AMD's second-latest GPU driver update, version 26.5.1 WHQL, is causing issues with the Zero RPM mode on many graphics cards. Zero RPM is a feature found in most modern dedicated graphics cards, allowing the GPU to be passively cooled by its heatsink when idling. This means that when the graphics load is low, temperatures remain low, eliminating the need to spin the fans. This helps preserve fan longevity and reduces system noise. However, when temperatures rise above a certain threshold, Zero RPM is disabled, and the GPU's fans begin to spin to maintain stability. Interestingly, several users are reporting that updating to the Adrenalin 26.5.1 drivers is causing the Zero RPM mode to malfunction in a specific way.

When users upgrade from Adrenalin 26.3.1 to the 26.5.1 WHQL drivers, Reddit users report that Zero RPM doesn't function as expected. Once the monitor goes to sleep, Zero RPM is activated as it should be. However, when the monitor is turned back on, Zero RPM remains active and does not deactivate, leading to a situation where GPU temperatures can rise while the GPU is stuck in Zero RPM mode. There are two solutions to this issue: one is immediate, and the other requires a fresh driver installation. Users can either reboot the system to restore normal operation or use the AMD driver removal tool or Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to completely remove all older GPU fan profiles and settings. This means that old fan profiles from the previous driver version must be reset with each new driver installation.

Microsoft is finally changing how the Windows 11 operating system installs GPU drivers. According to the latest document, Microsoft is introducing a new method to manage driver installation in Windows 11, aiming to prevent the previous issue where the system would automatically install GPU drivers, overriding newer installations and potentially downgrading them to older versions. To address this, Microsoft is simplifying its hardware identification targeting system from a four-part stack to a new two-part model. Reportedly, the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) will now combine the Hardware ID (HWID) and Computer Hardware ID (CHID) into a new target, ensuring that the installed version is the newest and preventing downgrades.

PC OEMs are known for bundling older drivers with their PCs. By the time these PCs reach consumers, they are often months old and running outdated drivers. When performing a system update through Microsoft Windows Update, these PCs wouldn't download the latest GPU driver versions and were often left with these old versions. Microsoft now hopes to introduce this two-part driver update system by the end of 2026 or possibly early 2027 if development takes longer.

Intel's upcoming "Razor Lake-AX" processor is shaping up to be a top-tier gaming chip. Reports suggest that Intel is working on multiple SKUs, with the flagship configuration featuring up to 32 Xe3 cores in its integrated graphics chip. According to the latest leaks from long-time Intel leaker Jaykihn, the "Razor Lake-AX" iGPU will be available in two versions: a 16-core iGPU and a 32-core iGPU, both based on Intel's Xe3 graphics IP currently found in "Panther Lake." This would make "Razor Lake-AX" nearly three times as powerful as the current Arc B390, which powers Intel's PTL lineup. This suggests that "Razor Lake-AX" will be a large package with next-generation CPU core IP and a robust iGPU cluster. Reportedly, this GPU die will measure around 162.84 mm², which is a significant size for integrated graphics.

Earlier this week, we learned that Intel also plans to return to on-package memory with the upcoming "AX" chip. Although the company initially claimed that the Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" was the last design with on-package memory, Intel is reportedly bringing back on-package LPDDR5X/LPDDR6 memory to "Razor Lake-AX." Additionally, it's unclear where Intel will manufacture this massive chip, but the large iGPU suggests a design powered by EMIB and Foveros 3D to interconnect various elements. Finally, the chip is expected to feature a BGA-4326 package with 4,326 pins, similar to what Intel's Xeon CPUs typically use. Do note that the image below is not a real Intel slide.

According to Chinese Board Channels, a reliable source for graphics card supply chain information, NVIDIA is reportedly preparing to increase the price of its GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5090D V2 GPUs. This will result in a $300 (about 2,000 RMB) increase for NVIDIA's add-in card (AIC) partners, who purchase these GPUs from NVIDIA. The change follows a significant price increase in GDDR7 memory, which NVIDIA has been absorbing but now plans to pass on to its AIC partners. The high demand for memory has depleted the supply of GDDR7 across the supply chain, with everything available being consumed and lead times now extending for weeks.

Interestingly, NVIDIA provides its AIC partners with a "GPU kit," which includes the GPU die itself, a GB202 in this case, and GDDR7 memory. This arrangement prevents AIC partners from having to source GDDR memory on their own, which would cause significant delays. Additionally, if memory makers sourced these modules themselves, they would have to make deals under unfavorable conditions, whereas NVIDIA can often secure a volume discount. However, due to the global shortage and insufficient memory chips, NVIDIA is forced to accept a higher GDDR7 price and pass it on to its AIC partners.

AMD has responded to what gamers have been most vocal about: bringing its FSR 4.1 upscaling technology to older RDNA 3 and RDNA 2 GPUs. Today, we learn that this dream is becoming a reality, as AMD is officially introducing its FSR Upscaling 4.1 technology to millions of Radeon RX 7000 Series graphics cards worldwide. Arriving this July, millions of RDNA 3 gamers will enjoy official support for FSR Upscaling 4.1 in over 300 supported games. This means that, just like the latest RDNA 4-based Radeon RX 9000 Series, RDNA 3 gamers will also benefit from the upscaling algorithms based on various machine learning techniques without needing to upgrade to the latest Radeon RX 9000 GPUs if their current GPU performs adequately.

Interestingly, the FSR Upscaling 4.1 will use the same underlying model on RDNA 3 as it does on RDNA 4. However, differences in hardware create some background variations, as RDNA 4 has FP8 processing units and INT8, whereas RDNA 3 only has INT8. AMD explains that the company has developed FSR Upscaling 4.1 with the FP8 format in mind, while the latest ML algorithm has been optimized and ported for the INT8 data format to work with RDNA 3. This difference in hardware support delayed AMD's port of FSR technologies to RDNA GPU IP below version four, but it is now finally making an appearance.

Framework, the maker of various modular laptops, has updated its blog post regarding the pricing and availability of consumer memory and storage configurations for its products. As the company collaborates with its supply chain to equip its laptops and mini-PCs with necessary components, it possesses inside knowledge of pricing trends that ultimately affect consumer purchases. According to the update, Framework notes that the price of DRAM has stabilized for now, and the latest DDR5 memory has remained relatively unchanged in recent weeks. This is noteworthy as memory is one of the most expensive PC components these days. This means that suppliers are offering stable prices without requiring long-term contracts, although high demand is keeping prices elevated compared to the same period last year.

However, the situation is different for NAND Flash, as Framework notes that SSD prices are facing significant challenges. The company mentions that its inventory of SSDs purchased in 2025 still exists, and they have been selling these SSDs at prices well below the current market value. Essentially, Framework honored the pricing it set when acquiring these SSDs, providing customers with some relief when purchasing storage expansion. However, this will not remain the case for much longer, as Framework expects the old inventory to be depleted as soon as next month. The company will then have to sell SSDs at current acquisition prices, which are several times more expensive than those acquired last year. Framework previously sourced SSDs from Western Digital but is now introducing new modules from Sandisk, which now owns Western Digital SSDs, as well as from ADATA, Phison, and possibly other suppliers.

AMD's server CPUs are experiencing significant success, as the company captured nearly half of the server CPU spending in Q1 2026. According to the latest data from Mercury Research, AMD's EPYC CPUs account for 46.2% of total server CPU spending—a new all-time high for AMD's server CPU portfolio, which has become a major success in data centers. Interestingly, this is achieved with only a 27.4% unit share, indicating that while AMD's CPUs may not constitute exactly half of the units sold, they command much higher average selling prices (ASPs) than the competition. This competition is primarily from Intel, the largest CPU vendor. Intel currently holds the majority of units sold at 54.9%, a decrease of 3.4% compared to Q4 2025. We lack data on revenue share for Intel CPUs, but given their majority in unit shipments and AMD's near half share in spending, it can be concluded that the ASP of Intel Xeon server CPUs is lower than that of AMD EPYC.

In the data center, Arm-based designs account for about 17.7% of unit shipments in Q1 2026, meaning nearly one in five CPUs was Arm-based. Whether these were third-party integrations from Ampere or other Arm CPU makers, or in-house CPU designs from companies like Google, AWS, or Microsoft, remains unclear. However, Mercury Research collects extensive data, lending confidence to these figures.

According to the sell-side equity research firm GF Securities, Apple is set to utilize both Intel's 18A-P and 14A nodes for its product lineups. As previously reported, the company will employ Intel's advanced 18A-P node for the M7 SoCs that power MacBook Air and entry-level MacBook Pro laptops. Intel's investment in the development and manufacturing ramp of the 14A node will also be beneficial, as Apple plans to use the 14A node for producing A21 SoCs for iPhones. The 18A-P node is ideal for Apple's laptop SoCs, providing a balance between efficiency and speed. It offers a 9% performance increase at the same power level or achieves 18% power savings at the same performance level compared to the standard 18A node, resulting in laptops with good frequency and low power usage. With Apple moving away from TSMC's 3 nm node in the current M5 SoC, the improvements will be significant and are expected to be realized by 2027.

For the A21 iPhone SoCs, Apple will use Intel's advanced 14A node, which promises a generational leap in density, frequency, and power savings. Apple's primary goal is to employ a more advanced node for mobile devices, with plans to have these chips ready by 2028. As this is anticipated to begin in about two years, Apple will likely wait for the final 14A PDK before starting trial production. It remains uncertain whether the company will manufacture its A21 Pro SoC at TSMC and leave the regular version to Intel. However, Apple is gradually diversifying its supply chain with more silicon manufacturers. With advanced packaging, Intel can compete with TSMC in many areas, and we are eager to see the outcomes of this competition.

Google launched its "Googlebook" laptops yesterday, introducing a new intelligent platform that leverages Gemini AI, succeeding its Chromebook offerings. Initially, it was unclear what hardware Google would use for its upcoming laptop models. However, Intel announced that it has been collaborating with Google on these models, with Intel Core processors at the core of the platform. Google is likely to pair these laptops with Intel's latest Core Series 300 "Wildcat Lake" processors, which the company recently launched. This means that Googlebooks will feature an x86 platform based on Intel processors, with six CPU cores consisting of two "Cougar Cove" P-cores and four LPE "Darkmont" cores. They will also include an NPU 5 with 40 TOPS of INT8 data, an Xe display and media engine, and a GPU with up to two Xe3 cores, all built on Intel's 18A internal node.

However, Intel will not be the exclusive platform provider for Googlebooks. In an exclusive interview with Google VP John Maletis, ChromeUnboxed learned that Google has set strict requirements for its OEM partners, including specifications for CPU, memory, keyboard layout, and storage configurations for its upcoming devices. Since launch partners will also include Qualcomm and MediaTek, we can expect to see Arm-powered Googlebooks as well. Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo will be participating in the launch of the new Googlebook lineup, with devices reportedly arriving this fall.

The Steam Community Market has been a hub for the massive online exchange of in-game items for years, supporting the game economy for over 13,000 games with items available on the market. However, as the number of listings has increased, so has the users' need for more detailed item listings, prompting Valve developers to enhance the capabilities of the Steam Community Market. In the latest beta launch, Steam is introducing larger and more detailed item listings, improved search functionality, better product filtering, and enhanced asset data.

Firstly, listings are becoming much larger with the expanded view, allowing a single listing to contain more images, longer descriptions, and even special notes for items with applied accessories and more. Users can now use the search function to scroll through the search results with a flip scroll.

Microsoft is updating the native Windows user interface to create more responsive Windows 11 UI elements through the Windows K2 initiative. The company is transitioning its core Windows 11 elements from third-party frameworks to the Windows-native WinUI 3. In a recent GitHub post by Microsoft engineer Beth Pan, it's clear that Microsoft is making changes even within the WinUI 3 framework itself, demonstrating significant improvements in application launches. The company is using File Explorer and Notepad as benchmarks for performance improvements, as these core apps require much better responsiveness. With the latest set of patches arriving soon, File Explorer will have much less background work to do before launching, meaning that the launch should feel nearly instant.

For example, the latest WinUI 3 patches enable 41% fewer allocations, 63% fewer transient allocations, 45% fewer function calls, and 25% less time spent in the WinUI code powering the framework. This means that the upcoming File Explorer patch should feel noticeably faster with the updated framework, delivering on a promise to make the Windows 11 user interface a much smoother experience. As these changes are expected to be integrated into the WinAppSDK 2.x soon, we should see them arrive in the operating system in the coming weeks. Some changes are still too risky to implement in such a large piece of software, so users will need to wait a bit longer in case the testing encounters issues.

TSMC has allocated an additional $20 billion to expand its facility in Phoenix, Arizona, at the Fab 21 site. According to the latest TSMC board resolution meeting, TSMC Arizona, a subsidiary of TSMC, will receive up to $20 billion for now, with the possibility of further capital injections in the future. This resolution supports the expansion of TSMC's Fab 21 site with additional land purchases, expensive EUV equipment, and more semiconductor manufacturing tools. The company has already invested about $65 billion in ongoing Arizona projects and pledged an additional $100 billion in capital expenditure on top of that. The total TSMC Arizona capital expenditure is projected to reach $165 billion, with parts of the additional $100 billion package being gradually unlocked, as seen in today's board meeting resolution.

Interestingly, TSMC Arizona reportedly generated about $514 million in profit last year, its first year of operations. Given TSMC's gross margins of about 66%, this suggests that Fab 21 generated approximately $1.5 billion in revenue. TSMC does not explicitly separate revenue streams from each fab publicly, but these numbers are impressive considering the fab has only been operational for a year. Typically, a fab's first-year performance is not this strong, but it seems TSMC remains an industry leader in this area as well.

Google is preparing to refresh its laptop lineup, replacing the traditional Chromebook branding with the new "Googlebook" name. According to a now-deleted XDA Developers post, archived by some Redditors, Google is collaborating with several PC OEMs to launch what seems to be the successor to its well-known Chromebook devices. Notably, Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo will be participating in the launch of the new Googlebook lineup, with devices reportedly coming this fall. Each of these OEM partners will create their own version of the Googlebook, adding their unique style. We have seen an official render featuring what appears to be a glowing RGB strip, which the company calls "Glowbar." Whether it will be more than just a gimmick remains to be seen.

The focus of Google's customization with these Googlebooks is the deep integration of the company's AI services. These include applications such as "Magic Pointer," which takes context from the user's screen and uses Gemini AI to understand the situation, providing additional context or using an image generation mode to combine and edit photos. Another highlighted feature is "Cast My Apps," which connects Android smartphones and allows users to interact directly with their phones from the laptop. This is similar to Apple's macOS iPhone Mirroring app, indicating that Google is taking inspiration from other ecosystems. Interestingly, we still don't know what hardware these laptops will run on, but we expect more details to be revealed at today's Android Show I/O Edition or in the coming weeks.

Memory makers like Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron are currently striving to find the delicate balance between supplying the world with enough DRAM and expanding their production capacity by placing large new orders for the semiconductor fabs used to produce the memory. According to SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won, who also oversees SK hynix, if companies like SK hynix do not increase their memory supply, customers will find ways to use less memory by optimizing their infrastructure and software for much lower utilization. At present, hyperscalers and AI accelerator makers such as AMD, NVIDIA, and others are securing as much memory as possible. This is part of AI data center expansion, which requires more GPU and CPU DRAM to support large training runs and maintain massive model inference, now reaching tens of trillions of parameters and needing hundreds of gigabytes of system memory to host a single model for just a few users.

This demand has created a supply chain issue where memory makers are selling all of their available DRAM months in advance but are hesitant to significantly expand manufacturing capacity, despite recognizing the increase in demand years ago. Memory makers are the first to notice rising demand, and their reluctance to increase manufacturing capacity is contributing to the current memory shortage. However, they are also wary of expanding production capacity as it takes years to build new memory fabs, just as projected demand is expected to stabilize. SK hynix has ordered about 20 Low-NA EUV machines from ASML for their expansion plans, which will also support future storage production once the tools are operational. However, all of this added capacity is still years away, and we will remain in a tight situation for a little while longer.

Intel plans to reintroduce on-package memory in the future, with the "Razor Lake-AX" potentially being the product to carry this feature. This could be a successor to the "Nova Lake" generation, expected to arrive in late 2026. The last time Intel used on-package memory was with the "Lunar Lake" Core Ultra 200V series of CPUs, which included LPDDR5X-8533 memory in a single package alongside the CPU, GPU, and I/O die. Intel had previously stated that future CPU generations after "Lunar Lake" would use off-die memory, as sourcing and integrating additional memory modules in its SoCs is challenging, despite having technologies like EMIB and Foveros 3D to support integration. However, this decision seems to be reconsidered, as Intel is reportedly planning to integrate memory back on-package with "Razor Lake-AX."

Intel's AX variants of SoCs have long been rumored to offer significant integrated graphics capabilities to handle demanding graphics workloads. This lineup is intended to compete directly with AMD's "Halo" series, which includes "Strix Halo," "Gorgon Halo," and other future revisions like "Medusa Halo." Intel aims to achieve excellent iGPU performance, bundled with substantial integrated memory such as LPDDR5X or the upcoming LPDDR6 memory. Eventually, Intel might reintroduce HBM memory, similar to what it did with "Kaby Lake G," but we are still awaiting more details from rumors and leaks. Amidst a significant memory shortage in the PC gaming world, Intel would likely face challenges in acquiring sufficient DRAM stock. However, by the time "Razor Lake-AX" arrives in the coming years, the situation could be quite different.

The Chinese DRAM market has just gained another player with POWEV entering the DDR5 market. POWEV is a sub-brand of the Chinese company Jiahe Jinwei, which announced its entry into the DDR5 market almost half a decade ago but is delivering now when it is needed most. POWEV has introduced DDR5 DRAM in form factors like UDIMM, SODIMM, and RDIMM, capable of up to 64 GB capacity and available in either 4,800 MT/s or 5,600 MT/s speeds. At these speeds, modules have different latencies, so it is best to refer to the specification table below. Firstly, POWEV separates its DDR5 products into "pure domestic" memory modules and industrial memory modules. This likely refers to some modules being for PC DIY and OEM applications, while others are for servers and industrial applications.

Both categories come with non-ECC unbuffered memory modules, while RDIMMs carry registered ECC on their own DIMMs. Every module operates at a voltage of 1.2 V, with a specific pin count depending on the form factor. Interestingly, it is unclear what technology POWEV uses to manufacture these DDR5 modules and create these DIMMs, as the underlying technology is undefined. South Korean memory makers such as SK hynix and Samsung usually reveal which iteration of their 10 nm manufacturing technology is used for chip manufacturing, but that is not the case here. Jiahe Jinwei has entered mass production of DDR5 memory, but no underlying technology has been disclosed. For many, this doesn't matter as long as the performance meets JEDEC's DDR5 specifications.

Intel's CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, has confirmed that the collaboration with NVIDIA is ongoing, and we are about to see the results of the partnership announced late last year. Yesterday, Carnegie Mellon University awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Science and Technology to NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang for his outstanding contributions to the fields of accelerated computing and AI. Intel's Lip-Bu Tan had the honor of placing the doctoral hood on him. In a post on X, the Intel CEO confirmed that Intel and NVIDIA are still working together to "develop exciting new products," indicating that the long-promised integration of NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs within Intel SoCs is still in progress. What began as an initial investment from NVIDIA into Intel and an announcement of product collaboration is evolving into a much deeper integration of both companies into a unified ecosystem.

First, we look forward to seeing Intel chips that integrate third-party GPU IP, this time from NVIDIA, with its GeForce RTX graphics embedded in an Intel-branded package. Similar to the now almost forgotten "Kaby Lake G" collaboration with AMD, Intel plans to integrate third-party graphics into its x86 SoC, codenamed "Serpent Lake," which is scheduled to be the first joint collaboration between NVIDIA and Intel in a single chip package. Second, we anticipate customized x86 Xeon server processors for NVIDIA, which Intel has been producing for large hyperscalers like Amazon for years. NVIDIA is also integrating Intel Xeon processors alongside its custom "Grace" and "Vera" CPUs, with designs customized by Intel for their HGX AI server nodes.

SK hynix is collaborating with Intel to utilize its Embedded Multi-die Interconnect Bridge (EMIB) 2.5D packaging technology for HBM memory. As SK hynix aims to diversify its supply chain and customers are increasingly considering Intel Foundry, the South Korean memory giant is exploring research and development efforts with Intel on 2.5D packaging technology. Intel's premier 2.5D packaging technology is its EMIB, which interconnects multiple silicon dies using bridges embedded in a packaging substrate. SK hynix is interested in integrating this technology into its HBM memory, presumably to bring its HBM4 memory modules up to standard for EMIB integration, should its AI chip partners choose Intel Foundry for advanced packaging of their next-generation solutions.

We have already covered that small silicon EMIB bridges—available in variants like EMIB-M with embedded MIM capacitors and EMIB-T with TSVs—provide low-cost, high-density shoreline connections ideal for logic-to-logic and logic-to-HBM interfaces. However, until now, SK hynix has been using TSMC and its CoWoS 2.5D packaging technology. As CoWoS is gradually reaching its limits and customers are seeking alternative packaging methods, EMIB is emerging as a strong candidate to continue the scaling of chiplets in many directions beyond the traditional reticle limit of 830 mm² of silicon area.

AMD's latest Adrenalin Edition 26.5.1 WHQL Drivers are causing problems for Blender users, according to the latest Blender issue tracker. Blender 5.1.1 is crashing with these drivers, particularly when using the Cycles path-tracing render engine. The issue appears to be a ROCm runtime mismatch. Blender 5.1.1 uses ROCm 6 runtimes, but the latest AMD driver 26.5.1 only includes ROCm 7, leading to compatibility issues that prevent the application from running smoothly. Multiple users have reported crashes, and we now understand the background.

Developer involved in AMD evosystem Sahar A. Kashi confirmed that when a factory reset is performed and the system is installed from scratch, the amdhip64_6.dll file is removed, causing Blender Cycles to attempt loading ROCm 7 kernels. However, since Blender version 5.1.1 is compiled only for ROCm 6, this runtime mismatch results in application crashes. To resolve this issue on AMD GPU systems, users should install the older 26.3.1 drivers and use them until Blender version 5.2 is released, and the Cycles path-tracing render engine achieves full ROCm 7 compatibility.

Late last year, AMD released a paper introducing its new Dense Geometry Format (DGF) 3D graphics technology, designed to compete with NVIDIA's RTX Mega Geometry. Today, the company is unveiling DGF SuperCompression (DGFS), a new compression technique within the DGF graphics stack, which reduces game geometry file sizes by up to 22% compared to standard DGF. With DGFS, AMD aims to achieve an average 22% reduction in compressed game asset streams when GDeflate is applied. This results in significantly smaller asset sizes, allowing for larger games without the need for expanded storage. As games now often require hundreds of gigabytes of installation space, compressing storage formats is a key strategy to fit more games on your PC without immediately needing additional storage. A 22% reduction in file size through proprietary compression makes installation sizes much more manageable.

However, it's important to note that since DGFS is a compression format for DGF, the mesh stream array produced by DGFS must be decoded before the game can load it. It's similar to a ZIP file, which you can't use until it's unzipped. DGFS data will behave in the same way, residing only in PC storage, not in memory as it is not a component that will be directly processed by the GPU. AMD has developed a CPU-based decoding process that decodes the compressed DGFS assets in real time during asset streaming, which AMD claims "should be sufficiently fast." There are also potential GPU-based decoding solutions, suggesting we might see faster implementations in the future when it hits software SDKs.

Chinese GPU distributors are now selling some AMD Radeon RX graphics cards below the MSRP set by AMD. According to Channel Gate, AMD graphics cards in China are currently being sold at a loss, with many channel distributors actually losing money on some Radeon models. For example, the entry-level Radeon RX 7650 GRE, which has an MSRP of 2,099 RMB ($308), is now being sold for about 1,740 RMB ($256), including sales tax. This represents a 17% decrease compared to the MSRP, making it an attractive price point for buyers, but not so much for sellers who have a stockpile of these graphics cards. Moving on to the more recent RDNA 4 generation, the Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB edition has an MSRP of 2,499 RMB ($367) but is now being sold at 2,250 RMB ($330). This is another drop of 10% compared to the MSRP, offering gamers a better deal.

The smallest difference is seen with AMD's top RDNA 4 GPU, the Radeon RX 9070 XT. This model has an MSRP of 4,999 RMB ($735) in China but is now trading at a slight discount of less than one percentage point at 4,950 RMB ($727). While this may not seem significant, it indicates that the card is finally trading at prices that AMD encouraged its board partners to adopt for the latest RDNA 4 family. However, these changes are only now starting to appear in China.

When NVIDIA announced its Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) 5 technology, which the company describes as the first real-time neural rendering technology to bring photorealism to game textures, the response from gamers was not entirely positive. Many were unhappy with the results, and the backlash grew online. That's why we asked the TechPowerUp readers in a poll to share their opinions on the technology and found a consistent theme in the results. After collecting nearly 20,000 votes, a majority of 58% of gamers expressed that AI should not alter games at all. They prefer to keep their favorite titles original and intact, as envisioned by the original game studio, without any changes to lighting or photorealism. They want no alterations, meaning AI should not change character faces, apply realistic material rendering, or add any other modifications.

Interestingly, the second-largest group is still undecided, waiting to see real-world results in their favorite AAA titles. When DLSS 5 is implemented in major releases, about 28% of gamers who have seen NVIDIA's DLSS 5 demos believe that the final release will shape their opinion, whether positive or negative. This indicates that the technology has not yet fully resonated with the gaming community, who require further convincing. A smaller segment, 8.1% of those polled, believes that DLSS 5-enabled titles actually look better than native rendering, showing some optimism that the technology can improve visuals. Finally, about 6.4% of respondents are willing to accept visual changes if they lead to a significant FPS boost. As with DLSS and other upscaling methods, gamers now expect to see a substantial performance increase from neural rendering, and the situation appears similar with DLSS 5.

PC motherboard sales are on track for some of the biggest corrections in recent times as manufacturers struggle with weak demand, according to a DigiTimes report. What began as AI data center expansion quickly started affecting consumer PC DIY endeavors, as severe silicon shortages across the industry drove DRAM and CPU demand so high that prices have increased significantly for DDR4 and DDR5 memory kits, while regular CPUs have also seen a large price increase. In response, PC motherboard makers are caught in the middle of this shortage, seeing their motherboard unit sales revised down significantly. The report notes that all Taiwanese motherboard makers have significantly lowered their 2026 shipment targets, with some experiencing more than a 25% decrease in projected unit sales.

Interestingly, it's not only CPU and memory shortages driving this lowered demand; there are indications that consumers have slowed down their NVIDIA GPU upgrade cycles, which is impacting new motherboard sales. Particularly with the "Blackwell" GPU generation, consumers began purchasing PCIe 5.0 motherboards to achieve the greatest performance increase. However, as these GPUs became rarer and more expensive due to the global DRAM shortage, consumers have become reluctant to upgrade. ASUS is projected to sell about 10 million motherboards in 2026, while MSI and GIGABYTE are now projecting sales of less than 10 million units each. This represents about a 25% yearly decrease from 2025 sales. The worst position is estimated for ASRock, which is expected to see a 30% decrease according to the report.

According to Windows Central, Microsoft is working on a new feature for Windows 11 called "Low Latency Profile," as part of the Windows K2 effort. This feature aims to make app launches noticeably faster by pushing the CPU core to its maximum boost frequency in very short bursts. Reportedly, this feature boosts the CPU to its maximum frequency for 1-3 seconds, resulting in noticeably smoother app launches during testing. When launching Microsoft applications like Edge and Outlook, known as "in-box" apps, the result is about a 40% faster application launch. Other applications, such as the Start Menu and context menus across the operating system, may be up to 70% faster. Overall, the Windows 11 operating system is expected to receive a significant performance boost, though at the cost of the CPU reaching its maximum frequency.

Currently, this feature within the Windows K2 effort is automatic, with no clear indication if it can be turned on or off. Running a CPU at its maximum frequency is somewhat unusual, as the purpose of an operating system is to minimize strain on the PC, leaving headroom for heavier applications to load. However, since the boost is only applied in short bursts of up to three seconds, it is expected that the performance benefits and overall smoothness will outweigh potential issues. These issues include elevated CPU frequency during lighter tasks and general OS usage, which could result in slightly higher temperatures overall. For laptop users, this might lead to faster battery drain, but it is likely that the Windows K2 effort will account for this, with minimal impact.

After the unification of Palit's sub-companies, GALAX and KFA2, under one roof, Palit has confirmed that the company is already developing next-generation GALAX Hall-of-Fame (HOF) graphics cards, as well as regular GALAX and KFA2-branded GPU models. The company claims that the current generation of GPUs is here to stay, but what's especially interesting is the note about next-generation GPUs being in development. This means that the upcoming NVIDIA GeForce RTX 60-Series "Rubin" gaming GPUs will also be available in GALAX HOF and KFA2 variants, allowing extreme overclockers to access more HOF generations in the future. As Palit is one of NVIDIA's biggest add-in card partners, we expect that future product launches will remain NVIDIA-exclusive.

Additionally, Palit has emphasized that the leader of Galax Brazil, Ronaldo from TecLab, will continue with GALAX to work on the GPUs and enhance GALAX branding and market presence in every possible way.

PCI-SIG has released a small update on its upcoming PCIe 8.0 standard, with the draft milestone reaching version 0.5. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this draft update is not the performance itself, but the exploration of a new connector technology to support this high-bandwidth protocol. Last year, we learned that PCI-SIG plans to implement a 256.0 GT/s raw bit rate and 1 TB/s of bidirectional bandwidth in the x16 lane configuration. We had assumed that the protocol would continue using the familiar connector technology seen in previous PCIe updates. However, it turns out that the current connector might be a limiting factor, prompting the search for a replacement for the traditional PCIe electrical connection.

The traditional PCIe connector is a copper-based link with up to 16 lanes connecting graphics cards to a slot. In a full x16 lane configuration, the PCIe generation supported by the motherboard provides the best performance, offering the maximum bandwidth the platform can deliver. However, with a 256 GT/s raw bit rate, the connector provides about 1 TB/s of bidirectional bandwidth, which is eight times faster than the current PCIe 5.0 platform used with modern GPUs and CPUs. This indicates that the current physical layer facilitating communication between a GPU and a motherboard is nearing saturation with the advent of PCIe 8.0, necessitating the consideration of an alternative connection method.