Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 Review

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 Review

Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 laptop has seemingly lost its way as performance and price no longer match despite having some decent features.

TT Show Episode 31 - AI-Powered iPhone and PS5 Pro and an AI-Generated Romantic Comedy

Kosta Andreadis | TweakTown | Apr 19, 2024 3:38 AM CDT

This week, on a special AI-powered edition of The TT Show, Jak and Kosta examine the latest happenings in tech, gaming, and science - and AI is everywhere. Apple uses AI to give Siri vision and will integrate AI into many aspects of the upcoming iOS 18 update.

TT Show Episode 31 - AI-Powered iPhone and PS5 Pro and an AI-Generated Romantic Comedy

Also, with the PlayStation 5 Pro specs confirmed by multiple sources, AI could play a significant role in delivering the reported 4K 60 FPS gameplay target and boost to ray-tracing performance. In the world of Generative AI and LLMs, companies have pressure to disclose what data is being used (or is that harvested) for training.

And speaking of generative AI, TCL is creating the world's first AI-generated romantic comedy set to debut this summer on the company's TCLtv+ streaming service. How does it look? Well, be sure to tune into this week's episode of The TT Show to watch Jak's reaction in real-time.

Continue reading: TT Show Episode 31 - AI-Powered iPhone and PS5 Pro and an AI-Generated Romantic Comedy (full post)

Don't miss out: GEEKOM Mini IT12 Mini PC on sale for $440 off - grab yours today!

Sponsored Content | Deals | Apr 17, 2024 3:48 PM CDT

GEEKOM is dishing up a banging deal for TweakTown readers on its Mini IT12 mini PC. Powered by Intel's 12th-Gen Core i7-12650H processor, the GEEKOM Mini IT12 comes equipped with an impressive 32GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage, and the fast Bluetooth 5.2 and W-Fi 6E wireless technologies.

Don't miss out: GEEKOM Mini IT12 Mini PC on sale for $440 off - grab yours today!

This GEEKOM Mini IT12 can be yours for just $469, including free shipping in the United States, and it comes with Microsoft Windows 11 Pro pre-installed. When not on sale, this highly capable SFF computer sells for $909, but right now, you can save a huge $440 when buying it from GEEKOM. That's almost 52% off the normal price!

Enter coupon code tweaktownit12off at the checkout and save!

Continue reading: Don't miss out: GEEKOM Mini IT12 Mini PC on sale for $440 off - grab yours today! (full post)

Weta Workshop is making a new 'cozy' The Lord of the Rings game where you live like a Hobbit

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | Apr 23, 2024 9:52 AM CDT

If you're familiar with Peter Jackson's incredible The Lord of Rings trilogy of films, then you're probably aware that it helped create one of the best practical effects, design, and collectibles companies in the world called Weta Workshop.

Weta Workshop is making a new 'cozy' The Lord of the Rings game where you live like a Hobbit

Today, we've got a very cool announcement - the company is teaming up with publisher Private Division to create a brand-new game set in J.R.R Tolkein's iconic universe. The game is called Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game, and it's set to launch in the second half of 2024 on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (via Steam).

As for what style of game it is, well, it sounds a little bit like The Hobbit meets Nintendo's Animal Crossing in that there's no real action or orcs or armies of Sauron to contend with - instead, you'll live out the idyllic life of a Hobbit living in the Shire.

Continue reading: Weta Workshop is making a new 'cozy' The Lord of the Rings game where you live like a Hobbit (full post)

Razer Kishi Ultra is a full-sized controller for iOS and Android with DualSense-like haptics

Razer's press releases are always fun because they use over-the-top language. For the new Razer Kishi Ultra, the company's latest and greatest USB-C gaming controller for Android and iPhone, Razer claims it will usher in a new era for mobile gaming to unlock 'the God-Tier.'

Razer Kishi Ultra is a full-sized controller for iOS and Android with DualSense-like haptics

Of course, this is marketing speak, but look at the new flagship Razer Kishi Ultra; you'll be impressed by its specs, features, and build quality. Firstly, unlike the baseline Kishi or a Backbone controller, this is a full-sized gaming controller cut in half that you connect to either side of your smartphone or iPad Mini.

This is a clear distinction, as you're looking at the equivalent of a premium or pro-grade controller for Xbox or PlayStation. This means Razer has included excellent features like Hall Effect triggers, full-sized thumbsticks, programmable buttons, 3.5mm audio, 15W passthrough charging, Razer Chroma RGB, and Razer Sensa HD Haptics.

Continue reading: Razer Kishi Ultra is a full-sized controller for iOS and Android with DualSense-like haptics (full post)

GALAX has an ultra-thin single-slot GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB MAX graphics card

Kosta Andreadis | Video Cards & GPUs | Apr 23, 2024 9:03 AM CDT

With the new MAX single-slot model (only 20mm thick), GALAX's latest GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB GPU is built for tight fits and small cases with limited space. Single-slot GPUs are rare in 2024, especially for the RTX 4060 Ti class, so this one immediately caught our attention.

GALAX has an ultra-thin single-slot GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB MAX graphics card

However, the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB MAX employs a blower-style fan to keep the size down. The difference between the RTX 4060 Ti 8GB and 16GB variants is only 5W (bringing the rating up to an efficient 165W) in additional power, so the overall cooling requirements are about the same.

GALAX chose the 16GB variant over NVIDIA's 8GB cards probably due to AI performance, where intensive models and workloads rely heavily on VRAM capacity, with some unable to run on 8GB cards. And in terms of putting together an AI rig - a single-slot GPU option like this begins to make a lot of sense.

Continue reading: GALAX has an ultra-thin single-slot GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB MAX graphics card (full post)

Two of Apple's desktop Macs could skip the M3 generation of chips and wait for the new M4

Oliver Haslam | Computer Systems | Apr 23, 2024 8:45 AM CDT

Apple has already refreshed some of its Mac lineup with new M3 versions including the iMac, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro. But those who are waiting for Apple to refresh the Mac mini and Mac Pro are likely to be left disappointed, according to a new report.

Two of Apple's desktop Macs could skip the M3 generation of chips and wait for the new M4

That report, a paywalled version of the Bloomberg Power On newsletter written by Mark Gurman, claims that Apple may choose to skip the M3 lineup entirely and instead focus on what comes next. This was a response to a question from a reader about what might happen with the Mac mini and Mac Pro, and Gurman believes that the M3 chips will be skipped with the company instead aiming for the M4 launch.

Expanding on expectations, Gurman said that he believed that Apple would be launching new M4 and M4 Pro chips as soon as the end of 2024 and 2025 with the Mac mini likely to be the beneficiary of that. If that is indeed the case it's unlikely that we should expect any time for Apple to ship a new M3 version of that computer before the M4 versions arrive.

Continue reading: Two of Apple's desktop Macs could skip the M3 generation of chips and wait for the new M4 (full post)

New Intel Arc graphics driver for desktop GPUs and Core Ultra improves Fortnite performance

Kosta Andreadis | Video Cards & GPUs | Apr 23, 2024 8:27 AM CDT

Intel has released a new driver (31.0.101.5444 WHQL) for its Intel Arc graphics line-up, including discrete desktop GPUs like the Intel Arc A770 and the latest Intel Core Ultra range for mobile with in-built Arc graphics.

New Intel Arc graphics driver for desktop GPUs and Core Ultra improves Fortnite performance

Intel Arc graphics driver 5444 is significant in that it brings notable performance improvements to a range of DirectX 11 titles, including Fortnite, and fixes some outstanding issues. Diablo IV will no longer "exhibit corruption on the terrain during gameplay" on Intel Core Ultra devices. At the same time, the recently released Early Access action RPG No Rest for the Wicked will no longer crash during the prologue (though it might still crash during gameplay).

As far as performance improvements go, a few of the most notable include Astroneer (DX11) getting up to a 30% boost to average FPS at 1080p with Ultra settings on discrete Intel Arc GPUs, with Mass Effect Legendary Edition (DX11) getting up to a 48% increase to average FPS at 1080p with Medium settings on Intel Core Ultra devices.

Continue reading: New Intel Arc graphics driver for desktop GPUs and Core Ultra improves Fortnite performance (full post)

TEAMGROUP launches the MP44Q M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD with 3D QLC NAND and up to up to 7,400 MB/s speed

Kosta Andreadis | Storage | Apr 23, 2024 8:08 AM CDT

The new TEAMGROUP MP44Q M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD uses the latest 3D QLC NAND with SLC Caching technology. With capacities of up to 4TB, this efficient storage option delivers up to 7,400 MB/s and 6,500 MB/s read and write speeds, respectively. TEAMGROUP has designed the SSD for low power consumption and to be a daily driver for productivity.

TEAMGROUP launches the MP44Q M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD with 3D QLC NAND and up to up to 7,400 MB/s speed

The TEAMGROUP MP44Q M. 2 PCIe 4.0 SSD uses the company's patented graphene heat dissipation sticker, which is less than 1mm thick, so it is also compact in size. The graphene layer also works with motherboard heat sinks to improve cooling further.

For those looking for a fast PCIe Gen4 SSD, the TEAMGROUP MP44Q delivers impressive read and write speeds across all capacity options. The 'up to 7,400 MB/s' read speed is found in the 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB models, with the 1TB model dropping the read speed to 6,200 MB/s from 6,500 MB/s.

Continue reading: TEAMGROUP launches the MP44Q M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD with 3D QLC NAND and up to up to 7,400 MB/s speed (full post)

LG's kitchen of the future includes a Gourmet AI oven that will take care of the cooking

Kosta Andreadis | Artificial Intelligence | Apr 23, 2024 8:08 AM CDT

Last week, LG was in Milan, Italy, showcasing its latest built-in kitchen appliances, including a Signature Kitchen Suite with a built-in oven, 'free zone induction hob,' and downdraft hood. Now, you might be wondering why we're suddenly bringing you news about a new all-in-one oven do-dad - that's because AI powers it.

LG's kitchen of the future includes a Gourmet AI oven that will take care of the cooking

LG calls it Gourmet AI. The oven can identify what is being cooked through video recognition and automatically select the suitable cooking mode from 130 recipes. With Gourmet AI, the oven also keeps tabs on the cooking process, watching how pizza or a steak is 'browning' and then alerting users via LG's ThinQ app to let them know what they were cooking is done.

There's also real-time video monitoring so that you can watch those cookies cook, and time-lapse recordings are also available - which is a pretty cool feature for an oven.

Continue reading: LG's kitchen of the future includes a Gourmet AI oven that will take care of the cooking (full post)

Former CIA officer unveils UFOs have killed US military and cause brain damage

Jak Connor | Science, Space, Health & Robotics | Apr 20, 2024 6:15 AM CDT

A top brain expert and a former CIA officer has said he was instructed to write a paper on the number of injuries sustained by US military serviceman after encountering a UFO, or UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena).

Former CIA officer unveils UFOs have killed US military and cause brain damage

Detroit Professor Christopher Green, a forensic neuroimaging expert who worked at the CIA since the 1960s, said in 2010, he was asked by an unnamed government defense program that was tasked with monitoring UFOs to write a paper on the injuries military personnel received after encountering an "anomalous" craft, or UFO/UAP. The doctor said he has dealt with "hundreds of patients" that range from special forces officials and other military serviceman, with some of these patients later dying.

Dr. Green's paper, titled 'Clinical Medical Acute & Subacute Field Effects on Human Dermal & Neurological Tissues' was released under the Freedom of Information Act and mentions patients developing the following symptoms post-UFO encounter: sclerosis, brain damage, and burns.

Continue reading: Former CIA officer unveils UFOs have killed US military and cause brain damage (full post)

Dragon's Dogma 2 patch delivers some important fixes - but not the one everyone wants

Darren Allan | Gaming | Apr 19, 2024 1:38 PM CDT

Capcom has let us know that there's a big patch coming for Dragon's Dogma 2, but it has disappointed a good number of players who were hoping that the well-publicized performance issues affecting the game might be addressed.

Dragon's Dogma 2 patch delivers some important fixes - but not the one everyone wants

Sadly, smoothing over the wrinkles regarding performance hitches - and serious slowdowns in some areas of the game - is not part of the plan for the update coming later this month.

Instead, there are various gameplay tweaks and fixes, the headline one of which is an adjustment for the infection frequency of dragonsplague, reining that in somewhat - and making it more obvious when a pawn is infected (their glowing eyes, for example, will stand out more).

Continue reading: Dragon's Dogma 2 patch delivers some important fixes - but not the one everyone wants (full post)

AMD's top Strix Point Halo APU could have 16 Zen 5 cores in 2 x CCDs, mirroring Ryzen 9000 CPUs

Darren Allan | CPU, APU & Chipsets | Apr 19, 2024 11:15 AM CDT

Fresh revelations on the rumor mill about the highest-end next-gen APUs from AMD have prompted excitement levels around Strix Point Halo to spike upwards.

AMD's top Strix Point Halo APU could have 16 Zen 5 cores in 2 x CCDs, mirroring Ryzen 9000 CPUs

If the info taken from the Chiphell forums is correct - and we should definitely add a whole load of salt to these claims, as it isn't the most reliable source in our experience - the Strix Point Halo APU will bristle with 16 cores.

In fact, this processor will supposedly run with a pair of CCDs with 8 cores apiece, meaning it'll be an APU with 16 full Zen 5 cores - effectively using the same chiplets that will be deployed inside 'Granite Ridge' (likely Ryzen 9000) next-gen desktop CPUs - quite a prospect.

Continue reading: AMD's top Strix Point Halo APU could have 16 Zen 5 cores in 2 x CCDs, mirroring Ryzen 9000 CPUs (full post)