Tag Archives: PC

Games, Gaming, News, Playstation

Playstation user will have future opportunities on testing more than firmwares in the future

Sony has recently announced an exciting new beta program for Playstation users, aimed to let gamers to have a “more consolidated way” to test new features across “a wide range of PlayStation experiences.”. This initiative allows selected participants to experience and provide feedback on new games testing on both PS5 and Playstation games for PC.

The Beta Program at PlayStation will create an easy, centralized place for you to register your interest in a range of future PlayStation betas. A single registration for Beta Program at PlayStation will allow you to express interest in gaining beta access to test participating games for the PS5 console and PC, new PS5 console features, PlayStation App features, and even user experience features on PlayStation.com. You only need to sign up once to express interest in these various betas, and if you receive an invitation to a specific beta, it’s up to you to decide whether you’d like to participate or not.

According to the official blog, the requirements are:

  • Players must have a valid account for PlayStation Network in good standing with a current email address. Accounts with restrictions or violations may not be eligible for participation.
  • Players must live in the region where Beta Program at PlayStation is available.
  • Players must meet the legal age requirement for their region.

It is important to notice (and as expected on the nature of testing and BETAs), gamers needs to have their expectations clear in terms that there will be moments where a test phase could have its space will be limited and signing up won’t guarantee acceptance for specific opportunities.

Featured, Gaming, Hardware/Console, News, PC

AMD Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT are officially (re)announced

AMD has officially unveiled its latest graphics card, the Radeon RX 9070 XT, alongside its sibling, the RX 9070. These GPUs are built on AMD’s cutting-edge RDNA 4 architecture, promising a blend of high performance, efficiency, and affordability. Here’s everything you need to know about this exciting release.

Price and Availability

The Radeon RX 9070 XT is priced at $599, while the RX 9070 starts at $549. Both models are set to hit the market globally on March 6, 2025. This aggressive pricing strategy positions AMD as a strong competitor to NVIDIA, particularly against the RTX 5070 Ti, which is priced at $749.

The RX 9070 XT boasts impressive performance metrics:

  • Up to 51% faster than its predecessor, the RX 6900 XT, in 4K gaming.
  • Enhanced ray tracing capabilities with third-generation ray accelerators.
  • Improved AI-driven upscaling, thanks to second-generation AI accelerators.

AMD claims that the RX 9070 XT delivers comparable performance to NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 Ti but at a significantly lower price point. This makes it an attractive option for gamers seeking high-end performance without breaking the bank.

Key Features

  1. RDNA 4 Architecture: The new architecture introduces dynamic register allocation for better resource utilization and enhanced compute units for improved parallel processing.
  2. Memory Management: Optimized memory bandwidth usage ensures faster data processing and reduced latency.
  3. FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 (FSR 4): The latest iteration of AMD’s upscaling technology offers sharper visuals and higher frame rates, making it ideal for demanding gaming scenarios.

AMD’s pricing strategy and technological advancements send a clear message to the GPU market: high-performance gaming doesn’t have to come at a premium price. By undercutting NVIDIA’s pricing while delivering comparable or superior performance, AMD is poised to dominate the mid-to-high-end GPU segment in 2025.

Fidelity Super Resolution 4 is an RDNA4 exclusive

AMD has also re-confirmed that FSR 4 utilizes FP8 capabilities of RDNA 4’s 2nd gen AI accelerators, which means older generation will have to resort in the possibility of backporting FSR 4 or its subsets to older cards, but the alternative is currently unknown if AMD is doing the effort.

What is official is that FSR 4 promises to offer up to a 3.7x fps boost at 4K with ray tracing enabled. Essentially, Hypr-RX enables all aforementioned features for a game with a single click in the Adrenalin driver.

RDNA 4 cards will ship with Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition 25.3.1 that offers a few nifty AI-powered features while largely retaining the familiar interface.

The latest Adrenalin offers Radeon Image Sharpening 2 that offers system-wide image sharpening without reliance on any third-party API. There’s support for up to 8K 75 fps video codec acceleration and hardware flip metering, leveraging the changes to the media engine in RDNA 4.

AMD is also bundling a few utilities with Adrenalin 25.3.1 including AMD Chat, Image Inspector, and AI Apps Manager.

Featured, Gaming, Hardware/Console, News, PC

The greatest challenge of Nvidia with RTX GeForce 5090 yet

The Nvidia RTX GeForce 5090, part of Nvidia’s latest lineup of graphics cards, has been making headlines for both its impressive performance and some unexpected issues. While the card boasts cutting-edge technology and significant improvements over its predecessors, it has also encountered a few notable problems that have left some users frustrated.

Underperformance and Missing ROPs

One of the most significant issues reported with the RTX 5090 is underperformance due to missing ROPs (Raster Operations Pipelines). ROPs are crucial components in a GPU that handle tasks such as anti-aliasing, Z and color compression, and writing pixels to the output buffer. Essentially, they play a vital role in rendering graphics in PC games.

Nvidia confirmed that a small percentage of RTX 5090 and 5070 Ti GPUs were shipped with one fewer ROP than specified, leading to a performance drop of around 4%. This issue affects less than 0.5% of the units, but it has caused noticeable performance degradation in affected cards. Users have reported that their GPUs are underperforming compared to Nvidia’s Founders Edition and other custom designs.

Another problem plaguing the RTX 5090 is frequent crashing during gameplay. Users have reported that their games crash to the desktop, often accompanied by error messages related to the GPU. This issue has been linked to driver problems, with some users experiencing black screens, freezes, and system reboots. Nvidia has been working on driver updates to address these issues, but the problem persists for some users.

What are ROPs?

ROPs, or Raster Operations Pipelines, are an essential part of a GPU’s architecture. They are responsible for several critical tasks in the rendering process, including:

  • Anti-Aliasing: ROPs help smooth out jagged edges in images, making them appear more realistic.
  • Z and Color Compression: They handle the compression of depth (Z) and color data, which helps improve performance and reduce memory usage.
  • Pixel Output: ROPs write the final pixel data to the output buffer, which is then displayed on the screen.

In modern GPUs, the number of ROPs can significantly impact performance, especially in graphically intensive applications. A higher number of ROPs generally means better performance, as the GPU can handle more rendering tasks simultaneously.

While the Nvidia RTX GeForce 5090 is a powerful and advanced graphics card, it has faced some challenges since its release. Issues such as underperformance due to missing ROPs and frequent crashing have affected a small percentage of users. Nvidia has acknowledged these problems and is working on solutions, including driver updates and replacements for affected units.

Despite these setbacks, the RTX 5090 remains a top choice for gamers and professionals seeking high-performance graphics capabilities.

Gaming, Hardware/Console, PC

Nvidia Ends PhysX Support with RTX 50 Series

Nvidia has officially retired 32-bit PhysX support on its latest RTX 50 series GPUs, marking the end of an era for the once heavily marketed physics simulation technology. This move comes as Nvidia deprecates 32-bit CUDA applications starting with the RTX 50 series.

PhysX, originally developed by Ageia in 2004 and later acquired by Nvidia, was a proprietary physics simulation SDK capable of processing ragdolls, cloth simulation, particles, volumetric fluid simulation, and other physics-focused graphical effects. It was integrated into several notable AAA games, including the Batman Arkham trilogy, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, Borderlands 2, Metro: Last Light, Metro: Exodus, Metro 2033, Mirror’s Edge, The Witcher 3, and some older Assassin’s Creed titles.

PhysX was designed to run physics calculations on the GPU rather than the CPU, allowing for significantly greater rendering performance for physics-related graphical effects. This resulted in higher frame rates and improved quality of physics effects compared to what could be achieved on a CPU.

Despite its initial success, PhysX’s adoption slowed significantly by the late 2010s as developers moved towards more flexible, cross-platform physics engines. The biggest drawback of PhysX was its strict requirement for an Nvidia GPU, preventing it from being used on competing GPUs, consoles, and smartphones. Nvidia also gradually removed support for some PhysX features, contributing to its decline.

The End of PhysX on RTX 50 Series

With no known 64-bit games using PhysX, Nvidia has decided to end support for 32-bit PhysX on the RTX 50 series GPUs. This means that games from the 2000s and early 2010s that relied on PhysX for particle and clothing effects will no longer benefit from the technology on the latest Nvidia GPUs.

For those who still want to use PhysX, the only solution is to install an older RTX 40 series or earlier graphics card and dedicate it to PhysX processing in the Nvidia control panel.

The retirement of PhysX on the RTX 50 series marks the end of an almost lifelike era in gaming physics. While it was a groundbreaking technology in its prime, the shift towards more versatile and cross-platform solutions has rendered it obsolete. As we move forward, it will be interesting to see what new innovations Nvidia brings to the table.

Business, Gaming, Hardware/Console, News

AMD closes the year 2024 in green and with official release of RDNA4

AMD reported record revenue of $7.7 billion for Q4 2024, which was a 24% increase year-over-year. The company also achieved a gross margin of 51% and a non-GAAP gross margin of 54%. For the full year 2024, AMD reported record revenue of $25.8 billion, a 14% increase from the previous year. The company’s operating income for the year was $1.9 billion, and net income was $1.6 billion.

AMD’s CEO, Dr. Lisa Su, highlighted that 2024 was a transformative year for the company, with significant growth in their Data Center segment and strong earnings expansion.

The company also saw record revenue from its AMD Instinct accelerator products.

Of course RDNA4 and the Radeon RX 9070 XT family topic could not be avoided on the conference call with AMD’s inverstor.

And with this, Lisa Su confirmed the launch of their next-generation RDNA 4 architecture and the Radeon RX 9070 XT graphics card. Scheduled for release on March 6, 2025, these GPUs are set to revolutionize the mainstream and mid-range gaming market.

A review of all that is currently public knowledge…

RDNA 4 marks a significant leap forward for AMD, focusing on improved ray tracing performance and AI-powered upscaling technology. The architecture will utilize a 4nm TSMC process node, enhancing density and efficiency3. Key features include:

  • Optimized Compute Units (CUs): RDNA 4 introduces optimized CUs for better performance.
  • Supercharged AI Compute: Enhanced AI capabilities for advanced upscaling and image stabilization.
  • Improved Ray Tracing: Significantly better ray tracing performance compared to previous generations.
  • Better Media Encoding: Enhanced media encoding quality for a smoother gaming experience.

Radeon RX 9070 XT: Specifications and Performance

The Radeon RX 9070 XT is AMD’s flagship offering in the RDNA 4 lineup. Here are the key specifications:

  • Stream Processors: 4,096 SPs
  • Compute Units: 64 CUs
  • Memory: 16GB GDDR6 with a 256-bit memory bus
  • Memory Speed: 20 Gbps
  • Bandwidth: 640 GB/s
  • Base / Boost Clocks: 2.40 GHz / 2.97 GHz
  • PCIe Support: PCIe 5.0

The RX 9070 XT is designed to compete with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, offering top-tier performance at a more affordable price. AMD’s focus on mainstream gaming means the RX 9070 XT aims to provide high-quality 4K gaming experiences with improved ray tracing and AI-powered upscaling.

Gaming, Hardware/Console, News, PC

Valve Denies Rumors of Returning to Gaming Console Market with New Steam Machines

Valve, the renowned developer behind the Steam platform, has officially denied rumors suggesting it is planning to re-enter the gaming console market with a new line of Steam Machines. The speculation arose from a leak by well-known industry insider eXtas1s, who claimed that Valve was working on a new console to rival the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

Original video:

According to eXtas1s, Valve is collaborating with AMD to utilize their upcoming RDNA 4 technology for this new console.

The rumor suggested that Valve’s new console would be a significant step up from the Steam Deck, aiming to offer a more powerful gaming experience. However, Valve has firmly denied these claims via a clarification that the changes on a Mesa patch change is about the Vulkan support within the Open Source RADV Radeon Driver for RDNA4 and nothing much else:

This initial support should be good enough but it’s missing two features (cooperative matrix and video decode/encode) compared to GFX11 (RDNA3) because lack of time.

DCC is still under active development but it might be possible to finish it during the RC period.

Valve’s previous attempt to enter the console market with Steam Machines in 2015 was met with limited success. The concept behind Steam Machines was to provide small PCs, either made by Valve or other manufacturers, running SteamOS (with the option to boot Windows). Despite the innovative idea, the Steam Machines did not achieve the expected success due to various factors, including limited game compatibility and high prices.

In recent years, Valve has focused on the success of the Steam Deck, a handheld gaming device that has gained popularity among gamers. The company has sold “multiple millions” of the device since its release, although exact sales figures have not been disclosed. The Steam Deck’s success has been attributed to its portability, performance, and the extensive library of games available on Steam.

Games, Gaming, News, PC

Electronic Arts will officially sunset Origin PC launcher

While it shouldn’t be a surprise for those following up this topic, Electronic Arts has announced the end of its 14-year-old Origin PC Launcher. The decision to sunset Origin comes as a response to the decline in 32-bit software support, with Windows 11 no longer supporting 32-bit applications. This move marks a significant shift for EA, as it transitions users to its newer EA app.

Origin was launched in 2011 as EA’s answer to Valve’s Steam platform. The goal was to create a dedicated storefront and launcher for EA’s games, allowing the company to retain more revenue by bypassing third-party platforms.

However, Origin faced criticism and unpopularity among users due to its lack of features compared to Steam and its controversial decision to pull titles like Crysis 2 from Steam.

Despite these challenges, Origin remained a staple for EA gamers, especially for older titles that were not available on other platforms. Over the years, EA attempted to migrate users to its newer EA app, which launched in 2022 with a more modern interface and improved features.

Transition to the EA App

Starting April 17, 2025, the Origin PC Launcher will cease to function, and users will be directed to install the EA app. EA has assured users that their local and cloud saves, as well as their friend lists, will sync seamlessly between Origin and the EA app.

Additionally, users can merge their Origin friend lists with those on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation.

However, there are some caveats. Mods may not transfer to the EA app, and users will need to check with mod creators to see if their content can be transferred. For those switching to a new device, redownloading games and manually transferring data will be necessary.

To use the EA app, PC users will need a 64-bit version of Windows 11 or Windows 10, while Mac users will need macOS Catalina 10.15.5 or later. This requirement aligns with the broader industry shift away from 32-bit software support1.

The sunsetting of Origin marks the end of an era for EA gamers. While the transition to the EA app may come with its challenges, it also represents a step towards a more unified and modern gaming experience.

As EA continues to evolve its platform, it remains to be seen how the gaming community will respond to these changes.

Breaking, Games, Gaming, News, PC

SMITE 2 will go Free-to-Play this year

Hi-Rez Studios has announced that SMITE 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the popular third-person MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) game, will transition to a free-to-play model starting January 14, 2025. This move marks a significant milestone for the franchise, as it opens up the game to a broader audience.

The Backstory of SMITE

SMITE first launched in 2014, introducing players to a unique third-person perspective that set it apart from traditional top-down MOBAs. Players could choose from a variety of gods and goddesses from different mythologies, each with unique abilities. Over the years, Hi-Rez Studios has consistently updated the game, introducing new gods, maps, and game modes to keep the experience fresh and engaging.

The franchise has also made a name for itself in the competitive gaming scene, with the launch of the SMITE World Championship in 2015. This annual event showcases the best teams from around the world and has helped solidify SMITE’s place in the esports community.

What’s New in SMITE 2?

With the transition to a free-to-play model, SMITE 2 will introduce several new features and improvements. Players can look forward to:

  • 45 Gods: Including new additions like Aladdin, who brings a fresh playstyle inspired by the Disney movie.
  • New Game Modes: Joust and Duel modes, with an alpha version of Assault mode also being tested.
  • Enhanced Graphics and Mechanics: Improved visuals and smoother gameplay mechanics.
  • Community Engagement: Hi-Rez Studios continues to seek player feedback and foster a sense of community through events and updates.

As SMITE 2 enters its open beta phase, the future looks bright for this beloved franchise. The transition to free-to-play is expected to attract both veteran players and newcomers, ensuring that the game remains a staple in the world of MOBAs.

CES 2025, Events, Gaming, Hardware/Console, News, PC

Lenovo will keep grinding with Lenovo Go S & Go 2

Beside the proper offering in base of the recent announcements of both AMD and Nvidia, Lenovo did wanted to also use CS 2025 as a platform to announce what is next in their effort for portable PC Gaming with its Lenovo Go brand and we got not one, but two devices.

First, Lenovo confirmed the Lenovo Go S, a entry-level variant of the Lenovo Go original and will have the exclusive Go variant of the recently announced AMD Ryzen Z2 as part of your consideration.

The Lenovo Go S’ specs goes as follows:

  • Display: 8-inch WUXGA 16:10 PureSight touch display with 120Hz refresh rate.
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen Z2 Go or Z1 Extreme processors.
  • RAM: Up to 32GB of 7500Mhz LPDDR5X RAM.
  • Battery: 55.5Whr battery.
  • Operating System: Runs Windows 11.
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6e support, two USB 4 ports, microSD card reader.

Despite not being a powerhouse in comparison with the original Legion Go, the Lenovo Legion Go S will actually be one of the few handhelds on the market to offer a 120Hz variable refresh rate screen, physically possible due the screen being with a 1920 x 1200 resolution.

The Legion Go S is expected to launch this month at a $499 price that includes 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage and with $100 more, you get 32GB RAM.

But wait… there’s more with SteamOS

A surprising note is that Lenovo and Valve are in a partnership which will bring a “Powered by SteamOs” variant of the Lenovo Go S with Valve adding:

With Lenovo’s announcement at CES 2025 of the Lenovo Legion Go S, we are pleased to share that their “Powered by SteamOS” model is the first handheld officially licensed to ship with Valve’s SteamOS. We built this operating system to provide a seamless user experience optimized for gaming, while retaining access to the power and flexibility of a PC. SteamOS is the same operating system we run on Steam Deck, and the team is making updates to ensure it fully supports the Lenovo Legion Go S and provides the same seamless experience customers expect.

In addition, the same work that we are doing to support the Lenovo Legion Go S will improve compatibility with other handhelds. Ahead of Legion Go S shipping, we will be shipping a beta of SteamOS which should improve the experience on other handhelds, and users can download and test this themselves. And of course we’ll continue adding support and improving the experience with future releases.

Despite sharing the same tech spec, the SteamOs variant of the Lenovo Go S will not lauch along the regular Windows 11 based device, but will do so by May at a $499 cost for a model with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

About the Legion Go 2

Lenovo of course showed the Legion Go S as a proper “follow-up” for the Legion Go, but the true successor is officially in development and slated to be launch this very 2025.

Also, the company said that we should expect its specs to include the Ryzen Z2 Extreme with a 8.8-inch 144Hz OLED screen with VRR ready, and a big 74Wh battery.

CES 2025, Events, Gaming, Hardware/Console, News, PC, Technology

Summary of all things Razer announced at CES 2025

Known to be one of the original gaming peripherals and PC gaming accessories even before PC gaming became a big thing it is today, Razer hasn’t been shy to use events like CES 2025 to not only announced official products and their follow-ups, but also concepts that might or not end being official products and this year wasn’t the exception.

The announcement about an official product is the Razer Blade 16 gaming laptop, which is thinner than ever at just 0.59 inches.

This model features AMD Ryzen AI processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 GPUs, along with a 240Hz display and needless to say that the Razer he Blade 16 is designed for gamers who demand high performance in a sleek, portable form factor.

Other announcement for an official product is the new Razer Aether Standing Light Bars feature Chroma RGB lighting and can be used to light up both the player and the surroundings. These lights are smart-home compatible and offer reversible front-and-back dual lighting.

And if you are considering the Aether, I guess it won’t hurt you consider the Razer Monitor Stand Chroma and have Aether to complement it, as it provides additional desk space and includes RGB lighting and multiple USB ports. It is designed to help gamers create a more ergonomic and organized workspace.

Finally, the Handheld Dock Chroma is a “6-in-1” docking station that transforms phones, tablets, or handheld gaming devices “into powerful gaming consoles” with 100W power passthrough support for charging.

The Handheld Dock Chroma uses a USB-C cable to connect supported devices, including Android phones and tablets, iPads and iPhones with USB-C ports, Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and Razer’s own Edge Android gaming handheld.

The 2025 Razer Blade 16 is due out in the first quarter of this year, while the Razer Aether Standing Light Bars is scheduled to be launch on Q1 2025 at a $99 MSRP, the Monitor Stand Chrome will be priced at $199 but no release date was chares and finally, the Handheld Dock Chroma will be the earliest product to be launch with a January 30th release date, targeting the S79.99 price.

And now… the concepts that are labeled as “Projects”

Project Arielle

Razer introduced Project Arielle, the world’s first mesh gaming chair with integrated heating and cooling using bladeless fan technology and Razer used its other chair, the Fujin Pro, as a base for the designing of Arielle.

One of the features of the chair is that it can reduce the perceived temperature by 2°C to 5°C and provide up to 30°C of warm air. This innovative chair aims to enhance comfort for gamers in various climates.

Project Ava

And finally, Razer showcased Project Ava, an AI-powered tech that serves as an esports coach. Ava provides real-time feedback and coaching to help players improve their skills and optimize their gaming setups for better performance.

This AI coach can also ensure that players are always up-to-date with hardware, software, and firmware updates.

While again, conceptual products showcased on CES 2025 by Razer might or not being launched as official products, this wasn’t the exception that Razer didn’t make promises and it is around from Spring to Summer that concepts evolving to future products are announced, so if you are interested, stay tuned!