Computer Systems - Page 2

Apple is about to put a bow on its transition to in-house Apple Silicon by dropping support for Intel-based Macs in the next macOS release. MacRumors reports that the company is about to stop supporting Macs with Intel CPUs starting with next year's macOS 27. This means that macOS 26, codenamed "Tahoe," will be the last macOS version to support Intel-based Macs.

Currently, several Intel-based products in Apple's Mac lineup support macOS 26 Tahoe. These include the 16-inch MacBook Pro 2019, the 12-inch MacBook Pro 2020, the 27-inch iMac 2020, and the 2019 Mac Pro. These products are not expected to get support for the upcoming macOS 27 update, but they will get this year's latest macOS 26 "Tahoe" versions. They will also continue to get security updates for the next 3 years, which is crucial.

This move signals the end of an era, as Intel is no longer a partner in Apple's Mac hardware products. Apple has moved to an in-house Silicon program since late 2020, starting with the M1 SoC. Apple's M-series SoCs have since evolved through 5 iterations, with the M5 Pro and M5 Max leading the current lineup. The M-series SoCs house the CPU, GPU, memory, and interconnected I/O on the same package, differentiating them from traditional x86 chips.

ASUS has announced a new line-up of all-in-one PC, which are those machines that include the PC hardware and chassis as part of the display or monitor, and one particular model stands out from the pack. And would be the new ASUS V400 AiO (VM441QA), which is powered by Qualcomm's first-generation Snapdragon X chip, which debuted with the first wave of Windows on Arm laptops, known as Copilot+ PCs.

ASUS calls this new sleek PC the "first all-in-one desktop built on the Snapdragon X platform," which includes a Qualcomm Adreno GPU and Hexagon NPU. Looking at the hardware specs, which also include 16 or 32GB of LPDDR5X memory, and up to 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen4 storage, it's an interesting use of the Snapdragon X APU in what looks to be a sleek, power-efficient, productivity PC for those looking for a machine that can handle the basics.

Naturally, as a desktop PC, it offers advantages over Copilot+ PC laptops, namely a larger display and more ports for secondary devices and expansion. The ASUS V400 AiO includes multiple USB and audio ports as well as an HDMI 2.1b port for connecting a second display.

This is one of those "get the salt ready" rumors, as even though it comes from a reputable source, it would be an absolute game-changer if true. According to a report over at SemiAccurate, NVIDIA has been in negotiations for over a year to "buy a large company" that will "reshape the PC landscape."

SemiAccurate notes that this story arrives after a year of research and is fairly light on details, as it doesn't mention or list any of the potential "large" companies NVIDIA is potentially negotiating to buy. However, in the "PC landscape," some of the biggest players in the consumer PC market are Lenovo, Dell, HP, ASUS, and Acer.

These are all companies that sell tens of millions of PC hardware every year and already have deep ties to NVIDIA, covering everything from GeForce RTX hardware for consumer-facing products to data center gear for the AI market. Again, this would be a game-changer if true, and, according to Bloomberg, this rumor alone has led to increases in Dell and HP share prices.

Framework Computing, a hardware maker focused on releasing modular and upgradeable gear, has issued a statement saying the current memory crisis driven by the AI industry could have a devastating effect on the consumer PC market. Interestingly, this warning arrived with an announcement and blog post about the Framework Next Gen Event, scheduled for April 21.

"We've spent the last six years in Framework proving that it's possible to build high-performance, thin, light computers that last longer and respect your rights through repairability, upgradeability, and customization," Framework CEO Nirav Patel writes in the post. "We're happy to see repair rapidly becoming the norm rather than the exception, with even Apple of all companies embracing it on their latest notebook. I built this company specifically to reset and fix a broken industry. So, mission accomplished? Not quite. There is a very real scenario in which personal computing as we know it is dead."

Saying that personal computing, as we know it, could die is definitely alarming, since Framework sources all the memory, storage, and other components for its devices. So this comment is based on the current situation, which Nirav Patel describes as an AI arms race with the ultimate goal of metering access to compute "by the token."

According to the latest report from the International Data Corporation (IDC), global PC shipments grew year-over-year for the first three months of 2026. Although it was only 2.5%, the PC market delivered positive numbers "despite deteriorating macroeconomic conditions and memory shortage issues."

The report attributes the growth to people buying hardware in anticipation of impending price increases, people finally migrating from Windows 10, and the arrival of new products like Intel's new Panther Lake laptops. The top five PC makers by shipments for Q1 2026 remain largely unchanged from a year ago, with Lenovo leading at 25.2% market share, followed by HP, Dell, Apple, and ASUS.

Interestingly, when you break down global PC shipments by region for the quarter, the Americas saw a 3.3% decline compared to the same time last year, while EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) saw a sharp 7.4% increase. However, even though the year has started on a positive note, so to speak, the expectation is that supply chain challenges for components such as memory will affect the rest of the year.

Corsair released its AI-focused AI Workstation 300 Desktop PC line last year, with the compact devices sporting powerful Ryzen AI MAX hardware with integrated Radeon graphics, and up to 128GB of unified LPDDR5X memory. The 128GB is for the 'Strix Halo' Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 variant, AMD's most powerful AI-ready APU that also includes an integrated Radeon 8060S GPU.

However, with memory prices increasing exponentially since Corsair introduced its AI Workstation 300 Desktop PC lineup, it appears this is now reflected in the total cost to consumers. And with that, the flagship Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 model with 128GB of memory has seen its price increase to $3,399.99 USD on Corsair's official store, a massive $1,100 increase over its $2,299 launch price.

This model also features 4TB of internal storage, which is another sector, like memory, that has seen a seismic shift in pricing in recent months. The good news is that the lower-tier model with the Ryzen AI MAX 385 chip, Radeon 850S graphics, and 64GB of unified LPDDR5X memory has only seen a $100 increase, bringing its price to $1,699.99.

A big part of what makes Raspberry Pi's computers so appealing is that they are tiny and affordable, making them perfect for students, educators, hobbyists, and anyone looking to take on a weekend project without spending a fortune. Unfortunately, the ongoing memory shortage is undermining this very image, as the company has announced significant price hikes across several of its products.

The move, shared by Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton in a blog post, comes as the insatiable memory demand from AI data centers continues to push companies into a corner. Upton clarified that the increases are not permanent and that prices will come back down once DRAM costs go down. Until then, here's what getting a Raspberry Pi will cost you:

For the Raspberry Pi 5, prices are even more eye-watering.

Apple has pulled the plug on its long-running tower workstation line, discontinuing the Mac Pro. The tech giant confirmed to 9to5Mac that there are no plans for future Mac Pro hardware. The Mac Studio will now sit at the top of Apple's desktop lineup, powered by the M5 Ultra, which is due for release in the first half of this year.

Apple has since removed the Mac Pro from its website, with the buy page now redirecting users to Mac's homepage. For professional users, the Mac Studio is available in M4 Max and M3 Ultra configurations, offering up to a 32-core CPU, up to an 80-core GPU, Thunderbolt 5, and support for up to 512GB of unified memory.

The decision is not a surprise. The Mac Pro last received an update in June 2023, when Apple moved the system to M2 Ultra while keeping the aging 2019 chassis. Even then, it sat in an awkward spot. The Mac Studio, equipped with the same chip and offering similar performance, was available for $3,000 less.

According to a new report from the Taiwanese publication UDN (translated), ASUS plans to raise prices on PCs, including the new Qualcomm-powered Zenbook A16, by 25 to 30% in Taiwan next quarter. Naturally, if you've been following the current memory crisis affecting the industry, this news won't be unsurprising, but it's still alarming.

This news comes from a recent press conference that ASUS held in the region with Qualcomm, and is from Liao Yi-hsiang, General Manager of ASUS United Technology Systems Business. The price increases will reportedly vary by model; however, the report is clear that ASUS is referring only to Taiwan, as it didn't disclose whether these price increases will make their way to other global markets and regions.

Although steep, the price increases are a direct response to the dramatic increases in memory costs. For example, 32GB of memory cost around 3,000 Yuan last year, and it's now around 20,000 Yuan as we head into the second quarter.

ASUS has announced the new ExpertCenter PN55 Mini PC powered by AMD Ryzen AI 400 Series Processors. And although the simple design is built to offer a compact Copilot+ PC with up to 55 TOPS of XDNA2 NPU performance and 96GB of DDR5-5600 memory, these little black boxes can also become Steam Machine-like devices that could comfortably sit underneath or next to a TV.

With the flagship AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 option, including AMD Radeon 890M graphics, you're looking at one of the most capable PC gaming APUs currently available, with enough performance to handle current AAA-style games running at a lower resolution with optimized settings. And with 16 RDNA 3.5 Compute Units and a Boost Clock speed of 3100 MHz, it's enough to deliver a smooth 60 FPS experience in a wide range of games with Medium or High graphics settings.

Of course, that's not what the ASUS ExpertCenter PN55 is built for; it's a compact and powerful productivity device for the AI era of computing. With the AMD Ryzen AI 400 Series Processors and integrated Radeon 800M graphics, it supports up to four 4K displays, NVMe SSD storage, WiFi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4, and includes six USB ports (including USB4) in its compact 130 x 130 x 34mm build.

The International Data Corporation (IDC) has published a new report stating that the current "memory and supply chain" issues facing the consumer technology and PC markets are much worse than expected. Back in November 2025, the firm published a report that stated that global shipments would shrink by 2.4% in 2026, which it's now revising to 11.3% - a substantial downturn.

"These reductions are driven by a convergence of memory shortages, rising component prices, and broader supply constraints, all of which are expected to limit production well into 2027, making recovery timing a challenging and shifting target," the latest IDC report reads. Also adding that the unforeseen escalation of conflict in the Middle East has introduced a new layer of challenges driven by the seemingly insatiable appetite for building AI data centers and infrastructure.

IDC's Ryan Reith says this revised forecast and updated outlook will result in "massive disruption," meaning it will be "nearly impossible" for some companies to survive the memory crisis affecting all corners of the consumer PC market.

ASRock's DeskMeet mini PCs are powerful, versatile, and configurable, and can also double as portable gaming PCs. With the launch of Valve's Steam Machine delayed until later this year, ASRock has come out to say that if you take one of its DeskMeet mini PCs, like the DeskMeet B660 that we've previously reviewed, and pair it with the Intel Arc A380 Challenger ITX 6GB OC GPU, you've got an affordable alternative.

Intel's first-generation Arc graphics cards have come a long way since their debut; however, the recent release of XeSS 3 has breathed new life into the Intel Arc A380. With new, updated AI-powered upscaling (Super Resolution), Frame Generation, and now Multi-Frame Generation, the Intel Arc 380 can deliver decent 1080p gaming performance that could theoretically compete with the Steam Machine.

According to ASRock, the arrival of XeSS 3 sees the Intel Arc A380 perform more in line with the Radeon RX 6600, with better image quality than AMD's FSR. Of course, as a 6GB GPU, the Intel Arc A380 Challenger ITX won't be able to render games at Ultra settings, but at a price of only $139.99 USD, it's worth considering.

We got our first look at the ACEMAGIC Retro X5 Mini Gaming PC back at CES earlier this year, with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370-powered device turning more than a few heads thanks to its retro-inspired design. And by that, we mean it looks a lot like the classic 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System console from the 1980s, but with modern hardware, including 32GB of DDR5 5600MHz memory and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD.

With the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370's integrated RDNA 3.5 Radeon 890M graphics, it's a fairly capable little gaming rig that can play most modern AAA titles at 1080p 60 FPS with optimized settings. And all of that in a tiny 138 x 128 x 45mm footprint. And with WiFi 7, BT 5.4, USB4, USB 3.2, HDMI 2.1, and DisplayPort support, it's a capable PC that is more than capable of being a daily productivity driver and running local AI models.

Of course, with its retro-gaming design, the ACEMAGIC Retro X5 Mini Gaming PC is being marketed as a Steam Machine-like gaming PC that can sit next to a TV or on a desk. And with that, it's available for purchase on Amazon at a special launch price of $1,049.99.

The analysts at Gartner are predicting that PC shipments will decline by 10.4% in 2026 due to the current memory and storage crisis affecting the consumer technology market. And with that, Gartner estimates that DRAM and SSD prices will surge by 130% by the end of the year, driving PC prices up by 17%.

"This is the steepest contraction in device shipments witnessed in over a decade. Higher prices will narrow the range of devices available, prompting buyers to hold on to devices for longer, fundamentally altering upgrade cycles," said Ranjit Atwal, Sr Director Analyst at Gartner. A sentiment shared by many, and one that feels like the expected outcome of a situation where data centers and the AI market are buying up anything and everything, and are willing to spend the money to do so.

However, as prices rise, Gartner predicts a sharp increase in the total bill of materials (BOM) for building PCs and laptops, effectively killing the entry-level laptop and PC market. "This sharp increase removes vendors' ability to absorb costs, making low-margin entry-level laptops nonviable. Ultimately, we expect the sub-$500 entry-level PC segment will disappear by 2028," Ranjit Atwal adds.

Select products in Lenovo's 'Intelligent Devices Group' portfolio, which includes PCs, tablets, and mobile devices, are reportedly going to experience a price increase in early March 2026. This news arrives via CRN, citing Lenovo's Wade McFarland as the source.

In a letter to its partners, confirmed by Lenovo, "the scope and impact of any updates will vary, and specific details will be communicated directly where applicable." In a follow-up statement provided to CRN, Ryan McCurdy, Lenovo's North America president, added that "there's no way around it" and that the company "absolutely had to adjust and continue to adjust" prices in response to the global DRAM and NAND crisis.

The last couple of months, or the beginning of 2026 to be more precise, have been tumultuous for the consumer technology market as the dramatic increase in memory and storage prices, alongside limited supply, has led to an unprecedented situation where the biggest players in the space, like Lenovo, are having to deal with the situation brought on by the current AI boom.

NZXT has just launched its latest stylish and impressive compact case, the H2 Flow Mini-ITX. With its fine-mesh panels, 20.7L vertical GPU-mounted tower design, and toolless construction, NZXT is aiming to make small-form-factor (SFF) builds more viable, accessible, and powerful than ever.

In addition to the standalone case, which supports liquid cooling and modern GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards, NZXT is launching an all-in-one H2 Mini PC powered by a GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 5080. As one of the most powerful 4K gaming cards on the market, the impressive compact H2 Mini PC is small enough to fit on any desk or sit comfortably in a living room.

NZXT confirms that the H2 Mini PC will only be available in the US. Even though it's priced at $3,499 USD for both the AMD and Intel CPU variants, it packs some impressive hardware. In addition to the GeForce RTX 5080, you've got your choice of an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D or an Intel Core Ultra 9 285 K, both paired with 32GB of DDR5 memory and 2TB of M.2 storage.

Puget Systems, which has a strict testing process for components and RMA reviews for the systems it builds, has prepared its annual report on the most reliable PC hardware of 2025. Although it doesn't cover the entire brand landscape, it's still a great indicator of performance and reliability across the components that make up a modern desktop PC: CPU, GPU, motherboard, RAM, storage, and power supply.

Looking at the desktop CPU space, both AMD Ryzen 9000 Series and Intel Core Ultra processors have an almost identical failure rate: 2.52% for AMD and 2.49% for Intel. Although AMD edges out Intel here, the company notes that it's too close for there to be a "statistically significant difference."

When drilling down to specific models, the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K takes the crown as the most reliable processor, with a failure rate of only 0.77%. This is followed by AMD's Ryzen 9000 X3D Series processors, which have a failure rate of just 1.51%.

MAINGEAR has just unleashed a super-limited Retro98 series of desktop gaming PCs, sporting AMD's new Ryzen 7 9850X3D processor, and so much more... inside of an unbelievably awesome chassis. Check it out:

The new MAINGEAR Retro98 gaming systems are a limited-edition gaming PC drop that is inspired by what started the company's -- and millions of PC gamers worldwide -- an old-school beige tower, but with monster PC hardware inside. MAINGEAR is using the SilverStone FLP02 tower PC case, looking like it was ripped right out of 1998.

Inside, you can option for a super-high-end liquid-cooling system that was co-developed by Alphacool, with MAINGEAR configuring its Retro98 system with up to a Ryzen 9 9950X3D, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 with 24GB of GDDR7 memory, ultra-fast Kingston FURY DDR5 RAM and SSDs, as well as modern airflow engineering, and more.

ZOTAC has announced a new model in its ZBOX series of mini PCs: the ZOTAC ZBOX MAGNUS EAMAX395C. Described as its "most powerful AMD-powered ZBOX mini PC," it packs AMD's impressive Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 processor, aka 'Strix Halo,' in a compact 2.65L form factor. With up to 128GB of LPDDR5X-8000 memory, 16 cores and 32 threads, and integrated Radeon 8060S Graphics, it's an impressive unit.

The Radeon 8060S is AMD's most powerful integrated GPU, with 40 RDNA 3.5 Compute Units, and in a Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 system with 128GB of memory, which also means up to 96GB of VRAM. Of course, the Radeon 8060S is still a 1080p gaming graphics card; however, it won't have any issues running most AAA games at 60 FPS with impressive visual fidelity and detail settings.

In addition to gaming, there's also up to 126 Total AI TOPS of performance when you combine the NPU and GPU, making the MAGNUS EAMAX395C an impressively compact unit for running local AI workloads.

The new MINISFORUM AtomMan G7 Pro is a slimline mini PC built for gaming, featuring a GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU and the powerful Intel Core i9 14900HX processor. In addition to supporting the latest RTX technologies, such as DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, the GPU also delivers up to 798 TOPS of AI performance.

Although compact, the AtomMan G7 Pro features a 200W sustained "dual-load performance design," which means the Intel Core i9-14900HX can draw up to 85W while the GeForce RTX 5070 8GB Laptop GPU delivers its full performance at 115W. MINISFORUM notes that this makes it a powerful rig for gaming, content creation, and demanding AI workloads.

The AtomMan G7 Pro's sleek design features a slimline aluminum mini PC that's only 33mm thick, and the compact tower features a custom cooling solution with dual fans, six heat pipes, and a three-sided exhaust system. In addition to a customizable RGB light bar, the AtomMan G7 Pro also has a physical performance-mode switch, or Turbo Button, for maximizing performance or switching between Office and Game modes.