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July 18, 2019
15:48
ASRock Announces Radeon RX 5700 Challenger Series Graphics Cards
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Today ASRock announced a new series of graphics cards it will be offering soon, based on AMD's Radeon RX 5700 series. Named the Challenger series, these new graphics cards have a custom air-cooling solution that uses four copper heat-pipes to bring the heat to the fin stack that a pair of 10 cm fans cool. Both the RX 5700 Challenger 8G OC and RX 5700 XT Challenger 8G OC will come overclocked, and looking at the specifications it is the base clock that has been increased. For the RX 5700 it is up from 1465 MHz to 1515 MHz while the RX 5700 XT goes from 1605 MHz to 1650 MHz. Both the Game and Boost clocks are the same between these Challenger versions and the reference specifications, but provided the cooler is better than the reference blower, the GPUs should be able to achieve and maintain higher clocks via their boost algorithms.

For video connectors the Challenger cards have one HDMI 2.0b and three DisplayPort 1.4 ports. Power is delivered by a pair of 8 pin PCIe plugs, which is a bump up from the reference boards that used one 8 pin and one 6 pin for power, potentially increasing the overclocking headroom. The cards also have die-cast aluminum backplates to strengthen them.

Source: ASRock
13:43
EK Water Blocks Releasing Classic Kits, Velocity Strike CPU Blocks, and New GPU Blocks
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EK Water Blocks has been busy recently it seems, as the company has announced a number of new products. To start this news item there are the EK-KIT Classic products, which feature products from the company's Classic line announced in January. These kits feature an Supremacy Classic RGB CPU block which supports Intel socket LGA 115x and LGA 20xx and AMD AM4, though the mounting bracket will need to be swapped for AM4 support. For fans the company's Vardar EVO 120ER RGB are included, which are designed for high-performance liquid cooling while keeping quiet, in part thanks to their Start-Stop function. The XRES 140 SPC PWM Classic RGB reservoir-pump combo, which can have its speed controlled to follow the CPU temperature, and the necessary STX Classic Fittings are included too. What differentiates between the Classic kits is the radiator they come with. You can get 240 mm or 360 mm versions with radiators from the SE line of slim radiators or the thicker PE line. These kits range in price from $269.99 to $319.99.

Also announced recently was the Velocity Strike CPU block, which use the fifth iteration of EK's cooling engine but feature a special top with a 45º line splitting between black or metal. The top is CNC machined from brass with one side coated with black chrome or matte block, while an aesthetic cover piece is made of black anodized brushed aluminum or pure brushed aluminum. (The cold plate is made of copper, not aluminum.) Just like the Supremacy block in the Classic kits, the Velocity Strike block supports Intel LGA 115x, LGA 20xx, and AMD AM4 sockets. The matte black and black nickel versions are priced at $149.99.

Coming to GPU water blocks, EK announced a new full coverage block for MSI's RTX 2080 Ti Gaming X Trio graphics card. It will directly cool the GPU, GDDR6, and VRM with the cooling liquid directed right over them. This block can be pre-ordered now for $129.99 and its matching backplate is $32.99.

If instead you have one of the new AMD Radeon RX 5700 series GPUs, EK has added a special edition to its offerings. This new version of the Vector-series full coverage block features a different aesthetic design to the already announced series of blocks to recreate the look of the reference air cooler. This includes recreating the bend on the RX 5700 XT cooler. The Vector Radeon RX 5700 +XT D-RGB – Special Edition block can be pre-ordered for $189.99 and includes a backplate.

Source: EK Water Blocks [1] (Classic Kits), [2] (Velocity Strike CPU blocks), [3] (MSI RTX 2080 Ti Trio block), and [4] (Special Edition RX 5700 +XT block)
12:56
Corsair Launches 32 GB Vengeance LPX Modules
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Whenever you are building a computer, a critical component to consider is the RAM and how much of it you are going to get, because some applications and uses need a lot of it to perform as desired. Helping those who need massive amounts of it, Corsair has today launched 32 GB modules for its Vengeance LPX series. It can be purchased as individual DIMMs or in kits as large as 8 sticks, for a total of 256 GB. If you are looking for high frequencies, there are dual-channel and single module kits at 3000 MHz, but for the greater capacity of quad-channel and octa-channel the frequencies drop to 2400 MHz or 2666 MHz.

Also announced today was the TUF Gaming Vengeance RGB Pro 8 GB x 2 kits. These kits are guaranteed compatible with any TUF Gaming motherboard, and also all Corsair RGB DDR4 memory is now compatible with ASUS Aura Sync RGB motherboard control. It just takes an Aura Sync plugin with the Corsair iCUE software. The Vengeance LPX modules and TUF Gaming Vengeance RGB Pro memory is all backed by Corsair's limited lifetime warranty.

Source: Corsair
10:58
Ghost Recon Wildlands Gets Final Major Game Update with New Game Mode
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With Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint coming in October, the development for 2017's Ghost Recon Wildlands is winding down and today it has received its last major update. With this update comes a new game mode though, titled Mercenaries, adding a PvPvE experience. In Mercenaries you spawn with only a melee weapon, needing to collect gear as you call for rescue, find the extraction point, and then fight to be the first of the eight players to board the helicopter. If you die, you will respawn without any of the weapons or gear you collected, but you still may have a chance to escape first. To thank those playing the game, the developers have added the Lone Wolf costume as a reward for completing your first match.

Until September 27, there is also a Rewards Program open to everyone and by completing the challenges, you can redeem special rewards for Ghost Recon Breakpoint. These rewards will also unlock 'Memories of the Wildlands' dialogues. You can learn more about this reward program at [ghostrecon.com] .

Source: Ubisoft
10:42
3DMark Gaining Variable-Rate Shading Feature Test on August 26
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It was back in March when Microsoft announced it would be adding a variable rate shading feature to DirectX 12, and now we know that in August UL Benchmarks will be adding a feature test to 3DMark to demonstrate the impact this can have. Shading rate refers to the operation of pixel shaders used to determine the colors of each pixel, so it has a direct impact on performance. By reducing the shading rate for some regions within a frame, you can improve performance, and with appropriately selected regions, the image quality impact should be minimal.

This new test is set in a forest with floating lanterns and will first run with VRS disabled and then run with it on, so you can see the potential performance difference. Like other feature tests in 3DMark though, this is not for comparisons between systems or hardware, but to highlight the feature itself. This test will also have an interactive mode so you can experiment with VRS settings and export frames for comparison. The test works by performing single pixel shader operations on blocks of pixels, with three different levels. The first level is the normal shading rate with the block size being 1x1 and is for the foreground objects. The middle-distance objects uses a block size of 2x2, and then the farthest objects use a block size of 4x4. In the visualizer image, the 1x1 blocks are highlighted red, 2x2 are green, and 4x4 are blue. As UL also shares screenshots with VRS off and on, I decided to find the difference between them, to help highlight them. (It is the mostly black image.)

The VRS feature test will be added to 3DMark on August 26 with 3DMark Advanced Edition and Professional Edition getting it as a free update.

Source: UL Benchmarks
10:19
VR Game GORN Exits Early Access
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Originally entering Steam Early Access in 2017, VR gladiator simulator GORN has now achieved v1.0. Supporting both SteamVR and Oculus, in this game you combat various enemies with various weapons, and with the combat engine being physics driven, things can get interesting. Inside the game you can beat enemies to death with the severed limbs of those you have already beaten, and outside the game you can smash screens and light fixtures at the same time. (In other words, make sure you have a large and clear space to play in.)

Over the past two years, developer Free Lives added new weapons, opponents, local cooperative modes, and even a custom language. With this final update a new weapon has been added as well as support for the Valve Index, and a showdown with your nemesis.

Source: Press Release
9:59
A Rat's Quest Announced by HandyGames and The Dreamerians, Coming in 2021
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Today it was revealed that A Rat's Quest – The Way Back Home will be coming in 2021. Published by HandyGames and the debut title of The Dreamerians, based in Mexico, players will get to experience the adventures of Mat the rat as he tries to escape to the freedom of the outside. There are many dangers blocking his way to rejoin his beloved Nat the mouse, and it will require you to climb, jump, crawl, slither, and sneak like a rodent to succeed. The game will also feature a hybrid gameplay element to tit, as the perspective will switch between 3D platforming, side-scrolling, and top down depending on your situation, such as inside walls or under floors.

The release target is 2021 for A Rat's Quest, and it is being developed for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.

Source: HandyGames
July 17, 2019
21:33
Peace Island Looks Amazing!
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Peace Island is set to launch on PC, Mac, and Oculus VR system next year. I expect this to be my favorite game ever. IT HAS CATS!! This non-combat game focuses instead on exploration, discovery, and solving mysteries. It’s description says it's “a mix of science fiction, alternative history, and mystery.” The premise of the game is quite unique; the player is a cat on an island, and he wakes up to find his human is gone. “Are humans worth bringing back?”

I cannot wait for this game to launch! It sounds like the perfect game. I know cats aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but those sad people don’t have to play this game anyways. Looks like I’ll be on the edge of my seat for the next 14 months! You can also support their Patreon here.

Source: Gamebyte Twitter
12:31
GeIL Releases New EVO X II RAM
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If you are looking to build a system or upgrade an existing one with faster or more RAM, then this may be of interest to you as GeIL has released its new EVO X II DDR4 memory kits. These new modules all feature RGB lighting and are available with frequencies from 2400 MHz to 4133 MHz. The EVO X II AMD versions have been optimized to work with the new Ryzen 3000 series of CPUs and X570 motherboards. The EVO X II ROG-certified memory is certified to work with most ASUS ROG motherboards and supports the latest ASUS AURA RGB lighting control. These DIMMs will also automatically synchronize with other RGB compatible components, such as ROG graphics cards. These ROG-certified versions will be available with frequencies of 3000 MHz, 3200 MHz, and 3600 MHz and in dual-channel and quad-channel kits, while EVO X II will be available in single and dual-channel kits.

While the EVO X II ROG-certified versions are only available in black, the other versions are available with their aluminum heat sinks in black and frost white.

Source: GeIL
10:20
HandyGames Bringing 6 Games to gamescom 2019
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Towards the end of August, gamescom 2019 will be held in Cologne, Germany, and though it may be more than a month away, HandyGames has shared that it will be bringing six games with it, with one of them not having been announced yet. The five already revealed titles are El Hijo, Through the Darkest of Times, Spitlings, One Hand Clapping, and Battle Chasers: Nightwar, a mobile game. El Hijo is a Spaghetti-Western stealth game where you play as a six year old boy searching for your mother. In Through the Darkest of Times you lead a resistance group in 1933 Berlin, while the Nazi party rises to power. Spitlings is a multiplayer arcade game where you play as a Spitling that can use its teeth to either spit or jump, and when one player dies, everyone has to restart the level. One Hand Clapping is a 2D puzzle platformer with the interesting twist that your voice via a microphone is part of the controls necessary for influencing the world. Battle Chasers: Nightwar is an RPG for mobile devices that features the dungeon diving and turn-based combat of classic JRPGs.

If you are attending gamescom 2019 from August 20 to 24, you can check these games out at the Indie Arena Booth in Hall 10.1.

Source: HandyGames
July 16, 2019
13:34
Ubisoft Shares Full List of Games Coming to UPlay+
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Ubisoft at E3, along with announcing a number of games, also announced it would be offering a subscription service called UPlay+. For $14.99 a month, subscribers would get access to a portion of Ubisoft catalog of already available games, including their DLC, and upcoming games. Now the company has shared the list of over 100 games that will be available via the service, covering franchises such as Anno, Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Might & Magic, Prince of Persia, and a host of Tom Clancy games including the Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, and The Division series. Check out the source link for the complete list of games, which does include some games that are coming soon.

UPlay+ launches on September 3 and those who sign up for it before August 15 will get free access from September 3 to September 30.

Source: Ubisoft
13:20
Assassinâs Creed: Odyssey The Fate of Atlantis Final Episode Released
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Assassin's Creed: Odyssey released last year and then in April its second story-arc DLC, The Fate of Atlantis had its first episode release. With this DLC, players got to explore Elysium, a beautiful realm with members of the Isu, the First Civilization present in it. Now its final episode, Judgement of Atlantis is available on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4, bringing an end to the game's episodic post-launch story arcs. This is the last trial to master the Staff of Hermes, an Isu artifact of great power, and as the judge of Atlantis, you are charged to bring harmony to the world by Poseidon, its ruler.

Like previous episodes, this one introduces new ability enhancements to make you an even more powerful force in the game. For the Warrior branch there is Ares Wrath, an enhancement to the Ring of Chaos ability where the player creates an area on the ground that slows and damages enemies. The Blessing of Kronos enhances the Venomous Attacks ability in the Assassin branch, making the player immune to Isu Power for a limited time. Kronos' Punishment apples to Call to Arms, and makes a replica of the hero to carry out a stealth attack on an enemy, assassinating them without exposing yourself.

The Fate of Atlantis can be purchased for $24.99 or as part of the Season Pass for $39.99. The Gold Edition of the game also includes it. To access the content in game you need to complete the questline Between Two Worlds and Heir of Memories, a Lost Tales of Greece questline, and be level 28 or higher. Alternatively, there is a shortcut that will allow you to enter the DLC at level 52, but progression will not carry over to the main save.

Source: Ubisoft
12:59
Keepers of the Void DLC Released for Darksiders III
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Darksiders III released in November of last year and today has gotten its second paid DLC; Keepers of the Void. Instead of traversing the ruins of Earth, Fury enters the Serpent Holes, the fast travel portals of the base game. The demon Vulgrim, who unlocked access to the Serpent Holes, gave her the quest to remove an ancient threat residing in them, and as your reward, you can unlock new weapons and the legendary Abyssal Armor. These new weapons are connected to Fury's Hollows, and you can see them in action in the trailer embedded below.

Keepers of the Void is available on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 for $12.99.

Source: THQ Nordic
11:26
AMD's Arcturus GPU Appears in Linux Driver Patches, Indicating a Vega-Derived GPU
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Back in September an AMD Linux liaison shared on the Phoronix forums that the company was going to be returning to the practice of codenames being actual codenames and not used as marketing names. When the codename is used in both places, it can lead to confusion, such as the Vega10 GPU being in both the Vega 56 and Vega 64, but is quite different from the Vega 8 and Vega 11 found in the Ryzen with Vega Graphics APUs. In any case, at the time this liaison, using the name Bridgman, identified the next codename would be Arcturus, but since then it has only be speculation for what Arcturus will become.

Thanks to Phoronix and its monitoring of Linux driver code, we now know Arcturus will be a Vega-based product, using the Vega20 GPU. This is the 7 nm version of Vega AMD released and uses in some professional products and the Radeon VII graphics card, though Arcturus may have some additional changes to it.

Being a Vega-based part, we can already make a guess for what it will be used for, but also ECC attributes and the timing of these patches leads Phoronix to speculate this will be a workstation-targeting GPU. While the newly released Navi GPUs are aimed at gaming performance, they are a step back in compute performance, compared to Vega, which remains a viable option for the compute-heavy workloads of workstations. Error-Correcting Code (ECC) memory is also something not needed on gaming GPUs, and the timing suggests the new part could be announced at SIGGRAPH or Hot Chips. Cementing it as a workstation card, while the code indicates a compute accelerator, it also lacks 3D support, which would be a significant issue if you wanted to play any games on it. The code also revealed VCN2.5, a new version of AMD's Video Core Next solution for video encoding and decoding, another feature of great value in a workstation GPU.

Source: Phoronix
July 15, 2019
10:50
Acer Products Among Those on Sale for Amazon Prime Day
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Though some deals started in prior days, today is the beginning of Amazon's 48-hour Prime Day sale, which offers Amazon Prime subscribers discounts on a variety of products, some of which were shared last week. Among the list are several Acer products, including laptops and monitors. The Predator Helio 300, with an MSRP of $1299.99 is marked down to $899.99. The Helios 300 supports an Intel Core i7-8750H with 16 GB of RAM, an NVIDA GeForce GTX 1060 driving a 144 Hz 1080p IPS display, and 256 GB SSD.

If your interest is in something smaller, there is the Swift 3, a thin notebook that can offer up to 12 hours of battery life. It is powered by an 8^th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU with GeForce MX 150 GPU to drive its 14 inch 1080p IPS display. It also packs 8 GB of RAM, a 256 GB SSD for storage, and all of this in a package weighing less than 3 pounds. Its MSRP is usually $999.99 but is marked down to $799.99 for Prime Day.

The Nitro XV273K Gaming Monitor is also on sale, from $797.49 down to $639.99. It has a 4K panel running at 120 Hz but can be overclocked to 144 Hz, and by leveraging NVIDIA G-Sync you can have a tear-free experience.

There are many more products on sale from Acer, and you can find them at the company's Amazon page: Amazon.com/Acer. This includes desktops, like the Aspire C24 All-in-One, with an MSRP of $649.99 marked down to $509.99 and the Aspire TC-885-ACCFLi50, normally $499.99 on sale for $399.99.

Source: Press Release
June 22, 2019
19:57
Laptop Manufacturers Warn Tariffs Could Increase Pricing Beyond Most Consumers Budgets
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A number of major PC companies, which include Dell, HP, Intel, and Microsoft have warned that if the proposed tariffs by the US government go into effect, prices of laptops and tablets would be expected to rise by around 19%, which could be a $90 to over $120 increase in the price for a new laptop or tablet. To make things worse, not only would the new tariffs on laptops and tablets lead to higher prices, all of the companies further warn that the "tariffs would hinder our companies' ability to innovate and maintain US high technology leadership." If and when the tariffs do take effect, they will hit during the peak holiday season this year and show a direct effect on students, families, school systems, and others who are in need of affordable laptops and tablets.

Source: PC Gamer
19:52
Linux Driver Reveals New AMD Navi GPUs Are in the Pipeline
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AMD has only announced the RX 5700 XT, 5700, and the 50th Anniversary Edition of the former so far. We do expect to see more models arriving shortly, and we did recently find a small hint at more models coming soon, a Twitter user by the name of "APISAK" noted some updated driver code inside a Linux display driver update with the following lines:

NV_NAVI10_P_A0 = 1,

NV_NAVI12_P_A0 = 10,

NV_NAVI14_M_A0 = 20,

NV_NAVI21_P_A0 = 40,

NV_NAVI10_LITE_P_A0 = 0x80,

NV_NAVI10_LITE_P_B0 = 0x81,

NV_NAVI12_LITE_P_A0 = 0x82,

NV_NAVI21_LITE_P_A0 = 0x90,

What these lines mean is not 100% known yet, however, this does hint at additional cards being released in the future. AMD has been aggressive about moving over to 7nm based GPUs and to only release three new cards would be silly on AMD’s part. All we can do now is wait and see what exactly AMD will release, but this "leak" does show promise to future releases of new and better cards.

Source: PCGamer.com
19:51
Intel To Discount CPU Prices By up to 15%
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Intel has announced it is finally planning to cut CPU prices by 10% and in some cases, up to 15% for its 8th and 9th generation desktop CPUs. It has sent this news to its downstream PC and motherboard partners, according to some sources. This is good news for the market as AMD continues to apply pressure onto Intel with its increased performance and value offerings with its Ryzen 3000 lineup. Intel's CEO Bob Sawn mentioned "we clearly view a more competitive environment, so, all else equal, our ability to capture value for the incremental performance, all else equal, will be more challenging." This is a direct response to the new Ryzen 3000's expected benchmarks and pricing, which show that AMD's chips offer the better bang for the buck in most cases. If Intel is gearing up for a price war with AMD, this is good news for gamers everywhere.

Source: Tomshardware.com
June 20, 2019
14:28
Potential Universal Memory for Computers Developed
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Modern computers and devices have can have a variety of ways to store data, in part because each memory type has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, DRAM can be written to and read from very quickly, and it does not take much energy to operate either, but is volatile, so the data it holds needs to be refreshed or it will be lost. Flash memory is non-volatile, so the data it holds does not need to be refreshed to survive for long periods of time, but it also takes substantially more energy than DRAM to operate. Researchers have been working on creating a universal memory for decades, one that offers high speed, long data retention, and achieves this at low energies, and now those at Lancaster University have patented what may just be that solution.

This new memory type, which has been patented in the US and has another patent pending, uses an oxide-free, floating-gate memory cell based on a compound semiconductor. The compound semiconductors used allow its switching voltage to be less than 2.6 V and for data to be preserved for very long times. Potentially data could be stored indefinitely, though that might not be realized in a practical device. The amount of energy it takes to switch states in the memory decreases as the device is shrunk, such that on a 20 nm node it should take 100 times less energy than DRAM and 1000 times less than Flash.

Already a number of companies have expressed interest in this technology or were actively involved in the research itself, so perhaps we will see this memory solution coming to practical devices in the near future. As the DRAM market is on the order of a $100 billion market, there is definitely going to be an interest in related and competing technologies.

Source: Lancaster University and Nature
12:41
Star Control: Origins gets v1.4 Update with Significant Visual Improvements and More
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Star Control: Origins, which released last year, and has received its v1.4 patch today with some changes to the visuals, performance improvements, some bug fixes, and a change to the lore. The comparison images of the planet visuals show just how significant these changes have been, with planet textures being more detailed, lighting being improved for planet surfaces, and more. While these are clear improvements to the graphics (just look at the rainbow planet comparison), improvements to the terrain rendering system should improve the frame rate. The magma hazard visual effect has also been updated to improve performance too.

The bug fixes include addressing an issue with 5.1 audio setups and several issues with particles. The lore change is renaming the race known as the Observers will now be the Arilou.

Star Control: Origins is available on Steam, GOG, and through Stardock directly for $29.99.

Source: Stardock
June 19, 2019
11:38
PCIe 6.0 Targets Announced by PCI-SIG
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Just weeks ago the specification for PCIe 5.0 was released and already the organization behind the standard, PCI-SIG, has announced some of the targets it has for PCIe 6.0. These include doubling the data rate to 64 giga-transfers per second while maintaining backwards compatibility and improving power efficiency. The specification is expected to release in 2021.

Part of how it is achieving the doubling of bandwidth is using PAM-4, Pulse Amplitude Modulation with 4 levels; specifically it will leverage 56G PAM-4 which already exists in the industry. All current versions of PCIe, including the PCIe 5.0 spec, uses Non-Return-to-Zero (NRZ) technology and represents 0 and 1 bits as high or low signals. With PAM-4, the signal can have four levels, with each representing pairs of bits (00, 01, 10, and 11). This allows the length of the word being sent to be cut in half compared to NRZ and is why it is used in other high-bandwidth situations. Unfortunately, as Anandtech points out, PAM-4 is expensive to implement in hardware, which may make it interesting to see what happens when PCIe 6.0 begins ramping and the impact the economics of scale may have. Also PAM-4 can be more sensitive to errors than NRZ, which is why Forward Error Correction (FEC) will also be part of the specification, to protect the signals especially over distances surrounded by other electrical signals.

The aim for PCIe 6.0 is to satisfy the needs of future AI, Machine Learning, networking, communication, and storage systems.

Source: PCI-SIG (via Business Wire) and Anandtech
11:09
Critical and Abused Vulnerability Found and Fixed in Mozilla Firefox
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If you are running Mozilla Firefox, then you may want to take the time to make sure it is updated, and if you are using a fork, check to see if it will be receiving a patch soon. A critical security vulnerability has been discovered that could allow attackers to run arbitrary code on systems, and it is being actively abused. Mozilla has already developed and pushed out a patch to fix the vulnerability. The exploit is a type confusion vulnerability that takes advantages of issues in Array.pop by using JavaScript objects. The issue is serious enough that the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued an alert for users to install the update fixing the issue.

The patched version of Firefox is 67.0.3 and the version of Firefox ESR is 60.7.1.

Source: Bleeping Computer and Mozilla
June 18, 2019
15:27
Hybrid Hair Renderer Developed for Vulkan
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Advanced hair rendering solutions like AMD's TressFX and NVIDIA's HairWorks have been around for a number of years now, and now it looks like the Vulkan API is getting one with a new approach. This new approach is a hybrid solution that will use rasterization or raymarching (which is different from ray tracing) depending on the distance from the camera and has been created by AMD employees and Linköping University researchers, led by Erik Jansson.

The way this solution works is it uses either rasterization to render the hair or raymarching depending on the distance between the hair and the camera. When near the camera the rasterization method is used, as it offers superior fidelity than the raymarching method. At distance, however, when fine detail is unnecessary, the raymarching method is used as its volumetric approximation is very fast and its lesser fidelity is not noticed. As both the rasterizer and raymarcher are approximating the same effects, the transition between them is very smooth. Other advantages to this hybrid solution are that effects like ambient occlusion and self-shadowing that could not be done with a pure rasterization approach can be done with the volumetric data of the raymarcher in real-time.

As it is, this exists as a proof-of-concept hair renderer, but being open source on GitHub and working with Vulkan, hopefully it will not be long before we get to see it implemented somewhere.

Source: GitHub (VKHR) and CaffeineViking.net (Erik Jansson's blog)
11:14
Noctua Release Chromax Accessories for Additional Fans and Heatsinks
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Noctua is well known and respected for its high performance fans and coolers, but for some the brown and tan coloring for these products can be an issue. Fortunately the company has its Chromax line of products that will offer different colors, and now some new Chromax accessories have been released. Previously the Chromax NA-SAVP1 anti-vibration pads were available only in black, blue, green, red, yellow, and white, but now a dark-grey versions has been introduced. These should make an excellent complement for the 120 mm and 140 mm redux line of fans including the NF-P12 redux and NF-P14s redux. They can also be used with the NF-F12 Chromax black or NF-A14 industrial PPC. All NA-SAVP1 sets include 16 pads, which is enough for two fans.

Also released are the NA-HC5 and NA-HC6 heat sink covers for the NH-U14S line of coolers. The NA-HC5 chromax.black.swap heatsink cover is made from aluminum with a black powder-coating finish and features swappable inlays that can be black, white, red, blue, green, and yellow. The NA-HC6 chromax.black and chromax.white covers are both aluminum with black or white powder-coating finish, but no swappable inlays. If you have or want an NH-U14S, NH-U14S TR4-SP3 (for AMD Threadripper), or NH-U14S DX-3647 (for Intel Xeon) for a black and/or white build though, these covers are going to be almost necessary accessories.

The covers are all priced at $19.90 while the new anti-vibration pads will be $6.90 and all of these products should be available from Amazon and Noctua's eBay stores already.

Source: Noctua
10:10
GWENT Receiving Novigrad Expansion on June 28
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Today CD Projekt Red announced the second expansion for GWENT, titled Novigrad, after one of the locations you explore in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. It adds a new faction called The Syndicate, formed from the city's gangs that have decided to join together. There are over 90 cards to the faction and five new leaders, with each being among the most wanted scoundrels, freebooters, and cutthroats to have ever occupied the city. There are also 15 cross-faction cards, three for each faction, that can be used in Syndicate decks and those of other factions.

The Novigrad expansion will also add new mechanics to fight your opponents in new ways. Some units have a special Fee ability on them that cost Crowns, a new battle resource, to use. Another new mechanic is Crime, a new kind of special card that can be used to boost allied units with the Intimidate keyword in battle.

The expansion releases on June 28, but until then there are two special Novigrad pre-order offers. One is $19.99 and comes with 15 Novigrad Kegs containing expansion-only cards, and a premium cardback, while the $39.99 Novigrad Premium Pre-Order pack has 20 Novigrad Premium Kegs and an alternate Novigrad Premium Cardback.

Source: CD Projekt Red
June 14, 2019
10:24
Cider Cloud Gaming Engine Announced by Stardock
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Stardock has announced its new Cider Cloud gaming engine, an interesting piece of technology that is being used in three titles the company is developing. It is based on the core-neutral Nitrous engine developed by Oxide Games and was introduced with what is now Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation but is meant to work with virtual machines at data centers. It abstracts datacenter hardware such that many CPUs and GPUs can be treated as though they are within a single device. This virtual device could have up to 72 CPU cores and 9 GPUs all working together this way, with physics, AI, and shading distributed. The prototype was able to fully simulate over 17,000 physics objects at 60 frames per second using AMD's FEM technology, which would bring the most powerful of modern PCs to a crawl if attempted. Part of the purpose of Cloud Cider is enabling developers to design games that are not possible with current devices, but may be in some years, once hardware catches up.

The Cider Cloud gaming engine is not being made to exist as its own platform but to work with emerging cloud platforms. It can work with Linux and Windows 10 and with DirectX 12 or Vulkan. Stardock does have three titles in different stages of development that will make use of Cider Cloud, with more details on those coming in the future.

Source: Stardock
June 13, 2019
11:07
Nightsword RGB and M55 RGB Pro Gaming Mice Launched by Corsair
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Corsair has launched a couple new gaming mice today, the Nightsword RGB and M55 RGB Pro, with the former being a new flagship and latter featuring an ambidextrous design. With this design, both right and left-handed gamers will be able to use the M55 RGB Pro comfortably, and its design works well with different grip types too. It has a 12,400 DPI optical sensor, eight programmable buttons, uses Omron switches rated for 50 million clicks, and dynamic RGB lighting.

The Nightsword RGB's feature list is a bit longer, starting with a PixArt optical sensor capable of 18,000 DPI that can be adjusted in single DPI steps. It sports ten programmable buttons, uses Omron switches, and has four RGB zones, but it also has another feature that may be of special interest to those that want to customize the feel of their mouse. It comes with two sets of weights and six mounting locations for them on its base, but what is interesting is that the iCUE software will analyze these weights in real-time. This allows it to tell you the weight of the mouse its center of gravity, feedback that can be used to better calibrate mouse for what you want.

Both mice are available today and are backed by a two-year warranty. The M55 RGB Pro has an MSRP of $39.99 while the Nightsword RGB is priced at $79.99.

Source: Corsair
June 12, 2019
10:52
Wasteland 3 Announced and Coming Spring 2020
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The news from E3 is not done quite yet as it was revealed by inXile Entertainment and Deep Silver that Wasteland 3 is coming in Spring 2020 to Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. With this return to the franchise, players will once again be Desert Rangers working to rebuild civilization from the nuclear ashes, but they will no longer be in the American Southwest. Instead of the heat and dust, players will be in the frozen badlands of Colorado with its weird and wild locals.

While the narrative choices and tactical turn-based combat will still be there, the game will have some new features, like a dynamic conversation system to highlight the unusual residents of the Colorado Wasteland, an upgradable player vehicle, and the ability to play cooperatively with a friend online.

Source: Deep Silver
10:37
Trials of Mana Remake Coming in 2020
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For those fans of the Mana series, you may be happy to learn that Trials of Mana, the third game in the series and exclusively released in Japan in 1995, is getting completely remade. This work will have it rebuilt with improved action-RPG battle, leveling, and skill systems all in high definition 3D graphics. You can check out its teaser trailer below. The game will launch on Steam, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch in 2020.

If you do not want to wait until next year to enjoy Mana games, Collection of Mana has been released and can be downloaded on the Nintendo Switch now. It includes the first three games in the series in their original forms, making it the first time Trials of Mana has been available in the West. The games have had some changes to them as they now include a quick save feature and you can play with friends via local multiplayer.

Source: Square Enix
10:25
Star Control IP Lawsuit Settled Between Stardock, Fred Ford, and Paul Reiche III
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Some of you may remember at the beginning of the year Star Control: Origins was taken down from both Steam and GOG following a DCMA request, but was later returned to both platforms. That happened because of a dispute that existed between Stardock, the developers of Star Control: Origins and Fred Ford and Paul Reiche III, two of the original creators of the Star Control series. Now this issue and the lawsuit between the two parties has been settled, and this was achieved in not the most bee-lievable way.

Actually it seems like the concept to what led to this settlement makes perfect sense, as it came down to Reiche calling Brad Wardell, the CEO of Stardock, but getting to any of the legal stuff, they first talked about bees. Both share an interest in bees, with Wardell keeping bees and Reiche wanting to learn to raise them so he can make mead, and Reiche used this to start the communication which ultimately led to an amicable agreement. While the agreement itself is confidential, its terms can be publicly described and have been. The summary is Stardock will be able to continue making games in the Star Control franchise while Reiche and Ford will have the Ur-Quan Masters franchise to develop in. Reiche will actually work with Stardock to create new alien races for Origins and Stardock will help the two with technology. Both sides are recognizing and respecting each other's copyrights along with opposition to trademarks being dropped and Stardock's alien name and character trademarks being dropped too. We can expect Star Control, Star Control II, and Star Control III to be on sale again from Stardock, with royalties split equally between Stardock and Ford and Reiche.

Also in the agreement is that Wardell will be giving Reiche and Ford honey from his hives while Reiche will give him some bottles of his homemade mead. Wardell will also give advice on how to avoid being stung by bees. Apparently the lawyers were not very excited to include such a section in the agreement, but what is most important is that with this agreement, both sides can return their focus and energies to what they want to do; create games.

Source: Dogar and Kazon (Fred Ford and Paul Reiche III website) and Stardock
April 11, 2019
22:19
Acer Announces New Products at Global Press Conference
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Earlier today was Acer's Next@Acer 2019 event, a global press conference where the company announces various new products. This year's conference included announcements for its new line of devices for professional and amateur creators, ConceptD, new gaming notebooks, other new notebooks, a new gaming desktop, monitor, and other gaming gadgets. Starting with ConceptD, this new brand includes desktops, notebooks, monitors, and a Windows Mixed Reality headset. The ConceptD 900 high performance desktop has dual Intel Xeon Gold 6148 processors with up to 40 cores/80 threads and an NVIDIA Quadro RTX 6000 graphics card. If you do not need a desktop that is quite as power, the ConceptD 500 sports up to an Intel Core i9-9900K and up to an NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000. Turning to notebooks, the ConceptD 9, 7, and 5 series each have 4K UHD PANTONE Validated displays with 100% coverage of the Adobe RGB gamut. As you can guess, the higher the number, the more powerful the notebook, but all three will present you with accurate colors. If you need a professional monitor for your current setup, the ConceptD displays offer DisplayHDR 1000 certification and the CM7321K, a 32-inch monitor has 1152 zones for local-dimming. Lastly, for those needing to work with VR content, the ConceptD OJO Windows Mixed Reality Headset has a 4320x2160 display, and with detachable and swappable head strap design and interpupillary distance (IPD) adjustment technology it can be easily shared between people. These ConceptD products will start appearing for sale in June, starting with the ConceptD 5, which will start at $1699 in the US. The pricing, specifications, and availability will vary by region.

If you are not among those needing such professional equipment, a number of new notebooks were announced, including new entries in the Aspire series, TravelMate P6 series, and the Spin 3 for the Spin series. The Spin 3 has a convertible design and offers up to 12 hours of battery life while also packing up to an 8^th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and NVIDIA GeForce MX230 GPU in its 1.7 Kg (3.74 lbs) package. It will be available in June, starting at $499. The TravelMate P6 series targets those who to travel frequently or need something durable enough to work in the field. The new additions offer up to 20 hours of battery life and will weigh just 1.1 Kg (2.4 lbs). It will also offer up to an 8^th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and NVIDIA GeForce MX230 GPU but it can be paired with 24 GB of DDR4 RAM and up to a 1 TB NVMe SSD. The TravelMate P614-51 will be available starting in July for the US, and starting at $1149. The Aspire series' new entries can come with up to an 8^th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and NVIDIA GeForce MX230 GPU, but with the new Aspire 5 and Aspire 3, AMD Ryzen Mobile Processors with Radeon Vega Graphics combined with a discrete RX 540 will also be available. The Aspire 5 series will be available in the US starting in June and at a starting price of $379 while both the Aspire 3 and Aspire 8 will be coming to the US in July. The Aspire 3 series will be available starting at $349 while the Aspire 7 will be starting at $999.

If you want something that should be more competent at gaming, new Nitro 7 and Nitro 5 series gaming notebooks were announced, along with a new Predator Helios 700 notebook. The new Nitro notebooks will feature the 9^th Gen Intel Core CPUs and the newest NVIDIA GPUs. A pair of M.2 NVMe slots mean you will be able to have a pair of high speed SSDs installed in RAID 01 in either the new Nitro 5 or Nitro 7 series, though the Nitro 7 can also have up to 2 TB of HDD storage. Both can also hold as much as 32 GB of DDR4 RAM. The new Nitro 7 notebooks will be available starting in May at a starting price of $999 while the Nitro 5 series will come in June at a starting price of $799. The Predator Helios 700, that exists more in the desktop-replacement category, will be available in July at a starting price of $2699. It will feature up to a 9^th Gen Intel Core i9 CPU paired with a GeForce RTX 2080 and as much as 64 GB of DDR4 RAM. It will also have a new and interesting design for its keyboard called HyperDrift that will allow it to slide forward, exposing a pair of air intakes to help keep the components cool. This also places the keyboard further forward, for improved economics. The keyboard also features per-key RGB lighting and MagForce keys for its WASD keys, providing analog-like linear switches. If this sounds like more than you need, the Predator Helios 300 is a midrange gaming notebook that will offer up to a 9^th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and RTX 2070 Max-Q GPU. It will also only be able hold up to 32 GB of DDR4 RAM but still has a pair of PCIe NVMe SSDS in RAID 0 and a place for a hard drive. The Helios 300 will be available starting in June at $1199.

Also revealed was an updated Predator Orion 5000 gaming desktop, with an Intel Core i9-9900K CPU and a GeForce RTX 2080. An AIO liquid cooler from Cooler Master will keep the CPU cool so you can experience improved performance. The Orion 5000 will be available in August, starting at $1199.

A new monitor was also shown off, the Predator Large Format Gaming Display (LFGD), the CG437K P that measures 43 inches. It offers 4K UHD resolution and a 144 Hz refresh rate for smooth gaming, with its AdaptiveSync feature preventing tearing. The VA panel used has 90% DCI-P3 gamut coverage and has DisplayHDR 1000 certification. It has a DisplayPort, USB Type-C, and three HDMI ports for connecting your computer and consoles or other devices if you wish. It will be available in September starting at $1299.

Finally, the Predator gaming gadgets shown off included a new M-Utility Backpack, Cestus 330 gaming mouse, Aethon 300 gaming keyboard with Cherry MX Blue switches, and Galea 311 foldable gaming headset. These will be available starting in June with the Cestus 330 mouse costing $69.99, the Aethon 300 keyboard costing $119.99, the Galea 311 headset coming in at $99.99, and the M-Utility Backpack at $179.99. You can watch the event below and definitely check out the source links for more information.

Source: Acer [1] (ConceptD), [2] (Aspire), [3] (TravelMate), [4] (Spin), [5] (Nitro), [6] (Predator Helios), and [7] (Predator Orion, LFGD, and Gadgets)
20:20
HITMAN 2 Content Roadmap Shared
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Launched back in November, HITMAN 2 is set to receive more content in the months ahead and IO Interactive has shared a roadmap of what can be expected, and when. Actually the developers have monthly roadmaps and livestreams to let you know what to expect, but today we got a selection of highlights for what we will see release into Fall. The next IOI Monthly livestream is planned for April 29.

According to the highlights, those who have the Silver Edition of the game, which includes Expansion Pack 1, can expect a new sniper map, Hantu Port, in the Spring and a new location, The Bank, in the Summer. In the Spring we will also see new unlocks, Ghost Mode for Santa Fortuna, a Spring Break theme, and items and emotes. The Summer will also have a couple new special assignment missions released for those with Expansion 1, Embrace the Serpent and Illusions of Grandeur, along with a Jungle Summer theme. The Gold Edition of the game has both Expansion 1 and Expansion 2, so in addition to everything mentioned above, Gold Edition owners will also get a new sniper map, The Prison, and a new location, The Resort, in the fall. There will also be a couple special assignment missions limited to those with the Gold Edition, but the outfit and antique knife unlocks, along with Mumbai Ghost Mode, and two themes, The Rivals and Halloween, are not marked as needing an expansion.

Of course content may change as we approach and enter these release windows, but we can also still expect more content to release. You can watch for the livestreams and monthly roadmaps to stay up to date.

Source: IO Interactive
20:04
Siege of Centauri Entering Steam Early Access on April 16
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Announced about a month ago, Siege of Centauri is scheduled to hit Steam Early Access on April 16. Set in the same universe and using the same engine as Ashes of the Singularity, Siege of Centauri is a tower defense game instead of an RTS. By using the power of the Nitrous engine though, this tower defense game will be able to place thousands of units on the screen for you to deal with. It will take some strategizing to decide the best defenses to use for each situation, as low damage defenses that damage multiple enemies can outweigh the high damage, single-target guns you could otherwise build.

Come April 16, Siege of Centauri will cost $9.99 on Steam, but if you would rather not wait, you can get beta access by joining the game's Founder's Program, which is also $9.99.

Source: Stardock
9:34
NVIDIA Driver Enabling DXR Support for Non-RTX GPUs Releases
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Last month NVIDIA announced it would be enabling Microsoft DirectX Ray-tracing, DXR, on some of its non-RTX graphics cards, and today that driver has released. GeForce Game Ready Driver 425.31 allows GTX 1060 6 6GB and higher cards of that series and GTX 1660 and higher cards to run DXR effects. As the GTX 10-series uses the Pascal GPU architecture that lacks any special support for ray tracing, you should not expect these cards to run it well, but the option will be available. The GTX 16-series GPUs are based on the same Turing architecture as the RTX cards, but lack the RT cores and Tensor cores used to accelerate ray tracing and denoising. However, as they still have dedicated integer compute capabilities, you can expect them to perform better than the Pascal-based cards.

In addition to the games that make use of DXR, like Shadow of the Tomb Raider, 3DMark 's Port Royal benchmark will also work with these newly supported GPUs. Metro Exodus makes heavy use of ray tracing, as it powers the game's global illumination, so performance with it enabled might be too significantly decreased to enjoy on a GTX 10-series graphics card. You can see how the GTX 1070 and GTX 1080 performed for me last month in the Metro Exodus Performance Analysis, as well as how the RTX 2060 and RTX 2080 performed with RTX enabled.

Source: NVIDIA and UL Benchmarks
9:14
FSP Announces 850 W Liquid Cooled PSU with 80 Plus Platinum Rating
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There are a number of reasons one would want to liquid cool their computer, from lower noise and temperature to because they want to. If your reason would have you wanting to liquid cool your computer's power supply, FSP has a new product for you to consider. The Hydro PTM+ 850 W has liquid cooling ports on it and an 80 Plus Platinum efficiency rating which will allow it to reach 425 W before it needs active cooling. From 425 W to 850 W it will use its intelligent fan to keep it cool, but with the Bitspower liquid cooling system engaged it can provide up to 1000 W of power.

The Hydro PTM+ 850 W is a fully modular PSU, so you will be able to connect just the cables you need. If you are going to use the liquid cooling system, its connectors are G1/4" / 12 mm and can work with hard and soft tubing, depending on your preference. The side sticker can be changed and there is integrated RGB lighting. It is available now and with an MSRP of $399.

Source: FSP
8:41
Hardware Roundup: Thursday, April 11, 2019, Edition
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The week is starting to wind down, but we've got a few items for you to check out before it does. There's a look at the ASRock B450 Steel Legend motherboard, offering a ton of features and stability without breaking the budget for your new AMD build. We've got a review of the Crucial 2x8GB DDR4-2666 SODIMM Memory Kit, which gives plenty of capacity and speed to give your laptop a much-needed boost. Wrapping things up is a review of the WD Blue SN500 250GB NVMe SSD, with an extremely affordable price to give your PC faster access to storage or the OS.

Motherboards
ASRock B450 Steel Legend @ ThinkComputers

Memory
Crucial 2x8GB DDR4-2666 SODIMM Memory Kit @ Madshrimps

Storage/Hard Drives
WD Blue SN500 250GB NVMe SSD @ LanOC Reviews
April 10, 2019
11:44
With Planet-Scale Telescope, Image of Black Hole Captured
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Almost certainly among the more fascinating objects in astronomy and astrophysics is the black hole, an object with so much mass in such a small volume that its gravity will warp space and time such that light itself cannot escape it. Einstein's General Theory of Relativity predicted such objects could exist, and in fact it was one hundred years ago that observations proved the gravity of the Sun was warping light enough to displace the apparent position of stars. Now multiple groups of astronomers and astrophysicists around the world have captured an image of a black hole's shadow.

Technically a black hole is invisible, as it cannot cast or reflect any light, but its effect on its surrounding can be seen. The black hole studied for this is 55 million light years away, at the center of Messier 87, as galaxy in the Virgo galaxy cluster and weighs in at 6.5 billion solar masses. While it cannot be seen, the gas and matter orbiting it, forming an accretion disk, is glowing very brightly except for where the black hole's shadow is. This shadow is larger than the black hole itself, which is some 40 billion Km across, and stands out as a dark circle surrounded by a lopsided ring. This shadow is also predicted by General Relativity as the result of the black hole's gravity bending and capturing light around it. The ring being lopsided is predicted too, because the side of the accretion disk that is spinning towards as will be brighter than the side spinning away from us.

Though it may seem like an object billions of kilometers across is very large, on an astronomical scale it is not, which made capturing the data for this image all the more difficult. Simply put there is no single telescope that could capture it, so the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) is more than one telescope. Using a technique called very long baseline interferometry (VLBI), eight radio telescopes around the world were coordinated to synchronize their observations using atomic clocks. By combining the data from each telescope, the result is a telescope the size of the Earth capable of a resolution of 20 micro-arcoseconds. That would translate to enough resolution to read a newspaper in New York while sitting in Paris. The wavelength measured was 1.3 mm, which was selected because it not be so impacted by the clouds of material on the 55 million light year journey between Earth and the Messier 87. Once the data was collected, it needed to be brought to supercomputers called correlators that would combine the results into a single dataset, filtering out the noise unique to each telescope. Due to the amount of data, about 350 TB a day totaling approximately one petabyte per telescope, special high-performance helium-filled hard drives were shipped to the correlators; one at the Haystack Observatory in Massachusetts and one at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Germany. Copies of the results were then provided to the different research teams that would actually produce the images, but these teams did not coordinate, to protect against any group bias, but each came to similar results.

While this is an impressive step, it is also only the first of many for this beginning of a new era in black hole astrophysics. The black hole at the heart of Messier 87 was a good candidate, as it is one of the larger black holes observable from Earth, but the desire is to grow the EHT with more observatories for greater resolution and to turn it toward Sagittarius A*, the black hole at the center of our own galaxy.

Source: National Science Foundation, French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), G.I.T. Laboratory Journal, European Southern Observatory (ESO), and MIT
April 09, 2019
16:34
Sniper Elite V2 Remastered Announced by Rebellion
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Sniper Elite V2 Remastered has been announced by developer Rebellion. This new and improved version of the 2012 title will feature updated graphics, including support for 4K HDR on supporting platforms. It will launch on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch, and those who pre-purchase the digital editions will enjoy a 10% discount. Pre-orders start today, though the Xbox and Nintendo Switch digital pre-purchases will start on April 24. There will also be boxed editions for the three consoles launching with the remaster, on May 14.

Steam shows Sniper Elite V2 Remastered will have a price of $34.99 ($31.49 with the 10% off) but if you already own a copy of the original on the platform, the upgrade will cost just $9.99. If you follow the source link you will be able to watch a trailer comparing the original and remastered graphics, but it will require logging in to YouTube to view.

Source: Rebellion
11:46
Brawlhalla Getting Hellboy-based Skins April 10
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On April 10, players of Brawlhalla, a free-to-play platform fighter, will get to see four new skins based on Hellboy. Naturally Hellboy is among them as a Cross Epic Crossover Skin, along with Nimue, a Dusk Epic Crossover Skin, Gruagach, a Teros Crossover Skin, and Daimio, a Mordex Epic Crossover Skin. The Hellboy, Nimu, and Daimio skins will cost 300 Mammoth coins each while the Gruagach will be available for 240 Mammoth coins.

To mark the addition of these skins and the release of the Hellboy movie on April 12, Brawlhalla will be having a special event from April 10 to April 24. The skins will continue to be available after the event ends. The new Hellboy-themed Horde game mode will also be available after the event ends as a custom game mode option. Other additions to the game include Apocalypse, a Hellboy-themed map, 250 Gold daily login bonus, a Hellboy avatar for 60 Mammoth coins, a Beast of Apocalypse podium for 240 Mammoth coins, and a Hellboy UI takeover for two weeks.

Brawlhalla can be played on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.

Source: Press Release and Ubisoft
11:28
Possible NVIDIA RTX 2070 Ti Spotted in UserBenchmark Database
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In case the EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti K|NGP|N is more than you are looking to spend on a new graphics card, NVIDIA might be preparing a new GPU that should occupy a better price point. As WCCFtech shares, an entry has been spotted in UserBenchmark's database that might be an RTX 2070 Ti. Its performance would come in between the RTX 2080 and RTX 2070, though the entry indicates it has a lower clock speed than either and a curious 7.5 GB of VRAM. It is possible these values have been misread by the benchmark, especially as this new GPU, if it is real, likely would not have proper software support yet.

Why an RTX 2070 Ti would be created is a more interesting question, though its predecessor may provide the answer. The GTX 1070 Ti was created to challenge AMD's RX Vega 56, which was a stronger offering than the GTX 1070 when it launched. With AMD expected to launch its new Navi GPUs built on a 7 nm process this Summer, the RTX 2070 Ti might be meant to compete with these either by selling to people waiting for Navi prior to release, or being a direct competitor after release. Only time will tell if this is an RTX 2070 Ti spotted, and what its purpose in the NVIDIA product stack might be.

Source: WCCFtech
11:16
EVGA Annoucnes New K|NGP|N GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
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If you are looking for a very high end GPU, then EVGA has a new offering to consider with the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti K|NGP|N. Naturally it features the same NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti at its core, but power delivery and cooling are custom and there are other features to serve overclockers. It has a 16+3 phase VRM (16 feed the GPU and 3 feed the VRAM) with the Smart PowerStages being able to handle 60 A of current delivered by the three 8-pin PCIe connectors. It has three BIOS options, with one for normal use, one for overclocking, and one for extreme LN2 cooling. Using the Probe-It header you can monitor voltages directly using a digital multimeter, but there is also a built in OLED display to show stats in real time, including voltages, temperatures, clocks, power consumption, and GPU utilization. The PCB is 12 layers and was custom designed for low loss.

For cooling the GPU there is a 100 mm fan mounted to a full metal heatsink on the card and a 240 mm (30 mm thick) AIO cooler. The shroud and backplate are both all metal, also contributing to the cooling. If your plan for such a graphics card is custom cooling though, it does feature a modular VRM heatsink, allowing for aftermarket coolers, and there is Hydro Copper full-cover waterblock option that will include an OLED bracket module and support single-slot brackets.

As you possibly already guessed at, this is not a cheap graphics card with all of its features on top of the RTX 2080 Ti. EVGA has the price listed at $1899.99 in its store where you can be auto-notified for its availability.

Source: EVGA
8:40
Hardware Roundup: Tuesday, April 9, 2019, Edition
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Tuesday is here, with a couple of items for you to check out. We have a review of the Cooler Master CK530 Gaming Keyboard, featuring a tenkeyless design, RGB backlighting, and Gateron mechanical switches instead of Cherry MX. Our other item for the day is a look back at the GeForce GTX 970 and to see how it still performs when running recent games.

Video Cards
Five Years Later: Revisiting the GeForce GTX 970 @ TechSpot

Keyboards/Mice
Cooler Master CK530 Gaming Keyboard @ ThinkComputers
April 08, 2019
13:48
Intel Shows Off SVT-AV1 Codec with Netflix
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For a long time, the h.264 codec has dominated others for Internet video, and while it is still a good system for encoding and decoding video streams, a lot of effort has been spent developing replacements for it. The current champion among these is AV1, produced by the Alliance for Open Media as a new video codec specification that will be more efficient while also being open source, avoiding licensing issues that have plagued other h.264 successors. The specification for AV1 was released about a year ago, and even before this, work was being done on encoders and decoders for it.

Today Intel and Netflix announced the chipmakers Scalable Video Technology for AV1 (SVT-AV1) codec that could be used with its Xeon Scalable processors to live broadcast 4Kp60/10-bit content. Intel has created other SVT codecs, but this one is unique among them by allowing one to scale performance based on required quality and latency. The collaboration between these two companies was to bring a new AV1 solution to the open-source community, which will hopefully help spur others to develop the AV1 algorithm and generally innovate future video compression technologies.

Source: Intel
13:28
AMD Announces New Ryzen PRO Mobile Processors
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Though not the Ryzen 3000 series of processors most of us are potentially looking forward to, AMD has announced several new CPUs for it. These are the PRO variants of Ryzen Mobile and Athlon Mobile processors, destined for professional laptops. They still offer the performance and efficiency one can expect with AMD's Zen-based mobile CPUs but with stronger security and reliability. This better security comes from a security co-processor built into the silicon and the reliability claims are 18 months of image stability, 24 months of processor availability, and a 36 month limited warranty to system manufacturers. They also offer commercial grade quality and enterprise-class manageability.

The four new PRO CPUs announced are the Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U, Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U, RYZEN 3 PRO 3300U, and Athlon Pro 300U. The PRO 3700U has 4 cores/8 threads with a base clock of 2.3 GHz and a boost of 4.0 GHz combined with 10 Vega GPU cores with a maximum frequency of 1400 MHz. The PRO Ryzen 5 3500U also has 4 cores/8 threads but a base clock of 2.1 GHz and boost of 3.7 GHz paired with 8 VEGA cores at a maximum of 1200 MHz. The PRO 3300U lacks SMT, so it is a 4 core/4 thread part with a base clock of 2.1 GHz and a boost of 3.5 GHz with 6 VEGA cores at 1200 MHz maximum frequency. Lastly the Athlon 300U has 2 cores/4 threads with a base clock of 2.4 GHz, boost of 3.3 GHz and 3 Vega cores that max at 1000 MHz.

All four of these processors are built on a 12 nm manufacturing process and have the same 15 W TDP. This quarter we can expect to see commercial systems from HP and Lenovo, with more OEMs and platform updates anticipated to come later this year.

Source: AMD
8:28
Hardware Roundup: Monday, April 8, 2019, Edition
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Monday is here, with a couple of items to kick off the week. We have a look at the ASUS ROG Zenith Extreme Alpha motherboard, a high-end product designed for AMD's Threadripper CPUs to push them to the limits while maintaining performance. Our other item for the day is a review of the SteelSeries Stratus Duo Gamepad that gives you plenty of new ways to control your games and across a variety of devices, as it works in wired, wireless, and even Bluetooth modes based on what system you play on.

Motherboards
ASUS ROG Zenith Extreme Alpha @ Bjorn3D

Controllers
SteelSeries Stratus Duo Gamepad @ Madshrimps
April 05, 2019
8:30
Hardware Roundup: Friday, April 5, 2019, Edition
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The first Friday of April is here, with a couple of items for you to check out to help welcome in the weekend. We have a look at the best storage options right now, covering SSDs, HDDs, externals, and even NAS units to fit whatever you might be after. There's also a look at 20 of the worst PC setups seen during the month of March, providing some takes on what to avoid for your own.

Storage/Hard Drives
The Best Storage 2019: Solid State, HDD, External & NAS @ TechSpot

Miscellany
20 of the Worst PC Setups – March 2019 @ ThinkComputers
April 04, 2019
13:23
Microsoft Updates Bug Bounty Program, Including Increase to Rewards
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As diligent and skilled as any company's developers and quality assurance teams might be, there are almost certainly issues that slip by them. This is why some companies have bug bounty programs, so when someone outside the company reports the issue they can be rewarded for it. Microsoft is among those with such a program and has recently made some changes to it. Among the changes, the top award levels for the Windows Insider Preview increased from $15,000 to $50,000 and the Microsoft Cloud Bounty top level also got a bump from $15,000 to $20,000. While these increases are definitely nice, they are hardly the only changes. Rewards will now be given following successful reproduction and assessment of the submission, instead of waiting until a final fix has been developed. Microsoft is also partnering with HackerOne for the payment processing, which offers more ways to accept the reward, including having it split or donated to charities. Finally, the rules for duplicates has been changed so that the first external report of an internally known issue will get the full award it deserves. Previously the award would have been just 10% for that first report. The policy for duplicate external reports has not changed though.

Source: Microsoft
April 03, 2019
10:04
Borderlands 3 Launching September 13 on Epic Games Store
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Last week Borderlands 3 was finally announced, along with other Borderlands news, and the promise that more information would be revealed today, and indeed more has been shared. First up, we have a release date of September 13 and it will be launching exclusively to the Epic Games Store for the PC. There will naturally be versions for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. For those of you who do not want to use the Epic Games Store or get a console copy, it will be coming to other PC digital storefronts in April 2020. Before getting to some of the gameplay information also shared, AMD has been involved with the development so that Borderlands 3 will take full advantage of Ryzen CPUs and Radeon GPUs.

Coming to the in-game stuff, we have a new gameplay trailer below. It names the four new Vault Hunters, Moze, FL4K, Amara, and Zane. Moze is the gunner and can call in Iron Bear, her mech, when additional firepower is needed. FL4K is the beastmaster who lives for the hunt and has loyal beasts that will follow his command. Amara is the siren for this game with the power to form ethereal fists. Last, Zane is the operative and he specializes in gadgetry for slipping in, creating chaos, and getting back out without anyone realizing. The primary enemies this time around are the Calypso Twins, who are trying to unite the various bandit clans in order to claim the greatest power in the galaxy. This does mean you will be visiting worlds beyond Pandora, a first for the franchise. As one can expect of a Borderlands title, there will be a huge number of guns to collect, and you will be able to do so with friends online or via split-screen co-op.

Though September is months away, you are already able to pre-order Borderlands 3 in one of its editions. All pre-orders include gold weapon skins and weapon trinket. The Standard Edition will include just the base game and cost $59.99. The Deluxe Edition will come with the Retro and Neon cosmetic packs, adding Vault Hunter head and skin, Echo Device skin, and a weapon skin (Retro) or weapon trinket (Neon), a Gearbox Cosmetic Pack with a weapon skin and weapon trinket, Toy Box Weapon Pack with two toy guns, toy grenade launcher, and weapon trinket, and XP and Loot Drop boost mods. The Deluxe Edition will cost $79.99 while the Super Deluxe Edition will cost $99.99 and include all of the Deluxe Edition content plus four campaign DLC packs, a Butt Stallion weapon skin, weapon trinket, and grenade mod. This Super Deluxe Edition pricing is for a limited time though, as starting September 17 it will go to $119.99. Lastly we have the Diamond Loot Chest Collector's Edition that will be available at GameStop for $249.99. It includes everything in the Super Deluxe Edition along with a Diamond Loot Chest replica with functional retractable lid, ten character figurines including the new Vault Hunters, Calypso Twins, a Sanctuary 3 snap model, four Vault Key keychains, a cloth galaxy map, five character art lithographs, and a Steelbook case for the game.

While you wait for September 13, today should see the release of the new Borderlands Game of the Year Edition, the new definitive version of the original game, and Ultra HD Texture Packs for Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.

Source: Press Release
8:27
Hardware Roundup: Wednesday, April 3, 2019, Edition
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The middle of the week is here, with a few items for you to check out. We've got a comparison of the GeForce GTX 960, GTX 1660, and RTX 2060 to see how the old reliable does against the two high-powered video cards in the mid-range market. There's a review of the WD Black SN750 1TB NVMe SSD, the company's third generation item that has read speeds up to 3470MB/s and write speeds up to 3000MB/s. Wrapping things up for today is a look at the Dr Zaber Sentry 2.0 case, an improved version of the community inspired case that takes into account many new suggestions and features.

Video Cards
Old Mainstream GPU: GeForce GTX 960 vs. GTX 1660 & RTX 2060 @ TechSpot

Storage/Hard Drives
WD Black SN750 1TB NVMe SSD @ ThinkComputers

Cases
Dr Zaber Sentry 2.0 @ LanOC Reviews
April 02, 2019
10:27
MasterBox Q500L Released by Cooler Master
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Originally announced at CES 2019, Cooler Master has finally launched its MasterBox Q500L, a case with a similar design to the Q300L but supports up to a full-size ATX motherboard. These two cases have the same external dimensions of 386x381 mm but the Q500L has repositioned the power supply to the top-front of the case, providing the room for an ATX motherboard to stretch the height of the case. While this does cut into the number of fans you can install into the case, the top, front, rear, and bottom panels are fully perforated, enabling airflow for myriad cooling configurations. The top of the case can old two 120 mm fans or two 140 mm fans, the bottom can have two 120 mm fans, and the rear can have one. For liquid cooling radiators, the top can hold up to a 240 mm radiator and the rear can take a 120 mm. To help keep things clean, the top and front have magnetic dust filters that can be easily removed for cleaning.

Like the Q300L, the I/O panel can be repositioned if you wish, and you can also have the case horizontal thanks to the rubberized screws used to secure the metal side-panel. Behind this panel you have 27-30 mm of space to route and hide cables and the two caddies for holding with one 3.5 in or two 2.5 in drives, each. You can also move the PSU bracket if you are going to use a mini-ITX board, returning the power supply to the bottom of the case. If you are worried about the front-mounted PSU cutting into room for your graphics card, normal length PSUs will allow graphics cards to be 360 mm while a power supply going past 160 mm in length will reduce the available length to 270 mm.

The MasterBox Q500L is available for pre-sale today with an MSRP of $59.99.

Source: Press Release
7:44
Toshiba America Client Solutions Renaming to Dynabook Americas
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As of today, Toshiba America Client Solutions will be changing its name to Dynabook Americas. This brings it in-line with its parent company Dynabook Inc., which was formerly Toshiba Client Solutions, and we can expect affiliated companies in Europe, Singapore, Canada, and Australia to also incorporate Dynabook into their naming conventions.

While the name of the company may be changing, it is still the same company that introduced the world to technologies such as TFT color display, integrated optical drive, and wireless docking. Dynabook Americas will also continue to use its popular sub-brands of Portégé, Tecra and DynaEdge for its mobile computers and emerging solutions business. In the second quarter we can expect it to roll out new products with the Dynabook brand, including for its business-focused mobile and IoT product lines in the United States.

Source: Press Release
February 27, 2019
19:12
The Division 2 Year 1 Content Revealed
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This Friday is the start of the open beta for Tom Clancy's The Division 2, which runs until March 4 and is available on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4, so for all those interested in the game, it will be a good time to try it out. Revealed today is another part of what one can expect from the game; the Year 1 post-launch content. This free content will include episodes, content updates with narratives and missions, new PvP and PvE modes, and new specializations.

Coming shortly after launch will be Tidal Basin, a challenging stronghold held by the Black Tusks. Operation Dark Hours will also be coming soon after launch and will be the series' first 8-player raid. In Summer 2019 we will see the release of Episode 1, D.C. Outskirts: Expeditions, taking players to the areas around the city with two additional main missions, a new game mode, and unexpected threats. Autumn 2019 will have the Episode 2: Pentagon: The Last Castle with more main missions as players will storm the icon to uncover the secrets hidden beneath it. Finally Episode 3 will arrive in Winter 2019 to close the first chapter of The Division 2 story while also opening it up for more to come.

All of the above content will be free to all players. Those who get the Year 1 Pass, either as part of the Gold Edition, Digital Ultimate Edition, or by purchasing it separately will get 7-day early access to the Year 1 Episodes, instant access to the Year 1 Specializations as they release, eight classified assignments that reveal more about how Washington D.C. fell, and exclusive cosmetics and additional in-game activities. The pass costs $39.99 when purchased separately.

Source: Press Release
5:17
DiRT Rally 2.0 Has Released
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The next game in the DiRT series from Codemasters has released; DiRT Rally 2.0. This is the sequel to DiRT Rally from 2015 and builds on it with an enhanced on-track experience to make it the most authentic recreation of rally racing in a video game. This includes having tire choice as an option, so you can strategize based on a track's surface, length, or your driving style, degradation to the stage itself, like the conditions real racers face as the surfaces get carved up by those racing in earlier positions.

Last week the launch trailer released along with information on what we can expect from the Season 1, which starts on March 12.

Source: Press Release
February 26, 2019
22:15
Trials Rising is Now Available
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Trials Rising has released for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch today, enabling players to try riding and flipping to victory, but probably crashing a lot before reaching the end. With over 120 explosive tracks set across the world, players will work to grow their fame by riding on stunt courses are locations like the Eiffel Tower and Mount Everest. Fame can get you Contracts, which will add optional challenges that can result in extra rewards, if you succeed. If you want to show off your skills, there is asynchronous competition with 'ghosts', local Party Mode, and online, live multiplayer. You can also try the Tandem Bike with a friend, requiring you to work together to succeed.

Source: Ubisoft
21:53
Darksiders III - The Crucible DLC Now Available
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Darksiders III released in November and today it has received its first DLC, The Crucible. In this DLC, Fury will be invited to the Crucible where she can face wave after wave of enemies, earning loot and materials along the way. This loot includes new armor sets to prove your accomplishment, new enchantments, and the rare crafting materials you need to upgrade your weapons and enchantments. If you manage to survive the Crucible's 100 waves without dying, you can face the final, ultimate challenge it has to offer. If you doubt your skills before reaching that threshold, you can leave every five ways with what you have collected, for if you die, you lose it all.

The Crucible DLC is $6.99 for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.

Source: THQ Nordic
21:53
Townsmen â A Kingdom Rebuilt, Rad Rodgers Radical Edition, and Aces of the Luftwaffe Extended ...
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Have a host of news to cover from Handy Games as multiple games have released today. First up is Townsmen – A Kingdom Rebuilt, an improved and remastered version of the Townsmen series of games. It sports 24 maps for its sandbox mode and 26 scenarios to challenge players. The six-mission tutorial will get you through the first steps of being a ruler, but with over 70 technologies to research and 150 buildings and objects you can construct, it may still take some time to fully learn the game.

Townsmen – A Kingdom Rebuilt will cost just $19.99 unless you have the 2016 Townsmen, in which case it is free.

Next we have Rad Rodgers Radical Edition, which is both an update on the original Rad Rodgers released last year but also the version bringing the title to the Nintendo Switch. With this new version, players have a greater selection of playable characters, including Lo Wang, Cosmo, and Duke Nukem. For those who have wanted to play with friends, the Radical Edition also adds local co-op and a versus multiplayer mode in addition to the levels and mini-games arriving with the update and the additional weapons, secrets, collectibles, and unlockables to find. For current owners of the game, all of this is coming to you for free.

Lastly Aces of the Luftwaffe Extended Edition is now available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions will cost $19.99 while the Nintendo Switch version will be priced at $29.99. With the Extended Edition you get both Aces of the Luftwaffe Squadron, where you fight to protect the US-Homeland from a Nazi invasion, and the Nebelgeschwader add-on where you get to play as part of a German elite squadron fighting American forces.

Source: Handy Games [1] (Townsmen – A Kingdom Rebuilt), [2] (Rad Rodgers Radical Edition), and [3] (Aces of the Luftwaffe Extended Edition)
20:58
Neverwinter Online: State of the Game 2019
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This year’s Neverwinter Online: State of the Game livestream featured Thomas Foss (Lead Designer) and Julia Fredrickson (Community Manager). This annual stream covers the previous year’s progress, current issues, and plans for the game this year. How exciting! I just wanted to hit the highlights and cover the spoilers, since that’s what everyone was here for.

They have a new system of hotfixes for tackling bugs, so I’m hoping this will repair them faster. Foss coined the nickname “Barbie” for the Barbarian. There are going to be 20 Dev blogs before the mod launches, including 1 blog for each class. Clerics and Paladins are in the first wave of class blogs.

The biggest news of all, there WILL be a new Race or Class released sometimes this year, but it won’t be in Mod 16. I’m crossing my fingers for a Bard! There will also be brand new loot tables with Level 80 gear. This is fantastic. The current loot tables are pretty garbage.

The new mod features several different new mobs, including an Umberhulk and a Butterfly Golem. That sounds interesting? I’m curious as to what they’ll look like for sure. Because with a name like Butterfly Golem, I’m expecting pretty wings on an Iron Golem that flies around and sneezes on me.

Overall, some pretty interesting info about the next mod! What are you most excited for? I’m stuck between the new loot and the new mobs. Hopefully Mod16 will put Neverwinter back into a more balanced spot and become more challenging!

Watch Neverwinter State of the Game from CrypticStudios on www.twitch.tv
20:27
NieR:Automata Game of the YoRHa Edition Now Available
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Announced back in December, NieR:Automata Game of the YoRHa Edition is now available on Steam and PlayStation 4. This release includes the base game but also the 3C3C1D119440927 Expansion DLC that brings with it new story, costumes, arena battles, and more. Also coming with this edition are skins for the Pod mini robots that follow the main characters to provide support. The included pod skins include the Grimoire Weiss Pod, Retro Grey, Retro Red, and Cardboard Pod Skins. Also both the Steam and PlayStation 4 versions get their own exclusive content. The Steam version includes the Valve Character accessory and a pair of wallpapers while the PlayStation 4 version has the Play System Pod Skin, the Amazarashi Head Pod Skin, a dynamic theme, and 15 PSN avatars. If your platform of preference is Xbox On, there is the NieR:Automata BECOME AS GODS Edition that also has the 3C3C1D119440927 Expansion DLC, 4K output for Xbox One X users and more.

Source: Square Enix
20:25
HITMAN 2 Starter Pack Free on All Platforms Now
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Released in November of last year, HITMAN 2 now has a version available for everyone to try. Containing just the Hawke's Bay, New Zealand location, HITMAN 2 – Starter Pack allows anyone interested to enter the World of Assassination with the Nightcall opening campaign mission. All of the challenges and unlocks for the mission are included, and if you enjoy the experience enough to purchase the full game, progression will carry over.

Also starting soon is Elusive Target No. 4 titled 'The Politician,' which will be available from March 8 to March 17. It is set in the Hawke's Bay location, which means those trying to Starter Pack will also get to try eliminating Dame Barbara Elizabeth Keating, a disgraced form New Zealand Minister of Trade and Foreign Affairs.

Source: IO Interactive
20:03
GOG Bringing Fair Price Package Program to an End on March 31
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GOG.com is a digital storefront for games with the interesting niche of every game it sells being DRM-free. Originally it was Good Old Games, but transitioned to simply GOG as it was selling newer titles, such as those from CD Projekt Red, the company that owns it. One of the programs it has offered for some time was the Fair Price Package program that was meant to address regional pricing issues. In some cases, a game can have different prices based on the region to purchase it in, and under this program GOG would give users the difference to their GOG Wallet. On average this equated to 12% of the game price being paid by GOG, though in some cases it went as high as 37%.

As positive a program as that would be for users around the world, GOG is having to end it because while it had been possible for it to still have a small profit on these sales, this is no longer the case. As a greater share of the revenue goes to developers, this is less for GOG to use like this, and as it is a store, it cannot sell what it offers at a loss. By doing this though, GOG feels it will be better able to incentivize game creators to sell on this store, making more classics and new releases available and DRM-free.

March 31 will mark the final day of this program, so take advantage of it while you can.

Source: GOG
19:51
Fractal Design Announces Prisma Fan Series
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Today Fractal Design announced a new series of fans, titled Prisma and, just as the name suggests, they feature LED lighting. For the Prisma AL series, there are six addressable RGB LEDs mounted to the hub. The RGB cables can be chained together for easier wiring and the lighting can be controlled with the ASUS, ASRock, Gigabyte, and MSI motherboard utilities for doing so. The SL series still has hub-mounted LEDs, but are a solid color. Both Prisma AL and SL fans are available at 120 mm and 140 mm sizes, though it is only the Prisma AL that will have PWM versions and be available in 3-packs.

These fans are available now with the Prisma SL fans having an MSRP of $12.99 and $14.99 for the 120 mm and 140 mm sizes, respectively. The Prisma AL fans are a bit more expensive, being $21.99 and $24.99 for the 120 mm and 140 mm sizes respectively, and these prices go up to $24.99 and $27.99 for the PWM versions. The three packs are $59.99 and $65.99 with the 120 mm size without and with PWM respectively, while the 140 mm size are priced $65.99 and $69.99.

Fractal Design announced more than just fans though, but also a controller for those who want a software-free way to control 5 V addressable RGB LEDs. The Adjust R1 RGB controller can adjust colors, brightness, synchronize effects, and set color cycling modes. It too is available now with a price of $11.99.

Source: Fractal Design
15:26
Hardware Roundup: Tuesday, February 26, 2019, Edition
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Tuesday has arrived, with a couple of items along the way for you to check out. We have a mega benchmark of the new NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti video card to see how it does in a range of games, from the latest to older titles to give you an idea of what to expect. Our other item for today reviews the Cooler Master KM730 Gaming Keyboard, which is a tenkeyless model with Cherry MX switches and full RGB backlighting.

Video Cards
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mega Benchmark @ TechSpot

Keyboards/Mice
Cooler Master MK730 Gaming Keyboard @ ThinkComputers
4:11
DXVK Reaches Version 1.0
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Though this might be more important for Linux gamers, there are some on Windows who may find it interesting and valuable. Today version 1.0 was released for DXVK. For those unfamiliar with it, DXVK is a translation layer that can take Direct3D 10 and 11 calls and send them to Vulkan instead. It is commonly used to run games on Linux using Wine, and is a part of Valves Proton system that has brought Linux support for a large number of games not capable of natively running on the operating system. It can also be used on Windows, allowing one to run DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 games with Vulkan instead, which some have had success with, but your mileage may vary if you choose to try it.

Source: DXVK Github Repository
4:10
OBS Studio 23.0 Released and New Means of Supporting Development Announced
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If you have looked into stream and/or recording videos on computer in recent years, chances are you have at least seen OBS and OBS Studio mentioned as it is among the most popular and well-featured programs for this. Earlier this year it was announced the developers were working with NVIDIA to improve the software's NVENC implementation, and with today's OBS Studio 23.0 release, these improvements have gone live. In addition to this change, service integration for both Twitch and Mixer has been added, allowing one to connect their account with OBS Studio and have chat panels, and more services are coming. Those who may be interested in tweaking things, new audio filters have been added along with more remuxing features and support for multi-track audio when using FFmpeg output.

Also announced today was new ways to support the development of OBS Studio. The program has always been free and open source, and will continue to be so, but to help those working on it new sponsorship through Open Collective and backing with Patreon have both been added as ways to fund the work. Open Collective is likely going to see more use by companies and groups wishing to support development, and Games Done Quick is OBS Studio's first Gold sponsor, as the software is critical to their broadcasting stack. The Patreon campaign is likely how most individuals would prefer to support the developers, between these two, but there are ways of making one-time contributions too.

Source: OBS Studio Github Repository and OBS Project Website
4:00
AMD Releases 19.2.3 Drivers with Ryzen APU Support
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Back at CES among AMD's announcements was the coming of APU support for its GPU drivers, something highly requested among those using systems with these chips. Today the company has delivered with its release of Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.2.3 drivers. Compared to the 17.40 launch drivers for the Ryzen Mobile Processors with Radeon Vega Graphics, an up-to 10% average performance improvement can be expected, or 17% if you look at just eSports titles. Besides getting the newest optimizations now and into the future, these driver releases will also bring the latest features AMD develops for its GPUs to those running APUs.

In addition to this new support, the drivers bring with them support for DiRT Rally 2.0, providing up to 3% better performance, and some fixed issues, including one with Battlefield V, and a couple with the fan profile system.

Source: AMD [1] (Blog Post) and [2] (Release Notes)
3:41
Pathfinder: Kingmaker Getting Varnhold's Lot DLC on Thursday
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Pathfinder: Kingmaker released in September last year, and now it will be getting its second DLC on February 28, Thursday. This second DLC, titled Varnhold's Lot provides a complete and challenging self-contained side story as you join Maegar Varn, who was another hero of the Stolen Lands and ascended to become a baron. Varn was the captain of the Varning Host mercenary band, and in your role in the DLC you will get to experience Varnhold's history from a companion's point of view. This includes exploring a large dungeon and uncovering the secrets it has hidden. When completed, you can import your achievements into the game's main campaign to unlock a new event. This event will have you invited by Maegar Varn to return to the dungeon, and see the consequences of your decisions.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker costs $39.99 for the Explorer Edition, $69.99 for the Royal Edition, and $84.99 for the Imperial Edition.

Source: Press Release
February 21, 2019
21:25
Corsair Launches Dominator Platinum RGB Memory Kits
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Targeting PC enthusiasts, Corsair has launched a new series of DDR4 memory modules, Dominator Platinum RGB. Each module features hand-sorted memory chips, an updated aluminum heatspreader, and individually addressable RGB lighting. Thanks to that hand sorting, the kits are available in speeds from 3000 MHz up to 4800 MHz, with room for overclocking even. With the aluminum heatspreader using Corsair's Dual-Path DHX cooling and copper planes in the 10-layer PCB, the memory will stay cool even under extreme stress.

Along the top of the modules, in the die-case zinc-alloy bar, are 12 ultra-bright CAPELLIX RGB LEDs, which should shine brighter, last longer, and be more energy efficient than conventional LEDs. You will be able to control the lighting of the modules use Corsair iCUE software, which will also allow you to synchronize the lighting with other iCUE-compatible devices as well as monitor the temperature and frequency of the memory in real-time.

Dominator Platinum RGB memory is available immediately from Corsair's network of authorized retailers and its own webstore. The kits are available with two, four, or eight modules with the 4800 MHz 2 x 8 GB kit being the fastest air-cooled production memory kit today. Corsair was able to achieve this speed on the ASUS Z390 Maximus XI GENE and Maximus XI Apex motherboards with an Intel Core i5 8600K.

Source: Corsair
21:06
Galactic Civilizations III: Retribution Expansion Released
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Announced back in January, the Retribution expansion for Galactic Civilizations III. This is the third and largest expansion for the 2015 space-based 4X game. Its first expansion, Crusade was released in 2017 and its second, Intrigue followed a year later.

With Retribution comes several changes, including the additions of Artifacts, Hypergates, and Supply Ships. With supply ships you can give a boost to other planets by delivering goods and services to them while Hypergates allow your ships to cross the galaxy more quickly. Artifacts are powerful items you can find buried on planets and use them to grant immediate access to new abilities. The game is also getting two new major civilizations; the manipulative Drath and the Korath that seek extermination to achieve control. The technology trees has also been overhauled and there is a Retribution Campaign, following what happens to the Drengin Empire following its mistakes of underestimating the strength of humanity, which may lead to their extinction.

For a limited time, Galactic Civilizations III is on sale at 70% off, making it just $12.00 for the game, Crusade expansion, and Mega Events DLC. Retribution is also on sale at 10% off, so $17.99. The later sale goes until February 27 while the sale on the core game will end on February 23.

Source: Stardock
15:40
Hardware Roundup: Thursday, February 21, 2019, Edition
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Thursday is here, with several items for you to check out. We have a few RTX 2060 reviews for today, with another look at the MSI GeForce RTX 2060 Gaming Z 6G, a review on the Gigabyte RTX 2060 Gaming OC Pro 6G, and then a roundup of the best RTX 2060 cards you can get right now. If you're after a big build for your next rig, perhaps the MSI X299 Creation is the one for you, especially if you're going for Intel HEDT. We wrap things up today with a review of the Cryorig H7 Plus CPU Cooler, featuring dual 120mm fans and three 6mm heat pipes on the tower-style design.

Video Cards
Gigabyte RTX 2060 Gaming OC Pro 6G @ LanOC Reviews
MSI GeForce RTX 2060 Gaming Z 6G @ Bjorn3D
The Best GeForce RTX 2060 Graphics Cards @ TechSpot

Motherboards
MSI X299 Creation @ Bjorn3D

CPU Cooling
Cryorig H7 Plus CPU Cooler @ ThinkComputers
February 20, 2019
21:11
NVIDIA Shares Some More Information on DLSS and RTX
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Some of you may have noticed that recently Metro Exodus released with support for NVIDIA's RTX and DLSS technologies. Battlefield V has had RTX support to improve reflections for months now, but also received an update to add DLSS support too. With these two technologies again sparking interest with these releases, NVIDIA has put out a couple items to provide more information about the technologies and these implementations. Just in case any of you have forgotten, both technologies require a Turing-based GPU, which would be the GeForce RTX series (RTX 2060, RTX 2070, RTX 2080, and RTX 2080 Ti).

Starting first with the DLSS FAQ, it is explained that this technology, Deep Learning Super Sampling, applies a form of machine learning to improve performance at higher resolutions. The way it works requires a supercomputer to analyze a frame from a game that contains aliasing and the same frame rendered using super-sampling or accumulation rendering to achieve something closer to the 'true' image. Through this analysis the DLSS neural network is trained, so with the training information provided to the Turing GPU it is able to use the training to address aliasing but also to generate additional pixels. This generation is leveraged by DLSS to allow the GPU to internally render the game at a lower resolution and then upscale it to a higher output resolution, with that lower internal resolution enabling higher frame rates. DLSS will have different results for different games, as each game has its own visual characteristics, and because DLSS also takes a fixed amount of time to be performed, it is not always available, depending on your frame rate and resolution. If your frame rate would be high already at a given resolution, DLSS will not be enabled as an option. The FAQ also points out that NVIDIA is continuing to work on improving techniques, so DLSS can improve over time.

In the blog post you can see some comparisons in Metro Exodus between having the ray traced global illumination accelerated by RTX enabled and disabled. As ray tracing is a better simulation of the behavior of light than rasterization in, the ray tracing should present a more accurate recreation of the scenes in the game.

Source: NVIDIA [1] (DLSS FAQ) and [2] (RTX Blog Post)
15:36
Hardware Roundup: Wednesday, February 20, 2019, Edition
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The middle of the week is upon us, with several items for you to check out. We have another look at the MSI RTX 2060 Gaming Z 6G video card to see just how well this card performs against ones that cost a fair bit more. For those after a new means of controlling their games, perhaps the Drevo Durendal Gaming Keyboard, with its Outemu mechanical switches and full RGB backlighting, is the one for you. Speaking of games, we have a benchmark of the new Metro Exodus to show what you can expect while playing, as well as a look at DLSS performance in Battlefield V to see what the performance impact is from the new tech.

Video Cards
MSI RTX 2060 Gaming Z 6G @ LanOC Reviews

Keyboards/Mice
Drevo Durendal Gaming Keyboard @ ThinkComputers

Gaming
Metro Exodus PC Graphics Benchmark @ TechSpot
Battlefield V DLSS Tested: Overpromised, Underdelivered @ TechSpot
February 19, 2019
22:06
DiRT Rally 2.0 Receives Launch Trailer Ahead of February 26 Release
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Next week DiRT Rally 2.0 will be released on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4, so today the game's launch trailer has gone out, as has some information on what players can expect in the game's first season. Season 1 starts on March 12 and here is what we can expect for the weeks that follow:
- Week 1: ŠKODA Fabia Rally, Citroën C4 Rally
- Week 3: Monte Carlo Rally, Special Livery
- Week 5: BMW M1 Procar Rally, Opel Manta 400, Special Livery
- Week 7: Sweden Rally
- Week 9: Ford Focus RS Rally 2007, Subaru Impreza, Special Livery
- Week 11: Germany Rally
Those who get the Deluxe Edition of the game will receive this content. Additionally the Deluxe Edition can get you early access to the game, starting this Friday, February 22. Season 2 will contain a similar amount of content and features as Season 1, but have its own season pass.

DiRT Rally 2.0 is the official game of the FIA World Rallycross Championship and aims to challenge players like its predecessor, DiRT Rally did. With its weather conditions, improved handling, stage degradation, and tire choice options to consider, you can expect the toughest challenge in the DiRT franchise.

Source: Codemasters
22:05
Offworld Trading Company Getting Free Multiplayer Client and New DLC February 28
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In a little more than one week, more people will get to try their hands at dominating the Martian economy in Offworld Trading Company. Come February 28, Stardock and Mohawk Games will be releasing a new multiplayer client for the game that puts an interesting twist on real-time strategy, and this client will be free for everyone. In the game by Soren Johnson, who previously was Civilization IV's lead designer, players compete to build a successful corporation on Mars, where everyone is fighting not only for profit but for the resources needed to survive.

Also releasing that day is the Market Corrections DLC that adds three single-player narrative campaigns that will explain why there was a move to colonize Mars, from the point of view of those trying to survive on the red planet. The campaigns follow Reni-6, Ilana Kamat, and Frank Dawson, three different CEOs. This DLC also includes 12 new maps and will cost $3.99 on Steam.

Source: Stardock
21:48
Neverwinter Online Announces Big Changes in Mod 16
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Be prepared for a new module in Neverwinter Online: Undermountain! But this mod includes more than just a new campaign. This update will feature major changes to everything we know, including: level cap increase, Item Level and scaling overhauls, new stats and mechanics, and a complete rework of all Classes.
New Campaign
The new campaign “Undermountain” is set in Waterdeep. It features a new endgame dungeon in the dungeon beneath Waterdeep, home of the Mad Mage Halaster Blackcloak. In addition to new adventuring zones, this mod includes a new player hub, the Yawning Portal. Overall, it sounds like an exciting campaign!
Level Cap Increase
Launching in this module is a new Level Cap increase! Players will now be able to reach up to Level 80. This will include new gear and powers; each class will get one new Daily, Encounter, and At-Will. You can read the details here.
Item Level and Scaling
Item Level and Scaling will also be reworked in this mod. Right now, Item Level is very inconsistent. There will be a new standard: One Item Level = 20 Rating Points. There are a few exceptions like Bonding Runestones, Companions, and Mount Powers. This will be uniquely adjusted to be more accurate. With this new Item Level standardization, scaling will become more accurate as well. This means that lower leveled dungeons should pose a greater challenge. You can learn about the specifics here. I hope this makes them more interesting to run!
Stats and Mechanics
Stats are getting a MAJOR rework. The most shocking changes are the removal of:
- Armor Class
- AoE Resist
- DoT Resist
- Lifesteal
- Regeneration
- Recovery
The removal of these stats will have a major impact on all classes, especially Lifesteal. This removes the current main source of healing, so support classes are going to be extremely changed in their function. Right now support classes primarily focus on buffs and support damage; tanking and healing are incidental. With the removal of Lifesteal, support classes are going to be forced into doing their original intended purpose: Healers healing and Tanks tanking. Personally, I think this is grand.

There are also going to be Opposing Rolls now. We already have this implemented with Armor Penetration and Defense. The new main stats are going to be:
- Hit Points and Power
- Critical Strike and Critical Avoidance
- Combat Advantage Bonus and Awareness
- Deflect and Accuracy
- Armor Penetration and Defense
Utility Ratings:
- Ap Gain
- Recharge Speed
- Stamina Gain
- Critical Severity
- Control Bonus
- Control Resist
- Movement
- Gold Gain
- Glory Gain
- XP Gain
- Companion Influence
- Incoming Healing
Regen is getting removed as a stat, but all players will now have a set amount, so it’ll be nice to not have to worry about having it on newer characters. Another set stat will be Critical Chance; everyone will have a baseline of 5%, which will be added to whatever Crit you stack. The cap on Critical Chance is 50%, so that’s kind of a bummer. Deflect also has a cap of 50%, and Combat Advantage Bonus has a cap of 100%.
Classes
All classes are getting a name change to become more consistent with 5th Ed. D&D. These new names include:
- Cleric
- Fighter
- Paladin
- Ranger
- Rogue
- Warlock
- Barbarian
The Barbarian is still a GWF, just a nice new name to make it fit with 5E; abilities and powers will remain the same.

Right now, each class has a choice of two Paragons and 3 Feat Trees. The Feat Tree choices are gone! Now it will be focused on the two paragons, with each one featuring your choice of one each in five pairs of feats. The idea is to eliminate all the useless feats and focus on specialized play. The goal is to have all versions of the Classes become viable.

Like the Paladin, most classes will also be able to fulfill more than one role with queueing for Dungeons, depending on their Paragon. These include:
- Paladin - Tank, Healer
- Cleric - Healer, DPS
- Fighter - Tank, DPS
- Barbarian - Tank, DPS
- Warlock - DPS, Healer
- Rangers, Rogues, and Wizards will all have two DPS paragons.
Power Points are being removed as well. This way when a power becomes available as you level up, you can use it with full strength.
Conclusion
Overall, there are a LOT of changes coming in this mod. I am looking forward to it! Right now the game feels super unblanaced, so I'm hoping these changes make the game more interesting and fun to play. I just hope they aren't bugged when they launch (let's be honest here, new mods usually are buggy). I am excited to actually heal with my Cleric and Tank with my Fighter. I am concerned about the loss of Recovery though! Several of my characters have that stacked. I'm curious to see how this all works out in the end. I'm looking forward to testing this mod on the Preview Server!

Sources:

New Campaign - Arc Games 1

Stats and Mechanics - Arc Games 2

Classes Intro - Arc Games 3
3:17
EKWB Releases Waterblocks for ASUS ROG Strix RTX Series Graphics Cards
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One of the advantages to purchasing a graphics card from an add-in board partner is it may have a different design to the PCB for better performance and overclocking than the reference, but this can also mean you need a new water block, if you want to add it to a custom liquid cooling setup. EK Water Blocks has announced new blocks specifically for the ASUS ROG Strix versions of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, RTX 2080, and RTX 2080 Ti.

Each card has its own specially designed block, and all of these blocks will cool the GPU, VRAM, and VRMs to keep temperatures down and performance stable. The blocks themselves are made of machined nickel-plated copper and machined acrylic, with EPDM O-rings to seal the fluid in, and brass standoffs already installed. Like so many products these days, there are RGB LEDs present so you can light these blocks up as you wish. Two of the light sources are in the terminal cover and then another two LED strips are present, one at each end. These 12 V RGB LEDS are compatible with 4-pin 12 V RGB LED headers on many motherboards and will work with the RGB sync technologies of the major motherboard manufacturers.

The water blocks each cost $174.99 and if you want a back plate, for aesthetic purposes or the passive cooling they can offer, they are available for $43.99 or $53.99. The difference in price aligns with if they are anodized black aluminum ($43.99) or nickel-plated aluminum ($53.99).

Source: EK Water Blocks