Latest Reviews & Articles
Sabrent Rocket XTRM-Q 4TB Portable SSD Review
Versatile, rugged, fast, with bus-powered portability is what Sabrent's Rocket XTRM-Q 4TB SSD is all about. Join us as we test it.
Versatile, rugged, fast, with bus-powered portability is what Sabrent's Rocket XTRM-Q 4TB SSD is all about. Join us as we test it.
We're hearing more about AMD's new mobile powerhouse "Raphael-H" processors, after previous rumors teased some details we're now hearing some more "concrete" leaks.
According to leaker Greymon55, AMD's new Rembrandt-H might be limited to just 8 cores but things will be ramping up considerably with Phoenix-H which will be made using the new Zen 4 architecture and on the new 5nm process node. AMD's codename Phoenix-H will have up to 8 cores, 16 threads, and a TDP of less than 40W.
But after that, AMD's new codename Raphael-H processor will use the same Zen 4 architecture and 5nm process node, but ramp up core counts considerably: up to 16 cores and 32 threads with a TDP of over 45W. AMD's new "Raphael" platform will be on both the desktop and laptop, upgrading to the Zen 4 architecture, new AM5 platform, DDR5 support, an integrated Navi 2-based GPU and so much more.
Continue reading: AMD Ryzen 7000 mobile CPU: 'Raphael-H' on 5nm offers 16 cores on Zen 4 (full post)
ASUS is preparing its next-gen ROG Strix SCAR 15 gaming laptop, which is rumored to be packing some serious mobile CPU and GPU grunt.
The new ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 15 gaming laptop will reportedly feature AMD's new Ryzen 9 6900HX processor, and NVIDIA's new GeForce RTX 3080 Ti graphics card, according to MyLaptopGuide. The next-gen AMD "Rembrant" CPU has been teased before, so too has NVIDIA's new mobile-geared GeForce RTX 3080 Ti.
AMD's new Ryzen 9 6900HX processor will arrive with the new Zen 3+ cores, offering 8 cores and 16 threads on the newer 6nm process node. We don't know about clock speeds, but I wouldn't expect them to be lackluster -- not when Intel is going to unleash Alder Lake mobile CPUs at the same time.
Continue reading: ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 15 laptop: Ryzen 9 6900HX CPU + RTX 3080 Ti GPU (full post)
KIOXIA announces that production availability of its EM6 Series Enterprise NVMe-oF SSDs for Ethernet Bunch of Flash (EBOF) systems.
The company is tapping Marvell's 88SN2400 NVMe-oF SSD converter controller, which converts an NVMe SSD into a dual-ported 25Gb NVMe-oF SSD, which in the words of KIOXIA "expose the entire SSD bandwidth to the network" from its EM6 Series Enterprise NVMe-oF SSDs.
KIOKIA explains: "Due to their ability to scale performance of NVMe SSDs, native NVMe-oF architectures are well-suited for applications such as artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML), high performance computing (HPC) and storage expansion".
Continue reading: KIOXIA's new EM6 Series Enterprise NVM-oF SSDs ready for EBOF systems (full post)
Halo Infinite's campaign will make Halo 5 players very happy...especially everyone who hated the Forerunners and Prometheans. Plus there's a ton of new changes to literally make the game into a never-ending Halo.
343i is taking fan feedback pretty seriously. That's why Halo Infinite will have absolutely no Promethean enemies (except for maybe those flying imp guys). Another big change is how Halo Infinite is basically an RPG, complete with level ups, weapon upgrades, and new armor.
New Game Informer content confirms how some of these systems will work. Halo Infinite is actually a lot like Far Cry with new Forward Operating Bases that can be captured by UNSC forces.
Continue reading: Halo Infinite: Super-soldier base assault, RNG loot (full post)
Bethesda's current focus goes like this: Starfield -> The Elder Scrolls VI -> Fallout 5
It's going to be a long, long time before another mainline Fallout releases from Bethesda Game Studios. In fact, the studio has about one page of plans for the sequel. Right now Bethesda is all-in on Starfield, their first major new IP in the last 25 years that will not only flex a brand new next-gen games engine, but establish data, content, and features that will power all future games from the studio.
Then after Starfield the team is going right into The Elder Scrolls VI. But what about Fallout? There's not much to say about a Fallout 5.
Continue reading: Fallout 5: Bethesda only has 'one page' of ideas ready (full post)
Microsoft is testing a new Xbox app update that allows custom folder installs and access to local files--two things that will make it easier to mod games.
With its custom folder installs and intuitive UI, Steam is traditionally the best storefront to buy games from if you want to mod them. Microsoft wants to even the odds a bit with a new Xbox PC app update.
Gamers will soon be able to choose where specific Windows Store and Game Pass games are installed on their drives, and even navigate and open local files of any game installed through Game pass on PC. The idea is giving users more access to the data that's required to mod and change up gameplay features--including heavily-modded games like Fallout 4 or Skyrim Special Edition.
Continue reading: Microsoft makes it easier to mod Game Pass and Windows Store PC games (full post)
SEGA could be the next major publisher to get into the NFT craze.
In the next five years, SEGA is prepared to spend a whopping 100 billion yen (roughly $880 million) on games development, acquisitions, and possibly new emerging tech like NFTs and blockchain.
The news was outlined in a recent Q&A session with investors: "In addition, we are considering M&A and investment in new fields such as NFT."
Continue reading: SEGA is considering investment into NFTs, other emerging technology (full post)
The Blue Blur has hit a new sales milestone since originally appearing on the scene in 1991.
After 30 years, the Sonic franchise has amassed over 1.38 billion combined game sales and downloads across premium and free-to-play games. SEGA confirmed the huge number in its latest FY2021 annual report, which catalogs sales across all of its major franchises, IPs, and game series. Sonic actually managed to grow by 240 million combined sales and downloads since last year.
The Sonic franchise remains alive and well for SEGA. The company just registered Sonic Frontiers, and more recent titles like Sonic Mania have sold tremendously on all platforms. The report also details other series like Yakuza, Virtua Fighter, Football Manager, and Total War. SEGA's biggest franchises (Sonic, Yakuza, PSO, Persona, Total War) account for roughly 40% of its yearly earnings.
Continue reading: Sonic franchise hits 1.38 billion combined sales and downloads (full post)
A new team of astronauts is heading to the International Space Station, and the launch has marked a milestone in human spaceflight history.
According to a new blog post by NASA, SpaceX Crew-3 has successfully launched and is currently in orbit - about to arrive at the International Space Station at the time of writing this. NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron, and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Matthias Maurer launched on the back of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which propelled the Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft towards the floating laboratory. The astronauts will stay aboard the ISS for six months, as per the crew that just left - more on that here.
NASA administrator Bill Nelson commented on the launch, saying, "With Raja, Thomas, Kayla and Mattias on their way to the International Space Station just days after Crew-2's return, we're seeing the power of American ingenuity right before our eyes. NASA's partnership with SpaceX is not only critical for cutting-edge research but also for international collaboration. The space station brings together nations around the world for the benefit of all. Godspeed, Crew-3 - I can't wait to see all that you accomplish."
Continue reading: NASA achieves the fastest turnaround in human spaceflight history (full post)
Astronomers have an extremely valuable opportunity to learn about the relationship between the formation of planets and moons.
Researchers used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to observe a planetary system that features a Jupiter-like exoplanet. The star at the center is called PDS 70, and a large amount of material surrounding it. This material is called a circumstellar disk. Located inside the ring of material is the Jupiter-like exoplanet, and from the data, the researchers know that the planet also has its own disk that is referred to as a circumplanetary disk.
These disks are the formation of celestial objects such as the moon and planets, and now researchers have an opportunity to watch the formation of a potential moon within this system. The researchers suspect that the amount of material that surrounds the star is enough to form three satellites that would be the size of our Moon. If you are interested in learning more about this planetary system, check out the above video that has been released onto the European Space Agency's YouTube channel.
Continue reading: Astronomers capture a first clear shot of a moon-brewing disk (full post)