As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. TweakTown may also earn commissions from other affiliate partners at no extra cost to you.

Intel-made processor could power Apple's future-gen iPhone 21 smartphone in 2028

Anthony Garreffa | Processors | Dec 5, 2025 9:29 PM CST

Intel could be fabbing the chips that will go into Apple's new iPhone 21 smartphone in 2028, extending its partnership with Apple beyond just Mac processors.

Intel-made processor could power Apple's future-gen iPhone 21 smartphone in 2028

In a recent report from insider Ming-Chi Kuo, who claims that Intel has signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with Apple to use its new Intel 18A-P process node, GF Securities analysts Jeff Pu and Evan Lee reiterate their expectation that Intel will indeed make Apple M-series chips on its new 18A-P process node starting in 2027.

However, the GF Securities analysts are now looking further out, predicting that Intel's momentum will continue with a win for Apple's "non-Pro smartphone SoC" in 2028. These new chips would be fabbed on the Intel 14A process node, with the firm expecting "firm visibility" on this huge deal by the end of 2025.

Continue reading: Intel-made processor could power Apple's future-gen iPhone 21 smartphone in 2028 (full post)

Samsung says its next-gen Exynos 2600 smartphone processor has been 'refined at the core'

Anthony Garreffa | Processors | Dec 5, 2025 7:07 PM CST

Samsung has posted a new teaser for its Exynos 2600 mobile processor, with the company saying its next-gen Exynos 2600 has been "Refined at the Core". Check out the teaser trailer:

Samsung says its next-gen Exynos 2600 smartphone processor has been 'refined at the core'

Samsung's next-gen Exynos 2600 processor has been not just "Refined at the Core", but it has been "optimized at every level" and "the next Exynos is coming. It's time to express the exceptional. Coming soon". Personally, I really don't like the PR crap these companies push out, and Samsung isn't the only one, Qualcomm does it massively, AMD, Intel, all of them.

However, underneath... Samsung's next-gen Exynos 2600 processor is being fabbed on the company's new in-house 2nm GAA "SF2" process node. Samsung's new Galaxy S26 smartphones in 2026 will feature the new Exynos 2600 processor, but only the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus variants, while the flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.

Continue reading: Samsung says its next-gen Exynos 2600 smartphone processor has been 'refined at the core' (full post)

RAM shortages are here until 2028: 64GB DDR5 is now $500, 256GB DDR4 costs over $3000

Anthony Garreffa | RAM | Dec 5, 2025 6:06 PM CST

RAM prices aren't slowing down, with skyrocketing costs seeing things like a 256GB kit of DDR4 memory now retailing for over $3000... with RAM shortages here to stay until 2028, and high prices for DDR5 and DDR4 throughout 2026 and 2027.

RAM shortages are here until 2028: 64GB DDR5 is now $500, 256GB DDR4 costs over $3000

If you thought there would be a magical fix for the DRAM shortages and price increases, you're out of luck... this is like a triple-storm all at once. DDR5 and DDR4 memory shortages will likely stay until at least Q4 2027 (two years from now), so don't expect cheap RAM prices until 2028 most likely.

Why is this happening? AI, we can all blame AI. AI is gobbling up all of the DRAM and NAND that it can get, where just a couple of days ago we had Micron dive out of the consumer SSD and RAM business with the closure of its Crucial brand, as the company goes all-in with AI. This leaves South Korean memory manufacturers SK hynix and Samsung to provide all of the DRAM and NAND for both AI and consumer products.

Continue reading: RAM shortages are here until 2028: 64GB DDR5 is now $500, 256GB DDR4 costs over $3000 (full post)

GIGABYTE's new X870E AERO X3D WOOD sports actual real wood trim, looks gorgeous

Anthony Garreffa | Motherboards | Dec 5, 2025 5:34 PM CST

GIGABYTE has just introduced its new X870E AERO X3D WOOD motherboard, which is a new statement piece for your PC that has been designed for the "discerning connoisseur" with actual wood for a totally different aesthetic. Check it out:

GIGABYTE's new X870E AERO X3D WOOD sports actual real wood trim, looks gorgeous

GIGABYTE announced the new motherboard, explaining that the new X870E AERO X3D WOOD "brings comfort and harmony to your space through thoughtful design that honors the quiet presence of natural materials. Every detail has been meticulously considered, from the premium leather pull tab-a tactile delight that brings luxurious warmth to your fingertips-to the natural wood aesthetic that evokes the warmth and authenticity of home".

We'd agree with that, as there's never been anything quite like a wood-themed motherboard for PCs before, with GIGABYTE also including a comprehensive thermal solution for the X870E AERO X3D WOOD motherboard. We have the VRM Thermal Armor Advanced with superior heat pipes, M.2 Thermal Guard L, M.2 Thermal Guard Ext., and a PCB Thermal Plate providing 14% thermal improvement and reinforced stability, ensuring optimal performance under demanding workloads while maintaining the board's elegant aesthetic.

Continue reading: GIGABYTE's new X870E AERO X3D WOOD sports actual real wood trim, looks gorgeous (full post)

PSSR2 rumored as 'massive overhaul' for PS5 Pro in 2026, image quality leap like FSR 3 to FSR 4

Darren Allan | Gaming | Dec 5, 2025 12:22 PM CST

PSSR2 is set to be a really exciting upgrade for gamers with a PS5 Pro next year, going by the grapevine.

PSSR2 rumored as 'massive overhaul' for PS5 Pro in 2026, image quality leap like FSR 3 to FSR 4

YouTuber Moore's Law is Dead covered the usual gamut of tech topics in his latest video, with a PSSR2 leak being the nugget that'll be of most interest to many gamers out there.

The source is a game developer who notes that Sony is aware that visual glitches are a real problem with PSSR upscaling on the PS5 Pro currently, and has provided a debugging app to game makers to help smooth over such bugs.

Continue reading: PSSR2 rumored as 'massive overhaul' for PS5 Pro in 2026, image quality leap like FSR 3 to FSR 4 (full post)

Netflix to acquire Warner Bros for $82 billion, includes WB Games studios and IP

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Dec 5, 2025 10:01 AM CST

Netflix plans to acquire Warner Bros. in an $82 billion buyout, and that includes HBO, TV & film, and the interactive WB Games segment.

Netflix to acquire Warner Bros for $82 billion, includes WB Games studios and IP

Netflix and Warner Bros. today announced a megaton multimedia combination: Netflix plans to buy Warner Bros.' newly-formed Studios & Streaming business for $82.7 billion. The deal would see Netflix becoming the new owner of WB's core business, including film and TV catalogs with HBO shows like The Sopranos and Game of Thrones as well as film rights to Harry Potter and the DC Universe. WB's Burbank-based studio is included, and so is the HBO Max service.

The WB Games division hasn't been discussed much in the press materials for the deal, however we've received confirmation that Warner Bros.' games studios, IP, and content will indeed be part of the transaction. This means that Netflix would effectively acquire WB Games, however Netflix has telegraphed that it plans to keep WB's multi-division hierarchy intact, with gaming continuing to operate as its own sub-segment.

Continue reading: Netflix to acquire Warner Bros for $82 billion, includes WB Games studios and IP (full post)

NVIDIA restores 32-bit PhysX support for GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards

Kosta Andreadis | Graphics Cards | Dec 4, 2025 11:28 PM CST

When NVIDIA launched the RTX Blackwell-powered GeForce RTX 50 Series earlier this year, it was discovered that the company quietly dropped 32-bit support for CUDA. This meant that older titles that used the company's PhysX acceleration for in-game physics offloaded the physics calculations to the CPU, significantly impacting performance.

NVIDIA restores 32-bit PhysX support for GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards

At the time, some users noted that playing a game like Borderlands 2 with PhysX enabled saw performance drop to below 60 FPS in 4K on the GeForce RTX 5090, when the RTX 4090 could easily push 120 FPS. Well, there's some good news on this front: NVIDIA has reinstated 32-bit GPU-accelerated PhysX support for select games on GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs with the latest GeForce Game Ready 591.44 WHQL driver release.

"We heard the feedback from the community, and with the launch of our new driver today, we are adding custom support for GeForce gamers' most played PhysX-accelerated games, enabling full performance on GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs, in line with our existing PhysX support on prior-generation GPUs," NVIDIA writes, confirming that it's reinstating support one game at time, with a focus on the most enduring titles from the 32-bit PhysX era.

Continue reading: NVIDIA restores 32-bit PhysX support for GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards (full post)

GeForce NOW library expands with 30 new titles, including Hogwarts Legacy

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | Dec 4, 2025 10:57 PM CST

As we head into the holiday season, NVIDIA's cloud-streaming GeForce NOW service, which lets you play with up to GeForce RTX 5080 levels of performance, is getting 30 new games this month. As GeForce NOW lets gamers play PC games they own or have access to via existing subscriptions, the list includes some classic Activision titles added to Ubisoft+ Premium, such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, and Spyro Reignited Trilogy.

GeForce NOW library expands with 30 new titles, including Hogwarts Legacy

On top of this, GeForce NOW users can link their Battle.net accounts directly to the app for an automatic single sign-on for all devices and cloud gaming sessions, with auto-login support for Xbox, Epic Games, and Ubisoft. Back to the 30 new games, 10 of those have been added this week, and the list includes some new releases like MARVEL Cosmic Invasion, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, OCTOPATH TRAVELER 0, and ROUTINE.

The GeForce RTX 5080-ready list, which includes games optimized for the new RTX 5080 pods, has also expanded to include Enshrouded and Fallout 76, which just got a major, and free, expansion this week called Burning Springs. And with that, NVIDIA is running a "Half-Price Holiday" sale until the end of the year, with 50% off the first month for Performance and Ultimate tier subscriptions.

Continue reading: GeForce NOW library expands with 30 new titles, including Hogwarts Legacy (full post)

ASRock's new motherboard supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory

Kosta Andreadis | Motherboards | Dec 4, 2025 10:03 PM CST

Here's an interesting motherboard release from ASRock that flew under the radar. The ASRock H610M COMBO (via @unikoshardware), which supports 14th, 13th, and 12th Gen Intel Core processors (LGA1700 socket), supports both DDR4 and DDR5 dual-channel memory. Unfortunately, you can't install both at the same time, but this unique board includes 2 x DDR4 and 4 x DDR5 DIMMs.

ASRock's new motherboard supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory

"Designed for versatile memory configurations, this motherboard features 4 x DDR5 and 2 x DDR4 memory slots, allowing users to choose the memory type based on their needs (not compatible for mixed installation), greatly enhancing hardware configuration flexibility," the description reads. "The maximum system memory capacity depends on the memory type: up to 96GB with DDR5, or up to 64GB with DDR4."

This compact, versatile micro-ATX board also includes multiple display outputs, including HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI-D, D-Sub, and eDP, which is impressive. On the flip side, it only includes a single PCIe Gen3 x4 M.2 slot for SSD storage, but it supports up to 12 USB devices, including two USB 3.2 Gen2 ports on the rear, one of which is Type-C.

Continue reading: ASRock's new motherboard supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory (full post)

Apple's new iPhone Air: highest depreciation of the iPhone since 2022, value spirals by 47.7%

Anthony Garreffa | Mobile Devices | Dec 4, 2025 9:09 PM CST

Apple's new iPhone Air has the highest level of depreciation of an iPhone in the last three years, with almost no demand for the iPhone 17 and production lowered, with the latest depreciation seeing 47.7% of its value wiped in the 10 weeks since the iPhone Air launched.

Apple's new iPhone Air: highest depreciation of the iPhone since 2022, value spirals by 47.7%

In some new data from SellCell, the entire family of iPhone 17 smartphones from Apple is averaging 34.6% depreciation in 10 weeks, beating out the iPhone 16 and iPhone 14 series, which dropped 39% and 36.6%, respectively, in their first 10 weeks from launch.

The iPhone 15 series has the best resale value of the last few years of iPhones, losing 31.9% value in the same 10 week period.

Continue reading: Apple's new iPhone Air: highest depreciation of the iPhone since 2022, value spirals by 47.7% (full post)

GeForce Game Ready Driver 591.44 WHQL released, fixes the recent Windows 11 performance bug

Kosta Andreadis | Graphics Cards | Dec 4, 2025 8:33 PM CST

GeForce Game Ready Driver 591.44 WHQL is here, adding new game support for the Battlefield 6: Winter Offensive update and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, which both feature DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation. Although Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 support was included in the previous driver release, this update improves the fidelity of DLSS Ray Reconstruction when ray-traced lighting is enabled.

GeForce Game Ready Driver 591.44 WHQL released, fixes the recent Windows 11 performance bug

But even if you're not playing either of these games, it's a critical driver release for Windows 11 users as it fixes a Microsoft bug that tanks performance in some games by up to 50%. This issue was recently resolved in a hot fix driver release and has now been included in the official WHQL branch available for download from NVIDIA's main GeForce driver hub or via the NVIDIA App.

Per the full release notes, this new driver fixes the issue where "Users running R580 branch drivers (58x.xx) or newer may observe lower performance in some games after updating to Windows 11 October 2025 KB5066835." The new driver fixes several issues affecting game performance and reinstates 32-bit GPU-accelerated PhysX support for the new GeForce RTX 50 Series.

Continue reading: GeForce Game Ready Driver 591.44 WHQL released, fixes the recent Windows 11 performance bug (full post)

Apple's high-end C-suite exodus: AI boss, US design lead, policy boss, general counsel OUT

Anthony Garreffa | Business, Financial & Legal | Dec 4, 2025 8:08 PM CST

Apple is bleeding out some of its highest-level C-suite staffers in something that's being described as a "rebellion" with four key executives announcing they were leaving the iPhone giant in the last 72 hours... but the exodus might not be over yet.

Apple's high-end C-suite exodus: AI boss, US design lead, policy boss, general counsel OUT

Earlier this week, Apple's AI czar, John Giannandrea, was terminated on Monday and replaced with Amar Subramanya from Microsoft. Just a couple of days later, Apple's UI design boss, Alan Dye, was poached by Meta on Wednesday. Dye had been working on UI design at Apple since 2015, working on iconic designs including the iPhone X, watchOS, and the pill-shaped Dynamic Island on the last few iPhones.

Dye was the lead behind Liquid Glass for iOS 26, and the dedicated interface for the Vision Pro headset that computes spatial interactions. The C-suite exodus for Apple didn't stop, with the company announcing its general counsel, Kat Adams, and its vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives, Lisa Jackson, are leaving the company soon.

Continue reading: Apple's high-end C-suite exodus: AI boss, US design lead, policy boss, general counsel OUT (full post)

Radeon RX 9000 Series price increases confirmed, second price increase coming January 2026

Kosta Andreadis | Graphics Cards | Dec 4, 2025 7:35 PM CST

According to a new report from Tom's Hardware, citing an industry source, AMD has increased the prices of its Radeon graphics cards for the US market. AMD's AIB partners are now spending $10 more per 8GB of VRAM for GPU and memory kits, with these costs expected to be passed on to consumers.

Radeon RX 9000 Series price increases confirmed, second price increase coming January 2026

For AMD's current RDNA 4-powered Radeon RX 9000 Series, this could see the MSRP for most models increase by $20. With this price increase, the flagship Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB will see its $599 MSRP increase to $619, the Radeon RX 9070 16GB will see its $549 price increase to $569, the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB will see its $349 price increase to $369, and the Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB will see its $299 price increase to $309.

AMD's Radeon graphics cards all use GDDR6 memory, and with the current crisis, the cost of obtaining modules for its consumer-focused GPUs has increased dramatically. Although the report doesn't specify a reason for the price increase, at this point it's almost self-evident.

Continue reading: Radeon RX 9000 Series price increases confirmed, second price increase coming January 2026 (full post)

Redditor orders RTX 5080 for $1200, gets a box of rocks instead: Best Buy won't refund it

Anthony Garreffa | Graphics Cards | Dec 4, 2025 7:07 PM CST

A user on Reddit has said that he purchased a new ASUS TUF GeForce RTX 5080 graphics card through Best Buy on November 25, but all he got was a box of rocks instead... and even worse, Best Buy has totally fumbled in its response and "investigation" denying a refund or replacement of the $1200 order.

Redditor orders RTX 5080 for $1200, gets a box of rocks instead: Best Buy won't refund it

In a new post on Reddit from u/GnarDead an unfortunate user ordered his RTX 5080 on 11/25, but when he received it a few days later, says he was "blown away by how irresponsibly this thing was shipped". He explained that the shipping labels were "just slapped" on the retail packaging, no generic brown box to conceal the item, and the seal itself was "clearly tampered with". Inside, there were 4 rocks where his new RTX 5080 GPU should've been.

The Redditor says that he filed a claim through Best Buy customer service within an hour of receiving his $1200 package filled with rocks, and was told by Best Buy staff that he would be getting a replacement. But fast forward to December 2 -- a week later now -- and he just got an email from Best Buy saying that it wouldn't be replacing or refunding the $1200 order after their "investigation".

Continue reading: Redditor orders RTX 5080 for $1200, gets a box of rocks instead: Best Buy won't refund it (full post)

SEGA to 'proceed carefully' with AI use, admits gen AI faces 'strong resistance' from creatives

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Dec 4, 2025 6:36 PM CST

SEGA is exploring the use of AI in game development to help optimize and streamline workflows, but the company may not be ready to commit to generative AI just yet.

SEGA to 'proceed carefully' with AI use, admits gen AI faces 'strong resistance' from creatives

Gen AI is here, and games companies are using it in the hopes of reducing costs. Ubisoft, for example, is gung-ho about the new tech, with CEO Yves Guillemot hailing it as the next major revolution after 3D graphics. EA is also using gen AI in its experimental ChatGPT-like prompts, and Microsoft has provided tools like inWorld's gen AI and its own in-house CoPilot to its game developers. Then we have Krafton, the owners of PUBG, saying that they are now an AI-first company.

SEGA, on the other hand, isn't fully committing to AI just yet...generative or otherwise. In a recent Q&A with investors, SEGA's leadership says AI could offer efficiencies but they also recognize that the technology faces staunch push-back from creatives. Their approach is one of caution, and rightly so, considering SEGA relies strongly on outsourced content production from third-party "work-for-hire" groups. Rocking the boat and antagonizing your workforce is never a good idea, and becomes a much worse prospect when those workers are fickle creatives.

Continue reading: SEGA to 'proceed carefully' with AI use, admits gen AI faces 'strong resistance' from creatives (full post)

Chieftec's new compact case called The Cube looks like a subwoofer

Kosta Andreadis | Cases, Cooling & PSU | Dec 4, 2025 6:02 PM CST

Chieftec's new compact mATX case called The Cube (CI-03B-OP) looks like a home theater subwoofer, and that's by design. The company notes that The Cube's "Hi-Fi-inspired style" is intended to blend into a modern home, whether on a desk or in a living room. The speaker-like mesh on the front actually covers a single large 200mm pre-installed PWM fan for air intake.

Chieftec's new compact case called The Cube looks like a subwoofer

Inside the case, the motherboard sits flat with support for CPU coolers up to 160mm in height, radiators up to 240mm in length, and GPU graphics cards up to 335mm in length. There's definitely enough room and airflow in The Cube to put together a decent gaming or productivity rig, and the case's overall look definitely stands out among other mATX options.

The Cube has also been designed to make accessing components and the building process straightforward, with the case folding open once you remove the side panels. Inside, there's also room for two 3.5" HDDs and two 2.5" SSDs, so it's one of the more spacious compact cases out there. Here's a look at the specs.

Continue reading: Chieftec's new compact case called The Cube looks like a subwoofer (full post)

Sony and Bungie settle Marathon stolen art fiasco with original creator

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Dec 4, 2025 5:35 PM CST

Marathon's stolen art controversy has officially been settled ahead of the shooter's upcoming planned launch.

Sony and Bungie settle Marathon stolen art fiasco with original creator

Back in May, Bungie was caught by serious allegations of art theft. Creator Antireal alleged that Marathon used artwork that they created way back in 2017, and Bungie later admitted to the wrongdoing. Now the issue has been solved amicably, potentially by a payout from Bungie and/or Sony themselves.

"The Marathon art issue has been resolved with Bungie and Sony Interactive Entertainment to my satisfaction," Antireal wrote on Twitter.

Continue reading: Sony and Bungie settle Marathon stolen art fiasco with original creator (full post)

BioShock creator Ken Levine reveals key narrative beats on Judas, his new sci-fi FPS

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Dec 4, 2025 4:34 PM CST

The latest dev log for Judas reveals the game's core design philosophy, giving players a better idea on what to expect from the new reactive shooter.

BioShock creator Ken Levine reveals key narrative beats on Judas, his new sci-fi FPS

It's been 12 years since BioShock Infinite released, and since then, franchise creator Ken Levine has been slowly putting together his vision for his next game, Judas. It wasn't so long ago that we didn't know anything about the project, but in recent years, Levine's new studio Ghost Story Games has been putting out some surprisingly substantial development logs that highlight things like themes, characters, and the main ethos of Judas.

The most recent log is no exception. In Judas' second update, Ghost Story says that they've created a more automated system for dynamic environments, one that can tailor-make specific areas based on the story and/or the decisions that players make. There's extensive discussion of Judas' main floating starship-city, The Mayflower, and how it'll be layered like an onion with tons of things to uncover and explore--all while changing over time.

Continue reading: BioShock creator Ken Levine reveals key narrative beats on Judas, his new sci-fi FPS (full post)

SEGA to use transmedia, licensing to soften the blow from any sales misses

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Dec 4, 2025 3:33 PM CST

SEGA investors pressure executives about the volatility of the games market, seeking clarification on risk. Management responds with a quick rundown of how transmedia can be used to help counter unsuccessful games.

SEGA to use transmedia, licensing to soften the blow from any sales misses

The games industry is quite chaotic right now, and SEGA's shareholders have taken notice, offering up some tough questions for the top brass. In a recent Q&A, SEGA investors ask the company's executive management about the wild ups and downs with video game sales, especially those that have consistently reviewed well. Why isn't SEGA able to consistently sell more games?

The questions set forth to SEGA are somewhat biting, but rightly so, as these investors expect returns. Management provided an interesting response that widens the lens of SEGA's total business and how its non-interactive content can actually act as a safeguard against volatility.

Continue reading: SEGA to use transmedia, licensing to soften the blow from any sales misses (full post)

PlayStation to produce and publish new co-op shooter from Left 4 Dead creator

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Dec 4, 2025 2:32 PM CST

Sony has announced that its PlayStation games division will help create and publish a new live service shooter from a well-known industry creative, but the game may not be coming to Xbox.

PlayStation to produce and publish new co-op shooter from Left 4 Dead creator

Sony is teaming up with JJ Abrams' Bad Robot Games label to launch a brand new four-player shooter. The game will be directed by original Left 4 Dead creator Mike Booth, and while no exact details were revealed other than the game will be a co-op shooter with unforgettable gameplay, gamers might be able to expect the same kind of frenetic anything-can-happen action that was in the original Left 4 Dead from Valve and Turtle Rock.

"With the support of PlayStation, we hope to deliver a bold, innovative experience that is truly special for players. I could not be more excited that Mike Booth is at the creative helm, crafting a cooperative adventure that will lead to unforgettable moments with friends,"said Bad Robot Games CEO Anna Sweet.

Continue reading: PlayStation to produce and publish new co-op shooter from Left 4 Dead creator (full post)

Newsletter Subscription