LG previously announced it would integrate Microsoft Copilot into its webOS platform for its TV lineup. Still, there hasn't been any indication of when this might happen. However, if, like us, you've got one of LG's impressive OLED TVs, you might have noticed that Microsoft Copilot has been added to the app lineup as part of a recent webOS update that rolled out globally last week.

As spotted by 'defjam16' on the aptly-titled 'mildlyinfuriating' thread on Reddit, a Microsoft Copilot app is not only automatically installed as part of the latest webOS update, but it can't be removed. This is something we've verified, but we've also noticed that the Copilot app simply opens a browser interface so you can interact with the AI assistant.

Naturally, a new app you can't remove (and a Microsoft AI one at that) has been met with backlash from several LG TV owners, who wonder why Copilot is showing up next to the apps they actually use, like Netflix and YouTube.

Samsung Foundry is reportedly close to securing a deal to fab Intel 8nm PCH chips, which would be another important semiconductor contract win for the South Korean giant.

In a new report from Korean media outlet Hankyung picked up by analyst @Jukan on X, we're hearing that Samsung Foundry is "on the verge" of securing an order for Intel's 8nm chips (PCH or Platform Controller Hub). Full-scale production is expected to kick off next year, with the PCH being a semiconductor that supports the CPU by handling functions like information input/output and device controls inside of computers including PCs and servers.

Intel has reportedly migrated (scaled down) the PCH -- previously fabbed at Samsung's 14nm foundry lines in Austin, Texas -- to an 8nm process, deciding to trust Samsung with semiconductor production again. Samsung Foundry's 8nm production line located in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, so PCH production would take place on South Korean soil once again.

We knew it was coming, but no one knows how much and how bad it'll be... but Japanese gamers have noticed that the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti has gone up in price by $100 this week alone.

Most people are worried about the out-of-control DRAM shortage skyrocketing DDR5 memory prices, but the DRAM shortage also hurts anything with DRAM chips -- GDDR6 and GDDR7 memory included -- with multiple sources noticing it impacting the price of NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5070 graphics cards in Japan.

Gazlog reports that the RTX 5070 series is sharply rising in price across Japan, where it normally sells below MSRP. NVIDIA launched the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti at 148,800 Yen, but started selling for 126,000 Yen after a couple of months on the market. However, at 126,000 Yen, it makes the RTX 5070 Ti more expensive compared to the MSRP in the US. The RTX 5070 dropped to 82,000 Yen after its launch, after hitting the market in Japan for 108,000 Yen.

It's like every day is a "here we go again" day... and today we're reporting on the fact that out-of-control DRAM prices are forcing smartphone makers to re-think their 2026 plans, as the bill of materials (BOM) could increase by 25% according to the latest reports.

It was barely 24 hours ago that I reported that the return of 4GB of RAM in smartphones will be upon us in 2026, as well as the return of microSD expansion in upcoming smartphones, but with the BoM (Bill of Materials) rising 25%, then it just underscores that fact.

In a new report from Counterpoint Research, low-end, mid-range, and high-end smartphone BoM costs will be increasing 25%, 15% and 10%, respectively. It looks like Chinese OEMs will be hurt the most, with Apple and Samsung faring a little better.

I didn't think we'd be at the point of DDR5 RAM scams, but here we are: someone purchased an ADATA XPG DDR5 memory kit from Amazon, sealed... but inside, they were counterfeit DDR2 memory sticks.

The folks over at VideoCardz had a reader tell them they purchased the last 4 units of ADATA XPG Caster 32GB DDR5-6400 CL40 memory from Amazon Spain, with three of the kits arriving first and then the fourth a few days later. The tracking on the shipment showed they were coming from Ireland, with one of the kits resold, and another installed and working normally.

However, things changed when the user opened up the third kit, with the box still wrapped in plastic and looking like a regular DDR5 memory kit from the outside. However, inside of the package were older DDR and DDR2 memory modules with counterfeit stickers that resembled a DDR5 heatsink label, as well as a metal plate that was most likely placed there to fake the expected weight of the package.

GIGABYTE has officially released its AORUS RTX 5060 Ti AI BOX featuring a fast Thunderbolt 5 port, and desktop RTX 5060 Ti 16GB GPU inside.

The main feature with the new AORUS RTX 5060 Ti AI BOX is the Thunderbolt 5 port, with GIGABYTE including support for Thunderbolt 5 daisy chaining, with the same cable used for charging with USB PD 3.0 rated for up to 100W to the connected laptop.

GIGABYTE is marketing the AORUS RTX 5060 Ti AI BOX as more than just an external GPU enclosure, with the Thunderbolt 5 port joined by 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports as well as Ethernet.

Thunderobot will unveil its new flagship ZERO Air gaming laptop at CES 2026 in just over two weeks' time, powered by Intel's next-gen Core Ultra 300 series "Panther Lake" CPU.

In a new teaser video posted this week, Thunderobot's 2026 flagship "AI gaming" laptop will feature an Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processor in its new 16-inch ZERO Air gaming laptop. The trailer teases that Thunderobot's upcoming ZERO Air will be one of the first portable devices powered by the new Panther Lake CPUs from Intel, combined with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Laptop GPUs.

Thunderobot's CES 2026 teaser describes the upcoming ZERO Air gaming laptop: "A machine? Not anymore. This is the awakening of a new era in gaming AI". Personally, I'm absolutely not a fan of putting "AI" on anything near gaming, but CES 2026 is going to be absolutely full of it... Thunderobot won't be the only ones, they'll be one of many with "something AI".

Samsung has denied the recent rumors that it was planning to phase out its SATA SSDs, which hopefully makes consumers feel a little bit better in this topsy-turvy world of skyrocketing RAM and SSD prices.

In an exclusive statement with our friends over at Wccftech, a Samsung representative said: "the rumor regarding the phasing out of Samsung SATA or other SSDs is false".

As one of the largest NAND producers on the planet, it makes Samsung one of the biggest SSD supply chain champions, so the rumors that it was halting its SATA SSD production had some people very concerned, and rightfully so.

Sitting down with Hardware Unboxed in a new long-form video interview, Sapphire's PR Manager, Edward Crisler, talked about a wide range of topics related to graphics cards. Sapphire, after all, is one of AMD's key AIB partners for Radeon GPUs, and one of the key components of a modern graphics card is VRAM. And amid the current memory and DRAM crisis, we've already heard that GPU prices for Radeon cards are set to increase further throughout 2026.

With several industry insiders and analysts predicting that the DRAM crisis will last until 2028 and that the situation for consumer-facing tech like PCs, laptops, smartphones, and other gear like GPUs is pretty dire, Sapphire's Edward Crisler has a different take. A more optimistic one than we've been hearing of late.

First, he acknowledges that there's a "lot of uncertainty taking place in the market" right now, and that current shortages are affecting DDR5 memory kit pricing and leading to panic buying for all PC gaming hardware - GPUs included. Edward Crisler adds that this "uncertainty" will "hurt gamers for six months." After that? Well, he believes that within the next six to eight months "the market will start to stabilize."

The Fallout Season 2 premiere has been brought forward to December 16, so fans of the game and TV series will get to experience a fresh take on the franchise's iconic New Vegas location sooner than expected. And even though sitting down to watch the new season of Fallout with a bottle of Nuka Cola sounds like the perfect evening, Bethesda has partnered with Corsair, Elgato, and Drop to offer the next best thing - a bunch of new Nuka Cola-branded hardware.

The lineup includes a complete setup of gear with designs inspired by the "taste sensation that swept the Fallout nation," Nuka Cola. This means you're getting a lot of bright reds with the Nuka Cola branding and artwork seen in the game and TV series, which itself is a riff on the real-world king of cola-flavored beverages, Coke.

The collection includes award-winning hardware such as the CORSAIR HS80 RGB Wireless Gaming Headset, the Elgato Wave:3 microphone, the Drop CSTM80 Mechanical Keyboard, and more. With desk mats, microphone boom arms, and a custom Stream Deck, the whole collection would no doubt turn any gaming setup into a Nuka Cola shrine.

As far as game development and gaming are concerned, AI is well and truly here. From AI tools like DLSS and FSR used to enhance image quality and performance, to generative AI used to speed up development, ideation, art, design, and coding. Now, when it comes to the world of fake AI videos that take popular things to generate interest (or clicks), the term "AI slop" is used as a catch-all for everything.

And even though the consensus is that generative AI being used liberally for any form of entertainment, be it movies, music, or games, is bad, here's an interesting one. YouTube creator Aillusory has posted a new video titled 'The Witcher 3, but it's AI slop - Reimagined by AI.' The goal here was to capture cinematic and gameplay footage from CD Projekt Red's The Witcher 3 and then use AI to remaster and "reimagine" the game with new photorealistic visuals.

And here's the thing: aside from the odd-looking (read, AI-looking) character and facial animations, the results are pretty impressive. Especially when it comes to the lighting and environment detail, with several of the game's iconic locations taking on a definite 'photorealistic' quality.

ASUS has quietly revamped the design of its Dual Series graphics cards for the GeForce RTX 5060 Series. Covering RTX 5060 and RTX 5060 Ti models, the new 'EVO' models offer a slimmer 2.1-slot design for small-form-factor builds, alongside a simpler dual-fan look that does away with the two-tone transparent finish of earlier GeForce RTX 50 Series DUAL designs.

The new models are available in four models, covering OC and non-OC variants, and they are: the ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 EVO 8GB, ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 EVO OC Edition 8GB, ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 Ti EVO 16GB, and ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 5060 Ti EVO OC Edition 16GB. Interestingly, these new EVO designs are skipping the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB variants, which makes sense as the RTX 5060 Ti 8GB are mostly being sold as part of pre-built systems.

Another notable design change with these new EVO graphics cards is that the single 8-pin power connector for all four models is now located on the left side of the GPU, close to the stainless steel bracket. This is an unusual choice and not something that you usually find.

Corsair's XENEON EDGE 14.5″ LCD Touchscreen is a versatile second screen with a five-point capacitive multi-touch touchscreen, 2560x720 native resolution, and a 60 Hz refresh rate. With the XENEON EDGE's USB Type-C with DisplayPort Alt Mod, full-sized HDMI port, and its ability to sit on your desk, next to your display, or in your PC case, it's no wonder the portable display sold out almost immediately when it debuted earlier this year.

In fact, the Corsair XENEON EDGE has quickly become an incredibly popular add-on thanks to its ability to serve as a second display for real-time monitoring of PC hardware like CPUs, GPUs, cooling, and storage, as well as a dedicated, compact window for communication apps or as a dedicated window for the Virtual Stream Deck. With its AHVA panel optimized for text and images, and its wide viewing angle, clarity is one of the XENEON EDGE's key features.

And now we can add multiple colorways to the list, as Corsair has announced it's releasing two new variants: Atomic Purple and White. "These finishes give PC builders, enthusiasts, and creators more ways to personalize their setups while retaining the same compact, versatile display that has become a favorite for system monitoring and customization," Corsair writes in the announcement.

GOG has introduced Patrons, a new $5 monthly subscription that helps fund games preservation.

CD Projekt Group's GOG storefront has announced its own Patreon-like support system that allows gamers to directly contribute to helping permanently secure classic PC games. GOG Patrons is a subscription where users pay $5 a month to help boost the budget to preserve more old-school digital games.

So...why charge money? Doesn't CD Projekt already make a ton of money? While the publisher does make hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue a year, GOG is an ancillary, loss-leading part of the business. GOG, which stands for Good Old Games, will buy the rights to original versions of legacy PC games to resell on their storefront.

Nintendo's shares have dropped 10% from December's trading high as the company once again faces the dreaded combination of component shortages and rising costs.

Nintendo's aspirations for the Switch 2 could be stymied throughout 2026, leading to hardware production disruptions and potentially even price hikes for consumers.

New reports from Bloomberg indicate that Nintendo is now paying more money to secure parts for its Switch 2 system. Data from TrendForce suggests that Nintendo is now paying 41% more for the memory chips used in the handheld-console; the Switch 2 uses 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM, split evenly across 2x 6GB modules from Micron.

Season 2 of the Fallout TV show premieres tomorrow, and Bethesda is ready to capitalize on the series with a bunch of paid digital products and updates in its slew of Fallout games.

Xbox is being pressured by Microsoft to deliver 30% margins, and ZeniMax, while a limited integration company, is still technically part of the overall Xbox brand. Bethesda has some of the most enduring games franchises, and Fallout in particular has been cracked open in the hopes of exploiting the new Fallout TV show.

Bethesda has readied a multitude of Fallout games, content, and buyable products in the hopes of capitalizing off of Fallout season 2's momentum; Fallout 76 got the Burning Springs update, there's a new Fallout 4 re-release being sold for $60, and even a $155 anniversary bundle for a 15-year-old game. Now the studio is adding a paid $10 season pass into Fallout Shelter with a New Vegas-themed update.

You want a PC game that's 100% been created by AI? No, neither do I, but we've got one, and it's a bullet hell roguelite called Codex Mortis.

PC Gamer picked up on the game, which is still under development, but it's on Steam and there's a demo of Codex Mortis available if you dare to try it.

In a press release, the developer (Crunchfest) states: "Crunchfest today released the playable demo for Codex Mortis, a necromantic survival bullet hell that makes gaming history as the first 100% AI-generated playable game. Plan your build, combine spells into synergies, and watch the battlefield erupt in beautiful chaos. The demo is available now on Steam for solo or local co-op play."

NVIDIA's RTX 3060 is finally going to sell through entirely likely later this month, after Team Green pulled the plug on the graphics card some time ago.

VideoCardz highlighted a post on the Board Channels, a source of a lot of hardware rumors in China - but one that should be regarded with some caution - insists that time has been called on the RTX 3060.

We're told that board manufacturers including ASUS, Colorful, Galax, GIGABYTE and MSI cleared their remaining RTX 3060 supply in September and October, with Zotac being the only player with a meaningful level of stock left after that - and that went dry in November.

When the mainstream and entry-level Intel Arc B580 launched in December 2024, we were all expecting to see the flagship mid-range Intel Arc B770 sometime this year. There have been several rumors pointing to a potential 'Big Battlemage' launch throughout this year, and just when we were about to lose hope, Intel updated its VTune Profiler performance analysis tool, adding support for the BMG-G31 GPU, which is the chip that will power the Intel Arc B770 or an AI-focused workstation equivalent.

Throw in shipping manifests detailing brackets and parts for a new desktop graphics card, similar to what we saw before the Intel Arc B580's launch, and you could say that the chances of getting an imminent announcement or a CES 2026 reveal are pretty good. Especially now that the official Intel Gaming account on the social media platform X responded to a fan who got excited about upcoming Intel architectures and technologies.

The post, which has since been deleted, basically name-dropped the B770, Panther Lake, and Nova Lake as exciting technologies on the horizon. In response, Intel Gaming opened with, "We're thrilled to hear you're pumped about the B770." Which would be a strange thing to say if there was no plan to release an Intel Arc B770 GPU with the BMG-G31 chip.

Recently, Microsoft posted a rather lengthy blog post covering all the advances in PC gaming on Windows devices this year, while providing some information on what's in store for the future. With Windows 11 widely regarded as a bottleneck standing in the way of optimized performance, the good news is that one of the key things it's focusing on is fixing that with improved "background workload management, power and scheduling improvements, graphics stack optimizations," and more.

Now, one of the reasons Microsoft is actively looking to improve Windows 11 as a platform for PC gaming with more urgency than we've seen in recent years comes down to the company's push into the portable PC gaming handheld space with the ROG Xbox Ally and the rumors that the next-gen Xbox console is set to be a PC-hybrid device. This is why the Xbox Full Screen Experience is now available for everyone to try out. Xbox is slowly becoming a part of Windows.

And early next year, the company is set to release a new OS-level feature designed to benefit handhelds like the ROG Xbox Ally X. It's called Auto SR, and it's an AI-powered upscaling solution that is very different from DLSS or even FSR.