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.
Elon Musk says training next-gen Grok 3 will require 100,000 NVIDIA H100 AI GPUs
Elon Musk has talked about training his next-gen Grok 3 AI chatbot, saying it will require an insane 100,000 NVIDIA H100 AI GPUs.
During a recent X spaces chat, the SpaceX and Tesla boss said that Grok 2 used around 20,000 NVIDIA H100 AI GPUs to train, but the new Grok 3 training will require a monster 100,000 separate NVIDIA H100 AI GPUs, a mammoth amount of AI compute power.
Musk said that the upcoming Grok model and beyond will require 100,000 NVIDIA H100 AI GPUs, so we can expect Grok 4 to require an unimaginable amount of AI GPU compute power. NVIDIA has now announced its new Blackwell B200 AI GPU, which I'm sure Elon has been eyeing off... which will be pumped out later this year, and flood the market in 2025 with brute force AI GPU performance.
Samsung announces it has manufactured a sample of 16-stack HBM for AI GPUs
Samsung has announced that it has manufactured a sample of its brand-new 16-stack HBM. The company manufactured the chip with hybrid bonding last week.
Samsung vice president Kim Dae-woo said the South Korean giant made its new 16-layer HBM with HBM3 but plans to use HBM4 to improve productivity. Due to alignment issues, Samsung was expected to use hybrid bonding for just one or two stacks of the HBM chip but applied the hybrid bonding technique to all 16 stacks.
The 16-stack HBM memory sample was made using equipment from Samsung's fab equipment subsidiary, Semes, with Kim noting that Samsung considered using hybrid bonding or thermal compression non-conductive film for HBM4, which Samsung will be sampling in 2025 and mass producing next-gen HBM4 memory in 2026.
LG Energy starts construction of its second battery factory in Arizona, USA
LG Energy Solution has announced that construction on its new battery factory in Arizona, Texas, USA, has started, with 7.2 trillion won (around $5.5 billion USD) ready to go.
This will be LG's second factory in the US, with plans to manufacture cylindrical batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) as well as lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for energy storage systems (ESS). LG's second factory will be operational by 2026, with an annual capacity of 53GWh, 36GWh for cylindrical batteries, and 17GWh for ESS LFP batteries.
LG Energy Solutions is already building a battery plant in Michigan, while it has built two factories jointly-run with customer General Motors. LG also works with Honda, Hyundai Motor, and Stellantis to build joint factories.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 runs Red Dead Redemption 2 through emulator at 10FPS on REDMAGIC 9 Pro
The new REDMAGIC 9 Pro smartphone is powered by Qualcomm's very latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, with Red Dead Redemption 2 running through an emulator at just 10FPS... unplayable but impressive nonetheless. Check it out:
Serg Pavlov used the REDMAGIC 9 Pro smartphone running a Windows emulator called "Mobox" and playing Rockstar's incredibly successful Red Dead Redemption 2. The game was running with an in-game resolution of 1280 x 720 (720p) with low graphics settings, which, through the emulator... pumped out 10FPS on Qualcomm's best Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC.
You have to remember that this isn't running natively; it's running through a Windows emulator, so performance falls off a cliff. But it's a promising tease into the future. If an emulated version of Red Dead Redemption 2 can run at 720p 10FPS, we can expect a few more years to pass before we get to a stable 30FPS in games like this.
US to provide Samsung with up to $6.6 billion chip subsidy for Texas expansion
Samsung is expected to be awarded more than $6 billion from the Biden administration and the US government's huge CHIPS Act, to expand its chip output at its Taylor, Texas-based facility, and more.
In a new report from Reuters, we're to expect that the $6 billion+ subsidy will be unveiled by US Commerce Department Secretary Gina Raimondo, with the funding to go into the construction of four facilities in Taylor. One of these facilities is a new $17 billion chipmaking plant that Samsung originally announced in 2021, while another advanced packaging facility makes up another factory, and the third will be a new research and development (R&D) center.
Reuters adds that these billions of dollars from the US government and into Samsung's coffers will be used as an investment in "another disclosed location," according to the sources. As part of this new deal, Samsung will more than double its investments in the United States to over $44 billion.
AMD teams with Arena to optimize, enhance next-gen Radeon GPUs using AI
Arena is a developer of specialist AI foundation models, which today announced a collaboration to scale AMD's development of Arena Atlas, the world's first AI test and optimization product for the latest process node semiconductor technology.
Throughout 2023, AMD and Arena tested Atlas for AMD Radeon GPU testing and optimization, where they could quickly and autonomously identify power and performance optimizations, leaving AMD engineers to focus on other tasks, therefore increasing productivity and boosting product development cycles.
Atlas adds AI facilitation to the semiconductor configuration and testing process, which Arena says enables better and faster devices for consumers and professionals. Atlas can process multimodal data that is beyond the usual text and video; this includes power curves, thermal profiles, and streaming HD video to build a better understanding of how a complex GPU behaves.
Elon Musk has between 30,000 and 350,000 x NVIDIA H100 AI GPUs training Tesla and xAI
We know SpaceX and Tesla boss Elon Musk loves hardware as much as he loves AI, so it's no surprise that he's posting on X that Tesla has the second-highest H100 AI GPU count in the world.
In a reply to @thetechbrother on X who posted that Meta has 350,000+ NVIDIA H100 AI GPUs, with a bunch of other companies -- including Tesla -- and how many H100 AI GPUs they've got so far. Elon replied to that, saying "this is not accurate. Tesla would be second highest and X/xAI would be third if measured correctly".
Meta has 350,000+ NVIDIA H100 AI GPUs right now, so if Tesla had the second highest, the electric vehicle giant would have somewhere between 30,000 and 350,000 H100 AI GPUs. Lambda in the US is the second-highest on these charts, with 30,000 H100 AI GPUs in operation, but now we know from the horses mouth himself -- Elon Musk -- that Tesla is second there, with somewhere between 30K and 350K H100 AI GPUs. That's a lot of AI compute power.
TSMC receives $11.6 billion from US government, plans 2nm nanosheets made in the USA by 2030
The US government has just unlocked a further $11.6 billion in funding to TSMC for its leading-edge chip-making fabs on United States soil.
The Biden administration announced it's signed a preliminary memorandum of terms with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) that will include $6.6 billion in funding for new chip manufacturing plants. The US Department of Commerce has proposed $5 billion in loans to help set up the plants with TSMC.
TSMC will now setup three new leading-edge chip-making fabs in the US, with two of them known about -- but the third new chip plant will be dedicated to making chips with 2nm or more advanced technologies. TSMC has had its US-based fab plants under construction for years now, with the company teasing it will enter high-volume production in the first half of 2025 at its first plant in Arizona.
TCL unveils two new high-end Mini-LED gaming monitors: 4K 160Hz and 3440 x 1440 170Hz
TCL has just unveiled two new Mini-LED gaming monitors: a 34-inch ultrawide 3440 x 1440 Mini-LED panel with 170Hz refresh and a 27-inch 4K 160Hz Mini-LED gaming monitor.
The new TCL 34R83Q gaming monitor features a 34-inch 3440 x 1440 Mini-LED panel, with the company noting they've used their new CSOT panel, which is a more advanced version of their previous panels. We've got improved viewing angles, smaller bezels, and more.
The 34-inch 3440 x 1440 resolution is joined by a smooth 170Hz refresh rate and 1ms GtG response time, so you will get some fantastic gaming and viewing pleasure out of the TCL 34R83Q Mini-LED gaming monitor. It's not yet another 34-inch ultrawide gaming monitor when joined by the 170Hz refresh rate; more specifically, the CSOT-based Mini-LED panel will be gorgeous.
Hellblade II is cinematic experience that runs at 30FPS on Xbox Series X
In a not so surprising revelation, Hellblade II will run at 30FPS on Xbox Series X and Series S consoles, Ninja Theory has confirmed.
Altough much more powerful than their forebears, closed hardware like the PS5 and Xbox SeriesX/S are bound by compromise. Devs have to often pick between higher frame rates or higher resolution--Gen 9 technically can make these trade offs less extreme, but some sort of balancing act is needed.
That's why we're still seeing games run at 30FPS, even with the extra horsepower of the PS5 and Series X. Running at 30FPS is especially weighty on the Series X, especially the way the system was marketed as being so powerful. So when Ninja Theory confirmed Hellblade runs at 30FPS on Xbox consoles, it wasn't exactly a surprise. Not only does Hellblade II look incredible--in new media previews, Hellblade II received glowing praise for its graphics and overall visual design--but it also has to look incredible on the Series S, too.
Spotify can now create your playlists from just a text prompt, but there's a catch
If you're a Spotify music streaming fan you're likely already very familiar with the concept of creating new playlists and you might have a ton of them that you listen to regularly. But now a new feature makes it easier than ever to create new ones, and all you have to do is ask for it.
The feature, which is only available in beta and even then, only in the UK and Australia for now, allows Spotify subscribers to create a new playlist using nothing more than their words. There is no need to give the app any songs to base the playlist on, and users can simply write a sentence that explains what they want the music to be, or what they intend to use it for and leave the AI to do the rest.
Spotify says that people should try using places animals, activities, colors, and more when creating their new playlists. the streamer also says that the most successful playlists are generated using prompts that contain a combination of genres, moods, artists, and even decades.
Privacy concerns hamstring Apple Vision Pro app development, report warns
The Apple Vision Pro has been on sale for a couple of months now and the visionOS App Store has plenty for you to download and try. But there could always be more apps, and a new report suggests that Apple's own policies are getting in the way.
The concept of the App Store rules getting in the way of app developers building the products that they want isn't something that's new to Apple, but this latest report suggests that it's the company's focus on privacy that is getting in the way here. The report claims that developers are not able to build all the apps they want to because Apple won't offer access to the cameras that are on the outside of the Apple Vision Pro.
According to the report Apple is concerned about falling into the trap that befell the Google Glass smartglasses. While undoubtedly ahead of their time, the glasses proved to be an issue because people didn't like that they could be recording at all times. That is thought to be partly behind Apple's refusal to give developers access to raw camera data.
Google's unannounced Pixel 8a has leaked again with matte finish and more
Google hasn't yet officially announced the budget-oriented Pixel 8a but we know that it;'s coming. The Pixel 7a was a popular device, and we can be sure that the Pixel 8a will follow suit. And while Google is yet to officially announce the product we've started to see it leak here and there - and it's leaked once more in a post on the X social network.
The leak comes via images posted by the TechDroider account in which we appear to see a phone with a large display and a matte finish.
The display that is expected to be up front on the Pixel 8a is a 6.1-inch panel and the leak appears to show some fairly big bezels all around. It isn't bad by any stretch, and these bezels are no bigger than those that can be found on the Pixel 7a so that's a positive. That display is also expected to have a 120Hz refresh rate which means that it will offer a silly smooth experience.
Whatever game follows Baldur's Gate 3 from Larian, you'll be able to get in and play it early
The game that will follow Baldur's Gate 3 from Larian won't be another entry in that franchise, sadly - and we don't know what it'll be at all, but whatever project is picked from the library of current possibilities, you'll be able to play it early doors.
Larian's head of publishing Michael Douse informed us of this fact in an interview with Game File, where Douse said that the developer's next game would be another 'early access' effort on Steam, just like Baldur's Gate 3. Or at least that this would "probably" be the case.
So, that's something good to know for those keen on seeing Larian's next step after the hit RPG (and the developer's previous highly acclaimed Divinity: Original Sin II, of course).
Apple's focus on AI could be boosted by the man behind the Apple Watch's success
Apple has long been rumored to be planning a big new push into the world of artificial intelligence with CEO Tim Cook having already teased that something is coming in 2024. Now, a new report suggests that the AI focus could have received a boost from someone who has been integral to the success of the Apple Watch.
Kevin Lynch has long been a driving force behind the Apple Watch, reporting directly to Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams. And while he will continue to oversee Apple Watch progress, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says that he has been moved over to work on the Apple AI problem as well. What's more, he's now reporting directly to John Giannandrea, Apple's AI chief.
The reason for that move wasn't clear, but Gurman, writing in the weekly Power On newsletter, now says that people close to the matter believe that Lynch's move is designed to bring some order to the Apple Ai project, a project that has long proven to be problematic for Apple.
The next Apple TV device could have a camera built in with support for FaceTime and more
It's been a good long while since Apple last updated the Apple TV streaming box, with 2022 being the last time that the Apple TV 4K was refreshed. However, there have been a few rumors over the last couple of years that Apple intends to not only launch a new Apple TV but also completely revamp it, adding a camera to the mix for the first time.
Apple has of course not confirmed that it is working on a new Apple TV let alone what that new set-top box will have to offer. However, a new report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests that the new Apple TV could well change the way people use the device moving forward.
According to Gurman, writing in the weekly Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, Apple has discussed automating household functions and offering a revamped Apple TV with a built-in camera. That camera will do a couple of things, starting with the obvious - it will be used to offer FaceTime video calling features as presumably support for third-party apps like Skype and Zoom. But beyond that, things are much more interesting.
Your Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro can now be found whether or not it has any battery left
If you're the owner of a Google Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro who finds that they are all too good at losing it, you're going to be in for a treat. Now, both of those phones can be located even when their batteries have run dry.
The new offline tracking feature is made possible thanks to an upgraded Find My Device network with Google saying that it's only made possible thanks to the Pixel hardware that is in its latest devices. There has so far been no information on what that exactly means, however. We can surely expect whatever magic chips are inside these devices to also make an appearance in the upcoming Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro models, not to mention the new Pixel Fold 2 -notably, the Pixel Fold isn't in on the new feature.
If this feature sounds familiar, you probably already have an iPhone or something with a Samsung logo on the back. This technology isn't new, but this is the first time that it's been available to those who have Google's Pixel devices.
Apple's new OLED iPad Pro is going to be more expensive than your old one, report warns
Apple's long been expected to launch new tablets within the next few weeks with a recent report pointing to the second week of May being a potential release timeframe. The 2024 iPad Pro is going to be the best iPad ever sold, but there have been some rumors that buyers will have to pay a pretty penny to get it. Now, a new report has further suggested that will indeed be the case.
That report comes via the normally well-connected Mark Gurman, writing in the weekly Power On newsletter. According to Gurman one of the drawbacks of upgrades that are coming to the new iPad Pro will mean a higher price point. The current iPad Pro starts at $799 for the 11-inch model, suggesting that buyers of the 2024 model can expect to pay at least $849 or likely more.
As for why the new tablets will cost so much, there are a couple of changes that will give these 2024 models a notable edge over the ones that are currently on sale. Those tablets launched in 2022 and are pretty solid options. But they're going to be eclipsed by what Apple has coming up.
New iPad Pro and iPad Air on track for launch in the second week of May, we're told
There have been so many rumors of the 2024 launch of a new OLED iPad Pro and a refreshed iPad Air in recent months that, at this point, there is little doubt that such a launch is in the cards. We still don't know exactly when this will happen however, but as we get closer to the launch the window is starting to shrink. Now, a new report claims that we can expect the tablets in the second week of May.
That's according to a new report by Bloomgerg's Mark Gurman who, writing in the weekly Power On newsletter, says that the week of May 6 is likely to be the one that sees a new tablet launch.
Apple famously didn't launch any new tablets throughout the entire of 2023 which was the first time that had happened in the entire history of the iPad lineup. That hiatus is going to come to an end soon, however, with Gurman having said for some time that a May window was the most likely.
Think RGB lighting is over-the-top and pointless? Well, how about flower-scented thermal paste?
We all know what we need from our thermal paste, right? For it to be easy to apply and spread, for it to facilitate good cooling, and for the paste to be affordable is a bonus, too. Oh, and for it to smell nice, of course.
Hang on a minute - what now? Well, apparently this is a concern over in Japan (somehow), because as Wccftech noticed, a company called Clock Work Tea Party (CWTP) is producing scented thermal paste.
A new product called 'Extremegris' is supposedly an osmanthus-flavored thermal paste (which is a hardy shrub that flowers in the spring, in case you were wondering - we certainly were).




















