Microsoft has announced the release of two new products tailored for the business sector: the Surface Pro 10 for Business and the Surface Laptop 6 for Business. These devices are designed to meet the specific needs of business users, offering enhanced performance, battery life, connectivity options, and security features. They are also the first in the Surface line to be optimized for artificial intelligence (AI), featuring the new Copilot key for easy access to advanced Windows AI functionalities. Additionally, Microsoft Adaptive Accessories are now available for commercial customers, expanding accessibility options. The Surface Pro 10 for Business and Surface Laptop 6 for Business are equipped with the latest Intel Core Ultra processors, reflecting Microsoft's collaboration with Intel to ensure reliable performance and facilitate AI experiences within the Surface and Windows ecosystems. Since 2019, Surface devices have incorporated Neural Processing Units (NPUs) to enhance AI capabilities, with the new models offering significant performance improvements over their predecessors.
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MediaTek introduced four new systems-on-chip (SoCs) for automotive applications, expanding its Dimensity Auto Cockpit portfolio. These SoCs, namely the CX-1, CY-1, CM-1, and CV-1, are designed to cater to a wide range of automotive segments, from premium to entry-level. Each SoC supports NVIDIA DRIVE OS, enabling car manufacturers to integrate advanced AI capabilities into their vehicles. The Dimensity Auto Cockpit SoCs incorporate an ARM v9-A architecture and leverage NVIDIA's next-generation GPU technology for AI computing and RTX graphics. This allows the platform to run large language models directly within the vehicle, facilitating a variety of AI-driven functionalities such as chatbots, content delivery across multiple displays, driver alertness monitoring, and other innovative safety and entertainment features. Local processing of these applications ensures enhanced security, speed, and reduced latency. The platform also features hardware-based security measures in line with the latest automotive safety standards.
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ENERMAX, known for its commitment to high-performance computing components, recently introduced the PlatiGemini 1200W power supply unit (PSU), distinguished as the first to achieve 80 Plus Platinum certification while supporting both Intel ATX 3.1 and ATX12VO standards. This innovation caters specifically to system integrators and professionals who demand high efficiency and reliability for critical projects. The PlatiGemini stands out by offering compatibility with both traditional 24-pin motherboards and the more energy-efficient 10-pin 12VO motherboards, significantly enhancing energy conversion efficiency and adhering to stringent environmental standards. The PlatiGemini's design is future-proof, facilitating seamless integration with both current and upcoming motherboard technologies by focusing solely on 12V output, thus eliminating unnecessary energy conversion losses. This PSU is not only adaptable to various system requirements but also contributes to the advancement of sustainable computing practices.
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During a conference call following its quarterly financial report on March 21, 2024, Micron Technology's CEO, Sanjay Mehrotra, highlighted the intensive wafer consumption of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) compared to traditional memory forms. Specifically, the production of the same capacity of the latest HBM3E memory, using the same fabrication process, requires three times the wafer volume needed for standard DDR5 memory. This disparity is expected to widen with future generations like HBM4 due to advancements in performance and increased complexity in packaging.
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ASUSTOR Inc. has expanded its hard drive compatibility list to include the Seagate IronWolf Pro 24 TB NAS hard drive, model ST24000NT002, catering to businesses and high-capacity data users. This integration allows select ASUSTOR NAS models to reach storage capacities close to 400 TB. The incorporation of 24 TB IronWolf Pro drives enhances the efficiency of ASUSTOR's MyArchive backup feature by reducing the number of drives needed for comprehensive backup processes, thereby supporting the 3-2-1 backup rule and facilitating extensive archival storage needs
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During the GTC 2024 event, NVIDIA announced the release of the RTX Global Illumination 2.0 SDK, marking a significant update in ray tracing technology. This latest version introduces innovative features designed to enhance developer efficiency and performance in graphics-intensive applications, such as video games. The RTX Global Illumination 2.0 SDK is now accessible to developers using NVIDIA GPUs that support ray tracing and AI acceleration, including those with Tensor Core architecture.
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Thermalright recently introduced the Ice Guard 360 water-cooling radiator, now listed on their official website. This new cooling solution incorporates Asetek's latest 8th generation water pump technology and is available in both black and white variants. The Ice Guard 360 features a three-phase motor water pump from Asetek and comes with TL-K12 ARGB fans designed for efficient cooling. It supports both Intel and AMD platforms with all-metal mounting brackets and boasts a 360mm radiator with a thickness of 30mm. One of the standout features of the Ice Guard 360 is its 2.88-inch IPS cold head screen, which offers a resolution of 480x480 and a peak brightness of 450 nits.
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MSI unveiled the MPG 341CQPX, an advanced QD-OLED curved monitor, characterized by a significant refresh rate of 240Hz and a curvature of 1800R. This model is an improvement over the previously released MAG 341CQP, which had a refresh rate of 175Hz. Industry sources, such as TFT Central, suggest that this new version will transition from the initial Samsung QD-OLED "Gen 1" panel to a more advanced "Gen 2.5" panel, incorporating more efficient organic materials and a refined pixel layout for enhanced display quality. The MPG 341CQPX features a 34-inch, 21:9 aspect ratio curved QD-OLED screen, boasting a resolution of 3440 x 1440, an exceptionally rapid 0.02ms GtG response time, a high contrast ratio of 1,500,000:1, standard dynamic range (SDR) brightness of 250 nits, and a peak high dynamic range (HDR) brightness of 1000 nits.
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Lenovo Group's Executive Vice President and President of China, Liu Jun, announced at the AMD AI PC Innovation Summit that Lenovo plans to introduce a series of new AI-integrated PC products during the upcoming Lenovo Innovation and Technology Conference scheduled for April 18. This announcement marks a significant development in Lenovo's strategy to integrate full-stack AI capabilities, encompassing smart devices, AI-focused infrastructure, and solutions that are inherently AI-driven.
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Dell Technologies introduced five new models in its S series of IPS LCD displays, featuring ultra-thin bezels for an immersive viewing experience. The lineup includes both 23.8-inch and 27-inch displays, all supporting full HD resolution, with one 27-inch model offering WQHD resolution. Key technical specifications for these models include a 100Hz refresh rate, 4ms maximum response time, 1,500:1 contrast ratio, and sRGB 99% color gamut, ensuring vivid and accurate color representation. The displays provide wide viewing angles of 178°, both horizontally and vertically, to maintain color consistency and clarity from various perspectives.
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AMD introduced FSR 3.1 at the GDC 2024, marking the latest advancement in their open upscaling and frame generation technology. This update follows the initial release of AMD FSR 3, which has been integrated into 40 games since its launch. The adoption rate has increased significantly, with notable titles like "Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth" and "Starfield" implementing the technology. FSR 3.1 brings significant improvements, including enhanced image upscaling quality, reduced ghosting, and better detail preservation. Notably, it decouples upscaling from frame generation, allowing FSR 3.1 to be used with other upscaling solutions. Additionally, the introduction of a new AMD FidelityFX API facilitates debugging for developers and ensures compatibility with future FSR versions. Support for Vulkan® and the Xbox Game Development Kit (GDK) has also been added.
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NVIDIA is gearing up to introduce the latest GDDR7 memory technology into its upcoming Blackwell GeForce RTX 50-series graphics cards. This new line-up will include top-end models, namely the GB202, GB203, and GB205 GPUs, which are expected to replace and enhance the performance of the current RTX 4070 to RTX 4090 models. Reports highlight that this move to GDDR7 is a key part of NVIDIA's plan to boost the capabilities of its top-tier graphics cards. These next-generation GPUs will likely be produced using the advanced 4N process technology from TSMC, a leading semiconductor manufacturing company.
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This product incorporates a mobile R9-7945HX processor, designed for the MoDT (Mobile on Desktop) platform, featuring 16 cores and 32 threads with a peak acceleration frequency of up to 5.4 GHz. It is based on the Zen 4 architecture and fabricated using TSMC's 5nm process technology. The motherboard is tailored for compact ITX form factors and includes a specially designed CPU cooler that accommodates a 12cm fan for enhanced thermal management.
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At the NVIDIA GTC 2024 conference, SK Hynix showcased its latest addition to the consumer solid-state drive (SSD) market, the Platinum P51 M.2 2280 NVMe SSD, marking the company's first entry into the Gen5 NVMe SSD series. This device stands out due to its integration of PCIe Gen5 interface and 238-layer TLC NAND flash memory, promising significant performance enhancements. The Platinum P51 SSD, which follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, the Gold P31 and Platinum P41, employs a proprietary SSD controller. This capability stems from SK Hynix's acquisition of SSD controller manufacturer LAMD in 2012, enabling the company to design and implement its own controllers.
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Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang revealed in an interview that the company has invested approximately $10 billion in the research and development of the Blackwell GPU. The interview occurred following Huang's appearance on the CNBC program "Squawk on the Street" post-GTC 2024. During the discussion, Huang noted that the Blackwell GPU's market price would range from $30,000 to $40,000. However, he mentioned that the final selling price could vary based on the data center's design and the integration with other services, which might influence the overall cost.
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MSI has expanded its range of peripherals with the introduction of the FORGE Series, developed under the MSI GEAR initiative. The series is designed to meet the varied requirements of both gamers and professionals, incorporating the FORGE G line for immersive gaming experiences and the FORGE line for office and professional use. The inaugural products from the FORGE Series, the FORGE GK100 COMBO, which includes the FORGE GK100 keyboard and the FORGE GM100 mouse, offer a cost-effective and reliable option for enhancing gaming performance. While the combo is aimed at gamers, the FORGE GM100 optical gaming mouse is also available individually, catering to the specific needs of users seeking to improve their gaming setup or professional computing environment.
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Samsung Electronics unveiled a new graphics memory chip at the GTC event, the 32 Gbps GDDR7 memory chip. This chip is a big step forward in making graphics cards faster and more energy-efficient. People are talking about how this new chip might be used in NVIDIA's upcoming GeForce RTX "Blackwell" series. The chip Samsung showed off is expected to be very important because it can hold 2 GB of data and works faster than older chips. One of the key points about this new GDDR7 chip is that it works really well but doesn't use as much power. It needs less electricity to run—only 1.1 volts, which is less than the usual 1.2 volts needed for chips like this. Even though it can go as fast as 32 Gbps, the first NVIDIA graphics cards using it might run a bit slower at 28 Gbps. This suggests NVIDIA might have room to make their cards even more efficient or faster in the future.
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Ubisoft's Paris R&D team, in collaboration with Nvidia's Audio2Face and Inworld's Large Language Model (LLM), has been conducting experiments with generative AI to redefine player interactions with Non-Player Characters (NPCs) in video games. The initiative, named NEO NPC, aims to transcend traditional dialogue trees by enabling NPCs to engage in more authentic conversations through dynamic responses. This approach seeks to maintain the integrity of both the situational context and the NPCs' inherent characteristics, pushing the boundaries of player-NPC interaction without compromising realism.
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Noctua today expanded its chromax.black line with an all-black version of the award-winning low-height 120 mm CPU cooler NH-D12L: Staying true to the successful formula of the original model, the new chromax.black version with its black fans and black coated heatsink combines the same signature quiet cooling performance with a sleek stealth look. "The NH-D12L has become a popular choice for compact, high performance builds in cases like the Lian Li O11 Dynamic or the DAN C4-SFX ", says Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). "With the new chromax.black version, we're now giving customers the option to leverage the NH-D12L's renowned quiet cooling performance in all-black systems."
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CORSAIR today launched a white color variant of the revolutionary RMx SHIFT Series of ATX 3.0 power supplies. RMx SHIFT, the world's first PSU with the DC connector panel on the side of the unit, quickly became a sensation among DIY PC enthusiasts after its launch last year thanks to cleaner and easier cabling than traditional power supplies. Available in 750, 850, 1000, and 1200 wattages, the RMx SHIFT Series exemplifies CORSAIR's commitment to addressing the evolving needs of its customers. With its repositioned side panel, builders have unobstructed access to all of its Type 5 Gen 1 micro-fit connections, making installation and maintenance painless. It also means less bending and twisting of the cables, removing unnecessary strain on the cables and connectors.
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