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
NV Re-Enter ARM PC Market in Q1-2026?
Nvidia is reportedly preparing to re‑enter the ARM‑based PC market with a launch slated for the first quarter of 2026. Leaked specifications suggest a high‑end SoC featuring up to 20 CPU cores, a 48‑stream‑multiprocessor GPU delivering around 4 TFLOPs, and LPDDR6 memory bandwidth exceeding 300 GB/s. The chip is expected to power Microsoft’s upcoming Surface X series, positioning Nvidia alongside AMD and Qualcomm in the race to challenge Intel’s x86 dominance. Industry observers see this move as a catalyst for broader Windows‑on‑ARM adoption.
Underdog AI Chip Startup Wins Amid Growing Compute Demand
one of the most impressive teams in AI I’ve ever been honored to meet. going to their christmas party last year was a big “oh wow…. they are assembling some low key legends up and down the stack” moment for...

A 'Striking' Red Honor Magic V6 Is so Thin and Tough that It's Rewriting What Device Strength Means
Honor unveiled a striking red edition of its upcoming Magic V6 foldable, emphasizing a thin profile paired with unprecedented durability. The device boasts both IP68 and IP69 dust‑water resistance, a 2800 MPa Super Steel hinge, and Advanced Display Protection with a...

This Hidden Windows Setting Is Slowing Down Your SSD — Here’s the Fix
Windows defaults to the “Quick removal” policy, which disables aggressive SSD write caching and can slow down small, frequent write operations. Changing the policy to “Better performance” enables write caching, allowing the drive to acknowledge writes once data reaches the...
QEC4QEA to Support Development of Quantum-Enhanced Applications Across Europe
QEC4QEA, a new Quantum Excellence Centre funded by EuroHPC JU and Horizon Europe, receives roughly €4.9 million to accelerate quantum‑enhanced application development across Europe. The centre links end‑users with quantum developers, experts and computing providers, offering guidance, tools, training and hybrid quantum‑HPC resources....
Selling US Chips to China Fuels AI Competition
tough look for Jensen and @DavidSacks and everyone arguing to keeping the China market open to older US chips (myself included) The case against export controls was always: sell to China so theres no market for their own. But they're...

It’s Time to Kill Slow Fingerprint Scanners on All Phones over $300
Optical fingerprint scanners remain common on mid‑range and premium Android phones despite slower performance. Ultrasonic sensors cost only $6‑8 more per unit, yet manufacturers like Samsung and Google continue to use cheaper optical units in $400‑700 devices. Xiaomi demonstrates feasibility...
Color-Changing Nanopigment Sensor Tracks pH One to Ten with Stable, Repeatable Readings
South Korean chemists have engineered a nanopigment‑based colorimetric sensor that reliably measures pH across a full range from 1 to 10. By covalently attaching sulfonephthalein dyes to porous silica nanoparticles and embedding them in an agarose/PEO polymer, the sensor eliminates...

Amphenol RF Introduces 2.92 Mm Connectors for 0.141 In. Conformable Cable
Amphenol RF launched a new 2.92 mm connector line built for 0.141 in. conformable cable, delivering broadband performance up to 40 GHz. The connectors feature low VSWR, gold‑plated stainless‑steel bodies, beryllium‑copper contacts, and Ultem 1000/PTFE insulators for durability across temperature extremes. Available in straight‑plug...

Molex Sets New Benchmark for AI and 6G Testing with 145 GHz Cardinal Multi-Port High Frequency Coaxial Assemblies
Molex has launched the Cardinal Multi‑Port High Frequency Coaxial Assemblies that operate up to 145 GHz, extending its proven Cardinal line beyond the previous 110 GHz ceiling. The assemblies deliver phase‑matched, low‑loss connections and support data‑characterization rates of up to 448 Gbps. A...

Reimagining Compute in the Age of Dispersed Intelligence
At the 2025 RISC‑V Summit, DeepComputing CEO Yuning Liang argued that AI will shift from cloud‑centric models to on‑device intelligence, leveraging aggressive quantization to run multiple models on a smartphone. He envisions a lightweight AI operating system that orchestrates models,...
AMD Rembrandt/Zen 3+ APU Speculation and Discussion
AMD’s upcoming Rembrandt APU is rumored to migrate to TSMC’s 6nm N6 process and adopt RDNA 2 graphics with a 12‑compute‑unit iGPU. The chip is expected to support DDR5/LPDDR5 memory, PCIe 4.0 and possibly a shared L3 or infinity cache that could...
Hardware Acceleration Drives OpenCV Speed Differences
OpenCV Speed Secrets: Hardware Acceleration Explained Why does OpenCV fly on some devices but crawl on others? 🚀🐢 It’s not just your code-it’s hardware acceleration. Behind the scenes, OpenCV swaps generic C++ routines for optimized backends like Intel IPP, ARM NEON,...

Prusa Details XL Roadmap, Prices, And Toolheads
Prusa Research announced a $200 price reduction for the assembled Original Prusa XL, positioning it as the most affordable multi‑material tool‑changer in its lineup. The XL retains its active tool‑changing architecture, supporting up to five full heads, while the newer INDX...
D7VK 1.4 Released With More Improvements For Old Direct3D On Vulkan Under Linux
D7VK 1.4 has been released, extending the open‑source layer that translates Direct3D 5‑7 calls to Vulkan on Linux. The update introduces depth write‑back support, color‑key transparency, and a consolidated legacy DDraw interoperability path. Compatibility for older Direct3D 5 and 6 titles has been...

Death Stranding 2 System Requirements Are Here, and You'll Need an RTX 4080 to Play at 4K
Death Stranding 2’s system requirements have been published, outlining four performance tiers from 1080p @ 30 fps up to 4K @ 60 fps. The minimum tier runs on a GTX 1060 or RX 5500 XT with 16 GB RAM and a 150 GB SSD, while the very‑high tier demands an RTX 4080 or...
AMD Readies Ryzen AI 400 Gorgon Point for AM5 Desktops in Q2
AMD is preparing to launch its Ryzen AI 400 “Gorgon Point” processors for AM5 desktop platforms in the second quarter of 2026. The chips, derived from the Strix Point and Krackan Point families, will bring the company’s AI‑focused NPU and...

So Concrete Gaming Keyboards Are Now a Thing, and I Think I Need One in My Life
Keychron has launched the K2 HE Special Edition in two premium materials – translucent black resin and a novel concrete frame. The Concrete Edition features a brutalist aesthetic, a 75% layout, wireless connectivity, and Hall‑Effect magnetic switches with 40 g linear...
SanDisk Refreshes Portable SSD Lineup, Extreme PRO Claims up to 4GB/S
SanDisk is set to launch a refreshed portable SSD portfolio in the second half of the year, introducing three performance tiers. The flagship Extreme PRO Portable SSD claims up to 4 GB/s sequential reads and 3.8 GB/s writes, with capacities of 2 TB, 4 TB,...

Tesla to Improve One of Its Best Features, Coding Shows
Tesla is set to roll out a software update (2026.2.xxx) that upgrades its Matrix Headlights with two‑stage pixel dimming and enhanced detection of highly reflective objects such as road signs. The new code will allow the system to dim individual...

Best Buy Just Quietly Carved $400 OFF One of My Favorite Garmin Watches — Now It's over $600 Cheaper than...
Best Buy has slashed the Garmin Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar from $899.99 to $499.99, a $400 discount that makes it over $600 cheaper than the newer Fenix 8 Pro. The 7X remains a rugged, solar‑charged smartwatch with 37‑day battery life and a full suite...

Mibro Explorer S Titanium: Accessible Outdoor Performance in a Titanium Body
Mibro launched the Explorer S Titanium, a rugged outdoor smartwatch priced at $249.99. It features an aerospace‑grade titanium unibody that is 40% lighter than stainless steel and meets MIL‑STD‑810H durability standards. The watch offers dual‑frequency GNSS, offline maps, 10 ATM water...

Oppo Teases the Find N6’s Crease-Less Display Ahead of Rumored March Launch
Oppo has unveiled a teaser for its upcoming Find N6 foldable, highlighting a crease‑less interior display. The device retains an 8.12‑inch main screen and a 6.62‑inch outer panel, with a larger battery hinted at. Launch is slated for China in...

3 Lessons Learned From Developing a Novel Neurotechnology Device
QuantalX Neuroscience’s Delphi‑MD, a hybrid TMS‑EEG platform powered by AI, received FDA de novo classification in November 2025 and entered commercial launch in February 2026. The device delivers real‑time, age‑adjusted brain‑function assessments by comparing patient data to a cleared normative database. CEO Dr....

50 Mpg in a Nissan Crossover? Testing the New E-Power Hybrid System.
Nissan is debuting a third‑generation E‑Power series‑hybrid system, featuring a 1.5 L turbocharged three‑cylinder engine paired with a 202 hp front electric motor. Tested in a European‑spec Qashqai, the powertrain delivered a mixed‑cycle fuel economy of 47.7 mpg, with potential to exceed 50 mpg...
Mastercam 2026.R2 Delivers GPU-Accelerated Simulation and AI-Powered Assistance
Mastercam unveiled its 2026.R2 update, the second release in a new semi‑annual cadence, delivering GPU‑accelerated simulation and an AI‑driven Copilot assistant. The GPU engine reduces verification times from roughly 90 minutes to just over 22 minutes while preserving accuracy. Copilot...
Arch Platform Technologies, Wacom Integrate Wacom Bridge For Virtual Workflows’
Arch Platform Technologies and Wacom have integrated Wacom Bridge into Arch’s cloud GPU workstation platform, enabling artists to use Wacom pen displays with full driver support and reduced latency. The joint solution, launched on Feb. 24, offers a "local‑like" feel...

National Retail Solutions (NRS) Named Official POS Provider for Krauszer’s Food Stores as Legendary Chain Targets Nationwide Expansion
National Retail Solutions (NRS) has been chosen as the official point‑of‑sale provider for Krauszer’s Food Stores, a historic New Jersey convenience‑store chain with more than 300 locations. The partnership will roll out NRS’s integrated POS platform across all existing stores and...

Dyze Design Patents Modular Motion Control For AM
Dyze Design has filed a patent proposing a modular motion‑control architecture that separates command streams into priority queues and splits telemetry into real‑time and archival channels. The design adds edge‑processing modules for sensors, stepper and BLDC drives, and even a...
Morehouse College Selected as Host Site for NSF Supercomputing Project
Morehouse College has secured an initial $5 million award from the National Science Foundation to host Horizon, a flagship supercomputer within the $457 million Leadership-Class Computing Facility. The project, led by the Texas Advanced Computing Center, will place one of the Southeast’s...
Siemens to Deliver Industry-Leading PCB Test Engineering Solutions
Siemens announced the acquisition of ASTER Technologies, a specialist in PCB test and reliability solutions, to bolster its electronic design automation (EDA) portfolio. ASTER’s design‑for‑test, design‑for‑manufacturing, and design‑for‑reliability tools will be integrated into Siemens’ end‑to‑end digital‑thread platform, enabling earlier validation...
Lemhi Supercomputer Expands Idaho Research Capacity
The Lemhi supercomputer, deployed through a partnership between Idaho National Laboratory and the state’s three public research universities, replaces the aging Falcon system and delivers markedly faster performance. Hosted at INL’s Collaborative Computing Center, Lemhi provides remote, on‑demand high‑performance computing...

This Braun Electric Shaver Is the Best We’ve Ever Tried – and It’s Now £260 Cheaper
The Braun Series 9 Pro+ electric shaver, T3’s top‑rated grooming tool, is now priced at £239.99 after a £260 discount at Boots. Originally £499.99, the deal includes a charging stand, travel case and cleaning brush. The shaver boasts Ultra Thin Precision Blades,...

AM SOLUTIONS INTRODUCES THE M4 BASIC, A COST-EFFECTIVE ENTRY-LEVEL MODEL POST-PROCESSING SYSTEM
AM Solutions, a brand of the Rösler Group, launched the M4 Basic, a compact, cost‑effective vibratory finishing system for additive‑manufactured metal and polymer parts. The unit processes workpieces up to 70 × 70 × 25 mm and combines a 20‑litre rotary vibrator with a 25‑litre...

Your Watch Will One Day Track Blood Pressure
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin demonstrated a non‑contact method for measuring blood pressure by reflecting near‑field radio waves off the wrist. They built a wearable prototype using a patch antenna, circulator and a custom 2.4 GHz integrated circuit...
Google Cloud N4 Series Benchmarks: Google Axion Vs. Intel Xeon Vs. AMD EPYC Performance
Google Cloud’s new N4A series, powered by the in‑house Axion ARM64 processor, was benchmarked against the existing N4 Intel Xeon and N4D AMD EPYC instances. All three tests used 16 vCPU configurations, 400 GB storage and Ubuntu 25.10. The Axion chips lack simultaneous...
Microwave Transmission Equipment Market Flattens Out in 2025
Dell’Oro Group reports that point‑to‑point microwave transmission equipment revenue was flat in 2025 after a strong first half, ending 1% below the prior year. The decline was driven by weakened demand in India and Latin America despite earlier growth expectations....

Finland’s Prenew Secures €1.8 Million to Scale Its Used Gaming PC Marketplace Across Europe
Prenew, an Espoo‑based marketplace for refurbished gaming PCs, has raised €1.8 million in a round led by Antler, with participation from several European VCs and operator syndicates. The funding will finance expansion into new European markets and a hiring surge of...

Silicon Becomes Core Driver of Data Center Networking
#Technology #Thread #Semiconductor #Manufacturing #Data The Semiconductor Data Networking: 1/ - Modern Data Center Networking Is No Longer Just A Software Or Infrastructure Challenge. It Starts With Semiconductor Capability. - Bandwidth Growth, AI Traffic, And Cloud Scale Push Silicon To Become The Core...
Morgan Stanley Downgrades Chinese Module Makers Amid Margin Pressure
Morgan Stanley downgraded some chinese Module makers , seems to be hitting $SNDK and $MU AI boosts NAND demand, but Asian module maker margins may soon compress. We see challenges for module makers with constrained supply, margin normalization, and weakening...

Here's How You Can Get a Meta Quest 3 for Just $1 with This Shooting Star of a Bundle
Meta’s latest standalone headset, the Quest 3, ships with a Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor, 2064 × 2208 per‑eye resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate, positioning it as the market’s most capable consumer VR device. The headset supports a growing library of exclusives such as...

Bionic Eye Mimics Animal Pupils for Sharper Focus
A new Science #Robotics study describes a #bionic eye that can simulate irregular pupils such as a cat’s vertical pupil for precise focus while hunting and a toad's heart-shaped pupil for improved depth perception. https://t.co/p1uZy6rbky https://t.co/uE8l7VpDSq
Meta's GPU Spend Now Split Between AMD and Nvidia
It looks like Meta is going to spend almost as much money on AMD GPUs as it does for Nvidia GPUs. $META $AMD $NVDA https://t.co/1gQI8giGK1
Startech.com Thunderbolt 5 Universal Docking Station Review
StarTech’s Thunderbolt 5 Universal Docking Station offers a surprisingly low‑priced entry into the emerging TB5 ecosystem, retailing around £253. It supports three simultaneous 4K displays, 2.5 GbE Ethernet, and delivers up to 140 W of power to connected laptops. Performance tests show 3,130 MB/s...

New Technical Papers Added to SemiEngineering Library
New technical papers recently added to SemiEngineering’s library https://t.co/tJFP1cjlmA #2nm #semiconductor #RTL #semiEDA #memristors #RISCV @imec_int @tudresden_de @kaistpr @RWTH #CNNs @DTUtweet https://t.co/5nerWHSDyb
Half of This Year's Data Center Projects Likely Delayed
As many as half of the world's data center projects slated to come online this year could face delays. https://t.co/99YJh9NSoo via @axios
Startech.com Thunderbolt 5 Universal Docking Station Review
The Startech Thunderbolt 5 Universal Docking Station delivers high‑bandwidth connectivity, triple‑4K display support, 2.5 GbE networking, and up to 140 W laptop charging at a price well below most competitors. In real‑world tests it handled three external monitors, SSD transfers near 3 GB/s, and...

Memory Chip Prices Surge 50% in Two Weeks
Wow, a respondent to the Dallas Fed's Service Sector report said that the prices they're paying for memory chips have jumped 50% in the last two weeks https://t.co/RdULT0epp4

Teledyne FLIR OEM Launches Lepton XDS at Mobile World Congress; A Compact Thermal‑Visible Camera Module Featuring Patented MSX Technology
Teledyne FLIR OEM unveiled the Lepton XDS at Mobile World Congress, a compact dual‑thermal‑and‑visible camera module that pairs a 160 × 120 radiometric Lepton 3.5 sensor with a five‑megapixel visible imager. The device embeds FLIR’s patented MSX technology, which overlays visible‑image edges onto thermal...
Limiter, LM-118-100W-22DBM
The LM-118-100W-22DBM is a high‑power RF limiter covering 1 to 18 GHz and tolerating up to 100 W continuous wave across –55 °C to +85 °C. It caps leakage at 22 dBm, introduces only 2.6 dB insertion loss, and recovers in 100 ns or less. Housed in a compact...