TrendForce reports that adoption of enterprise SSDs by AI servers began in February, which subsequently led to large orders. Additionally, PC and smartphone customers have been increasing their inventory levels to manage rising prices. This trend drove up NAND Flash prices and shipment levels in 1Q24 and boosted quarterly revenue by 28.1% to US$14.71 billion.

There were significant changes in market rankings this quarter, with Micron overtaking Western Digital to claim the fourth spot. Micron benefited from slightly lower prices and shipments than its competitors in 4Q23, resulting in a 51.2% QoQ revenue growth to $1.72 billion in 1Q24—the highest among its peers.

ZOTAC Technology, a global manufacturer focused on innovative and high-performance hardware solutions, will return to COMPUTEX 2024 to showcase its biggest push yet into brand-new product categories. At this year's exhibition, ZOTAC will unveil its first attempt at creating a unique Handheld Gaming PC with advanced controls and features, allowing gamers to enjoy their favorite games on the go like never before with maximum competitive advantage.

Also in ZOTAC's extensive lineup is a full-fledged selection of AI-focused computational hardware, including a new workstation-grade External GPU Box series for hassle-free GPU compute and AI acceleration, ZBOX mini PCs powered by Intel Core Ultra CPUs equipped with integrated neural processing units (NPU), as well as other enterprise-grade solutions, such as GPU Servers and Arm-based NVIDIA Jetson systems, offering users a broad selection of AI accelerators in applications big and small.

Intel released the Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.5534 Beta, the latest version of its graphics drivers for Arc graphics cards and integrated graphics. This release brings optimization for F1 24 and MultiVersus, which should improve performance across the line. The company didn't specify its performance improvement numbers. Besides these, the drivers lack the usual load of bug fixes for games or applications, but Intel took the opportunity to list out several issues it identified since the last driver release, so you know the company is working on them. Grab the drivers from the link below.

DOWNLOAD: Intel Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.5534 Beta

There's more than one way to train to be an IT professional. While a formal degree may open many doors, there are still credible resources you can access on your own for much less than the price of tuition. CompTIA is a non-profit trade association through which you can get certified in IT skills. It's not the same as a degree, but it could get you into an entry-level position or work as the foundation for your ongoing education, and you can study to get certified using this comprehensive CompTIA online course bundle while it's on sale for $59.97 until 5/31.

This bundle gives you unlimited access to 15 courses and a total of 262 hours of instruction that you can study whenever you want. Courses cover a broad range of topics from basic overviews of the IT industry to focused lectures on networks, servers, using Linux, and the fundamentals of cloud computing.

Get access to this CompTIA course bundle by IDUNOVA for $59.97 (reg. $585).

addlink Technology Co., Ltd, a leading innovator in digital storage technology, invites you to visit the addlink's Virtual Showcase 2024. This premier online event will unveil a series of state-of-the-art storage and memory solutions tailored for AI professionals, gamers, and IT experts. Mark your calendars and be part of a technological evolution.

The AddGame G55 Gen5x4 SSD features a sophisticated, gorgeous black heatsink and a robust new 7 nm controller, pushing speeds up to 10,000 MB/s. Perfect for AI PCs, this SSD combats thermal issues and enhances reliability without sacrificing performance. Whether you're a professional on the go or a tech enthusiast, the P50 and P60 USB SSDs deliver seamless plug-and-play connectivity with fast data transfer rates of up to 1050 MB/s. Both models are equipped with USB 3.2 Gen 2 technology and provide up to 2 TB of storage. Featuring USB Type-C and Type-A options, these SSDs ensure broad compatibility with the latest laptops, Android devices, and iPhones, including the iPhone 15. Ideal for those who need top performance on the go.

Earlier this week, MSI inadvertently unveiled its upcoming GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM FUZION graphics card as part of a Computex Best Choice Award winner announcement. Allround-PC, a publication with early access to the card went hands-on with it. It turns out, that the card derives its name FUZION from its fully-integrated AIO liquid cooling solution. This is vastly different from the RTX 4090 SUPRIM Liquid X (which we reviewed). The SUPRIM Liquid X uses a 2-slot design for the card, and a factory-fitted AIO that lugs a 240 mm x 120 mm radiator. The SUPRIM FUZION, on the other hand, has a fully integrated liquid cooling solution, with no coolant tubes sticking out!

What this means, is that the AIO pump+block and radiator with its active ventilation are fully contained under the cooler shroud, with internal coolant tubing. There's no external radiator, and no tubes to wrestle with during installation. It's just that the card is very thick, with the source reporting a 4.5-slot thickness. This kind of thickness isn't new, as the ASUS Noctua Edition cards tend to be as many as 5 slots thick. The pictures also seem to show a set of copper heatsinks for the memory chips. We'll be sure to go hands on with this card ourselves at Computex, and hopefully even review it for you in the near future!

Shopping for a new desktop computer is equal parts gauging its price and determining how much space it'll occupy. A standout candidate is this ECS LIVA mini desktop. It takes up less than five by five inches on your desk and it's only $99.99 (reg. $219). A desktop computer that's small but mighty: This ECS LIVA runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c processor and 4 GB of RAM. You might not be familiar with this type of processor because it was originally intended for testing Snapdragon (ARM) apps on Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS, but its instant-on performance and fanless design are great for users with basic processing needs.

While the ECS LIVA has 64 GB of built-in storage, you could easily add an external hard drive for more space. Though, standard users might not even need to do that. This mini desktop won't even take up five square inches on your desk. Its exact dimensions are 4.69 by 4.59 by 1.38 inches, making it smaller than the Mac minis currently available on Apple's website. Your purchase also includes a minimum 1-year warranty, since this is a brand-new device. Enjoy added peace of mind during your first year of computing.

Grab this appropriately priced and sized ECS LIVA mini box desktop at $99.99 (reg. $219) from StackSocial.

Team Group Inc., the world's leading provider of premium storage solutions, returns to COMPUTEX 2024 with the theme "Elevate Gaming, Empower AI." Drawing on years of extensive product development expertise, the global memory leader unveils next-generation, high-specification storage solutions that meet diverse market needs with world-class performance. Throughout COMPUTEX (June 4th-7th), Team Group will showcase a range of flagship products, including high-specification memory, high-efficiency cooling solutions, large-capacity storage devices, and cutting-edge innovations for industrial automation. This year, with a special focus on the global AI revolution, Team Group will introduce high-specification PC/NB-compatible products with AI complementarity and solutions that facilitate the rapid development of Edge AI applications, showcasing its sophisticated R&D capabilities. Starting on June 4th, Team Group (Booth I 0118) is going to hold a booth at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, where a perfect blend of next-generation technologies will be presented to ignite intelligent evolution.

FSP Group, the world's leading high-performance ODM, modified STD power supply, and PC component manufacturer today, is excited to announce its participation at COMPUTEX Taipei 2024, which will be held from June 4th to June 7th at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center. FSP is poised to showcase an array of consumer-facing products, including brand new PSUs, PC cases, and cooling solutions, each meticulously crafted to meet the demands of modern PC enthusiasts.

FSP's primary COMPUTEX showcase revolves around the all-new VITA, ADVAN, and MEGA series PSUs, engineered to cater to PC users' diverse needs. With an unyielding dedication to uncompromising quality and unparalleled performance, FSP is set to redefine the standards of reliability and efficiency in power supply technology.

Colorful Technology Company Limited, a leading brand in gaming PC components, gaming laptops, and Hi-fi audio products, is excited to announce its participation at COMPUTEX 2024 from Jun 4 to Jun 7, 2024. COLORFUL Technology will be exhibiting its latest and upcoming products at the booth L0417a located at 4F, Hall 1 of the Nangang Exhibition Center. This year, COLORFUL Technology will expand its popular Vulcan, Neptune and Mini Series to more than just graphics cards and will include other PC components to complete a full gaming PC. COLORFUL will also be introducing new liquid cooling for the COLORFUL iGame GeForce RTX 4090 Vulcan LAB.

Featuring the themed gaming PCs launched and launching this year which includes the COLORFIRE MEOW and iGame ULTRA gaming PC Sets. Upcoming Vulcan, and MINI Series gaming PCs. The Vulcan Series consists of new concept products which will include a motherboard, DDR5 memory, chassis, peripherals, PSU, and liquid cooler featuring Asetek pump technology. The iGame Z790D5 Vulcan is designed to be a high-end motherboard. COLORFUL is already preparing a new Vulcan motherboard to the next-generation Intel Core processors.

ZOTAC Technology, a global manufacturer focused on innovative and high-performance hardware solutions, will return to COMPUTEX 2024 to showcase its biggest push yet into brand-new product categories. At this year's exhibition, ZOTAC will unveil its first attempt at creating a unique Handheld Gaming PC with advanced controls and features, allowing gamers to enjoy their favorite games on the go like never before with maximum competitive advantage.

Also in ZOTAC's extensive lineup is a full-fledged selection of AI-focused computational hardware, including a new workstation-grade External GPU Box series for hassle-free GPU compute and AI acceleration, ZBOX mini PCs powered by Intel Core Ultra CPUs equipped with integrated neural processing units (NPU), as well as other enterprise-grade solutions, such as GPU Servers and Arm-based NVIDIA Jetson systems, offering users a broad selection of AI accelerators in applications big and small.

An AMD Ryzen 9000 "Granite Ridge" desktop processor engineering sample with a maximum boost frequency of 5.80 GHz was found to offer an astonishing 19% higher single-threaded performance increase over an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X. "Granite Ridge" is codename for the Socket AM5 desktop processor family that implements the new "Zen 5" CPU microarchitecture. The unnamed "Granite Ridge" processor comes with an OPN code of 100-0000001290. Its CPU core count is irrelevant, as the single-threaded performance is in question here. The processor boosts up to 5.80 GHz, which means the core handling the single-threaded benchmark workload is achieving this speed. This speed is 100 MHz higher than the 5.70 GHz that the Ryzen 9 7950X processor based on the "Zen 4" architecture, boosts up to.

The single-threaded benchmark in question is the CPU-Z Bench. The mostly blurred out CPU-Z screenshot that reveals the OPN also mentions a processor TDP of 170 W, which means this engineering sample chip is either 12-core or 16-core. The chip posts a CPU-Z Bench single-thread score of 910 points, which matches that of the Intel Core i9-14900K with its 908 points. You've to understand that the i9-14900K boosts one of its P-cores to 6.00 GHz, to yield the 908 points that's part CPU-Z's reference scores. So straight off the bat, we see that "Zen 5" has a higher IPC than the "Raptor Cove" P-core powering the i9-14900K. Its gaming performance might end up higher than the Ryzen 7000 X3D family.Many Thanks to TumbleGeorge for the tip.

Getac today announced the launch of its brand-new AI-ready S510 rugged laptop, enabling organizations across industries such as utilities, public safety, manufacturing and automotive to utilise the power of edge AI on a daily basis. The new S510 enables workers to capitalise on the significant productivity benefits of AI-based applications. An Intel Core Ultra 5/7 processor with Intel AI Boost and Intel Graphics put powerful performance at users' fingertips, while a dedicated Microsoft Copilot key quickly awakens AI capabilities whenever needed.

The S510 combines this innovative feature set with MIL-STD-810H and IP53 certifications, alongside 3ft (0.9 m) drop and vibration resistance, giving users the peace of mind they need to work with confidence. The S510 also boasts a 15.6-inch display with 1,000 nits of brightness and Getac sunlight readable technology for optimal versatility in a variety of light conditions. In addition, the device provides robust connectivity options including WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 as standard, with optional 4G-LTE and 5G Sub-6 capabilities to keep users connected.

YEYIAN GAMING, a global leader in innovative pre-built gaming PCs, peripherals, and computer components, proudly presents its latest offering: the YEYIAN AVANCE Series 27" QHD FAST IPS gaming monitor, designed to provide gamers with an immersive and exhilarating gaming experience. The YEYIAN AVANCE Series 27" QHD FAST IPS has an ultra-thin bezel QHD monitor that combines cutting-edge technology, stunning visuals, and ergonomic design for pro-gamers activities or professional visual content creation.

The YEYIAN AVANCE Series 27" Monitor is engineered for elite gamers, boasting a cutting-edge FAST IPS panel. Its 2K QHD resolution enhances your gaming experience with crystal-clear visuals, while the impressive 180Hz native refresh rate and swift 1ms response time deliver unparalleled smoothness and precision. This eliminates motion blur and ghosting, ensuring every moment on screen is as sharp and fluid as your gameplay demands. The monitor delivers crisp, vibrant visuals, ideal for gaming or entertainment. It is fully compatible with AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-SYNC, ensuring seamless display without artifacts or tearing. The advanced HDR10 processing chip presents over 16.7 million colors in a wider dynamic range, enhancing the visibility of vivid gaming graphics.

LG Electronics USA today announced U.S. pricing and availability of its TONE Free T80 true wireless earbuds. Continuing its commitment to the development of excellent sound experiences - the T80 introduces an upgraded design and additional user-centric features. The new earbud retails for $199 and is now available to purchase exclusively on LG.com.

Crafted with a reinforced graphene speaker driver, the T80 improves the audio experience to offer well-balanced sound with vibrant bass and enhanced mid- and high-range frequencies. It also boasts an IPX4 water-resistance rating, and with the addition of medical-grade ear gels and up to 36 hours of battery life with the charging case, users can enjoy all-day comfort at the gym, on their commute, or whenever they want to tune out.

Thermaltake USA, a leader in PC case, cooling, power, and memory solutions, proudly announces the launch of their new Vista Series Gaming Desktops, designed to deliver unparalleled gaming experiences. The lineup features four high-performance models: Vista i47T, Vista i47TH, Vista i470M, and Vista i460TS, each meticulously crafted to meet the rigorous demands of hardcore gamers and content creators. Equipped with the latest Intel Core 14th Gen processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series graphics cards, these gaming PCs ensure exceptional performance and stunning visuals.

These systems boast 32GB of DDR5 5600MT/s RGB Memory and up to 2TB NVMe M.2 storage, providing lightning-fast load times and seamless multitasking, allowing gamers to enjoy uninterrupted and immersive gameplay. Advanced cooling solutions, including closed-loop liquid cooling and ARGB air cooling, ensure optimal temperature management for sustained performance during extended gaming sessions. Panoramic front and side tempered glass panels, as seen on the Thermaltake View 270 TG ARGB PC, are a hallmark of the Vista Series, offering an exceptional and visually striking aesthetic to any gaming PC setup. Gamers will benefit from enhanced stability, superior graphics, and a gaming experience that truly stands out.

The AlmaLinux OS Foundation, the nonprofit that stewards the community-owned and governed open-source CentOS alternative AlmaLinux, today announced the general availability of AlmaLinux 8.10. This latest release brings updates to security and data protection, and improvements in web-console and system roles to automate operations and ensure consistency in intricate IT settings.

The release continues to enhance system availability, reliability, and recovery processes, alongside improving virtual machine snapshot functions in hybrid cloud scenarios. New system roles have been introduced to streamline the creation and administration of logical volume manager (LVM) snapshots for better data backup and recovery processes. Performance, scalability, and reliability continue to be the focus of updates in the 8.10 version to aid developers in application development and management.

Bologna-based independent developer Dreambits Studio are pleased to unveil their Medievalpunk demolition derby game War of Wheels, coming soon to Steam. Explore the destructible environments of the realm and smash through automobile armies in this epic single-player experience, with a new demo available now!

In War of Wheels, speed through fierce battles in the kingdom of Zeranthia as you fight opposing armies, while building your own, as you attempt to gain control of Aether, the kingdom's powerful source of magic. Discover multiple realms, filled with arctic glaciers and scorching volcanoes, as well as cities, dense forests and vast plains. Discover hidden secrets, outposts and Aether mines, as well as huge pitched battles to test the capabilities of your combat car.

CHERRY XTRFY, the specialist for high-quality gaming peripherals, presents the Ngale microphone series, designed specifically for gamers, streamers and content creators. Ngale X and Ngale R are the first two microphones to be launched under the CHERRY XTRFY brand. The Cherry group, which is particularly known for the production of mechanical high-end keyboard switches, continues to expand its portfolio of gaming peripherals.

Ngale R: USB Microphone With Retro Innovative Design and High Sound Quality
This Ngale R not only impresses with its design, but also with its performance. The standalone USB microphone prioritizes sound quality over multiple polar patterns, featuring one large, high-quality cardioid capsule for streaming, voiceovers and solo recordings with greater detail. When gaming intensively, a low-cut filter can be activated to reduce noise.

Tram fans old and new won't have long to wait until they can hop into the cab and explore a brand-new city when City Transport Simulator: Tram arrives in Early Access on Steam and Epic Store on 20th June. City Transport Simulator: Tram has been in development courtesy of ViewApp and published by Dovetail Games

Players assume the role of a tram driver as they transport passengers to their destinations all around the city of Tramau, inspired by real-world cities found in southern Germany. Players will get set up in one of three true-to-life trams, each with their own unique cabs, interiors, modes, and functions. Players will then familiarise themselves with their favourite tram and start picking up and dropping off your passengers while sticking to timetables.

Leading gaming accessories maker Turtle Beach Corporation, and Performance Designed Products LLC (PDP) today announced two highly-anticipated additions to its award-winning Victrix Pro FS Arcade Fight Stick line.

Victrix has been a staple in the Fighting Game Community (FGC) since 2017, working with pro gamers to design and build their cutting-edge esports gear. Using their input, the Victrix Pro FS Arcade Fight Sticks incorporate unique, tournament-ready features like built-in carrying handles, a foam lap pad, an integrated wrist slope for maximum comfort, and a Tournament Lock Mode button.

Acer today debuted two new premium Chromebook Plus laptops - the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 and Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE - that combine versatile designs with a 2x faster Intel Core processor and up to double the memory and storage, giving people the power to do even more all at once.

As Chromebook Plus devices, the two new models support enhanced generative AI features for connectivity, creativity, and collaboration, such as a "help me write" feature available with just a right click, Google Photos' Magic Editor, Gemini, and more. The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 is a slim convertible optimized for on-the-go productivity and connectivity with a 360-degree hinge that allows it to be used in myriad ways and places, and the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE is a next-generation cloud-gaming Chromebook with the latest gaming-centric hardware to stream and play AAA games with NVIDIA GeForce NOW, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Boosteroid, Amazon Luna and more.

Opera, the browser innovator, today announced a collaboration with Google Cloud to integrate Gemini models into its Aria browser AI. Aria is powered by Opera's multi-LLM Composer AI engine, which allows the Norwegian company to curate the best experiences for its users based on their needs.

Opera's Aria browser AI is unique as it doesn't just utilize one provider or LLM. Opera's Composer AI engine processes the user's intent and can decide which model to use for which task. Google's Gemini model is a modern, powerful, and user-friendly LLM that is the company's most capable model yet. Thanks to this integration, Opera will now be able to provide its users with the most current information, at high performance.

Here's the first picture of the MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM FUZION graphics card. The company revealed this card as it bagged a Computex Best Choice Award. If the name FUZION doesn't ring a bell, it's a call back to MSI's Big Bang FUZION brand which it used for motherboards about 12 years ago. Back then, FUZION denoted the LucidLogix Hydra chip that allowed explicit multi-GPU configurations across GPU brands and types. In 2024, however, MSI is using FUZION to denote the use of an air+liquid hybrid cooling solution.

You'll notice in this pic that the RTX 4090 SUPRIM FUZION has one fewer fan than the regular RTX 4090 SUPRIM X, while having one more fan than the RTX 4090 SUPRIM Liquid X. MSI describes this cooler as having a "short pipes waterway is specially designed to increase pressure for improved water circulation." It goes on to add "A low-profile pump allows more clearance within the cooler for airflow and the micro fin copper base effectively captures heat from the GPU. With three additional reservoirs, SUPRIM FUZION offers approximately 18% more coolant capacity compared to standard radiators, improving water circulation capability. The radiator is designed with denser" In comparison, the RTX 4090 SUPRIM Liquid X features an AIO GPU cooler, with the single fan ventilating some auxiliary heatsinks for the memory/VRM. We'll be sure to go hands on with this card at Computex.

VIA Labs, Inc. (VLI), a leading supplier of USB4, SuperSpeed USB, USB Power Delivery Controllers, and now Display Controllers, today announced the start of mass production and immediate availability for the VIA Labs VL605 USB-C to HDMI 2.1 Protocol Converter. The VL605 Protocol Converter achieved USB-IF certification for USB Power Delivery 3.1 with support for Extended Power Range (EPR) and HDMI 2.1 FRL certification and is now listed on the USB-IF Integrator's List under TID: 10462.

VIA Lab VL605 is an innovative single-chip USB-C to HDMI 2.1 Protocol Converter supporting modern display features and a highly integrated, low-power design. It's optimized for USB-C video dongles and multifunction docks and integrates a two-port USB PD 3.1 controller that supports pass-through charging at up to 240W when EPR is enabled. A single VL605 can convert a DisplayPort input to HDMI 2.1 at up to 8K@60Hz or 4K@240Hz while simultaneously charging the connected host. VL605 supports HDR and is compatible with Adaptive Sync from the DisplayPort standard and AMD's FreeSync technology, seamlessly converting these into HDMI 2.1's VRR (Variable Refresh Rate). Products incorporating VL605 can enhance gaming experiences with higher quality and smoother visuals while expanding peripheral connectivity and enjoying faster charging.

Beijing has doubled down on its push for semiconductor self-sufficiency with the establishment of a new $47.5 billion investment fund to accelerate growth in the domestic chip sector. The fund, officially registered on May 24th under the name "China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund Phase III", represents the largest of three state-backed vehicles aimed at cultivating China's semiconductor capabilities. The announcement comes as tensions over advanced chip technology continue to escalate between the U.S. and China. Over the past couple years, Washington has steadily ratcheted up export controls on semiconductors to Beijing over national security concerns about potential military applications. These measures have lent new urgency to China's quest for self-sufficiency in chip design and manufacturing.

With a war chest of 344 billion yuan ($47.5 billion), the "Big Fund" dwarfs the combined capital of the first two semiconductor investment vehicles launched in 2014 and 2019. Officials have outlined a multipronged strategy targeting key bottlenecks, focusing on equipment for chip fabrication plants. The fund has bankrolled major projects such as flash memory maker Yangtze Memory Technologies and leading foundries like SMIC and Huahong. China's homegrown chip industry still needs to catch up to global leaders like Intel, Samsung, and TSMC. However, the immense scale of state-directed capital illustrates Beijing's unwavering commitment to developing a self-reliant supply chain for semiconductors—a technology viewed as indispensable for economic and military competitiveness. News of the "Big Fund" sent Chinese chip stocks surging over 3% on hopes of fresh financing tailwinds.

ASUS today announced the ASUS Chromebook CR series of laptops, tailored to meet the needs of K-12 students. The ASUS Chromebook CR Series stands out as the ideal companion for students, whether engaged in in-person classroom learning or remote education. The rugged and modular design, featuring replaceable internal parts, guarantees both durability and longevity. With 11.6-inch or 12.2-inch Corning Gorilla Glass touchscreens and a 180° lay-flat or 360°-flippable hinge, the laptops offer flexibility for enriched educational experiences. This design fosters the adventurous mindset of modern students, ensuring an enjoyable and secure learning journey, whether they're engaging in online courses or in-class sessions—ready for every learning journey.

A trusted study partner
For K-12 students, an everyday-use laptop should be invincible. With lively and active users, scratches and knocks are an almost-inevitable part of their daily routine, so the ASUS Chromebook CR series features an all-round rubber bumper for extra peace of mind. The laptops also feature a rugged design that's tested to meet or exceed the MIL-STD-810H US military-grade standard, and use tough Corning

Vinpower, Inc., through a strategic alliance with Phihong Technology, are back in the lab improving on their multiple award winning and highly anticipated release of the iXCharger 65 W, which is a first of its kind compact combination external hard drive and battery charger for nearly every smartphone, tablet, and laptop computer. The upcoming enhanced iXCharger 140 W offers multiple upgrades including 140 W GaN power charger, two separate USB Type-C connections with PD Fast Charging capabilities, up to 2 TB of data storage capacity, and an enhanced Apple App for iOS iPhones and iPads. Yet, all iXCharger models will still offer the patented Trust Circle AES 256 KeyLock Data Protection technology to ensure the stored data is protected against unauthorized access or hackers.

ASUS today introduced the NUC 14 Performance, which as its name suggests, is geared for performance. This is essentially a twin of the ROG NUC, but without the flashy ROG styling, and a broader range of hardware options. The top-spec NUC 14 Performance combines an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H "Meteor Lake" processor, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 desktop GPU, however other processor and graphics options include the Core Ultra 7 155H processor, and RTX 4060 desktop GPU. You can't opt out of a discrete GPU, for that you'll need to opt for the NUC 14 Pro+, which only packs a Core Ultra 185H, and presents its Arc iGPU, but the I/O of that NUC will be significantly different.

Back to the ASUS NUC 14 Performance, and the box measures 270 mm X 180 mm X 50 mm (WxDxH), weighing just 800 g. You're supposed to add your own memory and storage, the NUC features two DDR5 SO-DIMM slots supporting up to 64 GB of DDR5 memory; and an M.2-2280 slot with PCIe Gen 4 x4 wiring. Network connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth 5.3; 2.5 GbE wired LAN. The main high-bandwidth I/O connection is Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbps), which doubles up as USB4 40 Gbps, with a USB-C port that also supports DisplayPort 1.4 passthrough from the discrete GPU; a couple of 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, USB 2.0 ports for input devices, additional DP 1.4 ports from the GPU, and an HDMI 2.1. The NUC 14 Performance comes with a 330 W power brick. The company didn't reveal pricing, but pricing is expected in the USD $2,200 to $2,500 range.

ADATA Technology, the world's leading brand for memory modules and flash memory, will team up with its gaming brand XPG and industrial-grade embedded storage brand ADATA Industrial for Computex Taipei 2024 from June 4 to June 7. ADATA's theme for 2024 is "Innovate Today, Embrace Tomorrow." At the show, ADATA will present products in three major categories tied to their vision and commitment to leading innovation and sustainable initiatives. These categories include "AI Computing," "Sustainability and Innovation," and "Immersive Reality."

ADATA and XPG brand ambassador Mera will make a surprise appearance in the "AI Computing" section. ADATA will showcase the world's first AI gaming laptop equipped with an SSD of up to 24 TB and 96 GB of DRAM, overclocked DDR5 8000 R-DIMM for handling massive computing workloads and data processing, and a complete line of Express Card storage solutions that promote AI mobile devices. ADATA will also display various high performance products that continue to lead sustainability trends in the "Sustainability and Innovation" section including the industry's only comprehensive innovative cooling solutions, and a full range of green storage products made of recycled materials. Other highlights will include the 2024 iF Design Award winning INVADER X family of gaming chassis, and gaming components that combine optimized heat dissipation, environmental awareness, and the application of future technologies. The "Immersive Reality" section features a new gaming handheld PC, the XPG NIA, a full range of gaming products and peripherals, and the industry's most powerful external SSD solutions and mobile peripherals. In order to make it easier for consumers around the world to participate in the exhibition, ADATA will simultaneously launch its online COMPUTEX event from June 4, allowing consumers to experience ADATA's full range of industry-leading products.

FinalWire Ltd. today announced the immediate availability of AIDA64 Extreme 7.30 software, a streamlined diagnostic and benchmarking tool for home users; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Engineer 7.30 software, a professional diagnostic and benchmarking solution for corporate IT technicians and engineers; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Business 7.30 software, an essential network management solution for small and medium scale enterprises; and the immediate availability of AIDA64 Network Audit 7.30 software, a dedicated network audit toolset to collect and manage corporate network inventories.

AIDA64 update brings numerous improvements and optimizations for dark mode and high contrast mode, enhances speed, and supports the latest graphics and GPGPU computing technologies by AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA.

DOWNLOAD: FinalWire AIDA64 Extreme 7.30

BoostR is an Indiegogo crowdfunded project that seeks to integrate a multi-functional I/O dock with an external GPU. It's a rather brilliant idea—the dock draws connectivity from a USB4 (40 Gbps) connection, which it uses to connect an AMD Radeon RX 7600M GPU, an M.2-2280 NVMe SSD slot, a 1 GbE networking interface, an SD 4.0 card reader, and a bunch of USB 3.2 downstream ports.

The device comes with a power brick, and by default draws 100 W for all its functions, including the eGPU. You can boost the power limit to 120 W, which should improve the GPU's performance. The GPU puts out a couple of HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.0 connectors. BoostR was briefly available on Indiegogo at an early-bird price of $499, at which it would undercut the Ayaneo OneXGPU, a similar contraption of an eGPU+M.2+port dock that's priced at $699. One area where the BoostR has an edge over the OneXGPU is its 120 W mode that give the GPU improved boost frequency residency. It remains to be seen what the regular price of BoostR will be, but the company is offering a 5% discount on the final price if you sign up for their newsletter.

ZALMAN rolled out the P50 DS, a feature-packed mid-tower case that supports motherboards with reverse-side connectors, from the ASUS BTF and MSI Project Zero ecosystems. The case comes in black and white color variants. Its two most striking design aspects are the pillarless front-left corner, which gives you a panoramic view of your build; and a small programmable display that plugs into a USB 2.0 header, and gets the included software to read out temperature or fan-speed monitoring from ACPI. The case features a conventional horizontally partitioned layout.

The upper compartment with the motherboard tray offers room for graphics cards up to 43.5 cm in length, and CPU coolers up to 17.8 cm in height. The three 120 mm fan vents along the motherboard tray are recessed, so they don't impede long graphics cards. With three 120 mm fans included and in place, the setup is flush with the rest of the motherboard tray, so adding a typical 360 mm radiator would barely come in the way of a graphics card. The motherboard tray has cutouts positioned for compatibility with ASUS BTF and MSI Project Zero motherboards with connectors on the reverse side of the PCB. Besides the three side-facing vents, you get a 140 mm rear exhaust, three and three 120 mm top exhausts. Four 120 mm ARGB-illuminated fans come included with the case. There are two 3.5-inch drive bays in the lower compartment, and a couple of additional 2.5-inch mounts. Front panel connectivity includes a USB3 type-C, two USB 3.2 type-A, and HDA jacks. The case measures 240 mm x 480 mm x 512 mm (WxDxH), weighing 10.5 kg. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Thermalright introduced the Burst Assassin 120 EVO DARK, a performance-segment air CPU cooler. The cooler relies on a conventional D-type aluminium fin-stack heatsink that's ventilated by a pair of fans in push-pull configuration. Its design involves a nickel-plated copper base from which six 6 mm-thick copper heat pipes draw heat, conveying it to an aluminium fin-stack. This 52 mm-thick fin-stack has fins with jagged edges to increase air turbulence, and heat dissipation. The stack is covered by a metal top-plate with a brushed aluminium finish. Ventilating the heatsink is a pair of 120 mm fans.

Unlike most other companies, Thermalright includes two different kinds of 120 mm fans. The first one is a Thermalright TL-C12B V2 meant to be installed in the "push" position, and the second one is a TL-C12RB V2 intended for the "pull" position. Both fans feature fluid dynamic bearings, 4-pin PWM inputs, and top speeds of 1,500 RPM; however the push fan offers 66.17 CFM of maximum airflow, while the pull fan does 58 CFM. The static pressure ratings of both fans are 1.58 mm H₂O, and both their maximum noise outputs are rated at 25.6 dBA. With the two fans in place, the Thermalright Burst Assassin 120 EVO DARK measures 124 mm x 156 mm x 102 mm (WxHxD). The company didn't mention weight. Among the CPU socket types supported are LGA1700, AM5, AM4, and LGA1200/115x.

AMD's next-generation Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" desktop processors based on the "Zen 5" microarchitecture, is rumored to launch in late-July, 2024, according to multiple sources in the ChipHell tech forums. The first four SKUs in the processor series will include one each of 16-core, 12-core, 8-core, and 6-core, spanning the Ryzen 9, Ryzen 7, and Ryzen 5 series, just like the company's Ryzen 7000 series debut. The company could unveil these processors in its 2024 Computex keynote address early next month, talking about their features and performance in broad strokes, while we get technical previews in the run-up to the late-July launch.

A late-July launch of the Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" processors should also mean that the various motherboard manufacturers will showcase their upcoming motherboards based on the AMD X870 desktop chipset at Computex. Ryzen 9000 series are built in the existing Socket AM5 package, and should be compatible with existing AMD 600-series chipset motherboards. In fact, most motherboard vendors have already released UEFI firmware updates that include Ryzen 9000 series processor compatibility. Those buying a Ryzen 9000 series processor with an AMD 600-series chipset motherboard can simply take advantage of the USB BIOS Flashback feature that's available on most motherboards, including the entry-level ones.

We've known for a while that the Z890 will be Intel's next-generation high-end desktop motherboard chipset for the Core Ultra "Arrow Lake-S" desktop processors in the LGA1851 package, and that Intel's first wave of processors and motherboards will target PC enthusiasts like they usually do—with just the unlocked K/KF processor SKUs and motherboards based on the Z890. We are now learning that the B860 will indeed be the company's mid-tier chipset for the processor. MSI has registered at least four motherboard models based on the B860, which showed up on Device Report.

These four motherboard models are the MPG B860M Edge Ti WiFi, the MPG B860I Edge WiFi, the MAG B860 Tomahawk WiFi, and the MAG B860M Mortar WiFi, with MSI internal product numbers 7E38, 7E39, 7E40, and 7E43, respectively. There's no word on whether B860 will even be available when the processors debut. Going by past trends, the mid-tier chipset and 65 W-class processor SKUs usually come out in the Q1 following a new processor generation launch, which means we could see these sometime early-2025. The B860 will lack CPU overclocking capabilities, and probably feature a narrower chipset bus, and fewer PCIe general purpose lanes than the Z890. As for MSI's Z890 motherboard lineup, there are at least eight models recorded—the MEG Z890 GODLIKE, the MEG Z890 Ace, MEG Z890 Unify-X, MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi, MPG Z890 Edge Ti WiFi, MPG Z890I Edge Ti WiFi, MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi, and the PRO Z890-P WiFi.

For those looking for something a bit out of the ordinary when it comes to monitors, HP might have your next productivity monitor in the shape of the Series 7 Pro Monitor 738pu. It sports a 3840 x 1600 resolution which gives the 37.5-inch panel a rather unusual aspect ratio of 24:10 or 12:5 if you prefer. The monitor is built around an 8-bit + FRC IPS Black panel with a contrast ratio of 2000:1 and a 400 nits peak brightness. The panel supports a colour gamut of 98 percent of the DCI-P3 colour space and sports a 5 ms grey to grey response time. However, it also has a max refresh rate of 60 Hz and is edge lit, which means it'll be terrible for HDR, although it's only certified for DisplayHDR 400, which means pretty poor HDR support to start with.

On the connectivity side, HP has loaded out the 738pu with a wide range of ports, starting with a HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort input, as well as daisy chain output, one Thunderbolt 4 port that also supports 100 W USB PD and DP 1.4, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C port that also supports 65 W USB PD and DP 1.4 Alt Mode, one Thunderbolt 4 output for daisy changing (limited to 15 W), one USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C port (no video, also limited to 15 W) and five USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, of which one is a 7.5 W capable charging port. It also has a Gigabit Ethernet port, four integrated speakers with DTS Virtual:X and KVM support, but no headset jack, microphone or built-in camera. It also supports Picture-by-Picture or Picture-in-Picture when multiple sources are connected. The stand supports height, tilt and swivel adjustments. The power supply is integrated and the 738pu has a maximum power draw of 318 W fully loaded. HP is asking for US$1,249 for the Series 7 Pro Monitor 738pu.

QCY, Hele Electronics' premium audio brand launched the AilyBuds Pro series on May 25. These Semi In-ear Adaptive Active Noise Canceling (ANC) earbuds emphasize High-Definition Sound Quality and Comfortable Wear. The AilyBuds Pro+ enhances the standard AilyBuds Pro with LDAC codec support and Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification.

High-Resolution Sound Quality
Equipped with a large 13 mm bio-diaphragm dynamic driver and Hi-Fi 5 DSP High-definition Decoding, The AilyBuds Pro series delivers an expansive soundstage. Thanks to Adaptive Low-frequency Compensation Tech, they offer punchy bass and detailed vocals. Packed with LDAC and Hi-Res Audio, the AilyBuds Pro+ provides a Hi-res audio experience across the entire sound chain. What's more, Ultra Wide Frequency Adaptive EQ is applied to adjust the sound by automatically calculating your ear canal, wearing status, and volume level - all the way from 20 Hz to 2000 Hz - to provide precise compensation in merely 2 seconds to reveal authentic sound.

The Sabrent USB-C Enclosure for M.2 2230 PCIe NVMe SSDs is a simple and easy solution for managing your short-form factor drives. Need to prepare your M.2 2230 SSD for installation into your Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, Surface Pro 9, or other portable device? Pop it into this enclosure and secure the latch, plug it in via USB-C, and off you go. The enclosure supports all major operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and anything built on Linux. The experience is simplified with an integrated cable and plug-and-play operation, as it is bus-powered with no drivers required.

The enclosure specifically supports M.2 2230 PCIe NVMe SSDs, not SATA, so be sure to check your drive beforehand - drives like our Rocket 2230 and Rocket Q4 2230 are a perfect pairing for this enclosure.

Elon Musk's AI company xAI just scored big (according to Reuters), raising a massive $6 billion in new funding. This sky-high investment values xAI at a whopping $24 billion as investors go all-in on challengers to top AI players like OpenAI. Big-name funders like Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia backed the funding round, according to xAI's blog post on Sunday. Before this, xAI was valued at $18 billion, Musk said on social app X.

The huge cash influx will help xAI launch its first products, build advanced tech, and turbocharge their research, the company stated. "More news coming soon," Musk teased cryptically after the funding announcement. It's an AI investment frenzy as tech giants like Microsoft and Google parent Alphabet pour fortunes into leading the red-hot generative AI race. With its new war chest, xAI is gearing up to make some serious waves.

HP has envisioned a new approach to MicroLED monitors that could revolutionize how we design and buikd displays. Dubbed "Composable MicroLED Monitors," this concept proposes a modular system where users can assemble their desired monitor configuration from multiple components. At the core of this concept lies a base unit that serves as the foundation, housing the necessary connections and a stand. Users can then attach flat or curved extension modules to the base, allowing various display sizes and formats. These modules resemble puzzle pieces, seamlessly integrating with the base unit through magnetic holders that ensure precise alignment. The true beauty of this concept lies in its scalability and customization options. By combining multiple base units and extension modules, users can create displays of virtually any size or shape tailored to their specific needs.

Whether it's a compact, single-screen setup or an immersive, curved multi-monitor array, the possibilities are endless. HP's illustrations showcase the potential of this concept, with a proposed base unit size of 12" x 12" and extension modules measuring 12" x 6". With integrated switches or software controls, users can even specify how the operating system treats the connected display tiles - as a unified, large display or as separate, independent screens. While this concept's modular nature promises infinite flexibility, it also presents a challenge: the inevitable gaps between modules. HP's research paper delves into potential solutions to minimize these gaps, ensuring a seamless visual experience for users. Whether HP's "Composable MicroLED Monitors" concept will transition from a study to a tangible product remains to be seen. However, one thing is sure: this pioneering approach could open up a world of possibilities for display technology, enabling users to create truly personalized and tailored visual experiences.

MONTECH, a popular PC components and peripherals brand, enters the CPU water cooling market with its first AIO - the HyperFlow ARGB. This sleek and stylish AIO features a gemstones-inspired pump block and comes equipped with a 3100 RPM pump, an aluminium 27 mm thick radiator with 20 fins per inch (FPI), and 120 mm Metal Pro 12 fans. The combination ensures high cooling performance to handle both Intel and AMD CPUs with ease. The HyperFlow ARGB features pre-installed fans, thermal paste, and pre-connected 7-pin short cable, which makes cable management and installation a breeze. Additionally, it provides peace of mind with its 6-year warranty. Available in black and white, the HyperFlow ARGB launches on May 27th, 2024, at an MSRP of $84.90 for the 240 version and $95.90 for the 360

The HyperFlow water pump is crafted to keep your system cool and running smoothly. Engineered with precision, this pump is designed to efficiently cool your components even under pressure, boasting a maximum speed of 3100RPM for swift heat dissipation and top-notch performance. Its sleek exterior, reminiscent of a gemstone, brings a touch of elegance and sophistication to your setup. Standing at just 53 mm in height, it maintains a low profile while operating quietly at a maximum of 28 dB (A).

[Editor's note: Our in-depth review of the HyperFlow ARGB is now live]

AMD's upcoming Ryzen AI "Strix Point" mobile processor family will see a product launch in August 2024, with availability ramping up by October, a representative of mini PC manufacturer AOOSTAR has revealed. This would mean that at Computex next month, the company will use its Keynote address to unveil the processors, highlight their various new features, particularly the "Zen 5" microarchitecture, and perhaps even talk about performance in broad strokes, but specific processor models will launch in August, along with a few notebook product announcements.

AMD's upcoming Ryzen AI "Strix Point" processor will feature a significantly faster 50 AI TOPS-class NPU to power Microsoft Copilot+ certified devices; increased CPU performance from the new "Zen 5" architecture, and faster graphics from the new RDNA 3+ iGPU, besides support for faster memory speeds, new power management features, and updated platform and display I/O. "Strix Point" is far from being the only mobile processor family from AMD based on "Zen 5," there's also the Ryzen 9000 "Fire Range" family of high core-count mobile processors meant for gaming notebooks; and the "Strix Halo" meant for high-performance ultraportables.

VANKYO, the world's leading innovative projector brand is releasing three home projectors just in time for Memorial Day: Leisure L470 Neo, Leisure L570 Bundle, and Performance V700 Pro. These three projectors make their debut with a brand-new V-Smile Design at BestBuy store in the US. Apart from the stylish design, the VANKYO new arrivals also captures customers' attention with the PixPerfect technology and the Smart VanOS, aiming to be the best-value option on the home theater solution.

Transform Your Living Room into a Personal Theater: VANKYO Debuts Projectors with V-Smile Design and VanOS, Offering Netflix, Youtube, and Prime Video Integration.

SonicFi Inc., a brand new company aiming to provide solutions for SMB, today makes a debut of its Ronto cloud network product series in CommunicAsia 2024 in Singapore, making a proactive entry into the small and medium-sized enterprise market. Ronto SMB solutions include Controller, Indoor Wall Mount Access Point, Indoor Ceiling Mount Access Point, Managed Switch, and Outdoor Long Range Fixed Wireless Access Point. Combined with their in-house developed cloud platform and AI driven optimization features, these offerings provide an excellent and cost-effective network solution for small and medium-sized enterprises, factories, SI vendors, featuring cloud-based intelligent management.

Ronto products feature an in-house developed cloud platform, incorporating management functionalities essential for small and medium-sized enterprise networks. Through intuitive mobile applications, network deployment and management are streamlined, providing simple, intelligent, and secure networking solutions for small and medium-sized businesses.

IRDM, a European brand of computer memory dedicated to gamers and enthusiasts, owned by Wilk Elektronik SA, proudly introduces the latest addition to its product range—the SSD IRDM PRO NANO. This revolutionary data storage device, designed with cutting-edge mobile technologies in mind, offers unmatched performance parameters and the highest reliability in an extremely compact M.2-2230 format, making it an ideal solution not only for professionals and new technology enthusiasts, but also for gamers using handheld consoles and ultrabooks.

Featuring branded components and PCIe NVMe Gen. 4 x4 technology, the IRDM PRO NANO SSD delivers an unparalleled read speed of up to 7300 MB/s and write speeds of up to 6000 MB/s! Such performance enables lightning-fast game and application loading, enhancing overall system smoothness. Both gamers and professionals will appreciate reduced downtime and faster data processing, crucial when working with large files and demanding applications.\

USB4 hasn't exactly taken off as yet, largely due to a shortage of devices in the market and with a limited number of device controllers, the competition in the market is also slow. With Thunderbolt compatibility, there are plenty of USB4 compatible hosts out there though, even though you only get 32 Gbps rather than 40 Gbps of data throughput when a USB4 device is connected to Thunderbolt 3 or 4, although Thunderbolt 5 will allow for the full 40 Gbps. A company called ADT-Link has launched a product it calls the UT3G which is pretty much a retail ready bridge solution that allows techies and tinkerers to try out whatever PCIe devices they have over USB4. The adapter has a full-length PCIe x16 slot, but it's limited to a four lane PCIe interface which is compatible with PCIe 4.0, albeit not at the full 64 Gbps that such an interface can deliver.

In addition to the USB4 Type-C port on the PCB there's a standard 24-pin ATX power supply connector for power, which means that this isn't really a portable solution. However, the company has tested the UT3G with various graphics cards from both AMD and NVIDIA to make sure you can use it as an external graphics card dock. The UT3G has also been tested to be compatible with Windows, Linux and macOS, although macOS is limited to AMD GPUs. The board is built around the ASMedia ASM2464PD USB4 to PCIe 4.0 bridge and this shouldn't come as a surprise, as so far this is the only such device controller. ADT-Link doesn't appear to be selling the UT3G to consumers, but it can be picked up online from DFRobot starting at US$129 for a single unit.

Last week, we got confirmation from the highest levels of Dell and NVIDIA that the latter is making a client PC processor for the Windows on Arm (WoA) AI PC ecosystem that only has one player in it currently, Qualcomm. Michael Dell hinted that this NVIDIA AI PC processor would be ready in 2025. Since then, speculation has been rife about the various IP blocks NVIDIA could use in the development of this chip, the two key areas of debate have been the CPU cores and the process node.

Given that NVIDIA is gunning toward a 2025 launch of its AI PC processor, the company could implement reference Arm IP CPU cores, such as the Arm Cortex X5 "Blackhawk," and not venture out toward developing its own CPU cores on the Arm machine architecture, unlike Apple. Depending on how the market recieves its chips, NVIDIA could eventually develop its own cores. Next up, the company could use the most advanced 3 nm-class foundry node available in 2025 for its chip, such as the TSMC N3P. Given that even Apple and Qualcomm will build their contemporary notebook chips on this node, it would be a logical choice of node for NVIDIA. Then there's graphics and AI acceleration hardware.

Higround, a leader in premium gaming peripherals, has unveiled a limited-edition collection celebrating the advancement of "gaming as art" in collaboration with Minecraft, the sandbox game beloved by players around the world. The collaboration brings the art and creativity of Minecraft players into our lives, inviting gamers to explore and express themselves through a range of expertly crafted peripherals.

The Higround x Minecraft collaboration proves that games can be used as a creative medium and as art. The collection highlights the Basecamp 65, Summit 65 and Performance 65 keyboards, along with matching mousepads and other accessories. Each product features iconic artwork from the blocky world of Minecraft, capturing the essence of its colorful worlds, characters and creatures.

In case you missed it, we're about to enter the last week of May and soon summer is here. It's a pretty busy release for new games, even though there are no AAA releases, there are still plenty of interesting new games being released. This week's major release involves not getting sacrificed to the gods. The rest of this weeks' releases range from being the saviour of Persia to being in charge of Titans and that's just the first two releases. This is followed by taking the reins of a martial arts cat, exploring the black priory and racing F1 cars. Hopefully we've managed to cover most bases this week, but there's always next week for those of you that didn't see anything that tickled your fancy.

Soulmask / This week's major release / Friday 31 May
Soulmask is a sandbox game that prioritizes an authentic survival experience. As the "last one" blessed with the mysterious mask, players will grapple for survival in a primitive land steeped in mysterious faiths, carving out a path to ascendance. Start from nothing, explore, build, recruit tribesmen to fortify your clan, and ultimately unravel the mysterious truths hidden behind the civilizations of this world. Steam Link