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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Valve seems to be incorporating more AI integration into its Steam gaming platform to assist gamers with various aspects of their experience. In the latest development of this AI integration, Valve is reportedly developing the SteamGPT AI system to assist with customer support queries, while also integrating many additional features into the system. As you know, Valve's Steam platform receives thousands of support questions daily, ranging from refunds and platform issues to payment processing problems and many other inquiries. Valve's support staff is often overwhelmed, especially during major sales events. If Valve creates a customized AI system for chatting, support, and other infrastructure tasks, the company could alleviate a significant portion of the daily issues.

Additionally, recent source code leaks mention some connection to Valve's Trust systems, which enhance matchmaking quality by grouping players with similar levels of trustworthiness in games like Counter-Strike 2. This is an algorithmic process where an AI system could improve grading, as AI can naturally solve these tasks by grouping players more effectively than any custom algorithm. Furthermore, it could also detect cheating patterns performed by players and activate the anti-cheat system. However, while an AI system can assist with customer support queries, it may still make errors, necessitating human oversight to ensure the validity of support resolutions.

Intel has released its latest Arc GPU Graphics Drivers, version 101.8629 WHQL, introducing the gaming world to its newest Arc Pro B70 and Arc Pro B65 discrete GPUs. These new WHQL drivers primarily focus on providing gaming support for these professional-grade GPUs, which means the drivers include minimal game optimizations and retain some existing issues. Since no extensive optimization was necessary, the recently announced BMG-G31-based GPUs only required a simple driver enablement rather than the lengthy optimizations typically needed. The "Battlemage" architecture has been around for a while, so previous optimizations have already been implemented. The performance of the new GPUs is now achieved by linearly scaling the Xe2 cores within the GPU. When workstations take a break from their usual AI development or inference tasks on Arc Pro B70 GPUs, they can seamlessly transition to gaming. Interestingly, with gaming now an option, the Arc Pro B70 becomes Intel's largest discrete GPU for gaming tasks.DOWNLOAD: Intel Arc Graphics Driver 101.8629 WHQL

Yesterday, Qualcomm introduced its Snapdragon X2 Elite series of chips to consumers in partnership with major OEMs like ASUS and HP. On the same day, ASUS released additional laptop models based on Intel and AMD SoCs. However, just a day after some media outlets published their reviews, ASUS increased the prices of its products through its launch partner distributor, Best Buy, significantly affecting some reviewers' conclusions. Reportedly, ASUS raised prices by $100 to $350, depending on the laptop model and configuration, regardless of the platform. This is a substantial change; for example, a $350 increase on a $1,000 model like the Zenbook 14 represents a one-third increase in the device's advertised price. Reviewers, such as those at TechPowerUp, evaluate the model based on its value. If a model is aimed at budget users, the perspective of a budget user is applied, and if a model is aimed at workstation users, a small price increase may not be a dealbreaker. However, in the $1,000 range for a laptop, ASUS is now pushing these laptops into a completely different category.Below is the price change, broken down by model. On the left is the launch pricing listed by ASUS, and on the right is the new pricing from Best Buy as of today.

Late last week, we reported on a new series of rowhammer bit-flip attacks targeting GDDR6-based NVIDIA GPUs. Most of these attacks can be mitigated by enabling IOMMU through the BIOS, which restricts the memory regions the GPU can access on the host system, thereby closing the primary attack path. However, researchers from the University of Toronto have introduced "GPUBreach," which can bypass IOMMU and enable CPU-side privilege escalation, unlike the previous "GDDRHammer" and "GeForge" attacks. In most typical server, workstation, and even PC configurations, IOMMU restricts the GPU's access to the CPU's physical addresses, preventing direct memory access. These are the typical DMA-based attacks that the Input-Output Memory Management Unit protects users from. However, the new "GPUBreach" operates differently.

For example, "GPUBreach" exploits memory-safe bugs in the actual GPU driver and corrupts them. When IOMMU confines the GPU's direct memory access to driver-assigned buffers, the new exploit corrupts metadata within these permitted buffers. This causes the driver, which has kernel privileges enabled on the CPU host, to perform out-of-band writes to the buffer, effectively bypassing any protection IOMMU can offer. This logic is built into the kernel by default, as the GPU driver is one of the most trusted components of the operating system. Hence, IOMMU bypass is possible when the metadata is corrupted. Since "GPUBreach" grants an attacker full root privilege escalation, the attack differs significantly from previous rowhammer attacks.

Intel has officially announced its participation in Elon Musk's "Terafab" project, which aims to reimagine chip manufacturing. Specifically, Intel Foundry plans to join this ambitious initiative, leveraging its significant manufacturing capabilities as one of the strategically important companies in the U.S. However, the specifics of Intel's involvement remain unclear, as it is not yet known how Intel will officially contribute to the Terafab project. The company has stated that since Terafab aims to produce 1 terawatt per year of compute power for AI and robots serving xAI, SpaceX, and Tesla. Intel will assist in designing silicon, manufacturing it, and providing some of the world's most advanced packaging technologies, such as EMIB. It is likely that some of Intel's facilities, which are currently being expanded, will become part of the network needed for the Terafab project, while the Terafab facility itself conducts custom work guided by Intel.

The goal of Terafab is to consolidate the entire chip manufacturing process under one roof. The plant is expected to integrate several stages of semiconductor production at a single site, including logic fabrication, memory, packaging, testing, and mask production. This setup is unusual, as these steps are typically spread across multiple specialized facilities and companies. The original idea behind Terafab is that consolidating these processes could accelerate development by enabling engineers to design, test, and revise chips with fewer delays, essentially allowing for rapid prototyping. This contrasts with the traditional, lengthy process of manufacturing chips at one site, packaging them at another, and testing them in-house. Elon Musk visited Intel's CEO Lip-Bu Tan over the past weekend securing a deal.

Microsoft has been addressing the recent wave of "Microslop" criticism that has emerged online in response to the forced integration of AI into its products. Specifically, Microsoft has been promoting its Copilot applications, products, and even Copilot-branded hardware like Copilot+ AI PCs to consumers. However, this is just the scratching the surface, as the actual number of Copilot variants is much higher than what the average PC enthusiast might consider. If you've ever wondered how many Copilot applications exist, the official count stands at 80 Copilot applications, products, services, and hardware that the Redmond giant has developed. Across every Microsoft vertical, there is a Copilot icon in some form, even present on Copilot+ PCs with its own dedicated Copilot key. This represents the biggest branding overhaul in Microsoft's history, as the company traditionally distinguished products with unique features and names.

However, the popularity of its ecosystem is at an all-time low, particularly within the PC community, which interacts most with the Windows 11 operating system and the Microsoft 365 suite of applications, formerly known as the Office package, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and others. Regular consumers are largely unaware of the extent of the Copilot branding, as Microsoft has extended its AI narrative to consumer and business chatbots, developer tools, desktop applications, Copilot applications within other applications, enterprise platforms, hardware, and business software serving the enterprise sector. At some point, the community narrative suggests that the branding is being pushed a bit too aggressively, as Windows 11 users, who interact daily with the world's most widely distributed operating system, have openly discussed the drawbacks of the forced Copilot integration.

Intel's upcoming "Nova Lake" CPU generation, part of the Core Ultra 400 series, will be a major refresh of the company's P and E-core hybrid design. While many specifications have been largely leaked, the exact integrated GPU configuration remained a mystery until now. One of the most reliable Intel leakers, Jaykihn, has revealed that Intel plans to use the Xe3 generation of graphics, which is found in the current "Panther Lake" Arc B300 series of integrated GPUs. The display and media engine will come from the Xe3P "Crescent Island." Previously, we reported the source's claim that the "Nova Lake" display and media engine would incorporate some IP elements from the Xe4 "Druid" generation of graphics. However, the actual underlying hardware is not related to Xe4 and instead borrows IP from Xe3P.

Intel's plans for "Nova Lake" are focused on late 2026, with the entire lineup expected to roll out in early 2027. The platform will support DDR5 memory at 8,000 MT/s out of the box, without any overclocking. This indicates an improved integrated memory controller on the Nova Lake platform, which seems ready to handle those speeds even before XMP or factory-overclocked modules are considered. It also suggests that Intel is pushing memory support further than its current controller, which reaches DDR5-7200 on the current "Arrow Lake Refresh," alongside the new core IP and updated configuration.

Steam is reportedly in the process of adding a "Frame Estimator" tool that can estimate your PC's performance before you purchase a game. As you know, Valve's Steam platform is the largest gaming platform in the world, with access to millions of PCs. The Steam Client application offers an option to include your PC in Valve's telemetry system, which processes data such as your PC's specifications and game information, including your library. Using these data points, Steam will estimate how many frames per second your PC can generate in any game, depending on your configuration. For example, for a specific CPU, GPU, and available system memory, the Steam Client will indicate whether a game can reach 60 FPS at 1440p using high settings, or whatever your preference is. We can only speculate at this point about what the feature will look like, as Steam is still refining it before the public beta release.

Additionally, Valve has already started asking users for anonymous FPS data collection about a month ago whenever they run a game. With this data pool, likely involving millions of participants, Valve aims to build a system that estimates your FPS output based on your specific PC configuration, without needing to run a game first. Reportedly, this feature will appear in the Steam Client and show how much performance your PC can deliver before you even purchase a game. This is a classic recommendation system that will indicate what your configuration typically delivers at specific game settings and resolutions.

Intel has recently released a new video showcasing its latest Texture Set Neural Compression (TSNC) technology, which delivers textures up to 18 times smaller while maintaining visual quality with little to no noticeable difference compared to the industry-standard compression. Using AI-based neural networks, Intel's graphics team processes input data from industry-standard BCn textures. These textures are compressed through an AI model encoder, encoded in the latest space values, and then decoded by a network decoder to decompress the textures. The result is output data textures that are up to 18 times smaller, with some quality loss at maximum compression settings. As with any neural technology, TSNC is trained on millions of standardized textures to create an AI model that can replace traditionally compressed textures in the BCn format. This results in new, much smaller game textures that load faster, use less VRAM, and perform better thanks to modern GPU technology.

There are several ways to apply TSNC neural compression, depending on the desired outcome, whether it's saving game installation size, reducing VRAM usage, or improving performance. Variant A, as Intel calls it, can achieve up to 9 times compression of the standard texture set, with little to no difference in visual quality—almost an unnoticeable drop. However, when the goal is maximum efficiency and requires up to 18 times texture compression, Intel offers Variant B of the TSNC neural network. This variant provides a significant performance boost, with the trade-off being a modest visual change. Using NVIDIA's FLIP tool to measure quality drop in generated images, Intel notes that Variant A experiences a 5% visual quality drop, while Variant B sees up to a 7% quality drop, which is noticeably more.You can judge for yourself by viewing the comparison images below.

Intel has unexpectedly discontinued the official XeSS plugin for the Unity game engine, leaving the Unity ecosystem without XeSS frame generation, temporal super sampling, and antialiasing technology. This decision comes just a month after Intel released its official XeSS 3.0 software development kit for game studios, which includes features like multi-frame generation and the ability for XeSS 3.0 to use external memory heaps for GPU memory allocated by the game engine. This allows XeSS and the engine to operate on the same VRAM blocks instead of each reserving separate ones. However, it is unclear if XeSS 3.0 works with the latest Unity 6 engine, as official support has been withdrawn and the repository now serves as a public archive on GitHub. Similarly, AMD abandoned the Unity platform years ago, leaving only FSR 2.0 support since the last update. The focus now seems to be on other game engines like Unreal Engine 5 and its future versions, which are receiving all the latest advancements from both Intel and AMD.

Intel on GitHubIntel will not provide or guarantee development of or support for this project, including but not limited to, maintenance, bug fixes, new releases or updates. Patches to this project are no longer accepted by Intel. If you have an ongoing need to use this project, are interested in independently developing it, or would like to maintain patches for the community, please create your own fork of the project.

Microsoft is now force-installing the latest version of Windows 11, the 25H2, for users of the older 24H2 version of the operating system. Through what Microsoft calls a "machine learning-based intelligent rollout," the company is automatically updating 24H2 users to Windows 11 25H2 when their devices are ready. This forced update is part of a staged update plan for Windows 11, where Microsoft is gradually updating systems worldwide to phase out the 24H2 version, as support for this operating system will officially end on October 13, 2026. It makes sense to upgrade users to an operating system with a longer support period. However, Windows 11 users might be frustrated with the constant forced upgrades that Microsoft is pushing, which seem to offer little real-world benefit beyond regular security maintenance.

Regarding Windows versions, the situation has been a bit confusing recently. Microsoft has dedicated the 26H1 update exclusively for Windows-on-Arm devices, supporting new silicon, including the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Plus platforms, as well as the potential launch of NVIDIA's N1/N1X laptop SoCs. The latest feature and security updates have been delivered through both the 24H2 and 25H2 versions, which have been the primary focus for x86-based PC systems. However, as support for 24H2 is coming to an end, the focus is gradually shifting to 25H2. There is still time before October of this year, and Microsoft is using AI for a staged rollout. Importantly, users cannot refuse this update. They can only schedule the restart for the update to be applied or postpone it slightly before it is finally installed.

NVIDIA has released more details about its Neural Texture Compression (NTC) technology, which significantly reduces GPU VRAM usage by up to seven times. In a technology demo presented during one of the GTC 2026 sessions, NVIDIA revealed that its Neural Texture Compression can reduce VRAM usage from 6.5 GB to just 970 MB in certain scenes. This was demonstrated in a video comparing a Tuscan Villa and its interior. With virtually no difference in texture appearance, Neural Texture Compression represents a major advancement in maintaining graphics fidelity while freeing up GPU memory for more game content. For instance, in both the exterior of the Tuscan Villa and the interior demo showcasing detailed tableware, NTC technology provides users with high-quality textures while maintaining excellent material quality.

NTC technology is an AI-driven texture output that allows games to feature high-quality complex materials without a performance penalty. Games can benefit from the substantial VRAM reduction that NTC offers while maintaining the same texture quality. Traditionally, games use block-compressed formats like BCn, such as BC5, BC6, or BC7, which are commonly applied in 4x4 pixel formats and rendered by the GPU. However, NVIDIA has trained small neural networks that can produce the desired pixel format and texture appearance at a fraction of the size of traditional texture compression formats. Instead of using gigabytes of VRAM for textures, NTC drastically reduces VRAM usage by emulating textures, allowing for either much lower VRAM consumption or significantly enhanced material appearance, depending on the game developer's goals. This enables games to incorporate much more complex scenery without any performance penalty, relying on NVIDIA's AI technology to handle the workload. Below is the demonstration of Tuscan Villa, which shows just how the scene looks.

Intel's long-awaited gaming CPU king, the Core 200 "Bartlett Lake-S," is an intriguing CPU generation that isn't actually meant for gaming. The top version, the Core 9 273PQE, is a 12-core, 24-thread processor launched exclusively for commercial and industrial PC OEM markets as an edge/embedded design, and it's not available for the DIY PC crowd. Intel didn't plan for these CPUs to run on commercial motherboard chipsets, and major motherboard manufacturers have confirmed this. However, a modder has achieved something remarkable by booting Intel's "Bartlett Lake" Core 9 273PQE processor into the Windows operating system on a standard Z790 motherboard. Previously, these chips could only reach the POST stage on consumer LGA 1700 boards, but they couldn't run a fully functioning operating system.

Built on the Intel 7 node and designed for Socket LGA1700, "Bartlett Lake" is a non-hybrid chip featuring up to 12 "Raptor Cove" P-cores without any E-core clusters. It was not intended to be compatible with consumer Intel Z790 chipset motherboards. However, main issue was never the socket itself. "Bartlett Lake" shares the same physical LGA 1700 layout as Intel's "Raptor Lake" chips, but that doesn't automatically make it compatible with consumer boards. Typically, the absence of official BIOS and microcode support prevents proper CPU initialization. Earlier attempts usually resulted in startup failures, blank screens, or error codes before progressing further. This recent success changes that narrative. By modifying the motherboard firmware to accept the processor during early boot, the modder overcame the hurdles that had previously caused failures. Once the system accepted the chip at initialization, Windows loaded successfully.

Intel is reportedly preparing yet another CPU price hike, adding to the previous increases implemented in February and March. According to the latest research and channel checks from Chinese market research firm Minutes Logic Society, Intel plans to add another price increase to its existing ones. In February, Intel implemented a first round of CPU price increases ranging from 10% to 15%, depending on the segment and SKU. Just a month later, the company introduced another increase in March, around 15%, with earlier reports suggesting a 10% hike for the consumer CPU sector, like the Core Ultra family of CPUs. This time, we are expecting another increase in May across the overall CPU portfolio, meaning that Intel will again raise prices by a few more percent, depending on the CPU sector, whether it is a Core Ultra CPU or a Xeon server processor.

The total cumulative goal for the price hike is about 30% higher compared to 2025 pricing. Interestingly, Intel is facing a significant problem with CPU supply that it can't address immediately. While a large portion of CPU production is internal, with Intel Foundry handling a bulk of orders, some CPUs require TSMC's silicon for Intel to ship these CPUs. Especially with multi-die packaging, where some parts are manufactured on Intel's node and others on TSMC's node, shipping is impossible until every part arrives and Intel assembles it with its advanced packaging.

Rowhammer attacks exploit vulnerabilities in DRAM hardware by causing targeted bit-flips, allowing attackers to bypass memory isolation and gain control over a device. These attacks were initially focused on CPUs and their associated DDR memory, such as DDR4. However, recent research indicates that NVIDIA GPUs are also vulnerable due to the fragile nature of the GDDR6 memory they use, which directly compromises the CPU host. Two independent research teams have discovered ways to exploit this decades-old memory vulnerability against modern graphics hardware, with trouble extending beyond the GPU itself. The "GDDRHammer" and "GeForge" groups have each developed functional exploits that use Rowhammer bit-flips in NVIDIA GPUs with GDDR6 memory to gain complete control over the host CPU's memory. This attack can perform bit-flips on some NVIDIA GPU models, ranging from the "Ampere" to "Ada Lovelace" families of cards.

An attacker who succeeds in this can read and write anything stored in the machine's main memory. Both teams have also introduced new Rowhammer techniques specifically designed for GPU architecture, achieving a significantly higher rate of bit-flips on GDDR6 memory than previous methods. The critical step in both exploit chains involves targeting the GPU's memory allocator, using controlled bit-flips to corrupt the GPU's page tables. Once these page tables are compromised, the attacker gains arbitrary read and write access to CPU memory, breaking down the security boundary between the graphics subsystem and the rest of the machine. The end result is a full system compromise, as the attacker can manipulate memory at will and gain root access, achieving total control without interacting with privileged software paths. The affected GPUs include the GeForce RTX 3060, which experienced 1,171 bit-flips, and the RTX 6000 "Ada" GPU, which saw 202 bit-flips from the attack.