rugged construction that withstands drops up to 3 meters.
The ARMOR 700 Portable SSD is compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone 15/16/17 series, gaming consoles, and more. The new 8 TB capacity is available at Amazon for an MSRP of $999.99.