Sources within the industry have indicated that Intel plans to release its Battlemage series of graphics cards prior to the Black Friday shopping event, scheduled for November 29, 2024. This strategic timing could play a crucial role for Intel, aligning with the significant consumer interest generated during this period. Intel's inaugural Arc series graphics card was launched in early October 2022, suggesting a pattern where a November release could capitalize on the year-end shopping surge. However, Intel has maintained discretion regarding the specifics of the Battlemage series, with official statements focusing on the ongoing development and a pronounced emphasis on software enhancements.
» Read full story

Acer has unveiled its latest additions to the gaming laptop market, the Nitro 14 and Nitro 16, both equipped with AMD Ryzen 8040 Series processors. These laptops are designed to cater to the needs of gamers by incorporating NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPUs, which are complemented by DLSS 3.5 technology and the RTX AI platform, enhancing the gaming experience across over 500 games and applications. The Nitro 14 and 16 models boast displays compatible with NVIDIA G-SYNC, offering resolutions up to WQXGA (2560x1600). Acer's PurifiedVoice 2.0 technology utilizes AI to minimize background noise during calls and streams, whereas PurifiedView ensures optimal video call framing. The laptops also feature a dedicated Copilot key for Windows, simplifying task management, and come with a one-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, providing access to a vast library of PC games.
» Read full story

Acer recently announced the addition of the Predator Helios Neo 14 to its gaming lineup, a compact yet powerful laptop featuring the latest Intel Core Ultra processors designed to enhance AI-driven PC experiences. Concurrently, the Acer Nitro 16 gaming laptop has received an upgrade, now equipped with 14th generation Intel Core processors, enhancing both gaming and creative performance. These laptops are further augmented by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series Laptop GPUs, which support advanced AI-driven graphics through DLSS 3.5 technology, ensuring superior visual quality for both gaming and streaming.The Predator Helios Neo 14 distinguishes itself as Acer's most portable gaming laptop without compromising on performance. It incorporates up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 185H, dedicated AI acceleration, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU. The laptop also features a high-resolution WQXGA (3072x1920) display with a 165 Hz refresh rate, full sRGB color spectrum support, and NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility, promising exceptional visual fidelity.
» Read full story

AMD introduced the Versal AI Edge Gen 2, a high-performance System on Chip (SoC), on April 9, 2024, designed to efficiently power AI-driven embedded systems through a single-chip solution. This advanced SoC aims to address the growing use of AI in compact embedded systems across various sectors, including healthcare, telecommunications, smart cities, and industrial automation, where space, power consumption, and ambient temperature constraints are critical considerations. The Versal AI Edge Gen 2 SoC distinguishes itself by integrating functionalities necessary for AI-driven systems: data preprocessing from sensors for AI analysis, AI inference for data processing, and postprocessing for executing actions based on inference results. Traditionally, these tasks required multiple CPUs, SoCs, and external memories, leading to increased system size, power usage, and design complexity.
» Read full story

Logitech G introduced the PRO X 60 LIGHTSPEED Gaming Keyboard, a compact device tailored for professional gaming environments. Developed in collaboration with over 70 professional esports athletes, this keyboard underwent extensive testing, including evaluation of more than 30 prototypes across eight rounds of customer insight (CI) research. The 60 percent form factor is designed to optimize desk space, facilitating more dynamic mouse movements essential for first-person shooter (FPS) competitions and enhancing portability for tournament travel.
» Read full story

Meet two new Turtle Beach branded controllers: the "VelocityOne Race" racing controller and the "VelocityOne Flightdeck" flight controller.The VelocityOne Race is designed to offer an authentic driving simulation, utilizing Turtle Beach's "K:Drive force feedback motor" for a direct drive experience that closely mimics the feel of actual driving. It features a "Mag-Shift paddle shift" for seamless gear transitions and two analog paddles with magnetic Hall effect sensors for precise clutch and handbrake control.
» Read full story

Seagate has recently its solid-state drive (SSD) offerings with the introduction of the BarraCuda 530. Positioned as an advancement over its predecessor, the BarraCuda 520, this M.2 2280 SSD operates on the PCIe 4.0 interface. Despite maintaining the same PCIe 4.0 x4 interface as the BarraCuda 520, the new BarraCuda 530 transitions to the NVMe 2.0 protocol from the previous NVMe 1.4, indicating a notable enhancement in performance. Preliminary information suggests the BarraCuda 530 might employ a Phison PCIe 4.0 controller and utilize 3D TLC NAND technology, although specific component models remain undisclosed. The SSD is available in capacities of 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB, with expectations of a future extension to 4TB, mirroring the capacity range offered by the BarraCuda 520.
» Read full story

At the Embedded World event in Nuremberg, Germany, Intel announced several new additions to its product lineup, including the Alchemist-E Arc GPU and the PS series Intel Core Ultra processors. The PS series, previously known as Meteor Lake-S for desktop applications within the Client Computing Group (CCG), has been rebranded as Meteor Lake-PS for the NEX business segment, targeting professional and industrial users with enhanced AI capabilities. The Meteor Lake-PS processors utilize an LGA package with 1851 pins and are compatible with Intel's Z890 motherboards. It remains uncertain whether these processors will support booting from a Z890 motherboard. The Intel Core Ultra 2 series processors from the Arrow Lake-S lineup are anticipated for a Q4 2024 release, barring any unforeseen developments.
» Read full story

Samsung expanded its microSD card offerings with the introduction of updated EVO Select and EVO Plus models. These new iterations are engineered to meet the growing storage demands of mobile devices and handheld gaming consoles, featuring transfer speeds up to 160 MB/s, marking a 23% improvement over previous versions. The enhanced EVO Select and EVO Plus microSD cards are designed to provide users with a reliable and fast storage solution, suitable for a wide range of content including games, files, photos, and videos. These cards come in a variety of storage capacities, including a newly introduced 1 TB option, catering to the needs of users requiring extensive storage for digital content such as video footage, photos, and creative projects.
» Read full story

Advantech, recognized for its contributions to intelligent IoT systems and embedded platforms, has recently unveiled the EAI-3101, an industrial-grade PCIe GPU card featuring the Intel Arc A380E. Designed for a five-year lifespan, this GPU card integrates 128 Intel Xe matrix AI engines, achieving an AI computational power of 5.018 TFLOPS. This performance effectively doubles that of the NVIDIA T1000 and incorporates advanced features such as ray tracing technology and Intel XeSS AI-upscaling, supporting resolutions up to 8K UHD and enhancing graphics performance by 50% compared to the NVIDIA T1000.
» Read full story

NVIDIA is reportedly targeting the fourth quarter for the release of its upcoming RTX 50 series GPUs, following the introduction of its Blackwell GPU for data centers. Despite the absence of a confirmed launch date for the Blackwell accelerator, the focus is shifting towards the highly anticipated GeForce RTX 50 series, particularly among gaming enthusiasts. Industry insiders, according to a report by Money UDN, are looking forward to the debut of the RTX 50 series' flagship models, the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090, in the final quarter of the year. It's important to note that while these model names are probable, NVIDIA has yet to finalize the specifications and is known for its tendency to make last-minute adjustments or cancellations.
» Read full story

MINISFORUM has introduced the MSS-A156, its inaugural portable monitor, which comes equipped with a 15.6-inch QHD 144Hz touchscreen. The device is currently available for purchase at the official MINISFORUM store, priced at approximately $189 USD. The MSS-A156 is constructed from aluminum alloy, ensuring both durability and a sleek design. It measures 357x223x4mm and weighs around 900g, making it both compact and lightweight. The monitor also includes a magnetic protective cover that serves as a scratch-resistant layer and a convenient stand. Featuring a 15.6-inch IPS display with a 2560x1440 resolution, the MSS-A156 covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color spectrum, achieving a color accuracy (ΔE) of less than 2. It also boasts a 1000:1 contrast ratio, a peak brightness of 400 nits, and a 144Hz refresh rate, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, from multimedia consumption to professional design work.
» Read full story

A photo has recently come out that is said to show a sneak peek of AMD's next big thing in processors - the Ryzen 9000 series, nicknamed "Granite Ridge." This new lineup is the next step after the current Ryzen 7000 series, known as "Raphael," which runs on the Zen 4 design. The early buzz is that the most powerful versions in the "Granite Ridge" series will keep the same 16-core setup as before. These upcoming processors are designed to fit right into the existing AMD Socket AM5, so if you already have a motherboard from the AMD 600-series chipset, you're in luck; they should work together just fine.
» Read full story

ASUS announced the release of the TUF Gaming VG27VQ3B, a 27-inch curved gaming LCD monitor. This monitor is designed to enhance the gaming experience with its full HD resolution and 1500R curvature for immersive visuals. The TUF Gaming VG27VQ3B stands out with its high refresh rate of 180Hz and rapid response time of 1ms, ensuring smooth and responsive gameplay. It incorporates AMD FreeSync technology to minimize screen tearing and stuttering. Additionally, the display features ELMB Sync, which reduces motion blur in conjunction with synchronization technology, enhancing clarity during fast-paced scenes.
» Read full story

Acer recently unveiled its Nitro Shadow Knight RX 7800 XT graphics card in China, first revealed at the CES 2024 event. This new graphics card is a part of Acer's lineup but stands out due to its overclocked capabilities and an improved cooling system, setting it apart from the typical RX 7800 XT models. The Nitro Shadow Knight RX 7800 XT comes packed with 60 AMD RDNA 3 cores and boasts a core clock speed of up to 2565 MHz, which is a step above the usual 2430 MHz found in standard RX 7800 XT models.
» Read full story

Recent documentation from AMD's ROCm platform has revealed preliminary details about the upcoming RDNA 4 GPU architecture, suggesting advancements beyond the current RDNA 3 series. The documentation specifically mentions the Navi 48 GPU, indicating AMD's progress in developing the RDNA 4 lineup. While AMD has not officially announced a release date for RDNA 4, available information hints at a limited initial offering, likely including the Navi 48 and Navi 46 GPUs, with a maximum total board power (TBP) of 320W.
» Read full story

Acer has recently showcased its upcoming Predator X49 X monitor, which features a 48.9-inch curved screen. This display is notable for its dual 2K resolution (5120 x 1400) and employs a QD-OLED panel capable of a 240Hz refresh rate. The monitor boasts an impressive response time of 0.03 milliseconds, a curvature of 1800R designed for immersive viewing experiences, and offers a typical brightness level of 250 nits with a peak brightness of 1000 nits for enhanced visuals under various lighting conditions. It also supports HDR10 for high dynamic range content and AMD FreeSync Premium technology to minimize screen tearing during fast-paced gaming scenarios.
» Read full story

Intel's the Core Ultra 5 234V CPU, well, part of a firmware update announcement was discovered. The CPU is afeaturing an innovative 8-core design. This design cleverly combines performance-focused cores, known as P-cores, with efficiency-driven cores, referred to as E-cores. Furthermore, the CPU is equipped with Intel's advanced Battlemage "Xe2" integrated graphics processing unit (iGPU), a feature set to enhance its graphical processing capabilities significantly. The introduction of the Core Ultra 5 234V marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of the Lunar Lake-MX chip series, with this CPU being a standout in the Core Ultra 200 series.
» Read full story

Team Group introduced the CREATE EXPERT SMART MicroSDXC series, a new line of professional-grade TF (TransFlash) memory cards designed for high-demand applications such as action cameras and drones. The series stands out for its robust durability and is available in a range of capacities from 128GB to 2TB. Pricing details have yet to be disclosed. The CREATE EXPERT SMART memory cards measure 11mm by 15mm by 1mm and come with SD card adapters for compatibility with a wide range of devices.
» Read full story

Intel has launched a new version of its cutting-edge technology called Xe Super Sampling, or XeSS for short, which is now at version 1.3. This update brings with it a bunch of improvements that make video games look better and run more smoothly. The core of XeSS is a smart algorithm that takes lower resolution images and makes them look like high-resolution ones without needing the heavy lifting from your computer or game console. This means games can run faster and (should) look sharper.
» Read full story