Razer Blade 14 (2023) Gaming Laptop Review

Razer Blade 14 (2023) Gaming Laptop Review

Razer's Blade 14 (2023) gaming laptop is a gorgeous offering with loads of great features, but it would benefit from more competitive pricing.

TT Show Episode 12 - GeForce RTX 4090 Banned, Steam Deck 2, OpenAI, Starship Launch, and more!

Kosta Andreadis | TweakTown | Nov 23, 2023 10:32 PM CST

The TT Show is back for another big week of news and happenings in the tech, gaming, and science space with Jak and Kosta. This week, the duo dives into the OpenAI saga that continues to unfold (at the time of recording, we were at the "Sam Altman joins Microsoft stage"), the GeForce RTX 4090 ban in full effect, Valve's confirmation that it's working on the Steam Deck 2, and a lot more.

TT Show Episode 12 - GeForce RTX 4090 Banned, Steam Deck 2, OpenAI, Starship Launch, and more!

Jak and Kosta also break down The Game Awards 2023 nominations and agree that the top nod is between Baldur's Gate 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, how someone turned a ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 OC Edition GPU into a skateboard, the latest on SpaceX and Starship, as well as Microsoft creating its very own GPUs for AI acceleration.

The latest episode of TweakTown's official podcast is brought to you by the new Performance 1 FT PC case from ANTEC.

Continue reading: TT Show Episode 12 - GeForce RTX 4090 Banned, Steam Deck 2, OpenAI, Starship Launch, and more! (full post)

GoDeal24 Cyber Week: Black Friday deals extended on Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro from $9

Sponsored Content | Deals | Nov 28, 2023 12:52 PM CST

Cyber Week 2023 has officially commenced - the last big sale of 2023 and your final chance to grab a genuine Microsoft Office and Windows license at a remarkable price on GoDeal24. Many of these Cyber Week deals are carried over from Black Friday, so don't miss this chance.

GoDeal24 Cyber Week: Black Friday deals extended on Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro from $9

Right now, you can grab a lifetime Microsoft Office Professional 2021 license for just $24.24 during the GoDeal24 Deals Cyber Week. Microsoft Office Professional 2021 will transform how you work, offering a dynamic array of applications that cater to your every need. Whether crafting compelling documents in Word, crunching numbers in Excel, or delivering impactful presentations in PowerPoint, this suite empowers you to achieve more. A one-time purchase that will keep you forever.

Record-breaking Cyber Week savings are in effect on Windows 11 Professional, with a 90% discount driving the price down to $11.24. Windows 11 Professional is the digital powerhouse you've been waiting for, blending innovation with efficiency to redefine your computing experience. It is tailored for business and professional users and boasts an arsenal of advanced features. If you have multiple computers at home or want to buy with friends, you can choose a combination of multiple keys, which is more cost-effective!

Continue reading: GoDeal24 Cyber Week: Black Friday deals extended on Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro from $9 (full post)

Sam Altman officially returns to OpenAI as the company CEO

Jak Connor | Artificial Intelligence | Nov 30, 2023 12:45 AM CST

OpenAI has taken to its website to officially announce the return of Sam Altman after the company's board of directors ousted him.

Sam Altman officially returns to OpenAI as the company CEO

The return of the former CEO and founder of OpenAI was made official in a Wednesday blog post on the OpenAI website, which features a lengthy message from Altman, along with a brief message from Bret Taylor, the chair of the board of directors. The blog post explains that OpenAI's board will be adopting a non-voting observer from Microsoft, and the new board of directors will consist of Bret Taylor, Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo.

The now-reinstated CEO explains that he doesn't hold any grudges against any of the people that were on the side of removing him as the company's CEO and described his brief time away as a "wonderfully focusing time". Additionally, Altman wrote that during the chaotic time of his departure no customers of any of the company's services bailed, illustrating trust and inherent value in the products the company has made.

Continue reading: Sam Altman officially returns to OpenAI as the company CEO (full post)

Elon Musk tells X advertisers trying to 'blackmail' him to 'go f*** yourself'

Jak Connor | Business, Financial & Legal | Nov 30, 2023 12:31 AM CST

Elon Musk sat down at the 2023 DealBook Summit in New York on Wednesday, where he answered some questions regarding advertising on the social media platform formerly called Twitter and now called X.

Elon Musk tells X advertisers trying to 'blackmail' him to 'go f*** yourself'

Elon Musk, the owner of X, and the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at the company, spoke to Andrew Ross Sorkin about the recent tweets from Musk that have been described by the White House as "antisemitic and racist hate". Musk was asked his thoughts on big advertisers such as Disney and Apple pausing ad expenditure with X over his recent controversial tweets. Musk replied by saying, "I hope they stop. Don't advertise."

Sorkin followed up by asking Musk, "You don't want them to advertise?" Musk replied with, "No." Musk was asked to explain his reasoning behind his statement, to which the X owner said, "If somebody's gonna try to blackmail me with advertising? Blackmail me with money? Go f---yourself. Go. F---. Yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is." Musk then doubled down by saying, "Hi Bob! If you are in the audience. That's how I feel," which a reference to Bob Iger, the CEO of Disney.

Continue reading: Elon Musk tells X advertisers trying to 'blackmail' him to 'go f*** yourself' (full post)

This custom PlayStation 5 Tiny is substantially smaller than Sony's PS5 Slim update

Kosta Andreadis | Modding | Nov 29, 2023 11:59 PM CST

Recently, Sony released its PlayStation 5 refresh in the form of the new PS5 Slim, which presents a similar shape to the launch model but in a size with 30% less volume and a detachable disc drive. The latter was a smart move because it means those who opt for a purely digital PS5 Slim model can get a disc drive at a later date.

This custom PlayStation 5 Tiny is substantially smaller than Sony's PS5 Slim update

Compared to previous console refreshes, the PlayStation 5 Slim is a little underwhelming, but it does feature a more efficient 6nm chip and a smaller motherboard. Enter YouTube channel Not From Concentrate, who took it upon themselves to design a working PlayStation 5 Tiny - which not only drastically reduces the PS5's physical footprint compared to the launch model, but presents the console in an entirely new way.

The PlayStation 5 Slim from Sony offered a 30% reduction in volume/size, but the custom PlayStation 5 Tiny takes this to over 60%. The design follows the white and black aesthetic of the console, albeit in a form factor that looks more like a mini PC than a console.

Continue reading: This custom PlayStation 5 Tiny is substantially smaller than Sony's PS5 Slim update (full post)

AWS Graviton4 announced: the most powerful and energy-efficient chip Amazon has ever built

Anthony Garreffa | CPU, APU & Chipsets | Nov 29, 2023 11:34 PM CST

AWS has just announced its new Graviton4 processor, the fourth-generation Arm-based server CPU that has 50% more cores, 75% more memory bandwidth, and an overall compute performance uplift of up to 30%.

AWS Graviton4 announced: the most powerful and energy-efficient chip Amazon has ever built

Amazon Web Services (AWS) was previously manufacturing its Graviton3 and Graviton3E processors on the 5nm process node at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) but is moving to the newer, mature 4nm process node that NVIDIA is using to build its Grace CPU and "Hopper" H100 and H200 AI GPUs.

Inside, the new Graviton4 has 96 cores based on Arm's "Demeter" Neoverse V2 core (which is based on the Armv9 architecture), which is a 50% boost in cores over Graviton3 which had 64 cores.

Continue reading: AWS Graviton4 announced: the most powerful and energy-efficient chip Amazon has ever built (full post)

Grand Theft Auto is coming to Netflix on December 14

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | Nov 29, 2023 10:57 PM CST

Grand Theft Auto is coming to Netflix, which is a strange thing to say until you remember that Netflix offers downloadable games to play as part of its mobile iOS and Android platforms. And on December 14, Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition is coming to Netflix members on said mobile platforms.

Grand Theft Auto is coming to Netflix on December 14

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy includes remastered and 'Definitive Edition' versions of the franchise's first forays into open-world 3D games: Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. These games first appeared during the PlayStation 2 and original Xbox era of console gaming, with Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition released for PC and consoles in 2021.

As much as this sounds like a big win for Netflix and raising the profile and awareness of Netflix Games (the company is investing in making more games using its franchises and TV properties), we're also reminded that the 2021 release of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition was an absolute disaster.

Continue reading: Grand Theft Auto is coming to Netflix on December 14 (full post)

Radeon RX 7900M in Alienware M18 impresses, but you need to use older AMD drivers for stability

Kosta Andreadis | Video Cards & GPUs | Nov 29, 2023 10:31 PM CST

The Radeon RX 7900M is the latest flagship mobile GPU from AMD, and it recently made its debut in a variant of Alienware's M18 R1 gaming laptop line-up. It's the only laptop so far to feature the latest in high-end mobile Radeon graphics, and based on the in-depth review over at Notebookcheck, in-game performance is similar to an Alienware M18 R1 laptop rocking an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU.

Radeon RX 7900M in Alienware M18 impresses, but you need to use older AMD drivers for stability

This is an impressive showing for what should be a more affordable alternative to NVIDIA's high-end laptop GPU offerings (Radeon RX 7900M gaming laptops cost around $500 less than GeForce RTX 4080 laptops). But there's a catch. The same review indicates that when it comes to the Radeon RX 7900M, AMD's drivers are buggy and prone to issues like black screens, freezing on bootup, and rapidly draining the battery.

It's not a good look for the new flagship mobile Radeon chip and reinforces the general belief by some that AMD's drivers are buggy and that it's to be expected when it comes to new Radeon products.

Continue reading: Radeon RX 7900M in Alienware M18 impresses, but you need to use older AMD drivers for stability (full post)

China gets the D with new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D that complies with US export restrictions

Anthony Garreffa | Video Cards & GPUs | Nov 29, 2023 9:09 PM CST

Guess whose back? NVIDIA's back. Where are they back? China. NVIDIA is reportedly making a new GeForce RTX 4090 D graphics card, which fully complies with US export restrictions that have seen the RTX 4090 market go bananas in China.

China gets the D with new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D that complies with US export restrictions

Our friends over at Wccftech are reporting "exclusive information gathered by our sources, it seems like NVIDIA has a new GPU on the block." This will be the GeForce RTX 4090 D with the "D" standing for Dragon, a new China-exclusive design that will be a replacement for the GeForce RTX 4090, which is banned in China over its Total Processing Performance (TPP) rating of over 4800 points.

Because of those TPP restrictions, NVIDIA will water down its upcoming RTX 4090 D over the RTX 4090, with less gaming performance and less AI capabilities than the full RTX 4090. It will look, feel, and act like any GeForce RTX 40 series GPU would, DLSS, Reflex, everything... but the compute power will be restricted to meet US sanctions requirements.

Continue reading: China gets the D with new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D that complies with US export restrictions (full post)

Amazon announces Q just days after ChatGPT maker OpenAI announces Q*

Anthony Garreffa | Artificial Intelligence | Nov 29, 2023 8:37 PM CST

OpenAI just announced its Q* platform, and now we have Amazon announcing its new Amazon Q platform, which allows businesses to ask questions specific to their companies.

Amazon announces Q just days after ChatGPT maker OpenAI announces Q*

Amazon Q was announced during a keynote speech by AWS CEO Adam Selipsky at AWS re:Invent, where Amazon Q will be like an AI assistant that lets people ask questions about their businesses using their data. Amazon Q will let employees ask it questions about the company they work for instead of finding the information themselves, which would take far longer (and sometimes, multiple people to sift through data).

The new Amazon Q features can be accessed through AWS Management Console or individual companies' documentation pages, developer environments including Slack, and other third-party apps in the wild. Amazon says its new Q platform has been trained on 17 years of AWS knowledge and experience.

Continue reading: Amazon announces Q just days after ChatGPT maker OpenAI announces Q* (full post)

Xbox app on PC now has a Compact Mode for gaming handhelds like the ROG Ally

Kosta Andreadis | Software & Apps | Nov 29, 2023 7:58 PM CST

Microsoft has rolled out the November Update for the Xbox app on Windows PCs, and it's a big one for fans of portable PC gaming devices like the ROG Ally from ASUS, Legion GO from Lenovo, or any of the various Windows-based handhelds from AYANEO. Although Valve's Steam Deck isn't a Windows device, the rise in popularity of these sorts of devices has led to the new Compact mode for the Xbox app.

Xbox app on PC now has a Compact Mode for gaming handhelds like the ROG Ally

As the naming suggests, it offers a more intuitive interface and streamlined version of the UI optimized for handhelds - with the side bar collapsing into icons to provide more space for browsing through your library and all of the latest PC Game Pass additions.

Accessing the new mode is simple: select your profile and then toggle between 'Compact Mode' on and off. As part of the update, Microsoft is partnering with companies like ASUS to ensure that Compact mode is enabled by default when firing up the Xbox app on PC gaming handhelds running Windows.

Continue reading: Xbox app on PC now has a Compact Mode for gaming handhelds like the ROG Ally (full post)

Microsoft Paint is now an AI image generator thanks to the new Cocreator feature and DALL-E

Kosta Andreadis | Software & Apps | Nov 29, 2023 7:31 PM CST

Microsoft Paint is a simple graphics editor that has been a part of Windows for decades, launching with the first version of the Operating System back in 1985. Released as a direct competitor to Apple's MacPaint for the Macintosh, the simple lo-fi MS Paint is a Microsoft Windows staple and, over the years, hasn't changed much, retaining its status as a simple-to-use and basic graphics editor.

Microsoft Paint is now an AI image generator thanks to the new Cocreator feature and DALL-E

It's no Photoshop, but fast forward to 2023, and Microsoft Paint is starting to make headlines thanks to new AI-powered features. In September, we reported on the app getting a one-click background removal function that was surprisingly powerful. And now, thanks to AI, Microsoft Paint can generate images using OpenAI's DALL-E via the app's latest addition - Paint Cocreator.

Available now for Windows Insiders, it might just be the easiest-to-use AI image generation tool on the market, thanks to Paint's simple and clean interface.

Continue reading: Microsoft Paint is now an AI image generator thanks to the new Cocreator feature and DALL-E (full post)