Latest hardware news and stories
Linux 7.0 Adds Support for Intel DSA 3.0 and New L2 Cache Metrics
Linux 7.0 includes initial preparations for Intel’s DSA 3.0 accelerators, enabling data movement and transformation tasks on Xeon processors with new sysfs interfaces and SGL size support. Additionally, the Turbostat utility now reports new L2 cache metrics such as L2MRPS and L2%hit for recent Intel processors including Xeon Sapphire Rapids, Atom Gracemont, and Alder Lake, thanks to updated performance counters in the kernel. These enhancements improve user-space visibility of hardware capabilities, despite some deviations from standard Linux kernel practices.
Battlefield 6: Season 2 Launches with New Maps, Weapons, and Gameplay Enhancements
Battlefield 6 has resumed its seasonal structure with Season 2, following a one-month delay. The first phase, Extreme Measures, introduces the new maps Contaminated and Hagental Base, along with new weapons, vehicles, and limited-time modes such as VL-7 Strike and Gauntlet: Altered State. Developers Phil Girette and Kit Eflof emphasize that Season 2 will lay the foundation for future content, incorporating immersive features like psychoactive smoke and night vision stealth combat to rebuild player trust and strengthen the game's technical and content framework. Despite the update, player and viewer numbers have seen only minimal growth, remaining below previous peaks.
AMD Denies Delay Reports for Instinct MI455X, Confirms Second Half 2026 Launch
AMD has dismissed reports claiming a delay of the Instinct MI455X AI accelerator until Q2 2027 as “bullshit,” confirming the product remains on track for a second-half 2026 launch alongside new Epyc processors in the Helios rack. The company’s AI software VP emphasized that development is progressing rapidly despite earlier claims of manufacturing and engineering challenges. These statements counter concerns that AMD might fall behind Nvidia in the AI hardware market, with the MI455X expected to be a key competitive offering.
NVIDIA Sells Remaining ARM Stakes: Strategic Move for AI Infrastructure and Agentic AI
NVIDIA has sold its remaining $140 million stake in Arm Holdings to free up capital for future investments in AI infrastructure. This follows the failed $40 billion acquisition in 2020, which was blocked by regulators over competition concerns. While ending its ownership, NVIDIA retains licensing rights to Arm’s IP and instruction set for its Grace and Vera CPUs. The move is less a retreat from Arm and more a strategic diversification to adapt to the evolving demands of the Agentic-AI era, where x86 platforms are increasingly important.
AMD Releases Ryzen Chipset Driver 8.01.20.513 with Major Updates
AMD has released chipset driver version 8.01.20.513 for Ryzen and Threadripper processors, featuring numerous bug fixes, performance improvements, and an updated installation routine. The driver supports Windows 10 and Windows 11, including the new Windows 11 25H2, and includes two new driver packages and twelve bug fixes. While the update enhances compatibility and stability, the AMS Mailbox and S0i3 filter drivers must be installed separately, and a workaround is provided for compatibility issues with older driver versions.
Linux 7.0: New Security Features, File System Improvements, and Ceph Support
Linux 7.0 introduces key updates including user-space control-flow integrity (CFI) support for RISC-V to enhance security against ROP attacks, alongside an optimized strlen implementation. The NTFS3 driver gains improvements such as better readahead, fsync optimizations, and delayed allocation support, while the competing NTFS Remake driver continues development. AppArmor receives enhancements like per-permission tagging and execpath in user namespaces, improving security and debugging. Additionally, the Linux 7.0 kernel adds AES256K key support for Ceph authentication based on Kerberos 5 / AES256-CTS-HMAC384-192, expanding Ceph's encryption capabilities.
Memory Crisis Drives Demand for DDR4 and AM4 Products at Mindfactory
The ongoing memory crisis and high DDR5 prices are driving a resurgence of DDR4-compatible motherboards and Ryzen CPUs for the AM4 platform at Mindfactory. In the past week, DDR4 motherboards accounted for over a third of total sales, and five of the top ten best-selling CPUs were AM4 Ryzen processors. AMD holds a 90 percent market share, while overall CPU sales continue to decline.
Intel Arc B370 in the Core Ultra 5 338H: Near Top‑Tier Performance with a Modest Power Footprint
Intel’s new Panther‑Lake mobile generation delivers impressive results with the Arc B370 iGPU in the Core Ultra 5 338H laptop. The 1,280‑core design scores 5,933 points in 3DMark/Time Spy—just 6 % below the flagship B390—and sits near its top model at a 35W limit. Compared to a Ryzen 9 465 or an RTX 4050, the B370 matches benchmark rankings while drawing only slightly less power (20–35 W), indicating strong gaming potential for budget‑oriented laptops.
Lenovo Legion Go 2 and Legion Go S with SteamOS Now Available – Performance and Pricing Compared
Lenovo now offers both the Legion Go 2 with the weaker AMD Ryzen Z2 SoC and the SteamOS-enabled Legion Go S, available for €499 at Mediamarkt.de and Saturn.de. The Legion Go S features an AMD Ryzen Z2 Go, 16 GB RAM, a 512-GB SSD, and an 8-inch touchscreen, delivering higher performance under SteamOS than Windows 11 in tests. The less powerful Legion Go 2 variant is more affordable but provides 15–20% lower performance than the Z2 Extreme version, while the SteamOS version of the Legion Go 2 is delayed until summer.
Linux 7.0: Performance Gains, Memory Optimization, and Enhanced Support for Modern Hardware
The Linux 7.0 kernel introduces significant improvements, including enhanced sequential read performance for exFAT, dynamic thread pool sizing for the NFS server, and 8D-8D-8D-Octal DTR support for faster SPI NAND transfers. It also optimizes F2FS performance, expands the Sheaves memory allocation system, and adds support for new Intel chipsets. The kernel removes outdated drivers like the Intel 440BX EDAC driver and strengthens Rust kernel driver support. These updates simplify customization and improve efficiency in modern and embedded systems.
Windows 11: New Taskbar Features, Network Test, and AI Integration Coming This Summer
Microsoft plans to make the Windows 11 taskbar movable to all screen edges again in summer, reversing an earlier restriction. The OS also introduces a built-in network speed test accessible via Quick Settings, now available in preview, and integrates new AI features like 'Ask Copilot' in the taskbar and a Copilot button in File Explorer, despite recent company statements distancing from widespread AI. Additionally, some users are experiencing issues downloading ISO files for preview builds due to unexplained IP blocking.
The Intel Core Ultra X7 358H in the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ delivers high performance, especially in integrated graphics with the Arc B390, nearly matching the more expensive X9 model. Priced at €1,549, it is the most affordable device with this GPU and offers excellent battery life, a lightweight design, and an OLED display. It excels in both everyday use and demanding tasks like gaming.
ASUS Unveils ExpertBook B5 G2 and B3 G2 Laptops with Intel Core Ultra 3 and AI Features
ASUS has unveiled the ExpertBook B5 G2 and B3 G2, two advanced business laptops featuring Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors and enhanced AI capabilities. The B5 G2 offers a compact, powerful design with up to 50 TOPS NPU, 19 hours of battery life, and Copilot+ support, while the B3 G2 supports up to 96 GB of DDR5 memory and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. Both models boast military-grade durability, TPM 2.0, and ASUS ExpertGuardian, making them ideal for enterprise use with enhanced security and AI-driven productivity.
A new tuning method enables direct access to the voltage and power regulators of the Radeon RX 9070 XTX via the PCGH-i2c tool, delivering real performance gains without hardware modifications. Meanwhile, another article compares the power consumption and efficiency of AMD and Intel processors in 2026, with an efficiency index based on benchmark data, analyzing differences in power usage, particularly the roles of TDP, PPT, TDC, and PL2, including the Ryzen 7 9850X3D.
AMD Dominates Q4 2025: Ryzen and Epyc Shares Rise, Server Market Leads
In Q4 2025 AMD captured a 35.4 % share of the CPU market, taking market share from Intel’s Core, Core Ultra and Xeon lines. Desktop sales rose to 42.6 % of revenue, while server and mobile shares climbed to 41.3 % and 26 %, respectively – notably a 41.3 % server revenue share that solidifies AMD’s leadership over Intel. The data point to a long‑term strategy focused on higher‑end configurations and chiplet technology, with new Epyc‑9006 CPUs for HPC and AI expected in 2026.
AMD Releases Adrenalin 26.2.1 Driver and Advances openSIL Firmware for AM5 Motherboards
AMD has released the optional Adrenalin 26.2.1 driver, adding support for Nioh 3 and Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, along with fixes for graphics glitches and crashes. The driver is compatible with Windows 10 and 11 and supports all Radeon graphics cards from the RX-5000 series onward. Meanwhile, AMD's openSIL open-source firmware project is advancing on consumer AM5 motherboards, with a proof-of-concept implementation on MSI's PRO B850-P board using Coreboot. The initiative aims to replace legacy AGESA firmware and support future AMD Zen 6 processors, though it remains experimental and unsuitable for production use.
The article provides comprehensive tuning and efficiency tips for AMD's Ryzen processors—including the 9950X3D, 9800X3D, 5800X3D, 7800X3D, 5700X3D, and 7500F—with detailed guidance on overclocking, RAM tuning, and cooling for optimal gaming performance. Additionally, the ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Dark Hero is reviewed as a high-end AMD-based motherboard, introduced as a refresh model featuring improved VRM, a redesigned UEFI interface, and new features such as 10 GbE LAN and an AIO connector. Targeting advanced users, the board offers enhanced specifications for demanding applications and is built for the AM5 socket. Together, these topics cater to enthusiasts seeking peak system performance and customization.
AMD and Gigabyte Launch Crimson Desert Game Bundle with Ryzen and Radeon Hardware
AMD has launched a promotional campaign offering the game Crimson Desert with qualifying Ryzen and Radeon hardware, including RDNA 4 graphics cards and Ryzen 9000X3D processors. The promotion runs from February 10 to April 25 and includes products from partners such as MSI, Acer, ASUS, and Gigabyte. Customers who purchase eligible devices will receive a redeemable game code until May 23. In collaboration with Pearl Abyss and hardware partners, the campaign aims to enhance gaming performance through advanced technology.
Intel Nova Lake-S: 52-Core 700W Processor May Require Special Motherboards and Cooling
Intel's upcoming Core Ultra Series 4 'Nova Lake-S' processor, featuring 52 cores (16 P-cores and 32 E-cores), can draw up to 700 W under full load when power limits are disabled. Expected to be part of a new Core X lineup, potentially branded as 'Core X9', it may only be supported by select motherboards due to thermal and power constraints that limit performance. The chip's extreme power consumption poses significant cooling and power delivery challenges for system builders and users alike.
Intel Drops Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, Focuses on 270K Plus and 250K Plus – Reviews Set for March 23
Intel has dropped the announced Core Ultra 9 290K Plus from its Arrow Lake refresh and is instead focusing on the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, both featuring more cores. Reviews for these two CPUs are scheduled to be released on March 23. Meanwhile, Intel announces the Core Ultra series with the 270K Plus and 250K Plus models for March, while the top-tier 290K Plus remains a potential flagship despite rumors of its discontinuation. Across the community, speculation continues around an Nvidia RTX‑5090 Ti/Titan, likely to hit the market only in the fall and currently existing only as a prototype.