Latest News - Page 703

As part of a "special promotional pricing program" for select retail outlets this quarter, AMD is dropping the Radeon RX 7900 XT price to $749 USD or lower - over $100 less than the current retail price. Compared to the 7900 XT's launch price of $899, the massive discount makes it a tasty option for gamers and creators looking for high-end 4K-ready performance.

Even though AMD advised us that the program is being rolled out now with promotional prices to be reflected in the coming days, these big discounts are already up on Newegg. The ASRock Phantom Gaming Radeon RX 7900 XT 20GB GDDR6 looks to be the cheapest at $709.99, with additional models from XFX, SAPPHIRE, and PowerColor all currently available for $709.99 or $719.99 with a $20 off promo code. Check out the full list later in this article.

It's not hard to see why AMD has slashed prices on at least one high-end Radeon RX 7000 Series GPU - NVIDIA is launching three brand-new cards this month, with the first out this week. Per our review of the new GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER Founders Edition, NVIDIA's RTX 40 Series refresh is shaping up to be impressive by increasing performance without increasing prices.

The highest courts in the United States refuses to weigh in on a landmark gaming case, signalling the final end to the ongoing Epic v Apple trial.

In 2020, shortly after breaking the App Store's terms of service, Epic Games sued Apple for alleged antitrust violations. Without warning, Epic had circumvented the App Store's payment system, instead allowing Fortnite players on iOS to buy digital goods directly from Epic themselves. Apple then pulled Fortnite as a response. Epic sued Apple following Fortnite's ouster from the App Store, citing that Apple was exerting monopolistic control over its app store.

Nearly 4 years of antitrust litigation ensued, leading to an appeals injunction ruling that forces Apple to change its policies. App developers can now inform users of other ways to buy digital goods and content. Predictably, Apple isn't happy about this ruling, and tried to challenge the appeals injunction at the Supreme Court. Epic was likewise not satisfied and also wanted to challenge the ruling.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope may have discovered alien life on a planet located 120 million light years away from Earth, according to rumors circulating in astronomy and astrobiology groups.

A new article by Ars Technica has explained what basis the rumors are founded on and how they started to get into the public eye. According to the publication, the rumors were at least exacerbated by British news magazine The Spectator, which featured the article "Have we just discovered aliens?" The short answer to this news piece is no, but it isn't a hard no, according to scientists quoted in the article.

The planet that many scientists have their eyes on is K2-18 b, an exoplanet 8.6 times as massive as Earth, and is believed to be a "hycean" exoplanet, which means its rich in water having oceans as its surface and a hydrogen-rich atmosphere. This exoplanet was first studied by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, but further analysis by Webb revealed a biosignature that many scientists are placing their bets for alien life on.

UK retailer GAME will reportedly stop allowing physical video game trade-ins starting next month.

GAME, one of the most popular gaming retailers in the United Kingdom, plans to cancel its trade-in program at physical locations. Sources tell Eurogamer's Tom Phillips that GAME will stop trade-ins of physical boxed video games at all locations starting in February 2024.

There is no change to GAME's trade-in policy at the time of publication.

Software is still the main driver for the video games market, but subscriptions may one day become the dominant model. This won't happen until consumers shift their behavior.

The video game subscription market has considerably evolved over the years. Prompted by Microsoft's forward-thinking Xbox Game Pass, both Sony and Nintendo now have their own competing multi-game services. The aggressive value model has attracted tens of millions of paid subscribers that regularly contribute to the relatively new billion-dollar gaming segment.

What would it take for subscription to overtake software sales? First, consumers would need to change their habits. This process is already underway as we speak. Microsoft and Sony are trying to convince gamers to be less reliant on full game purchases and instead buy into recurring subscriptions--that's why PS Plus and Game Pass offer such incredible value at the moment. There's potentially more revenue that way, but a lot more upfront spending (and even losses).

Eurocom recently announced its new Raptor X17 and Nightsky RX415 laptops, with the Raptor X17 Mobile Supercomputer featuring an Intel Core i9-14900HX processor, up to 96GB of RAM, and everything else including the kitchen sink.

The new Eurocom Raptor X17 mobile supercomputer features the Intel Core i9-14900HX processor with 24 cores and 32 threads of Raptor Lake Refresh CPU power and NVIDIA's flagship GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU with 16GB of GDDR6 memory.

There are desktop-level CPU, RAM, GPU, and SSD power inside of the Raptor X17 laptop, where inside, Eurocom has three physical M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen4 SSD slots, each taking up to an 8TB Gen4 SSD for a total of 24TB of Gen4 SSD storage. There are two SO-DIMM slots for 2 x 48GB sticks of up to 96GB of DDR5-5600 memory.

AI-powered consoles may be on the horizon for Gen10, but what will the video games market look like in Gen11 and beyond? How will gaming evolve in 2030 onward? We have some ideas.

Every new console generation brings major new innovations to gaming. The Gen8 console market introduced multi-game subscriptions, a shift towards digital, and a wealth of new games. Gen9, the current generation that includes the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, delivered major technological innovations like robust backwards compatibility, new graphics capabilities, and faster loading via SSDs. Gen10, which could start as soon as 2027 with a new Xbox console, may be centered around artificial intelligence with dedicated AI-acceleration via chips with NPUs (Neural Processing Unit).

AI-enabled consoles could become a foundation for multiple shifts across Gen11 and beyond, assuming consoles aren't phased out in Gen10 (I don't think this is likely for a number of reasons).

Ubisoft fragments its subscription service with a new innovative pricing tier.

In order to be successful, subscription services like Netflix, HBO Max, and even Xbox Game Pass need to fluidly adapt to change. We've seen practically every streaming service morph and shift over the years--Netflix went from ad-free viewing being a major selling point to offering a lower-cost subscription tier with ads built right in.

Now the multi-game subscription market is also adapting to change. This time, we're seeing subscriptions fragment their content offerings with new pricing schemes to match. Ubisoft is among the first to introduce this major new innovation to the video game subscription market with the goal of better matching consumers' content needs.

ASUS has just unveiled its latest low-profile graphics card, with the introduction of the GeForce RTX 4060 LP BRK graphics card; check it out:

Inside, the new ASUS GeForce RTX 4060 LP BRK graphics card features the AD107-400 GPU that has 3072 CUDA cores and 8GB of GDDR6 memory. There's no factory overclocking on the ASUS RTX 4060 LP BRK graphics card, which is aimed at small form factor gaming PCs, so you want to keep those thermals contained.

ASUS uses a custom cooling design with a triple-fan cooler mounted on a pretty big -- at least for the low profile card -- heatsink. ASUS keeps the RTX 4060 LP BRK nice and short but maintains the chunkier dual-slot design. I think that's a good idea, having the card as a dual-slot design but keeping the fantastic cooling and shorted SFF design.

AYANEO has just teased its new AM02 Retro Mini-PC system, which falls under the company's "REMAKE" range of products. The retro-styled AM02 Mini-PC is just that... it takes the classic Nintendo NES console look and blends it into a new Mini-PC system. Check it out:

Inside, the new RETRO MINI PC AM02 system features a 4-inch multifunctional touchscreen, an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor with an efficient cooling system, and more. The AMD "Phoenix" APU inside of the RETRO MINI PC AM02 system is more than enough to power an HTPC system, workstation use, or even 1080p gaming loads with ease.

The AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor has 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, with clock speeds of up to 5.1GHz, 8MB of L2 cache, and 16MB of L3 cache with a TDP of 35-54W. The APU features an integrated Radeon 780M "RDNA 3" GPU with 12 compute units clocked at up to 2700MHz. That's a beefy amount of power inside of something that seems not much bigger than the NES.

Let's kick things off with the fastest of the SSDs that Patriot showed us while we visited their suite at the Bellagio in Las Vegas for CES 2024.

First up is the Viper PV553, which is a M.2 PCIe Gen5 x4 SSD in 1TB, 2TB, or 4TB capacities. Running a Phison E26 + Micron B58R controller, sequential reads get up to 12,400 MB/s while writes are up to 11,800 MB/s. Having a low profile 16.5 heatshield, with a blower fan rated for 25,000 hours ensures thermal performance under below 45C. An IDE 4-pin disk power male as well as a SATA power male dual connector that runs at 5V to supply power to the fan. Available soon.

Moving over to the Viper PV573, again is a M.2 PCIe Gen5 x4 SSD in 1TB, 2TB, or 4TB capacities. Running the same Phison E26 + Micron B58R controller as the P553, sequential reads get up to 14,000 MB/s while writes are up to 12,000 MB/s. The same low profile 16.5 heatshield, with a blower fan rated for 25,000 hours ensures thermal performance under below 45C. An IDE 4-pin disk power male as well as a SATA power male dual connector that runs at 5V to supply power to the fan. Available soon.

BLUETTI unveiled some new portable power solutions at CES 2024, with the introduction of the new AC180T and its new swappable and modular battery system... as well as the new MultiCooler, a new all-in-one fridge, freezer, and icemaker.

The new AC180T is similar to BLUETTI's existing AC180 power station, except it has dual removable battery packs with a capacity of around 717 watt-hours per battery. BLUETTI calls this technology "SwapSolar," which allows you to change battery packs if you need more energy capacity without having to buy another power station.

Inside, the hot-swappable lithium ion phosphate batteries can be rotated in and out of the machine without shutting it down, meaning you can keep your new BLUETTI AC180T power station on 24 hours a day.

Last year, 11 bit studios announced that it was partnering with AMD and would work closely with them to integrate and leverage Radeon technologies in its upcoming games on PC and console. This includes FSR 3 and frame generation, which led to 8K gameplay footage of The Invincible running on a PC equipped with an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX GPU.

As a developer, 11 bit studios is known for creating thematically rich, dark, and engaging experiences with hard choices to make - personified with its brilliant post-apocalyptic city builder and sim Frostpunk. Set in a new ice age and a frozen dystopian world, players were presented with making hard choices about who to feed, whether to put children to work and choosing the look and layout of civilian housing.

The combination of narrative and city-building was original and groundbreaking - like a twisted version of Sim City or Cities: Skylines. A critical success, 11 bit announced Frostpunk 2 a while back, but today, we've finally got our first look at gameplay.

V-Color has just announced its new 192GB DDR5 R-DIMM memory kits, which were designed for precision on AMD's new TRX50 motherboards and super-fast Ryzen Threadripper 7000 series CPUs.

The new V-Color DDR5 overclocking R-DIMM memory modules come in 192GB kits (with 4 x 48GB sticks) in both 6400MHz and 7200MHz speeds. They've been made for users that demand the maximum RAM capacity in their TRX50 motherboards, with high 7200MHz speeds.

We are talking about 192GB of RAM for content creators, intensive 3D modeling, AI programmers, trading machines, HFT (high-frequency trading) systems, and so much more. 192GB of RAM isn't a small amount of RAM, with most PC gamers sitting on around 16-32GB of RAM right now.

Blizzard is about to perform some major changes to Overwatch 2, with the developer explaining in a recent blog that it will be providing ALL heroes with passive healing abilities in Season 9.

Overwatch 2's upcoming Season 9 will see both Tank and Damage heroes getting a modified, tuned-down version of the self-healing passive ability that Support heroes have. Blizzard explained: "In Season 9, both Tank and Damage heroes will get a modified, tuned-down version of the Support self-healing passive. This should give non-Support players more options in terms of sustaining themselves. It should also take some of the pressure off Support players to keep everyone alive since individual players now have more control of their own health pool".

Blizzard continued: "In Overwatch, there is a constant tug of war between the power of a team and the power of an individual hero or player. A change like this shifts that balance a bit. This is something that we are constantly evaluating. We still want Overwatch to be defined by team strategy and mechanics, but we feel this can be pulled back a bit now and possibly more in the future".

In the header picture, there are two products we are going to discuss. The first is the Corsair 2500X, a mATX case with a dual chamber design. The 2500X is compatible with reverse connection motherboards such as the ASUS BTF and the MSI Project Zero.

Also pictured is Corsair's newest air cooler, the A115, which is equipped with two 140mm fans on Corsair's new Slide-and-Lock system, thus making it quite simple to install the fans. The A115 itself has six heat pipes attached to a high efficient cold plate able to dissipate up to 270 watts TDP. Compatible with LGA 1700 and AM5/AM4 sockets. Available now on the Corsair store for $99.99.

Up to nine 120mm or four 140mm fans can fit in the roof of the Corsair 2500X, bottom, and side mounts, along with the corresponding radiators.

Apple continues to release more information about the upcoming Vision Pro headset as we get ready for it to finally go on sale next month. We've already seen the company share details about a variety of features as well as what will come in the box, and now the company has confirmed the existence of a feature that will allow people to more easily use their Vision Pro on an airplane.

Writing in a larger press release about the Vision Pro's entertainment experience and what buyers can look forward to, Apple says that the headset will have a Travel Mode that is designed with airplanes in mind, although it can obviously be used when using other modes of transportation - although Apple is quick to note that people shouldn't wear the Vision Pro while they're operating a vehicle. Travel Mode is designed only for passengers, as you might expect.

Apple hasn't given all that much information about how Travel Mode will work but it did say that the feature stabilizes visuals, which suggests that Apple is aware that the on-screen interface could move around when people are not stationary. This is something that we'll need to see in person before we can be sure of how well it works, but we have to imagine that at least one YouTuber will take their Vision Pro on a rollercoaster to see how it performs.

Apple's Vision Pro will go up for preorder on January 19 before being made available to buy, finally, on February 2. But ahead of those dates, Apple continues to share more details about a headset that promises to be a big deal for a company that rarely ventures into new categories. One of those details revolves around a feature that is designed specifically to make it easier for people to show their new AR/VR headset off to people.

The feature, dubbed Guest Mode, will allow people to give their handset to someone else for them to try on and use temporarily without having to set everything up afresh. It should also mean that no new accounts will need to be created while also ensuring that most sensitive data won't be accessible, too.

Apple hasn't given in-depth information about the way Guest Mode will work, but it did warn that some app content including photo attachments in messages may be visible during the Gust Mode usage. However, the company's press release did note that people's Apple ID settings, Optic ID, passcode, passwords, Apple Pay, Persona, and health data will be restricted while Guest User is enabled.

Ever wondered how Windows 12 might look? Of course, we don't know for sure that's what it'll be called, but whatever Microsoft names its next-gen OS, we've just been treated to a concept video of how it might turn out.

Watched it yet? It's the clip just above this paragraph - credit to The Register for spotting it - so give the video a whirl, and come back when you're done. Otherwise you won't know what we're banging on about in the following paragraphs (more so than normal).

The concept design (note: it has nothing to do with Microsoft) presented by 'AR 4789' is very smart and we like the more streamlined feel to the desktop and core elements of the interface. It's much like the modern design of Windows 11, but a bit neater, bolder, and cleaner (though still very obsessed with those rounded corners).

Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality headset will finally go on sale on February 2, but only to customers who are in the United States. A global launch is obviously in the cards, and now a new report suggests that international customers should start saving for their new headset ASAP because it could be with them sooner than expected.

That's the claim by well-connected supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a new post on Medium. The analyst says that Apple has big plans for the WWDC 2024 event that will be held in June of this year and that to make the most of that event it should have the headset available in as many different countries as possible. That, Ming-Chi Ming-Chi Kuo believes, suggests that Apple intends to make the Vision Pro available internationally before WWDC.

The WWDC event is likely to take place in June which means that Apple still has a few months to make sure that the Vision Pro headset is available to as many people, and in as many countries, as possible.