Alienware M16R2 Gaming Laptop Review

Alienware M16R2 Gaming Laptop Review

The Alienware M16R2 is a solid dual-purpose gaming laptop with an impressive list of features, but Intel's Meteor Lake H does it no favors.

TT Show Episode 34 - The Helldivers 2 PC Controversy and Apple's New OLED iPad Pro

Kosta Andreadis | TweakTown | May 10, 2024 9:02 AM CDT

This week, on a more focused episode of The TT Show, Jak and Kosta break down and go through the crazy Helldivers 2 controversy on PC. If you were offline for a few days (and this all played out throughout a single weekend), the decision to force the Helddivers 2's PC players to link their Steam Account to a PlayStation Network (PSN) account caused a veritable backlash storm.

TT Show Episode 34 - The Helldivers 2 PC Controversy and Apple's New OLED iPad Pro

From the review bombing to developers being grilled to Sony and developer Arrowhead's damage control to the surprisingly swift happy ending, Jak and Kosta discuss the implications and consider what might happen in the aftermath.

This week's other big story comes from the world of Apple, with the company lifting the lid on its new iPad Pro lineup powered by the new AI-powered 3 nanometer M4 chip. The big thing here is that it represents Apple's first dip into the world of OLED displays, with a groundbreaking 1000-nit SDR and HDR screen that has two OLED panels in one!

Continue reading: TT Show Episode 34 - The Helldivers 2 PC Controversy and Apple's New OLED iPad Pro (full post)

New M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air owners will have a day-one update to install

Oliver Haslam | Mobile Devices, Tablets & Phones | May 14, 2024 11:15 AM CDT

We're now just hours away from Apple's M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air officially going on sale after being made available for preorder last week. May 15 is the big day, and that's when people will be able to walk into an Apple Store and then walk out with a new tablet. It's also when those who got their preorders in quickly should see their iPad Pro or iPad Air land on their doorstep, too. No matter where the new iPad came from, the unboxing experience will include a new software update after the release of iPadOS 17.5.

New M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air owners will have a day-one update to install

That new update is already available and ready for download by people who have other compatible iPads. And while those with the new hotness can expect the same new features, there is actually one that's exclusive to the new tablets as well. For that reason alone, we would suggest that every new iPad buyer download and install iPadOS 17.5 as soon as they can.

The iPadOS 17.5 update brings with it a number of improvements and there's a special build number 21F84 that will be offered to the new iPads alone. In fact, they will ship with a version of iPadOS 17.4 that was never made available to the older models, too.

Continue reading: New M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air owners will have a day-one update to install (full post)

ZeniMax and Xbox have trademarked IDKFA, the iconic cheat code from the original Doom

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | May 14, 2024 1:26 AM CDT

id Software's Doom (1994) and Doom II (1994) helped establish and define the first-person shooter genre as two of the most iconic PC games of all time. Those who grew up playing the original Doom might recall its cheat codes. IDKFA gave you all weapons, ammo, and keys while IDDQD unlocked 'God Mode.'

ZeniMax and Xbox have trademarked IDKFA, the iconic cheat code from the original Doom

As spotted by Clawsomegamer, ZeniMax Media has trademarked IDKFA for 'computer game software' and 'downloadable computer game software.' It's an obscure reference for a company to trademark, but it could point to IDKFA being the title for some sort of DLC or add-on for an upcoming Doom game from id Software, Bethesda, and Xbox.

With the success of the recent DOOM and DOOM Eternal reboots, there are several rumors (and leaks) suggesting that id Software not only has another Doom game in the works, but we could be getting our first look at it during next month's Xbox Games Showcase event.

Continue reading: ZeniMax and Xbox have trademarked IDKFA, the iconic cheat code from the original Doom (full post)

Bethesda's Fallout 4 Next Gen Update 2 released, aims to fix issues with Next Gen Update 1

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | May 14, 2024 12:32 AM CDT

Bethesda's long-awaited 'next-gen' update for Fallout 4 arrived just in time to ride the wave of the smash hit Amazon Prime series, which saw the 2015 game once again become one of the most played titles on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.

Bethesda's Fallout 4 Next Gen Update 2 released, aims to fix issues with Next Gen Update 1

The update improved performance and visual fidelity for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S while adding ultrawide support for the PC version, several bug fixes, and some free add-on content that included new weapons, armor, and even quests.

However, the reception was not one of universal acclaim, as the 'next-gen' update for Fallout 4 broke many PC mods and added new glitches and crashes for gamers. Many players also reported problems with 4K or Quality Mode on Xbox Series X.

Continue reading: Bethesda's Fallout 4 Next Gen Update 2 released, aims to fix issues with Next Gen Update 1 (full post)

ASUS ROG Ally X's bigger battery, more memory, and same Ryzen Z1 Extreme will cost $100 more

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | May 13, 2024 10:34 PM CDT

ASUS has teased its ROG Ally X handheld refresh, which will get a big reveal and debut at Computex 2024. The official reveal has confirmed that the ROG Ally X will arrive sporting a new black finish, an improved battery that will have 'way more' than 40% more capacity, and a new motherboard layout to support more memory storage (greater than 16GB) and storage, while improving and fixing the SD card reader.

ASUS ROG Ally X's bigger battery, more memory, and same Ryzen Z1 Extreme will cost $100 more

Surprisingly, ASUS is even adding an M.2 2280 SSD slot. Yeah, the ROG Ally X is adding support for standard full-sized SSDs you'd find in a PC, laptop, or PlayStation 5. The handheld will also change the D-Pad, joysticks, and triggers and be slightly heavier.

But what about the processor, the Ryzen Z1 Extreme (a customized Ryzen 7 7840U), and the display? Well, according to a new leak, don't expect all that much on that front.

Continue reading: ASUS ROG Ally X's bigger battery, more memory, and same Ryzen Z1 Extreme will cost $100 more (full post)

AMD updates Linux driver support for upcoming RDNA 4 GPUs with 24,000 lines of code

Kosta Andreadis | Video Cards & GPUs | May 13, 2024 9:57 PM CDT

It sounds like AMD's next-gen Radeon graphics cards powered by the new RDNA 4 architecture are right around the corner. Although rumors and months of speculation have pointed to AMD skipping high-end GPUs that will compete with the GeForce RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 (or the current RTX 4090, for that matter), RDNA 4 could still present an exciting option for the mid-range market.

AMD updates Linux driver support for upcoming RDNA 4 GPUs with 24,000 lines of code

With a massive improvement in ray-tracing coming and a more efficient GPU, a potential Radeon RX 8800 XT with the right price could be a real competitor to the popular GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER. With AMD's Linux developers adding nearly 20,000 lines of code for 'AMD GFX12 Mesa support' for its drivers, an RDNA 4 reveal and release could be right around the corner.

Linux kernel driver support for RDNA 4 (or GFX12) is a definite sign that things are progressing well for a next-gen Radeon release this year. Depending on the timeline, we could be getting a big reveal at Computex 2024 in the coming weeks.

Continue reading: AMD updates Linux driver support for upcoming RDNA 4 GPUs with 24,000 lines of code (full post)

AMD's RDNA 5 will be a complete re-design, a 'clean sheet,' and a 'Zen moment' for Radeon

Kosta Andreadis | Video Cards & GPUs | May 13, 2024 9:29 PM CDT

According to WJM47196, a source of AMD leaks over on the ChipHell forums (via Videocardz), AMD's next-gen RDNA 4 GPU line-up will "merely be a bug fix for RDNA 3," bringing improvements to ray-tracing and incremental updates in other areas. Without a flagship, the top RDNA 4 card is expected to deliver raw performance, albeit more efficient performance, on par with the Radeon RX 7900 XT.

AMD's RDNA 5 will be a complete re-design, a 'clean sheet,' and a 'Zen moment' for Radeon

The source claims that RDNA 3, which powers the current Radeon RX 7000 Series, "didn't meet its performance expectations," leading to problems with the core frequency power curve. Throw in the R&D costs associated with developing a multi-chip GPU, a fast on-chip interconnect, and dealing with related issues - RDNA 4 is a stopgap before the main course - RDNA 5.

RDNA 5 "will be a clean sheet design," an overhaul of AMD's Radeon architecture similar to the arrival of Zen and Ryzen. The difference is so big that RDNA 5 could ditch the Radeon branding for something completely new.

Continue reading: AMD's RDNA 5 will be a complete re-design, a 'clean sheet,' and a 'Zen moment' for Radeon (full post)

NVIDIA and MediaTek rumored to be co-developing an Arm-based AI processor for PCs

Anthony Garreffa | CPU, APU & Chipsets | May 13, 2024 9:07 PM CDT

NVIDIA and MediaTek are reportedly working on a new Arm-based AI processor, co-developing the new SoC that will be finalized in Q3 2024... just months from now.

NVIDIA and MediaTek rumored to be co-developing an Arm-based AI processor for PCs

The new silicon will support advanced technologies, and will be mass-produced on TSMC's new 3nm process node, and will compete against Apple's new M4 chip, and Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon X Elite SoC according to Chinese media outlet UDN.

The site reports that the price of NVIDIA and MediaTek's new Arm-based AI processor will be "as high as $300" adding that this is the first time NVIDIA and MediaTek have cooperated on PC processors, and that it's expected we'll get details on the new AI PC processor during Computex 2024 in just a few weeks' time in Taipei, Taiwan.

Continue reading: NVIDIA and MediaTek rumored to be co-developing an Arm-based AI processor for PCs (full post)

SK hynix says its ultra-next-gen HBM4E in 2026, ready for the world of next-gen AI GPUs

Anthony Garreffa | Artificial Intelligence | May 13, 2024 8:16 PM CDT

SK hynix has announced it plans to complete the development of its next-gen HBM4E memory by as early as 2026, preparing for the next-gen AI GPUs of the future.

SK hynix says its ultra-next-gen HBM4E in 2026, ready for the world of next-gen AI GPUs

SK hynix's head of the HBM advanced technology team, Kim Gwi-wook, announced the news this week of the direction of next-generation HBM development at the International Memory Workshop (IMW 2024). HBM was developed by SK hynix in 2014, with HBM2 (2nd generation) in 2018, HBM2E (3rd generation) in 2020, HBM3 (4th generation) in 2022, and HBM3E (5th generation) was introduced this year.

There's a two-year cadence between HBM generations, with HBM3E unleashed this year, it means that HBM4 (6th generation) should drop in 2025, and HBM4E (7th generation) in 2026. That's a bit faster than two years for HBM4 and HBM4E, which is because SK hynix is predicting that HBM performance advancements would become faster than previous generations.

Continue reading: SK hynix says its ultra-next-gen HBM4E in 2026, ready for the world of next-gen AI GPUs (full post)

This portable AI supercomputer in a carry-on suitcase: 4 x GPUs, 246TB storage, 2500W PSU

Anthony Garreffa | Artificial Intelligence | May 13, 2024 7:29 PM CDT

GigaIO and SourceCode have just unveiled Gryf, an ultra-portable AI supercomputer-class system that weighs less than 55 pounds, and fits inside of a TSA-friendly carry-on suitcase. Impressive.

This portable AI supercomputer in a carry-on suitcase: 4 x GPUs, 246TB storage, 2500W PSU

Gryf can handle data collection and processing on a scale that would usually see the data sent off-site, this means that the suitcase-sized supercomputer handles super-fast processing and analysis, all in a suitcase. Gryf supports disaggregating and reaggregating its GPUs, with owners capable of customizing the system's hardware configuration in the field, and on-the-fly.

You can create the absolute optimal hardware configuration for one assigned workload, and then the next workload gets another optimized hardware configuration. Each Gryf has multiple slots filled with compute, storage, accelerator, and network sleds that are perfect for their respective workloads. There's 6 sled slots in total, where you can insert and remove the modules as required.

Continue reading: This portable AI supercomputer in a carry-on suitcase: 4 x GPUs, 246TB storage, 2500W PSU (full post)

NVIDIA Blackwell GPU compute stats: 30% more FP64 than Hopper, 200x cheaper simulation costs

Anthony Garreffa | Artificial Intelligence | May 13, 2024 6:57 PM CDT

NVIDIA has published a new blog post providing some more details about the next level of performance offered by its new Blackwell GPU architecture.

NVIDIA Blackwell GPU compute stats: 30% more FP64 than Hopper, 200x cheaper simulation costs

The new blog post by NVIDIA shows the gigantic performance leap that Blackwell will deliver for the research industry including quantum computing, drug discovery, fusion energy, physics-based simulations, weather simulations, scientific computing, and more.

NVIDIA has another major goal with Blackwell -- other than industry-leading AI performance -- in that Blackwell can simulate weather patterns 200x cheaper than Hopper, and use 300x less energy while running digital twins simultaneously encompassing the globe with 65x less cost, and 58x less energy used. Absolutely astonishing numbers from Blackwell.

Continue reading: NVIDIA Blackwell GPU compute stats: 30% more FP64 than Hopper, 200x cheaper simulation costs (full post)