Today's Hardware Pulse
Nvidia driver adds DLSS 5 profile options, hinting at next‑gen AI rendering
Nvidia's GeForce Game Ready driver 610.47 introduces three new profile settings—Enable DLSS NR override, Enable DLSS NR SL override, and Override DLSS NR presets—suggesting continued development of its upcoming DLSS 5 neural‑rendering technology. The earlier DLSS 5 reveal sparked debate over AI‑driven image alteration, after which Nvidia fell silent on the feature.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Cyient Semiconductors raises $30M Series A
Microsoft Upgrades Its WSL2 Kernel Against Linux 6.18 LTS
Microsoft has released the linux‑msft‑wsl‑6.18.20.1 update, rebasing WSL2 on the Linux 6.18 LTS kernel. The previous 6.6 LTS base, now two cycles old, is replaced, allowing upstream security patches and performance gains. New kernel configuration adds native F2FS and ExFAT filesystem support and drops out‑of‑tree VirtIO PMEM patches. Additional Kconfig tweaks enable CAN, joystick, USB monitor, and other hardware interfaces, while the ARM64 build narrows to FAT support only.
PowerCube Semi Supplies Gallium Oxide Sensors to HL Mando
PowerCube Semi has begun mass‑producing gallium‑oxide (Ga₂O₃) sensors for HL Mando, supplying the components since December 2023 under a 2023 development agreement. The sensors power HL Mando’s electric spark detection device, HAECHIE, which was unveiled at CES 2025 and can interrupt...
Benchmarking Nvidia's RTX Neural Texture Compression Tech that Can Reduce VRAM Usage by over 80%
Nvidia’s RTX Neural Texture Compression (NTC) uses Tensor‑core AI inference to compress textures, delivering up to an 85% reduction in VRAM usage. The technology supports three DirectX 12 modes—Inference on Load, Sample, and Feedback—each balancing memory savings against runtime cost. Benchmarks...
XPENG, Fuyao Group Deepen Cooperation
XPENG announced a strategic partnership with Fuyao Group to mass‑produce an AI‑powered dimming privacy glass for its new GX flagship SUV. The glass, the world’s first privacy solution integrated with AI smart‑dimming technology, has entered mass production and delivery. XPENG...
Seeds | Henan State-Owned Assets + Luxshare Precision Jointly Invest in a 10-Billion-Yuan Robotics Company
EngineAI Robotics Technology Co. closed a $200 million Series B round, lifting its valuation above 10 billion yuan (≈$1.4 billion). The round was co‑led by Henan Investment Group’s Huirong Fund and Luxshare Precision, with participation from numerous state‑backed platforms and family offices. Henan plans...
Armenia Pushes Semiconductor Ambitions as Part of High-Tech Growth Strategy
Armenia announced draft state programmes to build a semiconductor ecosystem by the early 2030s, aiming to boost R&D, engineering capacity and talent pipelines. The plan follows a 2025 cooperation agreement with the United States that includes support for chips, robotics...
CoreWeave Lands $21 B AI‑cloud Deal with Meta, Boosting GPU Hardware Demand
Meta announced a $21 billion multi‑year agreement with CoreWeave to lease AI‑focused cloud capacity through 2032, expanding an earlier $14.2 billion contract. The deal, which includes early access to NVIDIA’s Vera Rubin chips, reshapes CoreWeave’s revenue mix and signals a surge in high‑performance...
Apple, GoPro, Microsoft Gadgets Ride Orion on Artemis II Mission
NASA’s Artemis II crew flew Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max, GoPro HERO11 and MAX 1 360° cameras, Nikon D5 DSLRs and Microsoft Surface Pro tablets aboard Orion, turning the lunar test flight into a showcase for consumer gadgets. The mission’s 248,655‑mile journey highlighted how everyday...
Tests Show $30,000 AI GPUs Are Terrible Password Crackers — RTX 5090 Gaming GPU Outperforms Nvidia H200 and AMD MI300X
A Specops study benchmarked Nvidia’s H200, AMD’s MI300X and Nvidia’s RTX 5090 using Hashcat across five common hashing algorithms. Despite costing around $30,000, the AI‑focused H200 and MI300X fell behind the consumer‑grade RTX 5090, which was on average 20% faster than the...
Samsung's Next SoC Continues, as Alleged Exynos 2700 Performance Data Surfaces
Samsung’s upcoming Exynos 2700 SoC, built on a 2 nm process, surfaced in a leaked Geekbench test showing a 10‑core CPU with a peak clock of roughly 2.88 GHz and an Xclipse 970 GPU. Rumors suggest a 12% overall performance gain over the Exynos 2600,...
TSMC Q1 2026 Revenue Jumps 35% to $35.7B on AI Chip Demand
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co reported first‑quarter 2026 revenue of $35.7 billion, a 35% year‑over‑year increase that topped analyst estimates. The surge, driven by AI‑related chip orders, sparked a 2.3% rise in the stock and reinforced TSMC’s role as a bellwether for...
IQM Opens First U.S. Quantum Technology Center in Maryland’s Discovery District
IQM Quantum Computers inaugurated its first U.S. Quantum Technology Center in Maryland’s Discovery District, partnering with the Capital of Quantum public‑private initiative. The hub places the European hardware leader alongside NIST, NASA Goddard and Army Research Lab, aiming to accelerate...
CoreWeave Shares Surge 12% on Multi‑Year Anthropic AI Compute Deal
CoreWeave Inc. (CRWV) jumped more than 12% to $103.20 after announcing a multi‑year partnership with Anthropic to provide dedicated data‑center capacity for the Claude family of AI models. The deal adds to CoreWeave’s growing roster of hyperscaler contracts and signals...
Why IKEA’s $10 Bluetooth Speaker Lets You Pair 100 Units at Once
The IKEA KALLSUP Bluetooth speaker launches at an ultra‑low $10 price, offering a compact, minimalist design with USB‑C charging. While its sound is clear but modest, the standout feature is the ability to pair up to 100 units for synchronized...
Renewable Surge Fuels Multi-Year Boom to India's Power Equipment Industry: Report
JP Morgan’s latest report flags a multi‑year upcycle for India’s power‑equipment sector, driven by the country’s aggressive renewable‑energy targets and a surge in transmission spending. Annual transmission capex is projected at $8‑9 billion, while the emerging HVDC market could generate $14‑15 billion in...
Specs Inc. Partners with Qualcomm for Next-Generation Smart Glasses
Specs Inc., the Snap subsidiary, announced a multi‑year strategic partnership with Qualcomm to power its next‑generation, standalone see‑through smart glasses using Snapdragon XR system‑on‑chip technology. The collaboration promises edge‑AI processing, low‑power computing and a predictable roadmap for developers, with a...
Sponsored: The Chip as the New Core: How Server Providers Are Powering AI Conversations in the Data Center
AI is driving a fundamental shift in data‑center design, placing semiconductor chips at the core of infrastructure strategy. Specialized GPUs and accelerators demand far greater power and cooling, prompting server providers to become strategic partners in chip selection and thermal...
Sponsored: Ablecom Launches 130kW-Ready Cooling Solutions for High-Density Computing
Ablecom unveiled its AbleRack enclosure and AbleCool rear‑door heat exchanger to address the industry’s move toward 130 kW‑per‑rack servers. The heavy‑duty AbleRack can bear a static load of 2,500 kg, features 80% perforated panels, and meets Zone 4 seismic standards. AbleCool offers modular,...
Japan Approves Additional 631.5 Billion Yen for Chipmaker Rapidus
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry approved an additional 631.5 billion yen (about $4.2 bn) for chipmaker Rapidus, bringing total government R&D support to 2.354 trillion yen (~$15.7 bn). The funding is aimed at accelerating Rapidus’s development of 2‑nanometre logic semiconductors, with mass...
Governor Hochul Announces NY Creates Begins Installation of the First Major Tool for High NA EUV Lithography Center at Albany...
Governor Kathy Hochul announced the start of installation of Tokyo Electron’s 300 mm wafer coater/developer, the LITHIUS Pro DICE, at NY Creates’ Albany NanoTech Complex. The tool is the first major piece for the upcoming High NA EUV Lithography Center, North America’s only publicly owned...
Fiber Monitoring | ProRail Selects Adtran to Strengthen Nationwide Rail Network
ProRail, the Dutch railway operator, has deployed Adtran’s ALM in‑service fiber monitoring solution across its 4,600 km backbone. The 16‑port system provides real‑time visibility into fiber health, alerting operators to breaks, degradation and abnormal attenuation. Implemented with TrueCom, the solution integrates...
Huawei’s Fold Signals the Dawn of Post‑Keyboard Computing
Huawei may have just shown where personal computing is heading next. And it looks a lot less like a traditional laptop. The MateBook Fold takes an 18.3-inch OLED display, folds it like a book, and turns it into a smaller 13-inch device...
S Plus Production Slumps, Edge Model Likely Replacement
Galaxy S Plus is not lasting another generation. Might not even last this one. Production breakdown: S26 Ultra: 1.5 Million S26 Plus: 200K S26: 1.3 Million S26 Plus is getting dangerously close to S25 Edge level production. At this point I'd just launch the S26...
Pixel Users Report Phones Freezing on Startup Screen After Latest Google Update, Company Responds
Following the March 2026 over‑the‑air update, numerous Pixel owners reported their phones stuck in a bootloop, displaying only the Google “G” logo. The problem spans flagship and mid‑range models—including Pixel 6, 7, 8 Pro, and 10 series—rendering devices unusable. Google has publicly confirmed...
Gesture‑controlled Desk Creates Interactive Holographic Displays
Next-Gen Desk Turns Simple Gestures into Interactive Holographic Displays by @tweetciiiim #Innovation #EmergingTech #Tech #Technology https://t.co/Xy6vonZPlH
RAM Crisis Persists; TurboQuant Won’t Rescue It
Where are we now with the RAM crisis? It's still bleak, despite some positive glimmers of late — and I wouldn't rely on TurboQuant to save the day. https://t.co/OKQYnluz0o
Japan Bets $16 Billion to Propel Rapidus in Global AI Chip Race
Japan approved an additional $4 billion in subsidies for Rapidus Corp., raising total government support to $16.3 billion through March 2027. The funding is earmarked to accelerate Rapidus’s AI chip production for early client Fujitsu and follows a positive review of its Hokkaido...
Intel Arc Pro B70 in Its First Teardown: Early Disassembly Reveals How Intel Has Packaged Big Battlemage for Workstation Use
Intel’s Arc Pro B70 has been dissected in its first public teardown, revealing a purpose‑built workstation design rather than a repurposed gaming card. The reference model uses a blower‑style cooler with a large vapor‑chamber heatsink, directing airflow out the rear for optimal...
Snap Is Partnering with Qualcomm for Its New Smart Glasses – Bringing AI Glasses One Step Closer to Reality
Snap has sealed a multi‑year strategic partnership between its Specs Inc. subsidiary and Qualcomm Technologies, committing future smart‑glasses to the Snapdragon XR platform. The first generation of Specs, a standalone AR wearable, is slated for launch in late 2026 and...
TSMC Grows More Than Expected in the First Quarter of 2026 – AI Demand Keeps the Company on Track Despite...
TSMC reported first‑quarter 2026 revenue of NT$1.1341 trillion (≈ $35 billion), a 35.1% year‑over‑year increase and well above the LSEG SmartEstimate of NT$1.125 trillion. March alone generated NT$415.19 billion (≈ $13 billion), up 30.7% from February, underscoring a rapid sales acceleration. Reuters attributes the surge to sustained...
Magnetic Privacy Filter Shields MacBook From Shoulder Surfers
Tired of shoulder surfers seeing everything on your MacBook screen when working in public? Then you'll want to learn all about the Afterplug Magnetic Privacy Filter Screen, which I demo and test in my latest review video: https://t.co/dVTvZyGDMc #privacy #macbook...
NVIDIA’s DLSS 5 Demo Video Briefly Taken Down Because YouTube’s Take Down Process Sucks
NVIDIA’s promotional video for its upcoming DLSS 5 upscaling technology was briefly removed from YouTube after an Italian broadcaster, La7, filed an automated copyright claim on the footage. The claim triggered a platform‑wide takedown of every video containing the trailer, even...
MILLIBEAM Unveils GaN Power‑Amplifier Portfolio Targeting 5G N79 and C‑Band Radar
MILLIBEAM announced a new GaN power‑amplifier line‑up—pre‑driver H4W1A1 and final‑stage H4E1N1—that together provide 57 dB gain and 20 W saturated output across the 4.4‑5.5 GHz band. The portfolio is built for 5G NR band N79 and C‑band phased‑array radar, promising higher efficiency and...
Asus Launches ROG Equalizer Cable to Stop RTX 5090 Power‑connector Melting
Asus unveiled the ROG Equalizer, a 12V‑2x6 power cable rated for 17 amps, double the standard 9.2 A limit. The cable is designed to keep RTX 5090 GPUs from overheating their power connectors, a problem that has plagued high‑end graphics cards since the...
Samsung Sets July 22 Unpacked for Fold 8, Raises Z Fold 7 1TB Price by $80
A report from the Korea Economic Times, cited by 9to5Google, says Samsung will unveil its next foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, at a London‑based Galaxy Unpacked on July 22. At the same time, Samsung has quietly lifted the price...
Huawei Mate 80 Pro Launches in Philippines on April 17, Priced at $1,250
Huawei introduced the Mate 80 Pro to the Philippine market on April 17, pricing the flagship at PHP 69,999 (≈$1,250) with a limited‑time discount to PHP 64,999. The launch ends a three‑year hiatus for the Mate series and comes with early‑buyer incentives,...
Master GPU Latent vs CPU Deterministic in 2026
Open source and knowing what goes in latent space (GPU) and what goes in deterministic space (CPU) ^^ the defining concepts to know and implement in 2026
Zelensky's Interceptor Drones Deployed Across Eurasia, Now Shooting Down Iranian Shaheds
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukrainian drone specialists have helped five Gulf states build low‑cost interceptor‑drone air defenses and have already shot down Iranian Shahed UAVs in the region. The $20,000 interceptor drones provide a cheap counter to Shahed drones...
Micron Sells Out 2026 HBM Capacity, Locks in Pricing Power and 47% Margin
Micron announced that its entire 2026 high‑bandwidth memory (HBM) production is sold out under binding contracts, securing premium pricing and lifting non‑GAAP operating margin to 47%. The move underpins a broader shift from cyclical memory supply to AI‑infrastructure leadership, boosting...
TSMC Posts Record Q1 Revenue Surge of 35%‑45% on AI Demand, Beats Forecasts
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. announced first‑quarter revenue of T$1.134 trillion (US$35.7 bn), a 35% year‑on‑year increase and a 45% surge in March alone, outpacing analysts’ estimates. The growth reflects booming AI‑related chip orders from hyperscalers and device makers, reinforcing TSMC’s role as...
Taiwan Accelerates Silicon Photonics and Nanomaterial R&D for AI Chip Power
Taiwan announced a coordinated national effort to fast‑track silicon‑photonic (SiPh) and advanced nanomaterial development, targeting faster, more energy‑efficient AI chips. The move aims to sustain the island’s global semiconductor leadership amid surging AI workloads.
Nanomade Demonstrates Quantum‑Tunnelling Force‑Touch Sensors to Taiwan OEMs
Nanomade presented its Capaforce force‑touch sensor platform to Taiwan's leading electronics manufacturers, highlighting a sensitivity that is 75 times greater than standard strain gauges. The demos covered laptops, wearables, headphones and other consumer devices, positioning the technology for broader commercial...
Mario‑Themed Turtle Beach Gear Impresses Switch 2 Review
I went hands-on with Turtle Beach’s Mario-themed controller and headset for Nintendo Switch 2 and they impressed me for these key reasons. https://t.co/XqXqlmB0Rb
Autel Showcases Ultra-Fast EV Charging in Thailand, Combining 780A High-Current Performance with Seamless App Experience
Autel Energy demonstrated its ultra‑fast MaxiCharger lineup in Bangkok, delivering up to 960 kW (780 A) through liquid‑cooled cables. In a live test, a Zeekr 009 jumped from 20% to 80% state‑of‑charge in just 10 minutes, matching the time needed for a coffee...
Perplexity AI: Powerful, Seamlessly User‑Friendly Experience
Perplexity computer is really really good wow I’m impressed It just works and very normie friendly (me)
AMD Ryzen 9 7900x 12 Core/24 Thread Processor for $199.99+tax for Amazon Prime Members at Woot
AMD’s flagship Ryzen 9 7900X 12‑core processor is now listed on Woot for $199.99 plus tax, a steep drop from the recent $239.99 price. The offer includes free shipping for Amazon Prime members, making a high‑end desktop CPU more accessible. The deal...
C.C. Wei Vs. Dancing Robots: A Debate About Technology—Or About Meaning?
TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei sparked controversy by dismissing dancing and performance‑oriented robots as “not very useful.” He argued that usefulness should be measured by a robot’s ability to perform industrial work, replace labor, and deliver economic value. Critics countered that...
A Multifunctional Terahertz Metadevice Enabled by Single-Layer VO2 : From Ultra-Broadband to Dual-Narrowband Perfect Absorption
Researchers have demonstrated a terahertz metamaterial absorber that switches between ultra‑broadband and dual‑narrowband perfect absorption using a single vanadium dioxide (VO₂) layer. In its metallic phase, the device delivers over 90% absorption from 4.10 to 12.58 THz, covering an absolute bandwidth...
Support For AMD GFX11.7 "RDNA 4m" Pending For RADV & RadeonSI Drivers
AMD’s upcoming RDNA 4m graphics IP, labeled GFX 11.7 (GFX1170), has moved from LLVM shader compiler patches to open‑source driver support. Six Mesa patches—adding roughly 3,000 lines of code—are under review to enable the RADV Vulkan and RadeonSI OpenGL drivers. The changes...
AI Demand Is so High, AWS Customers Are Trying to Buy Out Its Entire Capacity
Amazon Web Services’ AI chip business is experiencing unprecedented demand, with customers attempting to purchase all of the 2026 Graviton capacity. AWS added 3.9 GW of power in 2025 and plans to double its total power capacity by 2027, yet it...