The invention of USB Type-C is a significant one. It brought the USB invention to the modern world. It ushered in a new era of standard connectivity. It is also a rather important aspect in the world of high wattage fast charging devices. It also allowed a single USB port to turn into so much more than just one port. It is a charging port, data port, DisplayPort, and even an HDMI port. Intel calls their own proprietary technology for a multipurpose USB Type-C the Thunderbolt technology.
Thunderbolt technically did not start out as a USB technology though. Thunderbolt needed its own proprietary port to work on its own. That never really caught on. The USB Type-C 3.1 standards brought in an entirely new possibility with Thunderbolt. In its current standard, with the latest available Intel processor, Thunderbolt is in its fourth generation; hence, Thunderbolt 4.
Thunderbolt 4 brings about DisplayPort 1.4 capabilities alongside HDMI 2.0, up to 40Gbps data transfer speeds, and even 10 Gigabit networking. You can even charge laptops that require less than 100W charge speeds. All that, and you still have USB 3.0 capabilities with a USB dongle.
Thunderbolt 4 is impressive, but to keep up with the times, it needs an update. It needs to keep up with HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.0 standards. Intel does one better with USB4 v2. We are guessing that the next generation Thunderbolt would be named Thunderbolt 5 and still go along with USB Type-C port, but Intel might have a different idea when the first laptops arrive with USB4 v2 standards.
Instead of keeping up to DisplayPort 2.0, the new USB4 v2 standard is capable of DisplayPort 2.1 port standards. That also means that it can transfer up to 80 Gigabits every second in either direction. One way, up to 120 Gigabits of data can be transferred every second for the best type of display experience you can find on any device.
Like Thunderbolt 4, the new Thunderbolt standard can also support PCIe data throughput. That means you can plug in your GPU externally and make use of more powerful GPUs to run with your thin-and-light laptop. In this case, USB4 v2 is now capable of the lates PCIe 5.0 standards for twice the throughput from the previous Thunderbolt 4.
Intel says that the USB4 v2 standards will also be compatible with previous versions of Thunderbolt, USB, and DisplayPort. While it might simply mean that it will still be able to work with devices in the previous generation, it could also mean that Intel is sticking with USB Type-C as its main connection method. Even if they decided not to stick with USB Type-C, they might be able to get manufacturers and accessory makers play ball with their new designs.
The biggest thing that has happened to gaming for the past few years is not really the PlayStation 5 or the Xbox Series X. They are great, they are revolutionary, but they are rather regular and expected. You still need to be sat in one location and get it plugged to a display to fully enjoy them. The most important thing that has happened in gaming over the past few years is portable gaming, or mobile gaming.
What really started this handheld gaming phenomena is not really the smartphone. It is more to do with Nintendo’s Switch. Later, Steamdeck revolutionized the handheld gaming space again bringing the entire strength of Steam’s gaming library for PC games to a handheld device no bigger than a hard cover Harry Potter book.
Then Razer comes along with the Razer Edge. The Razer Edge is unique, not really a Nintendo Switch with exclusive titles. It is not exactly a Steamdeck competitor in the hardware space as well.
Source: Razer
Where the Steamdeck is powered by a swatch of PC like parts, AMD’s Zen 3 CPU with integrated GPU, for example, the Edge is made more like a smartphone. It is powered by Qualcomm’s snapdragon G3x Gen 1 platform. That is also an exclusive for Razer, the most powerful integrated processing chip that Qualcomm can produce at this time clocking up to 3GHz on it eight-core Kryo design.
It makes plenty of sense though the Razer Edge is not made to be a smartphone. It is made purely for gaming on the go and to be the best at it. But since it is Qualcomm, there is some smartphone qualities about the handheld device. You get to opt for 5G connectivity for example, so you can technically game anywhere you want to game. You also get WiFi 6E, which is technically still a brand-new technology even for the PC space.
If display quality is what you are looking for, the Steamdeck and Nintendo Switch has nothing on this handheld. It packs a 6.8-inch AMOLED display that refreshes at 144Hz boasting Full HD+ (2400 x 1080). It is technically the most advance display you can find on any handheld device in its class.
Source: Razer
So, what can a handheld device that is built purely for gaming with smartphone class hardware can do? It can run on Android, obviously. In that case, you can play Android games like PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends Bang Bang. It also comes with Epic Games Launcher app out-of-the-box which also means that it will run games like Fortnite and Rocket League Sideswipe with no issue.
It is not just made for mobile games though. It is designed with cloud gaming in mind too. So, if you have and active subscription on Nvidia GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming and you want to take them out to the world, you can.
That is not all though. While you will not be able to install PC games directly on your Razer Edge, you still can play them. The Razer Edge is the only handheld gaming device out there that comes with the ability to play Steam games at 144Hz via Steam Link remote play. You also get access to Moonlight, and Parsec. We are guessing that Razer might get PlayStation remote play available on the Razer Edge soon too. Sure, you want to be constantly connected to the internet, that is why you might want to get yourselves the 5G variant.
The Razer Edge is technically just an integrated handheld device that works like a smartphone. You can detach it from the new Razer Kishi V2 Pro that it will come with. That also means that you can even use the controllers with your smartphone, if you like. But then again, you would want to be using your Razer Edge for all your games.
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
The Razer Edge will be available only in the United States for now January 2023 onward. It will only be available in stores and Razer.com in its WiFi only variant at launch. Yes, there will also be a 5G variant as we mentioned, but it will only be available later and exclusively from Verizon. The WiFi variant of the Razer Edge will retail for US$ 399.99 (MYR 1,885*) at launch. Unfortunately, there are no mentions on its availability and official pricing in other regions currently. More information on the Razer Edge can be found on their website.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.71 as of 18/10/2022 on xe.com
Yes, you read that right. You read Bionic Shark Fans, not Fins, and you are reading that right, it is not a typo. Now that we got that out of the way, let us talk about NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4090 as envisioned by Gigabyte.
NVIDIA’s latest GeForce RTX 40 series promises a lot of performance and power. The ADA Lovelace architecture, as they call it, is claimed to be miles ahead of its competition and is significantly more powerful than NVIDIA’s older 30 series GPUs. Of course, we are all waiting to see if that claim can be substantiated.
While we are waiting around though, NVIDIA’s board partners are not. One of them, GIGABYTE has started introducing new GeForce RTX 4090 GPUs for the market. They did away with not just one GPU offering; they are offering four variants of the GeForce RTX 4090 alone.
AORUS MASTER
Source: GIGABYTE
First up is the AORUS MASTER GPU. Like all the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 cards released by Gigabyte, the AORUS MASTER offers better cooling performance with up to 30% more static pressure while reducing noise by up to 3dB. All this is possible thanks to Gigabyte’s latest WINDFORCE bionic shark fan design, and the AORUS MASTER gets three of them lined with RGB rings to keep the card cool in all kinds of conditions. Those are on top of larger heatsinks over the previous generation GPUs.
The AORUS MASTER cards also offer an LCD read out at the side of the card. The read out allows you to personalise your PC’s look even further with your own graphics and what not. If not, you can access and monitor critical stats like power consumption, GPU temperature, and even its fan speed.
To ensure that the GPU always works at optimal temperature, it is not just about having bigger coolers. It is also about using the right components in the construction of the card. That is why Gigabyte opted for aerospace grade PCB alongside Dual BIOS and 24+4 power phase design underneath an upgraded metal backplate to keep every component running at lower temperatures. Of course, the back plate also adds some rigidity to the card to minimise GPU sagging for a better look overall.
GIGABYTE GAMING OC
Source: GIGABYTE
Then there is the GIGABYTE GAMING OC card. It is no AORUS, but it is still an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU which also means it packs a lot of power. It comes with the same WINDFORCE fan blade design as the AORUS MASTER. The WINDFORCE fans also uses graphene nano lubricant that is supposed to extend the fan’s life by up to 2.1 times compared to regular double ball bearing fans. The GAMING OC GPU also has three of the WINDFORCE fans that comes with the same RGB Halo from the AORUS MASTER GPU to keep everything cool alongside ULTRA DURABLE certified components. Dual BIOS should keep the card operating at lower noise levels.
GIGABYTE WINDFORCE
Source: GIGABYTE
Sometimes you do not need the extremities that the AORUS MASTER offers. You do need the flashy RGB that the GAMING OC card offers too. You just want something that works. That is the GIGABYTE WINDFORCE NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 card.
It still packs the same WINDFORCE coolling system, which also means you should not be getting any less cooling performance with the entry-level GeForce RTX 4090 GPU from GIGABYTE. Like its more extreme brothers too, it has a large vapour chamber in direct contact with the GPU to keep everything cool and optimised. It even comes with Dual BIOS to keep things quiet when you need it to.
AORUS XTREME WATERFORCE
Source: GiGABYTE
The AORUS XTREME WATERFORCE is GIGABYTE’s answer to keeping the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 optimally cool in more extreme loads. It offers everything that the AORUS MASTER card offers, but with a slightly different cooling solution. Instead of relying on regular fan and heatsinks, it comes with a large water block and all-in-one aluminium radiator attached with three 120mm fans to keep things icy cold.
Space management with liquid cooling designs are usually quite complex. You want to think about the placement of the radiators, especially if you are also going with an all-in-one cooling solution for the CPU as well. To make things easier, the inlet and outlet ports are placed at the back of the card, so that it is easier to place the radiator. The pipes are also 460mm soft tubes to give you that extra flexibility in radiator placements.
GIGABYTE UD1000GM and UD850GM Power Supplies – PCIe 5.0 Empowerment
The new GPUs are rather power hungry with a quoted TDP of up to 450W. That is not even considering the spikes that the GPUs might go through from time to time. You need a power supply with a tonne of capacity. Since these are PCIe 5.0 cards too, you want your PSU to have PCIe 5.0 support out of the box for the best experience with the GPUs.
Introducing GIGABYTE’s UD1000GM and UD850GM 1000W and 850W power solutions made for PCIe 5.0 parts. As per PCIe 5.0 standards, the PSU offers a high-quality 16-pin connector that supports up to 600W of power output should your GPU need it. It is also a modular design with detachable cables for convenient cable management.
Price and Availability
There are no mentions on its local availability just yet. There are also no specific mentions on its pricing. You can expect the GPUs to be available once the reference cards from NVIDIA goes to market. You can also expect prices to be on the higher end of the scale compared to the reference cards with all the custom cooling solutions and components on their cards. More on GIGABYTE’s custom solutions for NVIDIA’s latest GeForce RTX 4090 GPUs can be found on their website.
AMD recently launched their new Zen 4 architecture platform in their Ryzen 7000 series CPUs. Yes, in case you have not known yet, the AMD Ryzen 5000 series is now outdated and is replaced with AMD’s brand-new Ryzen 7000 processors. Yes, benchmark numbers produced by AMD also shows rather promising figures too, they suggest performance numbers well beyond what their Ryzen 5000 Zen 3 processors can manage. They are promising larger performances even compared to their competitors too.
While the past few years of AMD’s Ryzen goodness have been backward compatible with their AM4 socket, the new Ryzen 7000 with Zen 4 kicks things off for a new generation of socket made for the future, the AM5 socket platform. Gone are the flimsy pins on the chip itself and in comes push pins on the board instead, for a less nerve-wrecking installation process.
While AMD can go on and on with how powerful and different their new processors are, their Ryzen 7000 chips are glorified paperweights if they cannot get on a proper motherboard. This is where ASUS comes sweeping in with brand new motherboards to support the new AM5 platform and take advantage of Zen 4 with the B650 chipset motherboards.
You want to keep in mind that the AMD B650 boards are not the top-of-the-line computing platforms you can get for AMD’s latest and greatest. For the most current ultimate AMD experience, you want to go for the X670 boards. The B650 then is a sort of budgeted performance boards for those looking to build a powerful system that does not break the bank.
For the Hardcore Gamers – The ROG Strix Series
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Everybody wants an ROG. That is also because they are known to make some of the best gaming gears and hardware in the market. For the AMD Ryzen 7000 they have the ROG Strix B650-E, B650-F, B650-I, and B650-A Gaming WiFi motherboards.
All of them comes with PCIe 5.0 drives of course. Only the ROG Strix B650-A does not carry any PCIe 5.0 x16 slots for peripherals. It is also the only one in the ROG Strix line-up that does not pack an I/O Shield. Then again, only the latest GPUs from NVIDIA are PCIe 5.0 peripherals. All of them support DDR5 memory though. True to their names too, they are all WiFi equipped boards.
The top-of-the-line ROG Strix B650-A comes with 16+2 teamed power stages with 8+8 ProCool power connectors for even more flexible overclocking on AMD’s Ryzen 7000 processors. It also features a tonne of heatsinks to cool two M.2 slots and its VRM. There are two additional M.2 slots too, on top of the two that are wrapped under heatsinks. To make installation much more convenient, the M.2 drives do not have to be screwed in; they are latched by ASUS’ clever Q-Latch system. There is also a USB FlashBack feature that allows the BIOS to be flashed even without a processor or GPU installed on the system. All you need is a USB drive and power supply. Its audio is also greatly improved with USB-based ALC4080 audio codec alongside a new Savitech SV3H712 amp for better experience when you work with audiophile gears.
For the Budget Gamers – The TUF Series
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
If you still want something tailored for gaming, but do not want to spend on an ROG, there is the TUF gaming series of motherboards. The B650 motherboards from TUF line-up offers all everything you need to fully take advantage of Ryzen’s 7000 series of processors Zen 4 architecture. You can choose between ATX or micro-ATX options for builds designed for smaller footprints.
Just because they are value offers for gamers, does not mean that they pack any less performance and features than their ROG cousins. You still get support for DDR5, PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, and onboard USB 3.2 2×2 Type-C ports for all sorts of stuff. Of course, all TUF boards also come with 2.5GBps ethernet ports for high-bandwidth internet connections and WiFi 6 in case you prefer things to be wireless.
For the Creators – The ProArt Series
Source: ASUS
The gaming market is not the only hotbed for high-performing computing solutions. The content creator market is still heating up and their appetite for high-performance machines has increased in recent years. They also need high-performing machines that are quiet and svelte when they need to be.
While contents take time to produce, speed in workflow is key in their projects. That is why having a PCIe 5.0 support on their M.2 slot is important. Plenty of content creator programs are memory hungry too, which also means that high-speed memory is important, you get that from new DDR5 RAM support. While the ProArt series only has PCIe 4.0 x16 slots as standard, it also means that users can fit up to two GPUs to handle all their content creation workflow needs in an x8/x8 confguration.
Of course, connectivity could be key in a shared worlkflow. You get 10GBps ethernet port as standard on your boards. At the same time, you can work without a dedicated GPU if you choose with a built-in DisplayPort 1.4 output on the board itself. On top of that, you get the versatility of a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C port support.
For the Value Hunters – The Prime Series
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
Source: ASUS
If you are just looking for something that does not break the bank but still take advantage of AMD’s latest and greatest, then look no further than the ASUS Prime series motherboards. It gives you the flexibility of using all sorts of budget cases and compat builds with ATX and micro-ATX solutions. It is the perfect daily driver, in ASUS’ books.
The ASUS prime B650 boards offer up to 2.5GBps networking port, PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, and DDR5 support across their boards, The boards also packs BIOS FlashBack feature that allows you to reset your BIOS and even update it with nothing more than a USB stick and working power supply. You do not get PCIe 5.0 x16 slots just yet, but you really are not missing out on much at this point of time.
Pricing and Availability
There are no mentions yet on their official pricing currently. There is also no promised availability date for the boards at this time, but we are expecting them to be available pretty soon. For more information on the ASUS B650 motherboards made for AMD Ryzen 7000 Zen 4 processors, you can head over to their website.
Acer’s Predator Gaming brand has one of the more diverse lineups of gaming laptops, peripherals and desktops. Their desktops have been one of the stars of their lineup bringing epic gaming performance together with price points that make sense.
Hot off the announcement of Intel’s 13th Generation Core processors, Acer is now bringing the new silicone to their Predator Orion 7000 desktops. The refreshed setup comes with a brand new Intel Core i9-13900K processor. However, Acer has opted to not refresh the Predator Orion 7000 with the latest NVIDIA RTX 40 series GPUs just yet. Instead, the Orion 7000 continues to come equipped with the NVIDIA RTX3090 and up to 64 GB of RAM.
Aside from the processor refresh, the Orion 7000 continues to use the same design launched last year. It comes with an EMI-compliant chassis which allows you to show off your setup and the flashy RGB lighting inside. The setup also features Predator FrostBlade 2.0 technology for cooling. With two 140mm fans in the front and a single 120mm fan in the back, cooling the system should be a breeze – literally. In addition to chassis cooling, the processor is also cooled by an AiO system with three Predator FrostBlade fans ensuring efficient cooling.
The system also comes with eye-catching ARGB so you can be as flashy as you want. The Predator Sense Software which comes pre-installed gives you more control of the cooling and optimisations for the PC. You can even set up device profiles and kick them into gear with the Predator Sense App on your smartphone or tablet.
Connectivity-wise, the Predator Orion 7000 comes with the Intel Killer E3100 2.5G Ethernet controller and Intel’s Killer WiFi 6E AX211 wireless module. These network adapters ensure that your gaming experience isn’t hindered by network bottlenecks and keep response rates high for gaming. It also comes with ample connectivity options with a splattering of ports including three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type C and two audio jacks on the top. There are three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, one USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, two USB 2.0 ports and three audio jacks on the back.
Pricing and Availability
Acer hasn’t announced any pricing or availability for the desktops just yet.
Acer is updating their most sustainable laptop – the Acer Aspire Vero – with 12th Generation Intel Core processors. The update brings even more power and battery efficiency thanks to a change in the microarchitecture compared to the previous generation.
The newly refreshed Aspire Vero comes with options for the 12th Generation Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors. Both come with Intel Xe Graphics built-in. They also feature 8GB of RAM with up to 512GB of SSD memory out of the box. This round, you’ll be able to upgrade to a maximum of 24GB of dual channel RAM.
Of course, the hallmark features of the Aspire Vero make a come back with the laptop featuring post consumer recycled plastics in the keycaps and cover as well as ocean bound plastics in the track pad. The trackpad of the new Aspire Vero uses a new surface treatment method which gives the laptop a glass-like feel for better user experience.
Acer is taking things up to another level with their new VeroSense application which comes pre-installed on all Vero products. The new application allows users to monitor their energy efficiency and device health. It goes without saying that the new VeroSense app also gives users the ability to kick the laptop into power saving mode which allows for better power efficiency.
Design-wise, the new Aspire Vero shares a lot in common with its predecessor. The laptop is designed to look and mirror the aesthetic of recycled products. The textured finish is also one of the more unique features of the laptop. It comes with the iconic mirrored “R” and “E” keycaps as well. The laptop also comes with the same recyclable packaging which won Acer the Red Dot Design Award in 2022.
Pricing & Availability
The new Acer Aspire Vero is now available in Malaysia. The laptop can be purchased from Acer’s official retail stores, the Acer eStore, Acer’s official stores on Lazada and Shopee and at authorised resellers nationwide.
The laptop will set you back MYR2,599 for the Core i5 version or MYR3,299 for the Core i7 version. Both versions come with Microsoft Windows 11 and Microsoft Office Home & Student 2021.
What can MYR 9,999 buy you? A lot of things, to be fair. You can get a decent gaming set-up complete with a cheap desk and a gaming chair. You can afford yourself a second-hand car. You can buy a motorcycle as well with that kind of money. If you are in a world where computing power is everything, where your work requires insane amount of computing power for rendering or 3D workflows, you can spend your money on this Lenovo ThinkStation P620 workstation.
First, the powerhouse that is Lenovo’s flagship ThinkStation P620 packs AMD’s most powerful processor of them all. The MYR 9,999 buys you a rather beefy powerhouse that is AMD’s most powerful Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5000WX series with up to 24 cores at your disposal. There are no 7000 series yet for the Threadripper line-up.
The 5000 series Threadripper also gives users of the ThinkStation P620 access to PCIe 4 slots for fast memory, storage, and even graphics. Thanks to Zen 3 architecture as well, L3 cache on the processor is directly accessible by every core for minimal latency. At the same time, with clock speeds up to 4.5Ghz, you would not be left wanting for more processing power for all your applications.
All this also means that your ThinkStation P620 can come packing up to two NVIDIA Quadro RTX A6000 GPUs for accelerated 3D and fluid dynamics workflow, especially important in the automotive and aeronautics industries. To ensure you have enough storage to store all your important projects, you can load it up with 20TB of fast storage as well. If you are working of a storage server, 10Gbps ethernet connection should suffice for you to edit your files and save them with no fuss.
This is a Lenovo product, which also means you get all of Lenovo’s support software and services. There is ThinkStation Diagnostics 2.0 to detemine the health of your machine throughout its functioning lifetime. ThinkShield support is also on hand to ensure that the machine stays working and properly secure.
The Lenovo ThinkStation P620 is available in Malaysia this month onward. As mentioned, the flagship workstation will be priced from MYR 9,999 onward. Of course, you do want to contact Lenovo directly to get your hands on one of these powerhouses. For more information on the Lenovo ThinkStation P620, you can visit their website.
AMD’s Ryzen 7000 processors are perhaps one of the most anticipated updates to the company’s lineup of processors since the first announcement of the Zen architecture. The new processors come with the new Zen 4 microarchitecture. The new microarchitecture promises better, more efficient performance and also allow for higher clock speeds.
With Ryzen 7000 and Zen 4, AMD is finally retiring the AM4 Socket and fully adopting DDR5. As such, manufacturers like ASUS, GIGABYTE, MSI and ASROCK are also releasing updated, beefed up motherboards for the new series. The Ryzen 7000 processors are also bringing a big jump in performance and introducing AMD’s new EXPO technology. AMD EXPO (Extended Profiles for Overclocking) makes overclocking for the best performance a simple task with preset and optimised profiles for any game. Of course, this requires you to use compatible memory which is listed on the AMD EXPO website.
In addition, the new processors come with integrated RDNA2 cores which will give it a slight boost in graphical performance. It goes without saying that the integrated graphics cores are no replacement for dedicated GPUs. That said, with higher clocks and claimed improvements in performance, the new Ryzen 7000 series CPUs are going to cost a pretty penny.
AMD has launched four versions of their Zen 4 processors: the Ryzen 9 7950X, the Ryzen 9 7900X, the Ryzen 7 7700X and the Ryzen 7600X. These processors come with a different number of cores, processing threads, cache, clock speeds and TDPs that are catered to different levels of performance. All four are available in the market starting on September 27, 2022 with prices starting at MYR1,399.
Here’s a rundown of the pricing and details of each processor and their official prices in MYR and USD.
NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 30 series, which they fondly refer to as the Ampere architecture processors, were rather potent. At its introduction, it presented the largest generation leap in performance from its predecessors. There were a lot of excitement for the Ampere built GPUs because of the generational gap presented between it, and the older GeForce RTX 20 series GPUs. Then there is the GeForce RTX 40 series that was just introduced by Jensen Huang last night.
NVIDIA calls it the Ada Lovelace, and it builds upon the technologies presented in its predecessor, the Ampere platform. It is even more capable in its real-time ray tracing functions. It also packs enough power to run an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm of its own for 3D rendering and processing. That also means this time, AI is involved in rendering the pixels you see on your display.
2X Performance
First up, you want to know how much faster the new RTX 40 series is compared to the RTX 30 series. In terms of ray tracing performance, the RTX40 is capable of up to 191 teraflops, nearly threefold of its predecessor. Its tensor cores are also capable of up to 1.32 petaflops, about five times the previous generation. But it is not just 3D rendering and ray tracing the gets the performance bump, you also get twice more NVENC decoders that allows the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series to half video workload times.
How NVIDIA achieved these numbers is a little technical, so we might have to explore that in a different story. In short though, it is not like NVIDIA slapped twice more cores into their chip. They did put more cores into their processing chip, but they have also improved their RT cores with 4nm architectures (hence Ada Lovelace architecture). That results in an improved energy and thermal efficiency of their chips in their GPUs which also means they can push their cores even more than before. That also means that ray tracing performance is doubled over whatever that came before. Thanks to the new Micro-Mesh Engine, the new cores can also generate textures in greater detail than ever before without taking up performance and storage resources.
DLSS 3.0
DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), we think, was a rather clever technology when it was introduced. While plenty of electronic giants in the home entertainment industry spoke at lengths about how upscaling is the future of television, NVIDIA took it to the next level with DLSS in gaming. You could, for example, play your games in 4K resolution while the GPU only needs to render the graphics in 1080p Full HD, for example. DLSS 2.0 was a major upgrade to the clever feature and made DLSS properly good and reliable. DLSS 3.0 make DLSS a must have feature.
Where the previous iterations of DLSS lack is speed. While DLSS 2.0 was fast, it lagged behind when you compare it to playing games at native resolution. The AI still must take its time to render each texture from each frame and upscale them to whatever higher resolution you want your games to play in. DLSS 3.0 allows the GPU to now render entire frames for an improved gaming experience, much faster than before. This is thanks to a rather powerful and clever neural engine packed into the GPU.
Source: NVIDIA
2X Video Rendering
Like we pointed out earlier, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 is not just made for gaming. It is a powerful GPU made for the modern content creator too. For 3D artists, the added power and improved DLSS 3.0 makes rendering scenes and graphics on-site much faster than before. Ray tracing is much more accurate than before as well, allowing textures to be rendered more accurately and more lifelike over previous generation GPUS, and all of it can be done in real time, cutting production times.
Thanks to the inclusion of two eighth generation AV1 encoder, video editing suites gets an extra boost in power. That also means smoother real time rendering and scrubbing. It also means that videos gets rendered twice as fast now.
NVIDIA Broadcast also benefited from the dual encoders. Partners now have access to features like Face Expression Estimation, Eye Contact, and even more realistic Virtual Backgrounds. That also means you get better, more interactive video calls, or even better streaming graphics.
Introducing the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 and RTX 4080
Source: NVIDIA
For now, NVIDIA has only introduced the flagship GeForce RTX 4090 and high-end GeForce RTX 4080. They say that the GeForce RTX 4090 is about twice as fast as the RTX 3090 Ti while maintaining the same TDP at 450W. There are 76 billion transistors and 16,384 CUDA cores you can find on the silicon fitted on the flagship GPU. It is fitted with 24GB of the latest, fastest GDDR6X memory too.
The GeForce RTX 4080 packs up to 9,728 CUDA cores and up to 16GB of GDDR6S memory. There is also a 12GB edition with 7,680 CUDA cores and 12GB in GDDR6X memory. They say that the 16GB variant is twice more powerful than the current GeForce RTX 3080 Ti and more powerful than the current GeForce RTX 3090 Ti while maintaining a lower power consumption.
Price and Availability
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 will be available in select regions from the 12th of October 2022 onward. Prices will start at US$ 1,599, US$ 100 more than the RTX 3090 when it was launched. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 16GB variant will retail for US$ 1,199 while the 12GB edition will go for US$ 899. Both NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 variants will be available only in November 2022. For more information on the new GeForce RTX 40 series, you can visit NVIDIA’s website.
HP is updating their gaming lineup with the latest and greatest from AMD and Intel in a totally new, larger form factor. The new laptops announced are equipped with larger displays, higher refresh rates and more features to the company’s robust gaming offerings. Expanding both the OMEN by HP and Victus gaming lineups with more robust laptops and better build quality, HP is looking to bring something for every gamer.
Together with the new editions to their gaming lineup, HP Malaysia is also bringing back their HP Gaming Truck which will be making its way around Malaysia starting with the Klang Valley.
HP OMEN 16 – Supped up to Win
The new OMEN 16 expands the offerings under the OMEN by HP gaming brand with a more robust laptop with a larger 16-inch display. The OMEN 16 ushers in a new generation of OMEN by HP Gaming laptops which look to up the ante when it comes to gaming performance.
The OMEN Gaming Laptop 16 comes with an improved Tempest cooling system that brings physical changes that impact performance. The updated Tempest Cooling System comes with an added fifth heat pipe and an additional fourth outflow vent. The former allows for better heat dissipation from the processor and GPU while the latter allows the air to be channelled out of the chassis keeping temperatures lower. HP claims that these improvements have resulted in a 3% reduction in temperature at the GPU hinge and a 14% reduction in temperature on the bottom of the SSD. Aside from the increased cooling, the new Tempest system is also 5% quieter than the last generation.
In addition to the physical heating system, HP has also spent some time looking at the internals of the OMEN 16. The new generation of OMEN 16 Gaming Laptops come with 12th Generation Intel processors ranging from the Core i5 to the Core i9 internationally. In Malaysia, this caps off at the Core i7. There are also configurations supporting the AMD Ryzen 6000 SoCs. Like the Intel versions, this caps out at the Ryzen 9. These processors are complemented with at least 16GB of RAM and 1TB of internal storage.
The HP OMEN 16 comes with a 16.1-inch, QHD IPS display with a refresh rate of 165Hz. It also has a 3ms response time. The display supports 100% of the sRGB gamut with a 300-nits brightness and a micro-edge design. The laptops have configurations supporting up to the NVIDIA GeForce 3070 Ti GPU. HP isn’t skimping on ports either, the OMEN 16 comes with a full array of ports including an RJ45 ethernet port, ThunderBolt 4 and USB-A ports.
HP Victus 16 – Affordable Powerhouse
The Victus inherits most of the ethos and DNA of the OMEN 16. However, it does it affordably; packing all the essentials. When it comes to processors, the HP Victus 16 comes with configurations supporting the 12th Generation Intel Core i7 and the AMD Ryzen 6000 series. This is paired with at least 8GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage.
On the display front, the 16.1-inch IPS display has a 1080p FHD resolution with a 144Hz refresh rate and 250 nits brightness. The display comes with the same micro-edge design and covers 45% of the NTSC gamut. The HP Victus 16 has configurations with up to the NVIDIA RTX3050 Ti or the AMD Radeon 6500M.
Pricing & Availability
The HP OMEN 16 and Victus 16 are already available from HP via their official store or retail partners and online stores.
The OMEN 16 is priced from MYR7,599 for the AMD version and MYR7,799 for the Intel version.
The Victus 16 is priced from MYR4,299 for the AMD version and MYR3,749 for the Intel version.
