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New Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro details emerge including one big disappointment

Oliver Haslam | Mobile Devices | Aug 8, 2023 2:25 AM CDT

Picking up a new Google Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro this year? Details about the two new phones are already starting to leak ahead of their anticipated October announcement and not all of them make for good reading.

New Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro details emerge including one big disappointment

A new report by WinFuture details some of the storage specifications that we can expect from the upcoming phones as well as colors that will be available. Although we're still months away from anything being made official, one of those leaks could give people something to think about when it comes to preorder time.

According to the report, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will both start with 128GB of storage, with the former topping out at 256GB for those who want to add a little more space to their setup. Those picking up a Pixel 8 Pro will have a 512GB option available to them as well, but there will be no 1TB option for anyone looking to really push the boat out.

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Continue reading: New Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro details emerge including one big disappointment (full post)

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 hit record sales figures at launch

Oliver Haslam | Mobile Devices | Aug 8, 2023 2:00 AM CDT

Sales of the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 have broken records for the number of devices preordered, according to a new report.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 hit record sales figures at launch

The new foldable phones began preorders starting from August 1, with Yonhap News Agency reporting that the South Korean preorders reached a record 1.02 million units across both devices. That figure breaks the previous record of 970,000 units for the previous Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4, it's reported.

In terms of how the two devices' preorders break down, Samsung reportedly said that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 was the most popular of the two devices. The foldable is similar to the flip phones of yesteryear and made up around 70% of preorders which is an increase over last year. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is said to have accounted for 60% of preorders when sold alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 4.

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Continue reading: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 hit record sales figures at launch (full post)

'Most powerful MacBook yet' is already in testing with a huge number of cores

Oliver Haslam | Laptops | Aug 8, 2023 1:29 AM CDT

Apple is currently testing its most powerful MacBook yet, according to a new report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Likely to be a MacBook Pro, the new machine is codenamed J514 and is powered by an as-yet-unannounced chip that is likely to be called the M3 Max.

'Most powerful MacBook yet' is already in testing with a huge number of cores

That M3 Max will be the top of the line for the M3 series of chips, at least until an M3 Ultra arrives, and is expected to debut next year. When it does, it'll bring with it a huge number of both CPU and GPU cores in a single package and offer unparalleled performance compared to existing Mac devices.

Gurman says that the new chip has been spotted in the logs of a Mac app developer, suggesting that the app has been used on such a device inside Apple. We can likely assume that the app is one that is particularly tasking and is used in pro workflows - with Apple presumably using it to internally benchmark its new silicon.

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Continue reading: 'Most powerful MacBook yet' is already in testing with a huge number of cores (full post)

Intel Graphics Drivers will now collect telemetry and user data by default

Kosta Andreadis | Graphics Cards | Aug 7, 2023 11:57 PM CDT

The latest Intel Graphics Drivers for Arc and other Intel products include a new telemetry and data collection 'feature' called the Compute Improvement Program enabled by default. You can probably guess the community response to this revelation (first spotted by TechPowerUp).

Intel Graphics Drivers will now collect telemetry and user data by default

It's not just about collecting information about hardware configurations and system specs in your PC but also about devices across your local network, including Smart TVs and even the categories of websites you visit. Like all data collection, it sounds nefarious while raising questions like "Why would you need to know that?" however, this sort of telemetry has been a part of NVIDIA and AMD driver installations for quite some time.

Intel, like AMD, offers the option to opt out of its new Compute Improvement Program during installation, something not available for GeForce GPUs. That said, listing the component as the 'Compute Improvement Program' doesn't fully explain that it's all about data collection.

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Continue reading: Intel Graphics Drivers will now collect telemetry and user data by default (full post)

MSI unveils B650M PROJECT ZERO motherboard with connectors hidden on the back

Kosta Andreadis | Motherboards | Aug 7, 2023 10:57 PM CDT

We got our first in-person look at MSI's 'Project Zero' motherboard design at Computex 2023, which moves power and other connectors to the back of the board for a cable-free look. Today comes the official unveiling and product listing for MSI's latest motherboard, the B650M PROJECT ZERO for AMD AM5 and Ryzen 7000 CPUs using the midrange B650 chipset.

MSI unveils B650M PROJECT ZERO motherboard with connectors hidden on the back

Per the product images, we see that the 24-pin ATX connectors, EPS12V CPU, and other case headers are all situated on the back of the board, making the MSI B650M PROJECT ZERO motherboard a very special release for the company.

Of course, you'll need to ensure you've got a compatible case with the necessary space to make it work - but it's an exciting look at the future of motherboard designs.

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Continue reading: MSI unveils B650M PROJECT ZERO motherboard with connectors hidden on the back (full post)

Colorful iGame RTX 4060 Ti Mini will arrive with a 16GB variant, and it's a tiny single-fan GPU

Kosta Andreadis | Graphics Cards | Aug 7, 2023 10:32 PM CDT

The new Colorful iGame RTX 4060 Ti Mini is the sort of release we love seeing, taking a power-efficient GPU like NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4060 Ti and shrinking it down to the basics. With a length of only 199.5mm and a single fan attached to the cooler, it more than lives up to the Mini naming while sporting a look that's a mix of white with brushed metal.

Colorful iGame RTX 4060 Ti Mini will arrive with a 16GB variant, and it's a tiny single-fan GPU

We reported on the announcement of the Colorful iGame GeForce RTX 4060 Ti MINI OC a few weeks ago; per a new report at Videocardz.com citing Colorful's product page (which no longer looks to be live), we've got word that the company is planning to release a 16GB variant sporting a darker brushed metal look alongside the white color scheme.

This would make it one of the world's smallest GPUs with 16GB of VRAM, with a small 5W bump in TDP to 165W from 160W and an expanded VRM design to 6+2. Elsewhere this is the same GPU, with the same RTX 4060 Ti AD106 chipset with 4352 CUDA Cores and GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus.

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Continue reading: Colorful iGame RTX 4060 Ti Mini will arrive with a 16GB variant, and it's a tiny single-fan GPU (full post)

iPhone 15 Pro's Action button all-but confirmed by new case leak

Oliver Haslam | Mobile Devices | Aug 7, 2023 1:37 PM CDT

We've been hearing rumors of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max coming with a new Action button, instead of the popular mute switch, for months now. And now it looks like we've seen our clearest confirmation yet that this is exactly what is going to happen.

iPhone 15 Pro's Action button all-but confirmed by new case leak

In a new leak of supposed iPhone 15 Pro Max cases, Twitter leaker Majin Bu appears to have put the Action button question to bed for once and for all. The cases show that the iPhone will have the volume buttons we are familiar with, but where there would normally be a space for the iPhone's mute switch, there's now a new button.

The new Pro iPhones are expected to borrow heavily from the Apple Watch Ultra, adding a new Action button that can be configured to do more than just mute things. It's expected that ti will also function in much the same way as the Apple Watch's button as well, giving users the chance to configure things how they like and depending on their needs.

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Continue reading: iPhone 15 Pro's Action button all-but confirmed by new case leak (full post)

Square Enix pays off Final Fantasy XVI's dev costs, causes Q1 profits to drop

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Aug 7, 2023 1:07 PM CDT

Square Enix's kicks off a new fiscal year with plummeting operating profits and net profits, but there's a good reason for this significant drop.

Square Enix pays off Final Fantasy XVI's dev costs, causes Q1 profits to drop

Square Enix's Q1 FY24 report gives key updates on the status of the Japanese publisher. The company saw a strong uptick in net sales, delivering 85.669 billion yen ($592.619 million) primarily due to the Digital Entertainment segment, which benefited from the performance of Final Fantasy XVI, MMO revenues, and multiple smartphone/PC games. Net sales grew +14.4% year-over-year on a yen basis and +7.7% YoY on a USD basis.

That's where the good news really stops, at least insofar as numbers. Square Enix's Q1 operating income and net profits were down heavily during the quarter. The publisher reported operating income of 3.097 billion yen ($21.423 million), representing a nearly 80% year-over-year decrease, and total net profits were also down by 65.7% to 18.355 billion yen ($43.58 million).

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Continue reading: Square Enix pays off Final Fantasy XVI's dev costs, causes Q1 profits to drop (full post)

Linux is now more popular than macOS with gamers - for an obvious reason

Darren Allan | Gaming | Aug 7, 2023 11:20 AM CDT

Steam's latest hardware survey for last month (July) showed that Linux has overtaken the Mac as a gaming platform.

Linux is now more popular than macOS with gamers - for an obvious reason

In July, the survey shows us that Linux gamers now total 1.96%, which exceeds macOS on 1.84%. The month showed a pretty big increase for Linux, which found itself up 0.52%.

Of course, both are still absolutely miles behind the popularity of Windows with Steam gamers, which holds 96.2% of the available share across its various versions. But it's interesting to see Linux gathering momentum quickly - propelled largely by a single factor.

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Continue reading: Linux is now more popular than macOS with gamers - for an obvious reason (full post)

AMD's Ryzen CPUs appear to be selling a ton - particularly X3D models - while Intel flounders

Darren Allan | Processors | Aug 7, 2023 10:33 AM CDT

AMD's Ryzen processors are currently outgunning Intel on the desktop by some margin, with the Ryzen 7800X3D and 5800X3D shifting a ton of units in particular, according to the latest sales figures from a major retailer in Europe.

AMD's Ryzen CPUs appear to be selling a ton - particularly X3D models - while Intel flounders

This is MindFactory in Germany, and the weekly stats come courtesy of TechEpiphany, who provides these sales breakdowns regularly on Twitter.

Of course, we must bear firmly in mind that these aren't official figures, and neither is one European retailer a yardstick by which we can judge the whole desktop market.

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Continue reading: AMD's Ryzen CPUs appear to be selling a ton - particularly X3D models - while Intel flounders (full post)

Red Dead Redemption coming soon to Switch and PS4, but isn't a remake

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Aug 7, 2023 9:34 AM CDT

Rockstar Games today announced that Red Dead Redemption is coming to the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 later this month, but this apparently is not a big remake and instead a re-release to fill out the platform base for RDR1.

Red Dead Redemption coming soon to Switch and PS4, but isn't a remake

It's official: Red Dead Redemption is getting re-released...but not in remake form. In fact, the game may not have been remastered all that much and may instead rely on the PS4's upscaling tech. There was no mention of graphical upgrades or extra effects on RDR1's website, and the game is being developed by Double Eleven Studios, not Rockstar Games.

Red Dead Redemption will release digitally on August 17, and the game will also be re-released in physical format on October 13. RDR1 will come packed with the Undead Nightmare and costs $49.99 on both Switch and PlayStation 4.

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Continue reading: Red Dead Redemption coming soon to Switch and PS4, but isn't a remake (full post)

KIOXIA to showcase next-gen applications and SSD technologies at Flash Memory Summit 2023

Kosta Andreadis | Storage | Aug 7, 2023 9:02 AM CDT

Flash Memory Summit 2023 is kicking off this week, and KIOXIA will be on hand to demonstrate the latest next-gen applications and SSD technologies at its Making the Future of Flash keynote presentation and educational sessions. The new KIOXIA CD8P Series, which brings PCIe 5.0 performance and speed to data centers, will be on hand, plus a live demo of the SSD tech featured on the International Space Station.

KIOXIA to showcase next-gen applications and SSD technologies at Flash Memory Summit 2023

The company plans to showcase the latest advances made to the company's s BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory, including the newly announced CD8P data center SSDs. KIOXIA has been developing flash memory solutions for data centers and enterprises since it invented the technology 35 years ago - and the company's Flash Memory Summit presence is all about what the future holds, from data centers to automotive to mobile applications, AI, and more.

"Flash memory continues to be a disruptive technology - even decades later," said Scott Nelson, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for KIOXIA America, Inc. "High-density, scalable storage technology from KIOXIA is enabling new applications in both emerging and existing markets."

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Continue reading: KIOXIA to showcase next-gen applications and SSD technologies at Flash Memory Summit 2023 (full post)

Great news, Steam Deck owners: Baldur's Gate 3 is now fully compatible with Valve's handheld

Darren Allan | Gaming | Aug 7, 2023 8:32 AM CDT

Baldur's Gate 3 has reached 'verified' status for Steam Deck compatibility with the release of the first patch for the RPG.

Great news, Steam Deck owners: Baldur's Gate 3 is now fully compatible with Valve's handheld

Previously, the game was rated as 'playable' meaning that it was regarded pretty much as fine, but with some niggles here and there.

As PC Gamer, which spotted this development, points out, those issues mostly revolved around the Larian Launcher (and it being necessary if the Deck wasn't hooked up to a network), and problems with the Deck's keyboard not appearing when it should.

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Continue reading: Great news, Steam Deck owners: Baldur's Gate 3 is now fully compatible with Valve's handheld (full post)

KIOXIA introduces new high-speed PCIe Gen5 SSDs for data centers with capacities of up to 30TB

Kosta Andreadis | Storage | Aug 7, 2023 8:02 AM CDT

The KIOXIA CD8P Series is the latest storage solution added to the company's lineup of data center-class solid state drives (SSDs) - and it's a big one. Designed for general-purpose server and cloud environments, the KIOXIA CD8P Series takes full advantage of PCIe 5.0 performance and speed.

KIOXIA introduces new high-speed PCIe Gen5 SSDs for data centers with capacities of up to 30TB

The kicker is that the KIOXIA CD8P Series will be available in capacities up to 30.72 TB and in Enterprise and Data Center Standard Form Factor (EDSFF) E3.S and 2.5-inch (U.2) form factors with a single-port design. EDSFF E3.S form factor capacities will start at 1.6 TB going up to 15.36 TB, with the 2.5-inch (U.2) form factor capacities starting from 1.6 TB to 30.72 TB.

Designed for data center environments, these new PCIe 5.0 SSDs have been optimized for performance, latency, and reduced power and thermal requirements. Compared to previous generation PCIe 4.0 solutions, the KIOXIA CD8P Series will deliver a 60 - 80% increase in sequential read performance.

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Continue reading: KIOXIA introduces new high-speed PCIe Gen5 SSDs for data centers with capacities of up to 30TB (full post)

Antec's new NE Gold M ATX 3.0 power supplies are made for high-end gaming, pushing up to 1300W

Kosta Andreadis | Cases, Cooling & PSU | Aug 7, 2023 7:28 AM CDT

Starting at 850W, the new NE (NeoEco) Gold M ATX 3.0 series of fully modular power supplies from Antec delivers the best for PC gamers, high-end enthusiasts, and workplaces. Because hey, if it can handle modding and overclocking at the pro gaming level, then it should be fine in a professional setting too.

Antec's new NE Gold M ATX 3.0 power supplies are made for high-end gaming, pushing up to 1300W

Antec notes that the NE Gold M ATX 3.0 series uses high-quality Japanese capacitors for reliable stability and is 80 PLUS Gold-certified for improved efficiency. Aesthetically you can choose between white or black - with the white model arriving with a 1000W power rating and the black options available in 850W, 1000W, and 1300W ratings.

Built with ATX 3.0 capabilities and standards, and PCIe 5.0 ready, this new power supply series from Antec is tailor-made for the new GeForce RTX 40 Series of GPUs from NVIDIA, thanks to the included PCIe 5.0 12VHPWR GPU cable and connector capable of delivering 600W on a single connection.

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Continue reading: Antec's new NE Gold M ATX 3.0 power supplies are made for high-end gaming, pushing up to 1300W (full post)

Want Windows 11 without the Microsoft bloat? There's a weird trick at setup that can do this

Darren Allan | Software & Apps | Aug 7, 2023 6:42 AM CDT

Windows 11 currently has an odd quirk that allows you to sidestep installing much of the bloatware that comes hand-in-hand with the operating system by default.

Want Windows 11 without the Microsoft bloat? There's a weird trick at setup that can do this

Windows Latest discovered this trick, and this is a strange one whereby you have to select a particular option when first setting up Windows 11 in order to swerve the bloat.

The tech site notes that during first-time setup, when you're presented with the option for 'Time and currency format' you should select English (World) or (Europe).

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Continue reading: Want Windows 11 without the Microsoft bloat? There's a weird trick at setup that can do this (full post)

NVIDIA RTX 4080 graphics card from Zotac dropped to $999 - but if you blinked, you missed it

Darren Allan | Graphics Cards | Aug 7, 2023 6:03 AM CDT

A Zotac GeForce RTX 4080 briefly dropped to a price of $999 before going straight out of stock, we're told - showing that there is demand for high-end current-gen GPUs.

NVIDIA RTX 4080 graphics card from Zotac dropped to $999 - but if you blinked, you missed it

The crux of the matter is that these graphics cards have to be priced right to shift, and that's something which hasn't happened with Lovelace (or RDNA 3) cards until more recently.

VideoCardz reports that Wccftech picked up on a deal whereby B&H Photo offered a Zotac GeForce RTX 4080 at $999 - which is $200 less than the recommended price of $1,199 in the US - but that the GPU sold out very quickly at this level.

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Continue reading: NVIDIA RTX 4080 graphics card from Zotac dropped to $999 - but if you blinked, you missed it (full post)

Elon Musk says where the Mark Zuckerberg cage fight will be livestreamed

Jak Connor | Business, Financial & Legal | Aug 7, 2023 5:55 AM CDT

The Elon Musk versus Mark Zuckerberg cage fight seems to be back on the cards after the Tesla CEO tweeted where the fight would be live-streamed.

Elon Musk says where the Mark Zuckerberg cage fight will be livestreamed

The flight between the two billionaires was thrown into doubt when Mark Zuckerberg said during a company town hall meeting at Meta that he wasn't sure if the fight was "going to come together." The doubt from Zuckerberg came from leaked audio from inside the company town hall meeting, acquired by Reuters. Following the statement from Zuckerberg, the fight between the Meta CEO and Musk seemed to be on the ropes, with minimal chance of fruition.

However, the fight seems to be back on as Musk has taken to his personal X account to announce that the MMA bout will be live-streamed exclusively on X and that all of the proceeds generated from the event will be donated to charities for veterans. To further back up the argument that the fight is going to happen, Musk also tweeted that he has been lifting weights throughout the day to "prepare for the fight", and that he's been bringing weights with him to work as he doesn't have time to work out.

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Continue reading: Elon Musk says where the Mark Zuckerberg cage fight will be livestreamed (full post)

NASA confirms helicopter flight on the surface of the Red Planet

Jak Connor | Science, Space, & Robotics | Aug 7, 2023 5:31 AM CDT

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has announced two new flights of a helicopter on the surface of the Red Planet.

NASA confirms helicopter flight on the surface of the Red Planet

That helicopter is none other than the Ingenuity helicopter that arrived on the surface of the Red Planet with its companion Mars Rover called Perseverance. Perseverance and Ingenuity touched down in the Jezero crater in February 2021, and since then, both the rover and the helicopter have been exploring the surface of Mars for any signs of microbial life.

It was only recently that NASA lost connection with Ingenuity after its 52nd flight as the helicopter flew too far away from its companion rover, temporarily severing the connection that was later re-established when the rover caught up to the small helicopter. Three months later, Ingenuity executed its 53rd flight, which, according to NASA, occurred on July 22 and saw the helicopter fly 468 feet horizontally at a maximum altitude of 16 feet. The flight lasted 74.9 seconds, and Ingenuity reached a maximum speed of 5.6 mph.

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Continue reading: NASA confirms helicopter flight on the surface of the Red Planet (full post)

Blizzard reveals John Cena is joining Overwatch 2 as 'The Enigma'

Jak Connor | Gaming | Aug 7, 2023 4:53 AM CDT

In what seems to be an unexpected appearance in Overwatch 2, Blizzard has showcased the newest edition called The Enigma.

Blizzard reveals John Cena is joining Overwatch 2 as 'The Enigma'

The confirmation of John Cena joining Overwatch 2 came after several popular Twitch streamers such as Shroud, Emongg, Kyedae, and Scump "leaked" the wrestling superstars' reveal. The official confirmation came from the overwatch YouTube account and other social media channels, which posted a trailer for its Invasion Story Missions showcasing "The Enigma" hunched over a computer.

The trailer explains that The Enigma has been working in the shadows while he watches the omic uprising in Rio, Gothenburg, and Toronto. John Cena then begins to connect with former agents of Overwatch to inform them that the invasion has begun. "Answer the call, heroes. It's time to fight back."

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Continue reading: Blizzard reveals John Cena is joining Overwatch 2 as 'The Enigma' (full post)

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