Tag Archives: NVIDIA

Computers, Gaming, News

Microsoft Unveils DirectSR: One SR To Rule Integrate Them All

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Gamers rejoice! Microsoft has taken a big step towards simplifying and improving the way PC games leverage upscaling technologies with the introduction of DirectSR. But what exactly is DirectSR, and how will it impact your gaming experience? Let’s delve into the details.

Low-light Photography of Computer Gaming Rig Set
Photo by FOX on Pexels

What is Super Resolution (SR)?

Before diving into DirectSR, it’s important to understand Super Resolution (SR). SR is a collection of image processing techniques used in games to render them at a lower resolution and then intelligently upscale them to a higher resolution for display. This allows for smoother performance, especially on less powerful hardware, without sacrificing too much visual quality.

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Photo by Thomas Foster on Unsplash

There are currently several popular SR technologies available, including AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), NVIDIA Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), and Intel Xe Super Sampling (XESS). Each technology has its own strengths and weaknesses, but they all share the common goal of delivering high-quality visuals with improved performance.

The current landscape of PC gaming presents a challenge for developers. In order to support multiple SR technologies from different vendors, they often need to integrate separate APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) into their games. This can be a time-consuming and complex process, potentially hindering the adoption of SR features across a wider range of titles.

Microsoft’s DirectSR: A Unified Solution

DirectSR aims to bridge this gap by offering a single API that works with various SR technologies. Developed by Microsoft in collaboration with AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA, DirectSR essentially acts as a translator, allowing developers to integrate any supported SR technology with minimal effort. This simplifies the development process and reduces the burden on studios, potentially leading to more widespread adoption of SR features in PC games.

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Photo by Alex Haney on Unsplash

Benefits for Gamers

For gamers, DirectSR offers several potential benefits. Here are a few key advantages:

  • Improved Performance: By enabling developers to easily implement SR technologies, DirectSR has the potential to boost performance in games, allowing you to enjoy smoother gameplay at higher resolutions.
  • Wider Choice of SR Options: With DirectSR, developers can offer players a choice between different SR solutions within the game. This empowers you to select the technology that best suits your hardware and preferences.
  • Simplified User Experience: DirectSR aims to eliminate the need for developers to create separate user interfaces for each SR technology. This can lead to a more streamlined and user-friendly experience for gamers within the game’s settings.

Current Status and Availability

DirectSR is still in its early stages, currently available as a developer preview through the Microsoft DirectX Agility SDK. This means it’s not yet implemented in any commercially available games. However, the positive outlook suggests that future PC games could leverage DirectSR to provide a wider range of SR options and a smoother overall gaming experience.

The arrival of DirectSR marks a significant step towards simplifying and standardizing how PC games utilize Super Resolution technologies. While it’s still early days, DirectSR has the potential to benefit both developers and gamers by streamlining the development process and offering a broader range of performance-enhancing options. As DirectSR matures and is integrated into more games, PC gamers can look forward to a future of smoother frame rates and stunning visuals, all without sacrificing precious hardware resources.

News

There’s Finally a Chromebook for Gamers! Meet the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE

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Google has announced the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE, a Chromebook designed specifically for unleashing your inner gamer on cloud platforms. This marks a significant shift for Chromebooks, traditionally known for lightweight tasks and web browsing.

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The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE boasts specifications optimized for smooth cloud gaming experiences. Here’s a detailed look at what we know:

The 516 GE boasts a large 16-inch display with a sharp WQXGA resolution, ensuring crisp visuals during gameplay. The display’s 120Hz high refresh rate further enhances the gaming experience by delivering smooth and responsive visuals, especially during fast-paced action sequences. Under the hood, a powerful 13th Gen Intel Core processor tackles demanding games and applications with ease.

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Immerse yourself in the game with the Chromebook Plus 516 GE’s high-quality DTS audio system. Two upward-firing and two downward-firing speakers create a captivating soundscape, drawing you into the action. The gaming keyboard features a 4-zone RGB backlight, adding a touch of personalization and visual flair to your gaming setup. Anti-ghosting technology ensures your keystrokes register accurately, even during intense gaming sessions.

The Full HD 1080p webcam and integrated AI-powered video streaming tools allow you to stay connected and share your gaming moments with friends across any app. Fast and secure Wi-Fi 6E ensures a reliable and lag-free connection for seamless cloud gaming, whether you’re at home or on the go.

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The 516 GE offers ample storage options, with configurations reaching up to a whopping 2 TB. Additionally, up to 16 GB of fast memory keeps things running smoothly during gameplay and multitasking. Enjoy extended gaming sessions with a long-lasting battery life of up to 10 hours on a single charge.

Enhanced Gaming Experience with Chromebook’s Game Dashboard

Beyond just playing the games you love, the Chromebook Plus 516 GE leverages ChromeOS’s built-in Game Dashboard to elevate your entire cloud gaming experience. Game Dashboard acts as a one-stop shop for customizing your controls and sharing your gameplay triumphs.

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  • Game Controls: This feature lets you transform touch-centric Android titles into keyboard-controlled experiences. Map keyboard keys to touch or controller actions, allowing you to play games that were previously limited to touch controls.
  • Game Capture: Don’t just play, capture and share your gaming moments! Record your gameplay, take screenshots, and upload them directly to YouTube or share them with friends, all without leaving the action.

Pricing and Availability

Specific details on pricing and availability for the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE are yet to be revealed. However, based on leaked specifications, we can expect it to be priced competitively within the cloud gaming Chromebook market. Early estimates suggest a starting price of around USD $649 (approx. RM 2,833), with potential variations in price depending on storage and RAM configurations

Stay tuned for further details on the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE and Google’s plans for cloud gaming on Chromebooks. With these specs in mind, we can expect the 516 GE to be a powerful and versatile cloud gaming Chromebook, potentially shaking up the accessibility landscape for cloud gamers.

Business, News

Schneider Electric and NVIDIA Collaborate to Revolutionize Data Centre Infrastructure

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Schneider Electric, the trailblazer in energy management and automation, is teaming up with NVIDIA to redefine the landscape of data centre infrastructure. Their mission? To supercharge the capabilities of edge artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twin technologies, paving the way for a future powered by unparalleled innovation.

Picture this: cutting-edge data centre reference designs, meticulously crafted to harness the full potential of NVIDIA’s accelerated computing clusters. With a laser focus on high-power distribution, liquid-cooling systems, and controls engineered for reliability, they’re setting new benchmarks for performance, scalability, and sustainability.

Natalya Makarochkina, Senior Vice President of Secure Power International at Schneider Electric, is exhilarated about the possibilities: “Our collaboration with NVIDIA isn’t just about breaking barriers; it’s about unlocking the boundless potential of AI. Together, we’re dismantling the constraints of traditional data centre infrastructure, propelling us towards a future that’s efficient, sustainable, and transformative.”

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But that’s only the beginning. These reference designs aren’t static blueprints; they’re dynamic frameworks designed to evolve alongside the ever-changing landscape of AI. Ian Buck, Vice President of Hyperscale and HPC at NVIDIA, shares the excitement: “With Schneider Electric, we’re not just building data centres; we’re building gateways to innovation. These designs empower organizations to harness the full power of AI, driving unprecedented levels of innovation across industries.”

Looking ahead, Schneider Electric and NVIDIA are on a relentless quest to explore new frontiers in AI-driven technology. And they’re not alone in this journey. AVEVA, Schneider Electric’s visionary subsidiary, is poised to revolutionize virtual simulation and collaboration with its integration of NVIDIA Omniverse. Together, they’re creating a digital playground where imagination knows no bounds.

Caspar Herzberg, CEO of AVEVA, envisions a future where digital intelligence and real-world outcomes converge: “This partnership isn’t just about simulation; it’s about transformation. By merging digital intelligence with real-world applications, we’re redefining the possibilities of industry, empowering organizations to operate safer, smarter, and more sustainably than ever before.”

In a world propelled by innovation, Schneider Electric and NVIDIA are at the forefront of change. Together, they’re not just building data centres; they’re building bridges to the future. And with every breakthrough, they’re inspiring a new generation of pioneers to dream bigger, aim higher, and push the boundaries of what’s possible.

First Look, Unboxing, Video

Acer Swift X 14 First Look & Unboxing

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Transcript

Acer’s Swift series has always been about being thin and light. Just recently, however, that formula is getting a supercharge with the Swift X lineup. The new Swift X series is marrying both portability and performance. You know the saying “X marks the spot”? Well, that might just be the case with this laptop.

So, the Acer Swift X 14 is a laptop that is bringing performance to the thin and light form factor. It’s not a brand new concept to Acer, in fact, this particular version is a refresh of the first-ever Swift X.

This version comes with a 13th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-13700H with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. It’s also got an NVIDIA RTX4050 Laptop GPU. This setup gives it enough power to do everyday computing tasks like Word processing, excel, PowerPoint without hassle.

Let’s not be coy about it, it’ll power through those tasks and then some. But where it will shine is when you jump into creative work like video editing, using the Adobe Suite or even rendering things on apps like Blender or AutoCAD. Thanks to the RTX4050 Laptop GPU inside, it’s able to run these graphically intense tasks smoothly. You’ll also be able to take advantage of things like DLSS and RayTracing. Another plus is that this laptop comes with NVIDIA® Studio drivers which provides more stability and access to tools that will make content creation easier.

Of course, the GPU and processor are nothing if you don’t have the correct display to use it with. This laptop has one of the best OLED displays I’ve seen on a laptop. The screen is a 14-inch 2.8K OLED with a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s also colour accurate with a 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut and it also has a VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification.

I know that seems like a lot of jargon. But essentially, what it means, is that the screen can produce deep blacks. On top of that, it will be able to reproduce colour more accurately and on a wider spectrum making it perfect for people who create content.

Of course, when it comes to content creation, we need our ports. The Swift X 14 has a full array of ports despite its thin form factor. It comes with two  USB-C ports that support charging, it charges at 5V; and 3A. So, you should be able to charge it with a 65W GaN charger in a pinch. Additionally, Thunderbolt 4 also supports high-resolution displays and up to 40Gbps high-speed data transfer.

When it comes to wireless connectivity the laptop supports WiFi 6E which should give you ample speed for uploading and working off the cloud. It’s also got Bluetooth 5.1 for fast file transfers or even connecting wirelessly to your smartphone or noise-cancelling headphones. It also comes with an FHD Webcam with Temporal Noise Reduction for your video conferences and presentations.

Acer claims that it has up to 10 hours of battery life on a single charge. Now we’ve got the specs out of the way, let’s talk about the build. It’s clearly a very pretty laptop. I’m definitely a fan of the finish Acer has given this laptop. It feels premium and sturdy. The aluminium chassis is definitely a plus here.

But one thing that I like about this off the bat, is that the premium feel of the laptop is also thanks to a significant amount of recycled materials being incorporated into the laptop.

And that’s the Acer Swift X 14. What are your thoughts on this laptop? Let us know in the comments below.

Business, Contributed

Increase Productivity for Production and Manufacturing Processes

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This article is contributed by Varinderjit Singh, General Manager at Lenovo Malaysia

Production and manufacturing processes are becoming more complex and demanding as customers expect higher quality, lower cost, and faster delivery of products. To meet these challenges, manufacturers need to leverage the power of advanced technologies, such as high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), and spatial computing. In this article, we will explore how a workstation can increase productivity for production and manufacturing processes by using spatial computing solutions, data science and client AI solutions, NVIDIA Omniverse, and remote workstation solutions. Examples of noteworthy workstation options include the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 G2, Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tower and the Lenovo ThinkStation P620 Tower operating on Windows 11 Pro. Use Windows 11 Pro for Workstations to blaze through workloads with lag-free multitasking across your most demanding applications.

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Spatial Computing Solutions

Spatial computing is a technology that can digitize the spatial relationships between machines, people, objects, and environments, and enable and optimize their operations and interactions. Spatial computing can help manufacturers with product design, quality control, safety, and efficiency. For example, spatial computing can enable digital twins, which are virtual replicas of physical assets or processes that can be used for simulation, testing, and optimization. Spatial computing can also facilitate augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications, which can enhance the visualization and collaboration of design and engineering teams, as well as provide immersive training and guidance for workers. A workstation that can handle spatial computing tasks should have a powerful GPU, a large memory, and a high-resolution display. A possible choice is the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Mobile Workstation, which has an NVIDIA® RTX 5000 Ada graphics card, an Intel® Core™ i9-13950HX processor, and up to 192GB of memory.

Data Science and Client AI Solutions

Data science and client AI solutions can help manufacturers analyze and utilize the vast amounts of data generated by production and manufacturing processes, such as sensor data, quality data, customer data, and market data. Data science and client AI solutions can help manufacturers with demand forecasting, inventory management, process optimization, anomaly detection, predictive maintenance, and customer satisfaction. For example, data science and client AI solutions can help manufacturers create and fine-tune foundation models, which are large and versatile AI models that can perform multiple tasks, such as natural language processing, computer vision, speech recognition, and more. Data science and client AI solutions can also help manufacturers interact with and explore data through conversational interfaces, visualizations, and summarizations. A workstation that can handle data science and client AI tasks should have a fast and reliable processor, a large and expandable memory, and a flexible and scalable storage system. A possible choice is the Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tower Workstation, which has a 13th Gen Intel® Core™ processor, up to 128GB of memory, and up to 32TB of storage.

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NVIDIA Omniverse

NVIDIA Omniverse is a platform that enables the creation and operation of complex, AI-enabled virtual environments, or digital twins, for factory and warehouse design. These virtual replicas facilitate real-time collaboration among teams and are the key to unleashing operational efficiencies with predictive analysis and process automation. NVIDIA Omniverse allows manufacturers to import and export data from various sources, such as CAD tools, simulation software, and IoT devices, and create realistic and interactive simulations of production and manufacturing scenarios. NVIDIA Omniverse also supports ray tracing, physics, and sound rendering, which can enhance the quality and realism of the virtual environments. A workstation that can handle NVIDIA Omniverse tasks should have a powerful graphics card, a high-performance CPU, and a large memory. A possible choice is the Lenovo ThinkStation P620 Tower Workstation, which has up to 64 cores CPU, a 10Gb Ethernet port, and plenty of storage capabilities.

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Remote Workstation Solutions

Remote workstation solutions can help manufacturers access their physical workstations from virtually anywhere with rich graphics acceleration via leading remote visualization tools. Remote workstation solutions can help manufacturers with remote design, engineering, and collaboration, as well as reduce the cost and maintenance of physical workstations. Remote workstation solutions can also provide security and compliance features, such as encryption, authentication, and auditing. A workstation that can handle remote workstation tasks should have a low-latency frame encode, accelerated desktop capture, headless graphics support, and leading pro-ISV certifications, like the majority of the Workstations from Lenovo. The Lenovo remote TGX solution is the best way to connect to your Workstation cluster from anywhere in the world.

Wrap up

A workstation can increase productivity for production and manufacturing processes by using various technologies, such as spatial computing, data science and client AI, NVIDIA Omniverse, and remote workstation solutions. These technologies can help manufacturers improve their design, engineering, simulation, production, and collaboration workflows, as well as reduce their costs, risks, and environmental impact. A workstation that can support these technologies should have a combination of hardware and software features, such as a powerful GPU, a fast CPU, large memory, flexible storage, and a reliable network. Lenovo offers a range of workstation solutions that can meet the needs of different production and manufacturing scenarios, such as the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Intel (16″) Mobile Workstation, the Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tower Workstation, the Lenovo ThinkStation P620 Tower Workstation, and the TGX Remote Workstation.

Computers, News

Dell’s XPS Line-Up Refreshed with Focus on AI

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Dell’s XPS lineup has been at the forefront of the company’s portfolio for the better part of two decades. The line has always been about pushing boundaries when it comes to performance, work and design. This year is no different, the XPS lineup continues its legacy as one of the best laptops that Dell has to offer.

XPS Expanded and Better than Ever

The new Dell XPS line is expanded. Where we had the XPS and XPS 15, there are now 3 entries: the XPS 13, XPS 14 and the XPS 16. Each laptop takes Dell’s thin and light flagship and caters it to different needs. However, they do share a similar design – one that Dell debuted with the XPS 13 Plus. The sleek design consists of tone-on-tone colours and CNC-machined aluminium. The biggest change is the inclusion of touch-enabled function buttons which line the top of the haptic trackpad. These buttons seamlessly switch between media and function keys when needed. The keyboard on the laptops is also larger with larger keycaps for a more coherent and comfortable typing experience.

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Source: Dell Technologies

The XPS lineup continues to feature the InfinityEdge panels with options for OLED touch, variable refresh rate and high resolution. This year brings improvements to the audio experience with a new quad speaker design that supports Dolby Atmos, and 3D stereo surround from MaxxAudio Pro by Waves. The XPS lineup will also feature a 1080p FHD webcam.

New Intel Processors with a Focus on Bringing AI Mainstream

The New XPS lineup will be coming fully equipped with the latest Intel Core Ultra processors. These processors features an additional NPU (neural processing unit) that Dell is leveraging to bring impactful AI-powered features to its XPS line up. That isn’t the only thing that’s changing with the NPU; these laptops will be able to leverage the NPU to speed up features that rely on AI. This also frees up CPU and GPU resources which can be better mobilised to undertake non-AI focused tasks.

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Source: Dell Technologies
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Source: Dell Technologies

In addition, the XPS line up will be coming with configurations supporting the Intel Core Ultra 7 on the Dell XPS 13 and XPS 14. While the XPS 16 supports configurations with up to the Intel Core Ultra 9. These configurations are supplemented with up to 64GB of RAM across the board and up to 4TB of PCIe 4 SSD memory. This combination alone should give you enough performance on the go for most tasks.

The XPS 14 and XPS 16, however, come with NVIDIA’s RTX Studio certification. The XPS 14 comes with a configuration supporting the NVIDIA RTX 4050. On the other hand, the XPS 16 continues to be the powerhouse of the line up with configurations supporting the RTX 4060 and RTX 4080 as well as the RTX 4050. These laptops come with support for NVIDIA’s Studio drivers out of the box and are primed for content creation on the go. They can even handle 3D rendering when you’re out and about.

Specc’d to Kill

The XPS series continues its legacy of being a top performer with more than just processors though. The line up comes with a bevvy of displays including high resolution touch displays. The XPS 13 caps out at a 3K OLED touch display while the XPS 14 pushes the boundaries a little bit more with a 3.2K OLED touch display. The XPS 16, on the other hand, caps out at a 4K OLED touch display.

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Source: Dell Technologies

Of course, connectivity on the go is important for the XPS line up. Dell has decided to leverage WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 on the XPS 13 and XPS 16 while the XPS 14 has WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

Pricing & Availability

The XPS lineup will be available starting in Q1 2024. Malaysia, in particular, will see the laptops in stores starting end of February 2024.

ModelBase SpecificationsPricing (US)Pricing (MY)
Dell XPS 13Intel Ultra 5 / 16GB / 512GB / 13.4” FHD+ / Intel RPL-P P28 UMA (Iris Xe) UMAUSD$1,299RM5,499
Dell XPS 14Intel Ultra 7 / 16GB / 512GB / 14.5” FHD+ / No GraphicsUSD$1,699RM8,499
Dell XPS 16Intel Ultra 7 / 16GB / 512GB / 16.3” FHD+ / No GraphicsUSD$1,899RM8,999
Computers, Gaming, News

Acer Unleashes Power-packed Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop; Price Starts at RM3,099

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Acer Malaysia has unleashed the Acer Nitro V 15 gaming laptop! The new entry into the Nitro lineup is packed to the brim with gaming-centric specifications and promises an unparalleled gaming experience at its price point. The best part? It’s arriving just in time for the holiday season.

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The Acer Nitro V 15 revamps the Nitro gaming laptop in more than one way. It’s not only got a brand new, edgy design. It’s also pushing the boundaries when it comes to value for money. Gamers can maximise their investment with a 13th Gen Intel Core i5 processor that is complemented by either an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 or RTX 2050 graphics card, ensuring seamless gameplay for casual gamers. The laptop’s commendable combined power draw of 180W and 170W for the respective graphics cards sets it apart, providing up to 30% more Frames Per Second (fps) compared to counterparts with lower Max Graphics Power (MGP).

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One of the standout features of the Nitro V 15 is its captivating 144Hz 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display. Striking the perfect balance between power and style, this laptop is built to cater for more than just gaming. Gamers embarking on careers in graphics design or even multimedia should be able to breeze through with the Nitro V 15. The powerful laptop comes complete with a 512GB Solid State Drive (SSD) storage and 8GB of DDR5 5600Hz RAM. You’ll be able to expand the RAM up to 32GB for future gaming demands.

Acer is offering a 2-year warranty for the Nitro V 15. The first year also comes with an international warranty.

Pricing & Availability:

The Acer Nitro V 15 with the RTX2050 is priced at RM3,099. The RTX4050 version, on the other hand, will set you back RM3,899. It’s immediately available at Acer concept stores nationwide and the Acer e-store.

Customers who purchase the Acer Nitro V 15 before December 31, 2023, will enjoy gifts worth up to RM637. These gifts include a Nitro Urban Gaming Backpack, a 3-year subscription to Trend Micro Internet Security, a Logitech G Wireless Gaming Mouse, and credit for the Touch ‘n Go eWallet.

Early adopters can also participate in a quiz through www.a-redemption.com. If you do, you’ll stand a chance to win extra rewards totalling up to RM50,000 in the Holiday Giveaway.

Computers, News

ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 OLED (UX6404) Available in Malaysia for MYR10,999

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ASUS has taken the wraps off its latest gem, the ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 OLED (UX6404). This sleek and compact 14.5-inch laptop marks the zenith of the creator-friendly Zenbook Pro series, catering to the needs of users who demand sophistication, portability, and robust performance for their creative endeavours and productivity tasks.

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The ZenBook Pro 14 OLED comes with a 16:10 3K 120Hz OLED NanoEdge display, complete with Dolby Vision and HDR technology, which delivers an unparalleled visual experience. It’s PANTONE® Validated for colour accuracy and encompasses a cinematic 100% DCI-P3 gamut.

Under the hood, the Zenbook Pro 14 OLED is powered by the latest 13th Generation Intel® Core™ i9 H-series processor, coupled with studio-grade NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4070 graphics, a hefty 32 GB of high-speed DDR5 RAM, and a copious 1TB SSD.

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The ASUS DialPad which was once only available with the ProArt Line makes its ZenBook debut on the ZenBook 14 Pro OLED allowing more intuitive control within creative apps. The laptop boasts a full set of I/O ports, including Thunderbolt 4™ USB-C®, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C®, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, HDMI® 2.1, and an audio combo jack. Moreover, the laptop provides a top-tier audio experience, thanks to the Harman Kardon-certified Dolby Atmos® speaker system and ASUS AI noise-cancelling audio technology, ensuring crystal-clear conference calls.

Furthermore, the laptop supports the optional ASUS Pen 2.0, an MPP 2.0 stylus with 4096 pressure levels and interchangeable tips, offering an unparalleled drawing and writing experience.

To keep these powerful components cool, ASUS has implemented the highly efficient ASUS IceCool Pro cooling system, featuring a dual-fan design and four external exhaust vents. Additionally, the laptop features WiFi 6E enhanced with ASUS WiFi Master Premium technology, ensuring rock-solid WiFi connections.

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The ASUS ErgoSense keyboard, boasting a full-size 19.05 mm key pitch, 1.4 mm key travel, and 0.1 mm keycap relief, ensures a comfortable typing experience. Additionally, an anti-fingerprint and hydrophobic coating makes the ASUS ErgoSense touchpad easy to clean.

Pricing & Availability

The ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 OLED (UX6404V) is set to make its debut in Malaysia, starting on September 19, 2023, with a price tag of RM10,999.

It will be available through all authorized ASUS dealers and the official ASUS e-store.

Business, News

VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA Looks To Enable Entreprises to Embrace Generative AI

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VMware Inc. and NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) are expanding their strategic partnership. Their mission? To ready the multitude of enterprises dependent on VMware’s cloud infrastructure for the imminent generative AI era.

Generative AI, the driving force behind intelligent chatbots, assistants, search engines, and summarization tools, is revolutionizing industries. VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA is designed to democratize this transformation. It offers an integrated solution, seamlessly combining generative AI software with NVIDIA’s advanced accelerated computing, all within VMware Cloud Foundation, optimized for AI applications.

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The synergy between generative AI and multi-cloud environments is profound. Enterprise data resides in various locations, including data centres, edge devices, and diverse cloud platforms. VMware and NVIDIA aim to empower enterprises to harness generative AI while preserving data privacy, ensuring security, and retaining control.

Enterprises are in a race to implement generative AI, with the potential to contribute up to a staggering $4.4 trillion annually to the global economy. VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA is stepping in to empower them to expedite this journey. It enables enterprises to customize large language models (LLMs), construct secure and private models for internal use, offer generative AI as a service, and scale inference workloads securely.

With emerging concerns surrounding data privacy and security with deploying Generative AI tools like ChatGPT at an organisational level, VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA empowers organizations to use the full capabilities of Generative AI without the worry of data leaks. Enterprises can deploy AI services close to their data, safeguarding data privacy and ensuring secure access.

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It also provides them with diverse options for constructing and running models, including leading OEM hardware configurations without ruling out the potential integration with public clouds. This choice doesn’t come at the expense of performance with NVIDIA’s accelerated infrastructure. It promises performance equal to or even surpassing bare-metal solutions.

When enterprises are ready to scale, they can do so seamlessly and without much hassle. GPU scaling optimizations in virtualized environments facilitate the efficient scaling of AI workloads across multiple nodes. Scaling and implementation costs can also be minimized through VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA. This is thanks to resource optimization and a shared resource environment fostered by the platform. In fact, the platform is built with fast prototyping capabilities with pre-installed frameworks and libraries allowing enterprises to fail quickly and achieve development milestones at an accelerated rate.

Aside from this, the platform will be deployed on performance-optimized NVMe storage and GPUDirect® storage over RDMA for seamless data transfer. Networking performance is also sustained and accelerated with deep integration between vSphere and NVIDIA NVSwitch™ technology ensuring efficient multi-GPU execution.

The platform integrates NVIDIA NeMo, a cloud-native framework simplifying the creation, customization, and deployment of generative AI models. NeMo offers customization frameworks, guardrail toolkits, data curation tools, and pre-trained models. It provides enterprises with an efficient, cost-effective, and expeditious path to adopting generative AI. For production deployment, NeMo leverages TensorRT for Large Language Models (TRT-LLM), optimizing inference performance on the latest LLMs on NVIDIA GPUs.

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Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com

VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA receives robust support from Dell Technologies, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Lenovo. These partners will offer systems equipped with NVIDIA L40S GPUs, NVIDIA BlueField®-3 DPUs, and NVIDIA ConnectX®-7 SmartNICs. These components will supercharge enterprise LLM customization and inference workloads.

VMware aims to release VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA in early 2024, marking the continuation of a decade-long partnership that has optimized VMware’s cloud infrastructure to run NVIDIA AI Enterprise with the performance of bare metal.

Gaming, News

XBOX Game Pass Comes to NVIDIA GeForce NOW

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Gaming is quickly growing to become one of the largest industries in the world. However, gaming itself is on the verge of a revolution that could change the way we enjoy our blockbuster AAA games forever with Cloud Gaming. While not many companies have offerings, companies like NVIDIA and Microsoft are looking to cash in early with services like XBOX‘s GamePass and NVIDIA‘s GeForce NOW. NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW is about to get a little bit more interesting with XBOX’s GamePass in a new collaboration.

NVIDIA and Microsoft are further accelerating this trend with a groundbreaking partnership that extends access to Xbox’s PC Game Pass and select Microsoft Store titles to the GeForce NOW streaming platform. This partnership will bring AAA titles to a myriad of devices including Android smartphones and tablets.

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GeForce NOW members will now notice a new Xbox button on supported PC games, enabling seamless launches of titles on different devices. This integration extends to those who have purchased standalone games through the Microsoft Store or hold active subscriptions to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass. However, it’s important to note that not all PC Game Pass titles will be immediately available on the NVIDIA streaming service. While the integration is live, the complete library of Game Pass titles will be gradually introduced to GeForce NOW over time.

The synergy between NVIDIA and Microsoft reflects a commitment to enhance cloud gaming options for enthusiasts. The integration comes after Microsoft and NVIDIA solidified a decade-long Xbox games licensing agreement in response to concerns arising from Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard last year.

Among the initial wave of titles available on the service are WrestleQuest, Jumplight Odyssey, Blasphemous 2, Crusader Kings III, and No Man’s Sky. As both companies collaborate to onboard and test each game, NVIDIA assures members of a smooth streaming experience across all supported platforms, albeit with a slight delay due to testing requirements.

As cloud gaming continues to flourish, the NVIDIA and Microsoft partnership brings the Xbox PC Game Pass closer to gamers, expanding the options for an enriched gaming journey. With new games set to be added each month, this collaboration signifies a compelling leap forward in the world of cloud gaming. NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW was announced recently in Malaysia in partnership with YES 5G.