Learn about how TweakTown tests and reviews hardware. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. TweakTown may also earn commissions from other affiliate partners at no extra cost to you.

Stay Updated

Follow TweakTown for breaking tech news, reviews, and daily updates.

Add TweakTown as a preferred source on GoogleFind TweakTown on Apple News

The GodView Tech smart glasses are a wearable 5K big screen TV

Kevin Carbotte | Extended Reality (XR) | Nov 9, 2020 9:30 PM CST

GodView Tech is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to fund the production of its GodView 5K AR/MR smart glasses, which are compatible with any device that supports HDMI or video of USB Type-C.

The GodView Tech smart glasses are a wearable 5K big screen TV

GodView Tech launched its Kickstarter campaign on October 28, and within 30 minutes, the company had pulled in the $5000 it needed to complete the project. The campaign has since gone on to raise more than $160,000, so it's fair to say people are excited about the GodView smart glasses. Given the specifications, it's not hard to see why.

The GodView Smartglasses offer an extremely high resolution for an augmented reality device. Top-end hardware like the Microsoft Hololens 2 and Magic Leap One offer 2K and 2.5K resolution, respectively. GodView Tech claims its headset produces a 5K resolution projected display.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: The GodView Tech smart glasses are a wearable 5K big screen TV (full post)

bHaptics TactSuit X haptic feedback vests for immersive VR gaming

Kevin Carbotte | Extended Reality (XR) | Nov 9, 2020 8:45 PM CST

bHaptics today revealed a pair of haptic feedback vests that are sure to bring an extra level of immersion to your VR gaming experience. The company is taking pre-orders now, with delivery expected before the holidays.

bHaptics TactSuit X haptic feedback vests for immersive VR gaming

bHaptics' TactSuit X series comes in two flavours. The TactSuit X16 is the entry-level option. It features 16 ERM vibration motors, with eight on the back and eight on the vest's front. The X16 comes equipped with a 4900mAh battery, which gives it a claimed 22hrs of playtime.

The higher-end TactSuit X40 is packed with 40 ERM motors to add more realism to the haptic response. The extra vibration motors come at a high cost on power. The battery in the X40 has twice the capacity at 9800mAh, which gets you 18hrs of playtime.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: bHaptics TactSuit X haptic feedback vests for immersive VR gaming (full post)

Watch Dogs: Legion source code leaked, comes in at 560GB

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Nov 9, 2020 7:30 PM CST

It seems that hackers have gotten their hands-on the Watch Dogs: Legion source code, with ransomware group Egregor claiming they've broken into both Ubisoft and Crytek.

Watch Dogs: Legion source code leaked, comes in at 560GB

The group threatened the release of the Watch Dogs: Legion source code, saying: "Guys, if the goal of the last mission in your game about hackers was the hack of your company, we've done it". Ubisoft has told RPS that they're aware of the issue and are investigating.

But it looks like the Watch Dogs: Legion source code was leaked out, coming in as a 560GB download. I haven't looked for it, and nor will I look for it -- but I'm sure Ubisoft is working overtime trying to plug the leak -- and I'm sure without success.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Watch Dogs: Legion source code leaked, comes in at 560GB (full post)

Kioxia's new XG7 PCIe 4.0 SSDs offer over 6GB/sec reads for your PC

Anthony Garreffa | Storage | Nov 9, 2020 7:02 PM CST

Kioxia has just unveiled their new XG7 and XG7-P NVMe SSDs, filling out their PCIe 4.0-powered range of storage products with enterprise and datacenter solutions already on the market.

Kioxia's new XG7 PCIe 4.0 SSDs offer over 6GB/sec reads for your PC

The new Kioxia XG7 SSD offers at least 6.3GB/sec reads and 4.6GB/sec writes, so it might not be the very best -- but bloody hell we're talking over 6GB/sec reads. The higher-end Kioxia XG7-P drive comes in up to 2TB and 4TB capacities, while the XG7 comes in 256GB to 1TB.

Kioxia is the first to offer client-focused OEM SSDs with 4TB capacities, and should find their way into systems in 2021.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Kioxia's new XG7 PCIe 4.0 SSDs offer over 6GB/sec reads for your PC (full post)

Apex Legends hits mobile in 2021, EA 'very optimistic' on China launch

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Nov 9, 2020 6:32 PM CST

EA confirms Apex Legends will hit mobile devices sometime in its FY22 period, which extends from April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022.

Apex Legends hits mobile in 2021, EA 'very optimistic' on China launch

Apex Legends has been huge for EA's digital growth. The F2P BR routinely pulls in hundreds of millions in monetization every year since its 2019 launch, and naturally EA sees the lootbox-monetized live game as a prime candidate to tap the $77 billion mobile market. Now we finally have a release window for Apex's mobile launch.

According to EA CEO Andrew Wilson, Apex will drop on mobiles sometime in 2021--the same year it'll release on Nintendo Switch. Apex is so powerful that EA wants it making money on as many platforms as possible.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Apex Legends hits mobile in 2021, EA 'very optimistic' on China launch (full post)

Xbox Series X's WD SN530 SSD has custom ASIC to support PCIe 4.0

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Nov 9, 2020 5:54 PM CST

Today we posted up an erroneous report stating the Xbox Series X's internal SSD didn't support PCIe 4.0, and that it used a stock WD SN530 SSD. Western Digital has reached out to clarify this is wrong, and the built-in Series X SSD is in fact a customized solution that supports PCIe 4.0.

Xbox Series X's WD SN530 SSD has custom ASIC to support PCIe 4.0

(Photo credit: Modern Vintage Gamer)

According to Western Digital, the Xbox Series X's WD SN530 SSD isn't a stock OEM drive that's limited to PCIe Gen3 x4 performance. Instead, the drive has been outfitted with a special ASIC that enables both PCIe Gen3 x4 and Gen4 x2 performance, which allows for up to 3.938 GB of max throughput. For reference, the Series X targets 2.4GB/sec in uncompressed data transfers.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Xbox Series X's WD SN530 SSD has custom ASIC to support PCIe 4.0 (full post)

PlayStation 5 doesn't support native 1440p resolution output...yet?

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Nov 9, 2020 5:33 PM CST

Sony's next-gen PS5 won't support 2560 x 1440 video output for 1440p monitors...at least at launch.

PlayStation 5 doesn't support native 1440p resolution output...yet?

PS5 console reviews confirm some frustrating news for 1440p monitor owners: The console won't output at a native 1440p resolution on WQHD displays. Instead, the PS5 will revert back to 1080p 60FPS and upscale the image to 1440p. It's possible that certain monitors could push upscaled 4K if the displays allow it, but again that'll be upscaled.

Apparently the PS5 supports three resolutions at launch: 720p, 1080p, and 4K. The sweet-spot resolution isn't included, likely because the PS5 is targeting HDTVs and UHDTVs, not the kind of enthusiast monitors that PC gamers use.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: PlayStation 5 doesn't support native 1440p resolution output...yet? (full post)

Micron reveals world's first 176-layer 3D NAND flash memory

Derek Strickland | Storage | Nov 9, 2020 4:31 PM CST

Micron just unveiled the world's first 176-layer TLC NAND flash that will enable high-performance, high-capacity flash drives across consumer and enterprise markets.

Micron reveals world's first 176-layer 3D NAND flash memory

Micron's new fifth-generation 176-layer 3D NAND flash is the same height as its 64-layer memory, but packs in 2.75 times more layers in the same space--a space that's 30% smaller than today's leading flash chips. The cells are 1/5th the thickness of a sheet of paper and is ideal for mobile electronics, consumer SSDs, autonomous vehicles, and SD cards, but also have applications for data centers.

The shrink was made possible by a combination of Micron's advanced memory techniques: Its CMOS-under-array (CuA), charge-trap, and replacement-gate architectures have been used in tandem to squeeze together 176 layers of ultra-dense memory.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Micron reveals world's first 176-layer 3D NAND flash memory (full post)

EA on $69.99 next-gen game price: 'We don't know yet'

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Nov 9, 2020 2:15 PM CST

As publishers like Activision-Blizzard, Take-Two Interactive, and Sony raise next-gen PS5 and Xbox Series X game prices to $69.99, Electronic Arts isn't sure about charging more for its games..

EA on $69.99 next-gen game price: 'We don't know yet'

In a recent Q2'21 investor's call, EA dodge questions about a possible price hike for its games. The company is currently working on a number of next-gen titles including Battlefield 6, Dragon Age 4, and a new Mass Effect (other games like FIFA 22, Madden 22, and Jedi: Fallen Order 2 are also coming). These games may or may not be exclusive to next-gen consoles and offer higher-end premium experiences.

Read Also: Sony almost charged more than $70 for PS5 games

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: EA on $69.99 next-gen game price: 'We don't know yet' (full post)

PS5 8K gaming support, next-gen HDD game storage coming post-launch

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Nov 9, 2020 10:14 AM CST

Sony reveals its future plans for the PlayStation 5's post-launch evolution, and they include ambitious functionalities like 8K resolution gaming.

PS5 8K gaming support, next-gen HDD game storage coming post-launch

We've known for a long time the PlayStation 5 would support 8K gaming. But now Sony clarifies how this will actually work. At launch, the PS5 will be compatible with 8K UHDTV displays but won't actually output video signals at 8K resolution. The PS5 will only be able to push 7680 x 4320 signals with a post-launch firmware update. These same updates will allow Sony to dynamically adjust the PS5's cooling solution--including voltages and built-in fan RPM--on a per-game basis.

Another big change that Sony plans to implement is letting gamers store PS5 games onto external HDDs. At launch, PS5 next-gen games can exclusively be stored on the custom SSD. Gamers can't use their beefy external HDDs as cold storage for games. On PS5, players will not be able to store or launch next-gen games from HDDs.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: PS5 8K gaming support, next-gen HDD game storage coming post-launch (full post)

Phison second-gen E18 PCIe 4.0 SSD controller: up to 8TB at 7.4GB/sec

Anthony Garreffa | Storage | Nov 9, 2020 1:04 AM CST

We had an exclusive first-look at Phison's next-gen E18 SSD controller just a couple of weeks ago, with benchmark results pushing a huge 7.4GB/sec -- but now it's official, check it out:

Phison second-gen E18 PCIe 4.0 SSD controller: up to 8TB at 7.4GB/sec

Phison's new PS5018-E18 (E18) PCIe 4.0 controller is the industry's fastest PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD solution now, succeeding Phison's previous-gen PS5016-E16 that dropped in late 2019. The new Phison E18 SSD controller is on the newer TSMC 12nm node, too.

The new Phison E18 is the world exclusive SSD controller capable of breaching 7GB/sec reads -- right up to the new heights of 7.4GB/sec reads and up to 7GB/sec writes, with capacities of up to 8TB (!!!) and bursting through 1 million IOPS.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Phison second-gen E18 PCIe 4.0 SSD controller: up to 8TB at 7.4GB/sec (full post)

Assassin's Creed Valhalla can't hit 4K 60FPS even on GeForce RTX 3090

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Nov 9, 2020 12:24 AM CST

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is right around the corner, and you're going to need quite the gaming PC to run it... not even flagship hardware can hit 4K 60FPS on Ultra graphics.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla can't hit 4K 60FPS even on GeForce RTX 3090

GameGPU has run the built-in benchmark for Assassins Creed Valhalla on a couple of different setups, the flagship Intel Core i9-10900K processor mixed with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 graphics card. The second setup is powered by an AMD Ryzen 9 3900X processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti graphics card.

These tests were run at the 4K resolution and the highest in-game visual settings possible, with the Core i9-10900K and GeForce RTX 3090 not capable of hitting 60FPS.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Assassin's Creed Valhalla can't hit 4K 60FPS even on GeForce RTX 3090 (full post)

UK armed forces boss: 1/4 of army could be robots by the 2030s

Anthony Garreffa | Science, Space, & Robotics | Nov 8, 2020 10:19 PM CST

It looks like the UK is moving towards putting Terminators onto the battlefield, with UK armed forces head General Sir Nick Carter saying 1/4 of the UK army could be robots by the 2030s.

UK armed forces boss: 1/4 of army could be robots by the 2030s

In a recent interview with Sky News, General Sir Nick Carter explained: "I think you are going to see an armed forces that's designed for the 2030s. You won't get there overnight but that's the direction of travel".

"No, I can't spell that out, not least because decisions haven't been taken, but what I'm hinting at is that we need to be thinking about how we measure effects in a different way. I mean I suspect we can have an army of 120,000 of which 30,000 might be robots, who knows".

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: UK armed forces boss: 1/4 of army could be robots by the 2030s (full post)

Largest Tesla battery farm in southern hemisphere planned for Vic, AU

Anthony Garreffa | Science, Space, & Robotics | Nov 8, 2020 9:32 PM CST

A huge new 300-megawatt Tesla battery installation is planned for November 2021 in Victoria Australia, with the State Government pushing towards renewable energy looking forward. The new 300-megawatt Tesla battery farm is twice the size of the one an hour drive from me here in South Australia at Hornsdale, SA.

Largest Tesla battery farm in southern hemisphere planned for Vic, AU

The new Tesla battery installation will be built by French renewable energy contractor Neoen SA, and will be built at the Moorabool electricity terminal near Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The 300-megawatt battery farm will be capable of powering 500,000 homes in Victoria for around 1 hour.

Neoen SA will pay the construction costs for the battery, coming it at around $61 million ($84 million AUD) which will include operation and maintenance of the 300-megawatt Tesla battery farm.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Largest Tesla battery farm in southern hemisphere planned for Vic, AU (full post)

NBA 2K21 is a massive 120GB on the Xbox Series X/S

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Nov 8, 2020 8:32 PM CST

There's going to be countless gamers who buy NBA 2K21 for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles, but it looks like the game is going to be huge -- up to 120GB in fact.

NBA 2K21 is a massive 120GB on the Xbox Series X/S

The news is coming from a Reddit user who posted a screenshot of the official Xbox Store details for NBA 2K21, which even if it's a pre-release version of the game, should weigh in at over 121.7GB. Even if the developers make it smaller before release, it should still require 100GB+.

Now remember, the Xbox Series S might ship with 512GB of storage but it should only have around 364GB of usable space -- so between NBA 2K21 and Call of Duty, you're probably going to be out of space. The higher-end flagship Xbox Series X console has 1TB of space, so you won't have this issue -- you'll be able to install a few more games yet.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: NBA 2K21 is a massive 120GB on the Xbox Series X/S (full post)

MSI factory in China catches fire, months after CEO falls to his death

Anthony Garreffa | Business, Financial & Legal | Nov 8, 2020 7:29 PM CST

Update: MSI has released an official statement, which explains: "A fire accident occurred in MSI Baoan factory in Shenzhen on November 5th afternoon. MSI activated its emergency measures and notified the fire department to deal with it immediately. No injuries were caused and the production line was not damaged. In the future, MSI will continue to strengthen the education and training of personnel. At present, all units are operating normally. Thank you for your concern".

MSI factory in China catches fire, months after CEO falls to his death

A massive fire has broken out at one of MSI's gigantic plants in Kunshan, China -- with people posting the news to Reddit and Twitter. Check it out:

You can watch a video of the MSI factory fire in China on Reddit here, but it looks pretty serious. This news is just months after MSI CEO Charles Chiang died after falling from a building back in July 2020, and right in the middle of what is most likely MSI's busiest time ever.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: MSI factory in China catches fire, months after CEO falls to his death (full post)

Xbox Game Pass subscribers will soon get free Disney+ trials

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Nov 8, 2020 6:45 PM CST

UPDATE: Microsoft has officially confirmed a 30-day free Disney+ trial will be offered to all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. Check more details here.

Xbox Game Pass subscribers will soon get free Disney+ trials

Xbox is teasing a pretty awesome new perk for all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.

A recent Tweet from Xbox strongly hints that Disney+ subscriptions will soon be given out to all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate users. The promo will be part of the Xbox Game Pass perk system, which rewards subscribers with various offers like free trials for Spotify Premium, Discord Nitro, and a bunch of in-game cosmetics and extras.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: Xbox Game Pass subscribers will soon get free Disney+ trials (full post)

PS5 games can't be stored on external HDDs, exclusive to SSDs

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Nov 8, 2020 6:16 PM CST

UPDATE: Sony recently confirmed that PS5 games can't be stored on HDDs in a recent FAQ post:

PS5 games can't be stored on external HDDs, exclusive to SSDs

"No, players cannot transfer PS5 games to a USB drive. PS5 games must be stored on the console's internal ultra-high speed SSD for gameplay. Explorations for allowing players to store (but not play) PS5 games on a USB drive in a future update are underway."

Sony's next-gen PlayStation 5 games can only be stored on SSDs, and can't be migrated to or downloaded directly onto HDDs.

0:00 / --:--

Continue reading: PS5 games can't be stored on external HDDs, exclusive to SSDs (full post)

GTA V, Red Dead Redemption 2 are backward compatible on PS5, Series X

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Nov 8, 2020 4:18 PM CST

Red Dead Redemption 2, Grand Theft Auto V, and a handful of other classics will be playable both on the next-gen PS5 and Xbox Series X.

GTA V, Red Dead Redemption 2 are backward compatible on PS5, Series X

A bit ago, Rockstar confirmed its most-acclaimed games will be playable on next-gen hardware. Current-gen versions of Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA V will be playable, but Rockstar plans to re-release a next-gen version of GTA V in 2021. The devs didn't discuss upgrades but you can expect the games to load faster, have tighter FPS, and benefit from improved resolution on 4K displays.

Every Rockstar game that plays on Xbox One consoles will also play on Series X/S systems, including Bully, the original Red Dead Redemption, GTA San Andreas and GTA IV. Old-school PS2 classics that are currently playable on PS4 will also be playable, including GTA III, Vice City, Max Payne, and even Red Dead Revolver. L.A. Noire and the VR-ready L.A. Noire Case Files VR game will also be playable.

0:00 / 2:33

Continue reading: GTA V, Red Dead Redemption 2 are backward compatible on PS5, Series X (full post)

Newsletter Subscription