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AMD releases Radeon Adrenalin 2020 20.4.2 drivers, grab them here
AMD has just released a new set of Radeon drivers which include support for both Gears Tactics, and Predator: Hunting Grounds.
The new AMD Radeon Adrenalin 2020 20.4.2 drivers include the usual bug fixes and issues being fixed up, with AMD fixing Folding@Home issues with Radeon RX Vega class graphics cards. Overwatch players get some "intermittent crash" issues when entering a game or playing for extended periods.
You can read more on the new Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition 20.4.2 drivers on AMD's website.
Continue reading: AMD releases Radeon Adrenalin 2020 20.4.2 drivers, grab them here (full post)
GTA 6's 2023 release possibly outed by Take-Two's SEC financial report
UPDATE: Take-Two tells GamesIndustry.biz the marketing spend is only for third-party games, not internally-developed titles like Grand Theft Auto 6.
Take-Two plans to spend $89 million on marketing in FY2024, which likely coincides with GTA 6's launch timing.
Take-Two's recent Form 10-K SEC filing might've inadvertently confirmed GTA 6's release window. The form shows Rockstar's parent company Take-Two Interactive plans to spend $89.2 million in Fiscal Year 2024, which indicates something big is on the way. Companies typically spend millions for big marketing pushes ahead of major new releases, and for Take-Two, it doesn't get any bigger than Grand Theft Autio.
Continue reading: GTA 6's 2023 release possibly outed by Take-Two's SEC financial report (full post)
AMD's next-gen Ryzen 6000 APU: Zen 3+ CPU, RDNA 2 GPU expected in 2022
AMD has a gigantic pipeline of products coming out over the coming years, but there is a metric boat load of new information that has just leaked through Expreview.
The new Ryzen 6000 series APUs are known as "Rembrandt" and is a massive upgrade over current APUs, where it will pack the new Zen 3+ CPU architecture, and upcoming RDNA 2 GPU architecture. We're expecting AMD to make the new Rembrandt APU on TSMC's new 6nm node (which is an optimized version of TSMC's N7).
AMD's next-gen Zen 3+ architecture will have a bunch of improvements over the current Zen 2 chips that are here, but it is the GPU side that is interesting. AMD will replace Vega GPU cores with RDNA 2 GPU cores, which will surely provide a gigantic leap in performance -- especially considering this is an APU.
Continue reading: AMD's next-gen Ryzen 6000 APU: Zen 3+ CPU, RDNA 2 GPU expected in 2022 (full post)
Haven't watched Dark on Netflix? Don't watch this Season 3 trailer
Seriously, if you haven't watched Dark on Netflix -- you really should check it out. It is a truly game-changing show, and it is so complex I don't even know how to describe it.
Anyway, it is is a suspenseful series from Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese that had a fantastic first season, and even better second season with a truly nail-biting finale. It was a mystery if season three was coming, and now we know as there is a trialer (above). If you don't want to be spoiled (like me) then don't watch it (but we both know you want to, because I do, too).
Dark's new season is called "The final cycle", with the teaser trailer above unveiling that the show's final season will be ready to binge on Netflix on June 27. For a quick TL;DR on Dark, its Wikipedia explains it (without spoilers) as: "Set in the fictitious town of Winden, Germany, Dark concerns the aftermath of a child's disappearance which exposes the secrets of, and hidden connections among, four estranged families as they slowly unravel a sinister time travel conspiracy which spans three generations. Throughout the series, Dark explores the existential implications of time and its effects upon human nature".
Continue reading: Haven't watched Dark on Netflix? Don't watch this Season 3 trailer (full post)
You can use this mod to ride your own bike in Grand Theft Auto V
If you've got the room in your gaming space as well as your own bike, you can get it rigged up for some indoor cycling -- in one of the most interesting mods I've seen for Grand Theft Auto V.
The new GTBikeV mod lets you use your real bike to ride around the virtual streets of Los Santos in Grand Theft Auto V. Not just that, but you can also do some drive by shootings and cause general havoc in the game, all while getting fit in your living room.
Makinolo, the creator of the mod, explains GTBikeV: "GTBikeV is a mod for GTA V that turns a smart bike trainer, or turbo trainer, into the game controller, making your game time actual training time. You'll have a cycling workout inmersed (sic.) in the GTA V world environment".
Continue reading: You can use this mod to ride your own bike in Grand Theft Auto V (full post)
Here's the results of Intel's new Core i9-10900K after it's delidded
Intel launched its new flagship gaming CPU in the Core i9-10900K (our review here) barely a week ago, packing 10 cores and 20 threads of Comet Lake goodness. Well, now overclocker 'der8auer' has delidded it with some interesting results. Check out his video:
He compares Intel's new Core i9-10900K processor up against some previous-gen chips in the Core i9-9900K and Core i7-8700K. All of these chips are different as well, with the 10900K being a 10C/20T chip, the 9900K is an 8C/16T chip, while the 8700K is a 6C/12T chip.
In the image above we have a comparison between the dies of the Core i9-10900K, Core i9-9900K, and the Core i7-8700K. Nerd porn, really.
Continue reading: Here's the results of Intel's new Core i9-10900K after it's delidded (full post)
Achievement Unlocked: there's now an Xbox clothing line
You probably didn't want it, but it's coming anyway: Microsoft has just unveiled its official Xbox clothing line.
The company teamed with Meta Threads on the Xbox clothing line, which has on offer: hoodies, t-shirts, joggers, and more. Not just that, but alongside the Xbox clothes we have some Minecraft, Gears of War, Forza, Halo, Sea of Thieves, Mixer, and other brands and franchises that Microsoft owns along with Xbox. Check out the entire range here.
If you want pure Xbox clothes, there's the Curvilinear Hoodie for $60, a long sleeve tee for $35, a flex tee for $25, and a bomber jacket for $80. There's a bunch of other Xbox clothes on offer here.
Continue reading: Achievement Unlocked: there's now an Xbox clothing line (full post)
Mafia II: Definitive Edition drops to 20FPS on current-gen consoles
It was just two weeks ago now when 2K Games announced its new Mafia Trilogy, a new definitive collection of their infamous crime drama franchise. While it looks absolutely stunning in its remake goodness, it's not fairing too well on consoles:
Mafia II: Definitive Edition in particular has some major issues on consoles, with the in-depth folks at Digital Foundry ripping Mafia II: Definitive Edition apart and seeing how it ticks. The Xbox One and PS4 versions of the game don't run the game at 4K -- this includes the flagship Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro consoles.
But it gets worse: the console versions of Mafia II: Definitive Edition see performance drop down to just 20FPS.
Continue reading: Mafia II: Definitive Edition drops to 20FPS on current-gen consoles (full post)
AMD's new Ryzen 9 3900XT beats Intel Core i9-10900K in this benchmark
It came out of nowhere, then we began hearing non-stop news about AMD's new Matisse Refresh and now we have some early leaked benchmark results on the purported Ryzen 9 3900XT, Ryzen 7 3800XT, and Ryzen 5 3600XT processors.
The new benchmark results are coming from CPU-monkey, which has a database with a bunch of processors and their performance numbers. AMD hasn't confirmed these Matisse Refresh CPUs, and we're looking at leaked benchmarks -- so as always, prepare your salt shakers.
As for the benchmarks we're looking at Cinebench R20 results in single-core tests, where AMD's purported Ryzen 9 3900XT beats Intel's new Core i9-10900K. But more interestingly (at least to me) is the mid-range Ryzen 5 3600XT battles the higher-end Core i9-10900 and beats it, the Core i9-10900KF and beats it, and it also beats the Core i7-10700KF and Core i7-10700 processors. What a champion.
Continue reading: AMD's new Ryzen 9 3900XT beats Intel Core i9-10900K in this benchmark (full post)
Blizzcon 2020 officially cancelled due to coronavirus
For the first time in 8 years, Blizzcon has been cancelled and won't be held at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.
Blizzard today confirmed Blizzcon 2020 isn't happening. The risks for coronavirus exposure are just too high, but we won't see any kind of digital-only stream replacement either.
"Ultimately, after considering our options, we've come to the very difficult decision to not have BlizzCon this year," Blizzard executive producer Saralyn Smith said in a blog post.
Continue reading: Blizzcon 2020 officially cancelled due to coronavirus (full post)
Cancelled Ravenholm game was basically Half-Life 2 + Left 4 Dead
A new NoClip documentary spills details about one of the coolest Half-Life games that never released.
In 2007, Arkane Studios was working on a Half-Life 2 expansion called Ravenholm. The game starred an HEV suit-wearing Adrian Shephard (yes, Shephard from Opposing Force) and had a decently playable alpha build complete with polish, lighting effects, physics systems--the works. Arkane had actually designed 9-10 mission for Ravenholm before the project was abruptly cancelled by Valve.
Ravenholm was pretty innovative and quirky in its own ways. It introduced new weapons like the nailgun, which shot spikes that could conduct electricity to solve puzzles and interact with the environment in big ways. The game had lots of physics hijinks and looks pretty damn fun. You could wreak total havoc on the environment by setting traps for enemies, for instance. There was also the charge gun, an electricity-powered gun that could be refilled by nearby electric arcs and sparks.
Continue reading: Cancelled Ravenholm game was basically Half-Life 2 + Left 4 Dead (full post)
HP announces AMD and Intel-powered EliteBook notebooks
HP has announced new notebook computers that slide into its EliteBook range, including a pair of premium machines in the x360 line, among others. The EliteBook x360 1030 G7 and the x360 1040 G7 are both premium laptops that are 6.3% smaller than the previous generation. The notebooks have 89% screen-to-body ratios, which HP claims is the highest among business convertibles.
10th generation six-core Intel Core vPro processors are under the hood for performance. HP notes that the 1040 G7 is capable of up to 29 hours of battery life per charge. Also announced in the EliteBook range is the 805 G7 and 800 G7 series machines designed for multitasking and multi-place working available with both AMD and Intel processors.
The EliteBook 800 range is offered with 13.3-, 14-, and 15.6-inch diagonal screens. The 805 Series are AMD Ryzen PRO-based systems using Radeon VEGA graphics. HP says they are the world's thinnest and lightest AMD-based mainstream business notebooks. The 800 G7 series PCs are Intel machines with 10th generation Intel Core vPro processors. HP announced the Elite c1030 Chromebook earlier this month.
Continue reading: HP announces AMD and Intel-powered EliteBook notebooks (full post)
Gamer makes custom Switch dock out of an NES
What if Nintendo sold customized Switch docks made out of old-school consoles? One modder answers the question with this nifty NES Switch dock.
Redditor and skilled modder IMOKRUOK created their very own Switch dock out of an old-school Nintendo Entertainment System, adding some much-needed style to the console-handheld hybrid's charging/video-out station. The dock itself is made out of an actual NES shell, but the internals have been scooped out and replaced with the Switch's internal dock PCB. There's a push panel at the top to protect the USB-C connector when it's not docked, and the NES even lights up when the system is slotted in.
There's even USB extenders that plug up to the NES' controller ports for extra peripherals. Plus the buttons actually work and you can press them to turn the dock on and off. Check out this gallery of images to see how the dock was built.
Continue reading: Gamer makes custom Switch dock out of an NES (full post)
Fujitsu launches new enterprise notebooks aimed at remote workers
Fujitsu has announced the launch of new notebooks in the LIFEBOOK range. The LIFEBOOK U Series mobile PCs include the 13.3 inch U7310/D, the 14-inch LIFEBOOK U7410/D, and the 15.6-inch U7510/D. All of the notebooks are easy to maintain and feature replaceable batteries.
The machines also feature a new privacy camera shutter function to cover the camera lens, preventing any unauthorized access physically. Fujitsu also offers a pair of notebooks, including the U9310/D and the convertible U9310X/D, that are ultra-portable PCs. The convertible machine features a 360-degree LCD screen and supports pen input. All of the new models support the latest 10th generation Intel processors.
Optional Secured-core models offer protection from unauthorized external access to the BIOS and firmware. Fujitsu also provides the LIFEBOOK E/A series that includes the 14.0-inch LIFEBOOK E5410/D, as well as 15.6-inch models LIFEBOOK E5510/D, LIFEBOOK A7510/D and LIFEBOOK A5510/D. All of those models also utilize 10th generation Intel processors and can be fitted with up to 64 GB of RAM. Machines also have an option for up to 512 GB of encrypted flash storage and support Wi-Fi 6.
Continue reading: Fujitsu launches new enterprise notebooks aimed at remote workers (full post)
OnePlus teams up Epic Games on first-ever 90FPS Fortnite on smartphone
It's not that hard to run Fortnite at 90FPS on the PC even at 1080p on a mid-range graphics card, but on a smartphone? It's a growing trend that the gaming smartphone companies like ASUS and Razer have been doing, thanks to Qualcomm's continued push in SoC tech with its Snapdragon range of processors.
But now OnePlus is joining the group -- with the flagship OnePlus 8 smartphone now capable of running Fortnite at 90FPS. The OnePlus 8 smartphone packs a flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, as well as a display that can pump away at 90Hz.
OnePlus worked with Epic Games in order to balance the optimizations needed for the OnePlus-specific build of Fortnite, with GameSpot getting an exclusive look at the Unreal Engine-powered battle royale champion running at 90FPS on the flagship OnePlus 8 smartphone.
Continue reading: OnePlus teams up Epic Games on first-ever 90FPS Fortnite on smartphone (full post)
Astronomers find a donut shaped galaxy that they've never seen before
Being an astronomer means you sometimes find things in space that you or no one else has ever seen before.
In a new paper published in Nature Astronomers details one of those findings, and funnily enough, the finding is a galaxy that is shaped like a donut. This galaxy is called R5519, and astronomers estimated that its distance is 11 billion light-years away, which means what we are observing happened 11 billion years ago. According to Dr. Tiantian Yuan, lead author of the study, "It is a very curious object that we've never seen before. It looks strange and familiar at the same time."
So what is this galaxy doing exactly? Well, researchers believe that it's working like a star factory, but its producing stars at a rate that's 50 times greater than our Milky Way galaxy. Researchers also believe that this galaxy formed differently than a typical galaxy, which is usually when a galaxy forms on its own without any outside influence. In the instance of R5519, researchers believe that this galaxy is a "collisional ring galaxy".
Continue reading: Astronomers find a donut shaped galaxy that they've never seen before (full post)
Here's when Heavy Rain, Detroit: Become Human will arrive on Steam
Quantic Dream unleashed their games onto the Epic Games Store not too long ago, but now it's time to release their games on Valve's digital storefront: Steam.
Detroit: Become Human, Heavy Rain, and Beyond: Two Souls will all drop on Steam on June 18 -- with demos to all 3 of those games available right now on Steam with some links below. The games were originally released as PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 exclusives, but now Quantic Dream is giving PC gamers the chance to play their games -- as the developer shifts into making multiplatform games.
The developer has received "tremendous" reception from teh PC gaming community following the news that it would be making their games available on the PC. You can read more about that here.
Continue reading: Here's when Heavy Rain, Detroit: Become Human will arrive on Steam (full post)
Linux creator ditches Intel, moves over to AMD Ryzen Threadripper CPU
AMD came in like a wrecking ball with its Ryzen Threadripper a few years ago now, but the legendary creator of Linux -- Linus Torvalds -- has just shifted over to that Zen goodness.
Linus Torvalds is upgrading his main machine for the first time in 15 years, and in some very interesting news, Torvalds has moved away from using an Intel CPU. Torvalds has upgraded to a new AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X processor, the first time in 15 years that he hasn't used an Intel-based CPU in his main machine.
The news of the upgrade came from the recent Linux 5.7-RC7 announcement, where Torvalds said: "In fact, the biggest excitement this week for me was just that I upgraded my main machine, and for the first time in about 15 years, my desktop isn't Intel-based. No, I didn't switch to ARM yet, but I'm now rocking an AMD Threadripper 3970x. My 'allmodconfig' test builds are now three times faster than they used to be, which doesn't matter so much right now during the calming down period, but I will most definitely notice the upgrade during the next merge window".
Continue reading: Linux creator ditches Intel, moves over to AMD Ryzen Threadripper CPU (full post)
Elon Musk's baby no longer called X Æ A-12, now X Æ A-Xii
SpaceX and Tesla Motors CEO and founder Elon Musk and his partner Grimes welcomed a baby boy into the world of May 5, shocking the world by naming their son "X Æ A-12". But in the words of Hillary Duff, that is so yesterday.
Grimes was recently asked on her Instagram if she and Elon had changed their sons names because of California laws, with a fan asking: "What is the baby's new name". Grimes replied: "X Æ A-Xii".
Why did Grimes and Musk change their son's name? Because California law dictates that official names can only be spelled using the 26 letters available in the English alphabet, hyphens, and apostrophes. Grimes replied to another comment, saying: "Roman numerals. Looks better tbh".
Continue reading: Elon Musk's baby no longer called X Æ A-12, now X Æ A-Xii (full post)
Check out this modded NES Power Glove, controls a modular synth setup
I still remember wanting the NES Power Glove when it first debuted in the 90s, but the controller disappeared about as quick as it launched -- far ahead of its time. It's 2020 now, so let's re-visit, shall we?
Look Mum No Computer, or Sam Battle, has hacked himself an NES Power Glove into a quasi-gesture controller for his modular synth setup. Battle has to just slip his hand into the Power Glove, bend and wiggle his fingers, and he can make adjustments to the filter cutoff, pitch, pulse width, and volume of his audio.
Not just that, but he also made his own animatronic hand that takes input from the synth, to control the glove -- which, in turn, controls the synth. Geeky, garage band-y type of stuff and it's all with the Power Glove -- I love it.
Continue reading: Check out this modded NES Power Glove, controls a modular synth setup (full post)






















