Latest hardware news and stories
Intel Enhances Graphics Drivers for Linux and Arc GPUs with Performance Gains
Intel has implemented a minor optimization in its ANV Vulkan driver for Linux, improving DirectX 12 game performance through Steam Play and VKD3D-Proton by enhancing push constant data usage, delivering around a 1% performance boost in some cases. Additionally, Intel released Graphics Driver 32.0.101.8531, optimized for Arc GPUs in the A and B series as well as integrated graphics, promising up to 40% higher performance in Resident Evil Requiem. Performance gains vary by hardware, with the A series showing significantly better results than the B series. These updates highlight Intel's ongoing efforts to enhance its open-source graphics drivers for gaming on Linux and modern GPUs.
AMD and Nutanix Partner for Open AI Infrastructure While Speculation Grows Around RDNA-5 GPU 'AT0'
AMD and Nutanix have formed a strategic partnership to develop an open, scalable AI infrastructure for enterprises, leveraging AMD EPYC CPUs, AMD Instinct GPUs, and Nutanix cloud and Kubernetes platforms. The collaboration includes a $150 million investment by AMD in Nutanix, aiming to deliver production-ready AI solutions for agentic applications across data centers, hybrid, and edge environments. Meanwhile, speculation continues about a potential AMD RDNA-5 chip named 'AT0,' which could be released as a limited gaming GPU similar to the Radeon VII, though AMD has not confirmed any details and a market launch is likely not before 2027.
AMD Ryzen AI 400 'Gorgon Point' Expected to Launch Early 2026 on AM5 Platform
AMD is set to launch the Ryzen AI 400 series, codenamed 'Gorgon Point', in early 2026, potentially as early as Q1, on the AM5 platform. The desktop APUs will feature up to 12 Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores, a 16 CU RDNA 3.5 iGPU, and a 60 TOPS NPU, sharing silicon with the mobile Strix Point APUs but with enhanced clock speeds and power management. The processors are designed to deliver high performance for AI workloads and integrated graphics, marking a significant upgrade for the AM5 ecosystem.
New Tablets Compared: From €199 to €799 – 5G, OLED, and AI Updates at a Glance
A range of new Android tablets targeting different user segments showcases innovations from brands like Lenovo, Xiaomi, Honor, TCL, Huawei, and Google, featuring 5G, OLED displays, high refresh rates, and AI capabilities. Models range from budget-friendly options like the Lenovo Tab K11 Gen 2 at €199 to premium devices such as the Honor MagicPad4 and Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2025 with 144 Hz, 2,000 nits, and 5G. Meanwhile, Google has rolled out a major update for Pixel smartphones, introducing a new desktop mode and enhanced AI features.
Apple to Unveil 2026 MacBook Pro with Dynamic Island, OLED Touchscreen, and Adaptive Interface
Apple is set to unveil an updated MacBook Pro in 2026 featuring a touchscreen OLED display, Dynamic Island, and a new M6 chip. The new models, codenamed K114 and K116, mark a shift in Apple's design philosophy by introducing touch-enabled laptops for the first time. The Dynamic Island will replace the current notch, and the macOS interface will automatically adapt to input methods—mouse, trackpad, or finger. Meanwhile, Apple plans a smaller Dynamic Island for the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, with no move to a punch-hole display, continuing its use in the fifth iPhone generation.
Lenovo has unveiled the ThinkPad T14 Gen 7 and T16 Gen 5, the first mainstream laptops featuring Intel Core Ultra X7 processors with upgradable RAM thanks to the LPCAMM2 standard. The devices stand out for their high repairability, modular components, and improved design with narrower bezels. Meanwhile, the ThinkPad L16 G2 AMD continues to excel as a desktop-focused laptop with excellent cooling and upgradability, with mobility being a secondary consideration.
Intel has scrapped its planned acquisition of AI chip company SambaNova and instead agreed to a strategic partnership based on Xeon CPUs. The company also released technical details on its Granite Rapids-WS Xeon 600 processors, including reduced boost speeds due to AVX-512 and AMX instructions, and issued an updated microcode for the Granite Rapids D series to fix hardware-specific issues. These developments reflect Intel's evolving strategy in the competitive AI hardware market while addressing ongoing technical challenges.
AMD Launches EPYC 8005 'Sorano' for 1P Servers in Telecom and Edge Applications
AMD has launched the EPYC 8005 'Sorano' series, a new line of server processors based on the Zen 5 architecture, designed for single-socket platforms in telecom and edge environments. The processors are optimized for Telco/RAN workloads, emphasizing performance per watt and performance per dollar. Positioned as successors to the EPYC 8004 series, they are expected to launch in the coming months.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach – PC Version with PS5 Upscaling and Manageable System Requirements
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach releases on March 19 for PC and requires a GeForce GTX 1660 even at low settings, which is relatively low for a blockbuster title. The game supports advanced upscaling technologies including NVIDIA DLSS 4, AMD FSR 4, Intel XeSS 2, and Guerrilla’s PICO technology, along with 21:9 and 32:9 aspect ratios. It also introduces ultrawide support and handheld optimizations, offering a wide range of graphics settings for diverse PC configurations.
AMD and Meta Announce Billions-Deep AI Deal with 6 GW GPU Infrastructure and Shareholding
AMD and Meta have entered a long-term strategic partnership to build a powerful and energy-efficient AI infrastructure using up to 6 gigawatts of AMD Instinct MI450 GPUs, custom EPYC processors based on the Zen-6 architecture (codenamed Venice and Verano), and Helios racks. The deal, valued at up to 60 billion USD, includes a performance-based warrant for up to 160 million AMD shares and an option to acquire up to 10 percent of AMD's shares. This collaboration strengthens AMD's position in the AI data center market and reflects the shared vision of both companies to build a trillion-dollar AI infrastructure, with deliveries expected to begin in the second half of 2026.
OptiScaler Enables FSR 4 on Vulkan – Community Surpasses AMD's Official Support
With the test build 0.9.0-pre10, the open-source tool OptiScaler has enabled FSR 4 in Vulkan games for the first time by using a DirectX 12 bridge. This achievement comes despite AMD officially limiting FSR 4 to RDNA-4 graphics cards and DirectX 12 titles, with no native Vulkan support yet available. The community and modders have thus provided a workaround, allowing many modern Vulkan games to benefit from the upscaling technology, although some issues persist due to missing Mesa extensions.
Kioxia Unveils UFS 5.0 Prototype Chips with 10.8 GB/s Speed for Next-Gen Smartphones and AI Devices
Kioxia has unveiled evaluation samples of UFS 5.0 embedded flash memory devices capable of up to 10.8 GB/s transfer speeds, using its 8th-generation BiCS FLASH technology in 512 GB and 1 TB capacities. The new standard, defined by JEDEC and enhanced by MIPI Alliance’s UniPro v3.0 and M-PHY v6.0, delivers higher bandwidth, improved power efficiency, and better data protection. Designed for next-generation smartphones, PCs, automotive systems, and AI applications, UFS 5.0 represents a major leap in mobile and edge storage performance.
AMD and Intel in Transition: Current CPU Platforms, PC Optimization, and Historical Milestones
A comprehensive overview of current and future CPU platforms from AMD and Intel, including technical details and target market segments through spring 2026. The article also explores strategies for boosting older PCs through targeted optimizations, while reflecting on historical milestones such as the development of ELIZA and the discovery of ball lightning. Together, these topics provide a holistic view of the past, present, and future of PC technology.
Refurbished Deals: Lenovo ThinkCentre M75s and Dell Optiplex 5080 Mini-PCs at Great Prices
The Lenovo ThinkCentre M75s Mini-PC is available for €125 as refurbished, supporting up to 128 GB RAM with an AMD Ryzen 3 Pro 4350G and four UDIMM slots, making it ideal for tinkerers and home theater PCs. The Dell Optiplex 5080 Mini-PC, equipped with a Core i5-10500T six-core processor, is priced at around €215, with an additional 10% discount using a coupon code. Both models are well-suited for office use and allow for future upgrades. These deals offer powerful mini PCs at affordable prices for users seeking reliable performance.
Sapphire Pure X870A WiFi 7: White ATX Motherboard with USB4 and Wi-Fi 7 for Gamers and PC Builders
The Sapphire Pure X870A WiFi 7 is a white ATX motherboard featuring an AMD X870 chipset, Wi-Fi 7, PCIe 5.0, and USB4 support, designed for gamers and PC builders. It supports Ryzen processors, includes four DDR5 memory slots, M.2 and SATA ports, and integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, along with intuitive software such as TriXX-M and Core BIOS. Despite its powerful components and sleek design, the board offers limited USB and PCIe connections, making it better suited for casual users than enthusiasts. The motherboard is positioned as a premium yet expensive option for users seeking a clean, high-performance build.
Lenovo and AMD Advance AI and Edge Computing with New Solutions, Drivers, and Consortium
Lenovo has launched a new generation of AI-driven ThinkEdge solutions, including compact gateways, high-performance edge computers, and its first industrial all-in-one panel PC, enabling localized AI for industrial applications. Meanwhile, AMD has released the VEK385 Evaluation Kit for its Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2, supporting embedded AI, vision, and control systems with 4K/8K video processing, and has published Linux kernel patches to enhance virtual machine security via SEV-SNP BTB isolation. The modern AMD graphics driver in Linux 7.0 has surpassed six million lines of code, making it the largest single driver in the kernel. Additionally, Arm and Linaro have launched the CoreCollective consortium, with founding members including AMD, Google, and Microsoft, to advance open-source development in data centers, edge computing, and confidential computing.
Firefox 148 Launches with Central AI Controls and Kill Switch, Giving Users Greater AI Oversight
Mozilla has released Firefox 148, introducing centralized AI controls and a global kill switch to disable all AI features. Users can now manage individual AI tools such as translations, image alt text, and chatbot providers. The update also brings new features including split view, HDR video streaming on Windows, and a redesigned customizable sidebar, along with security improvements and enhanced profile management.
Panther Lake: Performance Gains Amid 18A Manufacturing Discrepancies
A new report raises concerns over whether Intel has met its promised technical targets with its 18A manufacturing process for the Panther Lake processor, particularly regarding a minimum M0 pitch of 36 nanometers instead of the claimed 32 nanometers. Meanwhile, a benchmark study comparing Intel laptop CPUs from 2008 to 2026 reveals Panther Lake to be up to 95 times faster than the 2008 Penryn, with a geometric mean performance gain of 21.5x across over 150 tests, highlighting major advances in performance and power efficiency on Linux. The results underscore significant generational progress despite ongoing questions about process implementation.
Top Refurbished Deals: Lenovo ThinkCentre M80q and M75s Mini-PCs with Core i5 and AMD CPU
The Lenovo ThinkCentre M80q with Core i5-10500T and 16GB RAM is currently available for €289 as a refurbished model, offering solid performance for office and everyday tasks. Meanwhile, the M75s with AMD Ryzen 3 Pro 4350G and support for up to 128GB RAM is available for €125, though memory and storage must be purchased separately. Both compact Mini-PCs feature modern connectors and extensive upgrade options, making them ideal for office use or users with specific requirements.
Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown and Other Games Make a Strong Debut on Steam
The German strategy game Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown by Gamexcite achieved a historic success with over 100,000 copies sold in its first four days, immediately topping the Steam charts. At the same time, several other games made a strong impression during the Steam Next Fest, including the pirate survival game Windrose, which reached over one million wishlists, and Distant Shore: BRETAGNE, a first-person parkour title blending Mirror’s Edge and Portal mechanics. Meanwhile, Outbound, a building and exploration game focused on escaping societal constraints, gained popularity with over 1,100 reviews and 83% positive ratings. Together, these releases highlight a surge in demand for innovative, immersive gaming experiences across diverse genres.