Tech News

  • GeForce RTX 40 SUPER Series: New Heroes Debut in the Gaming and Creating Universe With AI as Their Superpower

    Gaming GPUs Amplified With More Performance and Generative AI Capabilities, Starting at $599

    LAS VEGAS, Jan. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CES — NVIDIA today announced the GeForce RTX™ 40 SUPER Series family of GPUs — including the GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER and GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER — which supercharge the latest games and form the core of AI-powered PCs.

    This latest iteration of NVIDIA Ada Lovelace architecture-based GPUs delivers up to 52 shader TFLOPS, 121 RT TFLOPS and 836 AI TOPS to supercharge gaming and creating — and provide the power to develop new entertainment worlds and experiences. The GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER starts from $599.

    PC gamers demand the very best in visual quality, and AI-powered NVIDIA Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) Super Resolution, Frame Generation and Ray Reconstruction combine with ray tracing to offer stunning worlds — just a click away in titles such as Diablo IV, Pax Dei and Horizon Forbidden West. With DLSS, seven out of eight pixels can be AI-generated, accelerating full ray tracing by up to 4x with better image quality.

    “For everyone from gaming enthusiasts to creative professionals, GeForce RTX SUPER GPUs are simply awesome upgrades,” said Matt Wuebbling, vice president of global GeForce marketing at NVIDIA. “GeForce RTX SUPER cards support over 500 RTX games and applications and will have users prepared for the wave of generative AI apps coming to PC.”

    An AI-Powered Leap in PC Computing
    The new GeForce RTX SUPER GPUs are the ultimate way to experience AI on PCs. Specialized AI Tensor Cores deliver up to 836 AI TOPS to deliver transformative capabilities for AI in gaming, creating and everyday productivity. The rich software stack built on top of RTX GPUs further accelerates AI.

    NVIDIA TensorRT™ is software for high-performance deep learning inference, which includes a deep learning inference optimizer and runtime that delivers low latency and high throughput for inference applications. TensorRT-LLM for Windows is an open-source library that accelerates inference performance for the latest large language models. In AI workloads, the GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER generates video over 1.5x faster and images over 1.7x faster than the RTX 3080 Ti.

    For games, AI-powered DLSS provides greater in-game immersion. Meanwhile, generative AI applications like Adobe Photoshop take advantage of Tensor Cores to speed productivity and keep creative workflows moving. And for productivity, NVIDIA Broadcast can remove background noise and provide seamless virtual backgrounds.

    With GeForce RTX SUPER GPUs, users can unlock the full potential of AI on Windows PCs.

    A 4K Monster: The GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER
    The GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER powers fully ray-traced games in 4K resolution. At 1.4x faster than the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti without DLSS Frame Generation, the RTX 4080 SUPER delivers blistering performance with traditional rasterization. With 836 AI TOPS, DLSS Frame Generation delivers an extra performance boost, making the RTX 4080 SUPER twice as fast as the RTX 3080 Ti. The RTX 4080 SUPER features more cores and faster memory for a performance edge. It will be available starting Jan. 31 from $999.

    Precision Gaming: The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER
    The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is the ideal GPU for maxing out games at super-high frame rates at 1440p, and up to 4K. Compared to the RTX 4070 Ti, it has more cores, an increased frame buffer to 16GB, and a 256-bit memory bus, providing a significant memory bandwidth increase to 672 GB/sec. It is 1.6x faster than a RTX 3070 Ti and 2.5x with DLSS 3. The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER will be available starting Jan. 24 at $799.

    Perfectly Balanced: The GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER
    The RTX 4070 SUPER arrives with 20% more cores than the RTX 4070, making it faster than an RTX 3090 at a fraction of the power. With DLSS 3, its lead stretches to 1.5x faster. It will be available starting Jan. 17 at $599.

    Where to Buy
    For the GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER and 4070 SUPER, an NVIDIA Founders Edition Design will be available direct from NVIDIA.com and select retailers. Custom boards, including stock-clocked and factory-overclocked models for all GeForce RTX 40 SUPER Series GPUs, will be available from top add-in card providers such as ASUS, Colorful, Gainward, GALAX, GIGABYTE, INNO3D, KFA2, MSI, Palit, PNY and ZOTAC.

  • CES2024: Thermaltake Celebrates 25 Years of Innovation with the Unveiling of the Hydrangea Blue Collection

    Las Vegas, United States-January 7th, 2024-Thermaltake, a trailblazing PC DIY brand renowned for premium hardware solutions, marks its 25th anniversary with the unveiling of a special collection in Hydrangea Blue, one of the standout colors of 2024 as recognized by the global authority on color. Throughout its illustrious 25-year journey, Thermaltake has consistently delivered high-end, multicolored products tailored for gaming, streaming, and video editing. Under the theme of “Keep It Sleek, Keep It Cool,” Thermaltake seamlessly integrates the latest technology with modern fashion trends.

    At CES 2024, Thermaltake proudly introduces a comprehensive lineup of Hydrangea Blue products, encompassing chassis, power supplies, fans, AIO liquid coolers, memory modules, gaming chairs, and gaming mouse pads. Hydrangea Blue, inspired by the beauty and tranquility of nature, imparts a refreshing and productive touch to the tech-savvy lifestyle. This fashionable color distinguishes Thermaltake's products and offers users a unique and revitalizing experience.

    “Thermaltake has been committed to providing outstanding cooling products and gaming parts & peripherals since its establishment 25 years ago. We believe that our products should excel not only in performance but also in user experience and appearance design. This is our brand philosophy that guides our product development. At CES 2024, we will present our new products that embody this philosophy, especially the Hydrangea Blue-colored collections. We aim to create desktop gear with more aesthetic possibilities." Stated Kenny Lin, the CEO of Thermaltake.

     

    Hydrangea Blue Colored Product Highlights

    PC Case

    • CTE E600 MX Hydrangea Blue Mid Tower Chassis
    • The Tower 300 Hydrangea Blue Micro Chassis
    • Ceres 330 TG ARGB Hydrangea Blue Mid Tower Chassis

    Power Supply Unit

    • ToughPower GF A3 Hydrangea Blue 1050W

    Cooling Products

    • SWAFAN EX12 ARGB Sync PC Cooling Fan Hydrangea Blue TT Premium Edition (3-Fan Pack)
    • SWAFAN EX14 ARGB Sync PC Cooling Fan Hydrangea Blue TT Premium Edition (3-Fan Pack)
    • TH360 V2 Ultra ARGB Sync All-In-One Liquid Cooler - Hydrangea Blue

    Memory

    • TOUGHRAM XG RGB D5 5600MT/s Hydrangea Blue

    Peripherals

    • ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair Hydrangea Blue
    • M700 Extended Gaming Mouse Pad Hydrangea Blue
  • LIAN LI Introduces a New O11D with the O11D EVO RGB

    December 21st, 2023, Taipei, Taiwan – LIAN LI Industrial Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of chassis and PC accessories, launches the latest addition to its O11 series with the O11D EVO RGB. As the name suggests, the O11D EVO RGB has two built-in L-shaped RGB strips for beautifully accented lighting personalization. Inspired by the community feedback, the O11D EVO RGB includes multiple improvements such as a flexible motherboard adjustable to 2 positions, support for up to 420mm radiator at the top, and a redesigned second chamber to provide more room and modularity for the cable management solution. The O11D EVO RGB is available in black and white at an MSRP of $159.99 and $169.99 respectively.

    • L-shaped diffused RGB with improved built-in lighting control
    • Removable support column for an unobstructed view
    • Adjustable motherboard height for more radiator/fan clearance at top or bottom
    • Supports up to 420mm radiator on top, and 360mm radiator on side and bottom
    • Redesigned cable management solutions with protruding PSU bracket and HDD cages
    • Fully reversible with just a few steps

    L-shaped Diffused RGB Light Strip Design on Top and Bottom
    ?
    The LIAN LI O11D EVO RGB features two L-shaped diffused RGB strips on both the upper and lower panels. These two RGB strips can be easily adjusted using the buttons located on the main I/O panel, allowing for quick toggling between fourteen different modes. Users can also adjust brightness levels across five settings and choose from a diverse range of color options.

    Two Motherboard Installation Modes
    ?
    Users can opt for the high mode, which offers generous spacing at the bottom for radiators and fans with a maximum height of 45.3mm. The low mode on the other hand provides a clearance of 83.2mm on the top. In addition to the flexible motherboard solution, users can benefit from a support of up to a 420mm radiator at the top, and a 360mm radiator at the side and bottom. Top, side, and bottom all support the installation of up to 3 x 140mm fans each, all on a quickly removable bracket for ease of installation.

    Unmatched Flexibility Within the Secondary Chamber
    ?
    In the secondary chamber, a magnetic cable management bar allows easy access and tidy cable arrangement. The protruded PSU mounting bracket provides an extra 15mm clearance. Two modular drive cages are situated above the PSU, removable if not in use, creating additional space for mounting a fan hub or a controller. Lastly, the LIAN LI O11D EVO RGB is furnished with a dual-layer cable clip and multiple Velcro straps and tie points, providing a comprehensive and easy-to-work-with cable management solution.

    More Options to be Seen
    ?
    In just a few easy steps, the O11D EVO RGB allows the user to transition the traditional right-side orientated case structure into a left orientation, suiting different setup configurations and needs. The support pillar located on the left side of the front panel is now detachable, offering consumers a cleaner and more streamlined view. Additionally, the O11D EVO RGB is compatible with the existing O11D EVO vertical GPU kit and upright GPU kit. A new version of the front panel mesh kit is also available with support for 120mm, 140mm, and 160mm fans.

  • Logitech G Litra Beam LX @ LanOC Reviews

    When it comes to computer accessories, you know, the ones you physically interface with when using your desktop PC,  My go-to peripheral is Logitech.

    I know, I know, but, you have not reviewed a single Logitech product on your website(s), how can I trust that you are not just blowing smoke up my ass??

    Well, I'm here to tell you that, running a hardware review website is not an easy task, in some ways it is thankless especially when companies as big as Logitech cannot be bothered to send products out for review when SOOOOO many influencers are doing it for free.  They can then select a few hot chix and edgy streamers to sample from that list and make them a contract bound advertising agent.  And, while I use their products because they are actually good, I have not been given the opportunity to do a product review because I cannot be bothered to become part of their twisted PR engine.  happy smile

    LanOC, on the other hand, has this to say, about their desk lamp.

    Alongside Logitech’s introduction of their new Yeti microphones which I recently took a look at, they also introduced the new Logitech G Litra Beam LX. Litra, like Blue Microphones, was a company acquisition by Logitech back in 2021. Litra was an LED lighting company with a focus on adventure lighting. The Litra product lineup continues that lighting tradition, but it won’t be a surprise to anyone that Logitech has been integrating all of that into their brand with a focus on lighting for when you are at your PC for streaming and remote work. They have brought out a few products, the new Litra Beam LX isn’t the first at all, but it does expand on their previous product the Litra Beam. The Litra Beam has bi-color lighting, and the LX adds RGB backlighting as well to fit in with the traditional “streamer” or “gamer” look in your office. Having never taken a look at any of the Litra lineup I’m excited to not only see what is new about the LX but also get the full Litra experience. So let’s dive in and see what it is all about!

    Umm,  Logitech has a Yeti??

  • ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White @ TechPowerUp

    White builds are all the rage these days and, yet like popular fads they may be here to stay or may fade into obscurity like the first single color 80mm LED case fans.

    However, until that day comes we weill start to see more and more accessories which are "white".  Now before you get all upset saying "but, but, but..  omg... the PCB is still black, how can you call this a white accessory?" Well, that is a good question and one that can be answered by the short sighted product team who figured that...

    Since you cannot see the PCB from the 3+ slot f'in monster of a GPU cooler we can clearly call this a white component provided that the cooler and fans are white, that is cheap and checks all the boxes our research has indicated are important.

    *roll*

    ASRock's Radeon RX 7900 XT Phantom Gaming White is an overclocked custom design variant with a white color theme. Pricing is reasonable, just +$20 over the regular card and noise levels are fantastic, the card is whisper quiet, even when heavily loaded.

    Seems like a good card, you might want to pick one up, provided you can front the extra 20 bux. wink smile

  • Lexar to Showcase Professional Photo and Gaming Product Lineups at CES 2024

    Products to Include Cutting-Edge CFexpress Cards, Next-Gen Performance SSDs, Blazing-Fast Memory Modules, and More

    Lexar, a leading global brand of flash memory solutions, is excited to reveal its product lineup to be showcased at this year’s CES in Las Vegas, Nevada. With products ranging from its tried-and-true professional photography and videography portfolio to its robust gaming line-up, the breadth of Lexar products will be on display.

    Featured Products

    • Professional CFexpress™ 4.0 Type B Card DIAMOND Series
    • Professional CFexpress™ 4.0 Type A Card GOLD Series
    • Professional GOLD microSD™ UHS-II Card
    • ARMOR 700 Portable SSD
    • Professional NM1090 M.2 PCIe Gen 5 NVMe™ SSD with Heatsink
    • Professional NM800 PRO M.2 2280 NVMe™ SSD with and without Heatsink
    • PLAY M.2 2230 PCIe 4.0 SSD
    • ARES RGB DDR5 8400MT/s

    Lexar will be showcasing its cutting-edge Professional CFexpress 4.0 Type B Card DIAMOND Series which leverages the latest PCIe Gen 4 for the powerful performance and accelerated post-production efficiencies that professionals demand—a blistering-fast max. read speed of 3600MB/s and max. write of 3300MB/s.* For Type-A gear users, Lexar will show the Professional CFexpress 4.0 Type A Card GOLD Series. It also utilizes PCIe Gen 4 technology and is the world’s fastest CFexpress Type A card with max. read speeds of 1800MB/s and max. write speeds of 1650MB/s.* The Professional GOLD microSD UHS-II Card will also be displayed. Recommended by GoPro for use with their action cameras, it delivers max. read speeds of 280MB/s and max. write speeds of 180MB/s* and comes in capacities up to 256GB. Another highlight for the professional crowd will be the ARMOR 700 Portable SSD. Ruggedly built, it’s ready to go on location in even the toughest environments and delivers relentless performance and superior reliability with max. read and write speeds of 2000MB/s.*

    On the gaming side, Lexar will reveal the Professional NM1090 M.2 PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSD with Heatsink. Featuring PCIe Gen 5 performance with max. read speeds of 12,000MB/s and max. write speeds of 11,000MB/s,* it is nearly twice as fast as PCIe Gen 4.** Lexar will also show the award-winning NM800 PRO M.2 2280 NVMe SSD and its newest iteration of the NM800 PRO which includes an integrated heatsink, with capacities up to 8TB. The PLAY M.2 2230 PCIe 4.0 SSD packs big performance into a small form factor that is perfect for handheld gaming consoles and M.2 2230 compatible laptops. It delivers max. read speeds of 5200MB/s and max. write speeds of 4700MB/s,* and leverages SLC dynamic cache to keep load times and downloads fast. Lexar will also show its blazing-fast gaming DRAM, ARES RGB DDR5, which clocks in at 8400MT/s and with timing as low as CL40.

    “We are excited to be able to share several cutting-edge products with everyone at CES, including the world’s fastest CFexpress Type A card and our latest high-performance gaming DRAM,” said Joey Lopez, Director of Marketing.

    Lexar at CES 2024
    Visit Lexar at The Venetian, Suite #29-104 (3355 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109) from January 9-12, 9 AM - 6 PM. All media are welcome to visit and experience our innovative new products.

  • LIAN LI Redefines the Art of Cooling with the UNI FAN TL LCD and UNI FAN TL

    December 20th, 2023, Taipei, Taiwan – LIAN LI Industrial Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of chassis and PC accessories, launched a new series of interlocking fans with the UNI FAN TL LCD and UNI FAN TL. The UNI FAN TL LCD includes a built-in 1.6” LCD display with 400x400 pixel resolution, which is fully customizable via L-Connect. Users can customize their LCD display with format support of GIF, MP4, JPG and PNG files, or opt to display various system sensor information like CPU speed or temperature. The UNI FAN TL offers a noise and performance-optimized fan experience with LCP blades and FDB bearing with copper shielding. Both models feature a revamped lighting style with 2 LED zones implemented in a diffused RGB strip at the top and bottom of the frame that wraps around the mounting points of the fans. Both models are available in black and white, in sizes of 120mm and 140mm, and in regular and reverse airflow designs.

    • 1.6” LCD display with 400x400 resolution at center of fan frame (TL LCD only)
    • Two LED zones at top and bottom of frame with large infinity mirror to create a gap-free lighting
    • Features built-in IC for instant recognition of fan position from L-Connect 3
    • New Merge and Sync effect for perfect lighting effect display
    • UNI FAN style daisy-chainable design for easy cable management with support for up to 10 fans on a single port (TL only)

    UNI FAN TL LCD
    ?
    The UNI FAN TL LCD integrates a 1.6” LCD IPS screen at the center of the fan. The screen has 400 x 400 resolution and can display system information, including CPU temperature, CPU load, GPU temperature, GPU load, and fan speed. This screen supports GIF, MP4, JPG, and PNG file formats for fun customization for the LCD display, individually or synchronized across multiple fans with the L-Connect software. The UNI FAN TL LCD controller accommodates up to 7 LCD fans simultaneously, with each port supporting up to 3 UNI FAN TL LCD fans. Users have the flexibility to mix groups of TL and TL LCD fans, achieving a harmonious blend of performance and aesthetic customization.

    UNI FAN TL
    ?
    The UNI FAN TL features a 9-blade configuration crafted from durable Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP), ensuring the blades maintain their shape at high speeds. This design allows the fan blades to be closer to the fan frame, measuring 0.65mm for the TL 120 and 1.0mm for the TL 140. With an overall frame thickness of 28mm, this configuration enhances the blade surface area, leading to improved performance. Additionally, the UNI FAN TL uses Fluid Dynamic bearings (FDB) for the fan motor, promoting quieter and smoother operation. The combination of a thicker fan frame, robust LCP blade material, and FDB contributes to outstanding performance and reduced noise levels.

    Infinity RGB Customization
    ?
    The UNI FAN TL and TL LCD boast large infinity mirrors on both frame sides, accompanied by a diffused RGB strip along the anti-vibration pads' edges. This lighting style creates a seamless effect in connected clusters. The top and bottom LEDs are divided into two zones, individually controllable via L-Connect. Utilizing the interlocking mechanism from the original UNI FANs, users can form fan clusters powered by a single cable (up to 10 fans on a single port for the UNI FAN TL or up to 3 UNI FAN TL LCDs per port). With an individual IC built into each fan, the L-Connect automatically detects each fan for effortless management, optimizing system airflow while intelligently identifying fan size and location within each group.

    The UNI FAN TL series is available for pre-order starting December 20th, 2023.

  • AIDA64 v7.00 Released - Revamped Design and AMD Threadripper 7000 Optimizations

    BUDAPEST, Hungary - Dec 04, 2023 - FinalWire Ltd. today announced the immediate availability of AIDA64 Extreme 7.00 software, a streamlined diagnostic and benchmarking tool for home users; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Engineer 7.00 software, a professional diagnostic and benchmarking solution for corporate IT technicians and engineers; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Business 7.00 software, an essential network management solution for small and medium scale enterprises; and the immediate availability of AIDA64 Network Audit 7.00 software, a dedicated network audit toolset to collect and manage corporate network inventories.

    The new AIDA64 update introduces a revamped user interface with a configurable toolbar, as well as AVX-512 accelerated benchmarks for AMD Threadripper 7000 processors, AVX2 optimized benchmarks for Intel Meteor Lake processors, and supports the latest AMD and Intel CPU platforms as well as the new graphics and GPGPU computing technologies by AMD, Intel and nVIDIA.

    New features & improvements

    • Revamped user interface with configurable toolbar
    • AVX-512 accelerated benchmarks for AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7000 Series processors
    • AVX2 optimized benchmarks for Intel Meteor Lake SoC
    • Enhanced support for AMD TR5 socket motherboards
    • Chipset information for AMD TRX50 and WRX90
    • Improved support for Intel Arrow Lake and Lunar Lake SoC
    • Microsoft Windows 11 2023 Update support
    • Preliminary support for Intel Clearwater Forest and Panther Lake CPU
    • ACPI 6.5 support
    • GPU details for AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12GB
    • GPU details for nVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Super

    Pricing and Availability

    The AIDA64 product family for Windows PCs consists of three business editions and a home edition. The company's flagship IT asset management offering with hardware diagnostic features is AIDA64 Business, while a dedicated network inventory solution called AIDA64 Network Audit is also available, for a lower license fee. Designed for corporate engineers and IT technicians, AIDA64 Engineer includes expert tools not available in AIDA64 Extreme, the home edition of the software. Today all four AIDA64 editions are updated to v7.00.

  • Sony Is About To Remove Over 1,000 Discovery Shows, Even If You've Purchased Them

    One thing that has always concerned me with movies and tv shows is that they have a lifetime.  While a show is in syndication you can watch it whenever you want but, after the show goes off the air it can be YEARS before it comes back again.

    Movies are the same way. 

    The cadence "was/is", Movie gets released in theaters allowing moviegoers to watch it as many times as they like the way it was designed to be seen.  Once the movie has run its course there is often a pause while DVD/Bluray media is generated ahead of a home release of the film.  These days movies have been bypassing the physical media stage and going directly to online streaming services.

    So, the problem is, what happens when that streaming service no longer has the rights to show the movie/show OR, decides that they can no longer justify storing the movie based on how many times it is being viewed.

    It seems that Sony is in hot water and must remove the media, Sony was also big on making sure you paid for the media and making the situation sting a little more.

    Over 1,300 seasons of shows like Animal Planet Presents, Cake Boss, Deadliest Catch, American Chopper, How It's Made, and MythBusters will be removed. You can check out the full list here, which Sony provided.

    The removal of the shows prompted even more support for the resurgence of physical media online, even when retailers like Best Buy and Target are getting out of that business, or at the very least, scaling back.

    It's interesting to note though that Sony does not own the content being removed and it's under the Warner Bros. Discovery umbrella. It could be WBD isn't renewing licensing for third-party apps and keeping everything on Max. Prime Video and even Google Play have similar agreements when your purchase something digitally in that you don't own the product, but hold the license. Should that license be removed, well, you know.

    Maybe it is time to finally re-evaluate how these streaming services are operating.  Be sure to check out the full article on Gamespot.

  • Valve Is Reportedly Working On A Steam Update That Lets You Hide Your Sex Games

    Ok, so I can imagine how this feature went down.

    • Valve: We have starting to catalog quite a number of "adult" games but, nobody is buying them?  Lets ask some of our customers.
    • Customer: Oh I would totally buy ALL the adult games you have but, I'm not a fan of how Steam will let everyone know that I'm playing a pervy game title and logged over 300 hours.  You know, how Steam is,
    • Valve: That broadcast is to promote people to buy the game and allows your friends to watch you play. It is an awesome feature!
    • Customer: ....
    • Valve: So, you are saying we need to start respecting that some people want to be private?
    • Customer: That would be nice

    And guess what?!?

    According to Djundik's post, once a user marks a game as private, it will be hidden from their friends, thus permitting them to play Koikatsu Party to their heart's content and far away from prying eyes. That said, this feature isn't limited to games with, ahem, adult themes. For those ashamed of just how much time they poured into Dota 2 or Baldur's Gate 3, hiding your hours spent playing will soon be a few clicks away.

    This rumored update is a drastic improvement to Steam's current privacy options, which essentially boil down to setting your profile to public, friends only, or private. Djundik also stated that Valve is working on new parental controls as well. These additions will reportedly allow users to set playtime restrictions for children, as well as prevent children from purchasing something without requesting permission first.

    It would seem that the world is finally evolving how it should.  Be sure to check out the full post over at Gamespot