Latest hardware news and stories
Microsoft Responds to Criticism: Windows 11 to Receive Major Improvements and AI Adjustments
Microsoft is responding to widespread criticism of Windows 11 with a major quality offensive by the end of 2026, including abandoning mandatory Microsoft account sign-ins, reducing AI integration, and introducing a movable taskbar. The company is also revising its Copilot strategy and halting automatic app installations due to user backlash. Meanwhile, Microsoft is considering legal action against OpenAI and Amazon over a cloud partnership that may violate an exclusivity agreement.
Lenovo has unveiled the new ThinkPad P14s Gen 7 models with AMD and Intel options. The AMD model, based on the ThinkPad T14 Gen 7 design, features a 75-Wh battery and AMD's Ryzen AI 400 series with Radeon 890M GPU. The Intel model introduces fast LPCAMM2 memory and Intel Panther Lake CPUs for the first time, along with a dedicated Nvidia RTX Pro GPU. Both models are lightweight, repairable, and targeted at the workstation market, with the Intel version available from May 2026.
NVIDIA DLSS 5: Revolution or AI Slop? New Technology Sparks Controversial Reactions
NVIDIA unveiled DLSS 5 at GTC 2026, a new technology described as 3D-guided neural rendering that enables fully AI-driven image generation. The system uses 2D color data and motion vectors to create photorealistic lighting and materials in real time, set to launch in autumn 2026 on the new GeForce RTX 5000 graphics cards. While praised for its technical innovation, DLSS 5 has sparked intense criticism for altering developers' artistic vision and creating a uniform, often unexpected visual style.
AMD Responds to Chuwi Scandal: Mislabeling of Ryzen Processors Sparks Legal Action
AMD has officially responded to a scandal in which manufacturer Chuwi marketed Ryzen 5 5500U processors as Ryzen 5 7430U, misleading consumers. The company emphasized it did not authorize or participate in the labeling or marketing of the affected products. AMD has announced potential legal action against those responsible, citing trademark violations and consumer deception. The incident highlights concerns over product authenticity and brand integrity in the tech industry.
Antec Flux Pro Noctua Edition: High-Performance PC Case with Ultra-Quiet Noctua Fans
The Antec Flux Pro Noctua Edition is a high-end Full-Tower PC case developed in collaboration with Noctua. It features six integrated flagship Noctua fans—four NF-A14x25 G2 and two NF-A12x25 G2—and includes a NA-FH1-PWM hub for simplified fan control. Designed for quiet and efficient cooling of high-performance systems, the case costs €399 and is said to operate up to 8 dB quieter than the standard model at the same component temperatures.
Anbernic Launches New Gaming Handhelds RG Vita and RG Vita Pro in PlayStation Vita Design
Anbernic has unveiled the new gaming handhelds RG Vita and RG Vita Pro in the design of the PlayStation Vita. The devices run on Android and feature improved specifications, including larger screens, higher resolutions, and modern features such as WiFi 6. The RG Vita is priced at $109.99, while the more powerful RG Vita Pro costs $149.99. Combining retro aesthetics with contemporary technology, the handhelds aim to appeal to fans of classic portable gaming.
The Linux distribution Peropesis 3.2 has been released, continuing its focus on a pure command-line environment with Kernel 6.18.2 and Bash 5.3. Meanwhile, the fourth iteration of Virtual Swap Space patches aims to enhance Linux's swap design, while Linux 7.1 is expected to bring working HDMI support for the affordable Lichee Pi 4A RISC-V board. Additionally, Blender 5.1 delivers noticeable CPU rendering performance improvements on Linux systems.
Corsair has unveiled the Vanguard Air 99 Wireless, a compact wireless gaming keyboard featuring optical OPX switches, a slim profile, and an integrated LCD display. The keyboard offers a 99% layout, 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth connectivity, and six programmable Stream Deck keys for streaming functions. With a battery life of up to 55 hours and a sampling rate of up to 8,000 Hz, it targets professional gamers and streamers. While the keyboard delivers innovative technology, its layout feels unconventional and the keycaps are weaker due to the low-profile design.
Dreame has unveiled a range of new products, including the Smart Control Screen S6 as a central smart home control panel and several robot vacuum models such as the L50s Pro Ultra, L50 Ultra AE, and D20 Air Plus. These devices combine advanced technologies like 3D mapping, HyperStream DuoBrush, and automatic charging stations with competitive pricing. The company is expanding its smart home offerings, primarily targeting the Chinese market at this stage.
A Delaware court ruled that Ted Gill, former CEO of Unknown Worlds, must reclaim his position and that Krafton cannot restrict control over the Early Access release of Subnautica 2. The decision resolves a prolonged legal dispute triggered by the dismissal of key staff and Krafton's refusal to pay a promised bonus. Despite a leaked memo deemed misleading and unauthorized, the game is set to launch in Early Access for PC and Xbox in May 2026.
AMD Medusa Point with Zen 6 and RDNA 4m: Next-Gen APU Spotted in Geekbench
AMD's upcoming mobile APU series, Ryzen AI 500 (codenamed 'Medusa Point'), has surfaced in the Geekbench database. Based on the new Zen 6 architecture, the chip features ten cores, 32 MB L3 cache, and is manufactured using TSMC's 2-nm process. Early benchmarks reveal impressive efficiency, approaching that of the Strix Point despite significantly lower clock speeds. Additionally, FP16 support for AI workloads has been spotted for the first time.
NVIDIA Unveils Vera-CPU Rack at GTC 2026: New Benchmark for CPU-Only AI Infrastructure
At GTC 2026, NVIDIA unveiled the Vera-CPU Rack, a system designed for CPU-only inference featuring 256 Vera CPUs based on a custom Arm v9.2-A core called Olympus. Each CPU includes 88 cores with SMT, FP8 support, and up to 1.5 TB of RAM. The rack provides 400 TB of LPDDR memory and a total memory bandwidth of 300 TB/s, with individual chips achieving 1.2 TB/s. Optimized for agentic workloads, reinforcement learning, and AI training, the solution is being co-developed with partners like HPE, with the Cray GXC240 supporting up to 640 Vera CPUs per rack.
Pearl Abyss's open-world action RPG Crimson Desert launches on March 19, 2026, with an impressive 400,000 pre-orders and $20 million in revenue on Steam alone. The game will support Sony's new PSSR upscaling technology on PlayStation 5 Pro at launch, enhancing graphics and performance. PC reviews highlight stable performance at high settings, though the game's difficulty is described as extremely challenging. The PSSR tech, similar to FSR 4, is also being adopted by other major titles including Silent Hill 2 and Cyberpunk 2077.
Nvidia Integrates Groq 3 LPU into Vera-Rubin Platform: A New Era of Low-Latency AI Inference Begins
At GTC 2026, Nvidia announced the integration of Groq’s 3rd-generation Language Processing Unit (LPU) into its new Vera-Rubin-NVL72 platform to dramatically boost AI inference throughput with ultra-low latency. Designed specifically for inference workloads, the LPU leverages high SRAM and internal bandwidth for rapid token processing. This technology complements Nvidia’s existing GPU ecosystem and is deployed in new LPX racks. Partners such as HPE and Giga Computing showcased next-generation AI factories and high-performance computing infrastructure at the event, built around these advancements.
Nvidia has unveiled DLSS 5, a groundbreaking AI-driven technology that combines traditional rendering with neural rendering to deliver more realistic lighting, materials, and resolutions in real time. Available starting autumn 2026 for RTX 50-series GPUs, the technology aims to bridge the gap between real-time and cinematic graphics. Developers retain full control over visual effects while AI significantly enhances image quality and frame rates. The goal is to usher in a new era of photorealistic gaming visuals.
AMD has officially released FSR 4.1 with the Adrenalin Edition 26.3.1 driver for the Radeon RX 9000 series. The update delivers significant image quality improvements, especially at lower upscaling settings, and includes Day-0 support for Crimson Desert and Death Stranding 2. Early analyses reveal that FSR 4.1 offers sharper visuals and better detail fidelity compared to FSR 4, with nearly unchanged performance, and comes notably closer to NVIDIA’s DLSS 4.5 quality in Death Stranding 2.
ASUS Unveils New TUF Gaming and Republic of Gamers Strix Laptops with Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
ASUS has unveiled its 2026 TUF Gaming laptop lineup and relaunched the Republic of Gamers Strix series with the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processors. The new models combine powerful hardware with enhanced cooling systems to deliver optimal performance for demanding gaming and content creation tasks. Designed to appeal to a broad range of users—from hardcore gamers to content creators—the devices highlight ASUS’ commitment to innovation and high performance in the gaming laptop market.
Windows 11 Update Glitch Affects Samsung Devices, Blocking Access to Drive C
A bug in the February Windows 11 update blocks access to drive C on Samsung devices such as the Galaxy Book 4, with the Samsung Galaxy Connect app identified as the root cause. The app has been temporarily removed from the Microsoft Store. Separately, the March update has caused sign-in issues with Microsoft apps like Teams and OneDrive, prompting an emergency patch from Microsoft.
Lenovo has announced the updated ThinkPad P16s Gen 5, which combines AMD Ryzen 9 HX 400 CPUs, Nvidia RTX Pro GPUs, and LPCAMM2 memory with up to 96 GB RAM for the first time. The 16-inch workstation laptop is available with both Intel and AMD models, featuring a unified design and enhanced performance for professional use. The device includes high-end displays, Wi-Fi 7, 5G, and battery capacities up to 90 Wh, while being more affordable than the premium ThinkPad P1 Gen 9.
Lenovo Unveils ThinkPad P1 Gen 9 with New CPU and World’s First 1,000 Wh/L Battery
Lenovo has unveiled the ThinkPad P1 Gen 9, featuring Intel Core Ultra X9 processors with Panther Lake H architecture and up to 96 GB of LPDDR5X RAM. The new model, set for release in June 2026, retains the predecessor's design. Additionally, Lenovo announced the world's first 1,000 Wh/L silicon-anode battery for notebooks and workstations, promising significantly extended battery life.