Category: Hardware

AMD has introduced new Ryzen AI Max Plus chips, specifically designed for portable gaming devices, as reported by The Verge. The Strix Halo, also known as “Ryzen AI Max,” is a high-end chip boasting powerful integrated graphics and up to 128GB of RAM. Originally developed for AI workloads, the chip has sparked interest in innovative gaming designs, including handheld and tablet devices.

The new Ryzen AI Max Plus 392 and 388 chips offer robust graphics capabilities but with fewer CPU cores, catering to the gaming market. These chips feature 40 graphics compute units for 60 teraflops, with the 392 chip having 12 cores and the 388 chip equipped with 8 CPU cores.

AMD’s client chip executive, Rahul Tikoo, explained that the introduction of these gaming-focused chips was driven by specific customer demands. While the pricing of the new Strix Halo devices in the midst of RAM shortages remains uncertain, AMD hints at a potentially lower price point compared to the previous models.

Competing with devices like the GPD Win 5 prototype, other brands like Ayaneo and OneXPlayer have also announced upcoming handhelds powered by the Strix Halo chips. The gaming community awaits the impact of these new Ryzen AI Max Plus chips on the portable gaming landscape.

Source: The Verge

At CES 2026, AMD announced its latest Ryzen AI 400 line, building upon the success of the Ryzen AI 300 series. The new ‘Gorgon Point’ chips feature Zen 5 and Zen 5c CPU cores, RDNA 3.5 graphics, and enhancements in CPU and GPU frequency, memory bandwidth, and AI processing capabilities.

The top models, the HX 475 and HX 470, boast a faster NPU, offering 60 TOPS and 55 TOPS of AI performance, respectively. While the core configuration remains similar to the previous generation, AMD promises performance improvements due to advancements in manufacturing, firmware, and software optimizations.

AMD’s client CPU boss, Rahul Tikoo, hinted at a performance boost compared to the Ryzen AI 300 series, positioning the new chips to compete against Intel’s latest offerings and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 line. Laptops equipped with the Ryzen AI 400 chips are expected to hit the market in Q1 2026 from major manufacturers like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, providing consumers with enhanced processing power and AI capabilities.

Source: The Verge

AMD has announced an upgraded version of its Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor. The new Ryzen 7 9850X3D retains the 8-core / 16-thread configuration but features higher boost clocks, reaching up to 5.6GHz. According to Rahul Tikoo, head of AMD’s client CPU business, the 9850X3D offers approximately a 7% performance increase over its predecessor, with certain esports titles showing a 5% or more uplift in performance.

Compared to Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K, the Ryzen 7 9850X3D demonstrates a significant leap in performance, outperforming both Intel’s latest offering and its previous flagship. AMD claims the new processor delivers an average 27% improvement across a selection of more than 35 games, with notable speed gains in specific titles like Baldur’s Gate 3, Hogwarts Legacy, and Counter-Strike 2.

Despite the advancements, AMD will continue to offer the 9800X3D alongside the 9850X3D, with the 9950X3D remaining the top-tier processor in the Ryzen 9000 series. The Ryzen 7 9850X3D is set to launch in the first quarter of 2026, with pricing details to be disclosed closer to the release date.

Source: The Verge

HP has introduced a new mini desktop computer, the Eliteboard G1a, cleverly integrated into a compact keyboard, as revealed at CES 2026. The Eliteboard G1a, designed to resemble a standard office keyboard with either a captive or detachable USB-C cable, houses an AMD Ryzen AI 300-series chip, stereo speakers, RAM, storage, a fan, and ports within its sleek form factor, eliminating the need for a separate desktop tower. Users simply connect the keyboard to a monitor (supporting dual 4K displays), pair the included Bluetooth mouse, and start working seamlessly.

The Eliteboard stands out with its performance-driven AMD Krackan Point processor options, ranging from a Ryzen AI 5 350 to a Ryzen AI 7 370 Pro, catering to office tasks and productivity applications efficiently. Moreover, the Eliteboard G1a offers customization options such as a fingerprint sensor, user-replaceable 35Wh battery providing up to 3.5 hours of battery life, up to 2TB of storage, and 64GB of DDR5 RAM, all packed into a keyboard with 2mm key travel, weighing as light as 1.69 pounds / 726 grams.

The Eliteboard G1a presents a compact and integrated solution that combines functionality and space-saving design, revolutionizing the traditional desktop setup by integrating essential components into a familiar peripheral.

Source: The Verge

Asus ROG, a leader in gaming technology, has announced a partnership with Xreal to introduce a new set of ROG AR glasses designed specifically for gamers. The upcoming ROG Xreal R1 gaming glasses are set to revolutionize the gaming experience with a remarkable 240Hz refresh rate, doubling the standard 120Hz rate found in current AR glasses.

The ROG Xreal R1 glasses feature micro-OLED panels with 1080p resolution and a 57-degree field of view, offering users an immersive visual experience. These glasses will come equipped with the ROG Control Dock, boasting two HDMI 2.0 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4 port for seamless connectivity to PC and console gaming setups.

With a focus on enhancing gameplay, the AR glasses will provide a virtual 171-inch screen positioned at a distance of 4 meters, covering 95 percent of the viewable space. The glasses offer three degrees of freedom, allowing users to anchor the screen in place for maximum comfort and engagement.

This collaboration between Asus ROG and Xreal signifies a significant advancement in AR technology tailored for gaming enthusiasts. The cyberpunk aviator design of the ROG Xreal R1 glasses, coupled with their advanced features, is poised to set a new standard in the world of gaming accessories.

Source: The Verge

Hyundai announced plans to deploy Boston Dynamics’ humanoid Atlas robot alongside human workers in their car manufacturing plants, beginning at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant in 2028. The company aims to produce 30,000 humanoid robots annually, initially integrating them into tasks like parts sequencing and progressing to more complex operations by 2030.

The latest iteration of the Atlas robot, showcased at CES in Las Vegas, features a cutting-edge design with a glowing circle face, fully electric body, and 360-degree rotating joints. The finalized Atlas model will boast water resistance, temperature resilience from -4 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, and tactile sensing capabilities. Moreover, the robot will autonomously swap out its own batteries as needed, showcasing a blend of advanced technology and practical functionality for industrial applications.

Despite concerns over potential job displacement due to increased automation, Hyundai envisions a cooperative relationship between humans and robots in their production facilities.

Source: The Verge

HP recently unveiled its latest computing hardware upgrades at CES 2026, including enhancements to its all-in-one desktop PCs. The new 27-inch OmniStudio X now features Intel’s next-generation processors and Nvidia’s RTX 5050 GPU with 8GB of VRAM, alongside innovative features designed to facilitate seamless remote collaboration.

One notable feature is the built-in webcam on the OmniStudio X, which can now be tilted downwards to showcase users’ work desks during presentations. This functionality enhances remote work setups by providing a visual insight into users’ workspace environments, improving communication and collaboration.

Additionally, HP has integrated Thunderbolt Share into its all-in-one desktop, enabling easy file transfers between two Thunderbolt 4 or 5 PCs connected via a Thunderbolt cable. This feature streamlines the sharing of large files between devices, enhancing productivity and efficiency.

While the Nvidia RTX 5050 GPU offers capable performance, HP also offers base OmniStudio models with integrated graphics for users with less demanding software requirements. The lineup includes 27-inch and 23.8-inch display options, with color customization available for both sizes.

Although the latest release introduces notable improvements, some details remain unclear, such as the status of the larger 31.5-inch OmniStudio X model and the shift from 4K to QHD resolution on the 27-inch display. HP has yet to disclose specific release dates or pricing for these upgraded models.

Source: The Verge

Qualcomm has announced the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Plus chips, positioning them as high-performance and cost-effective processors for Windows PCs. The X2 Elite and X2 Plus laptops are expected to hit the market by the end of the first quarter, according to Qualcomm spokesperson Cassandra Garcia-Bacha.

While the X2 Plus chips have fewer CPU cores compared to the Elite variants, Qualcomm claims they can outperform competing Intel chips in both CPU performance and efficiency. Additionally, these chips feature an 80 TOPS NPU, making them the fastest NPU for laptops in their class, especially for AI tasks.

Qualcomm is aiming to maintain similar pricing tiers to the previous generation, offering Elite, Plus, and X variants starting around $1,000, $800, and $600 respectively. With the introduction of these new Snapdragon chips, Qualcomm continues to push the boundaries of laptop performance, setting the stage for a new era of high-performance and cost-effective Windows PCs.

Source: The Verge

Leading display manufacturers LG Display and Samsung Display are set to introduce a new generation of OLED gaming monitors in 2026, promising enhanced clarity and visual performance. The key advancement driving this progress is the adoption of vertical RGB stripe technology, a significant departure from previous display architectures.

By aligning the colors of subpixels in vertical RGB stripes, these monitors are poised to deliver improved text readability and overall visual quality. Asus and MSI are already preparing to showcase their latest monitors featuring Stripe RGB technology, such as the ROG Swift OLED PG27UCWM, ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN, and MEG X and MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36.

LG Display and Samsung Display are specifically targeting text clarity improvements, addressing historical challenges faced by ultrawide OLED panels. Samsung Display’s recent production of a 34-inch 360Hz QD-OLED panel with a ‘V-Stripe’ RGB pixel structure aims to elevate the user experience, especially for text-intensive tasks like document editing and content creation.

LG Display, on the other hand, is set to unveil the world’s first 27-inch 4K OLED panel with an RGB stripe structure and a 240Hz refresh rate at CES, signaling a new era in monitor technology.

Source: The Verge

Belkin has introduced the ConnectAir Wireless HDMI Display Adapter, a new wireless display solution that eliminates the need for a Wi-Fi network. This adapter comprises a USB-C transmitter that connects to various devices, such as laptops, tablets, and phones, and an HDMI receiver that plugs directly into a display.

One of the standout features of the ConnectAir adapter is its impressive range, which extends up to 131 feet, allowing for versatile usage scenarios like presentations in conference rooms or streaming content in hotel rooms. Unlike some other wireless streaming technologies, the Belkin adapter is not limited by specific device compatibility requirements. As long as the source device can transmit a video signal over USB-C and the display supports HDMI, users can seamlessly transmit 1080P/60Hz video wirelessly between the two devices.

To power the HDMI receiver, a USB-A port is required, or users can utilize a separate power adapter and outlet if the display lacks a USB-A port. The 5GHz wireless connection of the adapter is designed to work through walls, although the effectiveness may vary depending on wall thickness and material. Additionally, users have the flexibility to connect up to eight transmitters to a single receiver, enabling easy switching between devices without the need to physically swap out receivers connected to different displays.

Source: The Verge

Ahead of CES 2026, LG has announced the introduction of the Gram Pro 17 and Gram Pro 16 laptops. Among the highlights is the claim that the Gram Pro 17 is the ‘world’s lightest 17-inch RTX laptop,’ featuring a new ultralight ‘Aerominum material’ developed by LG for enhanced portability without compromising durability.

The Gram Pro 17 boasts a 2,560 x 1600 display and Nvidia’s RTX 5050 laptop GPU, offering sufficient performance for graphics-heavy tasks, content creation, and gaming. Although not positioned as a gaming laptop, it may not deliver maxed-out settings for modern games. LG has kept the laptop’s weight under wraps, with plans for an exclusive US launch.

On the other hand, details on the Gram Pro 16, sporting a 2,880 x 1,800 OLED display and Intel’s latest Core Ultra processors, remain undisclosed. LG states that the Gram Pro 16 will be the ‘lightest 16-inch laptop in its class to feature both on-device and cloud-based AI.’ Pricing and availability for both models are slated for reveal at CES next week.

Source: The Verge

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have developed a breakthrough in camera lens technology that is set to transform photography. Traditionally, camera lenses could only focus on one object at a time, limiting the sharpness of other parts of the scene. However, this new lens technology enables every part of an image to be in sharp focus simultaneously, capturing finer details across the entire frame regardless of the distance.

Unlike conventional lenses that can only sharpen one focal plane, this innovative ‘spatially-varying autofocus’ system utilizes a mix of technologies to determine which parts of the image should be sharp. By giving each pixel its own adjustable lens, the system can focus at multiple depths simultaneously, enhancing the overall clarity and detail captured in photos.

The computational lens integrates a Lohmann lens and a phase-only spatial light modulator, enabling the camera to focus at different depths at the same time. Additionally, the system employs two autofocus methods, Contrast-Detection Autofocus (CDAF) and Phase-Detection Autofocus (PDAF), to maximize sharpness and ensure precise focus adjustments.

This technology not only enhances the quality of images but also simplifies the process of capturing a full, detailed picture without the need for multiple shots at different focal lengths. As photography enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the commercial application of this innovation, the future of photography is poised for a significant transformation.

Source: The Verge

Modular PC company Framework has once again revised the prices of its DDR5 RAM modules due to the ongoing surge in memory costs. The company announced that it will now charge $10 per GB for 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB modules, with slightly higher prices for larger capacities.

Earlier this month, Framework had already increased the prices, citing significantly higher costs from suppliers and distributors. Following this latest adjustment, the 8GB module now costs $80, the 16GB module is priced at $160, and the 32GB module is set at $320. The 48GB module has more than doubled in price from $240 to $620 since June 2025. The 64GB and 96GB modules are now priced at $640 and $1,240, respectively.

This price change impacts the configurable memory options offered with Framework’s DIY Edition laptop, as the company still does not sell standalone DDR5 RAM to maintain inventory. To mitigate higher costs, users can opt to purchase the DIY Edition laptop without memory and source modules elsewhere using the provided PCPartPicker link on Framework’s website.

Suppliers suggest that memory prices will likely continue to rise in early 2026, with Framework acknowledging the possibility of further price adjustments in the near future. The company commits to adjusting prices only in response to cost increases, aiming to lower prices as costs decrease over time.

Source: The Verge