Latest hardware news and stories
AMD Medusa Point and the Price War: New Zen-6 Architecture Challenges Intel in the CPU Industry
An engineering sample named AMD Medusa Point featuring 10 Zen-6 cores and enhanced cache has been identified, signaling a new mobile APU generation. Meanwhile, AMD continues to lead the CPU market through advanced technologies like Ryzen AI and the AM5 platform, forcing Intel into a delayed price war. Intel responds with more affordable Arrow-Lake models to defend its market share. The developments underscore AMD’s growing technological and strategic dominance in the processor industry.
ASUS has released beta BIOS versions for X870, B850, X670, and B650 motherboards, explicitly referencing future CPU compatibility with the label 'Future CPU Support.' Meanwhile, Gigabyte unveiled the X870E AERO X3D DARK WOOD, a high-end motherboard for AMD's AM5 platform featuring a dark wood design that blends living room aesthetics with advanced technology. Both developments suggest preparations for an upcoming Ryzen desktop generation on the AM5 platform, although no official announcement from AMD or the manufacturers has been made yet.
Intel Buys Back Fab 34 in Ireland for $14.2 Billion – Regaining Full Control
Intel has repurchased its shares in the Fab 34 facility in Ireland for $14.2 billion from Apollo. The plant, which produces advanced chips like Intel 4 and Intel 3 using EUV lithography, was spun off into a joint venture two years ago. The move reinforces Intel’s strategic and economic control in Europe and highlights the growing importance of CPUs in the AI era.
Artemis II: Historic Manned Moon Flight – Record Journey and Technical Hurdles
The Artemis II mission launched on April 2, 2026, with four astronauts aboard, marking the first crewed flight to the Moon in over fifty years. The Orion spacecraft, equipped with a European service module, successfully completed a lunar flyby and broke the record for the farthest human journey in space. A software issue involving two non-functional Microsoft Outlook instances occurred aboard the spacecraft but was resolved remotely within an hour. The crew is now in the return phase and preparing for Earth re-entry on Saturday.
Steam Deals: Multiple RPGs and Simulations Up to 84% Off
Steam is offering major discounts on several popular games, including Pathfinder: Kingmaker at 84% off and House Flipper, which saw a record surge in concurrent players due to a free promotion. Titles such as Grime, Achilles: Legends Untold, Symphony of War, and Dreamscaper are also available at significant discounts until April 2026. The deals span tactical RPGs, action-adventure games, and simulation titles with strong critical reception and diverse gameplay mechanics.
AMD Unveils Future Zen 6 and CDNA 5 Architectures, Intel Launches Core Ultra 7 251HX with 18 Cores
AMD will unveil future microarchitectures Zen 6, Zen 6c, and CDNA 5, along with Epyc 9006 server CPUs and Instinct MI400 AI GPUs at its AMD Advancing AI 2026 conference in July 2024. The Instinct MI455X promises double the AI performance and features 432 GiByte of memory. Meanwhile, Intel has launched the Core Ultra 7 251HX Arrow Lake processors with 18 CPU cores and 3 Xe GPU cores, targeting high-performance computing applications.
Honor MagicBook Pro 14 and Medion Erazer Defender 17: High-Performance Laptops on Offer
The Honor MagicBook Pro 14 with a 3.1k OLED touchscreen, Core Ultra 9 285H, 32 GB RAM, and 1 TB SSD is available for €1,199.90. Meanwhile, the Medion Erazer Defender 17 P1, equipped with a 17.3-inch display, Core i7-13620H, and GeForce RTX 5060, is offered at €1,049 for high performance in gaming, streaming, and content creation. Both laptops deliver top-tier performance in their respective categories with advanced hardware and excellent battery life or graphics capabilities.
Noctua and Asetek Confirm Flagship AIO Cooler Launch in Q2 2026
Noctua and Asetek have confirmed that their joint all-in-one liquid cooler has successfully completed production validation and is now targeted for a market launch in the second quarter of 2026. The cooler leverages Asetek's proven G8 V2 platform with enhanced sound and vibration damping, featuring Noctua's acoustically optimized NF-A12x25 and NF-A14x25 fans. The product is expected to debut at Computex in June 2026 and will include the Secufirm2+ mounting system for compatibility with existing Noctua components.
Reddit User Snags 64GB DDR5 Laptop RAM for $6.99 at Liquidation Store
A Reddit user named u/L0OK0UTT snagged a 64GB DDR5 laptop RAM kit for just $6.99 at a local liquidation store. The item, marked as an Amazon return and without a visible price tag, was sold at a flat rate after failing to register in the store’s system. This purchase represents a massive discount compared to the typical retail price of around $600. The incident highlights how liquidator shops can occasionally offer high-end components at bargain prices through inventory clearance processes.
A community member has successfully booted the Intel Core 9 273PQE processor, originally designed for Edge and industrial systems, on a standard Z790 motherboard by modifying the BIOS of an Asus Z790-AYW OC Wifi model. The system displayed a Power-On Self-Test screen before crashing with a black screen. Experts remain hopeful that further debugging can enable full operating system boot. This breakthrough could significantly enhance compatibility of Intel’s new Bartlett Lake architecture with existing hardware platforms.
Oppo Find X9 Ultra with Hasselblad Camera: Global Launch on April 21, 2026
Oppo has confirmed the global launch of the Find X9 Ultra on April 21, 2026, a flagship smartphone featuring a 200MP periscope telephoto camera and a main camera with a Sony LYT-901 sensor. The device will debut in China in March and soon arrive in Europe. Oppo also unveiled new accessories including GaN chargers and a power bank, along with the Find X9s Pro featuring dual 200MP cameras.
PlayStation 6: Prices Expected Between $699 and $1,000 Amid Supply Chain and Market Pressures
The upcoming PlayStation 6 is expected to retail between $699 and $1,000, with manufacturing costs estimated at around $760, driven by high memory prices due to AI-related supply shortages. Analysts predict premium pricing for next-gen consoles, including Microsoft’s Project Helix, while Sony may leverage new technologies to reduce costs. Despite potential price cuts, the competitive landscape makes a high-end launch increasingly likely.
Sony Raises Prices for PlayStation 5, PS5 Pro, and Portal by Up to €100 Starting April 2026
Sony has officially announced price increases for all PlayStation 5 console models and the PlayStation Portal Remote Player, effective April 2, 2026. Prices will rise by up to €100, with the standard PS5 at €649.99, the Digital Edition at €599.99, and the PS5 Pro at €899.99. The PlayStation Portal will increase by €30 to €249.99. Sony cites ongoing global economic pressure and rising memory component costs, particularly DRAM shortages due to high demand from AI companies like OpenAI, as key reasons. This marks the second consecutive price adjustment following a hike in August 2025 and comes despite the upcoming PS6 release, disappointing consumer hopes for discounts.
Asus Expands ExpertBook Line with New B3 G1 and P5 G1 Models for Business Users
Asus has expanded its ExpertBook lineup with new B3 G1 and P5 G1 models in 14- and 16-inch sizes, featuring Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors, vPro security, and AI capabilities via integrated NPUs. The devices offer high-quality displays with up to 400 nits brightness and 144 Hz refresh rates, along with expandable RAM up to 96 GB and storage up to 6 TB. These launches represent a strategic move by Asus into the professional computing market, targeting enterprise users with enhanced security and performance.
Dell 2-in-1 Laptops on Spring Sale: Save Up to 350 Euros on 14 Plus and 16 Plus Models
Dell is offering significant discounts on its 2-in-1 laptops during its Spring Sale, including the Dell 14 Plus and Dell 16 Plus. Savings of up to 350 euros are available, with the 14 Plus priced at 749 euros and the 16 Plus at 1,199 euros. Both models feature Intel Core Ultra processors, Windows 11, and are well-suited for students and creative professionals. The limited-time offer runs until April 2, 2026.
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Beta 'Resolute Raccoon' Released with GNOME 50 and Linux Kernel 7.0
Canonical has officially released the beta version of Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, codenamed 'Resolute Raccoon', for public testing. Built on Linux Kernel 7.0, GNOME 50, and Mesa 26.0, the new release drops X11 support in favor of Wayland and introduces new system apps like Resources and Showtime. It also features enhanced graphics performance for AMD and Nvidia cards, improved parental controls, and direct access to ROCm and CUDA packages. The final LTS version is scheduled for April 23, 2026, with beta ISOs available for Desktop, Server, WSL, Cloud, and various flavors.
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn – Closed Beta Launches April 2026, Full Release in Spring 2027
Owlcat Games has announced the closed beta for the sci-fi RPG The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, launching on April 22, 2026. Access is restricted to buyers of the Collector's Edition or Miller's Pack via the Owlcat Store, and the beta will be available on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC. Set within the universe of the Pinkwater security firm, the full game is slated for a Spring 2027 release and will be available day-one on Game Pass Ultimate for Xbox and PC. The beta will focus on testing combat mechanics and zero-gravity movement.
Sony Raises Prices for PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro – Steam Machine Emerges as Affordable Alternative
Sony is set to significantly increase prices for the PlayStation 5, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal due to a DRAM shortage and rising hardware costs. The PS5 Slim could rise to €649.99, the Digital Edition to €599.99, and the PS5 Pro to €899.99. Valve is seizing the opportunity to launch its Steam Machine as a competitively priced alternative, leveraging PC upscaling technologies.
Philips China has unveiled the new 32-inch Evnia 32M2N8900X gaming monitor featuring a 4th-generation QD-OLED panel from Samsung with 4K resolution, 240 Hz refresh rate, DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification, and up to 1000 nits brightness in HDR mode. The monitor includes DisplayPort 2.1, USB-C with charging capability, KVM switch, and Ambiglow lighting, all controllable via the Evnia Precision Center software. While the design remains similar to its predecessor, technical upgrades include an anti-glare coating and a 0.03 ms response time. Pricing and availability for the German market remain unconfirmed.
AMD has unveiled the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition desktop processor with 192 MB of L3 cache, designed for high-demand computing tasks. The chip was released on April 22 and has been demonstrated running stably with DDR5-8800 CL32 on an Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Apex motherboard. Paired with MSI's MEG X870E UNIFY-X MAX motherboard, it represents a powerful platform for enthusiasts and high-end PC users.