Sunday, March 8th 2026

GIGABYTE Intros Z890 AORUS Elite WiFi7 Plus and Z890 Eagle WiFi7 Plus Motherboards

GIGABYTE over the weekend introduced the Z890 AORUS Elite WiFi7 Plus and Z890 Eagle WiFi7 Plus motherboards. The two boards are timed to launch alongside Intel's new Core Ultra 5 250K Plus and Core Ultra 7 270K Plus "Arrow Lake-S" processors later this month, and come with out-of-the-box support for the new chips. Both boards come with GIGABYTE's Ultra Turbo Mode automated boost frequency and voltage offsets that are applied on top of Intel 200S Boost, on Core Ultra Series 2 "K" and "KF" unlocked processors. An interesting cost-cutting measure with both these boards is that they lack a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports normally expected of Z890 motherboards, and instead wire out just a single 40 Gbps USB4 port.

The Z890 AORUS Elite WiFi7 Plus is the more premium model among the two, offering a 16+1+2 phase CPU VRM with 60 A DrMOS; while the Z890 Eagle WiFi7 Plus offers a 14+1+2 phase VRM. The AORUS Elite WiFi7 Plus offers 5 GbE wired LAN using a Realtek-sourced controller, while the Eagle WiFi7 offers a 2.5 GbE from a Realtek controller. Both boards offer Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 using Intel WLAN modules, with the AORUS Elite WiFi7 Plus offering a 320 MHz Intel BE200NGW, while the Eagle WiFi 7 Plus offers a 160 MHz Intel BE202 (BE200NGW-M). Both boards offer a fairly decent onboard audio solution using a Realtek ALC1220 HDA codec and WIMA capacitors. Also, common to both boards are convenient SMD buttons on the rear I/O shields for power, reset, clear CMOS, and USB BIOS flashback. Both boards are expected to be priced around the $250-mark.
Saturday, March 7th 2026

Razer Viper V4 Pro Gaming Mouse Leaks in Physical and Online Stores

Leaks about an upcoming Razer Viper V4 Pro have been circulating for a while now, with multiple e-sports pros seemingly using the new mouse in competitive tournaments. Now, though, the new wireless mouse has effectively been confirmed by two separate posts showing off early retail appearances of the Viper V4 Pro. First, a Reddit user posted in-store images of the Viper V4 Pro retail packaging that had seemingly accidentally been put in the storefront ahead of launch, and although the post was subsequently deleted by the r/MouseReview subreddit user, it didn't stop the images from showing up on X. For the most part, it seems like an iterative update to the existing Viper V3 Pro, as was expected, given the specs of the DeathAdder V4 Pro.

The aforementioned retail box gives us a good idea of what to expect from the Viper V4 Pro—that is, a minor sensor update to the Razer Focus Pro 50K, new Razer Optical Gen 4 switches, a Razer optical scroll wheel, and a 49 g total weight. Notably, the sensor is a slight improvement over even the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro, although much of the rest of the mouse's specifications are practically identical. As expected, the Viper V4 Pro adopts the same more efficient and lower latency dome-shaped wireless receiver as the DeathAdder V4 Pro, replete with 8K polling and a claimed 180-hour battery life. According to Danish computer store, ComputerSalg, where the Viper V4 Pro was prematurely launched as well, although without any photos, the mouse will also be available in white at launch, and it will cost a staggering $199 (DKK 1,290 converted excluding VAT). This is significantly more expensive than both the existing Viper V3 Pro and the DeathAdder V4 Pro, so it's likely a pre-launch placeholder or the price of some special edition colorway. All of this indicates that the Viper V4 Pro is likely to launch within the next few weeks, but it will have to contend with both the new tech in the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike and the slew of Chinese gaming mice with similar hardware specs and much lower pricing.

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PlayStation 6 Leak Tips 4K 120 FPS "In Most Games" With 6-12× RT Performance of PS5

Given the current state of the gaming industry, rumors have started to emerge about the next-gen gaming console launches, with previous rumors claiming that the PlayStation 6 would launch alongside a new standalone PlayStation Portable gaming handheld, and that the PS6 would have less graphical processing power than the upcoming Xbox console. In a new post on YouTube, ubiquitous leaker and industry insider, Moore's Law is Dead, claims that the PS6 Orion—the living room console—will feature 2.5-3× the rasterization performance of the PS5 and 6-12× the ray tracing performance of the PS5, or 3-6× faster ray tracing than the PS5 Pro and roughly twice the raster performance of the PS5 Pro. This is thanks to a significantly faster RDNA 5 GPU with 52-54 CUs running at around 2-3.6 GHz and delivering around 34-40 TFLOPS of theoretical performance.

The leaker also shot down rumors that recently surfaced claiming that the PlayStation 6 may be delayed to as late as 2029 due to the ongoing memory crisis, stating that the nature of memory and APU fabrication contracts make it unlikely that the PS6 will be delayed that long. Instead, we may see a brief period of increased pricing or scarcity at launch. Apparently, according to his sources, Sony has a contract with TSMC to start mass-producing the PS6 as early as Q2 2027. MLID also mentions the AMD "Canis" APU slated to arrive in the PS6 handheld console, claiming that it will feature four Zen 6c cores, two Zen 6 LP cores (for running the operating system), and 16 RDNA 5 CUs running at 1.6-2 GHz with a 15 W total board power, all being fed by LPDDR5X memory over a 192-bit bus. All of this will allegedly be targeting 1080p gameplay with a significantly higher power limit when docked. He also speculates that the handheld will feature "vastly better" ray tracing than the PS5.

Steam Machine May Be Delayed After All—Still Shipping in 2026

Valve's announcement of the Steam Machine has generated a lot of excitement amongst PC gamers and apparently more than a little consternation in the ranks of traditional console makers, although the recent announcement that pricing for the upcoming living room PC is delayed due to the RAM shortage has poured a bit of cold water on things. Adding to that disappointment, Valve recently softened its promise to deliver the Steam Machine and Valve Index in "early 2026" as it had initially promised.

In a recent Steam Year In Review news post, Valve says that "We shared recently that there have been challenges with memory and storage shortages, but we will be shipping all three products this year. More updates will be shared as we finalize our plans." Notably, however, this previously read "We hope to ship in 2026, but as we shared recently, memory and storage shortages have created challenges for us," according to VideoCardz, but the verbiage has since been changed. The Steam Store page for the Steam Machine only lists "coming soon" in the release date section, but it's also curious that Valve seems steadfast in its plans to release the Steam Frame, Machine, and Controller simultaneously, despite the potential delays in delivering the hardware.

Intel Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake-H" Die Annotated

Intel's recently announced Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake-H" mobile processor die-shot has been annotated by Kurnal Insights. "Panther Lake-H" is a disaggregated processor, just like its predecessor, "Arrow Lake-H," and "Meteor Lake," but Intel has followed a disaggregation plan resembling that of "Lunar Lake," where an SoC tile contains the CPU cores across both the main compute complex and low-power island; the NPU, and the processor's main integrated memory controllers; the Graphics tile contains the iGPU's number-crunching machinery, the Xe cores; while the I/O tile contains the chip's various platform I/O components.

The SoC tile is built on the Intel 18A foundry node. On the mainstream notebook "Panther Lake-H" processor variants, such as the one annotated below, the Graphics tile contains 4 Xe cores, and is built on the Intel 3 foundry node. On the ultraportable "Panther Lake-U" processor with powerful integrated graphics meant for devices lacking discrete GPUs, the Graphics tile has 12 Xe cores, and is built on the TSMC N3E node. The I/O tile continues to be built on the same TSMC N6 node as the ones on previous-generation "Arrow Lake" processors.
Friday, March 6th 2026
Turtle Beach Burst II Pro Review

Turtle Beach Burst II Pro Review

Following 2024's Burst II Air, the 56 g Burst II Pro retains the ambidextrous shape and optical main buttons switches, but adds 8000 Hz wired and wireless polling. PixArt's PAW3950 sensor is used, and Turtle Beach advertises up to 150 hours of battery life at 1000 Hz and 40 hours at 8000 Hz.

Intuit QuickBooks Now Offers a Lifetime License, and It's on Sale

Manage your business finances like a pro with a lifetime license for Intuit QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus, now only $200 (reg. $699). Many small business owners start managing their finances with spreadsheets and bank portals, only to realize they need something a bit more robust. Intuit QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus gives you a full desktop accounting system with a lifetime license and no ongoing subscription, and it's on sale now for $199.97 (reg. $699).

Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus Benchmarks Reveal Performance Expectations for Arrow Lake Refresh

Intel's Core Ultra 7 270K Plus was recently leaked in an upcoming HP prebuilt desktop PC, ostensibly once more confirming the imminent launch of the new Arrow Lake Refresh desktop CPUs. Now, the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has appeared in PassMark's benchmark charts, potentially both confirming the specifications of the mid-range Arrow Lake Refresh and setting expectations of performance for the new CPUs. According to PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus scored 50,478 points in the CPU benchmark, coming out around 16% faster than the 14-core Core Ultra 5 245K and Core Ultra 5 245 KF that preceded it.

That benchmark score, although based on a single benchmark, puts the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus almost exactly halfway between the Core Ultra 5 245K and Core Ultra 7 265K, which is not a terrible place to be. According to previous leaks, now somewhat validated by this benchmark score, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus will add four additional E-cores over the original 14-core Core Ultra 5 245 CPUs, for a total of 18 cores and 18 threads—6 P-cores and 12 E-cores.

Slay the Spire 2 Peaks at Over 430,000 Players in First 24 Hours

Slay the Spire 2, the much-awaited successor to the indie roguelike deckbuilder, has finally launched on Steam, and within 24 hours of launch, it has rocketed to the top of the Steam Sales Chart and recorded some impressive player count figures. According to SteamDB, Slay the Spire 2 has attracted a peak of 430,456 concurrent players during its first 24 hours out the gates, and it has reached the number one spot in the Steam Sales chart, beating out both Marathon and Resident Evil Requiem for revenue on March 6, 2026. Mega Crit, the studio behind the game, even celebrated the game surpassing 179,456 concurrent players, marking it as "the highest ever for any roguelite."

By all indications, the indie game appears to have had a very successful launch, and the 97% positive review rating on Steam backs that up. The new installment in the game series builds on the gameplay and world of the original by adding new characters, cards, abilities, and secrets, but it notably adds a co-op mode as well. Judging by the Steam reviews, most of the improvements seem to successfully build on what made the previous game great without sacrificing anything in the process, and the multiplayer functionality seems to have been executed well, rather than shoehorned in for wider appeal.

Intel "Arrow Lake Refresh" Core Ultra 7 270K Plus Appears in HP Desktop PC

Intel's upcoming "Arrow Lake Refresh" Core Ultra 7 270K Plus processor has made its debut on HP's website, as discovered by @momomo_us. HP has installed this unreleased processor in its HyperX OMEN desktop gaming PC. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus represents the pinnacle of the "Arrow Lake Refresh" generation, featuring 8 performance cores and 16 efficiency cores, along with 36 MB of shared L3 cache. However, it operates at slightly lower clock speeds than the flagship Core Ultra 9 285K. Recently, a new rumor suggested that Intel might unveil the full specifications of these chips on March 11, with reviews following on March 23. Retail availability of the new generation is expected shortly after.

This is the top SKU that will appear with the "Arrow Lake Refresh," as Intel has reportedly decided not to launch the rumored "Core Ultra 9 290K Plus," which would have been a more powerful version of the 285K with even higher clock speeds. The main reason for canceling this SKU is product overlap. The flagship Core Ultra 9 290K Plus would have had the same core configuration as the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus, just with slightly higher clock speeds. Additionally, Intel already offers a Core Ultra 9 285K SKU from the regular "Arrow Lake" family, which means the company would have three similar SKUs at the top of the stack. By maintaining only two products, Intel can simplify manufacturing and supply chain logistics, allowing more focus on preparing for the next-generation "Nova Lake" launch later this year.

Tuxedo Launches InfinityBook Max 16 with AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and GeForce RTX 50

Following the recently launched InfinityBook Max 16 - INTEL with Core Ultra 9 275HX, the AMD-based variant of the thin and light Linux gaming workstation is now ready to hit the market.

Despite its robust high-quality full-metal chassis, the InfinityBook Max 16 weighs just over 2 kg and is powered by up to a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 or 5070, and a 99 Wh battery, while the 500 nits, 100 % DCI-P3 display qualifies the Linux ultrabook workstation for software development, professional media design, and gaming.

NVIDIA Grabs 94% AIB GPU Market Share, AMD Falls to 5%

According to a new report from Jon Peddie Research, NVIDIA has once again increased its market share in the AIB GPU sector, reaching 94% in Q4 2025. This marks a 1.6% rise from the previous quarter and sets a new all-time high in recent reports. Meanwhile, AMD's market share has been declining, with a 1.6% decrease that appears to have benefited NVIDIA's partners and their shipments. Overall, JPR records indicate that the AIB GPU market sold 11.5 million units in the final quarter of 2025, a reduction of half a million units from Q3, but a significant 36% increase compared to 8.45 million units in the final quarter of 2024. JPR attributes the slight decline in overall GPU AIB shipments to rising memory prices and tariffs affecting the global supply chain, which have driven up the costs of discrete GPU solutions that use expensive GDDR7 and GDDR6 memory.

Intel's market share in AIB GPU shipments remains steady at around 1%, consistent with its performance in Q3 2025 when the company achieved its first single-digit percentage since launching its Arc "Alchemist" GPUs for gamers. This indicates that Intel's progress is stable, with demand remaining consistent as gamers continue to choose Intel GPUs at the same rate as before. For Intel to break out of the single-digit bracket, the company likely needs more GPU designs, such as the anticipated "Battlemage" B770 graphics card.

Biostar Introduces H810MT-E 2.0 Motherboard

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of edge computing solutions, industrial motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices, is excited to introduce the H810MT-E 2.0 motherboard, a smart and future-ready platform engineered to power modern everyday computing. Built around Intel's latest Core Ultra 9, 7, and 5 processors in the LGA1851 package and driven by the Intel H810 single-chip architecture, the H810MT-E 2.0 brings next-generation technologies together with proven stability. Designed for office productivity, home entertainment, and versatile system builds, it delivers consistent performance for daily workloads while providing the flexibility to grow alongside evolving user demands.

The H810MT-E 2.0 fully embraces next-generation DDR5 memory technology, supporting up to 128 GB across dual DIMM slots to ensure smooth and responsive multitasking. Delivering significantly higher bandwidth than previous-generation DDR4 while operating with improved power efficiency, DDR5 accelerates application performance, enhances workflow fluidity, and strengthens overall system responsiveness. From handling office applications and multiple browser sessions to streaming high-resolution media at home, users benefit from a platform built to keep pace with today's computing requirements while maintaining balanced efficiency.

Ayaneo Announces Pocket AIR Mini x B.Duck Limited Edition

AYANEO Pocket AIR Mini, AYANEO's first entry-level product, carries with it the memories and nostalgia of classic gaming while setting a new benchmark for retro handhelds in its class. With AYANEO's flagship DNA fully integrated, players can experience top-tier handheld design and features at an entry-level price, turning the vision of a "retro handheld that everyone can afford" into reality.

Since its release, AYANEO Pocket AIR Mini has quickly won the hearts of players and truly lived up to its reputation as a high-quality retro handheld that everyone can enjoy. With its exquisite mini form factor, classic retro control layout, and excellent performance, it not only satisfies players' nostalgia for traditional handheld gaming but also makes every gaming session more immersive and enjoyable. Whether you are a longtime retro gaming enthusiast or a newcomer to handheld gaming, this device offers a fun and engaging experience for everyone.

Advantech Launches Its First Industrial-Grade Wi-Fi 7 Access Point

Advantech (TWSE: 2395), a global leader in Edge Computing and IoT automation solutions, today announced the launch of the EKI-6333BE-4GD, its first industrial-grade Wi-Fi 7 Access Point designed to deliver deterministic wireless connectivity for next-generation smart factories, autonomous logistics, and AI-driven industrial environments.

As mobile automation, robotics, and Edge AI applications rapidly expand across industrial environments, reliable wireless infrastructure has become critical for ensuring uninterrupted operations. The EKI-6333BE-4GD addresses these challenges with high-throughput Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, industrial-grade resilience, and advanced network management, enabling enterprises to build secure and scalable wireless infrastructure for mission-critical industrial systems.

Ugreen Releases Next-Generation Thunderbolt 5 Docking Stations

UGREEN, a leading global consumer electronics brand, announced on March 6 that pre-orders have opened for its latest Maxidok line of docks, an all-new collection of Thunderbolt 5 docking stations for the European market. As a leading docking station brand on Amazon Europe, UGREEN brings next-generation desktop connectivity to the lineup, with higher bandwidth, lower latency, and greater expansion capabilities, providing a significant boost in performance and workflow flexibility.

As laptops become thinner and lighter, the trade-off is fewer available ports. At the same time, demand for faster data transfers, multi-display outputs, and external storage continues to rise. The Maxidok line, the latest flagship in UGREEN's Revodok series, is built to resolve these challenges with Thunderbolt 5 technology. It eliminates port and bandwidth bottlenecks that traditional docks struggle with for 4K/8K and multi‑device workflows, fully utilising the high bandwidth and advanced display capabilities of Thunderbolt 5. The result is a powerful tool built to accelerate creative workflows and truly help users "Max Out Your Productivity."

ASRock Z890I Nova WiFi R2.0 Supports CQDIMM Achieves 256GB DDR5-7400 MT/s

ASRock, a global leader in motherboards, graphics cards, gaming monitors, small form factor PCs, power supply units, and AIO liquid coolers, today introduced that its Z890I Nova WiFi R2.0, paired with two Kingston 4-rank DDR5 128 GB memory modules, has successfully enabled CQDIMM support through optimized circuit design and hardware and software tuning. The platform achieves DDR5-7400 MT/s operation with a total capacity of 256 GB, surpassing the DDR5-7200 MT/s limit commonly seen on most platforms today. This milestone represents a major breakthrough for high-capacity, high-bandwidth DDR5 memory applications.

CQDIMM is based on a 4-rank CUDIMM (Clocked Unbuffered DIMM) design, with a maximum capacity of 128 GB per module and a native speed of DDR5-7200 MT/s, addressing the long-standing challenge of balancing large memory capacity with high bandwidth. With CQDIMM support, the Z890I Nova WiFi R2.0 further pushes memory performance to DDR5-7400 MT/s, delivering a memory configuration that combines both high capacity and high performance to meet the demanding requirements of AI computing, content creation, and professional workloads.

Xbox Project Helix Officially Tipped As Next-Gen Console, Will "Play Your Xbox and PC Games"

There has been a lot of talk about the future of the Xbox gaming brand since it was announced that Phil Spencer would be stepping down as head of Microsoft's gaming business. The new CEO of Xbox, Asha Sharma, has previously defended against a barrage of this skepticism, revealing that she has in mind a "return to Xbox," and with new posts on X by both Xbox and Sharma, she confirmed that part of this return does indeed include a hardware launch. The next-gen Xbox is called Project Helix, and although neither Sharma nor Xbox itself has revealed much more about the next-gen console than the logo and project name, Sharma also hinted that more information may be revealed at GDC, which is slated to take place on March 9-13.

The next-gen Xbox has long been rumored, with recent rumors claiming that it will be a hybrid device, bridging the gap between a living room console and a PC—perhaps in response to the recent rise of devices like the Steam Deck and the pressure of the upcoming Steam Machine—and Sharma more or less hints at this in her post, stating that "Project Helix will lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games." This isn't the first time Sharma has spoken about the next-gen Xbox hardware platform, having mentioned it in a recent interview as a key part of the brand's future. Speculation about Sharma's leadership of Xbox has also veered into deep skepticism, largely resulting from Sharma's history as CEO of Microsoft's CoreAI platform and her willingness to use AI in the gaming industry, even if she claims that she will not tolerate AI slop.

ATK Teases Translucent Zero Wireless Mouse with 8 kHz Polling, Frosted PC Shell

ATK, maker of the Blazing Sky Duckbill mouse that launched in mid-2025 and the recently announced Yogo75 mechanical keyboard, has officially unveiled the launch date, design, and some specifications for its upcoming Zero wireless gaming mouse. The Zero takes a slightly different approach to most of ATK's other gaming mice, opting, instead of the usual ABS or forged carbon fiber, for a translucent, textured polycarbonate shell that will allow you to see the internals of the mouse. The Zero has been confirmed to be arriving in at least three translucent colorways: black, pink, and white, although ATK is known for having a wide variety of color options on most of its gaming mice.

According to the official teaser on X and a recent Reddit post, the ATK Zero will feature much of the same tech as has been present in many of the brand's more recent releases, including the Nordic 54L15 MCU, a PixArt PAW 3950 Ultra sensor with up to 42,000 DPI sensitivity and a 20,000 FPS mode, 8 kHz polling, and a 300 mAh battery. The aforementioned spec sheet also mentions a 39 g weight and dimensions coming in at 120.1 × 63.2 × 38.1 mm, making it almost identical to the Pulsar X2 CrazyLight Medium in terms of size, shape, and weight. The ATK Zero will feature custom ATK optical switches for the main clicks, a TTC Gold encoder for the scroll wheel, and pure PTFE skates. The launch date is currently set for March 11, although pricing is still unknown.

Marathon May Come to Last-Gen Xbox and PlayStation Consoles

Marathon recently had quite a successful server slam weekend, drawing in nearly 150,000 players at one point on Steam alone. In the hours since its March 5 launch, it has consistently played host to around 80,000 concurrent players, showing that it wasn't just the free test drawing players into the new extraction shooter. However, it seems as though Bungie wants to include as many gamers in the fun as possible, according to the game's ESRB rating, which has recently been updated to include both the Xbox One and PlayStation 5 in addition to the previous ratings for PC, Xbox Series, and PlayStation 5 platforms.

Bungie has not confirmed whether it is planning to bring Marathon to older systems, but it's curious nonetheless that the game would receive a dedicated rating for last-gen consoles, especially since older games that launched on last-gen consoles but have since become playable on new consoles, like Destiny 2, have not been updated at the ESRB to include newer console generations in their ratings. Marathon's minimum hardware requirements for PC are far from high-end, calling for just an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT and an Intel Core i5-6600 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600 with 8 GB of RAM. The PS4, for its part, is powered by an AMD GCN 1.1.0 GPU with 1152 shading units, coming in at around 1.843 TFLOPS theoretical performance, which is substantially lower than the GTX 1050 Ti's 2.183 TFLOPS, but given the nature of tailored console hardware, it wouldn't be surprising if it could be run smoothly on the aging hardware. However, it has been reported that Marathon runs fairly well on Windows gaming handhelds, so it may be technically possible to get the game running on older consoles if the development team decides to put in the work.

Resident Evil 1 Remake May Be on the Cards

Resident Evil Requiem recently launched as the newest installment in Capcom's zombie horror franchise, and although it received glowing reviews, even topping the Steam charts and handily beating out every other Resident Evil game on PC, gamers were a little disappointed to find out that the game was originally meant to feature a return to Raccoon City and the Spencer mansion from Resident Evil 1. According to prominent game leaker, Dusk Golem on X, part of the reason for the mansion scene being cut from Requiem was to avoid repetition in both the upcoming Code Veronica remake and a Resident Evil 1 remake.

[Editor's note: Our in-depth review of Resident Evil Requiem is now live]

According to the leaker, Resident Evil 1 is confirmed as being in early development, and a Code Veronica will be the next game in the series, which would mean having gameplay in the same mansion in three successive games, which, in the leaker's own words would "start to feel very samey & not very special at all." Resident Evil Code Veronica Remake is slated to launch in 2027, although the Resident Evil 1 remake is still in the early stages of development, so it seems like a 2029 release date would be the earliest we can expect. Supposedly, the remake will be in the updated RE Engine in which Requiem was also made and demonstrates decent visuals and performance, even with modest hardware requirements.
Thursday, March 5th 2026
Asustor Drivestor 2 Gen2 AS1202T Review

Asustor Drivestor 2 Gen2 AS1202T Review

The Asustor AS1202T is a budget friendly NAS that delivers surprisingly good storage performance while being quiet and power efficient. It does have some interesting quirks though and it might also be a sign of things to come considering component pricing trends.

NVIDIA GeForce NOW Gets 15 New Games in March

March is in full bloom, and that means a fresh wave of games heading to the cloud. 15 new titles are joining the GeForce NOW library this month. Leading the March lineup is Pearl Abyss' Crimson Desert, an open‑world action‑adventure set in a war‑torn fantasy land, alongside plenty of other games to explore. Whether looking to shake off the winter blues or jump into some bracket‑worthy gaming action, there's something for everyone in the cloud. March into the cloud and see what's new - and keep an eye on GFN Thursdays all month for more updates. This week kicks off the month with eight new games.

March Gaming Madness
LORT dials chaos up to 11 and snaps the knob clean off. Big Distraction's off‑the‑rails adventure hurls players into a world where every corner hides a bad idea waiting to become a great story, powered by wild weapons, weirder characters and "Did that just happen?" moments. Catch every glorious disaster in full fidelity and play it on GeForce NOW, available this week.

Streacom Launches VGPU and SMR Kits for BC1 Open Benchtable V2

Over a decade ago, the BC1 Open Benchtable launched with one clear goal: the ultimate portable platform for traveling overclocking enthusiasts. Its minimalist, toolless, flat pack design proved so effective that it quickly became the benchmark for open air builds, evolving from road warrior to permanent showcase platform for hobbyists and professionals alike.

Portability demanded compromises: slim profile, simple brackets, no native support for complete vertical builds. Today we close those gaps with precision engineered accessories that extend the BC1's legendary versatility without changing its core DNA.

Keychron Announces Q5 HE 8K TMR Gaming Keyboard With More Compact 1800 Layout

Keychron recently announced the new Q HE 8K gaming keyboard line-up, starting with the Q1 HE, Q3 HE, and Q6 HE, all of which feature Keychron's Ultra-Fast Magnetic Lime switches and full metal construction. Keychron has now also added the Q5 HE 8K to the list, for those who want a slightly more compact layout but don't want to sacrifice the num pad in the process. The Q5 HE 8K is available on the Keychron web store in black and white colorways for $239.99. It will likely also launch on Amazon at a later date, but it is not yet available there.

Everything about the Q5 HE 8K is just about identical to the other keyboards in the series, with the exception of the layout, from the polyurethane foam gasket mount to the aluminium plate and OSA profile double-shot PBT keycaps. The main draw over the Q5 HE 8K is that it condenses much of the same functionality as the full-size Q6 HE 8K into a small footprint—408 mm long vs 446 mm on the Q6 HE 8K—while only losing five keys and not compromising with a small zero key on the num pad. Unlike most 1800 layout keyboards, the Q5 HE 8K also has a programmable knob and a row of macro keys above the num pad. Like its brethren, the Q5 HE 8K is a wired-only keyboard, which has the side effect of bringing the front height down to 20.6 mm, and it has the same analog input features and 8 kHz polling rate as the other keyboards in the 8K series. The keyboard is also remappable and configurable in the Keychron Launcher web app, and it features all the usual analog keyboard trappings, like SOCD, DKS, Rapid Trigger, and controller emulation. It also has on-board macros with macro recording or manual programming functionality in Launcher, and it features Keychron's usual hardware OS selector switch alongside a hardware profile selector switch near the USB-C port.

Imec Partners with Atlas to Develop Permanent DNA-Based Data Storage Technology

imec, a global leader in nano-electronics and digital innovation, and Atlas Data Storage, a pioneer of production-scale DNA data storage, today announce a new strategic partnership to accelerate the development of digital data storage using synthetic DNA. The collaboration combines Atlas' ASIC design expertise and scalable DNA synthesis technology with imec's deep expertise in advanced chip development, fabrication, and integration. In addition to prototyping and strategic support, imec is investing in Atlas.

As data creation and storage accelerates in the AI age, magnetic media such as tape and hard disk drives face unavoidable limits in density, sustainability, cost, and long-term reliability. DNA data storage compresses vast datasets into tiny volumes while ensuring ultra-long durability with minimal energy and maintenance.

Apple macOS Tahoe 26.3.1 "Updates" M5 SoC With New "Super Cores"

We reported that Apple's M5 Pro/Max series of SoCs is now incorporating an additional core tier alongside the usual configuration we have been seeing in the company's processors for years. The performance core has been renamed "Super Core," and Apple has introduced a middle-tier design called Performance Core, which is actually a new "M-Core," while the Efficiency Core remains the same. As the regular big P-Core has been renamed to Super-Core, Apple is updating its nomenclature even for the regular M5 SoC with the macOS Tahoe 26.3.1 update. In this update, Apple has renamed the bigger Performance core to Super-Core, meaning that the M5 SoC now has four super cores and six efficiency cores, whereas this was previously called a four performance-core and six efficiency-core design before the update.

This M5 SoC has no new "M-Cores" variants that sit between the super core and efficiency core, while the M5 Pro and M5 Max have six Super-Cores and 12 M-Cores. The M-Core is a 7-wide out-of-order execution CPU that has roughly 70% of the P-core performance with slightly lower power usage. Interestingly, the efficiency core is completely absent from the new M5 Pro/Max SoCs, resulting in a combination of performance and middle-class cores. This leaves only the regular M5 with the efficiency cores in its CPU package. This macOS software update is only meant for the M5-powered MacBook Pro, which has been shipping with older macOS versions without the Tahoe's v26.3.1 update. For the latest MacBook Air and MacBook Pro equipped with M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max SoCs, the operating system will likely already show the new naming out of the box, as Apple likely applied all OS updates before shipping. Below are screenshots courtesy of Andrew Cunningham from Ars Technica, showing the new nomenclature on the left, and old way on the right.

NuPhy Launches Low-Profile Creative Engine Mechanical Keyboard Keycaps Inspired by Adobe Illustrator UI

NuPhy recently revealed the Aquarium keycap set in its custom nSA profile for low-profile mechanical keyboards, like the Air60 HE and Node series mechanical keyboards. Now, the brand has announced the latest iteration in its nSA keycap range, the Creative Engine design, which features a much more practical design than the Aquarium set. The NuPhy Creative Engine nSA keycap set is available on the NuPhy online store for $49.95 and includes 126 keys, providing a few alternative keycaps for some modifiers and navigation keys and supporting a little more than an average 100% keyboard. That said, the keycap set does not have proper extended compatibility for odd-ball layouts or even ISO, although you could probably make it work on a split space keyboard, thanks to the 2.25u and 2.75u enter and shift keys, thanks to the uniform height.

Much like the Aquarium keycap set, the Creative Engine keycap set is designed by BOHO and manufactured by KeyTok, a well-known OEM in the mechanical keyboard space. The Creative Engine keycap set is inspired by the UI of Adobe Illustrator, with three shades of gray for the main alphanumeric keycaps and bright yellow for the accent keycaps. The legend on the keycaps echoes the Illustrator theme, with each keycap featuring dye-sublimation printed iconography and lettering for built-in Illustrator keyboard shortcuts. The nSA profile features a 5.5 mm maximum height and a spherical top—this simply means that the top curves in both the X and Y axes, unlike something like Cherry, which uses cylindrical tops that only curve in the X axis. NuPhy explicitly lists compatibility with its own Air, Kick, and Node series low-profile keycaps, but the keycaps should be compatible with any mechanical keyboard that uses MX-style switches and has a layout somewhere between 60% and 100% and uses a 6.25u space bar.

NVIDIA Stops China-Focused H200 "Hopper" GPU Production

NVIDIA has reportedly halted production of its China-focused H200 "Hopper" GPU at TSMC's facilities, according to multiple reports. The company has built up an inventory of 250,000 H200 GPUs, which will be available in the Chinese market for select applications that do not compromise United States national security. After NVIDIA was granted export rights to China for its H200 accelerators, the company began stockpiling these GPUs to supply AI labs across China. However, China has also restricted what its domestic companies and AI labs can import, meaning that the import of H200 GPUs is still prohibited unless a company receives a letter of exemption from Beijing. This has resulted in NVIDIA using its TSMC N5 5 nm node capacity to create about 250,000 units, which are now stored in a warehouse awaiting export approval from the U.S. administration and import approval from Chinese customs for AI labs.

Interestingly, the Financial Times and Reuters note that NVIDIA will now "reallocate" capacity from H200 production to the new "Rubin." However, these two GPU generations do not use the same manufacturing node or packaging technology. For "Hopper," NVIDIA uses TSMC's 5 nm node with CoWoS-S packaging, while "Rubin" uses a 3 nm node with CoWoS-L packaging. These reports likely refer to some conversion of manufacturing capacity involving either the node or packaging capacity that NVIDIA has secured. It is unlikely that the 5 nm semiconductor node can be converted into a 3 nm node without significant line remodeling and changes to manufacturing equipment. However, packaging can be adjusted more easily, which is likely what these reports are indicating.

OWC Announces Accessories for New Apple MacBook Neo

Other World Computing (OWC), a trusted leader in high-performance storage, memory, connectivity, software, and accessories that empower creative and business professionals to maximize performance, enhance reliability, and streamline workflows, today announced storage and connectivity solutions for Apple's all new MacBook Neo.

It is always an exciting moment when Apple introduces a new Mac for the people who depend on these machines to get real work done," said Larry O'Connor, Founder and CEO of Other World Computing (OWC). "The MacBook Neo brings powerful capabilities into an incredibly portable form factor and much lower price, and that means professionals, students, and creators will want tools that travel just as easily and affordably while expanding what the system can do. With solutions like the OWC Travel Dock and our USB-C storage solutions, OWC makes it simple and affordable to connect more to the Neo and easily expand your storage so users can work anywhere without compromise."

MSI Bundles Crimson Desert Game Key with Select Motherboards

MSI, a leading brand in gaming hardware, is thrilled to partner with Pearl Abyss, the acclaimed game developer and publisher, to offer PC gamers an exclusive reward.

Embark on a thrilling adventure in Crimson Desert with MSI's high-performance motherboards
From March 6th to April 6th, 2026, gamers who purchase select MSI X870E or B850 motherboards can claim a free Crimson Desert Steam code. Experience the stunning visuals and action-packed open world of Pywel, powered by the cutting-edge performance of MSI's latest hardware.

Icy Dock Announces Concept Product ToughArmor CP156: Dual U.2/U.3 Enclosure

CP156 is a ToughArmor series removable NVMe enclosure that fits into a standard external 3.5" drive bay. It allows two 7 mm U.2/U.3 NVMe SSDs to be mounted together on a single removable tray. Unlike traditional 2-bay designs where each SSD is removed separately, CP156 keeps both drives physically secured on the same tray. This ensures that:
  • Drive order remains fixed
  • Paired SSDs are never separated
  • No accidental swapping during handling or transport
For RAID configurations, mirrored datasets, or application-specific SSD pairs, maintaining correct drive sequence is critical. CP156 eliminates the risk of mix-ups during physical movement.

Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf Available Now

Wishfully Studios and Thunderful invite players to visit a stunning world and experience a heartfelt story of companionship in Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf, available now on PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation 5 PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch for $19.99 / €19.99 / £16.99.

A Supporter Pack for the game is also available for PC and PlayStation 5, which includes a digital art book, the Novo Language Companion - a guide to the game's language - and, for PC, stunning wallpapers and backgrounds. A demo for the game launched today on Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch and remains available on PC, PlayStation and Xbox platforms.

The Occultist Gets April 8 Launch Date

Developer DALOAR and publisher Daedalic Entertainment are pleased to announce that the first-person horror adventure The Occultist will release on April 8, 2026. The Occultist is now also available for pre-order on PlayStation 5 and Xbox. More information can be found on the game's official website: https://www.theoccultist-game.com.

The episode explores how environmental details, distant sounds, and carefully used silence shape the experience of exploring the island. Instead of relying on jump scares or gore, the developers focus on sustained tension where atmosphere and player imagination gradually build fear throughout the journey.

System76 Updates Launch Keyboard Lineup with Prism Black Models

System76 has refreshed its Launch mechanical keyboard lineup with a new Prism Black finish and doubleshot PBT shine-through keycaps, the latter being corrosion-resistant and keeping the RGB backlighting visible without washing it out. For the unfamiliar, System76 is based in Denver, Colorado, US, and is primarily known for its Linux-first laptops, desktops, and servers, plus the in-house Pop!_OS operating system. Both the Launch and Launch Heavy keyboards are milled from solid aluminium blocks and built around a custom open-source PCB. Switch swapping is tool-free thanks to Kailh MX hot-swap sockets, with Jade, Royal, Silent Pink, and Silent Brown variants available at purchase. The keyboards also feature per-key RGB and full N-key rollover. Firmware is QMK-based and fully open source, with layout and lighting customization handled through the System76 Keyboard Configurator app on Linux, Windows, and macOS.

Connectivity on both keyboards is wired, using a detachable USB connection, and System76 includes both USB-C to USB-C and USB-A to USB-C cables in the box. The compact Launch measures 308.3 mm x 135.1 mm x 30.6 mm, with an 84-key layout, and includes a four-port USB hub with two USB-C and two USB-A ports, all running at 10 Gbps. The Launch Heavy offers a 105-key layout, measures 394 mm x 135.1 mm x 30.3 mm, and comes with the same SuperSpeed four-port USB hub to match. The Launch starts at $285 and the Launch Heavy at $299.

CXMT LPCAMM2 Memory Appears in Lenovo ThinkBook Laptop

In response to memory shortages, PC OEMs are exploring alternative manufacturers and suppliers for this increasingly scarce and valuable resource. Customers now need to make purchasing decisions within an hour or even prepay suppliers to secure DRAM. Recently, Lenovo has started using the Chinese memory supplier CXMT in some of its laptop models. Lenovo is officially rolling out its LPCAMM2 memory to mainstream laptops after introducing it with the ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 back in 2024. LPCAMM2 is a new memory standard that combines the performance of LPDDR5X with the upgradeability of a regular SODIMM. The ThinkBook 16+ is likely Lenovo's first consumer device to feature LPCAMM2, offering up to 32 GB of LPDDR5X-8533 memory, supported by an Intel Core Ultra X7 385H and its Arc B390 iGPU, using the first CXMT memory modules.

Late last year, CXMT introduced its DDR5-8000 and LPDDR5X-10667 memory modules at the 2025 China International Semiconductor Expo. This development has likely encouraged many OEMs to seek alternatives to traditional suppliers like SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron, whose supply has been very limited outside AI accelerator workloads. Even Apple is reportedly considering partnerships with Chinese semiconductor manufacturers CXMT and YMTC for its upcoming iPhone 18 series and possibly other products like MacBooks and Mac computers. With suppliers such as Kioxia, Samsung, and SK hynix raising prices due to a significant industry shortage, Apple is experiencing pressure on its profit margins while maintaining the same MSRP for its products. To diversify its supply chain, Apple is reportedly looking into sourcing DRAM from CXMT and NAND Flash from YMTC to reduce its reliance on South Korean and Japanese suppliers.

Intel Begins Open-Source Xe3P GPU Driver Enablement

Intel has quietly initiated open-source efforts to lay the groundwork for its next-generation Xe3P graphics within the Mesa OpenGL "Iris" and Vulkan "Anvil" drivers. According to a report from Phoronix, these efforts are not immediately focused on making the driver functional but rather on establishing code paths that can be developed for this graphics IP in the future. This means preliminary support is still a few weeks away, as additional work is needed behind the scenes. By the time Xe3P GPUs are released, open-source driver support should be ready.

We expect to see the first versions of Xe3P GPUs this year, as this IP will take on various forms. Some will be featured in the upcoming "Nova Lake" desktop processors for the consumer market, anticipated later this year. Early open-source enablement suggests "Nova Lake-P" processors will include Xe3P-LPG for integrated graphics. Additionally, "Nova Lake-P" processors will incorporate multiple new IPs like Xe3P-LPM for media processing, which handles decoding and encoding, and Xe3P-LPD for display output processing. Finally, the Xe3P IP will also be part of Intel's AI-focused "Crescent Island" inference GPU, which will feature 160 GB of onboard LPDDR5X. We are still awaiting performance claims for this Xe3P GPU, so we need to be patient a little longer.

Apple MacBook Neo Capped at 8 GB RAM by A18 Pro InFO-PoP Packaging

Yesterday, Apple announced its newest low-cost MacBook Neo, starting at $599 in the United States, or about $499 for education and students. Some online criticism emerged regarding Apple's decision to offer a laptop with only 8 GB of RAM in 2026, with no options for higher RAM capacity. However, this 8 GB of RAM is a design choice Apple made at TSMC's packaging facilities for the A18 Pro chip. Inside the MacBook Neo, Apple decided to reuse the iPhone 16 Pro's chip, which comes from TSMC with 8 GB of LPDDR5X memory. This memory is attached directly above the A18 Pro SoC using Integrated Fan-Out Package on Package (InFO-PoP), creating a 3D wafer-level fan-out package. This package is designed to hold memory directly above the SoC die, resulting in a smaller PCB design without the LPDDR5X module taking up over 100 mm² of PCB area.

Therefore, Apple's MacBook Neo configurations are limited to what the A18 Pro SoC is originally packaged with. These are 8 GB LPDDR5X modules that are shipped directly to TSMC for integration into the InFO-PoP package, which is later shipped back to Apple for integration into these new MacBook Neo laptops. While offering 8 GB laptops in modern times might seem controversial, the design choices behind the SoC and the goal of keeping unit costs low are what limit Apple from providing more memory capacity. Finally, these SoCs use Unix-based macOS, which is optimized for good memory management at this capacity, ensuring that users can still have a satisfactory experience.

Fibocom Launches 5G SoC Dongle Solution

At MWC 2026, Fibocom unveiled its new 5G SoC Dongle solution series, designed with an all-in-one SoC architecture that integrates high-performance 5G communication, an intelligent operating system, and flexible eSIM/vSIM services. This solution aims to deliver a cost-efficient and scalable 5G terminal option for the global mobile broadband market.

SoC Integration: Redefining 5G Terminal Efficiency
The highlight of Fibocom's 5G SoC Dongle lies in its high-performance SoC-based architecture, offering advantages in performance, cost, intelligent interaction, and application flexibility.
  • Performance Leap: Equipped with an octa-core CPU (up to 2.3 GHz) and Adreno 613 GPU, the dongle delivers exceptional data processing power alongside ultra-fast 5G connectivity.
  • Cost Efficiency: The SoC's high level of integration minimizes peripheral components and optimizes hardware design. This not only improves production yield but also significantly reduces development and material costs, providing strong pricing competitiveness for operators and enterprise customers.

Capcom's Resident Evil Requiem Surpasses 5 Million Units

Capcom Co., Ltd. today announced that worldwide sales of Resident Evil Requiem, released on February 27, 2026, surpassed 5 million units.

Resident Evil Requiem is the latest installment in the Resident Evil series, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this month. The title successfully elevated the essence of survival horror by heightening the interplay between intense fear and exhilarating action. Resident Evil Requiem was developed using RE ENGINE, Capcom's proprietary game engine, which allowed the company to deliver visuals in photorealistic detail, including the characters' skin, teary eyes, and flowing hair, as well as the translucency of light. In addition, the title offers a new game experience for a broad fanbase through multiple difficulty settings that accommodate everyone from newcomers to experienced players, as well as allowing players to switch between first-person and third-person perspectives in real-time to suit each player's individual play styles.

Memory Price Surge Disrupts Supply Chain; Global Smartphone Panel Shipments Forecast to Fall 7.3% in 2026

TrendForce's latest research on smartphone panels reveals that shortages and rising memory prices—one of the most costly components in smartphones—are reshaping brand shipment strategies for 2026 and weakening panel demand.

Global smartphone panel shipments are projected to reach 2.14 billion units in 2026, down 7.3% YoY from 2.31 billion units in 2025. This marks the end of the growth cycle that began in 2023 and the market's first annual decline in several years.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Could Return Mid-March

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, a mid-range GPU now two generations old, is reportedly returning to NVIDIA's supply this month. According to Chinese Board Channels, NVIDIA is planning a mid-March restock of the "Ampere" GPU, aligning with earlier rumors that suggested a Q1 2026 revival. Interestingly, it is unclear which version of the RTX 3060 will be reintroduced—whether it will be the original 12 GB model with a 192-bit wide memory bus or the newer 8 GB variant with a 128-bit bus. NVIDIA's decision to bring back this older SKU is puzzling, especially considering it is two generations old and comes amid memory supply chain shortages. However, this older SKU uses GDDR6 memory, which might be more readily available as the newer GDDR7 is being used by modern "Blackwell" GPUs and the upcoming "Rubin CPX" accelerators.

Why NVIDIA has chosen the RTX 3060 instead of a newer model like the RTX 4060 remains uncertain. Speculatively, it could be due to the fact that the RTX 4060 is based on the same NVIDIA 4N foundry node at TSMC as the current RTX 5060, while the RTX 3060, along with the rest of the GeForce "Ampere" generation, is built on the Samsung 8N (8 nm DUV) foundry node. Additionally, Board Channels note that GeForce RTX 3060 models from various brands will start arriving soon, which means NVIDIA's add-in card partners are doing much of the heavy lifting to bring back this SKU, with NVIDIA only supplying the GPU die and memory as an installation kit. AICs could start marketing this GPU again or just quietly add it to their websites. We are waiting a few more days to see how the re-launch unfolds and which SKUs we end up getting. Finally, the most important factor for considering this GPU when modern alternatives exist is the pricing, which will dictate its sales.

Antec Introduces the New 900—A Full-Tower Chassis for Edge AI, Workstations, and 8K Gaming

Antec Inc., a global leader in high-performance computer components and accessories, proudly announces the launch of the Antec 900, a next-generation full-tower chassis engineered for Edge AI workloads, professional workstations, and high-end gaming systems. Designed for demanding computing environments, the Antec 900 provides a scalable platform for AI development, engineering, content creation, and 8K-capable gaming.

The Antec 900 supports ATX, E-ATX, SSI-CEB, and SSI-EEB motherboards, including AMD Threadripper systems, and is also compatible with back-connect motherboards for cleaner cable management and improved airflow. The spacious interior accommodates multi-GPU and accelerator configurations such as NVIDIA RTX 6000 Ada series GPUs. With support for graphics cards up to 495 mm in length and 160 mm in thickness, the chassis is built for the latest generation of high-performance hardware.
Wednesday, March 4th 2026

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NZXT H2 Mini PC Review

NZXT H2 Mini PC Review

The NZXT H2 Mini-PC packs high-end desktop power into a 20.7-liter chassis, featuring a Ryzen 7 9800X3D or Intel CPU, and liquid cooling alongside an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080. With impressive benchmarks, solid cooling, and a sleek design, it's a powerful choice for gamers and creators seeking compact performance without compromise.

Rambus Announces Its New HBM4E Memory Controller IP, Up to 16 Gbps per Pin

Rambus Inc. (NASDAQ: RMBS), a premier chip and silicon IP provider making data faster and safer, today announced the industry's leading HBM4E Memory Controller IP, extending its market leadership in HBM IP. This new solution delivers breakthrough performance with advanced reliability features enabling designers to address the demanding memory bandwidth requirements of next-generation AI accelerators and graphics processing units (GPUs).

"Given the insatiable bandwidth demands of AI, it's imperative for the memory ecosystem to continue aggressively advancing memory performance," said Simon Blake-Wilson, SVP and general manager of Silicon IP, at Rambus. "As a leading silicon IP provider for AI applications, we are bringing the industry's leading HBM4E Controller IP solution to the market as a key enabler for breakthrough performance in next-generation AI processors and accelerators."

NVIDIA Releases GeForce 595.76 Hotfix Driver Addressing Voltage Cap and Game Crashes

NVIDIA has rolled out GeForce Hotfix Display Driver version 595.76, based on the recently released 595.71 WHQL Game Ready driver. The update specifically targets a GPU voltage cap issue affecting overclocked graphics cards, which prevented them from boosting to expected frequency levels. The voltage limitation surfaced shortly after the March 3 release of the 595.71 WHQL driver, which itself was meant to resolve problems introduced by the earlier 595.59 build. Users with RTX 50-series "Blackwell" GPUs reported reduced boost clocks and performance degradation under load, with observed core voltages sitting lower than on prior drivers. The new 595.76 hotfix restores proper voltage behavior when overclocking is applied.

Beyond the voltage fix, the hotfix addresses several game-related issues. In Resident Evil Requiem, it resolves white glowing artifacts that appeared when Subsurface Scattering was enabled and improves path tracing performance. It also fixes launch crashes in Star Citizen and corrects intermittent application crashes or driver timeouts when playing multi-key DRM content in browsers on HDCP 1.x monitors. As with all NVIDIA hotfix releases, version 595.76 is a beta, optional driver distributed through the company's Customer Care support site. It undergoes a shortened QA cycle and will be pulled once its fixes are rolled into the next official WHQL-certified release. Users seeking maximum stability may prefer to wait for that broader driver update.

DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce Hotfix Display Driver 595.76

Ubisoft Confirms Long-Rumored Assassin's Creed Black Flag Remake and More

An Assassin's Creed Black Flag Remake has been rumored for years at this point, with the most recent rumors claiming a 2026 launch date, but now, the new Assassin's Creed Head of Content, Jean Guedon, has confirmed in a recent brand update blog post that Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is in development. While the game's existence is now confirmed, no launch date or window has been attached yet, and Ubisoft indicated in the blog post that it is but one of several AC projects "in various stages of development."

As the title of the blog post "Assassin's Creed Into 2026" indicates, Guesdon also gives us an idea of what to expect from the franchise for 2026 onwards, aside from Black Flag. Namely, he says that the next Assassin's Creed game slated for launch is Assassin's Creed Codename Hexe, which looks to have recently received a combat rework deep into its development cycle. Hexe is confirmed to be a narrative-driven, darker twist on the franchise, and Ubisoft will "be quiet for a little longer," ahead of release, but it looks to be the closest to launch. Assassin's Creed Invictus is the name of the PVP multiplayer Assassin's Creed game that Guedon has also confirmed to be in development alongside Codename Jade, which is an open-world mobile game that will seemingly take place in China and was originally rumored for a 2023 launch.

AMD Ryzen AI 400 Comes With Up to 12 Usable PCIe 4.0 Lanes, GPUs Limited to x8 Connection

On Monday, AMD announced its latest Ryzen AI 400 Series and Ryzen AI PRO 400 Series desktop processors, based on the "Gorgon Point" silicon and powered by the "Zen 5" core configuration. This generation follows the Ryzen 8000G series, known as "Phoenix Point." However, it has been revealed that the Ryzen AI 400 series reduces the number of usable PCIe lanes compared to the previous Ryzen 8000G generation. The new top SKU offers 16 native PCIe 4.0 lanes, but only 12 are available to the rest of the system. Four of these PCIe lanes are used for the chipset link that connects the AM5 socket to the motherboard chipset, leaving fewer lanes for the end-user. Lower-tier chips may provide as few as 10 usable lanes, which is insufficient to run a discrete GPU at its full 16x lanes in the PCIe 4.0 connector on the AM5 motherboard. When a user installs an M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD, only eight lanes remain available for a discrete graphics card, meaning the GPU will operate in x8 mode instead of x16.

Interestingly, AMD hasn't fully utilized the "Gorgon Point" silicon in the desktop Ryzen AI 400G series. For example, the top model—Ryzen AI 7 450G—is configured with four "Zen 5" cores and four "Zen 5c" cores, making up an eight-core configuration. The fully unlocked "Gorgon Point" silicon in laptops has 12 cores in total, with four "Zen 5" and eight "Zen 5c" cores. This is a similar configuration to "Strix Point," but adapted for mobile. It's also worth noting AMD's approach with the iGPU. The top 450G processor model only comes with 8 iGPU compute units, which is half the CUs physically available on the silicon. Most other processor models in the series come with just 4 CUs.

NVIDIA Reportedly Preparing 9 GB GeForce RTX 5050 Variant with GDDR7

NVIDIA is reportedly planning a second RTX 5050 variant with 9 GB of memory instead of the standard 8 GB, according to leaker MEGAsizeGPU who has a decent track record on NVIDIA leaks. Unlike the existing RTX 5050, which uses 8 GB of 20 Gbps GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus for 320 GB/s of bandwidth, the new model is said to adopt 3 GB GDDR7 modules. The updated configuration would total 9 GB across a 96-bit memory bus. While the narrower bus reduces interface width, the move to 28 Gbps GDDR7 would raise total memory bandwidth to 336 GB/s, a roughly 5% increase, alongside a 12.5% boost in VRAM capacity. Core specifications are expected to remain unchanged. The card would continue to use the GB207 GPU, based on the Blackwell architecture, with 2560 CUDA cores and a 130 W TDP. No changes to clock speeds or core counts have been mentioned.

The report also claims NVIDIA is preparing adjustments higher up the stack. A revised GeForce RTX 5060 may transition to the larger GB205 die, currently used in the RTX 5070, in a cut-down configuration. That would reportedly reduce the GPU from 6144 CUDA cores and a 192-bit bus to 3840 cores and a 128-bit interface. Such a move would require board partners to adopt new PCBs compatible with GB205 and standard 8-pin power connectors. According to the leak, these changes are tied to supply constraints affecting lower-tier RTX 50-series GPUs, including the RTX 5050 and RTX 5060. The GeForce RTX 5060 12 GB, which appeared in earlier roadmaps, is now reportedly canceled.

Lamptron Unveils Silver Versions of HC060 and HM049 PC Hardware Monitors

Lamptron has added silver colorways to its HC060 and HM049 hardware monitors, two compact displays built for real-time system monitoring inside or alongside a PC. The bigger of the two is the HC060, a 6-inch LCD running at 1024 x 768 and 60 Hz. It connects over HDMI and Micro USB, draws power via USB, and ties into AIDA64 for live system data, however, it can also handle photos, video, or light gaming if you want to use it that way. The unit measures 148.5 x 8.5 x 70 mm with a visible screen area of 133 x 74.5 mm and an 80° viewing angle. It can sit on a desk or be mounted inside a chassis, and supports custom skins from Lamptron or your own.

The HM049 is the smaller option at 4.9 inches, with a 960 x 320 panel at 60 Hz. Same connectivity and AIDA64 support, same skin customization, just in a more compact 148.5 x 42.5 x 66 mm body with a 111×37.5 mm display area and matching 80° viewing angle. Both models are available through the Lamptron AliExpress store and regional resellers across Europe, North America, and Asia. The HC060 starts at €149.90 and the HM049 at €79.90.

SK Telecom and Panmnesia to Develop Next-Gen CXL-Based Data Center Architecture

Panmnesia, an AI infrastructure link solution provider, today announced the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SK Telecom, South Korea's largest telco and a leading AI company. The agreement, signed at MWC26 in Barcelona, aims to jointly develop a CXL-based next-generation AI data center architecture.

As large-scale AI services continue to expand, data centers are investing heavily in massive deployments of high-performance GPUs, resulting in astronomical costs. Recognizing the need for sustainable scalability, SK Telecom and Panmnesia are focusing beyond simple GPU expansion to technologies that enable more efficient utilization of existing computing resources. Through this collaboration, the two companies aim to simultaneously improve cost efficiency and performance by innovating data center interconnect architecture based on Compute Express Link (CXL) technology.

Morefine N1 NAS Launches With Ryzen 7 Pro 8845HS and dGPU Expansion Support

Morefine has announced the N1 NAS, a tower-style NAS solution that packs the AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 8845HS, up to 96 GB of DDR5-5600 ECC memory, dual 10 GbE ports, and built-in PCIe expansion. Pricing starts at $759 for a barebones version, but 32 GB of memory bumps that up to $1,209, while the 64 GB and 96 GB versions come in at $1,569 and $1,929. The Morefine N1 has three M.2 slots for up to 12 TB of SSD storage alongside four hot-swap 3.5-inch HDD bays accessible via the top of the case for an additional 120 TB. The aluminium case itself measured 218 × 193 × 372 mm, making it considerably smaller than many ITX systems but not quite as svelte as a traditional mini PC, like the recently announced Minisforum MS-A2.

The N1 also comes with a built-in 800 W PSU with 400 W dedicated to the GPU power budget, making it adequate for something like an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, although the included PSU power connectors are not specified. Internal space for the dGPU is limited to 330 mm × 66 mm, too, so SFF GPUs will be the way to go. The port selection is also fairly decent for an SFF PC, packing dual USB 2.0, 1× USB4 port, 1× USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1× USB 3.2 Gen 1, a full size SD card reader, 1× HDMI 2.0, and dual 10 GbE RJ 45 ports. It also has a small 3-inch full color touch screen on the front of the case for displaying things like system information.
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