TeamGroup T-Force Z540 2TB SSD Review - Fastest Retail SSD to Date

TeamGroup T-Force Z540 2TB SSD Review - Fastest Retail SSD to Date

TeamGroup's T-Force Z540 2TB SSD is the second 12,000 MB/s class retail SSD we've tested. This thing is super fast and runs nice and cool.

TT Show Episode 3: Apple's new iPhone 15, Nintendo Switch 2 hardware, Starfield mods, and more!

Kosta Andreadis | TweakTown | Sep 15, 2023 5:11 AM CDT

Episode 3 of The TT Show has dropped, TweakTown's podcast and video show where Jak and Kosta deep dive into all of the latest and greatest stories of the week. This week is a big one as the duo digs into Apple's big iPhone 15 and Apple Watch event, talk about the Nintendo Switch 2 and its potential 4K DLSS action and even go full nerd by reviewing the latest GPU hardware data from Steam.

TT Show Episode 3: Apple's new iPhone 15, Nintendo Switch 2 hardware, Starfield mods, and more!

Plus, thanks to our friends at Patriot, Jak and Kosta drop details on how you can win one of three Viper Lite 4TB SSDs - which TweakTown's esteemed SSD professor Jon Coulter gave the ol' Editor's Choice award earlier this week. Perfect for PC gaming and even those rocking a PlayStation 5 - be sure to watch for your chance to win one of these. And yes, the competition is global.

Episode 3 of The TT Show is stacked with tech, gaming, and science news, with Jak and Kosta opening the show with more Starfield talk, touching on things like mods and the in-depth spaceship editor.

Continue reading: TT Show Episode 3: Apple's new iPhone 15, Nintendo Switch 2 hardware, Starfield mods, and more! (full post)

Score a lifetime of Microsoft Office from $13 and Windows 10 from $7 at GoDeal24

Sponsored Content | Deals | Sep 12, 2023 6:22 PM CDT

Microsoft Office is the go-to office suite for more than 1 billion people worldwide, and for good reason. Sometimes, it is hard for us to choose if it's worth upgrading to the newest version of Office 2021 or sticking with the tried-and-true Office 2019. Apart from the price difference, in terms of functionality, Office 2021 offers new features like Teams integration in Word and Excel, enhanced data analysis in Excel, improved inking features in PowerPoint, and an updated design in all software. Both versions of Microsoft Office are viable options for individuals and small businesses seeking a reliable productivity solution.

Score a lifetime of Microsoft Office from $13 and Windows 10 from $7 at GoDeal24

If you need these new features, GoDeal24 Office Special Sale can help you solve your price concerns. Lifetime Office 2021 Professional Plus only costs you $25.61! It is already the floor price! But if Office 2019 Professional suits you better! It is also priced at $23.56 in this sale! Take the chance and buy what suits you.

You should learn more about Windows 11 Professional if you need an extra layer of security on your computer. This OS upgrade has a robust security interface, including tools like wake and lock, Bitlocker device encryption, and biometrics login. Make sure your computer is compatible before trying to upgrade.

Continue reading: Score a lifetime of Microsoft Office from $13 and Windows 10 from $7 at GoDeal24 (full post)

ASUS's flagship ROG Matrix GeForce RTX 4090 has launched with an eye-watering price, $3,199

Kosta Andreadis | Video Cards & GPUs | Sep 21, 2023 4:32 AM CDT

They call it a flagship for a reason, something that sits on top of a lineup as the most premium edition or version. And with the launch of ASUS's most powerful GPU to date, the ROG Matrix GeForce RTX 4090 all-in-one with liquid metal cooling and a 360mm radiator, you're looking at a world-record-setting GPU setting a new record. For price.

The GeForce RTX 4090 is powerful, and the ROG Matrix GeForce RTX 4090 is the pinnacle of that power, image credit: ASUS.

The GeForce RTX 4090 is powerful, and the ROG Matrix GeForce RTX 4090 is the pinnacle of that power, image credit: ASUS.

With the GeForce RTX 4090 carrying an MSRP of USD 1,599, the ROG Matrix GeForce RTX 4090 is currently being sold for almost double that, USD 3,199. An eyewatering figure that makes this more of a luxury item than a GPU you'd consider while browning a storefront. It's the most expensive GeForce RTX 4090 model available but also the most powerful.

Sporting the highest out-of-the-box GPU boost clock of any GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, an impressive 2670 MHz (which is a 6% increase over NVIDIA's reference specs), it also sees a power-limited increase to 600W to support overclocking. Plus, it's the first ASUS GPU to sport T1000-like liquid metal.

Continue reading: ASUS's flagship ROG Matrix GeForce RTX 4090 has launched with an eye-watering price, $3,199 (full post)

Cyberpunk 2077 with DLSS 3.5 and Frame Gen looks better than native rendering, NVIDIA says

Kosta Andreadis | Video Cards & GPUs | Sep 21, 2023 3:57 AM CDT

Three years later, it's hard to deny that Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most technically advanced and visually impressive PC games currently available. The upcoming release of the highly anticipated Update 2.0 and Phantom Liberty expansion on PC with full path-traced lighting, Frame Generation, and DLSS 3.5's Ray Reconstruction make it look like something from the future.

Cyberpunk 2077 with DLSS 3.5 and Frame Gen looks better than native rendering, NVIDIA says

DLSS 3.5's Ray Reconstruction replaces traditional hand-tuned denoisers (a technique used to clean up an image and fill in missing details) with an AI denoiser trained on 6 times the data used to create Frame Generation.

The result is improved ray-traced reflection detail, lighting, ambient occlusion, and more - Bryan Catanzaro, Vice President of Applied Deep Learning Research at NVIDIA, believes it makes the game look better than what's possible with native rendering.

Continue reading: Cyberpunk 2077 with DLSS 3.5 and Frame Gen looks better than native rendering, NVIDIA says (full post)

UK government move to censor Russel Brand despite allegations not proving guilt

Jak Connor | Business, Financial & Legal | Sep 21, 2023 3:47 AM CDT

A document has gone viral showcasing a move by the UK government to censor Russel Brand following numerous allegations.

UK government move to censor Russel Brand despite allegations not proving guilt

The actor, comedian, and pollical commentator was accused of rape, sexual assault, and emotional abuse between the years of 2006 and 2013. These allegations are yet to be proven, and Brand has denied their validity in a video posted to his social media platforms. Now, a document has surfaced on X that reveals the British Government is attempting to get Brand's social media platforms censored, which has been viewed by many as a way of manipulating the court of public opinion.

The document requests TikTok provide the UK government with information relating to Brand's monetization of content that has to do with the allegations. With the letter requesting, "We would be grateful if you could confirm whether Mr. Brand is able to monetize his TikTok posts, including his videos relating to the serious accusations against him, and what the platform is doing to ensure that creators are not able to use the platform to undermine the welfare of victims of inappropriate and potentially illegal behavior."

Continue reading: UK government move to censor Russel Brand despite allegations not proving guilt (full post)

NVIDIA is amazed and proud that DLSS works when modded into games without native support

Kosta Andreadis | Video Cards & GPUs | Sep 21, 2023 3:29 AM CDT

We're now at a stage where NVIDIA's DLSS rendering technology on PC has matured to the point where if it's not included in a major AAA-style release, many begin to wonder why. This led to the recent community backlash and speculation surrounding the PC launch of Starfield, which only featured support for AMD's impressive but inferior FSR 2 technology.

NVIDIA DLSS is officially coming to Starfield in an upcoming update, image credit: Bethesda.

NVIDIA DLSS is officially coming to Starfield in an upcoming update, image credit: Bethesda.

Was its omission a calculated move that was part of the overall partnership between Bethesda and AMD? We'll probably never know, but the good news is that DLSS is officially being integrated into Starfield. The better news? Modders managed to add DLSS Super Resolution and Frame Generation support into the game ahead of its full release in a single day.

NVIDIA is amazed by how easily the technology can inserted into games like Starfield and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (another example of DLSS being modded in), with Bryan Catanzaro, Vice President of Applied Deep Learning Research at NVIDIA, opening up about fan-made DLSS mods in a recent discussion.

Continue reading: NVIDIA is amazed and proud that DLSS works when modded into games without native support (full post)

Earth gets smacked with powerful solar storm triggering auroras around the world

Jak Connor | Science, Space, Health & Robotics | Sep 21, 2023 2:46 AM CDT

The Sun hurled a wave of charged particles at Earth, resulting in a powerful solar storm that pushed auroras much closer to the equator than usual.

Jo Majko, Fox Creek, Alberta, Canada

Jo Majko, Fox Creek, Alberta, Canada

The event began on September 16 when a solar filament caused a coronal mass ejection (CME) to launch out from the Sun toward Earth. A CME is essentially a wave of solar particles that can collide with our planet's magnetic field. This interaction between the charged particles and molecules in Earth's atmosphere causes molecules in Earth's atmosphere to be charged, producing incredible colors commonly called auroras.

Our planet funnels the Sun's charged particles toward the poles, hence the Northern and Southern Lights only appearing near the planet's top and bottom. However, during a solar storm, these auroras can be spotted much closer to the equator due to the abundance of charged particles interacting with the atmosphere. Each time the Sun smacks Earth with a CME, photographers have a prime opportunity to capture some incredible photographs of the natural phenomena, and this time was no different. Below are some incredible photographs.

Continue reading: Earth gets smacked with powerful solar storm triggering auroras around the world (full post)

NASA space telescope spots an intergalactic bridge between two realms

Jak Connor | Science, Space, Health & Robotics | Sep 21, 2023 2:32 AM CDT

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has snapped an incredible image of a "bridge" between two colliding galaxies located nearly 500 million light years away from Earth.

Arp 107

Arp 107

The European Space Agency (ESA) has released the image of Arp 107, a pair of galaxies that are slowly but surely merging to form a massive galaxy. Using its Advanced Camera for Surveys, NASA and the ESA's Hubble Space Telescope snapped an image showcasing the faint "bridge" linking the two galaxies.

The galaxy on the left is a Seyfret galaxy, which is a galaxy that houses an active galactic nuclei, or supermassive black hole at its core. The black hole-consuming matter results in a strong glow, as displayed by the image.

Continue reading: NASA space telescope spots an intergalactic bridge between two realms (full post)

This free app turns your iPad into an HDMI monitor

Oliver Haslam | Software & Apps | Sep 21, 2023 2:15 AM CDT

The iPad is already arguably the best tablet on the planet but it would be even better if you could turn it into a monitor at will. And sure enough, now you can do just that thanks to a cool new app that won't cost you a thing.

This free app turns your iPad into an HDMI monitor

That app is Orion, and it's been put together by the same people who created the popular Halide camera app on the iPhone. Once installed on an iPad running iPadOS 17 or later, and assuming that iPad has a USB-C port, you'll be able to plug just about anything into your tablet. and see what's going on.

The uses here are pretty obvious. You could plug a laptop into an iPad to get an external display, for example. Other ideas floated by the Orion team include a portable gaming monitor that would allow you to plug an Xbox, PlayStation, or Switch into it for on-the-go gaming. A more professional use? Photographers and videographers can plug their iPad into their cameras and get a live preview of what they're capturing, too.

Continue reading: This free app turns your iPad into an HDMI monitor (full post)

Samsung's Galaxy Buds FE just leaked in a big way

Oliver Haslam | Audio, Sound & Speakers | Sep 21, 2023 2:00 AM CDT

We've been hearing things about the unannounced Samsung Galaxy Buds FE for a few weeks at this point and while Samsung itself is yet to confirm anything, it now looks increasingly likely that we should expect them to debut within the next few weeks. And they've just leaked again, with more information becoming available including an expected price.

Samsung's Galaxy Buds FE just leaked in a big way

The Galaxy Buds FE were always expected to play at the budget end of the market given that FE moniker and that looks very much to be the case right now. The Galaxy Buds FE will reportedly sell for $99.99, assuming retailers don't discount them even further. That's according to a new WinFuture report that also details some other pre-release information, too.

According to that report, the new Galaxy Buds FE will come in two colors; Graphite Gray and White. No matter which color you choose you can expect to get earbuds that can have their media playback controlled by touching the outer surface. On the inside, a 12mm single driver will be used with Samsung saying that we can expect improved bass playback, but we'll need to test these things before we can comment on that.

Continue reading: Samsung's Galaxy Buds FE just leaked in a big way (full post)

Archaeologists uncover half-a-million-year-old sample that's changed human history

Jak Connor | Science, Space, Health & Robotics | Sep 21, 2023 1:53 AM CDT

Archaeologists have made an incredible discovery on a river bank in Zambia, a discovery that may change how ancient human history is viewed forever.

Ancient wooden tool

Ancient wooden tool

A new study published in the scientific journal Nature details a discovery of ancient wooden logs that appear to have been used for a small wooden hut. The University of Liverpool scientist Professor Larry Barham led the project called Deep Roots of Humanity, which was responsible for the excavation of the sample and the follow-up analysis. The study states that the ancient logs are approximately 476,000 years old. Additionally, the team discovered ancient human wooden tools such as digging sticks.

The researchers pointed out one of the tools was discovered at right angles to each other. These pieces of wood had been clearly cut by stone tools to fit together with the goal of making a bigger structural object. These samples may be the oldest ancient wooden tool discovery found so far, with the BBC reporting 400,000-year-old samples were found in prehistoric sands at Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, in 1911.

Continue reading: Archaeologists uncover half-a-million-year-old sample that's changed human history (full post)

Researchers create new AI that can translate what chickens are saying

Jak Connor | Artificial Intelligence | Sep 21, 2023 1:32 AM CDT

A team of researchers from the University of Tokyo have penned a new paper detailing the capabilities of a new artificial intelligence-powered system that can translate chicken clucks.

Researchers create new AI that can translate what chickens are saying 14

The paper has been published on a pre-print server and is yet to be peer-reviewed, but it details a new "cutting-edge" AI technique that the team calls "Deep Emotional Analysis Learning. The University of Tokyo researchers write they devised a new system capable of"interpreting various emotional states in chickens, including hunger, fear, anger, contentment, excitement, and distress".

As with most things to do with artificial intelligence, the new system is powered by what the researchers call "complex mathematical algorithms" that get better over time as different variations of chicken vocal patterns are added to the database. The study explains that the researchers recorded and analyzed 80 chicken vocal samples, applying different "emotional states" to the different sounds. According to the researchers, the team was able to predict a chicken's emotional state accurately.

Continue reading: Researchers create new AI that can translate what chickens are saying (full post)