AMD recently reported very solid Q1 2026 earnings, thanks in large part to the AI boom and rising semiconductor demand. Of the $10.3 billion in revenue for the first quarter of 2026, $5.8 billion was data center revenue driven by sales of AMD EPYC processors and Instinct GPUs. That is a staggering 55.9% of AMD's total revenue in Q1 2026, and 57% higher than its data center revenue in Q1 2025.

In the process, AMD has overtaken Intel in data center revenue and achieved a new milestone. According to a DigiTimes report, this is the first time AMD has generated more revenue from its data center division than Intel in the first quarter of the year. Although AMD had previously surpassed Intel in other quarters (Team Red has been ahead since the third quarter of 2025), this is the first time they have taken the lead in Q1 as well.

AMD generated $4.3 billion from its data center division in Q3 2025, compared with $4.1 billion from Intel. The same trend continued in Q4 2025, with AMD generating $5.4 billion, while Intel managed $4.7 billion. Of course, the Q1 2026 results did not alter this pattern. However, looking at the data compiled by DigiTimes, this might be the start of AMD's long-term dominance that Intel might not be able to shake for some time.

ASUS has launched a new gaming monitor that is a little smaller than usual. The ROG Strix XG129C is a secondary display built for system monitoring, chat windows, streaming controls, and desktop shortcuts. At just 12.3 inches, it feels more like a touchscreen panel, but it still carries the name of a full-fledged gaming monitor.

The ROG Strix XG129C is a 1920x720 IPS screen with a 24:9 aspect ratio, making it a natural sidekick under your main monitor, similar to the second screen on the 14.1-inch ASUS ROG Zephyrus DUO 15. ASUS says this format provides more vertical space than 32:9 panels and reduces black bars for 16:9 content.

The panel supports 10-point capacitive touch for precise multi-finger inputs and runs at 75Hz. ASUS says it covers 125% of the sRGB color gamut and 90% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, which is strong color performance for a secondary display. The surface is glossy and rated for 176-degree viewing angles.

It seems Google has decided that your PC needs a hefty dose of AI, whether you asked for it or not. Security researcher Alexander Hanff, also known as "That Privacy Guy," has published a new report claiming that Google Chrome silently downloads a roughly 4GB AI model onto users' machines without notice or consent.

The file in question is called weights.bin, and it is part of Google's on-device Gemini Nano AI model. Chrome stores it inside a folder called OptGuideOnDeviceModel, located deep in your system's Chrome User Data directory. On Windows, that path is C>Users>AppData>Local>Google>Chrome>User Data. The model is used to power AI features like scam detection locally on your device, rather than sending your data to the cloud.

Perhaps more concerning is what happens if you try to get rid of it. According to Hanff's research, deleting the file does nothing, as Chrome simply re-downloads it automatically. The only way to stop this is to disable the feature through Chrome's settings, which Google reportedly made available in February 2026. Once turned off, the model will no longer download or update.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple and Intel have reached a preliminary agreement for Intel to manufacture some chips for Apple devices. According to the Journal, talks between the two companies have been ongoing for more than a year, with discussions intensifying in recent months. The current scale of the agreement remains unknown, with no details on which Apple products or chip families would be involved, nor whether production would use Intel's existing 18A process or a future node like 14A.

This follows Bloomberg's recent report that Apple held exploratory discussions with both Intel and Samsung about having them manufacture Apple processor chips in the US. The Journal adds that over the last 12 months, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has repeatedly met with Apple leadership, including outgoing CEO Tim Cook, to revive the relationship with Intel.

Apple currently relies solely on TSMC for its most advanced chips, but supply chain realities are pushing the iPhone maker to look beyond its long-time manufacturing partner. During a recent earnings call, outgoing CEO Tim Cook explicitly cited a lack of advanced chips as a reason for Apple's inability to meet iPhone demand, with the Mac lineup also feeling the impact.

Apple is becoming a victim of its own success with the MacBook Neo. Demand is outstripping the supply of binned A18 Pro chips that power the Neo. As a result, Apple has tapped chipmaker TSMC for a dedicated production run. However, rising silicon and DRAM prices in the past two years may jeopardize the device's aggressive $599 price point.

The MacBook Neo is emerging as a disruptive force in the laptop market, posing a serious threat to budget Windows and Chromebook devices. Contrary to expectations, the Neo brought in more users than any Mac device during launch week. It uses a binned variant of the A18 Pro SoC, which is the same silicon found in the iPhone 16 Pro.

Specifically, Apple is repurposing chips that didn't meet the full six-core GPU specification, instead utilizing them as five-core units for the Neo. This inventory likely dates back to production runs from late 2023 through 2024, aligning with TSMC's N3E node entering volume production in late 2023.

It's been over a month since the 5th iteration of Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) was introduced to the world. To say that the response to the new technology was polarizing would be an understatement. As a reminder, DLSS 5 was described by NVIDIA as the first real-time neural rendering technology that brings photorealism to games. When the sample photos and videos were dropped, the response from gamers was overwhelmingly negative.

Now, TechPowerUp has published a new poll asking readers to share their opinions on the technology. The premise was simple: there were four options, and readers could select one. The readers were to choose from "AI shouldn't be altering games", "Actually better than native," "Need to see real game results", and "Only if it boosts FPS." The poll gathered 20,000 answers, and the breakdown is rather interesting.

The largest answer by far was "AI shouldn't be altering games," with 58% of the votes. This is the expected winner, and the reasons behind it are pretty self-explanatory. However, perhaps more interestingly, the second-place winner was the "Need to see real game results" answer, with 28% of the votes. This is a sizable chunk of a rather tech-savvy audience waiting for real-world results before making a decision. The other two options received 6% and 8% of the votes, which doesn't significantly affect the ratio.

It seems Microsoft is steadily implementing its Windows 11 improvement plan by gradually adding new features and improving the user experience. With Project K2, Microsoft plans to address the major pain points its core audience has with Windows 11. As part of that initiative, Microsoft is testing a new feature that aims to improve the user experience by speeding up app load times.

According to Windows Central, Microsoft is testing a new Windows 11 feature called "Low Latency Profile." This feature will speed up app launches by boosting the CPU to its maximum frequency for a short duration, therefore increasing performance for that particular launch sequence. This is a unique approach that has not been seen in Windows before, but, in theory, it works without major downsides.

Apparently, the feature boosts CPU speed for only 1-3 seconds, so it only hits its boost frequency for a very short time. Such a short duration should have no significant effect on the CPU's temperature; however, the same cannot be said for power spikes without proper testing. Moreover, laptop users may experience increased battery drain due to frequent spikes, and these may even have a long-term impact on the quality of the CPU silicon.

Samsung is readying two distinct versions of its upcoming Exynos 2800 SoC in a bold bid to challenge Apple across both mobile and desktop tiers, claims leaker Schrödinger. Per the leak, Samsung is developing a mobile-first variant aimed at the A21 Pro, alongside a high-performance laptop chip designed to compete directly with Apple's M7 family.

However, these early claims should be viewed with skepticism. While Schrödinger says the Exynos 2800 will use Samsung's 1.4nm process, mass production for that node has reportedly been delayed until 2029. Apple's A21, which may power the iPhone 19 family, is expected to be released by late 2027, potentially ditching TSMC for the base variant. The same schedule applies to the MacBook M7.

In any case, the Exynos 2800, referred to as 'Next-gen Exynos' in one of the leaker's blogs, is reported to have a 10-core configuration split across three core types. The processor is also listed with a massive 96MB SLC (System Level Cache). For reference, the current-gen Exynos 2600 has 16MB of SLC.

Xbox Mode on PC aims to provide a "no compromises" gaming experience, putting all of your games in front of a controller-friendly full-screen interface mimicking Steam Big Picture mode. However, there is one compromise that Windows gamers have discovered: Xbox Mode does not support multi-monitor PC setups. User "Kidsmoove" on X posted a video showing Xbox Mode working on just their main screen, with their secondary screen completely blacked out.

Microsoft did not officially confirm whether or not Xbox Mode would support multiple displays, but the concept of the full-screen gaming mode alone somewhat implies that multiple monitors would not be supported. Microsoft also added performance optimizations baked into Xbox Mode at startup that stop programs from starting automatically, further suggesting that the lack of multi-monitor support was a conscious decision by Microsoft and not an afterthought. Having multiple monitors active does steal away system resources from games, even if the displays are showing nothing but the desktop.

One of the perks of PC gaming is the fact that you can have multiple monitors at your disposal, even while you have a game running. Having a YouTube video, music, Discord, a web browser, and many other apps visible on other monitors can be handy while you're gaming.

GeIL has announced what it describes as the industry's first DDR5-8000 memory fully compliant with JEDEC standards. These new modules will be on show at Computex 2026 and will not require XMP, EXPO, or manual BIOS tuning on supported platforms. The memory is optimized for the latest Intel systems, including Z890 and B860 motherboards.

Unlike older high-speed DDR5 kits, these JEDEC DDR5-8000 modules do not rely on BIOS adjustments or overclocking profiles. Instead, the speeds are built directly into the modules' JEDEC SPD profiles, allowing supported systems to boot at DDR5-8000 with no additional configuration required.

In other words, these modules aim to deliver a true plug-and-play experience on compatible platforms, eliminating the need for manual tuning. The memory runs at JEDEC-standard CL64-64-64-128 timings at 1.10V, offering high bandwidth and improved efficiency for gaming, content creation, and AI-related workloads.

Sony wrapped up its fiscal year 2025 with a broadly solid performance across the company, though a painful write-down tied to its Bungie acquisition cast a long shadow over an otherwise encouraging report. The Japanese tech giant posted roughly $82.8 billion in total sales from continuing operations, a 4% increase year-over-year, while operating income climbed 13% to approximately $9.6 billion. The company's operating margin ticked up a percentage point to 11.6%.

Within its Games and Network Services segment, revenue totaled approximately ¥4.69 trillion, essentially flat year over year, while operating income rose 12% to a new all-time high. Sony noted that, had it not been for the Bungie-related charges, operating profit growth would have been closer to 45%.

Those charges were substantial. Sony recorded a total of ¥120.1 billion in impairment losses against Bungie's assets across the full fiscal year, including ¥31.5 billion in the second quarter tied to Destiny 2's continued slide, and a significantly larger ¥88.6 billion hit in Q4. At current exchange rates, that's roughly $766 million wiped from the value of a studio Sony acquired for $3.6 billion back in 2022.

Taiwanese hardware manufacturer Biostar recently teased next-gen AMD motherboards planned to be showcased at Computex 2026. The PR announcement has since been quietly edited, with the "next-generation" wording removed, which likely means AMD wasn't ready to go public yet or Biostar got a little too excited. The company didn't name a specific chipset, but the wording points to a new AM5 board lineup, something in the vein of an X970E, though nothing is confirmed.

That's not the most interesting part of this story, though. A new leak from MEGAsizeGPU suggests AMD's next-generation AM5 platform may reuse the same Promontory 21 chipset found in all existing AM5 motherboards. The difference from the current 800-series and previous 600-series boards could come in the form of add-on features, new BIOS-level software capabilities, and significantly overhauled memory support.

That memory support could include full compatibility with both CUDIMM and CAMM modules, rather than only partial compatibility added via recent AGESA updates. CUDIMM, or Clocked Unbuffered DIMM, incorporates an onboard clock driver that helps support higher memory speeds. CAMM, or Compression Attached Memory Module, is a thinner memory form factor designed primarily for laptops and high-volume OEM desktop systems, using a compression connector to save space.

Frame generation, hate it or not, has become a staple of PC gaming thanks to mainstream integration by NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel, as well as 3rd-party solutions such as Lossless Scaling. PC-like Frame generation technology has now begun to trickle down to Android devices through a new Vulkan-based iteration of Lossless Scaling's frame generation technology.

Right now, there are two ways to get Lossless Scaling frame generation installed on Android. One is to install the standalone version from the LSFG-Android GitHub page, and the other is to use GameHub, which comes with LSFG baked in. However, both implementations require you to buy Lossless Scaling, which is currently $6.99 on Steam. The standalone option is technically better as it allows you to apply frame generation to any game installed on your Android device.

The version of LSFG offered on Android comes with up to an 8x frame generation multiplier, performance mode, HDR mode, anti-artifact mode, and flow scale adjustment. Flow scale changes the resolution of the generated frames, improving performance or image quality depending on how aggressively the flow scale is adjusted.

Information is starting to surface about the much-anticipated Forza Horizon 6 ahead of its May 19th launch. Recently, Forza Horizon 6 went gold, and several other details regarding its map, city size, and Japan's density also leaked. Now, more information has come out regarding the upcoming game, but this time it requires a deeper discussion.

According to a blog post, Forza Horizon 6 is now available to preload ahead of its launch, revealing the game's size. Evidently, the file sizes of Forza Horizon 6 are absolutely gargantuan, and you may need to clear up some space on your drive for this game. The blog states that the game requires 135 GB of space on the Xbox Series X, 130 GB on the Xbox Series S, and a whopping 160 GB on PC.

The file sizes were further corroborated by a Reddit post on the Forza Horizon subreddit, which revealed the exact sizes via the Xbox phone app: 144.84 GB for the Xbox Series X|S and 156.65 GB on PC. Furthermore, the Forza blog says that an SSD is mandatory for this game, which could mean there's a potential performance dip if you run the game from a hard drive.

Colin Angle, the man who brought us the Roomba, is now pushing the boundaries of robotic companionship with a plush, AI-powered pet robot.

Dubbed a "Familiar," the four-legged, stuffed-like device is designed to interact socially, learning and adapting to household routines while offering emotional support.

Angle's new venture, Familiar Machines & Magic, unveiled the AI robot pets at the Wall Street Journal's Future of Everything conference. These devices feature a full sensory suite, equipped with microphones, vision, and audio systems, and are built to read body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice.

Valve's Steam Controller is returning to the hands of fans this Friday via a reservation system, according to an announcement.

After launching May 4 and flying off shelves, the device became a victim of its own popularity, leading to intense scalping. Now, Valve is rolling out a new reservation queue to curb reseller activity and give genuine customers a fair shot.

Reservations open Friday, May 8, at 10 a.m. Pacific, and each user is limited to one controller. Once you secure a spot, you'll have three days to complete your purchase. Valve also requires users to have made a Steam purchase before April 27 and maintain a good-standing account. Those who already own a controller won't be eligible for a second one in this batch.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight has officially dropped its launch trailer, and it's already stirring excitement in the gaming community.

The trailer, unveiled at Gamescom, delivers a fresh look at the upcoming LEGO action-adventure title, showcasing Bruce Wayne's evolution into the Caped Crusader. With a bold new aesthetic and a deep narrative, the game promises to expand on the LEGO Batman legacy in a way that fans haven't seen in years.

The trailer teases a story that dives into the core of Batman's origin, with a strong focus on character development and iconic villains. TT Games, the studio behind the LEGO franchise, has crafted a visually vibrant world that blends humor with heart, a defining feature of the LEGO series since its inception.

GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen is now allegedly banned from eBay, just days after he proposed a $56 billion acquisition of the site, which would represent a 20% premium over eBay's current share price.

The bizarre saga continues as Cohen shared a screenshot on X claiming his account had been suspended, though his listings remain live and bidding is ongoing. Cohen's eBay venture began with a viral stunt: he listed items, including a $14,000 pair of socks.

But now, the CEO says the platform suspended him, just hours after he began selling. The sale of these items was in response to criticism that Cohen would not be able to afford the acquisition of eBay.

Halo Studios is actively developing the next mainline Halo campaign, codenamed "Halo Next," and the project is already generating major speculation about its direction.

According to Rebs Gaming's latest report, the sequel is in active development at Halo Studios, with fresh details emerging about the story's potential focus and key returning elements.

The project was initially led by Joseph Staten before the 2023 layoffs, with plans centered on the mysterious race known as the Endless, introduced in Halo Infinite. Staten had reportedly ruled out the Flood for the sequel, but the recent job listing for a Narrative Design Director and Halo: Edge of Dawn suggest the studio might be shifting course, at least in part.

Grand Theft Auto 6 players could be hit with a $1,000 console price tag, according to a new warning from gaming industry analyst Mat Piscatella.

As current-gen consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series continue to see price hikes due to rising component costs and economic instability, Piscatella expects sticker shock for those who wait until launch to pick up a system just to play GTA 6.

Piscatella, speaking with The Game Business, said the rising cost of RAM and other volatile market conditions have already driven the price of a standard PS5 to $649 and the PS5 Pro to $900. Piscatella expects these increases won't slow before the release of GTA 6, and warned potential buyers who aren't closely tracking the market could be blindsided by a $1,000 console at launch. "A $1,000 console!" Piscatella said, adding, "There's going to be a price shock for a lot of people."