From Tom's Hardware · 40 stories
Nvidia's Kyber Rack System Delayed to 2028 Due to Manufacturing Issues
Nvidia's Kyber NVL144 rack system, intended for its 2027 Rubin Ultra chips, has been delayed until 2028. This setback is due to difficulties manufacturing a crucial PCB midplane, impacting Nvidia's product roadmap and competitive position in AI hardware. An intended stopgap solution, the NVL72x2 rack, has also been canceled, leaving Nvidia with fewer options in 2027.
NVIDIA and Partners Expand U.S. Chip Manufacturing Efforts
NVIDIA, alongside partners including TSMC and Foxconn, is investing in U.S. chip manufacturing and infrastructure, spanning 43 states. This includes the production of Blackwell wafers at TSMC's Arizona factory, although some packaging processes still occur overseas. This initiative seeks to bolster U.S. technologial self-reliance but highlights ongoing gaps in the domestic supply chain.
OpenAI's Dots Autonomous Agents Utilize Nine-Core AMD EPYC VMs
Geekbench 7 results indicate that OpenAI's newly launched Dots autonomous agents run on virtual machines powered by nine-core AMD EPYC 9V74 processors with 9.73GB of memory. This hardware configuration provides significantly higher multi-core performance compared to Meta's Muse agents, which use two-core AMD EPYC Turin processors.
TP-Link launches global preorders for first Wi-Fi 8 router, unavailable in US due to ban
TP-Link has opened preorders for its first Wi-Fi 8 router, the Archer 8 Ultra, in global markets including the UK, Germany, and Australia. The device is not available in the US due to an ongoing ban by the FCC on new wireless hardware from TP-Link.
Micro Center requires ID and no-export pledge for RTX 5090 purchases
Micro Center is requiring customers purchasing an RTX 5090 GPU to provide photo identification and sign a declaration form prohibiting its export from the United States. This new policy follows recent U.S. government efforts to prevent the illicit export of high-end GPUs, particularly to China.
PewDiePie Launches Uncensored Ajax AI Model for Home PCs
PewDiePie released Ajax, an uncensored AI model built for his self-hosted AI workspace, Odysseus, designed to run on home PCs. The model, a fine-tuned Qwen3.5-9B, aims to handle daily tasks privately and was developed despite two bans from OpenAI during its creation.
Nuvacore unveils 'Core First' CPU design strategy, developing IP before ISA selection
Nuvacore, a new CPU startup, announced its 'Core First' development approach, designing core CPU IP independently of a specific instruction set architecture (ISA). This method aims to optimize microarchitecture for performance and power efficiency before committing to an ISA like Arm, RISC-V, or x86, targeting data centers and AI infrastructure.
Local Utility Hikes and Noise Drive US Data Center Protests, Not Anti-AI Sentiment
Research indicates that public opposition to data center projects in the US is primarily driven by local environmental and economic concerns, such as increased utility costs and noise pollution, rather than broader anti-AI sentiment or political affiliations. This highlights the direct impact of data center operations on local communities, leading to widespread protests and calls for policy changes regarding infrastructure costs.
Micron's $50 Billion Boise Expansion Transforms Local Economy and Demographics
Micron's $50 billion investment in new chip manufacturing facilities in Boise, Idaho, is driving significant economic and demographic changes in the city. This expansion, fueled by the AI boom, is creating thousands of jobs and increasing wealth for Micron employees, but also leading to rising housing costs and traffic congestion for residents.
AI-designed chips face patent infringement risks as autonomous tools emerge
The increasing use of AI in chip design, exemplified by tools from Synopsys and Cognichip, raises concerns about potential patent infringement. As AI generates designs, it may inadvertently incorporate patented intellectual property, creating legal challenges for chip manufacturers. This issue could significantly impact the AI chip design market and the industry's reliance on IP licensing.
Comcast Activates Wi-Fi Motion Sensing on Xfinity Routers for Home Activity Monitoring
Comcast has launched Xfinity Shield, a new home security platform that includes Wi-Fi Motion, a feature enabling compatible Xfinity routers to detect movement by analyzing disruptions in Wi-Fi signals. This update, available through the Xfinity Internet app, allows customers to monitor home activity without additional hardware, providing an added layer of awareness for Xfinity Internet users.
Blockchain-assisted cyberattacks surge fivefold, driven by state actors and criminal groups
Blockchain-assisted cyberattacks, known as Blockchain Dead Drops (BDD), have increased over fivefold in the past year, primarily due to Iranian, North Korean, and Russian-linked groups. This technique stores malicious payloads or command-and-control configurations on public blockchains, making cyberattack campaigns more resilient to takedowns. The rise is partly attributed to the accessibility of open-source AI tools, lowering the technical barrier for less-experienced attackers.
AMD Releases EPYC 'Venice' CPU Benchmarks, Claims Superiority Over Nvidia Vera
AMD released official benchmarks for its EPYC 'Venice' CPUs, claiming its 256-core chip is over twice as fast as Nvidia Vera and its 96-core model is 20% faster per-core in SPEC CPU 2026's Integer Rate test. These benchmarks provide more detailed performance comparisons against competitors and previous generations.
Intel Patent Details MicroLED Integration in Chip Packaging for Optical Interconnects and Aesthetics
Intel has been granted a U.S. patent for embedding MicroLEDs directly into chip packaging, utilizing glass substrates and Through-Glass-Vias (TGV). This technology is described for potential applications in optical signaling, diagnostic testing, and aesthetic lighting for processors, offering an alternative to current co-packaged optics and new visual feedback options.
Humanoid Robots Surpass Usain Bolt's 100m Record at World Humanoid Robot Games
Two Chinese humanoid robots, Tiangong Ultra and Honor's Lightning, recorded 100-meter dash times of 9.39 and 9.47 seconds respectively, exceeding Usain Bolt's human record of 9.58 seconds. This development demonstrates rapid progress in bipedal robot locomotion, though the robots still lack controlled stopping mechanisms.
Control Resonant PC Performance Tested Across 28 GPUs, Features Path Tracing and DLSS 4.5
Control Resonant, a new game, has been tested for PC performance across 28 different GPUs. The game incorporates path-traced lighting, Nvidia's RTX Mega Geometry, and DLSS 4.5 features including Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction, and Multi Frame Generation.
Netherlands develops DAWO to reduce reliance on US software after sanctions
The Dutch government is developing DAWO (Digital Autonomous Work Environment for Government), an open-source software and services platform based on NixOS, to reduce its reliance on US-based technology. This initiative follows US sanctions on the International Criminal Court, which led to the chief prosecutor losing access to Microsoft services.
Steam Remote Play adds Pyrowave codec for improved local network game streaming
Steam has integrated the Pyrowave codec into its beta client for Remote Play, aiming to reduce latency and improve image quality for in-home game streaming. Developed by Hans-Kristian Arntzen, Pyrowave uses a different encoding method than traditional codecs, offering consistent quality and low latency at the cost of higher bandwidth usage.
Virginia Tech Lab 3D Prints Liquid Metal Composite for Enhanced Thermal Conductivity
Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed a method to 3D print a liquid metal composite using eutectic gallium-indium mixed into silicone, achieving a 40x increase in thermal conductivity compared to unfilled silicone. This innovation allows for the creation of custom heat sinks and stretchable wearable devices that can efficiently guide heat.
UK Games Expo Bans AI-Generated Games and Products from Exhibition Floor
The UK Games Expo (UKGE) has implemented a new policy prohibiting games and products primarily created using AI tools from being exhibited or sold. This decision supports human creators and addresses concerns about AI's impact on creative industries and copyright issues.
Demon's Souls Remake achieves 40-50 FPS on private PS5 emulator KyTyPS5
The KyTyPS5 PlayStation 5 emulator demonstrated Demon's Souls Remake running at 40-50 frames per second with accurate graphics. This rapid progress in PS5 emulation is attributed to the console's PC-like architecture, with development focusing on OS and driver compatibility layers.
Denuvo Sues Anonymous Game Cracker 'voices38' Over Alleged DRM Circumvention
Denuvo, a developer of Anti-Tamper and DRM software, filed a lawsuit against the anonymous game cracker "voices38" for allegedly bypassing its technology in 26 PC games. The company seeks monetary damages and a court order to prevent further circumvention, relying on DMCA anti-circumvention provisions rather than copyright infringement.
Teenager accesses Microsoft's internal Titan analytics platform, exposing 17 trillion records
A teenager named Faav discovered a vulnerability in Microsoft's internal Titan analytics platform, allowing access to 17 trillion data rows and 25,000 employee records. The vulnerability stemmed from an unauthenticated API endpoint that accepted raw SQL queries and a flaw in JWT signature validation. This incident highlights significant security oversights in internal Microsoft systems.
Pennsylvania Bill Aims to Protect Digital Game Access After Server Shutdowns
Pennsylvania State Senator John Kane introduced the "Protect Our Games Act" to ensure continued access to digital-only games if publishers cease online support. The bill mandates publishers provide offline play, server-independent online patches, or refunds for affected titles, addressing concerns about game preservation and consumer rights.
TypeSafe AI's Jev Decision Model Beats Pokémon Red with Assistance
TypeSafe AI's Jev, a decision model, completed Pokémon Red by defeating the Elite Four and Champion, a process that took under a week. Unlike large language models, Jev selects actions from a predefined list based on probability, with Anthropic's Claude Opus 5 providing real-time adjustments and human input also contributing to its success.
US and UK Navies Launch Torpedo from Robotic Drone Submarine
The U.S. Navy and British Royal Navy successfully launched a U.S. Mk 48 torpedo from the Royal Navy's uncrewed submarine, XV Excalibur. This test demonstrates the interchangeability of weapons and platforms between allied forces, increasing flexibility and combat power.
Nvidia Updates RTX Mega Geometry SDK to 2.0 with On-Demand VRAM Streaming
Nvidia released RTX Mega Geometry SDK 2.0, introducing streaming support for continuous level-of-detail clusters to manage high-density meshes that exceed VRAM capacity. This update allows ray-traced scenes to adapt geometric detail efficiently, enabling developers to create more complex environments without VRAM limitations. The technology is part of the broader RTX Kit 2026.3, and a previous version of Mega Geometry was used in Alan Wake 2.
PNY allegedly denies warranty for melted RTX 5090 using native PSU cable
A Redditor claims PNY denied a warranty claim for a melted GeForce RTX 5090, stating the user did not use an "approved" power cable. The user had connected the card with a native 12V-2x6 cable from an ASRock 1600-watt power supply, which the warranty terms do not explicitly prohibit.
SpaceXAI to add 660,000 AI GPUs by year-end, reaching 1.44 million total
SpaceXAI plans to deploy an additional 660,000 Nvidia GB300 GPUs by the end of 2024, bringing its total operational GPUs to 1.44 million. This expansion aims to support the company's AI development, particularly for Grok, and highlights the significant infrastructure investment required for large-scale AI operations.
Tower Semiconductor to Invest $4 Billion in Japanese Optical Connectivity Semiconductor Production
Tower Semiconductor and the Japanese government will co-invest $4 billion to expand the company's Japanese operations, aiming to establish a major manufacturing hub for optical-connectivity semiconductors. This expansion involves repurposing an idle fab, increasing output at an existing 300mm facility, and building a new 300mm fab, targeting a capacity of 45,000 300mm wafers per month by 2029.
Noctua and Forced Physics DCT Partner to Adapt 2000W Micro-Channel Air Cooling for PCs
Noctua is collaborating with Forced Physics DCT to research adapting JouleForce micro-channel air cooling, capable of dissipating over 2000W, for desktop PCs and workstations. The partnership aims to overcome the high pressure requirements of the technology to enable quieter operation suitable for consumer hardware.
Intel's 14A Process Expected to Perform Within 5% of TSMC's A14 Node
Intel Foundry's chief technology officer stated that Intel's upcoming 14A process technology is projected to deliver performance within 5% of TSMC's A14 production node. This indicates Intel's competitive positioning in advanced semiconductor manufacturing, potentially narrowing the performance gap with its primary rival.
Asus eShop Data Breach Exposes Customer Order Records and Contact Details
Asus confirmed a data breach in its eShop environment, potentially exposing customer contact details and order records. While payment information was not compromised, the leaked data could be used for targeted phishing scams against affected customers.
Nvidia RTX 5090's 16-pin power connector runs hotter than GPU die with DLSS 5 enabled
Tests by QuasarZone indicate that enabling DLSS 5 on the GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition causes the 16-pin (12VHPWR) power connector to reach temperatures exceeding 90 degrees Celsius, which is hotter than the GPU die itself. This finding is significant because it highlights a potential thermal issue with high-power GPUs and their connectors, especially as reports of 16-pin connector melting incidents persist across different graphics card brands.
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI Gaming Laptop Discounted at Best Buy
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI gaming laptop is discounted by $300 at Best Buy, now priced at $1,899.99. This laptop features a 16-inch QHD+ OLED display with a 240Hz refresh rate, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU, and an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor. The discount offers a compelling option amidst rising component costs affecting gaming laptop prices.
Japanese Used Bookstores See Sales Surge from AI Companies Scanning and Destroying Books
Japanese used bookstores are experiencing a fivefold sales increase due to bulk purchases by AI companies, which are scanning and then destroying the books. This trend raises concerns about the removal of cultural works from circulation and the long-term impact on the used book market. A 50-ton shipment of Japanese books was sent to the U.S. for Anthropic's scanning process.
Analyst Alleges AMD Chips Sold in China at Discount, AMD Denies Direct Sales
A semiconductor analyst claims AMD's export-controlled Zynq UltraScale+ XCZU47DR RFSoC chips are available in China at significantly reduced prices, suggesting a violation of export regulations. AMD denies direct sales into restricted regions and states it investigates suspected cases of illegal diversion.
Micron discontinues 2GB GDDR7 chips, shifts focus to higher-density memory for AI
Micron has discontinued production and sales of its 2GB GDDR7 memory chips, including 28 Gbps and 32 Gbps variants. The company is pivoting to higher-density 3GB GDDR7 chips, which are more profitable and used in AI-focused GPUs, reflecting a broader industry trend of prioritizing AI memory solutions.
AMD adds GDDR7 memory support to Linux GPU drivers, indicating RDNA 5 preparation
AMD has begun integrating GDDR7 memory support and new graphics IP blocks into its open-source Linux kernel driver. This development signals software preparation for AMD's next-generation discrete GPUs, likely based on the RDNA 5 architecture.
DapuStor J5060 SSD Offers Configurable pSLC Region for Faster Random Writes
DapuStor introduced a new firmware configuration for its J5060 enterprise SSD, allowing users to allocate a fixed portion of QLC flash as a faster pSLC region. This trade-off of 6% to 20% of QLC capacity significantly improves random write performance by over seven times, targeting workloads like database journals and write-ahead logs.