Computer Systems - Page 13

ASRock is the first out of the gate to unveil a new Mini-PC based on AMD's just-released Ryzen 8040 series "Hawk Point" APU with its new 4x4 BOX 8040 series Mini-PCs. Check it out:

The new ASRock 4x4 BOX 8040 series Mini-PCs come in two variants: the 4x4 BOX-8840U and 4x4 BOX-8640, with each of them packing an AMD Ryzen 8040 series APU, supporting DDR5-5600 memory, multiple displays (four in total) and super-fast USB4 connectivity.

ASRock's new Mini-PCs are powered by either the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U or Ryzen 5 8640U processors, with the Ryzen 7 8840U featuring 8 cores and 16 threads boosting at up to 5.1GHz, and the Ryzen 5 8640U featuring 6 cores and 12 threads boosting at up to 4.9GHz. On the integrated GPU side of things, the Ryzen 7 8840U features a Radeon 780M with 12 CUs, while the Ryzen 5 8640U features a Radeon 760M with 8 CUs on board.

PC shipments are expected to go through a huge sales boost in 2024, which will be driven by the "AI PC" wave that we're going to see begin in January 2024 and not stop throughout the year.

According to research outlet Canalys, in their new report, they see 2024 being a "delight" for the PC business. We've been seeing dips from the heights of the pandemic when pre-built system builders were essentially selling everything they could get their hands on and build.

But, after the pandemic, the PC industry saw huge drops in sales units dipping after the 2021 high, down in 2022, and down even more in 2023, but now 2024 is expected to be back up towards 2022 levels, and 2025 will get closer to 2020 levels. The entire PC business isn't doing great, but AI PCs are expected to see shipments increase by 8% up to 267 million units.

The mini PC market has returned in a big way in recent years, and if you've been following the space, then no doubt you've come across the competitive and powerful range from GEEKOM - a company that specializes in mini PCs to suit any need - and it's upcoming products could very well be little gaming powerhouse. And that's all due to them housing AMD's Ryzen 7 7840HS and Ryzen 9 7940HS processors.

These high-end mobile processors make up the flagship offerings in AMD's 'Phoenix' series, including Zen 4 architecture with AMD Radeon 780M graphics (12 CUs and up to 2.7 GHz clock speed). With the recent launch of the ROG Ally from ASUS, the Legion Go from Lenovo, and product companies like AYANEO, we've seen this type of APU - in Ryzen Z1 Extreme form - do some pretty amazing things.

With a Ryzen 7 7840HS or Ryzen 9 7940HS processor, GEEKOM's upcoming Mini IT13 PCs will undoubtedly be great little gaming boxes. The sort of device you could connect to a TV and treat it like a dedicated (and tiny) gaming console.

Thanks to the advances in the APU space, namely with low-power mobile Ryzen processors from AMD. And with that, we've seen a recent resurgence in mini-PCs that can be used for a lot more than just basic network tasks, from being able to handle complex content creation apps to serving as portable media platforms and servers to even little game boxes that can sit next to a TV or monitor for compact PC gaming on a device a lot smaller than even an Xbox Series S.

AYANEO is a company known for making some of the most powerful and capable PC gaming handhelds on the market (recently covered the impending launch of the company's new AYANEO Slide), but its latest release is a mini-PC. More specifically, the AYANEO Retro Mini PC (AM01) - sets itself apart from the pack with a retro design that makes it look like a miniature classic Macintosh. And ti comes with interchangeable decorative magnets and a set of stickers to help you make your AYANEO Retro Mini PC your own.

Outside of the gorgeous retro look, the AYANEO Retro Mini PC design features a 35W silent heat dissipation system, so there's none of that loud, tiny fan sound found in many other mini PCs. The retro beige shroud encloses some decent hardware, with the AYANEO Retro Mini PC's entry-level ($150 early bird price) variant equipped with an AMD Ryzen 3 3200U, 8GB of DDR4 Dual Channel Memory, and 256GB of storage.

When you think of a computer you think of something like an all-in-one, like an iMac, or a laptop like the countless models that are on the market today. But there is a third type of computer that technically isn't a computer at all. That's a thin client, and it's a device that acts as a go-between between the user and a remote computer somewhere in the cloud. Now Amazon has a new one on offer, and it looks very familiar indeed.

That's because it looks like an Amazon Fire TV Cube, a little box that was designed to be like a Fire TV Stick but offers more capabilities. Now, TechCrunch reports that Amazon has leveraged what it did with the Fire TV Cube to create new $195 devices that can connect to virtual desktop environments over the internet - like AMazon's own Amazon WorkSpaces.

The new thin client has USB and HDMI ports for connecting to monitors and input accessories like keyboards and pointing devices. You can even plug a headset and other things into it, too. The whole thing is designed to be installed and managed by an IT department in a business of course, something that makes the similarities to the Fire TV Cube all the more fun. Because this looks nothing like the IBM computers you're used to seeing litter offices around the globe.

COLORFUL has just unveiled a new sleeper gaming PC with the introduction of its new G-ONE Plus all-in-one gaming PC, powered by both an AMD CPU and GPU inside.

The new COLORFUL G-ONE Plus AIO PC is powered by an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX processor, with 8 cores and 16 threads at up to 4.9GHz based on the Zen3+ architecture and being the HX variant, and it has a higher 45W TDP. On the GPU side of things, there's the Radeon RX 6850M XT powered by the Navi 22 GPU, based on the RDNA 2 GPU architecture with 2560 Stream Processors.

We also have 12GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit memory bus, with performance that should be close to the desktop Radeon RX 6700 XT, but it'll be limited by its rather decent 165W. COLORFUL will have multiple configurations for power settings on the Radeon RX 6850M XT: Beast at 165W, Gaming at 154W, Balance at 135W, and Quiet at 114W.

Underwater data centers aren't something new, with Microsoft and its Project Natick taking data centers into the depths of our oceans back in 2014, and now China has kick-started the construction of the world's first commercial underwater data center off the coast of Sanya, which is a coastal city south of Hainan Island.

In a new report from China Central Television (CCTV) each of the data storage units can process over 4 million high-definition images in 30 seconds, with an estimated performance of 60,000 regular desktop computer systems all working together. The first of the data storage units was installed back in April, but a few days ago, the engineers added another data storage unit on the sea floor south of the Hainan province.

The company has plans to install 100 watertight data storage units as the building blocks of its underwater datacenter dreams, with each of the data storage units weighing in at 1300 tons, which is the same as 1000 cars. Getting something that big and heavy to the bottom of the ocean isn't easy, as you can imagine. Each of the data storage units takes around 3 hours to move the 35 meters to the bottom of the ocean.

Aftershock PC and SteelSeries have been cooking up their new limited edition SteelSeries x FaZe Clan PC, which is truly a symbol of top-tier gaming excellence and a true piece of esports history.

FaZe Clan are on top of the Counter-Strike 2 world and have been the first to secure themselves a CS2 tournament victory. Aftershock PC was on the ground at IEM Sydney 2023, where FaZe Clan made history with the first CS2 victory and got the FaZe Clan team (Karrigan, Rain, Ropz, Broky and Twistzz) members stop by the Aftershock PC booth and sign the side panels of these gaming PC systems.

It wasn't just at IEM Sydney 2023 either, with FaZe Clan winning 3 consecutive tournament victories, which started at IEM Sydney 2023 and then led to their domination at the Thunderpick World Championship 2023. Then, most recently, the guys smashed it at the CS Asia Championships 2023.

Alienware and Dell recently updated their custom PC lineup with the new Alienware Aurora R16 range that incorporates a brand-new look and feel with 14th-gen Intel CPUs and the latest in GeForce RTX 40 Series graphics. In a surprising move, Dell is now selling the previous Alienware Aurora R15 gaming desktops with a brand-new configuration featuring Intel Arc A770 16GB graphics cards.

Paired with a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 13700F or higher CPU, this is the first all-in-one Alienware gaming desktop to feature Intel hardware for all processing. Surprisingly, the Intel Arc A770 16 GPU can be upgraded to a GeForce RTX 4070 for an additional USD $50 - which is a bargain when you factor in that the Intel Arc A770's performance sits below the GeForce RTX 4060.

The fact that Intel Arc A770 GPUs, even with 16GB of VRAM, can be picked up for under $300, and the USD $1,949.99 asking price for the all-Intel Alienware Aurora R15 gaming desktop feels a bit steep.

Apple's new M3 24-inch iMac is a solid option for people who want their computer and their monitor to be one and the same thing, but it isn't quite big enough for some power users. For those who need extra screen real estate, the 27-inch iMac was perfect until it was killed off. Now, any hopes of it making a return and getting an Apple silicon upgrade have been dashed for good.

That's because despite not normally commenting on rumors, Apple has confirmed in a statement to The Verge that it has no intention of releasing an Apple silicon 27-inch iMac. Anyone who wants something of that size is going to have to look elsewhere.

Unsurprisingly, Apple has the perfect answer. Instead of buying the non-existent 27-inch iMac, customers are instead directed towards the Apple Studio Display and either a Mac Studio or a Mac mini. The end result will of course be similar to a 27-inch iMac, including the 5K display that made the Intel-based one so popular.

The rise in popularity of PC gaming handhelds has been one of the most interesting things in recent years, with devices like the Steam Deck from Valve and ROG Ally from ASUS leading the pack. AMD's mobile processor technology with integrated graphics powers the latter, specifically the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme. An impressive gaming chip that's also found in the new Lenovo Legion Go - which is now available starting from USD 699.99.

With a price point higher than the competition, the Lenovo Legion Go might be the most impressive PC gaming handheld to date, thanks to its cutting-edge design and other notable features. The standout is the 8.8-inch QHD (2560 x 1600) IPS Touchscreen display, which is not only large for a gaming handheld but comes packed with specs like 500 nits of brightness, 144Hz refresh rate, and 97% DCI-P3 color accuracy.

Throw in 16 GB of LPDDR5X-7500MHz, 1TB of internal M.2 SSD storage, and Wi-Fi 6E, and the Lenovo Legion Go doesn't cut any corners. Outside of the impressive specs, one of the big design features is a detachable controller system similar to the Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons - except optimized for PC gaming.

Mini PCs can be impressive when you realize how much power they pack into a tiny form factor, and for me, it usually comes down to "What games can it play?" Will it be limited to indie titles that don't require much in the way of GPU hardware, or can it handle playing some modern titles like Resident Evile 4 Remake and Diablo IV with decent visuals and performance?

Chinese manufacturer AceMagic has been creating impressive Mini PCs for a while now; we recently went hands-on with the ACEMAGIC AMR5 AMD Ryzen Mini PC and were impressed with it as an entry-level gaming box. Check out our full review of it here.

For me, I've actually been testing the ACEMAGIC AM20 AMD Ryzen 7 7735H Mini PC as an all-in-one emulation and PC gaming box (I'll have a write-up on it soon) - and have been having a blast. So today's news about the new AceMagic Tank 03 featuring up to GeForce RTX 3080 mobile graphics is enough to grab my attention, even if the overall design looks like a boombox or portable stereo from the late 1990s.

Apple last updated the 24-inch iMac when it was first released way back in 2021. That iMac is powered by the Apple-designed M1 chip, a chip that started the whole transition away from Intel and towards chips built for Apple by TSMC. Now, as we get nearer to the release of the M3 series of chips, it looks increasingly likely that the iMac is finally about to get the love it deserves.

That's because Apple is set to hold an online, streamed event on October 30 with multiple Macs likely to be announced. A refreshed 24-inch iMac is thought to be one of those new Macs and a new report says that it will indeed get an M3 chip to call its own. That's the good news, but as always, there's bad news to go alongside it.

The bad news comes courtesy of Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a post on X, the social network formerly known as Twitter, Gurman says that Apple is indeed planning to launch the M3 iMac and that it's been working on it for some time. He goes on to add that the machine entered mass production months ago, too.

Lenovo has just unveiled its new LEGION 9000K and LEGION 7000K pre-built Gaming PCs for the Chinese market at this point in time, celebrating the launch of Intel's new 14th Gen Core "Raptor Lake Refresh" CPUs and NVIDIA's powerhouse GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs.

The new LEGION 9000X 2024 Gaming PCs are available in four different offerings: Intel's new Core i9-14900KF processor with the GeForce RTX 4090 for around $4424, or you can drop down to the GeForce RTX 4080 and the LEGION 9000X drops to $3080 or so. The other 14th Gen Core CPU is the Core i7-14700KF with the GeForce RTX 4080 for $2716 or so. Once again, there's another offering with the RTX 4070 Ti, but the price only drops to $2660.

Lenovo also has its LEGION 7000X 2024 Gaming PCs led by the Core i7-14700K and the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti for $1904, but you can switch out the GPU and drop those prices to $1638, $1400, and $1289. That would mean switching out the RTX 4070 Ti at $1904 to the RTX 4070 for $1638, the RTX 4060 Ti for $1400, and the RTX 4060 for $1289. There are also some Core i5-14600KF processor offerings in the LEGION 7000X 2024 family, with the RTX 4060 Ti for $1289 or the Radeon RX 7600 for $910. All of these new Lenovo LEGION 9000X and 7000X systems are available to purchase right now through Chinese e-tailers.

A new Raspberry Pi project used the compact computer board to turn a regular (dumb) washing machine into a smart model of sorts.

This was carried out by Ben (of Ben's Electrical Escapades) as detailed on YouTube (check out the video above).

With the Raspberry Pi powering the smart features, the old washer is now able to notify Ben if anyone has opened the machine after the wash has finished (to take out the load and dry it).

Alienware is quick to announce its new upgrade options for its recently redesigned Aurora R16 gaming desktop PCs, now that Intel has unleashed its new 14th Gen Core "Raptor Lake Refresh" CPUs, but Alienware has a huge GPU upgrade available for gamers.

The new Alienware Aurora R16 gaming desktop now offers Intel's new Core i9-14900KF and Core i7-14700KF processors: both the "KF" variants, meaning they don't have an integrated GPU, and are slightly cheaper than the regular "K" variants that have an integrated GPU.

CPU upgrades: Intel's new Core i9-14900KF processor offers 24 cores and 32 threads of CPU power at up to 6.0GHz, while the Core i7-14700KF features 20 cores and 28 threads of CPU power at up to 5.6GHz. These new 14th Gen Core CPU options join the 12th Gen Core and 13th Gen Core CPUs, including the Core i9-12900F, Core i7-13700F, and Core i9-13900F processors inside of the Alienware Aurora R16 desktops.

ASUS has officially taken over developing and distributing Intel's NUC (Next Unit of Computing) lineup of mini-PCs. ASUS Senior Vice President Jackie Hsu recently spoke with news outlet The Register to discuss the transition, outlining that the company will continue to sell NUCs to consumers and commercial customers in addition to the industrial sector.

ASUS plans to offer custom NUC machines that can change up the I/O configuration to meet the demands of clients, with the company leaning into its history of creating mini-PCs. The report also confirms that when it comes to ASUS taking over the NUC business, it has licensed the NUC IP, which includes the small form-factor motherboard - potentially leading the way for the company to create custom designs for a range of customers.

In a general sense, this means being able to put the hardware in a chassis or setup that isn't a tiny cube-like shape, with ASUS potentially creating custom-made NUC solutions for self-service kiosks, point-of-sale systems, and warehouse operations. And all with ASUS as the single point of contact, as part of its PC business. However, when I think about a mini-PC or a NUC system, I think about how small we can get a viable gaming PC.

Apple is long overdue to give the 24-inch iMac a refresh and it's something that we expect to happen within months, if not before the end of 2023. But that refresh has been expected to use a new M3 chip, based on TSMC's fledgling 3nm manufacturing process. However, while a new report claims that the 24-inch iMac refresh is on the way soon, it does dash hopes that it'll have that new chip inside.

The report comes via the Japanese blog MacOtakara, a website that has had a relatively hit-and-miss history with these kinds of things. In the case of this report, it notes that the M1 iMac is difficult to get in some international stores right now, with delivery windows stretching into the weeks. That leads the outlet to suggest that a new iMac is on the way and that Apple is letting inventory sell through before releasing it. And that's when things get weird.

We've been hearing from the likes of Bloomberg's Mark Gurman that iMac would use M3 chips for months at this point, and he isn't alone in that assertion. However, MacOtakara now says that the new iMac will instead use Apple's existing M2 and M2 Pro silicon instead.

ZTE has just unveiled its very first "flagship GPU server" for the Chinese market, powered by Intel Xeon Scalable processors and NVIDIA H800 AI GPUs. Check it out:

China hasn't stopped with its pursuits in artificial intelligence (AI) with multiple Chinese companies making their own "AI solutions" because of it. ZTE is known for its smartphones, networking, enterprise solutions, and more, but now the Chinese company has jumped into the AI industry with the introduction of the ZTE R6900 G5 flagship GPU server.

The new ZTE R6900 G5 flagship GPU server packs an undisclosed Intel Xeon Scalable processor (we don't know how many, or which models, clock speeds, etc) as well as 8 x NVIDIA H800 NVLink GPU modules or 8 x OCP OAM 8-GPU modules. Networking-wise, the new ZTE R6900 G5 server supports IB/RoCE networking between individual notes with up to 4.8TB/sec of non-blocking bandwidth.

A new report by the International Data Corporation (IDC) covering Q3 2023 doesn't paint a very positive picture of the ongoing recovery of the PC market. However, PC shipments in previous quarters have slowed the annual decline rate. Per the report, PC shipments in Q3 2023 declined 7.6% year-over-year, which covers 68.2 million PCs for the three months.

On the plus side, PC inventory looks healthy in 2023; channels aren't overstocked with supply due to the lessened demand. The report highlights increased pressure from the consumer and business space to lower prices. The PC shipments outlined in the report cover desktops, notebooks, and workstations - excluding tablets and x86 servers.

The top five PC makers experienced significant negative growth outside of HP, which experienced 6.4% growth and an overall increase in market share. Apple saw the biggest hit to growth with -23.1% for the quarter, followed by Dell with -14.3% growth.