Some of the ASUS R9 Fury STRIX cards can be unlocked to Fury X specs

Anthony Garreffa | Video Cards & GPUs | Dec 12, 2015 5:18 PM CST

In the coming weeks, there's going to be a surge in sales for ASUS and its Radeon R9 Fury STRIX card, as reports are suggesting that some users have been successful in unlocking the card to the full Fury X specs - with 4096 stream processors, up from the 3584 on the R9 Fury.

Some of the ASUS R9 Fury STRIX cards can be unlocked to Fury X specs

On the XtremeSystems forums, user '2good4you' said he was able to unlock all of the stream processors, leading to rumors that ASUS is using the full-blown Fiji XT GPU, the same used on the Radeon R9 Fury X. But, this trick is limited to specific batches of the ASUS R9 Fury STRIX, and in specific locations - so your results will vary. The steps to get your ASUS R9 Fury STRIX unlocked to the full 4096 stream processors is relatively easy, with OCN user 'TX12' releasing a universal tool that will allow any Hawaii, Tonga or Fiji GPU to be potentially unlocked to its more powerful variant.

Once the ASUS R9 Fury STRIX had its stream processors unlocked from 3584 to 4096, he achieved silent fan operation with a GPU clock of 1050MHz, at 1.19V. Cranking the GPU up to 1150MHz required much higher voltage, with 1.3V required and maximum fan speed. This will depend on multiple factors of the card, like the ASIC quality, and more. But still, receiving a free performance improvement to the Fury X is not too bad at all, and it reminds me of the days of unlocking my previous ATI Radeon cards to their higher-end parts, for free. Oh, those were the days.

Continue reading: Some of the ASUS R9 Fury STRIX cards can be unlocked to Fury X specs (full post)

League of Legends 2015 World Championship had 334 million viewers

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Dec 12, 2015 5:31 AM CST

So, the League of Legends 2015 World Championships was a massive success for Riot Games, with the developer hosting the championship games over the course of October.

Riot detailed the numbers on the official League of Legends website, saying that the largest peak concurrent viewership hit 14 million, which happened during the finals match between SK Telecom and Koo Tigers on October 31. The unique viewer count for the finals match hit a huge 36 million, with Riot noting that this is "a record-breaking high for any esports event".

Riot Games also noted that the "total cumulative daily unique impressions" reached 334 million over the four weeks, up from the 288 million of 2014.

Continue reading: League of Legends 2015 World Championship had 334 million viewers (full post)

The Division alpha test graphics, immersion and sound 'all perfect'

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Dec 12, 2015 5:22 AM CST

Over the last week or so, some gamers have been enjoying the alpha test of The Division, Ubisoft's ambitious new open-world title. NeoGAF user 'Theorry' has posted some screenshots from The Division alpha, which was exclusive to the Xbox One. The surprising thing is, even on the Xbox One, the game looks great.

Some of the 'reviews' of The Division alpha on Reddit tease that "just about everything. Graphics, combat, animations, immersion, sound... its all perfect". This user continued: "I especially love the combat. Me and my buddy just patrolled for hours because the small firefights we got into were so much fun. Doing the one mission over and over again never got old and always looking forward to that reward in the end was the topping on the cake". The user continued, with one of the more exciting teases from the game: "The simple animations of how they walk and vault over objects is so smooth. It feels like I AM this person and that is hard to do in a 3rd person game. I feel like an actual soldier where just how they hold the gun to when they slouch down when combat is near..you just feel like a freakinmarine in a real firefight (not that Ive been in one but I have seen some movies)".

Even though there were downsides, with the omission of flashlights in an overall darkly-themed game is weird. Not only that, but crouching is something you can't do in The Division just yet. We are only talking about an alpha, so we know it'll be in better form when it launches in 2016. The Reddit user also added that The Division is "a 10/10 in my book", adding that it was "probably the most fun I've had in a LONG time. It has potential toe be the greatest game I've ever played", which is a gigantic claim from the alpha. Other users said "I hope that I wont break any NDA by just saying that this game is just incredible. Also I am stunned that it looks that good on Xbox one, pc version will melt my face".

Continue reading: The Division alpha test graphics, immersion and sound 'all perfect' (full post)

Volkswagen rumored to unveil an electric concept car at CES 2016

Anthony Garreffa | Electric Vehicles & Cars | Dec 12, 2015 3:30 AM CST

After a tumultuous year for Volkswagen, there are rumors that the German carmaker is set to unveil an EV concept at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.

Volkswagen looks to be using a sexy futuristic design, with the electric vehicle sporting an awesome-looking illuminated grille and squinting headlights. We should see the full shape including some vintage cues from the iconic van, something that would include short overhangs, a wide D-pillar, and boxy overall aesthetic.

VW should be using the concept car as a way to push into the future, with Volkswagen's chairman set to unveil the EV during his keynote at CES on January 5, where he will focus on "the latest developments in electromobility as well as the next generation of connectivity".

Continue reading: Volkswagen rumored to unveil an electric concept car at CES 2016 (full post)

Samsung reportedly preparing four different Galaxy S7 models for 2016

Samsung is expected to unveil its next-generation flagship smartphones next year, where we should expect to see four different models.

These four models will include the normal Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy S7 edge+, and Galaxy S7+. Out of these models, half of them should be using Samsung's own Exynos 8890 processor, while the other models will be using Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 chip. The 'plus' models will reportedly feature a phablet-sized display of 6 inches or so, according to the dimensions of third-party case manufacturers.

The better part of the rumors on the new Galaxy S7 smartphone is that the microSD card slot will return, which is something that Samsung caught considerable flak over with the Galaxy S6.

Continue reading: Samsung reportedly preparing four different Galaxy S7 models for 2016 (full post)

GPU sales: VisionTek Radeon R9 Nano for $400, MSI Gold GTX 980 Ti $659

Derek Strickland | Video Cards & GPUs | Dec 11, 2015 10:28 PM CST

The holidays are just around the corner, and retailers are starting to offer some pretty amazing deals on today's hottest tech. We've spotted some substantial deals on high-end GPU's that will have the gaming geek in your life jumping for joy, including MSI's Gold NVIDIA GTX 980 Ti for $659, an AMD Radeon R9 Nano for $403, and a Radeon R9 390 for $259.

GPU sales: VisionTek Radeon R9 Nano for $400, MSI Gold GTX 980 Ti $659

First up we have NVIDIA's mighty GeForce GTX 980 Ti. You can pick up an MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6G Golden Edition for $659 at NewEgg, which can be knocked down to $629 with a $30 mail in rebate. The card also comes with a free copy of Black Ops 3 and NVIDIA's Blades or Bullets games bundle, offering the choice between Assassin's Creed: Syndicate or Rainbow Six: Siege. If you already have the games (or don't feel like keeping them) you could sell the game codes to make out like a bandit.

With 6GB GDDR5 VRAM and an overclocked core speed of 1190 MHz that's complimented by NVIDIA's stable drivers, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti is seen as the premiere powerhouse GPU on the market today. MSI's 6G flavors of the GTX 980 Ti are the cream of the crop, and our own GPU expert Anthony Garreffa called MSI's 6G GTX 980 Ti "the game enthusiast's dream" in his official review.

Continue reading: GPU sales: VisionTek Radeon R9 Nano for $400, MSI Gold GTX 980 Ti $659 (full post)

Samsung Gear VR launches today in Canada

Samsung's popular and affordable Gear VR launched last month in the US, but Canadian residents had to wait an extra few weeks to buy. That's over with now: the device is available through Best Buy, The Source, and Samsung Experience stores across the promised land.

Now for the bad news: whereas Gear VR launched in the US with a cool $99.99 price tag, it's $139.99 in Canada due to the currently weak Canadian dollar.

Best Buy says quantities are limited; The Source's inventory is on backorder and estimates if you order now, your device will ship December 16 (just about in time for the big day, if you're lucky).

Continue reading: Samsung Gear VR launches today in Canada (full post)

Gearbox Software opens AAA studio in Quebec City, Canada

Sean Ridgeley | Business, Financial & Legal | Dec 11, 2015 8:20 PM CST

Borderlands series developer Gearbox Software has opened a new studio in Canada's Quebec City, an increasingly tantalizing and popular destination for publishers and developers (high tax breaks and a strong talent pool tend to have that effect).

Gearbox has been headquartered in Texas for more than 16 years, and now, following the construction a new home base in Frisco, has decided it wants to expand out of the country. In doing so, it's appointing former business development director at Quebec Media Sebastien Caisse, Ph.D. as Co-Studio Head and Director of Operations at the new location. Meanwhile, former Art Director at Activision Pierre-Andre Dery will serve as Co-Studio Head and Studio Creative Director.

The new studio -- Gearbox Studio Quebec -- is now hiring, with the aim of developing AAA titles starting through 2016 and beyond.

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Sony caught raising digital PS4 game prices before holiday sale

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Dec 11, 2015 5:31 PM CST

Just to remind gamers that hardware makers really aren't interested in anything but money, Sony has just been caught red-handed in a shameless price gouging maneuver. The Japanese console-maker magically raised the prices of select games offered in a new holiday promotion sale on the European PS Store, with price boosts up to £10 or more.

Sony caught raising digital PS4 game prices before holiday sale

Sony's PlayStation Store platform is notorious for its flash sales and offers, but a recent promotion reveals Sony takes part in the age-old tactic of bumping up sale items to recoup losses. Sony's new holiday sale on the PlayStation European digital storefront lists specific titles as buy one get one free, however a good portion of these games--including The Order 1886 and Until Dawn--had their base price adjusted right before the sale went live.

A quick glance at PS Prices, a site that tracks price data across the PlayStation Store, reveals the bad news. Before the holiday BOGO sale went live, The Order 1886 was sitting at a comfortable £34.99, but quickly jumped by 10 quid to £44.99, or €62 Euros. The Order 1886 is listed for only $19.99 in the U.S., which translates to a paltry £13 (€18).

Continue reading: Sony caught raising digital PS4 game prices before holiday sale (full post)

Research claims iPhone users love their cameras

Chris Smith | Mobile Devices, Tablets & Phones | Dec 11, 2015 2:38 PM CST

A recent press release from PQI announced its upcoming iConnect Mini Apple storage device, but there was something hidden within that gathered my interest more than the rest.

This release claimed that PQI CEO, Spencer Chiu, has had access to "independent research" which found that "the average iPhone owner uses their camera app at least 3 times a day," showing severe dedication to smartphone usage. Whether this average is brought up due to things such as concerts, family outings or it's more of a constant 3-times a day thing is unclear, but users opening their app camera three times a day is an interesting statistic to learn either way.

Regular phone use coupled with the small non-expandable storage that Apple offers on its iPhone is why PQI had made this storage extender in the first place. It's especially prominent in countries like Australia where you're often rather limited on monthly downloads, meaning cloud storage can become a costly operation.

Continue reading: Research claims iPhone users love their cameras (full post)