Archive for June 2024

TSMC New Chip Packaging Strategy Seems to be .. Rectangular Wafers

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 14

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It's hip to be square. TSMC is developing an innovative method for advanced chip packaging to meet the increasing demand for AI-driven computing power. TSMC is collaborating with equipment and material suppliers to explore using rectangular panel-like substrates instead of traditional round wafers, enabling more chips per wafer. This new approach, still in the early stages, signifies a significant technical shift for TSMC, which previously considered rectangular substrates too challenging. Implementing this method will require extensive development and upgrades or replacements of numerous production tools and materials. The rectangular substrate under trial measures 510 by 515 millimeters, offering a usable area more than three times larger than that of round wafers, with less wasted space at the edges.
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Western Digital Unveils WD Blue SN5000 Series SSDs with 4TB Model

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 2

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Western Digital has expanded its WD Blue NVMe SSD lineup with the new WD Blue SN5000 series, including a 4TB model. These SSDs are designed to offer a balance of capacity, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. The SN5000 series features the M.2-2280 form factor and uses an in-house WD controller, which is a 4-channel, DRAMless design, typical for budget SSDs. The controller supports PCIe 4.0 x4 connections, utilizing the additional bandwidth of PCIe 4.0 effectively. The drives are single-sided and include a thin graphene heat spreader for thermal management.
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Kioxia Issues Firmware Update for Multiple M.2 SSDs Including Toshiba-Era Products

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 0

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Kioxia released an announcement earlier this month urging users of several M.2 NVMe solid-state drives (SSDs) to update their firmware. This firmware update is essential for maintaining optimal device performance and preventing potential errors. The update addresses a specific issue related to the Warning Composite Temperature Threshold (WCTEMP) setting value defined in the identification controller data structure. This threshold is a critical component of NVMe thermal management, which helps ensure the SSD operates within safe temperature ranges. The WCTEMP setting is designed to alert the system when the SSD reaches a temperature that could potentially affect its performance and longevity.
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Thermaltake View 380 TG ARGB: A Pillarless PC Case with Dual-Chamber Design

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 3

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Thermaltake Technology announced the new pillarless PC case "View 380 TG ARGB" on June 19, 2024. Available in black, white, hydrangea blue, and matcha green, this case supports rear-connector motherboards, including ASUS BTF series and MSI PROJECT ZERO series. It features a dual-chamber design for efficient cable management with ample space behind the motherboard tray. The case includes extensive ventilation, with nearly the entire top, bottom, and right side panels covered in ventilation holes. It supports multiple cooling fan configurations: three 120mm fans on top, three 120mm or two 140mm fans beside the motherboard tray (with three 120mm ARGB fans included as standard), one 120mm fan at the rear (one 120mm ARGB fan included as standard), and three 120mm fans at the bottom. Radiator support includes a 360mm radiator at the top, a 280mm or 240mm radiator beside the motherboard tray, and a 360mm radiator at the bottom.
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Geekom AX8 Mini PC: Detailed Specs of 13th Gen Intel and AMD Ryzen 8000 Variants

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 0

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Geekom has introduced the AX8 Mini PC, featuring 13th Gen Intel and AMD Ryzen 8000 CPUs, with the Intel models in a white case and the AMD models in blue. The AX8 offers a range of specifications, catering to various user needs, particularly for those requiring efficient integrated graphics processing units (iGPU). The top-tier AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS model is priced at approximately $703 USD. The Geekom AX8 Mini PC is available in multiple configurations. Intel-based models include the Core i7-12650H with Intel UHD Graphics, Core i9-12900H with Intel UHD Graphics, Core i7-13620H with Intel UHD Graphics, Core i7-13700H with Intel Iris Xe Graphics, and Core i9-13900H with Intel Iris Xe Graphics. AMD-based models feature the Ryzen 7 8845HS with Radeon 780M iGPU and the Ryzen 9 8949HS with Radeon 780M iGPU.
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Intel Starts 3nm Chip Production in US and Ireland

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 18

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Intel has recently started mass production of chips using its new Intel 3 process, a significant development announced at the annual VLSI Symposium. This new process represents an improvement over the previous Intel 4 node and is designed for use by both Intel itself and its external customers. Production of Intel 3 chips has kicked off at Intel's facilities located in Oregon and Ireland. The company had planned for this new process to be ready by the end of 2023, a target that has now been met. Currently, the Intel 3 process is being used to produce the latest Xeon 6 CPUs, which are primarily designed for data centers. Intel 3 is notable for being an enhanced version of the Intel 4 node, introduced last year as Intel's first application of ASML's Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology. The new 3nm node boasts up to 18% improved performance at the same level of power consumption compared to its predecessor, along with a transistor density that is up to 10% greater.
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Samsung 990 EVO Plus and PRO SSD: Trademark Registration and Expected Launch Details

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 0

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Samsung has applied for the trademark "990 EVO Plus," as revealed by the Korea Industrial Property Information Service Center (KIPRIS). This trademark falls under the storage product category, including USB flash drives, NAND flash memories, and solid-state drives (SSDs). This registration suggests that Samsung is preparing to launch an enhanced version of its existing 990 EVO SSD, to be named the 990 EVO Plus. The "990 EVO Plus" is anticipated to bring improvements over its predecessor, potentially offering better performance and storage capabilities. Samsung's current 990 EVO series is known for its reliable performance, and the addition of the "Plus" variant indicates a likely upgrade in speed, efficiency, or capacity. 
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Intel (again) Addresses Instability in 13th and 14th Gen Core i5/i7 CPUs with New Microcode

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 72

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Intel once again has announced new measures to address instability issues found in some 13th and 14th Gen Core “Raptor Lake” processors, specifically targeting Core i5 and i7 models. Despite these efforts, a final solution has yet to be found. The company has introduced two key steps to mitigate the problem. First, new Baseline and Late Default settings will be provided to motherboard manufacturers. These settings, when flashed into the motherboard BIOS, ensure that processors operate within Intel’s recommended specifications. Users will need to manually update their BIOS to implement these settings, a task that is often viewed as cumbersome and unpopular.
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AMD Investigates Cybersecurity Breach

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 5

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Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) announced that it is investigating a potential cybersecurity breach following claims by a group identified as "IntelBroker." The group alleges that it has accessed and stolen AMD's sensitive data, including information on future products, customer databases, and financial records. IntelBroker, known for previous breaches involving major organizations such as HSBC, Barclays, T-Mobile, and others, has allegedly obtained two primary categories of data from AMD: intellectual property (IP) and business information. The stolen IP reportedly includes files related to device firmware, ROMs, source code, IP files, future product plans, and technical specifications. The business information compromised allegedly comprises employee databases, customer databases, financial information, user IDs, job designations, employment statuses, and business phone numbers.
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Lexar ARMOR 700 Portable SSD 2TB review - Going for 2GB/sec

Memory (DDR4/DDR5) and Storage (SSD/NVMe) 379 Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 0

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The ARMOR 700 Portable SSD is designed for travel, featuring a tough build that's dust- and water-resistant with an IP66 rating. It can also withstand drops from up to 3 meters. Ideal for professional photographers, videographers, and content creators, this drive uses the latest USB 3.2 Gen2 x2 technology and offers fast NVMe performance, reaching speeds of 2000 MB/sec. It's excellent for enhancing the performance of gaming consoles and editing stations.
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Fractal Design Mood Mini-ITX Case with Fabric Material: Detailed Specifications and Release Date

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 1

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Fractal Design's "Mood" Mini-ITX case, a highlight at COMPUTEX 2024, is set for domestic release on June 28, 2024, announced by Ask Corporation, the Japanese distributor of Fractal Design. The case will be available in light gray and black, with an expected market price of approximately $255. This case, resembling a speaker or woofer, features fabric material on three sides and a combination of punched holes and mesh on the remaining side to facilitate efficient air intake for the graphics card.
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Nvidia Becomes Worlds Most Valuable Company Amid AI Boom

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 44

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Nvidia has surpassed Microsoft and Apple to become the most valuable company in the world, driven by the surging demand for processors that power generative AI systems like ChatGPT. On Tuesday, Nvidia's market capitalization reached $3.332 trillion. Analysts, according to the Financial Times, are still surprised by Nvidia's meteoric rise. The company's share price has increased by over 170 percent since the beginning of the year. Nvidia's chips have become critical for training and operating the large language models that are foundational to the current AI surge. Tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are eager to integrate Nvidia's new Hopper GPU series into their AI cloud services.
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JONSBO T6: Detailed Overview of Mini-ITX Case with Wooden Handle and Headset Hanger

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 1

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JONSBO introduced the T6, a Mini-ITX case featuring a wooden handle that doubles as a headset hanger. Available in black and silver, the case is constructed from 3mm thick aluminum with a tempered glass right side panel and a walnut panel on the lower front side. The top-mounted, detachable walnut handle can be repositioned to the front, serving as a figure stand or headset hanger. The T6's motherboard is installed in an inverted position. It includes two 2.5-inch drive bays and supports one 120/140mm front cooling fan and one 120mm rear cooling fan. The case has two expansion slots, accommodating graphics cards up to 215mm in length, power supply units with a maximum depth of 140mm, and CPU coolers up to 160mm in height. The I/O ports include one USB Type-C, one USB 3.0 Type-A, and one audio jack. The case dimensions are 185mm in width, 223mm in depth, and 332mm in height, with a weight of 3.5kg and a volume of approximately 13.7 liters.
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CORSAIR iCUE LINK LX RGB Series Fans with Magnetic Dome Bearings

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 2

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CORSAIR has announced the release of the iCUE LINK LX RGB series cooling fans, compatible with the iCUE LINK ecosystem. Available in 120mm and 140mm sizes, and in black and white colors, these fans utilize magnetic dome bearings that offer low friction, reduced noise, and extended lifespan. The AIRGUIDE technology directs airflow towards heat sources for efficient cooling performance. The fans are equipped with 18 addressable RGB LEDs, which can be controlled using the iCUE 5 utility to customize colors and lighting patterns. The latest QuikTurn screw allows for quick and secure fan installation.
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Realtek New 5 Gbps Ethernet Switch Platform: Finally affordable High-Speed Switches?

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 17

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Realtek introduced a 5 Gbps switch platform at Computex, aiming to make high-speed Ethernet switches more affordable for consumers. Central to this platform is the RTL9303, an eight-port 10 Gbps switch controller originally released as a low-cost 10 Gbps switch IC. Despite its initial release, it did not gain widespread adoption due to its reliance on third-party PHYs. The RTL9303 is built around an 800 MHz MIPS 34Kc CPU and supports up to 1 GB of DDR3 RAM and 64 MB of SPI NOR Flash for firmware storage. Realtek’s quad-port 5GbE switch platform includes five primary chips: one RTL9303 switch system-on-chip and four RTL8251B 5GbE physical interfaces (PHYs). This platform also incorporates various other components, such as power management ICs, primarily developed in-house, contributing to its cost-effectiveness.
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First Reviews of Snapdragon X Elite SoC in Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Reveal Performance Shortcomings

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 13

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The first reviews of the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite SoC in the Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED are coming online, and it seems it falls short of expected performance levels. These preliminary findings suggest it's too early to judge Qualcomm's performance claims solely based on the Vivobook S 15 OLED. Further testing with devices from other brands will provide more insight into its capabilities. The Vivobook S 15 OLED includes a 70 Wh battery, which generally offers longer battery life than many notebooks from AMD or Intel. However, Apple's MacBook Air 15 M3, despite having a slightly smaller 66.5 Wh battery, surpasses it by about 40% in battery life. The Snapdragon X Elite handles basic tasks like web browsing and video playback well, but battery life decreases significantly under more intensive usage.
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Taiwan IT Authority Report Telnet Backdoor Vulnerability in D-Link Routers

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 1

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The Taiwanese IT authority, Taiwan Computer Emergency Response Team/Coordination Center (TCERT/CC), has identified a vulnerability in D-Link routers that allows unauthorized access via a Telnet backdoor. This issue, which the manufacturer had not previously disclosed, was detailed in a recent alert by TCERT/CC. According to the alert, attackers can exploit this vulnerability by accessing a specific URL through the Local Area Network (LAN), which activates Telnet on the router. Once Telnet is activated, attackers can gain administrative rights, potentially compromising the security of the affected devices.
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ASMedia Showcased a USB4 V2 80/120Gbps PHY Chip

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 4

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ASMedia Technology Inc. demonstrated its USB4 V2 physical layer (PHY) chips, achieving 80Gbps and 120Gbps transfer rates, at the 2024 Taipei International Computer Show. USB-IF released the USB4 V2 specification in October 2022, incorporating the new PAM3 signal encoding format to expand USB4 bandwidth from 40Gbps peer-to-peer to 80Gbps peer-to-peer and asymmetric 120/40Gbps. The PHY chip showcased by ASMedia is a key component in the USB4 V2 solution, aiming to enhance USB transmission speeds.
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YEYIAN Unveils MIRAGE Gaming PC Cases and Desktops with Advanced Cooling and AI Capabilities

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 0

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YEYIAN GAMING has introduced the MIRAGE X E-ATX full-tower PC cases and two MIRAGE-housed gaming desktop models. These products support NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4000 and 4000 SUPER series graphics cards, 13th and 14th gen Intel Core, and AMD Ryzen 9 processors. They are designed for optimal thermal performance, advanced cable management, and enhanced gaming experiences for gamers and content creators needing AI-enhanced computing power.
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AMD Zen5 and Ryzen 9000 Series Launch Dates Revealed by Retailers

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 10

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Retailers have hinted at the launch dates for AMD's Zen5 series. The AMD Ryzen AI 300 series is set to launch on July 15, with Ryzen 9000 series sales starting on July 31. AMD has confirmed a release next month but has not specified exact dates. Listings from various retailers, including B&H and BestBuy, indicate these availability dates. B&H lists the Ryzen 9000 series for preorder on July 31, suggesting a potential hard release on this date. BestBuy shows a July 15 launch for an ASUS laptop with the Ryzen AI 300 CPU. AMD has announced 100 design wins featuring Ryzen AI processors, including laptops, Mini-PCs, and possibly handhelds. These launches are anticipated before Intel's next-gen Lion Cove/Skymont CPUs, expected in Q3 for mobile and Q4 for desktop.
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Review: XFX Mercury Radeon RX 7900 XTX Magnetic Air (Replaceable Fans)

Graphics cards 1076 Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 30

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XFX has reintroduced its powerful Radeon RX 7900 XTX Magnetic Air graphics card, now featuring an innovative design with detachable, magnetically levitating fans. This latest model stands as the fastest in XFX's lineup, combining high performance with unique customization options. Right out of the box, the card is enhanced by the manufacturer to deliver optimal performance, showcasing not only its capability but also its striking appearance.
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ASUS RT-BE92U Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Router with USB Tethering Support: Technical Specifications and Features

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 1

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ASUS has introduced the RT-BE92U, a tri-band Wi-Fi 7 router designed to enhance home networking. Announced on June 17, 2024, this router is equipped with advanced features for high-speed and reliable connectivity. The RT-BE92U supports a 320MHz channel width and 4096-QAM modulation, enabling data transfer rates up to 5,764Mbps in the 6GHz band. The router also incorporates Multi-Link Operation (MLO), which enhances data stability by simultaneously linking multiple frequency bands. Additionally, users can configure up to three separate SSIDs using the Smart Home Master feature. The AiMesh technology ensures comprehensive coverage throughout the home by integrating multiple ASUS routers into a single network.
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ViewSonic CDE92UW: Technical Specifications of 92-Inch 5K Ultra-Wide Smart Display with Android 13

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 0

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ViewSonic Corporation announced the 92-inch ultra-wide smart display "CDE92UW" on June 14, 2024. This display supports 5K resolution and features a 21:9 aspect ratio, optimized for Microsoft Teams Rooms' Front Row layout, making it suitable for online meetings. It is equipped with a high-performance octa-core SoC and runs on Android 13, enhancing its use for digital signage applications. The CDE92UW offers a maximum brightness of 500 cd/m² and includes interfaces such as HDMI 2.0/2.1, DisplayPort, USB Type-C with 100W power delivery, and RS232. It also supports wireless screen sharing through myViewBoard Display and vCast. The display can be installed both vertically and horizontally and can be managed in bulk using the dedicated utility, ViewSonic Manager. The CDE92UW is scheduled for release in July 2024.
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Samsung enables stacking HBM memory on CPU or GPU SAINT-D HBM scheduled for 2024 rollout

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 0

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Samsung plans to launch its 3D packaging services for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) in 2024, as reported by the Korea Economic Daily. This information was revealed at the Samsung Foundry Forum 2024 in San Jose and corroborated by industry sources. The new 3D packaging technology, called SAINT (Samsung Advanced Interconnect Technology), encompasses three distinct stacking methods: SAINT-S for SRAM, SAINT-L for logic, and SAINT-D for DRAM stacking on top of logic chips like CPUs or GPUs. Samsung has been developing SAINT-D for several years and formally announced it in 2022. The technology is now expected to be production-ready in 2024, marking a significant milestone for Samsung, the world's largest memory manufacturer and a leading foundry.
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Optical PCIe 7.0 Achieves 128 GT/s: A Technical Milestone

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 8

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The recent demonstration of optical PCIe 7.0 connectivity reaching 128 GT/s marks a significant technical achievement in the field of high-speed interconnections. This demonstration took place at the PCI-SIG DevCon 2024, where Cadence showcased its proprietary optical connectivity solution for PCIe 7.0. Although the PCIe 7.0 specification has not yet been finalized, this proof-of-concept highlights the potential of optical technology in enhancing data transmission speeds and reducing latency. At the event, Cadence presented the transmission and reception capabilities of its 128 GT/s PCIe 7.0 IP using a practical, low-latency, non-retimed, linear optical connection. The setup consistently achieved a pre-FEC BER of approximately 3E-8, which is well within the PCIe specification requirement of 1E-6. This achievement represents the first stable demonstration of 128 GT/s over standard optical connectors. The receiver Eye PAM4 histograms, showcased by Cadence, displayed excellent linearity and margin, underscoring the robustness of the optical connection.
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Optoma Announces High Brightness, True 4K UHD Fixed Lens Laser Projectors

Published by Hilbert Hagedoorn 0

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Optoma introduced at InfoComm 2024 two new fixed lens, 4K UHD laser projectors designed to bring high brightness, dependability, and cutting-edge image technology to the professional installation market. The Optoma ZK810T and ZK810TST, short throw option, projectors deliver in spades on brightness and accurate color reproduction, along with installation flexibility and lifetime reliability, bringing to  imagery and captivating content. 
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